Hanahaki From Hell (Steddie + Ronance)

Misconceptions

Right when Robin and Nancy left Eddie and Steve got back to their conversation.
"How could you think I was gonna get with Nancy?" He asked, the sat on opposite ends of the couch, tension sat between them.
"You two were so damn obvious!" Eddie exclaimed, "Clearly we were wrong!" Eddie stood up to walk away Steve followed.
"Wh-" Eddie shushed him.

"Steve stop! I get it if you had it your way you'd die for everyone, twice over, that's just who you are!" Steve was stunned and couldn't speak. "You're a great guy, I know that, she knows that. Given the odds you had a better chance with Wheeler. Can you please accept that maybe people care about you and want you to live!" Steve suddenly felt smaller, as if he was collapsing in on himself.

Eddie was on one now, "You have so many people who rely on you, you know that?" Steve still was silent "I don't want this to sound like I'm measuring your life to Robins, I know this shit is unfair. I just want you to know that you deserve to live just as much as she does!" Steve clenched his jaw.
"Robin almost died today because of a misunderstanding, and it feels like you guys choose me over her!" Steve was shaking with anger, "She almost died because everyone thought she was hopeless, in reality I'm fucking hopless!" Their eyes met, the darkest brown meeting russet.
"What?" Eddie asked in the most gentle way.

The way he asked confirmed to Steve what he was really feeling. Steve shook his head. Suddenly severe pain shot from his lungs into his heart resulting in a wheezing coughing fit. He leaned on the sink as he coughed up seemingly endless bunches of flowers. Eddie ignored whatever they were fighting about and jumped to get him some water.

"Steve?" Steve turned to him after washing the blood out of his mouth. "Let me help you," Steve sighed, "Any girl would be lucky to have you, what's stopping you?" Steve was silent again, he simply studied Eddie. From the way he nervously crossed his arms to his unwavering eyes, he felt comfort in him being there.
"Eds." Steve said with nothing to follow it up.
"Is it me?" Eddie asked and Steve's eyes widened. Steve felt his knees weaken. He was pretty sure he felt vines coming up his throat, "Am I the reason you haven't be lucky with girls?" He asked again. Steve barely heard him,
"Wh...what?"
"I know I've always been sorta a social pariah, and we spend a lot of time together, God knows your parents hate me. A lot of people still think I'm a murderer, am I the problem, like is it my presences?" Steves mouth hung open, struggling with the words being said.
"I.. no.. No that's not it at all."
"That sounded really confident."
"Eds, I mean it."
"It's life or death, Harrington, nows not the time to spare my feelings." Steve was unnervingly quiet. He turned to pick up his keys,
"I'm going for a drive." Eddie didn't protest, not that he had much time to before Steve was gone.

Steve drove with no direction in mind, he just flipped on the radio. Some Van Halen song was on making Steve remember the last time he went for a drive. It was with Eddie and Robin, Nancy didn't come out that night, Jonathan was visiting and they were still dating. At some point Robin had to go home and then it was just him and Eddie. Steve after much begging let Eddie pick the music. Eddie, without hesitation, turned it to the popular metal station.

He remembered being charmed by Eddie's poor singing and air guitar. He didn't remember how the conversation started but at some point Eddie said he'd play guitar for him sometime, a promise that hadn't be fulfilled yet.

Steve notices the lack of pain in his chest as he remembered. He parked the car just outside the woods and rested his head on the steering wheel. He groaned at the sudden return of pain. 
"Please.." He begged for the pain to stop. He wondered why the pain had come back with such force. He turned up the already blaring metal music, an attempt to redirect his attention. The way the music shook his skull reminded him of his time living with Eddie, music was was constant. Of course, he didn't mind, especially because of the joy it brought Eddie. He often thought Eddie was lucky that his neighbors were never home.

He wished Eddie was here with him, at least he'd hurt less, he didn't think of the physical effects of leaving. He wasn't so oblivious that he completely ignored what he was feeling. Only an idiot would think his (not so) casual checking out of Eddie was completely normal buddy things.

He sighed. He thought about Dustin. He didn't want to die, and he knew damn well how it would effect him. He thought maybe he wouldn't be thinking about Dustin if Eddie hadn't yelled at him earlier. Maybe he really would've disregarded any sort of care others had for him. Was he that much of an asshole, he thought.

Thinking of Dustin gave him an idea on what he wanted to do next.

---

Knock knock. Mrs Henderson opened the door.
"Hi, is Dustin here?" Steve asked,
"Oh yeah." She turned and called to Dustin. When he came out he was surprised to see Steve. Dustin stepped out and closed the door.
"Hey."
"Cmon." Steve gestured for him to follow.
"What?"
"Cmon, we're getting pizza." Dustin shrugged and got in the car.

"What's this about?" Dustin asked a bit of hope in his voice. "Are we celebrating?" Steve shook his head,
"Nope." He mumbled, "Do I need a reason to go get pizza with you."
"Yes." Dustin said knowing it wasn't just that. "You're starting to scare me."
"Want me to tell it to you straight?" Steve asked bluntly.
"I guess."
"I'm scared right now." Dustin was fully shocked, as if Steve would ever admit to fear. "I'm scared in a week I'm gonna die."
"Steve-"
"Dustin please." Steve said softly. "Let's just get some pizza, and make this week a good week."