for inhairently

[thefreak]

( The first time Eddie had been whisked away to another world, he had made peace with dying. The city had presented him with an odd conundrum. If he sought to return back to Hawkins, he would die for real. It felt unfair to Steve, who he would not blame for wanting to return.

But the heart wants what it wants, and Eddie couldn't stop himself from falling in love with Steve.

So, waking up in a new world without his second half seemed like cosmic justice, in a way. Maybe Steve got to return home after all. He knows that's not the case, but it feels better than the possibility that Steve is still stuck in the city without him—or worse, that he has been wiped out of existence entirely.

After all, they were just unwilling participants in a simulation. At least here in Neovia, it doesn't feel that way. There are people here, real people in addition to those who share his same predicament. There's a sense of purpose as well. Too long had Eddie spent his days waiting for the next bad thing to happen with nothing to do in between. This place has given him a job without passing judgment about his past and a roof over his head even though he arrived without a single cent to his name.

Deep down, he knows it's too good to be true. But for now, as he strolls into town to pick up groceries for the week ahead, he thinks maybe it wouldn't be so bad to settle down here, at least for a while.

Maybe he can move on and let Steve go. )

Comments

[inhairently]

( Steve barely has time to process what happened with Malin and the Captain and all that before he's waking up in yet another new place. He doesn't trust it. The buildings, the people, the general atmosphere, they all seem fine enough, sure, but he knows better. There's always something horrible lurking just beneath the surface. Give this place a day, he thinks, and there will be torture, nightmares, death. It's always the same.

Though to be fair, it's actually an almost-pleasant surprise when the people in the housing office ask him his name, bright smiles and all. He'd half-expected to be called Number 13. Those friendly smiles do nothing to ease his nerves, though. In fact, the creeping memory of the Village peering just over his shoulder makes him sick enough that he overreacts when the person at the desk tells him he has to pay a goddamn mortgage now. He argues, gesturing dramatically, tells them he doesn't WANT a new house because he HAS a house in Hawkins, Indiana, thank you very much and could they please just let him go fucking home?

But they cannot do that.

Eventually Steve is ushered out, paperwork signed, house key in hand, clueless on his next move and unsure where to direct his anger now. So far he hasn't seen a single familiar face. If he's the only one who ended up here, there's no telling what happened to the others.

The thought is so worrying he turns and chucks his stupid house key down the sidewalk in frustration. It's supposed to be cathartic. He doesn't really pay attention to any people that might be in the way. )

[thefreak]

( Eddie learned long ago that the world isn't fair, especially for people like him. He knows he has to work his ass off to earn the same thing that someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth might get as a gift from their parents. The world doesn't hand out free favors, and it certainly doesn't make people appear right when Eddie yearns for them the most.

So when a house key whacks him in the head while walking with an arm full of groceries, Eddie doesn't think much of it. He curses under his breath and looks down at his feet where the house key has landed. He thinks of a dozen different insults and complaints he can utter.

They all die on his tongue the moment he lays eyes on who threw the key away. )

Hey, what the fuck m--

Steve?

( Eddie's voice goes from full of ire to soft and hopeful in the span of a second. He must be seeing things. That's the only explanation. There's no way Steve could have possibly shown up here. The world wouldn't be so kind. )