Work Text:
Dustin Henderson looked at his watch. “Oh shit, I’m sorry, I have to go. I’m sorry I can’t miss this.” Dustin stood up and started packing frantically.
He was working on a project with two other classmates in a study room at the library. One of them was his roommate, Bryan, who sighed, knowing exactly what made the curly-haired male hurry off.
The other partner, Cameron, looked confused as Dustin ran off, leaving them behind. “What the Hell was that?” Cameron asked, turning his head to Bryan.
“It’s around the time he speaks to his ‘brother,’ he says,” Bryan said, packing up as well since the meeting was clearly dropped for the day.
“Brother? I thought he was an only child.” Cameron asked incredulously, not understanding who this mystery person was that Dustin dropped everything for.
“Look, Cam, I don’t know everything, but the dude is like a brother to him, is all I’ve gathered, so their talks are really important. I’ll see ya tomorrow, probably should find an earlier time to meet up so this doesn’t happen again.” Bryan got up and started walking out of the room, leaving Cameron by himself.
Dustin, out of the building now, made his way to the nearest phone and quickly dialed in Steve’s number. Around this time, Steve was available to talk, and Dustin would be done with classes, which made it the perfect time to chat.
It’s been 6 months since Dustin started college, and the two boys promised each other they wouldn’t let the distance stop their friendship, so they decided that they would do daily phone calls just to hear each other's voices. Some talks would be longer than others, but all that mattered was making sure the day didn’t go by without speaking to each other.
Once Dustin put in the number, it only took two rings before Dustin heard a voice answer.
“Hey, Henderson, thought you may have forgotten about small-town Steve for a second there.” Steve quipped. Dustin gave a small chuckle at the remark.
“I’m sorry for being a little late. I was working on a project with some other classmates, and I lost track of time.” Dustin explained.
“Oh, what’s the project about?” Steve said as he leaned against the wall.
“Do you really wanna hear about it cause last time I talked about work from my physics class, you spaced out,” Dustin said, rolling his eyes
“Hey, I was not spacing out, I was letting the information soak into my brain,” Steve argued back.
Dustin let out a laugh and explained the project as slowly and as detailed as possible so Steve wouldn’t get lost. After a 10-minute explanation, Dustin and Steve sat in silence for a moment.
“Yeah…well, hope you’re getting good work done!” Steve said, trying to hide his confusion.
“I told you!” Dustin chuckled, clearly amused.
“Hey, I tried, but not everyone can be as smart as you!” Steve said defensively.
“Yeah, I know,” Dustin pridefully affirmed. “But what about you? What’s been going on? You said your students had a test today?”
“Yeah, it was about the female anatomy compared to the male anatomy, and I must say they all passed!” Steve announced.
“Wow, that’s great, you must be a really great teacher!” Dustin congratulates Steve enthusiastically.
“Yeah, you know some of them mixed up the bodies, but with a Harrington curve, they still passed,” Steve replied, which earned a small laugh from Dustin. “Oh, and we won our last game!”
“That’s great, isn’t this the team's third win in a row?” Dustin asks
“Yep, and Derek scored 2 home runs,” Steve stated like a proud father. “I’m telling ya, that kid's got some real talent.” Steve continued his prideful comments.
“Wow, that’s amazing. Good for Derek.” Dustin said as enthusiastically as he could. He really was happy for Derek, but whenever Steve talked about him, it made Dustin feel a pit in his stomach.
“I know his parents even invited me to dinner one night to thank me for helping him improve his skills.” Steve proudly remarked.
“Oh…really. Wow, I didn’t know how close you had gotten with him.” Dustin said, trying to hide his growing jealousy.
“Really? I feel like I talk about him a lot. He’s a really nice kid and-” Steve started to say
“Yeah, okay, I understand. So anything else going on?” Dustin interjected, showing a hint of his annoyance at the subject of Derek.
Taken aback by Dustin’s interjection, Steve stuttered a little before saying. “Well, uh, next weekend is the time I meet up with Jonathan, Nancy, and Robin.”
“Has it already been a month?” Dustin questioned. Steve obviously told him about his monthly meet-ups with the other three, and Dustin thought it wouldn’t last after the second month.
But to Dustin’s surprise, the group has met up every month since making that promise. He never knew the four of them had such a strong bond to keep the routine going.
“Yeah, it has! But Robin wants to go somewhere before we meet the others, so I’m taking off Friday to pick her up.” Steve stated.
“That’s cool. Uhm, do you think…I’d be able to come?” Dustin nervously inquired.
“Huh? You mean like to Philly? Steve asked with a confused tone.
“Yeah! I mean, I have the project, but I’m sure I can get it done before the weekend, and the project and it would be nice to get off campus for a bit.” Dustin reasoned, trying to give convincing arguments for tagging along.
“I don’t know, Dustin. I mean, it’d be nice, but the four of us do activities and go to places that you wouldn’t be allowed to go to.” Steve explained.
“What, like bars and alcohol? Is it that big of a deal? I know what alcohol is, Steve. I’m not a kid.” Dustin quipped back.
“I know it’s just, I don’t really wanna distract you from your studies, and it’s just not the environment I think you’d enjoy.” Steve tried giving reasons to dissuade Dustin.
“Steve, do you just not want to spend time with me?” Dustin was fed up now.
“What? Dustin, why would you think that?” Steve had no idea where this attitude was coming from.
“I mean, you spend all this time with Derek and Jonathan, Nancy and Robin. I mean, if you just don’t want to be around me anymore, just say it, Steve!” Dustin exclaimed, his voice not at all hiding his pain. Over the past few months, he’s been missing Steve. He hasn’t been without Steve this long, and Dustin feels like Steve is much better without him around than vice versa.
Does Steve not need him anymore? Is Steve moving on from Dustin? Was their friendship just because of all the supernatural troubles they had to deal with? These thoughts plagued Dustin’s mind the longer he didn’t see Steve.
“I don’t know where this is coming from! Of course, I want to see you, man. I love you, buddy!” Steve was confused about Dustin’s outburst. How could Dustin ever think Steve wouldn’t want him around?
Dustin felt his eyes getting watery. “I mean, you hang out with everyone else so readily! I mean, you weren’t even friends with Jonathan that long, and now you see him every month. You always talk about Derek and how awesome he is and how much you like him. Do you not need me anymore? Do you even want me as a best friend?”
“Dustin! Come on, of course, I still want you as a best friend. That doesn’t even need to be said. Just take a deep breath and let’s talk about this.” Steve hated the distance between them right now. He knows he could comfort Dustin better when they are in person, but right now, all Steve has is his voice.
“Then how come it feels like you’re replacing me. Is Derek your best friend now?” Steve retorted.
“Oh my God, Henderson, it’s not like that! Can you listen to me for just a second?” Steve was getting clearly frustrated now.
“What, so you can tell me more about how much you don’t want me around?” Dustin responded back.
“I can’t even talk to you like this, man,” Steve whispered under his breath, but Dustin still heard it, and it hurt.
“Well…maybe you shouldn’t.” Dustin meekly stated.
“Huh? Wait, Dust-” *click*
Dustin hung up the phone before Steve could finish. Dustin stood there at the pay for a couple of seconds. He just hung up on Steve. He never did that. He didn’t mean to; he just got so upset, and it was just getting to be too much. If Steve didn’t want to be friends with him anymore before, he definitely doesn’t now.
“Fuck, I just fucked it all up,” Dustin said to himself as he started to wipe his face of the tears with his hands. All Dustin could think about was what if Steve didn’t want anything to do with him anymore? Dustin couldn’t imagine a life without Steve.
Despite trying to stop crying, tears kept falling from Dustin’s eyes, and an audience began to gather around him. Dustin started rushing back to his dorm room. Once he entered, Bryan was in bed reading a book. “Oh, hey, dud-Dustin? What’s wrong?” Bryan remarked, worried about his roommate, clearly crying.
“It’s nothing, just leave me alone. I want to be alone,” Dustin said. He wasn’t in the mood to talk right now. He just went to his own bed and laid down. He just cried until he fell asleep.
He woke up in a couple of hours and saw some food on his desk. He almost said something before Bryan stated, “I grabbed something for you. I don’t know what’s wrong, but you should eat.”
Dustin nodded his head, “Thanks.” He appreciated Bryan’s gesture. Once he ate, he went back to his bed, just thinking back on his terrible conversation with Steve. He hoped he could clear up everything tomorrow, if Steve even wanted to talk to him anymore.
The next day, Dustin went through the motions of classes. Half paying attention, half looking at the clock, waiting for the time he usually called Steve.
Once Dustin was done with classes, he still had to wait three hours. All Dustin did was stay in his room and look at the clock. After an hour, Bryan walked into their room
Bryan sighed, “You know why don’t you just call early if all you’re gonna do is wait like some lovesick girl.”
“I can’t call now, I don’t know what he’s doing right now. What if he’s still not home and doesn’t get the call? And don’t call me that, that’s my brother, don’t make it gross.” Dustin remarked, disgusted by the lovesick girl comment.
Bryan rolled his eyes and just laid in his bed. Dustin turned his head back to the clock. He got anxious thinking about the possibility that Steve wouldn’t even pick up his phone, or worse, would and tell him he didn’t want to be best friends anymore.
After an hour and a half, Dustin suddenly stood up. He couldn’t wait anymore. It would be 30 minutes early, but he had to call this whole situation was eating at him. “I’ll be back,” Dustin said to Bryan before leaving the dorm.
“Good luck, man,” Bryan called out to Dustin.
The walk to the pay phone felt like the walk to a guillotine. Dustin didn’t know what he’d do if this call didn’t go well. He didn’t know what he’d do if Steve didn’t want to be his friend anymore. When he finally made it to the phone, he was just a giant blob of anxiety.
He took the phone and dialled Steve’s number. Once he did, he waited. He heard the first ring…and then the second, that’s all it usually took, so when Dustin heard a third ring, he assumed the worst. Multiple bad scenarios ran through his head. And then-
“Dustin?” Dustin heard a familiar voice on the other line.
“Steve.” Dustin exhaled. Steve answered.
“Hey Dustin! Look about yesterday-” Steve started
“Steve, I want to start off saying-” Dustin said at the same time
“I’m sorry!” the two friends said at the same time. They were silent for a second afterwards.
“What are you saying sorry for?” Dustin asked. In what world should Steve say sorry to him?
“Man, I shouldn’t have been so dismissive. You wanted to hang out with me, and I just rejected you. That wasn’t cool. Also, with Derek, I should have known how that can come across.” Steve explained.
“You don’t need to spare my feelings to talk up a kid you coach,” Dustin interjected.
“But I know how it feels to think you’re being replaced. I felt the same when you started hanging out and talking about Eddie. I should have known how much it hurts to be on the other end of that. I love you, Dustin. I never want to make you feel like you're unwanted.” Steve let out.
Dustin felt the tears coming again. “Wow, thank you. Here I was thinking you wouldn’t want to talk to me after what I said yesterday.”
“Dustin, I need you to hear this. You’re my best friend, I wouldn’t want another one. You’re stuck with me for a lifetime, buddy.” Steve said, smiling.
Dustin wiped some tears from his eyes. Of course, Steve wouldn’t abandon him. Steve has always been there for him. Dustin felt silly thinking otherwise.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m still sorry for how I acted yesterday. I should have listened to you. I just…miss you. I love talking to you, but I miss seeing you and going places together.” Dustin admitted.
“I know, buddy. I miss you too, and I hate the distance between us. Look, you can’t come to Philly, but how about the next weekend? I drive down there, and we can just take a mini road trip just the two of us.” Steve suggested.
Dustin perked up at that. “That would be awesome. But are you sure? I don’t wanna-”
“Henderson, after this whole conversation, you still think I wouldn’t want to see you? Just say yes, bro!” Steve exclaimed.
“Yes, ok, please come!” Dustin finally conceded.
“Great!” Steve sighed, then, with a smug smile, said, “You know, seeing you so jealous is kinda funny, Henderson. What can’t stand anyone else being with your big bro?” teased Steve.
Dustin groaned. “Oh shut up, can we just move on? I’m not proud of it.”
“No, I don’t think I will!” Steve said.
The rest of the call was Steve teasing Dustin about his behaviour.