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Dustin didn’t even know when it had started. He just knew he had raging migraines that still didn’t stop even after talking multiple pills. It made Dustin want to scream.
He really wasn’t doing well. He felt bad for not doing well when Eddie specifically told him not to change. The least he could do was keep Eddie’s one promise. Eddie was probably so disappointed in him for breaking it. He had one simple promise to keep and he couldn’t even do that.
The nosebleeds were worse. Dustin always found himself running for the nearest bathroom about 4 times a day trying to stop the blood peeling from his nose. Dustin knew what this meant. He knew what this was. Yet, he told no one. He wasn’t planning on it, at least.
/
A couple of days went by and now Dustin was left with Steve and Robin trying to cheer him up. They were failing miserably but Dustin didn’t make it known. Instead, he fake laughed his way through. Ignoring the chiming of clocks making his way to claw his throat out.
Dustin stood in the kitchen, in front of refrigerator hesitantly about to open it. He finally did and poured himself a glass to drink. Lemonade.
I mean…might as well have your last drink before you die. The coldness was refreshing to Dustin’s throat, nourishing the raspiness of Dustin’s screaming for Eddie. Dustin gulped the lemonade down hard.
Once Dustin was finished he sat the glass down and leaned against the counter, letting his eyes fall close so he can think for a second. Dustin was scared of opening them again, scared of what he might see.
“…Dustin?” He heard, the voice creeping up on him in the corner of the kitchen. The voice was soft but it wasn’t exactly welcoming.
Dustin lifted his head up and smiled slightly at the sight of Steve. Steve eyebrows were furrowed in concern and Dustin knew he was about to ask the same question he had been asking for weeks now. Dustin resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“you okay man?” Steve asked, his hand finding Dustin’s shoulder. Dustin rarely even talked to Steve anymore, better yet vented to him. Steve practically had to force him to hang out with him every now and then.
“Mhmm..” Dustin mumbled. He was so ready for Steve to just walk out of the kitchen and leave him alone. “I just..I don’t wanna talk right now.”
“Do you ever?” Steve said harshly. Dustin flinched at his choice of words. Dustin already felt bad enough for Eddie but for Steve to be mad at him for not talking to him? What did he expect? His best friend just died in his arms of course he wouldn’t just fucking open up.
“It’s not like that, Steve.” Dustin said slowly as he maneuvered his hand up to his forehead, pressing slightly.
Steve sighed. “Listen, I’m here man. You can talk to me..about anything. About, Eddie.”
Dustin tensed. Steve’s voice was still soft but it was growing..louder with each word he spoke. “I-“
“Or maybe that’s the problem. Maybe you don’t want to speak to me because I’m not Eddie and you hate me.”
Dustin’s eyes widened. He gasped when Steve’s nails starting digging into his shoulder. “What-no that’s not it, I love you both-“
“Do you,” Steve’s voice started to get darker. “because if you did, if you truly loved us both…Eddie would be here.”
“No. No.” Dustin muttered, trying to loose himself from Steve’s grasp on him. Dustin used his hands to pry Steve off him and ended up stumbling back. Not into the counter though, he fell back and was met by hard concrete. Dustin groaned.
Dustin sat himself up and looked around him widely. His eyes widened even more than possible as he realization dawned on him. He was the upside down, specifically a few feet away from where Eddie had died.
Steve’s horrid voice still rung in his ears. ‘You left him, Dustin. You could’ve stopped us, told us not to drag you out. Hell, you could’ve even stayed here with him but you, being weak-“ A new voice took Steve’s place. “-you didn’t help me, Dustin.”
Eddie?
Dustin flinched at how loud the voice was surrounding him. Dustin scrambled to his feet and ran to the first place that came to mind, Eddie’s trailer. Maybe he could find comfort in there.
Dustin ran to Eddie’s trailer, barricading himself inside of it. Dustin frantically spun around then immediately regretted running in here. Eddie was standing before him, his clothes disheveled. His eyes were beat and low and blood was all over him.
Dustin backed away from him. His back hitting the trailers front door.
“Dustin,” Eddie stepped closer, the tears in Eddie’s eyes becoming visible. “you left me and I was so scared, so hurt.”
“I didn’t- No, I didn’t leave you. You decided to cut the damn rope, I came back in after you and I tried to save you but you were already surrounded!”
Eddie chuckled. “It’s okay to take accountability for your actions, Dustin. Just admit it, you left me. You could’ve saved me. You could’ve talked me out of it. Yet. You. Didn’t- you know what, Henderson..did you-did you want me to die?”
Dustin gasped. “What-what no? why would I want that? I-“
“Am I not good enough for you? Not good enough for you like Steve was? What does Steve have that I don’t-“
“Shut up! Just shut up! Please!” Dustin cowered onto the floor, his hands finding his ears. His ears felt like it was bleeding and he felt a hand on his shoulder. Dustin immediately tugged away from it as his eyes snapped open.
Dustin screamed. Because Eddie didn’t have any eyes, his sockets were just..black. Dustin pushed Eddie away from him and ran from out the trailer.
“Come on Henderson! You know running is my specialty!”
Dustin ignored him and continued running as the bats before him came out of nowhere. He ended tripping on them. Dustin didn’t get a chance to recover because a bat wrapped around his neck, just like it had done Eddie. Dustin feel to the ground, clawing for his neck. His head turned to his left and his eyes eyes widened once more when he realized Eddie was lying ‘dead’ beside him.
“Are you finally deciding to stick with me? Like you promised Steve?” Eddie spoke.
“That’s right, Dustin. How come I got a ‘If you die, I die.’ but Eddie was left to suffer alone.”
Steve. Dustin head turned back to his right and he saw Steve towering over him. Disappointment and disgust apparent on his face.
Dustin felt tears gushing from out of his eyes. He just wanted it to end. If Eddie wanted him to be with him so bad, so fucking be it. Dustin relaxed in the things hold, let it do it’s thing.
‘Turn around, look at what you see…’
‘In her face, the mirror of your dreams..’
Music. His music. Dustin’s eyes snapped back open and everything was gone now, but he was laying in a puddle of red and a portal was panned out in front of him.
“You’re not leaving.”
Dustin sat up slowly and looked for the sudden voice. Dustin backed away as soon as he noticed it. Vecna.
“Go to hell.”
“Oh…well i’m not the only one that’s going to be there. You killed Eddie.”
“I didn’t-“
“Oh but you did, and now..i’m going to make you suffer unimaginably.
Dustin was full on sobbing now but it broke out into a scream and something wrapped around him foot, pulling him towards Vecna. Dustin clawed desperately at the red like slime underneath him.
‘Make believe, I’m everywhere.’
‘Given in the light’
‘Written on the pages, is’
Dustin used his other foot to claw at the vine attached to his foot, hitting on as hard as he could. The vine snapped and Dustin had to catch himself for a second before scrambling up and running towards himself who was now levitating the living room of Steve’s house.
‘The answer to our never ending story, ah’
‘Reach the stars, fly a fantasy’
Dustin ran and ran and he watched as Steve was helplessly holding onto Robin, full on sobbing. Dustin could hear parts of his screaming as he watched his own arm being broken.
“No! No! Come the hell on, Dustin! I’m not letting you think it was your fault! Eddie’s death was not your fault!” Steve yelled in between sobs.
‘Dream a dream, and what you see, will be’
As Dustin got closer he realized it was Robin the one singing and he heard it in her voice now too. Dustin thought maybe Steve didn’t have the guts to sing so he allowed Robin to do it. Steve’s job was to make sure Dustin had heard him.
‘Rhymes that keep their secrets will, Unfold behind the clouds..’
Dustin could tell Robin was slowing down, that she was close to stopping, that she was losing hope.
Dustin jumped through the portal and immediately got that feeling that he was falling. You know that feeling when you drop on a roller coaster, that one.
‘And there upon a rainbow is, the answer to our never ending-‘
Dustin collided with Steve’s living room floor underneath him. His eyes snapping open and he gasped for breath harshly.
“Dustin!” Steve shouted as he pushed past Robin, kneeling next to Dustin. Cradling him. Dustin grabbed onto Steve with the arm that wasn’t broken and he cried. Robin took the other side of Dustin, holding him tightly.
“Hospital, Steve he needs a hospital.”
“I know, I know. J-just let me hold him for a minute, please..” Steve’s voice cracked and Robin gave him a understanding nod.