"So my hair is that bad, huh?" I teased while softly nudging his hand.
"I wouldn't really call it bad, Eve. It's just...strong" Eddie softly smiled before trying to reach his fingers out.
"What are you doing?" I laughed "you should really not over exert yourself."
"Damn these broken fingers" Eddie mumbled underneath his breath frowning. "I dunno...just uh..." Eddie slowly got quiet before sighing and slightly tilting his head down in the neck brace. "Fuck it... I might not have many days free still, so I...should just come out with it."
I slowly placed my hand on top of his before smiling. I knew he didn't see me, but it was the thought that counts. "You could tell me anything, Eds"
He sighed again. "This is a little harder to admit though. I mean...it's really risky to even talk about it. Let alone... be it..."
I felt my eyebrows knit together. "Eddie...no matter what it is, I'm on your side. Nothing could ever change that. We've been through too much shit for me not to be."
Eddie's mouth made a fine line as he slowly started to grab onto my hand.
"Doesn't...that...hurt you?"
"I mean, yeah... but this is the least I could do. It's not really my dream scenario...but I...I could at least do this." Eddie's cheeks slowly started to become pink.
Wait. He wasn't mad this time...was...was this...? Was he...?
"I'm in love with you, Eve..." his face slowly turned darker red as he continued to talk "a-and you don't have to feel the same way. It's just...I can't take it anymore. After almost dying and having to worry about the police taking me away...I just...needed to say it. At least once."
I couldn't help but freeze. He...liked me back? As more than a friend? And not just like...he said love... holy shit.... A smile slowly started to grow on my face. After all of this, I knew. I felt the same way. I smiled before looking at our hands intertwined. After all the madness...we at least...could have this.
"S-Say something, Eve. Anything...." As I looked back up at Eddie his eyes were watering with a forced smile on his face.
"Oh my god, Eddie!" I hurried and let go of his hand to start to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Don't cry..."
"I can't help it, Eve...I'm pouring my heart out and you're...being silent...it's...terrifying."
"I was just thinking, that's all, Eds." I sighed before turning my hand to cup his cheek.
What I was about to do... would change everything. Was I really ready to take the jump? It was something you can't really back out of once it started.
As Eddie said earlier...Fuck it...
I slowly leaned in as my heart was racing. After all this time...we deserved to be happy. I softly started to kiss Eddie's chapped lips as he let out a small yelp.
"Oh! Sorry...I...probably should've asked for your permission before I-"
"God...you're an idiot sometimes, Eve..." Eddie chuckled under his breath. "Come back, please."
My face slowly became even warmer as I leaned back in for another kiss. This was it. This was the feeling I was searching so deeply for. I was madly in love with Eddie Munson and he was in love with me.
I slowly started to lean deeper into his lips as a smile started to form. I was...so happy. Nothing else mattered besides me and him in that moment.
"I love you too, Eds" I whispered under my breath as I continued to press further onto him. I wanted so badly to do more but...Eddie was still...in a hospital bed.
There was a loud creek from over on my left hand side before a voice rang out towards us. "So! How did the plan go-oooookay....I'll leave you two alone and come back later."
I hurried and got off of Eddie to see Robin's back turned away from us as she walked through the door.
My face felt like it was going to burn off of my face. Of all the people...it was probably best that Robin had walked in.
"Guess we have to be more sneaky in a very public place." Eddie chuckled underneath his breath.
"Yeah...I guess so. Maybe wait until your casts are off so we can get you out of here..."
Eddie's grin slowly turned into a frown "god no... that kiss was amazing, Harrington. No way in hell I could go without another one for...a couple of weeks."
I chuckled before sitting down next to him. "We might just have to, Munson. We could've got caught."
Eddie slowly regained his grin "but isn't that the fun part? The chance of being caught?"
I felt my face heat up once more "E-Eds no... it's too risky. You know this town...probably better than most about how judgmental they can be."
Eddie sighed before flexing his hand out again. "I wish we didn't live in Hawkins."
I sighed before lowering my head "yeah...me too. I'm going to get Robin, sta-" I cut myself off and cringed at my sentence. Was I really going to say that? Really?
"Were you going to say stay here, Eve?" Eddie chuckled with a large smile. "Tell you what, I'll try my best."
I rolled my eyes before sighing again. "I'll be right back...smartalic."
"And I'll be here, sweetheart." His smile widened as I started to jog after Robin.
Was what just happened real? Did I really just kiss Eds? And...he kissed me back. I slowly brought my hand to my lips before letting go a little laugh. Eddie was right. It was amazing. Could I really wait weeks to do it again?
I guess if I had t-
I was quickly knocked back into my senses by a rough knock on my head as I fell to the floor.
"Ow" I heard from up ahead of me. As I looked up I saw Robin rubbing the back of her head. "What the hell, Steve? After I was so nice and left..."
I lifted up my hand to rub the front of my head as well. "I didn't mean to...I was actually jogging to come and get you to come back."
"And you had to run into me to do that?" Robin sighed while shaking her head "could've just...tapped me on the shoulder or something. Woulda saved us both a headache later..."
I shook my head "no, that wasn't the plan...I just..got distracted. But uh...we're ready for you back at the room." I slowly grabbed onto the wall to pull myself up.
Robin smiled softly as she got up as well. "Alright, Dingus. Let's head over."
I nodded as I started to walk in front of her towards the room. It was quiet for a while before Robin leaned her head towards me as she walked. "So...Eddie, huh?"
"Oh god..Robin no." I glared at her trying to look intimidating but a smile was starting to form at the corners of my mouth.
"I mean, come on! It's only fair! You did it with Vickie! So..." Robin devilishly grinned "He likes vhs salesmen, Steve!"
"It doesn't go as well as what I said to you, gotta admit." I smiled softly at her "I mean mine only had two syllables."
"There's no way in hell I'd say the alternative, Steve. You get what you get." Robin crossed her arms before starting to walk ahead of me at a faster pace.
"Hey hey wait up!" I hurried to try and match her pace.
She smiled that grin again before starting to book it to the room.
"Rob...come on!" I yelled out to up ahead.
"It's a race, Steve! If I get there first I'm going to tell embarrassing stories that I know about you to Munson!" Robin smirked while looking back at me.
God...she had so much dirt on me. I took a deep breath before starting to run as well.
It was a neck and neck race. Robin beating me every few steps and then vice versa.
The room was just around the corner as I got on my knees and slid into the room.
"Nicely played, Harrington." Robin huffed before taking a seat next to Eddie.
"What the hell were you guys doing?" Eddie raised an eyebrow and slightly turning his head towards us.
"Oh...we made a bet on a race." Robin smiled while still huffing and puffing for air. "Steve won."
"Okay..." Eddie mumbled before starting to close his eyes.
"No no!" Robin quickly stood up and lightly nudged Eddie's hand "don't fall asleep just yet. I need details. How'd my acting lessons pay off, Munson?"
Eddie softly smiled as he started to explain how he killed the interrogation. As he did so, I got off of my knees to walk over to the other side of the hospital bed to back him up.
"Well that's awesome! Hopefully they take your word for it. It'd be nice to see you in school again, Eddie."
I smiled before lightly grabbing onto his hand. "Yeah. It's super boring without you there. All people talk about is the earthquake."
"Well...I have something to talk about other than the earthquake." Robin smiled before pointing at me and Eddie. "So you guys are like...dating now?"
Eddie's eyebrows raised as he flinched his hand under mine. "I mean we don't really have an official title..."
I softly shrugged "I don't see why not. I mean...unless you have something against being official...just like...in our friend group"
Eddie softly smiled. "I guess...why the hell not"
There was a long pause as me and Robin kinda just stared at each other waiting for one of us to continue the conversation somewhere.
Eddie cut in with a smile "Wait until Henderson figures out. He'll go ballistic that his two older male friends are dating...I can't wait to hear his voice...why hasn't he visited me yet? Is he busy doing something?"
"Oh..." Robin's face fell as well as mine. Had we...really not told him? We went over everything... Jason's death...and...not Dustin's. Eddie still thought that he was here with us.
"Eddie, I..."
Eddie's smile grew wider before closing his eyes again. "That little shithead's probably just waiting for me to ask for him. He'd do that. You guys can tell him I asked for him."
"Eddie..." Robin sighed while grabbing onto Eddie's hand lightly.
"What? Does he not want to visit me? I mean I know I look like shit but come on...we're friends."
I felt my heart drop. There's no way I could break it to him.
There was a soft knock on the door as it creaked open to show Max holding a vase of flowers with an awkward smile. "Hey... I heard you woke up...so we brought you something."
She slowly walked over and placed it near Eddie's bed side on the close by table.
"We? Is Dustin with you? I have so much I need to catch him up on."
Max eyebrows furrowed. "No...he's not with me, Eddie....you do know, don't you?"
Robin slowly stepped between the two with an awkward smile. "Max I don't think-"
"I don't know what? What aren't you guys telling me?" Eddie slowly started to frown. "I mean come on...I'm an adult. I can handle it."
"Dustin's dead, Eddie."
Eddie's face contorted before making a straight face "you're lying."
"I'm not, Eddie...I saw him for myself..." Max sighed before stepping closer to the hospital bed "I'm so sorry..."
"No. You're lying." Eddie's eyebrows began to furrow. "That can't be true. It just can't."
"It is. Dustin's a hero. He distracted the bats and-"
"No. " Eddie cut her off with a frown. "You...you were supposed to protect him. There was three of you. Everyone else had two. Why didn't you look out for him...? You we're supposed to protect him... you..."
"I'm so sorry Eddie...he was so fast I..."
"Get out." A tear started to stream down Eddie's face.
"What? I was just explai-"
"I said get out. All of you."
We all looked at Eddie before following his wish.
As we slowly closed the door we heard a blood curdling wail before the sound of hyperventilating.
The truth was out...but probably in the worst way possible.