*vicious*, eddie roundtree

x.

. . .

INTERVIEWER: How long did it take for Christine to forgive you?

EDDIE: ...Let me put it like this: Christine Hyde is the most stubborn person you'll ever meet. Unless your name is Graham Dunne.

. . .

Graham Dunne was a hard person to be mad at. Chris knew this all too well. He'd done a lot of stupid shit throughout the years, and Chris always forgave him within a few days. The only exception to this rule was when he'd started the band without her, resulting in her move across the country, but even then, the second she saw his face again after six months, she wanted nothing more than to hug him tight.

This was the case upon seeing him after their tour. She had gone over to the band's house to see Karen and Warren the morning after returning to LA after her trip home and was immediately dragged into Graham's room, where he began to profusely apologize for having Eddie pry into her life. In reality, she wasn't all that mad at him for that. The idea that Graham noticed her distance and wanted to make sure that she was fine, that they were fine, warmed her heart. She hated the way he went about it. She hated that his method left her vulnerable to the one person that has always held her flaws against her. She hated how humiliated she felt.

She gave in rather quickly, perhaps quicker than he deserved, but he accepted it before she changed her mind.

Eddie did not have it as easy.

It had been weeks since they'd had a real conversation. Chris wasn't giving him the silent treatment or anything, but she never made an effort to talk to him either. She didn't even start any arguments with him. Her form of punishment was her indifference, and it was driving Eddie crazy.

He wished she would scream at him; call him an asshole like she has a million times before. At least this would mean she still cared. But he wasn't so lucky. She acted as if he meant nothing to her anymore, and it almost made Eddie want to give up.

What kept him from doing so were the small laughs he'd get out of her every so often. She tried to cover up anything that would make him believe she was starting to forgive him, but she'd slipped multiple times. It was hard to not laugh when Eddie blatantly said, "We're not," in response to Billy asking if they were interested in him playing something for them. Moments like these made Eddie soar. Little laughs like that showed she still cared, even if only the tiniest bit. He knew she'd come around. She had to.

This didn't mean he didn't have to work for it.

And boy, did he.

Eddie had managed to attend nearly every one of her shows above the Roxy. He wasn't sure she even saw him in the crowd (she did), but he simply wanted to be there anyway. Chris had just about the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard. She glowed on stage. There was nothing else he would rather do with his time. It helped that the label dropped them after they canceled their tour. He had all the time in the world.

EDDIE: The only reason I bullied her about her songs when we were young was because they were good. And I'm a jealous fuck, if you haven't noticed already.