The thought of you

Ch.1

Robin and Steve were at the shelter, which was really the high school but that's what it was operating as at the moment, to help with the earthquake relief.

Steve watched Robin and Vickey interacting. He hoped all would be well with them.

He also felt a bit of dread and loneliness creep over him. He was happy for Robin, but at the same time, he knew if they were to date Robin would spend a large majority of her time with Vickey instead of himself. He felt that it was selfish to think like that. But she had stuck with him throughout it all, and he didn't want to have to spend more time alone than needed. The thought of a creepily quiet home, no one else near, scared him. Sent chills down his spine, made his teeth chatter with fear, it made him feel weak. He was lonely. He didn't want it to be so, but it was.

He just needed to get a girlfriend. Then they would both be preoccupied and wouldn't have to worry about each other. The problem that Steve had faced each time would no doubt come back with a vengeance. He would be too awkward to find someone that would love him, even if they had loved his awkwardness, they would be disgusted by his scars.

Steve had no idea how he would explain the scars. What would he say they were from?

-

Eddie had been left in the Upside down, they could barely get themselves out, let alone a lifeless body. It would have been legitimate dead weight.

Though once Eddie had woken up he was terrified, not for himself, but for Dustin.
He had no idea where the younger was. He didn't know if he was safe. He didn't know if the plan had worked. He laid on the ground, and cried, he sobbed, wailed, screamed, hoping for some motion. Anything. Wether it be one of the kids, Steve, Robin, Nancy, or a swarm of bats coming to finish him, he didn't care.
He couldn't bring himself to rid the feeling of immense loneliness. He felt as though he had no one. That no one even thought to look for him. Not that he had anyone to begin with. He had his uncle Wayne, but he didn't know if he even thought he was innocent.
Right, he was also wanted for murder. He couldn't show his face anywhere even if there was a gate still open.

-

Steve and Robin left the school and were picking up some of the shrapnel that had once been family video. Steve had made it 'inside' without saying a word to Robin, he really didn't know why he was being so cold to her. All she was doing was shooting her shot with a pretty girl, but it felt like she was about to leave Steve.

"Steve what's going on?" Robin finally cut the ever so thick air between them with her voice.
Steve knew why he felt the way he did, but he didn't know why he was putting it on Robin. Robin is his best friend, she doesn't deserve this.
"Nothing Rob, just kind of tired after everything." He lied. Steve made his way behind the counter to start picking up pieces of the ceiling and stray wood from the floor.
Robin soon joined the tedious task and it fell silent once again, other than the occasional crunch of glass, or other shrapnel under their feet.
Robin was the one to clear the air of poison again, "Steve, you're acting weird. What is going on?" She pried.
Steve shook his head and took a deep breath before saying absolutely nothing and continuing to pick up the large chunks, occasionally feeling something cut his hand, but not caring whatsoever.
Robin wasn't going to deal with this, she grabbed his hand and stopped him from doing anything more. "Steve what is wrong?" She asked with a stern voice. As if she was scolding him.

"Nothing is wrong! I just feel like we've done everything we can possibly think of and we still managed to lose more people than saved! Maybe not in numbers, but the people we lost had lived more lives than anyone else in this god forsaken town could ever dream of!" Steve yelled out, his words so venomous that if someone were to hear they may feel ill. Or could be cut with the sharp edge of of his voice breaking. Barely able to contain his tears.
He knew who he was talking about on the last part.
Eddie
That metal head had been the majority of Steves thoughts for the last week. Unable to get the image of his bloodied and bruised body, laying lifelessly under Dustin.
Steve wasn't that close to him, but he felt like he could have been. Could have been great friends. There was something about his dark eyes, and playful attitude even in the most dreadful situations. His long curly hair frizzing up while he was in hiding. They could have been best friends.

"Steve..." Robin said. She didn't know how to respond other than to hug him. She had no idea what has run through Steves head many of times.
The thought of him being in Eddie's place. The thought of him being in max' place. The thought of him being in Chrissy's place. The thought of being in Fred's place. The thought of being in Patrick's place. The thought of any of them surviving, even if it meant his own death.

Steve had no clue why Eddie would have died. It wasn't his place to die for this town. They hunted him as if he was a prize to be won from a scavenger hunt. As if he wasn't a human being.

Steve didn't realize until he felt Robin place her hand on Steve's hair and rub her hand down, with a comforting 'shhh...it's okay' every once in a while, that he was now on the floor pressed against Robins shoulder, bawling.
"They didn't even want him Rob!" He screamed through broken sobs.
The image he couldn't rid himself of while he would lay to sleep, kept flashing, replaying. Over and over again. It felt as if he wasn't sitting in the broken down remains of Family Video. It felt as if he was there again. It felt as if Eddie was here again.

-

Eddie finally sat up with a loud wince at the suddenly extremely painful scabbed over scars popping. He slowly stood, and limped even slower to this version of his trailer.
Unable to bring himself to find a way out, he laid on the bed, and drifted into a cold, empty sleep.