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fineinkline · 1 year

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Swing

Chapter Five: The Setup

The next morning started earlier than Steve thought it would. When he let Dustin talk him into hosting a pool party for the kids, he didn’t realize that Dustin would be ringing his doorbell four hours before anyone else was supposed to get there. Steve read the time on his clock before rolling out of bed in search of the pants Eddie had taken off of him last night. 8:00am. Great. 8:00am on his day off, it’s almost like he might as well not have the day off at all. The doorbell rings a few more times as Steve is struggling to pull on his jeans in his half-asleep stupor. “Eddie!” It comes out whinny, but it’s the best he can manage at this hour. “Eds,” he is shaking the sleeping boy by his legs now as the doorbell rings yet again. “Yeah, just a sec!” He leans out of his bedroom door and shouts down the stairs, hoping to end the incessant ringing. Steve sits down on the edge of Eddie’s side of the bed and starts to push Eddie’s hair off his face, unsure how he was able to breath suffocated underneath all those curls. “What, baby?” Eddie groans, making grabby hands for Steve, wanting to pull him back under the warmth of the covers. “Unless the Mormons are making their early morning rounds, I’m assuming Dustin is at my door which means you need to be anywhere but in my bed.” Eddie scoffs, throwing his arms over his eyes in a feeble attempt to block out the sun that’s coming through the blinds. “What time is it?” Eddie sits up, allowing the cover to pool around his waist. His shirt has shifted in his sleep so now his right pec is showing through the giant arm hole in his shirt. He has red marks on his face from where his cheek was pressed into the pillow and he rubs his eyes a little trying to get all the sleep out from the inner corners of his eyes. “A little after 8,” Steve is starting to rush a little now, knowing that if he isn’t downstairs soon there will only be more questions and complaining from Dustin, “Seriously, dude-” “Oh, Stevie! You know I don’t function properly before 9am!” “Edward Munson, do not make me drag your ass out of this bed.” Steve was in proper mom mode now, eyes wide and his hands on his hips. His hair is disheveled from a night of deep sleep and his shirt from yesterday now has little creases in it from being a sleep shirt. “Wow,” Eddie deadpans, “from ‘You’re my angel, I love you’ to full name and threats. I didn’t think you would stoop so low, Stevie” Eddie shakes his head causing his curls to fly and settle in their usual shape. Steve stood there, jaw on the floor, as Eddie pushed himself out of bed and started to grab his shoes. Steve thought that he had said it in a dream. He remembered calling Eddie an angel and having his angel help him into bed but he didn’t know he had said that out loud. Fuck. He ran a hand through his hair, “What- when?” the doorbell rang again, and again, and again, “Later. We’ll talk about this later.” Steve says, flustered and trying to push his hair back into some sort of shape.

He can’t believe he just let it slip like that. He had been so casual and open with his love for Nancy and look how that ended. He promised himself he wouldn’t be like that with Eddie. He would make sure Eddie knew that Steve was serious about them, he would let their love just be a casual thing tossed out there. Sure, he knew he loved Eddie, but he was waiting for the perfect moment to tell him. Being half-asleep, or high, or drunk, or whatever was not the perfect time. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He mumbles that world aloud to himself as he plops down the stairs and throws open the front door.

Sure enough Dustin is standing in his doorway holding a giant binder and a few books, a towel slung over one shoulder and an oversized backpack barely hanging off the other. “It’s about time!” The teen shoves his way past Steve and into the house, not waiting for the invite in or even a ‘hello’. “Why is Eddie already here?” Dustin asks, slamming his stack of work on the coffee table in the living room. The question must show on Steve’s face because it’s answered before he can even ask. “I saw his van out front. How did he get here earlier than me?” “We hung out last night and he just stayed over,” Steve shrugged, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, “You know, we’re allowed to hang out without you little shits being there.” Dustin has made himself comfortable on the couch now, his backpack at his feet as he starts to pull out sunscreen, Pringles, candy bars, little figurines that Steve knows are for D&D, so much stuff that Steve starts to think the contents of the bag will never end. “It’s just weird,” Dustin starts, Steve can hear Eddie’s footsteps as he comes down the stairs, “You two wouldn’t even be friends if it weren’t for me. What do you guys even talk about when I’m not there?” “Nothing,” Eddie has rounded the stairs and is now standing behind the sofa and putting his hands on Dustin’s shoulders to give him a good shake, “We just sit and wait for you to show up.” He takes off Dustin’s hat and gives his hair a good ruffle before smooshing the cap down haphazardly back into place. He jumps over the back of the sofa, landing somewhat gracefully next to Dustin and reaches out for the binder the kid had brought in with him. “Were you planning on doing a campaign without me?” Eddie feigns offense before going to open the binder, effortlessly changing the subject. “Hey!” Dustin snatches the binder from his hands before he can spoil everything planned, “You’ll find out later. I don’t want to spoil the surprise before everyone else gets here.” Dustin gives a goofy grin and wiggles his eyebrows a little. “Speaking of everyone else,” Steve plops down into the chair, “I thought this whole thing wasn’t supposed to start until noon. I know you know how to read a clock, Henderson.” Steve tilts his head toward Dustin, waiting for an explanation as to why the little goofball felt necessary to arrive so early. “I wanted to help set-up!” He shrugged, giving Steve a goofy grin before standing and heading toward the dining room. Steve and Eddie gave each other a “what the fuck is going on?” and an “I don’t fucking know!” glance before following behind Dustin. “I wasn’t aware there was anything that needed setting up,” Steve started as Dustin began to spread out a board and little figurines across the long dining room table, “especially not hours before anyone even got here.” “Oh,” Dustin said, pausing what he was doing and lowering his head a little, “I maybe forgot to ask if we could use your place for a quick one-shot campaign…” he trailed off as Steve crossed his arms across his chest.

The last time Dustin had used Steve’s place for a “quick one shot” the kids were at his house for over two days, only pausing to take small naps and eating meals that Steve bought or made over their notebooks. “Dustin-” Steve started but Dustin was quick to cut him off. “Blame your new best friend Eddie!” He said pointing at a now bewildered and extremely confused Eddie, “It was his idea!” Steve turned to get started on Eddie. Seriously, you date a guy for over a month, you think he would tell you when your house would be used as a teen nerd hangout spot. “Woah, woah, woah,” Eddie waved his arms in front of him, “I said we should do a one shot with everyone. I didn’t say to do at Harrington’s house or that it should be done today! I mean, I didn’t write it and you didn’t even ask me to DM. You just thought I was going to jump in?” Eddie asked and Steve could hear the complete confusion in his voice. Dustin practically worshiped Eddie and D&D was kinda his whole “thing” , why didn’t he have him in on this? “Umm…about that,” Dustin was back to staring anywhere but the two older boys in front of him, “I kinda asked Will to take on this one. Now before you get mad,” Dustin rushed out, holding his hands in front of him like Eddie would attack at any second, “He used to be our DM before and I didn’t know if you would be here today because every time I tried calling you to ask, you were out on a date.” He put his hands on his hips (a move he picked up from Steve) and had a smug, shit-eating grin on his face (a move he picked up from Eddie). Eddie’s cheeks flushed light pink and it took all of Steve’s willpower to remind himself that he can’t just scoop up Eddie in his arms and scatter soft kisses across that blush right now. A few moments passed as Dustin glanced between the two boys who were internally debating if this was worth the fight. “Fine, whatever, but you’re all getting kicked out by midnight, I don’t care if you aren’t finished.” Steve sighed, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. Dustin opened his mouth to whine about how the story can’t be rushed and what if it takes longer than that, but Eddie holds up a hand to stop him and gives him a look that makes him close his mouth before any complaints can come out. “Deal.” Dustin says resignedly, hanging his head as he pushes papers around in a folder and moves figures to different spots on the board.

A few short hours later, Steve had everyone in and around the pool enjoying the late summer sun. Max and El sat on the edge of the pool and giggled while judging the impromptu diving competition going on between Lucas, Dustin, and Mike. Will and Eddie had taken two of the pool chairs close to the back door and Nancy and Jonathan were inside helping to prepare the lunch that Steve was busy grilling. Robin stood next to Steve, a cold Coke dripping condensation in her hand. “I need to give you a little heads up on something,” she half-way whispered to Steve, keeping an eye out to make sure no one would overhear their conversation. “What’s that?” He spared a sideways glance at her, not wanting to take his eyes away from the grilling meat for too long. “On the way over here Nancy asked me what I thought about the idea of her setting you up.” He flipped a few of the burger patties, “Setting me up for what?” Robin fanned herself as the combination of grill heat and noon sun were starting to get to her, “A date, dingus!” She said that part a bit too loud and earned a quick glance from Eddie and Will who were close enough to hear. She gave them both a half-hearted smile before waving them off to go back to whatever they were talking about before. “Why would she possibly want to do that?’ Steve asked, now pilling hot dogs onto a serving platter. “Apparently, someone told her you might be in a ‘funk’ and she thinks she knows just the gal to pull you out.” They both rolled their eyes at the same time. This was just like Nancy to think it was her job to fix a situation she didn’t even fully understand. Most of the time it came in handy, especially when it came to the Upside Down, but when it came time to meddle in people’s love lives it got annoying. Just a few weeks ago, Nancy was trying to convince Robin to go out with a guy who had graduated a year before them and was in journalism, but super into music. It didn’t work out very well considering he was nowhere near Robin’s type. Steve began walking the finished hotdogs and burgers into the kitchen shouting on his way into the house, “Foods ready!” Robin followed behind, trying to wrap up the conversation before getting to the kitchen. “I’m just telling you because now might be a good time to share your ‘little secret’.” “No!” Steve said, before she could even finish saying the words, “No, we aren’t ready yet. I’ll just tell her that I’m not interested.” He shrugged. “Oh yeah, cause that worked out so well for me when I said it.” Robin rolled her eyes as they rounded the corner into the kitchen where Nancy and Jonathan were putting out plates with all the fixings. “Where should I put this?” Steve asked, nodding his head to indicate the tray in his hands. “There is good,” Nancy pointed to a spot on the counter in between plates of buns and bottles of condiments. The sounds of wet feet on title and drops of water hitting the floor could be heard as the kids made their way into the kitchen to start loading up plates. “Hey Steve,” he was making his way down the line of food, preparing his own plate when Nancy slid in right beside him, “Can I talk with you for a sec?” She was trying to keep her tone light, but she always had a serious air about her. “Of course, Nance,” He started out towards the pool again, hoping that everyone else would follow his lead and eat outside so there wasn’t a mess in the house later, “Nothing serious, I hope.” He said it with a smile and a slight chuckle. “No, no,” she shook her head and gave a little laugh, “nothing serious.” She pursed her lips together, the way she always does when she's trying to figure out the best way to say something.

Steve led them to a few new chairs on the edge of the yard, he knew Nancy couldn’t stand sitting in the pool chairs after what happened those few years ago. Sure enough, everyone else followed his lead and everyone trickled out the backdoor with plates piled high and cold drinks in hand. The kids sat on the edge of the pool, some with their feet dangling in the water, and Steve noticed that Eddie had moved to a chair that was closer to where Steve and Nancy sat now. Robin came out and joined him and pulled Jonathan down to do the same when he finally emerged. “Alright,” Steve thought, “guess we’re doing this now since no one is coming to help.” “So how have you been?” Nancy started, chomping into a carrot. “Good,” Steve took a bit of his burger and nodded his head. “I’ve actually been really good.” He said after he chewed a little more. “Good!” Nancy said, sounding genuinely shocked that Steve was doing well. “Well, um, do you remember Lisa R? She would’ve been in Mrs. Denbaum’s class with you.” She asked and Steve knew exactly what was going to happen next. He looked up at his friends in the pool chairs and found them looking everywhere but to where he was sitting and trying really hard to look like they weren’t listening in on the conversation. “I think so,” he did remember Lisa. She sat in front of him in senior year science and the only reason he actually learned her name and knew who she was is because Eddie was her lab partner. That was the year that Steve’s crush on Eddie had officially started. “Why?” He knew why, but he asked anyway. He wanted this conversation to go as quickly as possible and get it over with. “Oh, you know,” Nancy was pushing her food around on her plate now, trying to make her next words as nonchalant as possible, “She was asking about you and I just thought you two would be nice together. I thought you might want to take her out. She said she was free this Friday…” She let her sentence trail off as she tried to gauge Steve’s reaction. Steve looked up to see Robin looking down but straining to hear the conversation and Eddie’s face red and his eyebrows furrowed together. Jonathan was munching away and watching the kids, happily oblivious to the silent turmoil going on around him. “Yeah okay,” Steve said, shrugging and taking another bite of his burger, “sounds nice.” “What?!” Eddie shouted, jumping up from his chair. Nancy looked over at the group for the first time since they had sat down with a confused look. “Sorry,” Robin said, pulling Eddie back down into his chair, “I didn’t realize he’s never seen Little Shop of Horrors and I spoiled the ending.” She tumbled out, a lame excuse for his outburst. Eddie sat back down after shooting Steve a very hurt glance and started whispering furiously with Robin. “Okay…” Nancy said, shaking her head like it would erase the interruption, “So this Friday?” She turned her attention back to Steve. “Sure, leave me her number and I’ll give her a call.” “Oh, Steve!” She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and gave him a little squeeze, “I’m glad to see you’re doing better!” She beamed at him. “Thanks, Nance.” Steve smiled over at her. He knew it was no use putting up a fight with Nancy and that it would only make her more suspicious if he was constantly shutting her out. Sure he had some explaining to do, but once Eddie knew the plan he would understand. At least Steve hoped he would.

#stranger things #steve harrington #steddie #steve stranger things #eddie stranger things #eddie munson #steve x eddie

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sunnyie-eve · 2 years

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41 | Bigger Problems

Series: Trouble In Hawkins (Steve Harrington x Henderson! Eddie Munson x Henderson!)

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: Language

"What was all that about?" Nancy asks as we get in her car driving away for the trailer park. "Steve wanting to be a protective boyfriend again." Robin smiles at me in the back seat. "He's just being a protective friend." I correct her. "Wait, are you two not together anymore? Why don't you keep me up with things?" Nancy asks. "Long story short... I was having nightmares about Billy and I wanted space. Steve took me saying I need space as if I breaking up with him. He left my place and went on a date two weeks later. So yes, we aren't together anymore." I keep it short.

"You know he still loves you right? He just doesn't know how to fix it." Robin tells me. "I don't care. If he wants to fix us, it better come from him not you or Dustin. And he better hurry before it's too late." I tell her truthfully. "Right... because you might give Eddie a chance if he was to ever ask you out." She rolls her eyes. "You like Eddie?" Nancy asks. "I wouldn't say no if he asked me out... Now where are we going?" I ask her wanting to change the topic. "Eddie's uncle told me the way Chrissy died has happened before. A man named Victor Creel killed his family the same way in the 50s and thinks he escape from Pennshurst Asylum." She keeps it short as he drives us to the library.

When we get there Robbin recaps everything Nancy told us on the way here, "So, that means these murders predate Eleven and the Upside Down by about 30 years?" Robins says as we go inside. "Yeah." Nancy tells her. "Which makes spooky Victor Creel like 70 years old. So, he's a grandpa murderer who can turn invisible and lift people into the air." Robin says making me look at her. "It doesn't make sense. I know. That's why I said it was a shot in the dark." Nancy tells her. "I know. I just thought that, by shot it the dark, you were being modest or hiding something super solid up your sleeve that you were gonna wow us with later. But this is like really, truly a shot in the dark." Robin goes on as Nancy rings the bell. "Robin..." I cut her off as she keeps going, "You're doing that thing where your brain is moving faster than your mouth." I say making her shut up.

"Plus there's gonna be something to connect what happened then to now. Am I the only one who thinks it's impossible for a normal person to snap bones the way Chrissy and Fred died?" I say making the two of them look at me. "Coming!" The lady calls out coming up to us. "Hi. Sorry, we're in a bit of a rush. Could we get the keys to the basement archives?" Nancy asks her and the woman said of course going to get them. "Did I come off mean or condescending?" Robin turns to Nancy. "No." She tells her. "Sorry. It's just, you seem annoyed. You don't know me very well. I really don't have a filter or a strong grasp of social cues. So if I say something that upsets you, just know that I know it's a flaw. Believe me, my mother reminds me daily." Robin tells her so I rub her back as the woman hands Nancy the keys. "We'll try." Nancy walks off first. "Come on, Robin." I put my arm around her shoulder. "It's because I don't have a filter right?" She looks at me. "Nancy has never been very patient or childish/fun." I whisper to her. "So she can't stand me?" Robin asks. "It's kinda like us with Steve at times..." I expect and she gets it.

While Nancy looks through articles Robin and I sit with each other looking at some too. "Anything... juicy over there?" Robin asks Nancy because we had nothing helpful. "Nothing new." She sighs. "Yep, same here." I groan. "Victor seemed like a normal guy. Dead family, missing eyes, took a plea deal, sent to Pennhurst. Blah, blah, blah, blah." Robin sums everything we keep reading. "What are we looking for exactly?" Robin leans over to look at Nancy. "Any mention of dark wizards or alternate dimensions?" She asks her. "I don't know, okay. It's starting to seem like this was just a big waste is time. You're both obviously bored. Why don't you just call Steve? I'm sure he'll pick you both up. Maybe Steve and Skylar can make up. And I mean, I'm not really in any danger here, so..." Nancy snaps leaving the room.

Robin and I look at each other so we go follow her. "I get it now... You're moody because Jonathan didn't come for break. But to my knowledge you two are still going strong cause I heard you guys are going to college together and I see you guys as one of those power couples." I lean on a file cabinet looking at her. "I thought the same thing about you and Steve. You two were perfect together but look at you now..." She looks at me. "Steve and I are just friends. Platonic with a capital P so I'll never have to go through what you two do/did with him." " Robin adds making us look at her.

"I know Robin." I give her a smile as she finds something that could be helpful so we go look at it. "Ah, Elvis clone by aliens." Nancy sighs. "You never know." I say making her walk off and Robin keeps looking till we find what we wanted. "Victor Creel claims vengeful demon killed family. The murder that shocked a small community." Robin reads out. "Ha, ha. That's very funny." Nancy doesn't believe her. "She's not kidding. Get over here." I say so she does. "According to several insiders, Victor believed his house was haunted by an ancient demon. Victor allegedly hired a priest to exorcise the demon from his home." I read out. "Pretty novel for the 50s. Exorcist wasn't even out yet." Robin says as I took a break. "Keep... keep going Sky." She tells me so Robin scrolls.

"Victor claimed this exorcism failed, but it angered this demon, which then murdered his family, removing their eyes. Victor believed he was spared as a punishment." I finish. "That's pretty convenient for Victor." Nancy says. "Yeah, or super inconvenient. Victor was declared legally insane by the court, right? What if this is why? It sounds insane. Just didn't go public because-," Robins says but Nancy cuts in, "The plea bargain. The records were sealed." She looks at us. "What if a demon did invade Victor's home? It's just, this demon wasn't any old demon." Robin asks. "It was Vecna." I say and they nod their heads and we getting to leaving.

"Dustin, so you copy?" I radio him. "Yeah, I copy." He answers. "So, Nancy's a genius. Vecna's first victims date back all the way to 1959." I let him know. "Okay, that's totally bonkers, but I can't really talk right now." He lets me know. "What are you doing?" I ask as we get to the car. "Breaking and entering the school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files." He says making the girls look at me. "Excuse me?! Steve!" I shout at them. "Just get your ass over here, stat. We'll explain everything." He tells me. "I thought they were talking to Ms. Kelley?" Nancy looks at me. "We leave them alone for two hours." Robin rolls her eyes as we all get in the car.

"Now she's mad at me... thanks a lot Max." Steve huffs as she unlocks the office door. "She'll get over it." She tells him going over to the file cabinet. "It's like a mini-Watergate or something. Hawkinsgate." Dustin says. "Wait a second didn't those guys get caught?" Steve asks as Max finds something. "You find it?" Dustin asks her. "Yeah, and not just Chrissy's file. Fred was seeing Ms. Kelley too." She pulls out the files. Max goes through Chrissy file then asks for Fred's too finding something they have in common along with her. "Skylar has a file too." Dustin pulls it out making Max snatch it form him to see if hers had the same thing and it sorta did but it says she stopped coming after awhile. "Max, what is it?" Dustin sees the look on her face. "Max! Max!" Both Steve and Dustin say her name trying to shake her out of a trance.

"What happened?" Steve asks her. "Vecna..." She gets up and Dustin radios for the girls to get her faster. When they get there Max takes them to where she was the clock. "It was so real. And when I got closer... I woke up." She tells them. "It was like she was in a trance or something. Exactly what Eddie said happened to Chrissy." Dustin looks at the group. "That's not even the bad part." She takes them back the office. "Fred and Chrissy they both came to Miss Kelley for help. Uh, they both were having headaches, bad headaches that wouldn't go away. And then... the nightmares. Trouble sleeping. They'd wake up in cold sweat. Then they started seeing things. Bad things. From their pasts. These visions, they just... they kept on getting worse and worse, until eventually... everything ended."

"Vecna's curse." Robin says. "Chrissy's headaches started a week ago. Fred's six days ago. I've been having them for five days. I don't know how long I have. All I know is that, for Fred and Chrissy, they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision. And I just saw that goddamn clock, so... looks like I'm gonna die tomorrow." Max tears up as they hear a noise so they follow Steve to go to see what it was. It was just Lucas scaring everyone, "Dustin, I've been with Jason, Patrick, and Andy, and they've gone totally off the rails. They're trying to capture Eddie, and they think you know where he is. You're in terrible danger." Lucas tells him out of breath. "All right. Yeah, that definitely sucks, but we've got bigger problems than Jason now." Everyone looks back at Max.

Outside everyone gets back in the cars but Skylar wouldn't leave Max's side. "You could be in trouble too." Max whispers to her. "Your file fits too." She says making Dustin, Steve, and Lucas listen to them closely. "It's been months..." Skylar whispers back. "You could be a wild card." Max squeezes her hand. Skylar looks out the window thinking about the headaches she had since the beginning of the month, nosebleeds, and the nightmares she's hid. Was Vecna just really messing with her. Why hasn't he gotten her yet because if anyone besides Max was going to get it next would be her. She had major trauma with Billy's death and blames herself for Barb still dying too.

At the Wheelers house everyone goes down to the basement and Max goes to a corner by herself. "Skylar." Steve grabs her hand dragging her away from everyone. "I really don't wanna leave her alone." She looks over at Max because she cares for her as a sister. "What if Max is right about you? You're a wild card. What if Vecna comes after you? We all know you're weak in that area. I'm sorry but it's true." Steve looks down at her worried. "I know I am... and I know he will come after at some point. I'm surprised it isn't me first." Skylar looks up at him. "I'm worried about you." He places a hand in her cheek. "Right now we focus on Max. We have to find something because I can't lose her. When we find a way to keep her safe we can just do the same thing with me." Skylar tears up and they slowly roll down her face. "I can't lose her Steve." Skylar starts to cry so he pulls her into his chest rubbing her back.

#stranger things #steve harrington #stranger things 2 #stranger things 3 #dustin henderson #el #max mayfield #steve harrington x henderson #robin buckley #mike wheeler #lucas sinclair #will byers #jonathan byers #nancy wheeler #eddie munson #stranger things 4 #eddie munson x henderson

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platypanthewriter · 3 years

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Hook Possum 4/4

Art by @monsdasarah for Harringrove Big Bang!

PART ONE | TWO | THREE

The last night, Robin told one of the weirder bits of Hook Possum lore, staring dead at Steve the whole time.

“Once, long, long time ago,” she began, in a sibilant stage whisper, her flashlight under her chin. “Back when all these trees were still pinecones, a stranger came to the little town you passed driving in, on the highway.” The littlest kids shivered and nodded, scooting closer to the fire. “There wasn’t much going on there then,” Robin went on, grinning evilly, “—and a stranger was exciting. He went to all the dances, and he was handsome, and what do you think happened?” she offered the flashlight to an older girl, who was biting her lips together in glee.

“One of the girls fell in love with him,” she suggested, and Robin smiled.

“Have you never wondered who Hook Possum searches for, with a lantern, in the dead of night,” Robin said, and Steve rubbed his face, feeling it heat.

“...what,” Hook Possum asked, edging closer, and Steve sighed, shaking his head. It’d become habit now to slide his fingers in Hook Possum’s costume at the wrist, between his wrist, the cuff, and the friendship bracelet, and Steve leaned closer. Hook Possum’s hand twitched, but then he relaxed, ducking his head. Steve hoped he was smiling.

“Hook Possum searches for a murderer,” Robin said. “The dancing stranger. Because the night they were to be married, he left Hook Possum buried in a shallow grave.”

“Wait, Hook Possum’s a girl?!” yelled a kid, huge-eyed, and Hook Possum looked around. Steve thought Hook Possum being a possum was more to the point, but nobody else seemed to see a problem.

“It’s just a costume,” said another one. “Hook Possum might be a girl really.”

“That’s right, mom possums carry their young around,” said another one, and a couple kids grabbed Hook Possum’s legs and arm, listening intently.

“Hook Possum came to meet her love, under the yellow poplar in the center of camp,” Robin whispered. “And he buried her there.”

Everybody gasped, and Hook Possum’s mask twitched as he glanced at Steve.

“She’d made a lovely flower crown, and she never got to wear it at her wedding,” Robin said, and Steve’s cheeks heated further. He decided to shift the planks holding her mattress up that night, so she’d fall through in the dead of night. “And that,” Robin intoned, holding the flashlight under her chin, and letting her voice waver creepily, “—is the real reason Hook Possum wanders this earth, alone, with her lantern. She wants to wear her flower crown. She’s looking for her love.”

The kids were all staring at Hook Possum, but as a creepy mass, their eyes followed his arm down to where Steve had his fingers tucked in the cuff and friendship bracelet, and then up again to Steve’s face. “Oh noooo,” he breathed.

“I can make flower crowns,” said Blair Witch Mirror Kid.

“We can have a wedding,” said Sun Safety Girl.

“Tomorrow,” Robin said, her mouth quirked evilly. “We’ll need to get ready.”

“I was at a wedding,” Pink Overalls said. “You throw flowers at people.”

“Before the buses show up,” Robin announced. “We’ll hold a wedding for Hook Possum.”

Steve had wondered before then whether the kids had noticed...whatever it was, between him and Hook Possum. Hook Possum sat next to him at the fire, his mask on Steve’s shoulder, Steve’s fingers tucked against his wrist, feeling his heartbeat. Sometimes the kids looked at them for a while, but they never said anything shitty, and Steve wondered if he’d been obvious the whole time, and Robin, Dustin, Max, and El had been running interference.

“We’ll need vows,” said Bell Witch Mirror Game Kid, who needed a shorter nickname, but Steve shrugged, because it was the second-to-last day of camp.

Hook Possum’s mask kept jerking towards Steve, then away, but he didn’t pull his arm away from Steve’s.

The next morning, Hook Possum got drug away from the cabin first thing, while Steve still had his arms wrapped around the post of the bed, snoring with his head under the pillow. When they let Steve come and look, the kids had drug all the chairs so there was an aisle under the trees, and set up an overturned trash can as the altar.

“Because he’s a possum,” said Dustin, grinning.

“Ha, ha,” Steve said dryly. His cheeks hurt from smiling, but he tried to keep a straight face as little kids showed him the flowers they’d picked, and told him they’d used all his possum facts in the vows. “...wow,” Steve said, thinking about ticks and carrion.

“We’re gonna play kazoos,” said Dustin, and Steve turned to see El earnestly putting a kazoo between her lips, accompanied by Max, Lucas, and Nancy’s kid brother, Mitchell. “...oh,” Steve said, wondering whether he was gonna be able to keep from doubling up with laughter when they were mid-possum vow and the kazoos started.

The kazoos started as they walked Hook Possum out, flower crown and all. “I made you a flower crown too,” Bell Witch Mirror Game Boy told Steve, and Steve dropped to a crouch let him put it on his head. He bit his lips as he turned to watch Hook Possum, bedecked in a flower crown and carrying a bouquet.

“There aren’t rings,” Robin whispered. “I got Sesame Street band-aids. Bert and Ernie.” It occurred to Steve suddenly, his cheeks heating at the actual care she’d put into it, that it might be on him, some day, to organize a more serious kind of wedding for her and her...someone. He bit his lip, trying not to think about how silly it all was, with Hook Possum moving away.

At least nearly everyone he knew had been at camp, he thought, watching Hook Possum bump blindly into the chairs, and listening to a bunch of off-tempo children earnestly try to produce ‘Here Comes The Bride’ on kazoo. They sounded like a lot of wet bees, mostly. At least Dustin would know what Steve was talking about, when he mentioned Hook Possum six times a sentence, or turned to grin at him, and then realized he wasn’t there.

Hook Possum drew closer—Pink Overalls had just grabbed his hand, finally, and hauled him along, and Steve wondered why he was having so much trouble seeing. It was drizzly, and gray, but it wasn’t dark. Pink Overalls threw flowers at Steve’s face, then at Hook Possum’s, and stepped back.

Steve wondered, as ever, what she thought was happening.

“Friends and campers gathered here today,” Dustin began, but Steve didn’t really listen to the vows. He’d slid his finger through Hook Possum’s handcuff, and the friendship bracelet, and his hand was shaking a little.

“Are you seriously okay with this,” he breathed, leaning close to Steve’s head. “This—this is—”

“Ssssshhhh,” Dustin groaned. “Where are the rings?”

“We’ll just wrap it around Hook Possum’s paw and he can put it on later,” Robin decided, and Steve wrapped it around Hook Possum’s furry-gloved finger. It felt really... weddingy, when Hook Possum (with Robin’s help) unwrapped the Bert-and-Ernie bandaid and wrapped it around Steve’s finger. Steve took his paw and squeezed it, wondering what he’d agreed to.

“To love and to cherish, so long as you both shall live?” Robin asked, her eyes steady, and Steve kind of wanted to run, dreading Hook Possum laughing.

“...I do,” he whispered.

“I do too,” Steve said quickly, grabbing Hook Possum’s other paw, and squeezing that one too.

“You may kiss the bride,” announced Dustin, and Steve leaned in and smacked a kiss on the mask, listening to the startled laughter of the man inside.

After that, in the first raindrops, Robin sent the kids to get their packed bags. “The buses will be here in twenty minutes!” she yelled, stomping off, and Steve pulled back from hugging Hook Possum as hard as he could.

“I have to take the costume off,” Hook Possum whispered. “It’s starting to rain.”

It hadn’t rained for the whole three weeks of camp, not during the day, and it felt like a sign camp was truly over. Steve nodded, squeezing the dirty old costume paws in his hands, and wondering about the human inside them.

“He said you could kiss the bride,” Hook Possum said in kind of a weird choked voice, standing perfectly still, and Steve froze.

“You...saying I can see you?” he whispered back, as the rain started to penetrate his hair, cold against his head.

“...I’m saying I’m taking it off,” Hook Possum hissed, dragging Steve back towards the cabin. “Don’t look. But, uh. If—if you—he said you could kiss the bride, so—”

“I want to,” Steve told him, panting as they ran. “I want to, I do.”

“Okay,” Hook Possum laughed, kind of unevenly. “Yeah.”

Steve helped him get out of the damn costume for the last time, untying the little cords slowly, and sliding the warm, wet, musty fabric down Hook Possum’s muscular shoulders. As a show of good faith, he opened Robin’s luggage and took out one of her kneesocks, and wrapped it around his eyes. That done, he ran his hands down Hook Possum’s arms to find his bracelet and cuff, and a warm, strong hand to run his fingers over. He did the same on the other side, finding that Hook Possum hadn’t put the band-aid on.

“Lemme do it right,” Steve asked, and Hook Possum stilled. Steve fiddled blindly with the little tabs, but he got it on there, and slid their fingers together. “...they fit nice,” he said softly, and Hook Possum sighed. “Lemme take your mask off,” Steve tried next, and Hook Possum let him, let him slide his hands up over the pulse pounding in Hook Possum’s neck, and lift the mask away, before running his thumb over a stubbly jaw, and sliding his fingers into soft, sweaty curls.

Hook Possum stepped away. “Just let me get my feet out,” he whispered.

Steve stood there with a sock around his head for a long second, feeling stupid, when warm, chapped lips met his. Hook Possum’s breath was shaky.

“...gonna miss you,” Steve told him, as soon as he could draw breath, licking his lips, and Hook Possum made a little grunty whining noise in the back of his throat, and kissed him again. “We’re married now,” Steve told him. “You aren’t gonna run out on me, are you?”

“...this was never real,” Hook Possum said, his voice cracking, and Steve nodded once, his eyes stinging, and walked out. He yanked the sock off his head and blinked up at the rain, then yelped as Hook Possum dragged him back against the side of the cabin, the rain slicking up their hands and faces as they kissed again. “I wish it was real,” Hook Possum whispered.

“Give me your phone number, at least,” Steve whispered, kissing the warm, soft mouth against his. “Your name?!”

“...sorry,” Hook Possum muttered, pulling away. “Don’t look.”

Steve didn’t. He stood there in the rain for five entire minutes. His shoulders shook because of the warm Indiana summer rain, and for no other reason.

“He’ll meet you at the diner,” Max’s voice said, as Steve was paying for a stack of frozen TV dinners at Bradley’s Big Buy, and skateboarded off, without telling Steve when, so he yelled incoherently after her and drove to the diner. He ordered coffee as his TV dinners slowly defrosted in his car, and watched the door, then, finally, when the waitress wouldn’t go away, he ordered pie. It was really good, he thought distractedly, chomping bites of lemon meringue as he stared through the door at the parking lot.

Three hours—and a lot of pie—later, Billy Hargrove pulled up in front, and Steve made a face, wondering if he dared risk running to the bathroom. Billy lingered outside, cleaning his windshield wipers, and checking under the hood, blocking Steve’s view of everyone else who might drive up, and in his annoyance, Steve failed to notice he’d received and finished another refill on his coffee, and the bathroom question was becoming desperate.

He pressed his knees together, glancing at the clock, and gritting his teeth.

Billy glanced in, saw Steve, and stopped, watching him like he still kinda wanted to beat his teeth in, or something. Steve knocked back half a mug of coffee in sheer annoyance, and then glowered down at it, mentally apologizing to his bladder.

The door creaked open, and Steve jerked to attention, nearly knocking his latest empty pie plate off the counter with his elbow, but it was just Billy, slouching, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. He was tugging at his cuff, one hand stuffed in his pocket.

“Harrington,” he said, and Steve nodded, trying to see past him through the door. Billy huffed a laugh. “...you got a hot date?” he asked, and Steve nearly said yes, but then thought what it would look like, when a man showed up.

“None of your beeswax,” he said tiredly, wishing Max had said when. “Hey,” he called to the waitress. “How early d’you open in the morning?”

“We’re open five o’clock in the morning to eleven o’clock at night,” she said, and Steve winced, hoping Hook Possum showed up before, like, tomorrow afternoon. He had visions of himself keeping vigil for days, glutting himself on pie, and sleeping in the parking lot.

Billy turned and stalked back out, shaking his head, and Steve decided to risk the bathroom. He sprinted back out to see the parking spot in front empty, and sat back down, opening the pie menu.

“Your friend left,” said the waitress.

“What?!” Steve said, jerking his head around to the door. “Just now?!”

“The boy with the shirt and jacket made of blue jeans,” she said, cocking her head like Billy’s fashion sense was annoying, which to be fair, it was.

“Oh,” Steve said, deflating.

“He came back and asked how long you’d waited. If you’d said anything about who you were waiting for,” she said, eyeing him narrowly, and Steve blinked back at her.

Max’s voice suddenly sounded in his head again. Uh, he lives on my street. She’d sounded hesitant, which was very unlike Max.

He’s the big brother I never had, she’d said, and Steve had assumed that couldn’t be Billy.

You’re the son of the boss’s boss?! He heard again, in Hook Possum’s raspy, high-pitched tones. You could get me fired.

“...Billy,” Steve said aloud.

“Is this some kind of Shop Around The Corner thing? I love that movie.” the waitress asked, as Steve scrambled for his wallet, thinking about Billy’s curls, and how he’d been afraid of Steve seeing him with the mask off, even once they were friends. “Was he supposed to carry a certain book or something? Were you penpals?” she asked idly, leaning on the counter. “You should probably go talk to him, if you can walk, after all that pie.”

“He’s moving to California,” Steve said, shoving a wad of cash at her without bothering to count it, and running out to his car.

“Good luck!” she called after him. “Idiot,” he thought he heard, and his cheeks burned.

When he pulled up to the Hargrove house, it wasn’t lit up. He ran around to Max’s window—he knew where that was, from driving Dustin and Lucas around—and tossed a pinecone at it. After a few thudded into the glass, the blinds shot up, and she glowered out, then glared down at him, yanking the window up. “The hell are you doing here?!” she hissed.

“Billy’s Hook Possum,” Steve stage-whispered back at her, cupping his face. “Isn’t he?”

She frowned harder, glancing over her shoulder. “What are you doing here?!”

“Come let me in,” Steve told her, and she shook her head.

“He’s not home! Did you miss him?! God, you’re such morons—”

“Where’s his room?” Steve hissed back, and she pointed, leaning out.

“He left like an hour ago,” she shot back, waving at the road. “We’d hear his car.”

“Let me in, I’ll wait for him,” Steve whispered up, and she groaned, leaning her head against the wood of the window.

“Fine,” she said, slamming it shut. A few minutes later, the window next to it opened, and Max’s head poked out. “Get up here,” she said. “And be quiet, you’ll get him in trouble, his dad’s watching the ballgame.”

“Okay,” Steve said, gauging the jump to the windowsill.

He wasn’t graceful, but he made it in, kicking off the siding and getting an arm inside. He clambered in with Max’s help, and looked around in the refracted light from the streetlamps. Everything was in boxes. “...when’s he leaving,” Steve asked, his throat tight.

“He was gonna leave today, but I got him to meet you at the diner,” Max growled. “What happened?!”

“He didn’t say anything, he just left,” Steve groaned, his eye catching on something over on the mirrored dresser thingy. He squinted in the dim light, leaning in—and he was right, it was the flower crown Hook Possum had worn for their ‘marriage’. The flowers were wilted, their petals crumbly in his hands, and Steve leaned to smell them, remembering.

He shivered, trying not to laugh, because he was right, Billy Hargrove was Hook Possum, and now everything was even more complicated. Billy Hargrove hates me, Steve thought, bewildered. He HATES me, he nearly beat my face in.

“That’s his car,” Max said, staring at nothing, and then Steve could hear it, through the open window.

“I just need to talk to him,” he said, and she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, you fucking do,” she muttered, slamming the door on her way out.

Alone in Billy’s room, Steve wandered around, squinting at the couple of posters still on the wall. He found the light switch, and leaned against the wall near it as footsteps came down the hall, and the doorknob turned.

Steve waited until Billy shut the door and wandered over to the window before flipping on the light, and Billy yelled.

“Holy cross eyed jesus, Harrington,” he panted, staring. “What—why—”

“You’re Hook Possum,” Steve said. “Right?”

“What,” Billy said, backing away. He had his arms up like he wanted to fight, but as Steve stepped closer he just flinched back, his head and shoulders thudding against the wall. Steve could see a glint against his denim cuff, and grabbed his wrist, sliding a finger down inside.

“My friendship bracelet,” he said, feeling too relieved for a true smirk. “...and you still haven’t gotten this handcuff off?!” he asked, sliding the clinking metal up Billy’s wrist.

“Looks kinda rad, don’t you think,” Billy whispered, swallowing. “Why’re you here, Harrington?”

“You’re Hook Possum,” Steve said again, running his fingers along the soft skin on the underside of Billy’s wrist, under the cuff and the friendship bracelet.

Billy watched his face, licking his lips, and Steve remembered how it’d felt kissing him. He’d kissed Billy Hargrove, he thought, his brain stumbling to a halt as it reorganized Steve’s memories to fit the new facts.

“What happens now,” Billy asked, and Steve let him go, stepping back as he remembered nothing had actually changed.

“...you’re moving to California,” Steve said, looking around at the boxes. “I—I guess I can send postcards now. Now I know the big secret.” It was almost worse, knowing more about Hook Possum, and having to watch him leave.

“...you’re not pissed,” Billy asked, raising his eyebrows, and Steve considered, and then shook his head.

It was hard to imagine being angry at Hook Possum, even if Hook Possum was Billy Hargrove. “Nah,” Steve said, stalking over to sit on the bed. “Thanks, uh, thanks for meeting me. I guess. I know you didn’t want to see me again.” He’d thought Hook Possum liked him, which was stupid, he realized. “I should go, huh.”

“I didn’t know you’d be there, at the camp,” Billy said, laughing. He sounded tense. “I thought I was getting away from Hawkins.”

Max knew, Steve thought, remembering planning with Dustin and everyone. “Yeah. I figured.”

“You wishing you didn’t know, now?” Billy asked, with another laugh, sitting in the window, and gripping the sill with white knuckles.

“...no,” Steve said, honestly. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but it hadn’t been this...wary distance.

“You want your friendship bracelet back?” Billy sneered, and Steve just shook his head, and got up to leave out the door, if Billy was gonna block the window. The eight slices of pie were roiling in his stomach with probably two whole pots of coffee, and he felt like he might throw up. “Harrington, fuck, wait,” Billy growled, pushing himself up to stalk over and hold the door shut. “Why’d you come over here,” he hissed, his low register all Billy Hargrove, who’d beaten Steve unconscious.

“I don’t know,” Steve said, laughing, a little, because Hook Possum had been right. Summer camp wasn’t the real world, and he wasn’t married to a magic possum. He yanked on the doorknob, but Billy leaned his weight against the door, watching his face.

“Do you still want me,” Billy asked, grabbing Steve’s arm.

Steve wanted to get out of the conversation, and he almost dodged the question with a what do you mean, or a I have to go, but Billy’s hand was warm on his skin, and nervously sweaty.

Steve nodded.

Billy made a noise in his throat, kind of a strangled choke, and grabbed him, yanking him into a clumsy kiss, all teeth, because he was laughing. “You’ll make me another friendship bracelet, right,” he said breathlessly, like it was important, and Steve nodded, losing track of what was going on. He ran his finger along Billy’s wrist, and hooked it around the friendship bracelet/cuff accessory, and Billy kissed him again, leaning in. “If—if I’m here, you’ll make me another one.”

“Yeah,” Steve agreed, dizzy with kisses.

“Make us rings,” Billy whispered, smiling so wide his kisses were a little wet against Steve’s cheek, and ear. Steve’s bones creaked from how hard Billy was squeezing him.

“...can’t believe you haven’t taken the handcuff off,” Steve whispered, against Billy’s jaw. “...god, I hope nobody ever asks how we met. Stay out of the trash.”

Billy snorted a laugh, leaning his face into Steve’s neck with a sigh, and then pressing soft kisses up it, so Steve started having wild thoughts about Billy’s mattress, five feet away. “Y’know,” Billy said softly, “I kinda hope they do ask, actually. You ashamed of your magical...haunted possum...girlfriend?”

“God I missed you,” Steve said, snorting a laugh. His vision blurred with tears.

#harringrove big bang #Harringrove #Ridiculous possum mascot story #Art by Monsdasarah!!#Amazing

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maximoff-pan · 5 years

Text

dating steve harrington and being a henderson would include...(part one)

this doesn’t include season 3 as I haven’t finished watching it yet, but if you want, I’m totally willing to do a part two that includes season 3

feedback is much appreciated :)

Early Relationship/Enemies

When you first met Steve, you couldn’t stand him...

No seriously, he was everything you could possibly hate about a person

Arrogant, annoying, an utter asshole......you get the idea

Unfortunately when Nancy (your best friend, and your brother’s friend’s sister) starts dating Steve, it means you have to see him more than you’d like to

When Nancy drags you to Steve’s party, you end up hanging out with Barb (poor Barb)

You’re 100% annoyed to be there

“You lost Henderson?”

Just when you thought he couldn’t be more of a douchebag.....he actually has the audacity to talk to you.....I mean, the nerve on that boy

Okay so that might be a little dramatic....but

No party is worth having to socialize with ‘King Steve’

Just the thought of his stupid persona makes you want to gag

“Go fuck yourself Harrington.”

“Ah, so that’s the route we’re taking tonight....profanity.”

Honestly, Steve has always admired you, despite your frosty relationship in high-school

You’re one of the only girls who doesn’t fall at his feet

It’s really refreshing and kinda hot......

nope, no, Steve does not like you, (Y/n) Henderson.....no way, that’s crazy, right?????

Besides, he’s dating Nancy

ANYWAY.....

He’s really impressed when you stand up to him and Tommy H. to protect Jonathan

Honestly, you take no shit from anyone, especially Steve Harrington, even if he is really dreamy....

Wait what? You do not like Steve Harrington....nuh uh

Okay maybe a little

Sorta Friends

In the next few months, he and Nancy break up

It’s weird, because you try to console Nancy about it, yet she doesn’t seem to care

She’s too interested in Jonathan

Which totally shocks you because despite your rocky relationship with Steve, you thought he seemed like a great boyfriend, and that they were happy together

This is when you and Dustin run into Steve while looking for Mike

Boy did this whole Dart situation have you on edge....you’re sure you look like crap

But there’s no way you look worse than Steve

“You look worse for wear Harrington.”

“You don’t look too great yourself Henderson.”

Cue arguing for a good few minutes

Dustin is fed up

He does not understand any of this argument whatsoever....he just wants to find Mike

“Hey Steve, you still got that bat?”

Friends to Something More

This is when your relationship starts to change

Steve starts getting closer with Dustin and you can’t help it

Goddamn he just had to make you like him

You end up saving each other’s asses a few times when fighting the demogorgons

“Steve, on your left!”

Wacking the fuck out of one of them as they approach Steve

“Thanks Henderson”

“It’s no big deal.”

To Steve, it is a big deal

He’s never seen you like this, and he’s starting to forget why you hated each other

Both being protective of the kids AF

When Billy comes to find Max, it’s Harrington and Henderson to the rescue™️

NO ONE is going to hurt those kids, not on your watch

Steve getting knocked out in the process

Allowing the kids to try and help save everyone

When Steve wakes up to see you driving, let’s just say, he’s not happy

“What the fuck Henderson? Are you trying to get us all killed?”

“Sorry you were too busy losing a fight to make decisions.”

Bickering back and forth

Mike is done with it pretty quickly

“God, just getting married already.”

Que utter silence.......

Everything ends up turning out fine

El closes the gate

Steve asks you who El is....

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later.”

“You wanna hang out later Henderson?”

“Yeah, I guess I do Harrington.”

Dustin noticing how close the two of you are getting and sees the opportunity to tease you

“StOP FlirTINg WIth mY siStER HarRinGToN!”

On the night of the snowball, you go with Steve to drop off Dustin

“Aw, my baby brother, all grown up.”

“Shut up (Y/n).”

Dustin does the purring thing on his way out of the car

You cringe at him

“Never do that again Dusty.”

Steve and Dustin both laugh

“That’s what I’ve been telling him.”

“Yeah yeah.”

Dustin points to the two of you

“Keep it pg 13. I really don’t want to come out here to see you two making out in the car.”

Steve blushes so much and you think it’s really cute

Making out with Steve definitely wouldn’t be so bad

Something More

While Dustin is at the snowball, you head back to your place

You put in a movie, make some popcorn, and plop yourself down on the couch

Steve lets out a loud sigh and wraps his arm around your shoulders

“Getting a little cozy there, Harrington?”

He blushes again and pull his arm back

“Sorry.”

“No no! I’m kidding! I liked it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He leans back and you two cuddle together

You snuggle together for a while, before Steve leans down and whispers in your ear...

“I really like you Henderson.”

You’re shocked

Especially after everything with Nancy

You never thought when you’d started this whole demogorgon shit show that you’d end up falling for Steve Harrington

But here you are....

“I like you too Harrington.”

You’re sitting quietly for a couple of minutes just taking each other in, when suddenly Steve breaks the silence

“Can I kiss you?”

You do a double take, but quickly get yourself composed again

You grin

“Yeah you dork. You can kiss me.”

Kissing Steve is like nothing you’ve ever experienced

Just a few months ago, you had hated him

And now you’re making out with him in your living room

It’s surreal and he’s really putting everything into it

You can feel how much he cares about you

“Steve.”

“(Y/n).”

That’s one of the first times either of you has used the other’s first name in a long time

You break apart at the same time

“Wow.”

He stares at you

“Yeah, wow.”

You make out for a while before going back to the movie, and cuddling some more.....this time a lot closer

You don’t mean to fall asleep, but it’s sooooo comfortable

I mean, Steve is just so warm and you can’t help it

Steve falls asleep next to you, you in his arms, a smile on both of your faces

Everything is right

Bonus

A few hours later, your front door slams open

In walks an utterly annoyed Dustin Henderson

He trudges into the living room, his eyes trained on the floor

“I honestly cannot believe you two.” He yells without looking up.

When you don’t respond, he gets more frustrated

“Hey assholes! You forgot to pick me up.”

He finally looks up to see you curled into Steve, asleep on the couch

“Oh come on Harrington! Really, my sister?” He mumbles jokingly as he walks towards the stairs

Taking one last glance at the two of you, he grins noticing this opportunity

He runs up and grabs your camera, running back to you and Steve

Capturing a picture, he laughs

“Who knew my sister had more game than me?....”

Let’s just say, you and Steve never live that picture down

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington imagine #stranger things headcanon #stranger things x reader #steve harrington headcanon #stranger things imagine #steve harrington imagines #stranger things imagines

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idumpyourgrass · 4 years

Text

Always Waiting- Chapter 5

Always Waiting- Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader

Always Waiting Masterlist

Summary: Y/n goes to dinner at the Hollands residence and decides to step out of her comfort zone and goes to Tina’s Halloween bash. She meets the “new keg king” and is saved by her knight in shining armor

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

A/N: Ahhhhh this chapter!!! Sorry it’s out later than I expected, I had a busy week! I hope you enjoy this chapter! It’s definitely one of my favorite’s so far. As always lmk if you want to be added to the taglist!

Warning: Language, underage drinking, mentions of vomit, asshole Billy, typos I’m sure

Word Count: 3.1k

A lot has happened since that Christmas eve day. You auditioned for the spring musical, Les Miserable. On opening night, Nancy and Steve came to see you, as well as your mom, Dustin, the rest of the party and Jonathan, it was an awkward encounter. Nancy and Steve brought you flowers. You got a lot closer with Robin Buckley, having sleepovers almost every weekend. It was nice to have a girl friend who wasn’t dating your ex best friend who you were totally falling for. You would avoid Steve as much as you could in the hallways, trying as hard as you could to get those feelings to go away. He would always call out your name in the hallways and try to talk to you, but you would just walk away and pretend like you didn’t hear him. You, Nancy, and Jonathan would hang out some of the time. It had almost been a year since the whole Will disappearing thing.

~October 29th, 1984~

You and your mom sit on the couch with Mews watching TV while Dustin runs through the house.

“Shit, shit, shit” Dustin mumbles, throwing couch cushions all over.

“Dusty, watch out! You almost hit Mews!” You mom scolds.

“Can I please look under your cushions,” Dustin asks. You glare at him not wanting to get up. He raises his eyebrows at you. You sigh and stand up, your mom following. Dustin reaches into the couch cushions and pulls out a couple quarters.

“Y/n, will you pretty, pretty please give me a ride to the arcade?”

You let out a deep sigh and grab your car keys.

~October 30th, 1984~

Dustin sits in your car rambling about how someone named madmax took over all his high scores on the games.

“Madmax? Who’s Madmax?” You ask.

“I don’t know! Keith said the only way he would tell us is if I could get him a date with you.”

“I hope you declined.”

“I didn’t want to, but mike told me I was prostituting you, so I said no.” This earned him a smack on the head.

You pull into the school’s parking lot. You look over at the car you parked next to which was a huge mistake. In the car is Nancy and Steve, looking over some papers. Before they can look up you dart away.

“Have a good day Dusty!” You shout as you run off, leaving Dustin with a confused look on his face.

* * *

You and Robin walk behind Nancy and Jonathan as you leave English class, talking amongst yourselves. Tina hands you and Robin flyers for her party. Nancy turns around and looks at you and Robin.

“You guys are going to this right?” She asks.

“Yes!”

“No way,” You and Robin answer at the same time.

“What do you mean no?!” Robin asks you.

“My mom and I are watching scary movies” You say making up some excuse. The real reason was because you knew Steve would be there and you didn’t want to have any awkward drunk interactions with him, so you thought it best to stay away from him.

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” Robin says. You stop and think for a minute, weighing your options.

“I’ll only go if Jonathan goes.” Jonathan looks at you like your crazy then looks over to Nancy who raises her eyebrows, “Fine, I’ll go.”

Oh great, the only reason you said that was because you figured Jonathan would never want to go to a party. You should’ve known he would have said yes, especially to Nancy. Robin says goodbye and departs from the group.

You follow Nancy and Jonathan to Nancy’s locker. Once you get there, Nancy turns to you.

“Are you coming to the dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Holland tonight?” Mr. and Mrs. Holland had invited you and Nancy over for dinner tonight, you had almost forgotten.

“Oh, yeah, of course.” You respond.

“I think Steve is going to come too.”

“Oh.” You say. As if on cue, Steve comes racing up to Nancy, picking her up and spinning her around.

“I’ve missed you!” He says. This then leads to a deep make out session. You and Jonathan decide it’s best to leave. You don’t think Jonathan knows about your feelings for Steve, but then again, Jonathan probably thinks you don’t know about his feelings for Nancy.

* * *

You were not looking forward to this dinner anymore. Sure, you were looking forward to seeing Barb’s parents as you haven’t seen them since, since the “accident,” but you haven’t been in the same room as Steve since Christmas Eve, and you haven’t even exchanged so much as 2 words to each other.

You are running late to the Holland’s. When you arrive you see Steve’s car is already there. You get up to the front door, take a big breath, and ring and doorbell. You debated just turning around and going home, and saying you weren’t feeling well. You have been dreading this dinner, at first because you didn’t think you could even look at Hollands without saying anything about Barb and the upside down, even though it was part of your “contract” you had to sign, and now Steve was going to be here.

The door opens and you are greeted by Mrs. Holland, who quickly pulls you into a hug. She walks you into the dining room where Nancy, Steve and Mr. Holland are sitting.

“Sorry I’m late,” You say taking the seat next to Nancy. You don’t bother to look at Steve, but you can feel his eyes staring at you. You send Nancy a small smile. You look down at the spread of food on the table, there is chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans from Kentucky Fried Chicken.

“I’m sorry I didn’t have any time to cook anything tonight! I wanted to make the casserole you all like so much, but I just completely ran out of time.” Mrs. Holland says.

“I love KFC.” Steve says, shoving some chicken in his mouth. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes.

You all start munching on the food, sitting in an awkward silence.

“I noticed a for sale sign in your yard, is that the neighbors?” You ask, breaking the silence.

Mr. and Mrs. Holland exchange glances. “We hired Murray Bauman, have you heard of him?” Mrs. Holland asks, handing you a card with his information on it. You look at it, furrowing your eyebrows, you pass the card over to Nancy and Steve.

“No, no I don’t think so.” You say.

“He’s agreed to take the case,” Mrs. Holland says, looking at you with hopeful eyes.

“What does that mean exactly?” Nancy pipes up.

“It means, we’re going to get our Barb back.” You look over to Nancy and Steve. Nancy’s eyes fill with tears and she quickly rushes to the bathroom. For the first time that night, you lock eyes with Steve. You quickly turn your gaze away. You bite your bottom lip, not knowing what to say.

“Oh, That, t-that’s great!” Steve says, stuttering. Then the silence creeps back into the room. Steve speaks up again.

“It’s finger lookin good.” He says gnawing on a chicken wing. You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. He looks up at you sending a smile your way.

* * *

After the dinner, you, Nancy, and Steve walk out together. You give a hug to Nancy and say a quick goodbye to Steve and head to your car. As soon as your butt hits the car seat and the door shuts, the waterworks start. Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Holland have so much hope about finding Barb while you sat there knowing she was dead was just terrible.

You rest your head against the steering wheel as you let the tears fall from your eyes onto your lap. The sound of a light knocking at your window causes you to jump. You look up and see Steve. You quickly wipe off your tears as best as you can and roll down your window.

“Hi.” He says.

“Hello.” You reply.

“I just wanted to make sure you were ok,”

“I’m fine, goodnight.” You say, starting to roll up the window.

“Woah, woah, woah.” He says, you stop rolling up the window.

“What, Steve?” You ask, unenthusiastically.

“I just, are you sure you’re ok?” He asks again.

“Yes, now goodbye.” You roll up the window and wait for Steve to walk back to his car before you leave.

* * *

“Robin, what the hell am I supposed to do? I think I’m over him and then he sends me a smile, or even just a quick glance and I’m sucked back in again!” You ask Robin, over the phone.

“Just- just don’t think about it!” Robin replies.

“Wow, just don’t think about it? Why didn’t I think of that!” You say sarcastically.

“Ha, ha. Ok I gotta go, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Maybe Robin was right, just don’t think about him. I mean how hard could that be?

~October 31st, 1984~

The day of the party has arrived. You, Robin, and Jonathan decided to all ride together. Robin comes over to your house after school and you both start getting ready for the party. You and Robin decided to dress up as the Pink Ladies from Grease. You wore black tank tops, black leggings, and the iconic pink ladies’ jackets. You decided to wear black high heels while Robin opted for black flats. Your mom insisted on getting pictures of you, Robin, and Dustin all wearing your costumes. By the time the photoshoot was done, Jonathan was pulling up to the driveway.

* * *

When you guys arrive at the party, before you even get out of the car, you can hear Motley Crue playing loudly.

“I’m excited!” Robin says, while getting out of the car.

“That makes one of us.” You respond.

As soon as you enter the house, you lose Robin in the sea of people. You look around and see Steve and Nancy dancing in the center of the dance floor.

“I’m going to go get a drink, want anything?” You turn to ask Jonathan, only to notice he’s talking to a girl. You sigh and start pushing your way through the crowd. By the time you get to the punch bowl, Nancy and Steve are there as well.

“Excuse me,” You say pushing past Steve.. “What’s in this?” You ask Nancy. Before she gets a chance to answer you, some guy next to you turns towards you.

“Pure fuel! want to try some pretty lady?” He says stumbles towards you with his cup extended, this caused Steve to put his arm out in front of the boy to stop him.

“No, she doesn’t, buddy.” Steve says pushing him away. You give him a small smile as if to say thank you. Nancy pours some punch into her cup then starts to chug it.

“Woah take it easy Nance,” you say. She grabs your hand, “Y/n come dance with us!” She says.

“Oh, no I’m ok, you go have fun.” She lets go of her hand and makes her way back into the crowd. Steve gives you a smile and makes his way to Nancy but is stopped by Tommy and a boy you’ve never seen before.

“Looks like we got ourselves a new keg king Harrington,” Tommy says. Tommy looks over to you.

“Well, well, well, Henderson. Never thought I’d see you at a party.” You scoff at him and look towards the boy you’ve never seen before, your eyes lock. He flashes a smile at you.

“I don’t believe we’ve met, I’m Billy Hargrove.” He says, extended his hand.

“Y/n Henderson.” You respond, shaking his hand.

“How about I get you a drink?” He asks.

“Thank you, but I already have a drink.” You say raising up your cup.

“Well how about I get you a new one.” He says.

“I’m good, thank you though.”

“Oh, c’mon,” he says, grabbing your hand and pulling you with him towards the drinks. You’ve completely forgotten Steve was still standing there until he grips onto Billy’s shoulder.

“She doesn’t want a drink, Hargrove,” Steve says. Billy just shoves Steve’s hand off his shoulder and keeps pulling you to the drinks. You look back at Steve and mouth “I’ll be fine.” He doesn’t look convinced. He eventually goes back to the dance floor to find Nancy.

Billy takes your cup from your hand and throws it in the trash. He finds two shot glasses and places them down, pouring fireball into them.

“Alright come on princess, just do one shot for me.” Billy says. You weren’t one to do shots, but you figured why the hell not. You did one shot. Billy filled the shot glass right back up once you were done, almost challenging you to do another one. Once he fills up yours, he grabs his and tosses it back. You take another one, and then another, and then another. You were about to do another one but were interrupted but a commotion in the kitchen. Steve and Nancy are playing tug of war with a plastic cup.

“Nancy you’ve had enough.” Steve says.

“No, Steve.” Nancy argues back.

“Nance, seriously.” Steve says. The drink spills out of the cup and onto Nancy’s shirt. Your vision starts to get fuzzy, but you can see Nancy go to the bathroom and Steve running after her.

Your head starts spinning as you can feel the alcohol getting into your system. “I-I-I need to go find Robin.” You say to no one in particular as you make your way to the living room. You take a couple of steps only to realize how drunk you actually are and stumble into the wall.

“Robinnnn! Robin!” You sing out. You take another couple steps before your legs give out on you. You start to fall but someone wraps their arms around your waist and catches you.

“Woah, woah, woah, Henderson. How much have you had to drink?” Your vision is too blurry, and you can’t make out the face. Whoever it is stands you up straight and lets go of your waist. You start to sway, you feel the hands wrap around your waist again

“Jesus Christ, I’m taking you home.”

“Jonathan?” You ask.

“No, it’s Steve.” Steve? Oh no. Why does he always have to be such a knight in shining fucking armor?

He grabs your arm and puts it around your shoulder and puts his arm around your waist. Once you make it outside, Steve sets you down on the porch swing.

“Y/n, hey y/n, can you look at me for a second?”

“I can’t keep my head up,” You say, giggling, while you try to keep your head from bobbling all over. Steve sighs and tells you he’s going to go talk to Jonathan. You try to lay down on the porch swing but end up just rolling off, landing on the ground with a thud. You start giggling.

“Henderson, are you kidding me?” Steve returns.

“I just rolled off, I’m sorry.” You say in between giggles. Steve helps you up and you guys make your way to his car. Steve helps you get into the car, reaching over to get you buckled up.

“Uh oh, Stevie, I can’t go home drunk,” You say.

“I know that, I’m taking you to my house.” He says. This makes your heart pound. You looked over at him, even though you were incredibly drunk, you could see sadness in his eyes.

“What’s wrong Stevie?” You ask.

“Nothing, it’s nothing.” He says.

* * *

Once you get to his house he helps you upstairs. He grabs some sweatpants and a t-shirt from his closet. You start to get undressed.

“Woah!” Steve says quickly turning around. “I’m going to go get some makeup wipes from my parent’s bathroom. I’ll be back.” He says, closing the door behind him. You get your clothes off and put on the ones Steve gave you. They smell just like him, giving you major butterflies. No wait not butterflies. The alcohol was coming back up. You quickly rushed to Steve’s bathroom and started throwing up. While your head was in the toilet bowl, you felt a presence behind you, rubbing your back. You threw up for what felt like ages but was probably only about 10 minutes. You groaned.

“Never let me do shots again.” You say to Steve, sobering up. Steve chuckled, handing you the cup of water.

“I’m not letting you go to sleep until you drink at least two cups of water.” He says sternly. You put the cup down and reach your hands up to him. He grabs them and helps you up. He hands you a makeup wipe. You take it and sloppily rub it over your face, still not being sober enough to fully know what you’re doing.

“Do you want some help?” Steve asks.

“Yes please,” you say, passing him the wipe. He gently rubs the wipe over your face, while holding your chin with his other hand. You can tell your cheeks are bright red.

“There you go,” He says. You smile at him and run towards his bed, getting under the covers. Drunk you will definitely get yelled at by sober you for getting in Steve Harrington’s bed of all things.

“Woah woah woah, we had a deal! No bed until you drink two cups of water.” He says.

“I thought you would have forgotten about that…” You say. He hands you the cup of water. You chug it, then hand it back to him.

“Ok goodnight!” You say, pulling the covers up over your face.

“I believe that was only one glass.” Steve says, while making his way to the bathroom to fill up the cup with more water. He hands the cup to you and starts pulling blankets out from his closet.

“What are you doing?” You ask.

“Making my bed.” He responds.

“I can’t let you sleep on the floor, there’s plenty of room in your bed for the both of us,” What the hell were you saying? There must still be a lot of alcohol in your system,

“You’re drunk Henderson, sober y/n would not like waking up in bed with me,” Steve says. You silently agree and get back under the covers. Steve walks over to the light switch.

“Night Henderson.”

“Night Stevie.”

* * *

You wake up with a pounding headache. You groan and open your eyes. You look around, alarmed that you weren’t at your own house. Where the fuck am I? You look down at the ground to see Steve sleeping there.

What the fuck were you doing at Steve Harrington’s house?!

Taglist: @loulouloueh @nighttwingg @l0ve-0f-my-life @hauntedduckdefendor @labrujaprincess @welcomethefears @metuel18 @polynesianmayo

#mike wheeler #billy hargrove #will byers #lucas sinclair #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #steve harrington fanfic #joyce byers #jonathan byers #nancy wheeler #dustin henderson #stranger things x reader #stranger things #jim hopper

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panharmonium · 4 years

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stranger things 3, a visual summary:

more coherent thoughts under the cut, because wow.

......okay. that was a Trainwreck. an absolute mess.

i remember when my coworkers were watching S3 (and still urging me to start season 1) and they were saying how amazing the latest season was, and honestly i think there must just be a difference in people who watch tv just to be entertained and people who watch tv and automatically evaluate the story (aka fandom veterans and English majors, lol - cue Me twice), because WHO could watch this critically and praise it that way?

it's honestly hard to know where to even begin; i've been sending frustrated notes to @brambleberrycottage ever since episode three and now that i'm done with episode 8 there's just......so much more to say

first, good things:

erica is a great character. she's what max should have been (aka, uh.......interesting!) i liked the realization moment where dustin was like "you're a NERD!"

that entire sequence where will is so upset with lucas and mike for not being engaged with the dnd game was very well done, especially the conversation he has with mike out in the rain. i loved that moment where mike asked him "did you think we were just going to hang out in my basement playing games forever?" and will said, "yeah. yeah, i guess i did." i really felt that. [edit, now that i've finished: this was never resolved. will giving away his dnd books at the end was not an actual resolution to this conflict.]

steve is still a good dude, and robin was pretty cool. i'm down for them being super friends. but i'm still mourning the steve+nancy+jonathan trio that was a thing for like 5 seconds and then never returned.

i loved how genuinely excited steve was to see dustin when dustin came back from camp. that was adorable. "HENDERSON!!!!" "how many children are you friends with?"

and uh. yeah. i had more problems with this season than praise-bestowing moments, so. here goes that bit.

OVERARCHING PROBLEMS:

1. keep it simple, stupid

remember in the office when dwight quoted the above advice to ryan as michael's rule for making a sale? the same advice applies to storytelling.

season 1 of stranger things is so simple. there is One Monster. that is the danger. and somehow, that single monster manages to be a thousand times more terrifying than all of these new "bigger, scarier, more epic" threats crammed into the second two seasons.

how goofy is the stranger things season 3 plot, seriously? russians are blackmailing a small-town mayor so they can buy up land to steal power from the town while operating a secret lab under the mall to open a gate to the Upside Down (WHY?), while simultaneously a remnant of the malevolent force that was "defeated" last season has reanimated itself and is making people scarf chemicals (WHY?), and then it possesses one of them and uses that person to possess a bunch of other people in order to build itself a body made out of melted people, in order to kill el, whose only story this season is breaking up with her boyfriend, and we have to infiltrate this russian base in order to close the gate (same endgame as last season - BIG NO-NO) to kill the goo monster, except last time the "mindflayer” survived the gate being closed, so why would this even WORK, and -

the fact that there are so many "round-up/info dump" scenes where characters summarize what's going on and make implausibly accurate connections/guesses about what it all must mean is a red flag. the characters shouldn’t have to tell your story to the audience. if it's too complicated for us to keep straight on our own, it's too complicated.

the amount of energy that goes into trying to lash together a Chaos Plot with too many shaky legs leaves nothing left over for nuanced character development or mood establishment. you're constantly running to catch up to your own flimsy story before it collapses on top of itself.

2. the horror!

S1 of stranger things was the scariest thing i'd ever seen.

granted, i don't watch a lot of horror, because i don't like it. i get scared too easily and then i legitimately can't sleep. i watched a horror movie five years ago that i still think about every time the lights are off in my house. but still, ST1 was something i had never experienced before.

it wasn't creature horror, and it wasn't just suspense. it was the UNSETTLINGNESS of it all. it wasn't really about the monster. it was about the Upside Down.

the reason ST1 is so successful is because of how much we don’t know. it's the horror of not understanding what is happening, and the terror of knowing that nobody thinks it’s real. feeling like you're going crazy and being cut off from all assistance. the conspiracy and the cover-up. and the sheer unsettlingness of the whole parallel worlds things just tipped me over the edge - the idea that you can take one wrong step and then be suddenly and without warning completely off the map, simultaneously right next to the people you want to get to and also utterly beyond their reach. that was fucking scary!!!!

and they do it all with so little. i have literally never been more scared in my life than when i would see those christmas lights start flickering. and they're just LIGHTS! yes, we see the monster later, but it's the uncertainty that's most frightening. we don't understand how it arrives in our world, and we don’t know where it will show up next. it could be right next to you - on the other side. you could be standing on top of it. you just don't know. it’s like what jonathan says to nancy in her bedroom - “it can’t get us in here.” and she says, “we don’t know that.”

the later seasons of stranger things, by comparison, did not scare me at all. season two was like a zombie movie - hordes of weak enemies that you can just shoot with a gun. and season 3 was even less frightening - upping the ante and making things gorier, more explosive, and bigger just isn't the vibe they set in S1. i'm not scared of that giant goop monster. it's like godzilla. it's not horror; it's just a lot of noise.

the unsettling, "creep" factor that made season 1 so effective was gone. it just turned into a regular old monster movie, and i didn't find that particularly interesting.

3. illogical, captain

a while ago there was a wave of pushback against people complaining about plot holes, but you know what? there is, in fact, an appropriate place for us to talk about plausibility, as well as the point at which our suspension of disbelief collapses.

ST3 is a bona fide plausibility disaster. i did not believe half of the story, because it was not unfolding in a believable way.

half of the plot points in this season would not have happened if the characters had been behaving with any kind of sense. it is absolutely impossible for me to believe that none of these children IMMEDIATELY went to joyce or hopper the minute they knew something weird was going on. it makes no sense. after the shit they've seen? it makes sense in season 1, because the kids are still so young that they have that kind of magical thinking that makes all of this seem kind of like an adventure. but they're teenagers now, and developmentally, they’re past that stage. they know the evil creature is back and they're pretty sure it's possessing billy? for some unfathomable reason, they don't go to an adult, but try to trap billy in the sauna and just see what happens. the other group has actual proof that russian soldiers are up to something shady in the mall? they don't tell an adult; they send a TEN YEAR-OLD in through the AIR DUCTS to investigate the secret room guarded by MEN WITH GUNS.

this is ridiculous. none of this should have happened. none of this WOULD have happened. it breaks the boundaries of disbelief. it completely sabotages the audience’s engagement with the story - joyce and hopper's whole detour with alexei and murray is so dull, because its entire purpose is to bring hop and joyce up to speed on something that we, the audience, already know. the other characters already found out this stuff, but did not communicate it - the gate is being opened again in a russian lab underground. there's no suspense for us. nothing new is revealed. we're just waiting for them to hurry up and finish finding out so we can move on to the next thing.

moreover: there are so many other problems besides just "these characters would have talked to each other." why on earth would murray, whose sole characteristic is extreme paranoia, take alexei wandering around the festival for hot dogs and carnival games. why would hopper be so virulently against the possibility that weird shit might be happening again? does he remember the past year or what? how on earth would the kids be able to fight off that massive monster with an ax and a hunting rifle? it's made out of dead guts and bones; why does it care if they shoot it?! how in the WORLD is this russian facility so penetrable? i'm sorry, it's just - beyond believable. it doesn't have cameras? the russians guards really can't tell that murray isn't a native speaker? they don't check his id when they don't recognize him? joyce and hopper really just got that lucky, to be asked a question and have “smile and nod” be the right answer? nobody ever got shot? it's silly. it's just silly. so many things - erica uses the "Open" button to open the elevator door in order to let steve and robin and dustin inside, but once the elevator is at the bottom of the shaft, robin explains the door's inexplicable non-opening because......you apparently need a keycard to use the buttons???? THAT MAKES NO SENSE; ERICA JUST USED THE BUTTONS A SECOND AGO.

even the entire endgame of this season is a contradiction! if the mind-flayer survived el closing the gate last time, it doesn't make sense that closing the gate this time would kill it. literally the entire plot of last season was "we need to get this thing out of will, because the creature will die once the gate is closed, and we want to make sure will doesn't die with it." but apparently the creature didn't die upon closing the gate; it just got trapped in our dimension. but now apparently it WILL die upon closing the gate. for whatever fucking reason.

i'm sorry, but that’s a mess. that’s a bona fide mess.

4. watch your tone

i honestly think the tonal change is the thing that made me the most frustrated about this season. it's possible to have a terrible plot and still stay relatively true to your characters - you'll still have a bad season, but at least you didn't bastardize your characters in the process.

i had issues with S2 and i definitely was not as impressed with it as i was with S1, but at least in S2 joyce and hopper were recognizable. in S3, i felt like i was watching strangers. the tonal shift was bizarre and off-putting, more so with hopper than joyce, but it affected both of them.

even as early as the very beginning of this season, i was feeling weird about how often hopper was being used for comedy. and as the season progressed, this trend only became more pronounced. almost every scene we had of him felt silly - and not like there was just something funny in the scene for me to laugh at, but like the audience was almost being asked to laugh AT him. like he was constantly the butt of the joke.

this really bothered me. from that incredibly sincere and heart-wrenching portrayal of him in season 1, when they kept him rooted in the trauma of losing his daughter and the breakdown of his marriage, and then how that same trauma made him so driven to save will and protect the kids - what a change. even in season 2 i was frustrated how the throughline of his daughter wasn’t touched again until the very last episode, and now in season 3 we’ve left that part of him so far behind that he's just there for us to laugh at. we're supposed to laugh at scenes of him being drunk and a mess. every scene he's in is either him arguing with joyce for comedic relief or being way over the top with alexei or the mayor. he was like a caricature of himself, and i didn't recognize him.

joyce suffered from the same thing, just by virtue of proximity. she spent almost all of her time in this season with hopper, and virtually all of that time was taken up with silly shenanigans or comically overblown arguing. what a departure from the desperate mother of season 1, who was maligned by everyone in town and only taken seriously by the audience. now it’s the audience who are supposed to be chuckling at her.

i dunno. the tone shift was very dramatic, very obvious, and it impacted the entire season. are we supposed to be taking this seriously or is it supposed to be a joke? a little bit of humor to break tension can be a good thing, but when it's constant, it confuses the mood.

and i personally don't think it was appropriate or respectful to either of these characters, in this case.

SMALLER THINGS THAT BOTHERED ME:

this show has 100% hit maximum character saturation. by the end of this season there were 13 core characters onscreen at the same time, in the same scene! it’s too many people! they cannot reasonably develop that many people in the space allotted.

i still am not interested in max. i don't feel anything for her. she doesn't feel real. i don't hate her, but she's just an empty vessel, and i really do think she's superfluous to this show. i think you could remove her with very little reworking and the show would be stronger for it. (they TRIED to do something interesting with billy, and i might have cared if we had been given literally any reason to care about him previously, but there was no investment earned there. they didn't do the front-end work to make him somebody we were interested in.)

weird relationship sunderings from previous seasons. i felt very strange about jonathan barely even seeing will this entire season. i felt very strange about steve having almost zero contact with nancy. i felt very strange about joyce hardly ever interacting with her kids. all of these were core relationships - the characters were BUILT on those relationships, and they don't feel real outside of them. not seeing these characters devote time to these relationships makes it feel like i'm watching a slightly different show.

the VIOLENCE. apparently this is a beat-em-up now??? i really felt like every other scene somebody was getting beaten to a bloody pulp. there was SO much smashing and bashing and throwing people into walls and fistfights and head trauma like - first of all, i find that stuff pretty boring, and second of all, all of these people should be in the hospital.

the GORE. other people’s mileage may vary, obviously; i just didn't like that. i looked away at the scene with the rat, and all this...goopy dissolving human shit, and the stabbings, and just...general grossness level - season 1 managed to be bloodcurdlingly terrifying without any of this stuff.

i know this borders on nitpicky, but yet more medical malfeasance - another example of someone receiving an injection via the mysterious 90 degree angle neck route, plus - was anyone else losing it at the fact that steve and robin “puked up” a drug they received……..via injection?????? IT’S NOT IN THEIR STOMACHS, FOLKS! THEY CAN’T PUKE IT UP! IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT!

the complete lack of follow-up to last season. the whole S3 plotline (such as it is) feels like a weird side quest. last season seemed to be furthering the mythos and setting us up for "there are other children like el/brenner is alive" - but this season, that fact appears to have been forgotten by everyone (even el!!!) and has nothing to do with the story that we're given, which is a goofy and redundant story about russians opening a secret lab under the mall which requires us to solve the exact same problem as last season (closing the gate).

this show's inability to keep certain throughlines in its headlights/keep things visible on the periphery instead of dropping them completely and then bringing them back whenever they feel like they need it again. i already talked about hopper’s daughter as an example of this (done well in S1 and poorly in S2 and S3). another example is that scene with nancy and her mom - it’s such a good scene, and yet it misses out on so much resonance, because they completely dropped the plotline of karen feeling locked out of her kids’ lives and desperately wanting to connect with them. if they had continued to reference that throughout season 2, then this scene would have been so much more powerful. as a third example, season 3 starts with a clear context/premise, and it’s INTERESTING - the town landscape changing because of the mall, business slow to non-existent, small town discontent over big corporations moving in, hopper pressured to break up the protest against mayor kline when he should have let it proceed - and then the show just drops that entire context. you expect season 3 to stay rooted in the "our small town is being strangled by this mall" and then to eventually deal with the revitalization of hawkins, but nah. it's never mentioned again.

LASTLY:

i'm not really gonna get into hopper "dying," because he's, like...clearly not dead. but the whole situation was stupid and contrived (i was so sick of that arnold schwarzenegger lookalike by the last episode, god that whole thing was so dumb) and it's even cheaper knowing that he'll obviously be back.

what i AM gonna say is that i was livid that they brought back that peter gabriel cover of "heroes" to end this season. their use of that song in S1 blew my mind - it had me stunned with how GORGEOUS it was and just, the way it worked in that particular scene - absolutely incredible. floored me. gave me chills. to recycle it at the end of such a poorly constructed season made me so mad. yOU CAN'T MAKE ME FEEL THINGS JUST BY REUSING THIS SONG. I REFUSE TO HAVE EMOTIONS JUST BECAUSE YOU PULL OUT THIS BEAUTIFUL TRACK THAT YOU ONCE USED TO GREAT EFFECT; YOUR STORY WAS STILL TERRIBLE THIS TIME AROUND; DO NOT TRY TO TRICK FEELINGS OUT OF US THAT HAVEN’T BEEN EARNED.

and that's it. i’m sure later i’ll think of other things i neglected to mention here, but...yeah. i was not impressed.

#i finished yesterday #holy moly #interdimensional babysitters club

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thepurplebutterflythings · 4 years

Text

New Girl - Billy Hargrove

Gif: Miss_Nocturna on Tenor

Word Count: 1.5K

Paring: Billy Hargrove (Stranger Things) x (f)Reader

Summary: The mysterious new girl from England is all Billy Hargrove can think about.

Requested: Anon

Masterlist

________________________________________________________________

Y/N Y/L/N had been in Hawkins for three weeks, three solid weeks, and Billy was yet to see the girl. She was elusive as if she was a mere rumour of the town. There wasn’t a country that Billy hadn’t heard be said as to where Y/N had originated from before making her grand entrance to Hawkins. Occasionally, he thought that perhaps he saw her hair in a crowd as she walked away from him. Of course, Billy tried to find her every time he thought he saw here, but before he could, she vanished.

“That new girl,” Max said in the car as Billy drove them home one night, “you know, the one from that country?”

“Mmm,” Billy hummed, uninterested in whatever Max had to say.

“She’s really nice – funny too.”

“You’ve met her?” Billy’s interest piqued hearing her.

“She works at the arcade,” Max shrugged, “told me and the others all about where she’s from. It sounds really cool.”

“Where is she actually from then?” Billy asked trying to seem like he didn’t care, but Max saw right through it.

“England.”

“British?”

“English – apparently there’s a difference.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“I don’t know,” Max said, “she tried explaining it but I had no clue what she meant. Dustin called her a ‘Brit’ and she was a little peeved by it.”

“Don’t call her a ‘Brit’ unless you want to be lectured – noted,” Billy chuckled a little, “she’s nice though?”

“Super nice,” Max nodded, “her and Nancy Wheeler are already good friends.”

Ugh. Nancy Wheeler. Billy bet that she was already warned her English Girl about him and to avoid him like the plague. No wonder he hadn’t been able to set his eyes on her yet. He just wanted to see her, see what she looked like. Y/N Y/L/N had a mysteriousness about her, something which set curiosity in the heart of Billy Hargrove. He just had to see her.

________________________________________________________________

Y/N leaned against the counter as Mike Wheeler and El chatted away with the newcomer. Everyone was curious about her, and Y/N had come to terms with that, but Mike, being her new pal’s little brother, was a soft spot for her. He was a sweet kid with a good heart and Y/N liked that. Having spent a lot of time at the Wheeler house since her arrival, Mike was also one of the few people in Hawkins who knew her well.

This was the first time Y/N was meeting Mike’s girlfriend, El was what everyone called her. El looked at Y/N with big brown Bambi eyes filled with fascination.

“What’s England like?” El asked curiously as Mike leaned against the counter, smiling and gazing lovingly at El.

“Rainy?” Y/N chuckled, her English accent strikingly standing out in the town of Hawkins. “Um, it’s lovely… I didn’t grow up in London though like everyone seems to think. I grew up in a little village with farms and such. London was a far cry from what I grew up with.”

“Farms? That must’ve been nice.”

“Yes, it was.” Y/N nodded and smiled at the memory, “you could hear the rooster in the morning, and you could drive past fields and see cows grazing and horses, and sometimes they’d come to the fences and ask for a fuss, like giant dogs.”

“I love horses,” El smiled.

“Is Max here?” Mike said suddenly, looking towards the door and frowning.

“I don’t think so, I haven’t seen her.”

“Well, Billy Hargrove just came in.”

Y/N tried to resist the urge to look. The Casanova of Hawkins! Nancy had introduced Y/N to a lot of people, but not Billy. Though that didn’t mean she didn’t hear of him. Billy Hargrove’s reputation lingered throughout the town. Nancy warned Y/N about Billy the first time she heard of him.

“Why’d he come here if he isn’t supposed to pick Max up?” El asked, “He’d never come in here willingly."

“I’ve got a theory about it,” Mike said, meeting Y/N’s eyes. Y/N smiled awkwardly. Course she knew Billy was interested in her. She heard it in whispers, she saw it in the glimpses she vaguely caught before Nancy, Steve or Jonathan encouraged her away to somewhere else before he saw her or she saw him properly.

“Hey…” Billy said awkwardly to Mike and El, “Mick, Ellie.”

“Mike.”

“El.”

“Right, how are you?” He asked them, trying to seem interested.

“Fine…” they trailed off, looking at each other and speaking to the other silently. “We’re gonna play some games, talk to you later?” They said to Y/N, who smiled and nodded.

As the couple left, Billy remained, causing Y/N to stand up straight and finally look upon the mystery that was Billy Hargrove. He was preened, took great pride in his appearance, the type of gentleman her Grandfather would call ‘dandy’. Y/N didn’t know what dandy meant as a kid, but her grandfather explained it to her with an old, wise voice, telling her ‘a dandy? Well, they’re the kind of lad who cares about how they look, how they present themselves, they’re concerned about that sort of stuff. They’re those fashionable fellas you see around the towns wearing those clothes that are trendy.’

Billy looked right back at her with blue eyes that glinted in the light that was fascinated with her, not quite how El looked at her. El looked at her with a childish enthusiasm of wanting to know and learn. Billy looked at Y/N with a curious want, the kind of gaze you would get from across the room from a man who you so badly want to talk to but wanted to appear cool and aloof. For some strange reason, Y/N wanted to know if she satisfied that curious fascination deep in his eyes.

“May I help you, sir?” Y/N said politely.

“Nah, Nah,” Billy chuckled with a smirk, shoving his hands in his pockets. Y/N cocked her eyebrow and eyed him again.

“Then why stand at the counter? There might be those who want to come to the counter for help.”

“Well, I’m sure they’d make themselves known, wouldn’t they?”

“Not if someone else is at the counter, they’d think you’re enquiring and interrupting would be rude,” Y/N pointed out as she rested her hands on the counter and tapped it with her finger.

“They might think that in Great Britain, doll, but not here in the Colonies,” Billy teased, seeing her agitation as she was classed as a Brit rather than an Englishwoman.

“Perhaps that’s why you Yanks have the reputation of being uncivilised,” she shot back quickly, her English tongue pulling out every crisp syllable as she spoke, drawing Billy’s attention to every letter, holding him as though being hypnotised.

Billy grinned at her quick wit and jokingly put his hand over his hurt before mocking a hurt expression.

“Ouch, you wound me, doll.”

“Is ‘doll’ an American thing?”

“You like it, doll?”

“Don’t know, Love, might need to mull it over.”

“Love?”

“If you can call me an American term, I should be able to call you an English term.”

“A British term.”

“English – there’s a difference.”

“So my sister said, still confused as to what it is though…” Billy said, pretending to ponder an idea, “say, doll, why don’t you explain it to me over dinner? Friday at 7?”

“Does this ploy usually work on the American birds?”

“What poly?”

“This whole straight forward crap without trying to know me first?”

“Wow, are all British Women so uptight?”

“English!” She corrected him again, “Would you like it if I called you Canadian?”

“Alright, are all English Women so uptight?”

“Only when associating with a complete and downright bellend!”

“What?”

“I know Americans have trouble understanding the simplest words, so you might need to point out which part I need to explain to you like a toddler,” Y/N mocked. This was uncharted territory for Billy. He had never come across a girl who didn’t swoon at him and fall at his feet. He was Billy Hargrove, all he had to do was snap his fingers and some chick would be at his side. The sparring between Y/N and himself was something new, but not unpleasant, he found himself enjoying it actually.

“Bellend.”

“Dick head,” she said.

“Wow,” he chuckled.

Y/N smiled and couldn’t lie to herself that she was enjoying herself in the conversation with Billy Hargrove. He was surprisingly interesting and met her expectations. Sometimes what you get isn’t at all close to what you expected, and so you are bored and uninterested with what you end up with. Y/N wasn’t uninterested. She was fascinated.

“Any other words you need me to explain?”

“Funny,” Billy smiled.

“Yes, us English have a wicked sense of humour!”

“So you’re the famous Y/N Y/L/N from England, huh?”

“That I am,” Y/N nodded, “And you’re the infamous Billy Hargrove?”

“The one and only, doll.”

“I’ve heard an awful lot about you.”

“I’ve heard not a lot about you.”

“Guess you’re going to have to get to know me,” Y/N teased.

“Then will you go out to dinner with me?”

“Perhaps,” Y/N chuckled.

“I can turn that perhaps into a hell yeah, doll.”

“Well, looking forward to seeing you try, love.”

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thelovecore · 5 years

Text

Halloween [Steve Harrington]

Writing for Steve is like my favorite thing, and Halloween is like my favorite thing, and I’m kind of going to be writing a lot of Halloween things since fall is quickly approaching! Also requests are open!

Steve Harrington x reader Picking costumes and dealing with Halloween in general.

Masterlist

____________________________

“What’re we going to be for Halloween this year?” I asked, rummaging through Steve’s closet. He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He chuckled and sat up on his elbows to look at me.

“Are we going anywhere? You know I’m not big on Halloween parties.” He said. I turned to look at him. He had a hint of sadness in his eyes, remembering that Halloween party from three years ago.

“I wanted to dress up to hand out candy. The kids made it very clear they’re old enough to trick or treat alone this year.” I said, rubbing my arm and looking at the floor. It kind of hurt that I had just been accepted by the group of kids Steve called friends and they didn’t want us around at Halloween. Steve sat up in bed and pulled his legs up, crossing them.

“We can dress up if you want.” He said softly. “You’re really going to miss those little shits, huh?”

“It’s just...they seemed to finally be okay with us dating, and now they don’t want me around on Halloween.” I said. Steve stood up and hugged me.

“Hey, they still like you. They’re just older now, they think they’ve got it all figured out.” He said, rubbing my back.

“I guess.” I sighed into his chest. “So...costumes?”

“I don’t know. Can I just be a 19 year old kid?” He said, smiling. I rolled my eyes and turned back to his closet.

“If you want to be a Halloween party pooper, than sure.” I said. I reached to the back of his closet and pulled out an old baseball jersey that belonged to Steve when he played varsity for a few years.

“I could wear this.” I said, taking it off the hanger and putting my arms in it. It barely buttoned over my chest, so I left it open and turned back to Steve. He was standing there, blush slowly filling his cheeks. He shuffled in place a little bit. “And a hat, and I could just wear shorts, and put some black paint under my eyes...” I continued, walking over to Steve’s dresser and putting on one of his baseball hats. He said nothing, and just continued to watch me plan a costume. “What?” I finally made eye contact with him. Steve had a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He stepped towards me and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I haven’t worn that in a long, long time.” He mumbled, kissing the top of my head. “And it looks adorable on you.”

“Steve...” I started, feeling my face grow warm. He smiled at me and looked towards his closet.

“Okay, so what should I be?” He said, rifling through the hangers and boxes. He started laughing slightly as he pulled something out of a box. He held up his ripped and stained Scoops Ahoy uniform.

“I could be a zombie ice cream man.” He said, smiling. I smiled back at him.

“You kept that thing?” I asked. He looked down at the uniform, running his fingers over the ripped seams.

“Yeah...I figured it’d be a great story for the grand kids someday.” He said. It was my turn to envelope him in my arms and hug him.

“Why don’t we go buy costumes?” I asked. He pulled away from me and nodded. We hopped in the car and went down to the store, where we browsed through the costumes together.

“I want this.” He said, pulling one off the rack. I looked over at him as he held up a vampire cape and shirt.

“A vampire?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Uh, yeah.” He said, looking at me like I was the silly one. “Vampires are cool. They live forever, sleep all day, and can seduce pretty ladies.”

“Well okay then.” I said, turning back to the rack. “So should I be this one?” I pulled a bride of Frankenstein costume out. Steve smiled and nodded.

“We’re going to be so scary. The kids are going to flip when they come over to get candy.” Steve said. We paid for our costumes and a few days later, we dressed up and waited patiently for kids to start arriving. I had convinced Steve to let me slick his hair and put a little eyeliner on him to top his costume off. I had teased my hair up extra big and put on light powder and dark eyeliner. We looked great.

It was a few minutes of sitting in front of the TV before we heard several fists knock on the door. Steve got up and grabbed the bowl of candy, and I got up and followed him.

“Trick or- Wow! You guys look great!” Dustin said, looking at both of us as Steve opened the door. We smiled as Steve dropped candy into their bags. They were all dressed as Star Wars characters, with Max and El both being Leia and a mix of Han Solos and Luke Skywalkers for the boys. I could hear the arguing in the back of my mind that must have happened when they were all meeting up and yelling about duplicate costumes.

“You guys look good too.” I said. Steve smiled at me as he put the bowl of candy down. The kids came in with heavy bags. “How long have you been trick or treating?” I asked, gesturing to the bags.

“We saved your house for last.” Mike said. “We wanted to stop here and watch some Halloween movies on TV.”

Steve came up behind me and put his arm around me. I smiled at him, his goofy eyeliner and hair making me chuckle. The kids piled into the living room, changing the channel to what they wanted to watch.

“See? They wanted to hang out with us.” Steve said. I looked at him and still couldn’t take him seriously. I giggled at him as he whipped his cape behind him.

“Don’t laugh at me!” He said. “I’m a powerful vampire. I can seduce you.”

“Okay, cool it, Dracula.” I said, turning back towards the kids in the living room. Steve stomped after me and we curled up on the floor, holding each other until I dozed off on Steve’s shoulder. I woke up when the kids were all getting picked up by Johnathan and Nancy, and I groggily said goodbye to them as they filed out, raging on sugar highs.

“Great, now we have to wash this stuff off.” Steve said, gesturing to his face.

“It’s eyeliner, Steve, you’ll be okay.” I said.

“But think of the retraining I’ll have to do for my hair!” He said as we walked up the steps. “Again, I think you’ll be okay.” I said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before he went into the bathroom, sighing at his hair and eyes. “Next year, we’re dressing up as people who are alive!”

#steve harrington #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #reader x steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things imagine #stranger things fic #stranger things fluff

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rowdywarrior85 · 4 years

Text

BILLY: I know, I heard ya. To be honest, I asked you out because, I just wanted somebody to talk to about my shit. After all, you reminded me so much of my mom, well, my “real mom”.

KAREN: Really? That’s why…

BILLY: Mmm-hmm.

KAREN: (awkward laugh) Oh… my God.

BILLY: You actually thought that we were…

KAREN: I actually kinda believed…

BILLY: WOW.

KAREN: That was my fault completely. I pushed…

BILLY: Don’t sweat it, Mrs. Wheeler. You wouldn’t be the first MILF that wanted a piece of me.

(Karen give a surprised look to Billy.)

MILF means…

KAREN: I know what that means, and I’m flattered.

Chorus kicks in.

BILLY: Oh…K. Anyway, flowers weren’t the only thing I got you. I got this for you.

(Billy pulls out a little black jewelry box from his jacket pocket, and hands it to Karen.)

It’s a small momento, nothing major.

(Karen opens it, revealing Billy’s signature spike earring inside.)

KAREN: (deep sigh) I’ll cherish this forever. As a matter of fact…

(Karen removes a Tiffany diamond earring from her left ear.)

BILLY: Oh no, Mrs. Wheeler, I can’t accept that from you.

KAREN: I insist. You’re actually the only guy since my husband who’s showed me any affection.

(Karen places her earring in Billy’s hand. Billy looks up to Karen.)

BILLY: Thanks.

KAREN: Can I walk you to the door?

Trying hard to control my heart…

BILLY: Yeah, I gotta get goin’ anyway.

I look over to where you are…

(As Karen walks Billy to the front door, Mike and Nancy peer around the basement door, followed closely by Ted.)

Eye to eye, we need no words at all.

KAREN: So, any chance you’ll be back around here again?

Slowly now, we begin to move…

BILLY: If things go according to plan: reunite with my mom, be a stable family again. Probably not.

Every breath, I’m deeper into you.

(Billy pats her shoulder, turns and makes for then opens the door.)

Soon we too are standing still in time…

KAREN: Well in that case,…

(She turns Billy back around, both hands grabbing him by his jacket lapels.)

If you read my mind,…

…I won’t have to live this down.

…you’ll see I’m crazy for you.

(Karen gives Billy a passionate kiss that’s been building up in her since the first time she met him, and he goes with it, and caresses her.)

Touch me once, and you know it’s true.

(Mike watches this with his biggest “WTF” look, Nancy expresses a “WOW�� look on her face. Ted, on the other hand, is confused at this experience.)

I never wanted anyone like this, it’s all brand new.

(Outside, Murray chuckles as he watches this with his arms crossed. Next to him, the Mom Squad watches as well, all the while, cheering on their fellow Mom-At-Arms.)

You feel it in my kiss,…

LIZ: WHOO!!

JILL: (screaming)

BLONDIE: Way to go, Karen!!

You feel it in my kiss,…

(Karen caps off the kiss by nibbling Billy’s bottom lip. Billy is blown away by this gesture.)

…because I’m crazy for you.

BILLY: Wow.

(Karen giggles.)

Touch me once, and you know it’s true.

Mis-sus Whee-ler.

I never wanted anyone like this,…

Better?

It’s all brand new.

KAREN: Yes, um. Been meaning to get it out of my system.

You feel it in my kiss,…

BILLY: WAY out of your system.

...I’m crazy for you.

Well, I gotta get rollin’.

Crazy for you.

KAREN: Of course. Well, write me if and when you get settled in.

BILLY: That’s a promise, Mrs. Wheeler.

(Billy turns and makes to the van.)

Crazy for you.

KAREN: Karen.

(Billy takes one last steely look at Karen.)

Crazy for you.

BILLY: Karen.

(As the song draws to a close, Billy tosses her a wink, and walks off to the van. He throws up his hands, looking at the Mom Squad, then to Murray.)

MURRAY: Smooth.

BILLY: Just be sure to keep that to yourself. I’m sure the Mom Squad will.

(Billy waves to the Mom Squad, they wave back tearfully.)

MURRAY: Oh, trust me. This is off the record.

(Both men board the van, and jet off for their flight. Karen looks on til the van is out of sight, the Mom Squad return to their respective homes. Karen shuts the door, then turns to her stunned family. Nancy makes the first remark.)

NANCY: Well, was it everything you thought it would be?

KAREN: (deep sigh) And then some.

(Both girls giggle. Karen then looks to Mike.)

MIKE: Just as long this is a one-time thing. He pulls that shit again, I’ll kick his ass.

KAREN: Mike.

MIKE: I’m just sayin’.

(Mike then saunders downstairs to the basement. Karen then looks to her hapless husband, Ted.)

TED: I’m… not even gonna say anything.

KAREN: Good.

(Karen struts back to the kitchen, with Ted looking awkwardly.)

TED: Come on, Holly. Let’s go watch some cartoons.

(Cut to a 747 commercial airplane touching down on LAX on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Cut to in front a beach house, a taxi pulls up, both Murray and Billy step out. Murray pays the driver, the cab drives off, then the boys look to the beach house.)

MURRAY: Well, here we are.

BILLY: Yeah.

MURRAY: Nervous any?

BILLY: Scared as fuck.

MURRAY: (pats Billy on the back) Good luck, buddy.

(As they walk to the house, the front door opens, revealing an elderly woman. She had short, curly silver hair, sporting a lime green sweater, a floral designed skirt with sandals.)

MURRAY: Grandma Hargrove, I take it?

EVELYN: Call me Evelyn, and don’t associate me to that sociopath son-in-law of mine, devil take him. Is that Billy?

MURRAY: In the flesh.

(Both grandmother and grandson come face to face for the first time in years. They start to embrace each other.)

EVELYN: (slowly smiles) When the hell did you get so damn handsome?

BILLY: Good to see you again, Gammy. Is she…

EVELYN: Outback.

(Evelyn leads Billy and Murray outback to the beach, they proceed down to the shore.)

She spends most of her time by the ocean, checking out the waves, imaging you riding them. Well, there she is.

(Evelyn pointed out her daughter, Billy’s mom, standing by the ocean, looking to the waves. Her blonde hair waving in the wind, hooped earrings banging along her neck. She is wearing a tank-topped blue dress, decorated with daisies, with a white quilted long-sleeved sweater falling over her shoulder. Her yellow sandals placed beside her. Billy’s heart is pounding so loud, he can hardly believe he about to see her after all these years.)

We’ll hang back for a moment.

(Evelyn looks to her daughter.)

How’s the ocean, Linda?

LINDA: (looking to the ocean) Calm these days. Not really as fierce as it used to be.

BILLY: Too bad. Last time I was with you on the beach, I was riding some serious waves.

(A curious look befalls Linda’s face. She turns around to see her mother with Murray and Billy, to whom she doesn’t yet recognize.)

You were flustered when I rode them. As I ran back to you, I told you they were like…

BILLY & LINDA: Seven feet.

(Linda’s eyes start to widen as she sees his medallion around his neck, then begins to tear up as she doesn’t believe who is standing before her. Billy, himself, starts tearing up.)

LINDA: (voice slowly breaking) Oh, my God. I know this wasn’t how I wanted us to meet up again.

(Billy starts to slowly approach her.)

I know what you must think of me, after all this time. Believe me, I wanted to come back for you, so many times. But I was so afraid of your father, afraid he would kill me if I ever came back for you. By the time I worked up the nerve to come after you, the neighbors told me he remarried and took you to Indiana, away from me.

(Billy comes to a foot away to her mom.)

Well, aren’t you gonna say anything?

BILLY: (tearfully) You’re as pretty… as the day you left,... Mom.

(Linda extends her right hand to his left cheek. Tears streaming down her face, as though she can’t hold back her feelings anymore. Billy soon follows through.)

LINDA: (tearfully) My boy. My little Billy.

(They explode into a powerful hug, sobbing uncontrollably, both of them falling to their knees. Murray and Evelyn embrace each other, sniffling and weeping at this heartfelt reunion.)

I can’t believe you’re really here.

BILLY: (sobbing) I’m so sorry… it took me this long. So long.

LINDA: (sobbing) It’s OK, baby. You’re here, you’re really here.

(They pull away from each other for a moment.)

They told me what happened in Hawkins. Is it true? Your father…

BILLY: It’s true, Mom. He’s gone. Susan smoked him to save me. We don’t have to worry, or think of him ever again. We’re finally free.

(They continue to hug, as mother and son are reunited once again. They soon get up.)

Mom, I want you to meet the man who brought me back to you.

MURRAY: (shakes hands with Linda) Murray Bauman, ma’am, private investigator. It’s a privilege to finally meet you. Your boy’s been a hoot to hang with on the way here.

LINDA: Thank you so much for bringing me back my son, sir.

MURRAY: Hey, who doesn’t love a happy ending? Am I right?

(Murray and the rest chuckle.)

Well. I see you two got a lot of ground to cover. So, I’m gonna let you guys catch up, I’ll grab a bite to eat and head back to the motel.

EVELYN: Oh, nonsense. How bout you stick around and have a drink or two with us.

(Murray glances from Evelyn to Billy.)

BILLY: My way of saying “thanks”.

MURRAY: (sighs) You got any Stoli?

(All four of them head back to the house.)

LINDA: So, Billy. How was life in Hawkins?

BILLY: Well, Mom. It’s actually a crazy-ass story.

MURRAY: Believe me, it’s a doozy. Hey, B. If there’s anything else you need, brother, anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me up.

(Billy looks to himself for a moment, then looks to Murray.)

BILLY: As a matter of fact, Murray, there is something you can do for me. Sort of returning the favor.

MURRAY: Name it.

(Some time later, it’s a Christmas Party in Hawkins, Indiana at the Wheeler residence. The parking lot and the driveway is full of cars and trucks. Mike, Lucas, Max, Dustin, Erica, Will, Kali and El, are gaming in the basement. Whilst up top, the Wheelers, the Sinclairs, Mrs. Henderson, Joyce, Susan, Jancy, Steve and Robin are partying up with conversations, drinks and holiday cheer. Mike then heads upstairs to grab some more snacks.)

KAREN: Mike, honey, you and friends don’t fill up on snacks. Dinner is almost ready.

MIKE: Mom, it’s Christmas.

(Just then, the doorbell rings.)

KAREN: Oh, honey, can you get that?

MIKE: OK.

(Mike saunders to the door, opens it to find Billy at the door. A look of annoyance is spread across his face.)

BILLY: Sup, Mikey?

MIKE: You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. MOM!! YOUR BOY TOY IS AT THE DOOR!!

(Karen walks to the front door, accompanied by Susan. They’re both blown away that Billy is here for Christmas.)

KAREN & SUSAN: Billy?

BILLY: Hey, Karen. Susan.

(Karen walks down the hall to greet Billy with a hug.)

KAREN: Holy shit. I can’t believe you’re really here.

MIKE: Oh God. Would you two like to use my room, or Nancy’s?

KAREN: MIKE!

BILLY: Karen, Karen. It’s cool.

KAREN: Mike, why don’t you head down back to your friends.

MIKE: (sighs) Great. I’ll go tell the others the bad boy from Cali is back in town.

(Billy and Susan share a hug. Max then comes out of the basement.)

MAX: Hey, Mike. What’s goin’ on?

MIKE: Ask your stepbrother.

(Max looks to the front door, surprised to see Billy. They lock eyes, and she runs down to hug his wayward stepbrother.)

KAREN: So, you said you were bringing somebody with you, or…

BILLY: Oh, actually…

(Billy motions somebody to join him by the door. Linda comes up in her holiday best bringing gifts. Karen and Susan are perplexed as to who this woman is that Billy brought with her.)

Karen Wheeler, Susan Mayfield, this is Linda Hargrove. My mom.

KAREN: Oh my God. This is your mother? Get in here, it’s so lovely to finally meet you.

(The moms shook each other’s hands.)

LINDA: You too. Billy’s told me all about you.

KAREN: I certainly hope not.

LINDA: Susan.

SUSAN: Nice to finally meet you.

(Max walks up as the rest of the Party join up with Mike.)

LINDA: And you got to be the MadMax. Billy told me about you, too.

MAX: (shakes Linda’s hand) Wow, so cool to meet you.

BILLY: By the way, Max. I got something for you, too. It was too big to wrap up.

(Billy motions somebody else to come to the front door. Max is floored with emotion to see her father, Sam Mayfield, all dappered up in his holiday best as well.)

SUSAN: Sam?

SAM: Merry Christmas, Susan.

(Sam then looks to her wayward daughter.)

Merry Christmas, MadMax.

(Max then runs to her father with tears of joy, wrapping themselves in a hug. She looks to Billy with disbelief.)

MAX: How…

BILLY: I asked Murray to hunt him down after he helped me find my mom. We found him, got to know each other, turns out he’s a cool guy.

SAM: No, man. You’re cool, for bringing me to my daughter.

(The Party continues to look on.)

DUSTIN: The family keeps getting bigger.

(Steve pats Dustin’s shoulder.)

KAREN: OK. Everybody inside before we freeze to death.

(Billy’s party comes in and closes the door. The camera pans back to show the Wheeler house covered with Christmas decorations and lights. Snow continues to fall. Fade to black.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

#JusticeForBilly

3 notes · View notes

theimpossiblehologramtree · 5 years

Text

Auntie El |Steve Harrington|

Word Count: 1038

Warnings: teen pregnancy, swearing, cute smol Steve and El

Requested: hello love! happy birthday! i’m touched that you consider me a mutual and i’m so excited to participate in the fullest in this birthday sleep over! i might as well start with a blurb. now as much as i think teen pregnancy as not smart i honestly see steve harrington as a young father type. like i just imagine his girlfriend getting pregnant and he’s so scared and so happy. and like imagine the kids man. dustin would be so excited to be an uncle and eleven would be so cute around a baby like wow! by @itsfangirlmendes for my birthday sleepover!

A/N: THANK YOU SOSO MUCH, HUN! 💕💕 I was afraid no one is goint to participate but there you are. 💖 I love you so much for that💞🐝 Hope you'll like it. Let me know what you think!

》The italics at the begening are flashback《

🐝masterlist🐝

REQUEST IF YOU WANT MORE

Gif's not mine. Credits to the owner.

Two lines.

Two fucking lines.

That was it. You were pregnant with Steve Harrington. You knew he won't like to keep the baby and he will probably dump you as soon as you tell him. You were only seventeen both of you not ready for the baby. Despite being together for almost a year neither you or your boyfriend ever talked about the future.

'Fuck' you whispered not knowing how to tell Steve you are expexting. You pressed your forehead against the mirror as another wave of nausea hit you.

'(Y/N)?' you've heard a familiar voice coming from your room. Steve. 'Are you okay?'

'Yes. I'll be out in a second' you managed to say before throwing up once again. Suddenly you felt a pair of hands grab your hair out of your face. You didn't have the time to see who it was as you buried your head in the toilet again. After a few seconds you felt better.

'(Y/N) what's wrong, babe?' Steve asked with concern in his eyes. You knew it was the moment but you were so scared to tell him. Quickly brushing your teeth and cleaning your face you turned back to face him.

'Steve... There is something I need to tell you' you said hesitantly and took a deep shaky breath.

'What is it, babe? Tell me, please' he smiled gently and took your hand in his stroking it with his thumb.

'I'm pregnant.'

At first he just stared at you in disbelief. The worst scenarios were running through your mind as you stayed silent. The tears started to fall down your cheeks while you waited for your boyfriend to answer. Finally after what felt like hours Steve cracked a smile and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

'And it's mine?' he asked slowly looking directly into your (Y/E/C) eyes.

You nodded. 'Listen I understand if you don't want to raise a child with me, I really do. There is a lot of single teenage moms out there who decided to keep their babies.

'Oh, (Y/N). I'm not gonna let you go. It will be hard but I feel like we are gonna manage.I want to be part of this baby's childhood and it needs a father after all. I love you and I love this baby. I know I am not perfect but I will do anything I can to help you' he whispered letting his own tears fall down. You pulled him in a hug burying your face in his chest.

'I love you' you repeated over and over again. You couldn't believe he didn't let you go. He was going to be such a good father and you were so happy to have such a great boyfriend.

Nine months later you were sitting in Steve's house holding your babygirl on your lap. Your boyfriend was standing next to you looking anciously out the window every few seconds. You could sense him being nervous. You couldn't help but giggle at him bitting down on his lip and ruffling his hair. Today was the day your friends were meeting your baby for the first time.

'It's okay, Stevie darling. They're gonna love her.'

He sighed and sat down on a couch beside you.

'I know but... What if she won't like them?' he asked looking you straight in the eyes.

Before you got the chance to answer you were disturbed by a sound of a doorbell. Steve stood up to get the door and you could hear familiar voices coming from the hall. Few seconds later Dustin, Lucas, Max, Will, Mike, Eleven, Nancy, Johnatan, Joyce and Hopper walked into the room followed by your boyfriend who was now smiling.

'(Y/N)! How are you?' your bestfriend Nancy asked kissing your cheek.

'Not bad, but this little angel here is the pain in the neck sometimes' you answered jokingly pointing at your daughter. Fortunately she was asleep so you didn't have to deal with her.

'Is she really that terrible?' asked Joyce approaching you two and sitting on the couch.

'She has an attitude. Just like her father' you looked over to Steve who was grinning proudly. You could see little sparks of joy flickering in his eyes. The comfortable scilence was interrupted by Dustin's purring. The boy leaned closer to see (Y/D/N)'s face.

'She is so fucking cute, (Y/N). Congrats!'

'Hey hey. No swearing near the baby, kid!' Steve smacked the back of his head. Ever since you gave birth he became very overprotective and cut down cursing to minimum. You wasn't even allowed to say 'heck' next to the baby. Although it was not nessesary, as she still would learn swears anyway, you found it sweet and adorable that he cared for your child. 'She'll learn them and I don't want her to be a troublemaker like me, shithead.'

You all laughed at his expression when he realised he accually cursed in front of his babygirl. His cheeks turned red and he hid his face in his hands.

Eleven was the next one to approach. She gently kneeled in front of you and stared at you.

'Here El. You can hold her' you said smiling softly and handing her (Y/D/N). After showing her how to hold the baby properly she looked down at the newborn.

'Oh look. She's awake' said Jonhatan. You glanced down at Eleven and your child and noticed that indeed she wasn't sleeping anymore but she was also about to cry. Her eyes started to water as she let out a series of quiet whimpers. Everyone held their breath in unision. Before you had time to react El pressed a sloppy kiss to baby's forehead and started rocking her gently to the sides. (Y/D/N) stopped crying instantly. You stared in pure confusion at them not understanding what just happened. You were so touched by Eleven's soft side that you had to bit your lip to stop yourself from tearing up.

'Maybe we have to invite El more often' you heard Steve murmur against your hair while hugging you from the back.

'Yeah. Definitely' you whispered back leaning into his touch.

#stranger things #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #majka writes #my birthday sleepover

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platypan · 5 years

Text

Strangest: Chapter 4/5

「Previous chapters on AO3 」

“Steve,” Dustin sighed, shaking his head. “Steve, Steve, Steve.” He reached out and patted Steve’s shoulder, staring into his eyes.

Steve scooted back, the entire desk sliding sideways out of the row with a screech. “What the hell? Sorry I didn’t pick up the phone? I guess? It was three o’clock in the morning, guys. Do you know why Eleven wanted to talk to Billy Hargrove?”

“Probably she thinks he kicked your ass again! He’s lucky Mom didn’t wake me up,” Max growled, dropping to sit on the desk Steve was facing across the tiny aisle. “My mom told Eleven it was a school night and hung up, or I’d have...come gotten him.” She rolled her shoulders.

“Uh,” Steve held a hand up.

“My little sister told me you both burned to death,” Lucas put in, leaning next to her. “That was my morning!” he flailed his arms. “We’re getting in the car to pick Max up, and she’s like ‘Oh Lucaaaaaas, your girlfriend’s brother died in a fire at Harringtooooon’s.”

Steve could easily imagine the scene, and snorted. “Did she put her hands on her hips?”

“She sang it,” Lucas hissed back.

“Steve,” Dustin huffed, glaring around. “Everyone. We’re all war veterans now, so--”

“What the hell, man, you are not a war veteran,” Lucas punched his arm.

“The Second War of Hawkins,” Dustin scoffed. “Uh, yeah we are. I thought you guys had my back on this, come on--”

“No, I said it was stupid.”

“Wow, I sure do not want to be late for school,” Steve started to stand, and Max kicked his knee.

“Don’t kick him, he might be dying, he spent a whole night with your brother--” Dustin wailed, clutching at Steve’s hand, and the desk creaked as Steve jerked back.

“That’s not what a war veteran is,” Lucas hissed.

“Lucas, you’re making the most sense,” Steve pointed, and Dustin gasped. “Your turn.”

“Thank you,” Lucas rolled his eyes. “I know you gave them all that whole stupid speech about Billy being Clifford--”

“That’s so dumb,” Max groaned.

“--but what he is is an alcoholic shithead, and you should tell him to fuck off. Show him the bat again.” Steve muffled a snort at the thought of Ms Williams showing her dogs the squirt bottle.

“You could also call me, or Hopper,” Max was counting off on her fingers. “Or me. Or that old black lady next to you could probably run him off with her dogs.”

Dustin clutched his heart. “Mrs Williams is archangel to a chorus of darlings, how dare you.”

“A what,” Max paused.

“Shut up, Dustin,” Lucas rolled his eyes.

“A group of angels can also be called the host,” Dustin waggled his eyebrows at Max, who leaned away, nose wrinkled, “--which is hilarious because that’s what they feed you and call it Jesus--”

“I don’t give a shit about Jesus, Dustin--”

“What is Eleven planning with Billy?” Steve interrupted. “And Mike?”

“We don’t know, Steve,” Max punched the desk, “--because you wouldn’t answer the phone, so we had no clue what was going on! And now Eleven’s probably--” she growled, punching the desk again.

“What happened,” Lucas scooted closer to her. “Last night.”

“Welllll,” Steve considered how much of Billy’s business was none of theirs. “Billy came over. He was drunk off his ass. He’s loud. Mrs. Williams heard him and called the police.”

“Don’t lie to us, Steve--” Dustin sighed, and Lucas and Max interrupted while he paused for drama.

“What about the fire,” Lucas stared him down.

“Did he finally set your mom on fire?” Max’s grin was more a baring of teeth, and she’d never reminded Steve so much of her brother.

“He was doing some dumbshit drunk shit out there!” Steve rubbed his eyes. “Nobody got hurt, much--”

“Much?!” Dustin yelped. “I’m calling Hopper--”

“Billy fell--” Steve pushed him back onto the desk, “--and clonked his head on the bolt of the front door, and then he got blood all over my couch, that’s all.”

Max’s eyes were narrowing, and Steve spread his hands. “That’s really it, pretty much, I need to--” the door creaked open, and he shoved Dustin behind him as Nancy poked her head in.

“Everything okay?”

Steve cleared his throat, nodding, and let go of his white-knuckled grip on the bar of the desk, snorting. What’d I think I was gonna do, grabbing the desk like a melee weapon. Swing it around my head? Nancy cocked her head at his snickering, her eyebrows broadcasting concern. She didn’t seem to register Dustin waving.

“Is Steve okay?” Will came in with her, wide-eyed, and Steve grimaced, hunching his shoulders.

“I’m great. Sorry I freaked you out.”

“Oh, Will gets a ‘sorry’?” Lucas smacked his shoulder.

“I was doing first aid,” Steve rolled his eyes. “Head wounds bleed like crazy.”

“He fell into the door,” Max repeated.

“Well, first he went to Carol’s and took all her beer and tequila, and then he came over, tripped on the mat, and conked his head on my door,” he shrugged, as Nancy tried to muffle her snort. “I tried to catch him!”

Max nodded, picking at her shoelaces.

“We should get to class,” Nancy squeezed Will’s shoulder, and he smiled up at her.

“Oh, you just got here, stick around a while!” Dustin beamed at her, and Steve pushed him back into his seat again.

“Wait!” Lucas yelled. “You didn’t agree to anything!”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Steve grabbed his bag, waving to his posse. “Later, Junior Heroes.”

Billy was parked out front when Steve wandered out of his last class, letting Carol light his cigarette. “Soooo last night,” she reached in her shirt and readjusted her boobs, sort of fluffing them, like pillows. “Why’d you leave?” she leaned in with her aired-out cleavage barely contained, and pressed Billy up against the car, and Steve stopped to watch, leaning against one of the poles holding up the roof. Her slight nose wrinkle and redirect from Billy’s mouth nearly made him laugh aloud, remembering the vomiting sounds that morning.

“Wanted to fuck up Harrington,” Billy cupped his mouth to smell his breath, and snorted. “You said he’d be there.”

“We don’t need him,” she pointed out, just as a yell came from behind Steve--Billy glanced up, saw Steve, and smirked--and Tommy ran out to stomp up to his girlfriend and the boy she held captive against his car.

“What the hell are you doing?” Tommy yelled, and she nodded her head from side to side, and rolled her eyes, pulling her hand out of Billy’s jacket.

“What the hell are you doing, Tommy?”

Tommy rallied with a “Nuh-uh, you,” and she started mimicking his words as noises.

Under cover of their argument, Steve walked casually around the parked cars and slid in to Billy’s shotgun seat, then slowly leaned across to crack the window.

“Sluh-uhhh-ut,” Carol singsonged, fingernails deep in Billy’s denim-covered bicep.

“Slutitty slut slut,” Tommy shouted back, grabbing her arm, and Steve covered his cackles with both hands, watching his limited view of Billy’s back tilt away from them.

“You wish you could be a slut,” Carol stomped her feet, and Billy’s back was shaking. Steve slid closer to the driver’s seat, prodding the denim arm through the window. Billy jerked, frowning down, but Tommy had distracted Carol by accusing her of wishing she was a stud, and they didn’t notice. Steve waved, and Billy grinned at him, looking not particularly worse for wear if you allowed for the blood still in his ear and what looked like a hangover for the Guiness Book of World Records. In clear view of the window, he slid his hand down to squeeze Carol’s butt cheek.

“I’ll see you later.”

“Brush your teeth,” Tommy retorted. “Fuckhead!”

Billy slid in the car, nearly crushing Steve as he dropped across his legs, and yanking the door closed as Max ran up, yelling. “I thought you were popular. And they were your fuckin’ friends?”

“He’s got a point,” Steve gasped, as Max banged at the window. “You smell like you’ve been eating tequila worms. In a grave.”

“You like it,” Billy snorted, his shoulder digging into Steve’s as he leaned in to rub his head against Steve’s like a huge cat.

Steve snorted, but yanked a hand loose, sliding it up to cup the back of Billy’s skull. He ran his thumb over the soft curls. “Not really.” God, he’s foul. Steve could see Max’s back leaning against the window on one side, and Carol’s leg around Tommy on the other. Her dress had hiked up to show his hand in her panties. “Usually...maybe,” he admitted, and Billy huffed a laugh, curling into him. “Today, though...” Steve felt Billy’s warm bulk coaxing him to sleep. I’ll use less oxygen if I’m asleep anyway, he thought muzzily. Won’t matter he’s crushing my lungs and smells like asshole. “...thought you were so worried somebody’d figure you out.”

Billy snorted against his neck. “Who’s lookin’? They’ll just think I’m fucking with you.”

“You stink but my last class I was freezing,” Steve mumbled, letting his eyes close.

“You sayin’ I’m hot,” Billy’s teeth grazed his ear.

Max smacked the door with the flat of her hand, but she was yelling to somebody else in the parking lot.

“I know somewhere to park, and I’m kinda...hungry,” Billy slid his hand down Steve’s stomach, hooking a finger on the front of his jeans. His thumb slid up and down Steve’s fly, and Steve groaned.

“I need a shower and sleep,” Steve muttered into his curls, which needed a wash, but were further from the smells of tequila, vomit, and the bitter, rank sweat of fear. “You need a...a hosing down or something.”

Max turned to bang on the window, and Billy scrambled over Steve’s legs into the driver’s seat, hitting him, somehow, with at least five elbows enroute. Steve yelped, tucking his legs up against the door. “Fuck you,” Billy muttered.

“I’ll kiss you when you’ve brushed your teeth,” Steve rubbed his face, and Billy rolled up the window Tommy and Carol were smooching against.

“Let me in,” Max mouthed, eyes narrowed, and Steve unlocked the door. She yanked it open, growling at Billy, and shoved Steve and his seat forward against the dash. Her backpack smacked Steve on the head as she clambered in to the back, and Billy snorted. “You smell like the Marlboro Man’s zombie,” she kicked Billy’s seat. “What the fuck. You smell like a dead dog rotting in a distillery vat, what the hell. Is it gangrene?”

“Shut your face,” Billy lit a cigarette, and she gagged.

“You coulda taken a shower in PE,” Steve leaned his head against the glass, watching Billy slowly lower the handbrake so they’d coast backward without alerting Tommy and Carol to their lack of support.

“I was out looking at that bus,” Billy bared his teeth in a grin, letting the car roll backwards out of the parking spot so his side mirror nearly knocked Carol and Tommy to the ground. Tommy scrambled up, trying to punch the car, but Billy shifted and gunned it, sliding out of the lot.

“What bus,” Max leaned up between their heads.

“The fucking bus,” Billy clenched his teeth. “The one with clawmarks in it.”

“Oh,” Max dropped back out of view.

“The fuck happened in that bus, Harrington. Your kids wouldn’t say anything. She hadn’t even seen it, what the hell was that about? The boy made it sound like--like a fucking wolf pack.”

“Ha,” Max snorted. “Close enough.”

“Huh,” The car was warm from the sun. Steve’s eyelids felt like when a sponge has been sitting out so long it can’t even absorb water. He let them close, until his seat bucked as Max started kicking again.

“What happened,” Billy asked her, and she snorted.

“Oh, yeah, I tell you things.”

“Steve,” Billy hit the horn, and Steve’s head smacked back against the seat.

“Druh,” he rubbed his face. “Mwuh. The fuck do you want.”

“He said you had to barricade them in there. There was blood.”

Steve shrugged, wishing he could crawl in the back and nap. “I guess so.”

“Could you have died? What the fuck was the sheriff doing?!” Billy braked suddenly for a turn, and Steve’s face nearly hit the dash.

“Christ, are you two fucking?” Max stuck her head forward again, and Billy’s tires screeched as he ran off the road and up the grassy shoulder.

“Shut the fuck up, Max,” he took a long draw off his cigarette and turned off the engine, but clenched the steering wheel with both hands.

“Did you forget what he said, you fucking--you bag of shit--”

“Shut the fuck up, don’t you dare--don’t you fucking tell him, Max--”

“I wouldn’t tell him,” she yelled back, smacking his shoulder and head. “I’d never tell him, you fuck, what the fuck are you doing--”

“Jesus,” Steve whispered, and Max grabbed his jacket, yanking his face close enough to snarl into.

“You--you morons,” she gritted out, swallowing hard. “Steve, if you fucking--if anyone--if you say a fucking word--”

“I...won’t tell anyone,” he glanced at Billy, who’d leaned his head in his elbow, against the steering wheel, then back to Max, whose breaths were hissing through her teeth. Her freckles didn’t soften her fury. “Nancy knows.” Steve admitted. “She won’t say anything.”

“What the hell did you--why the fuck--”

“Look, she asked--”

“Billy had a magazine with Rob Lowe on it,” Max yanked him closer, whispering in his ear. Billy threw the door open, stumbled out, slammed the door again, and paced back and forth in front of the car, kicking at the grass and trying to light a cigarette.

“What,” Steve bit his lips together, feeling the familiar adrenaline sweat prickle on his hands. “The--Rob Lowe from The Outsiders? I think Carol has him in her locker. The poster’s worn in the middle because she kisses him before tests.” Why am I telling her, he wondered, stomach clenching, but the adrenaline felt good clearing his head.

“He used it to show him how to use the nail gun, Steve,” she kicked his seat, dropping out of sight as her voice got thicker. “Told him there’s a safety, you can’t just shoot nails, you have to be up against something solid, and then he slammed Billy’s shoulder into the wall and shot five nails into the head of the picture in his hand.”

“...no wonder he likes it at my house,” Steve said, on autopilot, watching Billy pace. “We’re--”

“I don’t wanna know, shut up, eugh,” she shuddered.

“We’re not doing much,” he got out before she could cut him off. “Has he--”

“Gross, god, I thought you liked Nancy.”

“I,” he took a deep breath.

“No, gross, why are you telling me, Billy!” she shrieked, and he scrambled to open the door.

“What,” he dropped back into the seat, hand over his face. “What.” He wiped his eyes, but his voice was so thick Steve started rummaging around his bag for his PE towel.

“You’re so disgusting,” she moaned, and Billy flinched. “You stink, Steve, what is wrong with you--”

“He doesn’t always stink,” Steve handed over the towel, shoving it at Billy’s head until he took it, burying his face. “Want a water bottle?”

“Go wash your face,” Max reached up to push him. “Scrub your face off. I don’t wanna get in a--jesus, we kinda wrecked.”

“The car’s fine,” Billy snorted juicily, accepting the bottle Steve slapped into his hand and retreating from the car to dump it over his head over by the treeline.

“He’s always hanging around boys,” she wrinkled her nose. “If his dad sees him he’ll…” she groaned into her knees, and Steve flapped an arm back to pat her back. The hair that brushed his fingers was coarser than Billy’s, but the low “fuck...fuck...fuck…”s she was muttering were all Hargrove.

“...do you think he’d actually do it?”

“...not the nailgun,” she snorted. “He doesn’t wanna go to jail. He thinks Billy’ll take care of himself, with the drinking and the…” she curled up around her bag, growling into the seat.

“The what,” Steve watched Billy scrubbing his face, probably for a good while longer than he needed to. Breathe, he reminded himself, though the adrenaline usually did a pretty good job of that. He never breathed so well as when he was hunting imaginary monsters in the dead of night.

“He thinks he’ll get in a drunk wreck and die and it’ll just be me and him and my mom and he keeps saying it,” she choked out. “He wants him to die, Steve, he talks about it all the time--”

“Christ,” Steve patted her sneaker, the only part he could reach, and she gave a wet snort and blew her nose on her sleeve.

“I don’t give a shit,” she kicked the seat again.

“Yeah?” Billy was trying to neatly fold the towel, for some reason, and Steve sighed, watching him set his shoulders and turn back towards the car.

“If Billy’s dead,” Max whispered, “--what about when he gets mad,” and then the door opened, and Billy tossed him the towel and the empty bottle, his face red and scrubbed.

Steve shoved them into his bag, “...let’s get Max home.”

“Gotta drop you off,” Billy said hoarsely, checking the mirror before backing out onto the asphalt.

“Nobody’s gonna tell,” Max reached up to slap his side. “Go hang out with Steve. I’ll tell him it’s a party, he loves that.”

Billy laughed, cracking the window to hold his cigarette out of it, and stole a glance at Steve, who nodded. “Cock suckin’ party.”

“You are so fucking nasty,” she moaned.

“Is he letting you spend a lot of time with Lucas?” Steve turned to ask her.

“I guess?” she frowned at him.

“Make better friends with Eleven.”

She slouched back in the seat, dropping her gaze, as Billy glowered between them, then back at the road.

“Seriously. She’s the sheriff’s kid, he can’t mind that. You don’t have to tell her about. Things.”

“Oh really?” Max cackled. “I shouldn’t warn Eleven.”

“I mean, you don’t have to tell her there’s a reason you wanna be friends. You two’d get along, though, I think. Mike and them keep trying to put her in dresses.”

“I thought her name was Eleanor,” Bully muttered, and Max punched his seat.

“Yeah, fuckface, Mike lied.”

“Whatever,” Steve rolled his shoulders, letting his eyes close again. “Make friends with her. Teach her to skateboard, maybe.”

“...huh,” Max was quiet for the rest of the ride to their house, until she smacked the back of Billy’s head on the way out. “You moron,” she sighed. Billy lunged half across Steve after her, but she just waved, sauntering to the door.

“Let’s get back,” Steve pushed him back into the driver’s seat. “Shower.”

“Right away, your majesty,” Billy leaned his arm across the back of Steve’s seat to back out, and then left it there for the drive. A few turns before Steve’s house, a sheriff’s station car swerved out behind them, siren blasting, and Billy snorted. “Think I could outrun ‘em.”

Steve reached over and grabbed the wheel, but Billy was already veering to the shoulder, rolling down the window, and unhitching his belt.

“We weren’t speeding,” Steve leaned to try and see who got out of the car--he vaguely recognized the deputy in the passenger seat as they parked half in the lane of traffic to block the front half of Billy’s car toward the woods. “...Sheriff Hopper isn’t in there. What--”

Both deputies got out, one walking to Steve’s side, the other banging on the roof on Billy’s side. “Get out. Hands on the roof.”

“We weren’t speeding, what--” Steve frowned at the deputy on his side, before registering the one on Billy’s side unsnapping his holster. “What the hell--”

“Shut up,” Billy growled, climbing out to get shoved against his car.

“What the hell is going on,” Steve tried to open the door, and the deputy on his side frowned at him, knocking it closed with his hip.

“Wha--Steve Harrington?”

Feeling on steadier ground, Steve nodded, eying the one that had Billy braced against the car, his hand braced near his holster. “Yeah, why’d you pull us over?”

Steve’s deputy bent to frown in at him. “Why you drivin’ around with the likes of Billy Hargrove?”

“Uh--” Steve shrugged, hoping Billy wouldn’t elbow the deputy in the face.

“What’s goin’ on, son?” the one holding Billy’s wrist against the car, the white one, smiled. “Now, I know you’re from a good family, I heard about you from your dad--” he began, and Steve shoved at his door again, hitting his deputy’s leg.

“Let me out,” Steve hissed, but the deputy on his side must have been listening to the other one lecturing Billy.

“How many of these talks we gonna have to have? You shouldn’t be drivin’ around with our Sheriff’s little girl in your car.”

“She climbed in, and she told me where she wanted to go,” Billy snarled, and got shoved against the car again for his trouble.

Steve crawled into the driver’s seat. “She did, officer,” he tried. “Seemed better not to argue with her--”

“That’s as may be, son. Now, Billy. Your father seems like a reasonable man, how many times you gonna make him call the station? Now, we’re gonna need you to walk a straight line, and Officer Powell here is gonna search your vehicle.”

Shit, Steve thought, hoping there weren’t twenty bottles of hard liquor under every seat, or like...marked bills in a bloody briefcase, but when Officer Powell finally opened the door, he clambered back across and out.

“What’re you doing with--?” Powell asked, jerking his head towards Billy, who was swinging his arms to touch his nose, and baring his teeth at a lecture about curfew.

“I had a rough night,” Steve cleared his throat, and the man nodded. “He gave me a ride, that’s all.”

“Huh,” Powell leaned in to poke through the glove compartment.

“He’s not so bad,” Steve ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. “I don’t know what his dad told you, but…”

“Heard he beat you up pretty good,” Powell glanced back, eyebrow raised.

“...we fought,” Steve grimaced. “Yeah. But he’s not...he’s not what his dad says he is, is all.”

“I don’t know about his having a good, reasonable family,” the black deputy raised an eyebrow. “I do know you can’t tell from a glance. I also know the man’s right about him getting in fights,” he checked under the seats, then brushed himself off, and Steve hove a silent sigh of relief. “And driving drunk. And judging by the smell in here,” he lifted what looked like a broken chunk of beer bottle, and Steve cleared his throat, grimacing.

“...he’s helped me out a lot,” he said finally.

“Be even more helpful if he doesn’t get his license taken away,” Powell scooted the passenger seat forward, and began patting down the back seat. “Or in a wreck.” Billy was reciting something, and Steve crossed his arms, shivering.

“I know, but...are you guys just gonna pull him over all the time, or…”

“We got a call that somebody saw him with Jane in his car. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to make sure we had his attention.”

“She’s his little sister’s friend,” Steve stretched the truth, hoping Max took his advice to call her up.

“Is she. Well, our boss may not want him giving her rides.”

Hard to argue with, Steve thought.

“If he’s out at night, though, or outside of town,” Powell clambered around to pop the trunk open. “We’ve told his dad we’ll see him home, in his own car if he can drive it, or one of ours--” he walked back to lift the trunk, and paused, frowning into it.

“What,” Steve ran to stand next to him, having visions of everything from cases of vodka to duct tape and a shovel. Billy’d packed lidless boxes in, with neatly folded clothes, some LPs, two photo albums, and a folded Michelin map of the central and western United States.

“...he movin’ house?” Powell raised his eyebrows.

“...I think he wants to,” Steve leaned his face against the car with a groan. Moments later, Billy stalked back, dropped into the driver’s side, and slammed the door, huddling to light a cigarette. “You’re not supposed to let him leave town?”

“Mmm,” Officer Powell frowned into the trunk.

Steve eyed him, and he nodded. “...I better go.”

“Call the sheriff. Keep him in the loop.” Powell hooked his thumbs through his belt loops, eying the back of Billy’s head. “He’s...your friend?”

“Yes?” Steve winced inwardly. “I know it’s kinda…”

“That boy’s primed and loaded,” Powell shook his head.

“Yeah, he is,” Steve sighed, walking back around to drop into his seat and wait for the patrol car to pull away.

“The hell were you two gossiping about,” Billy revved the engine, pealing out between lanes.

“Jesus, learn to drive,” Steve scrabbled for his seat belt, and Billy grinned, tapping the brakes to throw him forward. “What were you, Mike, and El gossiping about?”

“They wanted Eggo waffles,” Billy frowned over, taking a deep draw on his cigarette. “Your children are weird as shit.”

Steve bit his lips together, thinking of Dustin the war veteran, and Billy smirked over.

“What’re you grinning about.”

“They are,” Steve leaned his face in his hand, shoulders shaking with laughter. “They’re weird as hell, did you--did you seriously fucking take her to buy Eggos?”

“Fuck no, we went to IHOP,” Billy rolled his eyes. “She tried every syrup, it was disgusting.”

“...she didn’t mind?” the tightness that clenched his lungs all day as he imagined Billy’s limp legs sticking out from under a pile of ten cars El was stacking like LEGO returned, but Billy just squinted over, cocking his head.

“...you think she’s weird and stupid?”

“No,” Steve shook his head. “No, I would never, ever call El stupid.”

“...the sheriff’s really protective, huh,” Billy’s knuckles whitened on his steering wheel.

“Oh. Uh, I’ll ask him to call them off. He said if they see you out at night they’ll be watching, though. Or, uh, if you leave town.”

“...yeah.” Billy shut his eyes, leaning his head back, and Steve yelled something and grabbed for the wheel again. “It’s fine, Harrington, fuck off.”

When they finally pulled in to Steve’s driveway, Steve half fell out of the car, dragging his bag, and fumbled with his keys.

“Jesus,” Billy grabbed them, unlocked the door, and pushed him inside.

“I’m so tired,” Steve lurched for the stairs. “Bed, oh my god.”

Billy followed him upstairs. “Harrington,” he sang softly, swaying his hips as he lifted his shirt, and Steve let himself fall onto the bed grinning over.

“There’re sweats in the drawer.”

“...thought you wanted a shower,” Billy paused, watching him fumble his shoes back out from under the covers and attempt to untie them.

“Too tired,” Steve waved, eyes already closed.

He awoke to Billy shouting his name, in the dark, feeling like his heart was about to explode out of his chest, and he had to--No, he told himself. They’re never real, not--Billy Hargrove’s here. His clothes were cold and wet, and his lungs hurt, so he breathed--at first in gasps--and Billy grabbed his shoulders, pulling him across a wood floor. The shrieks of idiotic middle schoolers in over their heads and the smell of the dank tunnels gave way to the dim light of the stairway. His fingers were cold and numb. Something slid out of his hand and clattered--from the feel and sound, his bat.

“What the fuck, Harrington,” Billy was panting against him. “The fuck, what is--what are--what’s going on, Harrington.” Steve worked the hand that’d been locked around the bat, realizing his teeth were chattering.

It hurt to use his voice. “What’d I do?” he leaned into Billy’s warmth, slowly registering Billy yanking at his fingers, where they were locked around his arm. Steve jerked his fingernails away from the other boy’s inner arm, feeling for the wall.

“The fuck was that,” Billy stumbled away from him. “You almost hauled me down the fucking stairs, what the fuck--”

“Sorry,” Steve let his head thud against the wall, and tried to impose Billy’s hoarse shouting over the residual panic. It was hard to hear over his thudding pulse. “Where’s Dustin, is Will--” he grabbed the bannister to pull himself up, and Billy shoved him back down, crouching next to him.

“He’s not fuckin’ here, Steve--”

“Okay, okay,” Steve let himself be held in place, leaning his head into Billy’s shoulder. He smelled like the antiseptic on his head, clean laundry, and his own cologne, and Steve breathed it in. Billy’s the only monster here. He snorted. “...I...did I call anyone? Shit.”

“The hell kind of nightmare was that,” Billy leaned in, breath warm against his hair. “You’re insane.”

“Don’t usually get ‘em with you here,” Steve giggled, realizing they were hugging in his hallway in the dead of night. “What good are you.”

Billy took a deep breath. “...one thing about being garbage,” he said into the hair next to Steve’s ear.

“Hrm?” Steve pulled him closer, aware of the January air on his sweat-soaked t-shirt.

“...nobody believes what I say,” Billy breathed into his ear. “If--if that’s why you won’t--”

“Shit,” Steve sighed, and Billy’s mouth shut with a click. “No, goddammit.”

“Fuck you. Sorry. I don’t even care,” Billy jerked away, covering all his conversational bases.

“No--” Steve squinted around, trying to blink back the dark haze in case it was more in his head than the hall, then scooped his bat off the floor. He grabbed the bannister again to pull himself up--his knees felt structurally unsound--and leaned on it, stalking back to his room. “Look, I’ll ask Hopper whether I can tell you if you want, but he’s probably gonna say no, and he’s gonna wanna know why you know I--do that. Now.”

“That’s why the stupid cartoons, isn’t it. No,” Billy followed. “Fuck no, don’t, it’s fine, I don’t need him pissed at me. That’s what you do when you’re alone?”

“No, sometimes I just scream,” Steve dropped into the desk chair, pulling his wet shirt over his head. “Once I called the police and sent them to the Byers’.” He pressed his fists against his eyes, willing the stinging to stop.

“...I can make hot chocolate.” He grabbed an old mug from Steve’s desk, hovering by his elbow.

“No, stay here,” Steve laughed, blood pounding with adrenaline. I almost miss the usual fog in my head, it keeps me from wondering how I’m gonna last the next five years if the only sleeping pill that works is Billy Hargrove--

Billy leaned in for a hard kiss, swinging his leg over to drop into Steve’s lap with enough force that the desk chair rolled the few feet to the bed. The motion further unsettled Steve’s stomach, but the warmth was good. “Mm,” he said softly, letting his eyes slide shut, losing himself in Billy’s gentle teeth biting at his lips and tongue. As the chair tipped and resettled, unprepared for two squirming basketball players, he dropped a hand to hold Billy’s ass securely on his lap. The other, he slid through the hair above Billy’s right ear, avoiding the gash from the night before.

Billy jerked back with a whine. “Harrington,” he hissed, his fingers digging into Steve’s shoulders. “What--”

His hot breath against Steve’s face was coming faster, so Steve opened his eyes, blinking into Billy’s reddened ones. “What’s wrong?”

“Like I’d know,” Billy grinned, watching his face, then relaxed against his chest again, laughing into a kiss.

Steve groaned softly, feeling his hips buck up at Billy’s hot weight. “Mnn. No. What--nn.” As Billy struggled with the fly, Steve slid a hand down as well, tugging Billy’s black t-shirt up, and sliding his hand down between jersey and taut abs. Billy’s whole body went stiff against him.

“Where you headed,” his voice sounded hoarse against Steve’s chin.

“Uh,” Steve paused. “Same...as...you?”

“Liking kissing and blowjobs is normal,” Billy grabbed Steve’s hand, pulling it out of his pants. His hand on Steve’s wrist felt bruisingly tight, and Steve jerked at it. The chair creaked. Billy leaned to whisper against his mouth. “What the hell are you doing, Steve Harrington. King Steve.”

“Lemme go,” Steve yanked again, feeling his wrist bones grinding together. “Let go of me, Hargrove--” he yanked himself loose, the chair slowly spinning with the momentum of his flung arm, and Billy fumbled for the tie at the front of his sweatpants, trembling against Steve’s shoulder as he finally jerked them loose and down, and slid a cold sweaty hand against Steve’s dick.

Steve yelped, grabbing Billy’s wrist. “Jesus, Billy.”

“It’s just a hand, Harrington,” Billy stared into his eyes, mouth quirking. “Or I got a mouth if you can wait for five seconds to get your pants down.”

Steve felt the chill of his room, taking in the shine to Billy’s eyes, and his trembling. “Sorry. I won’t do anything you don’t like,” Steve whispered, letting his eyes close at the thud through his collarbone as Billy dropped his forehead against it. “...how’s your head?” He leaned back as Billy tried to shift closer, and the chair creaked and made a plasticky popping noise. They both froze. “--hey--”

It creaked again as Billy rolled his hips, and Steve let his eyes slide closed again at the giddy whirl up from his lower belly, biting at Billy’s lips, pink and hot from kissing. “Billy,” he whispered, his breath warming where his tongue had just been. He slid his hands up Billy’s back, warming the cool muscles. “Hargrove. On the bed.”

“Shut it, Harrington,” Billy snickered as the chair tilted again. “Floor’s fine.”

“Come on. Bed. You’re gonna--Billy--” he wrapped his arms tightly around the idiot, and Billy went still. “Come on,” Steve whispered into his hair. “Come on to the bed.”

“Fuck you, Harrington, it’d be an accident, right,” Billy snorted, but allowed himself to be pushed back off the chair. “Not like I’ve done anything--today--”

“God,” Steve whispered, trying to reach for Billy’s sweatpants as Billy bit at his fingers, sucking one into his mouth. “If we get on the bed, we won’t fall on our asses and it won’t--jesus, let me--”

Billy growled, standing aside to yank at his pants before shoving them down to his ankles, hopping alongside the bed, kicking one pant leg off his foot, and dropping astride Steve’s upper thighs.

“I heard there are classes for strippers, you could work on that,” Steve grinned at being confronted with Billy’s half-hard dick, and Billy punched at him, but let Steve catch his fist and pull him in for a kiss.

He took a shaky breath as Steve rolled to pin him, then laughed up. “What you gonna do now you’ve got me?”

“I dunno,” Steve leaned his forearms across Billy’s, watching his breathing speed up. It was hard not to stare at Billy’s dick--it’d firmed up abruptly with Steve on top--bobbing with Billy’s ragged breaths, and oozing precum to pool across Billy’s abs. “Billy. You want me to stop?”

At the sound of his first name, Billy’s dick pulsed. “Nah,” he swallowed, shuddering, but his skin felt even colder, and when Steve leaned in for a kiss, he flinched. “Come the fuck on. Grab my hair again. I’ll get into it.”

Steve’s stomach clenched, and he rolled to drop along Billy’s warm side, sighing at the ceiling.

“Fuck you, Harrington,” Billy swung a leg off the bed, yanking at his arm, and Steve raised his head to free it.

Steve stared at the ceiling, feeling the bed shake as Billy started giggling wetly, curled away from him. “Dude,” Steve rubbed his face, eventually smacking a clumsy hand over Billy’s mouth as he tensed up to, Steve suspected, start yelling about something. “I’m not gonna do anything to you, asshole.”

“I know,” Billy shook his hand off, laughing. “You’re hard for me. It’ll be just like having a girl in your lap.”

“I mean, I’m not just gonna--just--lose my shit all of a sudden,” Steve threw a fist toward the ceiling, miming an explosion.

Billy rolled to laugh against his shoulder. “Kaboom, mushroom cloud.”

“But you gotta tell me if I’m doing something you don’t like,” Steve sighed, rolling to watch Billy’s tense smile as Steve ran a thumb along his cheek.

“‘S boring,” Billy pushed forward into a kiss, his mouth soft and open, and Steve groaned at the sudden hot hand fumbling with his dick through his briefs.

“God, Billy,” he gripped handfuls of Billy’s shirt, kissing clumsily over his mouth and face as Billy kept pushing his hands back up there.

“D’you want my mouth,” Billy whispered. “Feels just like a mouth, any mouth, Nanc--”

“...you want mine?” Steve cut him off before he had to get mad, feeling like his veins were running honey--warm and sweet. No monsters ever existed, not in any stupid teen movie Billy Hargrove would be in.

“Fuck no, I know those rules,” Billy started army crawling down the bed. “I’m a stupid piece of shit, but I’m not gonna--”

“What rule,” Steve grabbed his head, holding him in place for another kiss. “Hargrove.”

Billy’s eyes fluttered shut, but then he wrested his head away, grinning. “The ‘get too queer on you and get my head smashed into the fucking dumpster’ rule,” Billy tugged at his sweatpants, and Steve lifted his pelvis.

“I’m not--oh jesus, Billy--” he lost his train of thought as Billy’s mouth slipped over his dick clear up to his lower belly, taking him in with no hesitation. “Christ, how many cocks have you sucked, you’re fucking--you’re--fuck--Hargrove--”

Billy snickered around him, and Steve had no idea what he said then, under the influence of the vibrations of Billy’s throat. Probably mostly laughing about how short a time it was gonna be, and entirely profane. Billy’s tongue was everywhere he wanted it--up stroking the bundle of nerves under the head, and down his length again--which was just as well, because with all the muscles in his body feeling like they were drawing in to the wet heat of Billy’s mouth, all Steve could do was focus on breathing and try not to pull his hair.

Billy pulled off, looking up through his lashes, and Steve whined. “Just yank on it, jesus,” he butted his head against Steve’s hand, and Steve got a handful of curls.

He mumbled something around Steve’s dick as he sunk his lips over it again, and Steve breathed deep, chanting ‘fuck, jesus, fucking hell,’ as the vibration undid him.

“Shit, sorry,” Steve breathed, “Sorry, shoulda--shoulda warned you, jesus.”

Billy pulled off, eyes lowered, and wiping his mouth. Steve flailed an arm down and dragged him back up the bed, rolling to wrap both arms and a leg around him, panting. “God. I don’t...I don’t even...know what all I just... yelled,” he bit at Billy’s stubble.

“You should be thanking me for all that practise,” Billy mumbled, tense against him.

“Mmm. Thanks,” he giggled, hugging him tighter. “Thank you, thank you, happy to help you out anytime with your drills.”

Billy pulled back, studying his face.

“Oh my god,” Steve let himself roll onto his back. “I haven’t felt this good since like. Everything happened.”

Billy snorted, ducking his head. “Yeah, whatever. Lemme use your shower.”

“No, wait. You still all ‘hands off’ about your dick?”

“...you don’t fucking want my cock in your hand, Steve, I’m not that stupid.”

“Okay,” Steve kissed his eyelids, his forehead, and the end of his nose.

“S’not my mouth,” Billy growled, grabbing Steve’s chin and holding it in place to stop the kisses Steve was peppering his face. “The fuck are yoummph,” he kissed back.

His mouth’s even hotter than his face, Steve thought, trying not to giggle. He wears more makeup than Nancy, and he tastes like me, gross. “Oh, you’re shaking,” he snorted. “Your balls are gonna explode blue. Okay. C’mere.”

“Let me go be okay in the shower,” Billy grunted into another kiss, but pushed closer, running his hands up Steve’s ribs.

“How about you jack off,” Steve combed his fingers through the hair at the sides of Billy’s head, “--and I kiss you. I’ll just kiss you. Your favourite thing.”

“Shut up, you’re not that good a kisser,” Billy leaned in to him, holding his breath as he tried not to pant. “Jus’...my hand on my cock, right,” he whispered.

“Go ahead,” Steve cupped his jaw. He could feel the skin he was kissing getting hotter, and he almost slid a hand down Billy’s neck and collarbones, but kept his hands where he’d promised. Billy shuddered against him. “God,” Steve kissed across his eyelashes, his fingers on Billy’s neck reverberating with his thumping heart.

“It’ll--it’ll get on you,” Billy mumbled, but allowed himself to be pulled so close Steve could feel Billy’s clenched knuckles jerking up and down against his belly.

“Fuck,” Billy’s kisses got clumsy, his eyes fluttering shut, and Steve twined his fingers tighter in the silky brown curls, clenching his fist.

Billy moaned, going limp and solid against him. “...I need another fucking shower,” he whispered around kisses, and Steve snorted painfully, laughing against Billy’s sweaty shoulder.

“Hey,” Steve ran his nails over the base of Billy’s skull and up the back of his head, grinning as an entire basketball player tried to fold into his hand like a cat.

“Mmn,” Billy huffed back, pressing his face against Steve’s t-shirt.

“I forgot about a condom.” Billy went still. “I just…” Steve sighed. “...how many dumpsters did you get slammed into? What if I had syphilis?”

“From Nancy Wheeler?” Billy barked with laughter. “What the fuck.”

“There were ‘before Nancy’ times. God, you shoulda heard the riot act she read me. You ever use condoms?”

“...give the fucking blow job back,” he could feel the heat of Billy’s face through his shirt.

“Jesus. Go to the fucking doctor, you moron, find out whether my dick’s gonna fall off. And don’t put anything in you without a sock on it.”

“I wasn’t fucking...outside the bar, taking all comers--” Steve snorted at the image, and Billy elbowed him, huffing a laugh into his shoulder.

“You gonna do it, though?” Steve rubbed Billy’s taut neck with his thumb, and Billy sighed.

“Fuck you.”

“If that’s somethin’ you wanna do,” Steve leaned to mouth at his ear. “If I can trust you to stay clean...for me.” He grinned at Billy’s shudder.

“Don’t fuckin’ tease me,” Billy growled against his chest. “Just. Sometimes, I’d--”

“I mean I don’t wanna know, just if you’re gonna keep climbin’ in my lap--”

“Are we going steady now,” Billy snorted against his jaw, and Steve’s hand stopped stroking his hair. “Shit, no,” Billy punched the bed, shoving himself off it. “I didn’t mean that. I didn’t mean that, Harrington, fuck.”

“You...seriously wanna be my boyfriend?” Steve rolled to frown over the edge of the bed, and Billy scrambled back against the wall.

“I know that’s not--I know my--I’m sorry--fuck, Steve,” he laughed, letting his head fall back against the wall with a smack. Steve opened his mouth, still coming up with a reply, and Billy shut his eyes and knocked his head back into the wall again, and again, hard enough that the clock rattled.

“Jesus,” Steve scrambled off the bed, yanking him away from the wall, and running his hand up the back of Billy’s head. It wasn’t sticky. “Jesus, Hargrove.”

“Sorry,” Billy snorted, but his skin was cold and damp. “She shoulda just thrown me in a fucking dumpster. I didn’t mean it, jesus. Please don’t.”

“I’m not mad, jesus, c’mon...come here, don’t--”

“Don’t act like you don’t give a shit,” Billy grabbed the hand Steve was trying to inspect his head with. His hands were freezing. “Tommy says Jonathan Byers fucked your girl and you showed up with that baseball bat, c’mon, Harrington, what’s it gonna be, is he the one all over your fucking nailbat, I’m fucking sorry, I won’t say that shit, I promise--” he laughed, wiping his nose, his eyeliner streaking. “Promise from Billy fucking Hargrove, because that means fuck-all, shit--”

“Oh,” Steve blinked. Yeah, actually, that probably looked pretty bad. He rubbed his face. Jesus, Steve. “Uh. Shit, no.”

Billy grabbed his other wrist so tightly the bones creaked. “Lemme go. Just let me the fuck go. I’ll go home, I won’t tell anybody. You know I won’t fucking tell anybody, nobody’d fucking believe me--”

“No, seriously, shut up--”

“I’m shutting up, Harrington--”

Steve tried to lift one of his hands, and Billy jerked his head away, breathing shakily.

“Calm the fuck down. Billy fucking Hargrove, don’t do any crazy Billy shit, okay,” he kept his voice level. “It’s--I don’t care, shit, it’s fine. Tell--tell anyone. Anything. I’ll kiss you in class, I do not give a shit.” He tried to suppress a snicker, and it turned into a giggle. “I will fucking date you, if that’s what you want, stop giving yourself brain damage.”

“I don’t wanna date some psycho with a bat, I’m not asking you to prom,” Billy growled.

Steve couldn’t stop giggling, the image of Billy Hargrove as Prom King not helping. “God help whoever lets you make a speech,” he left his hand on the ground, but ran his thumb over Billy’s naked toes.

“Don’t fuckin’ tickle me,” Billy let go, scooting back.

“Y-you have a mouth that--that doesn’t unfold,” Steve gasped, miming the demodog’s unfurling with spread fingers, and he cackled at Billy’s blank face. “It’s g-good enough for me.”

“...you’re unhinged,” Billy stared. “The fuck is that, an alligator?”

“Fuck yeah,” Steve let himself fall to the side, his side starting to cramp with laughter. “Bring it. They can call me the Gatorfucker.”

“You’re a--you--basket case,” Billy sat wide-eyed, elbow at a weird angle as he tried to let Steve lie on the floor giggling without breaking his wrist.

“I am,” Steve nodded, wiping his eyes against his upper arm. “Oh my god, I am. I see monsters,” he tried to hold a straight face, but blew out his cheeks in a cackle at Billy’s glower.

“Are you on drugs,” Billy let go of his wrists to keep from being yanked forward as Steve rolled onto his back, kicking his feet.

“Maaaaaaybe I should be,” Steve grinned at the ceiling, wiping his eyes.

“Telling me to see a fucking doctor.” Billy looked hilarious, Steve thought, naked and spooked against the plaid wallpaper, and Steve started giggling again, clutching his stomach.

“Still--” he swallowed, trying to catch his breath, “--still wanna date? We could keep watch on the roof. Then a nice patrol through the snow at two o’clock in the morning. I’ll keep you safe. You can kiss off the monster blood.” His giggles ceased at the memory of Jonathan and Nancy clinging to each other.

“You thought I was a monster earlier,” Billy got up and started gathering his clothes. “‘F’I hadn’t yelled so loud, maybe you’d be a murderer. Nice, Harrington, really excellent.”

“Byers is fine,” Steve rolled his eyes. “You really think he’d be walking around if I hit him with that thing? That bat didn’t get anywhere close to you, you fucking moron.”

“Then what the hell were you dragging me around for?”

“Oh come on,” Steve flailed a fist toward Billy’s foot, missing by several inches. “I thought we were being attacked, it was a stupid dream, I was thinking ‘save the civilian!’, I wouldn’t have hurt you.”

“...you dreamed you were saving me,” Billy stopped to frown down. “...what do you mean civilian.”

“...nothing,” Steve sat up, stretching, and grinned as Billy’s eyes strayed to his shoulders, then down his chest. “Come on, stick around. Boyfriend.”

“Shut up,” Billy snorted, walking a wary circle around him, but dropping to sit on the bed.

“You really are Danny Zuko, lusting after Stevey Dee--”

“What the shit--”

“I was paying so much attention to Travolta’s ass in that, how did I not even notice--”

“I’m gonna kick your ass, Hargrove--”

“Be nice to your sweetie-pie. How we gonna work this,” Steve rolled onto his stomach, propping his chin up with his elbows on the floor. “We could go to the movies? I guess..? It’s dark.”

“Shut up. You’re not funny.”

“It’d be just like an affair, actually. We’d have to tell people we were--”

“Shut the fuck up, Harrington.”

“Fine, whatever. You trying to leave town?”

“...what.”

“He searched your trunk,” Steve leaned to look at the clock. “Wanna order food?”

“With what money,” Billy curled up on the bed. “Hadta quit my job and move to the sticks. And he’s told everybody I’m a fucking...serial killer by now.”

“...Heard there’s a mall opening up,” Steve hopped up to rifle his desk for a rubber-banded stack of bedraggled menus. “I bet the new businesses’ll hire. You had a job?”

“Yeah, fuckhead, I had a job. You think he bought me that car?”

“Huh. You want pizza or Chinese?”

“...I don’t give a shit,” Billy swallowed, following him downstairs to lurk around the doorway as Steve ordered a whole lot of meat and noodles.

In the front room, naked with the phone in his lap, Steve grinned over again.

“What now,” Billy sighed.

“We’re covered in jizz. Come on, shower.” He wandered over, sliding his arm around Billy’s waist.

“...not getting my mouth on your dick again, asshole,” Billy smirked, leaning in to a kiss.

“S’fine, we’ve only got fifteen minutes.”

After ten minutes of scrubbing whatever surface was closest, whether it was on his body or Billy’s--particularly if it made Billy huff a soft laugh--Steve piled out of the shower and grabbed a towel, leaving Billy cackling against the shower wall. “The hell was that, your majesty, you really needed to scrub my elbow twice?”

Steve stuck his head back in for a kiss, flicking Billy’s shoulder to get his attention. He blinked, but leaned forward, his ass still under the shower, and Steve kept his body as far from the water as he could drying off. “...we look like those kissing salt-and-pepper shakers,” he whispered, leaning in again.

“Mmn,” Billy hummed back, grinning against his lips. “You’re gonna have to get the food naked.”

“Worth it,” he pulled back, closing the shower door.

When Billy wandered down, his hair was mostly dry, and Steve kept his hands in the blood-free zone hauling him close. “...lemme wash your hair later.”

“It’s not that bad,” Billy allowed himself to be pressed against the counter, kissing Steve’s mouth over the next three sentences he tried to start.

“Oi,” Steve bit his lips together, lifting his head to escape, and ran his hands up and down Billy’s arms. “It’s got a load of blood in it. I’ll be careful, just lemme wash it in the sink.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Billy hefted himself onto the counter, pulling Steve’s head in with both hands to hold him in a convenient kissing position.

Steve lost himself in clean soft Billy Hargrove smells until the doorbell rang. “Mm--Billy--” he pulled back, then leaned back in, stopping to really appreciate the firm thighs on either side of his waist, the muscles under his hands on Billy’s abs, the heat of his mouth, and the intent dark eyes watching him for sudden motions. “I’m hungry. For noodles,” he specified, and Billy snorted. He lingered through another two rings before running off, leaving Billy to bury his face in his hands. When he returned, he handed over the cartons, watching as Billy scrounged for plates.

“...your cupboard handles are dusty.”

“There’s no hot chocolate in there,” Steve watched, then shrugged, meandering around opening drawers before holding up folding napkins victoriously and spreading them on the table as placemats.

“How do you...do you even know how to wash dishes?”

“I know how soap works,” Steve rolled his eyes, leaning to lay a kiss on him as he slid by with the silverware.

“...what that look for,” Billy finally asked, portioning out the Mongolian Beef, and cutting the odd eggroll in half.

“Why are we even using dishes,” Steve stepped closer and stabbed his fork into the bigger half. “It comes in dishes.”

“...I just imagined you setting up a romantic dinner. Would you cut the pizza box in half? Who needs candles, just set the lid on fire.”

Steve gasped. “I’d do my boy better than thUF--” he choked as Billy elbowed him in the stomach.

“I will fucking murder you,” Billy whispered in his ear, but Steve leaned into him, laughing.

“Chill out, c’mon, dinner and a movie.”

“...better not be singing mice,” Billy allowed himself to be drawn out into the front room to the coffee table.

“Laserdiscs are over there, pick something out, if you’re sick of Fievel.”

“What’s Ghostbu--”

“Holy fucking christ no,” Steve waved it away.

“Wh--”

“No no no,” Steve leaned over and pushed it back into the crate. Billy very slowly slid it back out, biting back a grin, and Steve leaned to thunk their shoulders. “Noooooo,” he whispered. “You don’t know how many times Dustin’s watched it. He recites along with it, it’s so fucking annoying, you have no idea--” he leaned in for a stealth kiss attack, sliding the case out and quickly tossing it under the couch while Billy raised an eyebrow, but hummed against his mouth. “If you want to win him over, ask him about it, but do not make me sit through that fucker again.”

“Why would I wanna win him over,” Billy rolled his eyes, pulling out The Howling.

“I dun~no,” Steve sing-songed, shifting to block Billy’s swift elbow.

Halfway through The Howling, Billy leaned in to nock his head under Steve’s chin. “Are you afraid of...werewolves,” he whispered, and Steve snorted a laugh.

“That’s definitely it, you’re on to me. Hey,” he leaned to kiss Billy’s head, getting another weirded-out glance for his trouble. “Come on, I can wash your hair.”

“Do I stink,” Billy tried to sniff at a hank of it, wincing as he tugged.

“It’s all clotted, come on.”

“...can wash my own fucking hair,” Billy allowed himself to be drug by the hand into the kitchen.

“Just where you got gashed. There’s blood in your hair, I can see what I’m doing.” Leaving his captive feral by the kitchen sink, Steve ran up and found the shampoo, returning to find Billy shirtless, and trying to comb his fingers through the matted edges of his hair.

“How’d they let you in IHOP, you look like a corpse from a horror movie,” Steve turned on the hot water, folding his arms. “It takes a minute to get hot.”

“I tied it up, it kinda--” Billy fluffed the top, hiding the gash, and tucked the bloodied hanks underneath. “El--Eleven?” he frowned over, mouth quirked.

“Or Jane, but I mean, if she told you something else...”

Billy rolled his eyes. “She was really into it, took half my bobby pins and elastics.”

“You...sat in IHOP giving hair tips,” Steve said slowly, feeling his cheeks heat.

“No,” Billy snorted. Steve raised his eyebrows, and Billy turned on the cold water.

“Are you giving me a bath or what.”

“What,” Steve made a face, but pushed his sleeves up.

“You picked me up from the pound, you gotta deal with my mange,” Billy grinned over, bracing his arms on the edge of the sink and leaning in.

Steve tested the water, his cheeks flushing. “Just wondered whether your hair tips were as good as my hair tips.” He cleared his throat, grabbing the sprayer, and ran his fingers up the back of Billy’s neck and head to get his hair over the sink. “...have to see who has better hair, Dustin or El.”

“The hell d’you know about curls,” Billy snorted, but his neck was turning red under Steve’s fingers.

“This too hot?” Steve sprayed Billy’s wrist, and he jumped.

“...s’fine.”

“Okay,” he started wetting it down, remembering the tangles Nancy fought with, and trying not to yank. The water on Billy’s right side ran reddish-brown. “Tell me if it hurts--”

“Fuck you,” Billy’s voice was muffled, and his clench on the edge of the sink was white-knuckled, but he turned his head easily as Steve ran the sprayer behind his ear, and up the back of his neck, and pushed his head down into the sink so the water didn’t run down his back.

“You’re doin’ good,” Steve said, for no real reason other than the tension shaking Billy’s shoulders, but he snorted, relaxing forward a bit as Steve let go of the sprayer and grabbed the shampoo. “Okay,” he started gathering up the long curls, working them into suds, and scratching his nails and thumbs in circles around Billy’s scalp, and Billy made a noise that started as a grunt but kinda turned into a whine. Steve narrowed his eyes at the scabbed area he was carefully avoiding. “That hurt?”

“...n-no,” Billy’s voice sounded hoarse, so Steve slowed up a bit, trying to be more careful about tugging the hair on the right side of his head.

“...almost done,” he reached under to turn Billy’s head and work the shampoo along his hairline. His hand on Billy’s neck informed him Billy’s heart was pounding, and he kept swallowing. “...seriously,” Steve turned him the other way, “Are you okay? You feel like you’re having a heart attack.”

“Shut up,” Billy mumbled, hipchecking him into the sink.

“You want conditioner?” Steve offered, grabbing the sprayer. “Keep your eyes shut.”

“Yes I fucking want conditioner,” Billy growled, and Steve grinned, ducking his head to see--sure enough, Billy’s face was as red as his neck and shoulders.

“I’ll just take my time then,” Steve rinsed carefully, his left hand on the back of Billy’s neck to keep the water back. Billy shivered when he took it away, and Steve couldn’t resist smacking a kiss there, just to watch him jerk and glower over his shoulder.

“You don’t have to do conditioner,” he muttered. “I’m not gonna die of one day--”

“Yeah, you didn’t exactly say please,” Steve got a handful of conditioner, watching Billy laugh and wipe his face.

“Fuck you, Harrington.” He leaned back in, and Steve held his hands down within view, sidling up against him but not actually touching his hair. Billy snorted, turning his face away. “Please, your Majesty, honor me with--jesus,” his knees banged against the cupboard doors as Steve held Billy’s head with one hand, pressing up his skull with the other. Billy grabbed for the sink, and Steve caught him around the waist.

“Christ,” Steve cackled into his shoulder, “Did your knees just give out?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Billy leaned his head in his arms, wiping his face.

“Lemme--lemme grab you a chair,” Steve was giggling, waggling a foot over to grab a kitchen chair and drag it closer. “Kneel on this.”

“...should be healed up soon.” The chair rocked as he clambered onto it. He felt shaky under Steve’s fingers.

“Are you seriously okay?” he started another rinse, after his fingers sank into freezing curls. “Are you cold?”

“I’m just--having--I don’t fucking know, just--fuck you,” Billy mumbled, leaning deeper into the sink.

“...you still want the conditioner? I could--”

“I want the fucking conditioner, are you fucking deaf,” he rubbed his face, wiping his nose, and Steve bit his lips, nodding.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m on it.” He took a while, uncertain what would happen when he finished, and Billy had to lift his head. Maybe he was topping up on tequila while I was paying for the pizza, he frowned around, shifting his feet as Billy leaned into his side, or maybe the stress of not punching anyone for hours broke him. When he was done, he kept his hand on the back of Billy’s head, holding him while he grabbed for the towel, then dropped it over the back of his head, pulling a grumbling, muffled Billy into his arms for a brisk towelling. After a few minutes, he rucked up the edge over Billy’s face, smirking into his narrowed eyes and set jaw.

“Who the hell was that for,” Billy slammed the heel of his hand into Steve’s chest, shoving him away and stomping to the fridge. “What do you have to drink, Harrington.”

Steve, who hadn’t been inviting his alcohol suppliers over, and had lost the main privilege of living at the party house--free liquor--crossed his arms. “The hell are you mad about.”

“The fuck was that,” Billy waved at his hair, slamming the fridge so hard the plates in the cupboard rattled. “You--who the hell are you in love with, are you still fucking--Nancy Wheeler? Go--fucking go get her,” he pulled the towel over his head again, stalking into the front room.

“What are you even talking about,” Steve followed him out, scooping up a container of chowmein and digging in as he dropped on the couch.

“Let’s go,” Billy punched his shoulder, frowning at the container. He grinned over. “Let’s go fuck up her new man. Drag him out.”

Steve choked, smacking his chest, chewed, and swallowed before staring over. “What the hell, dude. What have you got against Jonathan Byers.”

Billy scooted in close, his grin tense. “You keep lying to me. Don’t fucking pretend that whole--that hairwashing bullshit was for me.”

“...you had blood in your hair,” Steve leaned away. “I just washed blood out of your hair--”

Billy laughed, grabbing the front of his sweatshirt. “Ha. No way, Harrington. No fucking way. Come on. Don’t waste it on me. Let’s go get her--”

Steve shoved his hands off, clambering over the arm of the couch and padding back into the kitchen to lean against the counter. “Shut up. Leave ‘em alone.” Billy came up and slid his arms around him from behind, all warm breath and firm muscles, and Steve groaned into his noodles. “Fuck off, asshole, we’re not--we’re not gonna lynch somebody ‘cause you think I need a girlfriend.”

“Not a girlfriend,” Billy kissed his neck. “Her. You got some...Romeo and Juliet shit going on. She’s not dead, just go get her.”

“She’s too smart for me,” Steve snorted. “Wasn’t gonna last. She’s going off to college, I’m just...staying in Hawkins. It’s over, man, what the hell--” he leaned his head back, trying to see Billy’s face, and ended up in an awkward, upside-down kiss that still made him light-headed. “Jesus,” he panted. “Anyway. Didn’t take you for a matchmaker.”

“I’m not--”

“Why the hell you trying so hard to get me to bang somebody else when we’re making out,” Steve let himself be turned around, sliding his arms around Billy’s neck to kiss him.

“Just feel like a blow-up doll, letting you pull your pretend boyfriend bullshit,” Billy accepted the kiss despite his glower.

“My what?” Steve laughed. “Yeah, that’s what I’d do with a sex doll, wash its hair.”

“Or a dog,” he’d gone still, leaning away.

“What?!” Steve cocked his head.

“Didja want me to wag my tail and beg for more, Harrington,” Billy whispered in his ear, then elbowed out of his arms. “Want me to eat out of your hand? Eat shit. Fuck you.” He shoved off the counter and stalked away to the front room, leaving Steve squinting after him in annoyed confusion. “I’m starting the movie back up,” he yelled from the front room, and Steve meandered out, plonking himself on the opposite end of the couch and crossing his arms.

After a few minutes trying to forget about Billy and remember what was going on in the plot, Billy crawled over and flopped with his head in Steve’s lap, and Steve groaned.

“What about Carol.”

“What,” Steve sighed, running his fingers through damp curls.

Billy leaned his head into it, closing his eyes. “Carol. Fuck Carol. She’ll still invite me over.”

The bark of laughter surprised Steve as much as it did Billy, who jumped. “Why would I fuck Carol. Gross. She and Tommy are soulmates. One day he’ll propose and they’ll just repeat ‘Do you wanna get married,’ after each other like parrots, like, for infinity.”

Billy snorted, coughing. “Their vows will be ‘I know you do but what do I.’

Steve cracked up, bending to kiss his face, and finally stopped because Billy wasn’t laughing. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, what is this shit you keep doing,” he stared up, eyebrows knitted. “You just fucking. Kissed my forehead.”

“Is it out of bounds,” Steve grinned down, and Billy rolled to face the TV instead.

“...we’re missing the movie.”

“If you want me to stop touching you, maybe get out of my lap,” Steve slid his hand along Billy’s side, and watched him close his eyes, curling closer.

“...shut up.”

When the credits rolled, Billy grabbed up the dishes, shoving Steve back into the couch when he tried to follow.

Steve wandered in to find him washing the dishes, dug a towel out of the drawer, and was shoved into another chair.

“The fuck, Hargrove.”

“Almost done.”

“Let me dry, and you’ll be done sooner.”

“No hurry.”

“It’s--” Steve frowned at the clock. “It’s only nine-thirty, but I’ve already had a long fucking night,” he got up again to pull Billy’s hips against his. “I wanna sleep. If you aren’t gonna let me, go home. If you’re staying, get the fuck in my bed.”

Billy relaxed against him. “...I can sit and stay, your majesty.”

“Okay, Sparky,” Steve rolled his eyes. “...hey.”

“Mm?” Billy dried the last fork, leaning back against him.

“You can just stay here. Just come over, it’s fine.”

“What.”

“If I’m not here, Ms. Williams said you can go there.” Steve drug him towards the stairs, and Billy’s feet scuffled at the floor.

“What the hell--fuck both of you. Fuck you, you--”

“Is that a ‘thank you’, I hear? Thank you, Steve! Thank you! Thank you to Ms Williams, and her dogs!”

“Fuck do you mean stay here,” Billy yanked free. “Shut the fuck up. I can’t stay here. She’s not gonna--”

“If you want to,” Steve pulled him back. “We’re not--”

Billy shoved him against the wall. “You trying to get me sucking your cock again? Just fucking tell me.” The shove had knocked the air out of Steve’s lungs, and he took a deep breath, jerking his head back as Billy growled in his ear. “You want me again?”

“I wanna sleep,” Steve pushed him off, but grabbed his hand to haul him upstairs.

Billy yanked away to walk around the other side of the bed as soon as they were in Steve’s room, dropping back to sit against the headboard.

“...aren’t you gonna sleep?” Steve paused, half out of his sweatshirt.

“Just got up from a nap,” Billy stared outside. “I actually sleep at home.”

“What’s out there?” Steve crawled over the bed, squinting out the window.

“Nothing! Jesus! I was looking for cops, you fucking...nutcase,” Billy groaned as Steve slid up next to him, aiming at his mouth, but kissing his cheek and ear as he ducked away.

“Mmm,” he licked his lips. “Did you find the spare toothbrushes?”

“I carry one,” Billy rolled his eyes, and Steve yanked him back in by the shoulder for another kiss, grinning as he felt the skin against his lips heating up.

“Fuck are you doing,” Billy blocked him with both hands, but didn’t push him away, and Steve leaned his face against them. “You’re such a nerd,” Billy let himself drop sideways, smiling. “The hell did you think I’d see?”

“Stay-Puff Man,” Steve pulled his sweatshirt the rest of the way off and padded off to the bathroom. “You eat too many marshmallows, if he’s on your mind,” Billy yelled after him, and Steve leaned back around the door, laughing. “No, it’s--never mind. We can watch it.”

When he returned, Billy had deigned to take his boots off and stick his legs under the covers. Steve flicked the light off and slid in, sighing at the smooth, cool feel of the sheets and the weight of the blankets. “...where are you?”

“I’m over here,” Billy snorted. “How close d’you--Harrington,” he grabbed Steve’s hands, and Steve thought to his satisfaction he’d at least go to his grave having made Billy Hargrove sound like an offended librarian.

“C’mon, I wanna--” he tugged at Billy’s arm. “Hug you, I guess. Get in here.”

“Why,” Billy muttered, but slid in, and allowed Steve to test his theory that Billy’s chest was warm and smelled nice. He laid his head on it, sliding a hand up Billy’s abs, and the body under him shivered.

“Sorry,” Steve grinned.

“...I can feel you grinning.”

“This is nice.”

“...shut the fuck up, Harrington.”

Steve opened his mouth to retort, considered what compliment would make Billy flush down to his navel but not elbow him in the face with the rush of emotion--and then he was jerking awake, wiping his mouth, as Billy’s shoulder collided with his jaw. The dim reflected light of the streetlamp showed him Billy’s head jerking. He was mumbling something under his breath. Steve leaned his head out of the danger zone, lifting his hand and patting Billy’s abs, and Billy shuddered, shaking his head slowly back and forth, and curled onto his side with a groan.

“Hargrove,” Steve tried, keeping his voice even. “Billy Hargrove.”

Billy’s ribcage jerked again, and his eyes opened. He stared at the wall as the saltwater that had collected in his eyes spilled to the pillow, then shut his eyes again. “...d’jou drool on me,” he asked thickly.

“...think so,” Steve leaned on his elbow, heart racing. “...was that a nightmare?”

“Nah,” Billy cleared his throat, curling tighter. “Just meditating on a nice fishing trip.”

“Was it, uh, was it your dad--”

“No, actually, I was in a trunk, asswipe,” Billy flung an arm out to smack him.

“...shit.”

“You fucking--kidnapped me, the fuck are you--snuggling--get off--”

“Sorry,” Steve scooted away to sit at the end of the bed, and listen to Billy’s shaky breathing.

“Go ahead.”

“What?”

“Go ahead say whatever the hell you’re gonna--”

“I was thinking ‘Your turn!’” Steve admitted, and Billy choked on a laugh. “...shit, that means it’s my turn again.”

“...that how it works?”

“Apparently.”

“You gonna drag me outta bed again?” Billy’s foot, a fuzzy lump under layers of blankets, nudged Steve’s knee. He squeezed it.

“...I don’t always run for it.” It was hard to tell under the blankets, but he ran his thumb over what was probably the arch of Billy’s foot. “I fell asleep in the kitchen Monday afternoon and dreamed Mike showed up to yell at me because he’d found his parents half eaten, and handed me a foot--”

“What the f--?! Why the--” Billy paused to listen, but his silent laughing was shaking the bed.

“--and of course Dustin was there, and Mrs. Byers, and we had to go find El and Will--she’s--”

“Will’s the kid that...had the funeral?”

“Yeah, so she’s screaming and crying that we have to get to him, we have to save Will, I can’t let him die, but the only car we had to drive was a stick shift, and so I’m trying to go for help and the engine keeps dying and she’s yelling how it’s my fault if he dies, and Dustin’s yelling driving advice in my ear--”

Billy cracked up. “Fuck, you are broken, what the fuck is wrong with you--”

Steve snorfled, trying to suppress laughter, and rubbed tears from his eyes. “I know.”

After a silence that felt like at least a quarter-hour, Billy took a deep breath, and kicked the blanket into Steve’s hip. “I can teach you to drive stick.”

“Thought you were already working on that,” Steve snickered, and Billy kicked him again, laughing.

“Shut up. You want me to?”

“...yeah, sure,” Steve ducked his head, grinning.

Reblog and put a smile on my face! 「Previous chapters on AO3 」

「Be a good egg like Steve and drop me a ko-fi」

#harringrove #steve/billy #billy hargrove #steve harrington #stranger things fic #billy's thirsty #hot mess #mentioned: ptsd & implied domestic violence #platypan fic #platypan

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