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Steve was fairly certain that he was going to die.
The odds were against him after all. He was alone in the Upside Down, he was being attacked by killer bats and he had no way to defend himself.
That didn't mean he was going to give up though.
The next few minutes were a blur of fighting and pain, then the terror of seeing Robin, Nancy and Eddie join the fray, each of them coming to what felt like literal hell, to save him. Pushing through the pain he fought back with renewed vigour, until they were finally able to run away.
His father had always said 'real men don't run away from a fight' but Steve felt no shame in running like hell to get himself and the others to safety. Granted there probably wasn't any real safety in this place, but anything had to be better than staying out in the open, exposed to any and all of the creatures to be found in the Upside Down.
Somehow they got out.
Most of their time in this messed up version of their town was lost to Steve. He knew they went to the Wheelers, that they biked to the trailer park and somehow they didn't fucking die. He knew all that, but it was like he was watching someone else do the things they did. The bites burned and ached, it was hard to think or focus so he just went along with the group, pushing through and shoving the pain down to a corner of his mind. The most vivid part of the whole ordeal was Eddie Munson handing over his vest so Steve didn't have to run around shirtless as well as injured.
It wasn't until Nancy almost got taken by Vecna, until they were back through the gate, that reality truly set back in.
He hurt.
He hurt so fucking much.
How he had managed to run, to ride a bike, he truly didn't know. He must have been running on pure adrenaline and now it was wearing off and he could feel everything.
The bites, the scrapes along his back. The fucking pain in his neck from being strangled by a bat.
He managed to stay upright long enough to slip away to the bathroom. With the door latched behind him he pressed a hand to his side where the worst bite was. He doubled over, the pain making his head spin, and tried to slow his breathing down.
"Fuck," he muttered, pulling his hand away to find he had bled through the makeshift bandage Nancy had tied around his middle. He tried to find something in the medicine cabinet above the sink, but found nothing beyond some bandaids and aspirin.
Sinking down to the floor, he readjusted the bloodied bandages and closed his eyes, a short whine passing his lips before he pressed his free hand against his mouth, stifling the sound. He held his breath a moment hoping none of the kids had heard, only relaxed when none of them knocked on the door.
He moved his hand away from his mouth, bracing himself against the vanity to try and stand, when someone knocked.
"Steve?" came Eddie's voice from the otherside of the door.
"Just a-just a minute," Steve replied, trying to push himself to his feet. Instead of standing he soon found himself back on the floor, dizzy and groaning.
"Steve, I'm coming in," Eddie called, before opening the door. He was on his knees at Steve's side an instant later. "Fuck, Steve, what do you need?"
Steve just shook his head and clutched at his side. Eddie tracked Steve's movements and he cursed at the blood soaked bandages wrapped around Steve's torso.
"Ok-ok, Stevie we need to do something about these bites before you bleed out on my bathroom floor."
"First aid kit?" Steve asked, looking around the bathroom like it might suddenly make a first aid kit appear.
"Ah no, I mean not one that'd help anyway. Stay put I'll ask the others," Eddie scrambled to his feet and back out to the others.
Steve just resigned himself to staying put and tried to keep pressure on his wounds. Moments later Eddie was back with Nancy and Robin in tow.
Nancy set to work removing the makeshift bandage that had partially stuck to Steve's side, while Robin dug through what appeared to be Dustin's backpack.
"Got it!" Robin cried, brandishing a small first aid kit in the air before passing it to Nancy. Despite it being cramped in the tiny bathroom Eddie squeezed his way in, helping Steve lay back with his head in Eddie's lap. Eddie ran his hand through Steve's sweaty hair, attempting to soothe him in any way he could while Nancy and Robin disinfected and re-wrapped Steve's wounds.
Steve let himself drift, letting the soothing motion of Eddie's fingers carding through his hair relax him, at least as much as one can relax while two people pour antiseptic on gaping wounds. He found himself wondering when exactly he had started to find Eddie's presence soothing, comforting. He couldn't dwell on it too much though, this was not exactly the best time to decide he maybe had a crush on someone. Especially when said someone was on the run from the police and they were trying to once more battle monsters from another world.
He was pulled away from his spiralling thoughts when Nancy broke the silence.
"It's not the greatest, but it's better than before," Nancy said, sitting back on her heels.
Steve blinked up at her, then just closed his eyes again and nodded in thanks, relaxing back against Eddie for a moment before trying to sit up. Nancy stood and washed her hands before leaving the small bathroom, giving Steve space to get off the floor.
Robin was still on the floor by Steve's side and she squeezed Steve's hand before standing as well.
"Just stay down until you're ready Steve, and next time you're bleeding half to death tell somebody dingus!"
"Sorry Rob," Steve muttered, exhaustion clear in his tone. Robin grabbed the first aid kit and left the bathroom, following Nancy back out to the rest of the group.
"You doing alright now Stevie?" Eddie asked quietly, hand still running through Steve's hair.
Steve was exhausted and still in pain, though at least now he wasn't actively bleeding.
"Better," he finally answered. "Can you help me up?"
"Of course." Eddie helped brace Steve from behind until he was sitting up again. Steve paused, taking a few deep breaths and Eddie just sat there, supporting him as he tried to regain some strength. Once Steve started to move again Eddie just stayed close, hands nearby incase Steve needed any help.
Once Eddie seemed certain that Steve was not about to keel over he backed off a little, following him back out to the living area.
Just before they entered the room Steve turned to Eddie, causing the metal head to stop in his tracks.
"Everything ok?" Eddie asked, looking Steve over as though he expected to see him bleeding once again.
Steve nodded, reaching out to grasp Eddie by the hand.
"Thank you, for everything I mean. For following and helping, for the vest…for keeping me calm in there. Just… thank you."
"No problem Stevie. No problem at all," Eddie replied, squeezing Steve's hand for a long moment.
Then the kids were there, asking if Steve was alright, demanding to know what they had seen.
Steve and Eddie were pulled in different directions by different teens but they continued to watch each other.
Steve decided that when this was all over that maybe Eddie Munson was someone worth taking a risk for.