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Steve could see Eddie from a block away, his unmoving body just lying there. He was a dark shape against the flashing red sky but Steve knew it was him. He felt his heart stop, his mind blank, just for a second, before he went into panic mode.
“Eddie” He screamed, feeling as if his soul had been ripped from his body, Steve broke out into a run, covering the distance in a flash.
He dropped to his knees next to Eddie. Immediately grabbing his wrist to check his pulse. Eddie made a pained noise next to him, his eyes opening. Steve let his wrist go limp in his grip, not wanting to hurt him.
“Steve?”
“Yeah, it's me, you're going to be fine” Steve reassured him, Eyes scanning over Eddie's body, looking for the damage. There were big, red, gashes all across his torso and arms, chunks of flesh missing from various places on him. Eddie made a pained smile up at Steve, his lips coated with blood, leaking from the corner of his mouth.
“I didn't run away this time, I fought” He whispered, the words almost floating away in the breeze of the upside down before Steve could hear them
“Yeah,” Steve felt tears well up in his eyes, threatening to drop at any moment. “You were a hero, Eddie. Now let's get you moving” Steve carefully put his hands underneath Eddie's upper torso, and slowly started to pick him up. Eddie let out a strangled whimper and Steve immediately let him go.
“Man, I don't think I'm going to make it out of here” Eddie tried to joke, but the pained tears in his eyes gave him away.
“It's okay, you're going to be fine” Steve rested his head in his lap, stroking his hair, willing the tears to not fall as He cradled him in his arms.
“It was supposed to be my year, I was going to graduate,” Eddie mumbled, his eyes welling up with tears “I'll never get to finish the game” A tear ran down his cheek, the wetness clearing a path through the dirt and ash. The wind blew sharply around them and Eddie grunted, his breathing became labored.
“Tell me a story, Harington. Tell me a story I can remember”
Steve finally let go of his tears, let them fall freely to the ground.
“There was once a man” Steve began, his voice horse “A hero. Who was the Fiercest yet kindest man in the world. Everything life threw at him, he took with a gracefulness that nobody else could. He fought so much evil and took it all with a smile, This hero is one of the most caring, genuine people I have ever met” Steve stopped, his voice cracking with a sob.
“Hey, it's okay,” Eddie reassured him “It's all going to be okay” Steve looked down at Eddie and felt his heart crack into a million pieces, Eddie looked up and they both stared at each other for what felt like years. Steve felt his heart pound in his chest, he held his breath and he slowly bent down and closed his eyes, his lips hovered over eddies in a silent question. And when Eddie whispered a yes against his lips. He kissed him. Steve kissed Eddie with all that he could, trying to tell him how much he loved him and cared for him, all in one kiss. When they broke apart, Steve looked down at Eddie. Who opened his eyes slowly
“I love you” Eddie breathed. And then his eyes closed for the last time, one last shuddering breath left his body and where Steve still held Eddie's wrist, he felt his pulse slow, and then stop.
And Eddie Munson, a man of joy, a man who could still smile amidst all the bad, a man Steve loved, Died in his Steve's arms