Chapter Text
August Henderson pulled her black denim jacket around her middle and held on tight as she descended the steps of the airplane. January was a bitter month in Indiana. She’d left the cold rainy winter of London, and home had offered no rest bite from the harsh temperature.
August made her way through security and took a deep breath before walking through the arrivals gate. Dustin, her brother, and her mother, Claudia were waiting, holding a big ‘WELCOME HOME' sign large enough to share between them. August rolled her eyes but couldn’t help suppressing a smile at the sight of her mother’s smiling face. She was dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
This was the first time she had walked on Indiana soil since her graduation in ’84. She had left for London to continue her study in art. She had bagged a full scholarship, an opportunity she would have never been able to afford. She’d left quickly, she’d had to leave quickly.
“August!” Claudia sobbed, dropping the sign, and hurrying forward to embrace her daughter.
“Hey, Mom," August responded, wrapping her arms around her mother’s waist. “Its good to be home.”
August had seen her mom and Dustin once during her two years away in the UK. They had come Thanksgiving 1985, three months ago. Flights had been expensive, but riding on her full scholarship, August had used some of the cash she had always saved for a college fund to cover them.
August turned to her brother, raising her eyebrows at Dustin's height.
“How have you grown a foot in three months, Dust?!” she exclaimed, stepping closer to Dustin to measure his height against her own. She placed a hand on his crown and flattened his curls, “Phew, I’m still the bigger sibling.” August laughed, ruffling her brother’s hair whilst he tried to bat her hand away.
“Nice to see you too, sis.” Dustin grumbled, shaking his head, and restoring his curls to their full volume.
August pulled her squirming brother in to a bone-crushing hug, “It’s great to see you, bro.”
Dustin rolled his eyes and hugged August back. She squeezed him harder and lifted him slightly, his toes grazing the ground.
“AHRGGF- GEROFFOFME" Dustin screeched, his voice breaking. August put him down, laughing again as Dustin shoved her somewhat playfully.
“Come on, bro, let’s see what’s become of quiet old Hawkins.” August murmured. Claudia smiled and started walking to the airport exit. August and Dustin exchanged a grim look, knowing all too well of what the ‘quiet’ town had brought these last three years.
August had been there when Will Byers had gone missing. August had been there when Nancy had discovered a picture of a monster and stormed into the art block, questioning Jonathon. August was there when they found the kids, including her brother, and made a sensory deprivation pool for El, the girl Dustin and his friends had somehow been hiding in Mike Wheeler's basement for weeks. August was there at the Byers' house with Nancy and Jonathon when they had tried to trap the Demogorgon, only for Steve Harrington to get sucked into the madness as well. August had been there when a broken Dustin had shaken his head sadly and told her that El was gone.
Somehow, August and Dustin had still managed to keep their grades high, and August had smashed her finals out of the park. Her marks and graduation had secured her scholarship with the University of Art in London and her family had been so proud of her. She was proud of herself, but her scholarship also came down like the final nail in the coffin that was her relationship.
August hadn’t been able to tell her unofficial boyfriend, Eddie Munson about the Upside Down, about Eleven, about the Demogorgon, about any of it. The government had been crystal clear on the consequences of running their mouths and because of this their relationship had strained to breaking point. August couldn’t explain why she was never free, why she kept flaking out on dates, or why people like Steve Harrington were suddenly stopping to talk to her in the corridors at school. Eddie being Eddie had always said it was fine or told her that he believed her when she said she needed to study for a subject he knew she would smash. Eddie hadn’t believed her, and August had known it, but he never excused her of anything. Never questioned her after she lied to him. He was always too good for August. She had never deserved him.
When she got her scholarship, she wasn’t always going to take it. The chaos of the Upside Down was over and she would finally be able to get her relationship back on track, but Eddie was adamant he wouldn’t be responsible for holding her back from the most prestigious art school, even if it was on the other side of the Atlantic. He’d told August to go, to live her life, and she knew she’d broken the trust he’d had for her time and time again.
August hadn’t known about the goings on in Hawkins after she had left until Dustin had filled her in on their visit to her London dormitory three months ago. August had been horrified, and furious that Dustin hadn’t written to her. She would have come home. Dustin had explained that he couldn’t put it in writing, and they had handled it. August hadn’t been impressed. But it had made her decision for the end of her studies easier. She was going back to Hawkins.
The car ride home was full of talk, mostly Claudia asking her daughter about her time in London and lots of expressing that she was so happy she was home. Eventually the conversation lulled, and August dropped off to sleep.
-
August woke as the car came to a stop in their driveway. She smiled softly to herself, happy to see her home. She took her things from the car, Dustin helping and made her way in.
“Mews!” August cooed, dropping her bags and bee lining for her fat ginger cat. She stroked him and he flopped down, exposing his belly. “I thought he would have forgotten me.” She muttered as he fired his purr engines.
“Don’t be silly, August. Mewsy still sleeps in your room!” Claudia responded happily, picking up August's bags and ascending the stairs.
August broke into a wide toothy smile, “I’ve missed you so much, Mews.”
“I didn’t even get that greeting!” Dustin complained, trudging up the stairs with more of August's bags.
“I LOVE YOU, DUST!” August called after him.
“Yeah, whatever” came his reply and then, after a beat, a quiet “love you too, sis.”
August was smiling and she was hoping it would last. She had come home to protect her brother and protect him she would. But hopefully all she would have to protect him from this year would be the high school jerks and heartbreak.
She was going to focus on her art, increase her portfolio and look after Dustin, that was it.
That was defiantly it.
-
August couldn’t help letting her mind wonder to thoughts of Eddie whilst she lay in bed. He was never far from her thoughts, but now he wasn’t far from her either. Was he? August thought. She had no idea if he was still in Hawkins. She thought about the day Eddie had told her to go, her eyes welling, and vowed she wouldn’t look for him. He didn’t deserve it. August huffed, flipping to her side, and squeezing her eyes closed. Eddie bounced round her brain a few more times before she finally succumbed to sleep.