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(no subject)

WHO: Steve Harrington and you!
WHAT: Steve's a terrible patient, swing by and witness.
WHEN: September 5, 2023
WHERE: Eglaf Memorial Hospital, RM 302

Pain wasn't exactly anything new to Steve, but he had forgotten how hotly it burned as he'd tried to stem the bleeding of his wound until the EMTs had arrived. His partner, James Martin, a recruit that had been in his class, looked like he was going to pass out at the sight of the blood that had stained most of Steve's uniform. Steve tried to keep him calm and focused, asked him to notify Caleb, Sally and Robin of what had happened by handing him his phone. Martin had nodded and taken the phone with shaky hands, promising he'd do as Steve had asked before the ambulance doors were shut and he was forcibly pressed down into the cot and administered an oxygen mask.

He tried to be patient and compliant as the doctor poked and prodded at his injury to determine if the bullet was still present or had made an exit. They told him it was still there and they needed to get it out. He was administered pain killers that ebbed the pain out of existence. As many times as he'd gotten his ass beat, the last time he'd had surgery was to have his tonsils taken out in seventh grade. He was nervous and anxious and wished he'd gotten to see Caleb, Sally and Robin one more time in case things went sideways.

When he awoke, to the sound of a steady heart monitor, his shoulder wrapped uncomfortably tight but at a steady pulse of pain instead of an all consuming burn, he noted that the sun was high in the sky. It had barely been sunrise when he'd gotten out of the ambulance, so it must have been several hours since then. He immediately felt the urge to close his eyes again and sleep for a little longer, but he could only imagine how those closest to him had taken the news and the need to tell them he was okay was much stronger. He turns his head slowly to take in the room, everything about his body feels so heavy, but eventually, he sees the nodding form sitting on the other side of the bed.

"Hey," he says, his voice failing him and coming out as a whisper. He clears his throat, trying to clear the thickness there. He sighs and tries again. "Hi."

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Only when she was confident that Five and younger Peter had everything under control did Lydia head over to the hospital to see if she could join the rotation of visitation. Caleb, Sally, and Robin probably need more breaks than they're willing to admit — it brings to mind stories her mom told her about Stiles literally sleeping on waiting room chairs all alone after she'd been bitten — so it can't hurt to join Eddie and Chrissy. The more people waiting their turn to visit their friend, the more breaks the core three are forced to take and Lydia thinks that can really only be for their benefit.

There's a subtle change in the steady beeping of the heart monitor that pulls Lydia's attention up from her cell phone in time to see him starting to move a little. Shooting off a quick text to Steve's trio to let them know they should come up from the cafeteria now that he's awake, Lydia then stows the phone in her purse and gives him a small smile.

"Hey, gorgeous," she replies with a sympathetic smile. "Sorry it's my turn, but I just texted your partners and Robin to let them know you're up. How are you feeling...? You scared the shit out of everybody, you know. You're lucky we like you," she adds with a little smirk.

Steve smiles back, moving to push himself up before wincing and falling back onto the pillow behind him. "I've been better," he says, his throat still scratchy and rough sounding. He takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I've been worse, too."

"Sorry for scaring you," he says, licking his lips. "I wasn't exactly planning on taking a bullet last night." He pauses, taking in Lydia's perfect appearance. Poised and put together as usual. "But scars are hot, right?"

At this point, he should be in the running for hottest man of the year. Or century, depending on how time works.

His voice sounds like gravel on glass and Lydia remembers the feeling, especially after having her throat not only slashed once, but also when the Darach had tried to strangle her. She reaches for the cup of probably tepid water on the tray table beside his bed and holds it out to him with the straw already in it and waiting. "One of the nurses brought in a cup of ice chips this morning and it's water, now, but that might help a little?" she offers.

Smirking a little, Lydia shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Yeah, scars can be pretty hot. Heroing stories like getting shot in the line of duty are definitely hot, though, so you're covered one way or the other," she jokes back.

Her eyes scan over him briefly by reflex and then make their way back to his face. "Think you're gonna survive this, hoss?" she teases, trying to keep things light. She doubts she'd been as worried as Robin, Caleb, and Sally had been, but Lydia's watched people — Klaus, for one — bounce back from much worse, so she's just glad he's awake and she's right. He'll be okay.

"Thanks," he says, appreciative of the fact that Lydia holds it up for him so he doesn't have to move to get to it. He's pretty sure she has about a dozen other things she should be spending her time doing, rather than sitting here with him. "Slow day at the Department?" He asks, his voice a little clearer.

"Yeah, except for when I'm telling them to my current boyfriend and girlfriend," he says, giving her an amused look. Tales of heroism might get him somewhere next time he's on the market, but he already knew it wasn't going to do him any favors with his roommates. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how pissed are they?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna pull through," he says, rolling his eyes. Though, he can't help but think that if someone was going to get shot, it was better that it was him than one of the people who had been in the convienence store, or Martin who had a family.

"Five can handle it," she replies, waving off the question. "Please, like you wouldn't be here if I was the one in the hospital," she adds, rolling her eyes.

Wrinkling her nose a little, Lydia gives Steve another sympathetic look. "Yeah, that's fair. At you? Probably like a 2. At whoever shot you? At least a 25," she says playfully. Then, Lydia shrugs a little. "I'm not sure about Caleb, he has to keep going outside. I couldn't really get a read. Sally, though, I think she's not mad so much as just worried. I think once she gets up here and sees you awake and talking, she'll be fine," she assures him softly.

When it looks like he's not going for it again, Lydia sets the glass of water down, reaching to push a rogue piece of Steve's bangs out of his eye. "You know, just wait until you get your phone back; you were blowing up the Supers chat. You had Eddie, Hermione, and Prim in a tizzy trying to figure out who could do what and when; Chrissy was asking me if the werewolves can heal people. Older Peter messaged me to let me know he and Alice were heading over here instead of coming to work...I'm sure there were half a dozen private chats going wild, too. You're Mr. Popular today."

"Yeah, but I'm not a big shot department boss," he says, grinning back at her. Even if he believes that Five can absolutely handle it. He appreciates that she's here for him.

Steve is relieved to hear that Caleb and Sally don't seem to be that upset with him, at least. Though he closes his eyes briefly at the mention of Caleb continuously having to go outside. "He's probably picking up on everyone else and their sick grandmother here," he says with a small frown. It's definitely not the kind of environment that would be good for an empath. Lydia's probably right about Sally, but Steve feels terrible putting them through this, regardless.

"So everyone knows?" He guesses there's no point in asking the others to keep it on the downlow. Not that he doesn't appreciate the good will, but he also hates being known as the super that got shot. "What are the chances all of this will blow over in a few days?"

Giving him a dubious look, Lydia lifts an eyebrow. "And if you were, you'd still be here, so shut up," she claps back breezily.

"Yeah," Lydia confirms. "That's what Sally said. But he must love you a lot because he keeps coming back for more," she points out gently.

When he asks if everyone knows, Lydia gives him a look that's more empathetic than sympathy. "Everybody who checks the Supers helping Supers chat, anyway."

With a soft sigh, she shrugs. "Probably not a few days, I don't know. But I know it sucks being the Super everyone's talking about. Remember, I've been arrested for an assault I didn't actually commit. I was also the Super who got lost in that stupid fucking corn maze that was gobbling up locals for like a day and a half or something. Klaus, Sirius, and Tony were all the Supers who got their asses jumped. Then Sally and Cam were. You're not the first one and you won't be the last one. It'll blow over," she assures him softly. It'll be humiliating until people have better things to talk about again, sure, but he won't be the subject of discussion forever.

"Okay, okay," Steve says, looking down at the blanket tucked almost too tightly around him. "We both know I would."

"He does," Steve says, giving her a small smile. He knows that without a doubt. It still doesn't make the idea of Caleb having to deal with everyone's emotions on top of his own any easier.

He sighs, reaching up to rub at his face with his good arm. He presses his lips together. He remembers all too well what Lydia went through. He'd seen first hand what Sally had gone through, thanks to the shared memories. It was part of the reason why he'd thought becoming part of the police department might make some kind of difference when it came to protecting the supers as well as the locals. Lydia's answer isn't sugar coated, but it's honest and he can appreciate that. He nods and shrugs, as if he can't really ask for anything more.

Seeing Steve smile makes Lydia smile back. She'd been heartbroken at the idea of hurting him when she'd realized how she'd felt about Klaus at almost the same time Steve approached her with the idea of the two of them becoming a couple. Any time she can see him talk about his current partners with a smile makes her happy; she's only ever wanted him to be happy.

"They both do," she agrees with a nod. "It's impossible not to see it."

Her own lips purse together in a sympathetic sort of apology. It isn't really Lydia-like to sugarcoat bad news for the people she trusts and loves the most in this place. That's something she had to teach herself not to do and she's worked really hard on it for years while in Eglaf. After losing Allison and having to grieve alone back home, she decided she never wanted to have to do that again and, with that process, came the process of being honest with the people who matter to her the most, whether it's what they want to hear or not. At this point, most of them can see it a mile away when she's lying because of it, and, frankly, sometimes Lydia needs to be called out for it so she doesn't backslide into suffering in silence. This is just an offshoot of all that self-work she's done.

"Yeah, I know...not what you probably wanted to hear, but would you rather me lie?" she asks, lifting an eyebrow, already knowing the answer will probably be no or some variation of it. "Don't go all toxic male on us and be butthurt that you think this makes you look like less of a badass. If anything, I'd argue getting shot makes you more of a badass."

"Who knew I'd find my soulmates here?" He says, giving Lydia a soft smile. Sometimes he wonders if Lydia hadn't turned him down that night if it would've just delayed the fact that he'd fall for Caleb and Sally or if he'd still be going through the motions.

"No, I like that you're always honest," Steve says. "It might be my favorite thing about you, out of many, many things." He sighs and relaxes a little against the pillows behind him. "It's not about that," He says, twisting the blanket between the fingers of his good hand. "It's about the fact that now I can't walk out that door without them thinking about today. It's about me not being able to take everyone giving me pitiful looks until I'm healed up again. It's about me knowing that no matter what I try to do, I always end up collateral damage."

A soft huff of amusement escapes her and Lydia shakes her head, shrugging. "Right? If you told me before I got here that I'd fall in love with a guy like Klaus, I would've laughed myself to death. He's so not what my type was," she replies knowingly. Something tells her that if someone told Steve before he came here that he'd fall in love with another man, he'd feel the same way.

"They're countless, I'm sure," she jokes wryly. Lydia sighs and nods a little, reaching for the hand she can see fiddling with the blanket. Mostly, it's to get his attention. When she's sure that she has it, Lydia's eyebrows lift. "Honey, I promise you, the first day you went to the station after you graduated from the academy, they were thinking about today." She gives his hand a quick squeeze before letting go and sitting back again.

Another sigh escapes her and Lydia runs her hand through her hair, pushing it back out of her face and over her shoulder. "Jesus, you sound like me when I was in high school, knock it off." The words might be harsh, but the tone is understanding. "Nobody's giving you pitiful looks, we're worried about you because we love you. You're not collateral damage from that robbery, you were injured in the line of duty. You were doing your job, it's literally your job to stop the bad guys. That's like telling a librarian that her getting a papercut makes her collateral damage. Or that my not working fast enough made Allison collateral damage. I refuse to believe that either of those things is true, so you're not allowed to look at it that way, anymore."

While she's being firm, and she does mean it to be a bit of a lecture, she keeps the bitter bite out of her voice because it isn't for him; it's for herself, for taking so many years to believe the same things she's telling him to believe. She lost too much time blaming herself for Allison's death and then all over again blaming herself for Allison being taken back through the portal. Lydia didn't cause either of those things and she knows that now, but she doesn't want to watch Steve waste years the way she did. "You keep thinking like that and you'll waste away on the inside. Trust me, I've done it."

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