DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Season 4 Bonus Chapter VIII.

Dustin Henderson was always a happy boy.

He had tried to stay positive during the vanishing of his friend Will, when Will returned, and when he was stuck in a Russian lab with his friends. When his sister overdosed and was sent to rehab Dustin waited at the edge of his seat for her arrival. He was always relatively optimistic. At home Dustin knew his sister had always tried to shield him from the ugly parts of his family. Dustin never saw the worst of his mother because his sister protected him from it before his mother seeked help and got better. And although it hurt, his sister pushed him away when she was at her worst. He assumed she did it out of love. If Dustin knew her well enough, she would have said it was for his own good. In one way or another, she was right. The Henderson siblings never had a father; who was to raise him when his mother wouldn't?

His sister's high school years were the worst, but that's because she was just a teenager, he told himself. Dustin prayed he wouldn't turn out like that, no matter how much he loved her. And he didn't. It was difficult to stay optimistic, but he did anyway. As he had walked the halls of Hawkins High alone the first few weeks of his freshmen year, he was hopeful he'd find friends...or at least acquaintances to eat with at lunch. Dustin found just that. He had found Eddie Munson and his club of punk D&D nerds.

When Eddie initially came up to him, Dustin had assumed he was there to beat him up. The Metallica t-shirt, tight black jeans, black leather jacket, silver jewelry, and tattoos intimidated Dustin to his core. That was until Eddie had spoken and requested for Dustin to sit with Hellfire Club during lunch. Eddie had left without another word. Eddie knew Dustin would have showed up. He was right. Dustin had felt like he was being stalked by a flock of predators that day as the club studied him, and they were. All went well. Dustin had been inducted to the Hellfire Club. Dustin was happy that day when he returned home from his first D&D session with Eddie. He had been thrilled to tell his sister about his new group after it had felt like Mike and Lucas somewhat abandoned him. Except she was locked in her room and under the influence of drugs. The smile had been wiped clean from his face that night.

His smile had returned the next day when he met up with Hellfire Club. This was the day Mike was inducted. Now there wasn't anything left in him to smile about.

Dustin limped to the site of the lifeless bats on the ground. He didn't care if he'd be called a limping loser for the rest of his life. The boy called out his name as he struggled with his movements. "Eddie," Dustin's voice cracked as he fell down next to his friend. When he dropped down, he heard Eddie choking. Eddie was struggling to breathe as his own blood leaked out of his mouth. Eddie's neck was covered in his blood. "Oh god," Dustin choked up at the sight. He pulled Eddie into his arms and held him there. Dustin couldn't look away from the deep gashes and wounds the bats had left scattered all over Eddie's body. "Oh god, Eddie," Dustin cried out.

Eddie could only sputter out a few words. "Bad, huh?"

"No," Dustin shook his head as his lips began to tremble, "you're gonna be fine! We just gotta get you to a hospital, okay?" There Dustin Henderson went trying to be optimistic again. Would optimism work this time?

"Okay," Eddie simply said. Only more blood spilled out. Dustin tried to help Eddie up, but he couldn't move from the ground at all. It's like he was paralyzed. When Dustin attempted to move him, Eddie's pain only heightened. "Alright, alright," Eddie repeated to get Dustin to stop, "I think I-I just need a second, okay?"

Dustin immediately stopped his movements with Eddie. He realized whatever he did to Eddie only caused him more pain. "Okay," Dustin agreed as he lowered his friend back down.

Eddie couldn't move his body. But he did smile as he looked up at Dustin. Tears began to blur Eddie's eyes. Through bloody gritted teeth, he asked, "I didn't run away this time, right?"