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Pain was pretty much Eddie’s entire life both before and after his diagnosis. But now that Steve knew, he didn’t have to just push through anymore. Steve was there to remind him to take his pills, remind him to put on his compression socks before they leave the house, and even remind him that it’s okay to tap out if he needs to. Eddie couldn’t be more thankful for Steve and his kindness to him.
After a few days of rest, the approaching weekend meant the party would have different things to do that they needed bussing to and from. This weekend though the group had different plans.
With Dustin heading the operation, as usual, and with help from the rest of the group, they made a plan to have a day at the couple’s trailer. With board games, dungeons and dragons, and a few movies the group would have enough to occupy them for the whole day and well into the evening and still have time to return home before even the strictest curfew. That being El’s, with her father as the chief of police it was a struggle to stay out longer than sunset unless she was explicitly with Max or Steve was watching her.
Saturday rolled around, starting as any other Saturday did for the couple. Steve waking first, always having been an early riser, and going to the kitchen to brew some coffee for them both. Creamer and sugar for himself and oat milk and sugar for Eddie. Having recently discovered Eddie’s milk sensitivity, Steve had tried to make more conscious decisions when it came to their groceries for his lover's health. By the time Steve walks in with both of their cups of coffee, warm and mixed, Eddie is starting to wake up from the loss of his human heat pack, his joking nickname for Steve. They enjoy their coffees, cuddled up in bed with the radio playing and enjoying the quiet of the morning. But that is about where their average morning ends as there’s a very familiar bang on the front door.
After a shared groan and a look from the couple, Steve gets up to go and get the door while Eddie gets himself dressed.
“Dustin,” Steve says, a bit annoyed that his quiet morning with his boyfriend was just interrupted by the teen, “It’s barely nine in the morning, what are you doing here?”
“We made plans,” Dustin says, his usual smile on his face.
“What plans?” Steve questions, “You didn’t call us or anything.”
“Max was supposed to,” Dustin states, “Since we didn’t get to play on Wednesday, because you two were being nasty, we figured we would come hang out today!”
“Dustin,” Steve sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses, having not had the time to put his contacts in yet, “We weren’t being nasty but alright. Let me go talk to Eddie.”
Dustin nods and sits on the used couch the couple found on the side of the road on a drive one day through Loch Nora as Steve heads to the bedroom at the back of the trailer.
Steve finds Eddie struggling a bit to pull on his skinny jeans over his braces and chuckles softly leaning against the door, “You got it babe?”
With a grunt, Eddie gets his jeans up and falls back onto the bed exhausted but smiling his big dopey grin back at his lover, “Yeah, I got it big boy. Who was at the door?”
“Dustin,” Steve says, sitting down on the bed and kissing him, “Said he made plans to hang out today since they couldn’t play D&D on Wednesday like usual.”
“What?” Eddie questions, “did I agree to it when I was high or something?”
“Oh no, he didn’t make the plans with us,” Steve clarifies, “He made plans with the rest of the group.”
“Of course he did,” Eddie half sighs, half chuckles before sitting up and closing his eyes for a minute.
“Are you feeling up to it today? Hanging out I mean?” Steve questions lovingly.
“Yeah. Nothing feels like it’ll fall out at the slightest wrong move and as long as we aren’t doing much then I can keep up.”
Steve nods, “I’ll let Dustin know. Take your time coming out.”
Eddie nods as he leaves and takes a second to collect himself.
Steve walks back to the living room and lets out a fake sigh with a real smile, “I guess you guys can come over and hang out.”
Dustin grins and texts the group chat that the plan was a success and the hang out is on.
As time goes on, more of the kids arrive. Lucas helps Max up the front steps, Will and El get dropped off by Jonathan who stops in for a minute to say hi, Nancy drops off Mike and lets them know she’ll take everybody home after things wrap up. Steve and Eddie look after the kids like usual. They spend the time watching a few movies, playing games, and catching up on D&D. Generally having fun in their usual group, enjoying the snacks Steve puts out.
Around midday, Eddie starts to slow down. Steve notices but keeps his distance as his lover doesn’t look to be in too much pain yet. Over the past few days, Steve spent more time than he would like to admit studying his boyfriend’s mannerisms, seeing how he outwardly and unintentionally shows his pain so Eddie never has to feel awkward about telling him since he will already know.
Eddie definitely started to regret saying yes to the all day hang out as the day went on. Especially after doing his usual eccentricities for their Dungeons and Dragons game. He sneaks off to the bathroom for a minute as the kids debate on what movie to put on.
Luckily Steve notices and follows him, shutting the door behind him and locking it to give them some privacy, “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Eddie says sighing softly.
Steve’s only reply is to give him his signature annoyed mom look, to which Eddie chuckles a bit, “Okay okay. I’m starting to ache.”
“How long ago did you take your pills?”
“Not long enough to take more,” Eddie says with a sigh.
Steve takes his hands in his, pressing a gentle kiss to Eddie’s palm as he rubs them softly, “What can I do to help you? Do you need ice, heat, something topical to help the pain?”
Eddie can’t help but smile at how sweet his boyfriend is, “Topicals don’t really work. Maybe we should try some heat?”
“Okay,” Steve nods, “you go get set up on the sofa or in the chair and I’ll get a heat pad set up.”
Eddie nods and kisses his boyfriend softly, “Thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too. Now go before the kids go crazy in our living room.”
Eddie chuckles and leaves the bathroom going back to the living room, taking his spot in the recliner his uncle gifted them for their move in. He didn’t draw much attention to himself, the boys didn’t even look up from the movie. But, ever the perceptive pair, the girls took notice of his return.
“You okay?” Max asks, having known Eddie since moving to Hawkins a few years ago.
“I’m fine Max,” Eddie says with a smile, “Steve and I had to talk about something really quick.”
Max nods and goes back to watching the movie with El and the boys. Steve comes out with a hot water bottle not long after and cuddles up to him under a throw blanket to hide it.
After two movies, and two hot water bottles, Steve notices Eddie has slowed to essentially a crawl. He didn’t move much from the recliner and looked like he needed a nap badly. Even Eddie knew he had slowed down, as much as he tried to keep up with the teens, and all of the kids started to notice as well. All of them are starting to worry.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Eddie?” Dustin asks, worrying for his mentor and friend.
“Yeah,” Lucas pipes in, “You don’t seem like yourself today.”
Mike nods, “Even I’m starting to worry.”
“Um,” Eddie starts, looking to Steve for support both through the brain fog and to know if he should tell the kids.
Steve gives him a soft smile and sits on the arm of the chair, “You’re all pretty much adults now. I think they can handle the truth.”
Eddie nods and before he can even begin to explain, the teens continue their interrogation.
“What do you mean ‘the truth’?” Lucas asks.
“Yeah,” Mike agrees.
“Have you been lying to us?” Dustin questions, high offense in his voice, “I thought I was your best friend!”
Steve chuckles, “First of all, Eddie is my best friend and I’m his. Second of all, slow it down and we’ll explain.”
With that, thankfully the kids settle down to listen to what’s really been going on.
Eddie takes a deep breath, as if preparing himself for the worst, “We weren’t up all night messing around on Wednesday. I ended up in the hospital.”
With just that, the teens erupt into concerned shouts that Steve thankfully hushes them back down from.
“It wasn’t anything serious,” Eddie clarifies, “I just dislocated my hip.”
That was met with another, less violent, eruption of concern that was once again quelled by Steve and his annoyed mother look, Eddie swearing he was some sort of mother of twelve in his past life.
“About a year ago I was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome,” He explains, “my body doesn’t make or process collagen like normal. It means my joints are loose and I have a lot of other medical problems. I’m on medication for the most severe but there isn’t really much anyone can do about my pain. I’m just getting tired is all.”
Yet another eruption, but this time it was more out of support than concern. All of the kids wanted to know what they could do to make Eddie’s life easier, what they could do to help, and it warmed the couples hearts to see just how much the teens cared.
After another hour of discussion and plan making in the event that Eddie has a flare up or doesn’t have the energy to put up with the, self admittedly, annoying teens antics. Nancy arrived to take everybody home from the couples trailer.
Steve explains to her the situation while the party packs up their things, happy to leave their friend and mentor to get some much needed rest. Nancy’s only reaction is that of unrelenting support, telling Steve to call if the couple ever needed anything before giving Eddie a gentle, friendly hug and leaving with the kids.
“How are you feeling?” Steve asks, handing Eddie his ibuprofen.
Eddie hums a bit, downing the meds with a sip of water, “Sore but I feel looked after.”
Steve nods, kissing his head, “Good.”
Eddie smiles softly from his spot in the recliner, “I mean it. Between you and the kids and Nancy, you make me feel human again. Especially when I feel kinda like nothing more than a decoration.”
“Well, you're more than that to us,” Steve says, “Just know, you as you are is enough for us all. Your comfort comes before plans. Those can be rescheduled.”
Eddie smiles, “Thank you Stevie. I love you so much.”
“We love you too,” Steve says, kissing him softly, “Or at least I do.”
“That’s enough for me,” Eddie says after kissing back, “Now can you help me up and we can go have a hot bath?”
“That sounds perfect,” Steve says with a smile before scooping him up and carrying him to their bathroom.
After their bath, and a well appreciated massage, the two snuggle up under Eddie’s electric blanket to watch their favorite shows together in their bed. Eddie falls asleep not long after and Steve can’t help but smile at the peaceful form next to him.
“You’re my everything,” he whispers softly, “I hope you know, even with your disability, you’ll always be where I am happiest.”
And with that, Steve drifts off himself, as happy as he ever just to be right there next to the love of his life.