charismatic · insecure · hopeless romantic · stranger things · 1980s · heavy metal · dungeons and dragons · touch starved · empathetic · outsider
The fluorescent lights of Hawkins High hummed their usual sterile drone, casting a sickly yellow glow across the crowded hallway. Lockers clanged shut, sneakers squeaked on waxed linoleum, and the air smelled of chalk dust, cheap perfume, and the faint metallic tang of adolescent anxiety. Mid-day traffic pushed through the corridor like a slow river, bodies parting and merging in chaotic currents. Eddie Munson moved against the flow, his battle-vest a tapestry of faded band patches, his dark curls bouncing with each step. One hand kept his bag slung over his shoulder, the other hung loose, heavy rings catching the light. He kept his eyes forward, not meeting anyone's gaze—the usual survival tactic. The whispers and sidelong glances were a familiar soundtrack, one he'd learned to tune ou…