[ Oh, they’ll both be feeling that guilt over Dustin later. But for now...it’s clear that they both needed this. It’s easy to forget that in the grand scheme of things, the two of them are still idiot kids, and they should be doing this. They should be acting like fools, stealing cars and alcohol from parental figures, and pretending like nothing else in the world exists or matters. That’s how it should be, if only for the time being.

Eddie does a terrible job parking (of course he does, but no one is here to judge him), and swings the door open before he’s even put the brake on. He cuts the engine, the music dies, and Eddie begins his usual song and dance, offsetting his nerves with more talking, more stupid comments that really don’t mean anything at all. Enough noise to drown out the buzzing in his mind, because it is really and truly buzzing with the volume of a full symphony now. Because according to local Hawkins lore, this really isn’t the place people come by chance. ]

You know, I really don’t. We can’t all be Olympic level swimmers, dude. And to be completely honest? I’m really not all that enthused to find out what’s in that water. So, uh…this is fine.

[ The circumstances surrounding his last visit to Skull Rock weren’t the best, but the memory feels oddly distant now. It’s a miracle that he can look at the stack of rocks and not immediately picture himself cowering beneath it, alone and frightened and hoping for someone to show up and help him to set things straight. There are two years between himself and that person now—or more, depending on how you care to look at it—and while the change isn’t extreme, he’s come a long way. ]

Jesus. A hike too? How much more work are you gonna make me put in here, dude?

[ But he’s grinning, and he chuckles as he dips low, sweeping out an arm to urge Steve forward. It’s clear he has no true complaints about any of this so far. ]

After you.