Eyes Open (Stranger Things, Steve)

[Skylacticon]

Hey. I scrawled out an idea for this a while ago, and decided to mainly focus on the concept. The sneezing is mostly in the beginning, and the second part gets a little serious, mostly filling in some gaps based on earlier seasons. It's a bit of a sad one, but. I felt that this conversation would be important to Steve's character. Hope you like. xx

-

 

Steve was beginning to think that Eddie’s sense of humour was slowly being absorbed by him over time. The hospital bracelet around his arm had just been called a ‘fashion statement’ by his running mind. He watched as shadows and footsteps passed from underneath the dividing curtain, wondering each time if the shadow would approach and yank it back. There wasn’t a good reason for him being here - except for perhaps, very mild hypothermia, or chills, but that didn’t seem too emergency-like. He felt fine, for the most part.

 

Sensitivity to light was one of the symptoms of concussion that he hadn’t gotten in a while. He didn’t even know how- the room was practically dark with the curtain drawn. Although he wanted it open a sliver, in case someone was coming. He put both his hands under his armpits, dragging his feet back to rest on top of where his calves had generated warmth on the bed. His extremities still felt a little icy, and his hair was probably still damp.

 

He wondered if he could get another blanket. A quick glance around the space showed there were no extras nearby. Part of him didn’t want to trouble anyone by asking. It felt strange being here, in the first place.

 

Cold air stung his nostrils as he sniffed. As he raised his middle and forefinger to rub his nose, he was a little jarred by how cold it felt - like when you stay outside in the freezing winter. Only, it surprised him since he’d been sitting there a while. The cold sting became an eye-watering itch, then an absolute need to sneeze. Or, maybe not…? Fuck, it was unavoidable. 

 

“huht’DJSSCHh!! *snf!*” A harsh one, barked into the crook of his arm. It left a rather sore irritation behind, triggering a second one. “huh‘ESSCHhiuh!!” He sighed and pinched the long ridge of his nose between his thumb and the tips of his fingers, rubbing it in gentle pinches to try and warm it a little.

 

“Steve?” The curtain track finally rattled as the cloth was being pulled at, and a dark silhouette appeared near the side of it. The wheels on the curtain track stuck a little, and Steve became alert, waiting to find out who it was. His dad would make sure to give him a good lecture on just how stupid this was, and his mom would look at him the same way she did whenever he came home with another unexplainable injury. All he wanted was to forget about it and go home, maybe take a drive somewhere if he could.

 

“These damn things,” a voice muttered. Steve’s shoulders relaxed. His neighbour Gert, a kind old woman with dyed ginger hair, peeked around the curtain. “Steve, sweetheart, there’s someone here to see you.”

 

Steve blinked. “Who?” he asked softly.

 

“A friend, dear.” 

 

Steve paused briefly. Dustin? Dustin would probably give him an even longer lecture about hypothermia, including the fun side lecture on the danger of tarp pool covers, and the worst part is that he’d be right. He’d be so damn right, and that’s why his elderly neighbour was here so late at night.

 

“…Boyfriend?” Gert’s eyes crinkled up in a cheeky grin, which caught Steve off guard and snapped him out of his thoughts.

 

He just let out a soft humoured exhale, a tiny smile spreading on his face. “…Thanks, let him in.”

 

Gert nodded and ducked back behind the curtain. Then a crinkle as she turned back for a short moment. “He’s very charming,” she mumbled to Steve.

 

The smile spread wider as he glanced up at her, and she just grinned back and turned away. Moments later, the curtain track wheels rattled softly, and stuck again. 

 

“Whoops,” a low voice breathed. Steve saw a hand grab the edge of the curtain, closer to the top so it would move more easily. He saw some silver rings around those pale fingers, and there was a forearm, with a blackwork tattoo of a creepy hand and puppet. And then there was Eddie, who’s dark eyes were wide and softened with concern.

 

“Hey,” Steve said casually, unintentionally raising the hand with the finger-trap thingy stuck to it, to wave.

 

“Hi, hon,” Eddie panted. He walked over and put a warm hand on Steve’s cheek, then kissed him on the forehead. “How’re you feeling?” he asked, putting a lovely warm hand on top of Steve’s folded hands. “Oh, wow.”

 

“What?” Steve chuckled.

 

Eddie’s eyes flickered from Steve’s hands over to his face. “Your hands, babe. I don’t think they’ve ever felt this cold.”

 

“I’m fine,” Steve said firmly.

 

“He was swimming in minus fifteen weather, he’s not fine,” a stern voice came from behind the curtain.

 

“I was not swimming,” Steve spoke louder so that Gert could hear. He lowered it back to normal. “I-It…” He shut his eyes, levelling his voice to a calmer tone, as Eddie stared at him. “It was an accident. I heard a noise outside and went outside to check it out. Tripped and fell.”

 

Eddie’s face was frozen, but he was now staring into Steve’s eyes. “You ‘tripped and fell?’”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Into your own pool in minus fifteen weather, cuz you heard a sound.”

 

“Yes,” Steve said firmly, staring Eddie back in the eyes.

 

“Wha- you, football player, Mister Twinkletoes, tripped and fell in your own pool?” Eddie teased, his rings grazing over Steve’s hands.

 

“Yes!” he repeated, a bit strained. In a short, quiet pause, his eyes shifted downward, and he softened his voice again. “Now, you’re just being mean and rubbing it in.” Steve turned away momentarily, lifting the back of his hand to his face. “hh’dzsSCHHh!!” He tried to smother the sneeze, but it came out squeakily.

 

“Bless you. No, I…” Eddie stroked Steve’s hand and gently lifted it to hold against his chin. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

 

Steve stared at him with a soft grin. It was soothing just to see Eddie, even given the circumstances.

 

“You wanna come over?” Eddie murmured against Steve’s knuckles. “I’ll make you some hot cider, and you can use my new electric blanket.”

 

“...God, yes.” Steve breathed, and leaned his head back on the pillow behind him. He watched as Eddie gently rubbed his hand between both of his. Steve could detect a hint of uncertainty in his soft expression, as he sat there by his side, saying nothing. 

 

In his mind, he resolved to find the right time to tell Eddie about things. 

 

—-

 

Eddie switched off the lamp in his bedroom. A stream of warm light still came from the hallway, from the lamp by the kitchen. Just out of its reach, Steve’s features were dimly lit. The side of his face, still somehow feeling cold, was laid on top of the soft, rumpled bed sheet. His eyes were open, yet unfocused.

 

His body was usually warm, naturally. Though his fingers clung to Eddie's electric blanket, the remote lying next to his face. There was a folded mic stand by the door that looked sturdy enough to use as a weapon. It was within reach. He would sleep on the left side of the bed, closer to the door. If he could just close his eyes...

 

“Steve,” Eddie said gently, quietly. He turned around to face his boyfriend, who was half-curled up on his bed, staring at the wall. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

As it hit him, Steve knew there was no way he could lie now. A lump was forming in his throat, rendering him speechless for a second. He stared at Eddie’s guitar in the corner, the black acoustic with bold letters painted in white. He took another breath. No. No, He was not about to make this about him. He took another deep breath, and let it out shakily, still unable to turn and look at Eddie.

 

“Just…” he whispered, and then cleared his throat softly. “It’s, it’s really hard to explain.” Steve started to say, trying his hardest to fight at the growing lump in his throat.

 

“Hey,” Eddie said softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “You can trust me.”

 

Steve let out a gentle scoff, and looked up sadly towards the door, his eyes gleaming. “Back in March, when we found the portal out there,” Steve nodded in the direction of the hallway. He sniffled and blinked. “After Nancy got… hypnotized… she told me later that in the vision, she landed in the pool. The one in my backyard… and…” Steve sniffled again, his eyes still blank but glistening with a film of moisture. He blinked carefully and stared straight ahead. “I thought about her. For the first time in a while.”

 

“Nancy?” Eddie breathed.

 

“No…” Steve whispered. His voice had become rather shaky. His lips were trembling a little. Then he turned his head further so that he was facing away from Eddie. “Barb.”

 

Eddie gazed thoughtfully in Steve’s direction. His eyes were still staring straight forward. “Barb?” he repeated softly.

 

“Yeah,” Steve breathed. “Barbara Holland. About three years ago, she… died outside my house, by the pool. Technically, in the Upside Down. But I-I don’t know, I didn’t see, because… we went upstairs.” He found himself continuing. His eyes were open wide and glassy, barely blinking.

 

Eddie laid down next to him, and gently put his arm over Steve’s hip, under Steve’s bent arm. “I heard it was a toxic chemical leak.”

 

Steve’s shaky fingers found Eddie’s, and grasped onto them tightly. 

 

“There was this… picture of her sitting there, out by the pool,” Steve said quietly. He finally allowed his eyes to squeeze shut, splashing moisture onto his cheek, sliding down the bridge of his nose. When he opened them, he could see again. “Jonathan took it, long story. *ahem*" Steve's voice wavered a little, and he cleared his throat softly. He went on.

 

"And then, she just disappeared. Nancy told me that El, the girl with the superpowers, saw her in the Upside Down… She was dead. And now that I’ve been there, and seen portals and shit, and terrible things popping up when you least expect it, it just makes me wonder about what must have happened to her. But back then, I was too selfish and scared to come clean about it. I didn’t know what would happen.” There was a shaky breath that shuddered against Eddie’s chest. Eddie squeezed Steve’s hand tightly. “All I can think is, it’s there. It’s there outside, it killed someone, and I know it sounds like, stupid and insane, but sometimes I do… hear actual noises. But it’s probably just all in my head, and it’s like…” Steve sniffled hard and shook his head faintly, his eyes gleaming. “I’m scared that if I don’t keep checking, someone else is gonna get hurt. I let Barb get hurt, and I hid it for so long because I was worried about what would happen to me.” Steve sniffed a sharp breath, and let it go slowly. “I just… don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

 

Then, to Eddie’s surprise, Steve let out a dry, quiet chuckle. “But my dad uses the pool almost daily when he’s around. Needs to do his exercise. Part of me knows that it’s probably all in my head, but I have to check. At least every once in a while, because… I-If I had the slightest idea that there could be… Or if there was one, then…”

 

Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve more tightly. “Oh, sweetheart.” His breath tickled Steve’s neck. 

 

To be presented with something unbelievable yet believable, and not know the direness of the situation until after the damage was done. He thought about Steve’s almost motherly nature around the kids, and the way he gave himself completely to help others in danger. It had been a bit of an insecurity that Eddie had caught onto, that maybe Steve was a little slow in some situations, but he always acted from his heart. Something like this was one of the worst imaginable things to have upheld that insecurity, and the guilt must have been unbearable.

 

“Steve,” Eddie kissed Steve’s neck gently, and held on tight to Steve’s hand. Steve's frame was trembling slightly, and Eddie could hear quiet, shaky breaths.  “Honey, when we first started talking in that shed, I… I totally didn’t believe you when you said you guys knew a girl that had super powers. Alright? I didn’t believe you for a second, but… It is a dull, colourless world out there sometimes, and we create out of our humble human nature, a bullshit sense of what it all means, and it’s always incredibly fucking boring because maybe it’s all we know. I still can’t fathom all of it sometimes. Even though I almost died.” Steve’s ribs rose and fell gently under Eddie’s arm. “The way we react to things is based on our sense of reality. I just decided to go with you guys because I had nothing to lose. Also, cuz, I mean, hot damn, but also…”

 

Steve scoffed gently, his teary eyelashes blinking at the opposite wall.

 

“Again I say, I know that you are a good person.”

 

“You didn’t know me then, Ed.” Steve chuckled sadly.

 

“Hey. The person you are now is not the person you were then. And you were just following your judgement.”

 

Steve’s head tilted a little. Eddie could see the side of his face, and his tired, red eyes.

 

“And hey,” Eddie propped himself up on his elbow, hoping from Steve’s body language that he was listening. “You saved my life.”

 

Slowly, Steve’s head turned to look at Eddie. His expression seemed so weary, yet his brown eyes were deep, looking at Eddie like he wanted to believe him. Feeling fear flutter up his ribs, Eddie spoke softly.

 

“Every day there is a chance to try again. We are more than our mistakes.”

 

Steve gently rolled onto his back, still clutching Eddie's hand to his chest. His eyes shifted sideways again to glance at Eddie’s. After a while, his gaze shifted away, and he sniffed deeply - then let out a steady exhale.

 

“Yeah,” Steve whispered, nodding. “I know.”

 

Eddie lowered himself next to Steve, laying his arm on top of his chest. They lay there quietly. Steve on his back, and Eddie on his side. The gentle sound and rhythm of breath. The warmth and safety of their bodies together.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Skylacticon

[funbusej]

I feel like we all need an Eddie in our lives...😍