Wanna Dance?
Dustin Henderson x Black!Reader
“Sometimes the person who gives you your happy ending is the one who’s been standing beside you the whole time.”
Trope: Mutual Pining/ Best Friends to Lovers
Synopsis:
Senior prom was supposed to be the perfect night.
You had the dress. The hair. The makeup. The shoes.
Unfortunately, your date forgot one tiny detail—
Actually being your date.
But while one boy proves himself to be a complete idiot, your best friend Dustin Henderson is determined to make sure the night isn’t ruined.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
One dance could change everything.
NO MENTION OF THE UPSIDEDOWN / Not Year Specific (could be read as present day, could be read as 1980’s-1990’s)
Senior prom.
The night everyone had been talking about since freshman year.
You had imagined this moment so many times.
The dress hanging in your room for weeks. Hours spent choosing jewelry. Your mama helping you pin tiny pearls into your beautiful curls that had been styled into an elegant updo. Gold eyeshadow shimmered against your skin, and your smile had been impossible to hide all day.
You looked gorgeous.
No
You looked magnificent.
Even Erica Sinclair had stopped dead in her tracks when she saw you when the party met at the Sinclair house to take pictures.
“Okay, girl!” she’d announced dramatically from the front porch steps. “You better walk in there and make people jealous.”
And you had laughed.
Because tonight was supposed to be fun.
It was supposed to be memorable.
Unfortunately… The universe apparently had jokes.
Because the second you and your date stepped inside the decorated gymnasium, he had barely managed a “Be right back” before disappearing.
And thirty minutes later…
He still hadn’t come back.
Actually, scratch that.
He had…Just not to you.
Because currently?
He was in the middle of the dance floor dancing with one of the cheerleaders.
As though he wasn’t the one who’d asked you to prom in the first place.
As though he’d forgotten you existed.
“Jerk,” you muttered softly.
You sat on the bleachers, hugging your knees to your chest and trying very hard not to cry.
Around you, laughter filled the room.
Twinkle lights hung from the ceiling.
Will Byers moved around with the camera he’d volunteered to use all evening.
Mike and Eleven swayed together while Lucas and Max laughed at something only they knew.
Robin and Steve were arguing over whether Steve’s hair counted as “prom worthy enough for a chaperone.”
Everything looked so happy.
Everyone looked so happy.
Except you.
“I hope you don’t mean me.”
You looked up and immediately smiled.
Dustin Henderson stood there in his tux, his curls slightly messy, his bow tie crooked, and that familiar goofy grin stretched across his face.
“Not at the moment,” you teased.
He laughed and plopped down beside you.
“Good. Because I’d hate to be downgraded to jerk status.”
You giggled softly.
And just like that…
Things didn’t feel quite so awful.
“So…” Dustin bumped your shoulder. “What are you doing up here?”
You sighed.
“My date ditched me.”
His smile vanished instantly.
“What?”
You pointed toward the dance floor.
Dustin followed your finger.
And his expression transformed.
“Oh.”
His eyebrows shot upward.
Then a slight pause before Dustin said:
“He is such a jerk.”
You snorted not expecting immediate agreement.
“Agreed.” You hummed
“And an idiot.”
“Definitely.” You nodded as your smile grew at your best friend’s words.
“And ugly.”
You blinked. Because sure he’s a jerk and he’s definitely an idiot for ditching you, but Ugly? Probably not that one.
“Dustin, he’s objectively attractive.”
“Nope. Ugly. Terrible hair. Weird face.”
You laughed and goodness, had Dustin missed that sound in the few hours since he’d last heard it.
Because Dustin Henderson had been hopelessly in love with you for years. Years. Longer than he’d care to admit. Long enough that Steve Harrington was sick of hearing about it.
Long enough that Robin had once threatened to lock the two of you in a closet until you confessed your feelings.
Long enough that Erica called him embarrassing and a loser. So maybe your laughter being Dustin’s favorite sound shouldn’t really be that shocking to him. But in some ways everything about you is shocking to him.
And somehow…
Somehow—
You’d never noticed.
Or so he thought.
Because what Dustin didn’t know…
Was that you’d been in love with him too.
Ever since sophomore year.
Ever since he stayed up all night helping you study for chemistry.
Ever since he bought you sunflower earrings for Christmas because they “looked happy and reminded him of you.”
Ever since he danced with you in the kitchen while waiting for microwave popcorn.
Ever since…
Well.
Ever since Dustin Henderson had simply been Dustin Henderson.
“You deserve better, y’know,” he said quietly.
You smiled sadly.
“I know.”
And then—
Without warning—
“Wanna dance with me?”
The words flew out of his mouth.
His eyes widened immediately.
Your eyes widened.
And Dustin looked horrified.
“Um—I mean—only if you want to! Totally no pressure. Like if you don’t wanna that’s fine. I mean—”
You giggled.
Because somehow, even after years of friendship, Dustin Henderson still got adorably flustered around you.
And honestly?
It was cute.
Very cute.
“I’d love to dance with you.”
His brain stopped.
“Really?”
“Really.”
You stood and held out your hand.
Dustin stared.
Then slowly smiled.
A smile so bright you thought your heart might burst.
“After you, m’lady.”
You laughed.
And together, you walked toward the dance floor.
It was a slow song.
Which neither of you had anticipated.
And now you were both awkwardly standing there.
“So…” Dustin squeaked.
“So…”
“Hands?”
You burst out laughing.
“Dustin!”
“What?! I don’t know the protocol!”
Still laughing, you wrapped your arms around his neck.
His face turned bright red.
Meanwhile, he carefully rested his hands on your waist like you might shatter into pieces.
And then…
You started swaying.
Slowly.
Comfortably.
Like you’d done this a hundred times before.
Maybe because, in some ways…
You already had.
“You know,” Dustin said softly, “I’ve always wanted to do this.”
You blinked.
“What?”
His eyes widened.
“Oh no.”
“What?”
“Nope.”
“Dustin.”
“No.”
“Dustin Henderson.”
He groaned.
“Can we pretend I didn’t say that?”
“No.”
He sighed dramatically.
Then smiled nervously.
“I said… I’ve always wanted to do this.”
You stared.
And he looked terrified.
Completely and utterly terrified.
“I mean, not because it’s you—well, no, because it is you—but not in a weird way—”
“Dustin.”
“I’m making this worse.”
“A little.”
“Cool.”
He looked ready to pass out.
And somehow…
It had led you exactly where you were meant to be.
Right into the arms of your best friend.
And honestly?
You wouldn’t have changed a thing.
The End 💜✨
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✨Stranger Things Masterlist
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