Chapter Text
Eddie hit the ground hard, bike tumbling out from under his tangled legs. The adrenaline carried him through the pain that he was sure he’d be feeling later.
If there was a later
He was up on his feet before he was aware of his movement. He ran, every nerve ending on fire with the need to move.
I didn’t know what to do so I-I ran away.
His feet slowed and he paused for just a moment. He could finally fight back, take a stand against everything that had, up until this point, been mostly happening around him.
I just ran, and I left her there!
How involved had he been? Hiding in a boathouse while the others ran around, lost sleep, and nearly lost their lives in Max’s case. He looked over his shoulder at the bats, gaining on him in what seemed like slow motion. That’s when he heard a scream.
It came from the direction of the trailer. Far enough away that it was faint, but not far enough to disguise the owner. Henderson. Fuck what had the little shit done!
He wanted to go to Dustin, but the mass of bats was sure to follow. But if he could buy time and distract them for long enough.
And Eddie was running again. Putting his whole body into leading the bats through the trailer park he knew so well. Even in this twisted version he knew where he was and where he could go. His lungs burned and he could feel his legs starting to throb. Left. Right. Around a random spike in the earth. He almost slipped around a particularly sharp curve, but a palm to the ground and he was up again. Sprinting through the tentacles, kicking up flakey dust with every step. He ran until he couldn’t feel his legs. He had to keep going. Get them away from Dustin. Away from the portal where Steve, Robin and Nancy would return to. He couldn’t hear the bats. Couldn’t hear his breath or his feet hitting the ground. He could only hear his blood pounding in his ears and the vague flashes of thought.
Was Henderson alright? What stupid shit had he done to scream like that? Are we going to die here? God I don’t want to die here.
He had made it to the edge of the trailer park and veered right along the curve. He could at least continue to keep the bats busy. Tears welled in his eyes and he was starting to have trouble seeing through that and his squinting. He was just faintly aware of pain in his chest but he needed to push through it. Needed to make it for Henderson, for his friends, for his uncle. For all the things he still wanted to do.
Steve still has my vest
Eddie shook his head and tried to pick up speed. Willing his limbs to go faster, his lungs to take in more air. Don’t think, just run. He arched back into the maze of trailer homes and RV’s. Hopping over the occasional tentacle and dodging debris. Something hit him hard on the back and he grabbed at it blindly as he continued to run. The bat screamed into his ear. He felt teeth bite deep into his back, below where his neck met his shoulder and he faltered. The tearing sound and pulling made him drop to his knees and scream. He reached back and groped around until he felt the neck of the demobat attached to him. It went back in, biting at the same spot and Eddie’s hands loosened as he screamed again. The pain was electric. Hot and sharp and blinding with the force of it. He tightened his grip and squeezed as hard as he could, knuckles trembling with the force and desperation of it. He kept squeezing as it started to thrash. Through the ground below him shaking causing him to fall forward onto his elbows. His screaming drowned out by the cracking of the earth. Then the bat suddenly went limp. He pulled it off his shoulder and tossed it away. He was shaking on the ground. Blood dripped over his shoulder as he gasped for air. He rose to his knees and looked around to get his bearings.
He had circled back around near his trailer and the recognition hit him white hot. He stood and turned a sharp left in an effort to lead the swarm away from where any of his friends could still be. Something slammed into his chest and knocked him flat on his ass. His back was lit up with pain and his eyes shot open with the shock.
“Fuck Eddie,” and the white hot fear was back.
“Henderson, you really need to get out of here!” Eddie was up in an instant, grabbing Dustin by the sleeve and yanking him upward. “The bats could be on us any second!”
“Dude turn around” Dustin hissed through gritted teeth. Eddie’s head whipped around, frantically searching the sky for the dark shifting mass of bats.
Fuck. Steve’s group. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
His gaze drifted down and registered piles of gray mounds on the ground.
“What the?”
“No clue, but I’m choosing to believe it’s a hive mind thing”
Now that Eddie could begin to breathe normally, he was feeling the effects of his frantic tear around the trailer park. Lungs burning, legs shaking, his heart pounding. And the white hot pulse of pain in his shoulder as well as the wet feeling of his clothes around the bite. It made his head swim and his vision blur. His hands dropped to his knees and he couldn’t get air in and out of his lungs fast enough to clear the ringing in his head. A large hand was placed in the middle of his back. Too large to be Dustin. He looked up and was met with Steve Harrington looking down at him with worry and another expression Eddie thought was real fear.
“Hey dude we better get out of here, you good to move a little more?”
Eddie gave a brief nod, and rose to see the girls on either side of Dustin. He was limping badly and Eddie winced at the thought of what injury would require support from both of them. But Steve was snaking an arm under his and Eddie decided to accept the help. The group limped back to Eddie’s trailer and the portal. The girls led Dustin while Steve and Eddie tailed behind. Eddie sagged and he was suddenly too tired to care about how Steve’s arm went lower and wrapped tightly around his waist. There was a fuzzy, fog-like feeling creeping at the corners of Eddie’s mind and he couldn’t help but be reminded of a really good high.
When they entered the trailer Steve’s group let out a collective groan at the loss of the makeshift rope. The girls leaned Dustin against some furniture and set to work shuffling around and shifting things to make something they could climb. Steve leaned Eddie against a wall on his right shoulder, turning him to take a better look at his bite.
“Sorry,” Steve mumbled when Eddie winced at the fingers that danced around the edges of torn and bloody fabric. “Sorry. Nance is more the nurse, but I’ve patched myself up enough times to know the basics.” And before Eddie could ask what Steve had meant, he was pulling off Eddie’s jacket and tugging at his shirt.
“C-can’t this wait?” Eddie spluttered out. The fog cleared slightly and he swatted at the hands ghosting far too close to his hips.
“Not if you want to add more blood loss to this shitty mix.” There was no sharpness to his tone. No fire with a slight warning as if to say you got that dingus? This was soft and dripping with concern. After a long moment, Eddie moved his hands to the hem of his shirt. He lifted it up over his head and heard a quick inhale that could have been mistaken for a gasp. He got stuck with only his head and left arm lost in the dirty and bloodied fabric. A sudden tug and Eddie was left blinking shirtless in the dim light of the upside down trailer. Steve stood in front of him holding what remained of the Hellfire Club shirt.
“Okay, uh. T-turn around, I need to get at your back.” Steve had his eyes to the floor, tugging at the fabric in his hand. Eddie wanted to think more about what was going on. Dissect every aspect of the last minute and a half. But he was starting to feel lightheaded, the fog creeping its way through his consciousness, and thinking was very low on his list of priorities. So he turned around and listened to the quiet sounds that filled the trailer. Furniture scraping, Robin and Nancy’s soft whispers about what else to grab or where to put something. The sound of Steve rifling through his pockets. It was oddly peaceful, if Eddie ignored the twisting tentacle-vines, the smell and the pain, he could imagine it was home. That his friends had come over to help him move furniture around. Eddie felt comfortable. Safe. Like he could just relax and-
He swayed forward and Steve must have grabbed him, because he was pulled back and steadied with the same large hand on his right bicep.
“Hey there, don’t go passing out on me Munson.” A tearing sound and then, “Okay this is going to suck and I’m so sorry but,”
And then pressure on the bite on his back. And the pain was back, a shot of white hot lightning frying every exposed nerve. He could feel it throb with every beat of his heart. Eddie didn’t have it in him to scream at this point, so he let out a quiet high pitched cry. His left arm reached up and groped for Steve’s hand, desperate for some kind of tether.
“Fuck I’m sorry, I’m sorry but I need to,” and Steve’s hand was gone from his arm, fumbling with whatever bandage he had and pressing more of it to Eddie’s back before wrapping it under his left arm and around the right side of his neck. Eddie only made quiet whimpers and occasionally a cry. He was grateful that he couldn’t see his injury, he had never been good with blood. Getting woozy at the sight of a scraped knee or bleeding nose. And based on Steve’s repeated apologies, and Robin’s face when she walked away after catching a glance, it must have been bad. But there was still no time to be queasy. Let alone thorough. So as soon as Eddie’s wound was covered and the bandage secure Steve moved away and came around to face him.
“Okay I’m done for now, but we’ll have to really take a look on the other side.”
Eddie just nodded weakly and looked around to see what Nancy and Robin had done. They had arranged all sorts of furniture and random items to make a sort of staircase up to the portal. Dustin was sitting on the first level with his right pant leg rolled up. Nancy kneeling beside him and gently holding his ankle, which had started to swell and turn a nasty purple color.
“Alright. Well I think we should send the strongest person first to help catch everyone else.” Nancy announced as she rose, looking pointedly at Steve.
“Yeah alright, but be careful with this one, okay Nance?” Steve led Eddie over to sit next to Dustin on the furniture stairs. He began to climb up toward the hole in the ceiling, jumping and rolling once he hit the floor of the real Hawkins.
Was it the real Hawkins? Maybe just our version.
“Eddie! Hey dingus, no staring off into space!” Robin was snapping her fingers in front of his face. Her expression and tone betrayed how scared she actually was. “It’s our turn to go up.”
She picked him up by the right arm and draped him over her smaller frame. She led him slowly up the furniture and pulled him behind her through the portal. Steve must have put the mattress back, because when Eddie’s legs gave out upon impact he landed face first into what he vaguely remembered was a bong water stain. But then there were Robin’s small hands on his right arm and he was hoisted up and pushed towards a wall. Steve was reaching up to catch Dustin, and he joined Eddie in leaning against the wall of the trailer. Then Nancy was dropping down and the group was moving again. Nancy over to Dustin and Steve poking his head out of the door.
“Okay move as a group, the RV is still here.” With that Steve ushered them out and took up the rear. The group shuffled through the night, with Eddie and Robin making up the front. Robin opened the door and Steve came up from behind to guide him into the passenger seat.
“Okay Munson, how do I start this sucker?” Eddie reached over for the wires, pointing at the two twisted exposed ends.
“Just, tap them together until she goes.”
Steve nodded and got to work, swearing under his breath around the sixth try. But seven must have been his lucky number, because the car roared to life and lights came on inside and outside.
“Shit, hold on!” And then they were tearing out of the trailer park, back towards the Creel house to check on the rest of the kids. Eddie turned to see the girls once again on either side of Dustin. Robin held him up on the couch while Nancy leaned over to check his ankle again. Eddie turned back around to look at Steve. He noticed the red line around his neck was angrier than before and noted that Robin and Nancy had matching marks as well. He turned back to stare at the road ahead. Every bump or jostle made his shoulder throb in that lightning bolt way. Like the red thunder of the Upsidedown was striking him through the bite. Everything felt heavy, even the air in the RV as they drove down the dark wooded road. Maybe this could be a road trip. Hadn’t Steve said something about wanting this? Everyone could pile in and take turns playing music. He could see what Steve liked, and tease him for it. It could be peaceful. That foggy feeling was clouding his mind and it just made Eddie feel so comfortable.
“Hey!” And the hand was on his knee this time, gently shaking it back and forth. Eddie’s eyes flashed open to catch Steve throwing worried glances at him between looking at the road. “Hey, please don’t- uh just, talk to me?”
“Talk to you?” Eddie was surprised by the way his own voice sounded. Hoarse and soft and so tired.
“Yeah, to uh…” Steve drifted off, searching for an excuse. “Keep me awake.”
“Okay,” Eddie replied slowly. He stared out the windshield for a moment before starting. “Okay so you said you knew the basics. Earlier at the gate. What did you mean by that?”
“I was thinking more you tell me a story or something but okay I’ll bite.” Steve relaxed a bit against the seat, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel. “So I know the basics of patching people up because I patch myself up. Or I used to, back when I was fighting in high school.”
“Oh is that what you called it? We called it merciless bullying.”
Steve winced at that.
“We? I don’t remember fighting…” he trailed off again.
“Nah you didn’t. But you did fight one of the Hellfire members back in sophomore year.” Eddie twisted a ring around his finger, not taking his eyes off the road in front of him.
“Oh.” Steve fidgeted in his seat.
“But I doubt he remembers honestly, it wasn’t anything too crazy. Wasn’t even blood really.” He was rambling. Anything to break the awkward silence that had fallen over the front seat.
“Then why do you remember?” Eddie finally pulled his gaze from the road to look at Steve. Face scrunched up in what Eddie could swear was embarrassment.
“Well, I don’t know it was the first time I really saw you ya know?” And maybe it was the blood loss, or the encroaching fog in his head, but Eddie felt the last of his guards slip away. He was being fully honest with Steve Harrington. Steve Harrington, who, a month ago, seemed to gleefully ignore him. But in the last ten days, Harrington had done more for him than any of the others, save for Dustin.
“Like I saw what everyone was always saying about you.”
“What, that I was a douche?”
“Well yeah that,” Eddie said with the beginning of a laugh. “But also about the hair. And I could guess why you were pulling the ladies already.” Fuck his blood loss.
But Steve laughed. Quick and soft, but it was real. And Eddie felt something old bloom inside him.
“And what made you guess at my so-called pull?” Really fuck his blood loss.
“Well, uh” it was Eddie’s turn to fidget. Tearing his eyes back to the road ahead. He leaned forward and put his forehead on the dashboard. “I guess maybe your arms?”
He decided to steal a glance back at Steve and was met with worried eyes trained in his back.
“Steve?” Eddie started to sit up as Steve called back to Robin.
“Hey, can you take him back there? He’s,” Steve swallowed and pulled his eyes away from Eddie and back to the road. “He’s bleeding through.”
Robin was scrambling up to gently tug at Eddie before Steve had finished the word ‘bleeding’. He allowed himself to be pulled into the back so Robin could fuss over his shoulder. But he kept his eyes on Steve. When Robin pushed more fabric over the bandage Eddie groaned. The pain sent bolts of fire into his teeth and chased away some of the fog. Steve stole a glance back at him.
“Will he be?” Steve didn’t finish the question and Eddie finally grasped the depth of his situation when Robin didn’t even answer. Eddie looked over to see her, pale faced and vibrating slightly.
Everyone fell into relative silence, Robin keeping pressure on his back. Nancy gently talked to Dustin and let him squeeze her hand with particularly hard bumps. Steve kept driving, throwing the occasional glance back or calling out a ‘sorry’ over potholes.
As they approached the Creel house, red and blue lights flashed through the trees.
“Shit,” Steve swore as he put the van in park, but let it rumble in the road. “Okay I’ll go see what’s up. Ladies, just, keep them conscious?”
Nancy nodded, not taking her eyes off Dustin, Robin shot Steve a thumbs up and he disappeared into the night.
Eddie sat with his elbows on his knees as Robin pressed onto his back, lifting occasionally to check the state of the bandages.
“How am I looking Buckley?” Eddie said, lifting his head to look at her.
“Bad news first right?” Robin said, her lower lip trembling slightly.
“Always.”
“Well,” she took a shaky breath. “You’ve definitely lost a lot of blood, I don’t know what that thing tore out.” Her voice broke and Eddie felt bad for asking. “You’re like, really pale dude. And not in the cool Ozzie way.”
“And the good news?”
“If we can get you to stop bleeding everywhere you should live?” It wasn’t a promise, but it was a chance. And as much as Eddie didn’t want to die laying on the slimy floor of the Upsidedown, he also didn’t want to die in a stolen RV that reeked of cigarettes.
“Okay, let’s hope I can do that then.”
“Good because I have seen way too much blood today, especially yours and I would like to never see a drop again.”
“You and me both Buckley.”
And the silence fell again. Quiet breathing and the occasional wince from Dustin or Eddie. Until the RV door slammed open and Steve was flailing into the driver's seat.
“Steve?” Robin called out as the RV jostled back into drive and turned around.
“Ambulances, and a big crack in the earth, but no time!”
“Um, yes time! Eddie and Dustin need a hospital! If there’s an ambulance then-”
“Eddie is a wanted man!”
“But Dustin!”
“Robs it was on the other side of the gaping crack anyway!” The RV gave a jolt when he slammed the breaks. Steve took a quick inhale before turning to turn around and face them. His hair was more wild than usual and he had a desperate look in his eyes. “That’s why we need to get Dustin somewhere to get help and where we can get supplies for Eddie!” He was pleading with Robin. Everything in his tone and on his face screamed for her to drop it so he could drive and save his friends.
We’ve gotta at least be friends after all this right?
“Alright, alright,” Robin lifted the hand not pressing into Eddie’s back in surrender. And then as an afterthought, “eyes on the road Harrington.” Her voice was tired. Any of her teasing bite replaced by exhaustion.
The van rumbled on the road again, going as fast as Steve could get away with. Which was pretty fast considering the earthquake and cracks in the ground. Robin began chattering softly in his ear about how-
“-restocking the shelves will be a nightmare! Steve and I will be pulling an all nighter getting the store in shape for sure.” Eddie simply nodded and hummed his understanding. Letting her know he was listening because he was just so tired. They drove like that for a while. Robin talking enough for the five of them, Steve driving entirely too fast, and Eddie and Dustin jostling in the back as their injuries were tended to.
Finally Steve spoke up, voice tight.
“Alright, so does anyone other than Eddie know how to pick locks?”
Before Eddie could say ‘who told you I could pick locks?’ Robin was jostling him forward. So instead a choked cry left his already open mouth at the same time Robin said “Oh shit me!”
“Hey precious cargo Buckley!” Steve called over his shoulder and Eddie was blushing. Or at least he thought he was, maybe he’d lost too much blood to blush right now. And he couldn’t help but be the slightest bit grateful underneath the soft fog settling back in his head.
“Shit sorry! Sorry Eddie!” Robin sat back down on the seat and Eddie groaned in attempted forgiveness. “Why do you ask?”
“So, you, Dustin and Nance are going in. Nance is going to stay with Dustin, get him help and then go home. And before you say anything I know how desperate you must be to check on your family so don’t even think about coming back out to this RV.” Steve was still staring at the road but he was loud enough that his voice boomed through the tiny space. He was talking to Nancy who rolled her eyes but smiled softly. “Robin, you’re going to find anything you can to patch up Eddie. You have exactly 30 minutes to be in and out.”
“No wait, I want to stay with Eddie!” Dustin, who had been mostly tearless and silent since Eddie had literally ran into him, began to sob. Soft and hiccuping. It was enough to break Eddie’s heart. He was tugging against Nancy, trying to get to Eddie or Steve, who could say. Because Nancy was pulling his hand and gently sitting him back on the couch.
“Hey Steve and Robin will take great care of him okay?” She pulled him against her chest in a gentle hug. Wiping tears with her thumb. “And once we get you all sorted we’ll get you guys some radios hm?” Dustin nodded slowly, sniffing but not pulling away from Nancy.
“Hey,” Eddie tapped the base of his neck before pointing to Dustin. “You keep that pick safe for me okay? I want it back, that shit helped save the world.”
Dustin smiled weakly and reached for the guitar pick hanging around his neck.
Mission accomplished.
The RV started to slow. Eddie could see lights pour in through the windows and attempted to peek through the curtains behind him.
“Eddie, stay down!” Robin hissed at him. “What part of ‘wanted man’ has escaped you?” So Eddie sat back down as they slowed to a stop.
“Thirty minutes Buckley.” Steve moved to replace Robin’s hand pressing against Eddie’s back. The girls bundled Dustin out and Eddie flashed a smile at him as he passed. And then Eddie and Steve were alone. Only the rumble of the engine and the occasional siren to keep them company until Robin got back.
“Does she even know what to grab?” Eddie said after a long while.
“You know I’m not sure,” Steve chuckled softly. “How you holding in there?”
“Well if you can get choked and bit by two bats, I can survive one right?” Eddie waited for Steve to laugh again, but it never came. Instead it was quiet, before Steve almost whispered.
“You really don’t know how bad it is?”
“I mean, I’ve got a guess.” A pause, an out. “But tell me anyway.”
“Shit man, for real?”
“For real.”
“Okay uh it’s,”. Steve took a shaky breath before continuing. His words fell together, like if he stopped he wouldn’t be able to start again. “It’s really fucking bad Eddie. It’s just a hole in your back and I think I saw bone. I mean I’m not sure but it’s bad and you just won’t stop bleeding.” He choked on the last word before stopping.
“Well. If you want me to stop bleeding?” Eddie was trying to tease through the growing fog in his head. If it was really that bad and he had to die in this shitty RV at least let him hear Steve Harrington laugh one more time. But Steve just grabbed his other shoulder and turned him to stare him down.
He loomed over Eddie. Eyes puffy and red, strands of hair sticking to his forehead. Steve worried his bottom lip between his teeth and Eddie spared a quick glance down.
“Don’t joke like that. Dustin needs to give you that stupid necklace. Robin is coming with supplies and we can figure something out with whatever she ends up with.” He said.
“Yeah? Even if she brings something like a bedpan?”
“Yeah, she can knock Dustin out with it if he tries to follow us.” Steve chuckled again, before leaning back to sit next to Eddie. His hand still pressed into Eddie’s back.
Score .
“What else Steve?” Eddie was tired. He liked hearing Steve laugh, hearing him talk. He was rarely quiet like this, his voice low and rumbling in his throat. It was warm and relaxing.
“Well we need to check on the rest of the kiddos when we can. I’m sure Lucas will stick with Max and Erica so we can catch them together.” Eddie leaned his head back. Steve’s hand pressed into his shoulder and the pain still throbbed, but he was fuzzy with fog. Steve’s talking was causing his eyes to get so heavy. He swore the last thing he heard before the fog claimed him was: “and I still need to give your vest back.”