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sofiiel · 8 months ago

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Chapter Two : Oversleep

Summary: Starved for the faintest glimmer, Eddie refuses to give up on the pursuit of healing a fractured mind.

Warnings: Angst. A little negative self-talk. unhappy end (?) to chapter. No use of y/n utilizes ____ and petnames instead.

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"Eddie, you have to go and get sleep at some point." Steve said, looking down at the exhausted man across the room.

Flipping aimlessly through TV channels, Eddie shook his head and downed another up of cold coffee. "I'm good, Steve. Really." he murmured.

"You've been here every day for what's going on four weeks now." Steve spoke as calmly as he could manage. He pinched the bridge of his nose and reminded himself to bite back the snark wanting to bubble up from his throat.

Steve gave a muted huff, "You need to take care of yourself, she's going to need you when she wakes up."

Eddie's eyes flickered to Steve, "Nums has got two more surgeries before they will move her. Calling in a specialist for the final operation in about three months?" Eddie squinted as he tried to remember his conversation with Jenner.

"I'm fine until then." Eddie added.

"When was the last time you ate?" Steve asked.

"An hour ago, the nurses feel sorry for me." Eddie said in a bitter scoff. "I've got to be the saddest sight they've seen in a while." he sang.

Looking at you, Steve noticed the infamous little box resting on your lap.

Eddie followed his gaze, "I want to make sure it's there, right there when they wake her." He said. "Something good, after all this bullshit."

His eyes threatened to water again.

Steve cleared his throat in hopes of distracting Eddie's tears. "Look, man. Go stretch your legs, call the guys and update them. I can watch her for a while." He offered.

Eddie's eyes stayed fix on the woman he loved, willing her eyes to open. Though he knew it wasn't that simple, you had a long way to go down the road to recovery.

"It's not like she's going to jolt awake right now, right? Five minutes." Steve pressed.

Eddie released a shaky breath, he wasn't going to admit that his leg had fallen asleep for the third time or that he couldn't feel his butt.

"Alright," he replied, "Thanks."

Steve gave Eddie's shoulder a reassuring shake as he got to his feet. "Don't worry about it, watching over troublemakers is what I do, remember?" He teased.

When Eddie manged a smile, Steve knew he could relax. He tilted his head towards the door, "Now go one and bring me one of those cookies from the café."

Eddie headed out of the room and as the door closed, Steve exhaled. Standing before your bed with his hands on his hips, his eyes shimmered with pity.

"I swear, you two have the worst combined luck." He murmured.

Several months had come and gone. Under a bright summer sun, Eddie looked softly upon the little brown shingled house.

You would draw your knees into your chest, and he would kick his out to rest in the quiet street. Relaxed there, you would talk about how things could be, together in that little old house.

"I wanted to give it to you one day, I didn't think it'd be like this." Eddie thought.

The doors to the medical vehicle opened and closed behind him. Thankfully, neighbors on this street were spaced out and no nosey Susans were about.

Eddie took a deep breath and watched the team maneuver you up the walkway.

"The door is unlocked. The master bedroom, up the stairs and the room in the back, where the window looks out to the large old tree." Eddie explained.

Chrissy hopped out her car, hurried steps clicking against the sidewalk. With wide eyes, she looked up at the house.

"Oh!" she gasped, mouth covered.

"Yeah." Eddie exhaled, the corners of his mouth threatening to smile.

Pulling her hands way from her muffled gasp, Chrissy began to fan her eyes. "Damn you, Eddie!" she cursed through the crack in her voice.

"I was done crying!"

Eddie simply smiled, "Come on, let's go see if Nums likes her room."

At the dinning room table of the shaby-chic house, Chrissy poured glasses of water for Eddie, Wayne, the band and the Sinclair siblings. Everyone seemed happy enough to get caught up with each other, but there were scarcely any smiles.

"So...that was the last surgery?" Erica questioned.

Eddie nodded, "Yes, as of three months ago. The very last one. Jenner has already ordered to tapper Nums off her meds, the ventilator comes off in two weeks and then -"

He sent a nervous glance at all the supportive faces around him. A hopeful grin curved onto Eddie's lips.

"She wakes up." he exhaled.

Erica dropped her napkin into her plate and flap her hands "well that settles it, I'm moving in." she said.

"You can't just move in." Lucas said.

"Says who? Someone's gotta watch, _____ and I am not leaving her in the hands of some live in nurse." Erica pointing a finger, her eyes narrowing.

"You saw that news story last year about the nurse who was taking that old man's social security check." she said.

"Well _____ isn't some ol' man. She isn't gettin' a check to take." Wayne reasoned. He cracked open his beer can and paused, "But she should be looked after by folk she knows." he added.

"Exactly." said Erica.

"I have a few photoshoots, and the opening of the Cunningham Junior Cheer Camp, but after that I can gladly come and check in for a while." Chrissy offered.

Eddie blinked slowly, looking over the faces around him.

"I'm not leaving." he said flatly.

Gareth released a quick breath of air, "Eddie," he spoke carefully. "We have to finish this tour. I want to see _____ come out of this just as much as anybody here. But-"

A light grimace inched it's way onto Eddie's face.

"Our shows are sold out, we need to give the fans something. _____ wouldn't want you to miss the biggest tour of our carreer." Gareth reasoned as gently as he could manage.

Eddie's jaw flexed as his teeth clenched.

His eyes lowered to his hands as he fiddled with his rings.

"I have to be here the moment it happens. She might wake up scared, I don't care who's here, I want to be here." Eddie whispered.

"I need it." he added.

Everyone fell silent, and the band glanced at one another.

It wasn't that they didn't understand, but it'd been months of leaving their fans in limbo, and a loss in profit after refunding many tickets and passes.

Corroded Coffin was blessed with a supportive fan base, but even they could only take so much.

"Eddie, we'll all take good care of _____. You can come visit in between shows. We can let you know if she seems to be coming to. But Gareth isn't wrong." Chrissy spoke softly, trying to disarm the defenses Eddie was being to toss up.

Eddie's gaze fixed on Wayne, who heaved a sigh.

"He's not gonna hear it, at least not today. Try talking to him about it later." Wayne said.

Eddie pushed back his chair and got up from the table, wordlessly excusing himself.

Upstairs in the bedroom, where the window overlooked the old tree. Eddie climbed into bed with you.

He settled in close, and with the back of his hands, he gently caressed your cheek.

"I'm still here, Nums." He whispered. "And I'm gonna be right here no matter how long it takes."

Sliding down, Eddie lay next to you. Curled up on his side and taking in your face.

He missed your smile, the way your eyes crinkle when you laughed, the sound of that laugh. The way it gave him little bubbles of joy in his chest.

Eddie missed the sound of your voice, saying his name, or reading over a to-do list. Muttering to yourself under your breath. Your snark, He missed it all.

"I'd settle for being yelled at." he thought.

His heart ached with both regret and excitement.

The ache from you ever having to be in this position, and the constant replay in his head of how he wasn't able to prevent it.

But you'd be waking up soon, then the nightmare would, for the most part, be over. Sure there was bound to be some physical therapy, but he could work with that, he could help with that.

"But like this..." Eddie murmured, letting his hand cradle your cheek. "I don't know what else I can do for you like this."

He drew in a deep breath, "I'm sorry." Eddie whispered.

"Gareth is probably right, I should stop holding up the tour. After all, this all started with a pissed-off fan, right?" He rambled his thoughts to you.

Even if you couldn't speak, it felt natural. It was you who'd help sort out the whirlwind in his mind, and that would never change.

"I feel like...all I do recently is fuck up. The papers, they've been filled with bullshit for years, rumors, tabloid taboos." Eddie heaved a great sigh.

Ruffling his hair, he looked up and out the window. The hulking branches of the oak tree masked the view of the neighbor's yard.

"I guess, as bad I wanted it, I'm no good at being famous. I'm still just...the freak of Hawkins. I thought maybe things would change."

He gave a sour chuckle, "But my luck is still shit."

A soft knock echoed from the doorway and Erica stepped through.

"Are you done wallowing? Jeff says you got a call from a venue in Pittsburgh wanting to know if the show is postponed or canceled." She said.

Even with sharp words, Erica's gaze betrayed her. It was as if she'd been looking at a dog left out in the cold.

Eddie laughed quietly, "Christ, now I know I'm pitiful if you're looking at me like that." he whispered.

Eddie crawled out of the bed and stood up. He gave a stretch and then stole one last glance at you.

"So...is it canceled?" Erica asked.

Eddie smirked, "No...no, It's postponed." leaning over, Eddie gently kissed your lips, and backed away.

"Keep 'er company for me? I need to talk with the guys." he said before jogging out the door.

Time passes far faster than people often expect, while it grinds slowly for some others.

The ventilator was off. A crowd of your closest friends circled your bed early awaiting the moment you would open your eyes, as the doctor took the necessary steps to rouse you.

Eddie wrung his hands nervously as he sat at the edge of your bed.

His heart rioting in his chest with hard thumping beats, nearly painful. It was hard to catch his breath.

Seeing him struggle Wayne rested a hand on his shoulder and gave a supportive squeeze.

Looking up at him Eddie flashed a wide grin, his eyes darting back to your figure in the sheets shortly after.

The room held its breath as the minutes ticked on.

10, 15, 20....

Eddie's brows knitted together tightly, "what isn't it happening?" his words fell from his mouth quietly, "What's going on?" He asked looking towards the doctor.

"It's quite normal for the waking process to carry on a little longer," He was told.

A whimpering grunt sounded deep within Eddie's throat as he tried to tame the impatience building inside. His fingers crawled across the bedsheets and took your hand.

Eddie glanced down at his watch, "Plane leaves at 10:00, we've got time." He uttered to calm himself.

After some time, The doctor took his leave, informing Eddie of the emergency contact information should anything happen. But he was sure to calm Eddie and the group of their worries and left confidently.

Eddie sighed for the hundredth time, she lightly pushed the little black box closer to you.

Picking up your hand he lifted it and kissed the back. Letting his lips linger against the warmth of your skin.

Jonathan rubbed the back of his neck, drowning in the heavy silence. He cleared his throat, "If I remember she kept you waiting in '85 too." he said with a playful chuckle.

"God she spent hours with Nancy trying to plan out that outfit. So much so she-"

Eddie cracked a smile, "was late to our first date." his voice pitched for a moment.

"I thought, she'd stood me up and was so fuckin' pissed." Eddie laughed.

"Then she showed up in that dress and...I didn't care about the time, I forgot how time worked..." Eddie murmured.

"Yeah, so it's a habit, right? ____ is just keeping you waiting. dramatic effect." Chrissy jumped in.

"Wish she wouldn't, that's fine for you but I don't play that ~ messing with my emotions." Erica chimed in.

Yet day passed to night, and as the hours ticked on Eddie felt a knot tying in his gut. His eyes darted to his watch as he bounced his foot nervously.

"Come on, please..." He thought, gaze focused on your face, pleading.

Gareth and Jeff glanced at each other anxiously. It was going to be a nightmare if you didn't wake soon.

Both of Eddie's hands gripped yours, clutching desperately.

He was down to one hour, one hour before he had to head out the door for the airport. One hour before he would potentially catch a flight to Maine and be too far away to return fast enough would you stir.

"I want it to be my eyes you open your's too for the first time." Eddie thought. His grip on your hand twitched, "please?"

"Eddie? we just ordered pizza if you'd like to come eat before you go?" Chrissy chimed peeping her head through the doorway.

Eddie didn't move, his eyes glued to your face.

Gareth quietly shook his head and got to his feet, Jeff following suite.

"I'll go and get you a slice or two." Gareth offered heading out the room.

"Thanks," Eddie murmured.

With his pizza left cold on a paper plate, Eddie pawed at his eyes with the bend of his wrist.

The final hour had come and gone, and you still slept peacefully in the bed.

The muscles in Eddie's chest felt tight at the thought of turning to walk out. Rubbing away the last of his tears he leaned down and stole a fourth kiss from you, and then a fifth.

He left his mark on your lips again and again as if leaving a trail to guide you back to the waking world.

"Nums, please." Eddie spoke softly into his last kiss, his breath brushing against your face.

Opening his eyes he hovered there, watching your eyes for even the slightest flutter.

Eddie's face twisted as he drew in a sharp breath.

"Fuck." he uttered backing away with halting steps.

Jeff knocked lightly on the door frame.

"Hey," He called gently, "We gotta go or we'll be late..."

Straightening up, Eddie looked over his shoulder with mournful eyes.

"I know, man. Look if you want we can-"

"It's too late to cancel." Eddie cut him off. Turning his back to you in that moment felt like his feet had been filled with lead.

Chrissy stepped around Jeff, and offered Eddie a hug, "We'll watch her, she'll be fine. Jonathan will be here soon too - he's shooting the new silent film in town." Chrissy said.

"and Erica...She won't be alone, and there will be enough of us to keep you posted." She went on.

Chrissy rambled as she watched Eddie's hopes crumble and nothing seemed to be able to lift it.

Eddie reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a note that'd been anxiously folded far too many times.

"Give this to her, when she wakes. I wrote it...just in case." Eddie murmured.

Chrissy accepted the paper with a nod.

Clearing his throat, Eddie rotated his shoulders and looked to Jeff, "let's go." He said.

Jeff led the way out of the door and even though Eddie's mind screamed to look back, he couldn't bring himself to.

Thinking to himself, "You'll never leave if you do"

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#rockstar!eddie x fem!reader #SIR: Chapter two #cinematographer!jonathan x fem!reader #eddie munson angst

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