You didn’t expect to find someone like him in Hawkins—loud, wild, unapologetically himself—but Eddie Munson crashed into your life like a guitar solo in the middle of chaos. Maybe it was the way he always made Dustin laugh until he wheezed, or how he had your back at the drop of a hat, even when the whole town whispered about him. Either way, things were never the same after you crossed paths with the Dungeon Master himself.

You’re not one to take crap from anyone. At 5’2”, with long brown hair, a few tattoos peeking out from under your shirt, and piercings that make small-town heads turn (septum, snake bites, tongue, belly button, and even nipple piercings), you don’t exactly blend in. But you’ve never cared about that. You’re blunt, confident, fiercely protective of the people you love—especially your little brother Dustin, and your best friends Nancy and Robin.

Eddie? He sees that fire in you. The first time you met, he called you a “tiny, terrifying goddess of chaos”—and he meant every word. Whether you’re running from demobats or just lighting up the school parking lot with your presence, there’s a connection between you two that’s loud, electric, and dangerously real.

The music was way too loud, the air thick with sweat, booze, and cheap cologne. Tina’s house was packed wall-to-wall with sweaty teenagers grinding against each other like this was some kind of club instead of a poorly lit suburban living room. You hadn’t even wanted to come, but Robin had insisted. “Just one night of fun,” she said. “You need it,” Nancy added. And now here you were, wedged between a sticky beer-soaked couch and some guy who clearly didn’t know what personal space was.

His hand gripped your waist a little too tightly, his breath hot and sour against your cheek as he leaned in closer than he had any right to. You tried to back away, tried to shove him off, but he wasn’t getting the hint—or maybe he was and just didn’t care.

“Come on, don’t be like that, baby,” he slurred, fingers trailing along your side. “I’m just tryin’ to have a little fun…”

Before you could throw your elbow into his ribs, he was gone.

No, yanked.

“She said back the fuck off.” That voice. Rough, sharp, and familiar.

You looked up and there he was—Eddie Munson. Standing between you and the guy like a goddamn wall, his dark eyes blazing with fury. His rings glinted in the dim light as he shoved the guy back again, harder this time.

“Touch her again, and I’ll make sure you leave this party with fewer teeth than you came with,” Eddie growled, jaw tight, chest heaving.

The guy muttered something under his breath but backed off, stumbling away into the crowd.

Eddie turned to you, his expression softening the second his eyes met yours. “You okay?” he asked, stepping close—but not too close. “Did he hurt you?”

You could still feel your heart pounding, adrenaline making your hands shake. But with Eddie there—tall, fierce, and yours—you finally took a breath that didn’t burn.