Steddie Oneshots

The Fallen Hero (Angst)

- MAJOR SPOILERS FOR VOLUME TWO OF STRANGER THINGS -

In horror, he watched as the demo-bats slowly overtook Eddie, one wrapping its tail around the man's neck and the others hungrily attacked his sides, the sound of sick squelching flesh filling the air. "Eddie!" Steve cried, limping as fast as his legs would take him over to him. He watched as Eddie thrashed helplessly, body spasming as the demo-bats attacked his body, blood spurting from his mouth as he coughed wetly.

Or

Eddie's death scene rewritten, but this time Steve finds him laying there.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

Steve climbed up the makeshift rope with ease, dropping back into Hawkins. He looked down and Eddie, who was, dangerously close to being attacked by the demo-bats. Eddie looked up at Steve through the gate, his upside-down body quaking in its stance. Wordlessly, he looked between Steve and the bats and sent Steve a soft smile. " Eddie " Steve pleaded, waving his hands haphazardly at the man. "Just c'mon man, we gotta go!" Steve continued, panicked as to why Eddie wasn't listening. As Eddie looked at Steve, an unrecognizable emotion flooded his eyes and he picked up his machete, taking a deep breath. As Eddie severed the tie between the two words, Steve looked at him, bewildered. "What are you doing?" Steve hissed, panic filling his body. "I'm saving the world" Eddie replied back, grinning wickedly. With that, Eddie disappeared from Steve's line of sight and Steve's eyes widened, heart hammering in his throat. " Eddie!" he called after the man, but it was no use. Once Eddie made his mind up about something, he was bound to do it. That was one of the many qualities Steve loved about the man.

Their relationship was new, tedious and full of anticipation. Ever since the two met, they were drawn toward each other. It was magnetic, the way their energy fed off of each other. Acquaintances became close friends, to the best of friends, to lovers in an instant. Steve fell deeply in love with the man, even over such a short period of time. He loved the way Eddie felt in his arms, the way the man threw his head back in glee at whatever dumb punchline Steve threw his way. He loved Eddie became so enamored and theatrical when it came to Dungeons & Dragons, and the way he left the kids on their seats in anticipation. There was a lot to love about Eddie Munson and a lot to loathe as well. For one, he was stubborn. Stubborn in his ways, like Steve said, that once the man made up his mind about something, there was nothing that would sway his mind.

Which is why Steve cursed under his breath, dread filling his lungs as he followed after Eddie into the Upside Down, the way he fumbled his way through the gate in order to find the man. The vines squelched as he tugged on them and soon he found himself falling through the gate, gasping out in pain as his leg made a sickening crunch. " Fuck " he panted, grabbing it. He's pretty sure he fractured something, but that's the least of his concerns. Right now, he needs to find Eddie, and fast .

He called out to Eddie into the dark of the night, looking frantically at his surroundings for the man. He half-ran half-limped, gritting his teeth as pain shot through his leg. He opened the door to the trailer to find a swarm of demo-bats swirling around something, the sight causing his stomach to drop when he realized what is was. Eddie .

Eddie stood screaming wickedly, swatting at every demo-bat that came his way, slicing them with his weapon. He held his makeshift shield in his hand, blocking the demo-bats from his face. No no no no , this can't be happening.

In horror, he watched as the demo-bats slowly overtook Eddie, one wrapping its tail around the man's neck and the others hungrily attacked his sides, the sound of sick squelching flesh filling the air. " Eddie!" Steve cried, limping as fast as his legs would take him over to him. He watched as Eddie thrashed helplessly, body spasming as the demo-bats attacked his body, blood spurting from his mouth as he coughed wetly.

All of the sudden, the demo-bats keened, dropping to the floor leaving Eddie, motionless on the ground. "Shit " Steve whispered, finally falling to his knees in front of the man. Eddie grinned softly at the man, holding his sides as he coughed up blood. His teeth shone bright red with blood; it stained his teeth, dribbling out the sides of his mouth. "Hey" Steve murmured softly, pulling Eddie into his arms, grasping tightly onto him. Eddie coughed once more, breathing heavily. He groaned, reaching for Steve's hand and Steve clasped their hands together, eyes welling up with tears. "Hiya Steve" Eddie panted, brow furrowing as he lay there, gasping for air. The words tumbled from his mouth, terror filling his body as he held Eddie, his palms sweaty. "D-Don't move okay? We're gonna get you a doctor, and-" Eddie cut off Steve's rant by shaking his head, gasping in pain. "No doctors, you know I hate that shit" Eddie panted out, a soft smirk on his face. Steve laughed wetly, tears streaming down his face. Even in the most dire moments, Eddie always managed to crack a joke.

They're silent for a moment, Steve cradling Eddie in his arms before Eddie turns his head, looking into Steve's eyes. "I didn't run this time" Eddie states and Steve nods his head frantically, gazing over Eddie's frame. The man was badly hurt and he winced at the implication it held. "You didn't" Steve whispers, moving his hand from Eddie's grasp to stroke at his face. Eddie's eyes fluttered at the sensation, a soft smile on his lips. "I was going to graduate" Eddie pants, and Steve lets out a choked sob, planting a kiss on his forehead. "You still are , dummy" Steve says, a bit frantically. He doesn't like the direction this is going but says nothing. Panic fills his body as each second passes by, Eddie growing more weak and limp in his embrace. Eddie opens his eyes, searching Steve's eyes for something, anything but Steve closes his eyes, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. "Hey" Eddie murmurs, reaching up and stroking Steve's face with a shaky hand. Steve leans in to the touch, swaying slightly as nausea fills his stomach. He feels sick , sick knowing that Eddie did this. But also so mad, so angry at the man for sacrificing himself in order to save a town that hated him . Eddie's words break him out of his thoughts, his voice barely above a whisper. "Take care of the kids, okay Stevie?" Eddie whispers and Steve nods through the tears, not trusting his voice enough to speak. Steve knocks his forehead against Eddie's, feeling the man grow colder by the second. He can't believe this is happening, when their story was just getting started. "H-How am I supposed to live without you?" Steve gasps out between breaths, heart pained. "You'll be fine, Harrington. I know you will" Eddie replies weakly, gaze growing hazy. "I love you so much, Eddie" Steve says, and Eddie softly smiles at him, dropping his hand to his side. "I know" he says, and Steve can't take it anymore. He bends down a connects their lips in a kiss, tasting nothing but blood and regret. Eddie kisses back weakly, eyes fluttering shut as he softly smiles against Steve's lips, his own growing cold. "I love you too" Eddie whispers, before he pulls away, eyes fluttering shut. Eddie drifts in and out of consciousness before his head rolls to the side, limp in Steve's arms.

A gut-wrenching sob wracks Steve's body and he pulls Eddie close to his chest, the man dead weight in his arms. He screams, screams until his throat is raw, screams until Robin and Nancy eventually find him and tear him away from Eddie's dead body. Eddie deserves a proper burial, but as the gate shrinks in size, he has to leave Eddie's body, leave the only man that's ever shown him true love, in the Upside Down, never to be seen again.

And that breaks him.