"E-Eddie?" Your voice cracks and his expression softens. You don't know you're crying until he steps forward, hands cradling your face as his thumbs swipe the tears away.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay. We're here now."

As he rests his forehead against yours, cradling your face close to his, you reach behind you to lay the clipboard down and then wrap your arms around his waist. "What are you doing here?"

He chuckles. "Some grade A asshole made a call to Hawkins to surprisingly check in on Red and then mentioned a moody she-bat that had been hanging around."

"Billy," you grumble in realization.

"You should have called, sweetheart."

"You guys have bigger problems to worry about."

Before Eddie can retort, there's an annoyed sigh from behind him. "What am I, chopped liver?"

You pull back from Eddie and look around him, grinning when you see Steve Harrington standing there in his infamous mom stance- hands on his hips. You wetly laugh as you step away from Eddie, stepping over to hug your other friend. "Hey, Steve."

"YN." He squeezes you for a few seconds before letting you go to look you up and down. "You look good."

"Hey."

Steve rolls his eyes as he glances at Eddie. "You know I don't mean it like that."

You giggle as you move back to Eddie's side, leaning against him and just basking in the moment. You're annoyed Billy called them behind your back, but you're also kind of grateful. Seeing them soothes the ache in your chest.

"Bella!" You startle at your name being shouted and lean around Eddie to stare at your coworker Frankie who's standing behind the cash register. She's grinning as she stares at you. "Why don't you go ahead and take the rest of the night off? I can hold down the fort here."

"What? No, Frankie, I'm good. My friends can keep themselves busy for a few more hours while I finish my shift. Right, guys?"

"Shit. Yeah. Sorry, sweetheart," Eddie tells you before looking over at your coworker. "We actually need to go check into a motel or something. Sorry for distracting YN."

"Don't even worry about it." Frankie smirks before she winks at you. "You've been kind of just floating on by this past month and these two boys brought out the first real smile that I've seen in a while. You go on home. You can make up the hours another night."

You blush as you see both Eddie and Steve look at you. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay. Thanks, Frankie."

"Don't even mention it."

You tell the boys to hang on while you return the clipboard to your coworker, and she promises to clock you out at your scheduled time so your boss doesn't make a fuss. Then gathering your bag from behind the counter, you turn around to see the boys picking up duffel bags that had been set at their feet upon their entrance to the store.

"You boys ready?"

"Yeah. Lead the way," Steve says, already opening the door.

"I hope you boys don't mind a bit of a walk," you muse. "I don't have a car since, you know, wings." You chuckle as you see both boys glance at your back and then shake their heads as if clearing their minds. As you start in one direction, Eddie and Steve fall into step on either side of you. "So, how's Hawkins?"

"Still hunting the freak," Eddie mumbles just as Steve says, "Turning into the Upside Down."

Your steps falter as you quickly glance at Steve. "What?"

"Oh yeah. It's a mess," he says. "The vines are growing all over the center of town, those particles make it look like it's perpetually snowing, and now some people are saying it's all Eddie's fault because of his ritualistic murders."

"Jesus Christ," you mumble.

"The only good thing is that Hopper let my uncle Wayne know what was really going on," Eddie says. "He doesn't think I'm dead anymore and Hopper has another ally to bring us food to the cabin we're hiding out in."

"Well, that's one good thing." You sigh, leading the boys in another direction. "What about the others?"

"Uh, Red got transferred to a hospital outside of Hawkins," Eddie says.

"Susan is still refusing to pull the plug," Steve then supplies, "and the Byers have officially moved back. We're all just trying to survive nowadays."

"What about Vecna? He show his ugly mug yet?"

"Nah, but everyone's on edge because Will and Eleven are on edge. They can sense something, but-"

"But it's yet to make itself known," Steve finishes. You sigh and kick a pebble across the asphalt. "What about you? How's the Murder Capitol of the World?"

You scoff, shaking your head. "What did Billy tell you?"

"Nothing. Just called to check on Max after he heard about what was going on. There was only one way he could know, so when we asked about you, he laughed and mentioned you were feeling homesick."

"He didn't mention anything about what was going on here?" You ask.

"No. Why?" Steve frowns. Then at your amused grin, he groans. "What's going on here? Don't tell me there's monsters here too?"

"Well technically I'm a-"

"No. You're not," Eddie says.

You laugh as you link your arm with Eddie's, leaning into him as you smile. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Munson." He chuckles and then you straighten back up, leaving your arm linked with his. "But Santa Carla... it's a haven for the undead."

"W-What?" Steve stammers.

"Apparently Billy fell in with a group of vampires. He's one of them now and they kind of took me in after I filled them in on my situation."

"Now when you say vampires..." Eddie says.

"They're nothing like me," you tell them. "For starters, I can be out and about in the sun. The sun forces them to sleep, but they can wake themselves if need be. If they step into the sun, however, they will catch fire."

"Jesus," Steve swears.

"They can fly, but they have no wings. Holy water hurts them and they, uh, they're quite vicious when they feed."

"Meaning?" Steve wonders.

"Meaning they kill their meals and rip them apart limb by limb."

You can hear him gulp. "What about you?"

"Me?" When you sense his nervousness, his meaning sinks in. "Oh, I can't kill my meals. I learned that if I completely drain someone, they turn into what I am."

"No way!" Eddie says. "Seriously?"

"Yep. My first victim, I killed him." You slowly release Eddie's arm, hiking the straps of your bag higher up onto your shoulder and then crossing your arms as you admit the second worst night of your life. "Hours later I felt this presence at the back of my mind and for a moment I thought it was Vecna, but when I studied that presence, I realized it wasn't. I didn't know what I was doing at the time, but according to David I had summoned this guy I turned. He was pissed to be something he didn't understand, so he attacked me. I killed him and then I learned some self-restraint when it came to feeding so that it didn't happen again."

"Uh, who's David?" Eddie wonders.

"The leader of the vampires around here. I'm sure you'll meet them later."

The rest of the walk is done in relative silence and then you're stopping before a white gate before opening it up and leading the boys in. When they see the beach house you're leading them up to, their jaws drop.

"This... is yours?" Steve asks.

"Yep. It belonged to David's Sire, but he met an unfortunate demise so David gave it to me since they can't exactly use it."

"Damn. And here I am living in a deteriorating cabin in a town that's slowly being swallowed whole," Eddie utters.

Huffing a quiet laugh, you nudge him before entering the house. "You boys can stay here instead of renting a shitty motel room. There's plenty of space." Kicking your shoes off close to the door, you hang your bag on a hook. "The kitchen is stocked, so help yourselves whenever. Just stay out of the bottom drawers because that's where I keep blood bags for emergencies or for when I don't feel like hunting."

"It's just you here?" Steve asks.

"Yep. The boys will hang here if they don't feel like causing trouble on the boardwalk, but I'm the only one who sleeps here."

"Where do they sleep?" He then wonders.

"I won't tell you where it's at, but they have a cave they sleep in. Apparently, they sleep hanging upside down."

Steve and Eddie both freeze before snorting. Then when you don't laugh, Eddie says, "You're not joking."

"Nope. And not to alarm you or anything, but they're really interested in meeting you."

"What?!" He yelps. "Why?" And Steve laughs at his subtle panic.

"Because Paul, Marko and Billy have all tried to get into my pants, but I've refused. Then Dwayne and David realized my affections laid elsewhere," you shyly admit, blushing when Steve groans, "and when I mentioned you, it just made them all the more curious about the boy who would keep me from caving to their advances."

"On one hand, I'm seriously flattered here, sweetheart." You roll your eyes at his cheesy smile. "But on the other hand, what the hell!? Are they gonna try to eat me or something? Do I have anything to worry about?"

"No." Your grin falters. "Well, I don't think so?" You pose it as a question and Eddie's eyes widen.

Steve laughs, walking over to Eddie and clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck."

"Anyway, do you boys want to rest and then go to the boardwalk or just go straight to the boardwalk now?"

"Uh, can we rest for a bit?" Steve asks. "Then the exploring can start. We're only here for three more days."

"Sure. Whatever you boys want."

You help the boys get settled into their rooms, grinning when Eddie peers into your room. The offer to have him share with you is on the tip of your tongue, but you chicken out at the last second and keep your mouth shut.

Eddie and Steve both shower off the plane grime, refreshing their outfits for the night to come.

Then after a thirty-minute power nap, you're hyping up the boys right before the sun fully sets.

"Tell me again why you don't have a car?" Steve asks on the way back to the boardwalk.

"Because I don't go anywhere," you say, perched on Eddie's back as he gives you a piggyback ride. "I literally only go to work and home. And when I hunt, I do so at night and fly. Having a car is pointless."

Eddie keeps quiet, content to have you on his back and hands gripping the backs of your thighs. But when you get to the boardwalk stairs, you slide off his back and hook your arm through his and Steve's. You lead them up the stairs, ignoring the catcalls and crude comments being thrown at you and your friends.

"How does that not bother you?" Eddie frowns, tense as another comment is directed at you.

"Because they're all little bitches." You laugh, eying the many food booths. "They're only being so bold because I'm alone and they don't see you as a threat. But when I'm around Billy or David or Dwayne, they're not that talkative."

"We probably should have asked earlier, but what should we expect of these other... vampires?" Steve asks, lowering his voice on the last word.

"Billy, Paul and Marko will definitely try to get a rise out of you," you tell them. "Dwayne's just a strong silent type who will watch at first and David's... David is intimidating. He'll probably try to mess with you, but I'll put a stop to it if I realize that's what he's doing."

"Well alright then. What first?" Eddie then asks.

"Rides then food."

After quickly purchasing tickets for all three of you, Eddie drags you and Steve to the rollercoaster. There's only four people allowed to a cart and Steve is willing to let you and Eddie ride together, but you make the boys sit side by side when you see a young girl staring longingly at the ride and looking a little dejected. You realize she wants to ride and when you ask who you assume is her mother if it's alright that she rides with you, you and the young girl sit side by side screaming your heads off.

Steve chooses the Cyclone and then immediately regrets it. Standing up with only a belt across your waist as you spin 'round and 'round at maximum speed wasn't his smartest idea. Then when the three of you stumble off, laughing at each other's unsteadiness, you lead them over to the Double Shot- a one hundred- and twenty-five-foot-tall tower.

"I hate you," Steve deadpans when the ride technician is buckling you in.

Laughing, you tug on your safety harness to make sure it's tight enough. "Suck it up, Harrington. It's a beautiful view."

Steve is a little uncomfortable to be so high up, but you and Eddie love it. While you're waiting at the very top, Eddie decides to randomly headbang. He's mid headbang when the ride suddenly drops, and his yelp makes you and Steve explode with laughter once you're at the very bottom.

Eddie then chooses the Fireball and Steve is just done with the two of you. Spinning slowly is one thing, but spinning while being swung back and forth until you're upside down is not what he considers a good time. And then when it's Steve's turn to choose again, he goes the calming route and picks the carousel.

You immediately pick a horse, as does Eddie, but he sits backwards on his. The two of you are side by side while Steve chooses safely and sits on the bench just behind Eddie.

As the music starts back up and the carousel starts to spin, you move so you're sitting side-saddle and facing your friends. "Are you boys having fun?"

"'Course, sweetheart." Eddie winks at you and you grin.

"What about you, Stevie?"

"I like it. You do this every night?"

"Every night." You nod. Feeling the carousel shake as if someone or several someone's has jumped aboard, you sit a little straighter on your horse. "Prepare yourselves. We've got incoming."

You hear the jeers and laughter before you see them, David sauntering between the horses as he makes his way towards you. He smirks at the girls he passes, and you roll your eyes when their boyfriends puff out their chests. Dwayne is right behind him, glaring at those who look like they want to challenge David, and then Paul and Marko pull up the rear.

You're about to question where Billy is when he pops up behind Steve's bench, startling the poor boy. "Seriously, Bella? This is the freak that gets your motor running?" He asks while gesturing to Eddie.

Paul and Marko laugh, you tense, but before you can say anything, Eddie makes an impression all on his own. He raises his hands up next to his head, index fingers pointed upward as if they were horns while simultaneously sticking his tongue out with a garbled hiss.

The vampires have no idea what to make of him, but then suddenly Paul groans. "Aw man and here I was prepared to hate the kid."

Marko laughs while David and Dwayne flash small grins. Billy merely huffs, hopping over the back of the bench and sitting next to Steve who grimaces and tries to put as much space between him and Billy as he can.

"Guys, meet my friends from Hawkins- Steve and Eddie," you introduce while gesturing to each respective boy. "And boys, meet the lost boys- David, Dwayne, Paul, Marko and Billy."

The ride is slowing to a stop and Eddie readily hops off his horse, standing next to you as you slide off yours. As he goes to take your hand since it's so crowded, someone bumps into his back. When he stumbles into you, you glance over his shoulder and find one of the surf-nazis sneering at him.

"Watch it, faggot."

Eddie immediately turns around, spreading his arms out to keep you safe against the horse. "What the hell, man. You ran into me."

As the second the surf-nazi goes toe to toe with Eddie, more surf-nazis appear out of thin air. But Eddie isn't on his own and you're relieved to see the lost boys come to his aide. From one second to the next it turns into a giant shoving match, hands pushing at faces, and you have to bite back a snarl when you see one of their girlfriends put her hands on Eddie.

"Alright. That's enough," you say, trying to push your way between Eddie and the too bold female. When the shoving gets rougher and you catch the glint of a knife out of the corner of your eye, you grab the female by her hair at the back of her head, pull her in front of you and wrap your free hand around the front of her throat. "I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" You shout.

The surf-nazis freeze when they hear the female let out a noise of pain, your nails digging into the side of her throat and causing blood droplets to swell. Dwayne, Paul and Marko sway back when the scent of blood hits them, staring at you slack jawed.

Hearing the security guard shout for all of you to knock it off makes you shove the girl away from you and then bring your hand up to your mouth, licking your nails one by one.

"What a fuckin' freak," another surf-nazi seethes before gesturing the others to back off.

You smirk at their retreat and then sheepishly smile at Eddie and Steve staring at you in awe and surprise. "What?" You feign innocence. "She's lucky all I used were my claws. I doubt she'd enjoy my bite."

"Oh my god," Paul groans quietly. Then glancing at Eddie, he pouts. "Lucky bastard."

"Not that this wasn't exciting and all, but can we get out of here? We still have a couple more days here and I rather not get kicked off the boardwalk just yet."

"Always a buzzkill, Harrington," Billy drawls. "Always a buzzkill."

"Oh, screw you, Hargrove."

"Not in your lifetime, amigo."

"Hey!" The ride instructor shouts. "Ride's over. Get off before I get security back here."

Laughing, you grab Eddie's hand and tug him off the carousel. The others follow as you lead Eddie towards an empty table, tugging him down beside you as the others find a seat around you. Your heart warms as Eddie huddles close to your side, holding your one hand between both of his, his fingers playing with yours.

"So, was it just me or do Billy and the new guy have some serious chemistry going on?" Paul asks.

"Fuck off." Billy shoves his friend at the same time Steve scoffs, sitting on your other side.

"To be fair, the two of you did always have this heated animosity," you muse. "Did something happen? When we were still in school back in Hawkins?" You laugh.

Steve elbows you. "You're insane."

"The best people always are." You elbow him back and then look at David. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"We could always head back to the cave."

"No." You blurt, shaking your head. "Hell no."

The platinum blonde smirks. "Why not?"

"Yeah. Why not, sweetheart?" Eddie asks. "A cave sounds cool."

"Because I want to send you boys home in one piece, and I have a feeling Billy will take this opportunity to shove Steve down the stairs or push him off Hudson's Bluff."

Marko chuckles, hiding his amusement behind his fist while chewing on his thumb nail as Billy scoffs. "As if I'd willingly invoke your wrath. We may sleep like bats, but I'm not tryin' to be chased by them. Not again."

The rest of the boy's chuckle, all except for Steve and Eddie who look at you with furrowed brows. "I, uh, I may be a she-bat from the Upside Down, but here? In our dimension? I'm..." You trail off, unsure of how to word what you want to say.

"She's the superior species." Dwayne's deep voice startles your boys from Hawkins, and you bite the corner of your bottom lip to hide your smile. "She whistles or screeches and the bats come in droves."

"It's a real pain in the ass when she gets them to swarm you," David says.

You smirk at them. "At least you boys know not to piss me off now."

"Whatever." Billy suddenly stands. "I'm getting food. Who's coming with?"

Marko readily stands, as does Steve. "I'll go." He surprisingly volunteers.

You try to hand Steve money, but he refuses it and walks after Billy. Sighing, you pocket it.

Left alone with Paul, David, and Dwayne, you sit there next to Eddie and wait for the interrogation to start. And it doesn't take long.

"So, what do you sell?" Paul asks. "Did you bring any good weed with you?"

"Jesus Christ, Paul," you mumble before sighing and leaning against Eddie's side.

But like the good champ he is, Eddie just laughs it off. "Nah, man. All my stash got swallowed by the gate that opened up and took out half the trailer park."

"Damn."

"And plus, I'm kind of in hiding at the moment, so yeah. I can't sell anyway."

"Hiding?" David arches an eyebrow at him. "Hiding from who?"

"The entire town," Eddie answers slowly before cast a wary glance at you.

"Oh yeah. Oh shit!" You suddenly start to laugh. "I didn't tell you guys part of that story."

"Seriously?" Eddie chuckles. "It was kind of a big part of the story, sweetheart."

You shrug. "I just named the dead. I didn't say exactly where they died and how exactly it involved you."

Eddie shakes his head before looking back at the three vampires. "All this stuff about different dimensions is all new to me," he says. "Apparently, it's been going on for a few years now, but I never knew. Not until a few months ago when this cheerleader was looking to buy."

"Chrissy Cunningham was the town sweetheart and queen bee of Hawkins High," you tell them.

"So, I stumbled upon her in the woods, right?" Eddie then picks back up. "And she's spooked. I knew something was off, so I sat with her, and we chatted for a bit. She wanted some K, but I only kept weed on me at school, so we had to head back to my place later that night."

Paul wiggles his eyebrows. "Nice."

"Shut up, idiot." You aim a kick at him under the table and know you connect when he winces in pain.

"So, I leave Chrissy in the living room while I search through my stash in my room and then when I come back out to her, she's... she's like in a trance or some shit. Her eyes are milky white, eyelids fluttering, and standing stock still. I did everything to wake her, but nothing worked. And then she starts levitating before her body is literally slammed against the ceiling and then her bones-"

"That's enough," you tell Eddie, reclaiming his hand with your own. You smile sadly at him when you hear his heart pounding and are thankful the three vampires across from you don't say shit about it. "I told them about how the victims were found. You don't have to relive that part."

Eddie takes a moment, sliding his fingers between your own and squeezing. "I, uh, I ran." He then admits. "My uncle found Chrissy's body the next morning and called the cops. I was missing, so the blame was automatically put on me."

"Then Chrissy's jock boyfriend rallied the townsfolk into believing Eddie was a cult leader and had inducted a bunch of school children."

"Hunt the freak," he mumbles. "I'm a wanted man back in Hawkins. Or at least I was," he then shrugs. "After what they're deeming as earthquakes rocked the entire town, they're assuming I died. I've been in hiding ever since."

"Yet you left the safety of your hideout to come when Billy called," David says.

Eddie slowly smiles. "Wouldn't you if the person he was calling about was YN?"

Paul starts to chortle, and you roll your eyes, playfully shoving at Eddie's arm. "Shut up, goof."

Billy, Steve, and Marko appear with food then, dropping containers of Chinese, trays of burgers, and drinks onto the table. One would think that it'd be a mad grab for food, but it's surprisingly calm as everyone takes a turn choosing what they want.

You and Eddie end up with burgers while Steve ends up with a carton of Chinese noodles.

Everything is fine and no one really talks as they shove food into their mouths. But then Steve freezes at your side, gags, and you stare at him in alarm as he starts spitting out the food in his mouth. Then when three vampires across from you start to laugh and Steve picks up his carton of noodles to stare at it in confusion, you know someone played a mind trick on him.

Straightening up, you subtly inhale before you feel your vocal cords tremble and create a sound that not even your vampire friends can hear. Then from one second to the next, you watch as Billy, Marko, and Paul are each attacked by three bats.

"Ow!" Paul gets nipped by his bat.

"What the fuck!" Billy shouts when another slams into the side of his head.

"Come on! It wasn't even me!" Marko says while trying to untangle a bat from his head of curls.

Eddie watches on in amusement while Steve pokes his chopsticks into his carton of noodles. "Worms. I was eating worms." He gags again.

"You weren't," you tell him. "These idiots can make you see things that aren't there, so one of them made you see worms instead of noodles."

Steve looks up and then rolls his eyes. "Seems like something Hargrove would do."

From scowling to smirking, Billy laughs. "Had to. At least once."

"And this is why we're not going to the cave," you tell them.

"Boo," Paul jeers.

"We'll go back to the beach house once they get their fill of the boardwalk."

"Ooh. Kinky."

You're about to retort when you notice Paul's attention is quickly stolen by something else and when you glance in the direction that he's looking, you find a small group of girls smiling and giggling and twirling a piece of their hair around their fingers. Rolling your eyes, you lean forward and call out, "Careful, girlies. My brother's got a raging case of gonorrhea. I'd hate to see you leave here with that little souvenir."

Immediately the girls plaster on disgusted expressions and scurry away, and the table of your friends explode into laughter when Paul gapes at you.

"That was cruel, sweetheart," Eddie chuckles.

"Whatever. He'll get over it."

You all go back to eating the rest of your food, grinning when you see Steve switch to a burger. Then once full, your Hawkins boys are suddenly exhausted and admit to wanting to go back to the house. You agree, leaving the lost boys to their own devices once you tell them you're calling it a night.

The lost boys tease you for not being able to hang, but Steve and Eddie promise to stay up longer tomorrow night. Billy and Paul make crude comments as you hop on Eddie's back for the walk back to the beach house, but you merely laugh and flip them off.

Once back at the beach house, Steve is already yawning.

"I'm gonna shower and head to bed, guys."

"Alright, Stevie. Sorry about the mind prank the boys pulled on you."

"It's fine." He grins. "After I got my appetite back, it was actually kind of cool."

As Steve disappears towards his appointed room, Eddie turns towards you with the most heartwarming smile. "And then there were two."

"And then there were two," you repeat, grinning. "Still sleepy?"

"Not at all."

"Wanna watch a movie in my room?"

"Sure, but first..."

Eddie's gaze drops to your lips, and you watch him hesitantly pause before throwing caution to the wind and striding right into your personal space. You smile as his hands cradle your face, forcing you to look up before his mouth descends upon yours. The kiss is soft and hesitant, but the moment your hands land on his waist and squeeze... Eddie groans and deepens the kiss.

Letting Eddie take control of the kiss was a no brainer and it's your turn to groan when you feel the sting of his teeth on your bottom lip.

Eddie is the one who breaks the kiss, panting softly for air. He keeps himself connected to you by pressing his forehead against yours, hands still cradling your face while his thumbs brush along your cheekbones. "I've been wanting to do that since I got here."

"Only since you've gotten here?" You ask, pecking his lips once more.

"Fine. For months now. Ever since we were in the Upside Down and that quake knocked us off our feet." You start to smile, realizing the moment he's talking about. "You somehow ended up straddling me and cracked a joke about a flashlight being in my pocket."

"Steve and Robin were so grossed out that you could be so turned on at a time like that." You chuckle.

"I couldn't help it that watching you demolish demobats with an oar really got me going."

"You're such a guy." Your eyes roll, but you kiss him once more before pulling away. "Now go shower and meet me in my room. I think it's safe to assume that you won't be using the guest room while you stay here."

"You assume correctly, m'lady."

As you and Eddie head in different directions, your heart pounds in excitement and aches at the same time. While you are excited that Eddie made a move, you're also sad because he'll be leaving in a few days. And while you would willingly follow Eddie anywhere and everywhere, you're in no position to return to Hawkins so long as Vecna lives.

There is no hiding the shift in your relationship with Eddie, but thankfully all Steve does is sigh out finally! Frankie, too, picks up on your change in mood and who it is that was responsible for it, so she has no qualms about the boys hanging around the store while you work.

The boys explore during the day, buying small souvenirs here and there, and then come back to tell you all about two eccentric teens that were hellbent on giving them a freebie comic all about vampires. You had snorted at that, telling them all about Alan and Edgar Frog and their hunting ways. Steve and Eddie had seemed a bit worried, but you assured them that all their so-called tests never had any effect on you, so the boys thought you were human.

Just a human with terrible tastes since you hung out with known vampires.

At least known to them.

Then when night falls and the rest of the boys pick up on the tension between you and Eddie, and the fact that Steve is willing to hang out with them to give you and Eddie some time alone, Paul, Marko, and Billy are all about teasing you to the point you snarl at them.

Dwayne and David just smirk knowingly at you, especially at the way Eddie apparently looked at you with a lovesick expression, but never outright tease you.

It doesn't take you more than two hours to wrangle a promise out of David that your boys were off limits (Billy literally pouted when David put his foot down on not harming either one), and then you and Eddie are off for a bit of one-on-one time.

You didn't think Eddie was one for public displays of affection, but he surprised you. He had no problem holding your hand, but when you were in line for a ride or looking at booths that sold some band t-shirts he was interested in, his arms were wrapped around your waist as he stood behind you. With his chin resting on your shoulder, he'd press a kiss to your cheek or neck and chuckle darkly when he'd feel you shiver.

You got on rides together, kissed in the shadows between buildings, and giggled like teens when someone caught the two of you getting carried away. You ate and then were joined by the rest of the boys when you were sitting on the railing and Eddie stood between your thighs while the two of you watched everyone pass you by.

"Have a good time?" You ask Steve when you see him grinning at something Marko had spoken to him.

He lazily grins. "Yeah. They're pretty fun dudes."

"Good."

Around two in the morning is when Billy suggests looking for a bite to eat. Marko's excitement clues in the two humans that Billy isn't talking about regular food, and you call it a night so they don't have to see the aftermath of their hunt. And when asked if you're going to feed, you assure them you have it all under control.

The next two days are spent pretty much the same, though you do find it in you to tone down the displays of affection so Steve doesn't feel uncomfortable hanging out with you and Eddie.

Eddie fits in with the lost boys as you expected he would whereas poor Steve sticks out like a sore thumb. But none of them, other than Billy, make him feel like an outsider. Everyone gets along so well that it makes you happy, but one word about their departure the following day brings your mood down exponentially.

In the early morning hours, Steve packs his bags so he doesn't have to scramble to find everything when he wakes up. Eddie, however, drags his feet and eventually shoves his bag off your bed before taking a seat on the edge of your mattress.

He looks defeated and it breaks your heart. "Hey. What's wrong?" You ask.

Walking up to him, you take Eddie's face in the palm of your hands so he's forced to look up. You brush his hair out of his face and his eyes close. "I don't wanna go back to Hawkins." A lump of emotion forms in your throat, stalling the words you desperately want to say. I don't want you to go either. "I wanna stay here. With you."

Your eyes fall closed at his admission. "I wish you could."

"Yeah?"

"Of course." Your eyes open again when you feel Eddie nuzzling into the palm of your hand. "But we don't always get what we want."

He kisses your palm and then tugs you down onto his lap, arms wrapping around your waist as his face presses into your shoulder. "What if we can?"

"Hmm?"

"What if we can get what we want?"

"Then I'm pretty sure the world would be a chaotic place," you muse.

Eddie chuckles, but continues on. "If I wanted to stay, would you let me?"

"Babe," you huff, "this isn't a decision to be made on a whim."

"It isn't," he agrees. Picking his head up, Eddie looks you directly in the eyes. "That's why I've been thinking about it since I've gotten here." You open your mouth to retort, but he shakes his head. "Think about it. I can't have a life in Hawkins, but here? With you? I can do whatever the hell I want, sweetheart."

"And what is everyone else going to think when Hawkins' greatest hero doesn't return back home?"

"They'll just be happy knowing that you and Eddie are together." Steve's voice startles the both of you and you look up to see him leaning against the door jamb to your room. He's smiling softly when he reaches into his back pocket, pulling free a folded envelope and holding it up. "Wayne wrote this for you," he tells Eddie. "We all kind of hoped this would happen so you'd finally get the hell out of the town that still wants to see you dead."

You gape as Eddie huffs a laugh. "Is that why Dustin was all teary-eyed?"

"Yep." Steve chuckles. "He didn't want to lose his other bff."

Glancing at your still awed expression, Eddie wiggles his eyebrows. "What do you think, sweetheart? You think you can handle me all day, every day?"

After your mind finally catches up, you look at Eddie and slowly grin. "I think I can manage."

"Great!" Steve claps his hands. "Now the two of you are riding the bus with me back to the airport because I am not riding alone," he says. "Santa Carla really is a place for the weirdos."

Later on, when you're roaming the boardwalk next to David as the others pull Eddie to all their favorite spots, the platinum blonde leans closer to you.

"You know you're going to have to turn him, right?"

"It'll be his decision, David."

"Could you let him go if he chooses otherwise?"

"Yeah." You gulp, not liking the thought of having to watch Eddie grow old. "It would suck, but I would accept it if that's what he wanted."

David watches you, but nods, nonetheless. "Lucky for you that boy is head over heels. I don't think he knows how to live without you."

"Yeah? Then I guess we'll see."