( Eddie frowns. He doesn't know how to convince Steve, or if it even really is his burden to bear. Why he feels so strongly like he needs to prove to Steve that he's not stupid, he doesn't know, but maybe a part of Steve's current spiral reminds him of how he had been before he found his band, before he stumbled across Hellfire and wound up taking over as DM after the previous one graduated.

Maybe Steve just needs a little helping hand. )

Dude, are you kidding? You are smart. Maybe not, like, valedictorian smart, but I mean. You're on track to graduate on time, right?

( Unlike Eddie, who is on his second attempt at senior year. At least it means Eddie and Steve are in the same graduating class now. This is gonna be his year, he can feel it. )

You're gonna get out of here, you're gonna show all those idiots that they were fools to underestimate you, I can feel it.