Chapter Text
Dustin began tapping his foot on the gravel restlessly, checking his watch occasionally as the minutes ticked on.
“Where is he?” he wondered out loud.
Steve was supposed to pick him up at 8:30, before his shift started, to go to Family Video and return the tape Dustin had borrowed. But here Dustin was, standing in front of his house at 9:00am, and still Steve was nowhere in sight. Surely, he hadn’t forgotten right?
Dustin began to pace up and down the driveway, trying to be patient, but Steve was never late. Never. Definitely not by 30 minutes at least. Was he stuck in traffic? Had he overslept? Or had…
Dustin froze as the very thought sent a chill down his spine. Could Steve be…hurt? Panic began to squirm in Dustin’s stomach as his imagination began conjuring up horrible images. Had something gotten to him? Demogorgons? Russians? Was he seriously injured somewhere they couldn’t reach him?
Suddenly, static began to ring out from his backpack, the grating sound ripping Dustin out of his thoughts. He fished the walkie talkie out of his bag and strapped it over his hand.
“Dustin, do you copy?” a voice asked. “It’s Robin, over.”
“Yup, I copy, over.” he replied, grateful it was her. Maybe she could give him an update on Steve.
“Oh good. Is Steve with you?” she asked. “I remember he said he might clock in early today because he was picking you up or something, but he’s not here yet. I tried reaching his walkie talkie but there was no reply.”
Dustin felt his heart drop, as worry welled up within up, wriggling up his throat. “No, he uh, didn’t show up.”
Dustin could practically hear Robin’s reaction mirror his from just moments ago. Something wasn’t right, and they both knew it, but were too afraid to admit it.
“Okay, well um our shift has already started and Keith won’t let me leave, so could you check on him for me? Or maybe give him a call or something? I don’t have his home number yet which seems kinda weird considering everything that happened to us and how we should probably have other ways of reaching each other because-”
Robin continued to ramble on, her words tumbling out of her faster and faster the way they did when she was nervous or afraid. Dustin cut her off, saying he could give Steve a call, before she got too worked up. With that, they bid their goodbyes and Dustin rushed into his house. He practically ripped the phone off the wall and dialled Steve’s home number, praying he would pick up. The phone beeped a few times before Dustin heard a click on the other end.
“Hello?” Steve’s voice rang out and Dustin released a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.
“Dude! What the hell, man, we were worried about you!” Dustin chided. “What happened?”
“Shit, Henderson? I-I’m sorry man, I just- something came up, okay? I’ll make it up to you another time,” Steve replied.
But his voice seemed worn out. Tired and shaky, as though he hadn’t slept. Though none of them had really slept well since Starcourt, Steve never really let it show. He was always upbeat, even though Dustin knew he suffered from nightmares just as bad as the rest of them.
“What? That sounds like an excuse, dude,” Dustin said. “Is everything okay?”
“Yup, yeah I’m fine, don’t worry about me, okay kid?” Steve said, a poor attempt at reassuring Dustin. “Look, tell Robin I-”
Suddenly, he was cut off by a gruff, unfamiliar voice. Dustin couldn’t hear it properly at first, but the voice sounded like it was growing closer, as though the person was approaching the phone.
“Who is it, Steven?” it asked.
“Oh uhh no one! Just some…telemarketer!” Steve responded.
That’s odd. Why would Steve lie? Before Dustin could question him about it, the mystery voice spoke up again.
“Why are you entertaining them, just hang up!” it said curtly, seemingly annoyed.
The voice grew distant as the person spoke, as though he was walking away.
“Steve who was that? Are you sure you’re okay?” Dustin asked after a beat of silence.
“Yup, yup, everything’s fine, okay? I’ll talk to you tomorrow man, I gotta go,” Steve replied, though his voice was quieter now, barely louder than a whisper.
“Steve, come on,” Dustin urged. “If you’re in trouble I could stop by with-”
“NO! No, absolutely not, you hear me?” Steve yelled, his voice erupting from the receiver. “I’m serious okay, do not under ANY circumstances come by, kid, understood?”
For once, Dustin didn’t know what to say. He’d never heart Steve sound so…desperate before. It scared Dustin more than he would have liked to admit. Steve had been a rock for him ever since the Snow Ball. They had grown closer, and Steve was basically his older brother at that point. But to hear him crumble like that, sent more worry coursing through Dustin’s veins.
Besides that, Steve always said his door was open; that they were welcome no matter the time of day, a promise Dustin knew Steve kept on account of the many times he’d visited him even in the dead of night or early morning as a result of a nightmare. So why was he being so cagey now? He heard Steve curse under his breath and regain his composure, interrupting Dustin’s thoughts.
“I’m sorry, man. Really,” Steve apologised, his voice quiet again. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Before Dustin could object, Steve hung up leaving a long continuous beep to ring in Dustin’s ears. Trepidation coiled around his heart like a serpent. With every new piece of information he got, Dustin grew more and more suspicious that Steve was hiding something. He knew what he had to do.
He grabbed his backpack, rushed out of the house, hopped on his bike and made his way to Steve’s house.