"Oh! Oh! Everyone get together!"

Eddie felt himself being shoved, sandwiched, and squeezed into a photo op, Nancy on one side of him and Gareth on the other side.

"Now, big smiles! My god, my baby. Look at her!"

"Mom," Nancy said, face blushing red as her mother wiped away tears on the back of her hand.

"Nancy, let your mother cry," Mr. Wheeler said gruffly, though Eddie could tell, secretly, that he was perhaps finding it hard to believe his first daughter was graduating high school.

"They're so old!" Mrs. Byers agreed, darting forward to wipe Jonathan's cheek.

"Urg, mom? Seriously?" Jonathan groaned. It felt strange having him here since Eddie had close to zero personal connection with him. He had a feeling Jonathan felt equally as strange. After Hopper returned…all the Byers had. Which basically meant that Jonathan finished out the last three weeks or so of his senior year at his former high school.

"No, mom's right," Will said, sitting back with a wide grin, "You're basically a dinosaur, bro."

"Oh, just wait until it's your turn," Robin threatened, waving her finger at the younger members of the Party, who were looking on with far more enjoyment of this situation than they rightly should, considering graduation was coming at them fast. Sure, they had three years, but take it from the guy who repeated senior year three times…even re-doing the same old shit went by quickly.

"Over here! Over here!" Steve waved his arms with his own camera, "Smile at me!"

"He's just as bad as a mom," Cheryl giggled, "It's sorta cute."

"You'll want these pictures one day!" Steve said, hearing her side comment, sputtering in offense, "No one was around to take good senior graduation day photos of me."

"He's probably right, guys," Chrissy squeaked. She caught a glimpse of Eddie and her smile faded just for a second, but he almost knew what she was thinking. That one day she'd pull out these old photos when she was married with kids and Hawkins was nothing more than a strange half-memory, and she'd look at the picture of her old high school boyfriend…the one who did not try to murder her. The guy she dated for a few short weeks.

For her, it would just be a blimp in her timeline. But man, for Eddie? She was his everything and somehow he doubted he'd ever move past her.

It wasn't fair to ask her to stay back for him, nor was it any fairer to ask him to leave his only family member. They were at an impasse that Eddie felt like they'd repeated around a hundred times since the day Steve took them to buy their first 'monster weapons'. It always ended the same; someone crying. And yes, not just Chrissy.

Eddie knew he'd survived so much, but he somehow didn't know how he would survive this.

But still, he too would look at this picture one day too and remember that for once in his life, these few months of high school had been so…good. Almost unbelievably good.

And he would be damned to forget any of it.
"Steve, c'mon, get in here, man!" Eddie waved him in, "You deserve to be in here too."

"And the rest of you all. Let's get one group picture," Nancy agreed, seemingly having similar thoughts to Eddie.

"My kids finally get along and then Nancy goes to college," Mrs. Wheeler rolled her eyes as Max and the almost-sophomores scrambled to get into the frame.

If the previous photo was squished, this one was far worse. Looking around, Eddie almost couldn't believe that he had so many friends. And not just 'eh, whatever' friends, but friends that would go the distance for him, literally give him the shirt on their back if he needed it, risk their lives for his issues…but hell, he'd do the same for any of them.

Steve, Robin, Nancy, Chrissy, Gareth, Cheryl, Jonathan, Mike, Eleven, Max, Lucas, Erica, Dustin, Will…fourteen people that he trusted with his life. Fourteen more people than he ever thought he'd give two shits about at the start of this year.

As people jumped around for the big group picture, Chrissy ended up next to him. She reached out, squeezing his hand, and right as the picture snapped, pressed her cheek against his shoulder, holding on for dear life.

But it was okay.

Eddie didn't want to let go either.

XXX

Graduation was a strange affair this year. Between the deaths of two students, the near-death of one, and the arrest of a former previously loved star-athlete, no one really quite seemed to grasp what they should be feeling, least of all Eddie.

Should they feel relief that they likely would never have a school year as batshit insane as this one? Guilty that there were so many - not just Patrick or Fred, but people like Barb or Heather or Billy - that should be here and they weren't and up until this morning, almost no one was thinking of them. Should they be somber, treat it like a funeral? Or should they be crying in relief and partying like wild animals after this and giving two big 'fuck yous' to the universe because goddamn it…they were alive.

Eddie was feeling all at once.

From the way that everyone else uneasily looked around, he was not alone in feeling…strange.

He was still almost sure this was all a dream. That he'd wake it and it would be the Friday before Spring Break and none of this would have happened. Chrissy would still be with Jason. He still would be pushing people away. Vecna was just his overactive imagination. He'd still be failing all his classes.

Hell, if that was the case, at least he knew what to do better, right?

…Right?

"Help me pin this cap back on?" Chrissy asked.

They were waiting to walk and take their seats before the ceremony began. Chrissy's cap had come untethered from her hair, usually up in a ponytail, but today was streaming down her back.

"Sure."

Everyone else was minging around, just waiting. He was pretty sure everyone was absolutely certain aliens really would invade, just before the first person was about to walk down the stage, because wouldn't that be just their luck?

He tried to remember how her hair shone in the lights of the school, still beautiful under fluorescence, or how she smelled how she had that first night. Like the wilderness of the woods, a soul never meant to be tied to someone like Jason, or perhaps, never meant to be tied to someone like him. Someone meant for something bigger, something more significant, and he was just holding her back.

"Eddie…I…" Chrissy turned around, pulling her hair and putting it down evenly on each shoulder.

The doors opened, meaning it was time for everyone to line up. Eddie gave a forced warm grin.

"Break a leg, Cunningham," He teased. She'd been chosen to speak this year as the class speaker, an honor he knew she took seriously but was nervous about.

But, right as he said it, he regretted his phrasing immediately. Luckily, Chrissy burst out in genuine, unbridled laughter.

"You know what? I'll take it. Beats breaking an arm," She said with a wink, flexing her newly freed and no-longer broken arm from its cast.

Eddie let out a short, relieved breath.

"You're something else, Chrissy."

She grinned, "Good. I think that's exactly how I'd like to be remembered. Someone that's a force to be reckoned with."

He didn't say it, mostly because he knew she'd never believe him, but she always had been, even if she didn't realize it.

XXX

"I'm a fucking graduate, you motherfuckers!"

Eddie held up his diploma high over his head and the rest of the study body screamed along with him.

As a tradition, they were all getting obnoxiously drunk in the forests behind the school.

His diploma wasn't actually his diploma, as they only handed out place-holders, in case someone super-flunked a final or something. The real one would be mailed within two weeks.

But still… holding up that fake diploma felt like the best fucking thing in the world.

"I can't believe I'm done," Nancy said, and it looked like she was on her way to a panic attack, "I'm done here. Oh my god. Oh…" She pressed her palm against a tree. She looked up to the sky, shaking her head, "Barb should be here," She murmured, "And Fred. And Patrick. And Heather."

"Yeah," Jonathan murmured, awkwardly patting her shoulder.

Chrissy sent Eddie a hand signal of 'three' and a shrug from behind them. Eddie understood the moment was a somber one, but he had to turn to snort into his drink. All night, he and Chrissy had been trying to figure out if they were still dating or not. Sure, they could just ask, but that felt a tad bit disrespectful.

This was the third possible instance in which it counted to them perhaps still being together. Chrissy was counting the 'yes' and Eddie was counting the 'oh, no, they broke up for sure' moments.

Chrissy was in the camp that argued that Jonathan Byers was just a very awkward individual, so that was maybe how he always showed affection to his girlfriend. Eddie, who considered himself awkward and was not like this with Chrissy (and also felt like he could have choked on the sexual tension between Steve and Nancy more times than he'd like) was sure Nancey had called it quits after he returned.

"More beer?" Robin asked, waltzing in, carrying an armful of cans.

"Did you raid a cooler?" Nancy snorted, "Geeze, Robin."

"This is the good shit," Robin said, throwing one to everyone gathered, "If we were left with just Bud Light I'm serious that I'd rather drink Steve's hair gel."

"Hey, no fair. The man's not here to defend himself," Eddie said, "Though that is funny."

"To blowing this popsicle stick-," Robin started.

"I think it's 'popsicle stand'," Gareth frowned.

"That marks no sense? Popsicks have sticks. Not stands."

"I think the meaning still stands. To move on to bigger and better things," Nancy finished the toast and everyone clinked their foaming beers together.

"Oh, god. Oscar's getting up on the soap box." Cheryl groaned and everyone turned. Eddie didn't know whose idea it was, but years ago, someone had begun dragging out a literal soap box out to the woods, letting people give one last speech to their school chums before they may go on to never see them again. Eventually, it was built into an actual little wooden platform, and most of the speeches were drunken declarations that they'd always loved this person or that person or final 'fuck you, 'Name of Person who Ruined My Life'.

If nothing, it was at least entertaining.

"Oscar's going to wax poetics for like ten minutes," Robin shuddered, "I mean, I know he got beat up all the time, but like…I sorta get it."

"Take a drink every time he uses an adjective that he totally pulled from his pocket dictionary two minutes before getting up there," Jonathan muttered, grinning over his can.

"I'm game," Cheryl said. Not even thirty seconds in, Oscar used 'crystalline', 'countenance', and 'proliferation' almost in a row.

"If he goes longer than three minutes, we're all going to be absolutely wasted," Nancy groaned as everyone took their drinks.

Chrissy nudged Eddie, grinning.

"Sure," Eddie said, "After him."

It had been Chrissy's idea. That they should get up on the soap box and really blow the minds of their senior class one last time by announcing that they were a couple and making out just to prove it.

Eddie was sure that would shake up their little minds.

Since Eddie was all about the subversion of the status quo, he could think of no better end to his high school experience than to let the student body in on the best-kept secret that had been under their nose the whole time.

God, he couldn't wait to see their jaws hanging right to the forest floor…

Oscar's speech took up seven minutes and used 40 words that everyone agreed were too much purple prose. There were about five words debated if they were worth a drink, and though the point of the night was to get drunk, doing it like this seemed less appealing all of a sudden.

"You know?" Gareth asked, "I don't think II even really know what his point was at the end of that."

"Me neither," Nancy agreed, scratching her head, and blinking up at the stage.

"Woah, I need a sec," Eddie groaned, pressing his hand to his forehead where sweat was beading. He'd finished his drink and, well, basically just chugged it.

"Oh, Vince is getting up," Gareth said.

"After them," Eddie promised Chrissy, wiping his hair back, "If I don't puke first."

"Poor lightweight baby," Chrissy teased, rubbing his back.

"I got a dark ale," Eddie argued, "You chugged a pale. I basically just downed molasses."

"Huh."

"Yeah, never thought of that, huh?"

"No…Jess is getting up with Vince."

"What?" Eddie snapped his head up to see Chrissy's long-legged cheer friend, his only salient memory of her was totally drunk at the Hideout that night, clambering up with Vince. They took the microphone someone had meticulously run through the leaves and plugged back at the school's outdoor outlets, tapping twice.

"Hi everyone!" Jess giggled, a bit tipsy already, "We have an announcement to make! Do you wanna, Baby?" She asked.

"Oh, god," Nancy said, her eyebrows raising all the way to her hairline.

"No, you, darling," Vince replied back, giggling in a way Eddie had never heard him sound.

"We're in love!" Jess blurted, grabbing the microphone, "I, Jessica Knox, am wholeheartedly in love with Vince Deetz!" She announced.

"She just stole our thunder!" Chrissy sputtered, "I mean, I'm happy for her, but…she just stole our thunder!" She said, eyes wide.

"Shit. Good for Vince."

"Look, you two are like…the stars of this whole year. If you go up there, I think you could upstage them," Cheryl said, pushing them forward a few feet.

"I mean, she's probably right," Chrissy agreed.

"We could be a lot more X-rated about it too," Eddie said with a wink.

Just as they took their first steps toward the stage, with Jess babbling on into the microphone about Vince's good qualities (which, honestly, really… good for him), Vince looked like he collapsed.

Just as Jeff darted forward to help him, it became clear that he was not falling over, but in fact, he was trying to get down on one knee.

To propose.

"Jessica…will you marry me?"

The crowd went fucking insane. A bubbly cheerleader not only in love with a nerd but agreeing to marry one at the graduation after-party? This was the stuff of legends.

"Oh my god! I'm going to be Mrs. Jessica Deetz!" Jessica sobbed, "Honey-bunch, I just love you so much!"

Eddie and Chrissy stood at the foot of the stage, shell-shocked.

"Damn. That's tough luck." Robin whistled.

"Are you proposing to her right now, Eddie?" Cheryl prompted.

"Uhm, no?" Eddie said, face turning red.

"Snap. Well…oh! I know! Are you pregnant, Chrissy? With Eddie's baby?" Robin clapped her hands.

"If I was, I'm not announcing to the whole senior class." Chrissy replied, face bright red, "And I'm not…I'm pretty sure."

"Could you maybe lie?"

"Robin!" Nancy chastised.

"What! They totally can't get up there now."

"They could," Jonathan argued, "I still think it's pretty unbelievable."

Eddie narrowed his eyes, "Thanks, Byers."

"No, I think Robin's right," Chrissy sighed, "Not about the pregnancy. But just that we sort of missed our window. But I mean…does it really matter? We'll just be sure to make out a lot tonight and if anyone asks…we won't lie."

Though part of Eddie was disappointed and almost sure she was backtracking to make it easier for the pair of them to inevitable split, the idea of getting to snog Chrissy the entire night, unabashedly in front of all his least favorite people (discounting the Party) was entirely entertaining.

He could live with that.

XXX

"Thank you so much, but really, I must insist on paying my portion, Mr. Munson."

Wayne turned bright pink under the unwaveringly warm smile of Chrissy Cunningham.

"Oh, no. And I've told you…Wayne will do just fine," He gruffed at her, though there was a tone of fondness under is grouchy exterior, "Mr. Munson has never suited me nor my nephew here."

"I agree. I prefer a 'your majesty'," Eddie teased, "Right, Uncle Wayne?"

"He certainly acts like it sometimes," Wayne rolled his eyes.

"I can see where Eddie gets his humor from," Chrissy said, entirely engrossed and focused on the conversation.

"We think it skipped a generation, but honestly, we're just not sure," Eddie said. Wayne jokingly sputtered.

"I was very good-humored back when I was in high school, Edward," he said.

"When was that? The Dark Ages?" Eddie nudged him.

"I regret taking you in," Wayne said as he cut into their steak.

"Awe, you know I made your life better," Eddie teased. Wayne almost looked like he was going to volley a joke back, but instead gave a genuine, warm smile.

"Yeah. You certainly made an old man feel a bit younger again." He agreed.

"Aww," Chrissy said quietly from where she sat, "You know…for all that my family and I have…we don't have that. Genuine affection for each other. Except for me and my younger brother."

"Will he miss you?" Wayne asked.

"I think he's excited to get my bigger room," Chrissy laughed, "And my mom's had a fancy dinner every night with relatives I didn't even know I had. Honestly, being invited out with you is a blessing."

"I'm sure it's not what you're used to-," Wane began, but Chrissy cut him off.

"It's absolutely perfect."

To celebrate Eddie (finally) graduating, Wayne had scrimped together enough to take them to the 3-star steak house a town over, where the napkins and plates were cheap but at least the food was good.

And sure, he'd been nervous when Wayne had suggested he invite Chrissy with them, knowing that she was in fine-dining restaurants where the dinnerware was all fine china and the wine probably cost a month's salary for his Uncle.

But as expressed, she made it seem like they were her savior to invite her out.

That's the thing about Chrissy Cunningham…she made you feel like you were the most important, wonderful person in the room when she gave her attention. Her attention was full and uninterrupted, like basking in the golden rays of a hot summer day.

Eddie would gladly burn beneath her bright, cheerful smile.

"So Eddie tells me you got a full ride. Good on you!" Wayne said and he was the most animated and extroverted Eddie had ever seen him. But Chrissy also had that effect on people; she made them feel welcome and able to talk about anything.

"Yeah. It was quite a surprise. I certainly don't plan on spoiling it," She agreed, "I'm not sure what I want to go into yet, but I've been told there's plenty of time to figure that out."

"Sure is. You're hardly more than a baby, both of you. Still got a lot of life to live." Wayne dipped his steak in the juices, "I hope I'll get you to see you over a few more times before the summer's up."

"Oh," Chrissy's face fell, "Eddie didn't tell you? I got a summer job that allows me to move in early. I don't have really any savings at all, and while I get a full scholarship, I still need to provide food and such for myself. I move next week."

Eddie's fork clattered on his plate, "What?" He croaked.

Chrissy gave him a strange look, "I told you, Eddie," She said, frowning.

"When?" He asked, feeling like someone had sucker-punched him. He'd always thought they'd had so much more time. Time to figure something out. Time to not. Time to just be, but now he was down to less than seven more days to have her?

"Two days ago. When we were-,"

"Oh."

Right. It had been before they'd had sex. Eddie had been trying to tease her, and yeah, a conversation along these lines now bobbed to the forefront of his mind.

He'd apparently immediately trashed it, hating the knowledge given.

"Yeah, I, uhm, remember now." Eddie said, looking down, "I mean, that's great, babe," He said, forcing his happiness. He knew how big of a step it was for her to cut off her parents (namely her mother) and go on this alone. And logically he knew she had other expenses. It made total sense.

But he was still allowed to really hate it.

"I gotta go to the bathroom," He mumbled, face flushed and hot.

In the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his cheeks, trying to hold in an infinite sadness that he felt had been pressed down on him.

"Get it the fuck together, Munson. You have six days to be with her. More than you ever thought you'd get."

When he came back out, the meal was finished. Wayne was ordering some to-go boxes to stretch the meal over a few days.

"Ride with me?" Eddie asked Chrissy, pressing his nose to her temple.

"'Course."

"I'll be home later," Eddie said.

"Wait, Eddie-," Wayne began, frowning deeply.

"I promise. I'll make smart choices. I'm a high school graduate now," Eddie winked, "See you later, alligator."

If his uncle gave another sound to try to stop him, or pause him, Eddie tuned it out.

Six days to soak in the best thing that had ever happened to him, stockpile memories before it was all but gone.

XXX

Eddie wouldn't say he was avoiding home the next week. To be clear, he was refusing to leave Chrissy's side, which meant he basically wasn't home at all.

He was sure Wayne understood.

He tried not to let the creeping due-date loom over him, sour their dates and fun, but part of Eddie couldn't help it. In just three days she'd be gone. I just two days. In just one day.

The voice in the back of his head wouldn't shut the hell up.

Chrissy gave herself to him in every way. Her time, her attention, her love, her affection, her kindness…it was all his. For six days, they were glued at the hip, barely moved more than three feet from each other at any time they could help it.

It's like she was trying to savor each moment too.

They'd half-heartedly talked about long-distance, but after seeing the trainwreck of Jonathan and Nacy, they were nervous. They weren't breaking up when she left explicitly, but Eddie felt like the end was coming.

But hell, he'd draw it out. He'd draw it out until it was unbearable until it felt like someone peeling off his skin. He'd do that, for her. He'd do almost anything for Chrissy.

Maybe she felt it too. That their time was drawing thinner and thinner, and at the end of it, the thread of life would just unravel and their relationship would too.

On Chrissy's last night, Eddie was sent home. He would have stayed there, but he was almost sure that Chrissy's father was going to come and chase him out with the shotgun if he was found and stayed any longer, so he acquiesced to leave her for a good eight hours, though he did not want to with every single bone in his body.

She was leaving tomorrow at noon.

Of course, he'd see her off.

She was, quite possibly, the love of his life.

What sort of sappy love interest would he be if he just ignored her and never arrived?

He woke up to Wayne standing in the kitchen, arms crossed, scowling at Eddie.

"Look, I know I've been M.I.A a lot, but you'll get the car back soon," Eddie grumbled, in a mood more terrible than any shitty mood he'd ever been in," Chrissy's leaving today."

"I know full well what the day is, Edward."

Eddie looked up. Wayne only used his Edward when he was really feeling his emotions. Now, Eddie wasn't always the best at reading others, but hell, he knew annoyance when he heard it.

"Seriously? I thought you liked her? You're mad I'm spending time with my girlfriend before she leaves?" Eddie snarled, trying to grab the keys to go meet her. Wayne moved with a quickness Eddie didn't know he still had to stand in front of the door.

"What gives?" Eddie demanded.

"I'm mad that you're a bone-headed idiot!" Wayne thundered.

"Real mature, Uncle Wayne," Eddie threw up his hands, "Mock me, why don't ya?" He paused, "Wait, why am I stupid?"

"Because…you haven't been here for me to talk to you! Because you're letting the best thing that's ever happened to a Munson go!"

"What?" Eddie asked, frowning, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You think I need you? You think you need to stay for me?" Wayne continued, "Son, I love you, I always have, but please…" He gave a wry smile, "Take that guitar of yours and move far…far away. I think I'll have tinnitus for the rest of my life. But your old uncle needs some peace and quiet."

"I don't…follow." Eddie scrunched up his nose, confused.

"Every Munson has never done anything more than stay here, live here, and die here. Now, I know you aren't going to college and there's no shame in that. You'll do just fine. But what I can't understand for the life of me is why you aren't going with that girl to college. That girl who so clearly adores you, and I know you adore her. You once told me you knew what you were doing when it came to her, but I'm starting to doubt that!"

"Because I…you…" Eddie started to stammer.

"I'm a grown man, Eddie, in case you suddenly forget accusing me of being alive when Joan of Arc was being burned alive," He said, coming over to place a hand on Eddie's shoulder, "And I will always welcome you home…to visit. But please, for the love of god, be the smartest Munson there's ever been. Take your loud music and go do something spectacular with your pretty girlfriend far away from Hawkins. I don't want you to stay for me."

"I don't want you to be alone," Eddie whispered, "And I want to repay you, for everything you've done."

"Leaving me with peace and quiet will be payment enough," Wayne assured, "And I'm not alone. I know you'll visit on holidays. Eddie, I know you took a bit longer to reach this stage, but this is what's supposed to happen. You're supposed to fly the nest and be your own man. It's okay."

Eddie felt an overwhelming wave of emotion crash over him. All the feelings of being not quite on the right timeline, of being a burden on his uncle, of being someone halfway out of the normal since his parents had died…all of that just vanishing all at once.

He had never realized how exhausting it was until right now to live like he was always faced with doom and despair.

"Wayne, I can't…I…" Eddie whispered, a fluttering, hopeful heartbeat beating fast like a hummingbird starting in his chest.

"Go on, now. And take the car. You and Chrissy'll need one." Wayne said, pressing the keys into his palm.

"What about you?"

"That thing is a piece of junk. I've been saving for a new car for a while now. It will be my empty-nester present. I think I might even turn your room into a workout center. Get a few weights or something. That's what people do, right?" He said with a wide grin.

Eddie stared down at the keys, "I'm really…going?" He asked quietly.

"You better believe you are! Now quick, pack up!" Wayne shoved him back towards his room, "You gotta meet your lady of yours in an hour!"

Once the words were pressed into his soul, Eddie could not be stopped. Luckily, he had a few things he really cared bout bringing with him (amp, guitar, records and walkman, a few pairs of clothes) and the rest Wayne could burn for all he cared. He was almost sure he was going to run a red light with how nervous he was.

Chrissy was waiting for him, all her things outside.

As though…she knew.

"Wayne was shocked when I mentioned at the steakhouse you were staying behind. He told me not to fret; he'd convince you to leave with me by the time I left," Chrissy explained as they loaded her things into the car, "I kept waiting this whole week for you to say something. I was starting to think you were bailing."

"In my defense, I just figured out how much of an idiot I apparently am."

"You're not an idiot."

"I sorta am," Eddie kissed her, "But I'm your idiot. You're stuck with me."

Chrissy smiled, "How glad I am of that?"

They loaded into the car. Eddie popped a playlist. They'd reach the town by lunch, plenty of time to move everything in, and get acquainted. Except…

"Fuck. Guess I gotta find a place to live, huh? I don't think your future roommate will like me just moving into a dorm."

Chrissy gnawed on her lip, "About that? You're my roommate."

"Really? Wow. The college board really wants you there, huh?"

"Well, yes. And no. I elected for off-campus housing. I have to pay for it myself, but well, I never gave up hope you might change your mind and come with me. So we can just live together and share rent and I'll go to class and you'll find something and we'll just live with no stress and just happiness." She said in one long breath, "Are you mad?"

Eddie laughed, "Why would I be mad at that? I think it's clear that you're the smarter of us two, and am I glad as ever about that! If you were like me, we'd be homeless. And that would suck. I'm your driver. I'm your crazy yes man. But I am not a planner."

"We make a good team, huh?" Chrissy asked, reaching across to grasp Eddie's free hand, the one not on the steering wheel.

"Yeah. You know…between me and you…Jess and Vince…maybe we've figured it out. Maybe we've cracked the code. Maybe everyone needs to find a pair of a super popular one and a nerd?" He asked with a wink.

"Yeah, we get it. You're team Nancy and Steve. A nerd and a cool dude."

Eddie snorted, "Oh, Nancy is absolutely the popular one and Steve is totally the nerd. But my point still stands. I just think there's something to be said about opposites, not to get totally cliched. I think they stand the test of time."

"Test of time, huh?" Chrissy asked, "You think we'll make it till we're old and gray together?"

"Oh, totally," Eddie said, "If Vecna returns…eh….maybe not. But I'll stay with you as long as I can. You are never, ever getting rid of me."

Chrissy kissed the back of his hand, "I'm pretty okay with that. But if that was your proposal…just saying, it needs a bit of work."

Eddie laughed, "Let's take one big step at a time, eager beaver. College. Then post-college. Then marriage."

"But eventually?" She asked, and the way she looked at him made his breath pause halfway up his throat.

He never thought he'd be the marrying type, but found himself grinning, unable to stop it, "Chrissy Munson. Yeah…" He nodded to himself, "One day."