Chapter Text
He knew exactly the type of person he was, he knew what he wanted and how to get it. He lived his life exactly the way he wished, never letting anything get in his way, not even his own family. The moment he realized they would forever be against him being true to himself, he dropped them. Packing up his bags and leaving without even saying goodbye. He didn't regret anything about leaving them behind, but a part of him did feel uncomfortable thinking about the way his little sister had cried. To this day he still doesn't know why she cried like that, it's not like they were ever close.
He met her one humid night out in town with a few friends, he was pretty drunk and definitely wasn't going to be able to find his way home on his own, but the moment he saw her leaning against a building, a cigarette hanging from those pretty pink lips, he was hooked.
He made his move and she reciprocated, just as he wished she would. There was no need for dancing around each other, they knew what they wanted from one another and they were both fine with it. He asked her if she wanted to come home with him and she had snorted, something that he probably shouldn't have found as attractive as he did, before telling him that rather than follow him home, they'll head to the nearest motel. They had their fun, multiple times in fact, throughout the night. They both fell asleep in that motel room and when he woke up, she was gone. The memory of that night couldn't even be blurred by the alcohol that was in his system.
He was content with that one night stand, it was great all around, until he saw her again. When he saw her, the same heat he felt that first night came back tenfold, and he didn't hesitate in approaching her.
They go to the same motel.
It happens often enough that he can't help but grow fond of her, even as he spends a few nights with other ladies he meets out at night. She's the only one he sees multiple times, he knows what she likes and she knows what he likes. He doesn't know why she got so angry when he learned he's been seeing other women, it's not like they were dating. He doesn't do dating, he doesn't want to date, there's no point in dating someone else when they'll want to eventually settle down. That's not the life he wants. She screams at him, cursing him out even as he goes to explain all this to her, how was he supposed to know she went and fell for him? It was supposed to stay a sexual relationship, one where there were no attachments or feelings involved.
They lost touch for a few months afterward, then she finds him out of nowhere and asks to talk.
He wasn't expecting her to tell him that she was pregnant.
It's because he knew who he was that he also knew he wasn't father material. Just a mere thought of him being responsible for a whole other person sent him in a whirlwind of panic. He didn't want the baby, and he knew by looking at her that she didn't want it either. He tells her to get an abortion, and she just sort of stares at him before leaving.
He leaves the area when he finds out she's keeping the baby. If she wants to keep the damn thing then fine, but she's not dragging him into it. He's not going to be responsible for it, he knows how people work. All people have shit they like, love, and hate, stuff they don't want, and stuff they keep out of obligation. He was a baby kept out of obligation, he grew up in a household knowing he wasn't wanted and seeing the disdain on his parents faces. He's not going to put another child through that.
He's not going to raise some kid just for them to turn out like him.
He leaves with a couple of his buddies, they go traveling and just enjoy what life throws at them.
It's the happiest he's felt in years.
If— by some chance, he happens to glance at the couples around him, at the young mothers holding their babies, then there's nothing to it.
Just like there's nothing to him sitting away from his group, taking the time to try and figure out how far along she would be at that moment.
.
.
.
Dustin Henderson loves his Ma, and he loves his mom too, even though they're not allowed to talk about her anymore. Not in public at least, at home his Ma loves pulling out old photographs and telling him the stories behind each one. He's heard them enough times that he has them memorized and can recite them as his Ma says them. He misses his mom more than anything in the world, it helps that his Ma is here, and that he became friends with the Party so soon after moving to Hawkins… but even as the years passed, the want to see her again never fades.
Every now and then he's hit with an urge to talk about her, not just to his Ma, but to his friends as well. He wants them to know her, he wants more and more people to know just how amazing his mom is. Not once since he's met any of them have they tried asking about his life before moving to Hawkins, they don't even question why his Ma is taking care of him on her own, or how she's able to work for money to pay all of their bills, getting groceries, paying for the house, and a little splurging every now and then when she works as a nurse with no additional income. Realistically speaking, that shouldn't be possible unless she's saved up money for years. Dustin, in the know about mostly everything - he knows that there's a few things he's never been told - knows that it's because his mom sends them money to help pay for things and a few of her co-workers send them stuff too.
Sometimes, he witnesses his Ma crying and he knows it's because she misses his mom, and because she's worried about the lack of contact. His mom sends them money but hasn't contacted them once since they moved to Hawkins.
He knows she's still alive, he's not sure how but he's positive he would have known if she died. A part of him is really worried that she's upset they left without her, that she resents them for it.
That and, one of the people she works with would have definitely gotten in contact with him. He doesn't know any of their real names, they never gave it and he never bothered asking, but over the years they would call the house often and spend hours chatting with him. His Ma would talk to them too, but not as often as Dustin would, they even send him letters and gifts for the holidays and his birthday in the mail. They would always say that it's because they were just checking in, but Dustin knows it's also because they're a part of the family too whether they realize it or not. Why else would they willingly stay on the line, listening to him rant about anything that caught his interest for far longer than he knows most people would have the patience for.
Over the years, those calls quickly become one of his favorite parts of the week. They call twice a week, once on Monday and then they call again on Friday. The calls usually come in the morning on Mondays then after school on Fridays, he always makes sure he's home so that he never misses a call.
He never misses a call either— up until the start of spring break, his freshman year of high school. In the span of a week, he misses both phone calls without even realizing it. It doesn't help that he knows he's been worrying his Ma.
Dealing with the Upside Down once again, this time knowing that they would have to do it without El's help, (both because she no longer had her powers and because she wasn't in Hawkins anymore, along with Will, Mike, and the rest of the Byers.) Finding out one of his best friend's was being accused of murder, helping him stay hidden since he literally had people after him that want him dead, worrying about keeping Max safe, having the police, and the basketball team after them with nearly all of Hawkins wary thanks to the spreading rumor of Hellfire being a cult— Dustin's been not only stressed to hell and back, but so busy that the phone calls completely slipped his mind.
While they're in the field creating their weapons, Dustin finishes up his and Eddie's shields before sitting down with the bag from his house, this time he's sitting inside the trailer. Everyone else is still outside so he figures now is as good a time as any to get started on this.
He dumps out his bag and carefully organizes everything, making sure he has all the tools he needs before he gets started.
Making a bomb from scratch is definitely not something he's used to, but if he's being honest, it's not as hard as building Cerebro was. Plus, Mae accidentally taught him about bombs when he was eleven. Since then she's been expanding his knowledge on it, mostly because he said if she taught him more then he wouldn't let it slip to the others that she accidentally had taught him how to make it when she was bored and couldn't figure out what to talk about. He had told her she didn't have to stay on the line with him but she insisted that they did, something about how the others all got to talk to him for hours, so she wanted to do it too. He's so concentrated on what he's doing that he doesn't notice as the others start cleaning up everything outside and moving it back onto the trailer. He doesn't even notice how they all come inside and are seated around him, watching intently.
It's only once he finishes, carefully setting it to the side and happens to glance up that he notices everyone. Of course, he lets out a startled scream, wincing as his knee knocks into the bomb but thankfully doesn't do much else. Everyone else collectively reels back, more than a few of them staring down at the homemade bomb with wide eyes.
"Did you– is that a bomb?!"
Oh wow. He's never heard Max sound so shocked before, not even when he showed her D'art.
"Um."
"What the fuck?" Steve breathed, "Henderson. Henderson. Why do you know how to make a bomb?"
It's reflex to say that he knows how to do everything, but upon seeing the looks they shoot him he quickly tacts on, "and my Aunt Mae taught me a few years ago."
"Your… Aunt Mae, taught you how to build a bomb. A few years ago? When you were even more of a kid than you are now?" Eddie's voice was doing that thing where it starts to get higher, and a tad hysterical. Dustin honestly isn't sure why though, it's not like this is that surprising, is it?
"Wait," Lucas frowned, "You have an aunt?"
Erica scoffs at him, "That's seriously what you're focusing on here?"
"He's never mentioned her before!"
"Wait, I want to know how old you were when she taught you," Steve scowled, "You said she taught you a few years ago. You're only fifteen."
Dustin frowned at him, "So? She taught me when I was eleven."
"Eleven?" Max repeated, "Why the hell was she teaching an eleven year old how to build a bomb? Why did she know how to build a bomb?"
…He's not supposed to talk about them. He really shouldn't have mentioned having an Aunt Mae either. Dustin picks up the bomb, choosing to ignore how the others all jerked back the moment he did so, and reminded them that they're supposed to be getting ready to take down Vecna. He tries to keep his voice calm, but he thinks some of his panic may have slipped out considering the looks they all gave him. Erica's narrow-eyed glare was particularly unsettling.