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heartbreak-sandwich · 9 months

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CHAPTER TWO: YOU JUST HAVE TO MEAN IT

NSFW, 18+, MINORS DNI

Part One if you would like to start at the beginning 💕 Part Three if you're ready to move on.

Chapter Two is SFW content (though later there WILL be NSFW content, therefore, the 18+ label) - here's slightly more background, but we'll get into some feels this time.

A/N: HERE IS PART TWO! This contains some feels, and I think this is a moment that so many of us have needed - at least I have. A little more background setup, and the next part will get the story moving a little more. I still don't have a title (*surprise*), but I think that will come along as the story unfolds. As usual, check the tags for hints on what's to come, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading, and I love you very much!!

Eddie scooped up the mushy green pile of guacamole on his plate with two fingers and flung it onto the ground with a glop. The street tacos were more than satisfactory for 25 cents apiece, and everyone was chattering about that night’s impending show with their mouths full and their hands greasy.

“What do you mean you’re not going to sing Pat Benetar?! Everyone loves Pat Benetar,” Steve protested, breaking out into a very unique rendition of “Shadows of the Night.”

“It’s not that kind of music, Steve,” you replied through a giggle. Steve gestured as if to say “whatever” and indulged himself in another taco while Eddie started refastening his rings to each of his digits, taking care to make sure they were all facing the correct way.

“Harrington, while I am no music taste basher, I will say that you are a pathetically poor judge of genre. What does the phrase ‘progressive metal music’ mean to you, dear boy?” Eddie broke out his Olde English accent for this question, and Steve knew it was only a matter of moments before you and Eddie both started teasing him mercilessly, and he didn’t have the means to defend himself against a Hellfire ambush right now.

“Well, it’s about time to get going back,” he managed to convey around his last bites of street taco. “You don’t want to be late for work twice in one day.” Your mouth fell open in mock offense as you backhanded him on the shoulder before standing up from the park bench you were all sitting at.

As the three of you made your way back up the sidewalk to Trax, you decided to share what had been floating around in your head since you left the shop. “It was kind of weird seeing Billy be so unphased about you running into him. You stepped right on his shoe, and he didn’t even complain. Not a single insult. Did you notice?”

Steve scoffed. “Yeah. That doesn’t make me any more glad to see him though.” He kicked a rock a few feet out in front of him, and Eddie took a skip forward and made the next kick.

“I don’t know,” Eddie mused. “I think something might have clicked in the douchebag. Tommy was trying to pay some kid to key my van when I picked Dustin up from school the other day, and Billy totally rocked his shit in front of everyone. Told him he’d be dead if Billy ever caught him trying to mess with me again.”

“What?!” you and Steve gawked in unison, both of you coming to an abrupt halt.

“And you didn’t think to, maybe, I don’t know, mention that?” Steve’s eyebrows almost met his hairline in surprise. “Dude, how could you not tell us this?” You could tell he was actually slightly offended, so you decided to soften the mood with an irrelevant question.

“And what was Billy doing in the parking lot of the high school?” You resumed the game of kick the rock so everyone would continue down the sidewalk again.

“Picking up Max is my best guess,” Eddie replied, taking his skip forward for the rock.

“Yeah, well, a few good deeds don’t erase a whole year of being a total prick to anything that breathes,” Steve grumbled, keeping his eyes on the ground and taking his turn to kick the rock.

“Out of any of us here, you would do well to remember that people can change if they want to, Steve,” you said, giving him an affectionate side eye. “It wasn’t even two years ago that you were King Steve, being just as much of a prick to Jonathan as Billy was to you. Give him some time. See what it’s all about. That’s my suggestion.”

Steve sighed heavily and gestured toward the front door of Trax as Eddie opened it for you. No one said another word as you entered the building, sloppy salutes signaling the end of the conversation, and the two guys continued on their return to Steve’s car.

–

Screeching tires alerted everyone in the Hawkins High parking lot of the arrival of a slick blue Camaro. Billy flicked his cigarette out of his window and saw Max swiftly approaching his passenger side door, her ginger hair flowing steadily behind her, skateboard resting on her shoulder. She slid into the seat beside Billy’s and clunked her bag and board down by her feet.

“Max,” Billy said dryly, keeping his aviator sunglasses fixed on the windshield in front of him.

“I’m not late,” she replied, a slight tone of annoyance in her voice.

“I know,” Billy stated, reminding himself to soften his jaw when he spoke to her. “I just want to talk when we get home, if you’re not, you know, busy or whatever.” Max just stared at him, incredulous.

“You want to…talk? About what?”

“Nothing, okay? Nothing until we get home.” The sharpness returned to Billy’s voice as he gripped the gearshift and peeled them out of the parking lot. Max was completely lost for words, but she complied with Billy’s instruction and tried to zone in on Ted Nugent’s “Wango Tango” for the trillionth time as Billy sped down the side roads to their home on Cherry Lane.

Max hurried through the front door and straight to her room to discard her things. She was eager to know what Billy could possibly want to talk about, but she was also afraid to ask. After everything they had experienced this past year, it could be anything, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for anything again. She turned around to find Billy standing in her doorway with his eyes down at his shoes. Why was he acting so weird? This wasn’t like him at all, and it made a hint of anxiety start to creep down her neck, giving her the shivers.

“Billy?” she said, unable to hide the concern in her voice.

Billy shuffled his feet where he stood and started to fidget with his sunglasses in his hands, still not making eye contact with Max. “I need to ask you something, and you have to swear not to make fun of me. I’m dead serious,” he said, his ocean blue eyes finally making stone cold eye contact.

“Okay. I promise.” Max’s voice shook slightly, and she took a seat on her bed to steady herself.

“I need to know how to apologize,” Billy admitted, his eyes falling back down to the ground.

“Apologize? For what?” He must have hit his head, Max thought. There was no way this was actually Billy talking.

“For being…ugh.” Billy let out a painful sigh and took the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “For making everyone’s lives hell this past year.” Max’s eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open in shock. He had apologized to her, and they had what she would consider a pretty fair conversation about their sibling relationship, but this was completely unexpected. He wanted to apologize to The Party?

“I mean, I guess you just…say it, you know? You just say it, and you hope for the best, and that’s all you can do.”

Billy was unimpressed. “That’s it?” he asked with a scoff. “That can’t be it. It needs to be more. Needs to be better than that or there’s no way in hell they’re going to take me seriously.”

“You just have to mean it,” Max replied, her eyes softening as she came to the realization that this was really important to him. She had never seen him like this before, and it was clear that he really felt remorse, and he wanted something to change.

“Max,” Billy choked, his voice breaking. A tear fell from his face making a tiny tap on his shoe, and Max stood up abruptly.

“Billy, it’s going to be okay,” she said, her own eyes welling up now. She had only ever seen him cry once.

“Max, I’m so sorry. I know you said you forgave me, and I know things have been different ever since July, but I’m just so sorry.” Billy was speaking softly through sobs now. “Max, I can’t be the same as I was. I can’t explain it. Nothing can ever be the same as it was before everything that happened, and I don’t know who I am anymore.” Billy brought his hands up to his face, covering his eyes as he continued to choke out words as best as he could. “I’m so sorry, Max. You didn’t deserve that. Nobody did. I need to make things right, but I don’t know how.”

“Billy.” Max stook a few steps toward him, palming his shoulder gently. “I know there has always been a part of you that wants to be good. I forgave you because I really believed that. All you can do is say it, mean it, and try. Just keep trying.” Billy reached his arms out and gave Max a firm hug. He had no idea how badly he had always needed to hear that, and in that moment, he found himself eternally grateful he had a little sister.

After a few seconds of the second hug they had ever shared, Billy let go, and Max took a step back, both of them wiping their eyes, noses red and puffy from the flare of emotion. Billy patted Max on the shoulder and pivoted on his heel to leave her bedroom. Max turned her attention to her backpack and mentally prepared herself to start her homework.

“Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.” Billy half smiled, and Max could tell his gratitude was genuine.

“Anytime.” She returned his half smile, and Billy sauntered away into the other room. Max found herself, for the first time ever, feeling really proud of her brother.

#stranger things #stranger things fic #oc #billy hargrove #steve harrington #eddie munson #max mayfield #dustin henderson #hawkins high school #eventual stedie #platonic stobin #billy positive #stranger things oc #slow burn #billy hargrove fic

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