#dustin interrupts because OH MY GOD EDDIES AWAKE

[plistommy]

Prompt- Steve sending Eddie a bouquet of black and red roses every Valentine's Day since corroded coffin performed in the talent show.

Secondary prompt- Possibly leaving one at his bedside during Eddie's recovery from the bat bites, or maybe leaving them by his grave...

The first thing Eddie noticed when he woke up was the soft beeping noise. No more the loud screeching sounds of the bats or Dustin’s cries next to him as he was dying on the cold ground of the upside down.

When his senses started to come back, he knew he was laying on something soft. A bed, probably.

Definitely.

He slowly opened his eyes and the brightness of the room shocked him which made him vince. He tried to move his hand to rub his eyes, but a shocking pain shot through his body and he groaned.

Suddenly there was rustling next to him and soon someone was next to him, touching him and Eddie tried to look up to who it was, but his vision was still a bit unfocused as he felt dizzy.

”Eddie? Eddie?! Oh my god, you’re awake, jesus, I-I need to-”

Eddie couldn’t understand the most of what was said, but he could recognize that voice from anywhere.

It was Steve. Steve, who was sounding like he was on the edge of crying with how his voice got so high and shaky.

As Eddie’s eyes finally started coming to focus, he looked around the room, a hospital room and his eyes landed onto a bouquet on the small table beside the door.

”…a bouquet?” Eddie questioned, voice raspy and deep and he felt really fucking thirsty.

As he looked at it closer, he was hit by a realization and… familiarity. They were roses, both red and black, neatly put into a vase where they looked fresh as ever.

He had been getting those same exact bouquet’s of roses ever since he played at the talent show on Valentine’s Day during middle school.

He still remembers when he had gotten it after the show, a teacher of all people giving it to him, saying ’This was left for you, Munson’ as he handed the roses with an awkward grunt.

Eddie had thought it had been a joke, but when he read the small note on the roses that called him really talented and cute, he felt like tearing up with happiness.

He put that note into a safe place at home and read it whenever he needed it the most.

But it never stopped there. Every year, every Valentine’s Day, he always got it. The same bouquet of roses.

Sometimes it was hanging on his locker, on his seat where he sat during DnD, on his van… But he never found out who left them for him, even when he tried his best to find out.

Steve looked like he was seconds away from crying, eyes big and glossy, but he gave Eddie a soft laugh and glanced towards the bouquet.

”Yeah… It’s um.. It’s from me.”

Eddie’s eyes snapped wide.

His heart monitor must’ve picked up, because soon Steve was next to him, like right next to him and touching his forehead and fuck did it feel good.

”Shit, Eddie. You need to stay calm! You went through hell and if your heartbeat picks up too much you can—”

”You…” Eddie rasped out, moving his hand to wrap it around Steve’s wrist even though it hurt like hell. Steve froze, staring down at him with big eyes as he let Eddie guide his hand down from his forehead to his bandaged chest.

”It was… you?” He got out finally.

Steve’s pretty face had this soft blush on it and if Eddie wasn’t in so much pain and bunch of painkillers, he would’ve stood up and picked the man up into his arms.

”Steve—”

”Yeah…” Steve answered, voice sweet like honey as he interrupted Eddie, ”it was me. Always has been.”

If Eddie had never gotten hurt or had never gotten those roses on his hospital room’s table and Steve being there when he woke up, he doesn’t think he would’ve found himself four months later laying in bed next to Steve, who was giving his scars soft kisses while Eddie held him close to his chest.

At least getting almost eaten by the demobats had one positive thing coming out of it.

[bowiebond]

The Morning After (Death)

Steve wakes with a start, hands on his shoulders.

“What the-”

“Harrington, I’m requesting you take your leave.” He stumbled to his feet, half dragged by the police officer.

“Officer- shit, let me go, will you?” He tried to shake him off, whipping his head around to the hospital bed. Another cop had a hand on Eddie’s chin, turning his face this way and that. “Hey! He had half his neck torn out, don’t be so fucking rough with him!” Steve snapped and the officer behind him let out a disgruntled huff.

“Haul ass, Harrington, be glad we aren’t arresting you as an accomplice.”

“He didn’t even do anything!”

“Sir, please calm down, we have other patients in here.” A new nurse was talking to him, older than him with brown curls and blue eyes, and he felt panic stir in his chest as he was crowded between the two bodies.

“No, you’re a nurse, tell them to be delicate with the guy who just almost died.” Steve scowled, elbowing the officer off his back. “Eddie’s innocent, you can’t arrest him without proper evidence.”

“We have plenty evidence, boy.”

“He wasn’t even there when Max got hurt! He was with me and Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson too. We’re eye witnesses!” Steve insisted, uncaring that he was being too loud. The second officer had let go of Eddie’s face, but he was pulling his blanket back, looking him over without an ounce of sympathy.

“Dustin Henderson is a part of Eddie’s little club, correct? Eddie’s little cult buddy was the one who brought Maxine in last night.” He narrowed his eyes at Steve. Steve gritted his teeth.

“Eddie. Is. Innocent.” He reiterated. “I don’t care how many times I have to say it until you get it through your head. There is no cult! I wouldn’t let my kids into that shit.”

“Your kids?”

“Not- not my actual kids, but I’m their babysitter. I take them everywhere. I would have noticed if they were dabbling in that kind of stuff.” Steve tried to catch the mans eye, to hold it so he could see he was telling the truth. “Eddie didn’t do this. Eddie freaks out over spilled milk, you think he could kill someone?”

“...Just get out so we can investigate.”

“Officer, come on-!” The second officer had left Eddie’s side in order to grab his arms, pulling them behind his back and up until he’s ready to crumble forward, hissing in pain.

“Out, boy.” Steve threw his head back hard enough to catch his chin, but the officer just tightened his grip.

“Fuck, fuck, let go, asshole-” Steve’s shoulder felt like it might pop free any second now, gritting his teeth as he was forced out of the curtained room.

“Steve...?” Steve whipped his head around at the soft groan, voice cracked and ruined. Steve got a moment to glance at him, the confused expression, the way he squints as if he can barely focus, blinding by the sunlight from outside. He gets one moment to confirm that Eddie is awake, alive, that he pulled through, before he’s manhandled out of the door.

“Be lucky I’m not arresting you for assault of an officer, Harrington.” The officer spat, rubbing his red chin and Steve has half a mind to punch him right in the teeth. He doesn’t get to though, because Dustin’s voice interrupts him.

“Steve?”

“Dustin.” Steve turned to him and felt a wide grin pull onto his lips as the boy hobbled over to him. His mother is shuffling behind him, looking ever so frazzled, and Steve cuts the distance between them to hug him tightly. “Hey buddy.”

“Is Eddie- is Max-?” Dustin was looking past him with worry.

“Eddie’s okay. He made it.” Steve laughed at the sheer relief on Dustin’s face, the boys eyes scrunching up as grateful tears came back with a fierceness. “I haven’t seen Max yet. She’s still in intensive care. But the moment we can visit her, I’ll take you right with me, okay, buddy?” He took his hand and squeezed, trying to get the boy to look at him. Dustin nodded with a shuddering sob.

“Thank god. I am not ready to take care of anyone.” He whined the last word, tipping his head back and crying harder.

“Oh buddy, nooo.” Steve laughed a little at his display despite his own welling eyes, gathering him back in his arms and running his hands over Dustin’s uncapped curls. “You don’t gotta take care of anybody, kid, that’s my job, alright?”

“Okay.” He whimpered miserably and Steve sparred Dustin’s mother a grin over the kids shoulder, wiping the wetness from his eyes with his thumb. He gave a quick sniff and pulled back from Dustin, drying his tears with the hem of his shirt.

“Jeez kid, are you always gonna be like this when Eddie gets banged up?” Steve joked and Dustin nodded with a shaky pout.

“I thought he was dead, Steve.”

“He’s okay. He’s okay, and Max will be okay, and you’re okay. We’ll all be okay. I promise.” Steve would make sure of it. He wouldn’t allow any of his kids to get hurt on his watch. Max was strong. She’d pull through...Just like Eddie had.

“Eddie is still wanted, Steve.” Dustin looked up at him with heartbreaking brown eyes and Steve nodded slowly.

“I know. The police are with him right now. But I don’t think they can’t take him away yet. Not until the hospital discharges him. He’s gonna need time to heal, so we just need to find a way to prove him innocent, okay?”

“No one will believe us, Steve.” Dustin gave a little stomp of his foot like he always did when he was frustrated before letting out a soft shout of pain, forgetting his fracture in the moment.

“Try not to break anything else, kid.” Steve chuckled, kneeling to ruck up his pant leg. It was bruised up real good, but the doctor had already put a splint in it. He would have to keep a close eye on Dustin to make sure he didn’t overdo it. The kid was prone to not keeping still.

“What’re we gonna do, Steve?” Dustin sounded heartbreakingly younger than he was, and he was already so young. It made Steve think of the little twerp he met three years ago, always so scared and loud but brave. Loyal.

Steve looked back up at him and smiled weakly, forcing it to be stronger than he felt right now.

“We’re gonna do what we always do.” Steve stood and squeezed his shoulder. “Figure it out. Together. Okay?” He sounded older than he was, but he was okay with that. He felt wiser than his years yet still as dumb as any other nineteen year old boy most days. It’s just what alternate dimensions and monsters did to a person.

Dustin smiled, even if it was strained. Like he still believed in Steve’s ‘adult’ ability to fix things.

“Okay.”

They’d figure out how to clear Eddie’s name before he was discharged. They had to. They didn’t have a choice if they wanted to keep him safe.