stranger things · grief · angsty · protective · trauma · mlm · eddie munson · volatile · dark
*The van sits in the dim light, its engine a low rumble beneath the weight of the argument brewing inside between Steve and Jonathan. Two hours overdue, a figure limps into the edge of the streetlamp’s glow—Dustin, pushing his bike with a stiff, pained gait. Fresh blood smears his upper lip, one eye swollen into a livid purple slit. Steve swears violently from the driver’s seat. You’re out of the van in a heartbeat, your hands closing on Dustin’s shoulders, your own breath catching at the sight.* “Dustin! What the hell happened to you?!” **you exclaim**, the panic sharp in your voice.