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Steve knew his relief was too good to be true. He’d done this enough times, had things pretend to be over enough times, to know things aren't done yet. They couldn’t be, it would be too simple if they were. His theory was proven correct when Dustin came into view, barrelling his way towards him, Nancy, and Robin. He looked devastated, features scrunched as he tried to explain through sobs what had happened and what they needed to do. And that was how Steve found himself gritting his teeth as he made his way back to the trailer with Eddie’s body slumped over his shoulder. Pain radiated outward from his ribs with every step he took, lungs burning as he trudged on. He needed to make it back, he had to. Dustin couldn’t handle something like this, he didn’t deserve to have the aftermath that came when something like this happened to you. He forced one foot in front of the other, listening for the faint wheeze of Eddie’s breathing against his back as he made his way forward.
The trailer came into view and Steve swore he could have cried. He forced his way in, all but tripping up the steps as he stumbled his way inside. He went right to the living room, head snapping up at the sound of squelching he’d gotten all too familiar with. His eyes landed on the gash in the ceiling that was slowly closing, vines reaching across to connect with one another and repair the gate.
“Hey! HEY GUYS! GUYS I'M HERE, WE’RE HERE!” He shouted. He tried his best to be gentle as he slumped Eddie off his shoulder and down onto the couch. His movements were frantic and awkward as he stumbled around, yanking the coffee table over so it was under the gate. He climbed up, calling out “Dustin? Robin? Nancy?” as he shoved his bat through the opening, doing his best to clear away the goo. “Anyone, come on!” His voice broke. Where were they? Did they not make it through? Were they dragged away by vines or worse, more Demobats?
“Steve! Steve, oh my god, thank god.” Robin’s voice cried out as she fell to her knees in front of the gate, face peering through with tear-stained cheeks.
“Steve!” Dustin was beside her in seconds. “Get the sheets, get the sheets!” He yelled over his shoulder. Nancy appeared moments later, makeshift sheet rope in hand. She gave a sigh of relief at the sight of Steve, smiling at him as she dropped the rope through.
“Someone go get the beemer started, we gotta get to my place fast.” Steve glanced over his shoulder at Eddie as he spoke. “I’m also gonna need help getting him through.”
Dustin raced off with keys making him wince just a bit. He ignored that in favour of climbing down and kneeling in front of where Eddie’s body was laying on the couch. When he got closer he could still hear the brunette’s wheezy breathing, and it washed him with relief. He pulled the man onto his shoulders once again, making his vision swim as he stood up, his hand reaching out to catch himself on a bookshelf as he swayed under the extra weight of Eddie on his injured self. He climbed back onto the table ignoring the way it made his stomach lurch. Instead he grit his teeth and hauled Eddie up, sending him halfway through the gate to be caught by Nancy and Robin.
“Rob.” He called out as he felt himself sway, the weight of Eddie off of him making him lose his footing. His feet shuffled in an attempt to not nose dive off the table.
“Steve!” She dropped down without hesitation. She landed without grace, almost taking Steve down with her as she came through. But Robin gained her footing and was at his side immediately. “Are you sure you should Drive?” Her eyes roamed over Steve as she shifted his weight onto her.
“Doesn’t matter if I should or not, I’m gonna have to.” Steve panted, moving with Robin as she guided him towards the rope. “Eddie’s not going to last long.” He grunted as he was helped through by Nancy and Robin, ignoring the screaming pain that shot through him as Nancy gripped at his side to catch him.
“Steve, you aren’t going to last long, either.” Nancy’s voice didn’t shake but Steve could still hear the fear in it. He glanced over to see her staring at her red stained hands.
“All the more reason to go now.” Steve tried to keep the edge out of his voice as he staggered towards the door of the trailer, both Nancy and Robin hot on his heels despite carrying Eddie.
“Steve, no.” Nancy’s voice was firm as they rushed ahead of him--wasn’t like it was much of a race–“I’m driving.” She and Robin managed to get Eddie into the back seat before Steve could even get close enough to touch the car. Nancy was already putting the car into Drive when Robin pulled him into the back seat, reaching over him to yank the door shut.
“Drive, Nancy!” Robin cried the minute it was closed. Her hands were shaking as she looked between Eddie and Steve, both of them bleeding out onto the backseat of his car. She tried to focus on Eddie, hands flitting over his sides but never actually touching him, too unsure.
“You need to wrap the bites like mine.” Steve instructed through deep, laboured breathing that shot pain through his ribs but kept his head from spinning. Hauling Eddie 5 yards through the upside down had made them worse; he tucked his elbows against his sides and pressed them inward, doing his best to apply pressure himself. He needed to at least slow the bleeding before they reached his place.
“I- I don’t know how Steve! And what about you? You’re bleeding too.” Her eyes glanced down to his bandages. She brought her hands to her hair, trying to push it back frantically. “I don’t know- I don’t- God! Nancy please drive faster!” Robin yelled, her voice cracking.
“I’m doing the best I can!” Nancy’s voice was strained.
“Robin, I’m good, my bleeding slowed, okay, focus on Eddie.” Steve caught her eye, nodding his head with a weak smile.
“Here! Just- Just wrap it tight around his stomach for now, like Steve’s.” Dustin threw a scrap of fabric ripped from the hem of his shirt to Robin. He was twisted in his seat facing back so he could instruct her through it.
Robin fumbled with the fabric, swearing under her breath as she almost dropped it. Steve straightened his arm a bit just so he could tap at her thigh a bit. He gave her a nod when her eyes snapped over to him. “You got it.”
Eddie groaned in pain at Robin’s attempt to wrap his bites. “Shit I’m sorry! I’m sorry.” Robin whispered as she pulled the bandages tight like Dustin said. “I’m sorry I’m not trying to hurt you I swear! I’m trying to help.” Her eyes were brimming with tears. “Christ, are we almost there?” She looked up from Eddie as she asked.
“Just around the corner.” Nancy grit as she jerked the wheel, taking the turn. Everyone in the car skidded over to the right, as they rounded the corner going 30 mph. She pulled into the driveway slamming the breaks and screeching the car to a halt that jerked them all forward. “Everyone out, let's go! Let's go!”
“Are you sure your parents aren’t home, Steve?” Dustin asked as he ripped the back passenger door open, helping Steve out while Nancy and Robin carried Eddie once again.
“Yes, yes just get him on the table let’s go!” Steve limped to the door as fast as he could, jamming his keys in the deadbolt. “First aid kit is in the bathroom upstairs under the counter.” He yelled out to nobody in particular as he flung the door open.
Robin ran to grab it, being the most familiar with his house. Dustin took her place and grabbed Eddie’s ankles, helping Nancy hold him up as Steve moved over to the kitchen table. He swept everything off it with one clean swipe of his arms. Pens, magazines, and notepads clattered to the floor as the three of them hauled Eddie’s body up.
“Dustin, keep pressure on his wounds.” Nancy instructed Dustin, but Steve did the same too.
Robin came back with the medical kit, flying down the stairs so fast she missed a step and stumbled. Nancy ran over and took the kit from her, handing her a roll of gauze to wrap Steve up again while her and Dustin worked on Eddie.
Steve stepped back from Eddie when Robin tugged at his elbow. She unwrapped his bandages, grimacing at the dirt and blood as his bites were once again revealed. “This is gonna sting, sorry.” She warned before dousing the wounds with peroxide, making him groan in pain, white knuckling the edge of a counter.
Steve tried his best to watch Nancy work on Eddie while Robin wiped him down and wrapped him up again. His eyes only slammed shut in pain a few times when Robin pulled the bandages too tight. Once he was cleaned up he sent Robin back upstairs to his mother's vanity where he knew her pill stash was. They needed pain meds and antibiotics.
“How bad?” Steve asked when he stepped up to the table again, eyes roaming over the bleeding gnarled flesh at Eddie’s ribs and shoulder.
“I’m going to try and stitch him but we need to clean the bites first and maybe get him some painkillers before we start.” Nancy gave Eddie a sympathetic glance as he groaned in pain at all the poking and prodding. Her forehead was beading with sweat as she continued to press a gauze pad into Eddie’s side.
“I got the pills!” Robin stumbled back once again, this time almost dropping the bottles to the floor. “I’ll get water you guys sit him up.” She placed them down on the table by Dustin.
“I’ll get pillows from the couch to prop him up.” Dustin scurried away, the frantic energy from before back as they rushed to get started again now that the bleeding had finally stopped. When he returned back Steve took his place at the head of the table, looking down at Eddie. He braced his hands under the man’s shoulders, doing his best to place his hands as far away from Eddie’s wounds as possible.
“3…2…1.” Dustin counted down.
On one Steve pulled Eddie up with his remaining strength, doing his best to not drop the man back down onto the table and pillows. He stumbled back, Robin hooking her arms under his to catch him.
Eddie groaned, his eyes squeezing shut in pain.
“Eddie, Eddie come on, you gotta stay with us.” Dustin prodded when they didn’t open again, waiting with pills and water in his hands. “We’re trying to help, come on.”
“Dustin we don’t have time!” Nancy’s voice was growing more frantic as blood began to pool into one of the gauze pads at Eddie’s side again, her hands staining red.
“Eddie man, seriously.” Dustin’s voice pitched higher as he looked from Nancy, to her hands, to Eddie again. “Eddie!”
Nancy huffed, shaking her head as she stepped back and took two strides to the head of the table. Her hand wound back, surging forward to slap Eddie clean across the cheek.
“Nancy!”
“What the hell?”
“Nancy what!-”
They were all cut off by the sound of a chuckle followed by a gurgling cough. “Thanks wheeler.” Eddie wheezed.
“Thank me when you aren’t bleeding out.” A small smile crept its way onto Nancy’s face as she returned to Eddie’s bite-ridden sides. Eddie turned to Steve and waggled his brows.
Dustin handed him the pills and water, all of them watching as he swallowed down each one. Nancy waited until he was finished before she dumped peroxide onto the bites, stepping back as Eddie cried out in pain, body writhing on the table. Dustin was at his side in an instant, gripping his hand as silent tears slid down his cheeks. He whispered quiet apologies for the pain but Eddie just shook his head. Clearly, the meds hadn’t kicked in yet. Steve really hoped they would soon.
Nancy had readied the needle, threading it with medical thread and dousing it plus her hands with rubbing alcohol–Steve had upgraded his first aid kit after starcourt–while Eddie settled. The other 3 were waiting around him, hands ready to apply pressure to the other wounds once Nancy began. Eddie stilled and Nancy stepped forward.
“Okay,” She took a deep breath. “Okay.”
Steve watched as she steadied a hand against Eddie’s stomach, the other bringing the needle through his flesh a few millimetres away from the torn opening of his wound. Eddie hissed out in pain, head slamming back onto the pillow placed beneath it, his hands white-knuckling the table. Steve wondered how much worse his tattoos hurt.
Nancy weaved the needle through his flesh once again, everyone holding their breath. She attempted to tighten the stitch, pulling her hand up to run the thread through the wound and bring the edges closed. Instead, the thread just ripped through the flayed flesh, opening the wound further.
“Fuck!” Eddie cried out, fist slamming down against the table, his head thrown back, jaw clenched.
“I’m sorry.” Nancy dropped the needle and stepped back, her eyes coming up to look between Steve, Robin and Dustin. “The flesh is just too mangleed.” Her hands were shaking.
“What do we do then?” It was Robin’s turn to look around the group. “He’s still bleeding. What do we do?” She began to panic, breathing speeding up.
Steve sighed, it was his turn.
“Get me a belt, and the biggest knife you can find in the kitchen.” He turned to Dustin.
“A belt? Why a belt-oh.” Dustin’s eyes widened in understanding and he bolted up the stairs.
“Robin, Rob.” Steve turned to her trying to catch her eye. “Robbie!” Her eyes snapped to Steve’s, her breathing still rapid. “I have a plan, okay, it’s all going to be fine.” She started nodding so he nodded with her, a hand coming to rest on her shoulder. “Go to the kitchen and turn on a burner, okay.” She nodded again and silently made her way to the kitchen, flicking on the closest burner with trembling fingers.
“Good, that’s perfect.” He gave an encouraging smile that she attempted to return.
“Steve, are you sure about this?” Nancy’s question tore his gaze away.
“It’s our only choice.” Steve sighed, not surprised that she’d already caught on.
Dustin returned a moment later handing a knife to Robin who held it under the flame with Steve’s instruction. The belt then went to Steve who shifted over to speak to Eddie.
“You’re gonna cauterise them aren’t you?” Eddie chuckled nervously. “Never pegged you as a boy scout, Harrington.” He coughed.
“You learn a few things after fighting aliens from another dimension as many times as I have.” Steve managed a chuckle, before he caught sight of the red hot knife Robin held and he sighed. “It’s going to hurt, I’m sorry.”
“You’re saving my life, I can’t complain.” Eddie smiled despite his pale complexion and sweaty forehead. A tremor wracked his body as he looked up to Steve, “I’m ready.” He opened his mouth wide with a wink, taking the belt between his teeth.
Steve rolled his eyes, fighting a smile as he made his way to Eddie’s side. He took the red hot knife from Robin who stared at him with wide eyes. “You guys are going to have to hold him down okay?” He looked around receiving 3 wide-eyed, nervous nods. “Okay. here we go.” He pressed the glowing hot knife lengthwise against the opening of Eddie’s wound, the flesh sizzling as he did so.
Eddie screamed in agony through the belt, back arching off the table, hands gripping the edge of it so hard Steve worried the wood might actually splinter.
“Holy shit!” Dustin whispered, voice high pitched and panicky as he watched, his eyes turned to Steve. “Is he okay? Steve, is he okay?!”
“He’s just in a lot of pain, but trust me, this is our only solution without a hospital.” Steve pulled the knife away, moving back to the stove.
“Steve is right, this is the cleanest, fastest way we can stop the bleeding and at least close the wounds.” Nancy spoke up.
“Should we ice it? The burn I mean. Because- because it's a burn but we- I mean it's an on-purpose burn but it’s still a burn and it's hot and hurts. Would that- would that even help? I don’t know how to help I don’t-” Robin rambled looking between Nancy and Steve.
“You’re helping plenty, Robin.” Nancy soothed with a smile. “For now we just wrap it and keep it dry for 48 hours.” Nancy moved to wrap gauze around Eddie’s heaving chest, covering the first bite.
“Okay, only 3 left.” Steve returned back with the knife again, once again glowing red hot. He looked to Eddie who just closed his eyes and leaned his head back taking a deep breath. “Sorry man.” Steve whispered before pressing the knife against his skin again.
The cycle continued; Steve would heat the knife, apologise, and cauterize the bite. Eddie would scream and writhe,body squirming less with each bite as he ran out of energy. And then all 4 bites were sealed and they were done. Everyone could breathe again.
Steve, Nancy and Robin cleaned up the kitchen and the table, putting away everything they’d taken out while Dustin made up a bed for Eddie on the couch.
“I swear you can have the guest room tomorrow, I just can’t help you up the stairs now.” Steve promised as they helped Eddie to the couch.
“S’fine Harrington, I don’t even think I could make it up them if I tried.” Eddie sighed with an easy smile. “Henderson, grab me a cigarette,” Eddie turned to Steve, head lolling against the pillow. “Actually make that 2, would ya.”
“Three.” Nancy chimed in with a shuddering breath. It seemed like the night had caught up to her.
Robin wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders, head tilting to lean on her. She still scrunched her nose up at their smoking though.
Dustin returned with a pack of Marlboro blues. Steve guessed he found them in the kitchen, since he didn’t hear him go upstairs.
“Menthols? Really Harrington?” Eddie’s brows rose as he took one out then tossed the pack over to Steve with a wince.
“They’re all I got right now, things have been a bit busy if you haven’t noticed.” Steve rolled his eyes, taking one out and tossing the pack to Nancy. She did the same, placing the carton on the mantle.
“Oh I’ve noticed.” Eddie chuckled, glancing down at his torso.
They passed around the lighter, Steve and Nancy moving to sit on the arms of the couch Eddie was laying on so they could all share an ashtray.
All 5 sat in silence as they smoked, finally allowing themselves a moment to relax after all of it. This was the best part but also, it was the worst, at least for Steve. This was the part where they had to return to life like everything was normal, like they didn’t spend all of spring break praying Max didn’t levitate into the air and have her bones snapped, or Eddie that wouldn’t get caught and murdered, or Steve get mauled by demobats, or Nancy and Robin choking to death by vines. They had to act like none of that happened and be normal, move on. Steve was never really good at that.
“I need to get home, the walkie has been going off all night, the rest of the party is worried and so is my mom. She called Mike’s mom looking for me, same with Lucas’ and Joyce.”
“I’ll take you home, Dustin.” Nancy sighed then stood up, clearly exhausted now that things had settled and the adrenaline was gone. “Need a ride Robin?”
“Actually I think- is it okay if I sleep here tonight?” She looked at Steve.
“Of course, there’s always room for you here Robbie.”
“The party will come by tomorrow, okay.” Dustin moved over to the couch and sat down beside Eddie, hugging him gingerly.
“I’ll come by again too, I'll get the replacement supplies for the medical kit.” Nancy chimed in by the door, keys in hand. Her car was parked here earlier in the day.
“It’s okay Nance, I can take care of it.” Steve tried to wave her off but she just shook her head.
“Everyone’s fine now, no need to be the hero anymore.” And with that her and Dustin left.
The three left said their goodnights, Robin helping Steve up the stairs. They didn’t even bother stopping by the guest room, both of them knowing from the moment Robin asked to stay over they’d be sharing his bed. It's not like they hadn’t done it before. For a bit more than a month after StarCourt Robin basically lived at Steve’s house. They slept in his bed together from night one, Steve already knowing the nightmares were going to be hell.
They fell back into their old routine easily, Robin helping Steve just like last time. It seemed that he always ended up the most battered and beaten after events like this and maybe it was his own fault, but tonight Steve was too tired to think about that.