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Dustin scans the metal aisles at Tower Records twice. He has no idea how he lost Eddie, he looked away for a few seconds at most.
Dustin knows Wayne was mostly joking when he told Dustin to keep Eddie out of trouble, but also probably not, because Eddie’s still Eddie. The forearm crutches are not slowing him down.
The music store in the Bloomington mall is massive, and chances are good Eddie probably just went to take a leak, but Dustin still puts some pep in his step walking up the main aisle looking for any sign of Eddie.
Thank god Dustin sees Eddie at opposite end of the store, near the check out counter. The guy’s always stood out, would stand out now even without the crutches or the scars visible on Eddie’s arms and neck and face.
“Eddie!” Dustin calls, jogging closer, speeding up when he sees Eddie startle, the tape boxes in his hand falling to the blue carpeted floor.
“Shit, Henderson!” Eddie yelps, Dustin already crouching to collect the tapes off the ground. “We gotta get you a bell or something.”
“Sorry.” Dustin apologies, flipping the box over to look at the cover. He stands slowly, caught by surprise when he realizes what he’s holding. “Make it Big?” He laughs, shuffles the tapes to look at them more closely. “Frankie Goes To Hollywood? Dude, since when do you listen to The Bangles?”
“They’re not for me.” Eddie says tightly, bringing the end of his crutch down on one of Dustin’s feet. It doesn’t hurt but it pulls Dustin’s eyes up, back towards Eddie’s face. He’s going red in his cheeks, eyes sharp when he says, “And even if it were, it’s not, like, air pollution or something.”
Dustin pulls a face. “You called George Michaels a hack last week.” It had lead to a brutal verbal showdown between Eddie and Erica.
Eddie grins fondly, “Yeah, but only ‘cause I wanted radio rights.” Steve had told them all to get out of his car repeatedly, turning their fury on him.
(“You’re gonna kick a kid out of your car?”
“You’re really ousting a cripple?”
“I didn’t even say anything!”)
“Dude, you know Steve never fights Erica on music privileges.” Dustin isn’t sulky, it’s just annoying. It doesn’t even matter if she’s not in the passenger seat, she just gets to call dibs on the radio. Steve’s too scared to fight her on it.
“Hold on to those for me, will you?” Eddie asks, still wary, then glides right into a wordy speech admiring Erica’s cut throat qualities as he leads them to the register. Dustin doesn’t cut in because, well, Erica is a more than worthy adversary, that’s the whole reason Dustin and Mike brought her to Hellfire in the spring.
And maybe a little bit because Eddie doesn’t really ever ask for help with anything, so Dustin doesn’t want to call to much attention to the tapes still in hands.
Dustin puts the tapes down on the counter to be rung up and Eddie keeps talking as he pays, leaves no room for Dustin to ask any more questions about his choice in purchases today. When he invited Dustin to tag along today their destination was the game shop on the second floor and the promise of a mall pretzel.
The clerk doesn’t look remotely intrigued by the transaction, Eddie in all his metalhead glory buying pop chart darlings, that same unbothered glaze in his eyes as Steve and Robin used to get at Family Videos.
Dustin always figured customer service would make for good people studies but Robin says that you don’t need to study long to learn that people suck. Which, y’know, fair.
Eddie forgoes a bag for his tapes, shoves them into the inner pocket of his denim vest. “C’mon kid.” Eddie says, wandering away, “Adventure awaits.”
“Who are the tapes for?” Dustin asks, trailing after Eddie until they’ve cleared the aisle and there’s enough room to walk next to him.
“A friend.” Eddie says with a sunny smile, the left side of his mouth not stretching as far as the right. “You think they’ll have the new monster manual at this place?” And it’s easy to forget about tapes when there’s DnD to discuss.
And mall pretzels.
Dustin doesn’t really think about it all that much until he’s sitting in the back seat of the Wheelers’ station wagon later that week, Mike and Nancy fighting about the music up front.
“This is trash!” Mike’s saying venomously, him and Nancy slapping each other’s hands as he reaches for the tape deck. Moments like this make Dustin glad he doesn’t have a sister.
“Please, at least Vicki Peterson can actually sing. She doesn’t just scream into a microphone like the dudes you listen to.”
Dustin’s eyes slide towards Lucas, who’s starring right back, eyebrow raised. Lucas probably agrees with Nancy. He’s not as into metal as either Dustin or Mike. Dustin still feels shitty for how they behaved towards him last year tried apologizing for missing Lucas’ championship game. But Max had been in the hospital still, her arm in a cast that went up almost to her shoulder and the doctors unsure about whether she’d be able to see again, and Lucas had forgiven him way too fast.
(Whatever happens in the fall, Dustin’s going to do better, he swears. Steve already chewed him out about it, told Dustin off for not being there for Lucas. “It’s one thing for you to be a dick to me, but Lucas is one of you guys. He’s been in the shit right next to you the whole time. And he’s just as smart as the rest of you. So you all deciding to write him off for playing sport is just beyond shitty. Do you get that?)
“Max has this tape too.” Lucas says once the sibling squabbling has died down a little and Mike is sulking in the front seat. “The Bangles right?”
Nancy nods. “Max has great taste in music.” She says pointedly, even though she doesn’t look at Mike. “Tell her the next time she’s over she can look through my tapes. I just got a bunch of new stuff she might be into.”
Mike huffs, slumps in his front seat. “Please take it away so I don’t have to hear The Power of Love again.”
Nancy punches Mike in the shoulder, one hand still resting on the steering wheel.
Something tugs at the back of Dustin’s brain, wiggles and nags for his notice. “Uh, that’s—hmm—who’s that one—”
“Frankie Goes to Hollywood.” Nancy replies primly, eyes finding Dustin in the rearview mirror. “It’s a great song by a great band. Some people need to stop being music snobs.” Nancy taps her pink painted nails against the steering wheel. “Even Eddie agrees their lyrics are great.”
“He only said that ‘cause he’s got a crush on you.” Mike protests, kicking his feet up on the dashboard.
“Feet on the floor, dweeb!” Nancy snaps, swatting at Mike’s knee.
The caterpillar of curiosity inching its way through his brain stops in its tracks, cocoons itself in place, and then abruptly bursts into a fully formed butterfly of a bewilderment.
Eddie has a crush on Nancy?
Eddie’s buying Nancy presents?
Sure, Nancy and Jonathan split up back in June but, c’mon, Eddie must know about Nancy and Steve. And there’s got to be some kind of bro code or something that says you can’t make moves on a girl your friend is probably still in love with.
Eddie and Steve are friends now, to Dustin’s short-lived joy and now constant consternation. They got the chance to bond while being laid up in the same hospital room getting shot full of experimental antibiotics for their demobat bites. Now they’re friends. They hang out together without Dustin even being there.
Friends must talk about girls they’re interested in. Right?
Okay, Steve would, and has, told Dustin to drop it, but Dustin can’t help seeing what’s right in front of his face. Steve was totally gone over Nancy and he’s not interested in Robin even though she’s there all the time, so he must still be in love with Nancy. It’s the only explanation for why he went from serial dating every eligible girl in Hawkins to not dating anymore.
Dustin thinks he should probably talk about this with Eddie, but Eddie’s not nearly as versed in Dustin’s concern as Steve is. He might just stop talking to Dustin for a while if he brings it up.
Eddie’s got a lot of feelings. It’s one of the things Dustin admires about him. He feels stuff deeply, just like Dustin does, and he doesn’t try to hide it. The only bad part of it is that if you tick the guy off you will know about it immediately.
Dustin needs to think this through. Maybe talk it over with someone, like Will.
Aw shit, Dustin thinks to himself, sinking back in his seat, he might have to talk to Robin.
-
Dustin needs to pee.
Mike has been in the downstairs bathroom for fucking ever and Dustin’s literally about to burst so he breaks Steve ‘stay downstairs’ rule and hikes to the second floor before he has an accident in the hallway.
He’s never going to give Steve shit again. If anything, he’s going to thank Steve way more often Dustin swears because Steve’s bathroom is empty, which means Dustin can shut the door and finally relieve himself.
Besides, Dustin reasons as soon as he can think about something other than his bladder. It isn’t really Steve’s bathroom. It’s not connected to his room or anything like that. It’s his by default since he’s the only one who really uses it. It’s where he keeps his shower stuff and his toothbrush is in the cup by the sink and all his hair stuff is on the counter.
Dustin really doesn’t know why Steve’s so against him coming upstairs when everyone’s over. It’s not like Dustin’s never been in this bathroom before, it’s just been a while.
He stayed over a few nights last summer, just to make sure Steve was really alright after everything that happened. Steve hadn’t made either Dustin or Robin use the bathroom downstairs when they were crashing here.
Steve should really be more trusting. It’s not as if Dustin’s going to go through Steve’s stuff again. Steve’s pretty by the numbers when it comes to stuff he keeps and uses, says he knows what works for him. (Sometimes, Dustin thinks Steve’s really just afraid of change.)
Unlike the big bathroom that connects to Steve’s parents bedroom, with all the bird figurines and fowl themed towels no one is supposed to dry their hands on (Steve had been real pissy about that), Steve’s bathroom only has one framed print of a heron standing on one leg in reeds.
The background is the same shade of green as the tiles around the sink and bathtub. Dustin stares at it and wonders if Steve picked it out. The heron’s pose definitely gives off the same energy as a pissed off Steve.
Dustin’s eyes wander around while he’s washing his hands, from the heron print to the products on the counter.
The room is mostly tidy, as usual. Steve’s house is always clean, he’s practically a neat freak, but today there’s a hairbrush out on the counter, hair tangled in the bristles. Once he sees it Dustin can’t help but spot more hair on the bathroom counter, in the sink, and on the floor. Long, dark hair, crinkled and bent back on itself like a deformed spring.
Obviously Steve’s been letting someone up here to use his bathroom. Dustin inspects the hair closer, though he already knows there’s no way it’s Steve’s. And it’s too dark to be Robin’s. And just way too long.
There’s a knock on the door, sends Dustin into a fully upright position, heart racing.
“Out Henderson!” It’s Steve, exasperated, then his fist knocks against the door again. Louder this time.
Dustin dries his hands on his shorts, starts rolling his eyes before he’s even got the door all the way open. “Dude, I was going to wet myself.” He protests, launching into his defense the second he locks eyes with Steve, holding his hands up. “Mike was taking forever!”
“Tough, you know you’re not supposed to be up here.” Steve bitches, taking Dustin by the shoulder and herding him back towards the stairs.
“Do you want me to pee in your pool? That’s gross Steve.”
Steve turns back, goes into the bathroom probably to inspect it, and then comes back out, closing the door behind him. “Chop, chop!”
“What’s your problem, dude?” Dustin implores grumpily, stomping his feet down each step, “I’m not going to steal anything!”
“I know that,” Steve grouses, “But that doesn’t mean I want you nosing through my personal stuff.” Dustin groans. That’s such a lame excuse. Dustin lets Steve go through his stuff whenever he comes over, even the stuff that Steve probably shouldn’t be handling like the bottle of nitric acid he took from the science lab for his own research.
“Please Steve, I’ve seen a Playboy before. I don’t want yours.” That’s kinda true. Dustin saw the cover of one in George Milton’s gym locker but he doesn’t actually want to flip through one. Especially not one someone else has looked through.
Steve sputters, cheeks pink when Dustin turns to look at him over his shoulder. It’s always cool whenever Dustin manages to stump Steve. It’s like a nice little reminder that Steve’s actually a dork, just like the rest of them, no matter what he says. “I am not—Henderson, shut up. Seriously. Or I’m telling you mom you’re asking about the birds and the bees.”
Dustin feels his own face go hot, Mom’s been trying to give him The Talk since he started high school, but every time she tries she gets all teary-eyed about how Dustin’s growing up. (She’s probably thinking about how Dad should be here to tell him these kind of things. Which Dustin doesn’t think about too much. Or tries not to.)
“Then I’ll tell her the girl you’re seeing is a total slob!” Dustin tosses back, even though it sounds stupid as soon as it’s out. Still he thinks he strikes a nerve because Steve’s mouth falls open. Dustin barrels forward, “She should clean up after herself. There’s hair everywhere!”
Steve looks like he’s about to choke on his own tongue. Serves him right.
Dustin hops off the bottom step and dashes back outside towards the pool where everyone else is still hanging out. No one else has even noticed Dustin was gone. The concrete patio is hot under the soles of his bare feet as he races back towards the pool. “No running!” Steve shouts after him, apparently having regained the ability to speak solely for the purpose of being a total drip.
Dustin lowers himself back into the pool, joins the game of Marco Polo his friends have going. On the right side of the pool, Eddie is sitting with Robin and Jonathan. His crutches are on the ground next to his chair while Robin talks rapidly with big gestures while Jonathan sits there, laughing into his can of pop.
On the left side of the pool, Steve walks up to where Nancy’s sitting, holding something out to her. Nancy takes it with a grin.
A hair tie, Dustin realizes as he watches Nancy pull her long dark air away from her face into a half ponytail.
Is that what Steve had gone upstairs for? Did he just have one or—
Is it Nancy’s hair tie? Left behind whenever it was she brushed her hair in Steve’s bathroom. Dustin’s heart jumps in his chest seconds before Max launches herself at his back and dunks him under the water. She’s taking full advantage of not having to lug a cast around anymore. She hated having to wrap her whole arm in a trash bag just so she could float in the pool, so Dustin can’t even be mad.
When he emerges, everyone’s laughing and Dustin whirls in the pool, looking at everyone all around him, happy and sparkling under the July sun. When his eyes land on Eddie he realizes that Eddie’s not paying attention to Robin or Jonathan right now. There’s a sunburn coming in hot on his cheeks and nose, and his eyes are fixed on the other side of the pool. Looking right at Nancy where she’s sitting next to Steve.
There’s a look on Eddie’s face like Dustin’s never seen before. It isn’t fear or anything like that, none of the broken jagged feelings he saw in Eddie’s eyes while they were running for their lives, it’s like, almost—
Dustin thinks of being a kid, staring at brightly wrapped Christmas presents just waiting for him under the tree, knowing he couldn’t because Mom would be upset.
It feels like a thunderclap going off in Dustin’s ear. Though it could be Max’s battle cry ringing out behind him seconds before she sinks Dustin again.
-
Dustin doesn’t have a plan. He tried coming up with one but planning felt too much like he was outright betraying Eddie and that made him feel sick to his stomach, so he’s been winging it.
Mostly that means tagging along whenever Eddie and Nancy are in proximity to one another. That isn’t too different from what he would have done anyway because usually when Eddie and Nancy are hanging out Steve and Robin are there too, so no one suspects Dustin of anything. And if he’s barely doing anything different, he can’t be doing anything wrong. Right?
Today it’s just the five of them, and Dustin’s had to act fast. Robin gave him a weird look in the theater when he insisted on sitting next to Eddie before Nancy could file into the row. Dustin had ended up having to switch seats with Eddie during the previews because the tallest person to ever exist decided to sit right in front of Dustin, but it didn’t matter because Steve had already switched seats with Nancy since her and Robin kept passing the popcorn back and forth over his lap. It had left Steve and Eddie snickering together throughout most of the movie but whatever, crisis averted as far as Dustin’s concerned.
Now they’re sitting in the only decent burger place in Hawkins, filling out one of the half-circle booths at the far back, Dustin trying to be discreet as he observes Eddie and Nancy and Steve. Dustin’s sitting next to Nancy this time around, and Robin’s on her other side, between her and Steve. Eddie’s all the way on the other side of Steve, directly across from Dustin. They should be safe here.
“I thought it was good.” Steve says about the movie, slurping on his milkshake.
Eddie groans, “Spare me, Harrington. That whole movie was just a hopped-up salute to the American military machine.”
It’s not weird for Steve and Eddie to disagree about stuff, that’s sort of their thing. It took Dustin a minute, back in April, to figure out that Steve and Eddie weren’t just being dicks to each other. That’s their brand of friendship, poking fun at each other and arguing about things that don’t really matter, like sports and movies and cars.
Once they talked for almost an hour about the Daytona 500, and Dustin thought his ears were going to fall off from boredom, the conversation going on for so long Dustin didn’t actually know if they were still fighting or not.
“I don’t know about you but I don’t remember all that much beach volleyball during my encounters with the federal government.” Steve says drily, taking a long sip that results in a slurping sound from his rapidly emptying glass.
Eddie’s eyes narrow and he raises his hand from where it’s resting along the back of the booth to ruffle Steve’s hair. “Such a fucking jock.” He says, crooked smile still firmly in place when Steve grunts and bats his hand away.
Dustin keeps his mouth stuffed with food.
Robin hums, points with her french fry and flicks ketchup across the table. “Man’s not wrong, Steve. I for one cannot be swayed by some oiled up dudes tossing a ball around.”
Next to Dustin, Nancy snorts. “Given everything that’s happened I’d have thought that scene would have you feeling more patriotic, Eddie.” She shares a teasing grin with Eddie. Right there, in front of Steve.
Dustin puts more food in his mouth.
Robin chokes, then hacks grossly into Steve’s shoulder. “Oh my god.” She howls, cheeks turning red. Steve grins at her, tries to shrug her off and completely misses the look Eddie gives Nancy, seconds before his eyes slide Dustin’s way. Just for a second. There and gone but definitely there long enough for Dustin to clock it.
Eddie’s smile is too wide, the tilt of his head playful when he says, “Don’t insult me, Wheeler.”
Nancy grins at Robin, elbows her in the side. “Tom Cruise is handsome, don’t you think Robin? So clean cut and, I don’t know, strong?”
Robin squawks into Steve’s shoulder. Now Steve’s going red. Maybe because his ex-girlfriend is going on about how great Tom Cruise is. Maybe because his best friend is laughing at him while Eddie is shamelessly flirting with Nancy.
“He’s not that great.” Dustin interjects, because Steve might be tight strung but he’s still Dustin’s friend. “He’s trying way too hard to be cool.”
“Thank you!” Eddie says profusely, tossing his arms up. Steve gives him a look, mouth twisting around something he’s clearly trying to hold back. Dustin sucks down his soda, afraid he’ll say too much if his mouth is left unoccupied a second longer.
Robin laughs, no, she practically brays into her fries.
“Oh my god, you so have a type.” She says into her basket, but it’s obvious she’s talking to Nancy who immediately starts laughing. Across the table Steve’s still looking rosy and Eddie is slouching in his seat a little bit, arm dropping off the booth momentarily and resting along Steve’s shoulders, just long enough for him to pull Steve in and say something in Steve’s ear.
“It’s cool, don’t worry about it, Munson.” Steve huffs, laughing under his breath as he shoves Eddie away.
-
It’s not a plan because that still feels Not Great, but it isn’t not a plan either. He just decides to give Steve and Eddie some time on their own in the hopes that it’ll get them to talk about the elephant in the room. Because it’s so obvious it’s got to come up.
“That’s a terrible plan.” Erica says judgmentally, brushing Blue Belle’s tail with a pink Barbie hairbrush.
“It’s not a plan at all.” Dustin argues, repositioning Butterscotch on the Candy Land gameboard that’s acting as their battlefield. “That’s why it’s foolproof.”
“No that’s why it sucks.” Erica counters, “Enough about those losers. You ready to charge?”
Dustin thinks she’s being unfair until almost two weeks have gone by. Summer’s coming to its close and people are staring to talk about school again. Nancy’s going to be leaving for Boston soon and everything feels like it’s coming to a head. Steve’s still saying he’s not looking to date when Dustin tries probing, so maybe the thing with Nancy was a one-shot. But the attraction’s still there if they decided to revisit it, right? Steve just needs that final push.
Eddie’s probably knows time is running low too.
The thing is Dustin loves Eddie. He owes Eddie his life. There’s no two ways about it. Eddie almost got himself killed trying to protect Dustin. And even before that, Eddie had Dustin’s back, took him and the guys in when they got to Hawkins High, nerdy fish in a carnivorous pond.
But Dustin loves Steve too. Steve is, like, his brother. He saved Dustin’s life before he even really knew Dustin.
Steve came along that day Dustin roped him into looking for Dart. Steve stuck with him and helped them in the junk yard and stood up to Billy and held the door closed so Erica and him could run away from the Russians.
It’s not a competition. There’s no way to quantify how much he loves Eddie or Steve, how much he owes them both for being his friends. Dustin wants them both to be happy. He doesn’t know how to make that possible in this scenario.
And that sucks.
“What’s got you so glum, Master Dwarf?” Eddie asks while they’re on a break in the middle of their game session.
Dustin looks around the table in the library study room they’re occupying and realizes it’s just Eddie and him. Everyone else has fucked off to the bathroom or the vending machines out front. He’s been so distracted since his last turn he didn’t even think to flee when Freak called for a recess.
“Nothing.” Dustin says quickly, fiddles with his dice until they’re all lined up neatly along the edge of the map.
“Well, we both know that’s a lie.” Eddie says causally, leaning forward on his elbow. “Feel like I haven’t even seen you recently.” Eddie’s voice is still easy, but there’s a nervous glint to his eyes, like he’s not completely comfortable either. “Maybe I’m being crazy but it kind of feels like you’ve been avoiding me?”
“No, not—why would I—I’m not. I’m just working on something. Swear.”
“You sure? ‘Cause if I did something—”
Dustin shakes his head again. Eddie’s still staring at him, giant round eyes that are trying to bore into his head. The gig’s obviously up. He takes a deep breath. “You and Steve are friends right?”
“What?” Eddie asks, face scrunching up in confusion. “Me and Steve—uh yeah. We’re friends. That’s what you wanted right? For us to, uh, get along.”
“Yeah.” Dustin says, nodding slowly. “I did. I mean, I do. Of course. It’s just, hm, I guess, I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
What little color there is in Eddie’s face seems to drain. “Why would that happen?”
“I mean, it’s not a big deal.” Dustin rushes to reassure Eddie, doing his best to be mature here because obviously one of them needs to be. “Feelings are weird, man. They do their own thing. It’s only a problem if you act on them.”
Eddie’s mouth falls into a frown then resets, hardens. He clears his throat but his voice is all creaky when he says, “So there is a problem then.”
Dustin feels shitty for upsetting Eddie, reaches out and puts his hand on Eddie’s scarred forearm. Eddie immediately pulls his arm back.
“I don’t want to hurt you, I swear. You’re one of my best friends, but Steve’s my friend too. I want you both to be happy but you can’t, not like this.”
Eddie’s blinking rapidly, looking anywhere but at Dustin. “Shit. Uh. Okay. Message received.” He lets out a soggy breath, pushes himself away from the table and reaches for his crutches.
“Eddie!” Dustin cries, standing up, the chair shrilly squeaking against the floor as he pushes it back.
Eddie shakes his head harshly, color rising up his throat, gathering in his face, “Nope. I need to—I just need to go. Sorry. Jeff can give you a ride home.”
Eddie moves, makes it to the door just as Gareth’s opening it. “Whoa, what’s—”
“I’m going home.” Eddie says shortly, voice leaving zero room for argument. “Not feeling it right now.”
“Uh—okay, Eddie are you—”
Eddie shoulders his way pass Gareth, and Dustin can’t move right away. It takes a second too long for his brain to come on line. “Eddie! Wait!” Dustin calls out again, rounding the table and making for the door. Gareth grabs him by the shoulder. “Don’t think you should, Henderson.” Gareth says, leaning out the door, probably following Eddie’s progress.
Dustin wants to kick Gareth in the shin and follow Eddie anyway, but Gareth’s hand is firm on his shoulder and there’s a whole tank of eels writhing in his belly. Because he messed up. Dustin knows he messed up.
He doesn’t need any further confirmation of how colossally he’s fucked up but he gets it all the same when Steve’s BMW pulls up outside his house the next day. Steve waves at Dustin’s mom, all smiles and charm, but the minute they’re in Dustin’s room with the door shut the act falls away.
“What the fuck Henderson?” Steve asks, hands going to his waist, “What the actual fuck?”
“I didn’t—it came out all wrong.” Dustin explains clumsily. “I swear. I love Eddie.”
“Well explain it to me the right way because I’ve got half a mind to walk out of here and, and—” Steve tosses his hands up, like he doesn’t actually have any idea what he’s going to do.
Dustin rubs at his face, frustrated. He still hasn’t actually figured out the ‘right’ way to say anything. Steve makes an impatient sound. “Clock’s ticking, kid.”
“Ugh, fine, okay. I what was trying to say—I wanted to tell him that—” Dustin groans, “This is your fault you know. If you’d just gotten back together with Nancy when I told you—”
If Dustin thought Steve looked upset before, it’s nothing compared to how he looks now.
“Newsflash twerp! I don’t want to be with Nancy.” He doesn’t shout but his tone is furious. The kind of angry parents get when you do something really bad. So bad they don’t even yell. “I want to be with Eddie. And I’m going to be with Eddie even if you’ve got a problem with it.”
Dustin feels like someone’s taken an ax pick to the brain, splitting it straight down the middle.
“What?” Dustin sort of shrieks.
Steve’s shoulders are basically up around his ears now, “I can’t believe, after everything we’ve been through, after everything you did for Eddie, you can’t get over some fucking—” Steve makes a big sweeping gesture at the ceiling, like he’s trying to pluck words off Dustin’s popcorned ceiling. “Ass backward way of thinking. Like you can wrap that genius brain of yours around alternative universes but not two guys dating.”
“What!” Dustin definitely shouts.
“And I feel like a total jackass because I swore to him that you’d be cool about it. You’re so smart about everything. I told Eddie—” Steve makes a disbelieving hurt noise. “I thought you’d have my back. Our backs—”
“You’re dating Eddie?” Dustin’s brain feels like it’s been liquified. It’s going to slip right out of his nose any second now.
Steve stops short, mouth hanging open mid-tirade.
“Is that new information?” Steve asks carefully, eyebrows rising up the plane of his forehead.
“Yes dickweed!” Dustin feels like that’s fairly obvious. “How was I supposed to know that?”
“Uh, because you told Eddie you had a problem with us being together—”
“No I didn’t!” Dustin says, mentally rewinding yesterday’s shitshow of a conversation. Oh fuck. He kind of did. “I didn’t mean like that! I was just—I thought he liked Nancy.”
“What is it with your obsession with Nancy?” Steve asks, mystified.
Dustin doesn’t have time to address that.
“Mike said Eddie had a crush on Nancy and I thought you had a crush on Nancy and that you were going to hate each other as rivals for her affections.” Dustin finally admits, the words tumbling out of his mouth. “And I couldn’t tell Eddie he couldn’t like her but like I wasn’t going to root against you and I just didn’t know what to do without being a bad friend to either of you!”
Steve’s face does a spectacular series of gymnastics through a half-dozen expressions before it settles into a bewildered sort of pout. “Henderson. You’re insane.”
Dustin waves Steve’s words away. “Fuck you! I’ve been going crazy for weeks! I watched Top Gun!”
Steve blinks, head jerking backwards, clearly baffled. “Right. Okay. Well. Thanks for that?” Steve’s left hand rests on his hip, “So now that we’ve cleared up that neither of us is chasing Nancy, I just need to know. Are we going to have a problem?” He’s so serious.
“About what?”
“About me and Eddie. Being together.”
“What? No! I don’t care if you’re gay.”
“We’re not but, alright, whatever. Cool.” Steve nods, looks like he wants to say something else and then shakes his head, decides against it. “Listen, I’m glad to clear this up, but Dustin, I’m begging you, you need to stop getting involved in other people’s personal business.”
“I don’t get in involved in other people’s business.”
Steve just stares at him.
“Okay. Fine. Whatever.”
Steve sighs, hand falling from his waist, arms crossing.
“Alright. Well. Good talk. I’ve got to go tell Eddie I’m not going to Seran wrap you to a flagpole.”
“What?” Dustin squeaks. He’s pretty sure Steve’s joking. But also. Not.
Steve turns towards the door, turns on his heel and rounds on Dustin again, points at him sternly. “This conversation stays between us. Nancy and Robin know but we’re not really ready to advertise to the rest of the dipshits. Got it.”
“Got it.” Dustin solemnly swears.
“Great.” Steve reiterates, turning back to the door. “I’ve gotta tell Robin to fix your rental account.”
“What did she do to my account?”
Steve waves a hand over his shoulder without looking back. “Just don’t go to Family Video for a few days.”
The door closes behind him softly, and Dustin’s just sat down on the edge of his bed to begin the momunmental process of trying to make sense of the entire conversation when the door flies open again.
“Also, you owe Eddie a major apology. I’m talking huge amounts of groveling. Maybe flowers. Candy. Just make it good, Henderson.” Steve grins wide, salutes Dustin with two fingers to his forehead and then disappears.
Dustin holds his breath as he waits for Steve to reappear one last time, like some sort of hairsprayed avenging angel.
He doesn’t though. Dustin breathes out. “What the fuck.” He drops back against his mattress, stares up at the ceiling.
He’s got to figure out the best apology of all time.