Work Text:
June 24,1986
Dustin was sleeping in Steve's guest room, when he was violently sent back to The Upside Down. Back to that night where he thought Eddie was dead. Dying in his arms. Crying for Eddie. Screaming until his voice was gone. When suddenly Eddies face faded to Steve's. Laying unmoving on Eddies mattress after coming through the gate. He had somehow got Nancy through the gate after Vecna attacked her. When he climbed after and fell on the mattress, he screamed once and then was still. Covered in blood and scars. Horrifying purple bruised and bloody rings around his neck. Dustin stopped breathing. Staring in horror at Steve, his rock, his brother in all the ways it mattered. Laying on a dirty mattress pale, still and so, so hurt.
Eddie ran to get a first aid kit. His hands were steady, a look of intense concentration on his face. He cleaned Steves wounds and then stitched them up. Nancy s hands were shaking too hard to do it and Robin was clinging on to Steve almost inconsolable. Dustin, Max, Lucas, and Erica holding each other tightly. Steve woke groaning then gasping in pain as Eddie finished stitching. “Sorry, Sorry, Eddie whispered gently. “l’m almost done". Robin and Nancy holding both his hands. Steve squeezing them both so hard it probably hurt. They didn't let go though. “OK, I’m all done Steve. I need to wrap it. Do you think you can sit up"? Eddie asked still in that gentle voice. Lips pressed into a hard line and his whole face a mask of pain he nodded. Sitting him up as gently as they could Eddie wrapped his wounds with a new dressing. Tears of pain had leaked out of his eyes. Dustin wanted to go over to him to comfort him. But he didn't dare move. He didn't think he even could at this point. “Ok lets try and get you up and to the couch ok. Rest a little better” Eddie said. He pulled Steve up to stand holding and catching him before he fell. “Easy Steve, we got you". Steve rested his head on Eddies shoulder gripping his arms tightly trying to catch his breath. The girls were standing behind him in case he swayed. “I’m ok, thanks” Steve said. He looked over then and saw the four of us still standing there. “Steve” Dustin said, his voice cracking. He stepped away from Eddie, somehow finding the strength to do so and opened his arms. They all went over like a unit and hugged him. Gently. Dustin started sobbing into his chest. “I’m ok guys” He felt Max shaking her head. “You’re not” she cried. Look at you! You can't do that Steve, you can't leave us”. Sobbing now she couldn't continue.
“Hey, hey look at me”. We all slowly looked up. “I am not going anywhere, not now hopefully not ever. I can't promise that it won't ever happen. Not with our lives the way they are. But I can promise that I will do everything, everything and anything in my power to come back to you. OK"? And because it was Steve that said it they believed him. That core of strength. The steel in his voice.
They led him over to the couch and laid him down so he could rest. Erica, Lucas and Max sat on the floor by his feet. Max grabbing Steve's hand with one hand and Lucas's in the other. Lucas bringing Erica close.Dustin had got on the couch laying Steve' head on his lap. Robin sitting on the arm of the couch running her hand through Steve's hair. Nancy and Eddie both looking exhausted and spent, took the floor by Steve's head. Eddie started shaking then, that steadiness gone in the face of adrenaline crash and residual fear of his time in the Upside Down. "Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ" he kept muttering Putting his head down on his knees . Robin squeezed in between them. Holding both Nancy and Eddies hands.Eddie still shaking.Nancy face tense and creased with memories of whatever Vecna had done to her. They all pretty much passed out after that. In a terrified exhausted bundle.Knowing they were all safe at least for the time being.
Dustin had never been so terrified than at that moment Steve went still. Even the Tunnels had not held the same terror. Because Steve had been there. Holding him close. Protecting him. Holding the nail bat in the other hand concussed to hell and probably just as scared as Dustin. But he stood tall. Strong, true and unwavering.
Cruelly the nightmare showed Steve dead on that mattress. Succumbing to his injuries. Then the vines choking him. Then back to Eddie dying. Being eaten alive, Being beaten to death by Jason. Back and forth in an endless horrible loop. His friends dying one by one. Max Lucas Will Mike El Steve Eddie Erica Nancy Jonathan Robin. All gone, leaving him alone. He woke up screaming unable to breath.
He felt more than saw Steve sit on the bed, gripping his arm, trying to bring him back from the nightmare. He lunged into Steve's arms sobbing and hyperventilating. He felt Steve's arms wrap around him. One hand going to the back of his head. “Its OK buddy. Its OK. I'm here. It was just a bad dream. Breath Dustin” He tried but it kept getting stuck in his throat. He clenched his hands into Steve's shirt, trying to take a breath through his tears. “Cmon kid. I need you to take a breath. Follow my breaths. In 2, 3, 4. Out 2, 3, 4. Good. Do it again. In and Out". Stuttering and finally feeling his throat opening. Dustin took a deep breath. Well as deep as he could anyway.
“You wanna talk about it? Steve asked gentle, concerned. Not really wanting to but knowing he probably needed to and taking a deep breath he nodded. “I think it was the earthquake that brought it on. Bringing me back to that day. That week. How scared I was. Feeling Eddie fade away in my arms. Seeing you pale and not moving on that mattress. Over and over. Just saw you dying. Eddie dying. The Party dying in new and different ways. Again and again. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't do anything. Then it changed again to you dying in the tunnels two years ago. Mauled by Demodogs or just dropping from a God Damn Traumatic Brain Injury! And not getting up again. The Russians, the Mindflayer, the vines in the Creel House. Will Dying in The Upside Down. Jason actually Killing Lucas. Mike dying in the tunnels or El not catching him that day in the quarry. Andy hurting Erica. Nancy and Jonathan dying in the hospital from the flayed. Again and again. I couldn't do anything Steve! I just had to watch as everyone I love died and left me alone”. Dustin had to stop because he was crying again. Steve hugged him tighter.
“Oh kid I’m so sorry. I hate that you have to deal with this. I'm here Dustin. Right here. Just breath kid. I'm right here”. Dustin just held on. Sobbing again Dustin cried into Steve's chest. “I can’t lose you Steve. Please, I can't. I know you always jump into all the dangerous things because you think its your job. But every time you do I get so scared you won't come back to me. To us. It would kill me. I cant do this without you. You die I die. I meant it then, and I mean it now. Please, please I need my best friend. You can't die Steve. Please. Not you". All the terror from the dream all the emotions from every near-death experience for himself, his friends came pouring out of him in great shuddering gasps.
“Oh God Dustin. Don't...Jesus. I hate this. Hate what this has done to you. To us. I cant lose you either. I'm so sorry. I'm here. I love you so much kid. You have no idea how much. I'm here. I'm here Dustin”. He just kept repeating it until Dustin finally, finally stopped crying. Wiping his eyes, he sat up. Steve is still holding his arms. As he seemed to need the contact as much as Dustin did. “Sorry, I guess that has been waiting to come out for awhile". Steve cupped his face and wiped the tears away with his thumb. “No, never apologize for feeling Dustin. Your heart and your love is one of the best things about you. Its OK. I will never judge you for it. Hey,do you want to call Eddie? Reassure yourself that he is OK"? Dustin nodded quickly. ‘Yea that" he paused "that would be good”.
They walked across the hall to Steve's room. He dialed Eddies number having already memorized it last week. He put it on speaker. “Hello “a sleepy voice answered. “Hey Eddie, sorry if I woke you” Steve's voice quiet and fond. Dustin was so glad that two of the most important people in his life were so close now. Saving each other's lives will do that he supposed. “Steve? Eddie asked. "No its OK. What's going on? Are you OK? Did something happen"? Seemingly wide awake now as he asked. ‘No everything is OK. Well mostly. I’ll tell you about it later. Right now Dustin needs to talk to you”. Steve handed the phone over to him. “Hi Eddie”. Still feeling afraid even though he just saw Steve talking to him. ‘Dustin, hey kid, what happened? Concerned as he probably heard how his voice sounded. “Um I had a nightmare about you dying again. It was bad Eddie. Really bad”. Dustin said voice wobbling again. Steve's hand on his back rubbing it up and down. “So Steve thought it would help to hear your voice.” After a pause Eddie spoke again. “And did it. Help I mean"? Voice gentle like it had been when he was tending to Steve on that horrible day. “It did. Thank you, Eddie”. And sorry if we woke you up". He finally felt the fear leaving him as Eddie talked. “Good, I'm glad. I am sorry you had a nightmare kid. That really sucks. But I'm here still kicking. Promise. And don't apologize. I understand. You know I do”. They talked for a few more minutes about this and that. Eddies job, how Wayne was doing. How they were both adjusting to the big city. “Listen I gotta start getting ready for work kid. But you know I'm here for you. If you need to call, then you call no matter what time. I will answer OK". A pause then “OK? Eddie asked a little more forcefully. Smiling Dustin said, “OK Thanks Eddie. I love you”. Eddie stuttered a breath. Like he did every time Dustin said it. Like he was still getting used to the feeling. "I love you too kid, I’ll talk to you soon. Bye Steve” Smiling Steve said, “bye Eddie. I’ll call you later". He hung up the phone.
He felt a little better after talking to Eddie but he was also absolutely wrecked. Emotionally and physically exhausted after that pretty big meltdown. He leaned his head against Steve's chest. Steve ran his fingers through Dustin's hair. “You think you can sleep again bud? Steve asked. His limbs felt like noodles but he managed to nod his heavy head. “OK cmon lay down”. Laying on Steve's bed he grabbed his wrist. “Stay please” his voiced laced with exhaustion and residual fear. “I'm not going anywhere bud. I'm right here”. Curling into Steve laying his head on his chest. Feeling the steady thump-thump of his heart. Steve running his hand through his curls. Safe. Loved. He slept.