(TW: Emotional Abuse)
-Steve's perspective-
"Yeah I know." I sighed into the walkie-talkie. "We're just as wanted as Eddie is now that Jason saw us with him."
"Exactly!" Robin yelled back, causing me to pull the sound further away from me "What were you thinking?!"
I took a pause for a second looking at the boys with a soft smile. It was embarrassing, but I knew the answer. "I wasn't."
"Yup. This is why I shouldn't have been assigned as the babysitter and tagged along."
"Okay, fine! You're right. You're always right, Robin. Just... meet us at skull rock okay?"
"Sure... I'll make sure I'm not followed."
"Okay... see you soon." I say before placing the walkie talkie safely onto the closest hard surface and plopping down onto the ground.
It's true. I didn't think. Eddie was going to die so I panicked and just... went for the most idiotic plan to save him.
I couldn't be without him. But why? We haven't talked in months. It's my fault. I know that. But now that he's a wanted criminal I want him by my side?
What messed up delusions I have of a friendship.
Eddie quietly sat next to me. "I know you were thinking."
"No, I wasn't. I panicked and did the first option without thought. Like I always seem to do....which gets people hurt or killed."
Eddie sighed and crossed his arms. "I don't think I would've made it if you took another second to think. I think...I think you knew that."
I sighed and placed my head between my legs. He was right, but why did I feel so crummy?
"Thanks for saving me back there...I never really got to thank you."
"Well I- We need you here." I say while tilting my head towards him.
"Well... I got you guys in trouble. I'm not sure if I am needed. I've been nothing but a burden."
I was taken back by the statement. It's true. He was what got us in trouble. What he said though, had a sting. Does he really think he's a burden?
"Nope." I say softly. "You haven't been."
Eddie's face turned a light pink before coughing and turning the other way.
Is it possible that he...
No.
Don't do this. It's not the time.
"I promise you aren't." I say while slowly getting up and lifting out my hand for him to take.
Eddie hesitated for a while but grabbed my hand and got up.
Eddie's hand was warm but the metal rings on his fingers were cold to the touch. It was...nice.
"Harrington... you can uh... let go." Eddie mumbles under his breath trying to be cool about how weird I was being.
"I guess I toned out looking at his hand...
Looking up, Eddie's face is a bright red as I let go. Making eye contact on accident, somehow it turned more into a maroon. He quickly turned away and fiddled with his hair.
"Are you guys...a thing?" I hear from behind me. Shit. Dustin. He's here.
"What?! No!" Me and Eddie say in unison.
"Yeah... sure." Dustin says squinting at us before taking his hat off to inspect it for dirt.
Eddie sighed and sat down at the rock. "How long is this going to take?"
"What going to take?"
"For them to meet us here!"
Dustin cut in "It is kind of out of the way from where we left Robin."
I nodded and sat next to Eddie.
"Yeah it is!"
All of us turn around to see Robin coming with a fast food bag in one hand and her waving with another.
"I got you guys food but don't eat it all in one bite." Robin said before placing it down on a flat surface of the rock.
"You're a lifesaver!" Dustin sighed and ran to the food.
"It's been less than a day, Henderson." Eddie says with one of his eyebrows up.
"And? I was hungry."
"Fair enough" Eddie shrugged and reached into the bag to grab out a burger and hand it to me.
"Thanks."
"So what's the game plan, boys? Living in the woods until the cops find you?"
She had a valid point. Where could we stay? We weren't even able to stay at our own homes. That's the obvious first place they would look.
"I guess so." Eddie stepped in "I mean where ever we go we're going to endanger someone."
Robin stood in silence for a minute and took a breath. "We figure this out as soon as possible then and clear your names...deal?"
The three of us shared a look to eachother and nodded.
We'll clear up our names somehow...but now we have to get to the bottom of this Vecna thing.
"To be honest guys, I had a hard time getting here." Robin butts in. "I think your compass is broken Dustin."
Dustin gasped and snatched it out of Robin's hands. "No this thing was working completely fine the other day."
Robin shrugged and sat on the rock. "Must've broken it somehow."
Dustin looked over the compass in silence for what felt like forever. "It's not broken."
Eddie walked up to Dustin slowly and patted his shoulder. "It's done for buddy you could get an-"
Dustin turned to face us cutting Eddie off "there's just a stronger magnet!"
-Eddie's Perspective-
"Henderson!" I yelled out while speed walking to catch up with the fast kid.
"Eddie! This could be the solution to our problems!" He started to speed up.
Jesus...am I gonna have to run to catch up with him?
"But it's daylight Henderson and the cops are looking for us."
He stopped in his tracks and looked up at me. "Yeah... okay... so... we go tonight."
I awkwardly laughed and grabbed the compass "or not at all?"
"We can't just not do this. It could get us out of some real shit. We're doing this tonight." Henderson grabbed it out of my hands and stormed back to the rock.
Damn it. I didn't mean to upset him I just... I don't want him arrested because of me. He has so much left to do.
I followed him from behind slowly back to camp.