"Why did u put me up to this?! Are you out of your mind!!" Steve exclaimed to his best friend Dustin.
They were standing backstage in the school's theater, listening to Jason silly acting.
Steve never doubted dustin. But this was too much.
The truth is Dustin and Steve's close, unwavering friendship is known by everyone in the small town, and though the two have gone through rough patches dew to the upside down in the time they've been friends, they always come through it in the end with their bond even stronger than ever.
"It's not stupid! Plus, you don't even have to be good!" Dustin said, not even looking at his best friend.
"You're not the one getting humiliated in front of the entire school!" Steve snarled.
Jane/el was making rounds, checking that everything was safe, for now. Erica was next max. Her adopted dad hopper and joyce took the front row.
There sat the judges, and they were the
principal and the vice principal
"Jason! Get off now!" The principal shouted, and everyone in the theater burst out laughing, which shook Steve out of his daze.
He swallowed hard, rubbing his hands together nervously, as he watched jason return defeated. He was ready to run away. It was his turn next, and he was far from ready. Before he could even make a plan, a whistle startled him.
"NEXT" was that was heard from the 'judges'
"If this goes wrong, dustin, I swear you're a dead man tomorrow!". He snarled at his best friend.
Steve swallowed hard and slowly walked out on stage, as if he was walking to his death.
"Harrington? is this a joke? " The vice president mumbled. Some old classmates were surprised, only hopper, and Joyce showed him a supportive smile. He inhaled deeply with wide eyes.
Jason grinned."Come on, Loser steve!" which caused a laughter to erupt in the theater. Dustin max jane/el and even Mike shot the entitled jock a death glare.
Steve grumbled and took a guitar in his hand. He looked around. He saw Mike at the door with Lucas. Eddie was mixed in with students.
Before he started to string the guitar, it was death silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Steve could feel his heart pounding. He could feel the world closing down on him and the breath leaving his lungs. He glanced down at hopper, and he was smiling at him and nodding.
Steve finds his confidence back and begins to sing.
When we were young, we were the ones
The kings and queens, oh yeah, we ruled the world
We smoked cigarettes, man, no regrets
Wish I could relive every single word
Everyone was silent, listening to Steve sing. Everyone was shocked. Dustin, who was standing backstage, for as long as He had known Steve, which was a long time, and he never knew his best friend could sing like that.
He moved to the podium and had a clear view of him. Steve smiled while he was singing and opened his eyes. He was facing Dustin, who was gasping like a fish
We've taken different paths
I know we'll always end up on the same one when we're old
And when you're in the trenches
And you're under fire, I will cover you
And traveled different roads
...
If I was dying on my knees
You would be the one to rescue me
And if you were drowned at sea
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe
Tears sprung to dustins eyes. He relates to the song. It's like a conversation between the two but also their darkest secret.
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
While under the depression of the break up with Nancy back in 83, it was Dustin who asked for help with his pet Demodog
Steve and Dustin bond went beyond just friends. They were brothers, and Steve needed him in his life - his way of saying he loves him.
Oh, brother, we go deeper than the ink
Beneath the skin of our tattoos
Though we don't share the same blood
You're my brother, and I love you. That's the truth
You can hear Dustin and steve Chuckle. Steve hates needles.The memory of when Dustin had asked steve to accompany him to his doctor appointment
and he needed to get a shot. steve fainted a funny memory that, to this day, runs as a joke between the two
We're living different lives
Heaven only knows
If we'll make it back with all our fingers and our toes
Five years, twenty years, come back
It will always be the same, oh-oh, oh-oh
Dustin did everything in his power to save Steve from his possession by vecna ,
Dustin refused to believe that Steve couldn't be saved and ultimately found a way to free him from his possession. Together, they're unstoppable
If I was dying on my knees
You would be the one to rescue me
And if you were drowned at sea
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe
More tears spring to dustins eyes as his best friend/brother sings for him.
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
Steve saw Hopper and Joyce in tears. They were smiling at the boys who would defend and protect each other all costs.
And if we hit on troubled water
I'll be the one to keep you warm and safe
And we'll be carrying each other
Until we say goodbye on our dying day
Because I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
'If u die, I die' was a quote that stayed in steve's head ever since the Russians
Mike was watching from the door as he watched Steve sing to Dustin. They are brothers. Blood didn't matter. They care deeply about each other. Both need each other. They are protective of one another. Both are willing to risk their lives and die for the other.
They were enemies once, but every healthy sibling relationship healed in a few days, and it ended good between the two. They can't live without each other.
If I was dying on my knees
You would be the one to rescue me
And if you were drowned at sea
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe
The memory of Dustin saving Steve from the Russians even tho Dustin saved Robin in the process Steve felt like he was the only one saved, and he was proud it was Dustin that did it.
Dustin is face to face with Steve and was patiently waiting for him to finish.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
I've got you, brother-er-er-er
Once the song was done, dustin embraced steve in a giant hug.
"I love you... I wouldn't know what to do without you. " He whispers to steve with tears still running down his face
"Same." Steve hugged him back
"This is the best thing I ever heard." The vice principal said as they wiped their tears away.
"Harrington found new respect for you. i knew you could do it," the vice principal said
"Henderson, don't lose him," the principal pointed at him with a warning.
"I wouldn't dare, sir." Dustin smiled and still hugging his brother with tear stains, still having tears falling.
'I knew you could do it!" Dustin grinned in his tears
"You need to shut up! I'm going to end up on the internet because of you!" He pointed at Will and Max, who were grinning and holding Johnathans camera.
"And we are becoming rich." They high fived. Everyone laughed,
Steve was the winner of the contest and won the first place he grinned at his friends, his family, and his brother yet was yelling them to delete the video off the camera before Johnathan see's and actually post it to the web