December 1986
"Eddie?" Andy peaked through the open kitchen door and into the living room, where Eddie had been sitting for the last hour or so, guitar in his lap, as he practiced playing. Andy smiled at the sight, happy that he was playing again, but her current predicament didn't give her much of a chance to admire the view. "Is there a chance that you maybe have a scale?"
"A scale?" Eddie's fingers stopped strumming the guitar as he turned to give her a confused look. "What kind of scale?"
"You know, for baking? Measuring ingredients and whatnot?" explained Andy.
"You really expect too much of me sometimes, you know that, right?" Eddie laughed at her, the laughter becoming even louder when he saw the irritation on Andy's face. "No, I don't have a baking scale, Andy. I'm not sure I'd know how to recognize one if I saw it."
"What the hell am I supposed to do now?" Andy whined, wanting to kick the doorframe in frustration, but stopping herself at the last second, remembering that it was not her home to kick around freely. "Baking is a science! I can't just… wing around with the ingredients! Also, you used to sell drugs, Eddie," she reminded him, glaring at the guy. "Didn't you need a scale for that?" she asked, hoping she doesn't sound like a complete fool. Andy may know some shit, but she doesn't know how to sell drugs, that was for sure. Luckily, Eddie wasn't insulted; in fact, he roared in laughter.
"Yeah, I had that kind of scale but along with the other paraphernalia, I returned it to Reefer Rick. I'm a law-abiding man now. Oh come on Andrea," he noticed her pout and laughed. "You're making banana bread, not a five-tier cake," Eddie reminded her, but something in her expression had made him realize that she wasn't taking banana bread lightly. Nor his joke either, for that matter. "Aren't cups enough for that shit?"
"No, not when you don't know how much they weigh," Andy sighed, annoyed at her own stupidity. She should have figured that he wouldn't have all the equipment here, the guy survived on coffee and Mountain Dew. A few beers here and there, or a quick sandwich. If she didn't feed him, he mostly didn't bother. He was fucking lucky she enjoyed cooking.
"You're gonna have to wing it, Andy," Eddie told her, but not before he thought of every possible way to help her, but the only solution he could find was driving downtown to buy one, and he already knew Andy wouldn't agree to that. "And honestly, it's banana bread. It can't be bad. Don't worry and just do what you can, with what you've got."
"Fine," Andy was still pouting, but there was no solution in sight, so she might as well. A little dejected, but still hopeful that she'll be able to pull it off, she returned to the kitchen, smiling when she heard Eddie starting to play the guitar again.
Eddie laughed to himself as he went back and thought of all the things he had purchased in the past couple of weeks. A better brand of instant coffee. Andy never complained, but he noticed that she herself bought a different one, and he didn't mind the change. He got a toaster, as he once heard her saying it's her most used appliance, so he figured that she might want toast for breakfast if she stayed the night. He got lavender and vanilla-scented candles, in case the smell of weed and cigarette smoke became too much, and he got fabric softener, to make sure that clean sheets smelt as fresh as a daisy. And he's going to get himself a goddamn kitchen scale.
Andy asked for none of this. In fact, Eddie wasn't sure if she had noticed any of it yet. It was all him, and his desire to make staying at his place as comfortable as possible for her.
He was going crazy, there was no other explanation for it. When she was around, all of his focus was on her and when she was away, he thought about how he wished she was there.
Eddie wasn't looking for anything. He didn't want company, he didn't want a friend, and Andy was having none of it. She became a constant presence in his life before he even knew what had happened. And now, he wouldn't have it any other way. He wants her company, he definitely wants her friendship, and he is nursing a crush that's threatening to get out of control, more and more each day.
There were girls before, a few of them possibly worth a mention but most just in passing. Eddie had better things to do than to let his dick navigate his daily life, so when it did get to that, it was usually… meaningless. He'd look at girls, found plenty of them attractive, and debated asking a few on dates, but he never had a crush on someone. He never really liked someone. He had sex, made out, held hands, and flirted, but he never ever had a crush.
That was his explanation as to why he was acting the way he was. The only answer that made sense, at least. He wanted nothing more than to spend time with her. He didn't care what they did; they could sit in silence, they could do community work, hell, they could even hang out with 20 other people. As long as she was there, he was happy and relieved.
Eddie liked her, properly liked her, and it was driving him insane. He didn't know what to do about it, he didn't know how much was too much and he didn't want to chase her away. He didn't want to ruin this brilliant friendship that he stumbled into by accident.
Andy wasn't giving him anything, any reason to believe that he should… shoot his shot. Yeah, she made a point of saying she loved spending time with him, but that didn't mean that she was into him. She did those grand gestures, but Andy was like that - she helped people, she liked to support them and make them feel good. Sure, she would sometimes say a thing or two that maybe, just maybe, could be interpreted as flirting but Eddie could never be sure, it was never obvious enough. And he was slowly driving himself crazy because of it.
All he could do was to do his best and keep his thoughts to himself, and hope he won't lose it and confess his undying love for her. Okay, he was being dramatic, he knew that. But he did want to tell her how much he liked her, on a daily, and the words just… wouldn't come out. And they shouldn't. He was just not ready, it was never the right time, and frankly, it would have led to disaster.
Determined not to go on another mental rant about how she deserves much better than him, Eddie decided to focus on the music, on the guitar that he was playing. But even with that, Andy was weaved through it. She was the one who encouraged him to pick it up again. He would find himself playing a riff from a song he never paid attention to, but had since memorized, because she kept playing it and humming it weeks ago. No matter what he did, it somehow found its way back to Andy.
"Shit! Damn it, Andy!"
The sound of her cursing coming from the kitchen made him smile. Knowing that she would have called if she was in actual trouble, he imagined her spilling flour or something like that, and the thought made his smile widen.
Ugh, he was hopeless, he realized. Taking a deep breath or two to calm down, hoping to empty his head of her, he focused on the chords, on the melody he created. Slowly, he was able to zone out, his concentration only broken by a curse or two coming from her.
Andy just wanted to do shit right. Nothing more, nothing less. She knew that Eddie wouldn't mind if she somehow managed to fuck up something as simple as banana bread, but she really wanted to do it right. It was a part of her personality, a part she never particularly liked. It served her well in life, the fact that she could be an overbearing perfectionist, but for something as simple as fucking banana bread, it was more annoying than it was useful.
She did something. What it was gonna end up being, Andy had no idea. Excited to throw in the towel and exit the kitchen while her concoction baked, she all but ran into the living room. Only to stop at the kitchen door, observing the scene in front of her.
Eddie was lost, completely lost in the music. His eyes were closed as his fingers moved, creating a melody that Andy couldn't recognize. It wasn't the first time that she had seen him play, as he did pick up the guitar the last few times she was around, but it was the first time it seemed like he wasn't fully there. His body was, but his mind was elsewhere. Andy realized, with something she could only describe as a kick to the chest, that she could remain standing there and just watch him play for hours on end.
A knock on the front door of the cabin broke both their trances; Andy blushed, realizing that Eddie had caught her starting. Thankfully, he didn't have a chance to comment on it, as he was more focused on the surprise visitor. As he made his way to the front door, Andy moved to the side, all but hiding behind the door. Eddie would have told her if he was expecting any visitors; hell, she wouldn't even be here if he was expecting any visitors.
"Took you long enough, boy," a voice stained with years of smoking carried loudly through the house; Andy recognized it immediately as the voice of Eddie's uncle. Giving them as much privacy as she could, Andy hid in the kitchen and listened to the sounds of what she imagined were slaps against their backs as the two likely hugged. A few sentences were exchanged, both of them speaking lower. Andy was relieved at the realization that she couldn't hear clearly what they were saying. She already felt like she was imposing.
Eddie must have warned his uncle that he wasn't alone, because when Wayne peaked into the kitchen, he wasn't surprised to see Andy there. Andy, on the other hand, didn't have nearly enough time to mentally prepare herself, so the best she could do was offer an awkward wave and a quiet greeting. "Afternoon, Mr. Munson."
"Mr. Munson," he grunts in reply. It's staggering how much he looks like he did the day Andy first met him. While she can't say for sure, Andy's pretty certain that he's even wearing a similar outfit. The man simply hasn't changed. "I might be older than you kids, but I'm hardly Mr. material. Call me Wayne, kid," he tells her and offers her a friendly smile.
"Nice to officially meet you, Wayne," she tested his name and it was completely wrong and god help her if she doesn't continue calling him Mr. Munson. "Andrea Harrington," she took a step closer to him and initiated a handshake.
"Well, I'll be damned," Wayne did a double take; Andy didn't notice the surprised expression on his face until then. "I knew you helped Eddie out, and I remember you from before, but I never figured you were a Harrington."
Of course, Andy figured. Eddie's uncle is around the age of her parents, give or take a few years. Chances are, he had encounters with them in the years they grew up in and around Hawkins. She knew that Eddie went with her and Steve even to primary school, so they'd had to have lived here for at least 15 or so years. Wayne must have known her parents, or at the very least, known of them. Andy wasn't sure which option was worse.
"Yeah…" Andy awkwardly mumbled, not quite sure how to continue the conversation. "Can't say it's the first time I heard something like that."
Yeah, she managed to make it even more awkward.
"Wayne!" Whether or not Eddie sensed the situation or just randomly decided to pop into the kitchen, Andy will be eternally grateful for his interruption. "Leave the poor girl alone."
"I hadn't realized you'd have company," Wayne now speaks to his nephew. "I won't be sticking around in that case, I don't wanna bother you kids and-"
"Oh no!" Andy interrupted immediately. "No, I really don't want to impose on your time. I hadn't checked if Eddie had any plans before coming over, it's totally on me. I'll just get my things and get going; Eddie, the banana bread will be done in about half an hour?"
"And you'll be here to take it out," Eddie replies with ease, completely unfazed by the way both Andy and Wayne were more than willing to run the hell out of his cabin. "No one is going anywhere - it's not like there's a legal requirement for me to only have one guest over at a time. So… let's just chill and have some coffee, yeah?"
Wayne didn't need any convincing, but Andy still debated leaving them. It's one thing to hang out with Eddie when they're alone, and another to do so while his uncle, his father figure, is around. Not to mention that she doesn't want to limit their time together. With how much time she spent with Eddie in the past weeks, she knew he couldn't have been visiting Wayne too often, or vice versa for that matter. They used to live together, and maybe Wayne just misses spending time with his nephew.
Without saying a word more, Eddie started a new pot of coffee and Wayne sat down at the table, already talking about someone named Mark. Andy stood there, feeling a bit like an idiot, but finally deciding that she might as well make herself comfortable. Eddie wanted her to stay and Wayne didn't have a complaint; it was as good as it was going to get.
It would be a lie to claim that the conversation wasn't awkward at first. There was no way around it - if Eddie had gotten his social awkwardness from someone, it was definitely from Wayne. Andy understood it all too well, imagining how strange it must have been to try and find some connection between himself and two people who have at least two decades less on him. She was mostly quiet, pretending to be busy with baking; it was an easy distraction, and once it would have been evident that she was checking on the damned banana bread too much, she busied herself with the dishes pilled up in Eddie's sink, as she listened to the two of them talk. Slowly but surely, it had become more comfortable. The smell of the baked goods and the warmth from the oven made it impossible to be on edge, and by the time she was finished with the dishes, Andy got more comfortable, tying her plaid shirt around the waist and pouring herself a cup of coffee before joining them, both at the table and in the conversation. They finished talking about a person they both knew, that Andy had never heard of, before moving on to more common topics; Hawkins in general, people they all knew, the weather, right down to the brand of cigarettes each of them smoked.
"Now, what's the deal with all of this?" Wayne had asked, pointing at the table and around the kitchen, at everything at once but nothing in particular; both Eddie and Andy needed an elaboration, which Wayne provided without skipping a beat. "How the heck did my nephew get you to come over here every now and then and offer him a home-cooked meal or two?"
Well, the question was certainly directed at Andy, and she hoped that she didn't blush; it didn't escape her notice that Eddie looked away, suddenly incredibly captivated with his kitchen appliances. "Well, I think it's safe to say we have a good friendship going on here," Andy answered, giving Eddie a quick smile; he still kept his eyes on the fridge. "And the food, well, I didn't want Eddie here to test how long someone can survive on microwave food and PB&Js," she joked, hoping that her choice of words wouldn't insult Eddie. They've joked about his culinary incompetence before, but never in front of someone else.
Wayne looked at her for a moment, contemplating her answer. "Your heart's in the right place, kid," he decided, and although to Andy he was still nothing but a stranger, it meant quite a lot to hear it. "I know y'all don't like to talk about that time. Well, at least Eddie doesn't - but what happened 'couple of months ago… I'm just glad Eddie had people around him who believed he was innocent from the get-go. And you were one of 'em."
"One way or another, the truth would have come out," Andy replied, despite not believing it at all. Without them helping Eddie out and the government covering everything else up, the cops that resumed Hopper's leadership wouldn't have given a shit. They would have had Eddie hung, drawn, and quartered, and the town would cheer them on. Wayne likely knew that all too well, but for the sake of keeping some hope and positivity, Andy lied. "I'm just glad it was sooner, rather than later."
"Nah," Wayne shook his head. "If it weren't for you, the former chief, and the bunch of kids that are still running around Hawkins, god only knows what would have happened."
Andy wondered how much Wayne actually knew. Eddie never told her the extent of what he shared with his uncle, but she'd bet that he hadn't told him the complete truth. It's also safe to assume that he knew more than the average Hawkins citizen. NDAs or no NDAs, there are lines that sometimes have to be crossed, even for the sake of sanity.
"I'm sure Eddie would have handled it just fine," Andy insisted.
"Guys, can we talk about something else?" Eddie pipped up. "Like, literally, anything else?"
"Sure, how about-" Andy began.
"That scar of yours," Wayne interrupted her and it took her a second to realize that he was talking about her; she didn't register it until he had pointed toward her arm. Andy was so used to ignoring it by now, she hadn't even realized that they'd be able to see it when she took off her long-sleeved shirt. It had healed well, as well as it could, given that it was a wound from an inter-dimensional monster, but it was still rather… gnarly. "It's exactly the same as the one Eddie had. Did the… same animal attack you?"
Animal. That's one way of viewing it, Andy figured. It was definitely the safest way for Eddie to explain his own scars, which she knew were plenty, even though she'd only seen a few glimpses of the ones on his arms. Dustin had told her what state Eddie was in when he found him and Andy had no doubt his body was covered in painful reminders.
"I don't know. Maybe? I was out for most of the attack," she lied without batting an eye; it was a lie she had to say one too many times before. And as she had come to learn in the last years, the easiest way to avoid questions was to claim to not remember.
"Weren't you with Eddie when the… earthquake hit?"
Andy realized that Wayne also knew it wasn't quite an earthquake, but he called it that for all their sakes. She figured that Eddie had told him that what he knew as the truth wasn't the truth, but that the less he knew, the better. The mention of the earthquake, though… had awoken a memory she desperately tried to forget. At least during the day, when she had some control over her thoughts. At night, at sleep… she fell victim to it, every time.
"No," she replied, swallowing a lump that formed in her throat. "I was with, um, Max Mayfield. Knocked out," she added, assuming that Wayne would ask her if she saw Henry Creel, as so many did. "When I was conscious again, I, um, just worked on getting her to the hospital."
"Damn," was Wayne's response. "Was the girl in as bad shape as they say?"
"Honestly? Probably even worse," Andy admitted, immediately shaking her head, as if that could help shake the images forming in her mind. Some of the memories of that night, especially of the immediate aftermath, remain blurry, but the worst ones were always as clear as day. "Yeah… it's safe to say no one had a good time," Andy added, not wanting to leave them trapped in awkward silence.
"As long as it's all behind us," Wayne spoke up, and Andy could sense, and she sure as hell hoped she wasn't wrong, that the subject is about to be changed. "Anyway Andrea, are you into that Dungeons game that Eddie kept talking about all the time?"
"Can't say that I am," she admitted. "Not for the lack of trying, though. It always seemed so confusing and complicated to me."
"It's not," Eddie finally pipped up, having been silent for a while. "There's a lot to remember, but it's a lot easier than it looks. You'd handle it in no time."
"Yeah, well, I say the same for you and cooking and you refuse to listen," she joked.
"Why would I bother with cooking and potentially risk setting my goddamn house on fire when I can simply pop a tray in the microwave and have food in minutes?!" he demanded and Andy wondered if Wayne wondered if this was a common discussion between them.
"Well, I promise you, after having this banana bread, you're gonna want the recipe."
Eddie didn't change the station. Tears for Fears were playing, and Andy knew for a fact that he despised them. Just as Eddie knew that Andy quite liked some of their songs. Granted, they weren't her favorite band, but a few songs here and there never hurt.
Except then. Because Head Over Heels was not a song she particularly wanted to listen to when with him. It was as if the local radio station was mocking her.
Andy was glad that it was dark, as she didn't have to worry about her thoughts making her red in the face. The several traffic lights and street lamps weren't enough to blow her cover. Besides, Eddie seemed to be focused on the road, quieter than he usually was.
Wayne was with them for a while. The ice between them was long broken and Andy even got to enjoy watching Eddie spend time with his uncle - their banter, inside jokes, and all the things that she couldn't understand, but that made her smile. The only downside Andy could think of when looking back on the events of that day was how Wayne was a reminder that the truth wasn't out there. Eddie had to lie to him, to some extent, in order to keep Wayne safe and blissfully unaware. It made Andy realize how glad she was that she doesn't have to keep anything from Steve. It also made her wonder how difficult it must be for Eddie.
Once Wayne left, the two spent their time like they usually did; talking, listening to music and remembering random moments from the years of their shared education. It was late when Andy decided the time has come for her to leave. Frankly, she should have left hours before that, but she just couldn't force herself to do so.
She stayed two hours after telling him that she needed to go home. She would have stayed even longer, if Eddie didn't remind her that he'll be dropping her off, and she didn't want him driving through the woods in the dead of night.
She was too late for that, apparently. Hawkins was as empty as a ghost town, with no other cars on the road as they drove in silence, listening to the music. Hawkins was always the most comfortable at night to her - it had all the small-town charm, without any of the small-town drama. It felt safe in ways it never did during the daylight. It felt like the town she might not want to leave, but come daylight, she'll remember why that can't be.
"You don't have anywhere to be tomorrow, right?" Andy asked, wondering if he'll even get a wink of sleep that night. "Did you start work on the Mayor's office?"
"They have," Eddie answered, his eyes glued to the road. "I debated if I should continue helping out or not, but I think I will join them at some point this week."
"It's okay if you need some rest," she reassured him. "I mean, you guys are working super hard, you need to take a break sometimes."
"Nah, it's not that," Eddie shook his head. Andy thought she was blowing it out of proportion, but she realized that Eddie was in a foul mood. He felt a little bit on edge while they were with Wayne, but he got back to his normal, relaxed self when they were alone. Only to end up all quiet, frowning at the road ahead. Andy wondered if she had done something wrong, if she should have left when she first said it, or even when Wayne showed up.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked, giving him an option of both opening up and avoiding it entirely.
"There's not much to say. They don't like me, I don't like them. The world keeps spinning."
The van slowed down to a stop as they approached her apartment building. Andy knew she had limited time to speak her mind, and she struggled for a moment before deciding to simply be honest. "They don't know and see you like I do."
She said it casually, even shrugging while doing so, keeping her eyes on him. On the outside, she was calm and casual, but the meaning hidden behind her words was eating away at her. If taken at face value, it could simply mean that she was one of the few that bothered with getting to know him. If one were to unpack it, it would be clear that she had feelings for him. Feelings she couldn't understand or name. Hell, she didn't even know if she wanted him to unpack and understand what she was trying to say, or if it would be more painless if he didn't bother. Andy didn't know if she wanted him to know. When it came to Eddie, she wasn't sure of a single thing.
At least he was no longer frowning or looking away from her. Eddie mirrored her position, turning in his seat to face her. Unlike her, he didn't have his back glued to the door, which meant that he was a bit too close for comfort. And yet, she wanted him closer.
"I don't think anyone sees me or knows me the way you do, Andy."
It was one second. One second alone, but she caught it. Andy caught the way his eyes darted across her face, focusing on her lips. One second, just one measly second, but it had happened and she knew it wasn't a product of her imagination.
"Say what you want to say, Eddie Munson, but I think it's a privilege only a few have."
Andy regretted saying anything as soon as she opened her mouth. She was dead scared of ruining the moment. It was a moment, she could feel it in her bones and in the chills that passed through her, leaving goosebumps on her skin. And she could tell that Eddie felt it, too. He knew they were sharing a moment, one they never had before. She was absolutely sure of it when he looked at her lips for a second time.
Whether it was subconscious or not, Eddie had leaned closer. Andy, very much conscious, did the same. The movements were subtle, so subtle that they might even seem accidental, but when his eyes moved downwards for the third time, she knew he understood.
She waited. Andy waited, much as she did with anything related to Eddie Munson. She would approach as far as she could and then she would wait for him to make the final move, too scared of pushing him away. It was like that with the baked goods, it was like that with spending time together and it was like that then, when for the first time ever, she thought he actually might like her, too.
As it turned out, Andy waited for something that never came. One moment, Eddie was leaning in even more, and the very next he was pulling back, taking a deep breath. They both knew they were on the brink of a kiss, and there was no use in hiding it. What could be hidden, as far as Andy was concerned, was the stab of rejection she felt when he pulled away.
He had an opening and he knew it. Knowingly, he turned away from it. Message received.
"I'd better get going," she cleared her throat awkwardly, suspecting that Eddie wouldn't be the one to speak up first. "I'll guess I'll see you at the Mayor's office at some point this week?" she left an opening, signaling that his outright refusal doesn't mean she wants him out of her life.
"Yeah, for sure," Eddie nodded, a forced smile appearing on his face as he gave her a quick glance. "Sleep well."
"Yeah, you too."
Andy got ready for bed as fast as she could, going through the motions of her nightly routine, focusing on the little things in order to avoid the dark cloud looming above her. Things changed that night, and not in a good way. It was likely still very much salvageable - the sting of rejection never lasted too long with her, and she wholeheartedly believed that Eddie valued their friendship just as much as she did.
Once in bed, lying in complete darkness, Andy allowed herself to focus on the sting. One night is all it gets, one night alone. She will nurse her wounds, take a deep breath and try to continue despite knowing that nothing will ever be quite the same.
Things have changed. But with any luck, she'll manage to keep it minor.