Peaceful bliss, just moments away (Stranger Things)

Chrissy

"Peaceful bliss, just moments away."

Dropping the drugs and running back into his room, Eddie snatches up his walkman and the first tape he sees. Master of Puppets, which feels appropriate.

Running back to Chrissy, Eddie manages to get the headphones on her before she rises into the air. He watches, praying to whatever is giving him so many second chances to just let this work the first time.

It doesn't work.

"Not a Metallica fan, huh?" he sighs.

Eddie weighs his options. He's not sure he has the patience to go through another full loop, days of knowing he'd just have to do it again. He casts his memory back to those first loops, before he knew what was happening.

Eddie drives.

-

Eddie tries again, with Dio, Judas Priest, all of his favorites. Far too soon and not soon enough, he's run out of tapes to try. He doesn't know if he's simply too late or if it's the music that's the problem.

It doesn't help that he can't just ask her what her favorite song is. He could kick himself for not asking before all of this, the loops and the dying. Thinks that if he ever gets out of this, that's the first thing he's asking anyone he meets.

After trying Master of Puppets again-and failing, again-Eddie sits in his trailer and thinks. He can't ask Chrissy her favorite song, but could he ask one of her friends? Except that he doesn't know any of them and wouldn't know how to ask, anyway.

"Hey, you know your friend who just died in my trailer? What kind of music did she like?"

Yeah, Eddie wasn't doing that.

Unless they didn't know she was dead yet.

-

This plan is stupid, so stupid, but Eddie wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't try. Wouldn't be able to die with himself, either.

After Chrissy dies, Eddie drives. Drives until he arrives at Benny's, jumps out of the van as soon as he's parked so he doesn't have time to change his mind.

"This is so stupid," Eddie mutters to himself before knocking on the door. He knew Jason and the others would be here, celebrating their big win.

One of Jason's friends answers the door, curly hair sticking out from under a cap and a confused expression on his face. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Eddie flashes a grin. "I heard there was a party." He pulls a baggie out of his pocket with a flourish. "A party's not a party without a little fun, right?" Before the guy can stop him, Eddie shoves his way inside, where the others are drinking and music is blaring.

Jason stands up and sways a little, looking more irritated than homicidal. "What are you doing here, freak?"

Eddie ignores him, focusing on the music. It takes him a moment to realize it's Madonna. "Did your girlfriend pick the music?"

Next thing Eddie knows, he's being shoved against the half wall and Jason's in his face, far too close for comfort. "Don't talk about Chrissy," Jason grunts.

"Alright, alright," Eddie says. He glances past Jason at the others, wondering how he's gonna get any of them to tell him Chrissy's favorite song. His eyes land on Lucas, who subtly shakes his head. He should have thought to ask him later in the loop. Maybe, if he explained everything, Lucas would have an answer for him. For now, it's not like Eddie has anything to lose. "I just think your girlfriend's taste in music is a weird thing to get territorial over."