The Break (An Eddie Munson Story)

Chapter 49: Bloodied Declarations Of A Desperate Man

A/N: I'm baaaaaack and ooooh boooooy, I loved writing this chapter and I have the next two already outlined in my draft folders. So it's fair to say, The Break will be getting more updates! In terms of the chapter structure, I tried something a little different with this chapter, so feel free to let me know your thoughts.

Content warning: mentions of blood, gore, violence, drugs, arguments and suicidal ideation. Please proceed with caution and be thoughtful in what you choose to read, especially if these things are potential triggers for you.

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There were always consequences to a person's actions. Good or bad, the result would differ but there would always be a final outcome. Eddie knew this, he knew it well and yet, he had allowed himself to become complacent. His 'I don't care' attitude had overspilled into his unpalatable employment. In the past, when he had been late for a drop, there had been significant ramifications of the violent kind. This time was no different. He had been delayed in reaching the agreed destination and so, he had had to pay the price.

It was bad. Like, really bad. So very, very bad. Eddie thought, as dreaded ran cold down his spine. While burning, liquid pain licked at his ribcage. Claiming him more and more, as his body transformed into one giant bruise. Climbing the few steps up to the front door, was a monumentally difficult task. One that the brunet was unsure he could complete, let alone actually unlocking the door but by some miracle, he had managed to stumble across the threshold.

By his calculations, Steve should have been working late at the video store. Apparently, Eddie had gotten his equations horribly wrong because sat at the cramped excuse for a kitchen table, was the one and only Harrington himself. The macaroni ladder spoon, remained paused in itself trajectory between the bowl and Steve's mouth, as he took stock of the sight before him.

One look at the metal head and Steve knew that something was terribly wrong. It did not take a genius or Nancy Wheeler to deduce that Eddie had been beaten black and blue. The telltale patches of dried blood and the way he clutched at his ribs were clear signs that, someone had taken a boot or a bat to his body. Steve did not want to guess which had inflicted the injuries.

More infuriating than Eddie refusing medical aid, had been his reluctance to explain just how exactly, he had come to be so badly hurt. With some wrangling and outright threats, Eddie had eventually conceded out of exhaustion to have the other brunet tend to his wounds. However, while Steve did his best to patch Eddie up, the interrogation did not cease. Truths were begrudgingly revealed and the wrath that followed, Eddie decided, was not worth the clearing of his conscious.

"What kind of Godfather shit is this?" Steve had rightfully demanded, as he carefully peeled away the hem of the Hellfire t-shirt, that had become stuck to the open cut, fused to the breakage by the oozing, stocky red substance.

"Steve-"

"No, save it! I don't..." the video employee almost baulked at the sight of the fibres, thst had gotten caught in the injury, unsure how he was going to tweezer them out, without having to dig into the cut. "Fuck. What have you gotten yourself mixed up in?"

"It's only temporary employment."

"Because you're either gonna get booked or what? Dead? Is that what you want? Do you have no sense? Do you have any idea what they consequences will be if the cops catch you?"

"They won't-"

"Oh, what...because you're a criminal mastermind or something now, right? My fucking mistake."

"Of course not but-" Eddie had been unable to finish his sentence, as he hissed in agony, hands balling into fists and eyes screwing shut, while Steve carefully extracted the caught pieces of cotton from the cut.