#ik the neverending story movie didn’t come out till a year later but I swear that reference to THAT SCENE was unintentional

[klausinamarink]

One Kid Gone, Another Up and Vanished (part 13)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 next: Part 14 | ao3

since Christmas is around the corner, I’ll be busy for the next few days so new chapter as a special treat!

It’s an endless cycle of pain. From every heavy breath to the tiniest movement, his leg just pulses in a way that it shoots the numbness through his body and Eddie would see black and white stars. His brain turns into static for what feels like hours. Then once it fades away, the adrenaline comes back, taunting him to get up. But he can’t because he registers his fucked up leg, starting the process over again. 

Eddie hates lying on the floor with all of these creepy vines around, knowing that one can slither to life and grab his ankle, but it’s the best he can do right now. He’s too tired and weak from the fight to bother attempting to sit up. He does thank any god listening for keeping the strength he had for running downstairs to save Will after the demogorgon chomped on his ankle.

He can hear the commotions in the house, both from the Wheeler family trying to restore power and from Will’s scavenging for healing items. 

Healing items. Why did he say it like that? This isn’t D&D anymore, Eddie!

Though at this point and not for the first time, he wishes this is just a very bad dream that he’s gonna wake up from.

Footsteps loudly clamber down the stairs. Eddie lifts his head up to see Will running towards him with arms full of a thick first aid kit, bottles of questionable liquid, some towels, and tons of bandages that could rewrap a mummy.

“Mrs. Wheeler is always prepared for everything.” Will says hurriedly in lieu of an explanation. He drops next down to Eddie with the supplies. He quickly opens the kit and starts pulling a bunch of things out that Eddie can’t keep track of. But then Will freezes, staring between at the items in hand and Eddie’s wounded leg.

“Hey, Doctor Will,” Eddie heaves out a chuckle, “don’t leave your patient hanging.”

It’s a weak joke but emotional distractions are necessary. At least until Eddie sees the absolute panic in Will’s eyes.

“I don’t know how to fix this.” Will says quietly.

Eddie sucks in another breath through his teeth. Looks at the ceiling and makes a quick prayer. He snaps his fingers, catching Will’s attention. “Do- shit, fuck- we have any water left?”

Will stares at him. Then he’s quickly unzipping his backpack, pulling what Eddie’s positive is their last water bottle. It remains uncracked despite how much Will had ran around earlier. There’s about half of precious water left.

”Okay,” Eddie balls the collar of his tee and pulls it to his mouth, “open it and pour it on the wound.”

Will gives him a fearful look, but Eddie’s already biting into his shitty cloth, chest heaving in anticipation. Will looks away, opens the bottle, and pours the water.

It’s not as horrible as Eddie expects, but it intensifies the pain anyways and he screams through his makeshift gag. Fuck, now he can feel the water soaking into the bloody gashes.

“Towel…” He gasps out and Will is quick to delicately dab it on his leg.

It goes on like this for a long time. Eddie quickly pointing to the rubbing alcohol and the bandages while Will follows, his panic ebbing away to tired determination. In the end, half of his leg throbs under the various bandages. His ankle feels much more raw. His jaw hurts from clenching so tight.

But they’re not staying here. Will doesn’t say it, but Eddie knows from his campaigns that spilled blood guarantees monsters. And even though they killed the demogorgon, who the fuck knows if there’s another lurking nearby?

It’s an agonizingly slow process. Every step on his bad leg sends up painful jolts. He’s certain that he can feel the blood draining out of the wound and, boy, doesn’t that make his stomach lurch.

Despite the fragile support of their remaining spear and Will’s own helping hand, Eddie makes it out of the Wheeler house and onto the street. But the strain on his body and the instant awareness of being vulnerable out in the open is making him sweat.

One house down and Eddie falls to the ground. He’s shaking so bad he can’t even hold himself.

“Eddie, no!” Will starts pulling at his arm. “Get up! You can make it!”

Eddie weakly laughs, “N-No-” He stops, feeling his stomach seize and racing up to his mouth. This time, he can’t swallow down the nausea. So he rolls over slightly and throws up. It’s a gross puddle of liquid and uncooked soup, his main diet since he ended up here. He feels a few bits stuck in his throat so he tries to spit, but his mouth is so gross and dry that it makes him gag again. Then it sends him into a coughing fit, rough enough to hack out his lungs.

“Eddie!”

He rolls on his back, staring up at the starless sky while he catches his breath again. A couple of ashy spores kiss the corner of his eyes as if they’re trying to make him cry. Eddie’s certain he can’t cry anymore.

He’s so tired.

“Eddie!” Will leans over him, his bowl cut and tear-streamed eyes blocking his vision. His hands grab underneath Eddie’s shoulders and surprisingly manages to drag and lift him up, though half of his back is still on the ground. “You stupidhead! Move or you’ll die!”

Eddie shudders out another breath, “I really- I can’t get up.”

Will makes a frustrated noise before he punches Eddie’s back and then runs around to his side. He hoists Eddie’s arm over his tiny shoulders and starts pulling him again. This time, Eddie pushes himself through the burning of his body and forces himself up, trying not to lean completely onto Will, given how small and weaker the kid is.

Instead of continuing down the sidewalk, they turn straight to the house right next to them. Eddie makes no complaint to the change of plans, though he struggles to keep his weight from crushing Will.

After too many steps, they finally get through the front door. Once inside, they both collapse right on the spot. Eddie’s chest feels like ice at this point.

He hears Will dropping his things down before getting up and dashing through the hallway. A moment later, he comes back with a bedsheet and some stiff looking pillows. Eddie almost moans with relief as Will places the pillows under his leg and head. Then he diligently throws the bedsheet over Eddie, also covering the space they’re occupying on the cold floor.

Despite the thin bedsheet, Eddie already feels hot under it. He’s not risking in moving his leg again so he keeps perfectly still as Will’s trembling body lies down, pressing close to his side, nestling his face against the crook of Eddie’s neck.

There’s a moment when an array of low barking starts just nearby, making the two of them freeze and hold their breaths. Eddie thinks, Oh fuck, don’t tell me we got wild dogs. Then after what feels like hours, the new pack goes silent. Eddie hopefully assumes the whatever they were, the creatures have left.

Before Eddie can submit to the exhaustion at last, Will suddenly pleads quietly and tearfully, “Please don’t die when I wake up.”

Eddie stops. He stops breathing, moving, thinking. He doesn’t dare to look at Will. This sweet, creative, badass kid who is his only friend in the hell they’re in. This kid who’s hugging him like the demogorgon will appear again and wouldn’t let go anyways. 

Will doesn’t deserve him. Neither does Eddie but goddamn, it hurts trying to convince himself that.

He finally moves, but only his right hand as he fiercely rubs up and down Will’s back. Eddie whispers, “I won’t die, Will. Neither are you.”

Will’s voice cracks, “You promise?”

“Yep. Because we’re the strongest and luckiest sons of bitches in this realm.” 

Will makes a weak laugh before it shifts into a cough. Soon after, his breathing slows to a soft whistling out of his nose. With a small sigh, Eddie closes his eyes and finally sleeps.

It’s a restless one, mostly dreams of being eleven at knocking at Wayne’s closed front door while petal-shaped maws rip his skin to shreds.

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#the boys are very tired #not to worry because tomorrow will be their last day in the upside down! :D #ik the neverending story movie didn’t come out till a year later but I swear that reference to THAT SCENE was unintentional #eddie and will in the upside down au #eddie munson #will byers #stranger things #klaus writes