Chapter Text
The late September sun beat down on Hawkins High School's parking lot as Dustin Henderson pulled his mom's sedan into a spot near the back. His palms were sweaty against the steering wheel, and he took a deep breath before killing the engine. First day at a new school. Again. This was getting old.
He'd moved around a lot in his life due to his mom's job as a traveling nurse, but this time felt different. Hawkins, Indiana, was supposed to be permanent. His mom had finally taken a stable position at Hawkins General Hospital, bought a house, the whole nine yards. This was it. This was home now. Which meant Dustin actually had to try to fit in.
Grabbing his backpack from the passenger seat, Dustin checked his reflection in the rearview mirror one last time. His curly hair was as unruly as ever, despite his best efforts with gel that morning. His Weird Al T-shirt was probably not the coolest choice for a first impression, but screw it, he was who he was. At least his teeth looked good. Thank God for that oral surgery two years ago.
The school building loomed before him, all red brick and institutional windows. Dustin squared his shoulders and headed toward the main entrance.
He'd barely made it through the front doors when he collided with someone coming around the corner at full speed.
"Whoa!" Dustin stumbled backward, his backpack sliding off one shoulder.
"Sorry, man! My bad!" The guy he'd crashed into was tall, with warm brown skin and an infectious smile that immediately put Dustin at ease. He wore a Hawkins Tigers basketball jersey with the number 8 on it, and had the kind of natural confidence that came from being good at something and knowing it. "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Dustin said, adjusting his backpack. "I'm the one who should apologize. I wasn't watching where I was going."
"First day?" the guy asked, his smile widening knowingly.
"That obvious, huh?"
"Only because I haven't seen you around before, and I know pretty much everyone here. I'm Lucas Sinclair." He extended his hand, and Dustin shook it gratefully.
"Dustin Henderson. Just moved here from Illinois."
"Cool, cool. What grade?"
"Junior."
"Hey, same! What's your first period?" Lucas leaned over to peek at the schedule Dustin was clutching in his other hand. "Oh, sick! We have English together. Come on, I'll show you where it is. Mrs. O'Donnell's classroom is kind of hidden in the back corner of the building. Everyone gets lost trying to find it their first time."
As they walked through the crowded hallways, Lucas kept up a steady stream of conversation that Dustin found surprisingly easy to fall into. Lucas pointed out important locations like the cafeteria ("lunch is terrible, but the pizza's edible"), the gym ("where I spend most of my free time"), the library ("surprisingly decent comic book selection, don't ask me how"), and the principal's office.
"So what's the deal with this place?" Dustin asked as they snaked through the clusters of students in the hallways. "Any survival tips for the new guy?"
Lucas laughed. "Hawkins High is pretty standard, I guess. You’ve got your usual social groups: jocks, nerds, theater kids, burnouts. I float between groups pretty easily, so I can introduce you around. The basketball team is cool. Drama club is actually fun if you're into that sort of thing. Ex-chief of police Jim Hopper is the principal so let's just say, don’t get yourself into too much trouble."
"Noted," Dustin said, mentally cataloging all the information.
They reached Mrs. O'Donnell's classroom with five minutes to spare. Lucas grabbed seats near the middle and continued his orientation.
"So, you play any sports?" Lucas asked.
"Not really. I mean, I like sports, but I'm more into science, computers, that kind of thing."
"Nerd. I respect it." Lucas grinned. "You should come to AV Club meetings. It's me, a couple other guys, and we basically just mess around with the school's equipment and work on random projects. It's pretty chill."
"That sounds awesome, actually."
The bell rang, and Mrs. O'Donnell began taking attendance. Dustin tried to focus on her introduction to their semester curriculum, but his attention kept drifting to the window. From this angle, he could see the courtyard, where more students were hurrying to their first period classes.
That's when he saw her.
She was walking across the courtyard with another girl, both of them laughing about something. The girl who'd caught Dustin's attention had shoulder-length wavy brown hair that caught the sunlight, and even from this distance, he could see her bright, genuine smile. She wore a simple lavender dress with white sneakers, and there was something about the way she moved, a kind of lightness, an innocence, that made Dustin's heart do a weird flip in his chest.
"Who is that?" Dustin breathed, not meaning to say it out loud.
Lucas followed his gaze and chuckled. "Oh man. That's El Hopper-Byers. Well, her real name is Jane, but everyone calls her El. It's her middle name."
"She's beautiful,” Dustin stared in awe.
"Yeah. She's really sweet too. Like, genuinely nice, not fake nice. She volunteers at the elementary school, helps out with the drama club even though she doesn't perform, that kind of thing. She's friends with basically everyone."
"Is she... does she have a boyfriend?"
Lucas's expression shifted to something like sympathy. "No, but there's a situation there. You see, El has this rule she has to follow. Well, her dad's rule, actually. She's not allowed to date until she's eighteen."
Dustin's face fell. "What? Why?"
"Her dad is Principal Hopper—yes, the same one I warned you about. He's super protective of his kids. Like, insanely protective. Her mom died about five years ago, and he's raised El and her two brothers on his own since then. The oldest brother, Jonathan, is off at college now, but there's also Will, who's our age; they’re twins. Anyway, the rule is: no dating until eighteen. Period. No exceptions."
"That's insane," Dustin said, still watching El through the window until she disappeared into the building.
"Yeah, well, Hopper's kind of insane."
The rest of first period passed in a blur. Dustin tried to pay attention to Mrs. O'Donnell's lecture about their first reading assignment, but his mind kept wandering back to the girl in the courtyard. El. Even her name was pretty.
After class, Lucas walked Dustin to his next period, which turned out to be Chemistry. "I've got History right now, but I'll meet you at lunch, okay? Cafeteria, fourth period. I'll introduce you to more people."
"Sounds good. Thanks for everything, man. Seriously."
"No problem. That's what friends are for."
Friends. Dustin smiled at that. One class in, and he'd already made a friend. Maybe Hawkins wouldn't be so bad after all.
Chemistry was taught by Mr. Clarke, an enthusiastic teacher who reminded Dustin of Bill Nye the Science Guy, if Bill Nye wore more sweater vests and made way more terrible science puns. Dustin liked him immediately.
His third period was History with Mr. Berkley, who spent the entire hour of class showing them a documentary about the French Revolution that looked like it had been filmed in the 1970s. Dustin tried not to fall asleep.
Finally, fourth period arrived. Dustin made his way to the cafeteria, scanning the crowded room for Lucas. He spotted him at a table near the windows, waving him over. As Dustin approached, he realized Lucas wasn't alone. There was a girl with red hair sitting next to him, and across from them—
Dustin's heart stopped.
It was her. El.
"Dustin!" Lucas called out. "Over here, man!"
Somehow, Dustin's legs carried him to the table. Up close, El was even prettier than she'd been from a distance. She had these large, expressive brown eyes that seemed to sparkle with genuine warmth, and when she smiled at him, Dustin felt like he might actually pass out.
"Guys, this is Dustin Henderson. He just moved here from Illinois. Dustin, this is Max Mayfield"—he gestured to the red-haired girl, who gave Dustin a cool nod and a smirk—"and this is El Hopper-Byers."
"Hi," El said, her voice soft but friendly. "It's nice to meet you, Dustin."
"Hi," Dustin managed to croak out. "I'm Dustin. Wait, you already know that. Because Lucas just said that. So I'm just... I'm going to sit down now."
Max snorted with laughter, and even Lucas was grinning, but El just smiled wider. "It's okay. First days are always weird. I remember when Max moved here last year. She accidentally walked into the boys' bathroom."
"Hey!" Max protested, throwing a french fry at her. "You said you'd never tell anyone about that!"
Dustin sat down next to Lucas, trying to calm his racing heart. He couldn't stop looking at El. There was something magnetic about her, something that went beyond just physical attraction. She had this aura of genuine kindness, of sweetness without naiveté. When she laughed at something Max said, it was completely unguarded, joyful in a way that made everyone around her want to smile too.
"So, Dustin," Max said, leaning forward with a grin, "Lucas tells us you're into science and computers and stuff."
"Yeah," Dustin said, grateful for the distraction. "I want to study engineering in college. Maybe work for NASA or something."
"That's so cool," El said, and she sounded like she genuinely meant it. "My brother, Will, is really smart too. He's more artsy than science-y, but he gets straight A's in everything."
"Will's the one you share the no-dating rule with, right?" Dustin asked, then immediately regretted it when El's expression dimmed slightly.
"Lucas told you about that?"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"
"No, it's okay," El interrupted gently. "It's not exactly a secret. Yeah, my dad has this rule. Will and I can't date until we're eighteen."
"That seems really unfair," Dustin said before he could stop himself.
El shrugged, but he could see the frustration in her eyes. "He's just protective. After my mom died, he kind of... went overboard with the rules. He means well."
"But you're, what, almost seventeen?" Max jumped in. "You should be able to make your own choices."
"I know, but..." El trailed off, looking conflicted. "He's my dad. And that's the rule. He’s not budging on it."
Dustin's mind was racing. There had to be a loophole, some way around this ridiculous rule. "What about Will?" he asked. "Does he have anyone he's interested in?"
Lucas, Max, and El exchanged awkward glances with each other.
"Will doesn't really date," Lucas said carefully. "He's never shown interest in anyone. Like, girls ask him out all the time, but he always says no."
"He's kind of a mystery," Max added. "Cute, smart, talented, nice, basically the whole package, but completely unavailable. It's like he's married to his art or something."
El's expression softened when they talked about her brother. "Will's just... particular. He's not like other guys. He's sensitive and thoughtful, and I think he's waiting for the right person."
There was something in the way she said it, something protective and knowing, that made Dustin curious. But before he could ask more, the conversation shifted to other topics—classes, teachers, weekend plans. Dustin learned that Max loved to skateboard and was on the girls' basketball team with Lucas on the boys' team. They had been dating for almost a year now. He also learned that El volunteered every Tuesday and Thursday at Hawkins Elementary School, and that the three of them had been friends since Max moved to Hawkins sophomore year.
Throughout lunch, Dustin found himself completely enchanted by El. Every smile, every laugh, every thoughtful comment she made only drew him in deeper. By the time the bell rang for fifth period, he was completely gone for her.
"What do you have next?" El asked as they threw away their lunch trays.
"Um..." Dustin fumbled with his schedule. "Art with Mr. Bolton."
"Oh, Will's in that class!" El said brightly. "He's amazing at art. Like, seriously talented. You'll probably see him there."
"I'll look out for him," Dustin promised.
As it turned out, identifying Will Hopper-Byers was not difficult at all.
Dustin walked into the art room. It was a large, light-filled space with high ceilings, paint-splattered tables, and canvases stacked against every wall. He immediately noticed a boy sitting in the far corner by the windows. He was hunched over a sketchbook, completely absorbed in whatever he was drawing. His shaggy brown hair fell into his eyes, and he had the same delicate features as El; the same large eyes, though his were more hazel than brown, the same gentle face. He wore paint-stained jeans and a faded rainbow t-shirt, and there was something about the intensity of his focus, the way he moved his pencil across the page with such careful precision, that marked him as someone special.
Will Hopper-Byers was beautiful in a way that was completely different from his sister. Where El was bright and warm, Will was quiet and mysterious. There was something almost ethereal about him, like he existed slightly apart from everyone else, in his own private world of colors and shadows and light.
Dustin took a seat a few tables away, not wanting to disturb him. Other students filtered in, greeting the teacher, and starting conversations with each other, but Will remained in his corner, drawing. He barely looked up when Mr. Bolton started class.
Mr. Bolton was a youngish teacher with long hair pulled back in a ponytail and several tattoos visible on his forearms. He seemed laid-back and enthusiastic about art, which Dustin appreciated. After taking attendance and going over the syllabus, he gave them a free period to "explore the space and get comfortable with the materials."
Dustin found himself gravitating toward the corner where Will was sitting.
"Hey," Dustin said softly, not wanting to startle him.
Will looked up from his sketchbook, and Dustin was struck by the intelligence and depth in his eyes. There was something old in those eyes, something that suggested Will had seen or experienced things that had made him grow up faster than he should have.
"Hi," Will said. His voice was quiet, gentle. "You're new."
"Yeah. Dustin Henderson. I just moved here."
"Will Byers." He didn't offer his hand to shake, but he gave Dustin a small, genuine smile. "Welcome to Hawkins."
Dustin quirked an eyebrow at the single last name introduction, but didn’t question it outwardly.
"Thanks. I, uh, I met your sister at lunch today. El. She mentioned you were in this class. Said you were really good at art. She wasn't kidding." Dustin gestured to the sketchbook. From his angle, he could see it was a drawing of a dragon, incredibly detailed, with scales and wings and fire that looked like it might actually burn off the page.
Will's cheeks flushed slightly. "Thanks. I've been drawing since I was a kid. It's kind of my thing."
"It's really amazing," Dustin said honestly. "I can barely draw stick figures."
That earned him a real laugh, soft but genuine. "Everyone can learn. It just takes practice."
"Maybe you could give me some pointers sometime?"
Will hesitated, and Dustin saw the walls go up. It was subtle with a slight stiffening of his shoulders and a guardedness that crept into his expression, but it was definitely there. "Maybe," Will said noncommittally, already turning back to his sketchbook.
Dustin recognized a dismissal when he heard one. "Cool. Well, I'll let you get back to it. See you around, Will."
"See you," Will murmured back half-heartedly.
The rest of the school day passed in a blur of new classes, new teachers, new faces. By the time the final bell rang, Dustin's head was spinning with information overload. He met up with Lucas at his locker, and they walked out to the parking lot together.
"So, how was your first day?" Lucas asked.
"Good. Overwhelming, but good. Thanks again for showing me around."
"No problem, man."
As they reached Lucas’ car, Dustin asked, "What's El's situation, really? Like, is there any way around that rule?"
Lucas shrugged. "Not that I know of. Hopper's pretty strict about it. Their mom came up with the rule because she wanted her kids to focus more on school than relationships and Hopper has never budged on it, even after she passed. If anything, he just enforced it even harder."
Dustin sighed and filed this information away as they said their goodbyes. He drove home thinking about El's smile, about Will's art, about impossible rules and overprotective fathers.
A few hours later, El Hopper sat cross-legged on her bed, phone pressed to her ear, talking to Max.
"He's cute," Max was saying. "And he seems nice. A little dorky, but in an endearing way."
"He is nice," El agreed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "But it doesn't matter. Even if I liked him, I can't date him. Not until I'm eighteen."
"This rule is so stupid," Max said for the thousandth time. "You're almost seventeen. You should be allowed to go on dates."
"I know. But Dad won't budge. You know how he is."
"Maybe it's time to push back harder. You're always so good, El. So obedient. Maybe you need to make him understand how unfair this is."
El lay back on her bed, staring at her ceiling. She had Will paint it last summer to look like a night sky, complete with constellations. Her room was full of art—hers and Will's and even some of Jonathan's old photographs. It was her sanctuary, the one place where she felt completely herself.
"I've tried talking to him," El said quietly. "He just says he's protecting me. That mom would want him to keep me safe."
Bringing up their mom always put a damper on any conversation, so Max quickly averted the topic to something else.
They talked for another hour about nothing in particular—school, basketball, Max's ongoing drama with her stepbrother Billy—before saying goodnight. After hanging up, El nervously padded down the stairs—Max’s voice echoing in her mind.
"Maybe it's time to push back harder. You're always so good, El. So obedient.”
And she was right. El’s never been anything but a kind, respectful daughter. She got good grades in school, volunteered in her free time, was a loyal friend and sister. Why shouldn’t she be allowed to date?
Hopper was in his favorite armchair reading the newspaper, his reading glasses perched on his nose as El sauntered up to him.
"Dad?" El said, hovering in the living room doorway. "Can I talk to you about something?"
Hopper looked up from his paper, and his expression immediately shifted to concerned-father mode. "Of course, kiddo. What's up?"
El came in and sat on the couch across from him, twisting her hands in her lap. "There's this boy at school. His name is Dustin. He just moved here, and he's really nice, and I think he likes me, and I kind of like him too, and I was wondering if maybe I could go on a date with him? Just to the movies or something. Max and Lucas could come too, so it would be like a group thing—"
"El," Hopper interrupted, his voice gentle but firm. "You know the rule."
"I know, but Dad, I'm almost seventeen. Don't you think the rule is a little extreme?"
"Extreme is keeping you safe." Hopper set down his newspaper. "We've talked about this before. You and Will can date when you're eighteen. That's the rule in this house."
"That's not fair!"
"Life's not fair, El." Hopper's voice was getting that edge it got when he was done discussing something. "The rule exists for a reason. Your mother and I decided on it together, and I'm not changing it now that she's gone. It's what she would have wanted."
El felt tears prick her eyes. It wasn't fair that Hopper used Mom as justification for his ridiculous rules. Mom had been protective, sure, but she'd also been understanding. She would have let El go on one date with a nice boy. El was sure of it.
"I'm not a little kid anymore," El said, her voice shaking. "I'm responsible. I get good grades. I volunteer. I've never gotten in trouble. Why can't you trust me?"
"I do trust you, kid. It's the rest of the world I don't trust."
"That's not a good reason!"
"It's the only reason I need." Hopper stood up, signaling the conversation was over. "The answer is no, Jane and that's final."
El knew the conversation was over once Hopper used her legal name. She had told her family when she was six that she wanted to start going by her middle name, El, because Jane, “sounds like an old lady name and I hate it!” El had complained. Her parents had accepted this wish, only using her legal name in certain circumstances.
Apparently, Hopper decided this was one of those circumstances.
She couldn’t help but feel anger surge through her, hot and righteous. "I hate this rule! I hate it!" El stormed toward the stairs.
At all of the commotion, Will had come out of his room, quietly tip-toeing down the stairs and peeking around the wall.
“Wait,” Hopper called after El before she got too far.
She turned, arms crossed, glaring down at him.
Hopper rubbed his face, looking suddenly tired. "Look, I know you think I'm being unreasonable. But I'm trying to do what's best for you. What if..." He paused, eyes looking back and forth between El and Will. He was thinking hard about something. "What if we modified the rule slightly?"
"Modified how?" El asked.
"You can date… when Will does."
El and Will’s stomachs both dropped.
"What?!" They burst out in unison.
"You heard me. When your brother starts dating someone, you can date too. That way I know you're both mature enough to handle it."
"But Will doesn't date anyone!" El exclaimed, wildly gesturing to her brother who was sheepishly looking at the floor.
"Exactly," Hopper said, and there was something almost smug in his expression. "Will's smart. He's focused on school and his art. He's not interested in dating, which shows good judgment. When he decides he's ready for that kind of relationship, I'll know you kids are mature enough."
"But what if Will never dates?!” El whined, knowing that obviously wouldn’t be the case, but just trying to get through to her father.
“Well, then, you’ll never date. I like that thought,” Hopper smirked to himself.
“That's not fair to either of us! You're making my dating life dependent on his!"
"Take it or leave it, El. That's my offer. You can date when Will does. Otherwise, you wait until you're eighteen like we originally agreed."
El let out an exasperated “UGH!" and stomped up the stairs, grabbing Will’s wrist and pulling him with her. She knew she was being dramatic and a bit childish, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.
"He's using you," El said miserably. "He knows you don't date anyone, so he thinks he's found the perfect loophole. I'll never get to date anyone because you're..." She trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.
Will's face had gone pale. "Because I'm what?"
El looked at her brother—her sweet, sensitive, talented brother who she loved more than anyone in the world—and felt her anger drain away, replaced by guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just... I know you're not interested in dating right now."
"I'm not interested in dating girls," Will corrected quietly. "That's not the same thing."
They looked at each other for a long moment. El was the only person that knew that Will was gay. It was back in 8th grade when Will first came out to her. They were sitting in El’s room huddled under a blanket fort with lots of blankets and pillows, strung with fairy lights, while watching some lame-o romance movie. El was fawning over the main male actor and daydreaming about her future love life. Her dream guy. Her dream date. Her dream wedding. The works. She then asked if Will had ever planned out his future in his mind, and the dam broke.
Will always knew he was different, that he never seemed to have any interest in girls, even when all his other friends did. He wasn’t oblivious to being called “queer”, and “fairy”, and “fag” by other kids on the playground who had heard their parents say it first, all because a young boy dared to be a bit more sensitive or show emotion. He knew he was different in the way his gaze would linger on cute boys from across the cafeteria, and the way his heart would flutter when one leaned too close to him in class when reaching for a pair of scissors, or passing a note to another student.
He'd bawled and confessed everything to El that night, hurting from keeping it bottled up for so long. El cried with him and assured him that he was never alone, because she would always be there for him. She gave him the tightest hugs, wrapping them up in a thick blanket cocoon, ensuring that he knew that she was never going anywhere. They laughed and cried together that night and Will was grateful to know that El had his back no matter what, and that they were safe together from the outside world in their blanket fort.
"I know," El said softly. "And I would never pressure you to come out before you're ready. That's your choice, and I support you no matter what."
"But now I'm the reason you can't date," Will said, and his voice cracked. "I'm the obstacle. If I just... if I could just be normal, if I could just like girls like I'm supposed to, then you could go out with Dustin and be happy."
"Will, no. Don't say that. You are normal. Being gay is normal."
"Not here it isn't. Not in Hawkins. Not in Dad's eyes." Will wrapped his arms around himself. "Do you really think Dad would be okay with me dating a guy? He'd probably add ten more years to the no-dating rule."
El hadn't thought about that. She'd been so focused on her own frustration that she hadn't considered what this meant for Will. If he came out, if he started dating a boy, Hopper might not react the way they hoped. He might be one of those parents who said they'd love their kids no matter what but couldn't handle it when faced with reality.
"We don't know how he'd react, maybe he'd surprise us," El said weakly.
"Maybe. Or maybe he'd kick me out like Mike Wheeler's parents did."
El's blood ran cold. She'd heard that story. Everyone at school had. Mike Wheeler, who'd come out freshman year and been kicked out by his parents the same day. Mike, who now lived with his grandmother and had that hard, angry edge to him that came from being rejected by the people who were supposed to love you most.
"Dad wouldn't do that," El said firmly. "He loves you. He'd never kick you out."
They sat in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Will spoke again, his voice small and scared.
"I'm sorry, El. I'm sorry that my inability to be what everyone expects is ruining your life."
"Stop it," El said fiercely, pulling him into a hug. "You're not ruining anything. Dad's the one being unreasonable. You shouldn't have to come out before you're ready just so I can go on a date. That's not fair to you."
"But you're miserable."
"I'm frustrated. That's different." El pulled back to look at her brother. "Will, listen to me. I love you exactly as you are. I don't want you to change. I don't want you to force yourself to date someone you're not interested in just to make Dad happy or to give me more freedom. Your coming out journey is yours alone. It happens on your timeline, not anyone else's. Okay?"
Will nodded, tears in his eyes. "Okay."
"We'll figure something out. I’m sure I can wait until I'm eighteen. It’s only a little bit over a year. It'll be fine."
But even as she said it, El didn't believe it. Fourteen months was practically an eternity when you were sixteen and falling for someone. And the idea of Dustin waiting that long, of him potentially finding someone else who could actually date him...
It hurt.
After a while, El left Will's room and went to her own, throwing herself onto her bed and staring at her painted ceiling. Stars and constellations looked back at her, constant and unchanging, unlike everything else in her life.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Max: How'd it go with your dad?
El typed back: Terrible. He said I can only date when Will does.
The response came immediately: WHAT
That's so fucked up
What are you going to do?
El stared at that question for a long time. What was she going to do? Will wasn't going to come out anytime soon. He was too scared, and rightfully so. She couldn't wait fourteen months, watching Dustin from afar, missing her chance at something that could be really good.
There had to be another way.
There had to be someone who could get Will to take a chance.
But who?