(TW: Emotional Abuse)
-Steve's perspective-
"Yeah I know." I sighed into the walkie-talkie. "We're just as wanted as Eddie is now that Jason saw us with him."
"Exactly!" Robin yelled back, causing me to pull the sound further away from me "What were you thinking?!"
I took a pause for a second looking at the boys with a soft smile. It was embarrassing, but I knew the answer. "I wasn't."
"Yup. This is why I shouldn't have been assigned as the babysitter and tagged along."
"Okay, fine! You're right. You're always right, Robin. Just... meet us at skull rock okay?"
"Sure... I'll make sure I'm not followed."
"Okay... see you soon." I say before placing the walkie talkie safely onto the closest hard surface and plopping down onto the ground.
It's true. I didn't think. Eddie was going to die so I panicked and just... went for the most idiotic plan to save him.
I couldn't be without him. But why? We haven't talked in months. It's my fault. I know that. But now that he's a wanted criminal I want him by my side?
What messed up delusions I have of a friendship.
Eddie quietly sat next to me. "I know you were thinking."
"No, I wasn't. I panicked and did the first option without thought. Like I always seem to do....which gets people hurt or killed."
Eddie sighed and crossed his arms. "I don't think I would've made it if you took another second to think. I think...I think you knew that."
I sighed and placed my head between my legs. He was right, but why did I feel so crummy?
"Thanks for saving me back there...I never really got to thank you."
"Well I- We need you here." I say while tilting my head towards him.
"Well... I got you guys in trouble. I'm not sure if I am needed. I've been nothing but a burden."
I was taken back by the statement. It's true. He was what got us in trouble. What he said though, had a sting. Does he really think he's a burden?
"Nope." I say softly. "You haven't been."
Eddie's face turned a light pink before coughing and turning the other way.
Is it possible that he...
No.
Don't do this. It's not the time.
"I promise you aren't." I say while slowly getting up and lifting out my hand for him to take.
Eddie hesitated for a while but grabbed my hand and got up.
Eddie's hand was warm but the metal rings on his fingers were cold to the touch. It was...nice.
"Harrington... you can uh... let go." Eddie mumbles under his breath trying to be cool about how weird I was being.
"I guess I toned out looking at his hand...
Looking up, Eddie's face is a bright red as I let go. Making eye contact on accident, somehow it turned more into a maroon. He quickly turned away and fiddled with his hair.
"Are you guys...a thing?" I hear from behind me. Shit. Dustin. He's here.
"What?! No!" Me and Eddie say in unison.
"Yeah... sure." Dustin says squinting at us before taking his hat off to inspect it for dirt.
Eddie sighed and sat down at the rock. "How long is this going to take?"
"What going to take?"
"For them to meet us here!"
Dustin cut in "It is kind of out of the way from where we left Robin."
I nodded and sat next to Eddie.
"Yeah it is!"
All of us turn around to see Robin coming with a fast food bag in one hand and her waving with another.
"I got you guys food but don't eat it all in one bite." Robin said before placing it down on a flat surface of the rock.
"You're a lifesaver!" Dustin sighed and ran to the food.
"It's been less than a day, Henderson." Eddie says with one of his eyebrows up.
"And? I was hungry."
"Fair enough" Eddie shrugged and reached into the bag to grab out a burger and hand it to me.
"Thanks."
"So what's the game plan, boys? Living in the woods until the cops find you?"
She had a valid point. Where could we stay? We weren't even able to stay at our own homes. That's the obvious first place they would look.
"I guess so." Eddie stepped in "I mean where ever we go we're going to endanger someone."
Robin stood in silence for a minute and took a breath. "We figure this out as soon as possible then and clear your names...deal?"
The three of us shared a look to eachother and nodded.
We'll clear up our names somehow...but now we have to get to the bottom of this Vecna thing.
"To be honest guys, I had a hard time getting here." Robin butts in. "I think your compass is broken Dustin."
Dustin gasped and snatched it out of Robin's hands. "No this thing was working completely fine the other day."
Robin shrugged and sat on the rock. "Must've broken it somehow."
Dustin looked over the compass in silence for what felt like forever. "It's not broken."
Eddie walked up to Dustin slowly and patted his shoulder. "It's done for buddy you could get an-"
Dustin turned to face us cutting Eddie off "there's just a stronger magnet!"
-Eddie's Perspective-
"Henderson!" I yelled out while speed walking to catch up with the fast kid.
"Eddie! This could be the solution to our problems!" He started to speed up.
Jesus...am I gonna have to run to catch up with him?
"But it's daylight Henderson and the cops are looking for us."
He stopped in his tracks and looked up at me. "Yeah... okay... so... we go tonight."
I awkwardly laughed and grabbed the compass "or not at all?"
"We can't just not do this. It could get us out of some real shit. We're doing this tonight." Henderson grabbed it out of my hands and stormed back to the rock.
Damn it. I didn't mean to upset him I just... I don't want him arrested because of me. He has so much left to do.
I followed him from behind slowly back to camp.
"Look who decided to come back?" Steve joked while pulling down on Dustin's hat.
"Yeah well we're following this compass tonight."
Steve nodded and took the compass out of Henderson's hands. "Until then I'm making sure you're not ditching us again."
"Dude..." Dustin huffed before plopping onto the ground like a toddler.
"You can't just go off on your own." Robin chimed in "it's dangerous."
I know Dustin knew she was right. He just wouldn't admit it. It would mean he was young still, unlike the rest of his older friends.
"It amazes me how you guys keep your calm during this kind of thing." I sighed before slouching onto a tree.
"Well...after a few years...kinda becomes a normal thing for us." Steve said while shrugging.
"It shouldn't have to be. This isn't normal. You guys deserve to be kids...not deal with this shit."
I've had my chance to be a kid. Hell, so much that I get a second go at it. These guys never had that. Sure, they got a few years. But from what they told me, they haven't really gotten a break.
I felt my breath start to get uneven. I felt like I couldn't breathe.
Why...why now? In front of everyone?
"Eddie?" Henderson lifted his head quickly to look at me "are you okay?"
No. I'm not okay. I'm not. I'm just a kid. They're just kids. Why...why do we have to deal with this shit? It's not fair. It's not.
I couldn't form words. My chest felt so tight.
"Eddie?" Steve slowly approached me.
Not now. Not now.
I'm a burden. I'm not needed. I slow down the group. I got them in trouble. You're just a freak. You're good for nothing. You're the reason they're wanted criminals. You're the reason. You alone.
My dad was right. I'm good for nothing. I'm good for nothing.
I couldn't hear anything around me anymore. The group was close to me. But I couldn't hear them.
This wasn't Vecna. This was my own doing. I'm making them worry about me.
You can't do this, Eddie. Stop it.
The world around me started getting fuzzy.
Damn it breathe. Breathe you idiot.
Then...everything went dark for a minute.
I couldn't see anything.
"Look at you." A familiar voice echoes. "You're just as I suspected."
Color returned as I looked up to see who it was. "Dad?"
"Don't call me that. Not after the mess you made."
"But I-"
"But nothing, Edward. You're a disappointment." He said while frowning down at me.
Why was he so tall? Why was I so far beneath him?
"I was only trying to help."
"And you ended up ruining it."
"Please don't say that."
"You ruined everything."
"Dad..."
"You're no son of mine."
"Dad, please..."
As he walked away I tried to run after him. He was too fast.
"Until you admit what you did, you're staying in here. I don't care if it takes days."
The door shut as I heard a click.
He locked it.
I'm stuck.
No.
Not again.
No.
Please....
No....
As much as I screamed no one came.
I begged near the door for what felt like hours. No one opened it. There was mumbling outside of the door but no words that I could comprehend.
I slammed my fists and feet against the door for what felt like hours. They knew I was there, they simply avoided it.
I heard the static of a television playing from outside of the room. He was off to work. There was no point.
I'd be here for another 8 hours. I knew I was supposed to be doing something...but I couldn't remember.
Even if I was supposed to, I couldn't. I was trapped in this room. Forever. At least until father decides to let me out.
It wasn't the first time he's done this. It won't be the last. I sighed and slouched onto the door. Might as well get comfortable here.
"Eddie"
I looked around the room to see where the voice was coming from but there was no sight of someone around.
Maybe outside the door?
Has it been that long already?
"Eddie it's okay"
My vision blurred to see the sky. How did I see the sky inside?
I must be seeing things.
"Eddie come back"
I tried to pear through the keyhole but it was only pitch black. No one was there.
"Leave me alone..." I hit my head onto my knees.
"No. We're not going anywhere."
"We?"
"Robin, Dustin and I."
Steve...
STEVE
Where is he?
I looked around but there was no one.
I suddenly felt a warmth on my back.
This...isn't real. I need... to get back to what's real.
I felt my mind shift back to where we currently were. Although mentally I was there, my body didn't allow me to move. It was like I shut down.
Was Steve...hugging me?
The pressure of his arms on my back reassured the thought. His hair was in my face but I didn't care. It..was nice...
I however was like a limp noodle. There's no way this is nice for him.
I focused on my hand. Trying to move at least my pinky.
Come on....
My pinky slightly twitched. Good.
I slowly worked on every finger as Harrington hugged me throughout.
Once I finally got my movement back, I grabbed onto him as well.
"Eddie... it's alright."
I looked up to Henderson awkwardly smiling and Robin winking at me and looking between me and Harrington.
I slowly let go and looked at him and smiled softly. "Thank you..."
Steve's face turned a light pink and nodded his head "yeah uh...anytime."
Henderson held his hand out for me to be lifted up. I took the offer and put my other hand on the nearby tree to slowly get up.
"So uh... what was that about? Don't get me wrong it's totally okay to panic I just... do you wanna talk about it?" Robin awkwardly brushed her hair behind her ears.
"Maybe sometime..." I smiled awkwardly. "Sorry for concerning you guys"
"No dude it's totally fine." Henderson smiled and patted my back. "We're here for you."
"As future inmates together" Steve joked before sitting down.
"Yeah! Future inmates!" Dustin smiled while sitting next to Steve and patting the spot next to him.
I sighed and sat down.
"Well I..." I stopped myself. Now wasn't the time to dig into my 'traumatic backstory' "I'd like to thank you guys. Really."
Steve shrugged before crumpling up his burger bag and putting it in the bigger bag Robin came to us with. "It's not a big deal don't worry"
"Seemed like a big deal when you were panicking and hugging him for dear life." Robin said while sucking on the straw to her soda that she brought with the meal.
Steve's face turned a bright red "s-shut up Robin I was just concerned"
I squinted and nudged him "you got a crush on me, Harrington?" it was obviously a tease. I mean, this guy was as straight as they come.
Steve's face turned a darker maroon. "N-no way man I was just worried is all and you're my friend"
"Okay... I believe you. Don't get so worked up big boy."
Dustin looked up at the sky and pointed to his watch. "It's about time we start to head out. It's getting dark."
I silently nodded before getting up.
I looked over to Harrington and held out my hand.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah just don't go too far ahead."
"I can't promise that."
Steve sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Then let me keep the compass and I'll guide."
"Yeah yeah okay let's get going." Robin huffed before starting off ahead of us.
"You heard the lady."