Stranger Things - Imagines (Book 2)

Eddie Munson X Reader - Figures

A/N - This chapter was inspired by the incredible song FIGURES by Jessie Reyez. Reader is quite mean in this one, but Eddie deserves it tbh. I hope you all enjoy it. 

Ever since Eddie had gained a little bit of attention from the public, you had been biting your tongue. I mean, you knew that this is what he had always wanted. When the two of you had started dating in high school, he had always spun wild stories of the two of you moving to LA when he made it big. He would go into the most unique, minuscule details of these huge Hollywood parties and the a-listers you would spend your time meeting. And sure, it had been cute then. A pipe dream that you had expected him to grow out of with time. 

You had assumed he would finish high school, get a real job and settle down. And, even when he hadn't done what you had expected, you had still stuck around. You had let him live with you for practically nothing whilst he worked part-time in order to spend more time on his music. You had followed him around a multitude of shitty bars when he was gigging. You had supported him because no matter how farfetched his dreams, you wanted him to get them, even if it meant keeping your opinions to yourself to spare his feelings. 

Because, sure, Eddie was a pretty great guitarist and he wrote the odd catchy song, but that didn't exactly make him the next Kirk Hammett, no matter how much you wish it would. 

So, when a few years into his solo gigging, he had started gaining a small following, of mostly young women, you had tried to stay positive. This was a good thing. This was moving in the right direction. But you couldn't help but worry that it was giving him false hope. Setting him up to fail. 

And then, whilst you were still working out how to let him down gently, Dustin had shown up at your door looking pretty dang sheepish and avoiding making eye contact. 

Dustin had never been good at keeping secrets but his confession had almost broken his heart. He had always adored Eddie, and by association, he had grown to love you too, so coming to your home to tell you that he'd seen his biggest hero, the man that he had looked up to throughout his teen years, cheating on you at one of his gigs, had been one of the most painful things he had ever had to do. 

You'd sat quietly after Dustin had left, letting his words sit with you. Eddie had cheated on you and you hadn't even realised it was happening. He had gone behind your back and broken your trust despite everything you had done for him over the years. 

"Babe, I have an idea," Eddie called out as he shoved the front door open, bundling into your apartment with his guitar case dangling at his side. "I think it's about time that I cut back my hours at the store and really start writing, you know? Give myself more time to get inspired and start working on an album-"

His words had trailed off when he finally made his way to the living room, finding you sitting forward on the couch, your eyes fixed on the floor, incapable of lifting to look at him. 

"Babe?"

"When are you going to get your shit together, Ed?" you murmured softly, running your hands over your face with a frustrated sigh. "I mean, the whole tortured artist thing was kind of endearing when we were kids, but you're an adult now-"

"What's going on?" Eddie pressed on, brow furrowing when you glanced up at him with tears in your eyes. 

"God, I must be the stupidest woman alive to think that you were ever capable of showing even a hint of self-control," you pressed on, shaking your head in disbelief. "I should've known you wouldn't think twice before letting some little groupie talk you into fucking her-"

Eddie was frozen on the spot, his mouth opening and closing as he searched for something to say, drawing a humourless laugh from you. 

"You can't even come up with an excuse," you murmured. "You can't even deny it," you added, wiping the tears from your eyes. 

The two of you were quiet for a moment, as you got to your feet and moved away from him, trying your hardest to fight back tears. 

"Fuck," you breathed out again. "When are you going to grow up, Eddie?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child," he uttered, watching you intensely as you paced back and forth, his brow furrowing when you let out another snort of laughter. 

"Well, maybe if you acted like an adult for once, I would be able to talk to you like one."

"That's not fair-"

"Fair? You want to talk about fair?" you bit at him, your voice raising just enough to silence his attempt to talk. "I have given you everything you have ever wanted and I have stood by you whilst you waste your time at shitty dive bars for even shittier tips and I have never asked for anything from you in return and then you go and cheat on me the second my back is turned. How's that for fair?"

Eddie hesitated for a moment. "Gigs are the best way to get exposure-"

"Oh my God, Eddie. Do you hear yourself?" you cried out. "You're delusional. You're not some rockstar in the making; you're a high school dropout who can string a couple of chords together. It's pathetic. Fucking grow up."

"You don't mean that," he murmured. "I fucked up and you're upset. You're saying stuff you don't mean just to hurt me."

Your tongue ran over your bottom lip as you shook your head. "If I wanted to hurt you I would go to some bar and pick up some random guy and bring him home with me. Believe me, it wouldn't be that hard," you muttered. "This isn't about hurting you. This is about giving you a desperately needed reality check because if you don't get your shit together then I'm going to leave you." 

"I love you," he started softly, his brow furrowed so deeply that it made your stomach turn.

"But?" you supplied quietly. "There's a but, right?"

He hesitated for a moment. "But this is my dream."

"Fine," you breathed. "Then you're going to have to do it without me."

"Baby, please-"

"Enough, Ed. I'm done with being your babysitter. I'm not going to keep following you around cleaning up your messes." 

He nodded slightly, clearing his throat. "So, you don't love me anymore?"

You released a choked laugh, startling him slightly. "I love you more than you will ever know, which is why this sucks so fucking much," you murmured. "I really did want to make it work."

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