revivalproject | Out from ruins once possessed

Entry tags:

Out from ruins once possessed

Who: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Albert Wesker
What: Collecting Radioactive Samples for Wesker
Where: Temba Green 22 ✧ Laboratories
When: Early/Mid Month
Warnings: TBD

"So- when he gives me my shit, I say we hike out to some clearing and smoke under the stars," Eddie mused as they walked, though hiking didn't seem so appealing in the moment. Why'd this place have to be so far away? "You know, that way we don't have to worry about Max walking in on us or anything?" Not 'cause he thinks she has a delicate constitution or anything, but because he's not sure he trusts his non-sober self to refuse her if she asked to join. And he had a feeling Harrington would object to any of his nuggets seeing him messed up.

He pulled up the map again, attempting to orient them and make sure they were still heading the right way. "Should be just around here if I'm reading this right."

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That draws a surprised laugh, and Eddie cants his head curiously, squinting through the pain but grinning, likewise glad for the distraction.

"Is that right?? Care to give me an example?" he challenges.

"I need to have some mystery..." Steve's own head tilts a little to mirror Eddie's. "I've only been here for a week. If I give away all my secrets, you're gonna get bored with me. Go hang out with the kid and his yellow lightning rat or the 40 year old dude."

He nudges Eddie again with his toe, lighter than before. "You'll just have to find out yourself."

"...lightning rat?" Momentary distraction because- what? He has not had the pleasure yet.

There's a tired smile, and Eddie reaches to give Steve a pat. "...I'm glad you're here, man. Not...here here, but...you know."

He's sick, tired, and feeling sort of floaty now, maybe from the drugs he was injected with. Maybe just from his body giving up on the pain and flooding him with some serotonin just to offset it all. Either way, he feels somewhat confessional as he lets out a sigh and lets his eyes drift off to stare at the middle distance.

"I...am kind of glad I am here here, honestly." He sighs again, almost ashamed of himself. "Everything at home was so heavy. So...awful. And then in one weird kidnapping, there's no more Upside Down... You and Max are alive and in one piece."

He looks down at his lap.

"That's shitty, isn't it? Everyone else is still there and dealing with things. It's shitty to be glad to have a break when they don't..."

"Nah man, I get it," Eddie assures, "And uh...you know, if what some of them say is true- no one's going to be dealing with anything without you. You'll just slide right back in when you left from. So don't...you know...don't feel bad, or whatever. You deserve a break."

Steve's eyes open and catch on Eddie's. The fact that he doesn't want to address hangs over his head like a guillotine; if he goes back where he left off, Eddie is dead. Max is in a coma and Eddie is gone. And the worst part is, Steve might not even remember he'd seen him at all.

"I'm...not in a hurry. Even with the radiation and whatever... I am fine staying here for awhile."

"..." Eddie gets it. He definitely gets it, and that silence stretches out for a minute, Eddie nodding.

"Yeah...yeah me too," he says finally, smiling and very pointedly ignoring that leaving here means the end. "...I should let you sleep."

Steve feels acutely the temporary nature of this moment. Of Eddie, all together. They both know what happens if one of them disappears and goes home. They both know this is borrowed time they're getting as a gift. Time Steve would never have had, back at home.

"Stay here."

He's not sure where that comes from. When he's sick he can sometimes get a little clingy and childish, if his parents are to be believed. Still, the bed is big and they've both been injected with some strange shit and Steve is feeling morose and lonely, even with no reason to be yet.

"Just. I mean. You don't have to. I just... If you get sick or anything from the shot, I might not wake up. But..." He shrugs one shoulder, uncharacteristically bashful having shown his hand for what he wants. "It's fine. Just a thought."

Those two words seem to hold a whole other weight, and Eddie swallows, blinking uncertainly before Steve falls over himself to explain away, and Eddie tries to stop him by shaking his head.

"No, that's um- that makes sense-" he agrees, trying not to sound as anxious as he feels. It's not a big deal. Friends do this sort of thing.

The relieved grin that comes over Steve's face is the smile a sigh would have. "Yeah?" He doesn't know what he's checking for: if his reason made sense or if Eddie was sure. Either way he's not actually waiting for an answer.

Steve shifts on the bed, making room for Eddie to lay down next to him. "Don't short the sheets. You might grab the towel."

"Yeah." Re-securing his own sheet as best as he can, Eddie snorts softly, a playful smirk on his face like Steve's just given him an idea. But he's careful as he moves to lay down.

He can feel the heat coming off Steve, probably thanks to that fever, and he feels very hyper aware of where each of their limbs lay. "This good?"

Steve smiles as he settles next to Eddie, not nearly as concerned with where his limbs are. Closing his eyes, he lets out a small hum of contentment and relaxes inch by inch.

"Yeah. S'nice. I never usually have anyone around when I'm sick. Robin maybe once or twice. It's just nice not being alone. 'Sides, easier to check on you. And we can both take Wesker down if he comes back."

"Really?" Eddie frowns lightly, once mentally adjusting that image he's painted over the years of 'King Steve' and his perfect life. "...Wayne's usually pretty good about it when he's around. Makes the best pancakes when I've got a hangover. It's just the box stuff. Nothing special. But he does it good."

He touches the back of his hand to Harrington's forehead. It's hot. But apart from that he can't really tell much. Is it too hot? How do you tell? "Maybe it's just our fevers and he's actually totally chill?" he muses doubtful, giving a sleepy smile.

"My parents weren't home a lot. My mom flew home the one time I had Chickenpox because the school called, but that was probably the last time. No pancakes then either. I think she bought some soup... Can't remember. The fever was pretty bad."

Speaking of, Steve's head is warm but Eddie's touch is cool. Refreshing. He complains with a wordless noise as it is taken away but knows better than to ask for more.

"If Wesker is chill after this all passes, I'll eat my shirt. No way."

"Were you just home alone or did you have one of those nannies or something?" That's a thing rich kids have, right? Eddie knew Harrington's parents weren't around at lot. Everyone knew- that's how he was able to have so many parties. But Eddie never really thought about how that might have been a thing when he was a kid too.

He smiles in amusement at that noise, and silently flops his hand back down to 'bonk' him lightly, laying it there like a cooling cloth.

"I kinda wanna see that."

"I had one when I was, like, a baby. They started really traveling when I was six and I couldn't stay alone until I was like, ten. They kept changing though. I think my mom was concerned that I would think they were my real mom or something. Whatever."

He smiles, pleased and unable to hide it when Eddie puts his hand on his head.

"I'll choke and then you'll be sad."

He's not really the best judge of parental behavior. Ten doesn't sound too strange, but he also doesn't think it's typical in well...good families. Henderson's mom didn't even like him staying so late for Hellfire Club.

"How did your mom get to be such a big deal in Hawkins when she's like never around?"

Eddie snorts softly, and rolls his eyes in the dark.

"...maybe."

"She married my dad," Steve says with a sigh. "I think maybe before she had me she liked being around more. Or before she had to follow my dad around to remind him he's married."

He blinks over at Eddie and gives him a small, sleepy smile.

"Maybe my ass. The Harrington charm catches another one."

Eddie gives a sympathetic hum. Maybe a knowing one? It's hard to say, Eddie doesn't talk much about his family apart from Wayne, and very occasionally to rag on his old man.

"Shuddup," Eddie laughs and gives his head a slow and playful shove so he doesn't trigger more pain. "You're fine. And I don't want you to die. Don't go getting a swelled head."

Edited 2023-05-23 23:47 (UTC)

"It's not swollen already? Feels swollen..."

Steve makes a soft noise of pain as he fades into unconsciousness. His body curls a bit toward Eddie, head staying still to not dislodge the cool hand. His own reaches between them without his permission, fingertips barely touching Eddie's bare side. Confirmation that the man is still there. That he can't leave without Steve knowing.

"You're fine too. Better than fine. You're good, Eddie." His eyes close with another quiet groan. "Munson charm..."

"Maybe a little."

The touch has his breath stilling momentarily, waiting for Steve to pull away in shock or disgust, but no- instead he's mumbling the sweetest words Eddie's heard in...a very long time. He blinks, pressing his lips together, and he's glad for the cover of dark, feeling his eyes sting. He finally remembers to breath, and manages a breathy laugh to cover. "It's powerful stuff, huh?" he murmurs, closing his eyes.

"Mmmhmm..." His hand curls a little, palm flat against Eddie's chest. He can feel the heat of his febrile skin and the too-quick beating of his heart. Right now it's the same as his own. A comfort, really. How long has it been since he'd had someone next to him at night? How long since he'd been able to fall asleep and feel, if not safe, at least guarded?

"Rolled a 20 on Charisma," he remembers, voice slurring. "Super hit. Boom. No survivors."

It's an unfamiliar feel, but a nice one, especially in this fever state, and Eddie relaxes. His thumb shifts, and it hard to say if he means to brush Steve's hair like that or he's just fidgeting.

"...Crit hit," he reminds softly, a smile in his voice, and his head lulls slowly to the side as sleep over takes him.

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Out from ruins once possessed

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