Chapter Text
Chrissy wakes from her most rested sleep in, well, forever.
Her mother is still ignoring her muttering how she is an ungrateful and selfish girl but does not slap her hand away when Chrissy adds some of her father's toast and eggs next to her usual yogurt.
Chrissy considers this a victory and maintains a smile and the ability to curve the nasty voice in her head telling her that her mother is right and she'll wake from this dream soon enough.
She’s getting ready to walk out the door when her father calls to her.
“I’d like to meet him. Make sure I play the ’Stern Father’ role, you know.”
Chrissy laughs imagining her sweater-vest, dress pants, and loafers wearing father meeting long haired, rings and chains, Hellfire leader Eddie Munson.
Her soulmate.
The fact still feels unreal even after their moment last night, but makes her heart sing and her mark warm.
“Of course, Dad.” She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and heads to school.
The walk isn’t long and gives her time to envision how the day might go. People will talk of course, it’s not like she doesn’t know how fast the gossip flows.
She’s more concerned about what people will say about Eddie and about Eddie and her together. The lunchroom fiasco was still the talk yesterday, so chances are that she’ll be the topic of discussion once again.
She walks ignoring the stares and whispers and opens her locker. A light tap to her should makes her jump and she’s face-to-face with Dustin.
"Whoa, just saying good morning.” His smile is bright and a bit knowing.
He leans closer and whispers, “How did, you-know-what go yesterday?”
She flushes at the freshman and gently shoves him aside. “It went great. Can I sit with you guys at lunch today?”
Dustin’s smile is even wider, his eyes crinkling, “Chrissy Cunningham is going to sit with us at lunch!”
She laughs and waves him away.
She tries not to seem desperate, but between each class she almost frantically looks for Eddie.
They don’t share any classes together and her worry grows with each passing hour.
What if last night was just a fluke. What if he doesn’t actually want to be with me?
She starts to gnaw on a hangnail when she’s sudden pulled into an empty room.
“Ah!”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” A deep voice calls to her, his ring covered hands still rest on her hips and she brightens.
“Eddie! I’ve been looking for you.” She melts into him, hugging him tightly and inhaling the smell of him; old leather, tobacco and weed still trapped in his clothes.
“My, my, Cunningham.” He teases, “You missed me?”
She looks up at him, eyebrows raised. “Did you not miss me?”
She pouts a bit, peaking through eyelashes.
His gaze darkens as he whispers into her ear, “Keep looking at me like that and everyone in this school will know just how much I’ve missed you.”
She shivers and slightly pulls away.
“We can be together now right? Like dating?”
She doesn’t know why she sounds nervous. Ridiculous, asking her soulmate if they can date.
Eddie thinks so too and laughs, “Asking me to go steady, Princess? That means I can wear your Letterman jacket now?”
His tongue peeks from in between his teeth and she swallows hard. His smile is softer as he takes off the guitar pick from around his neck.
“Want you to wear this then.” He holds it in front of her and she can see the faint blush on his cheeks.
For all his posturing he is still just a boy. She thinks and takes the necklace and puts it on.
“Thank you. I’ll wear it always.” Her fingers rub the thin plastic.
He coughs and reaches for her hand, interlacing their fingers. “Good, now all you need is a Hellfire shirt and everyone will know I’ve completely corrupted you.”
A cheeky grin and Chrissy just laughs along. He pulls her close to him and kisses her sweetly.
“You deserve a good morning kiss.” He says against her lips.
She smiles, “It’s the afternoon.”
He kisses her again, deepening just enough to leave her breathless.
“Sentiment is the same.” Eddie caresses her cheek and leads her out of the room.
She expected that it might come as a shock, her holding hands with Eddie Munson, wearing his guitar pick around her neck.
But the looks on some of her classmates faces are so comical, she wonders if their brains are short-circuiting.
Stacy at least gives her a thumbs up and shushes the other girls on the cheer-squad before she can hear any cruel things.
Jason’s face is red and he’s gritting his teeth.
Eddie waves at him and Jason turns away.
“Don’t be mean.” She tuts.
“Not being mean, just making sure the picture is clear for him. Can never know with all the brain damage.”
He replies with a shrug and she snorts.
“We better make it clear to everyone then, huh?”
One eyebrow raised as she stands on tiptoes to match their lips together. One of her hands tangles in his hair as his left hand tilts her chin up a bit more, giving him easier access.
She can hear a mixture of gasps and catcalls as they break apart. Her face burning, but smile so wide that she can not find room to care about others anymore.
Chrissy Cunningham received the greatest birthday gift when she turned 18.
New friends, self-confidence, a bit of Elvish, and a fundamental understanding of metal music and D&D.
But perhaps her favorite gift that she continues to get day-after-day is the look on her soulmates face when she whispers I love you, the feel of his hands on her, the sound of his voice when he sings quietly as she falls asleep in his arms.
Finally feeling that she’s where she’s meant to be, who she’s meant to be with.
Chrissy Cunningham shares her heart with Eddie Munson. He’s engraved in her, soulmarks or not.
She only hopes they are connected in the next life as well, since one lifetime could not possibly be enough for her.