𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

xiii. lover's lake.

WHEN IT became dark out, James kept glancing at Eddie walking by his side before he looked around. "Hey," he says suddenly, looking at Eddie who just glanced up. "Hm?" He says and James let out a soft sigh, glancing up at the others ahead of them, Dustin had put his hoodie on and they all had their flashlights out. "Ever since I graduated last year, I've been... I don't know..." He looks down.

"Worried, I guess." He says and Eddie's careful gaze is still set on him. "Because Max, Dustin, Lucas were starting high school and I was leaving. So I just wanted to say I'm glad you were there for them." He looked at Eddie who's brows raised. "No, yeah, James. Of course." He softly nudged his arm against James'.

"What are old acquaintances for?" He said and chuckled as James looked away, smiling faintly. He doesn't remember much of Eddie back then, but he knows Eddie was always sweet to him on their very rare interactions. "So, Dustin says you play the guitar still?" James looks at Eddie, raising a brow and the metalhead raised his brows, nearly disappearing behind his bangs. "Oh, yes, I do. We play at the Hideout on Thurs... or well, we did." Eddie says.

James just looks at him and grabbed his shoulder. "Everything will be fixed. Nancy, Steve, Robin and I got this. We'll clear your name and you'll be able to walk a free man away from all this." He says and Eddie looks at him, surprised. "Yeah? You promise?" He says and James chuckles. "Cross my heart and hope to die, Munson." He walks ahead.

When Dustin ran, James ran after him. "Dustin? Could you slow down? Dustin!" He said as Eddie came running up to his side. "I think we're getting close." Dustin turns to them but James just rushed over and grabbed his arm, Eddie grabbing Dustin from the other side. "I told you to slow down." James scolded.

"Oh, you've gotta be shitting me." Steve sighed as they all stood together behind Eddie, Dustin and James. "Yeah. I thought these woods were familiar." Eddie glanced around at the big lake. "Lover's Lake." James sighs. "This is confounding." Dustin says, sounding fascinated. "There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max says, sounding surprised. "Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way." Nancy says before looking over at the others.

"Yeah, only one way to find out."

Eddie unveils the boat, "is this... Reefer Rick's?" James looks at Eddie who just smiles, nodding. "Yup." The Munson now lifts the boat with Steve's help, lowering it into the lake. "Alright, easy. I said easy, man." Steve told Eddie right away. "Sorry, dude." Eddie apologized as Steve held out his hand for James right as Eddie did the same thing, looking at James.

"Uh... uh..." James glanced between them and ultimately chose to grab both heir hands, climbing aboard and sitting at the front. "I'm just gonna do that." Robin says when Steve also held out his hand to her, while Eddie doesn't, putting her hands onto their heads.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, that works too." Steve says as Eddie climbed in next, Steve was gonna raise his hand to help him but stopped. Eddie turns around, holding out his hand to Nancy who now climbs into the boat with his help. "Wheeler." Eddie says and she smiles at him. "Thanks." She says and went to sit with James and Robin. "Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us?" Eddie stops Dustin who was gonna hop on.

"This thing holds four people tops. Okay?" He turns around, sitting down as Nancy looks at Dustin. "It's better this way, okay? You guys stay here with Max." She says and James nods, looking at the redhead. "Keep an eye out for trouble." He added on, nodding to Max. "You keep an eye out." Dustin says and James gave him a look so the Henderson fakes a shocked look. "It's my goddamn theory."

"You heard James and Nance." Robin says. "Who put them in charge?" Dustin pointed at the two on James' right. "I did." She says and Eddie held out his hand. "Compass." He says and Dustin gave it up, annoyed.