Dustin seems to relax a bit, and he nods, determined. Eddie watches the kid take a breath, before the long tale of The Upside-Down begins.
"Well, it all sort of started back in 1983 when Will Byerswent missing, but I'll try and keep the unnecesary details out. Will came back from the dead, right? That's what everyone thinks? Well he didn't, the body was planted by the government because they were trying to cover up the fact that he was stuck in an alternate dimension. This alternate dimension is something we call the Upside Down. It bleeds into our world sometimes and monsters make their way through."
He pauses, glancing over Eddie's face before he continues
"The reason they were trying to cover it up is because Hawkins Lab- or as you know it, the energy plant - was experimenting on children to give them powers. We met this one girl who escaped, her name is Eleven but she prefers El, and she has really cool powers. She helps us kill the monsters pretty much every time."
Dustin catches the look of confusion that crosses Eddie's face
"It's happened three times now. The first time that I mentioned in 83, then again the year after when I found this baby version of the monster, he's in my room by the way, and now again this year at Starcourt."
Things are starting to piece together. Why the duo of idiots on the couch are still wearing work uniforms, why Steve looks like he was used as a human punching bag. It does not explain the drugs.
"This time, it wasn't our government, though. Starcourt Mall is actually a cover for a secret Russian operation, where they were trying to break into the Upside Down to use it as a weapon or something. We found out there were Russians and went to investigate, but..."
Dustin glances around Eddie with a solemn and regretful look. Eddie can infer he's looking at Steve.
"You got caught?"
The kid nods, tears welling in his eyes. Eddie opens his arms for him to walk into, wrapping them around Dustin when he accepts the hug.
"They tried to interrogate them. I think that's why they drugged them. We- we had to go and fight monsters while they couldn't think straight and- What if something happened, Eddie? Because they couldn't react in time or-"
"shh, buddy it's alright. They're okay now, man."
Eddie's rubbing his back, soothing him as best he can.
"You believe me?" Dustin asks as he pulls back. Eddie surveys his face.
"I mean, it's definitely not the most realistic thing ever but-" he glances behind him, at where Buckley and Harrington are still shoveling food into their faces. Or rather, each others faces. "I have no reason not to."
Dustin looks at him with a certain determined look. "Come with me, I have evidence."
Eddie's wrist is grabbed as he's dragged down the hall and into Dustin's room, where-
"Holy shit."
Sitting with a red colllar that's covered in bells is a- he doesn't even know what he's looking at. It has no face, only these large toothy flaps.
"Eddie, D'art. D'art, Eddie."
The thing- D'art gets up from where it's sitting on Dustin's bed, walking over and sniffing(?) at Eddie's hand. It circles his legs, before curling up there on the floor and resting it's head on Dustin's foot.
"He likes you!" Dustin giggles out, gently shifting his foot out from under D'art. It causes the... dog? to huff, getting back up and curling up onto the bed once more. "Believe me now?"
"Yep! Definitely!" Eddie manages to squeak out through his horrified disbelief. Like this isn't completely world-shattering. He sees Dustin nod curtly in the corner of his eye.
"Great! Now let's go make sure they're still alright out there."
Steve and Robin (as Eddie has now learned from Dustin) are both alright when they return. Well, besides the injuries and clear exhaustion.
Eddie sits on the far end of the couch, away from them, and then immediately discovers that a high Steve Harrington is a cuddler. Nearly the moment he sits down, Steve is shifting over from his current seat to lean his full body against him. Wonderful! Amazing! Eddie's crush on this man might make hi spontaniously combust here and now.
Still, he readjusts to let Steve rest, watching the tiredness in his body pull him down.
Eddie still isn't sure what these two had, not exactly, but sleep probably can't be the worst thing right now. He'll maybe wake Steve up every now and then to make sure he's alright but this should be fine.
He glances over to where Robin is now giggling at them, raising a brow before she just shrugs and returns to where a movie is now playing on the TV. Eddie brushes it off and relaxes as well, carefully wrapping an arm around Steve and focusing in on the film.
They make it 20 minutes in before he sees Robin start to go a little green and feels Steve stir against him. Eddie glances up to Dustin.
"Trash cans. Now."
Dustin scrambles and comes back a few minutes later, to where Steve is now fully awake and both sailors are holding hands over their mouths. The bins are placed in front of the couch and Eddie does his best to help hold back Steve's hair. Dustin grab's Robin's next to him.
After... that's over, Eddie looks at both of them and nods to himself.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah.. uh.. wait."
Steve squints at him.
"Munson?"
Eddie snorts.
"The one and only. Henderson's filled me in. He was worried something might go wrong and I have a certain expertice in dealing with drugs."
Steve nods, slumping backwards on the couch.
"Good. Thanks."
Then he leans back against Eddie and is passed out once more, Robin joining soon.
He glances at Dustin, who shrugs, and curls up in the armrest.
Nodding one last time to himself, Eddie follows the others in the room into a blissful sleep.
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