Part four of this Steddie Soulmate AU
Eddie didnāt know what he was expecting of this āalternate dimensionā but a dark sky, ominous red lights and black particles floating all around while a bunch of batlike creatures are attacking them sounds about right. Straight out of a horror movie.
He keeps swinging the oar around him but the creatures are far more resistant than they looked. Four or so of them are enough to keep them on their toes and he is already feeling lightheaded from the pain he feels as Steve is trying to get the creatures off of himself. Eddie tries his hardest not to wince or gasp at the pain shadowing on him while Nancy and Robin help Steve. He has to focus on the bats predating on them and diving from the air.
Steve finally liberates himself and as Eddie and the others tackle the ones on the air, Steve practically tores one open on the floor.
Itās a sight that makes Eddieās insides squirm, he isnāt sure if itās in repulsion, awe or something else, he just knows he has seen something he will remember for days to come.
Eddie is still too shaken to think clearly when Nancy tells them to go into the woods and take cover, just following as they make their way to skull rock again.
But oh, thereās a nagging feeling in his heart, telling, yelling at Eddie to be on his right mind again. Like sirens going off and once he realizes what is happening, it finally clicks in his head. Because he is still feeling a deep sting at his sides and he just knows Steve must be in so much pain. The same pain he has been feeling over summer break and oddly at random nights.
Nancy is telling them to go to her house but Eddie canāt pay attention as he crosses the space between Nancy and Robin and walks straight into Steve, he looks taken aback, even terrified as Eddie inches closer.
āGoddamit, Harrington, if itās hurting so much, say somethingā He yells, putting a hand on his arm before Steve is losing strength on his legs. Eddie giving him support as he makes him sit against the rocks.
The girls get by his side in seconds, checking his wounds, Nancy is quick to tore her sweater and Robin is worryingly babbling about rabies and symptoms and Eddie canāt take his gaze away from him.
āIāll do itā he says more forcefully that he intended as he takes the piece of clothe from Nancyās hands, not giving her a say on the matter. Everyone looks at him but somehow, he doesnāt care.
Robin is quick, and now Eddie can admit she must know something, because she is telling Nancy to show her the road they are going to take to get to her house. Successfully leaving them alone.
Steveās breaths are shallow and he doesnāt dare to think if itās because he is wounded or because Eddie is all over him.
āIs thisā¦ā Eddie starts, Steve finally looking at him āFuck, Steve, is this why you were in pain during summer?ā he asks, he berates āI felt your skull crack open!ā he yells but sounds more like a whine, Eddie is feeling pain, but not physical pain. His heart hurts.
āIām sorryā Steve whispers āIām so sorry Eddieā he says louder āI didnāt mean to hurt youā
āHurt me?ā Eddie says incredulous, how can Steve believe he is mad about feeling this if Steve is the one who had to suffer it.
āI kept saying I would tell you, I would come to explain but every time I tried, I thought I would drag you into this and I didnāt want that but I did, somehow I still dragged you into this shitā Steve sights.
āSteve, what the fuck?ā He says āThis isnāt you fault, you didnāt do shit, Iām literally a magnet for bad luckā Eddie laughs, deprecatory.
āMaybe, but you asked me to not inconvenience you and I majorly fucked that, I should have- I couldāve-ā he trails off and it downs on Eddie just how much he himself was an asshole.
He wished all this time that Steve acted like a soulmate but he didnāt give him the chance, he doomed them since the beginning. He asked him to not inconvenience him and when faced with actual monsters, what did Eddie expected him to do.
āI couldĀ“ve been more carefulā Steve settles on.
If today was like any of those other times they faced the upside down, thereās no doubt in Eddieās mind that Steve jumps in front of the danger to protect Robin and Nancy, to protect the kids.
This Steve is really all that Dustin had proclaimed he was.
A badass, but not just because he fought a monster or two, but because through all that he has ensured everyone around him is safe. Even Eddie, keeping him in the dark about what was lurking in their town. Keeping out of his way for fear of getting him involved.
āHarrington, what you did back there was metalā he says, because thereās no doubt in Eddieās mind that Steve needs to hear it āIf this is what youāve been doing, I donāt care whatever pain I felt in the pastā he finally starts to put the clothe around Steve, adjusting it as he goes āIf anything, I wish you wouldāve been more careful because of youā he looks into him. Eddie is bleeding here, yelling with his eyes what he canāt with his words, because he really wished Steve hadnāt had to go through all this, not him and not any of the kids or the girls.
āYou think?ā Steve asks, groaning a little as Eddie makes the bandages tight.
āYeah, you were like Ozzy back thereā he settles on saying because he canāt yet talk about whatever he is feeling.
āOzzy?ā Steve laughs and yeah, it rings nicely in Eddieās ears.
āYou donāt- You donāt know Ozzy? Osborne? He did- He did the thing with the batā he explains but is met with Steveās incredulous gaze and he depletes āWhat Iām saying is that you were badass and Iām glad you were and that everyone is safeā he admits, pulling the last of the made-up bandage into itself to secure it.
It must have hurt, Eddie felt it but Steve didnāt even flinch, he was looking at Eddie.
Eddie awkwardly gets up, trying to put a little distance and breath, feeling a little light headed again. He gives Steve a hand to get up too, wishing his face isnāt as blushed as he feels.
āNo wonder why Henderson worships you, dudeā he says, trying to escape whatever thing he just got himself into.
āHe does?ā Steve asks with a tilt of his head, trying his stance and the grip of the bandages.
āOh yeah, kid wouldnāt say another thing that wasnāt how his brother was like super awesome and shit, it was kind of annoyingā he pats the dirt off of his jeans, Eddie knows they should get on the trip they have to do, but they donāt seem to want to break the bubble they are in āTo be honest, I donāt know why I care so much what the little shrimp thinks but I- I was a little jealousā
āWhat? Why?ā Steve actually looks taken aback by that.
āWell, I couldnāt believe it, I couldnāt believe you had truly changed. It goes against all Iāve been preaching, a jock with good looks, chicks love him and itās not a douche? Not possible, but-ā he looks at Steve, he feels shy and embarrassed āYouāre actually a pretty good dude, Steveā
The look Steve gives him is cryptic at best, he wishes soulmates could read minds instead of feeling their pain because he is dying to know what is going on in his mind.
āThank you, Eddieā Steve says and Eddie is confused for a second why exactly is he thanking him for āuh, for, saving my life back thereā he clarifies.
Steve says it with such earnest, looking at Eddie with so much warmth and Eddie feels contrite. Because he didnāt save Steveās life, at all.
He wanted to get away, as far as possible from all of this, and he doesnāt feel like he deserves the words. Eddie doesnāt deserve him. This isnāt his Steve, he knew that, his soulmate was supposed to be an asshole, not the selfless guy with a heart of gold he has seen through all this nightmare. And heck; he has to be realistic; even if he wanted, he canāt even have him.
āUh- nothing to thanks your majesty, Iā¦ā He looks away āI wouldnāt have jumped in that lake under any circumstancesā he laughs at himself again, Steve looks like it pains him to hear it and yeah, it pains Eddie too āOutside of D&D Iām no hero, I see danger and I turn heel or at least thatās what Iāve learnt about myself latelyā he scoffs.
The fact that since Chrissy until now, all he has done is run itās starting to bother him. More now that he is surrounded by people that take things, even interdimensional monsters, as the come, head on. Now that he has seen Steve and Robin and, Nancy.
Nancy who without a second thought launched herself after Steve.
He only needs to think it for a second, he canāt be Steveās soulmate, but if someone can, itās probably her.
āGive yourself a break, manā Steve says but Eddie interrupts him.
āSee, the only reason I came here was because those ladies came in straight after youā Eddie knows what he is doing, even if it pains him āI was too ashamed to be the one who stayed behind, but Wheeler right there, didnāt waste a secondā
Steve seems to think it over, just as they see the girls outside.
āI donāt know what happened between you two, but if I were youā Steve turns to look at him, thereās something in his eyes that should tell Eddie to abort what he is doing but itās exactly that why he canāt āI would get her backā
And heās done it; he is pushing his soulmate away. But for good, Eddie thinks, this is for his own good.
