#dussttin

[vcssl]

neon lights surround them, the deafening beat of bass lined shrill. moral compass finds itself trapped on the edge of the dance floor. josh (?) one of wills art buddies spewing compliments in his ear. but buzz is slightly disintegrating, heart not trusting itself to say the correct name. blue gaze flickers to the middle of the dance floor, picking out will and…… whats his name? dustin didn’t care for the douchebag. made that evident the second he began looking a little to much like mike. but something else strikes a nasty observant chord. maybe it’s the way will can barely hold himself up or how he looks like he just might pass out then & there. protect your friends. a pact made the day death almost took him whole. and just like that, feet are moving as body weaves to their destination. voice loud, ❝ will, im beat man. time to get going. ❞ firmly stated as the mike clone stares at him aimlessly. / @dussttin

        there  are  arms  around  your  waist .  every  now  and  then  you  scan  the  room  for  dustin  just  to  make  sure  he's  still  there .  still  okay .  you  know  he  can  look  after  himself  but  you  have  an  agreement ,  one  built  on  the  foundation  of  a  playground  promise ,  to  ALWAYS  check  in  on  each  other .  a  lot  could  happen  in  a  busy  club  like  this .  even  a  few  too  many  drinks  in ,  you  remember  that .  you  do  not ,  apparently ,  know  your  limits  or  you  would  have  put  a  hold  on  drinks  a  good  hour  ago .  the  arms  around  your  waist  are  there  for  support    it  feels  casual .  in  the  flashing  lights ,  you  could  almost  mistake  the  face  you  look  back  at  for  mike's .  ALMOST .  it  must  be  the  drink .  they  look  nothing  alike .  the  way  he  holds  you  is  a  reminder  of  that  ;  all  you  want  is  for  the  hold  to  turn  possessive ,  like  getting  to  touch  you  is  an  expectation  for  him  and  a  treat  for  anyone  else .  the  way  mike  touches  you  when  you  sneak  away  from  the  party .

         you  lean  back ,  hoping  the  hold  tightens .  it  doesn't .  then  dustin's  there  in  front  of  you ,  voice  filtering  in  through  the  music  PULSING  in  your  ears ,  and  you  really  could  have  sworn  he  was  at  the  bar  a  minute  ago .  " you  sure ? "  you  ask ,  trying  to  keep  the  reluctance  from  your  voice .  no ,  you're  not  quite  ready  to  end  the  night ,  but  if  dustin's  set  on  leaving  then  you'll  be  stumbling  out  of  here  together .  " yeah ,  okay ,  time  to  go .  you  coming  ... "  tilt  your  head  back  to  look  up  at  your  boyfriend  and  realise  a  second  too  late  that  you  can't  remember  his  name  right  now .  that  was  BAD .  you  really  have  had  too  much  to  drink .  not  that  forgetting  his  name  wasn't  a  common  occurrence  for  the  first  month  together .  it  could  happen  to  anyone .  rather  than  try  and  risk  the  wrong  name  slipping  out ,  you  pat  his  arm  as  a  signal  to  let  go .  he  doesn't  even  hesitate .  you  take  a  step  forward  only  to  grab  dustin's  shoulder  for  support .  " this  is  fun .  hasn't  just  been  JUST  you  and  me  after  a  night  out  in  forever .  ready ? "

[vcssl]

phone rings three times. he knows because will usually always picked up on the second. same stupid routine between them. always call when things got bad. yet, here is the cracked sound of another’s voicemail. the loud beep after the ending. “hey, it's me. i miss you. call when you can” / @dussttin

     it's  late .  heart  HAMMERS  in  your  chest  with  worry  /  guilt  /  just  a  little  dash  of  fear .  you  messed  up .  late  night  plans  are  almost  always  made  in  advance  because  you  don't  want  to  miss  a  call  and  come  back  to  a  voicemail  just  like  this .  all  of  you  are  a  little  messed  up .  it's  expected ,  right ?  that  you  NEED  each  other .  late  night  phone  calls ,  frequent  meet  ups ,  and  making  sure  you  COME  HOME  to  see  jonathan  even  if  you  head  back  out  again  as  soon  as  you  know  he's  okay .  because  that  is  what  they  do  for  you  as  well .

      and  you  never  mind  when  your  new  friends ,  with  their  relatively  normal  lives  and  problems  that  don't  trace  back  to  interdimensional  monsters ,  joke  about  it  impacting  your  social  life .  you  go  out  plenty  and  enjoy  this  new  life  you're  making  far  away  from  hawkins .  so  why  had  you  said  yes  this  time ?  because  your  boyfriend  begged .  it  makes  the  guilt  WORSE  as  you  punch  in  the  familiar  number  you  could  write  with  your  eyes  closed .  the  fear  comes  from  that  little  boy  in  your  head  who  was  always  so  scared  the  party  would  push  you  away  /  reject  you  for  all  the  reasons  everyone  else  seemed  to .  starting  with  your  father .  most  of  the  time ,  you  don't  even  think  about  it  anymore .  but  NOW    what  if  this  is  what  does  it ?

      you  let  dustin  down  by  not  answering .  not  being  here .  maybe  he  won't  give  you  another  chance .  a  STUPID  line  of  reasoning ,  you  know  that ,  but  still  you  lean  against  the  wall  with  a  held  breath  as  the  line  rings .  CONNECTS .  " sorry .  i'm    last  minute  plans .  i  just  got  back  and    i'm  really  sorry  i  missed  your  call . "  words  rush  out ,  almost  stumbling  over  them ,  there's  no  time  to  think  them  out .  just  pure ,  unfiltered ,  worry .   " i  got  your  voicemail ,  obviously .  are  you  ...  how  are  you  doing  tonight ? "

[unbrave]

@dussttin ♱ said [ REVELATIONS ]　sender pulls receiver into a hug after saving their life. 😎😎😎

criminal minds inspired action prompts :　accepting!

eddie's death is a certain thing.　he's made peace with it,　kind of,　in the few moments he's had beneath blood-red skies that open up to let lightning illuminate the horrors beneath.　there's nothing for him on the surface ;　only more scorn,　more pain,　more blame for shit he never fucking did.　the bastards on the right-side up won't ever know what he's done.　they'll immortalize him as the satanist and the freak and the murderer,　but newfound friends will carry the truth with them.　wayne will know,　even untold,　that eddie never laid a cruel hand to any innocent soul.

eddie can't do anything for chrissy,　nor for his own eternally-marred reputation.　but he can do this,　here,　for henderson.　it's not too late to wear the mask of a hero　&　save one damn life.　so yeah, you could say he's totally justified why he's gotta go charging in and die heroically.　it's actually some pretty fuckin' stellar justifying,　for how little time he's had to do it,　thanks.　he's okay with the searing pain that wreaks havoc on his body ;　with the chunks of flesh torn from bone by sharp fuckin' teeth.

which is why it's a shock when the bats divert from their feasting on his flesh　/　a shock to be whisked away　( or more tackled )　by small but animated frame.　shit,　why the fuck is henderson here ?　stupid as it is,　because the hellbeasts could return to finish their dinner at any moment,　instinct insists he wrap his arms around dustin.　he is,　after all,　a guy who'd accepted he'd never feel affectionate touch again.

the clash of lightning alerts,　sky flashing red and blue and red again,　and eddie pulls backward with dark eyes wide.　panicked.　his gaze flickers around the shit-dimension they've found themselves in ;　shaking hands clasp dustin's stupid,　reckless,　wonderful face to stare him in the eyes.　and to SHAKE HIS CRAZY LITTLE HEAD!!!

“what the SHIT,　henderson ?!　what are you playing at,　wh -　you're meant to be out of here.”　audible swallow around the fear eddie had thought would die with him.　but he is not dead,　and neither is the fear.　the adrenaline is bleeding from him with his …　well,　probably his intestines,　or something.　and with the adrenaline,　the foolhardy bravery that had carried him to selfless sacrifice abandons.　“just had to step all over my noble sacrifice,　huh ?”

gone is brave,　stupid eddie,　and here is eddie who bleeds all over his best friend.　all over the kid who might as well be his little brother　/　who is truly befitting of the hero’s title.　he wants to ask a million things :　what the fuck just happened　&　how are we getting the hell out of here chief among them.　he stumbles,　flinches.　waits for dustin to speak,　because words will not come to his exhausted tongue.

[storytcllr]

❛ did anyone see me fall? ❜ dustin<3

it’s just the two of them more often than not these days. will’s usually a whole two hour drive away and lucas has decided bouncing balls around is more important than loyalty and friendship so his afternoons are officially booked. unfortunately for him, the weekend and the three new vhs rentals clattering around in mike’s backpack wait for no man. if they have to rewatch indiana jones and the temple of doom when he finally makes it over to his house, so be it. ( he already saw it three times in theatres, what’s a fourth and fifth, really? ) mike and @dussttin waste no time. the second the final bell rings out, they’re booking it to the bike rack and peeling off school grounds.

midday rain and fallen leaves from slowly dying trees as summer heat turns brisk does not a solid bike path make, though. the normal crunch under bike wheels is more of a squelch. one second they’re peddling alongside each other, excitedly chattering away about the recent developments in eddie’s campaigns and predictions for the next session. the next, dustin’s bike is skidding out from under him and he’s tumbling to the blacktop with a yelp. mike slams on his breaks and nearly sends himself flying over his handlebars.

his bike clatters to the ground as he scrambles to tug dustin to his feet. brows knit together as he scans the other boy, eyes darting around in search of any signs of immediate injury.

did anyone see me fall?

“nah, no way,” he assures, throwing a glance over his shoulder. hawkins high is still visible down the road, but just barely. they have enough of a head start on the rest of the high school population that he’s pretty sure they escaped notice this time. for the most part, at least. he carefully angles himself between dustin and anyone that might be trailing behind them anyway, just in case. claps a hand on his shoulder once he’s determined that there’s no blood anywhere before brushing away some of the stray gravel biting into his palm. “are you alright, dude? you went down hard.”