little things; stranger things littlespace oneshots

♡ 21 - alone ♡

cg(-ish)!steve
little!eddie

this was sad 😭 thank you GremlinChild1144  for the request!! :)) hope it was okay <33

Chrissy is Eddie's best friend. She always was, and always will be, even if she wasn't around anymore to show it. It had been a month or so since she had passed, and Eddie felt like he could hardly eat, sleep, or breathe. He was kept awake at night by the haunting images, suffocating in lonely silence without her. He spent many days crying and staring at the ceiling in his misery, and today was no different. He lay on his bed, staring at the roof numbly, wondering if there was something he could've done that day to save her. He needed her. Chrissy wasn't only his best friend and beloved, but also his caregiver. He was hardly able to cope in his littlespace with her. Now that she was gone, it hardly felt the same.

He cuddled into the fuzzy blanket beside him, burying his face into it. It still smelled of her scent, bringing Eddie to tears. The more he was reminded of her, the more he had to face the fact that she was truly gone. He breathed it in, beginning to sob into the blanket.

"Mama, look what I drawed!" Eddie sat on the floor, holding a drawing up for Chrissy to see.
"That's me, and that's you!"

"Aww, baby it's amazing!" Chrissy smiled, picking up Eddie and resting him on her hip.

"I love you so much." Chrissy spoke softly into Eddie's ear.

"Love you too." Eddie grinned, his head buried in her neck, breathing in the all-too-familiar scent.

Eddie smiled weakly through his tears. He held the expression, hoping that he would convince himself to be happy. But it felt artificial. Eddie began to sniffle, soft tears starting up again.
"Mama," Eddie's voice began to shake. "I miss you.."
He looked over at his desk on which his pacifier rested. He hadn't realized how long it had been since he used it. He gazed at it longingly, before getting up and walking towards it. Eddie picked up the smooth black soother, slowly putting it into his mouth experimentally.

And with that, his head seemed to turn fuzzy, his worries fading away. He sat down on the floor beside his bed where he'd left his coloring things untouched. He flipped to a brand new page and grabbed a crayon, scribbling within the lines and quietly giggling to himself every so often. When he finished, he admired his work proudly. He held
up the book, beaming.
"Mama, look! I-" Eddie started before cutting himself off. His smile remained in confusion before slowly faltering, as he remembered.

Oh.

Mama isn't here anymore.

His expression turned to that of fear and sadness as he lowered the book to the floor, hands trembling. He slowly cowered into the corner of his room, grabbing his dragon plushie and holding it tight. He huddled into the corner, making himself as small as possible, harsh sobs racking through his body.

Meanwhile, Steve drove along the road, nodding his head to the beat of the radio, a bike attached to the back.
"You'd better thank me for fixing up your shitbox cycle.." he muttered to himself, pulling into Eddie's driveway. He walked over to the door and reached for the handle and turning it.
"Weird," he thought, "it's unlocked." Steve, inviting himself in, peered around the house. It was strangely quiet for the residence of Eddie Munson- no yelling, no loud music. He did, however, hear a strange faint noise. It almost sounded like someone crying.

He followed the sound, eventually coming to a dead end of a door. Curiously, he opened it without thinking. He saw a curled-up Eddie in the corner, bawling his eyes out. And was that a pacifier and a stuffed animal..? Though Steve found it strange, he decided he wouldn't make any fuss over it. He trusted that whatever Eddie may be needing them for was alright. Steve headed straight towards him, kneeling down and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Stevie.." Eddie choked out.
Huh, "Stevie"? Well, that was new. Steve observed him for a moment. Eddie was acting like a child, and Steve figured that he was in some sort of mindset as well. But who was he to judge?

Steve didn't mind at all. He cooed and picked up Eddie into his arms, pulling him into a hug, whispering soft "shhh"s and "it's okay"s next to his ear. He caressed Eddie's hair softly as Eddie cried into his shoulder.
"It's alright, bud. Let it all out." Steve comforted him, slightly rocking him from side to side. At last, Eddie pulled his head away and Steve sat them down on the bed.
"So, what's got you so down?" Steve asked him sympathetically.

Eddie pulled the pacifier out of his mouth.
"It should've been me." he said, his voice breaking. "Eddie, what?" Steve asked in confusion. "It should've been me that day. Not Chrissy.." he finished, tears running down his face quietly. They sat in the silence for a moment as Steve's concerned expression formed one of shock. He was lost in thought. He couldn't imagine the hurt that Eddie felt, how Eddie blamed himself. To hear him say that it should've been him made Steve's heart break.

"I miss mama.." Eddie cried. Steve pulled him into a hug again.
"I know, Eds. She was an amazing girl, and she'd be really proud of you. And I understand that I can't be her, but.. from now, I'll always be here for you, I'll help you." Steve spoke.
"Really?" Eddie asked with hopeful eyes.
"I promise. You're not alone." Steve said sternly.
Eddie felt a small weight being lifted off his heart. He didn't have to feel so alone anymore, and for now, that was enough for him.

- 965 words