Chapter Text
Dustin POV
Monday
Dustin Henderson is excited for his first day of high school. Terrified too, daunted and jittery with nerves, but ultimately excited. And he gets to be excited, because he knows that one Robin Buckley will be his ‘Buddy’ for the first two months of school. (This new buddy system was odd, no one had ever heard about it before, but apparently some schools in Indianapolis had trialled it and it proved to be successful: have a senior classman escort a junior around for the first few days of the school year, and have regular check in for the first few months so that the junior feels supported and won't struggle with the transition to high school.)
Whatever. Dustin didn't have an opinion about it really. He just knew he would get more time with Robin, and that was always a good thing. Now that she was officially one half of Steve. He used to be jealous of Robin - of how close she became with Steve after they started working together and doing everything together short of using each other toothbrushes. But it became pretty apparent that he wasn't being replaced, so he got to genuinely like her.
He mets up with The Party on the ride over to the school. It meant swinging out of their way, unlike the convenient route to the middle school, but it's fine - they've arrived at school together for the past three years, they're not going to stop now. And sure, they also have to take a deviation to pick up Max, but no one (Mike aside) seems to mind.
The rest of the party let Dustin know as they peddle through Hawkins that this new Buddy system is stupid, and it's unfair that he gets to have his Buddy be a senior he spends a lot of time with - his friend he reminds them - and that if they have to be forced to pair up with complete strangers, he should be too. All Dustin can offer is his middle finger with feigned sympathy.
Once they arrive at the high school, they have to sign in at a pop up booth so they can receive a name tag (“Gag me.” Max groans) and some paperwork, that juniors are sure to read closely and not shove into their packs and forget about. Dustin wonders if he should bother to wait with the others, his childhood friends, in their awkward huddle by the table with the other juniors as they wait to be collected by their Buddy. It's a sea of anxiety and tension, and one kid already looks close to tears. But alas, Dustin can see Robin arriving and he is still feeling boastful, so he bids his party adieu and runs off.
“Robs!” Dustin barely restrains himself from hugging her - something he is assured isn't exactly cool - but Robin has no such worries. She slings an arm around his shoulders and pulls him in, turning his cap around on his head.
“Well, if it isn't Henderson.” She hums, like it's a surprise to see him. “My buddy, my pal.”
“In the flesh.”
“Good. Don't want you coming to school without your flesh, that'd be embarrassing.” Robin lets him go, she gives him a once over and nods. “Come on my little rugrat, let's find your locker.”
The hall is still relatively quiet as they look at the number on one of Dustin’s sheets, and look for the corresponding locker. They find it, and Dustin slips his padlock from middle school through the loop.
“There. Claimed.”
“Way to go.” Robin nods, leaning against the locker next to his. “So, what have you got first?”
“Chemistry.” Dustin checks his paper. “Then Home Ec.”
Robin looks up as she thinks. “Okay, you’ll have Mrs Ericson first, she’s nice but I just know you’re going to correct her a lot so just be careful not to piss her off.”
“Noted.” Dustin grins; he will absolutely be correcting his new teacher if she dares make mistakes in one of his best subjects.
Dustin glances around as the hall starts to fill with coupled up students, and annoyed sophomores who are trying to elbow their way through the crowd. Dustin spies Lucas, walking with a senior in a basketball jersey - he looks happy, good. Mike’s tall form can be seen coming from a mile away, and he looks like he’s drowning, and it’s easy to see why. The blonde senior walking with him doesn’t appear to notice Mike's struggles, she’s too busy telling him something. And the girl is stunning. Cheerleader uniform, strawberry blonde ponytail all shiny and bouncy, a 40 watt smile that could light up an entire power grid.
“Wow.” Dustin says as they watch the pair.
“Wow.” Robin agrees. Dustin glances over to see that Robin is also starring. Oh right, lesbian. Anyone Dustin finds attractive, Robin is going to too. Most likely. “That’s Chrissy Cunningham. School royalty, pretty much.”
“Poor Mike.” Dustin looks back at the two of them, stopping not far away to what must be Mike's new locker. Mike is sweating.
“I dunno about poor.” Robin mutters, and stands up straight as a beady eyed junior Dustin remembers from gym last year accesses the locker she was elaning on. Mike laughs at something Chrissy says, and that makes her giggle. “God, she’s…”
“Oooh.” Dustin looks back up at Robin, hearing that forlorn tone of voice. “You’re like, into her, huh?”
“What? Uh, no.” Robin hurriedly looks around, a bit panicked. “I mean. Yes, but don’t advertise it.”
“So, how bad?”
“Huh?”
“How bad is it, is it terminal? Are you like, writing her name on your math homework with little hearts?”
“Dustin, shut up. It’s… she’s in the ‘don’t even think about it’ group, okay? As unattainable as it gets.” Robin sighs, looking at the woman in question again. “Sometimes I think…I - ugh, fine. It’s bad. I burn, I pine, I perish!”
“Of course you do.” Dustin scoffs, crossing his arms. Robin’s theatrics were endearing. “Have you talked to her?”
“Yeah, tons of times. We share like five classes together.”
“And? Is she - like you?” Dustin whispers, and luckily the noise of the students around them is enough that Robin doesn’t seem to mind his subtlety.
“I’m not sure. I think - well, sometimes I think so. But listen.” She sighs, adjusting her bag and looking around again. “Forget about her. She’s got an incredibly uptight mother, and even if we could work something out, it's a widely known fact that she won't date until her best friend does.” Robin sighs forlornly for the third time that day. “Because, you know, she has to be perfect and be a good best friend.”
“Who's the friend?”
Both their attentions are interrupted by a greeting shouted down the hall. Dustin misses the exact words said, but not the way the crowd ripples with the arrival of the owner of the voice; seniors tug their junior buddies to the side, sneering or whispering as the newcomer makes his way down the hall. It’s almost biblical how he seems to part the sea of students. And he looks fucking rad; wild hair longer than most everyone else’s in town, chains hanging from his ripped jeans, demon peaking out of his leather jacket.
“Who is that?” Dustin watches the newcomer walk with enviable confidence towards them.
Robin doesn’t exactly tense, but she seems to brace herself a little bit. “That’s Eddie Munson. He’s… you’d like him. He runs the DnD club, plays in a metal band. Total nerd.”
“That’s sick.” Dustin smiles as Eddie breezes past them, smelling like cigarettes and something else herby that Dustin can’t place. “How is she friends with him?”
Eddie walks up to Chrissy, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. They grin at each other and speak softly, Dustin can’t make out what they’re saying. Mike stares and doesn’t even try to hide it.
“No one knows.” Robin shrugs, watching them as well. “They never used to be that way, but over the summer break things changed. They've had this weird bond ever since. Platonically though, Munson is um… not interested.”
“So, like you and Steve and your weird bond.” Dustin nods, putting it together pretty easily. Robin has a tell when she's talking about another queer, her ears go red and she twitches her nose like a nervous bunny rabbit.
“Huh. Yeah, kinda. I mean - no one is as close as Steve and me.”
“Steve and I.” Dustin rolls his eyes.
Eddie kisses Chrissy's forehrad, before seeming to only now notice Mike. He looks him up and down, says something with a cock of his head and Mike stammers a reply.
“I think…” Robin chews her lips, looking like she's debating if she should continue. “I think she's got stuff going on. Like… things a-at home or, about herself. She used to be really shy and jumpy. Since she got Eddie's attention she's… she's blossomed.”
Dustin winces. “Okay. Now you’re being gross.”
The bell rings. It’s different to the middle school bell, Dustin thinks it sounds worse.
“Shit. Well, I didn’t get to show you anything but meet me back here at lunch?” Robin gives him a smile. Dustin nods.
Eddie steps back from Chrissy and Mike, hand sliding down Chrissy’s shoulder to take her hand. He kisses her hand like she really is royalty and she squeals, shoving him away with a smile. Dustin looks back to catch Robin staring again, he shakes his head. She really was one half of Steve - absolutely hopeless.