Eddie woke up just after eleven, not even sure at what hour he managed to fall asleep. For a minute, he lay there, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom, before remembering that he wasn't alone in the house.

Almost immediately after getting released from the hospital, he moved there, and Wayne went down to the lake. Ever since then, he was alone. Realizing that another person, Andy Harrington no less, was in the house with him made him jittery, and he wasn't sure if it was of the positive or the negative kind.

He wasn't sure of anything about Andy. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he enjoyed her being around. He did last night, he really did. After what felt like years, he had fun and enjoyed spending time with someone. But that morning, realizing that she was in his space, that he was no longer alone… he didn't want her company if he was to be honest with himself.

Issues like his don't get fixed overnight, he knew that. He still has hope, though. At that point, if he believed that anyone could help him break his shell, he knew it had to be Andy. She was relentless, unstoppable, driven, and perhaps more than anything else, spiteful. He wouldn't use that word, not in front of her, and he wasn't even sure if he minded it, but she had spite in her, and he could see it, as clear as day. It made him curious about who it was for, too.

Knowing that he'll just have to face the music, as he can't make her magically disappear out of his house, he got up, like he always did, got dressed in whatever clothes he found first, and made his way downstairs to make coffee.

Andy was up for at least half an hour before she dared to get out of bed. She felt like a bull in a china shop, afraid to move and harm the tranquillity of the place. Eddie invited her to stay, insisted even, but with the light came the reason, and the high they shared was out of her system, making her face just how painfully awkward the entire situation was.

She didn't belong there, and despite getting along well, she wasn't his friend. She wanted to be, though, and she thinks he might want it, too, but they're not there yet. Just… not yet.

Carefully, she made the bed and folded the clothes she slept in; her instinct was to walk around in nothing but a shirt and grab a cup of coffee before even thinking of putting on some pants. But she couldn't parade around his house, in his shirt, and drink his coffee, not like that. It felt wrong to even think of it, much less do it.

When she finally got downstairs, fully dressed and washed up, she found Eddie in the kitchen. She knew he was already up, as she could hear him moving about the house, but it took her a little while to gather up the courage to face him. She thought she was ready, but the moment she saw him, sitting at the kitchen table, with a smile that was so bright and genuine it could light up any room… yeah, she wasn't ready.

"Morning," he greeted her. "Coffee's still warm - milk is in the fridge, sugar in the cabinet," he pointed around as he spoke. The whole 'help yourself' gesture made her feel at ease, and she greatly appreciated it, after a freakout of being an imposter in his home. Smiling in return, she poured herself a cup, adding a bit of sugar, before joining him at the table.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, feeling the need to start a conversation. It was a stupid opening, as she knew damn well that he was tossing and turning all morning.

"Not particularly," he admitted with an awkward smile. "You?"

"Not particularly," she repeated his words, as they summed everything up perfectly.

"Wanna join me outside for a smoke?"

Moments later, they were once again sitting on his porch. Eddie could sense that Andy wasn't nearly at ease around him as she was last night. Ironically, he was. The alarm he felt when he first woke up, and the strong desire to shoo her away was long gone, especially when he noticed the fact that she wasn't as relaxed as he recalled her being. Eddie was never much of an empath, but Andy was easy to read.

He was the one that kept the conversation going, asking questions that she would reply to, before she started asking them, too. It took half a smoke, but she got there.

"Do you mind if I use your phone? I'm gonna ask Nance to pick me up."

"I can still drop you off, the offer doesn't expire," Eddie reminded her, but there was no use. Andy was really feeling it. She was never one to lose her shit, not even when she was around someone who, for lack of a better word, affected her, but that morning was a completely different story. She knew that it was illogical, but when did logic ever go hand in hand with emotions, with feelings? And she was feeling nervous.

"No, there's no need," she managed a kind smile. "I have to go downtown anyway; Nancy, Robin, and I start helping out at the library today, so she'll be heading there regardless."

The truth was, Eddie's cabin wasn't exactly in Nancy's way. Steve would have been a much better option for a drive, but Andy knew that she could count on Nancy to not ask questions Steve wouldn't hesitate with. Jonathan was even a better option than Steve, and he lived much closer, too, but there was a strong chance that if she called his house, Hopper would be the one that answers. She didn't want another joyride with the Chief.

"If you insist," Eddie spread his arms. "You don't need to run and leave though."

"Not running," she reassured him. "I have a solid hour before I have to call her, so I'll be staying around a bit if you'll have me."

"Do you want breakfast? I have some pretty good pastry?"

It was stupid, but she laughed at his joke. She found it funny, and despite the urge to run and leave, just like he said, she decided to stick around. Andy wasn't the type to quit on the first obstacle, and sudden, unexplainable social anxiety was the first obstacle.

Eddie had breakfast while she gave Nancy a call, making her second cup of coffee; she immediately agreed to pick her up, not commenting on her location at all. She then joined Eddie back outside where they talked, enjoying the sunny day. It was one of those, deceptively warm November days, the ones that will fool you into thinking it's warm enough for a light jacket, only to floor you with a cold the next week. Andy had her jacket on, but Eddie was in a short-sleeved shirt, and she threw him worried looks, despite his reassurance that he wasn't cold. It was only then that she noticed his arm.

"Are those… bats?"

She knew Eddie had tattoos, as it was one of the few things he was known for in school. He wasn't all drug deals and metal; if some of his other interests were more conventional and "proper", Andy was fairly certain that the local girls would find him a little hotter and a little less freaky. Him having tattoos was no news - the tattoo being one of bats was a shock.

"Ironic, isn't it?" he laughed, looking down at his arm. With his other hand, he rubbed the spot, effectively hiding the tattoo from her sight. "I got it before. Had it for more than a year. And then… well, you know the story."

"Are you doing okay?" Andy asked. It wasn't graceful in any way, but after that spring, there wasn't really any space for that. She knew what he went through, she didn't need to ask or walk around on eggshells. If Eddie doesn't know by now that he can trust her and that maybe, just maybe, she could help if help was needed… well, then he doesn't know.

"Oh yeah," he smiled, except it was obvious that it wasn't genuine. Andy wouldn't go as far as to claim that he faked the smile, but she knew what genuine joy looked like on Eddie's face, and the smile she was looking at didn't even have it in traces. "I'm doing fine."

"Fine," Andy repeated, hating the sound of it rolling off her tongue. "I hate that word. We overuse it. And never in a correct way, either. I've heard so many people tell me that they're doing fine, and they almost never were."

"It's not always a lie, though," Eddie pointed out, and Andy chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"Nearly always is. Is it a gamble I feel comfortable with? I don't think so," she told him. He could tell that they were no longer talking about just him. Andy had plenty of things to get off her chest, and from the looks of it, the sooner she started, the better.

Ever since that night when he confirmed that it was her all along, Eddie had paid attention, much more than he ever did before. Anyone could see that the girl was spreading herself too thin, but everyone also knew that she wouldn't listen. And Eddie was sure, if he told her then and there, to let it all out and tell him everything, she'd reply that he should go to hell and mind his own business. But if glimpses of all those emotions that she was keeping in make an unexpected appearance while he's around, well fuck, he won't tell her to shut it.

"Do you remember, senior year - well, your senior year," Eddie joked, but the smile Andy cracked disappeared in a blink of an eye. "We had English together?"

"Yeah, I do," Andy confirmed. "History and Science, too," she added. If Eddie was surprised that she remembered, he didn't show it.

"This is gonna sound crazy, but bear with me," Eddie started, and Andy, amused, listened. "When I think of us being in class together, I don't remember shit. I don't remember you."

"You have a very good talent for delivering insults masked as compliments. Or vice versa."

"It's neither," Eddie laughed, glad that he didn't manage to insult her on accident. "What I'm trying to say is that you didn't stand out back then. I mean, we talked about it last night; you were neither one of the popular kids, definitely not on the outskirts or something like that. But knowing you now and trying to remember you from then… you were just so… quiet."

"Well," Andy took a deep breath. "I didn't have much to say."

"It's not that," Eddie shook his head immediately, not believing that excuse for a second. "You were noticeable, don't get me wrong. We all knew who you were. But you were just so quiet, and that's nothing like the Andy I met back in March."

"I mean, I'd be worried if I was the same," Andy joked, not the least bit concerned by his observations. "I was a different person in class than I was with friends. And I was definitely different when all of us are in deadly danger."

"That definitely plays a part in it, sure," Eddie agreed. "But I think that year away changed you. And you never really told me why you left Hawkins."

"Oh, it did change me," Andy admitted immediately. "Getting away from this shithole changes your whole fucking perspective on life. I hope you get to do it one day, since the only thing that makes you realize just how bad Hawkins is, is actually leaving it. And I did tell you why I left, Eddie. I told you that day in the boat house, I had a whole bunch of reasons."

"You changed more than that while away," he decided. "I'm sure of it."

"I did, but not as much as you think. Come on Eddie, we didn't even talk before. You didn't know shit about me," she reminds him. Andy could see that he agreed, but it was also clear as day that he latched onto her year away. It wasn't even a full year - hardly something that shaped her into the person she is now. Of course, it influenced her and changed her opinions and approach to many things, but it's not who she was. She was, then and there, the same person she was back in that English class - just grown up. "You can't compare me to a person you… didn't know. And I'm not saying it to make you feel bad," she added quickly, realizing how it might sound to him.

"No, no, I didn't think that," he shook his head, smiling quickly at her. "After all, you didn't know shit about me either. And what I did was just what I wanted people to know."

"Exactly," she chuckled. "The same applies to me."

Somehow, still, Eddie didn't fully believe it. She was not as confident back in school as she was that spring, nor was she as headstrong as she was now. At least, that's what he thought. He painted a picture of her character, not realizing that she was wearing a mask, just like he was. He was just a lot more theatrical about it.

"Dropping the subject completely," Eddie decided, lifting his hands up in surrender. She was a nice girl, who approached him slowly instead of chasing him away. He wasn't going to do it to her, not after everything she did for him. And if she doesn't want to talk about that year, then hell, he will just have to die curious.

"Right on time, too," Andy laughed, pointing at the road. He could see Nancy Wheeler driving up to his house, waving at the two of them with a smile. Since there was no shock on her face, Eddie figured that Andy told her who she was with. "There's my ride. Thanks for letting me stay. And honestly, for everything last night. It was fun."

"Anytime, Harrington. Especially if you bring the food and weed," he joked, only to instantly regret it. "You know I don't mean that, right? I was just joking. I can totally get food-"

"Relax," Andy laughed at his panic - his mouth running ahead of his brain was slowly becoming one of her favorite things about him. "I'll see you around, Munson."

He sat on his chair as she watched her walk away, but something felt wrong. "Hey, Andy?"

"Yeah?" she turned around from where she stood on the steps.

"Are you okay?"

It was a loaded question, both of them knew it. Eddie had reversed the roles, and if it was anyone else, Andy would think they might have done it for that reason - to corner her, make her feel uncomfortable, and give her a taste of her own medicine. But this was Eddie. A guy who wore his heart on his sleeve, didn't mind power ballads, was friends with kids, and found The Smiths somewhat disturbing. He wouldn't do that, she knew it.

"I won't say I'm fine if that's what you're looking for," Andy laughed. "People never mean it."

"Are you okay, though?" Eddie insisted, not finding her joke funny.

"Just enough."

Adding two thumbs up to emphasize that she was just peachy, Andy smiled at him one final time before running towards Nancy's car, not wanting to keep her waiting, or to give her any material for questioning. Smiling at her designated driver, she jumped into the passenger's seat, without making eye contact with Eddie, despite feeling his eyes on her.

"Ready to go?" was all Nancy asked. God, Andy was so glad she didn't give up on their friendship. Everyone should have a person like Nancy in their lives.

"Yep, let's go."

Vecna truly didn't have a shit to give about Hawkins's infrastructure. What was left of the library was left a mess, with half the books being burnt to a crisp and a giant hole in the damn wall, a hole that extended to both floors of the building.

It took the workers months to get the library ready to be used again, and when it was, it was the turn for volunteers to step up. Nancy was in charge of this particular project, and when she called Andy to step in, Andy didn't think twice. Just how she didn't whenever someone called her - whatever was happening in town, if asked to show up, she did.

It was ironic, given how much she truly didn't want to do it. Deep down, she didn't care, but every now and then, she would see those places, those broken down buildings and shops, and she'd remember something about them - how she studied for her biology final in that very same library, or how that was where she used to hide after her and Jared's breakup, as she knew the library would be the least likely place for her to run into him. She might have hated it, but that place meant something. And it felt right to help.

Even if that meant spending hours, literal hours, sorting books onto shelves. At least she wasn't alone; Nancy was stationed there, all day, every day, and Robin would try to pop in for a few hours every day. They were almost done, too, and Andy knew that soon enough, she will be called someplace else, likely with the two of them in tow.

"I'll just bring over my spare key tomorrow," Andy decided, finally finding a solution to their Thanksgiving trouble. "I'll have all the pies ready by Thursday morning, and you can just pick 'em up. I'm pretty sure Joyce will be able to bake them just fine."

It was a thing, now. Joyce and Hopper wanted all of them to gather at their place and have Thanksgiving dinner. Dinner, not lunch, as some of the guests do have their own families to celebrate it with. So, dinner it was, a whole little Upside Down Gang potluck. Andy got what Joyce wanted to do, and she appreciated it. The woman knew that Steve and Andy were mostly on their own, that Max's mom will be working, and that El never really had a proper chance of having a Thanksgiving dinner with family. And by extension, all of them were her family. So while the idea was brand new, Andy appreciated it and was even looking forward to it. She got Ms. J's pie recipe and took the role of dessert maker to herself.

At least that was the idea before she realized that she will be too busy to bake. She and Robin already promised that they would help out at the shelter, making sure that everyone who didn't have the means to make one, could at least get a Thanksgiving meal. That particular activity actually meant something to her, as it was one of the rare moments when she felt that all this doing-things-for-Hawkins shit meant something. She wasn't going to dip out on that, even if that meant that the baking of said pumpkin pies was in Joyce's hands.

"Sure thing, I'll take care of that," Nancy agreed. "Do you have any baking instructions?"

"Uh, yeah, I have them written down somewhere. I'll let you know where I put them. Probably on the fridge or something."

"Deal," Nancy smiled at her. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask… Will Eddie be coming?"

"Coming where? To Thanksgiving dinner?" Andy didn't bother hiding her surprise.

"Yeah," Nancy nodded, but Andy's reaction was answer enough. "I figured since the two of you are… well, have been… um… hanging out?" she finally gave up.

"Nance," Andy laughed at her struggle to find the right title. "We're just hanging out," she told her. Nancy, and Andy couldn't be more thankful to her for that, hadn't even mentioned Eddie since the day she picked her up from his place. Not a single word. She knew that Andy would mention it herself if she wanted to talk about it, and unlike literally everyone else in their friend group, she respected her choice of not wanting to discuss it. Even now, when she did ask, it was for a reason. "I didn't extend the invitation. Honestly, it didn't even cross my mind, and it's not even my dinner party to invite him to."

"I doubt Joyce and Hop would mind if you bring a plus one," Nancy mentioned casually, or, at least that's what she tried to do. But as she was lining up the books in the S section of the shelves, Andy could see the way her lips were pursed - she was fighting a smile.

"The implications of him being a plus one are not worth it," Andy shot it down immediately, knowing how Steve, Robin, and likely Max, too, would never let her hear the end of it. "Besides, I haven't even seen him lately. I last saw him the morning you picked me up."

"That was like a week ago," Nancy deadpanned.

"Yeah," Andy shrugged. "We don't hang out every day, Nance. I was busy, and I'm sure he was too. When I said that we're just spending time together, I wasn't feeding you some bullshit line."

"So… nothing is happening?" Nancy asked, her voice and expression equally timid.

"No," Andy shook her head, denying it again. "Everyone apparently thinks it is, though. I just didn't feel comfortable with the way he shut us out, you know? Alarm bells went off and I… I guess I made it my mission to make sure he's doing alright and is not drinking himself into an early grave or something like that. He's not - he's surviving, just like we all are. But yeah, I didn't like the whole solitude thing he had going on, and honestly, he's great company."

"You have a lot in common?"

"I'd say we do," Andy answered after a moment of thinking. "Even if we don't like the same things, we can totally discuss them, you know? I'm not that into metal, for example, but I fucking love music. And when he points out a guitar solo that he likes in a song I normally wouldn't listen to, I enjoy it. And watching him listening to The Smiths is fucking hilarious. You should have seen his face, Nance. He was traumatized after hearing Bigmouth."

She was still laughing when she realized that Nancy didn't reply. Instead, she was leaning on the bookshelf, smiling at Andy with a knowing look. "Nothing is happening, huh?"

Yeah, Andy knew that she was no longer buying it.

"It's really not!" she insisted.

"No, you can just write a whole thesis on the facial expressions Eddie makes when listening to your favorite songs," the sarcasm was seeping through her voice. "Nothing at all."

"Nance…" Andy warned her.

"And it's not like you get this stupidly big smile when talking about him," she continued. "Not at all, never happened. Just like you didn't just go red in the face."

"Nancy!" Andy was no longer warning - she was whining. Nancy needed to stop.

"Hey, I believe you," Nancy shrugged, that stupid, all-knowing smile still on her face. "I did think that something was happening, given how focused you were on him, but I know you wouldn't lie to me. However," with that one word, which she said in a sing-song voice, the bubble that was Andy's hope had popped. "There's no way in hell you'll be able to convince me that you don't want something to happen."

She wasn't going to drop it, not when she saw a crack in the foundation. That's the thing about Nancy, or at least about her and Andy's friendship. She'll respect all the boundaries she was given, but once she finds a way in, she will simply just barrel through.

"There are several disclaimers that need to be made," Andy spoke up.

"I'm listening," Nancy encouraged, entirely way too excited at the lack of outward denial - after all, Andy was so adamant when denying a relationship just moments ago.

"Do I find him attractive?" Andy asked, taking a deep breath before answering her own question. "Yeah, I do. Stop it!" she warned Nancy, sensing a pending squeal before it was able to materialize. With the frown she gets from her friend, Andy knows her instincts were spot on. "Simply put, I think he's a good-looking guy. He's hot. And cute. Somehow both at the same time, which is bizarre, but eh, not questioning it. I also think he's funny and way smarter than anyone would ever think, given his school track record. I like spending time with him and… I get nervous around him. It's that particular nervousness when something drops in your stomach and you know that it's no longer… usual."

"I'm not hearing any disclaimers, just you describing the feeling of falling in love."

"Oh, I'm getting there," Andy glared at her. "The tiniest of all possible issues is that there's an incredibly high chance of him not feeling remotely similar. There hasn't been a single clue, a sign of any kind, that made me think that he likes me more than just a person he doesn't mind spending time with. Much bigger issues are that we're both… we're both so fucked up, Nancy. Abandonment issues galore, on both our sides. The only thing I know about his romantic life is what he told me - he wasn't an expert. But I know my own, and my track record is tragic. I don't know how to be with someone, and I could bet all the money in my bank account that he doesn't either. And honestly Nance, he's traumatized by what happened. He needs to heal, and that'll take time. And anchoring myself here, in Hawkins, is the last thing I want to do with my life."

They stayed silent for a while, Andy going back to organing her own batch of books into the T section. She knew that Nancy needed time to ponder her little rant over, and she did, too.

Before their conversation, Andy never really put her thoughts on Eddie out into the world. In fact, she avoided them with a purpose. When Nancy cornered her, she didn't know what would be her conclusion, but as soon as she laid it all out, it made perfect sense.

Every single odd in the history of time would be against her if she did decide to fuck it all and pursue something with Eddie. She doesn't want to stay there a moment longer than she needed to and attaching herself to someone, and developing feelings for them, would be a disaster. It would make leaving Hawkins hard, and she won't do that to herself.

And Eddie. Hell, he had so much ahead of him. It was easy for her and Nancy to speak. While they did go through a lot more than he had, simply being dragged into the Upside Down shit for years, they also had more time to process it - to deal with it, or at least to pretend to do so. And neither of them spent that time wanted for murder. Yeah, they were risking their lives and nearly lost them, multiple times, but they didn't have to live knowing that the town they called home thinks they'd be capable of mutilating multiple teens.

Eddie needs time to process, heal, and hopefully, grow. Blurring the lines of friendship between them would undoubtedly prolong it, likely distracting him from what should be his biggest priority. Andy couldn't let herself be the cause of that, especially not when she already promised herself that she will make sure he was doing okay, for good.

And what she called a tiny problem? Well, it burnt. She hurt herself when pointing out to Nancy that Eddie hasn't given her a single reason to think he might be interested. One could argue that letting her into her life was reason enough, but Andy didn't give him a choice. Much like Nancy, she saw an opening and she just… bulldozed through it. Just because he let her in, doesn't mean he liked her. And he hasn't shown a single sign that he did.

"I'm not going to pretend to know you, or Eddie for that matter, better than you do," Nancy spoke up after what felt like ages. "What I can, and will say, is that I see my friend and that her emotions are confusing. And I'll be here for my friend, to tell her that it's okay if she's confused, or unsure, or whatever the hell you're feeling," she reached for Andy's hand, grabbing a firm hold of it. "And if she'll ask for my advice, I would tell her that sometimes, going against the odds is the right thing to do."

"Are you gonna go all Phil Collins on me?" Andy joked.

"You're using humor to avoid a serious topic," Nancy didn't miss a beat. "You told me, not that long ago, to not bottle it up. And I heard you say the same to Max. It might be time to listen to your own advice, Andy. Don't bottle it up. And this isn't about Eddie - to hell with him, honestly. It's about you. Whatever it is, don't bottle it up. It'll backfire and it won't be pretty. That said, if you do like him, and if you feel there could be something there, expecting it to end in a worst-case scenario is a mistake. There's always a chance it won't end well, but it doesn't have to be like that, and you know it. Maybe it's time for you to once follow your heart and not your head."

"Nancy Wheeler, telling me to not follow my head," Andy sighed. "First time for everything?"

"I guess so," she shrugged, smiling at her. "Take your time, figure your shit out, and do whatever feels right. Doesn't matter what it is."

"Thank you, Nance."

"Anytime."

Even just a few months ago, their friendship had been on shaky legs. After her breakup with Steve, they didn't really make an effort, as they were always friends by chance, not by choice. It started like that this year, too, when they had to gather up and fight monsters again. But when it ended, they didn't let themselves drift apart. And Andy was sure as hell glad for that, as Nancy might just be the only person that would actually listen to her.

Andy loved Robin - fuck, she'd take a bullet for Robin, no questions asked. And Steve? He was her brother, her twin, someone who knew her like the back of his hand. She loved them both to death, but there are times when they just won't listen. Nancy does. And this time, Andy needed someone to listen to her. She needed someone to hear that despite denying it left and right, she was feeling something. She needed someone to know that those emotions did exist, even if she wouldn't do anything about them.

In order to acknowledge and move past it, Andy needed help. Nancy knew that, and while she didn't miss a chance to add her own opinion, she would also understand the choice Andy eventually made.

Despite said advice, Andy wasn't ready to budge. Admitting feeling something didn't mean that she was willing to do anything about it. She couldn't, not to herself and not to Eddie. But at least now, if she looks away from him or bites her tongue to stop the words from coming out, she will know that she has someone to talk to about it.

"It's a stupid crush, anyway. It'll pass in no time," Andy concluded. Nancy didn't say a word, making Andy wonder if she agreed, or if she just let her live in denial in peace.