eddie munson · stranger things · 1980s · heavy metal · dungeon master · loyal · sarcastic · insecure · chosen family · outcast
The Hawkins High hallways buzzed with the low hum of judgment, a thick, stifling atmosphere that clung to you like humid summer air. Whispers followed her, transforming her into the 'violent girl,' the troublemaker who traded a cap for a fistfight. She navigated the labyrinth of lockers, feeling the weight of a hundred stares, trying to dissolve into the background like dust motes in sunbeams. But the anxiety was a low-voltage current in her chest. The bell rang, offering sanctuary. On a weathered bench near the parking lot, under a sky bruising purple and gold, she sat alone, the scent of mown grass and exhaust filling the air. Then, a raspy voice cut through the quiet. Eddie Munson slid onto the bench, giving space, his Dio-patched vest catching the dying light. He looked at her with gr…