banished (steddie)

act like a man.

Steve woke up to bright white lights shining into his eyes. The room he was in was unfamiliar to him. He slowly sat up in the bed he was lying in and became aware of his surroundings. Steve was hearing loud beeps from both sides of him and mumbling from outside of the door. He was hooked up to different machines, all of which made him extremely uncomfortable and anxious. He didn't enjoy being at hospitals because it always ended up badly. His mindset was that if you were in the hospital, you were going to die.

The door of his hospital room came open and a woman walked in, closing the door with a soft slam behind her.

"Good morning, Mr. Harrington. My name is Diane and I'm going to be your nurse during your stay here. How are you feeling?" She spoke in a honeyed tone, which didn't make Steve feel any more at ease than he already was.

"Fine. What happened to me?" He asked and lifted his head to meet hers.

"You had a stroke, and your blood alcohol content was around 2.2, which is high, especially for your age. You're lucky that you're alive." She explained and started to take his vitals. As she took them, she wrote down the results on her clipboard. It only took her a few minutes to finish. "Now, you'll be able to leave whenever. But you can't drive, at least not today. It isn't safe for you. So do you have a ride?" She added, in a curious tone.

Steve looked away from her gaze and moved his hair out of his face. "No, I don't. Uh- I'll figure it out though." Steve mumbled and returned his gaze to her. She nodded, hung up her clipboard on the front of his hospital bed, and left the room. Steve leaned his head back against the pillow beneath his head and sighed. He grabbed the phone that was hung on the wall and dialed Robin's number. He was hoping she would answer so he could get the hell out of there. The phone rang twice and then the sound of the phone being picked up was heard.

"Hello?" Robin spoke, and Steve let out another sigh- of relief this time.

"Hey Rob, is it possible for you to come pick me up from the hospital? I uh- I had a stroke or whatever and they said I can't drive." Steve complained lazily. There was shuffling heard on the other end.

"Oh god, Steve- are you okay? Never mind that- I'll be there in a few minutes." She replied and hung up the phone. Steve couldn't help but chuckle, she was usually there for him when he needed it. However, he was truly surprised that she answered the phone because she had been together with Nancy and was always too busy for his company now.

Robin soon came rushing into Steve's hospital room and hugged him tightly.

"I hope this wasn't due to Eddie. I know you're hurting, but you can't ruin your mental health. He's gone, there's nothing we can do about it." Robin explained and gently helped Steve out of the room. She walked him to her car and lowered him into the passenger seat.

"I know he won't come back. I don't want to come to terms with it, Robin. I can't." Steve muttered and rested the side of his head against the car door. Robin was getting into the driver's seat when he started to speak.

"You two weren't even close. I don't get it." She closed the door, turned the car on, and began to drive off.

Once they arrived at Steve's house, she helped him inside and into his room. The house was trashed, there were beer bottles scattered throughout the kitchen and his room was full of dirty clothes and bowls and cups sitting on the floor and TV stand.

"Steve, you need to get help; you can't sit in your room and rot all day. He's gone and that's all we can do about it. His funeral is Thursday, you know. Are you planning on going?" Robin said softly and lowered him down on his bed. Steve didn't want the help, but also didn't wanna act rude.

"Yeah, I'm going. For the kids." He said and rolled onto his side. "See you then." He added, and Robin knew that was him politely telling her to leave.

Steve fell asleep once she left, but only for a few hours. He woke up to the front door opening and closing, and footsteps angrily coming up to his bedroom.

"Steven David Harrington! What the hell did I tell you about drinking my beer?!"

Steve immediately sat up when he heard the voice. It was his father. They weren't supposed to be home, why the hell were they home? His door swung open and his dad was standing there angrily with a leather belt in his hand.

"You never learn, do you, Steve? You never fucking learn." His dad barked and stood in front of him. Steve had sunk into his bed, he was terrified of his father. "And now, from what I've heard, we have to pay for your goddamn hospital bills because you wanted to be a damn fuck-up. I'm tired of having to come here every week and deal with your bullshit. You're an adult now; how about you start acting like it?"

Steve nodded. "Yes sir."

"Stand up." His father demanded, and Steve slowly got out of bed and stood in front of him. He covered his face with his hands and braced himself for the belt.

A few loud jingles of the belt buckle were heard, along with loud cries and begs. Steve sunk to the floor and hugged his legs. "I'm sorry sir. I won't do it again. I'm sorry." Steve sobbed. His father tossed the belt next to him and sighed.

"Get the hell up. You need to start acting like a man, not like a faggot." His dad shouted and walked out of Steve's room, slamming the door behind him. Steve stared at his carpeted floor as tears slowly ran down the bridge of his nose. He didn't wanna be alive anymore. Nobody gave a damn about him unless he asked them to, and he missed Eddie so much it made his heart ache every time he thought about him. He would eventually have to start going back to school and endure the laughs and points of everyone who disliked Eddie. The stupid, stupid people who didn't know the truth about him and only believed rumors that were spread.

"Ugh.." Steve muttered and finally got up. He gently pulled his clothes off, besides his boxers, and lay back down on his bed.

"Eddie, please. Just- just let me know you're here. Let me know if you can hear me, or- or feel me, or something. I need to know that you're still here. Please." Steve muttered softly as he looked up at the ceiling. He waited patiently for something to happen. A noise, his voice, something moving, anything. But nothing happened. Steve let out an annoyed groan and shoved his head into his pillow.

"Fuck you. Fuck you, Eddie; I know you can hear me. Fuck you." Steve furrowed his eyebrows and then closed his eyes tightly, slowly drifting off to sleep.