#future billy hargrove

[harringroveera]

Kindergarten teacher Steve (and his very concerned boyfriend) AU?

[shieldofiron]

Sometimes Billy wishes Steve would be a little possessive, a little jealous. Billy feels like it’s all one sided, the angry monster that burns under his skin when he sees Nancy Wheeler nudge Steve at a party meeting. He even tries to bait it a little, hanging out with Jonathan more, laughing a little louder at Heather’s jokes.

Until one day he’s smoking with Munson in the back lot behind the video store. And he’s not doing anything, it just feels nice when Munson cards his hands through Billy’s hair.

Steve says nothing, laughs it off. And then that night he fucks Billy like he’s possessed by a demon.

“Say you’re mine. Say you’re mine and I’m yours, I l-love you, Blue… say you’re mine.”

He pets Billy’s hair really soft after, scratching Billy’s scalp softly and cooing when Billy does the same.

[bigdumbbambieyes]

tw mentioned abuse

Billy always wakes up before his boyfriend and probably always will. But, he’s not complaining — he loves waking up in Steve’s bed, tangled up in the sheets as he blinks the sleep away from his eye. As always, he immediately turns his head and spots Steve there, his face pressed into his pillow as he sleeps soundly. The rising sun peeks through the curtains, spilling across his boyfriend, highlighting his dark hair a soft brown against the blue bedding.

Shuffling over, Billy presses a quiet kiss to Steve’s shoulder before untangling himself from the sheets and getting out of bed, pulling up the shorts he borrowed from the pretty boy as he heads to the bathroom—

And runs into Mrs. Harrington, who’s wrapped up in her house coat with rollers in her hair, cup of coffee in hand.

“Oh!” She gasps, jumping and spilling some of her coffee on the floor, grasping at the fabric of her housecoat over her chest as she stares at him. After the shock quickly wears off, she’s chuckling softly and sighs, “Jesus, you scared me.”

“Sorry,” he smiles softly, glancing down at the floor where the coffee spilled, “Was just gonna use the bathroom.”

“Yeah, of course,” she hums, but makes this soft tsk sound of disappointment as she reaches up to brush a blond curl back from his forehead, where he knows the bruise from his father is. With sadness laced in her voice, she whispers, “Again?”

“It’s fine, Mrs. H,” Billy mumbles as he looks at her again, gently pulling away from her touch.

“No, it’s not,” she huffs, anger replacing that sadness as their eyes meet. Steve has her eyes. Kind, but fierce. Caring. Worried. “Oh, if I ever run into your father again, I won’t be nice like I was last time.” Before she knew what he did to Billy.

But Billy smiles again, a little more amused, because she’s 5’4’’ and could be blown away by the wind if it were too strong of a gust, but she’s got a fighting spirit. He knows where Steve got that from, now.

“I believe it,” he hums, touched by the way that Steve’s family cares and how they care about him. They don’t have to, but they do, and Billy doesn’t take it lightly or for granted.

She gives him that sorry smile and places her manicured hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze, “You know you’re welcome here whenever you need it, Billy. Lord knows we have more than enough room for one more.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles softly with a nod, “And, thanks. Again.”

Another nod and she pulls her hand away, saying, “Coffee pot’s on downstairs,” before she heads down the hallway, back to her room to get ready for the day.

Looking down at the coffee spill, he lets out a soft sigh and frowns. If that had been his dad and Billy had made him spill his coffee, he’d be knocked upside the head. Or worse.

But, not here. In the Harrington house, he’s welcomed and wanted and the coffee pot is left on for him. He has a space here, whenever he wants it. And he always does.

As he’s wiping up the small spill, the door to Steve’s bedroom opens and his boyfriend looks sleepy as hell — eyes half shut, hair a mess, lines pressed into his skin from the bed. Billy stands and smiles at him, filled with warmth and affection as Steve waddles over to him and wraps his arms around him, pressing a kiss to Billy’s cheek as he mumbles, “Morn’.”

“Morning, peanut,” Billy whispers, wrapping his arm around Steve’s shoulders and pressing a kiss to his mouth, then another to his cheek.

“Coffee?” Steve whispers, pressing his nose to Billy’s cheek, his eyes shut again as he struggles to wake up. It’s annoyingly cute.

“Mhm,” Billy hums happily in agreement.

[ihni]

Billy Hargrove's 20th birthday

(Also on AO3)

Billy is having the worst day.

Actually, no. He’s had many days that were worse (most of them including his dad on a rampage), but he’s currently standing on the side of the road with his thumb out, trying to catch a ride back to Hawkins, in the end of March, in the rain, so excuse him for being a little dramatic.

Also it’s his birthday, so. Every inconvenience gets automatically amplified, for some reason.

But fine, it’s not the worst day he’s ever had, but it sure as hell isn’t good, either.

Billy’s turning twenty today, and he’s still stuck in Hawkins. Working two jobs to get by while trying to save up for the move back to California – because it will happen, it was just maybe a bit naïve of him to think that he’d be able to go right after graduation. But he’s out from under his dad’s roof, at least – moved out first thing after getting his diploma – and even if the small space he’s renting over Mrs. Richardson’s garage is seventy degrees of crappy, it’s his and his dad can’t touch him anymore, which makes it the best home Billy has ever had.

But best home or not, it gets terribly depressing to look at the same four walls all the time, at least when he’s not working or sleeping. (It’s not like he has much of a social life anymore, what with him working all the time and having been somewhat of an asshole back in school and also being entirely uninterested in maintaining his ladies’ man reputation now when he’s free of his dad’s fury.) So a couple of months ago, Billy decided that for his 20th birthday, he’d drive up to Indianapolis and have the best night of his life. He had done his research and found two venues that had bands playing that night that he wouldn’t mind listening to, so he would drive to the city, go to a concert, eat some good goddamn food and drink some good goddamn alcohol and maybe get goddamned laid, and he would treat himself to a night at a motel or cheap hotel and he’d have goddamn milkshake for breakfast because he was an adult and no one could stop him from doing that if he wanted to, and he would have the night of his goddamned life.

(It would also get him out of his tiny little apartment, because if he wasn’t home, then it wouldn’t be so noticeable that no one came to see him on his birthday. Perhaps no one would knock on his door to wish him a happy birthday, or perhaps someone would, but he wouldn’t know or care because he wouldn’t be home. Schrödinger’s birthday wishes.)

He’d been saving up for his little outing for almost four months, and looked forward to it for even longer.

He hadn’t even made it halfway. Thirty miles into his trip, the Camaro’s engine spluttered and started smoking, and that was that. After hitching a ride to the nearest house, a phone call to a nearby garage, and two hours of waiting by his broken-down Camaro for a tow, he finally got his baby to an open garage. There, a big guy with an even bigger belly rooted around in her engine for a while and declared her unfit for the road. Getting her working again would cost Billy everything he’d managed to save for this trip and more, and would take at least a week.

Hence why Billy was currently standing on the side of the road with his thumb out, trying to catch a ride back to Hawkins, in the end of March, in the rain.

On his goddamned birthday.

At this point, Billy has gone through the first four stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining (the mechanic just raised an unimpressed eyebrow when he tried to haggle) and depression – and had now landed in acceptance. The day was a bust. His plans had fell through. He’d wanted a good thing, and instead as usual, he’d ended up worse than when he started. With the rain beating down on him and the cars splashing him when they passed, he was soaked through. Soaked through and cold and hungry and poor and one hundred percent over this whole day. He just wanted to get home to his crappy four walls and crawl into his lumpy bed and forget this whole failure of a pipe dream, because God forbid Billy Hargrove gets to have a good day!

Yes, he might still be a little dramatic. Sue him. (Actually don’t, he doesn’t have any money left.)

But it’s been a long day. He started early to get a head start on what he was hoping would be a night to remember, but most of the day has passed and it’s getting dark. Soon, no one will be able to see him here at the side of the road, and with the rain the risk of being hit by a car is just too big. He briefly considers knocking on the door of the first house he sees and ask to stay the night, but immediately discards the idea. No one would open the door for him anyway, the way he looks.

He has just resigned himself to the thought of walking all the way back to Hawkins – it’ll take all night and he’ll probably die of pneumonia in the near future, but at least he’ll be able to crash into bed at the end of it – when a pair of approaching headlights flash at him and he hears a car switching gears to slow down. He also hears music – good music – that is abruptly shut off when the car rolls to a stop next to him.

Three things dawn on him, one after the other:

The car is a van.

The van is not just any van, but the one belonging to local drug dealer Eddie Munson.

Eddie Munson is indeed the driver, turning on the little overhead light and motioning at Billy to get in.

It’s not like Billy dislikes Munson. He never bullied him when they went to school together, unlike so many others, because Billy knows the value of good weed and when he first showed up in Hawkins he correctly deduced that Munson would not sell the good weed to his bullies. He knows that Munson at least has a good taste in music, if a flair for the dramatics.

That doesn’t mean that Billy likes Munson. The guy was at the bottom of the totem pole back in school, and hanging out with him then would have been social suicide. Because Billy cared about those things back then.

Now? Now he just wants to get home. Fuck today.

“Need a ride, handsome?”

And it’s a jab somehow, Billy knows it. And if he wasn’t soaked to the bone and shivering, he would have answered something like ‘fuck you’ or ‘didn’t know you swing that way’ or even a sarcastic ‘no, I’m standing out here in the rain because my shower is broken, what’s it to you?’. But he’s weary and doesn’t have the energy for whatever would follow, so he just gives a tired nod.

A wrinkle appears between Munson’s eyebrows, like maybe Billy’s lack of answer is the worrying part.

“Well get in. You look like a drenched rat.”

Another thing that Billy on any other given day would have snapped out a reply to. Today, he just takes it. It’s probably true, anyway.

Climbing into the passenger seat of the van, he waits for Munson to comment on his drenched and haggard appearance or warn him to not get the seat wet (an impossibility, at this point), but instead the worried wrinkle on Munson’s forehead deepens.

“You okay, Hargrove?”

And what does Billy say to that? It’s not so bad, in comparison. Hell, it’s not even the worst birthday he’s ever had (birthdays in the Hargrove household were never a hit when Neil was home). He’s not nursing a cracked rib or a split lip or two broken fingers, his face is not bruised or tear-stained, and he doesn’t have to go to bed without dinner (although, the leftover takeout in his fridge was bordering on inedibility yesterday, and the only other thing he’s got in there are eggs and barbeque sauce, so what that dinner will be is anyone’s guess. He’s got bread. He can make an egg and barbeque sandwich). So in that sense,

“Yeah,” he rasps. “Peachy.”

“Right,” Munson says doubtfully and doesn’t drive. Doesn’t drive for a long time, until Billy tips his head to the side to look at him. Then he blurts out, “You’re not gonna die in my passenger seat, right? Because half the town already thinks I’m, like, killing babies in my free time.”

There’s so many things Billy could say to that. What slips out is, “I’m no baby.”

Munson’s eyes flick down to his broad chest where Billy’s wet jean jacket – which is way too cold for the end of March, what was he thinking? – covers his tight light grey Henley, and clears his throat. “Um,” he says. “Clearly.” And then he seems to shake it off and looks back up at Billy’s face, eyes wide. “I mean, you really don’t look too good, man. You sick or something? Or drunk? Here, let me turn up the heat –“

“I’m fine,” Billy says, just a hint of an edge to his voice, but he doesn’t say anything when Munson’s hand reaches out to turn up the heat. Instead he sinks back in the seat and closes his eyes as he gives a full-body shiver.

“Shit,” Munson says and still doesn’t drive away. Billy hears him turn in his seat and rummage around somewhere behind them. A few seconds later, something soft is tossed in Billy’s face. He opens his eyes and sees that a ratty towel has fallen into his lap, and when he looks up he sees Munson next to him, holding a soft-looking blanket. What?

“What?” Billy says, confused.

“Off with those wet clothes,” Munson demands, “you’ll catch your death.”

“What are you, a grandma?” Billy mutters, slowly regaining his ability to snark as the warm air is being blasted in his face. He puts the towel over his face and wipes it off, and then starts drying his hair with it. It’s not like he’s gonna make it look worse. “Why do you even have this?”

“We use them to pack up our instruments when we go to gigs,” Munson explains, motioning to the back of the van. Billy doesn’t turn around, too busy drying off. “We were in Indy last night, for a gig. I have the instruments in the back. The others drove back this morning.” A pause, then, “Um, I’m in a band.”

Billy knows that. He’s even seen them play once or twice, although he didn’t make himself known. They’re not half bad, actually, not that Billy plans to say it out loud. Instead he makes a noncommittal hum and reaches out for the blanket, glaring when Munson pulls it out of his reach.

“Hey, no,” Munson says, “Off with those wet clothes first.”

“First you’re picking me up from the side of the road and now you want me to strip,” Billy murmurs, but does what he’s told. Even if he’s still sitting in his wet jeans – and soaked-through denim is not fun – it’s a relief to at last get out of his wet jacket and shirt. He discards them in the footwell and puts the blanket – that Munson wordlessly hands him – around his shoulders, pulling it closed in the front. It’s a bit itchy and smells like mold and it probably makes him look like a homeless person, but at least it’s warm. He shivers again and looks pointedly between Munson (who is busy staring) and the windshield and the road ahead.

“Oh, right!” Munson says, snapping to life again. He turns off the overhead light and finally pulls off the side of the road, back into traffic.

Billy has had his license since he was sixteen, and he’s been driving for even longer than that, and before that he simply walked or skated or caught a ride with friends when he wanted to go somewhere. But he has vague childhood memories of riding in the backseat, his parents in the front, at night, during the rain. Of leaning his forehead against the cold glass, feeling the car’s vibrations around him, and looking out in the dark – the only light coming from houses they passed and the other cars’ headlights and their reflections on the wet asphalt. It’s calming, and strangely familiar, and he can feel his eyes flutter shut.

Of course, it doesn’t last.

“So, um,” comes Munson’s voice from beside him, breaking the relative silence. “What were you doing out here anyway?”

“Car broke down,” Billy says, keeping it short. Not having the energy to go into his plans for the day and the way they fell through.

“Oh. That sucks.”

“Yeah.”

A beat, then, “Were you coming down from Indy too, or …?” Seems like Munson doesn’t like the silence. Billy doesn’t get why he doesn’t just put the music back on. Can’t he see that Billy isn’t exactly in a chatty mood?

“Nope. I was heading there but …”

“But your car broke down?”

“Yeah.”

“Hm.”

And Billy thinks that’s gonna be the end of it. He leans his head on the window and closes his eyes. Listens to the rattling rumble of the engine (Billy’s no mechanic, but he thinks that the van may be heading in the direction of the Camaro, too), and tries not to think.

It doesn’t work. Munson is quiet for maybe a minute before he starts, “So what were you gonna do in Ind–?”

And Billy snaps.

“Listen, man, I’ve had a really bad day. I get that you’re just trying to make conversation but I’m cold and wet and I’m not getting to Indianapolis tonight, so I’ll miss the concert and my car is broken down in a garage thirty miles from home and she’ll be there for a week, and I’m pretty sure they ripped me off when they said how much it’s gonna cost to fix her up.” He takes a breath, trying to keep calm. “I’m grateful to you for driving me back, but like, I’m not exactly the best of company right now.”

To his credit, Munson just nods, eyes wide and ringed fingers gripping the wheel harder. “Got it. Sorry.”

And that’s not … That’s not what Billy wanted. Munson has nothing to apologize for, Billy’s just in a shitty mood. But before he can figure out a way to voice this, Munson has reached out and turned the music back on, quickly turning the volume down to something more resembling background noise.

Billy relaxes back in the seat and pulls the blanket closer around him. Looks out through the windshield, watching the wipers push off the rain and more water cover the glass between every swipe, looking out at the road ahead and the red lights of the nearest car, still far in front of them.

Without really knowing why, he says,

“I’m turning twenty today.”

He doesn’t say it very loudly and he regrets it as soon as the words are out of his mouth. Half-hopes that Munson wouldn’t have heard him. But of course he did.

“Really?” comes Munson’s voice, a hint of excitement. “Happy bir–“

“Don’t,” Billy says, and it comes too fast and sounds too hard. It’s not Munson’s fault. He drags a hand down his face and says, “Please” (to soften the blow), “don’t.” He swallows. Closes his eyes against the way they are burning, suddenly. “Just drive me home.”

No more words comes from Munson, and they drive on into the night.

~~~

Billy flinches awake a little while later, not even realizing that he’d fallen asleep. He rubs at his eyes and that’s when he realizes that he’s only wearing an itchy blanket on his upper body, which is when he remembers where he is and why.

He groans.

“We’re not back yet,” Munson says, voice subdued, and that’s when Billy realizes that they’ve stopped and that the music has been switched off. “I just gotta fill her up, and maybe get a few things. You can go back to sleep if you want.”

Billy’s face burns; that makes it sounds as if he’s a toddler who needs his sleep (never mind that his plans when he got home had been to just faceplant into his bed and preferably sleep for a week). To show that he will do no such thing, he sits up straighter and looks around.

They’ve stopped at a gas station. It’s brightly lit up in the dark of the night, artificial lights making Billy’s headache worsen when he squints out through the window. He knows he should go out there and offer to pay for at least some of the gas – that’s what a decent person would do – but Billy’s shirtless under the blanket. His jeans and shoes are damp and uncomfortable; he doesn’t really want to move right now. Besides, he’ll need every cent he has to pay the mechanic so he can get his baby back.

Still, he feels bad. And then he gets angry for feeling bad, because he has so much other shit to feel bad about right now and the last thing he needs is a guilt trip. Even if he’s guilt-tripping himself.

He groans again, leaning forward to rest his forehead on the dashboard to hide from the gas station lights and listening to Munson fiddling with the pump outside the car.

It’s a couple of minutes before the door to the driver’s side opens, and Munson climbs in. The door closes behind him, but Billy doesn’t look up, even as he hears Munson rip open something that crinkles. He waits for the sound of chewing, or for the car to start, but there’s nothing. Nothing for a long time.

Eventually, he turns his head to the side and opens his eyes. And there, right in front of his face is …

A muffin.

He sits up. Blinks.

In Munson’s lap is a four-pack of cheap chocolate chip muffins that he obviously just bought inside the gas station. The packaging has been torn open, and he’s holding one of them out to Billy.

“Happy birthday, man,” he says.

The muffin has a candle in it.

Or no, not a candle. It’s a blunt.

Billy barks out a laugh, and Eddie – whose face has been carefully open and neutral until now – visibly tries tampering down on a smile. He gives the muffin a little shake and raises his eyebrows until Billy’s hand sneaks out from under the blanket and takes it.

“Cute,” he says, voice low, as he gently picks out the blunt. He doesn’t have a pocket that isn’t wet, so he puts it down in his lap, on top of the blanket.

Munson starts the car without acknowledging the gift, but he grabs his own muffin as he starts the car and drives back out on the road, biting off the top of it while he drives one-handed.

The music turned back on when the car did, so they’re back to driving through the darkness to the sound of heavy metal. Billy picks at his muffin, and looks down to the little gift in his lap. The white of the rolled-up paper is visible against the dark brown of the blanket, even in the low light of the night. He thinks about the events of the day, and the plans that fell through, and about his car. He thinks about his place in Hawkins, and how no one has probably knocked on his door today even though they know where he lives. He thinks about his previous birthday, and how much they sucked.

Perhaps he should have known better than having such high expectations for today. Just because it’s his first birthday on his own doesn’t mean that everything will suddenly be perfect. It’s him, after all. He should have known to scale it down a bit.

A gas station cupcake, a blunt, and a friendly face. A warm car, a blanket and ‘happy birthday’.

A friend.

Billy’s eyes burn again, and he blinks and blinks and is grateful that the overhead lamp is off while they continue to drive without speaking. As they get back to Hawkins and Billy sees the hated ‘Welcome to Hawkins’s sign lit up by the van’s headlights, he clears his throat.

“Thank you.”

[intothedysphoria]

Eddie Munson was at least interesting.

Being dropped into a town at the peak of Bible Belt Satanic Panic wasn’t ideal, so after showing up at a party and demonstrating why nobody should fuck with him, Billy sought out the weirdos.

Byers seemed cool but spent too much time with preppy rich kids for Billy’s taste. Sure they were a laugh if Billy wanted a quick fuck but given Neil’s new “rules”, Billy was really trying to find people he could trust first.

The loud, awkward teenager with the kind of battle jacket Billy had lost at a gig looked like someone Billy could get along with. Even if he was a complete fucking nerd.

There were rumours. There always were. Eddie Munson was a satanist who spoke in tongues in the corridors and read books with illicit, confusing material hiding in their pages.

Eddie Munson was not in fact a satanist, Billy discovered after having literally one conversation with him.

Eddie Munson was fucking Welsh.

Billy, who was still improvising a rudimentary American accent, was just happy to meet someone a little closer to home. Not home exactly because Billy was from Derry, but they united under being fucked over by the English.

Welsh really was a beautiful language and Billy had always had a thing for boys from the valleys.

Starting a (sort of) relationship seemed like the best idea in the world.

Eddie agreed, as they walked, hands just brushing, down the bad side of town.

Wayne Munson was a coal miner and a trade unionist and still hung banners from the 1978 strikes on his walls. He spoke to Billy gently and Billy finally felt safe enough to drop the accent.

It was the first proper cup of tea he’d had in three years. Tea and sausages and beans and bara brith. Billy had never been to Wales before and had never actually had Welsh food. It was all delicious. Proper working class meals.

Him and Eddie shared a ridiculous crush on both Steve Harrington and Chrissy Cunningham. It was never going to happen, could never happen in a town like Hawkins but it was nice to imagine.

There were glances sent their way sometimes. False hope probably but it felt real.

Billy liked just sitting on the floor of Eddie’s bedroom, smoking while he studied. Eddie was usually tuning his guitar or painting figurines but sometimes he’d tackle Billy (in a clumsy way) and kiss him.

The Munson’s trailer was the first place Billy had felt safe in since 1982. Since he’d got dragged in for hospitalising a neo Nazi and they’d moved AGAIN, to a small town in California. Then Hawkins after six months.

Billy never wanted it to end. He knew it would but that didn’t contain the hope he felt.

[vampire-scones]

His perm is hanging on for dear life at this point. It's been about eight or nine months since his last appointment and the curls were really fighting for their lives. Billy sighed as he looked in the mirror and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't have that kind of money right now so he could do one of two things. He could start spending hours in the bathroom each morning curling his own hair, or he could just let his hair get in that weird in between of wavy and straight which he hated.

As he looked in the mirror the shine of one of his record sleeves caught his eye. It was Motley Crue's 'Shout at the Devil'. All the band members were on the front, done up in their stage make up and their hair teased to high heaven. His gaze immediately went to Vince Neil. Billy would be lying if he said he didn't think the lead singer was at least a little hot. But his hair...he'd never straightened his hair but he knew damn well he could pull off looking like Vince if he tired.

Billy found himself in the bathroom for the next hour and a bit, Susan's flat iron doing its work in taking the life out of the last of his curls. In one of his copies of Metal Edge he had been able to find a good photo of Vince Neil. His hair teased to hell but still framing that pretty boy face.

After Billy was finished with the flat iron he grabbed a comb, starting to tease and back brush his hair. It took a few tries before he had how he wanted it. All that was left was the hairspray. His new can was half empty by the time he was done with it. He looked in the mirror and couldn't help but grin. He looked fucking good. He looked like a rockstar. Sure this wasn't a style he was gonna be pulling off all the time, but as a little change before his next perm? Absolutely. Now the only thing left was to see how a certain someone would feel about it.

Billy cleaned up the bathroom, hid his magazine away again, and grabbed his keys. He put on a pair of boots and walked out to his Camaro. When he got in he cranked the volume of his 'Too Fast for Love' tap and drove off. With his sunglasses on and music blaring he drove way too fast down the back streets of Hawkins until he reached his destination. Harrington's house.

He pulled into the driveway and saw the door already starting to open. He guessed Steve knew it was him from the music. He leaned against the doorframe and raised an eyebrow as Billy shut off the music.

"Not even a call before you come over? You got something important to tell me?" He asked from his spot in the doorway.

Billy got out of his car and gave his hair a bit of a shake, making sure his hair caught Steve's attention. He took off his sunglasses and hung them on his shirt while he walked up to him.

"What? Can't I just pop by because I feel like it? Or do I have to have a formal invitation from the king?"

Steve stood there, just looking Billy over. His hair was so...different. Steve reached out to touch his hair. "Holy shit...you were busy in your bathroom today."

Billy let out a bark of a laugh and just grinned at Steve. "Like it, pretty boy?"

Steve couldn't help but nod. "Yeah...it looks good. Different. You look like a rockstar.."

"And I'm guessing your into rockstars?"

"I didn't say that! I just said you looked like one."

Billy smirked. He watched as Steve stayed mesmerized by his new look. He would take that as the approval from the masses he was looking for.

"Well you can't get your hands out of my hair, maybe we should go inside so you can pull it."

Steve didn't say anything to this and just grabbed Billy by his collar and pulled him inside, letting the door slam closed behind them.

(Inspired by some tags @flayedintheusa left on another one of my posts!)

[dragonflylady77]

twenty years and change

This is the fic I wrote for the Harringrove Corner Winter Event

🔥 Fire & Ice ❄️

Fire: campfire, lights, candles, matches

Ice: snow, blizzard, skating, ice cream

Rating: M | 3644 words | second chance, steve chest hair agenda, matchmaking max

This fic is a gift for @callieb, who is a sweetie and did sprints with me when I was on the last stretch and struggling, for @whenyouwishuponastar7 who created HGC and @shieldofiron who secretly loves fluff so I keep writing it for her.

Summary:

Billy loved his sister, so when Max had begged him to sort out Susan’s old house in Hawkins to get it ready to sell, he’d found it hard to refuse. Max was heavily pregnant with her third child and not allowed to fly, and Susan had finally made the move to California to be closer to her grandchildren. What he hadn’t anticipated was the announcement of a once-in-a-hundred-year blizzard making a direct beeline for their corner of the state, then bumping into his high school crush in the lobby of the hotel where he was staying.

Read on Ao3

The universe had to be taking the piss. There was no way around it. For some reason, the fates had decided that nothing good would ever happen to Billy in Indiana. 

The town of Hawkins had given him the heebie jeebies from the moment he’d been dragged here by his asshole of a father as a teenager. He’d put his head down and made it through high school, before working his ass off at the local pool the summer after graduation. He had escaped in a cloud of dust at the beginning of fall, a full ride scholarship at UC San Diego in his back pocket.

Now he was back, twenty years and change later, and the goosebumps weren’t only because of the sub-zero temperatures. There was something wrong with this town, Billy knew it in his gut, in no part because there was snow everywhere. Billy hated snow. He likes his water liquid, preferably salty and full of waves. 

However, Billy loved his sister, so when Max had begged him to sort out Susan’s old house in Hawkins to get it ready to sell, he’d found it hard to refuse. Max was heavily pregnant with her third child and not allowed to fly, and Susan had finally made the move to California to be closer to her grandchildren.

Billy’s classes had been moved online for the next three weeks, his assistant covering his office hours while his TA would handle the grading until he was back. He’d discussed the upcoming workload with Elaine and was satisfied she was more than capable to fill in for the duration.

What he hadn’t anticipated was the announcement of a once-in-a-hundred-year blizzard making a direct beeline for their corner of the state, then bumping into his high school crush in the lobby of the hotel where he was staying.

���Am I dreaming or is that you, Harrington?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Billy felt his cheeks heat up and he was glad to still be wearing the massive scarf knitted by Max, as it hid most of his face. He dropped his bag at his feet and allowed himself one sweeping glance at the man who had visited his dreams more often than not when they were teenagers, while he pulled off his woolly hat to give his hands something to do.

Steve freaking Harrington, former King of Hawkins High. His brown hair had lost none of its volume, but gained some silver strands on the side, which suited him. The guy had no right looking this good this close to forty, especially wearing Hawkins Inn’s maroon blazer.

“Hargrove? Billy Hargrove? What…?” Harrington recovered quickly, his eyes going from Billy to his computer screen then back to Billy. “Do you, um, do you have a reservation? I can’t see your name on the list and we’re fully booked, what with that blizzard grounding all the planes up in Indy.”

“Oh, um, maybe look under Sinclair? Max made the booking,” Billy answered with a sigh as he shoved his hat into the pocket of his parka. 

“Right, okay, Sinclair. Yep. here you are.” Harrington put down the key card, smiling at Billy. “You’re in room 29, on the second floor. The lifts are over behind you. There’s a heated pool on the ground floor, next to the gym. They are open round the clock, should you need either at any point. Complimentary towels at reception. The restaurant is open for breakfast from seven in the morning until around ten thirty.”

“Thank you, Steve. Oh, what about dinner?”

“Di-dinner?”

Why did he have to make it sound like he was asking the guy out? Well done, Hargrove. Jesus.

“Yes, what time does the restaurant open? Or is there a bar I can get something to eat at? I’m famished.”

“Oh, right. Um, the main restaurant opens for dinner at five but the bar is open now. They will have a selection of snacks.”

“Okay, thanks, man. I’ll catch you later.”

Billy grabbed his bag and with one last glance at Harrington, he headed for the lift. He could have sworn that Harrington said ‘nice to see you’ but that had to be wishful thinking.

***

After a shower, a cold beer and decent meal at the quaint hotel restaurant, Billy was lounging on his bed when his phone pinged with a video call from Max.

“Hey.”

“Sooooo…”

“What?”

“You got anything to say for yourself?”

“About what?”

“Like that, is it? Okay. How’s Steve?”

“Fuck off.”

“Oh, come on. I wish I could have seen your face when you saw him.”

“You think you’re funny, Maxine, but you’re really not.”

“Don’t get stroppy with me, William. We stayed at the hotel with the kids when we were over last Christmas and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Steve at the desk.”

“Why? Cos you didn’t think he’d move on from working at that stupid ice cream shop or wherever he worked after the fire at the mall?”

“No, you big jerk, because last I’d heard, through Dustin—”

“Which one is that again? Curly hair, who works at NASA?”

“Yeah, him. Anyway, he said Steve had moved to Chicago with his best friend Robin.”

“Robin? Robin Buckley?”

“Um, yeah, I think so? Why? Do you know her?”

“Band geek. Told the sickest ghost story around the campfire when we went to the lake senior year. Had a massive crush on Hank that summer. Always wondered if anything happened between them.”

“Maybe that’s because you fucked off back to Cali without saying goodbye to anyone, not even your sister,” Max said, glaring at him. Her clipped tone made Billy groan.

“Oh my fucking God, shitbird, give it a rest. It was twenty years ago and I have apologized to you a million fucking times already.” 

They heard a door slam and footsteps coming closer quickly.

“Mama, we’re home! You’ll never guess what happened, oh hi Uncle Billy!” 

“Hey, Lennox.” Under Billy’s amused eye, Lennox snatched the phone from Max, who rolled her eyes. The nine year old then took Billy down the hallway to his room. Billy saw Max in the background, being handed her three-year-old daughter by her mother. He redirected his attention to Lennox. 

“What have you been up to? How’s my favorite nephew?”

Lennox cackled as he flopped on his bed. “Pfft, you’re silly, I’m your only nephew.” He peered into the screen, then his gaze found Billy again. “Where are you? This is not your house.”

“It isn’t?” Billy looked around, pretending to be surprised to see the bland walls and the non-descript painting in a gaudy frame.

“Extreme lack of books, my dear Watson.”

“You got me there, Mr. Holmes. I’m in Indiana. Your mom asked me to sort out your Gran’s house so she can sell it.”

“Oh, okay. Is it cold? It was freezing when we went last year.”

“Oh yeah. There’s snow everywhere, man. I hate it.”

“How long are you going to be there?”

“A couple of weeks.”

“Are you in a hotel? We stayed in a hotel. It had a pool.”

“You know, I am. Same one but I haven’t checked out the pool yet.”

Lennox grinned. “Oh, you have to go! There’s a water slide that’s a dragon and you come out of its mouth, and a pirate ship you can jump from, and Willa stayed in the baby pool but I went in the water slide.”

“Sounds fun.”

Max walked in the room and came to stand at the foot of the bed. Billy waved at her.

“Lennox, sweetie, I need my phone back and you need to go have your shower.”

“But, Mooooooom…”

“Lennox,” Billy said before Max could interrupt her son’s whining, “you be good for your Mom, and I’ll go see if that pool you were telling me about is really that awesome.”

Lennox let out the most put upon sigh. “Fine. Bye, Uncle Billy.”

“Bye, buddy. I’ll be home for Christmas, I promise.”

***

Billy stretched out in the water, staring at the foam sea creatures decorating the ceiling and absently noticing the lack of sharks. He needed to remember to text Max later, so she could tell Lennox he was right, and the pool really was that awesome.

Not that Billy had tried the waterslide or the pirate ship, instead, he’d made full use of the empty pool to swim lengths. He’d lost track of time, the familiar feeling of his body slicing the water as he went back and forth between the two ends of the pool helping him forget about the snow and the stress of being back in Indiana.

His arms and legs hurt in the good way that meant he’d pushed himself, more than he’d had the chance to recently. A noise by the pool chairs to his left caused him to straighten up. He put both feet on the bottom of the pool and turned to see who had interrupted his daydreaming.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize someone was still there this late… Billy?”

Steve’s surprise was evident in his tone and if Billy chose to take it in a positive way, that was between him and his dirty pornographic dreams featuring Steve Harrington that still plagued him to this day. More ‘the one you never had a chance with’ than ‘the one that got away’ but there wasn’t much Billy could do about the direction of his thoughts when he was asleep.

“Steve. Hi. Sorry, I’ll, um, I’ll get out of your way.” Billy didn’t let himself look for too long, didn’t want to be caught staring at how well Steve filled that white t-shirt or—nope, not looking at the swim shorts. 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to leave. I just finished my shift and it’s been a long day. I was gonna soak in the hot tub for a bit before I head home.” Steve pointed towards an area next to the pirate ship that clearly signposted, an innocuous door hiding behind the fake palm trees.

“Huh. Lennox didn’t say anything about a hot tub.”

Steve smiled. “Your nephew, right?”

Billy nodded. 

“He probably doesn’t know it’s there, to be fair. Access is forbidden to anyone under the age of eighteen,” Steve continued, walking slowly towards the greenery, and Billy automatically followed in the water. 

“Do you, um, do you wanna join me?” Steve asked, his cheeks turning pinker under the harsh neon lighting.

Billy wondered if he had stepped through some portal to another dimension. One where Steve Harrington was not entirely straight and kinda totally into him. He didn’t remember hitting his head though.

“Sure.” The word was out of his mouth before he even realized he’d said it. It was his turn to blush and, to hide that fact, he hoisted himself out of the pool. He threw his goggles on the nearby chair with his clothes and did a couple of shoulder stretches. He could feel Steve’s eyes on him the entire time, almost like a caress, and forced himself not to react. 

Once he was done, Billy picked up his towel and dried his face before smiling at Steve. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Old swimming injury. Need to stretch or I won’t be able to move tomorrow.”

“Oh, wow, um, yeah, no problem. Can’t have that.” Steve glanced down then back at Billy. “I can carry your stuff, if you want, since I’m dry. It’s late, and there’s not really anyone around, but I wouldn’t want another staff member taking your things to lost property, thinking they’ve been left behind.”

“Right. Yes, good point. Thank you.” Billy stood there, holding his towel in front of him while Steve gathered his shirt, goggles and room key. The evening had unexpectedly taken a turn for the better and he’d hate himself for not making the most of this opportunity.

“Do you swim?” he asked Steve when they started walking and a flash of something foul tasting appeared on Steve’s face, only for a second, before Steve gathered himself.

“No, not anymore.” Steve opened the door and Billy followed him inside, wondering what could possibly have made Steve stop swimming. 

After closing the door, Steve placed Billy’s belongings on a bench that ran along two of the walls. He turned towards Billy. “I used to, I mean, I was swim captain back in high school, and a lifeguard over summer too. But I haven’t in years… not since that girl died in my parents’ pool in senior year.”

“Jesus.” Billy fought with the urge to wrap Steve in his arms and kiss the sadness away by putting his towel on the hook on the wall. Steve’s towel joined Billy’s a second later then Steve took off his t-shirt and Billy blue-screened.

“Holy fuck…”

“What?” Steve looked behind him then around the room before his eyes landed on Billy again. 

“You might want to warn a guy next time, pretty boy, before you unleash… that.” Billy waved his hand in the general direction of Steve’s chest.

“Oh, that.” Steve blushed and Billy followed the pinkish hue on Steve's cheeks with his eyes, down Steve’s neck, until it got lost in the wiry dark hair covering Steve’s chest. “I, uh, I waxed my chest in high school because of the swimming. Didn’t see the point anymore after.”

“Thank fuck for that.” Billy cleared his throat, his face heating up from the embarrassment of having said something that should most definitely have remained unsaid. “Sorry, I should not have said that.” He winced and stepped to the side, facing away from Steve. “I’ll just…”

“If the end of that sentence is anything other than ‘lock the door and join you in the hot tub’, I’m afraid I don’t want to hear it.”

“What?” What the fuck was even happening right now? Billy didn’t have a clue.

“Billy, get the fuck in the water.”

Doing what Steve said—because who was he to question an order given to him in such a confident way by the prettiest boy he had ever seen in his life?—Billy stepped into the hot tub. He lowered himself on the lounge seat, leaned his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes. 

He heard the click of the lock on the door then the water hit his chest in little waves when Steve got in, but Steve didn’t sit on the other side of the tub like Billy had expected him to. Instead, Steve waded across until his knees bumped into Billy’s.

“Can you please open your eyes?” Steve whispered over the whirr of the water pump and Billy complied, taking a moment to really look at Steve. 

The thick head of hair he wanted to bury his hands in. The big brown eyes that seemed to see through him. The little moles on Steve’s cheek Billy wanted to trace with the tip of his finger. The plump lips Billy had dreamed about kissing so many times…

Billy’s visual exploration was cut short when Steve suddenly straddled him, one knee on either side of Billy’s thighs, arms wrapping around Billy’s neck. Billy’s hands found Steve’s hips on instinct, holding him in place before he got too close to Billy’s crotch.  

His dick, however, decided that it was on board with this most recent development, and Billy mentally thanked his lucky stars for the extra buoyancy the bubbly water afforded him. 

“Pretty boy…” He was dreaming. That had to be it. He was fast asleep in bed in his hotel room right now, imagining Steve Harrington was sitting on his lap.

“Stop overthinking and kiss me already,” Steve murmured, his mouth so close now that Billy felt Steve’s breath on his lips.

So Billy did. 

He pressed his lips against Steve’s, enjoying the way Steve leaned into it. Kissing Steve was quickly rising to the top of Billy’s favorite things to do, especially when Steve reduced the distance between them to nothing.

Feeling Steve’s coarse chest hair brush against his nipples made Billy groan. 

Steve licking into his mouth made Billy tighten his fingers on Steve’s waist. 

Steve’s hard cock brushing against his made Billy see stars.

***

Deciding they were too old and too tired to deal with the mess and ensuing clean up that would be necessary if they stayed in the hot tub any longer, they relocated to Billy’s room. They made out in the shower, while they exchanged lazy handjobs because floor tiles were definitely too uncomfortable on the knees.

They dried themselves quickly with fluffy towels they left in a pile on the bathroom floor and got into bed, where Billy took Steve apart with his fingers and his mouth. They fell asleep wrapped around each other in the middle of the king size mattress. 

Steve called in sick and Billy ordered them room service for breakfast. They spent the day in bed, talking and kissing and fucking. Billy told Steve about Neil and growing up feeling like he was made wrong, until he got back to Cali and found his people. Steve told Billy all about the Upside Down, and how keeping such things a secret meant he had closed himself off to everyone. Billy felt vindicated for thinking there was something wrong with Hawkins all along. 

As they lay in bed spooning, watching the shadows grow longer as the sun disappeared behind the trees, one arm around Steve while he dozed, Billy came to a decision. He had to act on it, before he talked himself out of it. This thing with Steve felt too good, too real, to let go of once he was done with Susan’s house.

“Stevie?”

“Hmm?” came the sleepy reply.

“Come with me.”

“Where?” Steve turned around in Billy’s arms, eyes closed, and pressed a kiss on the side of his neck. “If I have to get dressed, I don’t wanna go.”

Billy let out a chuckle. “I don’t think they’ll let you on the plane if you’re naked, baby.”

“Plane? What plane?” Steve lifted his head and stared at Billy, eyes wide.

Billy rolled onto his back, pulling Steve on top of him. He cupped Steve’s face with one hand, and wrapped his other arm around Steve’s waist. “Pretty boy, I’ve wanted you for so long…” Billy stopped, unsure how to continue.

Steve pressed a hand over Billy’s heart. “Tell me.”

“I know I was a shit show in high school. I was so angry all the time, and I didn’t know how to deal with how I felt about anything, but especially about you. Not that I thought I’d ever have a chance to have you.”

“Hoo boy, you sure got that one wrong.” Steve grinned, giving Billy a quick kiss on the lips.

“Shut up. If I had put the moves on you twenty years ago, you would have shot me down so fast, and probably told the whole school I was a queer. Then my dad would have either killed me or sent me to military school, and neither of us would be in this bed right now.”

“Fair point.”

“Anyway, what I was trying to say was, I’ve wanted you for so long, and now I’ve had you, I don't think I can give you up.”

“Billy…” Steve looked away, moving his face out of Billy’s hand.

Billy felt his heart squeeze at the sad expression on Steve’s face. His resolve to get Steve out of Hawkins hardened. “No. Don’t give me that bullshit about the gate and the monsters. You said it yourself, that girl, Jane, Eleven, whatever, she closed the gate. She moved to California with the Chief and Mrs. Byers. All your kids are gone. Not that they’re kids anymore, Stevie. My sister is pregnant with her third child, for fuck’s sake. What’s keeping you here, really? Don’t you want to get away from the memories? Finally break the hold this shit town has on you?”

“I tried. I moved to Chicago with Robin. It… it didn’t work.”

“What happened in Chicago?”

Steve sighed and rolled off Billy. “Robin got a girlfriend, moved in with her. I couldn’t afford the rent by myself so I came home. Got this job. Stayed on.”

“Baby…” Billy picked up Steve’s hand but otherwise he stayed where he was, facing Steve. He kissed Steve’s knuckles, one after the other. “Going by the last twenty-something hours, I think we could have something great. But it’s not gonna happen here because this town sucks the hope and happiness out of everyone. I won’t tell you I love you because I don’t wanna scare you off but—”

“You… you love me?”

Hearing Steve repeat the words back to him made Billy realize what he had let slip. Might as well go for broke at this point.

“Yeah. I do. I love you. So if you don’t want this, don’t want me , you need to tell me now, before I make an even bigger ass out of myself than I already have, and we can forget this conversation ever happened.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?” Had Billy really been reading the situation so completely wrong? Was Steve saying he wanted to forget the whole thing? Billy was so confused he didn’t react when Steve pulled him over so he was lying on top. Only when he felt Steve’s hands on his thighs did he shake off the daze. He looked down at Steve. “Pretty boy?”

“I love you. I’ve been dreaming about being with you for the past twenty years and I’m sick of dreaming. I want to live instead.”

Billy felt like his grin was going to split his face in two. Like he could explode from the pure joy coursing through his body.

“And Billy?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Get me the fuck out of Hawkins.”

[chrisbitchtree]

Happy New Year’s from Billy and Steve!

[unnokka]

A Shadow's Lament

Warnings: angst, death, trauma.

Steve's soul mark on his sternum colored when Billy Hargrove touched him for the first time. Unfortunately, that was the same day when Billy threw a plate at his head and beat him up. Steve always imagined that it would be the happiest moment of his life. No, not even close. But still, he kept hope alive, if they could fix the situation.

Then he saw Billy shirtless at the community pool on his first day of work and he learned that he wasn't Billy's soulmate. On Billy’s sternum rested a soul mark slightly larger than Steve’s and it was still colorless. It was like a hard slap to the face, so it was also his last day working at the pools, and a week later he started at Scoop Ahoy.

Nothing had hurt more in his life. Many asked what was wrong but he stubbornly remained silent, always making up excuses. Then Henderson came back from his camp, the Russian broadcast, a strange elevator, they got caught, interrogated and then the drugs.

Steve's condition was bad, really bad. And the drugs in his veins didn’t help the situation, so Steve broke down on the bathroom floor. Crying he told Robin about Billy. Lovely Robin listened and comforted him, promised that Billy was too much of an asshole for him and that he would find true love somewhere else. Steve wanted to believe her, but couldn't.

Later, he watched as the mind flayer impaled Billy. Max and Steve screamed at the same time. The pain in Steve's chest was indescribable, as if someone was squeezing his chest together while simultaneously setting it on fire. Then the mall collapsed.

Almost three weeks later, Steve woke up in the hospital. The pain in his chest was still absolutely terrible, but meds helped somewhat. The emotional pain didn’t go anywhere.

The doctors told him that building scrap had fallen on him, combining all the physical trauma, the drugs and the loss of a soulmate, Steve's heart had stopped. It had taken too long before CPR could be started so his heart had remained weak and the artery would likely become inflamed, which would lead to the heart stopping again. So the doctors made an emergency decision in the ER and ended up doing a transplant.

Billy's heart had survived without damage.

Now, Steve had a harsh red scar from the surgery. A scarred mark from a dead soulmate. In his chest was the promised lover's beating heart.

And a new soulmate mark.

[kay-royal]

I love this idea

I have this au where billy, eddie and alexie come back, the upside down is defeated, lots of paper work is done for billy and alexie, eddies name is cleared, the party are heros. The party stay in touch as they leave Hawkins, new relationships happen, and they all get famous and rich.

Steves a pop singer, think Harry styles meets Avril

Eddie is a Rockstar, corroded coffin took off

Billy's a model, and doesn't hide his scars

Jonathan is a photographer

Nancy is a journalist

Robin is a director

Will is an artist

Mike is an author

El is a rock star, became close with eddie

Max(after getting surgery to replace her eyes) is a pro skater, x games level

Lucas is in the NBA, tells his fans to follow their dreams

Erica is a actress and mathmation

Dustin is a scientist, with his tech genius wife

And they all look cool and rarely vist Hawkins

[harringroveera]

Of course Steve is never gonna stop worrying about his husband

[pastelbatfandoms]

Billy and I in my dr. Plus Steve and I. Yes Max and I look similar when she's older, I may or may not bleach my hair.

[starkstruck27]

Sixth fill for @mungrovebingos!! This one is a modern-ish AU, set sometime in, like, the early 2000s? I don't really specify a time period, just that everybody is older and it's not the 80s anymore. Anyway, it's super sweet and sappy, so I hope everyone enjoys, story is under the cut, and Ao3 link is here.

Prompt is "Last Day of Summer" and it's 3,293 words.

It was sweltering hot when Billy woke up early one August morning, curled up under the blankets in his trailer home with his husband clinging to him like a koala bear. He couldn’t help but smile as he kissed his sleeping form, the mess of curls he’d just started growing out again and his open, drooling mouth conspiring to make him look like some kind of fairy tale troll, but if he told him that, he’d probably just grin and say thanks for the compliment. He was so weird, but Billy only loved him all the more for it.

For a few minutes, he just watched Eddie sleep. He loved him more than anything and didn’t get to see him sitting still too often, so this was a rare treat. Unfortunately, the tranquil, quiet morning didn’t last too long, as Billy heard giggling from somewhere behind him, in the vicinity of the bedroom door.

“Shh! Miranda! You’ll wake them up!” One little voice hissed, and Billy quickly caught on to what was happening. He and Eddie had told Max and Lucas that their kids could sleep over the night before and that they’d take them out today as a last hurrah before school started up the day after. Damien, their son, was 8, and going into third grade already. Billy couldn’t believe how fast the time was flying, it seemed like just yesterday he was holding Damien for the first time as a little teeny baby. And his little sister, Miranda, was only 5, getting ready to start kindergarten. She had always been Billy’s little pal, stuck to him practically like glue all throughout her life, and to see her already starting school was making Billy feel an insane surge of pride and an intense pit of despair at the same time. He was gonna miss getting to take care of her every day while her parents were at work.

“Sorry!” Miranda whispered back to her brother, though she couldn’t quite stop the giggles. Still, Billy managed to contain his own and went back to pretending to be asleep as the two crept nearer, finally jumping up on their bed and screaming “Good morning!” at the top of their lungs.

“Hey! Good morning, you two little gremlins! What’s got you up so early?” Billy asked as he sat up, wrapping his arms around the two of them and squeezing as Eddie groaned beside him.

“We’re hungry! We want pancakes!” Miranda declared, her red hair coming out of its braided form as she rolled around and giggled.

“And we’re excited! You said you’d take us out to celebrate the last day of summer!” Damien added, his nose scrunching as he smiled. He and his sister both had fairly light skin, though it was obvious that Max and Lucas were both their parents. Damien’s hair was dark brown, nearly black, and his face was covered in freckles, just like his mother. Miranda had a few freckles, but not many, and her hair was bright red, just a bit darker than Max’s. They both had Lucas’s big brown eyes, though.

“Really? Was that today? Oh, gee, I must’ve forgotten, I can’t take you guys out today. I’ve got work and Uncle Eddie has band practice…” Billy trailed off, shaking his head as the kids lowered theirs in disappointment. Billy could only stand it for so long. “I’m just teasing! C’mon, Bring those smiles back! We’re gonna have the best day ever! Now, I’ll go start the pancakes and you two work on getting Uncle Eddie out of bed and into the shower.”

Miranda and Damien both cheered as they let Billy untangle himself from the sheets, bouncing around on the bed and shaking Eddie as they tried to wake him up. Eddie, for the most part, ignored them, but suddenly he was up like a shot, grabbing the two kids and pinning them to the mattress as he attacked them with tickles. They both shrieked and tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but Eddie held strong until they were both wheezing messes beneath him. Finally, he let them up, sending them to the living room to watch cartoons while he hopped in the shower.

When he emerged from their bedroom, showered, dressed and primped, Billy was just finishing breakfast, setting down a big plate of pancakes in the center of the table and getting out syrup, whipped cream, butter and powdered sugar. Max always said that he gave her kids too much sugar. Billy just claimed that that’s why he was the favorite uncle.

“So, what are we gonna do today?” Billy asked the kids as they dug in. 

“Can we go to the zoo?” Miranda asked, bouncing in her chair. She was the biggest animal lover Billy had ever known, clearly shown by the safari pajamas she was currently wearing.

“Or to that arcade with the mini golfing and go-karts?” Damien asked, and Billy and Eddie grinned at them.

“That sounds perfect!” Billy said, clapping his hands together and making the kids laugh as he nearly knocked over his orange juice. “Which are we going to do first?”

“Well, I feel like the zoo will close earlier than the arcade, so we should probably do that first. And we don’t want to get there when all the animals are getting ready for bed, do we?” Eddie asked, winking at Miranda as he ate more of his food. The kids both agreed and hurried to finish their breakfast, then ran off to their little guest room to get dressed. Eddie cleaned up after breakfast so that Billy could shower and get ready, and then the four of them piled into the car, clicking seatbelts and checking mirrors before they headed off towards the zoo.

“Uncle Billy?” Miranda piped up from the back seat.

“Hm?” Billy asked as he drove, a piece of candy in his mouth taking the place of a cigarette. He’d been trying to quit them, especially when he was driving, and especially when the kids were in the car.

“Will you play my song?” Miranda asked, her eyes lighting up as Damien groaned beside her. Billy chuckled as Eddie already handed him the CD, and he popped it in the player as he said, “Sure thing, Cherry Pie.”

A few seconds later and Warrant was blasting through the speakers, the same song that Miranda’s nickname was derived from. Ever since she was born she’d had that bright red hair, and since that song had been stuck in his head the day he’d gone to see Max at the hospital, he began to call Miranda Cherry Pie. He’d always sung the song to her (obviously not letting on what the lyrics really meant) and danced her around the room ever since she was little. Max used to tease him about corrupting her daughter’s music taste early on, but Billy just turned the music up louder and continued to dance around. Max rolled her eyes, but she had to admit, it was sweet.

Finally, they arrived at the zoo, paid to park, and hopped out of the car to go and buy tickets. Eddie had taken the kids to go toss some coins in the fountain while Billy was busy getting the tickets, and once they all met up again, they started to wander around the exhibits. Billy picked Damien up and put him on his shoulders so he could see better, and Eddie did the same with Miranda. Since they didn’t have to hold onto the kids’ hands, they held each other’s, the both of them smiling like teenagers on a first date and instead of a married, nearly-middle-aged couple out for the day with their niece and nephew. Still, it felt special, and the fact that when they actually were teenagers they were too scared to hold hands at all just made it feel like they were making up for lost time.

The kids were having the time of their lives walking around the zoo, seeing flamingos and crocodiles, bears and lions, seals and snakes. Eddie and Damien were both going nuts over the fruit bats, gushing over how cute they were and how much they wished they could have one as a pet. None of them were too excited for the tarantulas, so they walked past their tanks as quickly as possible before either Miranda or Billy had a meltdown. They continued on and saw the panda bears, the gorillas, the elephants and the giraffes, and finally, they were nearing the exit with only a few enclosures left to inspect.

“OH MY GOSH!” Miranda screamed as she almost jumped from Eddie’s shoulders, “LOOK OVER THERE! THERE’S HIPPOS!”

“Where at, Cherry Pie?” Billy asked, turning around as he tried to see what she saw. Miranda frantically pointed a little to the left of them and Eddie saw the enclosure, too, smiling as he gripped Billy with one hand and Miranda with the other, taking off in a full sprint over to the tank, much to the little girl’s delight.

“Jesus Christ!” Billy said as he caught his breath beside Eddie, checking to make sure Damien was still secure on his shoulders. “We didn’t have to run like that, you know.”

“I know, but Miranda and I were excited!” Eddie defended himself, grinning widely in that way that Billy couldn’t stay upset with. He sighed and shook his head, giving Eddie an amused, annoyed look, rolling his eyes as he leaned in for a kiss to make it go away. 

“Alright, alright, you sap,” Billy said as Eddie kissed him sweetly, shoving him away and wrinkling his nose as he laughed. Eddie stuck his tongue out at him, but then went back to watching the hippos, reaching for Billy’s hand again and intertwining their fingers as they watched the animals. Miranda was damn near hypnotized with them, the biggest smile on her face as she watched one of the handlers give one of the animals a whole watermelon and it crushed it like it was nothing. 

Finally, it was getting close to lunchtime, so they had to drag Miranda away from the hippos and over to the gift shop before they left, allowing her and Damien to each pick out a souvenir. Damien found a book about all the different kinds of bats, and Miranda picked out a stuffed hippo, which she promptly named Chubs. As they waited in line for the checkout, Eddie came up behind Billy, resting his head on his shoulder and wrapping his arms around him in a swaying embrace.

“You want a souvenir?” He asked as Billy turned to kiss his head. 

“Nah, I’m good. All I want is a picture of all of us before we leave. But if you want something, get it,” he replied, bringing a hand up to tangle his fingers in Eddie’s unruly curls.

“Okay. Are you sure?” Eddie asked, poking Billy in the stomach as he laughed.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Spending the day with you guys is enough of a treat. I don’t need anything else,” Billy said, and this time, Eddie turned around so that he could kiss him properly. They could see the looks they were getting from the blonde soccer moms with their leashed kids over in the corner of the gift shop, but they didn’t care. Maybe they would’ve way back when, but not anymore. It was none of their business.

After they paid for the souvenirs in the gift shop and had a nice woman take their picture by the sign at the zoo’s front entrance, they all piled in the car again, all smiles as they headed towards their next destination.

“Alright, it’s lunchtime. Who’s hungry?” Billy asked as they pulled out of the parking lot, waiting at a stoplight as the two kids and Eddie all yelled, “Me!”

“Okay, good. Where are we gonna go?” Billy asked as he kept driving, looking for any road signs or billboards advertising restaurants. 

“McDonald’s! McDonald’s! McDonald’s!” The other three chanted, and Billy had to smile as he gave in and Eddie hyped the other two up. Still, he drove to the nearest McDonald’s and parked, climbing out with the other three and following them as they all ran inside. They got their food and ate it quickly, all of them anxious to get on with their day once their bellies were full. 

They got on the road again and drove to the new and improved Palace arcade, which had been remodeled since the 80s and now included a go-kart track and a mini golf course, as well as games that you could play to win tickets and exchange for prizes. They still had the classics, Pac Man, Dig Dug, Centipede, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donkey Kong, Frogger and all the rest, but they didn’t get as much attention from the young kids nowadays as they did from their parents. Still, Max held the record on Dig Dug, and Billy’s name was permanently stuck at the top of the Pac Man machine with the high score, whoever was underneath him short of beating him by nearly 10,000 points. But Billy was humble about it.

“Can we do go-karts first?” Damien asked, bouncing like a rabbit as they walked inside the place.

“Sure,” Billy shrugged, pulling out his wallet and paying for them to be able to ride the go-karts, Eddie taking the kids outside to pick out which ones they wanted to go in. Damien was tall enough to ride by himself, so he did, choosing a green car and taking off as soon as he was buckled in. Eddie got in a yellow one and caught up to Damien easily, the two of them racing around the track like it was the Indy 500. Miranda wasn’t tall enough to be able to drive, so Billy rode with her, letting her pick a pink car and racing with her around the track, too. 

When they finished with the go-karts, they decided to do mini-golfing, wanting to get it in before it got dark and they’d have to take the kids home. Billy was actually pretty good at mini-golf, but he pretended to suck so that one of the kids could win. Eddie actually did suck, so Miranda actually ended up winning, beating her brother by six points. Damien was a good sport about it, though, and Billy was glad about that. He and Max had always been entirely too competitive with each other. He was happy that her kids hadn’t taken after either of them in that regard.

Finally, they went inside and started playing arcade games. Billy was practically glued to the basketball game, using his share of the tokens they’d purchased to score basket after basket and earn them as many tickets as possible. Miranda was wandering around doing a little bit of everything, but she liked skee-ball the best, playing it over and over and not earning many tickets, but she was having fun, so it didn’t bother her. Eddie wasn’t much of a gamer, though he did enjoy playing the Ghostbusters first-person shooter game with Damien and he was able to get a few things out of the various crane games scattered around. Damien stuck mostly to the classic machines, moving on to do a few shooting games or the occasional racing game, but he mostly preferred the old school stuff. 

Soon enough, though, the sun was starting to set outside, and they had used the last of their tokens. Billy gathered up and counted all the tickets they’d collected and divided it among the kids, both of them able to choose prizes from the higher shelves due to Billy being amazing at basketball. In fact, they’d gotten so many tickets that Miranda was able to choose an Easy-Bake Oven for her prize and Damien got a giant stuffed Charmander doll, which Billy wasn’t even sure would fit in the car. Still, the kids were happy, so he and Eddie would make it work. They’d do anything for those two knuckleheads.

When they finally managed to shove the Charmander plush in the trunk, find a place for the Easy-Bake Oven, and got the kids all strapped in and ready to go, it was pitch black outside. The moon was hanging high over the town as they drove back to the trailer park, and when Billy glanced in the rearview mirror halfway home, he saw that both of the kids were out cold.

“They must’ve had a good day,” Eddie said quietly as he rolled down his window and smiled over at his husband.

“I hope so,” Billy replied, smiling back as he stopped at a sign.

“Oh, quit that. You know damn well they just had the best day of their lives, all thanks to you,” Eddie said, nudging Billy’s arm.

“Thanks to us. Wouldn’t have been as much fun as it was without you. You don’t give yourself enough credit. Those kids adore you, you know,” Billy nudged back, turning onto their street.

“They adore you even more. And so do I,” Eddie said, waiting until Billy parked in front of their trailer to lean over and draw him in for a kiss. Billy went willingly, and smiled into it as Eddie cradled the back of his head. He could’ve stayed just like that forever and ever, but of course, all good things must come to an end.

“Hey dipshits, quit making out like teenagers and give me my children!” Max said from outside the open window, startling both of them and laughing as they jumped. 

“Christ, why’d you have to sneak up on us like that?” Billy said as he rubbed his head where it hit the back of the seat.

“I didn’t, but it was more fun that way. Anyway, did they behave themselves?” Max asked as she stepped back so that they could open the car doors. They climbed out and Eddie went inside to get their bags, bringing them out to Max’s car and then going to open Billy’s trunk.

“Oh yeah, they were perfect little angels,” Billy said, smiling as he looked at the two sleeping kids on his backseat.

“That’s because you enable them and they get to do whatever they want,” Max teased, hugging her brother.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re just jealous because I’m their favorite adult!” He said back, punching her lightly on the arm as he went to help Eddie get the giant stuffed Pokemon from his trunk.

“What in the hell is that?” Max asked when she saw it, and the way they were trying to shove it into the trunk of her own car.

“It’s Damien’s. We took them to the arcade,” Billy said, finally shoving the thing in and closing the trunk.

“And Miranda got this!” Eddie said, moving the Easy-Bake Oven into Max’s passenger seat. “Plus a few other things that I won out of claw machines.”

“You two are going to cause these two to be the death of me,” she said, shaking her head as she tried to hide a smile. She didn’t do it very well, though, and Billy and Eddie could only laugh. They helped her move the sleeping kids from one car to the other and each gave them a kiss on their heads to say goodbye, before standing on their tiny porch to wave them off as Max took them home.

“I hate that summer is over,” Billy said as he watched them go, putting his arm around Eddie and resting his head on his shoulder.

“Me, too. But hey, look on the bright side,” Eddie said, hugging Billy close, “At least now we get to look forward to spoiling them on their Christmas vacation!”

[unabashed-lover-of-fictional-men]

I had the what could be best/weirdest idea for a story ever... So lately my TikTok has been Billy Hargrove related, and I had a wild idea of Billy and Eddie somehow liking the same woman.

Like the three of them all went to school together and even though the three were pretty different they were good friends, granted they never all hung out together for obvious reasons but were friends.

You hung out at Eddie's trailer smoking weed, and then would drive around with Billy while he blasted the coolest new hair metal track, until one day they both realized they liked you more than a friend. Both wanting to tell you, needing to tell you. They look for you only to find out through Steve, Robin and Nancy that you had gone home for the summer.

Confused they find out that you are Hoppers niece that had been staying with him due to issues at home, and one of your parents (or both) were in a car accident and you had to deal with the aftermath. Cue ahead a year and you come back to Hawkins with a U-Haul, making long pushed aside feelings to resurface.

[castielscaplan]

Future Holds Me (billy hargrove)

Summary: You and Billy get interrupted by Max and Eleven.

Warnings: Fluff

WC: 1K

requested: by @fandom-princess-forevermore my beloved <3\\ You asked about domestic fluff for Billy Hargrove. It's simple for me: Billy and his girlfriend are enjoying some quiet, intimate time when Max and Eleven interrupt to talk boys or other stuff. They all bond, and when she returns to Billy, the subject of kids is brought up, and she pictures Billy as a cute girl dad.

Read on A03!

--

The soft glow of the afternoon sun filtered through the curtains of Billy’s bedroom, casting a warm light across the quiet space. You and Billy were tangled up on the bed, limbs intertwined as you lay in the comfortable silence. His fingers absentmindedly traced patterns on your arm while you rested your head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

“This is nice,” you murmured, tilting your head to look up at him. His lips curled into a rare, soft smile, his usual cocky demeanor melted away in the comfort of your closeness.

“Yeah, it is,” Billy replied, his voice low and husky. He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead, making your heart flutter. Moments like this were rare, where he let his guard down completely, and you treasured them.

Before you could lose yourself completely in the moment, the door to Billy’s room swung open without warning. Startled, you both sat up, your peaceful bubble instantly burst by the two girls standing in the doorway—Max and Eleven.

"Hey!" Max greeted cheerfully, completely oblivious to the intimate moment she’d just interrupted. Eleven gave a small wave, her expression more reserved but curious as ever.

Billy groaned, flopping back onto the pillows with a dramatic sigh. “Seriously?” he muttered under his breath. “Can’t you two go bother someone else?”

Max ignored him completely, her attention already focused on you. “We were looking for you!” she said, her eyes lighting up. “We wanted to talk about boys.”

“Yeah, boys,” Eleven chimed in with a small smile, though her understanding of the subject was still a bit limited.

You laughed, sitting up a bit straighter. “Oh, yeah? Well, you’ve come to the right person.”

Billy rolled his eyes and sat up, clearly irritated at being interrupted. “You’re really going to leave me for this?” he asked, half-joking but with an edge of genuine annoyance.

“I’ll be right back,” you promised, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. He grumbled something under his breath but let you go.

You followed Max and Eleven out of the room and into the living room, where the three of you plopped down on the couch. The conversation flowed easily, with Max teasing you about Billy and Eleven asking curious questions about relationships. It was fun, bonding with the girls, and you could feel the sisterly affection Max had for you, especially now that she trusted you with her brother.

“Do you think Billy’s…good boyfriend material?” Max asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow as if genuinely unsure. Eleven’s eyes widened with interest.

You chuckled, thinking about how soft and gentle Billy could be when it was just the two of you. “He’s a lot better than he seems,” you admitted. “He just doesn’t show that side of himself to everyone.”

Max made a face, clearly not convinced. “I’ll take your word for it.”

Eventually, the conversation shifted from boys to other things, and by the time you were ready to head back to Billy, you felt a deeper connection to the two girls. They waved you off, satisfied with their bonding session, and you made your way back to Billy’s room, where he was sprawled out on the bed, looking impatient.

“Took you long enough,” he grumbled as you crawled back into bed beside him.

“Sorry, we got distracted,” you said, snuggling up next to him again. “They’re really sweet.”

Billy sighed, wrapping his arm around you again, though this time there was something more thoughtful about his expression. He was quiet for a few moments before he spoke again.

“You’re good with them,” he said softly, almost like he didn’t want to admit it. “With Max. And even with El. I’m not really…good at that kind of thing.”

You glanced up at him, surprised by the shift in his tone. “You could be,” you said gently. “You’re good when you try. Max looks up to you, even if she doesn’t show it.”

Billy’s expression softened, his blue eyes meeting yours with a vulnerability that he rarely showed. “I dunno,” he muttered. “Sometimes I think maybe I wouldn’t be so bad at that…you know, having kids.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. You had never talked about the future like this, not seriously. But now that he’d brought it up, you couldn’t help but imagine it — Billy as a dad, maybe even a girl dad. You could picture him with a little girl on his shoulders, her giggles filling the air as he pretended to be annoyed but secretly loving every second of it.

“You’d be cute as a girl dad,” you blurted out before you could stop yourself.

Billy looked at you like you’d just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. “A girl dad?”

“Yeah,” you said, grinning now. “You’d be overprotective and teach her how to stand up for herself. She’d wrap you around her little finger, and you’d let her get away with everything.”

He snorted, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You think so?”

“I know so,” you teased, imagining a little girl with his blonde curls and piercing blue eyes, running around causing trouble just like him. “She’d be your mini-me.”

Billy’s smirk faded a little as he considered it, his expression growing serious. “I don’t know if I’d be good at it. I never had a good example, you know?”

You reached up, cupping his cheek with your hand. “You’d be better than you think, Billy. You’ve got a good heart, even if you don’t show it to everyone.”

He leaned into your touch, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, they were soft, filled with an emotion you rarely saw from him. “Maybe,” he murmured. “One day.”

“One day,” you echoed, your heart swelling with the thought of a future you hadn’t fully considered until now.

Billy smiled at you, a real smile this time, before pulling you closer. “Guess we’ll see.”

And in that moment, wrapped up in his arms, you couldn’t help but believe that maybe, just maybe, Billy could be the dad you pictured him as — protective, loving, and better than he ever gave himself credit for.

[keeryhours]

such small hands - chapter one

Masterlist Series Masterlist Tag Lists

Eddie Munson x female!Henderson!reader

Summary:

In a whirlwind week, you and Eddie fall in love without anyone noticing. Things are given, things are taken away.

Warnings:

Smut (18+), unprotected p in v, oral (f receiving), fingering, violence, death, canon s4 spoilers, pregnancy, past reader x billy, talk of billy’s death

Word Count: 13.3k

A/N:

I just got started writing this one and went crazy. This first chapter has a lot of elements/dialogue from the show, future chapters won’t be like that. I hope you enjoy ❤️

You had never paid much mind to Eddie Munson before your senior year.

You knew of him, of course. Hawkins High Freak, drug dealer, nerd, yeah yeah. You probably should have seen it coming when your little brother Dustin came to Hawkins High for his freshman year and almost immediately was adopted by Eddie’s group of nerds.

That’s what threw Eddie into your life originally. Your brother was obsessed with him, idolized him, just like he did with Steve. It made sense to you. Your dad wasn’t around - it was just you, Dustin, and your mom. He needed a male role model in his life, and he had found two.

You had nothing in common with Eddie. You were cheerleading captain, dating - dated - Billy Hargrove for almost two years. You didn’t run in the same circles as Eddie Munson.

When Eddie was accused of murder, everything went to shit.

He got sucked into your world of the Upside Down. You were suddenly spending a lot of time with the guy. And - he wasn’t so bad. At all.

The gang had left you to keep Eddie company at Reefer Rick’s while they ran for supplies. The poor guy had been here alone and terrified, hiding from the cops. Nothing to eat or drink. He was covered in a black grime. You felt bad for him. He was shaken up, but still Eddie.

“So,” he said, after you’d been sitting in silence. “You’re Henderson’s sister?”

“That would be me,” you nodded.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Your eyebrows raised. “Yeah? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Eddie huffed a short laugh. “Henderson likes to talk.”

You chuckled. “He idolizes you.”

“Me?” Eddie seemed a little surprised. “I know he’s crazy about Harrington, but-“

“Literally never shuts up about both of you.”

Eddie laughed. “Well, apparently you’re the coolest big sister ever. So.”

Your cheeks heated in a blush. You knew Dustin loved you - you loved him back even more - but to hear he’d been talking about you like that? It made you feel warm inside. Sitting there with what you had in common - being totally adored by the coolest kid.

“You didn’t have to stay,” Eddie said. He was smiling more than you’d seen him do since yesterday. “I would have been alright.”

“I wanted to stay,” you said. “Seemed like you needed somebody.”

Eddie looked at you like he could see through to your very soul - and he smiled. He knew, in that moment, that he wanted to see you every possible second of his life.

You stayed with him as often as you could after that. You were drawn to him, and he seemed like he liked the company. He was so easy to talk to, made you laugh, made your heart beat harder in your chest. If only you both knew that you felt the same.

Tuesday, Eddie was almost caught and murdered by Jason Carver while you were in the Creel House with the rest of the gang. You decide then that Eddie is probably best not left alone.

Wednesday, the police officially released Eddie’s name as the prime suspect in Chrissy’s death. It made you sick - Eddie. Sweet Eddie, who would never hurt anyone.

Your Eddie.

When you saw him there at Skull Rock, looking even more like he’d been through absolute hell, it was like your heart reached for him through your chest. 

He hopped down from the rock and Dustin sighed in relief. “Jesus, we thought you were a goner.” He pulled Eddie into a hug, who awkwardly patted him on the back as he hugged him back.

“Yeah, me too, man. Me too.” He smiled, like he was relieved not to be alone. His eyes met yours over Dustin’s shoulder. As Dustin pulled away, you stepped into his spot, and Eddie wrapped his arms around you, slowly, pulling you in close. He looked at you like you were the first drink of water he’d had in days.

How no one else ever noticed the two of you falling in love, you had no idea.

But it was a sacred thing between you. Something you held onto. You were going to tell people, eventually. It just felt nice to have something for the two of you for a while.

You wished you had told people. You wished you had shouted it from the rooftops.

The gang realized that Dustin’s broken compass wasn’t actually broken - it had been disrupted by an electromagnetic field. A gate. As plans were made to once again take on the Upside Down, Dustin turned to Eddie, who had been quiet the entire time.

“What say you, Eddie the Banished?”

It was the question, posed from your baby brother. Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d say you’re asking me to walk into Mordor,” he said. “Which, if I’m totally straight with you, I think is a really bad idea. But, uh, the Shire…the Shire is burning.”

Dustin began jumping up and down.

“So Mordor it is.”

You wanted to beg Eddie. You wanted to plead with him to run and never look back. You knew the second he agreed to help you that his life was on the line, and you weren’t sure it was something you were willing to risk.

“What is Mordor?” Steve muttered to himself.

As the rest of the group began walking off, Eddie trailed behind, next to you. He grabbed your hand in his, squeezing it softly, smiling at you.

And you fell, and fell, and fell.

Dustin’s compass took you to Lover’s Lake in search of a gate that night. Robin, Steve, and Nancy climbed onto the little boat, followed by Eddie. He held his hand out for you with a gentle smile and you took it, letting him help you climb on.

Dustin tried to climb on next. “Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us?” Eddie asked. “This thing holds three people tops, okay? And there’s five of us in here somehow already.”

“It’s better this way,” Nancy said. “You guys stay with Max.”

“You’re safer here,” you told your brother. “Keep an eye out for trouble.”

“You keep an eye out for trouble!” Dustin said.

You just gave him a look.

“It’s my goddamn theory!”

“You heard your sister,” Robin said.

“Who put her in charge?” Dustin pointed at you.

“I did.”

“Compass,” you said, holding a hand out to your brother. He reluctantly took it from his pocket and placed it in your hand. Steve pushed off the bank and you paddled away, leaving Dustin, Max, and Lucas on the shore. Eddie kept a hand on your back, worried you’d lose your balance. No one else noticed the shy smiles you sent each other.

The compass started going crazy in the center of the lake. Dustin called over the walkie to check in and Robin told him. Everyone looked at each other. Then, Steve started taking his shoes and socks off.

“Steve, what are you doing?” Nancy asked.

“Somebody’s gotta go down and check this out,” Steve said. “Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then…it’s gotta be me. No complaints, alright?”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Eddie said. “I do not wanna go down there.”

Eddie wrapped a flashlight in a bag for Steve as he slipped his shirt off. You and Robin exchanged a look as you caught Nancy staring.

“Hey,” Eddie said, handing the flashlight to Steve and putting a cigarette in his own mouth. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Steve said, accepting the flashlight.

Eddie went to light his cigarette. “Gross,” Robin said, swatting it out of his mouth and into the water.

The boat shook as Steve jumped off. You watched from the surface as he dove, unable to see much of anything. You were nervous for your best friend. But Eddie was there, and he was holding your hand again, and somehow everything felt alright.

You all jumped when Steve came bursting back out of the water, gasping. “I found it.”

“You found it?”

“I found it. Yeah, I found it.” He was panting, trying to catch his breath.

“Dustin, you are a goddamn Einstein,” Robin said into the walkie.

Steve was leaning on the side of the boat, trying to catch his bearings and explain what he’d seen, when something yanked him downwards. Everyone began yelling as it happened again - and pulled him under the water. He didn’t come back up this time. As everyone was panicking, Nancy started removing some of her clothes.

“You’re not going in there, are you?” Eddie asked, grabbing onto her arm.

“Just-just wait here,” she said - then she dove in after Steve.

“Goddamn it!” Eddie yelled.

Robin dove in next. When you started taking your shoes off, Eddie grabbed your arm tightly. “S-she said wait.”

“I heard her,” you said. “But my friends are in there. I can’t just sit here and wait to see if they survive. I have to help.”

“Are you serious?” Eddie nearly squeaked. “Please don’t. Seriously, please don’t.”

“Eddie, I have to.”

You placed your hands on either side of his face. His cheeks were scratchy against your palm from being unable to shave. You pulled him in and kissed his lips firmly. You could have stayed there all day with your lips attached to his, but you pulled back after a few seconds. Eddie looked at you, amazed. He was still frozen when you turned and dove into the water.

The gate in the lake brought you straight to the Upside Down - where Steve was being held down and attacked by demobats. You felt a hand on your back, and turned - Eddie had followed you.

You each grabbed an oar and began swatting at the demobats, hitting them away from Steve so he could get up. You watched out for each other, quickly coming to the rescue if someone was being attacked. You pulled at the tail of one attached to Nancy’s back and then slammed it into the ground.

Steve got up, slamming the last one into the ground again and again until he ripped it in half.

“Steve, are you okay?” you asked, walking quickly up to your best friend. He had horrible bruises on his neck and blood dripping from his mouth - he didn’t look okay. You looked him over, trying to see if he had any serious injuries.

“Jesus H. Christ!” Eddie yelled, throwing his oar to the ground.

“Well, they took about a pound of flesh,” Steve said as you and Nancy examined his body. “But other than that, yeah, never better.”

As more bats came, fear struck your group of friends. You huddled together, Eddie’s arms around you protectively.

“The woods. Come on,” Nancy said.

The five of you took off into the woods, Eddie never letting go of your hand.

Again, how did no one ever notice? You supposed it was a crazy week for everyone. You couldn’t blame them. But hey, it was right there.

Your love for Eddie was so close you could reach out and touch it.

You hid under a rock together, Eddie’s arms wrapped tight around you. The demobats were loud as they flew overhead.

“That was close,” Robin said once the bats had dissipated and you all began getting up. Steve stumbled, crashing into the rock of the cave.

“Jesus, Stevie,” you said, moving towards him.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Steve said, trying to wave both you and a concerned Nancy off.

“No, no, no, you’re losing blood,” Nancy said. “Come here.”

Steve leaned against the wall and uncovered the wound on his abdomen. It was bad - deep, still bleeding. You ripped off the bottom of your shirt, turning it into a crop as you wrapped the makeshift bandage around Steve’s waist. Eddie’s eyes lingered on your form, the newly exposed skin of your back and stomach.

“Are you okay?” he asked you quietly as you moved away from Steve and Nancy.

“I don’t know,” you admitted honestly. “I’m…this is a lot.”

“I thought you’ve been through this before,” Eddie teased lightly, tilting your chin up so you were looking up at him.

“I have,” you blushed. “Multiple times. It just…it never gets less surreal.” You bit your lip as your gaze dropped, looking back over at Steve, Nancy, and Robin. “I don’t want any of my friends to get hurt. I don’t want my brother to get hurt.” Your eyes met Eddie’s once again, your hand resting on his chest. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not gonna get hurt,” Eddie said, placing his larger hand over yours. “I’m gonna do everything in my power to make sure all of us get out of here in one piece.” He smirked. “How else am I gonna get to kiss you again?”

You blushed deeper. Your eyes darted around, finding your friends still busy with one another and not paying you any mind. You leaned up on your tiptoes and kissed Eddie’s soft lips.

He kissed you back, hand coming to rest in your hair. Your hearts beat hard against each other’s chests like they were dying to reach each other. Like you wanted to get closer to him, as close as two people can possibly be.

He pulled away, eyes lingering on the other three. When he saw them still not looking, he kissed you again. “I…”

You waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. “What?”

“I just-“

“Alright,” Robin said. You and Eddie were pulled into a conversation that had been going on for a while without you. “So, theoretically, we could go to the police station and steal guns and grenades and whatever we need to blow up those bat things that are guarding the gate.”

“I highly doubt the Hawkins PD has grenades, Robin,” Steve said. “But guns, yeah, sure.”

“Well, we don’t have to go all the way downtown for guns,” Nancy said. “I have guns in my bedroom.”

“You, Nancy Wheeler, have guns, plural, in your bedroom?” Eddie asked.

“She’s full of surprises,” you beamed at him.

Eddie took off his denim vest and handed it to Steve. “For your modesty, dude.”

Suddenly, the ground started shaking. Steve grabbed Nancy and Robin and took shelter under the cave as you fell to the ground with Eddie. His arms wrapped around you tightly, shielding your body with his own.

When the rumbling stopped, you were left on the ground with Eddie in a compromising looking position - his hand on your waist, with your body pulled back against his own. No one questioned it, however.

You could hear a creature screaming in the distance. You all just watched and listened, Eddie still holding you with shaking arms.

“Yeah, so guns seem like a pretty good idea to me,” Eddie said.

“Yeah, me too,” Robin quickly agreed.

“So what are we waiting for?”

Steve flicked on his flashlight and led the way, everyone else falling into step behind him. You and Eddie led up the rear, his eyes grazing the exposed skin of your lower back as you walked.

As you walked, you fell into step with Nancy and Robin, having what felt like the first normal conversation in days.

Steve approached Eddie. And, surprisingly - Eddie found that he liked Steve. “That was a real Ozzy move you pulled back there.”

“Ozzy?” Steve asked.

“When you took a bite out of that bat,” Eddie said. “Ozzy Osbourne? Black Sabbath? He bit a bat’s head off onstage.”

“I don’t-“

“You know, doesn’t matter,” Eddie said. “It’s very metal, what you did. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Thanks.”

“Henderson told me you were a badass. Insisted on the matter, in fact.”

“Dustin said that?” Steve asked, looking up at Eddie.

“Oh yeah. Shit. Kid worships you, dude. Like, you have no idea. It’s kinda annoying, to be honest.” Steve laughed. “I don’t even know why I care what that little shrimp thinks, but, uh, guess I got a little jealous, Steve. I guess I couldn’t accept the fact that Steve Harrington was actually a good dude. Rich parents, popular, chicks love him. Not a douche? No way, man. No way. That, like, flies in the face of all the laws in the universe and my own personal Munson doctrine.” Steve didn’t say anything to Eddie’s nervous rambling. “Still super jealous as hell, by the way.”

Steve laughed at that. “I don’t know, man. I think his favorite person in the world is his sister.”

At the mention of you, Eddie’s neck heated. He looked down at his feet as he walked. “How long have you guys been friends?”

Steve said your name like a question. “Oh, we’ve been friends for years. She’s my best friend in the world. We met through basketball and cheerleading, then after my…fall from popularity, she just kept being my best friend. She means the world to me.”

Eddie felt that jealousy creeping in again. He wanted to be blunt with it, ask if there had ever been anything between you, but didn’t want to give himself away so obviously. But, he had to know. “Did you guys ever…?”

“What?” Steve asked. “Date? Hook up?”

Eddie was surprised at how sick he felt at the idea of you hooking up with Steve, or any other guy. “Either.”

Steve laughed. “No, man, Just friends.”

He let out a sigh of relief he hoped Steve didn’t catch. But when he looked up at the other boy, he was giving him a knowing look.

“You like her.”

“It’s not- no, I mean I don’t- it’s not that-“

“Oh,” Steve said, a grin growing across his lips. “You love her.”

Eddie was sure his face was on fire. “No.”

“It’s okay,” Steve said, nudging Eddie’s shoulder. “I won’t tell. Your secret is safe with me.”

It’s not that Eddie didn’t want anyone knowing how he felt about you. He wanted everybody to know. It was just that it was still so new, still so precious and fragile in his clumsy hands. He always fucked everything up. He couldn’t afford to fuck this up.

There was a noise from some kind of creature in the woods, and Eddie flinched. “Outside of D&D, I am no hero,” he admitted sadly. “I see danger and I just turn heel and run. Or at least that’s what I’ve learned about myself this week.”

“Give yourself a break, man,” Steve said, softly slapping Eddie’s chest.

“See?” Eddie pointed ahead at the girls. “The only reason I came in here was ‘cause those ladies came in straight after you. Now, I was too ashamed to be the one who stayed behind.” His eyes lingered on you. And I couldn’t let her go alone. “But those girls didn’t waste a second. They just dove right in.”

Nancy opened the door to the Upside Down version of the Wheeler home. You followed her upstairs to her bedroom, not noticing Steve lingering behind.

Nancy searched through her things - finding no guns. She was confused at first - until she found her stack of notecards. The ones from her test when she had just started dating Steve. Three years ago.

She found more and more things that didn’t add up - items that had been given away or donated, wallpaper that had been long since changed. She picked up her diary and flipped through until the last date - her eyes went wide.

“Nancy, you’re freaking me out,” you said.

“I think the reason my guns aren’t here,” she said, “is because they don’t exist yet.”

“They don’t…exist?” Eddie asked.

“This diary should be full of entries. It’s not. The last entry is November 6, 1983. The day Will went missing. The day the gate opened. We’re in the past.”

You were brought out of your thoughts by the sound of Steve yelling downstairs. “Dustin? Dustin? Hello?”

You went sprinting down the stairs first at the mention of your brother’s name. Was he here? Was he in trouble? The four of you found Steve waving his flashlight around and yelling to the walls.

“Are you sure he doesn’t have rabies?” Robin muttered.

“Steve, what are you doing?” you asked.

“Hello,” Steve whispered, nearly blinding all of you with his flashlight. “He’s here. Henderson. That little

shit, he’s here. He’s like…he’s in the walls or something. Just listen. Dustin?”

You looked at Steve like he was crazy, but you stayed quiet, listening intently. Stranger things had happened. When there was no noise, Steve started yelling again.

“Dustin! Dustin! Dustin! Dustin! Can you hear me?”

Finally, you heard the faintest echo of your brother’s voice.

You all walked around the room, calling Dustin’s name, trying to find or communicate with him.

“Alright, either this kid can’t hear us or he’s being a total douchebag,” Steve said.

“Will found a way,” Nancy said, as if an idea had just come to her.

“What?”

“Will found a way, to speak to Joyce through the lights.” Nancy jumped into action, trying to flip on lamps and light fixtures. None worked.

“Guys…” Steve said. “Are you seeing this?”

The chandelier was sparkling with tiny glittering lights. You reached your hand out and touched them. The others joined you, all raising a hand to touch the lights.

“Does anyone know morse code?” Nancy asked.

“Does SOS count?” Eddie asked.

After Eddie was able to get a message through to the kids, you all huddled together while Dustin, Lucas, and Erica put together Holly’s Lite-Brite. They turned it on and you waved your hand through the area, making the toy light up. Steve, Nancy, Robin and Eddie watched. You could hear the kids cheering when it worked.

“We’re going to unplug it,” Dustin yelled. A second passed, then - “Try it now!”

You traced your hand through the lights again, drawing out the word Hi with your finger.

“That worked!” Came Dustin’s voice.

The others cheered and you smiled in triumph. Eddie’s hand brushed against your lower back.

“Um…” you thought. Then you wrote out “S…T…U…C…K.”

“You can’t get back through Watergate?” Dustin called.

“G…U…A…R…D…E…D,” you wrote out this time.

Dustin called back that they had a plan - Watergate isn’t the only gate. They think there’s a gate at every murder site.

“Does anyone understand what he’s talking about?” Nancy asked.

Everyone shook their heads. You drew out a “?”

“Seriously?” Dustin yelled. “How many times do I have to be right on the money before you trust me?”

“Jesus Christ,” Steve shook his head. “This kid’s gotta get his ego in check.”

“It’s his tone. Right?” Eddie said. You covered your mouth, stifling your giggle.

“Okay, so…how far is your trailer?” Nancy asked Eddie.

“Seven miles,” he answered.

“Nancy?” Robin offered. “I know your house is like, creepily frozen in time and shit, but haven’t you always had bikes?”

The five of you pedaled to Forest Hills - or at least, the upside down version of the trailer park. Eddie led the way to his house. “It’s right here,” he said, pulling off the road and dropping the bikes.

You entered the trailer and all looked up - sure enough, there was a gate on the ceiling. “This is where Chrissy died,” Eddie said.

“I think there’s something up there,” Robin said.

A broom handle burst through the gateway, startling all of you. The handle was waved around until the gate was clear. Steve stepped forward carefully, looking up.

“No way,” Steve whispered in awe.

Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Erica stood there, upside down through the gate, smiling up (or down?) at you. Dustin laughed. “Hi there.”

“Holy shit, this is trippy,” Robin said.

After some discussion on the best way to get you out of there, Dustin began knotting sheets together while Lucas and Max got Eddie’s mattress and dragged it to the living room floor.

“Those stains are, uh…” His eyes darted to you, then Robin and Nancy. “I dunno what those stains are.”

“Mmhmm,” Robin hummed.

Dustin and Erica came over with the knotted together sheets. He tossed them up and they fell through the other side, making a floating rope. Robin pulled on it and it didn’t budge.

“Guess I’m the guinea pig,” Robin said, then climbed up first.

After she was safely on the other side, the four of you looked at one another. “You go,” Eddie said quietly to you, nudging you towards the rope of sheets.

You didn’t argue. He helped you a little and then you channeled all your cheer muscles to help you climb up and through the gate. Once you passed through it was like your stomach flipped along with the rest of your body as you fell down on your back onto Eddie’s mattress.

Eddie came next - “That…was fun!” - then Nancy, then finally Steve. As Nancy was coming through, something happened - Vecna got to her, showing her some sort of vision.

She recounted it with a shaking voice as you all sat around Max’s trailer. A horrible prophecy of death and destruction - everything and everyone gone.

“Okay, but…he’s just trying to scare you, Nance,” Steve said. “Right? I mean…I mean, it’s not real.”

“There was something else,” Nancy said. He showed her gates, more gates all over Hawkins. Spreading, growing. Destroying.

You covered your mouth with your hand. You didn’t even notice you were shaking. But Eddie did, reaching over and placing a hand on your knee to calm you. It worked instantly.

“Four chimes,” Max spoke up. Everyone looked at her. “Vecna’s clock. It always chimes four times. Four exactly.”

You looked down, then back up at Max. “I heard them too.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to you.

“What?” Steve, Eddie, Robin, and Dustin all asked at the same time.

“I just…” You messed with a string on the couch. “I didn’t think it was…I didn’t know…I didn’t think anything of it.”

Steve looked like he was ready to fight someone. Eddie looked like you had told him his favorite dog just died. And Dustin looked horrified. Eddie grasped your hands in his, where no one noticed or saw - he held them tightly, as if he was trying to tell you everything through touch alone.

“He’s been telling us his plan this whole time,” Max said.

“Four kills,” Lucas added. “Four gates. End of the world.”

“If that’s true,” Dustin said. “He’s only one kill away.”

“Oh Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ,” Eddie said, burying his face in his dirty hands.

“Try ‘em again,” Steve told Max, who had been trying to get ahold of the Byers’ all day. But again - busy. The group discussed how something connected had to be happening in Lenora, too.

“Whatever’s happening in Lenora is connected to all of this, I’m sure of it,” Nancy said. “But Vecna can’t hurt them. Not if he’s dead.” She turned around. “We have to go back in there. Back to the Upside Down.”

“Whoa, no, no, no. What?” Steve asked.

“Nope,” Eddie said simply, shaking his head dramatically. “Nope.”

“Let’s think this through,” Steve said.

“What is there to think through?” Nancy asked.

“We barely made it out of there in one piece.”

“Yeah, because we weren’t prepared. But this time, we will be. We’ll get weapons and protection. We’ll go through the gate, we’ll find his lair, and we’ll kill him.”

“Or he’ll kill us!” Steve said. He gestured towards you. “The only reason you survived is because he wanted you to. He’s not scared of us.”

“And for good reason,” Robin said, standing up. She told the group her theory about Vecna - he’s just a guy with powers like Eleven. So why fight fair? You all knew El’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Weaknesses?” Erica asked.

“When El remote-travels,” Dustin said, “she goes into this sort of trance-like state. I bet the same is true of Vecna.”

“That would explain what he was doing in that attic,” Lucas said.

“Exactly,” Dustin pointed at his friend. “When he attacks his next victim, I’ll bet you he’s back in that attic, physical body defenseless.”

“Defenseless? What about the army of bats?” Steve asked, gesturing to the dark red marks on his neck.

“True. We’ll have to find a way past them. Distract them somehow.”

“And, uh, how do we do that, exactly?” Eddie asked.

“No idea. But once they’re gone, he doesn’t stand a chance. It’ll be like slaying sleeping Dracula in his coffin.”

“That’s nice in theory, but we don’t know Vecna’s pattern,” Robin said. “We don’t know when he’s going to attack next, we don’t know who he’s going to attack next-“

“Yeah, we do,” Max said quietly. “I can still feel him. I’m still marked. Cursed. I ditch Kate Bush, I draw his focus back to me.”

“Max,” Lucas muttered. “You can’t. He’ll kill you.”

“I survived before. I can survive again.”

“Check this out. The War Zone,” Eddie said, slapping the phone book down on the kitchen table. “I’ve been there once. It’s huge. They got everything you need for, uh…well, killing things, basically.”

“Is that a grenade?” Robin asked. “I mean, how is any of this legal?”

“Well, lucky for us it is, so…” Eddie smiled sarcastically. “This…This place is just far enough outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and, uh, angry hicks.”

You rubbed Eddie’s back as he spoke - you could tell he was nervous. You could feel him physically relaxing under your touch.

“If we’re trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn’t go to some store called The War Zone,” Erica suggested.

“Normally, I’d agree, but we need the weapons,” Nancy said. “So I think it’s worth the risk.”

“Me too,” Lucas agreed.

You wanted to say something - because the first thing you could think of was keeping your little brother - and Eddie - safe from harm. But you were clearly outnumbered here, and you knew they were right. You needed the firepower.

“But is it worth the time?” Dustin asked. “It’ll take all day to bike there and back.”

“Who said anything about bikes?” Eddie asked.

“You got some car we don’t know about?” Steve asked.

“It’s not exactly a car, Steve,” Eddie smiled, “and it’s not exactly mine, but, uh…it’ll do.”

Eddie crept through the trailer park with Max’s Michael Myers mask on his head, not at all suspiciously followed by a group of people.

Miraculously you weren’t noticed as you made your way through. Eddie reached an RV and opened the back window, climbing and sliding himself through it. Steve climbed through the window after him, then you, then Nancy and the rest.

Eddie hopped into the front seat and began hot wiring the car.

You had never been into bad boys before, but it was certainly doing something for you now. You watched his expert movements over his shoulder, Steve coming to peak over the other.

“Where’d you learn how to do this?” you asked him gently.

His gaze flashed to your eyes for only a moment before remembering Steve’s presence. “Well, when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire. Now, I swore to myself I wouldn’t wind up like he did, but now I’m wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, uh, I’m really living up to that Munson name.”

“Eddie, I’m not sure I love the idea of you driving,” Robin said, peeking from behind you and Steve.

“Oh, I’m just starting this sucker,” he said. “Harrington’s got her. Don’t ya, big boy?”

One more movement and the RV’s engine roared to life, immediately calling the attention of the couple sitting outside who began banging on the windows. Eddie jumped up and Steve jumped into the driver’s seat. “Everybody, hang on to something!”

Eddie fell into one of the seats and Steve started driving, absolutely whipping it out of the trailer park, knocking you over and into Eddie’s lap. His arm wrapped around you, holding you to him in the name of safety, but both of you knew it was more than that.

The bouncing you were doing on Eddie’s lap from the RV’s movements were torturous. He almost groaned multiple times, his fingers digging tightly into your thighs, your exposed skin where you’d cropped that damn shirt. You knew what it was doing to him - you could feel the proof of it right under your ass - but you loved it. You could tell he was fighting for his life.

Once the RV was calmly on the road, you could take an actual seat. Eddie cleared his throat as you stood, nonchalantly covering his lap with a throw pillow. You took the seat next to him, your thighs brushing together sending electricity through both of your bodies.

“So,” Eddie said quietly. He only wanted to talk to you, didn’t want to invite anyone else into your conversation. He felt like he’d gotten so little of your time as it was. “You heard the…?”

“Yeah,” you said, looking away. “But I don’t think it’s- I don’t know. I think he- he’s just fucking with me.”

Eddie looked at you with concern. “What does he show you?”

You swallowed, looking up at the roof of the RV, trying to will the tears back into your eyes before they fell. “Billy.”

Eddie’s jaw clenched. Billy. He’d avoided the subject purposefully, and now here it was. “Oh.”

Eddie knew Billy when he was alive. Of course he did. And he hated the guy. Not only because he was an asshole, although that was the biggest reason. But he also had you. You were Hawkins High’s It Couple. Everyone knew you and Billy were together, and no one dared touch Billy’s girl.

He never knew what someone like you saw in Billy, but he understood that Billy was different with you. It was obvious to anyone with eyes. When you were around, people weren’t scared of him. It was possible to have a decent interaction without getting threatened. If you weren’t around, he was his usual self. People quickly realized to look for you first when it came to Billy.

And Billy always, always put you first.

Eddie had felt bad for you when Billy died. He remembered the day he’d heard it on the news - the Star Court Mall Fire. He couldn’t believe it - Billy Hargrove was dead? Then he thought about you.

He didn’t have to imagine how you were doing. Rumors spread fast - you were a mess. That poor girl, the ladies would say around town. When he finally saw you again at school, it was obvious they were true. You looked like hell. After Jason’s pep rally speech at the beginning of the basketball season, you’d run off the court in your cheer uniform in tears as the insensitive asshole listed off the students Hawkins had lost. Everyone knew you could barely hold it together at the mention of Billy’s name.

You had come so far this year. You had regular meetings with the school counselor, you had told them. But he knew it was all you. That was the thing about you, something he loved - you didn’t let yourself get held down for long.

“What does he say?” Eddie asked. Gently, so you knew you didn’t have to answer if you didn’t want to.

“That…that I-“ your voice cracked, choking on your unshed tears. You whispered when you spoke again. “That I never loved him. That I’m…betraying him now. With…with you.”

Eddie’s heart twisted in his chest. He hated being any part of the pain you were going through. He knew Vecna used your insecurities against you - did you feel that way? Did you feel like you were betraying Billy by falling for him?

“You know those things aren’t true, right?” Eddie said. “You haven’t done anything wrong. You loved Billy. You still love Billy. That’s okay and nothing’s gonna change that.” He brushed your hair back out of your face. He quickly glanced around, seeing everyone else sucked into conversation, paying you no mind. “It’s okay…to move on. Billy wouldn’t want you to be miserable and alone forever. The way you were after he…that wasn’t any way to live. He would have hated seeing you like that. He would love how far you’ve come now.”

Tears had started to fall, but you were smiling as you wiped them away. “He would tell me to get laid.”

Eddie laughed unexpectedly. Max and Lucas looked over, but quickly returned to their conversation. “That sounds like Billy.”

Steve pulled the RV into the parking lot of The War Zone, and Eddie ducked down. Steve parked in the back, as far from the door as possible. “We’re gonna run inside and get supplies,” Steve said. “Eddie, you stay here.”

“Aye, captain,” Eddie saluted him.

“I’ll stay, too,” you said. “Keep him company.”

Steve nodded. “Alright. We won’t be long.”

You watched as everyone shuffled off the RV, closing the door behind Dustin. You watched through the window as they all walked inside - then you turned to Eddie, who was thinking the exact same thing as you.

His arms wrapped around your waist as yours went around his neck, your lips meeting in a hungry kiss. It was hard, feeling like you needed to sneak around. You just wanted to touch him all the time, kiss him all the time.

Eddie sat down on the couch, pulling you down to straddle his lap. His hands grabbed onto your waist as you kissed him, taking his breath away. “Baby,” he groaned.

“I missed you,” you said between kisses. “I know that makes no fucking sense because we’ve been together almost all the time, but it’s not the same. I want to touch you. I want to kiss you in front of everyone.”

“Why don’t you then?” Eddie asked, panting and out of breath as he pulled away from your lips.

You sighed. “I just…think it would be hard on Dustin,” you said, the same thing Eddie had heard a million times this week. “He sees you as like a brother. So I don’t think he’d be too excited by his brother and his sister-“

“Okay, stop, eww,” Eddie said, making you laugh. “You’re not my sister in any way, shape, or form, I’d like to make that clear.”

“You get what I mean though, right?” you asked through giggles. “Why I’m worried?”

“I understand why you’re worried,” Eddie agreed, eyes locked on your plush lips as he played with your hair. “But I also think you don’t have anything to worry about. I think he’d be fine with it. Even if it’s weird at first, he’ll get over it, y’know?”

You thought about it. You kissed Eddie on the tip of his nose. “When all this is over.”

“Yeah?” Eddie’s face lit up. “You wanna do it? Go public?”

“Yeah,” you smiled. “I’m…I’m ready. You’re my boyfriend, and I want everyone to know.”

“Oh, I’m your boyfriend, am I?” Eddie teased with a waggle of his eyebrows.

You giggled. “You never officially asked, but…”

“Can I be your boyfriend?” he asked you seriously, taking your hands in his and kissing your knuckles. “Please?”

“Thought you’d never ask.” You smiled as you leaned in and kissed him again, tongue tracing along the seam of his lips. Eddie was still totally inexperienced- you were his first anything. So he was happy to let you take the lead, to teach him anything you wanted, everything you liked.

He parted his lips and began sliding his hands up your sides as your tongues met and he moaned into the kiss. He felt the skin exposed by your cropped tee, then even further, sliding his hands up your shirt for the first time. He’s almost sure you’re going to slap his hands away, but you don’t - you press into his hold, let out the most delicious moan against his lips, and roll your hips down against his now straining erection.

The door slammed open and you practically leaped off Eddie’s lap, falling onto the seat next to him.

“We’ve got to go,” Steve said, shooting you both a quick funny look before he jumped back into the driver’s seat and the rest of the group piled onto the RV.

“Your old friends are here,” Erica said.

“Shit,” Eddie hissed, ducking back down into the floor. 

“Let’s go! Let’s go!”

“I’m going, I’m going! Sit down!” Steve yelled in a panic. He started the engine and drove out of the parking lot, having to pass right by Jason and his friends loading up their car.

An hour later, with the RV parked in a field, the group prepared your weapons.

Eddie hammered nails into a trash can lid to make a shield. You sawed off the end of a shotgun.

“Is this legal?” Max asked you.

“Actually, I think it’s a felony,” you said.

“Right.”

“But it guarantees one thing.” You knocked the end of the barrel to the ground. “I won’t miss.”

Dustin helped Eddie making shields. Eddie proudly held up his finished spiked shield, swinging it around.

“How’s she feeling?” Dustin asked.

“Light. But durable,” Eddie said. “Deadly. But reliable.” Dustin chuckled, and Eddie began speaking dramatically. “Hear me now. There will be no more retreating…from Eddie the Banished.”

“Hey, you’re really ready for bat-tle.” Eddie turned around and gave Dustin an unamused look. Dustin laughed anyway. “You get it? Bat-tle.” His face fell. “B-A-T.” Eddie just kept staring at him. “No?” he groaned. “I thought I had a good one.”

Eddie surprise tackled Dustin right in his middle, knocking the air out of him and pushing him forward. “What are you doing?” Dustin asked, laughing. They play wrestled, Eddie pushing Dustin off to the side. “You son of a bitch!” Dustin came running at full speed into Eddie’s middle this time. Eddie pulled at Dustin’s boxer shorts - “No wedgies! No wedgies!”

“Never change, Dustin Henderson,” Eddie said, hands on either of Dustin’s shoulders. He brushed some of his long curls from his own mouth. “Promise me?”

Dustin was takin aback, looking up at his friend, his role model. “I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Good. Good.”

You watched Eddie and your brother with a smile on your face. Eddie’s words had been true and you knew it. Dustin would take the news well. He would probably like you and Eddie together, as long as there was no messy breakup. But it was hard to imagine Eddie ever breaking your heart. You felt it would be safe in his hands. You’d already given it to him so completely.

Your chest ached with how much you felt for Eddie. And Dustin was the most important person in your life. The fact that he and Dustin loved each other was already a major bonus. Despite the circumstances that brought you together, you had lucked out with Eddie.

Who knew you could fall so unbearably in love in less than a week?

After preparing your weapons for battle - you all needed a rest.

You ended up back at the Wheelers, with the RV parked off the road, hidden in some trees. The gang was going inside to sleep as much as they could, while Eddie remained in the RV.

“I’m fine,” he’d said. “You guys go get some sleep. I’ll be plenty comfortable out here.”

“I’ll stay with you,” you said quickly. “I just…I don’t want you sleeping out here alone.”

Steve gave a look to the both of you, but no one else was paying much attention, too ready to lay down and finally close their eyes. The gang left you, Steve closing the RV door hard behind him.

Properly left alone with Eddie for the first time, neither of you knew what to do right away. This was the first time you’d be alone together for hours. The possibilities stretched out before you, and it felt overwhelming.

It’s not like you’d never had sex before. You’d had a lot of sex. Billy had been your first and only, though. That was hard to get past.

You locked the RV door, then turned back to Eddie, who was sitting on the end of the pullout bed, watching your every move. Slowly, you took a step towards him, lifting your dirty, ripped shirt over your head and tossing it to the floor. Eddie’s eyes widened slightly, his gaze never leaving you for a second.

“Hi,” he whispered as you slowly approached him.

“Hi,” you whispered back with a giggle. He reached for you and you let him pull you to him, holding your body close and pressing his lips into yours. You kissed slowly this time, savoring one another. You had time to enjoy this.

His calloused hands slid all over your bare back, reaching for your bra strap. He fumbled with it for a good minute, cursing under his breath, before he finally got it undone, leaning back to watch as the material fell away from your chest and revealed your tits.

“Oh,” Eddie groaned, reaching for them immediately. You almost laughed at the awe with which he looked at your naked body, but it was really nice. It was endearing. It made you feel beautiful.

Everyone had looked at you with nothing but pity since Billy died.

You had to push painful thoughts of Billy out of your head as Eddie kissed along your neck, sucking gently on the skin, not exactly intending to leave marks but not caring if he did.

You pushed his jacket off his shoulders, then lifted his Hellfire shirt up until it was on the floor with yours. Eddie seemed self conscious with his shirt off, but you loved it. You traced your fingers over his tattoos, making him shudder. Goosebumps appeared across his flesh.

“Do you like that?” you asked him quietly.

“Y-yeah,” he said. “Feels nice. Tickles a little.”

You giggled. running your fingers up his biceps with a featherlight touch. Eddie’s eyes fell closed. He looked relaxed for the first time all week.

“You’re really beautiful,” Eddie mumbled.

You grinned. “You’re just saying that.”

“I’m not,” he said quickly, his eyes flying open. “I- are you serious? You’re the most beautiful girl in Hawkins. Everyone knows that.”

You raised your eyebrows. “Everyone knows that?”

“Seriously, ask anyone,” Eddie shrugged. “Well, they might not tell you to your face, but…”

You had no idea your classmates felt that way about you. “Really?”

“Well, yeah,” he said. “I mean, you were with Billy. No one could even look at you. Then you were grieving, but people still talked, y’know? And now you’re-“ Eddie huffed out a disbelieving laugh. “Now you’re in my lap.”

You smiled down at Eddie, kissing him again. Eddie kissed back happily, his hands sliding down to squeeze at your ass. You rolled your hips down against him, and he groaned.

“Gonna drive me crazy, princess,” he said, his voice lower than you’d ever heard it. It stirred something deep in your belly, a heat that spread. You could feel him hardening through his jeans - hell, he was already pretty fucking hard.

You pressed your chest into Eddie’s as you kissed him, your bare skin pressed together in a way that felt so intimate it had your head spinning. The feeling of your hard nipples against him, the way they’d graze against his skin as you moved, had Eddie twitching in his pants.

Eddie laid back on the bed, pulling you down over him. You tangled your hands in his curls as you kissed him and his hands slid all over your body, feeling every inch he could get his hands on.

You started kissing lower, kissing down his jaw, down his neck, to his chest and lower. Eddie sat up on his elbows. “W-what are you doing?”

You shrugged. “Just taking my time.” You kissed down his stomach, making his muscles clench. When you reached his jeans, you undid his handcuff belt then started working on his button and zipper.

Eddie watched with hitched breath as you undid his pants, finally pulling them down and leaving him in his tented boxers. He was unbelievably hard, had never wanted anything or anyone so bad in his entire life, he was sure of it. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He was finally losing his virginity, and to you.

He reached for your jeans next, needing to see more of you. He undid them and pulled them down your legs, slowly, slowly. His eyes drank in and savored every inch of skin uncovered. You were wearing the cutest little black panties with a bow.

“You look so good,” Eddie groaned, practically nuzzling his face against your clothed core, breathing in your scent. “Smell so good. Bet you taste good, too.”

You whimpered. You hadn’t even had an orgasm since Billy. You never even tried by yourself, and you hadn’t been with anyone else since.

“Can I…try?” Eddie asked, slipping his fingers beneath the waistband of your panties and looking at you expectantly.

“Oh, uh, yeah, sure,” you said, suddenly nervous. It had really been a while.

“I don’t really know what I’m doing,” Eddie admitted as he slowly peeled your panties off your body, eyes trailing down as they went. “But I want to try.” He flashed you a smirk. “I’m an eager learner.”

You drew in a shaky breath. “Okay.”

With your panties gone and your body now fully exposed, Eddie properly drank you in. He got on his knees between your legs, lowering his upper body until he was laying with his face right at your pussy.

He breathed you in again, then he experimentally traced his tongue along your folds.

“Oh!” you gasped, resisting the instinct to draw your legs together. It was unexpected, but it didn’t feel bad.

He spread your lips with his fingers and dove in with his tongue, licking over your clit. You gasped again, hands going down to pull at Eddie’s curls. “Oh, god, Eds.”

“Good?” he asked before immediately going back to what he was doing.

“Y-yeah,” you breathed. “Feels good.”

“Good,” he muttered. He pressed a finger against your entrance, eyes moving up to your face to make sure you didn’t look upset. When you just kept that same pleased look on your face, Eddie slipped the long finger inside.

“Eddie,” you whined, writhing on the bed beneath his mouth and fingers. He began pumping it in and out, curling it deep inside. “How are you so good at this?”

Eddie had no fucking idea. He was going on instinct. Maybe he just…knew you. Like you, your body, was made specifically for him.

He slipped a second finger inside of you, knowing his fingers were no comparison for the size of his cock. His tongue teased your clit for what felt like hours, then he would suck at it, sending you reeling.

“Oh shit Eddie,” you moaned. “I’m gonna cum.”

Eddie had never been so delighted to hear anything in his life. He put his all into eating you out, his own cock so unbearably hard he thought he was gonna lose it. When you squeezed around his fingers, he moaned, sending vibrations through your clit and sending you over the edge immediately.

“Eddie!” you cried. “Eddie, Eddie, oh my god-“

He couldn’t get enough of you saying his name. He wanted to hear it again and again for the rest of his life. He worked you through your orgasm, unsure when to stop. He got the hint when you started pushing his head away.

“Was that good?” he asked, all big brown eyed innocence. He really wanted to know. His lips and chin were still soaked with your release.

“It was amazing,” you told him, kissing him gently. He beamed from the praise.

“I want you so bad,” Eddie said, shaking his head. “You- have no fuckin’ idea-“

“I want you too,” you told him truthfully. “Bad.”

Eddie smirked, kissing you again. He pushed you back down onto the bed, then sat up on his knees and pushed his boxers down. Your eyes widened at the sight of his hard cock bobbing at his lower stomach, so long, thick-

“You like what you see?” he teased, but you could hear the nerves in his voice clear as day.

“I do.” You pulled him close to you, so his body was pressed to yours once again. “Want it inside of me.”

Eddie groaned, his cock twitching against your thigh. He kissed over your neck and chest. “I don’t…” he sighed. “I don’t have a condom, you know that, right?”

“It’s okay,” you said. “Just pull out.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

“We might die tonight,” you told him, serious although there was a playful tilt to your voice. “So, I don’t know about you, but I’m not gonna let the lack of a condom keep me from you.”

Eddie nearly lost it right there at the proof of how badly you wanted him, too. “Yeah. I don’t…I don’t want to miss out on this.”

Not only were you about to let him fuck you, but you were about to let him fuck you raw. The thought alone sent a shudder through Eddie’s body. He reached between your bodies, running the head of his cock through your folds, up and down.

It felt nice, but he didn’t stop.

“What are you doing?” you giggled.

“I, uh…” He was blushing hard, avoiding eye contact with you. “I can’t really find the, uh…”

“Believe me, I’ll let you know if you’re at the wrong one,” you teased him. But you replaced his hand with yours, Eddie drawing in a gasp of air at the feeling of your hand on his cock. You lined him up where you needed him. “There you go.”

Slowly, carefully, Eddie began to push inside. His jaw immediately went slack, his eyes squeezing shut and his fists tightening in the sheets. A low groan came from his chest as he sunk into your pussy inch by agonizingly slow inch. 

“Jeeesus,” he gritted out through clenched teeth. “You are tight. And wet, and warm-“ He cut himself off with another loud moan.

“You’re so big,” you whispered, brushing his curls back from his face. You wanted to see all of him.

“Yeah?” He was out of breath, looking down at you with awe as he thrusted in and out of you. He didn’t exactly know what he was doing, but the sheer energy and enthusiasm he put into it made you feel good, too.

“Such a good cock, baby,” you purred. Eddie preened at your praise, and you knew you had unlocked something about him. “So good with it, too,” you said.

“Am I making you feel good?” he asked.

“Mmhmm,” you nodded. “Feels so good. You’re so deep in me, baby.”

Eddie whimpered - because god, he knew. He was burying himself to the hilt with every thrust, and even with his lack of experience, he knew he wasn’t small. He was surprised you were taking all of him - he’d heard sometimes that could be a problem. He worried it would be a problem for him - but, fuck, you were taking every inch.

You were moving your hips up in time with his frantic thrusts, and he was getting close. “Feels…s-so good,” he stuttered. He was lost in it, lost in the pleasure, lost in you.

“You gonna cum for me?” you whispered, and Eddie whimpered.

“Yeah,” he moaned. “Gonna cum.”

“Cum inside me.”

Eddie’s hips stuttered, almost blowing his load at that second. “Babe- really? Are you sure?”

“Yes, Eddie, do it, please,” you begged him. “I…” You met his eyes. “I’m scared. And for right now, I have you. I want to be close to you. As close as we can be.”

Eddie groaned, his head dropping down to hide against your neck. “You’re fuckin’ killin’ me.”

“Only if you want to,” you added.

“Are you kidding? Ah- I want to do that so fuckin’ bad - oh shit - you have no fuckin’ idea. Hah-“

Eddie’s thrusts were shallow now, keeping himself as deep in you as he could be. His balls were pressed against your ass with every thrust, his fingers were tihtening on your hips, and then-

“Shit!” Eddie cursed, thrusting in hard as he came, filling you with his spend. “Shit, oh god, oh god oh fuck-“ He kept moving his hips, every drop making it deep into you.

You felt so close to him in that moment. Like you had shared something so intimate - and you had. It didn’t feel like just sex. This was something else. You had been changed, both of you - you could feel it.

Eddie pulled out of you, grabbing a cigarette from his pack. He put it between his lips and lit it, taking slow drags as he calmed himself. While Eddie smoked against the head of the bed, still naked, you went to the bathroom to clean yourself up. You slipped back into your panties and Eddie’s t-shirt.

He smiled as you climbed back into bed with him. “Look what I found.”

You watched him curiously as he leaned off the bed, reaching under the table - and pulling out a polaroid camera.

“Cool!” you said, taking it from Eddie’s hands. “Should we take a picture?”

“Right now?” Eddie laughed. “All post-sex, with me still naked?”

“No one will know you’re naked,” you waved him off. “C’mere.”

Eddie snuggled closer to you on the bed. You held the camera out and you both smiled as you clicked the shutter button. You put the camera down as the photo began printing from the bottom. You and Eddie watched as it developed - it wasn’t obvious you two had just had sex in this photo, but it wasn’t exactly innocent either. Your hair was mussed, Eddie’s shirt was off, tattoos exposed. You could see the blanket pulled up to your laps. And you both had the biggest smiles on your satisfied, slightly flushed faces.

“I love you,” Eddie said, kissing you again.

“I love you too,” you told him easily. You wanted to tell him every day for the rest of forever.

“We should get some sleep,” Eddie said. “At least a nap. We have a big night ahead of us.”

Eddie spooned himself around you, holding your body close to him. You felt safe. You felt loved. You felt lucky.

—

That night, the plan went into action.

You were all geared up, weapons in hand. Steve pulled up in front of the Creel house, dropping off Max, Lucas, and Erica. No one said anything during the drive. The atmosphere was tense. Every one of you knew you might die tonight. You knew all too well how things could be ripped from your screaming, crying grasp.

You hoped if anyone had to die, it would be you.

Not because you were suicidal - god, no. But you didn’t think you could handle losing someone else. Every single person involved tonight was important to you. You couldn’t stand to lose anyone. Not again.

With the RV parked, it was time to go.

“Okay. I wanna run through it one more time,” Nancy said. “Phase one.”

“We meet Erica at the playground,” Robin said. “She’ll signal Max and Lucas when we’re ready.”

Nancy nodded. “Phase two.”

“Max baits Vecna,” Steve said. “He’ll go after her, which will put him in his trance.”

“Phase three?”

“Me and Eddie draw the bats away,” Dustin said proudly. Eddie smiled, grabbing the younger boy’s head.

“Four.”

“We head into Vecna’s newly bat-free lair, and…” Robin sloshed the molotov cocktail. “Flambé.”

“Nobody moves on to the next phase until we’ve all copied,” you said, looking around at each and every person in the RV. Your eyes lingered on Eddie and Dustin a little extra long. “Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?”

Everyone nodded. “Got it.”

And off the RV you went. You walked through the woods into Forest Hills, sneaking into the Munson trailer. Eddie squeezed your hand one final time before you entered the trailer with the others.

“Be careful,” Dustin said as Steve examined the rope.

“Here goes nothing,” Steve said. He pulled himself up with ease, then did a perfect flip into the upside down, landing on his feet. He looked back up at the rest of you, shrugging.

“Ooh, what does he want us to do, applaud?” Robin said sarcastically. You just giggled, Nancy hiding her own laugh.

Steve pulled out the mattress in the upside down and set it up. “Alright, let’s go.”

Robin got down on her knee to help Nancy climb up. She fell through successfully, Steve helping her up. “Gotcha.”

Next was your stuff, followed by Eddie. Eddie’s nail shield, Robin, more supplies, Dustin, even more supplies, and then finally, you. Steve and Eddie both offered you their hands. You took them both and they pulled you up with ease.

Once again all geared up, you walked out of the trailer into the upside down. 

“Hey, guys, listen,” Steve said, turning and walking back to Eddie and Dustin. “If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort. Okay? Draw the attention of the bats. Keep ‘em busy for a minute or two. We’ll take care of Vecna. Don’t try to be cute or be a hero or something. Okay? You guys are just-“

“Decoys,” Dustin finished with him. “Don’t worry. You can be the hero, Steve.”

“Absolutely,” Eddie said. “I mean, look at us. We are nottt heroes.” He smiled.

Steve looked at them for another second before turning around. You stepped forward then, looking at two of the most important things in your entire life. How had Eddie buried himself so deeply into your heart so quickly?

“Dusty,” you said, placing both hands on his shoulders. “You listen to Steve. Do not deviate from the plan. Do not do anything stupid. I need you home in one piece or mom will kill me.”

You had to joke, because if you didn’t you’d just cry.

Dustin smiled up at you, and you wanted to pull him in for a big hug like you always did. “I won’t. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” You brushed a hair through his curls. Next you went to Eddie, standing close enough that he could hear you but no one else could.

“I love you,” you said, practically choking on the emotion in your voice. You would not cry.

“I love you too,” Eddie said. He longed to brush his fingers along the side of your face, or push your hair behind your ear. More than anything, he longed to kiss you. He knew that after tonight, he’d be able to - you’d be his, everyone would know it, and he could kiss you breathless in front of anyone.

“Please don’t be stupid,” you said. “And take care of my brother.”

“I’d guard him with my life,” Eddie bowed his head to you. “Go. We’ve got this. And tonight we’ll celebrate.”

You smiled at that. You forced yourself to turn and join the others.

“Oh, and guys?” Eddie said, making both of you turn around. “Make him pay.”

That was something you could all agree to promise. With that last note, you, Steve, Nancy and Robin took off in the direction of the Creel house.

—

After a stressful walk in the woods and nearly getting lost, you made it to the house. It only looked even more ominous in the Upside Down. 

Phase 3 began, and you could hear the sound of Eddie’s guitar all the way from there. You had never heard him play before. It sent your heart thundering like a schoolgirl crush. You were snapped back to reality when the demobats went swarming in their direction, and you were left with a sinking feeling in your stomach.

“Okay, it’s working. Let’s go,” Nancy said. The four of you made your way into the Creel house.

The floors were covered with vines. You carefully jumped around them, trying hard not to accidentally awaken anything. Steve reached the top of the stairs first and turned back to help you, Nancy, and Robin.

The house began to shake, as if something was crashing into it. Steve held onto you and the others, and you squeezed your eyes shut, taking deep breaths. When it was over, Steve silently looked the three of you over to make sure you were okay.

You thought you were in the clear for all of about 5 seconds before the vines from the floor came alive, wrapping themselves around your ankles and pulling you into the wall, more vines wrapping around your whole body. You screamed. “Steve! Nancy! Robin!”

The others hit the vines with their weapons, but it wasn’t phasing them at all. The vines grabbed Steve and wrapped him against the other wall - Nancy and Robin turned and watched, wide eyed. You knew you were in trouble.

Nancy and Robin were knocked to the floor next, vines wrapping around their necks and holding them to the wall just like you and Steve.

You couldn’t breathe. The vines were slithering, smothering, tightening. Squeezing your neck tighter, tighter. You couldn’t move a muscle, couldn’t even grab at the vines around your neck. All you could do was struggle for breath as you watched the same thing happen to your closest friends.

Was this your punishment? To watch your friends die? What had you done to deserve your loved ones dying brutally again and again?

Then the vines…stopped.

You dropped to the ground as they let go, coughing and sputtering as the vines slid away. You looked around at all your friends, making sure everyone was okay.

“I don’t believe in a higher power, or divine intervention,” Robin said. “But that was a miracle.”

You cocked your gun. “Then we better not waste it.”

“Phase 4,” Steve said.

“Flambé.”

In the attic, Vecna had already been damaged. Someone was fighting with you.

He fell to the ground in flames. The four of you eyed him. Then Robin flicked her lighter, lighting the molotov cocktail - and threw it. It knocked him back and you stepped forward with the sawed off shotgun.

You shot him again and again, each one knocking him back. He screamed and you lifted the gun again - firing a shot that knocked him back and out the window.

The four of you ran outside, seeing nothing but the charred remains where his burning body had landed. Vecna was gone.

Just as you were about to leave, the clock chimed four times.

“Max.”

The gates split open.

—

The four of you were bruised and battered as you made your way back to Forest Hills. You just needed to see Eddie and your brother. Needed to know they were safe. It was the only thing keeping your legs moving.

You thought you might kiss Eddie in front of everybody when you saw him. Fuck waiting for tomorrow. You knew you’d be so relieved when you saw him, there would be no thoughts besides feeling his lips on yours.

It was quiet. The only sounds your shoes scuffing against the pavement. Then, in the distance - a screaming. The sound made you sick. You all exchanged a look and took off running in that direction. 

Please no. Please god, no. Please please please.

It was Dustin. You recognized his cries, although you had never heard him sound quite so pained. You were hurrying to where he kneeled surrounded by piles of demobats and-

He was holding a body.

You stopped. You felt bile rising in your throat. You watched on as Steve, Nancy, and Robin reached Dustin, finally making the realization that you already had. Steve covered his mouth with his hand, like he couldn’t believe what he was looking at. Nancy and Robin hugged each other.

Steve wrapped his arms around Dustin, but he looked back at you.

You didn’t need to come any closer to know. Your knees gave out, and you cried. You wailed, you screamed, you cursed god, you cursed Vecna, you cursed the whole fucking universe.

Robin and Nancy didn’t understand. Dustin was too enveloped in his own shock and grief to even notice you. But Steve did. He saw you. He had seen the both of you.

He cared for Eddie, but his heart actively cracked in his chest for you and Dustin. And, god, Eddie’s uncle. They were all each other had.

You made yourself get up. Steve let go of Dustin and stood, holding his hand out. “I really don’t think you should-“

“Let me see him,” you croaked.

Steve wouldn’t tell you no. He couldn’t tell you no. He backed off to the side and let you step forward.

Your legs gave out and you collapsed to the ground next to Dustin. Dustin turned and wrapped his arms around you, burying his face in your shirt and crying harder than he did when he broke his arm in three different places when he was 10. You subconsciously stroked his hair the way that had calmed him since he was a baby. But your eyes were locked on Eddie.

There was no doubt he was gone. His face, his mouth covered in blood. His lips that had told you he loved you for the first time today. His open, staring eyes, once so big and still full of childlike wonder even at his disillusioned, cynical age.

You reached for his hand. He was freezing cold. He needs a blanket, you thought. He’s cold. He shouldn’t be cold.

Steve, Nancy, and Robin discussed what to do while you and Dustin held each other, oblivious to what was going on around you.

“We’ve got to get him out of here,” Steve said. “We can’t just leave his body here.”

“How are we gonna do that?” Robin asked, sadness emanating from everything about her.

“Blanket?” Steve suggested. “I-I think we can do it.”

Nancy and Robin looked back over at you and Dustin. “Do you think she can-“

“Don’t ask her to help,” Steve said quickly.

Robin pursed her lips together, like there was a question she was dying to ask but wouldn’t let escape her lungs. “Were they…?”

“No,” Steve said. “I mean…long story. You just haven’t been paying close enough attention.”

—

It had been two days since the events in the upside down. Two days since Eddie had been taken from you.

They called the gates opening a 7.4 earthquake. It absolutely destroyed Hawkins. So many people died, people totally unrelated to the upside down.

They were still calling Eddie a murderer, a satanist. You couldn’t stand to have the news on - it made you sick. Eddie was a good person.

You hadn’t been able to get his body out of the upside down. The thought haunted you day and night - Eddie, alone in there, cold. So cold.

It was like you’d gone back to square one after you’d lost Billy. You had worked so hard to come out of this hole, and here you were again. Depressed, miserable, alone. Constant panic attacks and nightmares.

Steve, Robin, and Dustin convinced you to come with them to the school for the supplies drive. You didn’t want to go. You didn’t want to do anything but lay in bed and cry. But they insisted it would be good for you.

You helped them carry the boxes into the gym. Dustin was still limping from his injury. The gym was packed with people who’s homes were destroyed. Your heart ached for them, but it ached for Eddie even worse.

You dropped the boxes off at the table. “So organized,” the volunteer said. “Do you want a tax receipt for it?”

“Um, no, that’s okay,” Robin said. “But, uh…is there anything else we can do to help?”

You helped Dustin pass out water. You didn’t like being far from him these days. Dustin froze, nearly making you walk right into him. You followed his line of vision - and your stomach sunk.

Wayne Munson was walking up to the bulletin board. He removed a vandalized missing persons poster of Eddie from the board and replaced it with a clean one.

Your lips parted, tears gathering in your eyes, and you were worried you were about to have another panic attack in front of all of these people. You grabbed Dustin’s hand, who didn’t realize how badly you were freaking out.

“I think I need to go talk to him,” Dustin said. “He deserves to know.”

You didn’t say anything. You couldn’t say anything. You just watched as Dustin limped over to the weary looking man.

“Mr. Munson?”

Wayne turned to look at Dustin, but didn’t say anything.

“I’m Dustin Henderson,” your brother continued. “Can we talk?”

“I can’t imagine we got anything to talk about,” Wayne said. “My nephew is innocent. He’s still missing. I’ll put up as many posters as I need until he’s found.” He grabbed his bag roughly off the floor. “Good day to you.”

“I was with him,” Dustin said. Wayne stopped. He looked over his shoulder at Dustin. “I was with him when the earthquake hit.”

Wayne looked at him again, his gaze darting down to the floor. “And…where is Eddie now?”

You could see Dustin’s face crumpling from across the room. Your own heart clenched in your chest. Dustin reached into his pocket, pulling out Eddie’s guitar pick necklace. Wayne looked at it, then back up to Dustin’s face. “I…I’m so sorry.”

Wayne took the pick with a shaking hand, his face falling as he recognized the necklace as his nephew’s. He let out a shaky breath and sat down. Dustin limped over to sit next to him.

“I wish everyone had gotten to know him. Really know him. Because they would’ve loved him, Mr. Munson. They would’ve loved him.” Wayne was listening. “Even in the end…he never stopped being Eddie. Despite everything. I never even saw him get mad.”

Wayne nodded, trying his best to hold back tears. Dustin continued. “He could’ve run. He could’ve saved himself. But he fought. He fought and died to protect this town. This town that…hated him. He isn’t just innocent…Mr. Munson, he’s…he’s a hero.”

Wayne held the guitar pick close as he cried. Dustin sat with him.

You watched from afar, powerless to say anything or let anyone know what Eddie had meant to you, what you had had together.

After Wayne left, you caught up with Dustin again. He looked just as defeated as you felt. “You ready to go?” you asked him softly. “I think Steve and Robs are ready for us.”

Dustin just nodded. He followed you through the gym and towards the exit doors.

“He said your name.”

You stopped. “What?”

“Eddie,” Dustin said, and the name alone sent a rush of emotion through your body.

“What are you talking about, Dusty?”

“Before he played, to distract the bats in the Upside Down,” Dustin sniffed, shaking his head like he couldn’t make sense of the memory. “Before he played, he said your name. He said this one’s for her.”

You might as well have been shot in the chest. “O-oh,” you croaked, feeling like your legs were about to give out.

He’d said your name. This one’s for her.

For you. For you. For you.

—

You were so wrapped up in your own misery you didn’t even notice you missed your period.

When you started getting sick, you figured it was another side effect of the depression and trauma. Wouldn’t surprise you. Your mom was worried sick, and you kept having to make up excuses for Dustin - oh, I must have come down with something - because here you were, twice as torn up about Eddie, and you were hardly supposed to know the guy.

Having to pee a million times? Maybe you’d just been drinking more water, Nancy had been on you about that and even bought you that new water bottle. Boobs doubling in size? Must be your bras shrinking in the wash.

It was when the symptoms didn’t go away that you got worried.

Alone, they could be explained away easily. Together and unending? Something was going on.

You felt sick as you looked at yourself in the mirror. How had you not noticed? You looked different. Your boobs, your skin, your hair. You even examined your stomach closely, but there was nothing new there.

But, fuck. You definitely had an idea of what was happening.

You were calling Nancy before you even thought better of it. Nancy would know what to do. The phone rang a couple times before her sweet voice picked up.

“Hello, Wheeler residence?”

“Nancy,” you said. “I have an emergency.”

She was at your house with a pregnancy test in minutes. Thank god Dustin and your mom were both out. Nancy slipped into the house like a ninja, handing off the pharmacy bag like a ticking time bomb.

“Are you okay?” she asked you.

You shrugged. You hadn’t had time to process your feelings on the potential situation. Hadn’t allowed yourself to. You just took the test into the bathroom, did your thing, and went back out to wait with Nancy.

It was a tense 30 minutes.

When Nancy’s watch timer went off, you both practically jumped out of your skin. You stood slowly, legs shaking, unsure if they’d even carry you back to the bathroom for the answers you seek. Somehow you make it there, and you lean against the counter for support as you make yourself open your eyes and read the results.

Blue. Pregnant.

You choked out a sob, hand coming to rest on your stomach. Oh, Eddie. What had you two done?

Nancy knocked on the door, calling your name. “Are…are you okay in there?”

You opened the door, and she could tell immediately. “Oh, honey,” she mumbled, pulling you in for a tight hug. You allowed yourself to cry into her shoulder, to feel the pain for a moment. You didn’t open yourself up to it often anymore.

After she got you sitting on your bed, pregnancy test discreetly disposed of, she held your hands as you talked. “The dad…” she began, knowing it would be a touchy subject no matter who it was. “Have you…told him? Who is it?”

The tears burst through like a dam at that question. You were just immediately sobbing - it took Nancy aback. She placed her hands on your upper arms. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m going to help you. Who is it?”

You squeezed your eyes shut, then looked up, like could my life be any more of a cruel joke? What did you do to deserve the shit you’d been put through in the last couple of years?

Nancy repeated your name. “Who is it?”

You choked out another small sob. “Eddie.”

Nancy’s eyes went wide. “It- you and-“ her voice dropped to a whisper. “The baby is Eddie’s?”

You nodded, face just crumbling into more tears. “Oh,” Nancy said, rubbing your arms as if you were cold - and you were, suddenly - all the understanding in the world in that simple word.

“When did you…?” she asked, although she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

But getting to talk about Eddie always made you feel better - even though this particular topic made you blush. It also made you smile at the memory. “It was when we went back to your place in the RV.”

“When we slept?” she asked.

“Some sleeping was done,” you smiled sheepishly.

Nancy giggled, smiling at you like she hadn’t seen one from you in over a month and it was a welcome sight. She wiped your tears away.

“Nancy, what the fuck am I gonna do?” you asked with a laugh, but you were totally serious.

Nancy was honest. “I…don’t know.” She brushed your hair back, much like Eddie would. “But we always figure it out.”

tag list

@moon-esque @emxxblog @samslvrgirl @kthomps914 @kellsck