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The hospital smell of antiseptic and hand sanitizer made Steve’s eyes water. He nervously turned the small gift box over in his hands before taking a breath and walking into Eddie’s room. Eddie’s hospital bed was positioned upright and the small side table had an unfinished glass of water and an unopened Jell-O cup.
Eddie audibly groaned at the sight of Steve and when he spoke, his voice was sarcastic and sour. “Ah, if it isn’t the frequent flier Steve Harrington.”
Steve picked up on Eddie's acidic tone. “Hi to you too,” Steve replied easily.
Eddie’s bruised face was stiff with annoyance. “Third time this week. What an assumption that I even want to visit you, let alone see you,” Eddie snipped.
The statement came out as a sneer and it almost made Steve back away towards the door. But he’d seen the worst of Eddie’s moods to know not to take it personally.
Instead, Steve found a seat at the end of Eddie’s bed. “So what is it today? They make you pee in a bedpan again?” He picked up the green cup of Jell-O and frowned. “Wrong flavor of Jell-O?”
“Steve, please, not today, okay?” Eddie’s voice was strained, and he winced as he turned his head back towards the window, as if the simple movement pained him.
“I just…wanted to see if you were okay,” Steve said, placing the cup of green Jell-O back on the small table.
“Why?”
Steve was quiet for a minute. “I dunno. I shouldn't be worried about you, but I am.” He placed his hands on the blankets, fingering their thin thready texture. “I was on my way home and I suddenly…worried you’d been alone all day.”
“And what, that made you sad so you had to come visit poor old Eddie Munson?”
Steve let Eddie’s brittle words permeate the air for a minute.
“Yes,” Steve admitted. “Yeah, it made me sad. But not out of pity. Just out of…care, I guess.” He placed the small gift box he’d brought on the blankets.. “Besides, I got you something.”
Eddie squinted at the box and held it before using one IV-wired hand to pull at the ribbons and open it.
Eddie’s face tilted into a stubborn smile as he tipped out small twin dice out into his hand. The two were purple with black glitter and white painted numbers. They sparkled under the fluorescents.
“To keep you sane and remind you to keep rolling along,” Steve couldn’t exactly take credit for Dustin’s pun, but it earned another small smile from Eddie.
“Stealing puns from Dustin? Harrington, I thought you were above that.” Eddie stared at the dice watching them catch the light before looking up at Steve. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Steve patted the blankets. “Well, see you tomorrow.”
“And Steve?”
Steve turned at the sound of his name.
“Thanks for coming,” Eddie said softly. “And for caring.”
Steve nodded, and patted the door frame twice before turning to leave.