the shire is burning [eddie munson x OC]

chapter sixteen

"It's for you, Willow."

Willow looks up from her plate of eggs and toast to see her mom holding out their phone, a peculiar look on her face. It was a rare morning in which they were able to have breakfast together, Anna working a mid shift rather than her regular graveyard. Willow always loved these mornings - catching her mother up on what used to be her fairly boring life over sunny side up eggs and orange juice. Today, she had been more quiet than normal, not knowing how to even begin to broach the topic of her week with her mother.

"What?" Willow questions, her chair squeaking as she stands up, "Is it Rob?"

Her mom immediately shakes her head. "No, he says he's your partner from school. His name is Eddie?"

Oh.

Oh.

It was Sunday, and Willow hadn't heard from Eddie since he dropped her off Saturday night. As a matter of fact, this was the first time he had ever called her since she had taken a sharpie to his arm when they first made their deal.

"Oh, thank you! Sorry," she rushes to take the phone from her mom, and she's sure she'll be interrogated later, but she's too busy pressing the receiver up to her cheek, "Hey, Eddie?"

"Red," his familiar voice drawls out over the line.

"Why are you calling? What's up?" Willow's eyes flicker to where her mom is now seated back at their small dining table, trying to seem preoccupied with her food even though she's clearly eavesdropping. Willow turns her back to her.

"Well, good morning to you too, sunshine," Eddie jokes, "It's Sunday."

"Yes, I'm aware what day it is. Did you just call to be my own personal calendar or..." Willow trails off questioningly, finger twirling the phone chord by habit.

"No, Red, it's Sunday . Have you really managed to forget our contract-binded love in under forty-eight hours away from me?" Willow imagines the smirk on Eddie's face, the feigned offense as he mimicked being stabbed in the chest. She had seen him do it a few times now.

Willow thinks over it for a second before it clicks. Of course . It was Sunday, the day Eddie had agreed to have their study dates. "Oh my gosh, I really did forget - I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Eddie assures her, but she can hear his tone drop, "If you already made plans, we can always-"

"I didn't. I'm free," Willow interrupts him, finally turning to face her mom once again. Anna is sitting with a surprised face, no longer even attempting to hide her intrigue in her daughter's conversation. Willow decides to mouth the word 'studying' as she watches a million questions pop up onto the tip of her mother's tongue.

"Oh! Awesome! So where do we wanna do this thing?" His enthusiasm warms her bones, his voice uncharacteristically high.

"I was thinking neutral ground, like the library? That way neither of us can get distracted," Willow leans against the wall, hand still twirling the chord.

She didn't want to admit to Eddie that she also wasn't ready to have him back in her house, even if her mom wouldn't be home the entire time.

Her mom .

That was an entirely different obstacle, considering Willow hadn't even introduced the idea of her fake boyfriend to her mother. She hadn't even considered being in a fake relationship would mean she had to lie to her own mother.

"The library?" she can hear the wrinkle of Eddie's nose, "I mean, I guess. Want me to pick you up?"

"Please," she breathes out, hand finally releasing the chord, realizing she needed to start getting ready.