veda henderson

          We found a field on the edge of town where we could stretch and prepare for our upcoming battle without fear of the crazy mob after Eddie. Sure, they're technically after me too, but their anger and violence isn't directed towards me. At least, not until Jason Carver opens his fat mouth about spotting me unharmed and free.

    I sit to the right of Dustin, my legs crossed and arms resting on my knees as he and Eddie hammer long nails into bin lids. Their idea is that they can use these metal lids as shields against the demo-bats or whatever the hell we're calling those things.

    Eddie finishes hammering the last nail through the lid, standing up to reveal the other side where the pointy ends stick out of the tin. He holds it up in front of him, eyeing his creation.

    "How's she feeling?" Dustin asks him from the grass.

    "Light, but durable," He then flips the shield and jolts it out in front of him, pretending that the demo-bats are right in front of him, "Deadly, but reliable,"

    Dustin giggles, his admiration for the older boy in front of him shining through. I look at Dustin and smile, feeling my heart warm at their bond. If everything goes well and I get to focus on silly things such as relationships and feelings, I want Eddie to be something more to me than a friend. Because of that, I'm glad my brother gets along so well with him.

    "Y'know, Jason has given me an idea," I speak up, grabbing the shotgun from the ground and placing it onto one of the flipped-over crates in front of me. "A shotgun is great and all but... I could make it better,"

    I reach for the hand saw on the grass near me, lifting it towards the shotgun and lining it up on the barrel, closer to the actual weapon. 

    "Y'know that's illegal right?" Eddie buts in, smiling down at me as he continues to mess around with his shield.

    "So is grand theft auto, Muffin. I won't tell if you won't," I say, looking up at him through the sun with a smile before looking back down and starting to saw the barrel in half. It takes me a little while before I get most of the way through the metal, removing the saw to bang the tool on the barrel. It snaps away from the rest of the weapon, dropping to the grass below. 

    I stand up, holding the gun in front of me as if Vecna is standing right there. 

    "Hey, you're really ready for bat-tle," Dustin stands, enunciating the bat part of the word. He looks between Eddie and I, his mouth open in a big smile, humour on his face. He lets out a strangled laugh, waiting for us to join in. "You get it? BAT-tle. B-A-T,"

    Eddie's eyes flick to mine, a flat expression on his face before turning to Dustin. I can tell Eddie secretly finds it funny but is hiding it.

    "I get it, Dusty," I shake my head, lowering my shotgun before placing it back on top of the green milk crate. 

    "I thought I had a good one," Dustin sighs, following Eddie's move to lower his shield to the ground. Just as Eddie lets go of his shield, he stays crouched and launches for Dustin, wrapping his arms around my brother's waist as he pushes him back. Eddie then turns them around, pushing Dustin away from him.

    I see Eddie's big smile, some strands of his curly hair sticking to his face.

    "You son of a bitch," Dustin grumbles before charging back at Eddie. He grabs Eddie around the waist, both of them struggling with each other in a playful manner, "No wedgies! No wedgies!"

    "Vey," Eddie calls before pushing my brother my way. I can't help the laugh that escapes my lips at the innocence of it all, grabbing Dustin around the shoulder, his back to me as I use my free hand to rub my knuckles in his hair back and forth.

    "Mum said you can't do that anymore!" Dustin grumbles, turning and pushing me off him. 

    He stands in the middle of Eddie and I, their chests puffing lightly. 

    Eddie steps in closer to us, all three of us huddling together. Eddie reaches one hand out, clutching the side of my head while his other hand holds Dustin's shoulder. 

    "You two. Hendersons," Eddie begins, looking between us. "Promise me you guys will never change,"

    "I wasn't planning on it," Dustin lightly chuckles. He then turns to me, a cheeky grin on his face, "Although I think Veda could do with some changing when it comes to a certain habit,"

    "Hey!" I laugh, reaching my hand out to push him away from me in a playful way. Eddie's hands drop back to his side, his eyes lingering on me. I point towards Eddie, the grin on my face starting to hurt my cheeks as I speak, "Let's not forget someone who needs to rethink his career,"

    "Hey, Hey, Hey, no pointing fingers," Eddie says, reaching out to grab my hand and lower it to my side. It feels like the world around me melts away, nothing but his smiling face in my sight. I don't even realise his hand is still around mine, I only recognise the warmth of his touch.

    "Hello? Still here?" Dustin drags out the last syllable in the word 'hello'. 

    "If I have to hear you and 'Suzie-Poo' on the phone every hour of every day, you can handle some eye contact," I roll my eyes, stepping away from Eddie anyway. 

    "Hey, Sinclairs!" Eddie calls out, turning around to face the direction of Lucas and Erica. He takes a few steps towards their direction, putting his hands on his hips, "How are those, uh... those spears coming along?"

    I lift my hand up to my forehead, shielding the sun from my eyes in time to see Lucas smile and give a big thumbs-up.

    "He's definitely lying," I say, spying the way Erica began to sass her brother. I turn to Dustin, dropping my hand from my side, "Maybe you should go give him a hand?"

    Dustin pauses, looking in between Eddie and I before giving us a playful grin, "Oh, I see,"

    "Dustin-"

    "No, No, it's okay," Dustin grins, holding his hands up as he begins to walk towards his friend. "I can take a hint,"

    "You're so dramatic, it's not even funny," I roll my eyes, Dustin drops his hands, walking by me slow enough to do that stupid growl he's been doing since he got his teeth. I reach over, shoving his shoulder. His only reaction is another giggle as he climbs up the hill towards the Sinclair siblings. 

    Once Dustin reaches them, I turn and move back to the crates, sitting back down on the grass. Eddie follows me, slowly sitting down next to me. From my peripheral vision, I can see Eddie studying my face for a sign of what I might say. I don't say anything, reaching for my shotgun and holding it tightly between my hands. 

    "I didn't want to say this in front of him, but, I'm scared. Like, really out-of-my-mind scared," I admit, ignoring his stares as I play around with the gun. I feel like I have to act tough, especially in front of the young teens. Max is relying on me for a sense of safety, something she deserves to cling on to. If I show how scared I am, I could damage that security no matter how false it may be.

    "You'd be weird if you weren't, V," Eddie tells me, moving to rub his palm on the top of my knee. Luckily, the small movement of affection is hidden by the crates in front of us. 

    "I don't know, I just... I have a bad feeling about everything. Vecna is smart enough to expect something like this," I shake my head, scanning the field to make sure no one is looking at me, "I don't want to become who I was in his vision. If he wants me to become this Kaz person or just his little obedient sidekick, but... he seems pretty damn sure that I'm capable of being that other Veda,"

    Eddie's thumb rubs my covered knee, providing a sense of ease to my nervous system as I chew at the inside of my lip.

    "You are a good person, Vey. Ever since I met you, I've felt a little... less like the world is out to get me. I can't imagine a world where you're evil. Nope, refuse to even try," He shakes his head, lifting his free hand to physically swipe the idea away. I smile softly at his words, turning my head to meet his eyes.

    "I just think that, If in some other universe I did become the Veda he showed me, something terrible must have happened, or worse," I explain, shifting my eyes to the young redhead in the distance. She sits beside Nancy, watching as she saws the barrel of her own shotgun. I look away, making eye contact with Eddie once again, "I don't want to let Max down,"

    "Veda..." Eddie grins softly, "You've already helped that girl more than anyone else. That doesn't go unnoticed,"

    "I guess you're right," I shrug, looking down at his hand still gently resting on my knee, "Promise me one thing,"

    "Anything,"

    "Promise me that, no matter what, you and Dustin will get out of there," I plead, watching as he begins to shake his head at the implications, "Eddie, please. If something happens that makes me into the person he wants me to be, I can bet it'll involve one of you,"

    "You don't know that for sure, V-"

    "You and Dustin are the most important people to me," I cut him off, reaching out to grab his bicep and catch his attention, "I can't be focused if I'm worrying about you both. So, promise me I won't have to," 

    He stares at me intently, a mental conversation going on in his head as his glossy eyes study me, "I promise,"

    "Thank you," I reply, not bothering to move my hand from his bicep. I look down, swallowing hard at the nerves threatening to close my throat. But, if something did happen, I don't want any regrets, "I haven't really said this to you directly. I guess I just... I don't know, struggle with this sort of sappy emotional bullshit. But, I really like you, Eddie. More than I ever planned to when Ricky gave me that stupid butchered version of your name,"

    He smiles at me, his brown doe eyes flicking down to my lips every so quickly, "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist that Munson charm,"

    I shove his shoulder, shaking my head and turning away from him as he laughs at himself, "I am never telling you anything heartfelt ever again, Jerk,"

    "I'm just kidding, V," He laughs, grabbing my shoulder to turn me back to face him. I frown up at him, his bright smile shining back at me. "I can't say I'm immune to the Veda Charm myself,"

    "Is that your way of saying you like me too?" I scawl playfully, his hand dropping from my arm. 

    "It is," He nods, moving back slightly so he can grab his homemade shield. 

    I move back to my shotgun, my fingertip tracing the rough edges of the barrel. 

    "What did Ricky say my name was?" He breaks the silence.

    I smile, peering down at my shotgun as I reply, the memory of the conversation that started it all, "Teddy Mountain,"

----------

          The orange tint of the camper van only adds to the gloom among the group. I sit on the couch in between Eddie and Robin, Dustin tucked into Eddie's right side. We all changed into different clothes, adding padding layers to our bodies to protect us from the bats.

    I opted to keep my Metallica hoodie on, something that has become a sort of protection charm to me. Nothing physically bad has happened to me while wearing it, I was only injured once I took it off. On top of that, one of Eddie's spare leather jackets further protects my abdomen and chest from any attacks. A piece of material wraps around the crown of my head to keep my hair in place, a real bandage covering the wound on my arm under my layers.

    Eddie and Dustin both hold their spears close, a physical protector to them. I do the same with my shotgun, my arm linked with Robins. I can feel her shaking slightly in fear.

    I know Robin is brave, everyone in the vehicle is, but nothing can prepare you for the horrors of the upside down, not even being there before.

    Eddie's rings tap against the wooden part of his spear. The noise causes me to look up at him, the black bandana from his jean pocket now over his head in a similar fashion to my makeshift headband. I move my hand towards him, my bicep burning from the pain of my still-fresh wound as I rub my pinky against his leg in comfort.

    Eddie has never been good with fear or anything scary. I know this must be hard for him, sitting quietly in a van on the way to a horrifying situation, but he's doing it anyway.

    His head turns to me, looking down at me. He can't muster up a smile, neither can I. Instead, he moves his hand down beside him, locking his pinky finger with mine.

    A knot forms in my gut as the van comes to a stop, the haunting abandoned mansion sitting in front of us. No one says a word as Max, Lucas and Erica stand up and pile out of the car. For the plan to work, the three kids have to go on their own.

    "Max," I break the heavy silence as the redhead reaches the door of the van. She pauses, turning around to face me with a numb expression. I nod at her, "You got this, Red,"

    Max nods back, a small smile twitching on her lips before she exits the van and closes the door behind her. Steve drives away, leaving the three kids behind at the Victor Creel house. I watch out the window as they disappear from sight. 

    I'm not religious, not anymore at least. But I pray to whoever is listening that this isn't the last time I see her or anyone here.

    Please, let this work.

--

a/n

ahh we're nearing the end. 

i made a little poster/visual of how veda looks in the finale so I just wanted to chuck it in here to help with your imagination although you're free to imagine veda dressed however you would like!