Home For The Holidays
Summary: Eddie's band is on tour and can't make it home for the holidays.
Characters: Eddie Munson x Reader (can be read as gender neutral)
Word Count: 2.3k
Trigger Warning: Eddie and Dustin are conniving, per my usual works.
Author’s Note: Happy birthday, Sam (@felteppsters). This is the first part of your birthday/Christmas gift.
He said, "I'm not going to be able to make it."
When Eddie left for his first headlining tour, he made a promise to you that he would be home for just five days out of the six months that he would be on the road; a short break the week of Christmas so that the bands and crew were able to spend time with their families.
"They added more dates to the tour," he continued after a few moments of silence. He was calling from a payphone somewhere near Kansas City, and he could sense your disappointment even though he was over five hundred miles away.
You knew that it wasn't his fault. Corroded Coffin gained significant popularity after their last tour opening up for Metallica and the demand to see them was overwhelming. There were four new dates; Kansas City, Minneapolis, Denver, and Salt Lake, before the band got a one-day break for Christmas Day and were to be in Seattle on December 26th.
"Y/N," he sighed. "Say something."
"I know how much this means to you, Eddie." You told him, your voice doing nothing to hide the fact that your heart was in your stomach. "I'm so proud of you."
The line went quiet and you could hear the faint sound of static and Eddie's breathing in your ear. Your burning eyes fluttered shut at the sound, forcing a tear to drop to your cheek. You were proud of him. You at least hoped that he believed that. In the ten years that you had known Eddie and the four years that you had been dating, he had never once disappointed you- and the one time that he had, today, was out of his control.
"When I get ho-" You could hear Gareth's voice in the background yelling for Eddie to hurry up. "Shit, I have to go." He said, there was more yelling. "Shut the hell up! I'm coming! Gareth and Jeff need to call their folks."
"It's okay." You frowned.
"I love you," he said sincerely. "And Y/N? Nothing means more to me than you." The corners of your lips pulled up into a small smile.
"I love you, too!"
The phone line disconnected and you felt empty. All you could do was stare at the little Christmas tree that you had put up and decorated yourself and the presents underneath, all with his name on them. You had argued about whether or not you would put up the tree without him, as it had been a little tradition of yours since you had moved into this house with him three years ago. He wanted you to wait, you wanted him to come home to presents under the tree. You remember him laughing to himself over the phone, could practically picture him shaking his head, knowing that it was pointless to argue about it- you were going to do what you want.
A sigh escaped your lips as you wiped your dampened cheeks. It was a little past noon, and you were still in your pajamas. You had cleaned the house spotless for Eddie's arrival, leaving you nothing to keep your mind busy now that he wasn't going to be here.
You picked up the phone and dialed Robin, but her line immediately went busy. So you dialed Steve, but it should have been obvious to you that his line would also be busy. You dialed Nancy and Jonathan answered only to tell you that she was at work. Your head fell back with a frustrated groan.
"I think everyone forgot that it is my birthday." You muttered to yourself. "Even my own boyfriend."
The moment that you had conceded to spending the day on the couch, wallowing in your misery, in the same pajamas you had been wearing for two days while watching VHS Christmas movies, there was a knock on the front door. You hurried to the door and peered through the glass to see a very familiar head of curly hair standing on your front porch with his hands in his pockets.
"Dustin?" You asked as you hurriedly opened the door. "What are you doing here, wait- how did you get here?"
The younger boy looked at you quizzically before holding up a set of car keys. "I'm eighteen and I can drive."
"Shit," you laughed rubbing your eyes. "I sometimes forget that you're not fourteen anymore."
"So does my mom," he replied and shoved past you, making himself at home in your kitchen before you could even say 'come in'.
"Well, what's up?" You asked. "You know Eddie isn't going to make it home this week, right?"
"I heard", Dustin replied from inside your refrigerator. Your eyes narrowed. "I figured you were going to be super depressed since it's your birthday and all, so here I am!" He said turning to you and holding out his arms. "Damnit, all you have to eat is leftovers?" He moved over to your cabinets. "And cereal?"
"Sorry to disappoint you?"
That was when Dustin turned back to you and really took in your appearance. "You really are depressed, aren't you?"
"No, no." You huffed. "I'm not depressed. It's just early."
"It's almost one!" He objected. "Go change out of your PJ's and we can go get a pizza. My treat." You narrowed your eyes once more, wondering when this boy became an adult who felt like he could tell you what to do. "Well, go!"
"Okay!"
Not wanting to argue with him, you made a beeline to your bedroom and threw together an outfit. You emerged a few moments later and the younger boy was staring at your Christmas tree and shoving a handful of Froot Loops in his mouth.
"There's something missing." He said with his mouth full.
"I was waiting for Eddie to get home to put the star on top since I couldn't reach." You replied with a frown. "Maybe later I can get the step-stool out and you can put it on, Short-Stack."
"Screw you," he sneered. "I don't see anyone else offering to take you out to lunch on your birthday."
"You're absolutely right, kiddo." You laughed. "Let's go."
Dustin was able to keep your mind off Eddie for most of the day. He had taken you to the brand new Surfer Boy Pizza that had just opened up near the new mall in Hawkins before you both met up with Mike and El for a movie. Once Nancy had gotten off from work, she and Jonathan joined the four of you for dinner at Antonio's. She had asked about Steve and Robin, but Dustin made an excuse for the two of them. Truth be told, you had no clue where they were other than what Dustin told you, "they were otherwise engaged, but wished they were able to make it." The whole thing was odd, but you were just happy to not be alone on your birthday.
Jonathan had the idea to check out Christmas lights in Loch Nora as the sun began to set. You stopped at a gas station for some cheap hot chocolate which probably wasn't the best idea after the fact. Once you had driven through the entire neighborhood and the one over, you mentioned making your way home, but Dustin and Mike had other ideas.
"Why don't we all come over and play a game or something?" Dustin mentioned, inviting the entire party over to your house.
"Dustin, it's getting late, I don't think we have time for a D&D campaign tonight." You replied with a yawn.
"Come on, Y/N." Mike urged. "We're having such a great time, don't you want to end it on a high note?"
At this point you realized that something was up, you could not accept the fact that your jerky friends really just didn't want you to spend any part of your birthday alone, despite what they said.
"What the hell, sure!" You replied, throwing your hands up in defeat.
Dustin decided to take the long way home through another neighborhood because El mentioned that she would like to see more Christmas lights. Jonathan and Nancy followed closely behind in their own car as Dustin made his way through not one, not two, but three additional neighborhoods to see the lights.
When he finally pulled up to the curb outside of your house, you were exhausted. Keeping up with a bunch of teenagers took the life right out of you.
"I don't know how much fun I'm going to be," you mentioned as you unlocked the deadbolt. "But you're all welcome to stay for as long as you-"
"SURPRISE!"
The lights flickered on to reveal Robin, Steve, Lucas, Max, Erica, and Will with balloons and party hats and a cake that had way, too many candles on it.
"Before anything else happens," Robin stated. "Please blow out these candles so that they are no longer a fire hazard!"
You were utterly speechless as Steve ushered you over to the cake. "Make a wish!" He said softly as he put his arm around you.
You closed your eyes and made your wish.
And even though you knew that it was impossible, you still wished that Eddie could have been there.
"Happy Birthday!" Max yelled when you opened your eyes.
"How did you guys even get in here?" You said as you wrapped her up in a hug.
"I picked the lock, obviously." She shrugged as you moved to hug Lucas and Erica.
"She did not pick the lock," Steve added. "Because that would be breaking and entering and that's illegal, even if it would have been for a good cause." Max rolled her eyes and went to refill her cup.
"Where have you two been?" You asked Steve and Robin.
"We had to go pick up your gift!" Robin replied, hopping up on your counter and sticking her finger in the cake frosting.
"My gift?" You asked. "You didn't have to get me anything, your company is enough."
"Oh, we know." She replied with a sly smile. "This gift kind of forced our hand."
You looked at Steve for answers but he was looking over your shoulder. Your heart was hammering against your chest as you turned slowly to see Eddie standing in the middle of your living room with a silver bow sitting atop his head.
"How?" You gasped and before he could say anything, you leaped for him, wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his middle.
"Hi," was all that he was able to say in between the hundred kisses that you placed upon his lips. "I missed you, too."
"You said that you weren't going to be able to make it!" You exclaimed. "You had a show tonight!"
"We were able to postpone it," he replied. "Another band took our place and we're going to honor the tickets on another date." He took your chin in between his index finger and thumb and made you look at him. "I made a promise to you, and even though I have to be at the airport at 6:00 AM tomorrow, I couldn't miss your birthday."
"I love you so much." You told him.
"I love you, too." He replied as he sealed a kiss to your lips.
One by one, your friends filtered out of your home. You thanked each and every one of them for the best birthday that you could have ever asked for and made plans for them to come over on Christmas Eve for dinner and presents.
"You planned this didn't you?" You asked Dustin as you stood at the front door with him. "You knew the whole time." He only shrugged before winking terribly. You pulled him in for a hug and raked your knuckles over his scalp before letting him go. "See ya later, Shorty."
He stepped out onto the front porch and turned back to give you the middle finger. "Happy birthday, Asshole."
You closed the door behind him and locked the deadbolt, turning to see Eddie standing at the Christmas tree. You came up behind him and wrapped your arms around his middle, your head resting on his back. If you could just stay in this moment forever, and live in this happiness that you felt, you would. You would never let him go if you didn't have to.
"Babe, where's the star?" He asked curiously, his eyebrows furrowed.
"I couldn't reach it," you replied. "And it didn't feel right to finish without you."
He turned around to face you with your arms still wrapped around him. "You are so cute, you know?" He asked as he removed your arms from him and placed a kiss on the top of your head.
Eddie bent down to the box of Christmas decorations still sitting next to the tree and pulled out the star. He stuck it on top of the tree and plugged it into the outlet and suddenly the living room was filled with a beautiful yellow glow.
"Wait a minute," Eddie said, bending back down to the box of decorations. "You didn't want to put this ornament on the tree? But it's my favorite one!"
"Hm?" You turned to him to see Eddie on one knee with a dainty, diamond ring in his hands. "Oh," the breath was taken right out of your lungs. "Eddie-"
"Y/N," He began. "I wasn't planning on doing this until I got home from the tour, but I couldn't wait. When I said that there is nothing more important to me than you, I meant it. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"
"I was already planning on it." You replied excitedly, meeting his lips with yours.
Eddie slipped the ring over your finger and laced his fingers with yours. "Happy birthday, Y/N. I love you."
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