Safe house
He was in a safe house. A goddamm fucking safe house. Because Will had been kidnapped and Jason was afraid it'd happen to him too, he must've been to have Eddie brought here by that guy who'd been at his house the last time. Kidnapped. He'd thought for a moment that they'd call the police before coming to his senses. They weren't people who involved the police, were they? No, Eddie knew that, knew what Jason did.
He was beginning to wonder when he'd wake up. When this would all just be some stupid bad dream, because yeah he'd done a lot of stupid things, especially when he was out of it on coke, but nothing serious, nothing this visceral. Eddie could hardly grasp the idea that Will had been taken. That happened on the news, to vague strangers. Not in his life to people he knew. He sat at the table in the house, worrying his fingers and cracking his knuckles every now and then. His aversion to being there was practically a physical force.
And there was nothing he could do. Not even to distract himself. He couldn't go outside and practise pitching because he didn't have any equipment, he couldn't go for a run for obvious reasons. He just sat and stewed and ignored everyone who tried to draw him into conversation. Eddie was good at that, at making people feel unwelcome.
Someone asked him if he wanted a drink. Bourbon with ice in a very tall glass. "No thanks." Just one goddamm beer. Anything. Eddie rubbed his eyes and twined his fingers together. They didn't look like they were shaking if he clasped them tightly. One drink and you wouldn't be so stressed out, a little voice whispered in his head, just one. One doesn't matter. You'll be calmer when Jason gets here, you'll be relaxed and you won't stress Jason out then either. He'll understand, he'll realize how much you needed it. Eddie swallowed and started running old baseball statistics through his head, batting averages and pitching records. Not that it helped.
All wound up with nothing to do, nowhere to go. He couldn't leave to get some space for himself now, there were too many people around for that and Eddie couldn't do it to Jason. He didn't even want to think about what Jason's reaction would be if he took off now. That would just be cruel of him. And if he stayed here, Jason would be all right because he said he'd come here when not if everything was sorted out. Will would be okay. And Eddie had to be here for that.
It was too frightening to even admit to himself that he was so invested in another person. Jason would go after whoever had Will himself, Eddie knew it. People who were probably very dangerous. And he didn't say it as much, but if he lost Jason...Eddie shuddered and stood up, pacing the length of the kitchen. Back and forth, again and again, in the confined space. Just one drink.
Eddie really didn't want to be there or to be a part of it at all. But he was and that was what he had to deal with. So he didn't say a word, not to ask for anything at all, and waited.
He was beginning to wonder when he'd wake up. When this would all just be some stupid bad dream, because yeah he'd done a lot of stupid things, especially when he was out of it on coke, but nothing serious, nothing this visceral. Eddie could hardly grasp the idea that Will had been taken. That happened on the news, to vague strangers. Not in his life to people he knew. He sat at the table in the house, worrying his fingers and cracking his knuckles every now and then. His aversion to being there was practically a physical force.
And there was nothing he could do. Not even to distract himself. He couldn't go outside and practise pitching because he didn't have any equipment, he couldn't go for a run for obvious reasons. He just sat and stewed and ignored everyone who tried to draw him into conversation. Eddie was good at that, at making people feel unwelcome.
Someone asked him if he wanted a drink. Bourbon with ice in a very tall glass. "No thanks." Just one goddamm beer. Anything. Eddie rubbed his eyes and twined his fingers together. They didn't look like they were shaking if he clasped them tightly. One drink and you wouldn't be so stressed out, a little voice whispered in his head, just one. One doesn't matter. You'll be calmer when Jason gets here, you'll be relaxed and you won't stress Jason out then either. He'll understand, he'll realize how much you needed it. Eddie swallowed and started running old baseball statistics through his head, batting averages and pitching records. Not that it helped.
All wound up with nothing to do, nowhere to go. He couldn't leave to get some space for himself now, there were too many people around for that and Eddie couldn't do it to Jason. He didn't even want to think about what Jason's reaction would be if he took off now. That would just be cruel of him. And if he stayed here, Jason would be all right because he said he'd come here when not if everything was sorted out. Will would be okay. And Eddie had to be here for that.
It was too frightening to even admit to himself that he was so invested in another person. Jason would go after whoever had Will himself, Eddie knew it. People who were probably very dangerous. And he didn't say it as much, but if he lost Jason...Eddie shuddered and stood up, pacing the length of the kitchen. Back and forth, again and again, in the confined space. Just one drink.
Eddie really didn't want to be there or to be a part of it at all. But he was and that was what he had to deal with. So he didn't say a word, not to ask for anything at all, and waited.