#a little bit of billy hargrove

[liver-ology]

Robin is luxuriating on Steve’s bed, Steve is going through the stuff she brought.

Robin is talking about how her life is ending because she’s falling for her TA.

“Hey, can I try your eyelash curler?”

“Why?”

Steve opens and closes it a few times, studying the contraption.

“It intrigues me.”

“Fair enough. While you’re doing that, you should do an experiment for me. Curl one of your eyelashes starting at the tips, then the middle, then the whole thing, and curl the other one regularly and see if it makes a difference or if I’m just wasting my time doing it every morning.”

Steve captures just the ends of his lashes in the tiny torture device. He blinks a few times and doesn’t catch any eyelashes at all, but he manages.

“Jesus, how do you keep your eyes open this long?”

“You just gotta blink. But look away from the mirror when you do so you don’t have to think about the fact that your eye is actually still being held open and just rolling back in your skull, and you’re probably getting air dust on the underside of your delicate eyeballs that weren’t intended to be exposed to the elements like that.”

“Well that’s fucking helpful, thank you,” he snarks with one eye closed and one eye with the whites exposed to the dusty elements.

He finishes the three-step curl and moves on to the other eye, starting directly at the eyelid.

“Well dude, even if she does like you back, dating your TA is weird. Like that’s, like, some kind of power balance or something.”

“Imbalance. But yeah. I know, and I’m terrible and a super creep who should not be left alone with my beautiful and lovely TA, but also I’m going to fail this class and I do really need her help and I can keep it in my pants until the end of the class! I respect women, Steve!”

Steve inspects his curl experiment. He’s pretty sure they look exactly the same, but he puts his glasses back on to be sure.

“You’re wasting your time.”

“With Nancy? She’s totally straight anyway, right?”

“No, with your lashes. Nancy’s totally gay.”

He sits on the bed facing Robin so she can inspect the results.

“Oh God, they are the same. I’ve been exposing my eyes to so much extra dust for no reason! I’ll be blind by thirty!”

The dorm door opens. Steve tries to turn his head toward the sound, but Robin is gripping his face and pushing his glasses up into his hair, leaning closer to try and find any justification for the time she’s been wasting on mascara every morning. Billy freezes in the doorway, holding the door with his shoulder and his arms piled with textbooks and takeout.

He’s backing out when Robin turns Steve’s face toward the door, poking at his eyelashes.

“Fuck off, don’t poke me in the eye.” Steve escapes Robin’s hold and goes to hold the door open for Billy.

Billy puts the books on the floor and makes to leave with the takeout. “I’ll eat these somewhere else, let you lovebirds have the room.”

Steve and Robin both ignore this terrible slight. Steve grabs the eyelash curler again. “You have amazing eyelashes,” he accuses Billy, pointing the curler like a switchblade.

[weird-an]

"A Christmas tree, Harrington?" Billy asks - as if he hasn't been living with Steve for a whole year now and they are still in High School. It used to make Steve's heart crack a little, like a frozen puddle one steps on, before he realized that Billy was just trying to hide behind the ice.

"I've got a few ornaments," Steve shrugs. Well, Dustin made him ornaments, looking suspiciously like Demodogs, and his mother won't miss the golden baubles he took with him. "I like the lights."

"There'll be pine needles everywhere and shit." Billy scowls at the tree set up next to their couch.

"I like it, Hargrove. Deal with it." Steve gives Billy a peck on the lips, trying to kiss the pout away.

"You like a lot of things you shouldn't," Billy grumbles. At least Billy isn't trying to break up with him like the first months after they got together, convinced that Steve will leave anyway one day.

"Says the one with the tummy ache after eating too much cookie dough," he retorts with a smirk. He had to listen to the bitching for hours.

"That was one time," Billy says. "Whatever. Keep your damn tree."

Steve keeps the tree. Billy doesn't seem to care. It's a bit of a shame, because the lights are just so warm and bright. Dustin's red ornaments even match with the gold.

One day, Steve runs a bit late. It's only a few days until Christmas. They won't do anything, just stay at home. Maybe Steve tricked Billy into making a roast, telling him he probably doesn't know how to make one. It's always a challenge with Billy - and sometimes Steve uses it to his advantage.

He finds Billy on the couch, chin on his knees, staring at the tree. He's looking years younger, hair still a bit wet from the shower, tiny curls falling into his face. Moments like this are rare, but there isn't any ice around Billy. It's like the Christmas lights melted it away.

There's a tiny star on top of tree. A bit crumbled, probably made out of paper. It wasn't there before.

He sits down next to Billy who's still staring at it.

"It's.. shitty," Billy says hoarsely. His eyes are red rimmed. "I couldn't really remember."

Billy never talks about his mother. It's like her ghost is still haunting him, but Steve can't ever see her. Just feel her.

Steve wraps his arms around Billy. Hopes to warm him a little bit more. "It's perfect. Thank you."

Billy rests his head against Steve's. "It's... alright. Except the shitty things Henderson gave you."

Steve snorts. "I kinda like them."

"Harrington."

"Hargrove."

Billy opens his mouth and closes it. He looks at the star. Steve can feel him smile. It shines brighter than all the lights. He knows Billy can't say it, but Steve knows he wants to.

Steve presses a kiss on his temple. "I love you, too."

[intothedysphoria]

I feel like harringrove was Eros and Psyche is particularly interesting.

Billy being the god of romantic and sexual love not just in a way that is beautiful, but also in a way that is angry and volatile and particularly hard to pin down.

Steve who is definitely pretty (prettier than Aphrodite whoops) but is also tough and willing to endure massive amounts of hardship for his love. Literally going to Hades (The Upside Down) to win Billy back.

Billy is a new student at Hawkins who definitely feels different. And he seems obviously over interested in Steve. Constantly trying to pin him down, best him in some way.

He also doesn’t seem quite solid. Steve can never place what his face looks like. He knows that Billy is hot but if you asked him how, Steve couldn’t tell you.

They’re sitting outside one day after practice, Steve clearing up some stuff, when Billy accidentally drops his pack of Marlboros all over himself.

And he looks at Steve like he’s the sun.

Steve is whisked away to a castle somewhere and is told that the god of love is in love with him. But there’s one catch.

He can never see Billy’s true form.

Of course that doesn’t work out, Steve being Steve.

He gets curious, ends up looking at Billy’s true face while Billy was sleeping, Billy storms off and Aphrodite sets Steve three tasks.

One is herding demodogs. Which is gross.

Of course Steve ends up doing them all, Billy forgives him. Aphrodites pissed but she can’t do anything now and they’re happy together.

[runraerun]

What is Howl for me baby?

A Harringrove Werewolf AU!🌕🐺

(I’m waiting until the Harringrove Kinktober starts but here’s a wee snippet.👀)

—

For the human, Steve puts up a surprisingly good fight. He swings, and Billy absorbs the punches like they’re something precious—like they’re fucking love letters sent just for him. He gets hit once, twice, three times, and by the time his back hits the kitchen countertop, Billy Hargrove is in love.

It’s too much. He feels himself relinquishing control to his better half, knowing it’s the wolf in him that’ll fully appreciate this new playmate Billy’s found in Steve. He lets his fangs drop, his brow creases into something distinctly inhuman, feels his hands go rigid as the color drains from them and his claws emerge, razor sharp as always. Built to maim flesh.

When he whips back around to face Steve, Billy knows that he’s breaking the Hargrove cardinal rule of not letting your wolf out in front of humans—but Billy’s beyond caring about Steve or the kids or anyone else discovering their dirty little secret. In fact, he gets a sick thrill as he watches Steve recoil, eyes widening as he takes in all that Billy has become.

Billy knows what they’re thinking when they see him: a monster.

And now it’s Billy’s turn to send his own love letters to Steve.

[psychdelia]

wildflower by billie eilish except it’s post s3/4 billy feeling guilty and undeserving of steve, and almost bad for nancy? a weird sense of guilt because when he first moved to hawkins he would watch them when he thought no one was looking, lonely and yearning. wanted steve to touch him like that, treat him like that, love him like he loved her. but anytime he was caught, he panicked and spewed hate. anger was safe, anger protected him. a gay teen from california in hawkins? he didn’t have anything else to resort to. but now he’s too tired to be angry at the world and too in love with steve to ever feel how he did before nearly dying. but he never quite made amends with nancy. nancy, who he wonders if steve is thinking about every time he kisses billy. who he’s been too afraid to approach and talk to. who he feels hates him, and knows he doesn’t deserve steve. he knows she broke his heart, but he also knows steve pictured a life, a family with this woman. he doesn’t know if he can give steve that. billy wonders if he thinks about nancy more than steve does, too scared to ask. scared all his crazy thoughts will be confirmed. he knows she’s with jonathan, but he also knows that she was his first true love. she’s with jonathan, but he swears he feels her eyes on them whenever steve hugs, touches, kisses him. swears she’s giving them the same almost sad, wanting look he had to fight when he used to look at them.

[mourntheantagonist]

“Note to self: Don’t be Gay in Indiana”

[thissortofsorcery]

Billy doesn’t want to get up.

The early morning sunlight is shining on him from the open window, sunbeams still watered down at seven am; a warm, gentle caress on his scarred back before the sun turns to scorching like it always does in California.

Steve’s already up and about. He has an early shift on Tuesdays.

Billy has his eyes closed, but he can hear Steve moving around the room, though he’s trying to be quiet. Billy hears the scratch of denim on his thighs, the spritzes of hairspray, him tripping on the sneakers he left by the closet like he does every damn time he stays over, then the jingle of keys.

He likes to hear Steve in his room, like he belongs there. Likes it when he spends the night. It's been happening more and more since Steve moved to California, six months ago.

The bed dips beside Billy.

“You gonna sleep all day?” Steve asks, running a large hand up Billy’s back, making him want to stretch.

“Thinking ‘bout it,” Billy mumbles without opening his eyes.

Steve hums and leans his weight against Billy, kissing a path up his shoulder, laughs against his skin. It tickles.

“If you get bored, I get off at four today, if you want to meet up.”

“‘mkay,”

Truth be told, Steve’s so warm, and he smells good, and the way he’s all over Billy is like they’re cuddling again, so Billy’s almost asleep.

Steve laughs again, “Okay, go back to sleep. I’ll call you later,” Billy feels the bed shift, hears his keys again. Steve kisses his hair, “I’m heading out. Love you.”

In the morning silence, he hears Steve’s footsteps walking away. The front door opens and closes.

Billy’s eyes snap open. He’s wide awake, now.

Was he dreaming, or did Steve say he loved him?

Billy flops over on his back. The ceiling has no answers for him.

Did Steve mean it? Or did he say it like he's used to saying it to other people, like Robin or his parents? Bye, love you. Good night, love you. Did he even notice he said it? Why else would he say that when Billy was practically asleep? Who the fuck does that?

Billy kicks off the sheets tangled in his legs while grumbling under his breath, manages to yank on a pair of shorts, and barely remembers to grab his keys on the way out. His sneakers are hastily shoved on as he's stomping down the stairs of the building.

When he slams out into the street, he looks around for the burgundy of Steve's car, squinting and shading his eyes with one hand. It doesn't take him long to find it. Steve hasn't gone far yet.

Billy sets off at a run, feeling the sun on his shoulders, on his chest, as he weaves between cars to try to get to Steve. He has to reach him. He needs to know.

The street isn't full, the cars are moving fast. Billy has to run faster.

"Steve!" Billy calls, hoping the idiot has his window open. "Steve!"

There's a corner coming up. The turn signal on the Beamer is blinking. Billy has to reach him. He's almost there. Almost.

"Steve!" Billy slams both hands on the passenger window, and the car brakes suddenly, accompanied by a loud yell coming from inside the car. Cars start honking behind them, and Billy flips them off. Then he slaps his hands on the window again, "C'mon Steve, lemme in."

Steve leans over the passenger side to make a face at Billy. He mouths something that looks like "Billy, what the fuck?", and Billy just keeps knocking, shouting,

"Let me in, come on!"

The door finally opens, and Billy catches the phrase "- hell is going on?" as he shoves inside. "You scared the crap out of me, Billy!"

"Fuckin' finally!"

"-what the fuck is happening right now, why don't you have a shirt on?"

"Did you mean it?" Billy says, and Steve stops talking. He only blinks at Billy, mouth parted.

"What?"

"Did you mean it?" Billy asks again, searching Steve's face for any hint of an answer.

But Steve just blinks again, "Did I mean what?"

"You didn't mean it," Billy sags against the seat, voice flat. Fuck. He wants to hit something. Wants to hit himself. "You didn't even know you said it."

"Didn't know I said what?" Steve's voice rises with his confusion.

"That you love me!" Billy shouts, right in Steve's face, like an accusation. Then his voice goes small, "Right before you left."

Steve's eyes go wide, almost scared, and his mouth opens and closes like he wants to say something, but he doesn't say anything. He doesn't say anything.

"It's fine," Billy says roughly, swallowing past a knot in his throat. He didn't know until now how much he wanted to hear that again. How much he wanted to hear it from Steve.

He reaches for the door handle, blinking fast, eyelashes already fucking clumping together like a fucking-

"Wait! Wait, wait, no, no, no- please. Billy," Steve says, starts with almost a shout and ends with a whisper, saying his name like a caress, soft like the hand that's taking Billy's and lacing their fingers together. "Hang on, just- I have to park the car, okay? Just let me park the car. Don't go."

All around them, cars are honking, a few people are yelling. They're still stopped in the middle of the street.

Billy nods, lets go of the door. Steve doesn't let go of his hand.

A couple of minutes later, they're parked a few yards down the street. The street traffic is back to normal, like nothing happened. Steve's thumb is stroking his hand.

"Billy, I-"

"'s alright," Billy shrugs. He doesn't turn to look at Steve. "You don't have to-"

"I did mean it," Steve says, leaning towards him. His face is doing that puppy-eyed thing where he looks kinda desperate, and it makes Billy's insides twist. "And I'm sorry I said it like that and left, okay? I'm so sorry. But it's true," He cups Billy's face, and touches his thumb to the corner of Billy's eye. It comes away damp. "I love you, Billy. I- You're the best part of my life."

For the hundred times Billy imagined hearing that, for the thousand times he held back from saying he loved Steve- He can’t say anything now. There’s a whirlpool in his chest, pulling in his lungs and his ribs and his throat, making it impossible for him to catch his breath, and it’s going to take him down if he doesn’t commit the sound to memory, if he doesn’t memorize every syllable.

His hand shoots out, wraps a fist around the shoulder of Steve’s shirt.

“Tell me again,” Billy rasps out. He doesn’t recognize his own voice.

Steve’s mouth widens in a small smile, and it grows bigger, bigger as his face comes closer, and Billy can’t look away. Wouldn’t want to.

Steve kisses him, "I love you."

And kisses him, "I love you."

And kisses him, "I love you."

Until Billy's own mouth is tingling and bruised and slick, and the hand that was fisting Steve’s shirt is tight in a handful of hair instead, until Billy’s body is burning in all the spots that Steve is touching him, panting harshly, heartbeat wild.

They pull back only to rest their foreheads together, noses touching, breathing the same air. Steve’s hand is still cradling his face, thumb stroking his cheekbone and sending a shiver down his neck.

“Billy," Steve murmurs, and brushes their lips together. "You okay?"

Billy just nods, not understanding the question. His breath is shaky and he's clinging to Steve like a vice, but he's good. He's happy.

Steve's thumb, still stroking his cheek, glides on wet skin, wipes tears away. He didn't realize he was crying.

Steve kisses his cheek so softly, plush lips brushing the splatter of his freckles all the up his cheekbone to the corner of his eye, then to his temple, until Billy's face is buried in Steve's neck, held tightly to him in a hug that could swallow Billy whole. It's kinda dumb to think he wanted to hear the words when everything Steve does feels like this, like he's pouring his whole heart into it.

"I love you too, you know," Billy mumbles, and feels Steve grin against his neck, feels the kiss he presses into his skin and the shiver it sends down his spine. "Really fucking do."

Billy wants to stay here, feeling Steve breathe with him, even if his hip is twisted uncomfortably. He's so happy it's enough to make him forget they're mashed together in the front seats of the Beamer after Billy chased Steve down half naked. But it can't last forever.

"You gotta go to work," Billy says, and tries to pull away.

"I'll call in," Steve says, and squeezes Billy tighter. "I'm so, so sick, can't you tell? Need to stay in bed all day," and he rocks them from side to side.

Billy laughs in his ear, "Oh yeah? Anyone else with you in that bed?"

"Well, it's your bed, so..." Steve says, and Billy can't stand that goofy fucking grin of his, so he catches it with his mouth, bites at it until Steve's moaning.

In a minute, they're gonna pull back and figure they'd much rather continue this in Billy's apartment. In a minute, Steve's gonna turn the car on to go back to Billy's building and have such a hard time parking that they'll figure they should've just walked back. In a minute, their day is going to go on, and on, and stretch into countless other days spent together, either in front seats or backseats of cars, or outside of cars altogether.

But for now, they're a tangle of limbs on the front seat of a BMW, freshly traded "I love you"s, lost in the feeling of each other because there can't be anything more important than this. Just Billy and Steve.

every time anti bullshit shows up on my dash, I write Steve loving on Billy | III

[praxisia]

Eddie manages to hook his band up with a gig that’s bigger than their usual ones and he decides wearing eyeliner to the show would be a good idea rrrrright up until he’s in the bathroom of the venue hurriedly trying to apply and reapply eyeliner because he’s never actually done this before and it keeps coming out looking worse and worse.

Billy finds him looking like an overgrown, anxious raccoon and Eddie is on the verge of freaking out because it looks soooo bad and it feels so weird on his eyes, but he can’t really get it off either. He’s gotta go big or go home and right now going home seems like a really good option.

Billy pulls him away from the mirror, plucks the pencil from Eddie’s hand, and makes him sit on the toilet. He wipes off as much eyeliner as he can get and Eddie is bouncing his knee because it’s still not coming off, oh god.

“Shut the fuck up and hold still,” Billy mumbles as he grabs Eddie’s, like, Entire Lower Jaw in his big ass hand and just sort of gently manhandles his face and starts reapplying the eyeliner.

Billy’s just standing there, calmly telling Eddie to look down at the floor or up at the ceiling while he manipulates his face with steady hands. Eddie can’t really do much other than clench his fists and focus on the feeling of Billy’s warm hand clutching his face while he tries his best not to blink or twitch.

After a couple minutes of tweaking and smudging and redefining the lines, Billy let’s up and let’s Eddie look in the mirror. And it looks good.

It’s smoky and cool rather than crooked and smudged, and it makes his eyes pop nicely. It looks good and he looks hot. He FEELS hot.

He turns around and thanks Billy. Billy offers him the pencil and he rejects it because eyeliner is Evil and he doesn’t even wanna look at that stupid pencil. “But thank you, again. Seriously.”

Billy pats him on the shoulder like it’s really no big deal and tells him to break a leg, then leaves him be.

His face still feels warm from where Billy had been holding it by the time he walks out on stage. He’d been thinking that maybe eyeliner isn’t so bad, not if he can get Billy to do it for him again. He’d been thinking about the implications of what it means that Billy is apparently so good at using makeup. His eyes catch Billy’s in the crowd, and he thinks about how good Billy would look with dark, smoky eyeliner.

It’s hard not to get a little worked up thinking about how much better he’d look, a little dazed with eyeliner running down his cheeks a bit after he’s been fucked good and hard.

[hgrve]

[bigdumbbambieyes]

Day 6 of @harringrovekinktober: Your Choice (I picked Hair Pulling bc I missed yesterday and this fits it lol)

this is heavily inspired by @harringroveera's post!

----

It’s October, which means they watch a horror movie pretty much every single day. 

It’s kind of become a tradition; they take turns picking out which movie they want to watch, grab a snack and a beer, and curl up together on the couch.

It’s been three Octobers since they started this and Steve’s honestly surprised that they haven’t run out of movies to watch yet - although, to be fair, some of them can be a little…lacklustre, to put it nicely.

Like tonight. He can’t really give a shit about whatever’s on their TV, not when Billy’s fresh out of the shower. He smells like Irish Spring body wash, his skin is still warm, he’s wearing a white tank top and gray sweatpants, and judging from the eyeful he got earlier, Billy's not wearing underwear.

How’s he supposed to focus when his boyfriend’s sitting right next to him like that?

The answer: he doesn’t.

He shifts even closer to Billy and lifts an arm up, setting it behind Billy’s head so he can tangle his fingers in those soft curls, which are so much softer without the usual hairspray in it. He twirls his fingers around them as his other hand slides across Billy’s stomach, giving it a gentle and slow rub, smiling to himself as Billy hums his approval.

It’s not uncommon for Steve to do this – to seek out Billy just to touch him, playing with his hair or holding his hand, tracing his freckles and muscles, just…touching. They like the closeness it brings, so Billy usually always lets him. 

Flicking his eyes to his boyfriend, who’s sharp jaw and the slope of his nose are highlighted by the light from the TV, Steve murmurs, “You scared?”

Clearing his throat gently, Billy shakes his head and mutters back without even sparing him a glance, “Not yet.” Billy doesn’t get scared from horror movies, he could watch a marathon of them and still sleep like a baby.

And Steve’s seen enough shit that he doesn’t get very scared of them, either, but he does get jumpy. So, he welcomes the distraction that is his boyfriend and shifts even closer, letting his lips find the smooth-shaven jaw mere inches from him.

Billy hums again, and his hand finds Steve’s thigh to grip it firmly, resting it there comfortably, like he usually does during their movie nights.

Assured by that comforting and familiar hold, Steve peppers a few kisses across Billy’s warm cheek and up to his cheekbone, kissing him lightly, just brushing his lips over his boyfriend’s face until he gets to Billy’s ear and the blond mutters playfully, “You’re not watching.”

“I know,” Steve whispers, his words melting into Billy's ear, “Just wanna touch you a bit, that’s all.”

He feels the way Billy’s stomach tenses under his hand, hears the little breath he inhales as he shifts in his seat, spreading his legs in silent invitation.

And that’s what Steve wants to see.

He keeps touching gently, sliding his palm up from Billy’s clothed stomach and higher to his chest, thumbing over his nipples while his other hands keeps playing in those curls, his mouth kissing down and down until he’s at Billy’s neck, licking across his pulse and smiling as he feels how quick it’s become.

Sliding his hand back down Billy’s stomach, he cups the front of his boyfriend’s sweats and makes a soft, pleased noise at the firmness he feels there, Billy already more than chubbed up from the heavy petting. 

Steve slips his hand under the waistband of those sweatpants and confirms his earlier suspicions – no underwear, just hot skin and a patch of neatly trimmed hair. He immediately wants to rub his face against it, feel it on his lips and chin, but shoves the thought away for the time being as his fingers wrap around Billy’s dick. Just touching, feeling the weight of it, thumbing over the tip just to hear the hitch in his boyfriend’s breath.

His voice a little guttural, Billy mutters teasingly, “Didn’t realize horror movies get you going, princess…”

As if this is their first time fooling around during a scary movie at home. 

“Must be the adrenaline or something,” Steve murmurs absently into Billy’s neck, gives it a little bite and licks over it to soothe the pinch, loving the quiet groan Billy gives him. 

“You like that?” Steve murmurs, sliding his fingers into Billy’s hair, down to the root, grabbing a fistful and tugging, just to hear the actual moan Billy makes as his jaw drops, his dick jumping in Steve’s hand. “‘Course you like it.”

“Shut up.” Billy sighs, his voice already so breathless with want, and when Steve lifts his head to look at him, he can see the desire swimming in those blue eyes as they meet his own.

Pulling his hand from Billy’s sweats, he keeps those eyes on his as he licks up the palm of his hand and reaches back in, smooths his palm across the tip of Billy’s cock, feeling the slick of precum there as he does. 

Leaning in, he stares down at Billy’s lips and mutters his boyfriend’s words back to him, “You’re not watching.”

Billy moans a quiet fuck and forces his eyes back to the TV, keeping still and gripping Steve’s thigh tighter as the lewd, wet sounds of his cock fill the room and Steve stares at him, watching every flicker of pleasure across his face and hearing every little breath and sound he makes.

“So cute like this,” Steve whispers, leans into his ear again, pressing his lips to the shell of it as his voice rumbles, “Love how you let me play with you like this, baby, letting me do whatever I want…you like that, too, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Billy breathes.

“Because this is mine, right?” Steve whispers, possessive, as he grips the base of Billy’s dick and gives it a little shake.

“Fuck yeah,” Billy groans, “All yours, Stevie.”

“Promise?” He tugs on Billy’s hair again, hard, as he strokes up his boyfriend’s dick, playing with the tip.

“Promise,” Billy whimpers, his hips bucking a little desperately, “Fuck, ‘m gonna cum, baby, please…”

“You don’t gotta ask for permission, babe,” Steve coos into that red-tipped ear, “You can cum in your sweatpants like a desperate little slut all you want, I’m not gonna stop you.”

A soft little gasp and whine of his name is the last warning Steve gets from his boyfriend before he feels the warmth of Billy’s cum across his fingers as he strokes him through it, groaning into Billy’s ear in approval as he watches the way Billy tenses and gasps, his eyes falling shut as he rides it out, enjoys it.

“Mm, good boy,” Steve praises him sweetly, kissing his cheek as he keeps slowly stroking his hand up and down that velvet flesh, feeling Billy begin to soften in his hand but the way he twitches gently speaks of how sensitive he is.

After a moment, while he’s limp in Steve’s hold, Billy grunts and nudges at his hand, a silent ‘enough’. So, Steve pulls his hand out of Billy’s sweatpants and gives a little pleased hum at the wet spot he sees at the front of them. 

And just to be annoying, he wipes his hand clean on the outside of them, too, with a grin.

“Fucking brat,” Billy growls with a frown, giving his boyfriend a glare for half a second before he’s suddenly smirking and Steve feels his stomach drop, his heart skipping as Billy grabs a fistful of his dark hair and pushes Steve’s head down to his crotch, demanding with a taunt, “Clean. It. Up.”

And, well. Steve did want to bury his face here, so.

He sucks the cum out of Billy’s sweatpants and lets the blond bend him over the couch right after.

[makeadealwithdean]

endless billy 7/? - Stranger Things 2x02 "Trick or Treat, Freak"

[haurart]

I realized I never got around drawing Billy so here he is

[weird-an]

There is a crossroad just outside Hawkins, where corn grows so high it's hidden from anybody's view.

Blood runs down Billy's temple and his head pounds like Neil didn't stop hitting him. Neil who found his Mandate magazine and went fucking crazy.

Billy can't go back. Billy can't go back or he's going to get fucking killed. By his own father. He had never seen Neil so angry - and Neil has always been angry, but not like that.

He has thought about it for a while. It's just some make belief, some hocus pocus, but Billy needs a miracle. He doesn't wear shoes and pebbles tear his holey socks apart. He just grabbed the box and ran.

It's eerily silent. Almost midnight - he thinks. He doesn't have a watch. He digs through the ground with his bare hands. He buries the blue box he stole from Max in the hole. It's a jewelry box she never uses. He has gotten a bit of dirt from the local graveyard, a cat bone from a school's exhibit and an ugly photo from his last school in California where he had to smile while his back was still aching.

A fat drop of crimson blood drips on his fake smile. He wipes his forehead, before he can remember that his hands are dirty.

He stands up. Nothing happens.

It's a cold night. His breath forms little clouds, floating into the night. The moon is gone, waiting to get reborn. An endless circle of birth and death.

"What a surprise." Steve Harrington stands behind him. Same as usual, wearing a pastel blue and pink polo shirt and his ever perfect hair fluffy and only slicked back a little.

"Billy Hargrove needing help?" he scoffs - and it's almost as if they were on the court and not on a crossroad, about to make a deal. "Wanting to gift me his soul?"

There's a red shine in his eyes, but more in the way that it seems like a reflection.

"You're a... demon?" Billy asks. Maybe that's some stupid prank. Maybe that's an explanation why Harrington is so unearthly pretty. "And you're going to High School?"

And sucking at it, is something he doesn't add, but he knows how many classes Harrington is failing. Tommy won't shut up about it. He would have rather expected Hagan to be a fucking demon and not Harrington who now gives him a goofy grin.

"Oh, well..." Harrington says. "Let's say I made a deal a few years ago and then I unfortunately died early."

There's a headline Neil had read out loud to them before they moved here. About a girl, Barb Holland, being thought dead for three weeks - and then rising from the dead, ringing at her parent's door like she just went out to buy some milk.

"God has blessed this place," Neil had said. Apparently Hawkins is about as cursed as Billy feared it is.

"Enough about me." Harrington tilts his head. "What do you want?"

To live, to be free pops into Billy's mind, bright and colorful like a rainbow.

Billy thought about it a lot. First he thought he wanted his dad dead. So that he can never touch him again, so that he doesn't have to be afraid anymore. But if Neil dies, he doesn't have a father or a mother.

The thought is a dark shadow, making him sick.

"I want him to stop hurting me," he says instead. It won't heal the scars, it won't unbreak his bones, it won't make it forgotten, but maybe more bearable. It's what he wanted when he was five, when he turned ten, what he wants to today and what he always wished for whenever saw other people blowing out the candles on their birthday cakes.

Harrington's eyes flicker to Billy's bloody mullet and his dirty socks.

"You need to tell me his name," he says, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I'm just a demon, not a mindreader."

"My dad," Billy grits out. "Neil.. Hargrove."

There is pity crossing Harrington's face, something he has always been afraid of, but it's gone within seconds, maybe only been a shadow and gets replaced with a red glow, irises more crimson than hazel now.

"Let's seal the deal." Harrington smiles, teeth shining white. "You know how we do it, right? Your soul for me doing you a favor."

Billy heard the stories. Billy didn't expect to become a part of them. Billy doesn't think he has a soul and if he does, it can hardly be worth anything.

Harrington smells like expensive aftershave and smoke.

Billy presses a kiss on Harrington's soft lips. It's a rush, a relief. He feels something shift, something clicking into space.

Harrington laughs into the kiss. "The deal is already done, Hargrove."

Which means Billy's soul is Harrington's now and Neil won't ever hurt him again. The blood on his temple dries. The cut on his scalp stopped throbbing, there's only a faint sting reminding Billy of its existence. He feels like he just jumped into the ocean on a hot summer's day.

He licks across Harrington's mouth, hungry for more.

"Greed and lust are sins, Billy." It almost sounds like a compliment.

Billy's throat turns dry and he wants to pull away, humiliation burning away the cool calm that has begun to spread inside his chest.

It's just a deal - and that's closed now.

Harrington tugs on his bottom lip, sharp pain joining the sweet sensation.

"If you ever feel like sinning, come and find me," Harrington purrs -

and then he's gone. Billy stands on the road, lips tingling, still smelling Harrington's aftershave on him.

He walks home. It's one of these nights when spring is about to fade, summer's heat lurking around the corner. Still cold, but not that he's shivering.

Cherry Lane is deserted, a few lights flickering when Billy comes home. The door is open. He doesn't hear Neil shouting at the TV.

He washes the blood off his face and goes to bed. He wonders if he can dream without a soul. He wonders if it's working. His lips burn and he still feels Harrington's mouth on his.

[suspiciouslackofclowns]

“You guys never wanna hang out anymore.”

Dustin crosses his arms over his chest and turns away, which earns a scoff and a laugh from Eddie.

“We’re hanging out right now, Henderson.”

“Not just us,” Dustin grumbles.

He narrows his eyes, and when Eddie follows his gaze, he spots Steve a couple yards away. Cupping Billy’s face in his hands and kissing the freckled bridge of his nose.

The sight warms Eddie’s heart. Especially when the blond doesn’t struggle to get away from the affection.

“Should I not invite them next time?” Eddie asks. “Stevie’s never been good about holding back on the PDA.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Eddie’s brows draw down in concentration. It can be difficult to keep up with Dustin’s likes and dislikes sometimes — when Eddie and Steve first got together, he gave Eddie the cold shoulder for a while. Didn’t talk to Steve much either, but he completely ignored Eddie whenever he saw fit. Turns out no matter how cool he might think Eddie is, Steve is just a notch higher in his book.

Big brothers do come before best friends, Eddie supposes.

It was worse when they first announced that Billy was their partner as well. Dustin was pissed, but he didn’t make it obvious unless Billy was around.

Eddie honestly thought he’d gotten over it already.

“That’s not fair.”

Dustin tears his gaze away from the smooching couple and furrows his brows at Eddie.

“What?”

“I can’t invite Steve but not Billy. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“He can’t stand to be away from you guys for an afternoon?” Dustin huffs. “I miss just hanging out with you both.”

“Look, if you wanna hang out one-on-one, we can plan accordingly. If you wanna hang out with Stevie and I, we can plan accordingly.” Eddie leans back on his hands in the grass. Tilting his head to the side. “But we can’t just spontaneously go out, and tell Billy that he can’t come for no reason. Okay?”

Dustin’s face looks like it’s going to explode out of his head for a moment. Eddie sighs and internally braces himself for whatever tantrum is about to grace him, but his attention is pulled away by a chorus of laughter a ways away.

His boys are lying on the ground, chests heaving from running around and because Steve just not-so-gracefully tackled Billy. Their smiles are huge, even when Billy springs up and starts wrestling Steve into the grass with the goal to pin him.

The sight, the sound of their giggles and fast breaths makes Eddie’s heart soar. He’s never been the roughhousing, physical type.

But he’s glad they’ve found that in each other.

“I guess I just don’t get it,” Dustin says.

Eddie glances over at him. Finds that he, too, is watching the display.

“Get what?”

Dustin pulls a few blades of grass up out of the ground and drops them unceremoniously before he rips more out while he thinks.

“Why you guys like him so much.”

“Want me to tell you?”

Their eyes meet briefly and Dustin nods. Eddie spreads a little smile.

“He loves hard and fast, makes it kinda hard to keep up with sometimes,” Eddie chuckles. “Stevie’s all about being slow and careful. His way of loving is very handled, so to speak.”

In the distance, the laughter has quieted down. Billy, on his back, gently smooths his palms up Steve’s thighs. Lets himself be pressed into the earth by warm weight and soft lips.

Eddie continues, “Obviously, calm and crazy don’t always mix very well on their own, so they need a mediator sometimes. Someone who’s a little bit both.”

He wiggles his eyebrows at Dustin, who huffs amusedly as he considers the new information.

“You guys balance each other out? That’s kind of cliche.”

“Maybe so, but the point I was getting to is that if we left Billy at home today, what do you think Steve would be doing right now? Sitting here looking bored? Pacing?”

“Probably…”

“And what about Billy? Alone at home wondering why we didn’t include him? He’s a lot more sensitive than he looks, kid, I guarantee he would’ve been in tears within the first hour after we left.”

Dustin pouts for a moment. Eddie looks back up the hill. Finds Steve carefully brushing Billy’s hair out of his face and smoothing his thumb along his cheekbone.

They both look so tuckered out suddenly.

“We’re better together, Henderson. I would’ve been really sad at the end of the night if I went home and found my boy upset like that, and so would Steve.”

Dustin nods dejectedly.

“Yeah…”

“We can definitely plan to hang out, though,” Eddie reassures. Reaches out and nudges Dustin’s shoulder with his knuckles. “Just us.”

Dustin nods again, but this time he spreads the faintest smile as well.

Their attention is pulled away when footsteps approach. Billy and Steve are hand-in-hand, walking down the hill, when Steve slips on the grass. Billy pulls him back up before he even makes contact with the ground, resulting in giggles and a slightly startled-looking brunet.

Once they reach the base of the hill, they come to settle at each of Eddie’s sides. Billy leans heavily into his shoulder and sighs fondly when an arm drapes around him.

“Did Stevie get too rough with you again?” Eddie coos.

Billy snorts.

“Other way around, Edd,” Steve huffs.

“I was gentle.”

“Sure, that’s probably why I’m gonna be covered in bruises tomorrow.” Steve shifts into Eddie’s other side, lacing both of his arms around his torso. “People at work are gonna be asking me if I’m safe at home.”

Every word is very evidently accompanied by a smile. Billy chuckles and presses closer. Reaches out to lightly brush his fingers over Steve’s forearm.

“I didn’t rough you up too bad, did I?”

Every time the two tousle around, Steve has to try and keep up, meanwhile Billy shows restraint. He rolls over every time without fail and lets Steve pin him.

It’s like a dance that they do.

“No, love, you didn’t.”

Both boys at either of Eddie’s sides curl closer to him, effectively sandwiching him between them. He presses a kiss to Steve’s forehead while he cards his fingers into Billy’s hair.

Practically has them both purring in a matter of seconds.

“Couple a’ sweethearts,” he muses.

Billy sits up a little, just enough to look at him.

“You wanna go, Munson?” he challenges. “I’ll take you out right now.”

A large hand smooths up Eddie’s sternum, over his collar and comes to rest at the crook of his neck, thumb gently swiping over his Adam’s apple.

“Sure,” Eddie hums. “Where’re we gonna eat?”

The blond snickers and presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Anywhere you want. Steve’s treat.”

“Hey.”

Steve reaches over and playfully thumps Billy’s leg, which has the blond grinning in the moment of stillness before he reaches back, and Steve dodges away from his hand. They’re quickly scrambling to get up again, sneakers ripping grass from the earth as Billy seamlessly separates from Eddie’s side and lunges at the other brunet.

Then they’re back to chasing one another and huffing out-of-breath giggles.

Eddie watches for a moment, smiling. Just until they wind up on the ground again with Steve on top.

“Yeah, Henderson, I love my boys. I love ‘em a lot,” Eddie says softly. He glances over at Dustin just in time to see him avert his eyes, a contemplative look playing on his features. “I bet you’d get along with Billy if you gave him a chance. He and I are pretty similar in some aspects.”

Dustin makes a face.

“How so? Aside from the taste in music.”

Eddie blows a raspberry and leans back on his hands, looking up at the fading blue of the sky.

“He’s nerdy, for one. He’s always reading gothic literature that goes way over my head, and I read some pretty odd shit,” Eddie begins. “He proofreads my notes and all of my campaigns, which I’m sure none of you guys know about, now that I think about it. Y’know how I brought Iymrith back a few sessions ago and you guys all lost your shit?”

Dustin’s eyes widen and his jaw drops.

“That was his idea?”

“Sure was. He also suggested the mimics, among other things— my point is, he’s more on-our-level than you give him credit for. I think you’d enjoy him if you took a sec to look past all of the denim and hairspray.”

Dustin seems to think on it. Eddie lolls his head to the side and sighs softly.

“Doesn’t have to be today, obviously. This stuff takes time,” Eddie adds.

The chorus of laughter has stopped. Billy and Steve lie next to each other in the grass, pressed as close as they can physically get, chests still rising and falling a little fast.

Dustin presses his lips into a line as he watches them. Watches how Steve nuzzles their heads together and splays a hand against Billy’s chest, smoothing down to settle just over his ribs at his opposite side.

Though Eddie would like to think that his words have fixed everything, he knows deep down that Steve has the ultimate sway.

And his soft touches speak louder than any words ever could.

“Okay,” Dustin says.

His gaze lingers on the couple a few paces away for a moment longer before he pulls more grass up from the earth, a look of contentment on his face.

Eddie can’t help but grin.

“Okay.”

[ickypuppi3]

# bit dramatic billy

[kazhan]

Let's talk about Karen

You know what, fuck it, I want to talk about Karen Wheeler.

More specifically, I’d like to talk about the Duffers’ and, as a result, the fandom’s treatment of Karen Wheeler.

What does Karen do in the show again?

First of all, let’s note that Karen appears in every episode in season 1, and in 5 episodes in season 2, 3 and 4, with very little to basically non-existent lines of dialogue in most of those episodes. 

In the first episode of season one, her first appearance is her telling the kids to end their game because it’s a school night and they can finish this weekend. Later in the episode, Will Byers has gone missing and Mike wants to go looking for him, Karen insists he needs to stay home and tells Nancy the same when she asks if she can go out, she also scolds Nancy when she gets upset because she can’t go out “just because Will is missing”.

Ted barely participates/helps, and Karen “hopes he’s enjoying his chicken”, she leaves the room, clearly upset for not getting much backup from her husband.  

In episode 2, Karen is being supportive, letting Mike stay home because he “doesn’t feel well”, she tells him he can talk to her about anything, not to hide things from her, that she’s here for him. 

When Nancy asks to go to the gathering at school for Will, she tells her to be back at 10pm. 

When Nancy gets home much later in episode 3, Karen was up and waiting for her, she is upset, worried, and says Nancy should have called, then she starts asking questions about the sweatshirt Nancy is wearing, and telling her Nancy can talk to her, “whatever happened”, Nancy insists nothing happened and it’s pretty obvious Karen doesn’t believe her and is extremely worried, she looks on the verge of tears as Nancy goes to her room.

Later, Karen visits Joyce with Holly, to bring her food. She is gentle, reassuring, she asks about Jonathan, tells her that if Joyce needs anything, they’re here for her, etc… When Joyce starts acting weird and insisting Holly tell her what she saw in the wall, Karen tries to tell her to calm down, then leaves when told to.

At the end of the episode, Will’s (fake) body is dragged out of the quarry and Mike rushes home, where he runs to Karen for comfort, thinking he just lost his friend.

Episode 4 shows Karen looking extremely saddened by the news of Will’s death, but also very worried for her son, she tries to cheer him up and help him change his mind, and lets him stay home to get some rest, reminding him to call his dad at work if he needs to. 

We then see her sitting next to Nancy while the cops interrogate her about Barb’s disappearance, Karen doesn’t say a word during that scene, but her and Nancy start arguing the moment they get home because Karen knows Nancy lied to the cops, she is visibly worried and upset Nancy did this, and the conversation moves on to what really happened that night: Nancy admits she actually slept with Steve, but it doesn’t matter because Barb is missing and no one is listening to her. Karen says she is, Nancy says “no, you’re not” and goes to her room, leaving an anguished Karen behind. 

Karen appears at Will’s funeral in episode 5, with her children and to show Joyce support.

In episode 6, Ted wonders why Nancy still hasn’t come down to eat with them, and Karen goes to check on her. After getting no answer at all, she lockpicks the door to find that Nancy is gone.

Next, in episode 7, Karen is on the phone with Steve’s parents because she knows “she and Steve have been spending some time together”, she keeps getting interrupted by Mike, but she asks if Steve is home, probably to ask him if he knows where Nancy might be. 

Later, Karen is in the basement and finds El’s little den and a piece of blond hair from her wig when the people from the lab and Brenner show up, and immediately start feeding Karen and Ted lies about how this girl their son may have been hiding in their home is dangerous (Ted laughs at the thought of Mike being around a girl, while Karen very much looks like she understood from what she found earlier than it might be true), Karen asks what this girl did, she is obviously (again) very worried for Mike, and Brenner uses this, telling her that her son is “in grave danger” but they’ll save him, if only she can tell them where he might be. 

In the next scene, Karen says they should be out there, looking for Mike, but Ted insists that they should let the government people do their job, because they’re obviously “on their side”. Karen points out that this man (Brenner) gives her the creeps, and asks if Ted thinks Nancy might be involved in all this. Ted assures her there’s no way. 

We should be out there looking for our son; Ted: they’re govt people, we need to trust them; Karen: this man (Brenner) gives me the creeps, thinks Nancy might be involved into all this; Ted: no way

In the last episode, after everything is over, Karen and Ted rush to the school, Karen clearly scared. She embraces Mike, crying, relieved. She is then seen at the hospital where they wait to hear from Will, and finally in the epilogue, where she tells Jonathan to wish Joyce a Merry Christmas.

So. What does season 1 tell us about Karen Wheeler?

Season 1 Karen is a housewife, a mother who is worried about the safety of her children (something she will keep showing throughout the entirety of the show). A child goes missing and she wants her own to stay home, her son’s best friend goes missing and is later found dead and she is shown trying to reach out, to comfort him. We also see her offering Joyce the same comfort and sympathy.

When it comes to Nancy, we are also shown a concerned mother, someone who is watching her daughter go puberty, start showing interest in boys and lying to her mother about where she’s going and what she’s doing. She is upset at times, but she is mostly worried and desperately trying to reach out, to remind Nancy that she is here for here, whatever happened. 

We can also see that Ted isn’t the most helpful husband, we always see Karen taking care of the kids while Ted is watching TV or reading the newspaper. We never see them being affectionate and it seems pretty obvious (especially after what Nancy says about her parents) that they probably got married because it was convenient, not because they were in love. 

Karen is also pretty observant: she knows when Nancy is lying at least twice, she makes the connection between the piece of hair from the wig she found and her son actually hiding El in their basement, she notices Brenner’s vibes were off, and she wonders if Nancy might be involved in the same mess Mike is (which, she is). 

In season 2, in episode 1, Karen punishes Mike for stealing from Nancy and being overall rude and misbehaving for months, she states that she knows he’s had a rough year and they’ve been patient, but enough is enough. 

We don’t really see Karen much after that, she only makes very short appearances until episode 9, where we see her relaxing in her bath while reading a romance novel when Billy shows up. She is obviously flustered by his looks, and Billy immediately starts flirting with her, stating he “didn’t know Nancy had a sister”, which flusters Karen even more. Billy says he’s been “worried sick” about his sister Max who’s been missing all day, and that he figured she might be here. Karen invites him in, gives him the Byers’ address and tells him to be careful, then very obviously ogles him as Billy leaves. 

There isn’t much to say about season 2 Karen, as she barely appears and her longest scene is the one she has in episode 9 with Billy. Before that, we only see her acting the same way she was in season 1, parenting her children—or trying to—and receiving very little help and support from her husband.

On to season 3. In episode 1, Karen is at the swimming pool, sunbathing with other moms while reading another romance novel, when they get all excited because it’s “show time”. Music starts playing, slow mo Billy comes out in his bathing suit and sunglasses, looking hot as hell, and the housewives all oggle him. He compliments Karen on her new bathing suit, which obviously pleases her.

Next, we see her swimming, and Billy’s now the one ogling her, he then approaches her, starts flirting, and ends up inviting her to meet him at a motel for “private lessons”. 

Towards the end of the episode, Karen is getting ready to meet Billy, she looks at her wedding ring, hesitates, then takes it off. She goes downstairs, where she pauses before leaving, and looks at Ted asleep on his armchair, with Holly asleep on him. It’s obvious from her expression that she will not go have an affair with Billy.

When we see Karen again in episode 2, she is back at the pool with the other housewives, but she clearly looks uncomfortable. When she sees Billy, she goes find him and tries to explain herself, the exchange goes like this:

“I… I understand if you’re angry with me. I just… I wanted to explain… why I didn’t come last night. It’s not you, it’s just… I have a family. And I can’t do anything that will hurt them. You understand that, right? But I shouldn’t have said that…” (She is interrupted as Billy has some sort of vision of himself bashing her head against a shelf) “Billy… please, will you talk to me?”

“Stay away from me Karen.”

Karen appears next in episode 4, after Nancy got fired. They have a heartfelt conversation, where Karen tells her that “it’s not easy out there Nance, people saying you can’t, shouldn’t, that you’re not smart enough, not good enough. This world, it… beats you up again and again, until most people just stop trying. But you’re not like that, you’re a fighter, you always have been.” She says she doesn’t know where Nancy got it from, Nancy jokes “Dad” and they both laugh, then Nancy says “I get it from you, Mom.” Karen is very emotional, and tells Nancy she’s proud of her for standing up for herself, and that if she believes in this story, she should finish it.  

We don’t see Karen until episode 7, where she is at the 4th of July parade/fair with Ted and Holly. Joyce and Hopper find them and ask if they know where the kids are and Karen admits she doesn’t, she doesn’t think they’re here yet. She starts listing off where the kids have been today and then says she can hardly keep track these days, and it’s summer after all. 

Finally, in episode 8, she comforts Mike after the Byers and El move out of Hawkins.

Season 3 Karen is once again trying to be a supportive mother, and we see her struggling even more with her marriage, even going as far as considering cheating on Ted with Billy before she remembers that she can’t do anything that would hurt her family. 

In season 4, Karen doesn’t appear much either, we see her in episode 1 telling Mike to be home by 9pm because he has an early flight to California the next day, we don’t see her again until episode 5 where she is making breakfast for the kids and says she thinks it’s sweet that they’re sticking together, Ted makes a rude comment about having freeloaders, to which Karen says that they’re always welcome here. 

In episode 6, Karen is horrified by Patrick’s death, she goes to the town gathering like the other parents and looks worried during Jason’s speech, she and the others rush home to look for their children who “should have been back by now” as she thought they were at the cinema. Erica says that they’ve clearly been lied to, and Karen calls the police. 

She is here in episode 7 when the cops interrogate the kids, but she doesn’t really say much, and is only shown running outside when the kids leave, looking worried. 

In the epilogue of episode 9, she is sorting clothes to give away, she doesn’t believe the whole “gate to hell” story they’re talking about on the news, and when Mike comes home, she rushes to hug him and says he’s “never going on vacation again, in fact you can forget about college”.

I feel like a broken record, but… well, season 4 Karen is once again trying to be a good mom, and worrying about her kids. 

Phew. Now that we’ve established all of Karen’s appearances and actions throughout the show, let’s finally get to the reasons why I’m writing this whole thing, yeah? 

Karen Wheeler is a good mom, actually

For the Duffers, Karen Wheeler is nothing more than a housewife and mother in a teen movie, her character doesn't exist beyond fulfilling those roles. Her children live in a horror/monster hunter movie, so do other adult characters like Joyce and Hopper, but Karen doesn’t. Her world is normal, she has normal problems: her husband is boring and unhelpful, her two oldest children are acting up and lying to her about things she can only assume are very normal. 

Karen doesn’t know about the Upside Down because the Duffers don’t want her to. She doesn’t know what her children are really going through because they are lying to her, and because the Duffers don’t want her to. 

Stranger Things only works if there are no parents to get in the way of the children’s adventures. Joyce and Hopper are busy living their own; Dustin’s mom, Lucas and Erica’s parents, Max’s mom and Neil all ignore what is really going on with their children, they are as clueless as Karen is when it comes to where the kids are and what they’re up to, we just see them less than Karen; we don’t even see Steve or Robin’s parents because they wouldn’t bring anything to the story and would only be more obstacles the Duffers would have to get rid of. 

So, considering how we’ve seen Karen behave with her children, and how the scenario is literally forbidding her from ever finding out about what is truly going on, I think it’s really, really unfair when people say she is a bad mom.

In fact, I’ll even go as far as to say that Karen is the best mom in Stranger Things. 

She’s here for her children, she comforts Mike and Nancy when they need, she has told them both multiple times that they can talk to her, she worries about them, and the whole “she doesn’t even know where they are” thing is just bullshit. This happens once, in season 3, it’s the only time where she admits she isn’t sure where they are, and even then, she lists off where she knows (or thinks she knows) they’ve been during the day. In season 2, when Dustin demands to know where Mike and Nancy are and Ted asks Karen because he has no fucking idea, Karen has an answer for both of them. 

Yes, the answers are incorrect, but it’s not her fault both her children are lying to her. 

I think it’s even more unfair—and extremely biased—when people also compare her to Joyce and make it sound like Joyce is the perfect mom while Karen is, if not the worst, not far from it. 

I love Joyce, she is an amazing character, but she is also a hot mess who is barely there for Jonathan throughout the show. Hell, when Karen asks her how Jonathan is doing in season 1—the first thing she asks her by the way—Joyce says that “he’s good at taking care of himself, always has been, you know?” which… well. Sure. He’s also sixteen and his little brother has gone missing and his mom is (in his eyes) losing her mind, you know? 

I’m not here to put Joyce on trial, like I said, I love her character and she is doing the best she can considering her situation and everything that’s happening to her, but she is also deeply flawed and tends to get tunnel vision. She is the one who asks Karen where their kids are in season 3 because she has no idea, she’s also the one who literally abandons her kids and El (who definitely needs all the support she can get) to go to Russia to save Hopper in season 4.

Again, I don’t want to pit those two characters against each other for Mom of the Year, my goal is simply to point out that Joyce, who is often described as The Perfect Mom, is far from being perfect, and Karen, who is often described as The Worst Mom, is… actually mostly doing what a mom should do? 

Yeah, yeah, I know.

But what about Billy?

Let’s go back to how the Duffers treat Karen, shall we?

The season 2, episode 9 scene with Billy is filmed in a funny, even (in my opinion) mocking way. Karen is shown reading a romance novel in her bath, and the man on the cover is very much meant to remind people of Billy: light hair, mullet, strong muscled guy. Karen is clearly flustered the moment she sees him, and we are meant to understand that it’s like this character she was just reading about (and probably fantasizing about) just materialized in front of her. And then Billy immediately starts flirting, and Karen is obviously pleased, she plays along, etc. 

Now, when I look at this scene, my first thought isn’t “ew, she’s ogling a child”, because… well, she isn’t. 

Let me explain. 

The Duffers hired a 23 years old actor to play Billy Hargrove. That is not uncommon, in fact it’s pretty much the norm in most TV shows/movies, and in Stranger Things too. 16-18yo teenagers are very rarely if ever played by actors below 20, but Billy is definitely the one that stands out the most among the teens in season 2, Joe Keery looks more like a teenager despite being older than Dacre Montgomery who has the stubble and body of a guy in his twenties. When I look at season 2 Billy Hargrove, I don’t think “this is a 17yo teenager”, and I’m ready to bet that I’m not the only one. 

Billy doesn’t look like a teenager, because the actor playing him isn’t, and that is the only reason why the Duffers were able to film this scene, and the ones later in season 3.

If Billy had been played by a 17-18yo actor who thus had looked like a 17yo teenager, they never would have been able to make this scene the way it is. They would have been forced to change the tone of the scene entirely, either to completely ridiculous because we’d have seen some kid flirting with a grown-ass woman whose only possible reaction would have been to be like “cute, alright, moving on,” and see right through him; or to indeed make it very predatory, with Karen ogling a teenage boy. 

That was not the intent behind the scene. The intent was to show bored, lonely and horny housewife Karen getting flirted with by a hot young man because they thought it’d be funny. The intent was to objectify said hot young man because they thought it’d be different from what we usually see and make them seem very smart. 

And yeah, this is making fun of Karen. It’s making fun of her loneliness, of her reading romance novels and imagining a thrilling romance for herself, a young, muscular young man showing up to save her from boredom. The Duffers didn’t give a shit about the fact that Billy is 17, so of course Karen, their character, doesn’t.

In season 3, the same intent is there, but multiply it by 100 and just make everything worse. Karen is once again reading a romance novel and her and the other housewives have such boring lives that a young hot lifeguard showing up for his shift is literally the highlight of their day, one they know the timing of; we get the slow mo, the music, the bottom lip biting, everything is there to once again objectify a man because they’re so smart and pro-women being horny, vive le féminisme! 

Anyway, Billy flirts with her, very obviously invites her to have sex with him, she agrees, then changes her mind when she realizes the consequences having an affair could have on her children.

Karen isn’t only made fun of for being a lonely, bored housewife who reads romance novels to escape the reality of her dead romantic and sex life, she is also made to give up on something that made her feel alive, desired, beautiful, to “be a good mother”. Now, I’m not saying that it would have been more “yass girl feminism won” to have her sleep with a guy twenty years younger than her, but… I just find it interesting, you know. She stops being sexual to be a good mother, and fandom decides to ignore/forget/erase all the good things she did as a mother because the way she expressed said sexuality was morally wrong.

Yeah, morally wrong. Because nothing she did was illegal. Even if she had slept with Billy in season 3, it wouldn’t have been illegal. Billy is 18 by then, he’s flirting with her, propositioning her, hell, he’s totally ogling her when she’s swimming, he was also the first one to flirt in season 2, etc. Now, yes, the morally good thing to do would have been to gently let him down in season 2, that’s what should happen in real life.

But Stranger Things isn’t real life, and neither of those scenes are meant to reflect real life. They’re the Duffers having fun, putting their own teenage fantasies of Having Sex With a Mom in their show.

“But the Duffers being a bunch of idiots doesn’t change what Karen did/almost did”. No, it doesn’t. Just like thinking the Duffers are idiots for trying to make Billy a one-dimensional villain who is racist for shock value instead of ever trying to say anything actually valuable about the racism faced by Lucas doesn’t change the fact that Billy said something racist about him to Max. 

And yet, people are quick to jump to Billy’s defense, to make up headcanons, to completely ignore canon, to write posts and posts about how it was out of worry about Max and not really against Lucas (I’m not debating this here, I’m just stating what is being done for Billy) and I see no one doing the same for Karen.

Why? Why is one character butchered by her creators’ misogyny considered an irredeemable monster, subjected to the worst vitriol from a portion of the fandom, when another character, made to say something racist and attack Lucas by his creators’ because “we need to show he’s really bad”, forgiven and rewritten to be better? 

Why is canon ignored for one, and not the other? 

I’m not saying you should be all fine and happy while watching those scenes, in fact, I think it’s good they actually upset people. What I’m asking is why are people more mad at Karen herself than they are at the Duffers’, why I never see people outraged at how her character was used and mocked in those scenes, why no one is writing fix-its for Karen and instead further mocking her and treating her like crap? 

What I’m asking is: why the double standard?