they’d heard different things from different people. that he was fine, that he was going to make it, that he wasn’t going to make it - and such talk made chrissy’s anxiety truly SPIKE, her brother even mentioned feeling her heart rate go up for no damn reason ! and so, admittedly, some of the time before stepping in to see him was trying to get her shit together. she didn’t want to PANIC in front of him, didn’t want to break down, didn’t want him to feel worse than he already did.
“steve,” they breathe out, doing their best to smile bright, to be that sunshine everyone says they are - because who are they if they can’t even make steve feel better ? what worth do they have ? the demi-girl takes a shaky breath, offers an uncertain smile, and squeezes his hand gently. “you better be,” she insists quietly, crouching down so that the two of them are at eye level. “because …” they sniff, thinking of anything to say. “because, if you aren’t, that means one of my fears won - and that CAN’T happen. so … also, i’m going to be annoying you until you get better. so - you have to get better, okay?”
hard to muster false bravado when a even the slightest movements pulled a hiss from between clenched teeth. pearly whites sinking into his tongue in some abandoned attempt to hide the pain from chrissy as steve used free hand to sit himself up against the mountain of uncomfortable hospital pillows at his back. a smile, strained ( had they cleaned the blood from his teeth? he could still taste rotting flesh and blood on his tongue ).
fingers grasp desperately onto theirs, squeezing the delicate bones ( she was there , they were both alive . they would keep on fighting ) . “ you know me, cunningham. can’t get rid of me if you tried. ” like a cockroach ! cut him to pieces and he continued to crawl back from the muck, weak and scared, but alive . “ i’m gonna be just fine. just gotta . . . rest up, do what the doctor tells me. i’m not gonna leave you. ”