the shire is burning [eddie munson x OC]

chapter twenty eight

a/n: surprise! it's my birthday, and i simply couldn't wait until sunday to post this chapter. enjoy <3 also, fair warning - mentions of drug use this chapter (just weed but still)

"Not happening."

" Eddie . Please."

"No! I hate parties."

"Yeah, I do too, which is why you have to go."

"I have Hellfire."

"I'm sure they'll let you cancel."

"Nope, big campaign, highly anticipated. Can't let them down like that, sweetheart."

Eddie Munson was stubborn his entire life, but when he met Willow Jenkins, he had met his match. She had made sure of that.

She didn't care how long he tried to occupy himself with his guitar rather than pay attention to her sprawled out on his bed, face propped up on her hands at the end of the bed closest to him as she lay on her stomach with her feet kicked up into the air. If Robin was going to manage to drag Willow along to this ridiculous party that Steve was hosting with the intent of playing match-maker for Robin and Vickie, then Willow was going to force Eddie to experience her pain right there with her.

It had all started on Wednesday, when the idea had first become a plan for her trio to put into motion. They were driving home from Steve picking up Robin and Willow at school, and Robin had fallen down another Vickie tangent.

"Alright, I can't take this anymore," Steve interrupted a flustered Robin, "Jenkins, are you with me?"

Willow had no idea where this was going, but nodded furiously anyways, "Oh, absolutely."

"You know what has to be done," Steve added, very serious, and Willow continued her clueless nodding. "A party."

"Ye- Wait, what?" Willow said, caught off guard. Robin was immediately looking mortified.

Steve continued on his explanation to the two girls, "A party! Look, I throw a party, you invite all the band geeks including Vickie, and make your move!"

"Dingus, I can't make a move on Vickie," Robin began to argue, but Steve wasn't having any of it.

"The only thing you have to fear is fear itself," he said, stoically as if it were the most poetic thing that had ever crossed his mind. Willow had to hide her snort.

Robin sighed, "Or becoming a town pariah."

With a little more arguing, and reassurance on Steve's part, they had convinced Robin to agree to the plan. Willow had only stood by Steve's side of the argument because she really did want to see her friend happy, and Vickie made her happy. She was completely on board - a party to force the two together, maybe even pry a love confession from one of the idiots. It felt fool-proof.

Until Robin made the deal that she would only agree to the party if Willow went.

From there, it was downhill. Willow hated parties - it would never be her scene. She wasn't a social butterfly, she wasn't fond of any drugs her peers partook in, and she wasn't a drinker. Nothing about parties felt inviting to her.

And so, now, she was hanging out with Eddie after school and begging him to come and be her saving grace. They didn't even have a reason to hang out. But when Willow had caught up with him in the parking lot after school, no one questioned it: Eddie didn't, Robin didn't, even Steve didn't (vocally, at least).