#wygig

Snow crunches beneath three pairs of footsteps with hesitance in one of them, the others eagerly dredging forward in anticipation. The soft terrain gives way into the rocky entrance of a deep cavern until the footsteps are coming to a halt at the rumbling primitive growl that rumbles through ribs and into thudding hearts. Harsh winter winds begin to pick up, whistling through the ears of the three weary yet determined travelers before the growl revs into a rattling bellow. Two piercing beady eyes snap open— then rise as a large and beastly foot steps into the light, shadows eating away at the rest of the figure until it takes another step forward. 

A quiet gasp slips from the traveler further behind the others, hands trembling anxiously as they tighten around a sacred staff.

A yeti stomps its way out, towering over the three travelers before coming to an abrupt stop and huffing warm air out through its nostrils aggressively, warm air curling through the biting cold with intimidation. And then it lets out a guttural roar–

“Oh, shit– guys! I forgot about the thing today!” The dwarf bard blurts out, causing the elf cleric and human ranger to whip their heads towards the dwarf with loud protests at his interruption.

“Dustin, what the hell are you talking about?” The immersion crumbles apart as Mike slaps his hands against the table top, head poking up from behind his dungeon master screen with a glare in his eyes.

Dustin stands from his seat quickly, fumbling with his cap to place it over his curls and then bending over to slip his shoes on half-hazardly. “My sister! Remember? She’s supposed to come back today!”

Will and Lucas’ expressions shift into brief confusion, Mike’s unimpressed and slightly peeved. “Wait, but I thought that was next week?” Will mumbles.

“Yeah, I said that– last week!” Dustin clicks his tongue as he grabs his things to shove them into his bag, zipping it up quickly before slinging it over his shoulder.

“But you were just about to fight the Yeti, dude! I– We literally have been waiting days, man!” Mike throws his hands up in exasperation before they flop down to cross over his chest. “Can’t you see your sister later?”

Dustin rolls his eyes, kicking his chair back under the wobbly stained table. “We can play later, I promised my mom that I’d be home today when she gets here. It’s really important to her– and me– it's literally been two freakin’ years, dude. Imagine if Nancy was gone for that long,” Dustin tracks back towards the stairs, still facing the boys.

Mike’s face curls into a grimace. “Are you kidding? I wish.”

“Dude, just let him go,” Lucas grunts to Mike. “Not everyone is at psychological warfare with their siblings.”

“You are.”

“Shut up, Mike.”

“Well, ladies, I’m off!” Dustin declares, throwing a kiss with a mocking “mwah!” before running up the stairs and through the halls towards the front door. Just as he reaches the door and flings it open, he jumps back at the appearance of a tired and lanky Jonathan. “Holy shit, dude!" Dustin huffs out, clutching at his chest.

“Sorry! Sorry,” Jonathan throws his hands up defensively as his head ducks down subconsciously. “I was just about to knock,” he sheepishly murmurs. “Will here?”

Dustin nods quickly. “Basement,” he says as he wriggles his way past Jonathan.

Jonathan’s gaze follows him, giving him a lookover at his urgent movements. “You alright?”

“Yeah! Just gotta, you know– sister is coming back today,” he hurriedly explains, turning briefly to walk backwards towards his bike.

Head perking up, Jonathan turns his own body towards him as her name slips from his lips in recognition, “She’s back?” A small smile curls over his lips. “That’s great– uhm, tell her I said hi.”

Dustin gives him a thumbs up, clambering onto his bike and then taking off in the direction of his house. The heat of the summer sun seeps beneath his clothes and starts to dampen his skin with beads of sweat until he’s cursing under his breath and biking faster. When he turns onto his street, he lifts his body to raise himself just above the shrubbery lining of the passing houses looking eagerly for his uncle’s car in the driveway. He sags in disappointment when he only spots his mother’s car and slows to a steady speed as he sits back down, sighing heavily. The small ache in his chest lingers, houses and bushes flying by his vision until a bundle of overwhelming purple catches his eyes and he breaks his bike so fast that the chain clinks loudly, tires scraping against asphalt. Violets sway in the soft breeze growing from his neighbor’s flower bed and Dustin can’t help but awkwardly slip off his bike to walk closer. His head whips around to look for anyone in sight before continuing forward to the flower bed and stops just above.

They were pretty, soft– and his mother would probably be disappointed if he showed up empty-handed on such a special occasion, right? He shakes his head immediately after the thought, leaning on the fact that stealing was bad– and he wasn’t like that– so he turns to walk away, steering his bike in the direction of his house once more.

He barely makes it ten feet before he drops his bike and rushes back over, plucking a good handful out of the ground and then bolts away, struggling to pick his bike up with one hand and get on while he holds flowers in the other. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit–” he repeats quietly, foot slipping from his bike pedal momentarily and then he’s off again until he reaches his house and jumps off his bike to lean it on one of the porch beams.

When he barges in through the door, his mother gasps and places a hand over her chest. She’s in the kitchen, cooking what seems to be her favorite and his personal nightmare: Casserole. “Oh my goodness! You scared me, Dusty!”

“Sorry,” he winces, shuffling through the house to toss his backpack in his room.

“Are those flowers for your sister?” Claudia gushes, noticing the violets clutched in Dustin’s fist.

He gives a tiny nod and then notices the roots and dirt hanging off of the bottom of them, his other hand coming to wrap around the damp dirt to rip them off and toss them in the trash before his mother notices. “Just thought she’d like them…”

“Oh, they’re so beautiful! Reminds me of the violets our neighbors are growing. She will love them!” She smiles wide, turning back to the casserole sitting on the stove, fresh from the oven.

“Yeah,” Dustin awkwardly chuckles, grabbing a vase from a nearby cabinet to put water in for the flowers.

“I’m so happy she’s finally coming back home,” his mother starts. “And I’m even prouder that she’s deciding to finish her last year at Hawkins and give it another chance– my sweet girl,” she sighs emotionally. “I’ve missed her so much.”

Dustin lingers in the kitchen behind Claudia, a weak smile on his face. “Me, too, mom.”

“Why don’t you go tidy up for dinner?” She says warmly, pulling plates out the cabinet with shaky hands.

“Dinner? But it’s only three,” Dustin gapes.

Claudia waves him off and gives him a playful grin. “So? It’ll be an early dinner. Don’t complain, it’s for your sister.”

Dustin grumbles under his breath quietly enough to where his mother can’t hear him, “She doesn’t even like casserole.” But he reluctantly changes out of his sweaty clothes anyway and then checks on Yurtle who’s munching on leftover veggies Dustin had dumped into his tank that morning when his mother attempted to add it to his plate of scrambled eggs and yap about trying something new with cooking by adding more vegetable to her meals. “Hey, little guy,” he murmurs out, resting his arms on the edge of the turtle’s tank.

Yurtle doesn’t do much but chew slowly and blink slower.

“Can’t believe she’s actually coming back,” Dustin sighs out, eyes flickering over to the abundance of polaroids pinned to a corkboard. Some of the photos were of him and his friends while the rest were of him and his sister, though they were mostly outdated since it had been two years since he’d last seen her. It had only been after her freshman year– when she was more childish and less… defeated. And then she moved to Massachusetts with their aunt and uncle after the incident, still barely holding it together and looking as small and fragile as ever.

Dustin never blamed her or his mother for her absence. He dealt with his own fair share of problems, people– actual monsters– but he knew that not everyone could put on a brave face forever, especially his sister. And it had been for the best, it turns out. Sure, it had been difficult keeping things from her after Will went missing– her incessant pleading over the phone with his mother had nearly broken them both, but his mother insisted that she at least finish her junior year and then come back that summer back to them. 

Back home.

She would’ve gone ballistic if she’d known half of the things he did the year prior– probably cover him in bubble wrap and board up every entrance and window in the house or beg their mom to move them far away. And even though he’d fight and complain the whole time, he’d never truly be upset that she was just trying her best to keep him safe just like he did with her. 

That’s why he lied. To his mother. To her.

They’ve already been through enough and the only women in his life who cared for and gave a shit about him didn’t deserve any of the freaky bullshit that happened in Hawkins.

A squeal of pure elation rings in his ears from behind his door, his mother excitedly talking to whoever was at the door. Dustin flops onto his bed and closes his eyes with a heavy sigh in his chest, hands folding over his stomach. And he lays there.

“Wait–” he shoots up, clumsily standing. She’s here.

“Dust–” his mother begins, but is cut off by his door slamming open, “–in,” she finishes before giggling. “Someone is excited.”

Dustin’s eyes look over to the front door. “Where is she?!”

“Well hello to you, too, young man,” his uncle dryly comments, wife holding onto his arm while pressed into his side.

“She’s outside,” his aunt offers helpfully, moving out of the doorway for him to slip past her.

Dustin stops just outside as he sees you in the driveway. And you look so much different than you had two years ago– taller and more mature, your face slimmed out from your pudgy cheeks and your hairstyle was more fitting to the shape. No longer did you wear the dark brown bomber jacket that your grandfather had gifted you years back before passing, now grown out of it and into a loose and oversized black leather jacket. 

But your eyes stayed the same. Because when they meet him, like they always did, the crease in your brow melts away into a softer look and your lips curl into a barely there smile. “That you, Dweebzilla?”

Your name tumbles out of his mouth mixed with an excited laugh before he barrels into you, his head knocking up just under your chin as he hugs you. His arms are tight around your torso, face burying into your shoulder. And the heavy weight in your chest disintegrates into a soft warmth. With your hand tangling into his curls, you tug him back just enough to cup his face.

“Did I see teeth!?” You use your fingers to pry his lips open until he’s grinning widely at you. “Holy shit, look at those pearly whites. Good on you, Smalls,” you cackle.

“I know, right? I get so many ladies,” he huffs proudly which earns him a raised brow and unconvinced look. “Oh, c’mon, don’t look at me like that. I could get ladies if I wanted to.”

“I believe you.” Bullshit.

“You’re an asshole,” there’s affection in his tone as he hugs you again, the high energy intensity leaving his body to fit against yours comfortably.

“Missed you, too, jerk.”

The both of you stay hugging in the driveway until your mother comes scurrying out with open arms to join the hug, her arms wrapping around the both of you. “I am so happy that you’re home, baby. Dusty and I have missed you to bits,” she says, kissing your temple.

You feel the missing presence of your father, but swallow it down, pushing away the fact that he upped and left your mother and Dustin after the entirety of the situation with Will and his disappearance. Instead, you take the time to appreciate your doting mother and little shit of a younger brother before your mother ushers you both into the house.

“I made a casserole for dinner! Your favorite.”

Dammit.

“Oh! Really? That is so… awesome of you, mom.” You give a lopsided grin before looking at Dustin who gives you a face back.

He leans in while your mother moves over to the table where your aunt and uncle are already sitting and whispers, “I would’ve stopped her, but she already had it made when I got here.”

“Just say you hate me,” you dramatically retort.

He scoffs at you and elbows you which leads to a small back and forth of shoving each other in the hallway. “Hey, I don’t wanna eat it anymore than you do.”

“It’s okay, I got this,” you mutter before groaning softly as you shuffle over to the table looking sick to the stomach. 

Dustin follows closely behind you, a weird look on his face as he watches you.

Your aunt, uncle, and mother turn to look at you in their seats, all different facial expressions, but your mother speaks up first, “Oh, honey, what’s the matter? Are you all right?” She stands from her seat.

“Uh–mm, yeah, just… feeling the car sickness catching up to me, ya know?” You hold a hand over your stomach like you’re going to be sick.

“You poor thing,” Claudia coos, holding your face in her hands tenderly. “Do you need to lie down? I– I can–” before she can fuss anymore over you, your uncle interrupts.

“Claudia, she’s lying. There’s nothing–”

You groan louder to cut him short, leaning against Dustin but keeping near the table. “No, I think I need some air. I’ll go for a walk, m’sorry, ma.”

“Aww, it’s okay, sweetheart. You go walk it off and I’ll save you some leftovers, alright?” She pets your hair down and kisses your forehead.

You nod before nudging Dustin’s hand and he blurts out, “I’ll go with her! For, you know… to make sure she’s okay.”

“You are such a good brother, Dusty-Bun,” Claudia melts at the way you look out for each other. “You two don’t stay out too long, alright?”

“Claudia, they’re clearly trying to get out of–” your uncle tries to speak again only for you to gag right over him dramatically like you’re about to vomit on him. “Jesus! Okay, go!”

You and Dustin tumble out of the house, holding in your laughter until you’re halfway down the street. “Did you see the look on his face?” Dustin wheezes.

“He’s so easy,” you giggle.

When the laughing dies down, the both of you are mindlessly roaming down the street, bumping against each other from time to time just like you used to when you were younger. “Thanks, I love mom, but her casseroles are…”

“A war crime? Yeah, I know. Poor baby, left here to fend for yourself without my guiding light,” you sigh mockingly, slinging an arm over his shoulders to pull him in. “Wanna go to the old diner? I’ll pay,” you offer.

“You have money?” Dustin gasps, looking at you like he’s calculating how to drain you for all that you’re worth.

“Yes, I got a job while I was gone, thank you very much. But that doesn’t mean you’re automatically entitled to my wealth. I’m just feeling generous today.”

“So what you’re saying is: we have money!” He completely ignores you.

“You’re about to have a knuckle sandwich if you even think for a second about using me as your personal piggy bank.”

It was like you never left.

And though Dustin attempted to goad you into buying him three sundaes from the diner, you managed to fend him off and only ended up buying two.

When you both returned home later that night, your uncle and aunt were cooped up in the guest room while your mom had settled down for the night in her own bed. Your old room hadn’t been touched since you left aside from your bedsheets being strewn all over the mattress, pillows piled up against the wall.

“Huh, I guess ma must’ve been snooping around in here,” you innocently comment, already knowing that there was only one person in the house that piled pillows like it was a dragon hoard.

“Yeah, she can be so messy sometimes,” Dustin adds on, looking away sheepishly. But instead of teasing him, you merely fix the blankets and plop down to lean against the pile of pillows, Dustin watching you like he’s forgetting something until he perks up and shuffles out the room to grab something before coming back in with a small vase of violets. “I almost forgot these.”

“Oh my, what a gentleman,” you say before adding, “flowers from Mrs. Keegan’s flowerbed? You shouldn’t have.”

Dustin rolls his eyes and sets the flowers on your desk before joining your side. “Hey, don’t ever say I don’t do things for you.” He relaxes against your shoulder, eyes trained ahead of him to look at your empty wall. “So you’re really going to stay?”

You nod your head, hands resting beside yourself and randomly fidgeting with the bed sheets. “I’ve missed so much, y’know? Especially with you n’ mom,” you say, taking in a deep breath. “After mom told me Will went missing and then–” you start to ramble, “–then dad left and I hadn’t been there to help mom out. Not only was she worried about the divorce, but how to keep everything stable financially, and how it was affecting you right after you lost a close friend, I just… I need to be here.”

Dustin lets his hand rest limply next to yours, head tilting back to look at the ceiling and then you. “I’m glad you’re back, I really am,” he assures quietly before continuing, “I– you– well– are you sure? After everything that happened, I just can’t–” he pauses, swallowing roughly and looking away– he doesn’t think he could do it seeing you like that again. “I just don’t want things to happen again and then you have to leave again.”

“Dustin,” you start, grabbing his hand firmly. Not rough, but firm– grounding. And he turns his head to look at you, meeting your eyes hesitantly. “You and mom need me and that’s more important than anything. What happened two years ago– it– I’m not the same person.” Your eyes search his own, wanting him to feel assured, confident in you. “I’m stronger now, I promise.”

But you have always been strong. For him, for his friends, your mom– when it counted. You just never found it in you to be strong for yourself. And people could be cruel. 

The world could be cruel.

But he trusts you anyway, squeezing your hand back with a tight, but weak smile. “Okay.”

“Plus, not to brag, but…” you trail off with a lighter tone, letting the heavy moment dissipate. “I’ve been taking self defense classes and know a thing or two. Let ‘em try. M’not scared of them anymore. Consider me your new bodyguard,” you pat his hand. “No one is gonna mess with you, have you seen these muscles?” You flex mockingly, your leather jacket covering everything.

He lets out a snort, “Yeah, right.”

You end up falling asleep while catching up to date with your brother about everything going on in Hawkins, though there were points in his story that he hesitates before skipping over to gossip about various people in town. You don’t push him to tell you everything, there’s a reason, right? And he’ll tell you eventually, but it still stings that he does it instead of telling you everything on his mind and in his life like he used to before Will had gone missing.

Dustin insists that you come over to Mike’s the next day to see the rest of the boys, adamant that they missed you despite overhearing Mike bitch about how you ruined their session the other day over the walkie talkie. You end up biking on your old and rusted bike that had been sitting in the garage since you left, cursing loudly when the chain breaks halfway through and you nearly eat shit.

“Son of a bitch!” You come to a rough stop, glaring ahead at Dustin as he cackles at your misfortune and walk the rest of the way to Mike’s place with Dustin circling you on his bike the whole time to make fun of you. That is until you pick up a decent sized rock and toss it in front of his tire to send him nearly tipping over which earns back a slew of curses from him.

When you get to the Wheelers’ residence, a wave of nostalgia hits you from years ago when you used to stay over constantly playing Dungeons and Dragons with the boys, and before that– having sleepovers with Nancy Wheeler. There’s a stir in your chest at the memories that are unnameable, but you push it down as you set your bike down by Dustin’s which now lays near a pile of other bikes. Their bikes looked worn but well-kept compared to the rusted and barely functional trash that you call a bike. You really needed a functional mode of transportation.

“You coming, grandma?” Dustin calls out impatiently, already at the door.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get your panties in a twist,” you huff, following over as he bangs on the door loudly.

You wait for a couple seconds until you hear distant scrambling up the stairs and muffled yellings of “I got it!” and some cursing. You and Dustin share a brief look then back as separate footsteps from down the hall approach until the door swings open to reveal a tired looking young woman who you recognize as Nancy.

Her blue eyes catch onto you first, confusion written over for a moment. “Who–” she then glances down at Dustin and everything clicks, eyes widening at recognition and she says your name quietly, too stunned.

“Hey, Nance… cey,” you greet awkwardly, stuffing your hands into your jacket pockets.

She’s changed quite a bit since you’ve last seen her, hair no longer grown to the middle of her back, now cut to shoulder length. And she seems… dull. No soft, innocent smiles like she had everything figured out or sheepish giggles, just– tired.

She’s looking back at you, eyes scanning you like she’s seeing you for the first time all over again. “I didn’t know you were back,” she says quietly.

“I’ve literally been telling everyone for weeks! Does no one listen to me!?” Dustin throws his arms up before crossing them over his chest.

“Dustin.” You slap his arm lightly to tell him to control his sass.

“Well it’s not my fault that everyone is deaf—“

“MOVE!” 

Nancy is suddenly pushed out of the doorway and you find yourself tackled into the front lawn.

“Dog pile!” You can hear Lucas through the blood rushing in your ears from the sudden fall as you grunt, trying to find the wind that was knocked out of you. The weight of Dustin only packs onto you seconds after and you let out another grunt and you’re left staring at the sky contemplating life.

“Jesus! Guys, you can’t just tackle people, oh my god,” Nancy exclaims with exasperation at their behavior, calling your name. “Are you okay?” Her face comes into view and you reach out weakly.

“I see the light,” you wheeze.

“Hey! Stop touching my ass!” Mike squirms, stuck right in the middle of the pile between Will and Lucas.

“Well then get your ass off my hand!” Lucas argues and before it continues, you slip your arms between Mike and Will to hug him and tip yourself to the side to throw the rest of the boys off.

You chuckle when they collide into a sprawled mess on the ground and hug Will. “Finally, the only one I actually missed,” you say while sitting up, patting the back of his head gently as he smiles sheepishly.

“What the hell!” Dustin and Lucas shout, Dustin sounding the most offended while Mike didn’t even attempt to say anything because he’s too busy staring at you.

“Holy shit, you’re not fat anymore.”

“Michael!” Nancy scolds, slapping the back of his head.

“Dude.” Dustin and Lucas say as Will looks thrown off by the comment.

He hisses and rubs his head. “Sorry! Sorry— I didn’t mean it like that! I meant you look bigger? No— old? I don’t know! You don’t look like you’re still in middle school anymore.”

“Relax, I know what you meant,” you assure, watching him relax with a sigh. “And hey, you look different too.”

“Like what?”

“Like a loser.”

You end up staying a couple of hours in the basement to watch them finally continue their session and finish the Yeti fight, Dustin nearly dying for good from his shit save-rolls before Will had come in at the last second with a healing spell. And things felt like they were falling into place again, just like they used to be.

You don’t go out much of the summer except to play Dungeons and Dragons at Mike’s, go to the arcade to play video games, and occasionally walk around the woods– though rarely the last one because Dustin always got weirdly paranoid about it, but you chalk it up to the Will incident.

When the school year rolls around, you get nervous and fidgety, knowing that you’ll be the main point of gossip when people find out that you’re back. Fortunately, you don’t go in alone, offered by Jonathan to show up with him. You had declined politely at first, but he insisted and even made a comment about feeling safer himself if you went in with him instead of by himself like he usually did.

And of course that went just great.

“Who’s that with Byers?”

“New girl?”

“I think that’s Henderson— remember? She left after freshman year because…”

You drown out the whispers and intrusive gazes, keeping your head up and eyes straight. And you can’t help but feel Jonathan’s own lingering gaze on you.

“What?” You ask with a raised brow, catching his eyes.

“Nothing— nothing,” he stiffly says, looking forward. “You just seem… different.”

“Yeah?” You murmur, “Good different or bad different?”

“It’s good.” He looks at you once again but from the corner of his eyes. “I like it.”

And that was that.

Most people left you alone for the most part, often giving you stares or pitiful glances like you were a wounded animal. Then there were the ones who tried to approach you, but you gave them a side eye which had them scurrying away. And it continued to be like this, which had you avoiding the cafeteria like the plague and sticking close to Jonathan with Nancy occasionally coming by to talk to Jonathan as well. 

You’ve learned that Nancy and Jonathan have grown closer during Will’s disappearance and you feel a slight guilt eat away at you, beating you up about not being there once again. They get quiet at times– secretive, like Dustin. And you wonder just what the hell exactly happened while Will was gone. You’ve also learned that Nancy is dating the Steve Harrington and you’re sure she notices the grimaces you hold back every time because she rambles on in defense of him– about what a good guy he is. That is, until you get into October and each passing day she seems less and less enthusiastic about defending him. You notice, and you think Jonathan does as well. He shares lingering glances with you as Nancy trails off during conversations while watching Steve weave through the cafeteria through a window like he’s on top of the world– and you suppose he is with his boyish charm, popularity, and the girl of his dreams. 

But you say nothing.

It’s a couple nights before halloween when Dustin is flipping couch cushions over like a mad man and cursing quietly, each time getting louder.

“Son of a bitch– son of a bitch!”

Your mother sits in the recliner chair watching TV with Mews curled up in her lap while you sit on the couch nearby, already knowing why he’s searching so furiously. Dustin tosses the couch cushion up next to you before digging under your own cushion, shoving you off the couch in the process. “Hey! You little asshole– I’m sitting here!”

“Another stupid penny!” Dustin ignores you, pulling out a singular penny from under your cushion and then tossing it away.

Your mother says your name with a scolding tone for your language before looking at Dustin. “And you need to watch it, Dusty! You almost hit Mews.”

“Oh, sure, worry about the cat who’s far enough but not your daughter who has been brutally manhandled off the couch,” you mumble sarcastically under your breath.

“Can I please check under your cushions?” He looks over to your mom.

“Dusty.”

“Mom, please? It’s an emergency!” He begs, to which your mother groans in displeasure as she gets up and Dustin mockingly groans back.

You side eye Dustin as he pulls out two quarters and beams before running off with a “love you” into his room. You follow closely behind him with long strides and watch him pick up his walkie talkie.

“Lucas, you copy? I’ve got four quarters. What’s your haul?” He enthusiastically reports.

“Take your puny haul and multiply it by five,” Lucas’ voice crackles through the talkie.

Dustin’s eyes meet yours as you lean against the doorway. “What? How?”

“While you were scrounging around like a homeless bum, I mowed Old Man Humphrey’s lawn,” Lucas smugly responds.

“Old Man Humphrey’s got that kind of cash?” He looks surprised before his eyes light up. “Doesn’t matter! My sister has way more than that, so technically, I’ve got unlimited–”

“The hell you do. I’m not giving you shit,” you place a hand on your hip.

“Oh, come on! I’m your little brother and you love me!”

“You just threw me off the couch a minute ago for a penny, Dustin. Fend for yourself, cause I’m gonna go play with what I got and keep on kicking your ass at Dig Dug,” you grin pettily.

Dustin flounders in his spot dramatically, feigning hurt before Lucas speaks again, “Just call Mike already.”

“You call Mike.” Dustin glares.

“I have to go take a shower from doing real work, like a man. Over and out!”

“Ooo, harsh.” You frown mockingly.

Your brother grumbles, “Shut up.” Before he’s calling Mike to copy. It takes Mike just a couple seconds to respond before Dustin is asking him what he’s doing on the channel and Mike responds with a quick “nothing”. “Well Lucas and I have six bucks total since my sister hates us and won’t help.” You stick your tongue out at him in return and go to your room to get ready to drive him to the Palace Arcade, having gotten a used car– 1969 Plymouth Road Runner– recently with some of the money you had been saving up for a while so you didn’t have to walk everywhere or beg for rides from others (Jonathan). 

Dustin complained about the “ugly” looking green color until you offered him secret driving lessons in the church parking lot on Friday nights. And suddenly it was the coolest car he’s ever had the fortune of sharing with you despite you rolling your eyes and telling him that the car didn’t belong to him in any capacity. “Su coche es mi coche.” With a smug little grin in response is what you got and you had half the mind to drop him off right then and there to make him walk the rest of the way.

As you pull up to the arcade, Mike and Lucas are getting off their bikes near the entrance and you see Will’s mother, Joyce pull up in her own car to drop Will off. When you step out of the car, you watch Dustin run over to Mike and Lucas, making your own way over to Joyce’s car and catching the near end of their conversation.

“Don’t walk or bike home. I know, I know–”

“Okay, but sweetie–”

“Heyyy there, Ms. Byers,” you greet, upper body tilting to the side until your face comes into view on Will’s side of the car.

She gives you a pleased smile and greets you back gently, “Hi, sweetheart. Are you here with Dustin?”

You give a nod. “I’m gonna be around the arcade n’ stuff, everything alright?”

Joyce seems to melt just slightly from her tense posture at your words. “Yes, I was just going over with Will about everything.” She then pauses before continuing, “ Actually– If it’s not too much– would you keep an eye on him too?”

“Mom,” Will says with embarrassment.

“Why don’t you go inside, yeah?” You urge Will, giving him a way out and time to get to Mike, Lucas, and Dustin before they go inside.

Will nods quickly and bids Joyce goodbye before parting with a “have fun, love you” from her and then she looks back to you with a sigh, “Sorry.”

“You’re fine, I get it,” you wave off, closing the car door to lean into the window with your arms crossed over the frame. “I’ll watch ‘em. Got a specific time you’re coming back or did he need a ride?”

“I’m coming at nine.”

“Alright, well– promise I won’t let them get into trouble.” You give her a lopsided grin.

“I really appreciate it,” her voice softens and you can see the exhaustion in her eyes from all the worrying. “You’re a good kid,” she murmurs your name and you get that same pitied look and you know she means well but you wished people would just look at you normally or not at all. “You let me know if you ever need anything, okay?”

You give a curt nod and tell her to drive safe before she hesitantly leaves and then sigh with a heavy breath and turn on your heels to make your way inside where the boys are already playing video games. You go over to Space Invaders and try your luck with beating the high score since someone else was currently at Dig Dug. You didn’t pay much mind to the redhead and kept your eyes on the goal in front of you, smashing buttons and fidgeting with the joystick.

You don’t realize how much time goes by until you hear your brother’s cursing across the arcade and his little tantrum that has you snickering under your breath. You’re at a decent score, but nowhere near the top three high scores– especially your top score of 153,605 pts which you spent over two hours straight playing to get that day when you had gotten particularly bored without Dustin to bother that day since your mother took him out shopping for school and you weren’t about to get caught in her trap. 

“No. No. No– No! No!” You hear Dustin shout, this time closer to your game. And then he yells your name which distracts you momentarily and causes you to lose the game.

“Dammit! Dustin!” You shout, head whipping around to go over to him where the other boys are hovering around Dig Dug.

“751,300 points–” Will starts.

“That’s impossible,” you hear Mike say in disbelief.

You make your way over and lean over Lucas’ shoulder. “What?” You asked, annoyed.

“Someone beat our scores!” Dustin points and you squint at the screen.

1st 751,300 MADMAX 

2nd 720,777 CRITQN

3rd 650,990 DUSTIN

4th 641,183 LUCAS

5th 620,784 JKRACH

“Huh, impressive,” you murmur.

Dustin leans back and looks over to Kevin who you now just notice standing nearby eating a bag of cheetos. “Who is Mad Max?”

“Better than you,” Kevin blandly retorts, earning the middle finger from Dustin before you place your hand over his and shove it down.

“Is it you?” Will points.

Kevin gives him a look while chewing his food and then scoffs, “You know I despise Dig Dug.”

“Then who is it?” Lucas asks.

“Yeah, spill it, Keith,” Dustin hisses.

Oops… and here you thought his name was Kevin.

“You want information, then I need something in return,” Keith gives a grin before shoving the rest of his cheeto into his mouth as he looks at Mike expectantly.

The rest of the boys look at Mike and he shakes his head. “No, no, no. No way. You’re not getting a date with her.”

Ah, Nancy.

“Mike, come on. Just get him the date,” Lucas tries to convince him just so they can figure out who this Mad Max is.

“No! I’m not prostituting my sister!” Mike glares at Lucas.

“But it’s for a good cause.”

“Why not Dustin’s sister?” Mike shoots back, causing Keith to look to you next like he has a chance.

You put your hands up and take a step back, removing yourself from the conversation to go elsewhere like get a drink from the vending machine outside.

Dustin’s face screws up. “Like my sister would date Keith, she’s way out of his league!”

“Oh, and my sister isn’t?” Mike scoffs.

“No, don’t get him the date. Know what?” Dustin puts a hand out to cease their arguing. “He’s gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family or mine if he does,” he ends passive aggressively.

Keith’s face twists at his comment. “Acne isn’t a rash and it isn’t contagious, you prepubescent wastoid.”

“Oh, I’m a wastoid? She wouldn’t wanna go on a date with you cause you make like what– 2.50 an hour?” Is the last thing you hear before the door closes behind you and you're standing alone in the dim lit night– vending machine just a couple feet down from the door.

You take a quarter out and let it flip between your fingers as you stare at the drink options, figuring out which sounded the most appealing to you. “Ugh, gross,” you mutter to yourself when you see something you don’t like before you hear the door open and glance over to see who’s coming out.

And it’s Will.

“Hey, bud, you want a drink, too?” You ask him, looking back to the drinks. But he doesn’t answer and your brows furrow together. “Will?” You turn to him, face only further scrunching up as he stares off straight into the distance with a scared look on his face. You take a few strides over to him, voice more concerned, “Will? Hey, kid– you alright?” Still, no answer. And when you look into the distance where he’s staring into, there’s nothing but the dark night sky. “Will– are you okay?” you grab his shoulders and shake him gently as you stand in front of him.

His head snaps to look up at you and he takes in your face with a terrified look and then forces it away like he hadn’t just looked at you like you had killed his family in front of him. “Wha– yeah– yeah…” He brushes off. “I just needed some air.”

“Okay, well–” you do your best not to pry and try something else. “Wanna breathe with me?” You ask.

“Huh?”

“It helps when you breathe with someone,” you say quietly with a weak smile.

He blinks at you before giving a hesitant nod.

You go to move your hands from his shoulders, but his hands fly up to grab your own in order to keep them there. Before he can apologize, you squeeze his shoulders in a grounding manner and murmur, “In and out, just like me, kay?”

You take a deep inhale through your nose and hold it, watching Will do the same before you exhale heavily through your mouth. And you repeat it over and over until he eventually slumps under your hands and seems a little better.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t sweat it.”

“Will! Hey–” Mike pushes the door open and sees the both of you. “You okay?”

Will turns and you let your hands fall to your side. “Yeah, just needed air,” he repeats.

Mike nods. “Well c’mon, you’re up on Dig Dug,” he says, placing an arm around Will’s shoulder to guide him back inside, sharing a small look with you. “Let’s take that top score back, huh?”

“You couldn’t even beat mine, Wheeler,” you tease with a lighthearted tone.

“Oh, shut it,” he sassily retorts before going back inside with Will.

Your mind is no longer on getting a drink, rather, stuck on whatever the fuck just happened.

When you go to school the next morning, there’s already gossip about two new students– a guy in your grade and a girl in Dustin’s. You don’t really dig too much into it when Nancy comes to you at lunch while you’re sitting in your car and reading peacefully, trying to at least. You’re able to ignore the first knock on your passenger window– and then the second– because maybe she’ll give up and go away.

“I’m not going away!”

You just wanted one lunch break.

She opens the door when you unlock your car and you dog-ear the page you’re on before closing the book and looking at her with an unimpressed look. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Wheeler?”

Nancy digs in her bag before whipping out a neon orange paper and hands it over. “You’re coming to this– I already told Jonathan the same thing, don’t try to get out of it.”

“Come and get sheet faced,” you blandly read out. “How charming. But I’m going to pass– Tina’s place? Really?” 

“Yeah, I mean, it’s just–” 

“Tina. The one who was a part of the whole plan back in my freshman year when Carol and Vicki–” you stop yourself and take in a deep inhale before staring at Nancy who’s grimacing and realizing what she just insinuated.

“I’m sorry, you’re right,” she sheepishly looks down at her lap. “That was insensitive.” Her fingers curl into her thighs. “I just wanted to hangout with you and Jonathan, I guess– and give you something to do on Halloween.”

“I do have something to do on Halloween, Nancy.”

“Don’t tell me that it’s trick or treating with your brother.”

You don’t say anything and lean back in your seat to open your book again and start where you left off, leaving a pregnant silence between the both of you.

“Well?” She gives you a look like she’s waiting for an answer.

You shrug. “You told me not to tell you.”

She groans, “You and Jonathan– you can have a life outside of Dustin, you know. He doesn’t need you all the time.”

You stare at the words in your book, but you aren’t reading them, getting lost in your own mind instead. Of course Dustin needed you, that’s why you’re even back in the first place. But you guess that she’s somewhat right that you don’t need to be constantly hovering over Dustin and give him some space to be his own person too. But it’s hard because everyone in Hawkins who has heard the Hawkins Homecoming Incident of 81’ either thinks you’re a joke or pity you like you’re a goddamn stray.

“I’ll, uhm… try, I guess–. I could put together something to hide my face and sneak in,” you reluctantly offer.

“Really?” Nancy asks hopefully.

“Yeah,” is all you can manage with a grumble before shutting your book back closed again and tossing it into the back seat.

Nancy gives you a genuine smile this time and it makes your cheeks flush which leads to you turning away to hide your flustered face.

“You’re the best.”

“Don’t mention it.”

You go home completely tired from the absolute draining day you had (talking to three people) and flop down face first onto your bed. You don’t even get three minutes before Dustin busts into your room.

“Guess what? Lucas and I found out who Mad Max was,” he says proudly.

“Mhm.”

“Her name is Max.”

“Wow, who would’ve thought.”

“And she’s so cool– she skateboards and she plays videogames– and, and–” he keeps rambling on which has you lifting your head to look at his face and feel the disinterest melt away because you’ve never seen your brother so all over the place, especially over a girl.

“So she was the one who beat the Crit Queen?” You rest your cheek on the palm of your hand.

Dustin gives a toothy smirk. “Yeah she was– beat your ass so hard.”

“Bold words coming from a third placer.”

“Oh, screw off.”

“Hey–” you start, clearing your throat as you change the subject. “Do you want me to go trick or treating along with you and the boys? I’m pretty sure Jonathan is going to a party Nancy invited us to, but I wanted to make sure you’d be okay with it before–”

Dustin says your name quietly which stops your rambling. “I think you should go to it.”

“What, you don’t want me around?”

“I didn’t say that!” He defends before continuing, “you don’t have to watch me all the time– you can do things too. Whose party is it, anyway?”

“... Tina’s.”

“What the fuck. No.”

“Dustin.”

He throws his hands up. “I thought it was going to be at Nancy’s place!”

“I told her I’d wear something to cover my face– they’ll never know.”

“Okay Phantom of the Opera.”

“Hey, you only know that because of me, you’re welcome.” You roll your eyes before laying your head back down and watching him pace. “I didn’t wanna go, but Nancy did the kicked puppy look and I felt bad.”

“Wow, everyone is just a sucker for Nancy, huh?”

“Shut your mouth– so do you have any masks?”

He thinks for a moment before spinning on his heels to run to his room and rummage through his closet before he comes back and tosses a Jason Voorhees mask. “There– and it even works because you look like him, too.”

“I’m going to beat your ass.”

“You can’t, I have ladies to swoon.” He then purrs that sounds something akin to Chewbacca and you recoil with a cringe.

“The only thing you’re going to have is a restraining order if you do that to any woman.”

“You’re just jealous that I got the good looks and charm out of the both of us.”

“Clearly not the smarts if you think that making wookie mating noises is going to work on the ladies,” you mutter.

He purrs louder, getting closer with a devious smirk until you wipe it off his lips with a pillow to the face that has him falling to the ground on his ass. “What the fuck–!”