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It shouldn't be this hard to scale a wall, but Eddie just can't manage it.
Steve probably could, his brain reminds him. The thought just puts Eddie even more on edge.
He knows he shouldn't keep comparing himself to Harrington; he tried to stop during their jaunt in the Upside Down. These last few days with Henderson, though, makes it really hard to not resent the guy.
It's not exactly fair, considering Harrington's been comatose in Hawkins Memorial Hospital for the last eighteen months. It's also not fair that Dustin keeps taking it out on Eddie, either.
"Seriously?" Dustin's voice echoes behind him, bringing him back to the present. "You're still standing there?"
"You told me to look around, I'm trying to look around," Eddie shoots back. "What, no luck finding your shield generator?"
"It's here somewhere," Dustin insists. "It has to be."
"So you didn't find it."
"Not on this floor," Dustin snaps.
Eddie lets out a tired sigh. "Whatever, man," he mutters, turning away from the wall. There's probably nothing behind there, anyways.
"You would just love for me to be wrong, wouldn't you?" Dustin barked. "You're practically gloating about it."
"I'm really not," Eddie shrugs, leaning against a wall. "I'm just calling it like I see it."
"If I'm wrong, then we don't reach past the barrier, which means we don't find Holly and the other kids," Dustin lectures accusingly. "Do you understand how grossly selfish that is?"
"Oh, I'm selfish?" Eddie challenges. "What about you, huh? We came to the Upside Down to find the Chief and Eleven, but when we finally reach them, you decide it's a good idea to leave the meeting point to pursue this bullshit theory of yours."
"It's not bullshit!" Dustin argues.
"Well, it's not exactly panning out either, is it?" Eddie retorts. "Let's not forget, the only reason we lost touch with Hopper in the first place is because you were a no-show at the Crawl. So really, this whole mess is on you."
"It's not like I decided to miss the Crawl!" Dustin spits out. "I was attacked-"
"No, you wanted a fight, so you went looking for one," Eddie accuses. You wanted to be like Harrington so badly? he thinks to himself. Well, congratulations Henderson; you've succeeded. "It was a stupid move-"
"Wow, thank you so much, Eddie!" Dustin's voice is dripping in sarcasm. "Really, you're such a great friend-"
"Do you even remember what that's like, Henderson?" Eddie interrupts. "Having friends?"
"Yeah," Dustin nods resolutely. "I do. I remember what it was like to have a good friend. A real friend, who actually believed in me and actually gave a shit about me-"
"And there it is, ladies and gentlemen!" Eddie declares, arms spreading out like a showman.
"What?" Dustin demands.
"That's what all this has been about; Steve!" Eddie says like it's obvious. "All your bullshit with getting into fights and acting like an absolute asshole. You're pushing everyone away, because no one could ever be as perfect as good ol' King Steve-"
"Don't call him that, that's not who he is!" Dustin snaps. "Steve wasn't perfect, and he knew that! He could be an asshole sometimes, yeah, but he wasn't- isn't- fake like you!"
Eddie rolls his eyes. "Here we go again."
"You with all your performative bullshit. You acting like you're so much better than everyone else because you're not a 'conformist,'" Dustin sneers, using air quotes even as his hands start to tremble. "You say everyone else is judgmental, that they shove people like us into a box, but you do the same. Exact. Thing. You stand on lunch tables, preaching about how everyone's brainwashed by society and how we're all just little sheep, but you, oh you... The great Eddie Munson; you are so much better for being different."
The kid takes a step forward. "News-fucking-flash, Eddie; that just means you're the bully!" he continues, jabbing a finger in Eddie's direction. "Not like Steve. Steve learned from his mistakes, Steve tried to be a better person every single day. And you know what? He's the kindest, bravest person I've ever met!"
"Oh yeah, real brave," Eddie barked. "It was so brave not telling anyone that he was cursed."
Dustin stills, a dangerous glint in his eye. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"That night... Steve told us not to be heroes," Eddie reminds him. "What did he do? He ran off to play hero himself, knowing full well that Vecna could come for him at any moment and that's exactly what happened. For all your talk about how he would protect you kids and how he's saved your life-"
"He did save my life!" Dustin snarls.
"Yeah, well that night? He saved no one," Eddie retorts, voice cruel and sharp. "You can keep telling yourself that he's some big damn hero, but deep down the reason why you're so pissed is because you know the truth. Steve wanted to play hero one last time, so he made a dumb call and got himself killed-"
"SHUT UP!" Dustin screams, running and tackling Eddie to the ground.
The thing is, Eddie's not much of a fighter. A runner, sure. A loud-mouth, certainly. But physicality has never been his strong suit.
Dustin used to be the same. Then Steve wound up in the coma and, like Lucas in his freshman year, Dustin suddenly became more interested in being stronger, faster.
The kid's not a jock by any means, but losing Steve did something to him. Made him push himself physically, in a way he never had before. As if running and strength would bring him closer to Steve, would fill the empty slot Steve left behind when he died and fell into the coma.
So when Dustin attacks him, Eddie doesn't stand a chance. He would never ever want to hit Dustin, anyways.
Even if he did, once Dustin has him pinned to the floor, the fight is already over.
Dustin punches him again and again and again, sobbing and screaming as he curses Eddie out.
"Fight back!" Dustin screams.
There's no coordination to his punches, his fists landing everywhere from Eddie's face to his chest to his arms once Eddie manages to lift them in self-defense.
Dustin grows more agitated. "Fight back, you fucking coward!"
Using all his strength, Eddie bucks Dustin off of him, scrambling away to put distance between them.
"Enough, Henderson!" Eddie yells.
It's clearly not though, not for Dustin.
The kid rams into him again, Eddie's back slamming into that stupid wall he'd been trying to scale before. Dustin punches his side repeatedly, but now that they're on their feet, Eddie has an easier time pushing Dustin away.
He shoves Henderson back. "Knock it off!"
Dustin charges him again, but this time Eddie's ready.
Eddie's been bullied and beaten up his whole life. He knows how to get away from assholes who'd rather use their fists than their words. So when Henderson is close enough, Eddie slips out of the way, letting Henderson run face first into the wall.
"That's enough, Henderson!"
Dustin turns around, swinging a fist. Eddie just manages to dodge it, grabbing Dustin's arm and shoving him to the ground.
"I said enough!" Eddie snaps.
Dustin doesn't get up, sitting up on the ground and staring up at Eddie with pure anger and hate in his eyes.
Eddie can see the kid gearing up for another verbal lashing, so Eddie does what he always does.
He turns around and retreats.
"I'm done, Henderson," he calls over his shoulder. "I'm done."
"Then go!" Dustin calls after him. "You damn coward!"
"I might be a coward," Eddie says, unable to help himself and not caring if it hurts Dustin or not, "but I'm also not the one stuck in a coma."
He storms off, leaving Dustin alone on the ground, ignoring the wrenching heartache he feels because of this stupid, stubborn kid.