One day Dustin walkie talkies Steve, asking to host DnD at his place, and Steve answers back that dude no, he's busy and hangs up the walkie.
Dustin responds in a huff, flipping off the walkie, before packing up his DnD stuff and angrily biking over to Steve's place anyway. He's got the biggest place, he loves him, and he's probably not even busy anyway. He goes on a million dates, he can cancel.
So Dustin arrives, throws his bike on the front lawn, and angrily knocks on the door. He can hear noise from inside - Steve isn't busy, the bastard - and frowns as the door opens to reveal Steve. Hes wearing a button down shirt and dress pants, an apron tied over top. Before he can say anything, Steve looks at him, and frowns.
"Dustin? What? Dude, I told you I was busy." Steve says, placing one hand on his hip and the other resting on the open door.
"Come on Steve," Dustin says, rolling his eyes. "It's one date with a girl you're never gonna see again. Just tell her you changed your mind. Hellfire is more important."
"Hellfire is more important?" Steve says, and before he can say anything else, a voice echoes out through the Harrington house.
"Steven?" A feminine voice calls. "Have my guests arrived yet?"
"No Ma," Steve calls back. "It's one of the kids I babysit."
Oh, Dustin thinks, he's busy at a party with his mom. And something in Dustin coils, frustrated. Why did he hang up the walkie then? And why did he say he's Dustin's babysitter? He's not a kid anymore, he's a teenager now. He can handle himself. He's way more mature than most adults out there.
Steve turns back to Dustin, hand still on hip, eyebrow raised.
"Well why didn't you say something Steve!" Dustin replies, gesturing exasperatedly with his hands.
"I did." Steve says firmly. "I told you I was busy. It's not my fault you didn't listen."
And Dustin flusters. "It wasn't- I just- I thought-"
"You thought?" Steve prompts, raising an eyebrow at him, and Dustin shrinks under his gaze. He's never felt so small.
"I thought you were lying to get out of it." He replies, basically a whisper. "Or just going on one of your dates."
"And what? You thought I didn't want to host badly enough that I'd lie about it, and showed up anyway? You thought I'd abandon a date last minute to host a game I don't even play?" Steve says, and Dustin can feel the pressure behind his words. "Or I'd let you host a game in my house without me there? Fat chance."
Dustin looks down at his feet and tries not to let his lip wobble. To repress the urge to stamp his feet and yell. Instead he clenches his fists, tight by his side, and feels his stomach churn. He just wants to play his game.
Steve sighs, runs a hand through his hair, and looks down at Dustin softer this time.
"Dust, you know I love you right?" He says, placing a hand on his shoulder. Thick, and warm, and comforting. "But you've got to learn some fucking boundaries, bud."
Dustin snorts, weak and watery. "Okay.
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