Always Be There For You ~ Dustin Henderson x Reader

Chapter 9: The Dinner (In-Between)

A/N: I'm going to do a chapter or two in between each season of Stranger Things just to add some extra stuff into the story that isn't just ripped straight from the show. Anyways, happy reading!

TW: Family issues

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    We were a couple of weeks into summer and Steve was looking forward to kicking back during his senior year. I was enjoying hanging out with my friends every day, but something felt wrong. I mean, yeah, sure, my friend group wasn't the same after El disappeared and Will came back from the Upside Down, but that's not what I'm talking about. Steve was been too busy hanging out with Nancy and planning for his future to notice, and if he had he hadn't talked to me about it, but our parents had been... off recently.

    They were barely talking. Whenever they did speak it was only for essential things and every single word they said was passive-aggressive. I didn't fully understand what was going on but I knew something wasn't right, I just couldn't figure out what. The only people I had told were Dustin and Will. I told Dustin because he made me feel safe and he convinced me to talk to Will about it because his parents were divorced.

    That day, we were finally all sitting down for a family dinner today. It was the first time we had all eaten dinner as a family since Christmas. Every day that mom or dad weren't at work, Steve had been with Nancy, or I had been with my friends. We all should have been happy, but we weren't. For most of the meal, we were silent, like, concerningly silent. Until my mom broke the ice.

    "So, Steve, have you figured out where you want to go to college?" My mom asked.

    "I haven't decided where I want to go yet, but Nancy is helping me get stuff to add to my application," Steve answered.

    "Good, then you can go and get a good job and get out of Hawkins like I should've done when I was your age," My dad replied. Ouch, the room went silent again.

    "Y/n? What about you, have you been doing anything interesting?" My mom questioned, trying to move past what had just happened.

    "I've been working on my guitar a lot more recently. Oh- and I'm trying to learn how to skateboard! My balance isn't the best but I'm getting a lot better. I only fell off my board twice yesterday!" I rambled. My dad chuckled as he drank his water, but it wasn't a good chuckle.

    "What's so funny, dad?" I inquired. My dad leaned back in his seat and he chuckled again.

    "It's just that uh, Harringtons always have good balance. You know?" He glared at my mom, "It's in the genes." My mom glared back.

    "I guess it skipped me!" I chirped, letting out an awkward laugh.

    "Or maybe it just wasn't there to begin with," My dad spat.

    "David," My mom replied harshly.

    "I think it's a valid question, Helene. Considering everything," My dad retorted. I looked over at Steve and he looked back at me with concern.

    "Considering everything? What's he talking about?" Steve asked my mom.

    "I don't know-"

    "Oh, I think you do know, Helene. I think you know all about what I'm talking about and more." My dad interrupted.

    "David it was one time!" My mom yelled.

    "I don't know if I can trust you. I mean Y/n doesn't really look like me, how do I know she's even mine?!" My dad shouted. My face went pale and I started to feel sick.