Stranger Things - Imagines (Book 2)

Eddie Munson X Reader - Austin

A/N - This chapter was inspired by the song Austin by Dasha, which I discovered through the magic of TikTok and immediately started formulating this chapter around. I hope you all enjoy it.

When you had first met Eddie you had been pretty certain that he was the best dang person you had ever had the pleasure of setting eyes on. I mean, sure, he was a little rough around the edges and could get himself into a hell of a lot of trouble with very little effort, but he was kind and funny, and he always had your best interest at heart. 

So, when he had mentioned a plan to move out of Hawkins and run off West to LA to make a name for yourselves in the music scene, you had been more than happy to fuel the fire. Hell, the two of you had an itinerary together within days, and then, you had started saving up your pay cheques for gas money. 

You only had to wait four months, just until June 3rd, and then you would be out of Hawkins for good, and it had been the only thing getting you through your rougher days. When work was tough, you would imagine the sold-out tours and top-selling albums and Eddie at your side, and suddenly, life wouldn't seem so horrid anymore. 

And then, the morning that you were supposed to hit the road, you'd turned up at the trailer and found the van missing from the parking space out front. And when you'd knocked on the front door, it had been opened by a groggy and confused-looking Wayne, brow furrowed in confusion. 

"Hey, Kiddo, what're you doing here so early?" he grumbled, holding the door open for you to walk in. Everything looked totally normal, with Eddie's dirty laundry strewn across the floor down the hallway to his bedroom. Hell, by the looks of it, he hadn't even started packing his shit up.

"Is Eddie home?"

"I assumed he was staying at yours last night. When he didn't come back from the Hideout, I thought-"

"He was at the Hideout last night? But I thought..." your words trailed off and you looked so damn lost that Wayne froze, almost certain that he'd put his foot straight in the middle of some of his nephew's drama. 

He cleared his throat. "I sort of just assumed; ain't that the only place you kids hang out these days?"

You shrugged slightly. "I left a sweater in his room last week," you hummed softly, forcing a small smile onto your lips. "You mind if I run back there and grab it real quick?"

"Help yourself, Sweetheart," he confirmed quietly, moving over to the little run-down kitchenette to start up the coffee machine.

The second you had walked into Eddie's bedroom, your stomach had sunk. Everything was in its usual spot, not a single item packed up and ready for your drive to LA. 

*Time Skip*

It hadn't taken you long to start making a name for yourself when you'd moved out to LA alone. Hell, you had been lucky enough to meet a producer in the little coffee shop that you'd started working in to make some extra cash and he had been quick to bring you in to record a demo. And now, 3 months later, you were finally starting to find your place in the industry. 

"Got a good crowd out there tonight, Kid," your manager hummed, peering out at the venue from the edge of the stage. "You're gunna kill it," he pressed on. 

"I always do," you murmured, taking a deep breath to steady your nerves. 

He nodded. "You're opening with the new one, right? It's going to send the crowd wild. They love being the first to hear something new," he pressed on, seemingly missing the frown on your lips. "And it's gonna be a hit, too, which makes it even better."

A moment later, you were being ushered onto the dark stage, moving to your spot as the crowd murmured. And then you had started playing the opening notes, listening as the murmur grew louder, right as the lights went up, landing right on you, front and centre.