Chapter Text
“DUSTIN-!”
The scream tore out of Steve’s lungs, ragged and raw and chewing up his throat. Everything seemed to stop around him- the only thing remaining were him, his brother, and the space in between as the Mind Flayer’s claw hurtled towards his entire world.
And something stupid, something so fucking idiotic inside Steve’s head made him pause - for a mere split second - as he spotted Lucas diving towards the boy because surely he would able to reach him. Lucas was fast and strong and loyal and Steve, Steve would trust his life with that kid.
But as he dove-
He was just out of reach.
Just. Out. Of. Reach.
Steve feels every bone- every muscle in his body light on fire as the claw pierces Dustin in the stomach, coming out in one fell swoop and continuing on its path of destruction.
But it just hit Dustin.
Oh god. Jesus fuck Dustin is hit his little brother just got hit.
“No,” Steve rasps out as his world crumbles before his eyes. “No, no, no no no DUSTIN-“
Steve takes off faster than he ever has in his life, leaving the rest of the party in the dust as he desperately tries to make it towards his person. Nothing fucking matters anymore. Not the mission, not the kids, not Vecna. Only Dustin.
Because Steve can’t do this without him. You die I die. That’s the deal. And Steve is a man of his goddamn word.
He slid down next to Dustin, heart pounding in his ears until it skips a beat at the sight of the boy. Blood had already began to pool on his stomach, being pressed down by Lucas’s sweater after the boy scrambled back to his friend.
And Dustin-
Dustin is letting out ragged, wet gasps, eyes already glassy, pain staining his face. He’s staring at Lucas as his friend tries desperately to stop the enormous amounts of blood seeping from his abdomen, holding his face together in a tight, pained expression. Until his eyes travel over to Steve.
And Dustin crumbles.
“Steve,” He moans, reaching out towards his brother. “Steve-“
“I’m right here,” Steve chokes out, feeling like his heart is being torn to pieces. “I- I’m here, Dust. I’m gonna fix this.”
Steve’s hands hover above the boy, completely unsure of what to do because how the fuck does he fix this when there is a giant hole in his person.
“Lucas,” He rasps. “Buddy- go get help. I don’t know who but-“
“I got it.” Horror is written on the younger boy’s face as he carefully removes his hands from his friend’s stomach, and Steve almost vomits at the feeling of his own hands coming down onto the wound.
As soon as he presses down, Dustin lets out a sharp cry, reaching to grip Steve’s wrist in search of some sort of comfort. “It hurts. Please-“
A sob bubbles up Steve’s throat, hitching at the end as hot, wet tears drip down his face. The older boy so desperately wished he could hold his brother right now. Wished he could cradle him close and run his fingers through the boy’s curls and tell him everything was going to be okay.
But Steve didn’t even know if it would be okay.
But it had to be. It had to be because if not-
Steve was thrust out of his own head by Dustin’s pained whimpering, sobs spilling out of him as Steve pressed down harder.
“I’m sorry,” Steve sobbed, leaning down and quickly kissing his cheek. “I’m so sorry Dusty. I’m trying, someone’s gonna come help just please hold on.”
“It’s o-okay,” Dustin whispered, gasping again as his entire body locked from the pain. “Just stay please.”
Steve nodded violently, heartbeat in between his eyes, almost blind by his own tears as he reached a bloodied hand out to tuck a curl behind his brothers ear. “I’m not going anywhere. No matter what happens, I’m staying with you till the day I die, you hear me? Once we’re out- once you get better you’re gonna get so sick of me. It’ll be like I got glued to your side.”
Dustin lets out a small, wet laugh, reaching up to grip Steve’s arms. “I’ll never get sick of you.”
Steve opened his mouth to say something else, only to be paused by Robin sliding down next to him.
“We need to take him to the hospital,” She rasps frantically pulling off her sweater. “Once we get of this hell we can call an ambulance, but first we have to make sure there’s no bleeding while we take him down. Can you hold him-“
“Yes.” Steve spits out immediately, feeling the tiniest bit of relief at the fact that he’ll be able to hold his little brother.
He maneuvers quickly, letting Robin’s hands fly to Dustin’s stomach as he lifts the boy onto his lap.
Dustin lets out a cry, immediately turning his head into Steve’s stomach and clutching at his shirt, holding the fabric in a white-knuckled grip.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Steve whispers into his hair, putting one arm below his knees and the other around his shoulders.
He lets the hand around the boy’s shoulders find Dustin’s face, cupping it and slowly sweeping his thumb on his cheek. Another sob bursts out of the kid as Steve drops a few rushed kisses to his face, one on his forehead, his eyebrow, his crown.
While he cradles his brother, Robin gets to work wrapping her sweater tightly around the wound, ripping pieces off and using Lucas’s bloodied jacket as more cushioning. Dustin sobs at the process, hiding his face in Steve while the older boy whispers soft reassurances.
She finishes, then immediately looks up at Steve with panicked eyes and demands for him to lift him.
Steve’s heart clenches up at the thought of bringing Dustin more pain, but he’s running out of time and he can’t lose his brother. He can’t. Not in any world.
Because he and Dustin were tied in a way that was so much stronger than blood. They were tied in the longing for a sibling. In the nights spent fighting something bigger than themselves. In the hysterical laughs at something stupid the other said. In the tears shed over how much they needed the other. In every touch, in every word, in every lifetime.
Because Dustin Clarence Henderson happened to be loved by Steve Harrington.
Which meant there was no world where Steve doesn't follow him to the end.
He carefully picks up the boy from their spot off the ground, almost vomiting for the hundredth time as his eyes travel to the pool of blood below him. Dustin lets out another cry, followed by a sharp gasp as he clutches Steve tighter.
"Ste-eve-"
Steve just whispers apologies into his hair, holding him tight against his body while he and Robin quickly navigate the abyss.
Steve has no idea what's happening with the rest of the party right now. He can hear them in the distance, can see out of the corner of his eye the fucking mindflayer- but he doesn't know if they're winning, if they're okay.
And selfishly, Steve can't bring himself to think about that right now. Not when his best friend- his brother -is writhing in pain in his arms.
"Hey- hey, what's wrong?" Steve panics, still hurrying towards the hole in the ground.
"It-it hurts. It hurts so bad," Dustin wails, twisting in his hold, as if trying to crawl away from the pain. "I can't do this-I don't wanna die-"
It was then that Dustin let out the most heart wrenching, excruciating scream of pain Steve had ever heard in his life. It clawed its way into Steve's chest, setting fire to his ribs and stomach as the most outrageous feeling of heartbreak and grief followed.
But goddammit, he had to keep going.
He nearly collapsed when they got to the opening, lowering the two onto the ground so he could press his forehead to Dustin's hot, sweaty one.
"Listen to me," He croaked. "You're going to be just fine. Me and Robin- we'll get you to the hospital. They're going to make it better."
He reached his fingers up to trace gentle patterns into his brother's skull, praying it brought him some relief as the screams and sobs turned to wet gasps and whimpers.
"I- I'm gonna give you to Robin. She'll hold you while I get down so I can get you somewhere safe. And- buddy it's going to hurt like hell and I'm so fucking sorry," Steve sucked in a sharp breath to try to get himself back together, watching as his tears fell to mix with Dustin's. "But- you have to hold on. Please I can't-"
He feels Dustin bring a weak, shaky hand up to hold his face, almost making the older boy collapse in sobs at the attempt to comfort him. "I cannot lose you Henderson. We made a pact, okay? You die, I die."
He feels Dustin shake his head, eyes blowing out as he whispered a small, "You can't."
Steve just shakes his head back. "Fucking yes I will. I'm not doing this without you. So you have to stay with me, okay?"
Dustin just closes his eyes and presses his forehead deeper into Steve's, until their noses touch. "'Kay."
So, Steve slowly unwinds himself from his brother, nearly sobbing at the whimper Dustin releases at the loss of contact. He carefully deposits the boy in Robin's arms, who quickly looks over their makeshift bandages while Steve lowers himself down onto the tower.
"I can get him now." He calls up, wincing at the hint of possessiveness in his tone.
"Okay-" Robin calls back. "Just please, for the love of god- don't almost fall again."
"I absolutely will not."
They carefully exchange the kid, allowing Steve's heart to unwind just a little with the boy held tightly in his arms once again. Dustin immediately returns to clutching his shirt with a white knuckled grip, heart beating alongside his brothers.
Robin carefully joins them, and the three start their slow, excruciating journey down the tower. He can feel Dustin crying off and on, sometimes simply whimpering, sometimes full blown sobs.
But as they reach the bottom, Dustin has begun to get quiet.
"Dust?" Steve's heartbeat is in his ears now, fear creeping up his back as he maneuvers the boy in his arms at an attempt to glimpse his face. "You still with me?"
Dustin's eyes are droopy, face increasingly pale as he slowly nods. He adjusts his grip to wrap his arms weakly around the older boy's neck.
And though Steve was getting absolutely exhausted, even despite Dustin's small size, he could not for the life of him stop. Because he could feel him getting colder and weaker and slowly slipping away.
He can't slip away, he can't leave- Steve needs him.
Steve will always need him.
"Just hold on," He whispers into his ear, picking up the pace to the point he was nearly jogging. "You gotta stay with me."
But with every step, a little more of his best friend is lost- until Steve and Robin are desperately running for the exit.
Completely unaware of what was on the other side.
Steve tore through the opening, nearly collapsing on his knees at the relief to have finally made it- they finally made it.
But he is immediately surrounded by soldiers.
And Dustin is limp.
"Hands where I can see them!"
"Don't move!"
More shouting is coming from all directions, and Robin throws her hands up, shouting back, "We need medical attention! His brother is hurt and might die-"
Steve can't hear anything else, and once again it's just him and Dustin. No space in between.
Just them.
He collapses to his knees, holding the boy on his lap so he could bring the hand behind Dustin's knees up to his face. Cupping it. Tilting it up.
And he couldn't tell how much longer Dustin had. He didn't fucking know.
I can't do this I can't do this-
God, if you're up there-
Don't make me do this.
"Hey- hey c'mon," A sob escapes him as he taps Dustin's face, panicked and scared and absolutely not read. "Stay with me. Please- God. Dustin c'mon-"
He bows his head onto the boy's shoulder and lets out the deepest sob he had ever cried in his life. "Please stay with me, fucking STAY WITH ME HENDERSON-"
But he's sucked back to the real world when he is grabbed by the shoulders, yanked away from his lifeline by a soldier. Dustin is scooped up to, and he's being dragged away-
No, no, no no NO NO NO-
When he looks up, all that fills his vision is the white and red lights of the alarm.
White and red.
White and red.
White and red.
Then his eyes slip back down to his hands.
Red.
Red.
Red.