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Dustin Henderson had survived worse things than a college Halloween party. He’d survived government agents. Inter-dimensional beings, even. None of that, unfortunately, could have prepared him for Jane Hopper asking him if he wanted to go out Friday night.
It was a simple question, really. One that found him at his desk as he was typing away at his midterm paper— which was typical for Dustin. Most of his college days were consumed by the never-ending work that came with being a Physics major.
Growing up, he was always a fan of the theoreticals. He found himself fascinated by the science concepts that Mr. Clark could bore the rest of class to death with. Ever since the events of the Upside Down, he’s looked at the universe under a completely different scope. He wants to confront it, stare it in the face and tear it apart piece by piece until he’s figured it out.
All of this, however, did not help the scene of his dorm. His room reflected his mind, which was always moving a mile a minute. It was constantly a mess. He had two computer monitors set up haphazardly on two textbooks he’d bought from previous courses, accompanied by the mess of various gadgets and parts that he ambitiously tried to put together in the middle of the night.
His roommate, Jane Hopper, was the only reason he wasn’t completely falling apart. When they all inevitably moved away from Hawkins after graduation, Jane made it very clear she wanted to move in with Dustin. He had no complaints, of course. Their friendship has always been easy for him. Dustin loves to talk, and Jane loves to listen. It’s worked out extremely well, almost every night spent with Jane laughing as she leans into him as he makes dumb remarks about whatever random movie they chose to put on for the night.
Jane worked her way into Dustin’s heart from the first day he met her in the woods. Naturally, he was always intrigued by her powers and what she could do, so much so that it consumed an absurd amount of his thoughts; but Dustin never saw her as an asset or a tool. He simply understood her capabilities, and more than that, he saw her for who she really is. He saw her as a person, a friend.
With Dustin by her side, she had already learned so much about what it means to truly live. She explored new clothing styles, found hobbies, and most importantly she found a passion in literature. She read so much that she could work through a dozen different types of books in just a month or two. Over the years, Dustin loved hearing all the new words she’d discovered while reading and helped her practice them. By now words and vocabulary were fully automatic for her, and he couldn’t be more proud.
Besides reading, Jane had really been into exploring the social aspects of college. She loved the friends she made in Hawkins, despite everything. They were her family— but she wanted the experience of making friends under circumstances that weren’t tied to the Upside Down. Dustin understood that and wanted to help her in any way he could. He helped her sign up for clubs, and encouraged her to attend events, even though it didn’t usually work out because anxiety and nerves sometimes got the best of her, as if everyone there could sense the supernatural force she was adorned in.
But today was different, apparently, because here she was, standing against the doorway of Dustin’s room.
“Are you free Friday night?”
Dustin turned in his chair slowly, blinking. “What?”
“There’s a Halloween party. I think we should go,” She explains, a small, almost meek smile on her face. “It could be fun.”
As previously mentioned, Dustin had encouraged her to attend functions, but it was usually something Dustin brought up. This was the first time she had directly asked him. He felt proud, but for some reason it made his head reel.
He waits another beat before finally responding. “Uh- yeah, definitely,” He sputters, nodding.
Her smile brightens at Dustin’s agreement. “We need to get costumes.” She says, crossing the threshold of his door.
“How did you even hear about this?” Dustin asks, his eyes following El as she moves through his room.
“Somebody in my book club mentioned it.” She replies simply, sitting down on Dustin’s bed
Dustin hums, nodding, and for a moment there’s silence.
He thinks about what it could mean for Jane. It directly contributes to her wish to experience “normal life” outside of Hawkins, but he can’t help but think about the negatives. He thinks about the drunk strangers, the crowd, loud music, and so much more that his brain can’t keep up.
“Do you not want to go?” She says, a light frown gracing her lips.
Dustin snaps out of his thoughts immediately. “No— I just..” he starts, trying to gather the thoughts circulating in his head. “I just don’t want it to be too much on you. That’s all.”
“I can handle it.” She says, a familiar determination on her face, and suddenly Dustin feels defeated.
“I know you can.”
She smiles that beautiful smile, and that’s enough for him.
ーーーーーーーーーー
Days pass, and Dustin is still contemplating what he should wear.
“Dude, just go as a mad scientist, that’s basically already you.” Mike says. Dustin hears Lucas snicker.
He regrets calling them for advice.
“Seriously, guys. I have to at least try to look cool. This is a college Halloween party, not middle school..”
“How about just a nerd, then?” Lucas jokes.
Dustin scoffs, “Lucas, with all due respect, please shut up.”
He hears laughter for a brief moment before he’s thinking again.
“Why don’t you go as Superman?” Will chimes in somewhere in the background of Mike’s apartment.
It’s the best idea any of them have offered so far, but Dustin doesn’t find himself too similar to Superman.
And it’s almost like Will read his mind, adding: “Or just like, Clark Kent. I’m sure it’d be a cheap costume. Actually, you probably already have some of it.”
“Will, you’re a genius.” Says Mike. Will just giggles. “It’s perfect.”
Dustin nods to himself, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “That could work.” He says. “Thanks for nothing, Mike and Lucas.” He says playfully, and he hears laughter from them all once again.
As if on cue, he hears the door of his dorm open. He checks the time and realizes Jane is already back from class. He says his goodbye to Mike, Lucas, and Will and immediately heads out of his room to greet her.
“Hi Jane,” He says with a suspicious inflection, making his way to the counter where Jane sets down her set of keys.
She furrows her brows, “Is something wrong?”
“What, I can’t greet you?”
She giggles, and Dustin’s heart skips a beat. “You sound.. funny.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” He starts, an uncontrollable grin plastered on his face. “I only discovered the perfect costume for the party.” He says, trying to sound playfully casual.
Jane’s eyes widened with curiosity. “Really? What is it?”
“Well, Will suggested I go as Superman, but I didn’t think I exuded Superman energy,” He explains, “But then, he suggested Clark Kent, which is Kal-El’s secret identity, and I thought it was pretty good!”
Jane nods along, a grin of her own spreading onto her face. “That sounds perfect.”
Even a small comment like that made Dustin’s stomach flip, his mouth suddenly growing dry. He clears his throat. “What about you? Do you have a costume?” He asks, regaining his composure.
She looks like she’s thinking for a moment before she speaks: “It’s a surprise.”
Dustin raises his eyebrows, “A surprise?”
“A surprise.” She repeats, a smug smile on her face.
Naturally, Dustin’s mind is quick to start working. It wanders to some of the costumes she’s worn in previous years, all counterparts to Max’s, yet they still suited her in Dustin’s opinion. He tries to formulate what this year's costume could be. He tries his hardest not to picture anything too egregious, but his terribly vivid imagination fails him. The image of her wearing a Lois Lane to compliment his Kent costume flashes through his mind, the immediate heat that rises to his cheeks couldn’t have been more obvious.
He blinks, willing himself to return to the conversation at hand. “Can I have a hint or something?”
Jane shakes her head, “No.”
Dustin groans, dragging his hands over his face. “You’re killing me.”
She giggles, moving across the counter to hug his shoulders from behind. “Sorry,” She murmurs, her cheek pressing into him.
He swallows, bringing his hands to gently grab her forearms. “No you’re not.”
“Okay, maybe not,” She admits, giving him a squeeze before she pulls away, walking toward her room. “Just trust me, you’ll like it.”
The touch lingers on Dustin’s skin. He sighs, helpless as she disappears into her room.
ーーーーーーーーーー
The days leading up to the party have been slow. They’ve been filled with Dustin absent-mindedly studying for his finals. Jane reads flashcards to him almost everyday to help him. Instead of it ending productively, ensuring security with the material, it ends with both of them laughing until they can’t breathe.
It was times like this when Dustin was especially thankful for Jane. When things were hard to navigate, she was always there to guide him into the calm. All of his worries melted away with her, making him laugh even when it felt impossible. She made everything bearable.
However, with one day until the party, Dustin privately started to lose his mind. One day— and Dustin still has no idea what Jane’s costume is.
He tries not to think about it, he truly does. He reasons with himself that it didn’t matter, because it’s a costume party and everyone would be wearing one, but for some reason every irrational nerve in his body makes Jane’s costume specifically feel like the most important thing in the world, and it’s slowly eating at him. He couldn’t care less about the party itself. Sure, he might have a drink or two, maybe even play a game, but as long as El is there, and she’s happy, that’s all that matters to Dustin.
He explained to Steve his complicated feelings towards Jane, and he was all over it. Ever since grade school, Dustin has looked up to Steve, and always strived to be like him. As a result, he’s soaked up every piece of advice Steve has ever given him. Steve gave tips that Dustin has tried to incorporate into his interactions with girls, but it always felt unnatural to him. After all the years of relying on Steve’s advice, he decided now that he’s older that he would try being himself rather than a sorry version of High School Steve when it comes to romance.
Still, he made sure to call Steve anyway, to inform him of the party situation, as well as make sure his costume idea is good with him. Of course Steve found it nerdy, and suggested something more provocative. In Steve’s words, college costume parties are the best way to show off. Dustin immediately shut him down. He wasn’t trying to draw other women’s attention. He was admittedly just trying to appease Jane.
All this to say, the stress over his studies as well as the slowly burning fire that was the party has interfered a lot with Dustin’s otherwise pristine rationale. He couldn’t put his finger on what exactly he felt so nervous about, but he was glad to have Jane around to keep him sane. No matter what, her presence made things easier for him. Right now, she was lying on his bed with a book while Dustin sat at his desk editing a spreadsheet. Quiet music filled the room, creating a comfortable environment for them both to exist.
Jane shuffles, and Dustin hears the faint sound of her book closing and being placed beside her. A brief silence passed before Jane finally spoke up.
“Are you nervous? About the party?”
Dustin swallows, turning to face her. “No,” He says it too quickly to sound casual, “Are you?”
She’s quiet again, and Dustin doesn’t push.
“Listen, it’s gonna be a little overwhelming,” He starts, his eyes fixed on her, “But I know you, and I know you’re gonna be okay.
She keeps silent, but takes a deep breath, remembering herself. Dustin continues, “I’ll be there with you the whole time. If you get worried just come and find me and we’ll go home, okay?”
“Okay.” She nods, a smile appearing on her face.
and that makes Dustin feel a little calmer too.
ーーーーーーーーーー
After a grueling week, the night of the party finally arrived. To say Dustin was nervous was an understatement. He spent half the day pacing around his room, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his mind.
By the time evening rolled around, his floor was covered in discarded clothing. Putting together a Clark Kent costume was a lot harder than Will had made it sound.
Dustin stood in front of his mirror, adjusting the collar of the button-down he’d borrowed from Lucas months ago and never returned. The glasses perched on his nose were his actual prescription ones. He looked normal, which was the entire point of dressing as Clark Kent, he supposed. Still, he ran a hand through his sickeningly gelled hair for the fifth time that night, squinting at his reflection.
He barely had time to further nitpick his costume before he heard a knock on his door. His eyes widened, his stomach dropping to his feet.
He was finally going to see Jane’s costume.
He stood there, frozen, his mind quickly cycling through the possibilities that he conjured up out of thin air.
He only snapped out of it when he heard another knock, “Dustin?”
He swallowed, “One second,” He called, mentally kicking himself for the way his voice cracked.
He made his way to the door, tripping over his clothes on the ground, cursing under his breath. He was face to face with the door, placing his hand on the knob. He took a shaky breath in, closing his eyes before he turned it.
And there she was.
Jane stepped into his room, adjusting the pin of a small press badge clipped to the front of her vest. The outfit was simple, but it looked impossibly put together on her. A fitted black vest with thin pinstripes hugged over a white lace-trim top, the fabric tucked neatly into a matching skirt that fell just above her knees that were adorned in white lace stockings. Around her waist was a bright blue belt with the unmistakable red and yellow Superman emblem stamped across the buckle.
Her hair, which was usually loose and a little wild by the end of the day, had been brushed smooth and curled softly at the ends, falling just a little past her shoulders.
Dustin’s eyes drifted back to the badge hanging from her vest.
Daily Planet Press.
It didn’t take his brain long to catch up.
“You’re… Lois Lane.” He breathed, his mouth slack as his eyes moved up and down over her costume.
“Is it bad?” She asked nervously, shifting slightly on her black heels, taking a strand of hair between her fingers. “You said you were going as Clark Kent, so I wanted to.. match you.”
Dustin blinked hard, dragging his gaze back up to her face. “No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “No, it’s— it’s really good.”
She smiled meekly, a light blush on her face. Dustin suddenly became very aware of the way his heart was beating somewhere near his ears.
“Yeah,” he said again, nodding like he needed to convince himself. “It’s awesome, actually.”
Jane adjusted the badge on her vest again, glancing down at it briefly before looking back up at him.
“You really like it?” she asked, looking up at him with doe eyes that made his heart pound against his chest.
Dustin let out a small, incredulous laugh. “You’re dressed as Lois Lane,” he said, gesturing vaguely toward the Superman belt at her waist. “To match my Clark Kent costume.”
“I thought it would be fitting.”
Dustin nodded his head slowly, his cheeks on fire. “Fittng,” he repeated faintly. “Yeah. Totally.”
There was a brief pause before Jane gestured towards the door.
“Are we going?”
Dustin blinks, like he’d momentarily forgotten the entire reason they’d gotten dressed in the first place.
“Oh, right, the party.”
Jane giggles, her gaze lingering before she walks off. She grabbed her jacket from the hook by the door, slipping it on as Dustin quickly followed and fumbled for his keys. As they stepped out into the night air, Dustin couldn’t help glancing over at her again.
His mind repeated it over and over again: She was dressed as Lois Lane, to match his Clark Kent.
The whole way there, he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned bright white. He turns on the radio in an attempt to drown out his thoughts, but he can’t control them. His heart hasn’t stopped racing, just the idea of her sitting there makes his heart rate increase tremendously. For a while he feels like this is it; this is where he dies.
Beside him, Jane sat comfortably in the passenger seat, one leg crossed over the other as she looked out the window at the passing streetlights. Every so often he caught the faint reflection of the Superman emblem on her belt flashing in the glass. His grip tightened impossibly on the steering wheel.
He risked another glance at her before quickly looking back at the road.
“Are you sure you’re not nervous?” Jane asked suddenly.
Dustin nearly jumped. She asked this question before. “What? No,” he knew he sounded unbelievable, “I mean, maybe a little. It’s a party. Parties are… chaotic environments.”
Jane hummed thoughtfully beside him.
“I’m a little nervous too.”
Dustin glanced over again, and he remembered their conversation from the other day. Jane was watching the road ahead now, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
“I know. And you can handle it.” He said, reassuring her once again.
“I can,” she replied. “It’s just another new thing.”
Dustin nodded slowly. “Yeah,” he murmured. “New is terrifying.”
Jane turned to look at him then, studying his expression for a moment before smiling softly.
“But you’re here.”
Dustin could really use a drink.
ーーーーーーーーーー
The rest of the drive passed quicker than he expected, and before he knew it the glow of the party house came into view down the street. The music from inside pulsed faintly through the walls even from the driveway, bass thumping like a distant earthquake.
Dustin parked the car and turned off the engine. For a second, neither of them moved.
Jane looked up at the house, then back at him.
“Ready?”
Dustin followed her gaze to the crowd of college students gathered on the porch, red cups in hand, laughter spilling out into the night air. He took a slow breath.
“Define ready.”
Jane laughed quietly and reached for the door handle. “Come on.”
ーーーーーーーーーー
As they approach the house, the once faint music now a violent cacophony that plagues his ears. Dustin almost wishes he would’ve taken headache medicine.
The house itself is glowing. Orange and purple lights hang across the porch railing along with plastic skeletons that dangle crookedly near the front door. Small groups of students gather across the yard, some laughing loudly, others already insanely drunk.
Dustin feels like everyone is staring at them. Or maybe they’re staring at her. He can’t really find it in himself to blame them. Jane walks beside him, taking his arm like she belongs there. She uses her other hand to adjust the press badge clipped to her vest as they approach the porch.
Inside, the house is tenfold more chaotic. The air smells faintly like alcohol and cheap perfume, and the music is loud enough now that the floor vibrates beneath his shoes. The living room is crowded with even more people in shitty costumes that range from vampires, to witches, to superheroes, to things Dustin can’t even identify.
Jane stops inside the doorway, taking everything in.
Dustin leans closer to her so she can hear him over the music. “You okay?”
She nods. Her eyes are wide, but despite it all, she’s smiling. “It’s loud.”
Dustin agrees.
For a while they just wander through the house together, laughing at all the drunk couples and ugly decorations. Jane seems fascinated by everything— The costumes, the decorations, the sheer number of people. Dustin just lets her pull him along, his heart fond at the way she points out different things to him.
Eventually, they pass through the kitchen, and Dustin makes sure he grabs a cup of labeled beer in order to avoid being drugged.
“What is it?” Jane asks.
Dustin shrugs, turning the can in his hands. He observes the label: “It's some type of shitty house beer.”
El reaches for the can, taking it from his hands swiftly, “Hey! Give it back! You’re not going to like it.” he says, trying to warn her, but the laughter in his voice has no bite to it.
She keeps her mischievous eyes on him as she brings the can to her lips. She takes a drink, and immediately makes a face. She rushes to the sink and spits it out, and Dustin feels bad for laughing.
“I don’t like beer.” She concludes, wiping her mouth, reaching for water.
“I told you so.”
The party continues, and the chaotic environment starts to feel easier to Dustin the farther they move away from it. By now they’ve explored almost the whole house, and they finally decided to make their way back to the main room where the actual party is happening.
Dustin notices the change in Jane almost immediately.
Her shoulders start to get tense, gripping at Dustin’s arm tightly. Her eyes flick around the room in a way that didn’t look curious anymore, but overwhelmed.
He leans towards her, “Hey.”
She turns to him, and his heart breaks from the scared expression written on her face.
“Do you want to step outside for a minute?”
She hesitates for a moment, looking back into the crowd of people. She turns to him again and nods once, but Dustin sees it. Dustin doesn’t waste any time guiding her outside, finding a quiet spot in the yard away from the other guests. He too feels relieved when he feels the air hit his skin.
They sit against the porch railing, and she almost immediately leans into him.
“You did amazing,” he says.
She laughs dejectedly, “I was only inside for twenty minutes.”
“Give yourself a break, Jane.” He says, lightly bumping her shoulder.
They sit there for a moment, letting the cool air curl around them.
Jane looks down at her costume. “I wanted tonight to work out,” she says quietly.
Dustin frowns. “It did.”
She shakes her head. “I wanted to feel… normal.”
Dustin watches her carefully, his brows furrowing. “You are normal.”
Jane glances up at him. “You always say that.”
“Because it’s true.”
She studies his face. “You look at me like I am fragile.” Her words are purely observational, but they still hit Dustin like a gut punch. “Like I might break.”
“I don’t understand,” he starts, “That’s not how I see you at all.”
“Then why?”
He doesn’t know how to explain it without declaring his love right here and now. “Because you matter,” he settles on. He sounds so stupid, he thinks, but he doubles down anyway. “A lot.”
The silence that stretches between them makes Dustin sick to his stomach. He feels like maybe he’s crossed some kind of invisible line within their friendship.
“Dustin,” she says, her voice cutting through the silence.
“Jane.”
She reaches out and lightly touches the sleeve of his shirt. Her hand slides down to his wrist, pulling him closer. He doesn’t even think about pulling away. Instead, Dustin leans forward slightly, resting his forehead against hers. She doesn’t pull away either.
His heart pounds harder than it has in his life, his gaze moving between her eyes and her lips. Before he realizes it, Jane’s eyes flutter shut, and she takes a sharp breath before she closes the gap between them. Dustin doesn’t know how to react, his eyes blown impossibly wide.
When they pull apart, she’s smiling. Dustin stares at her in disbelief for a second.
Jane raises an eyebrow “Well?”
“I..” he tries, but the words die in his throat. “I definitely didn’t see that coming.”
He’s never sounded stupider, but she laughs, and the sound makes something warm bloom in his chest. He can’t help but lean back in, and this time, he's the one who presses a kiss to her lips.
Behind them the party continues, and it becomes completely irrelevant.
When they pull back again, Dustin glances back toward the house.
“Do you want to go back in?”
Jane considers it, but she shakes her head. “No.”
Dustin grins. “Good.” he says, “Me either.”