#but that wasn't really common when he was considered a weak limb of the family

[celosindion]

Washington knife.

type: one shot

Pairing: Cole Cassidy x m!reader (Cowboys >>>)

Warning: struggle, pain, loss of consciousness, weakness, aches, healing, support, first aid, rest, spending time with a crush, mentions of injuries,

Summary: The fight in Sector Zero doesn't end well for you. You return to the base badly injured, but despite the pain, some man is terribly worried about you

words - 1921

signs/characters - 10600

sentences - 201

---

How did you get here? Since when are you here? How long have you known these people? How long have you been an Overwatch member? Your only answer... is that you've been here with them since you were a child.

You remember nothing but the Overwatch base and its members. You've only heard stories from the oldest members that you were a homeless orphan of great power. The heroes during the mission took pity on you and provided help. They took you with them. Since then, you've trained with them, developed, learned, and practiced the control of your power. These people were like family to you. You kind of adored them, but you still felt a longing for something you'd never experience again. Your own family. You won't have a father who asks you to help with some knitting, you won't have a mother who asks you to bring groceries home, you won't have siblings with whom you would argue over trifles.

Still, you were grateful for your current family. These people have taught you that even if you hit rock bottom, you have to pick yourself up and bounce back. They taught you to be a tough man who can take care of himself, not to mourn losses, because such losses can devastate a person mentally as well as physically.

But what was your power? Well, you can control the air, the wind in every way. You can shoot streaks of wind at your opponent so strong and sharp that they can even kill them. Your friends laugh that you are the missing second lord of the wind, Aang's brother.

But it wasn't the laughter that changed you... It only took one battle...

You felt your mind drifting away. All sounds stopped reaching your ears. You stopped having any awareness, you weren't sure if you were falling asleep, if the method of meditation that Hanzo gave you was working. You didn't even remember how you posed to meditate, you couldn't even feel your limbs.

- Y/N! - You were snapped out of your meditation by a low voice that you knew very well. Anyone who has ever worked at an Overwatch facility would recognize that voice. Winston.

You lazily opened your eyes and looked at the scientist. You felt sleepy. So you did fall asleep. You really need to work on this method.

- Yes, Winston? - You slowly got up off the mat and straightened up. You slowly began to stretch your muscles and limbs. The gorilla pushed his glasses up his nose and walked heavily over to you. He sighed and looked at you with worried eyes. Something happened and he wasn't happy about it. It's common knowledge that if Winston is worried about something, it's wrong.

- Sector Zero. - He paused for a moment, as if considering the right choice of words. - Secto Zero attacked Washington. The number of opponents is huge. We need everyone. You too. - He paused looking at you. He, as well as you, knew that you were not yet experienced. Yes, you've been on a few missions before, but they were less important.

You nodded. This is your 5 minutes now! After your confirmation, the gorilla left the room and went to prepare the plane and gather the other members. Your tight turtleneck and sweatpants have been replaced with a special suit. It was gray with gold stripes. After getting dressed, you quickly left.

You went to the hangar where all the planes and other vehicles were. You were right, there was the rest. Your outing party included Mei, Treacer, Mercy, Winston, Lucio, Brigitte, Cassidy and Reinhardt. Cole immediately winked at you. There was a slight smile on his lips. You gave them a quick smile. You got on the plane. So it's going to be a big fight.

During the flight the weather changed dramatically. The sunny sky was replaced by thick, dark storm clouds. Perfect for this occasion. You had your eyes closed. You listened to the conversations of people from the team and the roar of the plane's engines.

You opened your eyes as soon as you heard a grunt. Your eyes met dark cowboy irises. He gave you a reassuring smile and nodded. - It'll be fine, dove.

You nodded and replied quickly. - Of course it will. We will win. As always. - The man just snorted and put the unlit cigar in his mouth. You and Cole had a strange bond. You were close, you practically never parted, and yet you were afraid to get close to each other in this one particular way.

-Just take care of yourself, little swallow. - He added more quietly. You just nodded your head in agreement. Some of you at Overwatch said you were flirting with each other. You frolic at night, but it wasn't true. Maybe you just didn't want to get close to each other because you were afraid of the other person's opinion?

- We're going to land! - The pilot's voice came over the speakers. It's time to get ready. You turned your head so that the bones in your neck snapped. You did the same with your arms and back. As soon as you landed, you got up and waited for the hatch to open so you could exit the plane.

The hatch opened and you stepped out. Nothing happened to meet you. Not a single robot. You started looking around. Maybe it was a false alarm?

- Something's not right here. - Said worried Mei.

- Yes... Something is wrong here. - You answered.

However, you didn't have to wait long. An army of robots emerged from the building opposite. You were in the big square. The robots started firing, and you did not owe. You engaged in combat. Everyone was focused on a common task. Stop Zero Sector.

You didn't do well. The robots kept coming, and you were only a handful. The fact that it started raining didn't help either.

Still, for your first serious fight, you did great. You pushed back attackers, crushed them with a blast of air, even managed to cut a few in half!

Sometimes you glanced at others. You helped them sometimes. In time, you ran into Cole. You destroyed the robot that was about to attack him, and Cassidy destroyed the one that was about to attack you.

- You're doing well, candy! - He laughed. Of course, old Cole.

- You too, old man! For an old bastard, you haven't rusted! - At your words, he laughed loudly.

- Yes, sure, sure. Never mind, take care rookie! See you later! - And with that you split up again.

You fought bravely and fiercely for a while until you heard a loud scream.

You immediately turned your head to look for the source of the sound. And you found. It was a little girl, scared, huddled in the corner of the bench. One of the robots was approaching her. Seeing this scene brought back memories to you. You were small when you lost your parents in the fight, you wandered the streets alone, people spurned you because of your power. However, in one of the fights, it was Overwatch that took you in. Anger welled up in you. You will not let the same or anything else happen to this girl now. Air swirls formed around your hands, your eyes faded. You let out a horribly loud scream and threw your hands out in front of you. Great gusts of air scattered all the robots in front far away. It all took a moment, but it felt like an eternity.

You dropped your hands and walked over to the girl. She looked at you with wide eyes, breathing heavily. You accidentally choked her with some air. - Hey, hey. Easy now. You're in no danger, little one. You raised your hands in a reassuring gesture.

- My name is Y/N. Y/N L/N. - You smiled slightly which she returned. The moment was cut short by Cole's terrified scream.

- Y/N watch out!

All you did was turn around. All you saw was a robot swinging a large blade. After that, you just felt a lot of pain. You looked down and saw a torn costume and underneath it a wound stretching from the chest to the left hip. All you heard was the muffled scream of the girl you saved. The cold air and raindrops touched the ribs and insides exposed by the wound. the rain mixed with blood began to run down your belly and legs until it formed a large bloodstain beneath you.

You started feeling weak. You didn't know if it was because of the wound or from the wound itself. Your vision began to blur. You've been losing too much blood in a short time.

Your legs gave out under you, you didn't even have the strength to raise your arms. So this is how you're going to die? Killed on your first major mission? Will you leave everyone like this? Will you leave Mei with whom you were promised to Mochi? Will you leave Mercy who was like an aunt or mother to you? Will you leave the Cole Cassidy you loved so much? Maybe you need to. Maybe it had to happen.

The last thing you felt was your head hitting the hard floor of the square.

-Y/N? Y/N! - Muffled voices began to reach your ears. You laboriously opened your eyes. The blurred world began to return to normal. You've regained your focus. You propped yourself up on your elbows, but a slender hand pushed you back onto the bed.

- Don't get up yet, big guy. You're too weak. - You recognized Mercy's voice. She was leaning over you. She was checking your vital signs on the machines. - You gave us quite a scare.

- How long was I unconscious? - You managed to ask. Your throat was so dry you bet it was nothing but desert. You swallowed and coughed.

- You've been sleeping for exactly four weeks.

- What about the girl? - You asked. At your question, Mercy laughed and gave a pitying look.

- Really? You slept four weeks and you're asking this?

- What about her. - You didn't give up. You had to find out if that little soul was okay.

- She's safe, don't worry. You have water here, by the way. - The woman handed you a glass of water, which you drank greedily. You handed her the cup back with a soft sigh. -By the way, there's a gentleman who, as soon as he hears you waking up, can't wait to talk to you. - She gave you a knowing smile and left. You just rolled your eyes. While you were waiting for your new guest, you lifted the heavy quilt. The sight you saw... You gasped. From the middle of your chest to your hips, there was metal in the colors of your costume.

- Shit...

- Y/N? - A voice suddenly rang out. Your cowboy.

- Now I'm like you old man. - You laughed slightly. Your throat still hurts a bit. Cole sat down on the stool next to your bed and laughed softly.

- You know.. You scared us. Everyone. Me too... - You immediately noticed tears gathering in Cassidy's eyes, ready to cascade down his handsome face.

- Don't be afraid cowboy anymore. I'm safe.

- Y/N I... I was so scared that I lost you... Dove... I love you. - The last sentence escaped hoarsely from his mouth. He was exhausted, and it didn't help that he was probably stressed out about it all. But now you are with him.

- Yes, I love you too, old man... We have to catch up.

+++

I FINISHED! I tried my best to write it. I think I could have done it :)

Please don't copy my works!

[blaqcats-fics]

(He's) Just a Phase – Part 3

MASTERLIST

Word Count: 3.2K

December 1993

Relocating to Los Angeles has been an adjustment for Steve. Seattle was cozier, and he had the potential to settle down there, given the chance. On top of that, Steve made many good friends and acquaintances in a short time while living in the Emerald City.

Steve felt a sense of unease in Los Angeles as if he didn't belong there like many others. He had grown up with a wealthy family, despite the fact he had been cut off, but now it seemed that comparatively, his parents wouldn't have been considered special in any sense in the city. His mind briefly wandered to the Byers family and how they made it in California. It baffled him that Joyce had seemingly found success here despite being a single mother. California was proving to be much more expensive than Steve had ever imagined, yet Dr. Owens seemed to have some kind of influence on their luck. Despite the privilege Steve was born into, he couldn't deny his growing anxiety, especially since California was a different beast compared to Hawkins or Seattle.

Steve barely had time to enjoy Los Angeles as it was. He was busy day in and day out, and most days, he was close to just giving up and living with a void inside of him. However, the moments of weakness were always short-lived because Steve's mind never strayed to far away from the thought of Eddie, especially when the other man was almost close enough to touch.

It was common knowledge that Eddie lived in Los Angeles, and with that knowledge, Steve made it a mission to avoid going out to different bars and restaurants. Instead, he stuck close to the studio he was working for and spent his free time learning meaningless skills. He had been in the middle of learning how to crochet, and it was enough of a hobby to keep him distracted. It also helped that Kacey kept him busy enough as it was when doing his new job.

'You can't be a one-man deal,' Kacey said, sitting at her desk. She was perched on the large mahogany surface, nibbling on the end of her pin. 'You can, but you need a band to back you up. Unless you have invisible hands that can magically play different instruments.'

Steve was sitting on the floor, different pages scattered around him. The pages were a mix of other things, upcoming dates that Steve needed to memorize, resumes of people eligible to become his manager, and deadlines to meet for his debut. It was enough stuff to make Steve feel dizzy.

'I don't think I'm not functional,' Steve joked. 'But putting together a band won't hurt. I can't just play every song with a guitar that's on its last limb.'

Kacey hummed. 'Your sound,' she began, 'Did you ever figure out what you wanted it to be?'

Steve nodded. It was different from what he was used to or comfortable with. He didn't listen to rock music, and he didn't listen to metal music, but he needed something loud because if it wasn't loud, then there was no way it was going to reach Eddie.

'Something loud,' he said. He cringed slightly. 'Sorry, that's vague.'

'Uh-huh,' Kacey said, eyeing him. 'Rock? Metal? I don't think either of them really suits your vibe.'

'What's my vibe?' Steve asked, pulling his scrunchie from his wrist and pulling his hair into a ponytail. He pulled his knee to his chest, resting his cheek on his knee, and loudly yawned.

Kacey hummed, examining him.

Steve felt scrutinized under her gaze and felt his skin start to crawl. Bowie lifted his head up from where he was lying and let out a low whine.

'Can you not stare at me, please?' Steve asked. He looked at Bowie, patting the empty space next to him. He watched with a small smile as the rottweiler came over, laying next to him and putting his head on Steve's leg. Bowie's tongue rolled out his mouth as he looked up at Steve with a droopy look. 'Hi, sugar-plum,' he cooed, moving his hand to scratch Bowie's head.

'Sorry,' Kacey said but didn't sound apologetic. 'Grunge or alternative rock, maybe. Something similar to Kurt Cobain.'

Steve hummed as he absent-mindedly petted Bowie. 'Can we experiment with that before we settle on it?'

'Of course, we can,' Kacey said. 'We can go to a studio and get a producer to sit with us and figure out what suits your voice and message best.'

'It has to be loud,' Steve said.

'Remember that the most important things don't always scream the loudest,' Kacey said. 'You're message won't get across if the public doesn't like you, and for them to like you, you need to find a sound that fits your voice.'

Steve stared at her for a long moment before sighing. ‘When’s the soonest you think we can get in the studio?’

Kacey glanced up at the clock that sat above her door. ‘It’s only 1,’ she mumbled to herself. ‘Let me call Cameron and see if he has a space open today. He mentioned something back, having just one or two clients today.’

Steve nodded, moving his hand away from scratching Bowie. He picked up a few pages with song lyrics messily written. He tapped his foot anxiously, ‘How’s this going to work when I don’t have any of the instrumental parts written?’

Kacey glanced at him, ‘Don’t worry about it for now. You mentioned you can’t read music, right?’

He nodded, ‘Kinda just figured it out. I know a few notes and things, but just enough to get my way around a guitar.’

'That's fine. Plenty of artists don't know how to read sheet music. Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen, Bob Dylan,' she rambled off a list of names. 'They've made it big without reading sheet music.'

'Alright,' Steve said hesitantly. He knew who they were, but he also knew they were already prominent in the music scene. Moreover, they probably had backgrounds in music, whereas Steve had none.

'Have some confidence in yourself,' Kacey said. She reached over to her phone, punching in numbers that Steve couldn't identify from where he was sitting. He assumed she was calling Cameron to see if a spot was available for him to come in.

Steve pulled his gaze away, looking back at the sheets of paper in his hands. He mouthed the words, taking a moment to process the lyrics. He frowned for a moment, going back and re-reading to make sure his mind didn't change any words on him. He continued making sure everything made sense while he listened to Kasey strike up a conversation on the other side of the room.

He closed his eyes, thinking of the lyrics as he tapped his hand against his thigh, trying to find a rhythm matching the song. He scrunched his face up, changing the pace. It would be easier to hear the music with different instruments, but Steve didn't have access to that yet, and the song didn't seem right with an acoustic guitar. He let out a sigh, mumbling the lyrics under his breath.

‘Sorry to break your concentration, ‘Evie,’ Kacey spoke up, hanging up the phone and pulling Steve’s attention toward her. ‘Cameron has an open studio since one of his clients flaked. Said that we should head there if we wanna keep the room.’

‘Sick,’ he said. He started gathering up the pages scattered around himself and stuffed them into his binder. ‘Will the studio have a piano?’ he asked.

‘Of course, it will,’ Kacey said, pushing herself off her desk, gathering her belongings. ‘Why?’

‘I think I want my debut to have a piano base,’ Steve said, unsure of the technical term. ‘But not in a somber way? Kind of upbeat?’

Kacey grinned, 'You might want to play around with the keyboard then. It's the same understanding as a piano, there are different sound settings you can mess around with.’

‘Well,’ Steve pushed himself off the ground, Bowie standing with him. ‘I might have a debut record under my belt.’

The studio was spacious for one person. It was a bit terrifying, despite Kacey being on the other side of the glass. He wondered if the room would feel claustrophobic with other band members. He wondered how chaotic it would be, given the idea that Steve would even get along with his future band members. On the other hand, Steve knew that Eddie probably found this part of the process exciting, just after performing concerts in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

'Alright,' Cameron's voice echoed in the studio. 'Go ahead and get a feel for the instruments and the equipment, and whenever you're ready, we'll start. Sound good?'

Steve sent him an awkward thumbs-up, clenching his throat and forcing his gaze onto the keyboard. It was well-kept, he noticed. Someone who knew what they were doing had obviously taken care of it. The paint glimmered under the lights, like wet stone or a diamond chiseled into intricate designs. He didn’t live under a rock, but it seemed more complicated despite being smaller than a normal piano. The buttons and settings were probably more intimidating than they really were. It also didn’t help that Steve really knew nothing about pianos. He liked how they sounded, but the last time he played one was in elementary school when his mother forced him into lessons.

He plucked a few keys, listening to the tone. It sounded slightly off compared to a piano, but Steve ruled it out because the keyboard was electric. He glanced at the settings and changed the sound, cautiously plucking another few keys, grimacing at the sound. He shook his head and continued trying different modes until he found one that sounded right. It was almost like the grand piano but sounded a little bit different.

‘Okay,’ Steve said, looking towards the window.

‘Ready?’ Cameron asked.

‘Yeah,’ Steve nodded. ‘I’m still going to have to get used to the keyboard, but I’m good enough to throw around something.’

‘Sounds good, kid,’ Cameron said.

Steve bit the urge to correct him, but he adjusted his headphone on his head, situating himself in front of the microphone, and ran his fingers over the keyboard. He glanced at where Kacey was sitting beside Cameron, and she gave him a wide grin.

Swallowing, Steve glanced to where Bowie was lying, trying to find comfort in his presence before pressing down on the keys and playing a few notes before shaking his head. ‘Can we start again?’

‘You’re the boss,’ Cameron said. Steve watched him move around. ‘You’re good to go.’

Steve repeated as he did before, stumbling along a few keys. The same pattern repeated itself — play, fumble, repeat.

It wasn’t until nearly two hours that Steve started getting the hang of how he wanted the song to be played.

‘Again?’ Cameron asked.

Steve nodded. He didn't bother to look over. He waited for the green light before diving into playing the keyboard. He didn't focus on his vocals, just on creating the song's beat. He nibbled his lip, coming to a stop after a few minutes. 

‘That’s it,’ Steve said. ‘I need to add in some strings and the vocals. Then we can put it together? See what we get?’

Cameron nodded. ‘Sounded good,’ he said. ‘Give me just a second, and then we can start on whatever strings you want to use.’

Steve nodded. He looked around the space and walked towards an electric guitar. He hadn’t ever played one before, but it was nearly the same as an acoustic — under his assumption. Eddie had always made playing the electric guitar easy, but Steve wasn’t stupid. Eddie had played guitar for a long time, probably before he moved in with Wayne. Steve had only been playing guitar for two years. He still fumbled around, nowhere near perfect. 

He plugged in the guitar, moving his hand to the head of the guitar, adjusting the tuners. He plucked a string, testing the tune before adjusting them again. He walked back to the microphone, humming to himself as he played some chords, figuring out a similar pattern to the piano. 

‘You ready?’ Cameron asked.

Steve glanced at him and nodded, 'As I'll ever be.'

Cameron nodded, ‘Go for it.’

Steve swallowed nervously, starting at the CD that rested in Kacey's hands. Two weeks ago, Steve was just messing around in a studio, and now suddenly, he had an EP with three songs that could be his debut. He didn't expect the CD to come in so fast, though. 

‘This CD is your future,’ Kacey said. ‘There’s only one thing wrong with it.’

‘What’s wrong with it?’ Steve asked instantly, heart jumping. Bowie nudged his ankle, and Steve tried to calm down. ‘I’m fine, Bows.’

Kacey chuckled, 'Nothing bad, I promise. You just can't leave these songs untitled.'

Steve let out a sigh of relief. ‘Don’t scare me like that,’ he huffed. 

‘I’m your manager,’ Kacey shot back. 

‘That doesn’t mean you get to scare me!’ Steve exclaimed. 

Kacey wiggled her fingers at him, ‘I can do what I damn well, please. Now, you have three tracks that need naming. These are like your children. Name them carefully.’

Steve rolled his eyes. ‘The first track,’ he stated. ‘Hind-sight. I figured that one out already. That one’s probably my favorite one.’

‘It is a good one,’ Kacey agreed. 

Steve watched as she wrote on the back of the CD packet, pulling #1 Hindsight on it. ‘I thought that one could be the song I used to debut?’

Kacey leaned back in her chair. ‘If I could, I’d let you do it, but once we name these, I have to give it to Jared. He will sample your tracks to people, and whichever song warrants a more positive reaction gets debuted.’

Steve groaned. ‘Damn.’

‘Sorry, ‘Evie,’ Kacey said. ‘Thems the dice.’

‘That’s fine, I guess,’ he sighed. ‘The third track,’ he continued. ‘Momentary.’

‘The second one?’ 

Steve closed his eyes, thinking. ‘End of Beginning.’ 

‘Well,’ Kacey started, writing the rest of the titles on the back of the packet, ‘The EP is officially finished.’

‘Yeah?’ Steve grinned.

‘Yeah.’

‘What happens once the debut song is decided?’ Steve asked, glancing at his lap as Bowie rested his head on his leg. He moved his hand to scratch his head.

‘We release it,’ Kacey shrugged. ‘And depending on how well it’s perceived, we drop the rest of the EP over the next few months. During that, your schedule will start filling up more, and you'll start making enough money not to live out a hotel room.’

Steve felt his heart sink at the thought of the hotel room. He was desperately trying to find a job, but it seemed like every opportunity was ten times harder to come by in Los Angeles than he expected. With Kacey constantly demanding his time at her office and in the studio, Steve could not find a job that could sustain him for long. The only thing keeping him afloat financially was the money from the music record. Unfortunately, they refused him a proper apartment, so all he could hope for was a small hotel room with a bed, hot water, free coffee, and complimentary breakfast. Even though this should’ve been seen as a dream come true, he still felt despondent about settling for less than he deserved.

Kacey was the only friend that Steve had made in Los Angeles, and he soon realized how lonely he was without his other Seattle friends. Even though he had come to Los Angeles with a singular goal, sometimes the longing for home and the people he had left behind overwhelmed him. He found himself wishing for conversations with Robin and his kids more and more often, missing the days when he talked to Sam, Gale, and all of the other people he had known in Seattle.

As the days passed, Steve's doubts lingered. He had sacrificed so much for something that might not be worth it. He cherished Eddie with all his heart — and he would never stop loving him — but a part of him questioned if leaving was his only option. He could have continued to live in this empty state, never daring to feel anything more than apathy. But Steve knew life wasn't worth living without closeness, passion, or purpose.

Doctor Newman had said that Steve only had to forgive himself to heal, but Steve wasn’t sure. He knew he had to tell Eddie his truth in an apology, even if it meant being ignored. The thought of a forgotten apology torturing him fueled an unbridled amount of anxiety. The idea of not being forgiven for something he could not control tore him apart inside. His parents had been the type to never apologize, or if they ever did, it would be empty and shallow. But Steve knew better than most that a simple apology was powerful — it didn’t matter whether it was accepted. It was unheard of, but the hopelessness of letting Eddie know how sorry he was weighed heavily on his mind. He hoped Eddie would hear his plea loud and clear and accept that many truths can lie within an apology.

'Depending on the popularity of your EP, we'll schedule a meeting with a screenwriter to develop a music video. If the script is accepted, we'll start with you meeting a choreographer and setting up a meeting with a director to shoot the video. Then we'll sell the video to be played on MTV,' Kasey continued to speak. 'Music videos push you to the top, and there's no way that your ex won't see it.'

Steve licked his lips, 'What if I don't want to do a music video? I don't really want to show my face yet. Not until I write the song.'

Kacey gave him a long look, 'We need to do music videos, but perhaps we can alter your image a bit. Make you a mystery to your inspiring fans.'

'How?' Steve asked.

'A costume,' Kacey said. She paused, shaking her head, 'A new persona. You'd still be you — you'd just be Evie. We can create a story around your new persona and then use different means to disguise you.'

'Kinda like KISS?' Steve asked.

'Sure, but it would be different. People know who KISS is behind the face paint. People wouldn't know who you are,' Kacey said.

Steve thought about it for a moment before shaking his hand. 'No,' he said. 'I want people to know who I am. If no one knows who I am, everything has been for nothing. I wanted to do this so I didn't have to hide who I was or what I identified as. It'd be against what I'm trying to do.'

'Then why no to music videos?'

'I don't know. I just don't want him to see my face before I can see him in person,' Steve shrugged. 'If a music video is unavoidable, I'll do it, but I have reservations against it.'

'Let me talk to a few people, get an idea of something, and I'll toss it to you once I know something,' Kacey said. 'Because if he doesn't see you on MTV, he'll see you on the front of a magazine or see an interview and connect the pieces.'

Steve nodded, feeling a sense of dread at the thought of Eddie seeing him before he was ready. He knew it was inevitable, but he wanted to control the narrative as much as possible. He wanted to be the one to initiate contact, explain himself, and apologize. The idea of Eddie seeing him on TV or in a magazine, without any context or explanation, made his stomach twist.

'Alright,' he said, rubbing his hands over his face. 'I trust you to figure something out.'

NOTE: Eddie's showing up soon, I promise lmao. I like world-building a bit too much. I have a good bit of part 4 written, which is another flashback. part 5 has an outline of sorts at the moment, it's a skeleton to fill in, and well, Eddie is finally a part of that skeleton. So, hopefully, by Wednesday morning, I'll have both parts 4 and 5 posted. And Steve during the second and third Steve did get a band, but I doubt I'll focus much on them.

Taglist is still open, so if you wanna be added to it, let me know via comment or dm.

This is also uploaded to Ao3 HERE. There's a few-hour post difference. Tumblr sees it first, and yadda yadda.

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