Let's Burn Down Our Hometown

4. Hold My Hand, My Hair, & My Throat

It was horrible, but they managed. Dragging the mattress of the trundle all the way downstairs, shoving it against the short wall before the fireplace, and throwing down two old pillows and Steve's old comforter from when he was seven.

Red Mustangs lined the fabric in neat little rows.

Hopper took the guest room with Joyce without question, as Nancy took Holly and El upstairs to Steve's room. Keeping Holly furthest from the mess of missing limbs and a half-crazed almost Zombie. The boys all piled downstairs.

"This is humiliating," Robin whined, an old painkiller from when Steve had gone in for a broken nose after his run-in with Billy running through her system. She hadn't been able to stomach much of the stew, and no one had pressured her to do so.

Only wincing slightly as the reminder of burning flesh flashed through their minds at every bite. But the calories were needed, so everyone choked it down.

Only Holly ate happily, even going so far as to ask for a second helping.

"Would you like to walk?" Steve asked, standing up with his hands on his hips as he gazed down at Robin still situated in the dining room chair. Everyone else had gone off to bed, blowing out candles as they went. Leaving only one on the kitchen counter, and a few in the living room.

"No," Robin argued, then held up her arms with a pout.

Steve scooped her up, wincing slightly as he turned, carrying her into the living room where the couch would quickly become her safe haven. A sheet already draped over the leather, so she could bleed out all she wanted, and be decently comfortable.

Nancy had already changed her, shuffling everyone out of the kitchen to do so, and wrestled a pair of Steve's father's old sweatpants on her frame, because his father was shorter than he was, and an old sweatshirt of Steve's.

Steve's clothes had been passed out for the majority of everyone, and a wash day would soon have to take place. As you could only wear sweatpants for so long.

Steve lowered Robin onto the couch, gritting his teeth as she dug her nails into his skin and hissed in his ear, but then she was settled. Patting his shoulder in gratitude as he pulled away.

After ten seconds of staring at her, she passed out cold against a decorative pillow.

Steve turned, one more.

Eddie was sitting crossed-legged on the mattress, one handcuff around his wrist and the other end not attached to anything. Steve pushed the coffee table over and against the couch. Caging Robin in so she wouldn't fall out of bed during the night as she was prone to do. Even without missing a limb. 

"Do you want to change clothes?" Steve asked quietly.

Eddie snapped his head up in surprise, his facial features only barely visible in the flickering candle on the mantle.

"Sure." Eddie agreed, pushing up to stand.

Steve grabbed a flashlight as he led Eddie up the stairs, as they bypassed his bedroom he scooped up the Ziploc, and clothes Nancy had set outside the door. Once upon a time the thought of Nancy poking through his underwear drawer would have sent him blushing for the hills.

Tonight he was just grateful she had grabbed his comfortable Hanes over the expensive Calvins his mother sent every few months to him. They were unlawfully uncomfortable. 

Steve led Eddie into the bathroom at the end of the hall and propped the flashlight up on the counter before dividing out the clothes. Picking the smaller of the items to hand off to Eddie's thinner frame, and keeping the baggier clothes for himself.