#and then Dustin proceeds to make SO many terrible plans

[c-is-for-circinate]

On one hand, there's definitely more of this to be written, and possibly even more of this scene.

On the other hand, posting now means it gets posted at all, and I also happen to think that the place where it ends is very, very funny.

In short: Dustin is a smart kid with a lot of good ideas. Unfortunately, he knows this about himself, which is also his greatest flaw. Set somewhere between Stranger Things S3 and S4.

---

Dustin shows up at Family Video on a Wednesday night. Steve never works Wednesday nights -- slow enough that Keith can spare him, late enough in the week that most girls are actually wiling to consider it a date night. He's seeing the second Nightmare on Elm Street movie, which Dustin is maybe a little annoyed about because it's only been out for a week and the Party needs Steve to get them into R-rated movies, he knows that. But Steve just said something about horror movies being essential opportunities for girls to cuddle in close so you can protect them, and completely ignored Dustin's totally reasonable comments about how Steve is the one to freak out at jumpscares most of the time when he watches horror movies with them, and went anyway.

Which is so stupid, because there's literally nothing real to protect a girl from in a horror movie. Steve has literally protected Robin from actual Soviet torture, with his actual face. Dustin saw him through that concussion! Dustin knows perfectly well that Steve probably drew the Russians' attention on purpose the whole time he and Robin were in there!

And somehow, he and Robin still aren't dating. If that isn't enough, then Dustin really doesn't see how putting an arm around a girl to save her from Freddy Krueger is going to do any better.

So Dustin bikes his way to Family Video, in the dark because it's November in Indiana, and when he gets there he folds his arms on the counter and gives Robin his brightest, most patient smile. She takes one look at him and rolls her eyes.

"He's not here right now," she informs him. "So if you want to badger him into renting you an R-rated movie, you're going to have to come back tomorrow, I'm not your babysitter and I'm not doing it."

Dustin just keeps grinning at her. Broadly.

"You know, Robin, we never talk," he says. Robin groans.

"Oh god, what now?" she asks. "And get off the counter, Keith's in the back and if he sees you he'll throw a fit."

"Keith is taking a nap back there and we both know it," Dustin scoffs. As if he doesn't know Keith's habits. "He only ever comes out of the back when Steve's working because he likes to make Steve do menial tasks while Keith hits on the hot girls that he thinks come in here because Steve's working."

"Fine, whatever, it's creepy that you know that," Robin sighs. "What do you want?"

"So I've been talking to Steve," Dustin says. "You know, our friend Steve. Pretty face, good hair, excellent reviews on the kissing front."

"Ew," says Robin. "Ew, no, you're twelve, don't talk about Steve kissing. Don't talk about Steve kissing at all!"

"Excuse me, one, I'm fourteen years old, I am in high school, where I just saw you earlier today, so it's not like you're that much older than me," Dustin says. "Two, if we don't talk about kissing Steve, how are we going to get you two over this weird little speedbump you're having where you're somehow not dating yet?"

Robin groans again. It's louder this time, and she also tips her head back to the sky while she does it. Dustin waits patiently.

"I'm not going to date Steve," she says. "Please stop bugging him about this, it's not going to happen. I don't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to talk about it, can you please just let this goooooo." She groans the last word, drawing it out like Mike when his mom tries to make him clean his room.

"Not until I see you two happy," Dustin says firmly, unmoved thanks to many years of being friends with Mike. "Steve is one of my best friends, and not only are you his other best friend, we've been through the heat of battle together, which means you're my friend too. I want both of you to be happy, and clearly there's nothing you like more than spending time together--"

"Yeah, because we're friends, Dustin, that's what friends do," she says, but Dustin has proof.

"Friends don't have to get jobs working at the same retail store even after their old one burned down," he begins.

"We're good coworkers and otherwise he'd have to break in a whole new set of coworkers who haven't had to deal with Dustin Henderson already for months," she says.

"You work well together, you compliment each other, you already get along with his other friends..."

"Not sure if 'getting along' is the right phrase right now," Robin mutters. Dustin ignores her.

"He's always giving you rides places, he's literally left a date to give you rides on multiple occasions --"

"Like he doesn't do the same for you!"

"Robin," Dustin says pityingly. "Leaving a date? When it's not the end of the world?" It's so obvious how much Steve likes her. Dustin's never seen him act like this with anybody since Nancy. Not that it's exactly the same as Steve used to act with Nancy, but clearly that's just because he's had time to grow and mature, and Robin's better than Nancy for him anyway. She keeps him from stressing out too much. "Driving you to school every morning even though he couldn't even get there on time most days when he was a student himself?"

"I don't have a license!"

"You really don't have to worry about it," Dustin says. "I happen to know for a fact that Steve would date you in an instant if you said yes."

Well. A strongly-supported scientific theory, anyway, which is basically the same thing. Anyway, it should be enough to get Robin spilling whatever self-doubt she's bottling up -- she's too nerdy, Steve only dates slutty cheerleader girls, whatever -- so Dustin can explain to her all the ways she's wrong, and they'll finally be taken care of.

"And I happen to know for a fact that he wouldn't, so how about you take the word of the person he's actually not dating and drop it?" Robin demands. She sounds on the verge of actually upset with him.

"But why?" Dustin demands right back. Which is really the crux of it, isn't it? Dustin has been asking the world why at every turn for fourteen solid years, and he has never let it back down without a fight.

"Steve likes you! You're at least as pretty as all those other girls, and it can't just be that you don't think you're cool enough for him, because lest we forget, the last time he was actually in love instead of just being kind of easy for any girl to look his way twice was with Nancy Wheeler, who is by definition a nerd!" Dustin lays his most damning evidence out rapid-fire, taking down Robin's arguments even if she hasn't made them yet. "He's a hot guy! He's kind of a catch! You're a cool girl! You actually like him back! What is the problem here!"

"Not every guy likes every girl just because they're a girl!" Robin fires back at him. "Not every girl is attracted to every guy! And you know, the fact that you think that is insulting and reductive, when some guys and girls don't even like girls or guys at all, and what would Suzie think, Dustin? What would Suzie think if she heard that you think every guy should date every girl he's friends with just because he's friends with her?"

"First of all, Suzie thinks you and Steve are destined to live happily ever after once he saves you in another bold act of heroism," Dustin informs her. Obviously. "Second of all, what do you mean, some guys don't like girls and girls don't like guys?"

And then Robin gets a look on her face. Dustin might have let it go, if Robin hadn't gotten that look on her face.

It's a split second of sheer panic. Robin ducks away from him, turns back to the Family Video checkout computer like she's trying to be casual, but her hands are anxious, picking up a stack of videos just to put them down, and she's not looking at him, and Dustin saw it. Dustin saw.

"It's just a thing, that happens sometimes, right?" Robin asks. "You can't just assume you know what somebody wants, that just because two people are both attractive they're going to want each other. You don't want to date Max, right?"

"Actually, yeah, I had a crush on Max when we first met, and I reconciled myself to her choice of Lucas in favor of slightly strained friendship until I discovered the love of my life in Suzie," Dustin informed her. "Much like Steve reconciled himself to Nancy's choice of Jonathan, until he met you and suddenly started spending all of his time with you. And anyway that's not what you said, you said that some guys don't like girls at all, which sounds like you're talking about gay people, which doesn't even..." Except that Dustin's thoughts are starting to catch up with his words, and he's trailing off, because. Because holy shit.

Steve dates so many girls. So many! He's constantly hitting on them and striking out, almost like he's just going through the motions, like he's not even trying except for appearances' sake. Even when he goes on actual dates they never last more than once or twice. And he's been doing it like that since high school, exactly like that. He's blown off dates to give Robin rides places. He's blown off dates to give Dustin rides places. He once blew off a date to sit in Mike Wheeler's basement and doze off on the couch while the Party spent three hours building D&D characters for their first-ever Hellfire Club campaign.

And Nancy? Nancy Wheeler, who Steve was totally in love with, except that according to Mike they started having problems basically as soon as the very first demogorgon fight was over and didn't stop for the next full year? Nancy who left him for Jonathan, who Steve is still friends with. Steve and Jonathan are better friends now than they were before he and Nancy broke up. Or at least they were before the Byers left for California, anyway, and that's basically the same thing, Jonathan was probably Steve's best friend actually his own age before he met Robin which was really sad, actually, but--

Steve getting super close with Robin after getting dosed with Russian drugs that were meant to make them tell the truth! Robin and Steve acting like they knew a secret that they couldn't tell anybody else or else!! Robin swearing up and down to the ends of the earth that she knows Steve doesn't want to date her for a mysterious reason she can't and won't explain!!!

"What, no, who said anything about gay people?" Robin is babbling, collecting more and more videos in her hands like a nervous D&D player who thinks hoarding dice is going to save them from a red dragon, but Dustin ignores her. "I just meant that attraction is complicated, and--"

"Holy shit," Dustin breathes. "Holy shit, is Steve Harrington gay?"

Robin drops the tapes.

[hotdogjumpingfrog5]

It’s Strange - Chapter 6

Previous Chapters: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five

~

The person turns around, which reveals to be Beverly.

“Oh, hey guys.” she smiles

The entire group stares at her behind Bill

“Y-You’re b-b-back?”

“I am,” she says, “Me and my aunt came back from Portland two days ago. I was hoping to run into you guys if I came back to the same spots. I never forgot about any one of you.”

Ben ran up to her and gave her a hug, he never thought he would ever see again, and was overjoyed to see her face again “So good to have you back, Beverly!!”

“I’m glad to see you too, Ben!” Beverly responded, while hugging back

Bill sighed, then had the courage to ask her another question.

“A-A-Are you c-c-coming back to s-s-s-school with us?” he asked

“We only got here last week, and we’re literally on the edge of Derry and Hawkins,” she says, “I should be back to school in another week or so.”

“Oh yeah,” says Bill, “W-We’d l-l-like you t-to m-m-meet our other f-f-friend,” says Bill, “S-She j-j-joined us l-l-last w-w-w-winter.”

“Aka my sister.” says Eddie

They both looked at each other, and exchanged grins

“Hi.” Ella greeted

“Hi.” Beverly responded

The other losers were dumbfounded, and didn’t really know what to say to her, it’s been over a year since they last saw Beverly.

“And I’m glad to see the rest of you,” she said while hugging them, “Stan, Mike, Richie, and Ella, glad to meet you too.”

“Guys, it’s really fucking cold out, why don’t the eight of us go to the arcade or see a movie or some shit?” Richie suggests

“I agree,” said Stan, “I think a storm is about to pick up, it’s starting to get really windy out.”

“Black Moon Rising came out a few weeks ago,” says Mike, “We should see that.”

They all come to an agreement, and make their way to the local cinemas.

When they get there, they are a little over an hour early, the previews not even started yet.

Bill, Mike, Ben, Eddie, Richie, and Stan are sitting in one row, while Beverly and Ella sit in front of them, not wanting to take up that entire row, besides, the pair of them already seemed to like each other, as they been chatting for a while. 

“Ugh, they haven’t shut up since we got here!” says Richie

“Do you even know what they’re saying?” says Stan

“No, they sound like chipmunks from a distance,” Richie responds, “They’re just…girls.”

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” says Eddie, “I don’t blame you though, Rich, try living with El. Whatever, I’m going to run to the bathroom for a minute.”

He watches Eddie head out the door, then looks down at his popcorn, and proceeds to flick the pieces at them. Then looks at Stan, to see his reaction.

“Really Richie?” Stan says, annoyed

“Yeah, that isn’t very nice.” Ben says

“Damn right it isn’t!” says Beverly, turning around. Her and Ella trying to remove the popcorn off their clothes and even pieces that happened to go down their clothes. “Ella, has Richard been annoying this entire time I was away?”

“Mhmm.” Ella mumbles.

“You like it.” Richie smirks

~

Third day of February, and Mike sits in class next to Dustin, Will and Lucas.

“So, what are your guys’ plans for Valentine’s Day?” Dustin asks, remembering that the day is approaching soon

He could tell by the look on Mike and Lucas’ faces that they had a few plans to spend time with their special ones, since they were the only ones taken out of the four of them.

“Me and Lucas will be going on a double date together for dinner.” says Mike, “Other than that not a lot.”

“Yeah, and perfect timing too, as it falls on a Friday!” Lucas says happily

Dustin looks down, wondering what he did to not have anyone yet.

Mike notices the expression on his face and gives him some advice.

“You’ll find someone eventually, I can promise that.” Mike convinces

“Yeah Dusty,” says Lucas, “I’ve told you that before, it just takes a bit of time.”

Uh huh, I’m so damn sure about that, heard it all be fucking fore. Dustin thought.

“I’m not doing anything that night, both of us can hang together if you want. I’m sure my mom won’t mind.” Will tells him

Dustin agrees, he wouldn’t mind spending time with a friend to take his mind off the fact he’s single. He could tell Will didn’t really care about being single, unlike himself. 

“Oh wow, two freaks making plans to go on a date with even freakier freaks, and looks like we got toothless and zombie-boy going gay for each other!” Troy butts in, while shoving past them.

“Leave us alone.” Lucas orders, not wanting to be bothered with him and James.

“Midnight, you make me sad. Sad that you and your ginger girlfriend have no souls.” Troy snickers.

“Oh yeah, frogface, your girlfriend’s sister is a massive slut by the way!” James chuckles

Troy gives James a punch in the side, and says “Shut the fuck up, James, I do the talking, you do the laughing. Got it? Good.”

He turns around, disgusted by the sight of them.

“As I was saying,” Troy says hotly, “Frogface, I heard your sister and your freaky girlfriend’s sister had some great fun with each other. Oh yeah, how many people did that Evans girl fuck? Last time I heard it was up to 110.”

“Why don’t you shut the fuck up, Troy?!” Mike thrusts his fist on the desk, “Nothing you say is ever true.”

“Even if it was, why did you choose to tell us about Nancy and Cathy?” Dustin asks, annoyed

“Figured you’d love to hear,” Troy says slyly, “It’s a shame you didn’t die, zombie-boy, your family are insane psychopaths. That explains very well why you’re so quiet. Just waiting to secretly commit a school shootin-”

Dustin kicks him in the crotch, twice, before he could finish.

Troy clutches himself in pain, unable to move or say anything.

“Look, I’m not in the fucking mood today,” Dustin snarls, “You piss us off or any of our other friends, we will definitely get Eleven and Cathy after you. Got it? Now stay the fuck away from us.”

They limp away in pain, too afraid to even tell on them.

Mike, Lucas, and Will look at Dustin, and his eyes are like a wild man, and Dustin is glowering into space, not looking at them.

“I think he’s in a bad mood.” Lucas whispers, and Will nods

“Yeah, let him cool off for a bit.” says Mike

~

February 13th, 1986. 

Steve, Johnathan, Nancy, and Emma sit together in the cafeteria for lunch.

There are a few moments of awkward silence, and each of them telling each other what’s on the go, their plans, etc. 

“So, I guess you guys have big plans for tomorrow?” Steve asks Johnathan and Nancy

“Yep, we made reservations for this expensive restaurant downtown of Derry.” says Nancy, “The Boardroom I think it’s called?”

“Yeah, I think we’ll spend the night in town,” says Johnathan, “There’s a hotel next to it.”

“You both make such a lovely couple.” Emma grins

Nancy and Johnathan accepted the compliment, while smiling.

Steve looks over at the rear doors of the cafeteria, and notices four strange looking girls push open the doors and enter. Emma takes notice too.

Nancy and Johnathan turn around to see what they are looking at, and see the lanky figures enter.

The four girls take notice of them, and walk in their direction.

Emma’s nose begins to run all of a sudden. She grabs the tissues next to her, and luckily the running of the nose ends. 

They stop there, right next to their table. Just staring at them.

“Hi, can we help you?” Nancy asks, kindly.

“Hello.” says the leader of the group, whose voice sounds masculine. “I am Hillary Bordeaux. And these are my friends; Catherine Hockstetter, Bethany Hughes, and Victoria Critch. We are from Texas, we currently live about an hour and a half outside of Derry-Hawkins.” 

The four of them look at the four girls strangely, the leader standing about 5′8″ or so, an overweight girl with black hair, standing about 5′10″. Then there’s a blonde girl, about 5′9″, who is really quiet. And the most sinister looking and creepiest of them all, a dark haired girl, who is way above average height for a girl, over six feet, and really skinny. 

Nancy, Emma, Johnathan, and Steve stare at them, not knowing what to do or say. There was now an awkward silence. Emma’s gut instinct was telling her there was something terribly wrong. They looked more like men in disguise rather than abnormal looking girls or transgenders. Their hair does not even look like hair, more like wigs. 

“Do you know where Billy Hargrove may be?” “Hillary” asks.

“Don’t know, don’t really give a fuck. Don’t know who that is.” Steve says, sluggish. 

The four of them’s facial expressions began to change. Their excited looks turned into a more annoyed, vengeful stare.

“Hey, big eyed, dark haired girl. With the emo dude next to you,” says “Hillary”, “You look a lot like…you know what, nevermind.”

The other three girls snicker, while looking at the four of them.

“Are you related to Beverly Marsh by any chance?” Hillary asks Emma, “We’ve heard spicy rumours going around about you.” she says, while licking her lips.

The three girls behind Hillary begin to burst out laughing, and Emma tries to keep her cool. She knew who Beverly Marsh was, her sister Eleven had recently met her when she moved here, though Eleven was very indifferent about her, kind of like she was with Max.

“Those are not true rumours!” says Steve

“Bethany, get over here. Now.” Hillary demands. 

“Bethany” walks over to Emma, and lets out a gigantic belch in her face. Emma cringes, and makes the most disgusted look.

“Huh. Guess not then.” says Hillary, “Whatever boys, I mean girls, let’s go.”

With that, they go out the opposite doors from the other side of the cafeteria. The four of them sit there, clearly weirded and freaked out by those strange looking girls. Something about them wasn’t quite right. They looked unsettling to look at, and they sounded so…gay. They looked more like men in disguise rather than those other trannys. In fact, they gave such a creepy vibe, none of them wanted to bump into them again.

“That was weird…” Johnathan mumbles.

They all agree, and eat their food in silence, wondering what or who the hell they just encountered. 

Steve sighs, trying to change the subject.

“Hey, Ems?” Steve asks, sheepishly

“Yeah?”

“Are you…doing anything tomorrow?”

“After school I’m running errands with my mum and sister at the shopping centre outside town.” Emma responds, while biting into her pasta, “Then we’re going out to have Chinese around 6:30.”

“Oh…okay.” 

Steve looks over at Nancy and Johnathan, whose facials expressions are telling him ‘She’s clearly not interested’ 

About two minutes later, as they are about to get up and leave, Carol and Tommy block their view.

The four of them ignore them, but Tommy and Carol don’t seem to be taking no for an answer.

“It’s a shame to look at the four of you,” Carol laughs, “You guys are trying way too hard. It’s quite obvious that none of you are-”

“It’s quite obvious you’re a bunch of idiots.” Steve interrupts 

“Don’t talk to my girlfriend that way.” says Tommy

“He will talk to you guys however he wants.” says Johnathan

“Johnathan…” Nancy mutters

“You both abuse women and children.” says Carol, “Nancy, you know it. And Evans, I heard your count this week was 17 guys. Covering yourself up isn’t going to hide the fact you are Derry-Hawkins biggest slut, and you know it.”

Tommy laughs like a schoolgirl at what Carol had said, while the four of them were just appalled.

Emma’s eyes fill with anger, and she stands up.

“Look, none of what you said is true.” says Catherine, annoyed, “Steve and Johnathan would never hurt anyone.”

“Oh my god! Evans, stay away from me or you’re going to give me an STD!!” Carol says loudly

People begin to stare over at them, the occasional laughter or snickering could be heard in the cafeteria, but quickly carrying on with their own business. 

Emma’s eyes begin to turn black, rage boiling inside her.

“Why don’t you or Billy ever listen to me??” Tommy whimpers

“Because you can’t fill my needs and I’ve been doing Billy behind your back!” Carol yells

The whole cafeteria gasps

Emma sees someone with a bowl of soup, but makes it fly out of their hands.

“Hey!”

Then, it pours all over Carol. She shrieks, and the entire cafeteria turns to stare.

Laughter rings through the cafeteria, Carol looking angry as hell

“Strike three, now we stay the fuck away from them!” Tommy says angrily

“You guys are fucking TRAITORS!!!” yells Carol, frozen in the same spot

That doesn’t stop people from looking and snickering at Carol from a distance. 

“Can’t wait for this year to finally be over, so I never have to see any of your faces again!” she yells at the four of them, then looks on to the rest of the cafeteria, “And the rest of you!! Can’t wait to get out of this fucking town away from everyone in Derry-Hawkins!!! Arizona, California, New Zealand, where ever I get fucking accepted, as long as I’m far as hell from everyone in New England!!! I will never come back!!!!!!”

With that, she storms out of the cafeteria, along with everyone looking at her as if she has four arms, a random guy calling out “No one cares you clown!”. 

Everyone resumes back to their chats and food, trying to forget about psycho Carol.

“Think she’ll ever bug us again?” Steve chuckles

“I have high doubts.” Johnathan smirks

As the four of them head outside, they decide to go for a walk on the trail behind the school.

Johnathan noticed some fabric off the path, and pointed it out to everyone

They all walk over, and they find female yoga pants, four pairs of blouses, one skirt, and four wigs.

They knew those strange girls that approached them were wearing those exact same clothes.

All paralysed with fear, and worried that those strange girls might be watching them, had fled back into the school, and even looked behind them after to school to make sure their cars were not being followed by strange looking people.

~

Next Chapter: Chapter 7