𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

061

THIRD PERSON POV

Tossing and turning uncomfortably, reminders of their most recent moments in the upside down plague Steve's dreams. He recalls stumbling out of the house with Ruby draped in his arms, bridal style, eyes falling back to sleep slowly. He recalls running down the stairs of the Creel home to find where Vecna's body once lay was red ash that flew into the sky around them.

He recalls the way they panicked when they realised he was gone.

His body is shaken away, "Steve?!" Eyelids shutter open to find Robin standing above him, concerned look on her face.

"What time is it?" He asks, still groggy from his uncomfortable slumber.

"7am."

Panic strikes through him, "I wasn't supposed to fall asleep!" He's flying himself forward in the pale white chair that he sits in, focusing purely on the bed in front of him.

Machines beep and beep as Ruby lays there on the Hawkins Hospital bed, still as a ghost.

"Steve.. you haven't moved in two days."

It's true, for two days the world had spun around him in slow motion as Steve cried in the hospital room, never blinking, never sleeping, too afraid to move an inch. He'd done nothing but watch her, yearn for her.

Occasionally, others would visit, Robin mostly, followed by Erica, who would rant about her brother and carefully leave her favourite my little pony figurine for good luck.

Nancy would come by and read to her, gossip about her family and how she's still waiting for Jonathan to call.

Lucas spent his time with Max, but would come by to sit with Steve for a few minutes in deepest understanding. Dustin would bring flowers and read stories to her.

Robin continues, placing friendly hand on shaking shoulder, "have you eaten?"

He shakes his head, once beautiful hair now slightly greasy, sticking to his forehead in distress. His body is basically stuck to that chair, a man who can't be moved.

"I can't."

Robin furrows a brow, "Steve.. you have to eat something," she turns to listen to the sound of nurses passing by, "I've heard even some of the staff are worried about you, her nurses are thinking of sneaking you a pudding pot."

He ignores her, focusing solely on Ruby's breathing, the way sometimes her eyes flicker and fingers move, only slightly, but enough to give him hope.

"Please Steve.." At Robin's begging he shoves the hand off of his shoulder and turns to her, sleep deprivation turning into tiny spits of anger, "I can't just leave Robin! I have to be here!"

Her brows shoot upwards,

"Because- because what if I'm gone and she wakes up and I'm not here.." he mumbles through sobs, "she has to know I'm here.."

Robin stares at the man in front of her, broken down by love, tormented by possible death as he cries tears she'd never seen from his eyes before.

"She can't be alone..." he shakes his leg as he cuffs his hands together, gaze never leaving her body.

"How about this, I'll stay here, you go get some food and I promise you, if she starts to show signs of waking up, I'll come get you."