Nickolas Henderson watched the other students passing by with his signature cheeky grin on his lips and a half-finished cigarette between them. He watched as they got into their cars and drove off, done with High-school for the day and plans on their minds. Nick didn't mind that he was left waiting casually, leaning against the hood of his beaten-down Chevy. Instead, he was enjoying the little bit of sun this spring day had to offer. He ran a pale hand through his shoulder-length blond hair that sparkled in the light as if it was made of pure gold and sunshine.

Bright, blue eyes peeked over the rim of a pair of fashionable, most likely costly shades he had snatched out of his best friend's dashboard just this morning, matching the pale-green jumper of the same source that hung loosely on his stock-built frame. He was a pretty boy, the golden, all-American kind that turned heads while walking down the halls, self-aware enough to put a confident bounce in his steps.

There had been a time when popularity and invitations had come just as easy as it was to breathe when Nick was always close to the basketball team and could be found at the heart of every party, dancing the nights away. Thinking about it now, it was more of a fever dream than a glorious memory, and Nick had never felt more lonely in his life, regardless of with how many boys he had secretly hooked up in the back of their cars and, to be fair, he still did that. But now, he had friends who knew about it. And it turns out, a bunch of weirdos and kids was worth more than everything popularity could offer. So he had abandoned it and became the guy everyone greeted, but no one stopped actually to talk to-a good decision.

Nick exhaled a cloud of grey smoke into the air as he lazily glanced at his watch. It was way past the time he was supposed to meet up with his little brother, and his car was one of the last in the parking lot. But he didn't worry; it was perfectly normal for Dustin to forget time and space when playing DnD with his newfound hellfire club, and Nick was glad for him.

Dustin was his pride and joy and, quite possibly, the person he loved most on earth. Given the circumstances that were haunting Hawkins for the past three years, which included a boy going missing and two girls getting killed by monsters, Russians invading the city, and Nickolas almost dying multiple times alongside his brother and friends, it was only natural that he was keen on giving Dustin a ride home every day after school. And he so he really didn't mind the extra wait.

He blew another puff of smoke into the fresh spring air, leaning his face further into the sunshine that warmed his skin so deliciously. But as usual, it was hard to get a moment of peace in this town, and the school doors slammed open, revealing his curly-haired little brother with an apologetic grin.

"Sorry, I forgot the time," he announced as he made his way over, backpack rattling with every energetic step. A smirk tugged at the corners of Nick's lips as he eyed Dustin's rather loud attire made out of his club sweatshirt, a colorful open shirt thrown over, and a cap from science camp. A wave of adoration overcame him how it always did when he looked at the other boy.

"Looking sharp," he commented on the look he hadn't noticed this morning in its full glory.

"Thank you," Dustin grinned proudly, showing off his custom pearly whites as he opened the door to get into the passenger seat. With a chuckle, Nick got rid of his smoke and put it out on the floor with his sneaker, then joined his brother in the car.

„How was the game? Did you manage to take down Vecna yet?" he asked as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road to the loud screeching of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song.

„He still has a few hitpoints left, but we're working on it. The slimy boy is just too good at spotting us before we can get close," Dustin happily told him about his afternoon, and Nick nodded while his thumbs drummed along on the steering wheel.

„Did you try the robe trick?" he asked after a brief moment where only Led Zeppelin was heard in the car, briefly glancing at his baby brother.

„Do course we did!" Dustin responded, offended by his brother thinking he would act like the most desperate wannabe in dnd history and implying he did not try Nick's favorite trick, that technically, was not cheating. He had learned from the best, after all.

„And it did not work?" Nick frowned at that. „How come?"

„Eddie saw it coming," the younger brother huffed in defeat.
„He did?" Nick hummed, not sharing his brother's disappointment but feeling himself intrigued by the dungeon master and his way of thinking. Up to now, the boy had managed to dodge every tactic Nick had suggested to Dustin, which was quite a rare ability. It was not often that someone was as cunning about Dungeons and Dragons as he was, and it almost made him want to join the party to see for himself. Almost.

„Yeah. A bummer." Dustin nodded, melancholically staring out the window and watching the bleak town pass by. „You'll get him next time," Nick assured, glancing at his brother once more with sympathy.

Dustin said, suddenly determined and turning around to look at the older boy: "Yes, we will. Sadly, we can't do it before spring break, though; Lucas has to sit on the bench during that game, and we promised to be there."

„Right, he's into basketball now. Still weird," his brother commented right as the bootleg tape changed to the next song. He would never have thought that one of his kids would grow up to become a sports guy. It was just absurd.

„It was also weird when you quit DnD to become popular," Dustin responded, using the opportunity to jump on the topic, making Nick roll his eyes.

„I did not quit. I choose to take a break to pursue other hobbies," he gestured wildly with his left hand to get his point across.

„Other hobbies? You mean sucking face with randos at Lover's Lake," Dustin huffed loudly with a hint of accusation in his voice.

There had been a time when Nick was still the mighty dungeon master, and Nancy Wheeler dressed up as an elf to support the party's mission.

It had been a marvelous, ever-ongoing adventure in the Wheeler's basement with many battles, losses, and victories. But reality strikes anyone at some point in time. So Nick was confronted with choosing between being the gay freak with the dungeon and dragons club or being the popular boy that could live out his awakening sexuality without anyone assuming he was gay.

Dustin had never understood the decision his brother had made. He was still in that mindset where everything more than kissing was simply gross. That had become way more hilarious since Dustin had his first girlfriend, Suzie, a girl he had met in science camp and talked to ever since. Especially given the fact that she was Mormon. Nick allowed a wide grin to take over his lips, his eyes glistening with mischief.

„I'm just dead horny, nothing more and nothing less." he mercilessly teased the younger, who pulled a face of utter disgust, scrunching his nose and eyebrows firmly together while pretending to gag:" Ew!"

„Someday, you'll be too. Most likely, anyway. If not, that's fine too. But there might be a new kind of tension when you meet Suzie in camp again."

„EW, "Dustin repeated, and Nick could not help but laugh out loud at the situation's absurdity. But he wasn't done yet. After all, he had responsibilities an older brother was obliged to.

„You'll be thankful for all the knowledge I have collected so far," he wiggled his eyebrows, was ultimately resulting in Dustin hitting his shoulder to make him stop.

"What? You know I'm right. Or do you want to go ask Steve again? I think he has a few things to add to my list too."

„Can we stop talking about your or my libido, please?" Dustin interrupted before his brother could ramble on about his open-minded worldviews that most normal people would frown upon on.

But again, they had fought t monsters. The ultimate proof that there were more significant problems than boys kissing boys, girls kissing girls, ls, and everything in between. And his responsibilities also included the sex education his brother didn't learn in the conservative school system.

Nick eyed him for a moment, enjoying how his younger brother squirmed in his seat for a few precious seconds. He liked to tease Dustin, but he wasn't going to cross the boy's boundaries. So he kept quiet and noticed how Dustin visibly relaxed again.

Then his brother surprised him as he spoke up again:" Have you ever been in love?"

Nick took his time to think about that question before answering truthfully: „Naw, not really. You asking because of Suzie?"

„I think I might love her," Dustin confirmed his theory with a shy glance at his brother's face, who smiled at him, grateful they were close enough to share things like that comfortably.

„Well, that is cool. She's rad," Nick softly said, feeling a wave of pride washing over him of what a good man Dustin was about to become. He was confident the boy would be the best boyfriend Suzie could ever ask for, and he felt like he was at least partly to blame for that. Their father sure as hell wasn't.

„She is. I might tell her today. We got a date at eight."

„That is ...also cool, I guess," Nick fully supported his brother's plan. Yet, he was slightly bothered not being able to give any better advice on that topic. With his sexual orientation, love was just not as easy to find, and to be honest, he had never given a boy enough time and thought to actually fall for him. In a place like Hawkins, casual hookups were just the safer option.