Boltedfruit Archive

It’s so slow, he almost doesn’t realize it. Not until it’s just there in his face.

Steve’s forgetting things.

Eddie first really noticed something was off when he asked Steve what time they were heading out to pick up the kids. Namely Dustin because he was technically grounded and was only allowed between Steve’s house and his mom’s.

Steve was slow to respond. Eddie caught him with a familiar, contemplative look on his face.

“I must have forgotten,” he said. “Remind me?”

Eddie did.

–

It kept happening. Small things. Setting alarms helped, for a while. Then Steve forgot to set alarms, and Eddie had to do it for him.

A few years in, Steve forgot who Dustin was, and Eddie watched, astonished, as Steve laughed it off when he finally remembered. Minutes later. Whole minutes to recall the person who’s probably solely responsible he and Steve got together in the first place.

It’s things like that that make him afraid.

–

Then it’s big things.

Steve losing weight because he forgets to eat. Steve having more frequent panic attacks because he forgets his medicine. Steve waking up and startling, jumping out of bed because he doesn’t recognize Eddie beside him.

Steve almost calling the police when Eddie tells him they’re married. Because even though Steve doesn’t remember that, he remembers it’s 1994 and that’s not a thing. Freaks out when Eddie explains they had their own ceremony, they did it with just them, just friends. Reminds him of Robin and Chrissy, who he thankfully remembers and they call them together. Together, they ease Steve until he calms. Until he says he needs air, needs to drive.

It’s the most terrifying few hours of Eddie’s life.

What if Steve forgets where they live? What if he forgets how to drive? What if he forgets himself?

Because if he can forget Eddie, then he can forget anything.

But he comes home eventually, eyes red and wet, and endlessly apologetic. Because he remembered Eddie, finally.

Eddie won’t let him go.

–

Dr. Owens says things. Says a lot of scary things. Medical things. Diagnoses he doesn’t want to consider. They’re too young, it doesn’t make sense.

There’s a slim chance it might be related to the Upside Down. There’s a larger chance it has more to do with Steve’s many injuries over the years, to the aunt nobody talks about in the Harrington family.

–

They have time. Twenty, thirty years.

They have a hard time.

They have a good time. The best years of Eddie’s life.

They adopt a girl. They see her graduate college.

They move Steve into assisted living eventually. Eddie sees him every day. Is convinced he goes gray early from trying to talk his way into just being able to stay one more night. Just one more.

It’s memory care after that.

Their daughter has a daughter. Steve loves her. Seems more himself when his granddaughter is around than any other time, so they spend time together often.

Eddie wishes he could buy time. Make a deal with the devil to get some back.

But there’s still moments. Moments where Steve’s holding their grandbaby on his lap, where he turns and catches Eddie’s eye and says, “Can you believe it, Ed? Can you believe how beautiful she is?”

And Eddie always nods. Always says the same thing back. Always kisses Steve who cranes his neck to kiss him.

They’ve lived a life.