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Steve glanced outside thinking about Eddie and frowning slightly at the falling snow. Now that Reefer Rick’s had been raided and cleared, it was under constant watch. Eddie had moved into the abandoned school bus in the junkyard. They’d all done their best to make sure Eddie was set to handle the colder weather. Nancy had given him all the extra blankets from downstairs, and they each took turns bringing warm foods. Hopper was kind enough to bring a small generator to give Eddie a bit of heat.
But Steve had gotten the call from Nancy the night before, her voice full of worry. Eddie’s small cough had gotten more serious, and could Steve pick him up the next night? Steve had said yes and not an hour later, Hopper had arrived to prepare Steve’s place. Since his parents had decided to extend their work trips by a few weeks, his place was empty. Still, it was a risk to have Eddie there, but Steve had no issues with it. Hopper had checked for bugs and set up a new phone line to call Joyce if he needed anything. He’d given specific instructions to not get Eddie until after dark.
That had been the hardest news, and Steve spent most of the day pacing his house, worried. He’d placed an extra pair of sweats in the guest bedroom and made sure there were extra blankets on the couch. Was Eddie okay? Was he going to need something more than what he could offer? Joyce had stopped by that morning with soup, broth, casseroles and a few other snacks for them, which Steve had taken thankfully.
As soon as the sun was gone, Steve made it to his car in record time. He’d basically memorized the way to the abandoned junkyard, and as he pulled up, he cut his engine early and turned off his headlights. He sat in silence for a second, bracing himself.
Eddie would be okay. This all would be okay.
Steve nodded to himself, making himself believe those words, and headed towards the abandoned bus. The air was somehow colder and sharper, and Steve shivered. Instinctively, he pulled his coat around him tighter and headed towards the bus.
He could hear Eddie before he could see him. His coughs sounded harsh and wheezy, and when Steve knocked on the bus door, he opened it, not waiting for Eddie to answer.
“You sound pretty terrible, Munson,” Steve started, and Eddie responded with another round of coughing.
Steve blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness of the bus and then took in the man. Eddie was bundled under what seemed like three blankets and huddled next to the tiny generator. Steve was glad that the bus seemed warmer than outside, but the windows weren’t fogged, so it couldn’t have been much warmer.
Eddie lay curled on his side on one of the bus seats, shivering slightly. Even so, Steve could see that his face shone with a sheen of sweat.
Eddie breathed harder after coughing, his breath creating small puffs in the cooler air. “I don’t f-feel that great e-either,” he managed. He shivered and curled up smaller on the bus seat.
Steve knelt down next to Eddie, barely able to fit between the bus seat and the back of the one in front of it. Still, he squeezed in and brushed the man’s forehead with the back of his palm. He wasn’t surprised when it was much warmer than it should be. “Well no wonder, you’re running a pretty high fever.” Steve’s eyebrows crinkled in worry. “Do you think you can make it to the car? I’m gunna take you back to my place.”
Eddie shook his head from under the mound of blankets, and even with them over him, Steve could still see how badly the man shivered. “S’not safe,” Eddie responded. “They’ll capture me and kill you. Or kill the both of us.”
Steve shook his head. “It’s okay. It’s dark out and Hopper made sure we had the okay to move you.” He placed a hand on Eddie’s blankets. “We’ve got to get you somewhere warmer.”
As if to answer, Eddie nodded, followed by another round of coughing. He wheezed between breaths, his eyes squeezing shut as he coughed.
Steve’s heart fell as Eddie coughed, and he noticed how Eddie gripped the blankets as he coughed, almost to ground himself. It sounded harsh and gritty, as if he was trying to breathe through gravel. “Shit, Munson, when you get sick, you really get sick, huh?” he asked.
Eddie wheezed and nodded, swallowing hard. “Yeah,” he responded, his voice scratchy and low.
“Okay, come on, I’ll help you to the car.”
By the time they got in the house, Steve bit his lip as he helped Eddie in. Eddie was shaky and exhausted, as if all the coughing simply sapped his energy. His brown eyes were dull and tired, and from weeks on the run, he had dark circles under his eyes. His face was pale, but the fever left two bright spots on his cheeks.
“You want to shower and get outta those clothes?” Steve asked, unsure if Eddie felt up to changing clothes.
Eddie shrugged slowly, as if his shoulders were thousands of pounds. “I don’t think I can do much more than change clothes and lay down,” Eddie sighed. He swallowed and grimaced as if it was painful. “God, my throat is killing me.”
“Joyce brought over some broth that might help,” Steve suggested. He helped Eddie to sit on the stairs as they got in, frowning at the man’s ripped jeans and short sleeve tee. “And also, I’ll grab some clothes for you to wear, too.”
Eddie nodded slowly. “You think that I could just stay on the couch?” he asked slowly. His eyes looked deeply tired, and he was leaning against the wall of the stairs as if it was the only thing holding himself upright.
“Of course. And there’s a guest bedroom towards the back of the house,” Steve suggested. “And actually, I think I left some clothes on that bed,” Steve remembered. “You can change in there, if that’s easier.”
Eddie gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Harrington.”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll warm up some of the broth, too.”
Eddie nodded slowly and made his way down to the bedroom; Steve waited until the door of the bedroom was closed before heading to the kitchen.
Steve was stirring the broth in a pot when Eddie came into the kitchen. He looked up at Eddie and then looked up again. Eddie was wearing his sweatshirt and sweatpants but he swam in them, making him look smaller than usual.
“These are huge, Harrington,” Eddie sighed, grimacing as he swallowed again. “I have no idea how you fit into these.”
Steve looked at Eddie and for the first time, realized how much of a toll that being on the run and on the road had taken on him. He was skinnier than he’d been a few months ago, and most of the proof was in the way he looked in Steve’s clothes. Steve could remember how Eddie looked in his hoodie when he first was at Reefer Rick’s. The sleeves had been a bit long and he didn’t have as broad of a chest as Steve did, but still the sweatshirt fit him well enough. Now, it looked much too big and the sleeves were still long, hiding Eddie’s guitarist hands.
“Joyce will have my head if I don’t get some food in you,” he sighed.
Eddie shook his head, sitting at the small table. “Just some broth would be good.”
Steve raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure? Joyce dropped off a bunch of food and Hopper came over and also gave us stuff. We’ve got enough food to last us a few days.”
Eddie sighed and leaned on the table, leaning on his arms. “Nah, I’m not that hungry,” he sighed. “I dunno.”
Steve gave him a look, stirring the broth again before sitting beside Eddie. “What’s wrong?”
Eddie shrugged. “I thought I was going to have to stay out there,” he admitted after a minute.
His voice was low, but Steve could tell that it was less from his sickness and more from admitting this; he let him continue.
“I was scared, too...I thought it was too dangerous.” Eddie shook his head, his long hair a curtain around his head. “I thought…I thought no one would come.”
Steve laid a hand on the man’s shoulder, ignoring the way it felt bony under his palm. “We couldn’t leave you out there,” Steve admitted slowly. “ I couldn't leave you out there, either. As soon as Nancy called last night, I was pacing, waiting for the chance to get you.”
Eddie looked up at him, about to say something in response, but turned his head and wheezed. He cursed and squeezed his eyes shut before launching into another harsh coughing fit. This one sounded as if Eddie’s body was trying to cough up his lungs, and Steve quickly stood and poured some broth in a cup for him. It was warm, but not hot, and when he sat in front of Eddie, the man shook his head and wheezed, launching into another round of coughs.
“Eddie?” Steve asked, his heart both speeding up and sinking in his chest. “Are you…”
Eddie held up one sleeved hand, taking a minute to wheeze. His face was twisted in concentration, as if he was forcefully trying to stop coughing. He wheezed again, and then managed to clear his throat. “Shit,” he groaned out, a few more coughs following his curse.
Finally, now that he had the breath, Eddie took a sip of the broth and sighed as it warmed his throat and chest. “I’m okay, Harrington.” He took another long sip, letting it warm his chest and throat. “And tell Joyce that she’s an angel,” he said, sighing.
Steve’s own heart was in his stomach as he took in Eddie. The fit had taken the rest of the color from his face, and he looked more tired than he had a few minutes ago. “That cough sounds awful, Munson,” Steve said worriedly. “Are you sure that you don’t want me to call Joyce?”
Eddie shook his head. “Not unless I get worse.” He swallowed again and then took another smaller sip of the broth. His voice sounded gravelly and strained, as if his throat was full of nails. “I’ve had something like this before. It sucks, but with some sleep and soup, I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll taking your word for it, Munson,” Steve said, but his joking tone didn’t quite stay in his voice. “But I’ll keep some broth warmed for you, okay?”
Eddie cleared his throat and swallowed again. “Okay.” He looked at Steve. “You think it’s okay if I crash on the couch instead?” He looked down sheepishly at the floor. “Maybe we can watch a movie or something?”
Steve smiled. “Well, I work at the video store so you’re in luck.” He nodded towards the couch. “Are you sure you can get there on your own?”
Eddie huffed a slightly annoyed breath. “I’m sick, but I’m not in invalid, Harrington,” Eddie responded. As if to prove his point, he pushed himself into standing. “See?”
Steve kept his eyebrows raised and then relaxed as Eddie made his way easily to the couch. For a person who looked as exhausted as he was, Steve was glad that he at least could make it to the couch without stumbling.
Steve poured another cup of broth to bring to the couch, and as Eddie got comfortable, he set up the movie. He let his own thoughts wander as the movie started, wondering what the proper care was for someone with a terrible cough. Was broth and rest enough? What if Eddie got worse? What if the snow got worse and Eddie got worse?
When Steve pulled himself out of his own thoughts, he looked over at Eddie. He found himself smiling slightly at the sight.
Eddie was asleep. He’d leaned his head against the low armrest of the couch and he was curled in the looser ball than Steve had found him in. Eddie’s breaths were even and slow, his eyes closed with one arm still swallowed up by Steve’s long sleeves hanging over the side of the couch.
Steve was glad that his breathing sounded normal, despite his cough and hoped that continued. Carefully, Steve pulled one of the blankets from the back of the couch and laid it over Eddie’s sleeping form.
Eddie shifted slightly under the blanket, pulling it closer around him before going still again.
Steve felt something shift in his heart as he looked over the sleeping man. “Sleep well, Munson.”