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“Steve.” It had to have been early morning when Steve was woken up by one panicked Dustin Henderson. The air was thin with the early morning dew settled on the windowsill where it was still open from a day prior; when he had been smoking out on the roof leading off of it.
“Mph… Dustin?” He questioned, sitting up from where he had immediately passed out on his couch. “What’re you doing here this early, man?” He huffed, rubbing his eyes free of any crust that had built up in the short period he slept.
It was rare Steve saw Dustin these days, the teen retracting from essentially any relationships he had with anybody. Including the party, Mrs Henderson, and Steve himself. So Steve, despite being more than a little tired, was sort of relieved to see the kid after he had been ignoring him for so many weeks.
“What’s wrong?” He asked softly, blinking as he noted that Dustin must have used the extra key that he used to abuse the shit out of to take advantage of Steve’s movie collection, usually with Max or Will. Both of whom Dustin hadn’t really had for a year now.
“Nothing, I-“ Dustin clearly hadn’t thought this through, seeming to itch to leave already.
“Dustin.” He interrupted before the little shit could run away. “I haven’t seen you in weeks, Henderson. Can’t you atleast let me talk to you for a bit?” He asked, an attempt at reaching for a branch of any kind, olive or otherwise.
“…” Dustin avoided eye contact as he plopped down onto the foot of Steve’s bed, his eyes puffy with salt.
“So, why’d you come over at…” he glances to the alarm next to his bed, blinking 4;37. He huffs, not continuing his sentence. Scooting closer, he sits side by side next to Dustin. “…Nightmare?” He asked softly, not wanting to push to much. Right on the dot then, he thinks, watching Dustin’s shoulders tense as a sniffle escapes the other.
“Hey,” Steve barely managed to get more than a word out before Dustin was burrowing into his chest, all sniffles and tears.
“Hey.” He spoke softer now, gentler. His hand came up to Dustin’s back, pressing his face back against the top of others head.
“I missed you.” Dustin muttered, and Steve felt almost both aggrieved yet relieved at the same time. Dustin had been the one pulling away but Steve never tried to go after him in the first place, did he?
“I missed you too, Henderson.” H what might have been awkward or even detached at a different point in time now came to them easily, something pressed together in pieces that let them just hold on to one another for a bit.
“I’m sorry I was such an asshole.” Steve muttered, a quiet thing that doesn’t quite reach his own ears but somehow managed to reach Dustin’s. The boy pressed further against Steve’s chest, paying no mind to the itchy material of his sweater that was growing damp from rapidly disappearing tears.
“Yeah, you were.” Dustin muttered, though he didn’t let go.
“…” Steve never was good at these things, apologies. He used to think that if he had to apologize it was a tactless thing, something done out of an attempt to get the others trust or respect back instead of meaning it.
Over time Steve realized that he didn’t have to say anything to apologize and that meaning it and showing it was all it took.
“I-“ Dustin searched for words to explain but he can’t so he doesn’t, his tongue pressing the back of his teeth in annoyance.
“Eddie.” Steve understands despite the lack of words. One might consider it a mind meld but Steve knows Dustin better than anybody, he was his brother after all.
A silent nod, thick with tension that didn’t ease even with the comfort of the embrace.
“Did you want to talk about it?” Steve offered lamely. Dustin hesitated before nodding, pushing away from Steve slightly to talk face to face.
“I saw Wayne - Eddie’s uncle. Last week.” He started, averting his eyes from Steve.
Eddie’s uncle? Steve had thought that he had seen him but it was a month back when Robin and Vickie were preparing lunches as Steve dropped off supplies. Dustin must have met him there.
“He uh. He was talking about moving out to Indianapolis.” Steve hissed in a breath.
“I don’t know what I-“ a sucked in breath. “I don’t know why but it felt like losing him all over again.” The tears seemed to have paused momentarily, reducing to sniffles.
“Isn’t it?” Steve got a confused look at this, continuing before it could edge out into the anger that Dustin’s feelings seemed to default to these days. “You had a part of him around still.” He clarifies.
“I know you, Henderson. I know your brain wants to know anything and everything and maybe that,” he waves his hand in a sweeping motion. “Is how you make sure he’s not forgotten. If you know everything about the dude and become the carbon copy of him,” He makes a noncommittal movement to gesture to Dustin’s clothes, all borrowed from either Eddie’s closet or as similar to his style as they could be. “Maybe his memory won’t die.”
Dustin’s lips pursed, words unspoken as his mouth thins into a line.
“You don’t have to do that though.” Steve murmured, resting an open palm on Dustin’s shoulder. “Nobody’s going to forget Eddie, Dustin. Making yourself become him isn’t going to bring him back.” The words are harsh but he knows it’s what Dustin needs to hear, even if he doesn’t want to.
“We know he was great. We know he died saving us, saving everybody. I don’t know about you, but i don’t know if he’d want you to become him to try to bring him back. I mean, I think if he were here he would have an aneurysm if you ever tried to trek his career path.” It was at this point the sniffles turned back into tears and Dustin’s body was back pressed against Steve’s chest. It took breath out of Steve’s lungs that he didn’t know he had left after that little speech, taking in a sharp sigh as he wrapped his arms around the other.
“You’re my brother, Henderson. I don’t want to see you hurt like this.” He muttered against thick curls, starting to feel like crying himself.
The tension filling the room seemed to deflate as Dustin’s chest stopped stuttering, the embrace continuing long past when the tears stopped.
“…” God, it was really early in the morning still, wasn’t it? It had only been maybe ten or fifteen minutes since they started talking, red light flashing with 5:50 am on his nightstand.
Dustin shifted against his chest, fidgeting slightly as if wanting to talk. Steve let out a hum, both questioning and encouraging. It was more like a light note but whatever.
“‘M…” Steve could see the dark circles under Dustin’s eyes, his pupils averted nervously from Steve’s own. Had the kid even slept?
Steve bit the inside of his cheek, frowning slightly.
“Can I go inside? For tonight?” Dustin muttered against his chest, always unsure of how to phrase it. Steve was usually against it being referred to as ‘eaten’ just on principal alone. And because it felt weird to acknowledge you were used to eating people as a way of protection or comfort.
Steve gave him a once over, nodding gently. “‘Course.” He muttered, hugging the other tightly. “You don’t need to look so guilty about asking, Henderson.” He reassures, already shifting slightly.
Steve never draws it out with the kids, they’re not like Eddie or Nancy or even Jonathan where there’s a light banter about it. Sometimes a fight in Jonathan’s case, but that was only the first time.
Dustin is curled in his palm before long, looking drowsy not too long after shrinking. It took a lot out of him.
Steve huffs softly, already moving to nudge Dustin into his mouth. He covers his teeth with his tongue, not wanting to accidentally snag any of Dustin’s clothes or godforbid his skin.
Saliva sits piled at the sides of his mouth, soaking Dustin’s tiny form through his clothes quickly. It’s much easier to get them down like this, especially when he doesn’t want to just shotgun them and make them panic.
“Hold on.” He mutters, tipping his head back carefully and swallowing twice in quick succession. He grimaces at the feeling, something he’ll probably never get used to.
Dustin, surprisingly, doesn’t squirm. For a rambunctious little shit, he’s too tired to really do anything more than let the muscles drag him further down, gripping all sides of him and pushing him downwards.
Steve, as much as he tries, can’t really change how intense that part is. Thankfully Dustin seemed too tired to notice, really. Maybe it’s the repetition engrained from years of Dustin pleading to use Steve as a walk-in test subject or the experience first hand from how many times Steve had to do this to save Dustin, but whatever it is makes Dustin relax further, as if feeling safe.
“You alright?” Steve asked, ribbing gently at his stomach as he felt his throat unseal, taking in a short breath.
There wasn’t a response outside of a slight shift, but that’s all Steve was looking for, really.
He huffed as he pulled the covers back over his body, not really planning on being able to sleep anymore with so much stuff on his mind but nevertheless wanting to make sure Dustin can.
“Good night, Henderson.” He mutters, almost to himself. He’d missed Dustin.