#and then the bizarre ‘you should blow him carol’ from tommy

[leslie057]

tommy h and carol were endlessly entertaining antagonists and honestly i think i kinda miss them

[itsthecherryontop]

Adrenaline Rush (Billy Hargrove)

Scene from Chapters Twenty-Five and Twenty-Six of my Billy Hargrove Slowburn Enemies to Lovers Fic

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Henderson OC (Halle)

Chapters Posted: 26/49 UPDATES WEEKLY

I could see Hargrove keeping an eye on me out of the corner of my vision. I couldn’t blame him. I had some pretty wild party experiences since he came to Hawkins. He probably considered me his responsibility for the night.  

He didn’t approach me until I was having a conversation with Tommy who was refilling his drink. Tommy had thrown his arm over my shoulder as he made some joke about the look on Steve’s face when they announced his nemesis as the Prom King. Before I even finished responding the curly-haired blond was standing near me. Tommy removed his arm when he noticed the newcomer. 

“I should get back to Carol,” he announced, giving his friend a mischievous smirk and heading off.

“How about a dance, Princess?” The senior confidently grinned. 

I peered over at the dance floor full of couples dancing together. There was almost no space between the pairs and not like earlier in the parking lot. No, it was not an innocent lack of space. It was wondering hands, slotted legs, and flushed hips. 

“I am not dancing like that,” I firmly declared. Just the implication of it caused me to blush. There was no way. It crossed the firm line I had set in my mind. If I wasn’t going to call him Billy, I most certainly was not going to grind my body against him. That was certainly not just crossing the line but obliterating it. There would be no coming back from that. My feelings had to remain a crush…a very intense crush.

Hargrove turned his head to look at the couples before humorously blowing air out of his nose, “I didn’t expect you to.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” I demanded. 

“It means I wasn’t asking you to dance like that,” he repaired. 

“Well, I would hope not, William,” I huffed. My blush was either darker than aged wine or fluorescent. If he had meant that kind of dancing, then it meant he did want me that close to him. A bizarre thought. It wouldn’t have gone anywhere, but the thought of him that close…nope. Stop thinking that. 

“Come on,” he said, offering his hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll behave.”

Sighing I placed my cup on the counter before letting him lead me to the dance floor. Once again I found myself waiting for him to instruct me on dancing. He laughed at my out-of-place look. “You gotta move, Princess.”

“I have a feeling your idea of dancing is much different than mine,” I explained over the loud music. 

Stepping forward he placed his hands on my hips encouraging them to sway from side to side. Instinctually, I bent my knees to allow the movement to be more fluid. I heard him mutter something, but couldn’t hear it over the music. He stepped closer erasing more of the space between us as my arms fell around his shoulders. Still far enough apart that we weren’t really touching. It felt intimate as he moved at the same rhythm as I did, matching it to the beat of the song, edging on the line I had set for myself.

“See? Easy enough,” he spoke, looking down at me with a smirk. 

“Yeah. I guess it’s just keeping a rhythm,” I agreed. It wasn’t so different than how I usually danced just less sporadic and more contained without much movement of my arms and feet. I also didn’t usually dance this close to my partner. His hands remained on my waist and hips, behaving as promised. 

“I can tell you’re trying not to sing,” he teased, leaning down so I could hear him. 

“I usually sing when I dance and move around more,” I responded. 

“I know. I saw you dancing with Chrissy earlier,” he claimed.

“I didn’t know you were paying such close attention to me, William,” I snarked as the song switched.

“It’s hard not to notice you enjoying yourself, dancing all over the place. I’ve never seen you like that before,” he responded. There was barely any teasing undercurrent. 

So, he saw me bouncing and swaying all over my dance space in whatever movement I felt. I often forgot my surroundings as I sang lyrics and pranced around. It could have looked rather embarrassing to an outsider.

“Didn’t realize I had such a commanding presence,” I offhanded. 

“There’s a lot of things you haven’t realized,” he spoke in a lower octave that was nearly lost in the sound from the speakers. His eyes studied me as a chanting sound started outside. Breaking from his heavy gaze, I turned to look through the crowd out the window to the backyard. There was a crowd gathering out on the back patio. 

“I think your people are calling you,” I informed, identifying the count of the keg stand partaker. Stepping back my hands slid across his shoulders before dropping to his arms. I smiled up at him, “Go on. I know you want to.”

“And if I don’t want to,” he argued as his hands lingered on my sides.

“You’re going to let someone challenge your record? I can hear them getting close,” I provoked. He quickly glanced in the direction of the commotion. I knew he was listening to the chant. “Go on. Have fun. I will be fine,” I said, nodding my head towards the door as he turned back to me. I could see the conflict on his handsome face. Stepping back further and removing myself from his hold I guided him through the crowd and out the door. 

I was surprised to see Jason on the keg stand as he drew close to Hargrove’s record. He had crested a few seconds above the record before his feet hit the ground again. The crowd cheered and Jason loudly boasted his accomplishment. Some of the boys goaded Hargrove. His fists were slightly clenched as he set his jaw. I indicated for the Californian to pass me his leather jacket before he stepped up to reclaim his title as Keg King. I didn’t understand why it was so important to high school boys. With the jacket draped over my crossed arms, I watched as he strutted up to the keg in his unbuttoned shirt. Tommy and Andy held up his legs as the count began. 

The crowd had grown at the commotion. I had been pushed out of the way, lost in the sea of hollering teens. I couldn’t see anymore so I exited the crowd and made my way to the small bonfire set further in the back yard. I stayed with my hands held before the flame as I listened as the chorus of voices increased. He was reaching his old record and the voices rose in encouragement. I knew he would reclaim the top spot. He was too determined not to. He would push himself beyond his limit if he had to prove himself. The shouting turned to proud screams as he beat his previous record and Jason’s. I could just make out Hargrove’s own gloating roar over the others. 

He was paraded through the house by his teammates. I laid back in the chair knowing I would have to take care of him later. He had drunk far too much not to be wasted. I didn’t have to worry about him trying to drive himself as his keys were tucked safely in my pocket. The chill of the late-night air brushed against my back as I waited. My thin sweater didn’t provide much protection so I slid my arms through the borrowed leather jacket as I waited. The sleeves were slightly too long, reaching halfway down my hands. I sat with my arms pulling the fabric closed around me as on the edge of the seat closest to the fire. 

After what felt like too long the volume from inside the house lowered. Getting up I made my way back into the fray. I scanned the mass of bodies for a curly blond mullet. My view was limited without standing on a surface to see over the heads of those taller than me. I worked my way across the room. After a few rooms, I caught sight of Carol and Tommy. 

“Hey. Have you seen Hargrove?” I called as I approached them. Carol flashed me a tipsy smile, while Tommy swayed on his feet. 

“He’s somewhere looking for you. Might have passed out though,” Tommy answered. 

“Okay thanks,” I waved, walking away.

 I made a few more rounds downstairs. I resigned to climbing onto the counter to look through the dance floor crowd. After I was sure he was not in the house I looked out back before making my way to the front porch. I found him sitting on the porch steps. 

“I have been looking everywhere for you,” I huffed, sitting beside him. 

“You’re the one who wandered off,” he slurred with his head in his hands. His elbows balanced on his knees. 

“I was getting pushed around in the crowd so I went and sat down to wait till everything calmed down,” I explained, placing my hand on his back. He didn’t look like he was feeling too well. 

“I turned around and you were gone again and I couldn’t find you,” he tried to snap through his drunken tone. I could tell he was only going to get sicker. 

“I was by the fire outside. Right by the keg stand. Come on, let’s get you home,” I offered standing and gently tugging his elbow. 

“I’m not going back to that house,” he sneered, quickly raising his head. His unfocused eyes narrowed on me. 

“I meant my house, silly. Come on. If you pass out I won’t be able to carry you,” I smiled softly. His eyes eased as he looked at me, stopping on the jacket I forgot I was wearing. “I got cold waiting,” I dismissed. 

Slowly he stood up and began stumbling towards his car. I steadied him as I supervised his journey into the passenger seat. He stared at me as I started up the engine and adjusted the radio. Placing my hand on the back of his headrest I reversed before shifting into drive. I drove far more carefully than I had the night of the Upside Down events. I didn’t need Hargrove getting mad at me or throwing up. 

I parked the Camaro down the street to avoid questions from my mother and Dustin in the morning after waking up to the car in the driveway. I had to drap his arm over my shoulder as I supported him around the waist. There was no way I was going to force him to crawl through the window when he could barely stand.

 “You’ll have to be quiet,” I muttered as I unlocked the front door. It was about four in the morning so everyone in the house would still be asleep for a few hours. We should be fine as long as we don’t make too much noise. 

I almost dropped him in the hallway when he tripped over a piece of robotics parts Dustin had abandoned in the path to my door. Cursing softly I caught him by stepping in front of him. When we entered my room, I set him down on my duvet. 

“You’ll have to change. You’re not sleeping in my bed in clothes covered in alcohol,” I told him. His keg stand had caused his chest, shirt, and jeans to be sticky with dried beer. 

I heard him toss his shoes on the floor and unbuckle his belt as I opened my closet to collect some of the apparel he kept for when he slept over. With fleece shorts and a shirt in hand, I turned around. He was slightly swaying on his feet as he pulled his shirt off. He stood in just his white briefs as I pointedly focused on not looking down. I moved to hold out the bundle of clothing to him as he reached down. His fingers slipped into the waistband of his underwear as he prepared to pull them down. Lounging forward I grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“What are you doing?!” I hissed at him with wide eyes. 

“I sleep naked,” he slurred, staring at me confused by my reaction.

“Not in my room you don’t! Now put these on,” I scolded with a harsh blush as I thrust the clothing at him. I turned away to give him privacy as he dressed. I grabbed my pajamas from under my pillow. 

“You’re leaving?” he mumbled as I reached the door. 

“Yes, I’m going to go get dressed,” I explained, looking back to find him sitting on my bed in his lounge shorts. 

“Why don’t you change here?” 

“You’re here and I’m not stripping in front of you,” I announced. He already knew this, but he stared at me and…pouted. He was definitely pouting as he sat on my bed staring at me. I struggled not to snicker at the turn of events. 

I quickly made my way to the bathroom to change and clean my face and teeth. He was still sitting on the bed when I was done, “Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?”

“Beer,” he gave as a reason. In the bathroom, I grabbed a washcloth and soaked it in water to clean off his skin. Once he was clean he pulled the shirt over his head as I tossed the cloth onto my hamper. 

He crawled under the covers as I closed my closet door, something I had habitually done since childhood. Slipping into bed I turned off the lamp and laid down on my back. I had been lying down for less than a minute before I felt Hargrove shift. I froze as I felt him move until he was nearly over me. One of his arms was placed across my stomach as he settled his body against me. He was lying halfway on top of me with one of his legs slotted between mine. I didn’t move as he rested his head on my collarbone, in the crook of my neck. He released a deep sigh mumbling a word beneath his breath I couldn’t catch as his weight settled against me.

“You smell nice, Princess,” he murmured. Drunk Billy Hargrove was certainly a turn of events.  He was much more vulnerable and…softer. I wonder if that was how I acted drunk. 

“Thanks,” I responded. It wasn’t like I did anything different than I normally did. I wore the same perfume and used the same lotion. If anything I probably smelt worse after dancing in a smoke-infested house. 

Slowly I wrapped my arms around him, one on his arm and the other in his hair. This was crossing my boundary. Waking up tangled together was different than intentionally cuddling while conscious. He was only so close because he was drunk. 

“Goodnight, William,” I whispered to the boy breathing softly against my clavicle. 

“Mhm, ‘night, Sweetheart,” he muttered, nuzzling further into my neck. Gods, this boy would be the end of me. I hoped he couldn’t hear the fluttering beat in my chest at the nickname. One he had only ever called me once months ago when he was ever so carefully patching up my leg in his bathroom.

Giving up on a losing battle I leaned my head against his blond curls. I never stood a chance. It would happen eventually and I was already letting him seep through the only barrier that protected me from it. He was passing through my walls the same way as the Trojan horse did in the city of Troy, with barely any resistance.

...

Getting up the next morning was a struggle. We both had the afternoon shift. I woke up to my alarm and Hargrove was still asleep on top of me. I tried to slip out from underneath him but ended up waking him up instead. 

“Can you get off of me? I need to get up,” I said after he groaned and opened his eyes. 

He stared at me in a daze through squinted eyelids.  Slowly he pushed himself up and stared at me through bleary eyes before plopping down on the bed beside me, keeping his arm over my waist. 

I retrieved water and ibuprofen from the kitchen before handing them over. He gulped down the entire glass before burying his face back into the pillow. He had an hour before he needed to get up anyway. 

He was very much out of it the entire day. He sat up on his chair under an umbrella wearing sunglasses. He was moody and brooding to anyone who approached him. On his break, he joined Jess and me at the concessions stand. He immediately began digging through my bag looking for the bottle of pills I had packed for his headache. The noisy children playing in the pool must have been irritating him. He sat at the table in the back corner with his head resting on the tabletop. 

“You should eat something,” I suggested, placing a plate of fruit and a cream cheese bagel in front of him. He just grumbled without moving. “It will make you feel better, I promise,” I persuaded, slightly ruffling his hair before retreating up to the front counter. 

By the time he had finished his break he had emptied the water cup I gave him and half the food was gone. I smiled as I cleaned up the waste. Getting that stubborn mule to do anything he didn’t want to was a win. 

He was still not feeling sociable as we exited the pool gates. I drove us both for our shift due to his hangover and planned to drop him off at his car since he intended to spend the night at his house. 

“What happened last night?” He finally asked as we were parked along the curb behind his car. 

“Jason beat your keg record and you then beat him. They were paraded around and I took you home after,” I listed, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel and glancing over at him.

“What else?” He asked, leaning his head against the window without removing his eyes from me. 

“I had to stop you from fully stripping in my bedroom, but that was kinda it,” I explained as I shrugged.

“See anything you liked, Princess,” he smirked. It was the first teasing comment he had made all day.

“You really think I let you get that far, Mr. I-Sleep-Naked?” I jabbed. 

“Seems like you missed a good show,” he rebutted.

“Funny coming from the boy who pouted when I left the room to change,” I teased through a smirk.

“I don’t pout,” he defended with a weak glare. 

“Maybe not sober, but drunk you is a different story,” I grinned wickedly at him. 

“You expect me to believe that?” He said, raising his eyebrow.

“Are you too proud to admit it, William?” I provoked, leaning closer to him with my elbow on the center console.

“I don’t pout,” he reaffirmed as he met my stare.

“Whatever you say,” I dragged out the words in a taunting manner that he didn’t appear to appreciate based on the deadpan look he responded with.

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