The fruity four - one shots

20. December

20. Death // Only slight mentions of Steddie

"I'm sorry, Dustin! I am real fucking sorry, okay?" Steve took a deep breath to collect himself for a moment. "I'm trying my best here, okay?"

"I fucking hate you!" The smaller yelled. "I hope you fucking know that, Steve!" Dustin had never ever yelled at him. And never at such a small thing. It confused Steve more than he had ever been accused of. "I fuckin' hate you, Steve 'king of fucking betrayal' Harrington." Dustin's voice spoke with venom, but the look in his eyes, was enough to say that he was hurt. Real fucking hurt. Dustin slammed the door shut the door behind him. Steve felt the tears build up, but he didn't do anything. He just stood there, watching the door as if Dustin would walk right back in and tell him it was all a big prank. A big prank that would have him yelled at, but given the biggest hug in the world. But none of that happened. His eyes landed on the drawer filled with alcohol.

No.

Steve sucked in a deep breath and wiped the tears away.

'You know he would be better of without you right?'

The thought brushed against his mind, but now it was stuck. Like it just glued itself there. Steve choked on a sob.

Of course Dustin still needed him. It was simply just a stupid fight and in a few days, it will all be forgotten with a hug and a movie night. Just like always.

'Dustin never needed you.'

'He needed you and you weren't there.'

'Eddie is better for him.'

'Eddie would be a better brother for him.'

'More than you ever will be.'

That was when Steve finally broke down.

He lost it, he yelled, he screamed, he threw things, he broke things.

He cried and cried until there weren't any tears left.

He threw things until there wasn't anything to throw.

He screamed until his voice was gone.

He broke things until his strength betrayed him.

Just like he betrayed Dustin. Steve couldn't even remember the stupid fight anymore, barely even the conversation. But then again, it replayed everything again and again in his mind in blurry visions. He sat up against the wall, holding his legs close to his chest. His shoulders were shaking but no sound came from poor boy. How could he when he screamed his voice gone? He didn't want to look up from the comfort of his own hug. He knew everything was a mess. Almost every vase in the house was laying on the floor, shattered. He had broken a plant, and the food, that was once in the fridge, had been taken out and thrown everywhere. The once clean and fresh laundry, that was waiting to be put in away, was laying around in the food piles of and spilled wine and whiskey.

The clock was only seven pm, but he was tired. Dead tired. And he had his job in which would have no energy for tomorrow. He forced his exhausted legs up and dragged them under him as he made his way into his bedroom. He sighed and made his way to the bed and let himself fall into the comforts of his own pillows and dreams.

Beep, Beep, Beep.

Steve groaned and pushed himself further into the pillows.

Was it really already 6 am? It felt earlier like he hadn't had any sleep at all.

He forced himself up and into the bathroom. His hair was a complete and utter mess, but no energy was left in him from yesterday to fix it. He splashed some water on his face, brushed his teeth.

On the way back to his room he sneaked a peak outside to see if Dustin had biked his way over here. He hadn't.

***

After a long day of, stocking tapes and films and attempting customers, he was finally back home. He threw the keys somewhere in the living room, and walked into the kitchen. He made it to the kitchen trying to find something edible, when he saw that everything was clean. He looked towards the living room and it was also clean. How could he miss that? He opened the fridge and saw it still as empty. Shame. Just as Steve thought god was finally on his side.

"So how did work go?" Steve bumped his head on the shelfs in the fridge, he turned around as he scratched at the burning section. Dustin was there, sitting on a barstol.

"It went... fine. What about school?"

"I have a test coming up, but it was fine." Dustin refused to make eye contact with him. He figgled with his bitten down finger tips and stuttered out the words. "I-" He sighed. "Listen, Steve, I'm sorry. I'm uhm sorry. Yeah. For the things about what I said. Of you being a be-"

"Yeah," Steve did not need to hear it.

"I'm just sad." He explained and swallowed down some words. "About... uhm... yeah about Eddie's death." Dustin sniffed, but Steve made no move to comfort him. "I just can't accept- I can't believe that he sacrificed himself for a town that hated him and-"

"Dustin." Dustin choked on his own words and looked up at Steve. "It's fine. I understand. It's not easy for me either. I may not have known the guy personally, but he was still a friend." Dustin nodded at his words. "But it is still no excuse to burst out on me like that, man. I get it. You're stressed and frustrated. It's okay to be stressed sometimes. But don't lash out at others." Steve walked over to the sobbing boy and held him in his arms. "It's okay." He whispered as Dustin broke down in his arms. Dustin smiled against Steve's chest. This was nice. It felt nice to cry for once.

"I miss him" Dustin whispered.

"Yeah, I miss him too." Steve whispered back and kissed the top of the curly hairs, that Steve could only think of the other about.

I'm pretty proud of myself for this one :D