[ Gareth has always been a damn good friend to him, since the moment they met. He feels bad, that the guy had gotten roughed around all because of him, and now he's asking him to risk so much more just by being here? Harboring a fugitive, like the way he risked Steve's and Dustin's and everyone's lives just by letting them help him.

It's still taking him some time to process that it's okay to let people help them if they want to, that he doesn't have to be on the run, alone. ]

Thank fucking god, because if you didn't... [ Well, he would have probably been able to get the others to convince Gareth, but then that would defeat the whole purpose of trying to pretend he was dead. ]

Jason had the whole town after me, with pitchforks and everything. That's why it's better this way. [ Eddie's voice cracks as he speaks, and he winces at how pathetic it sounds. ]