A/N; 1 more to go. I'm so sad to be getting to the end of this story. But! Good news! I am going to write a sequel. <3
TW; emotional moments
Dustin charges into my apartment, arms full of Dungeons and Dragons boxes, and books. He's been working his ass off on campaigns since Eddie graduated, having to take his spot as the DM of Hellfire. The kid who does everything, I swear to god.
Mike, Lucas, Will, El, and Max follow closely behind him. Each of them hugging me tightly on the way in. "Hi Mom!" Max smugly smiles at me after the hug.
"I'm a little surprised to see you here to play D&D, Max."
"Maybe I'm just here to watch you all fail massively."
"I cannot believe that you're actually going to make me play..."
"Oh come on Steve! It's the last time we can all play together! Of course you have to play. And it's totally okay if you die." Dustin sets everything down on the table.
"Thanks Henderson... that makes me feel sooo much better about it."
"It'll be fun baby, don't worry I'll protect you." Eddie winks at me with a big grin. I can't even begin to tell you how to play this game. They all came up with my character before, a high elf. Eddie said it would be a perfect fit, and me not fully understanding what that meant in the moment just went with it. Elves are otherworldly, graceful, and undeniably beautiful. Thinking about our friendship before now, I should have seen all the times he thought this stuff about me. It crushes my heart a little that he was pining and I had no idea.
The boys set up the game, all the pieces carefully laid out on my kitchen table. Amongst a lot of boxes, it's the last real piece of furniture that we haven't broken down or moved into the back of the moving truck that we have already rented for the next couple of days. Max decided to tag along, even if she doesn't really want to play. Her and Mike argue back and forth about the validity of what the hell a 'zoomer' is. I am taking it that, that doesn't really exist. But in a game that's completely made up anyway, why can't she make up her own thing?
My apartment is full of loud voices, and perfect chaos.
"You ready to play?" Dustin sits at the head of the table, behind a huge partition covered in demon looking creatures, red and black and orange.
"I guess but if I die right away I'm personally blaming you, Henderson."
"Oh c'mon Steve it's not my fault you try to fight everything right off the bat!"
"I do not try to fight everything..." All of them laugh. It's not true! It's not my fault that there's so many things that seem like they're going to fight you, even if they aren't going to... Everything seems like a threat.
The game starts, everyone watching Dustin unveil a story specifically laid out for us to play through today. We start outside a large cavern, making our way carefully inside to find a large wooden door.
Mike: "Is the door locked?"
Dustin: "No."
Steve: "So we open the door?"
Eddie: "Babe, no we shouldn't just open the door."
Lucas: "It seems suspicious. Maybe we should check for traps."
Will: "Right? We shouldn't just open the door, Steve."
Steve: "Look you're the ones who told me not to fight things, and now you want to hunt around to see if there is anything to fight?"
Dustin seems like he's amused already by all of us bickering about a damned door. We haven't even played a full 15 minutes. We finally all come to the conclusion that we should check around the cavern to make sure there isn't hidden traps, Eddie finds a skull shaped key, which is vaguely threatening in some kind of way, I guess? How a key is threatening, I have no idea, but the way that Dustin describes it, it does seem like I should throw it into a volcano.
Max and El are sitting with us, but not playing. Basically just giggling between themselves and making rude commentary. There seems to be something more than just a close friendship there, but I'll leave that alone for now. It took me and Eddie this long, no need for anyone else to rush things either. Love needs time to bloom, to progress.
Mike, Will, and Lucas all focus in on Eddie, who's by far the most level headed player amongst us. Easily solving the riddles Dustin provides, and dodging attacks like it's nothing. Which is pissing Dustin off to no end. It's a little funny to be honest.
This feels like home. This feels like we haven't been through hell and back together. Like nothing has ever changed. Like we're just kids again spending time together, playing this painfully nerdy game.
Like as if tomorrow, we weren't leaving to start the rest of our lives together.
I watch Eddie carefully, talking animatedly, slamming his fists on the table if he misses a hit with the monster we run into within the deep cave we keep adventuring further into. I really do love him. I love everything about him. He's this, beautiful, completely complex, amazing person. My best friend. Love embodied.
I do die, quickly. Not without a fight, but the first monster we encounter, completely demolishes me. So I just have the time to sit back and watch everyone from the outside. It's alright, I love to see these boys in their element. It's comforting, and completely heartbreaking all at the same time.
Eddie spots me just observing, and shoots me one of those Earth shattering smiles, and a wink.
"I'm gonna call for pizza?"
"PLEASE." El says with a big smile. "Do you guys want me to put on a movie or something so you don't have to sit here and deal with all their nerdiness?"
"Absolutely. Oh my god I don't know if I can take another minute of this." Max loudly complains, getting a dirty look from Mike, and Dustin simultaneously. So I go, and turn on a movie, the two getting cozied up on the couch, and order some pizza.
I sit back down at the table, just observing, taking it all in one more time. I don't think I want to forget this. And I don't think I will.
The game goes on for a couple of hours, who knew that a cave could take so much time. But after much fighting, and loud arguing, the party emerges triumphant. Cheering loudly, and completely waking up El and Max who had long ago fallen asleep on my couch. "Could you guys like, not be loud for 5 minutes?" Max rubs her eyes and shoots everyone a glare.
They clean up the table, eating the last bits of the pizza that's left, chatting amongst themselves about colleges, moving, getting the hell out of Hawkins.
"We're really going to miss you, you know." Mike says, surprising and out of character for him to show emotion. But something about tonight is different. "Yeah, it's not going to be the same here without you both." Will sighs looking down at his hands.
"Well lucky for you fuckers, we're one phone call away, and you're free to come out to our place whenever you want. It's only New York, not like we're leaving the country." Eddie wraps an arm around Dustin, who's surprisingly quiet.
"It's just... it's going to be a lot different. Coming home and you not being here." Lucas looks over at me, smiling weakly. "Hey now, let's not get all sappy." I try to laugh, but it doesn't come out very convincingly. "Steve, we made you something." El peaks up from behind the couch, walking over to me at the table, and hands me an small notebook.
"We all pitched in, drew things, wrote things, there's some pictures in there too."
I open the book, flipping through the pages. Like a book of memories. Depictions of me, notes of appreciation, pictures I don't remember being taken of all of us together. I can feel the tears flood to my eyes. "Guys..."
"We love you, Steve. We're family, whether you like it or not." Dustin finally says. He's got tears in his eyes too. "You've saved us, been our rock. Been more than just a friend for every single one of us. We wouldn't be here without you, man." Lucas smiles and wraps his arm around my shoulder. I am awestruck. I don't even know what to say.
"You little shits really know how to get me all emotional. Jesus Christ..." I wipe my arm across my eyes. This is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. My weird, broken little family. The family we made for each other. I'm never going to be the same, because of them. I could never forget. "Thank you, so much..."
"Of course, mom! We love you!" Max comes bounding from behind the couch and is the first to wrap me in a huge hug. The rest of the group joins her, everyone hugging tightly together.
"And as for you, our fearless leader, and owner of our mom's heart." Max looks to Eddie, who is just loving every bit of attention on me, "You're not getting out of this love fest so easily either."
"Nope, you're sure not." Will says, going to the bag he brought along, pulling out a rolled up canvas, and hands it to him. "For you." He unrolls the canvas, eyes lighting up instantly. "Oh my god..." I walk over behind him, to see what was gifted.
It's a painting, of the party in each of our D&D personas. Eddie at the front, leading the group defending from a dragon. It's very well done, and very obviously Will's handywork. "I don't even know what to say." His eyes are misted over as well. We all come and wrap arms around him too.
Everyone, one by one leaves, heading home. It's well after midnight, the last one here is Dustin. "I'm going to miss you guys the most, I think..." He looks so sad. "We're going to miss you too kid." Eddie sits down on the couch, patting the spot next to him for Dustin to come sit.
"You know you're more than welcome over, any time. Right?"
"I wanted to let you know something, and I couldn't do it in front of the guys."
"What's goin on Henderson?" Eddie seems concerned. I can't help but be a little worried as well.
"I uh. I got accepted into NYU."
"WHAT?!"
"HOLY SHIT!"
"Yeah." He smiles widely. "I'll be moving out there in a couple of months."
"Oh dude that's fucking amazing. I'm so proud of you!" I hug him tightly. "Thanks man, well. I should be heading home. Hey, will you call me once you're all moved in and settled?"
"Of course kid."
"I love you guys." Dustin leaves, and it's just me and Eddie again. The house is quiet, empty. Weird.
"You tired, love?" Eddie stretches out on the couch and closes his eyes. "Yeah, a little." I move myself and lay on him. I feel like my world is changing so quickly. Not that it's a bad thing, but it's so different than what I'm used to. The world we had here isn't right. It doesn't fit anymore.
"Wanna go to bed?" Eddies hands rest softly on my back, playing with the ends of my hair. "Not yet."
"We have an early morning, and we have to meet up with Robin when we get in."
"I know. I just wanna remember everything. I'm soaking it all in one more time."
"Take your time darlin." I sigh and close my eyes, feeling them sting a little from more tears. Not sad. Happy. I feel happy. I feel relief.