dusteve

if youre a dusteve enjoyer pls feel free to send a dm! i'm always down to talk about em! this is my side blog, dm for my main

[procyonloser]

"I've been thinking about it, and I think that only referring to myself as a man doesn't feel authentic. I don't see myself as a woman, more so...I don't really see myself as anything but me." Dustin said, not looking up from his meal. Steve looked at him, then down at his lasagna, then back up again.

"... Are you still my husband?" Steve questioned, and Dustin made a face of pondering, before nodding. "Okay, pass the salt."

"That's it?" Dustin asked, cocking his head. "No twenty questions or anything?"

Steve just shrugged a shoulder. "We've been together for decades, married for years, I know you better than myself. It's not like you're becoming an entirely new person, right? It's like... the word for orange didn't exist for years, but the color still did." Steve explained his thought process to the best of his ability, but wasn't certain how much of it was making sense. "So, I don't know. I don't see how it changes our relationship, even if you tell me there's new words and terms. You're still the person I married, the person I love."

Dustin blinked away tears hard a few times, sniffing as he tried to not his head, smiling at Steve, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "I can't imagine my life without you, I love you so much."

Steve met his eyes, giving a small nod. He adored him, and looked forward to being little wrinkly raisin men together, causing havoc in whatever retirement home they ended up in.

"... Can you pass the salt then?" Steve asked, and Dustin snorted.

[procyonloser]

"You're both such nice boys - it's too bad you'll never have mates." She was a kindly old omegan woman who worked in the library at Dustin's University, a lady that Steve talked to fairly often. She'd never said anything that made him feel bothered, she hadn't acted judgemental whatsoever towards him, towards them, until now.

Steve's shoulders faltered, and he held Dustin's textbook a bit closer to his chest. Dustin looked bewildered by the comment, glancing up at Steve in wide eyed confusion, as if to ask if the woman had actually just said that. It wasn't uncommon for people to hint around it, or allude to it - and, of course, assholes would more loudly comment on it. But, kindly grand parent types didn't say it outright.

"... Uh," Steve swallowed, meeting Dustin's eyes for a moment. He wanted to deny it, to tell her off, but Steve knew; of course he knew that already. Dustin had a shot at least, since he could produce the pheromones for a proper mating, it was just entirely up in the air if it would work if his partner couldn't trigger the same response in him, given he couldn't smell them. But Steve? Steve simply could never trigger an alpha to do a proper mating bite.

"Oh, but maybe they'll find a cure one day!" The woman said cheerfully enough, red cheeks unaware of the storm she'd just set off. "You're studying medicine, aren't you, Mr Henderson?"

"... Biomedical engineering," Dustin answered, lips downturned. It wasn't until she caught a hint of Dustin's displeased scent that she seemed a bit startled. Had she not even registered how rude she'd been? God, it was like talking to his mom all over again.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out, you deserve it!" She insisted, and Steve just didn't want to be a part of the conversation anymore.

"I think you're wrong, though." Dustin told her, point blank. "Steve can trigger my pheromones even without me able to smell him, and he can smell me just fine. The idea that we'd be unable to mate, and have it mean just as much as any other mating is faulty and foolish. If anything, it would show our bond is deeper."

She opened her mouth a bit, eyes big, before a wide smile spread across her face. She'd seemingly missed the jab Dustin had thrown at her, as she leaned forward to take hold of Dustin's hands in her own, squeezing them tightly. "That is so beautiful - I had no idea you were courting! I wish you two boys the best of luck, I'm so happy for you."

Steve felt his anger dissipate, leaving him just tired with the world. She'd clearly not meant her original comment cruelly, but she'd meant it just the same, and it almost was worse that he couldn't stay angry with her. But, it'd still hurt, and as Steve got older, knowing he'd not ever find a mate just made the longing grow stronger.

"Let's go," Steve said, turning to leave without having the energy to deal with this any longer. Dustin looked as though he wanted to argue with the woman longer, but Steve had only made it a few steps before Dustin caught up to him.

"Which questions did you want me to quiz you on?" Steve asked him as soon as they found an open table in the corner of the library. He passed some of the textbooks they'd rented across the round table to Dustin, who sat down gingerly in his own seat.

He wasn't talking, Dustin was just staring at Steve like he was a particularly flighty animal. Steve cocked an eyebrow at him, wondering what the look was for. With no explanation coming, Steve rolled his eyes. Of course, Dustin wanted a reason to hear himself speak.

"Okay, Henderson, I'll bite. What are you looking at me like that for?" Steve asked him tiredly, chin in the palm of his hand.

"...I just thought... maybe you would have been more upset with what I suggested." Dustin said slowly, like he was tip toeing across a field of Legos while barefoot.

Steve was lost.

"... About you, and me... trying to become mates?" Dustin explained further, until he saw the look of realization click in Steve's eyes.

"You were just saying that to her, though. It's not like that would actually work, right?" Steve let out a small laugh, but Dustin's expression didn't shift in its severity. ".. It wouldn't work, right?" Steve repeated himself, quieter this time, humor leaving him.

"...I think it might?" Dustin suggested softly. "You're the only person who's mood I instinctively respond to with my own scent. Your purring, your chirps, I know what they all mean and it...causes a reaction in me. Like, my pheromones respond to the cues you're giving me." Dustin explained, but he still looked half terrified, and the smell of worry was billowing off of him more and more as time went on, as though he was expecting Steve to blow up at him. "Why wouldn't it work for mating too?"

Steve opened his mouth, but nothing came to him. No, that couldn't be right. Right? It couldn't be. He'd already spent years shoving down his feelings towards Dustin, trying not to drive off the person he was closest to by letting him know that in his mind, Dustin already was his alpha.

What if it worked?

"I... don't want a mate, if it isn't you. I don't want to try with anyone that isn't you." Dustin was looking up at him from under his lashes, and his eyes so were so truly beautiful. Delicate under a strong brow.

Steve could barely hear anything from the sound of his heart pounding in his ears.

"...I don't want a mate if it isn't you." Steve let his heart pour out of him, since it already felt like it was banging against his core, trying to break free. "... You're already my alpha, to me."

Dustin sucked in a breath, eyes suddenly a bit brighter, teary. "I want to be. Can we be? Can we try?"

Steve sniffed, nodding his head, before adding, "probably not in the library."

[procyonloser]

Steve and Dustin are both equally horrible about following doctors orders and not overworking themselves when sick or injured, yet they both complain at each other when they don't. I know this as a fact, the Elder Duffer, the unseen third mythical Duffer brother revealed this to me as canon in a vision.

[crashoutqueenstevie]

The band plays on, feeding on the energy of the crowd on the dance floor that surround Max and Lucas, but Dustin's decided he's had enough dancing for the night. He sits at a table in the corner, tie loosened, nursing a beer and pretending he isn't sulking.

He watches as Steve shimmies and bounces to the music with Robin. He's much goofier than Dustin would expect from someone as athletic as Steve. The sight should cheer him up, but instead it makes him scowl in to his drink. Steve suddenly swivels his head around, looking for someone. Him, Dustin realizes, when he peels away from Robin and starts heading toward him. Dustin tries to school his face into a mask of serenity.

"Scooch your feet," Steve says when he comes over, pushing at Dustin's legs that are propped up on another chair.

"Get your own chair," Dustin whines. "My dogs are barking."

"No they aren't. You've been sitting at that table all night," Steve says, rolling his eyes as he lifts Dustin's feet off the chair to plop down. He pushes his sweaty bangs of his forehead.

Dustin picks his feet back up and deposits them in his lap, trying to gross Steve out, but the man remains unruffled and just drapes his hands over the dress shoes, fingers absently rubbing at Dustin's ankles.

"What's got your tail in such a knot?"

Dustin sighs, looking over at Max and Lucas looking blissfully happy as they dance together.

"You ever just feel like you're still stuck in middle school, no matter how much you grow up?" Dustin admits.

Steve follows his gaze to the happy couple and his mouth falls open.

"Dude," he says in complete disbelief. "You're in love with Max? And you were Lucas' best man? Holy shit...It's been, like, ten years. There's other fish in the sea, man."

Dustin's mouth falls open. "No! Oh my God, that would be crazy!" Dustin says without thinking. Yeah, it would be totally crazy and out of the ordinary to hold a flame for someone for ten years who you first fell for in middle school. Not like that's something Dustin would do or has intimate experience with.

"Well then what are you talking about, Henderson?"

Dustin decides to blame the alcohol for loosening his tongue.

"Feels like the Snowball all over again and everyone's got someone to dance with except me. And somehow you're here too, giving me the shittiest pep talk of all time. Next you'll be telling me, 'hey, it's okay, you look great, man.'"

"Well, you do," Steve says simply. Dustin can feel Steve's gaze on him, intense and unwavering, but Dustin can't look at him when his secret feels so close to the surface right now. He snorts instead.

"Thanks, dude," he says, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Didn't Nance dance with you at the Snowball?" Steve says after a minute of silence.

"Well yeah, but that was a pity dance," Dustin grumbles, looking at his nails instead of the couples that have started to sway together as the music slows briefly.

"God, would you knock it off? You're being a total sadsack," Steve suddenly snaps.

"Excuse me, but you're the one who came over here!" Dustin retorts, feeling the need to defend himself.

"I came over here to ask you to come dance, but if that's the way you're going to be then I won't bother," Steve says, standing swiftly and knocking Dustin's feet from his lap.

"Oh thanks, but I don't want your pity dance!" Dustin says to cover the disappointment at how badly he's shoving his foot in his own mouth.

"It wasn't going to be a pity offer!" Steve says angrily.

That stops Dustin up short. "Wait, what do you mean?" Dustin grabs Steve's shoulder as he turns to leave.

"Forget about it," Steve says stiffly, shaking out of Dustin's grip and stalking off.

The cogs churn in Dustin's mind frantically as he watches Steve's retreating form leave the ballroom to step out onto the patio outside.

[procyonloser]

"1966, great year." Dustin said awkwardly, as the waitress showed off the entirely too expensive wine. "My favorite year, actually. My most beloved thing in the world came into existence in 66."

Steve smiled at him across the table, trying not to preen too much under the compliment from his husband. "It's our year anniversary." Steve explained to the sommelier, who seemed entirely uninterested. "I was born in 66, so-"

Upon catching a glimpse of Dustin's face, Steve stared. "... You were talking about me, weren't you? Your husband and best friend. Right?"

"Of course!" Dustin said with far too much gusto and a voice crack that gave away the lie. "Obviously I'm talking about you, my beloved husband and partner in all things, what else-"

"I believe Star Trek premiered in 1966, sir." The sommelier said easily, and Dustin looked panicked.

"I definitely wasn't talking about that- I think we're done actually, you can go. Actually, you're fired. I mean, not really, we'll tip, but-" Dustin stumbled over his words until the sommelier got the picture and stepped away.

"... Seriously, Henderson? Star Trek? You'll be lucky if we have a second anniversary." Steve asked flatly, and Dustin sunk down in his chair.

"I love you, my darling sweet pea baby boy, my husband, who is very handsome and strong and beautiful and very forgiving." Dustin said quickly, and Steve just leaned across the table and shoved bread in his mouth.

[kedreeva]

Dustin, imitating his role model.

[danndrea]

I think I haven't expressed myself enough about this: Dustin being the only one who manages to calm Eddie. This sequence makes it quite clear that Eddie trusts Dustin and viceversa.

Also, can we see Steve's face in the background? 👀👀👀👀

[alehskeating]

OHH DANNIE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF JUICE IN THIS!

FIRST, DUSTIN BEING THE ONLY ONE THAT EDDIE LISTENS TO, WHY DOES HE DO IT? BECAUSE HE TRUSTS HIM, THERE IS NOTHING MORE. THE WAY DUSTIN PUTS HIS HAND BETWEEN THEM AND THE OTHERS TO KEEP THEM FROM INTERVENING IS ANYTHING BUT SUBTLE, HE IS SAYING: I GOT THIS, I'LL FIX IT, HE IS NOT AFRAID, BUT HAS A FIERY DESIRE FOR EDDIE TO BE CERTAIN THAT HE BELIEVES HIM AND WANTS TO HELP HIM.

AND SECONDLY, STEVE'S LOOK, IN THE BACKGROUND, ANALYZING THE WHOLE SITUATION, AND THAT'S WHEN HE DEFINITELY UNDERSTANDS HOW MUCH EDDIE MEANS TO DUSTIN AND VICE VERSA.

I LOVE THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL SHOTS WHERE STEVE SEES THEM FROM AFAR AND THAT HELPS MY HC THAT HE BECOMES JEALOUS MORE THAN EVER BECAUSE OF THAT INTIMACY IN THE FRIENDSHIP THAT DUSTIN AND EDDIE HAVE.

I find this quite delicious 😈🔥

[danndrea]

SHOUT IT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK.

You got it, Aleh, you couldn't have said it better! 👀👀👀👀👀👀🥰🥰🫢

[danndrea]

Dustin and Steve in season 5 of Stranger Things ❤️‍🔥

[alehskeating]

ALL THOSE EYES FULL OF FURY THAT DUSTIN AND STEVE THREW AT EACH OTHER IN S5, IT WAS PURE LOVE IN DISGUISE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE OTHERS PUT UP WITH IT FOR SO LONG, I WOULD HAVE LOCKED THEM IN THE ARMORY UNTIL THEY SORTED IT OUT OR HAD SEX. WHATEVER WAS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THEM.

[danndrea]

"Whatever was more comfortable for them".HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAHAHJA

[stranger-things-yapper]

Remember how Dustin said this in S1?

(ignore the chinese subtitles—couldn't find a screenshot to save my life)

And then he was fully ready to lose his teeth so Mike wouldn't jump off a damn cliff? And Mike did anyway?

And then he said THIS in S2, unprompted?

And then in S3 he came home from camp and no one responded to his radio, and his mom said maybe they forgot and he started to believe her?

And then it turned out it wasn't actually a lapse of memory, they were just lying to give him a surprise welcome party? But then they ditched him anyway at the end of the day, because they thought he was lying about his camp girlfriend? A thought implanted by MAX, Lucas's girlfriend that Dustin said Lucas wanted to replace him in the Party, and that everyone went along with. Mike wasn't even there because he was too busy focusing on spending time with El.

And how Will asked Mike where Dustin was, and Mike couldn't answer? And Will said "See? You don't know, and you don't even care, and obviously he doesn't either and I don't blame him"?

Dustin is always willing to believe that he is the least important friend to his friends. Always the one people will miss the least, care the least. And sometimes the show even proved him right.

For once, I just wanted him to say it out loud. I wanted him to actually distance himself from the Party, and focus on Steve or Erica or Robin or maybe the Hellfire group. And when anyone from the Party confronted him on why he was being so distanced, he just said "why do you care? No one ever cares about what I'm doing anyway. I'm just focusing on people who do."

[danndrea]

Ohhhhh hell yeah

[procyonloser]

Just in case people are wondering, Steve's beamer would have cost over 30k in season 1, the very year the car came out. That means a 17yo ended up with a car that today with inflation would be 80k+ (and more likely to be well over that seeing how higher end bmws in 2026 are over 100k)

I think you can easily cross off the idea that Steve bought it himself, and the idea it was a gift is far more likely. I'd wonder if it was a sweet sixteen kind of gift, or even not his car at all, maybe his father's secondary car (though I don't find that likely, seems to be very much Steve's car.)

But to me the idea of it being a gift is interesting, because while Steve clearly likes his car, it's a luxury vehicle afterall and had a lot of new tech in it for the time, the one picture Steve had on his bedroom wall was more of a classic muscle car. So, while I can't say I have any actual evidence for this, it brings up the mental image of parents who cared enough to buy him a very very nice car as a gift... but it wasn't actually the car he wanted. It's a car that makes them look better, as a status symbol.

[crashoutqueenstevie]

Six hours earlier…

If someone had told sixteen-year-old Steve that he’d be attending the wedding of Jonathan Byers’ younger brother and one of the freshman benchwarmers on the basketball team, Steve would have told them they were insane. If that person had gone on to say that he’d be attending said wedding with one of the best friends of Jonathan Byers’ younger brother as his boyfriend, he would have called the police to tell them a patient had escaped from Pennhurst. 

And yet, that is exactly what Steve is doing. He’s currently squirming in a rickety chair on the sweeping lawn of a fancy summer villa for the wedding of Will Byers and Chance Lawson. Sweat trickles down his back under his suit from the hot afternoon sun watching the wedding party stand and melt as they wait for the grooms to come down the aisle. Mike and Lucas are standing opposite two basketball players Steve had never been that close with while Andy fucking Harper is currently either glaring or making eyes at Dustin. 

Steve has never thought murder sounded as compelling as it did right now. 

It’s his own fault too, Steve muses as he watches Dustin lean over and whisper something in Lucas’ ear, making him snicker behind his hand. Steve could have been up there, but he’d turned down Chance’s bizarre invitation to be one of his groomsmen despite barely having one conversation together off the court. He’d done so in a fit of loyalty to Dustin, refusing to be seen standing up with the basketball team that had made Dustin’s life a living hell in high school. 

And now, that inspired bit of loyalty is coming back to bite him in his ass. His sweaty, sweaty ass that is slowly going numb on this shit chair. Steve tries to recall the happy memory of Dustin’s eyes widening and then growing dark, completely turned on at the idea that Steve felt so strongly about rejecting his high school basketball team. Dustin had spent all afternoon showing Steve just how grateful he was for that little display.

Steve suddenly catches an elbow in the ribs.

“Hey, lighten up would you? You look like you’re at a funeral right now.” Robin hisses at him.

“Oh, sorry I’m not looking delighted that Dustin’s high school bully is looking at him like a piece of meat, Robin! It’s not exactly my idea of a good time!” Steve hisses back.

“Oh please, Dustin can handle himself. Cool it on the macho cave-man protective bullshit.”

“I haven’t even done anything!” Steve insists in a hysterical whisper, ignoring the way he’d been fantasizing about knocking that expression off Andy’s stupid face a second earlier.

Robin snorts in disbelief, but doesn’t have a chance to retort because the quartet starts playing “Pomp and Circumstance” and everyone rises and turns to the back of the house where the grooms are going to emerge to walk down the aisle. Chance walks down first, hair coiffed even higher than Steve’s. Well…that made sense, Steve grumpily tries to reason to himself. He had been out sweating in the humidity for almost two hours at this point. Steve had taken some amusement in watching Dustin’s own hair fight the constraints of his shellacked styling, curls growing wilder and wilder with every passing minute. 

It’s Will’s turn to walk down the aisle, arm in arm with Joyce and Jonathan. He’s already crying. Good grief, Steve thinks ungenerously. Crying over Chance? Really? The guy had been nice enough as a freshman, though he was as dull as dishwater. But Steve had long since abandoned any goodwill toward him after Dustin told him he’d been part of the group that had jumped him at Eddie’s grave right before their final crawl. 

Steve looks back up to the front. He can just make out from this distance the ugly scars on Andy’s face, somewhat faded in the intervening years, but still visible. Evidence of Dustin’s prismatic spray attack. Steve smiles grimly to himself. 

The smile slides off his face when Andy bite his lip as he rakes his eyes up and down Dustin’s form, lip curling lecherously. The hair on the back of Steve’s neck stands up. He remembers something similar in the way that Billy Hargrove used to look at Steve like that in the locker room showers. 

This is going to be a long fucking night.

[pingou7]

Sunshine siblings ☀️

For my people and especially @backwardsfrontwardscaps 💛

I like to think they’d keep a copy each of this portrait forever.

They’re family.

[bombshellsandbluebells]

“shipping dusteve should be illegal” 😔 take me away officer. the people weren’t ready for a friends to lovers ship this good

[kingdustin]

[vanycat]

Movie & popcorn night but the movie was boring so they fell asleep

[bombshellsandbluebells]

one thing about Dustin I find very interesting is that the experience with Mews DIDN'T make him more cautious. if anything, Dustin starts the series the most cautious he ever is and gets gradually more and more reckless in the pursuit of his own curiosity. and while I'm sure he regrets what happened to Mews, it doesn't really make him stop and think twice about getting into danger.

and I like how Tales is handling that, because he's diving into the HIC the same way he dives right into trying to crack a secret Russian code in s3. it's adventure. it's a brain puzzle. it's a curiosity voyage.

it's something that makes him special and unique and gives him a chance to show off how smart he is so he doesn't have to go back to "being a regular kid again."

and I think that fits in so well with the idea that Dustin has insecurities -- that he thinks he's easily replaceable or forgettable or is second best or not the friend someone would choose first. because the adventures made Dustin one of the most important people in the room, and he grabs hold of that and clings HARD. until it becomes a weakness.

[st-ships-confessionss]

I feel like there's so much potential with Steve and Dustin as a future pair-- like a few years post-canon, when they are both in their twenties. They're canonically best friends who basically pledge a death pact together, and then literally go on road tripping adventures after the story ends. It's really sweet!

.

[dustevepromptfest]

Welcome to the First Annual Summer Break Dusteve Prompt Fest!

After watching our favorite idiots to lovers couple canonically riding off into the sunset together in a second hand camper, the Dusteve community is inviting you to celebrate the romance between Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson with a prompt fest to generate new fanworks!

Starting Monday, April 20, 2026, we'll be collecting prompts both here and at our AO3 Collection Page for claiming by anyone who wants to join in and create a fic, podfic, art, or other fanwork for our little ship that could!

Read on for information about schedule, how to submit a prompt, how to claim, rules, and answers to any other questions you may have!

And follow us here for featured prompts, and ways to connect with the wider Dusteve community! <3

Timeline

Sign-ups/Prompt Submission Opens: April 20, 2026 Claiming Begins: May 11, 2026 Submissions Due: June 26, 2026 Reveals: July 1, 2026 

FAQ

What is a prompt fest? A writing/art challenge centered around a certain theme. Our theme is Dusteve: Steve Harrington/Dustin Henderson in a romantic pairing! We'll be accepting prompts, or idea starters, both here and on the Dusteve Prompt Fest Tumblr, and then creators can claim them during the claiming period (see below for the full timeline), and upload them to the collection. The idea is to generate submit prompts in the hopes of generating new stories and art for the fandom that might not otherwise happen!

What are the requirements? Works must be 1000 words long minimum, but there's no maximum. It must be romantic Dusteve, either use a stated prompt or use an creator's own prompt, and be officially posted to the collection. For more information check the rules or reach out to one of the mods!

Is this anonymous?  Yes and no. All works will be anonymous until the reveal date where the authors will then be revealed, though we're not against talking about and promoting your work beforehand! Mostly we want people to feel like they can post anon if they want, so if you'd like to remain unrevealed, please reach out to a mod.

Do I have to submit a prompt in order to participate? In order to officially sign up through AO3 and have your username listed on the main page, you will need to submit a prompt. It does not have to be the prompt you want to write -- don't we all have a ton of ideas that are collecting dust in our brains? This is the place to put those! HOWEVER, you can still participate without signing up or submitting a prompt by simply claiming a prompt from the collection's main page when claiming is live!

What if I want to anonymously submit a prompt? You can do that through the ask box on our tumblr!

How do I claim a prompt?  Go to the "Challenges" tab in the collection and click "Claim" on a prompt.

What if I want to create something not listed?  If you're not inspired by any of the listed prompts please claim the author's choice prompt. You can then write whatever you like as long as it fits the theme.

Rules

The main rule is that Dusteve (the romantic pairing of Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson) must be the main focus of your fic! Any tropes or themes that include our boys are great! But be aware that some prompts may ask for specifics.

Must be 18+ to participate due to potentially explicit content.

Minimum word count is 1000 words, no maximum. Multi-chapter/WIP’s are allowed as long as the first chapter is finished.

Artists are welcome to claim, with no word minimum.

Please tag responsibly. Use Archive Warnings if needed and rate appropriately.

Please pick one of the prompts, or the author's choice if you have an idea of your own! Prompts will be limited to two claims per prompt, except author's choice which is unlimited. If you need any help please reach out to one of the mods.

Please start with one claim - feel free to come back for more after you’ve submitted your original selection. But please keep to a maximum of five prompts per person.

If, for any reason, you can’t fulfill your claim, you can drop it without notifying any of the mods. If you can fulfill your claim but need an extension, please reach out to us.

Works must be original and never before released.

NO use of AI will be permitted - this goes for writing and art!

If you would like to join anonymously for whatever reason please reach out to mods and we will assist you.