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WHO: Max Mayfield and Eddie Munson
WHERE: At the hotel!
WHAT: Reuniting!
WHEN: Current
WARNINGS: Monster talk and things of that nature. Spoilers for the finale episode of Stranger Things season 4. Will update if anything more specific comes up!

Max fiddles with the ends of one of her braids as she looks around, trying to convince herself she's not terrified. Sure, she'd touched the glowing orb, but she's still not a hundred percent this isn't some head trip of Vecna's. Though why he'd let her out of his trap when he had her where he wanted her is anyone's guess. She's also not ruling out the possibility that she truly is on some other planet or in some other different dimension. Or dead. Maybe this is Purgatory or something. Any way she slices it, it's scary, because she's alone.

And everything is so damned quiet. That alone is unsettling.

She wraps her arms around herself as she heads toward what looks like a hotel. If it's really a hotel, maybe - maybe there will be other people here, too.

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There's a least one space in the hotel that's not so quiet. Eddie's little 'home improvements' and musical interludes have probably earned him about as much love from his neighbors here as it has back home.

Headphones on, he strolls almost past Max without properly taking her in at first.

Eddie does a full back track a moment later, large eyes taking in the familiar face in surprise. and a small bit of suspicion. He's been haunted by visions of Chrissy not too long ago, but it doesn't stop him from giving an awkward little wave of confusion, tugging the headphones down around his neck.

"Uh...hey?" he greets belatedly, lips splitting into a quizzical smile.

Her eyes widen as she watches Eddie stride right past her before she can even say anything, and she whirls around to look at him. And, him at her, apparently. But there's almost a hesitance there, like he's not sure who she is or something. She's not sure what to make of it - it's not like they know each other super well or anything. Before all the things had exploded in Hawkins again, she'd seen him nearly every day across the street, had fallen asleep quite a few times to the sound of his music blaring.

It's been kind of comforting. And while her preferred music might not be heavy metal, she still would prefer music to the silence. More so now than ever.

"Are you really here?" Her voice is a little shaky but she takes a couple steps toward him anyway, much like she had with El not that long ago.

Of all the neighbors in the trailer park, she's one of the better ones as far as Eddie is concerned. And that's before she probably saved him from being strung up by all of Hawkins.

"Are you?" he counters, head tilting. She's not spitting out accusatory truths yet, so that's promising. He taps he on the nose, and looks a little surprised to find her solid, brows lifting at the conflicting emotions that realization brings. He's so happy to see a real and familiar face, he almost forgets. that her being here means she's been kidnapped by fucking aliens. "Shit, it is you..."

Before she can answer, he boops her on the nose and she blinks, staring at him in disbelief. Well, same concept she had in mind, except she was going to reach out and touch his arm. Which -- she still does, just in case. She grips onto his arm and he's solid and real and relief washes over her.

"And it's you," she responds wryly, arching her eyebrows. "What the hell is going on?"

"Ah, you know, just...aliens," Eddie shrugs, like it's all totally just an average day. And the joke of it is, for them it pretty much is. Which makes him laugh, grinning in disbelief, 'cause who could appreciate the joke of it all better than Max?

What could possibly be the next step up in weird from inter dimensional monsters and shit?

Edited 2023-03-30 01:53 (UTC)

Her shoulders drop at that, and she actually huffs out a laugh, closing her eyes for a moment, and shaking her head. "And you're sure that's what's really going on? That this isn't some -- trick or Upside Down bullshit?" Because if he's real and he's been here longer than her, and he believes it's actually aliens -- hell.

She'll get on board with that. It's maybe better than the alternate options, anyway.

He spread his hands, indicating he's as sure as he can be when they're dealing with the possibility of a psychic murderer crafting all this as some sort of ruse. "Been here for like...two months maybe? Those visions ever last that long?" It's not like he hasn't wondered, apart from having no idea why Vecna would have interest in him, or in crafting some strange other world to put him in.

"No," she whispers, relief crashing over her. "No, not -- not that long." Two months? She doesn't understand how that's possible, but apparently there's a hell of a lot she just doesn't understand at all anymore. She's not sure there's any point in trying to figure out why monsters or aliens do what they do, or understand how they exist at all. They exist; she just has to deal with that.

And right now aliens sound a lot less scary than Vecna and an agonizing death, so. Okay.

She doesn't really think about it, and she's not normally an overly affectionate or touchy-feely person, but she's so relieved that she's not alone here that she wraps her arms around Eddie's waist, squeezing her eyes shut.

Breathing out a small breath, he's more relieved to hear that than he'll admit. It's a worry he hasn't let himself dwell on too deeply.

Oh. Eddie blinks in surprise. He is a very touch-feely person, but they've never really done this. A easy smile finds its way to his face, and folds his arms around her with a reassuring pressure.

"Hey- You're good-" he promises, and she's not the only one basking in that relief a familiar presence can bring.

"Yeah," she murmurs, not ready to let go just yet. The last person she'd hugged had been Vecna disguised as her mom, and she sneaks a peek up at him just to make sure he's still Eddie. And he is. Thank God.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Are you? I - things were still crazy back home." She draws back to look at him, like she could see any possible injuries even if he'd been here for two months now.

Eddie doesn't seem to mind, smirking faintly in a characteristically 'Eddie' way at her when she looks up up to check on him.

"Yeah, no, I'm fine. Peachy. Did we stop him?" Eddie asks hopefully as she draws back. The demobats all fell from the sky. That meant they did it, right?

As for injuries, the worst of it is both healed and hidden, but there are some scars at his throat that look very similar to the injuries Steve got from his tussle with the demobats, and a few along his jaw. Thankfully she can't see the mess that is his torso.

"I don't know," Max admits quietly. She hopes they had, but -- things were not looking great for her, but as long as they were able to stop Vecna from going after anyone else then -- she has to be okay with that. She doesn't want to die, but she knows it's not out of the question, either.

"El had shown up, at least. In my head. With her powers. They were fighting." And as much as she loved El and as much faith as she had in her, she wasn't sure her best friend was going to come out on top this time.

"I hope so." Her gaze lands on his throat and jaw and she finds herself holding her breath, stomach knotting involuntarily. "What happened?"

Her tone makes Eddie's brows crease faintly with concern.

"That's the super girl, right?" he confirms. And that seems promising at least. It wasn't just a bunch of kids fighting a gnarly psychic dude anymore, they had their own psychic. He doesn't really know first hand what El can do, but the stories he's heard, her arrival can only mean good things, right??

"Mm?" It takes him a bit to connect the gaze to his injuries. "Oh- uh. The demobat things. They uh...got a few bites in," he dismisses with a reassuring smile. Nothing big. "Cool scar, huh?" He turns his chin so she can see, looking pretty convincingly unbothered.

"Yeah, that's El," she confirms, a tiny smile gracing her lips at the nickname. Because it was pretty accurate, really. El was an actual superhero. She'd seen her do any number of amazing things in the short time they'd known one another.

But she grimaces at the mention of the demobats. "Yeah, cool scar," she agrees, if only because what else can she say? That it looks like it hurt? (And probably a lot?) And that it had happened partially because he'd gone into the Upside Down to try and help save her life?

He's had only a short briefing on her, but she sounds pretty damn incredible. And from how they described her- their best shot at defeating Vecna. Though looking at Max now it strikes Eddie properly for the first time this super girl is her age. Just another kid caught up in fighting this monster. A kid with super powers, but still a kid.

His grin spreads, trying to convince her it really was an epic and metal badge of honor. "Plus, you know- now Harrington and I have matching scars. He's not going to be able to get rid of me, that's like...a flesh and blood friendship necklace."

"Which no offense, is the worst kind of friendship necklace ever," she remarks, eyebrows rising. "Next time both of you should definitely stick to just braided friendship bracelets."

She's just relieved he'd made it out okay. She tucks some hair behind her ear, wrapping her arms around herself. "So compared to the Upside Down, how does this place rate so far?"

"I mean- I've never had one, so- I'm kind of winging it," he teases, catching his tongue between his teeth as he grins.

He's happy to let her go on thinking that. And...you know...maybe he does?? Maybe Dustin manages to haul his ass out some how and they...stop all the bleeding the same way the weird magic kid here had been able to with...only out the magic. And...it's possible??

He gives a relieved sigh, "Like...barely a blip on the radar once you get over the whole alien part. There was a thing with some ghostie type shit, but that blew over, and there was some weird...pointy things. Um...like the Washington monument? But smaller? Otherwise...kinda sucks not being able to get a burger or whatever, but nothing's tried to eat me? No horrific murders since I got here. I'd give it a solid...uh...I dunno, 4 stars? How am I rating this?" he laughs. "It's like Hawkins if there was even less to do and no hellscape under it."

"I see what you did there." Winging it. Cute, Eddie. He gets points for it, actually.

She smirks at him, but listens as he starts talking, exhaling and letting her shoulders drop. She wants to ask about the ghostie type shit, but she also...isn't sure she wants to know right now. Maybe even less about the pointy things. But yes she agrees. Not being able to get a burger on demand is small potatoes if the trade off is no murders or big monsters.

"Out of five stars? Shit, I'll take it."

It's no bat-tle. But they can't all have Henderson's wit.

"Yeah, I mean, it's no picnic or anything, but compared to the last few days back home?" Or...shit- years for Max. "It's not bad. I think we might be a little biased though. Most people seem to take it pretty hard."

It occurs to him then that tough as she is, she still might not be thrilled to be separated from her Mom. Eddie misses Wayne like hell, but he's an adult, and with Wayne working nights they're like ships passing in the night half the time anyways.

"...Anyone give you the tour yet?" he asks, putting on a grin to distract her from the downsides of this arrangement for a little while longer at least.

No one has Dustin's level of wit. It's his specialty for sure.

"I'll take the break without complaint," she responds, glancing at him sideways. Even if she's worried about the others. It's not like she can do anything about it from here. And apparently there isn't an easy way back.

So. She'll focus on reality as best as she can, and right now that's this place and whatever it's going to throw at them.

"They haven't," she answered, raising her eyebrows. "Gonna do the honors?"

No easy way back that Eddie's been able to catch wind up, and no way to prevent going back that he's found either.

He grins, dramatically clearing his throat and putting his theatrical talents to good use at least, making a grand sweeping gesture.

"Starting us off, as you can see here, a crappy crumbling wall," he starts, leading her along, "And here- a run down hallway. Watch your step-"

Despite how overwhelmed and relieved she feels, her lips quirk upwards in amusement at his theatrics. She doesn't know him super well by any means, but they've faced the end of the world together, and he's amusing as hell.

"Oh thank you, I wouldn't have noticed the crappy crumbling wall without you for sure," she tells him, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a public service," he assures gallantly, "Now here- here is the only place of note in this particular building- my room. I suggest you knock before entering, but you are welcome to the place whenever," Eddie invites, gesturing to a door that's been painted black.

She laughs quietly at that assurance and she follows him to the black door. "Just out of curiosity -- was this door red before, by any chance?"

He gives her an approving grin, but shakes his head. "Woulda been sweet," he agrees, pushing it open to give her the quick and dirty tour.

There's not too much to see. There's a makeshift bed in the corner, a small collection of tapes he's replicated, his guitar hanging in a place of honor on the far wall, and some random graffiti sprayed onto the walls with his band's name.

"Bedroom, living room, that's the parlor-" Eddie lists, pointing to random corners of the room with a smirk.