#hopper being the father figure that billy deserves

[ellewritesandrants]

I don’t know why but the idea of a soulmate AU between Billy, Steve and Eddie captivates me, especially with the idea that Billy unknowingly gets Steve and Eddie to find out that they’re soulmates. Either in a modern AU where Billy’s a big fan of Corroded Coffin and Steve just managed to get a free ticket or something or in a canon AU where Billy and Steve are friends who want to smoke a little something so they buy from Eddie or Steve picks up the kids from Hellfire and one of them notices the marks match, I don’t really care how but I just want to explore the hurt and comfort of that.

Can you imagine Billy pining away, forever in love with the idea of his soulmate being the one who’ll save him from his situation given that’s what happened to his mom and he finds out that his crush is his soulmate but doesn’t want to tell him yet until he’s made something out of himself, until he’s deserving of love and all of a sudden, he finds out that his soulmate found his soulmate and it wasn’t Billy?

Imagine Steve happily dragging Eddie with him who already looks besotted with Steve and they show Billy the mark that he’s memorized from seeing it in the mirror thousands of times and as soon as he sees the smiles on their faces and the look of wonder in their eyes, he knows for a fact he can’t ruin their happiness. He isn’t selfish enough to do it even others would say he was and all he could do was pretend to be happy and smile at the happy couple.

Imagine Billy pulling away, either out of fear he’d inadvertently ruin their relationship or because he couldn’t stand being surrounded by what he couldn’t have and the kids weirdly enough noticing and trying to figure out what’s wrong. It doesn’t help that Neil’s always been bitter about soulmates and he loved rubbing it in Billy’s face how worthless everything regarding soulmates and soulmarks was. Billy used to be able to ignore it in the hopes of finding his soulmate but now, he knew the truth.

The kids come to a different conclusion, not realizing it was something regarding soulmates but instead, about Neil’s treatment of Billy. If canon, it would be El spying on Billy and seeing him being beaten into a pulp by his dad but in a modern AU, it would the aftermath wherein Max would ask Steve to come visit Billy and he drags Eddie along with him.

Either way, Steve and Eddie find out about the abuse that Billy’s been suffering through and the guilt that Steve felt was immeasurable for not seeing what his best friend was going through, too busy with being in love with his soulmate. With Hopper’s help, they get Neil behind bars but Billy’s a wreck and he needs people to take care of him.

Steve refused to leave Billy alone in the trailer while Max went to school and Susan went to work so he offered to have Billy move in with him and Eddie so they could take care of him. Since Steve only worked part-time and Eddie was in the same year as Billy and could drive them to and from school, it made a lot more sense than leaving him to his own devices.

Billy thinks he’s in a new level of hell as time goes by because getting to know Eddie and seeing everything he can’t have was absolutely painful and heartbreaking on another level. Being surrounded by their care and affection when he’s barely known it his entire life hurts on another level he can’t exactly describe but it’s a pain that hurts so good that he can’t exactly say no to it. His only saving grace is that his mark was casted over due to Neil’s last temper tantrum and there was no way that the boys would get to see it.

Months pass of Billy falling more and more in love with his soulmates who are already in love with each other and it hurts so good. Steve and Eddie never make him feel like an outsider the entire time he’s there but sometimes, his touch starvation reminds him of just how much he’d love to be squeezed in between them in any way possible.

Graduation comes and goes and Billy refused to let his father take his achievements away so he graduated valedictorian, dragging Eddie kicking and screaming past the finish line to graduate. Billy gets to make his speech, loudly supported by everyone and he makes sure to thank his newfound family for all of the support they’ve given him.

Of course, graduation wouldn’t be complete without a graduation party so they all get drunk and party in Steve’s house to celebrate six graduations especially Billy and Nancy who graduated valedictorian and salutatorian respectively. Both Jonathan and Nancy planned to go to the same college in Chicago while Robin and her girlfriend, Heather were heading to California soon. Billy had also gotten into the same college but he wasn’t sure about going because he’d be leaving so much behind, including his soulmates.

By now, Billy was in love with both of his soulmates and unbeknownst to him, they were both plently enamored with him and they’d been trying to build up the courage to ask him out. The party had been slightly delayed because Billy was getting his casts off about a week after graduation and they wanted to do shots, something that really wasn’t advisable with a cast.

Billy had planned to initially conceal his mark using makeup but a large part of him knew that it didn’t matter since Steve and Eddie were happy anyway so he didn’t bother. After all, both Steve and Eddie loved to show off their marks at every opportunity and no one gave a shit about Billy. Somehow, Billy had managed to keep his mark a secret from everyone but he knew Heather had some suspicions.

After some time, the drinking games start and somehow, Billy’s mark is revealed either in a dared striptease or by accident during a dare and it quickly sobers him up. He doesn’t notice at first but then Robin drunkenly pointed out that they had matching marks and the sober gaze of Eddie was too sharp for Billy to meet, instead choosing to run away, stumble to his car and hit the gas to the quarry.

It’s only there that he allows himself to breakdown and to mourn the end of what was a good friendship he had going on with his soulmates because he was sure they would want nothing to do with him now. He’s only just begun to run out of tears when he hears the telltale sound of Eddie’s van, meant to drive Nancy, Jonathan, Heather and Robin home later but was most likely currenly holding the last people Billy wanted to see.

For a moment, he considers running again but his Mama didn’t raise no coward, so he wipes his tears and stands his ground. Steve was a lot drunker than Billy was when Billy had left but it seemed he’d sobered up during the ride because he was clear-eyed when he was grabbing Billy and making sure that the blond wouldn’t run away.

Steve and Eddie trapped Billy in between them, in what seemed like a mockery of his fantasies only to have them play out right in front of him. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that his soulmates would tell him that they wanted him, that they loved him and wanted to take care of him and love him. Sure, it was after an argument about why Billy felt the need to hide but he had expected rejection or at the very least a mutual ignorance of his mark. He’d never considered it a possibility but the two were convinced to try and convince him to give them a chance.

After more than a few tears and attempts to get them to realize they were better off without Billy and his baggage, Steve and Eddie stubbornly managed to convince Billy to try with them. A few kisses convinced Billy to leave his car behind so that they could get it in the morning but for now, Steve and Eddie wanted him in Eddie’s van so they were sure he wouldn’t run.

The entire ride, Billy’s mind was trying to convince him that Steve and Eddie were better off without him, that he didn’t deserve this and that he was a fraud ruining a perfectly happy couple but Steve instinctively knew something was up and he’d had Billy laid across his lap with his hair being stroked to keep the bad thoughts away while Steve affirmed Billy of all of their feelings towards him.

Halfway through the ride home, Billy was asleep and Steve had no problem carrying the younger boy into their bed so that they could finally hold him the way they wanted to. Billy had long since told them of how lonely he felt in his room but as much as they had wanted to invite Billy to literally sleep with them, they hadn’t wanted to cross any boundaries.

Tonight though, all Steve and Eddie wanted to do was to fall asleep holding their newly found soulmate. Billy awoke to Steve’s warmth cocooning him and Eddie coming in to wake him with breakfast in bed. After a hearty meal, Steve and Eddie asked if they could court Billy to show him how serious they were about their feelings for him and Billy found that much like before, he couldn’t say no to his soulmates.

Months passed with Steve and Eddie constantly trying to prove their love of Billy who eventually concedes and moves in with them in the master bedroom. It isn’t long until having Billy in between Steve and Eddie is a norm and no longer a fantasy for Billy and he realizes just how much he didn’t let himself have when he hated himself. With Steve and Eddie’s love, they helped Billy realize he was always worthy of love, care and devotion and that they were ready to spend the rest of their lives together reminding him of that fact.

[starkstruck27]

Tag game: Stranger Things Edition!!

I was tagged by my bestie @oopsiedaisiesbaby. Love you!!💚💚

1. Ride or die ship (your otp): Harringrove

2. Most annoying ship: Mileven

3. Second favorite ship: probably mungrove (bonus points if I get the best of both worlds and it ends up as harringroveson)

4. Favorite platonic relationship: Either stobin or elmax. They're both amazing <3

5. Underrated ship: gonna go with elmax again for this one. Or Keg Boys. I feel like they don't get as much love as they deserve.

6. Overrated ship: normally I would say steddie, but I also love them, too, so I'm gonna say ronance. I can see it, but at the same time... meh?

7. One thing I would change in canon: a lot of the random, unneeded deaths. Bob, Billy, Alexei, Benny, Barb, Chrissy? I feel like none of those needed to happen for the plot to move along, and even if they did, like they didn't have to make them like an "Oh well, they're dead :/" thing. Like, they didn't deserve that. And even if they didn't do that, the way the other characters reacted to the deaths was kinda shallow, too. Like Nancy losing Barb would broken my heart a lot more if they didn't use her mourning as a plot device to make her lose Steve and hook up with Jonathan.

8. Something canon did right: the character dynamics. The way they had the kids fighting over petty shit while bad things were happening, how Dustin didn't have a dad so he latched onto Steve as an older brother type positive influence, the way Hopper had to get used to being a dad again and ask Joyce for help? All of that was just beautifully done.

9. A thing I'm proud of creating for the Fandom PLEASE BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF I WANT TO SEE/READ YOUR ART: All of my works on Ao3, but probably my favorite (at the moment) is my fic So Give Him Inches and Feed Him Well or my six fic series Cool To Hate.

10. A character who is perfect to me (wouldn't change a thing): Max, Lucas, Dustin and Will. They're all so sweet and funny and I love them.

11. The character I relate to the most and why: normally I would say Billy, but lately it's been more Max. She's stuck in a house with a jerk of an older brother who goes off like a volcano over the littlest things, though most of the time he's dormant unless he wants to annoy her, and she has to witness him and the only father figure she has fighting all the time. Getting into screaming matches, sometimes getting physical, and while in my situation it's more the son causing problems for the father, it's still bad. The only reprieve I get is when I'm out with my friends, and even though I still care about both of them, I'm starting to lose that love for one of them (in her case Neil, in my case my brother) because of how they treat everyone else and acts like everything is normal afterwards.

12. The character I hate the most and why: Karen Fucking Wheeler. How she can go from being a concerned, doting mother in season one to pretty much a sexual predator in the span of a few seasons, I'll never know. I could understand if she cheated on Ted and went after someone her own age, but the fact that she went after a boy no older than her daughter just makes me sick. And yes, Billy flirted with her, too, but come on. He's a misguided 17-18 year old abused kid looking for any kind of affection wherever he can get it. And Karen is the adult. She should fucking know better.

13. Something I've learned from the fandom: How to politely disagree with people and kill them with kindness. That's why I have an anti's ask pinned to the top of my blog, because I want people to know that I don't care who or what they like, so I'll respect them, but if they come onto my blog actively trying to start shit, I will not fucking stand for it :)

14. Three tags I seek out on Ao3: hurt/comfort, Fluff and Angst, and enemies to lovers.

15. A song I strongly associate with my otp/favorite characters: I made a whole playlist dedicated to Billy, so.... but if I had to pick -

For harringrove: In The Woods Somewhere by Hozier or Don't You Dare (Make Me Fall In Love With You) by Kaden MacKay

For Billy: Far Too Young To Die by Panic! At The Disco, Beautiful Girls by Van Halen, Bella by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Cherry Pie by Warrant. Also pretty much Guns N Roses' entire discography.

So, everyone I usually tag for these has already done it (I think), but on the off chance you didn't, I'll tag @thissortofsorcery and @half-oz-eddie , as well as anyone else who wants to participate!

[orphisthedragon]

Billy: Hop, can I see my boyfriends?

Hopper: No.

Billy: Why?

Hopper: Chores before whores

Billy: Hop-

Hopper: Dishes before bitches

Billy: What the hell-

Hopper: Cutting grass before getting ass

[rogueddie]

Steve felt numb. There had been such a strong mix of good news and bad news and Steve didn't know how to deal with any of it.

Max is alive. Sort of. She's brain dead, which Steve understands as her just being dead. A beating heart doesn't change the fact that she, Max, isn't there anymore.

She's just a body with a beating heart, everything that made her Max is gone. The scolding looks, mocking tone she'd take, the way she'd put on a silly voice and call Steve 'Dad' whenever he worried over her too much. The way she sometimes called him Dad like she meant it, like she genuinely saw him as a father figure.

The way she would insist on him driving her to school and playing some of Billys mixtapes. The way she had cried when she told Steve how guilty she felt for loving Steve, the way she should have loved Billy.

But Eleven keeps trying to bring her back. Every day she goes back to that hospital room, holds onto Max with a bruising grip, trying to bring her back.

And Eddie. Steve still isn't sure how he'd been able to drag him out, running on pure fear and adrenaline. Somehow they'd gotten him to a hospital in time, they'd been able to stitch him together- but it's still touch and go. He's so severelly injured and they have him on so many drugs that, even when he's awake, he's not really. There's so much internal damage too that the doctors can't be sure he'll make it.

But he's alive. He's still fighting through it. And they're clearing his name. Hopper and some agents, working relentlessly on alibis and redirecting the blame. Its hard work, but it's working. And it's good news, Eddie will finally be seen as the good guy he is. But he's still potentially dying.

And Steve is so tired. He doesn't even have the energy to be worried when he sees his parents car in the driveway.

He stops when he finally gets inside though, blinking at the three suitcases he'd be given for travelling, clearly stuffed full. "Uh. Hello? Mom?"

It's his dad that storms in, expression thunderous. He's holding the vest Eddie gave him, waving it like it's damning evidence. "Did you think we wouldn't find out? You and that freak, Munson."

Steve stares at him for a moment. He's so tired, he's ran out of... everything. He doesn't even feel angry. Doesn't even feel irritated enough to roll his eyes. Simply sighs, holds hand ok, giving a defeated, "ok."

"Ok? That all you have to say for yourself?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I'm tired."

His dad scoffs, throws the vest at him as hard as he can. "Go find some hole to crawl inside of then. Change your name."

Steve puts the vest on, ignoring the way his dad flushes red, veins bursting out with his rage. He struggles to get all three suitcases in his hands, but he manages. "Mom not here?"

"She deserves better than what you've become," he sniffs, looking down on him.

"She deserves better than a cheating husband who doesn't love her." He glances to the kitchen. Raises his voice a little, just enough for anyone downstairs to hear him say, "she doesn't know about your secretary though, huh?"

He makes his leave as quick as he can, already sat in the drivers seat by the time his dad storms outside, yelling.

He spends that night in Eddies hospital room. Eddie even makes room for him to curl up next to him- it's a little awkward with the tubes and wires, but they manage it. The nurses aren't happy when they find them, their limbs tangled up together.

Robin looks painfully amused when she finds him sat on the floor outside the hospital, barely stopping herself from laughing when he explains that he was kicked out. She's not as happy when she finds out that he's homeless now but, like Eddie had told him, he has plenty of options.

It's only an hour later that Wayne Munson and Claudia Henderson are arguing about whos spare room would be better for Steve to stay in. It doesn't help when El throws in Hoppers cabin as an option, holding Steves hand and looking up at him with wide, sad eyes.

[starlightandfairies]

Can I request one where reader and billy makeout together and billy tells reader he loves her, but PLOT TWIST! Reader is apart of the group who knows about the upside down and has been apart of all the craziness, so when hopper sees them he’s pissed bc he thinks of reader as a daughter? And ending it with billy kind of being like love you babe like hopper doesn’t bother him? I’m sorry if it goes against your rules if so please delete this!!!

Description: The reader gets told by Billy that he loves her and Hopper gets fatherly protective about the situation.

Warnings: Swearing, fluff,

*I'm sorry for how short it is, been all over the place lately. *

Key: Y/N = Your Name, POV = Point of view

Word Count: 771

The least I can say is that this I as far as Billy and I got in our relationship. He respected it, and never pushed me to go further than I was comfortable with, which made me feel loved and cared for. Knowing that he wouldn't push me made me happy and he never got cranky if I wanted to stop mid-make-out session which is honestly what I think everyone deserves. Someone who wouldn't get angry if you wanted to stop. Billy and I had been going strong for the last little while, maybe to his dismay we only started getting touchy-feely around seven months of dating. We made out every now and again, usually when no one else was home or in the back of his car parked somewhere that gave us some peace from everyone else.

"Babe, where'd you go?" Billy whispered into my ear, I jumped slightly and smiled softly at him, whispering a quick apology for wandering off while we were being intimate. 

"Just thinking of us, how much I value our relationship," I whispered, he chuckled and kissed my lips before caressing my cheek.

"Well, I'm glad you do, do you want to continue?" I nodded, smiling softly and kissed his lips. Smiling against the kiss as he wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me closer as he cupped my face with his other hand. I hummed gently as he kissed my lips, holding me with a loving hold. 

"I love you." I heard him whisper, I blushed shyly at the words, knowing he's not the type who opens up easily. I smiled happily at him, he chuckled and held me closer after I jumped at the aggressive tapping on the window. I glanced to see who it was, gulping slightly as I saw Hopper. He was like a father figure to me and so I felt like I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar as a little kid. 

"Out. NOW!" Billy gently pushed me out of the car, following me out, he kept a hand on the small of my back, and his attitude changed slightly as he looked at the man. 

"Can I help you, officer?" Billy asked with a slightly smug tone, I blushed slightly as Billy kissed my cheek, he smiled softly and I shot him a shy look that was also a little stern. 

"Hop, what's going on?" I questioned, rolling my eyes slightly as he pointed at Billy and walked him away. Billy didn't know about the upside-down, I've been trying to keep that away from him in the fear of him thinking I'm crazy. Also in fear of him being hurt. Last year I got pretty injured during the first battle of Hawkins Labs, so Hopper did the fatherly thing and put me on babysitter duty most of the time. I didn't mind looking after them all, but it sucked when he didn't fuss over Nancy or the others. Billy waited for Hopper as he walked over to me, I still felt like I had been caught doing something wrong and felt like I was about to be scolded. 

"Have you told him?" 

"No-" 

"Come with me." I walked over to Billy, smiling nervously at the boy and shifted nervously on my feet as Hopper began explaining all the stuff to Billy, he looked at me several times as if internally asking if it were real or not. I just gave a nod and whispered quietly to him. 

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was scared." I apologised, he kissed my forehead and then turned to Hopper. 

"Don't worry, I can help out, I'll stick by Y/N's side, you've got nothing to worry about. And as for the other thing-" Billy turned to face me, he crouched down slightly and smiled with a cheeky grin. 

"Hey, darling, I love you. You're all that I need. I love you." He whispered, pulling me in for a hug. I'm assuming Hopper gave him the gold old 'do not hurt her' threat. This was probably just Billy's way of saying that he wouldn't or also an "I don't care what you say" I pecked his lips slightly and was taken back by the slight deepening of the kiss.

"Okay, okay, okay- break it up." Hopper pulled us apart, just like he did with Eleven and Mike. Billy winked at me slightly, his smugness coming out as he respectively tried to push Hopper's buttons. 

[shprka]

Talking with my friend and thinking about Billy joining which team in the new season would be the funniest/most interesting.

Joyce, Hopper and Murray in Russia

9/10, would be hilarious bc Murray would put Billy in his place and psychoanalyse him, funny but also sad Billy would finally see a mother figure and a father figure that have deep respect for each other and arent toxic. Also bc Billy is The Baby of the team they would all adopt him and treat him like a kid (which he deserves btw)

Hawkins gang

15/10, we all want it. So much potential for chaos but also growth and a chance to redeem himself. All the interactions would be top tier funny. Billy interacting with Steve? Dustin? Erica?? Max ofc? Lucas? Robin and Nancy?? We'd all die bc of how hilarious any of that would be

El

10/10, the most interesting imo. They would have to play off of each other well though to make it funny and chaotic. The potential is there though, they are both blunt in different ways. Billy likes to play around with people he talks to, El is *cough*autistic*cough*, doesn't get social cues easily. Also shared trauma but Billy could make it funny

California boys

10000/10, the funniest most chaotic dynamic. Mike being his normal obnoxious self and arguing all the time about anything? Would make Billy's blood boil.

Billy and Will talking about the MF?? Yes! Billy dolling out dating advice and Will coming out to him bc he has had enough of him talking about how to flirt with girls? Yes!! Billy annoying Will even more bc he doesnt even blink before dolling out more advice about flirting with guys, except hes never done it before so its all wrong. Teasing Will about his hair but in an older brother way. Not treating Will like he's fragile like everyone in his life does.

Billy and Jonathan have such different personalities and would clash as much as they would agree and they would hate every second of it. But by the end they would be besties. Also shared trauma and talking about their dads, but like its so painfully awkward its funny. Jonathan picks the music on their road trip and Billy doesnt even mind bc Jonathan has good taste ("except in chicks" thats probably smth Billy would say lol)

Argyle's chill and from Cali so Billy probably wouldn't have a problem with him but I anticipate some funny interactions

[myriadof-fandoms]

billy isn't used to being touched gently.

he's come to associate touch with the feeling of a fist on his face or wanting hands clawing at his clothes.

the last gentle hand to touch him left him when he was barely 12. his mother's touch is something he doesn't want to remember though, he fights against the memory, pushes it back in his mind or drinks it away.

as long as he can remember, there's not been a gentle touch from his father.

the last person who tried to lay a hand on him without some sort of force behind it got a broken nose in turn. billy doesn't like to think about sid either.

so the soft hand on his cheek is unfamiliar. feels foreign, alien, strange. certainly not like something he deserves. he just dragged this girl - el, her name is el - right into hell. she shouldn't be kind. she should be scratching at his face not holding it.

there's not much else he recalls after that touch. mostly there's pain.

max is holding his hand. both of her way smaller hands gripping his left one. it's not a gentle touch, it's desperate and tight. just like the way she was shaking him when he was on the ground, when his body somehow managed to turn into just one giant aching. he'd really thought he reached the limit of how much pain a body could be in the days before, thought there was nothing worse than the burning of bleach going through one's esophagus, but when those things pierced his skin he found himself in a new realm of agony. he knew he was dying. and max hands combined with her voice and her tears were the only real thing. there was nothing gentle in her hands though, same way there isn't right now.

but when he makes his mouth work, croaks out her name and pays for it with knives driving through his throat, the way she holds him is. max jumps at the sound of his voice and then her hands are on his face. another soft hand on his skin. those same familiar hands with all the tiny scars from max falling over during skateboarding going over his hair and her eyes finding his. there's not only gentleness in her touch but in her eyes too. and then she's leaning over him, sobbing against his neck, and somewhere in him he comes to the realisation that being touched softly is preferable to any other way.

and yet, every new touch that happens to not be violent continues to be a surprise.

when joyce byers turns out to be the next person to touch him it's more surprising than he thinks it ought to be. mrs byers has this air around herself like there's nothing bad that can happen that she wouldn't be able to fix. she's the definition of a mom. sometimes it hurts him so much that he has to look away from her. he only meets her in the first place because she brings el and max to visit him in the hospital. and she's there when a bunch of fucking kids walk into his room after max, followed by harrington, wheeler and the older byers son and then the fucking chief of police and explain the upside down to him. and yeah, billy had figured out what happened to him wasn't normal but it's still a lot to deal with. so he's not in control, still can't hide his feelings as well as he wishes and his fear and confusion must be visible to every single person in the room. it's fucking embarrassing. but billy can't quite make himself regret it when it makes mrs byers reach out and, almost absentmindedly, like it's normal, pet his cheek. he nearly flinches. the last time the back of an adult's hand has touched his skin there the force of it made him fall down the stairs. on mrs byers face there's only a smile, albeit a sad one, and she calls him honey when she tells him he'll get used to it all. billy doesn't believe her. he's not about to argue with someone who's this gentle though.

the touches appear more frequently. just like the people do. max and eleven show up almost every day. harrington starts to drop by. mrs byers and chief hopper say hello almost daily and will byers takes up residence by billy's bedside one day and casually mentions how awful feeling the mindflayer was for him as well.

will makes billy realise that he too is capable of touching other people gently. will's so small. billy knows he's not even that much older than the other boy and yet. he's so small. especially when he goes on about how he still has dreams about the monster taking control of him again. and then when he starts to cry. billy reaches out almost on instinct. he hugs will to him, careful not to be rough with the thin kid under his hands, and does his best to calm him down. the need to comfort someone had been lost to him for years. he slowly starts to let it back in.

it becomes easier to accept even casual, normal touches from other people. billy stops gritting his teeth when the nurses help him and even allows it when tommy shows up and helps him walk down the endless hospital floors.

he flinches once. the day before he's set to leave the hospital his father shows up, drops some bags and announces that billy can live on his own, that he's too old to live at home and needs to earn his own money and place. it's not like neil's wrong, it's not like billy didn't want to leave anyway and he's been told he's going to get an insane amount of compensation money and still, being thrown out by his father hurts more than that time he got kicked in the face. the humiliation of it happening while a bunch of people are standing around doesn't help. so when chief hopper reaches out his hand, a hand that so obviously is a weapon on its own, billy can't help it. he flinches almost violently. it makes hopper's gaze turn into a storm. there's anger mixed with softness. billy realises with a start that the anger can't be directed at him, not when hopper's next sentence is him offering his place for billy to live in at least for a while. and not when he reaches out again a moment later, slowly this time, carefully to make sure billy knows he's only touching his shoulder. it's not a bruising grip, more of a comforting weight. if billy were to think about it more he might compare it to what the touch of a father is supposed to feel like.

and then there's harrington. of course it's fucking harrington who establishes gentleness as a daily routine. as something that can be expected. first by helping billy get out of his hospital bed, supporting him when he tries to walk and carrying half his weight. then when he lets billy take out his frustration. lets him yell and just continues sitting at the other end of the hospital bed until billy stops and damns the tears that he can't stop. his hug is light and constant. the feeling of his arms around billy becomes familiar. so does his touch. it almost feels like harrington has made it his mission to always have one reassuring hand on billy.

and when steve kisses him for the first time it's so tender billy can't stand it. (he'll never get enough of it.)

[erectionsandtea]

I was bored so I started trying to line up the IT characters with the ST characters, here's what I figured:

Bill Denbrough

↳ Mike Wheeler

Reasons: The leader. Passionate. Determined. Also a stubborn little bitch. Could be bad if they really tried, lol. In love, but with whom, it's unclear. Also kind of a dumbass. Would die for you, literally, he tried to sacrifice himself at least once. At least bi, if not full-on gay.

↳ Joyce Byers

Reasons: Believer from the start. Will never give up on you. At first, most of her time is spent looking for missing family member.

Stanley Uris

↳ Max Mayfield

Reasons: Sarcastic af. Deadpan sense of humor. Resting bitch face. Could out-sass everyone. Eye-rolling. So done with you.

↳ Lucas Sinclair

Reasons: Realist. "What are we doing?" "Why are we here?" "This is stupid." Didn't believe in any of it at first. Screams like a girl. If any party member was going to be irrationally scared of a painting...I feel like it would be Lucas. Maybe Dustin, lol.

Eddie Kaspbrak

↳ El Hopper

Reasons: Sheltered early life. Lied to and/or misled by an abusive and manipulative parental figure. Eventually stands up to said parent and chooses friends over this so-called "family". "Papa"/"Mama" & "Mommy", 'nuff said. So much emotion/power in such tiny body. Will rage, seriously, they are the scariest and most intimidating person when angry. Shortest in the group. Love interest for the lanky, dark-haired idiot played by Finn Wolfhard.

↳ Will Byers

Reasons: Gay af. Only male in the group who can rock short-shorts and a fanny pack. Raised primarily by mother, due to either dead or absent father. Also the love interest for the lanky, dark-haired idiot played by Finn Wolfhard, whom he loves back for some unknown reason. XD

Richie Tozier

↳ Steve Harrington

Reasons: Doofus. Big hair. Thinks he's smoother with the ladies than he really is. Actually a huge dork. Talks big, but is not as confident as he pretends to be. A little self-deprecating.

↳ Jim Hopper

Reasons: Self-loathing. Comes off as a little bit of an asshole, but is, in actuality, caring, sensitive, and very protective of his loved ones.

Beverly Marsh

↳ Nancy Wheeler

Reasons: Doesn't look all that intimidating, but can and will kick your ass. Obviously the coolest, toughest, and most badass group member. Falsely labeled as a slut. Has a bad father. Is treated badly by other men in town. I see Bev as the loser most likely to know how to fire a gun. Maybe Bill.

↳ Robin Buckley

Reasons: Most upbeat. Most calm in a bad situation, she can keep a clear head. Will affectionately call you names, like "doofus" or "loser." Probably the smartest person in the room, lbr. Has literally looked death/danger in the face and pissed it off-either by laughing, not being intimidated, or just basically being like "fuck you." Definitely a little gay.

Ben Hanscom

↳ Dustin Henderson

Reasons: Will talk about things he knows, at length, if you let him. Likes books and libraries. Thinks science and/or history is cool. Nerd.

↳ Jonathan Byers

Reasons: Quiet. Crushing from afar. Probably awkward at parties, lol. Artistic soul. Good taste in music.

Mike Hanlon

↳ Will Byers

Reasons: Most underdeveloped and underused character in the group. Deserves only good things bc he literally did nothing wrong. Missing at least one parent. Has deeper knowledge and/or connection with the villainous, other-worldly creature. Normally soft-spoken until you piss him off.

↳ Murray Bauman

Reasons: Does a lot of research in his small living space. Actually has a clue about what the fuck is going on in this crazy town and knows the town's history. Smart, can figure out what the bad guys are up to, and how to defeat or just elude them. Has everyone's information, lolll.

Henry Bowers

↳ Billy Hargrove

Reasons: Asshole. Bully. Mullet. Abusive father. Dies a well-deserved death.

Georgie Denbrough

↳ Barb Holland/Benny Hammond/Bob Newby: Superhero

Reasons: Loved by all, hated by none. A bit naïve. Didn't deserve death, only killed off to progress the plot for at least one of the main characters.

Pennywise

↳ Demogorgon/Mind-Flayer

Reasons: Raging interdimensional asshole, consistently defeated by children.

[lovelettxrs]

NAME

Florence Daisy Wren

Florence; blossoming, flourishing.

Daisy; the day's eye.

NICKNAMES

Flora - Friends

Flo - Romantic interest of choice

Daisy - Steve Harrington (when trying to be annoying). He is the only one who knows her middle name

AGE

Series One - Sixteen

Series Two - Seventeen

Series Three - Eighteen

Series Four - Nineteen

BIRTHDAY

Second of March (Pisces)

GENDER / SEXUALITY

Female

Bisexual

FACE CLAIM

Erin Moriarty

HEIGHT

5'2

UNIQUE FEATURES

She always draws small stars on her arms in black pen for her brother

PERSONALITY

(mentions depression)

Generally a kind person, Florence has a very optimistic outlook on most things. Though unlike someone like Nancy Wheeler, she was never really in the spotlight - or she didn't like to be. Friendly to everyone, Florence enjoys making new friends, but has only a handful of genuine close friends, despite being quite extroverted. She is very loyal to those she loves, and wouldn't do anything to hurt them. She doesn't like conflict much between the people that she loves, but if it came down to it she'd do anything for them.

She can get emotional quite easily if something is affecting her a lot, so a lot of her actions are emotionally led - which sometimes leads to mistakes when she doesn't think things through properly. She has had depressive episodes in the past, and does everything she can to avoid getting into that rut again, but with everything that has happened in Hawkins it's getting harder and harder. Only her closest friends know about this.

RELATIONSHIPS

Steve Harrington - Childhood best friend

Nancy Wheeler - Best friend (after season two)

Johnathan Byers - Good friend

Robin Buckley - New friend (season three)

Dustin Henderson - Friend, protective of

Lucas Sinclair - Friend, protective of

Mike Wheeler - Friend, protective of

Max Mayfield - Friend, protective of

Will Byers - Friend, protective of

Eleven Hopper - Friend, protective of

Billy Hargrove - Avoided

BACKSTORY

Florence was born in Hawkins to a single mother, who worked in Hawkins Hospital. She grew up close with her mother through the lack of a father figure, and had a relatively happy childhood. Her younger brother, Henry, was born three years after her, and despite the age difference they grew up very close. Florence made friends with Steve Harrington in Elementary School, before any sort of popularity hierarchies were in place, and they were also extremely close. She was a very happy girl, aside from the occasional childhood bullying that most students probably went through, but overall she had a good childhood.

SEASON ONE CONTEXT

(Mentions the loss of a younger sibling)

Around the same time that Will and Barb went missing, so did Henry. Florence hadn't spoken to Steve for months at this point, as he got more an more obsessed with being popular and less worried about his older friends. She couldn't blame him, she missed her old best friend, but he deserved the best. He did try and check in on her after he heard about Henry, but she didn't want to bother him with how she felt. Instead, she grew much closer to Johnathan with their shared pain of a missing sibling.

When Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper found Will in the Upside-Down, they also found the body of Henry, and whilst Johnathan could celebrate the return of his brother, she was left more alone than before, pulling away from most people.

SEASON TWO CONTEXT

With the knowledge of what had happened with Henry, Florence's old friends made more of an effort to include her, and she was doing better with them around. She was speaking to Steve more regularly again, and was there for him through his breakup with Nancy Wheeler. She is much more protective of the younger children through the loss of her brother, and sometimes joins Johnathan when he goes to pick up Will and sits with the kids to talk to them, all of them being friends with her.

SEASON THREE CONTEXT

Doing much better, with a job in Starcourt Mall as a waitress for a restaurant on the second floor, and being close to her friends more through work, she had a good summer. Her boss overworked her a bit, sure, and some of the customers were a little... weird, towards her, but she had an income of money that she was making herself and she was closer to her friends than she had ever been.

SEASON FOUR CONTEXT

After the "mall fire", Florence obviously lost her job, but managed to find work at a coffee shop as a barista as she waited for letters from her college applications for the following year. After Billy's death, she makes extra effort to see Max often, as well as driving the younger kids places whenever they needed it, helping out at Family Video if Steve and Robin ever needed an extra hand, and writing letters to the Byers house in California whenever she got the chance. Too busy sometimes.

(Not mandatory to add but it could be fun)

With the death of her brother still holding a grasp on her sometimes, and after everything that happened at the mall the previous year, Florence finally made the decision to see a therapist. Though she believed that she was getting ill, as she started getting headaches and nosebleeds, and can't stop hearing a clock ticking...

ROMANTIC INTERESTS

(Listed in order of preference. Each interest won't be connected to the other, so she won't be romantically interested in more than one person)

STEVE HARRINGTON

Being close friends ever since they were kids, it was hard for her to not fall in love with him. He got her better than anybody else did, and she knew that she could rely on Steve no matter what. Their friendship kind of blurred the lines between romantic or not, and sometimes it was a little like she was dating Steve, especially since her crush on him was painfully obvious to everybody but Steve.

EDDIE MUNSON

After she started driving the kids to and from Hellfire Club whenever they needed her to, she met Eddie Munson a handful of times and was pleasantly surprised with how well they actually got on. It was only after one day that she had spent at Max's trailer did she speak to Eddie on her own, as his trailer was opposite Max's, and the more she spoke to Eddie the more she realised that she was developing a crush on him.

JOHNATHAN BYERS

Through them growing close when both of their brothers were missing, and then how Johnathan really made an effort to help Florence when her brother was found dead, they grew very close. Sleepovers at the Byers house to help her when she felt terrible turned into sleeping in the same bed as Johnathan, and their friendship developed into something more without them even realising at first.

ROBIN BUCKLEY

Florence made an effort to see Steve pretty much every day at Scoops, and in turn she ended up seeing Robin every day. They had spoken a few times in the past but not much, but straight away she was pretty flustered by the gorgeous girl that her best friend worked for. Through much teasing from Steve and begging on her part for him to set them up, Florence developed a friendship with Robin partially based on her flustered feelings for the girl.

[wallywrites]

(tw - slight depictions of: self harm, death, depression, unhealthy habits, habits that could turn into an eating disorder, ptsd, trauma)

ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28720992

part one / ? (but you can still read it as a stand alone)

Steve never cared much for Christmas. It was just another holiday to remind him of how alone he really was, how much his parents didn’t care, how much his friends could do better. Just another holiday to remind him who he was, an echo of the words he’s heard many times coming to life, proof that he was, and will forever be, alone. 

But then he had Billy, holding his hand, and brushing his fingers through his hair, and kissing him on the good days and the bad nights, and holding him, and loving him, even when he couldn’t love himself. And he wasn’t so alone anymore. 

And suddenly, like the flash of brightness when lightning strikes, Christmas was his favourite holiday. Suddenly, he loved the smell of gingerbread, because it reminded him of Christmas dinner at the Byers, surrounded by his friends, his real family, his Billy. Suddenly mistletoe wasn't just a plant. Suddenly, opening presents didn’t mean sitting by an empty tree, drinking his sorrows away with his fathers alcohol collection, and instead meant watching the kids’ faces light up with every new comic book or t-shirt they received, the laughter of the older kids and the parents at their reactions. 

Suddenly it meant Billy pulling him away from the chaos, away where there was quiet, where it was just them, before giving him his heart, his soul, his love. His mother’s necklace, the most important thing to him before he met Steve. 

And suddenly the snowy days, days he thought he would never learn to love, soon became his favourite, where he could spend it cuddled up next to Billy, under a blanket and by a fireplace, whispering sweet nothings to each other until they fell asleep, contempt, happy, in love. Together.

Suddenly, Christmas meant love, and family, and warmth, and everything Steve thought it should be, expected it to be. Suddenly he had that, suddenly he had all he ever could have wanted. And he was happy, he was so fucking happy to have that, to have what he thought he never would, what he thought he didn’t deserve. 

But that all changed, too fast and too suddenly, like the moment in between awake and sleep, where you don’t really remember how one thing lead to another. Can’t recall the moment, can’t recognise the difference between awake and sleep, but then suddenly it’s the next morning, and everything from the night before, from the time between then and now, is all just a memory, a blur in your mind in which you can never truly remember. That’s what it felt like to lose Billy. 

One moment he was there, and Steve could remember it all so vividly, like he never left. The way he smiled whenever Steve would say something stupid, or how tight he would hold him at night, scared that he would be gone by the time he woke up. The way his eyes would gleam and his smile would soften whenever Billy thought Steve wasn’t paying attention, that Steve wouldn’t notice the longing, loving stare Billy always seemed to have when it came to him. The way Billy was so gentle, so careful with Steve, his hands, his words, his lips.

But then, within another moment, he was gone, like a dream you can’t quite remember, a name on the tip of your tongue you can’t quite reach, the feeling of knowing but not having, the feeling of losing, but not realising. He was gone, so fast, all at once, but the feeling of it still so slow, like noticing your ice has melted, wondering how long has it been melted for? When did it melt? When did he go?

And that time in between was a foreign concept to Steve, something he tried hopelessly to remember, to understand, but just couldn’t seem to grasp enough of it to hold on to. And that’s what hurt the most, what haunted him more than anything else. And suddenly, he hated Christmas again. 

And the ache, the pain he felt was almost unbearable. Something he’s never felt before, something he never expected to experience, not yet, not now, not like this. A heartbreak worse than a heartbreak, too harsh and too sudden, a sting, and a burn, and an ache worse than what those Russians ever did to him. Worse than what his parents ever did to him, what Nancy ever did to him. And it was heavy, a deep feeling within his chest and his stomach and his head and his heart. And it burned and burned and cut and gnawed at him until there was nothing left. Nothing but an empty shell of the boy he once was, so naïve and unloved and alone. A fire burning in his soul, getting hotter and deeper, until everything that once was Steve Harrington was now reduced to nothing more than ash.

And no one understood, how much it affected Steve, no one really. Their relationship was a secret, something they shared behind closed doors, in the dark, when no one was paying attention, when no one bothered to look, to notice. Max was the closest to understanding the pain, losing her brother, not realising how much she actually cared, how much Billy had meant to her until it was too late, until he was gone. Steve remembered Max crying to him, head buried into his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, worried that Billy didn’t know how much she cared, that she did love him. Devastated that she never told him how she felt, that she couldn't even say goodbye to his body.

That was the hardest part, Steve thought. Not being able to say goodbye, to see him one last time, to tell him that he loved him. They never found his body, but they didn’t expect to, not after everything that happened to all the others. But that didn’t stop Steve from looking, every day, every night, desperate to find something, anything. It wasn’t until Joyce found him, lying almost dead in the cold one winter night, that he knew it was over, that he needed to stop. He didn’t remember much from that night, except sobbing into Joyce as she held him, letting him cry it all out, telling him that it was going to be okay. He didn’t believe it, couldn’t, but for one moment he let himself be fooled, let himself pretend that she was right, that it would all be okay. But somewhere deep down, where the fire still burned away at what was left of him, he knew it wouldn’t get better, that he would never be the same. Not again, not after Billy.

That’s how he felt now, the week before Christmas. It had been a year since everything happened, but Steve felt more alone than he ever had. He knew it was his own fault, pushing people away tends to do that. He learnt that from his parents, but despite how much he despised them for it, he couldn’t help it, isolating himself off from the outside world, from anyone that cared about him. Because he didn’t see the point anymore. 

But that didn’t stop a few of them from checking in on him every now and again. Joyce and Jonathan brining him a homecooked meal at least once a week, Hopper stopping by every now and again to make sure he’s doing okay, Dustin trying always to get Steve to hang out, Robin breaking in to his house to just be there, to help him feel less alone. Max was the only person Steve really found himself letting in, opening up to, but he still didn’t speak much. Didn’t have the energy to, not anymore. 

And he had some good days, some days where he would laugh at one of Robin’s stupid jokes, or where Dustin and Max would convince him to have a shower, and go out with them to the movies or the arcade, or where he would eat a little more than usual, causing Joyce to smile in hope that it was helping, that he was getting better. Days where Jonathan would just sit with him, be with him, telling him stories until he actually found himself falling asleep for the first time in weeks, found peace and solace for a moment before his brain turned back on and he remembered. But the bad outweighed the good on most days, and a day didn’t go by where he wasn’t thinking of him. Of his Billy.

And the nightmares, and the terrors plagued most of his nights, and the constant waking up drenched in his own sweat, screaming and crying out for Billy had him so tired, so fucking exhausted that it would keep him awake longer than his body was able to be. Keep him awake until he was throwing up from exhaustion and passing out on the floor, because he couldn’t physically stand anymore.

And it was hard, no one understanding what was happening. Most of them thought it was just how he was coping, with the trauma of everything that happened; the mind flayer, the demo-dogs, the Russians, Starcourt. Any normal person would go clinically insane after everything that Steve or any of the others went through, so it wasn’t unusual for them to think that what had happened must’ve broken him, caused a mental break, caused him to go insane. Robin knew it was deeper than that, the only one knowing that Steve even liked guys. He never told her about Billy, but she was smart, and it wasn’t hard for her to figure out why Steve was breaking so much. But she never spoke of it, didn’t want to make it worse for him, wanted to help him forget.

There was a point where they didn’t think it could get worse. But apparently for Steve, crying every night, not eating in weeks, refusing to speak to everyone wasn't his worst, wasn't his ultimate low. No, his ultimate low involved his wrist, and any sharp object he could find, because at least then he was feeling something.

But then one night, while he was sat on his bed, staring at the wall, no energy to sleep but no energy to do anything else, the hairs on his arms stood up, the white noise around him freezing in time. And that’s when he heard it. A sound he thought he would never hear again, one that brought tears to his eyes, held more memories than he thought he had. A noise that was wholly Billy. Thick and dark and heavy, the revving on an engine, of his engine. A ‘79 Chevrolet Camaro, the same one Billy drove into the school parking lot his first day, the same one they shared their first kiss in, the same one that was completely and entirely Billy, all violent and charming and dangerous and his. 

The same ‘79 Chevrolet Camaro lost a year ago. 

And Steve couldn’t explain the feeling, couldn’t organise his thoughts, process what was happening. All he knew is that, that sound, that feeling, was his. Was his Billy. A feeling he’s wished for, ached for, longed for, for so long, a feeling just out of reach. And somehow, now, he knew all the answers, knew exactly what was happening, what it meant, what he needed to do. 

And he breathed for the first time, in what seemed like months, and he felt his heart in his ears and his pulse thumping in his head. 

And suddenly, he didn’t feel like crying anymore.

[sunflowermoth]

My ideal season four direction: A very broken plotline ( this is so long im sorry)

Lights up on Chicago

In a somewhat shabby apartment, Joyce is looking for her keys (it’s kind of her thing)

 Jonathan is doing course work before he starts NYU in the fall 

Will is munching on toast on the couch

Eleven is sitting next to him flipping through channels, no remote insight

Joyce finds her keys and bids the kids farewell and heads off to work

The phone rings 

Will shivers and touches his neck 

“ Its Nancy,” He says 

Eleven smiles at him 

He’s getting better at it 

Jonathan gets up and answers it 

He and Nancy have been making long-distance work

A little while later Jonathan is getting ready for work

He walks into the living room 

El and Will are facing each other 

The tv is playing static, loudly  

Will is wearing a blindfold 

Eleven is not 

She's gotten better at it too 

“ Stay calm ” Eleven tells him 

He nods 

The hair on his arms stands up 

He’s scared 

His powers are so new

He’s scared of them  

After all, they came from the upsidedown

Jonathan watches 

They do this often 

Eleven is teaching him how to control his powers 

Teaching him how to shut out the things that want to control him 

“ I won’t be a victim anymore,” he told her one rainy night 

She nodded 

She understood 

“ Do you see them?” 

Will tilts his head “ Kind of, it’s fuzzy” 

Eleven nods “ That’s normal. Keep trying” 

They don’t have long 

Will focuses on a blurry mass in the inky void 

He tries, but it won’t untangle 

Blood drips from his nose 

Eleven snaps her head and the tv flicks off 

She rips his blindfold off 

“ Will?” 

“ I’m okay” he touches his nose “ Just frustrated” 

“ It won’t happen that fast Will” 

“ I know” 

“ You sure you’re okay buddy? “ Jonathan asks softly

“ Yes” 

Jonathan looks a bit unsure 

He`s not entirely comfortable with his little brother having powers

“ Okay, well I’m off to work. The bus will be here soon” 

 Will nods and uses the blindfold to wipe the blood

Eleven smiles and waves goodbye 

Jonathan opens the door 

He shouts 

Eleven and Will are by his side in a second 

 Standing there 

beaten, bloodied, and bruised 

Is Kali ( Hell yeah bringing her back cause she deserved better)  

She says “ I’ve been tracking you, they're looking for us, all of us. They are killing us one by one. I’m glad I found you. I’ve missed you, sister.” 

Then she collapses 

Will and Jonathan turn to look at eleven

She opens her mouth to explain 

Cut to the Hawkins town sign

Then cut to the inside of a video store 

A military march starts to play 

The party is lined up like cadets doing drills 

Steve paces into of them as if he were their Sargent 

“ Welcome to your first job you little shits, I am not only your manager but also your warden” 

Steve had to get a new job since Starcourt is still closed due to ongoing investigations

Robin was there for the summer before she went to university in the fall, she had gotten an early acceptance letter. 

Steve was still waiting on his.  

( okay, I’m gonna switch up a bit) 

Flash sideways to a cold barren cell in the distance you can hear muffled yelling from somewhere off-screen. The camera slides over to show hopper on the top bunk in the cell, he’s playing a mournful tune on a harmonica, he’s pretty good. 

But that doesn’t stop a voice from below. 

“ If you’re going to play that thing all day at least learn a different song” 

Hopper jumps along with a metallic thud. 

The person below kicked his bunk

Hopper just smirks and goes back to playing 

The person below sighs gruffly 

A scraping starts

The camera sweeps downward  

Its Billy ( that’s right Duffers ) 

His head is shaved like hoppers ( from the trailer) 

He`s sporting a garish black eye 

He’s angrily carving into the bottom of Hoppers bunk 

Billy is not loving Russia

Thick boots start clomping down the hall 

Billy scrabbles and puts the pocket knife hed been using down his pants and pretends to be napping. 

Hopper plays louder

Hopper doesn’t give a shit.  

Their cell door clanks open hopper smirks and takes the harmonica away from his mouth. 

“ problem general?” 

Okay this is super long so ill wrap it up

So basically Jonathan calls nancy to tell her about Kali and what she told them so the party, Steve, and Nancy pile into one of those hippie vans and head to Chicago to get Joyce, El, Will, and Jonathan, and of course they grab Robin along the way, to jet off to save the other experiments and put an end to the upside-down forever. ( in other words… A ROAD TRIP SEASON!!!) 

Meanwhile, Billy and Hopper are plotting their escape from the Russian lap ( i picture it to be very Shawshank redemption like) maybe with the help of another experiment ; )

Also in order to make Billy being alive make sense, I think that the evil billy in S3 was a clone and the real Billy was stuck in the upside-down like will and the Russian scientists found him and took him to the prison. Hopper had to explain a lot to the poor kid when he showed up there two. ( aka Hopper is Billy`s new father figure, fight me)

I have so much more but im sleepy 

But yeah that’s how I would love for season four to go…

[ellewritesandrants]

I was kind of inspired by a post of @officialjoekeery about pre-byergroveton but I wanted to have some slight Billy angst and some Christmas festivities so here’s my take on it.

Imagine instead of Jonathan getting together with Nancy, he ends up together with Steve after the whole demogorgon beat down and Billy comes riding into town, with his eyes set on Steve only to find out he’s already taken by the town creep. Billy can’t understand what’s so amazing about this guy until he ends up partnered with him an English project, forcing him to get to know Jonathan and to end up falling for him too.

Steve was all charm and wit and admittedly, looks while Jonathan was heart and understanding and kindness. Billy knew deep down he didn’t deserve anything as good as either of them so he was resigned to just lonely pining for the rest of his time at Hawkins before he moved back to California. To add to his pain and suffering, Jonathan took their tentative working relationship as a sign of friendship and Billy had a permanent spot at their table and he was often dragged into their shenanigans like shooting the shit by Lover’s Lake or smoking by the quarry.

As Billy fell deeper and seemingly hopelessly more in love with the two, Jonathan was growing more and more concerned over the bruises and scars Billy liked to hide. It didn’t make any sense, the frequency of his injuries and the stories he told and Jonathan knew what it was like to cover up for an abuser. Since Joyce was dating Hopper, he brought it up one dinner only to have his mom share the same suspicions, forcing Hopper to look into things.

Hopper’s uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time paid off once again because the first time he patrolled past the house and snuck a glance through the windows, he saw Neil Hargrove with a belt in his hands and a tapestry of scars and wounds laid open on Billy Hargrove’s back. Hopper didn’t hesitate before rushing through the front door to arrest that son of a bitch who started raving on and on about beating respect and responsibility into his bastard of a son who should have died instead. Since Billy was still a minor, Hopper was able to get Neil away long enough for both Max and Billy to be legal adults and he was able to spin it into a premeditated murder case so he would be long gone.

While Neil was taken away in handcuffs, an ambulance had been sent to the scene and Billy Hargrove had been carted out and witnessed by the neighbors, bruised to hell and back, looking every inch the battered and bruised 16 year old that he was. It became the talk of the town over Thanksgiving weekend, especially since no one had expected that at all.

Joyce immediately went over to help Susan, knowing exactly what that woman had gone through and more than willing to help Susan figure out how to make things right with Billy since her inaction had inadvertently hurt Billy. Joyce had been the one to convince Susan to testify in Billy’s favor and to stop living in fear of Neil.

Jonathan had very quickly volunteered to get Billy’s homework and bring it to the hospital for the week or so that he was kept in the hospital. Jonathan had given Billy a safe space to confess about all of the horrors his father had put him through because Billy knew that Jonathan would understand. The slightly older and definitely taller boy had nothing but kind listening ears for Billy and a warm hand to hold onto to ground himself.

Of course, as soon as Steve heard, he was there with Jonathan, bringing all sorts of gifts for people recovering from injuries brought forth by an irrational guilt of not noticing how badly the younger boy had been hurting. Steve had silently resolved to protect the smaller boy the first time he saw him dwarfed in a hospital gown, asleep and for once looking his actual age.

When Billy had returned, he didn’t bother with showboating anymore because that had been to keep himself safe from being hurt in the obvious places unless he’d really messed up and gotten his dad really angry. Billy had returned a quiet shell of his former self, focused on just making it through high school complete with a broken wrist and ankle from them being stomped on by Neil Hargrove upon being arrested as well.

Jonathan and Steve were his perpetual guard dogs in protecting the smaller blond, not letting anyone badmouth him and helping him with his day to day things since he wasn’t able to drive for a while, leaving him reliant on Jonathan and Steve for rides because he was unable to walk the mile to school. The boys were more than happy to help Billy since he not only helped them with their classes but because he’d slowly carved out a place in their hearts as well.

Steve had been the one to broach the conversation about it, telling Jonathan in no nonsense terms that he loves Jonathan but that he also grew to love Billy as well. It had been a huge relief to find out that Jonathan had felt the same about the younger blond and they decided to see if Billy would be receptive of their advances so that they could all be together.

Max had been the first to threaten the two if they ever hurt her brother after she had noticed them starting to be more obvious with their flirting to their purposefully oblivious brother. Max had grown incredibly close to Billy in his hospitalization, finally learning the truth about his punishments for her actions and how Neil had pitted them against each other from the start. She had promised to be a better sister while Billy had promised to be a better brother in return. They’d spent afternoons playing like they hadn’t done since they left California and post-hospitalization, Max was Billy’s biggest crutch since she’d guessed about his feelings for Steve and Jonathan and he told her about how he felt he’d never be good enough for either of them.

It had taken a lot of begging and pleading for Max to let Steve and Jonathan anywhere near Billy as she monopolized his time after school asking for help with homework or in figuring out a new dish since Max was learning how to cook while Billy was injured. It had also taken a greater amount of begging, pleading and bribery before she helped them in getting together with her brother.

She’d been the one to give Billy some of Steve’s old sweaters in preparation for the winter after the two had noticed Billy didn’t have any proper winter clothes since they knew that Billy wouldn’t accept any charity from Steve but would happily accept a gift from his sister who’d won them in a bet. Neither Steve nor Jonathan were prepared for how absolutely adorable Billy looked dwarfed in Steve’s old oversized sweaters.

It also didn’t help that they were there to witness the blond’s reaction to seeing his first real snowfall and the absolute child-like wonder that crossed his face was permanently burned into their retinas. As days passed, they literally couldn’t stop themselves from falling deeper and deeper in love with the blond who was slowly learning to allow himself to just be himself and not have to be the man that Neil wanted him to be.

It all comes to a head when the boys trap Billy at a Christmas Party/Welcoming Party to the Mayfield-Hargrove’s new home, right beside the Byers. They’d connived with Max to place some mistletoe all over the house, allowing them to trap Billy under the mistletoe between them. After an initial kiss for both boys, Steve and Jonathan clarified their intentions with Billy, making the younger blond blush at the praise heaped on him and the care he felt radiating from the boys.

They end up spending most of the Christmas party in Billy’s room, not even doing anything too wild but just enjoying each other’s company and proving their feelings to the blond who still couldn’t believe that the boys he loved loved him back. Max had already told the rest of the people in the house about what was going on and everyone just felt happy that for once, things were going great for Billy Hargrove.

[steveusesfaberge]

3AM Talks

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Hargrove!Reader

Request: Hi!! Could you possibly do a Hargrove!Reader, where she’s Billy’s twin and Neil, hurts her one night and billy comes home after being out to find the scene and he loses it and he takes reader out to steve(whom she’s secretly dating) and tells Steve that she’s staying there whilst his parents are out and they’re both like “how the fuck do you know?” AND just super fluffy and angsty and ahhh

Summary: Y/N finds herself in charge of watching Max...except, Max is missing... By the time Billy gets home...the damage is already done. His father had never been an understanding person. Hargrove takes his sister to (begrudgingly) the one person he knows for sure will take them in. Her not-so-secret boyfriend...Steve Harrington. Billy and Steve end up have a..nice, long chat...

Type/Style: Requested, Imagine, female pronouns

Warning(s): Abusive father, violent-beginning, cursing, angst, a protective Billy-goat...

Word Count: 8,800+

a/n: Here it is! Finally!!! :D Thank you all for sticking with me! <3 Coming up are Steve Requests (I did not forget them, do not worry! :) )

It’s a bit longer than I thought...but I figure a topic like this deserves more time to be explained.

I live for Steve & Billy interactions! -- Sorry if this wasn’t what you all expected...I tried to make it as realistic as possible...without making it too long...<3

Next is a Billy fic - one that someone requested, and I’ll be doing it happily!

Sunsets Back Home & Some Steve requests as well! Hopefully getting them all out tomorrow or in the next few days! :D

I hope you like my take on the request! <3

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Y/N hummed to herself, the faint sound of Crazy For You by Madonna filled the hollows of her room. The walls were simple - the same tan coloring that Max’s and Billy’s rooms were. Unlike her brother’s innuendo posters of half-naked women, cars, and motorcycles (all of which, these bare women, were probably riding) - Y/N had band posters and a few (dressed) models scattering her four walls of space.

Her vanity mirror was placed in the corner of her room, across from her small desk. She remembered helping Max with simple things such as straightening her hair or even doing playful-one-time makeovers...(Billy had been dragged into it once...but Y/N had to promise no one would know about it and Max wasn’t allowed to see her big brother look like a complete softcock).

Y/N was sprawled out on her bed; Vogue magazine advertised before her on the sheets as she pondered if she could pull the looks these beauts did. She’d one time asked her brother if she’d be able to make Vogue - to which he responded with a snicker (the ass he was) hell no, Y/N/N. She’d roll her eyes, the running joke being well we’re twins, so looks like you ain’t makin’ it big either, B.

Normally, she and Billy would be hanging out...it was a Thursday night and she and her brother always did something fun on Thursdays (usually that involved just sitting around, swapping music and talking - but sometimes they went for late-night drives or paired up to find a party to crash...and Hargroves knew how to party...that was for sure). Time spent with Billy was time well spent, in her opinion.

But not tonight, he mentioned something about a date (which was code for one-night stand). I’ll be back, kid. Is what he’d told her, stopping by her room on his way out, leaning on her doorframe (like the ‘cool kid he was’, or as she said ‘like the fingerprint leaving asshole he was’). She’d frowned. Where are you going?��Billy rolled his eyes, scratching his neck as he lazily watched her from across the way. I got a date. Sighing, she waved him off with a scrunched up nose. That’s fucking disgusting - ew, no! Billy don’t wiggle your eyebrows...get out - get out! Goodbye, Billy! He only laughed, saluting her before he continued down the hall. The thud of the front door and the piercing rev of his engine marking his departure.

She wanted to catch a movie - Back To The Future had come out and she was itching to see it...Y/N supposed she could wait another time. For now, she judged the too-skinny, too-perfect figures and welcomed her radio as a white-noise. Maybe she’d give Steve a call...was he babysitting tonight?

Her door was abruptly slammed open, giving her a heart attack on the spot - her hands fumbling with the booklet. Her y/c/e eyes snapped up, her body shocked rigid as she spotted Neil. Letting out a slow breath, she sat up, Vogue in hand as she fidgeted with the pages.

“You need something, sir?” She asked, remembering Billy who constantly told her to always stay calm, be relaxed, and act as civil as possible (even if he didn’t listen to his own advice...always being arrogant, sarcastic, and short with the man their father was...Do as I say, kid, not as I do).

Neil scanned her room as if searching for an imperfection to bring to light. Y/N only waited in a choked buzz of Bowie’s Let’s Dance, thankful that there was something else sounding off other than her own heartbeat. The tension in the room was suffocating...absolutely terrifying. When he found none, he spoke (she could almost taste his disappointment).

“Me and Susan are going out. You and your brother are going to watch Max,” He was fixing his coat’s collar and Y/N bit her lip for a moment, tapping her pointer on the magazine’s cover.

Clearing her throat, Y/N grabbed his attention,” Billy’s not home.” It felt like playing a game of chicken in the streets...which car was going to pull away first? Or...would there be a brutal accident to deal with? Would one car be worse off than the other? Y/N wasn’t sure who was winning and who was losing, all she knew, was that this game was not fun.

“You’ll be watching Maxine then, got that?” Y/N nodded. Her father raised his eyebrows - waiting for a proper response. Her mouth felt dry. “Yes, sir.”

They were gone after Susan gave a soft wave passing by, her father not giving a second thought of her as he left. The door banging shut behind him. She could breathe again...how did Billy do this? He spoke more to Neil than she did, always taking the initiative into his own hands...time and time again.

Standing up, Y/N forced her legs to work with her after that soul shaker of an interaction. Walking down the hall to Max’s room, she knocked on the door with her right hand; four raps. When there was a heartbeat of silence she wondered if Max heard her. She tried again.

Silence.

“Hey, Riding Hood? You in there?” She asked, bouncing on the balls of her heels as she waited - wanting to finish the section of Tips & Tricks For Flawless Skin - maybe she and Steve could have a spa-day...He happened to like facemasks, believe it or not (but had an odd tendency of eating the cucumbers for your eyes...). The white door was never opened, so she sighed, turning the doorknob herself.

“Hey - Maxie, did you hear me?” Y/N’s words trailed off, crashing to the floor along with her heart. The room was empty. The only sign of recent inhabitance was the open window and the absence of a familiar skateboard...

Running a hand through her hair, Y/N exited the room - calling her little sister’s name as she briskly walked to the kitchen...to the living room...and back to Max’s.

Y/N could feel a creeping terror in her throat and she wondered where Max could’ve gone. Mike’s? El’s? The Byers’? She was back in her own bedroom - pacing the carpet swiftly. The radio had been turned off so she could think and she was listening to the rhythm of blood coursing through her veins like her favorite song.

She didn’t have a car...couldn’t afford it - besides, Billy always took her wherever she needed...Y/N hadn’t needed a car up until this point. Not even when she needed to sneak out...Steve had his own car...a simple park down the block and no one would know who she was with, and where. Saying that...this was bad.

It hadn’t been the first time Max left without as much as a trace... Most times, she was back before anyone knew she was gone...other times...Billy paid for it (He tried his best to keep Y/N’s skin as flawless as Vogue’s stupid lures...he’d joke even with a busted lip that she needed to keep her skin healthy...so she can show their asses up one day!).

But that was when it was the both of them watching her...Billy wasn’t here now, it was eight o’clock...he wouldn’t be back till later...her father would be back in two hours tops - leaving her only one-hundred-twenty minutes to find Mayfield.

She quickly crossed the bedroom - exiting, and walking to the living room. She picked up the house phone and dialed the Wheelers’ number. Y/N was nervously curling the cord around her thumb and index finger, biting her lip as her eyes subconsciously kept flickering to the front door. The other line was dead for some time...she wondered if anyone was home...maybe the kids were caught up playing DnD - but then wouldn’t Karen or Ted answer for them?

There was a slight pause, a seeming hiccup - and then a voice.

“Hello? Who’s calling?” Y/N sighed, thanking her stars.

“Hey, Mrs. Wheeler - I was wondering if Max was over, it’s Y/N.” she explained while listening intently (pretending Billy and her didn’t make fun of Karen for flirting with him at the pool...That’s gross, B! -- Yeah, but it’s so funny how easy it is, Y/N!).

“Max? - Oh, the little redhead! No - haven’t seen her-- have you seen my son, by chance?” Y/N sighed, realizing Karen was in a similar situation.

She quickly mumbled a no, I’m sorry, before hanging up and biting at the skin of her cheek. “No need to worry,” she told herself softly,” Call Hopper!”

Long story short, no one picked up. She assumed El was out - probably with the party, God knows where, and Jim was probably down at the station working... The last-ditch effort she had was the Byers’. As she began punching in their house number - she stopped - remembering their phone hadn’t been working for some time...something with the kids accidentally knocking it off the wall - all Y/N knew, was that Steve had warned them not to do it (That’s all you said to stop them, Steve? -- Welll...no...I said a few other things...-- You’re useless, Harrington!) - whatever it was - but they’d done it anyway and...now the Byers’ receiver didn’t work.

Glancing at the clock mounted on the wall entering the kitchen, she saw that she had roughly an hour and thirty-six minutes...that was enough time to walk to the Byers’ and back...right? Riding a bike was out of the question, she didn’t have one and she didn’t have time to just...go buy a brand new bike either...so walking it was.

Billy had always been a good brother. In his own way, he cared (even for Max, who claimed that Hargrove couldn’t give two shits about the air I breathe as long as it's not his). Billy would always look out for both his sisters - in ways they’d never notice. He was subtle like that.

Like the times he’d scare twerps off from bothering the party...it seemed that Hargrove could be rather intimidating - especially if you were a fourteen-year-old who liked to bully his step-sister and her nerdy buds.

Or when Billy would purposefully stay up late - knowing that Y/N was upset, or maybe something was wrong; waiting for her to come knocking on his door at eleven o’clock...asking if he was still awake...

Y/N had learned, through eighteen-years of knowing Billy, he’d always be there for them...no matter what. Support them through hardships, celebrate with them through victories, and holding their hands when they were scared. He may not...always show it...but...he was doing his best - and that’s all anyone ever asked for; could ever ask for.

Y/N had halfway ran, halfway walked to the Byers - tired beyond all hell when she got there, her calfs burning. Knocking on the door obnoxiously, she waited impatiently; how much time had passed? Twenty-five minutes? Thirty-five? She wasn’t sure. It couldn’t have taken long...right?

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang--

The door was yanked open. There stood Joyce, eyes wide and a clear confusion and worry crossing her features as she took in the girl in her doorway. It was just coming nine and she hadn’t been expecting anyone...certainly not Y/N Hargrove.

“Are you okay, sweetie? Do you need something?” The mother asked quickly.

Y/N shook her head, y/c/e eyes desperate as she tugged at her y/c/h locks. “M-Max, I’m looking for Max -- is she here?”

Joyce crossed her arms, shaking her head,” No, sweetie. She left a little while ago - said she was going home.” Thank, God...

“Why did so--,” “Oh, no, ma’am! Don’t worry! I-I was just...I was...I thought she was here...turns out - she’s not...and...and she’s at home.”

Y/N’s happiness slowly melted away as she realized Max was home...alone. Max was home alone.

“I’m s-sorry for bothering you, Joyce! But I can’t stay t-to talk! I-I need to go!”

Running home was not fun. It was not easy. It was not what Y/N wanted to be doing at nine o’clock on a Thursday night. She was sweaty, exhausted, and scared. Y/N was panted hard, her legs screaming, as her street now came into view - date night was always two hours...two hours...she could be home, and act like nothing ever happened...everything would be fine...until it wasn’t.

Her father’s car was parked out front. Slowing beside it, she felt tears well up in her eyes. How long had it been there? When did they get back? Was Max home? Did they realize Max was gone? Did he realize she was gone? Which she Y/N was referring to...Y/N didn’t even know herself...either way; she was still in trouble.

She’d never been so hesitant to open the front door - the porch light wasn’t on - so maybe they weren’t expecting anyone home...but...that was just Y/N trying to comfort her raging nerves. They knew Billy was out; even then, the light was off. Neil never turned it on - claiming it was a waste of money to have it burning all night.

Y/N opened the door. It was unlocked. Had she left it unlocked? She couldn’t remember. Her house keys were in her pockets, but that didn’t mean she necessarily used them in her haste to find Max...

The lights in the house were all off...a good sign...a very good sign (she’d shut them off when she left). That’s how she took the sign anyway. The door clicked shut with a soft sound, and she inched her way down the hall. She checked Max’s room...not having to open the door as she could make out the faint glow (of what she thought to be) Max’s desk lamp casting orange underneath the doorway. Then, Y/N walked past her closed room - to Billy’s...his door was wide open and was empty. It was only nine-forty-three (which she checked while walking back to her room - stopping in the kitchen) and the house was completely still.

She didn’t like how quiet it was...but...maybe that was a good thing.

But didn’t they say; good things never last long?

She turned her doorknob and pushed the opening to reveal her room. The lights were off, save for the tickle of silver moonlight from her window. Stretching a handout, she flicked her light switch on. Her hand shot up to her mouth as she muffled a scream of surprise.

Her father was seated on her bed. He didn’t look happy.

“I-I can e---,” “Max was home alone, Y/N.” his words dug into her, slow and menacing.

“I-I didn’t--,” “I thought I told you to watch her, Y/N?” She felt small...so, so small.

“I-I know, sir - and I-I w--,” “Then tell me, why did I come home, to find your little sister, home alone...��� He was standing, and at this moment, Y/N wondered over and over (like every time this happened) how Billy did it.

She couldn’t sell Max out now...if she told him Max had snuck out - Neil might get angry at her...yet, Y/N knew he always blamed the sitter...even if this was the one exception - she wasn’t going to risk it. She’d cover for Max...because...that’s what Billy would do.

“I’m s-sorry, sir.” She whispered, the fear stopping her from crying out like she wanted to do. The fear tore at her, leaving Y/N helpless and stunned like a deer in headlights. Very harsh, powerful headlights.

Neil shook his head, wiping his hand over his face, dragging it along his chin as he watched the girl still frozen in the doorway. “Come here, Y/N.” Her body didn’t move, every sense in her telling her to run...run...run...

“Y/N. Come. Here.” Like a game of Simon Says, not wanting to lose - and the commanding word being Y/N...her feet drug her forward. She stood with an arm’s length between them...but that was all he needed.

Crack.

He’d struck her across the face, her head snapping to the side at the impact. She’d expected it...but...she never could prepare herself for it. She wished Billy was here, he’d know what to do...God, she wished Billy was here...

Her chin was seized roughly, Neil forcing her to look him in the eyes, his free hand clutching her wrist tightly. She bit her lip, trying not to look weak...not to give in.

“I thought we talked about this, Y/N...what did we talk about? What do I tell you and Billy all the time?” He hissed, his fingers digging bruises into her jaw and forearm.

Her eyes welled with tears and she was thankful for the dim lighting, saving her from looking the man in the eyes and seeing the monster that lived under her bed, that ran to her closet whenever she had Billy check for her as he’d done growing up...The monster always showed up when it was most unwanted...

She was thankful Neil couldn’t see her eyes. Y/N’s y/c/e eyes were filled with fear. Filled with anxiety and a stormy glaze that could only describe this; I knew this was coming...she left...but I won’t sell her secret to you...not the devil...no... If she’d learned one thing from her brother - it was that hell was never a pretty place to be...and sometimes, it was closer than you’d think...but despite that - you never made a deal with Lucifer.

“What did we talk about? Answer. Me.” Her arm was splintering in pain, his grasp so firm she wasn’t sure blood could find her fingertips anymore. She’d turn away from him, but he held her jaw so tensely she was scared to breathe.

The number of times their father will drill into them...Respect and responsibility. Until they learned that - until he was satisfied by it - then they could rest easy. But Y/N knew...she knew the devil never played fair. No matter what she did, or what she said - she’d never hold an ace hidden up her sleeve. Not like him.

“R-Respect. A-And responsibility,” she gritted out, her lips barely moving to produce the words. Panic, frustration, and hatred keeping her mouth locked in place.

Another strike to her face, her cheek stung and she could feel the making of a bruise find her nerve ends, but she refused to cry.

“Respect a-and responsibility, sir.” Y/N repeated while trying to pull away from her father.

“Don’t.” His hand holding hers whipped up and then down, throwing her to the floor with an immense thrust. Y/N moved to stand, but a sharp pain to her side had other plans.

It rained down like a hurricane and she could only wish for it to stop. Biting back her pain, she tried protecting her head and neck - Billy taught her that.

“We went over this, Y/N!” He yelled - fists, boots, and words flying as he gave into his anger. She wondered how much her body could take before she gave up. Billy would be strong...Good God...where was Billy?

From the moment she walked in, she could tell Neil had been drinking a little - his breath smelt of dead dreams and alcohol. She assumed it came with dinner...or, for his own enjoyment...it was hard to think while her body rippled with agony.

She tried zoning it out...all of it. The beating, her father, his words...she focused on her brother, Max being safe, the party, Steve...yeah...Harrington had taken her on a lovely date the other night - he’d taken her out to the cinema, and then they’d picked all the kids up for dinner...Y/N had ended up with milkshake on her shirt (thanks to Lucas and Dustin) and Steve had offered her his jacket...it was still a fond memory - the party was like a family to her...a better family she knew than her own kin to be...

She didn’t know when it stopped, or if it would never stop...all she could see were swimming images of whom she loved until she couldn’t feel anything anymore. Everything went numb...but...maybe it was better this way.

Billy had just gotten home. It was well past one and he knew for a fact, that Susan and Neil were asleep. They were never up this late - so he’d never have to worry about getting laid in on for being out at an hour like this.

His car parked outside, he entered the house as noiselessly as silence itself. He walked down the hallway hesitantly, but the faint sound of his father’s snoring was enough to ease him to walk normally.

“Y/N? You up?” He was standing at her door. It was cracked open, the lights off. That didn’t mean she was asleep - there had been plenty of times he’d find her awake, just sitting in the dark; listening to a soft hum of her stereo...except the radio had been turned off and the only noise was the lull of night muffled by the house.

He pushed the door open, the dim touch of moonlight having him squint to see her laying on the floor. Billy rolled his eyes. Dumbass probably fell asleep - had she been reading or something again? Nonetheless, he walked over, gently leaning down to pick her up.

She didn’t even react to his arms lifting her; Y/N felt like deadweight - but it didn’t bother him. She seemed tired. He was carefully walking her to the bed, making sure she wouldn’t stir - and she didn’t...and it was now that he questioned if she were a heavy sleeper or not...Billy couldn’t remember.

He settled her down, and when he moved to cover her with the comforter - he noticed something by her nose. It was like a dark line - a streak almost. Billy used the palm of his hand to rub it away. He leaned to the lamp on her nightstand, and when it clicked on, he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel his heart in his chest anymore...

Black and blues littered her arms, her face was swollen and an ugly handprint was nestled on her right side, her nose was bleeding, her bottom lip was busted...he was sure if he lifted her shirt - he’d only be met with a terribly splotchy rendition of the night sky.

“Fuck, fuck, fucking hell,” he cursed, touching her shoulder gently - attempting to shake her awake. “Y/N? -- Kid? Wake up, c’mon -- it’s okay now...you’ll be okay now...it’s me...it’s Billy.”

She only groaned, a whimper escaping her at his touch - his hand jerking away like he’d encountered something hot. It seemed everything hurt...

“Y/N - please wake up, I...I need to know...what happened,” Billy knew what happened...but he needed to know how bad it was...she only moaned, a painful noise, swelled eyes not opening. He needed to know if he’d be sending a demon back to the gates of hell right now...he could live with murder...

Damnit. He slammed his hand to the headboard. His anger tickling his neck red as he thought horrible thoughts...he’d kill the bastard, he’d fucking kill him. Billy wanted to yell, he wanted to scream, but he also wanted to cry. Why’d he go out? For some stupid fuck? Why had he left her alone? Why had he left her alone? Why? Why? Why?

He’d left her...it was Thursday, for fuck's sake...it was supposed to be their night...and he’d ditched that for an easy hit and run... Billy felt like a fool. This was all his damn fault. If he’d been here, he could’ve helped her....he...he could’ve done something for her...anything...he’d have been taken the--

The low murmur of his name drew his attention, and he fell down to his knees - grabbing her hand softly in his own. He was shaking. “Y-Y/N -- it’s okay...it’s me...It’s Billy,” the blond repeated, pulling her hand up to touch his cheek, letting her know it was him; the warmth of his skin. His presence heavy as he watched her frail figure.

“H-How was your...d-date?” When she asked him that, Billy almost didn’t know what she was talking about. He shook his head and moved to pick her up - scared by the sounds of someone walking around the house.

“It was shitty,” he grumbled, easily carrying her out the door, out the house, and into his car. Her breathing was troubled - like it hurt to do so...and God, did it hurt BIlly to watch her in so much pain...

“Wh-What’s happening, B?” She asked softly, throat dry, head splitting with pain.

Billy didn’t answer her. Only held her hand as he drove...drove fast down the road.

Steve had been asleep. Why wouldn’t he be? It was one-thirty-one in the morning and it had been a Thursday night. He liked to have stayed up late, talking to his girlfriend on the phone - but Harrington knew Thursdays were reserved for Billy (even if Steve pouted...Y/N never traded those nights for anything). So, instead he figured he’d catch up on well-deserved rest - the kids had been dragging him around recently like a doll and he wasn’t sure how well his body was doing. He didn’t get paid enough - well, he didn’t get paid at all.

To be woken up by a brash hammering, he thought maybe it was just a dream...but then the sound of his name being called - along with Harrington! Get your fucking ass out here or I’ll break this goddamn door down, shithead! - was not a dream.

The brunette was groggy as he trucked down the steps, a pair of plaid boxers covering his lower body with a loose hanging T-shirt adorning his chest. His parents were out of town for work and he had the house all to himself (another reason he wanted to spent the night with Y/N - but it was Billy and her Thursday night...and she religiously scheduled it every week).

“What the hell...?” he groaned, swinging the door open to reveal a blurred figure.

Rubbing his eyes - Steve realized who it was, and suddenly his unstyled hair didn’t seem so important (because yes, he’d thought about fixing it before answering the door...he hadn’t had his priorities figured out yet, okay?! How was he supposed to know the importance?).

“H-Hargrove--,” “Move.” Billy shoved his way into the nice home - heading straight for the living room...carrying Y/N with him like a fragile piece of art. Steve raced to turn the lights on, still not understanding why the Hargroves were here - until he saw the state his girlfriend was in. (He didn’t even have time to think about how Hargrove knew exactly, where he lived...)

“W-What the fuck happened to her?” He asked, crouching down to Y/N’s level, a hand coming up to brush some y/c/h strands from her bruised face.

Billy was quiet for a moment, wiping his forehead with his shirt. “Our father.” That was all he had to say for Steve to understand...he’d been together with Y/N for...well...coming five months? He’d met her in school - fresh out of Cali...the three siblings had been the talk of the small town (especially the supposed party animal and his drop-dead-gorgeous sister).

It was love at first sight - for Harrington at least. He had tried acting cool...but that backfired as soon as he realized just how perfect Y/N was. A pretty smile, sweet laugh, delicious-smelling hair, smooth, sun-kissed skin, and to tie it all together - she came with an overbearing little bow of Billy Hargrove...

He remembered when Billy had shown up at the Byers’ house just last year - asking for his sisters...claiming a little bird told him they were with him; Steve had been trying to persuade the children to calm down and just let the starting team do their job (it hadn’t worked out).

Billy had seen Max’s head peek out and he’d already had Steve on the ground before he could justify himself. I thought I told you to stay away from my sister, Harrington? He’d given Lucas the same treatment...it had only gone downhill from there... Ending with Y/N offering to stay there with Billy for a little while, coming to help them later. She said I can’t leave him here like this...he’s my brother, Harrington... (Steve liked that idea better anyway, kept her away from the trouble).

So, when Steve had finally gotten the courage to ask Y/N out...he hadn’t been surprised when she turned him down. It only had him fight harder to prove his worth and after a torturously slow convincing...she’d finally broken...five months later and counting...and she was still by his side.

Steve had always been a bit of a worry-wart, he couldn’t help it - he watched six headass kids twenty-four-seven...it was in his blood now. “I-I’ll get the first-aid kit,” he quickly mumbled, leaving Billy to stand by his sister - a savage glint in his eyes that Harrington didn’t feel comfortable being around (they weren’t best friends after all, and Steve was sure if Billy had the chance - he’d skin him like a jack-rabbit...).

Returning within seconds, he gently lifted Y/N’s head, her slight hum all he needed to feel more relieved. “H-Hey...how you doing?” He offered weakly, placing her head back down in his lap as he balanced the kit on the armrest.

“B-Billy?” Steve shook his head, pulling a clean cloth to her face, dabbing the blood from her nose. “It’s Steve, hun.”

Y/N’s eyes were barely open, she frowned with a wince. “I’m here, kid...I’m here.” Billy’s gruff tone was enough to have her relax into Harrington’s touch without having to worry for her brother. Steve’s eyebrows furrowing, it made him sick to think she even had to worry about Billy like that.

“Hargrove - you wanna grab something in the freezer for me, like ice or whatever?” Steve asked, eyes focused on the bruises along Y/N’s cheeks. His heart was twisting, all he wanted was to cuddle her and take away all her pain...instead, he resolved on playing nurse for now.

Billy gave a curt nod, his boots fading into the kitchen. Steve took the small moment of isolation to press a gentle kiss to Y/N’s forehead. The y/c/h haired girl only looked puzzled after a half-smile tossed in his direction.

Steve was mumbling an apology as he applied disinfectant to her cut forehead, when she spoke,” W-Why am I here?” He was about to ask what she meant - Harrington figured she was here because Billy didn’t like the idea of keeping her in an unsafe environment in the state she was in...when he halted. Hand hovering over her brows.

Why did Billy bring Y/N here? There were so many other places to take her - Steve’s house couldn’t have been his first thought...and yet, as Billy walked back in, ice pack in hand...it felt like it had been.

Hargrove took a seat in the armchair nearest the couch Y/N was laid across, his elbows resting on his knees as he hid his mouth in his hands. Steve was staring at the curly-blond and Billy’s blue eyes dodged up to meet his brown ones.

“What?” Was all Billy charged while leaning back, his hands falling to his lap as he squirmed with the rings on his fingers.

Steve shook his head, breathing nothing, before looking down to his girlfriend. Billy...didn’t know...did he? No...they’d been cautious about it - meticulous and secretive - it’d been the most planning he’d ever done in his entire life...and he’d fought demodogs before...

Sure, Hargrove had the knowledge of mutual friendship between his sister and The Hair - they spent time with the party and so that was expected, being the only teens each other’s age. But, as far as Steve knew; they promised not to tell him...not yet anyway. He’d specifically told Y/N he didn’t care who she dated (it was her life after all) but God forbid it, kid - you better not end up fawning over that shithead, Harrington. No sister of mine is gonna sling it with the ex-King of Hawkins.

The distaste from one another stemmed thick and deep; Hargrove didn’t like Harrington, Harrington didn’t like Hargrove... Hiding their relationship was something that came with dating Hargrove’s beloved sister - Steve didn’t mind (much). He figured Billy would rip him a new one if he ever found out. Probably feed him to the Upside Down...or worse (What’s worse than that, Harrington? -- Being feed to Billy).

There had to be another reason Billy had taken Y/N here...and unless it was brought up in the short conversations of rival men - Steve wasn’t going to give Billy the ammunition to do shoot Steve in his own foot.

“More bruises...?” Y/N grumbled, hands skimming the ghosts of what he assumed were blooming blemishes along her stomach, back, chest...and well... her entire torso...

Steve nodded, licking his lips, his mouth dry as he ran a hand through her hair. It didn’t make him feel so hot to see the love of his life so...broken. He felt useless.

“Take your shirt off, Y/N/N so I can see what we’re dealing with,” Harrington decided, helping her sit up.

“Let it hang around your neck, kid,” Billy’s stern tone cut in, and Steve choked on his spit - Billy had been so quiet he forgot Hargrove was there.

Steve only nodded. He figured it’d be easier than taking it fully off anyway. Billy’s burning gaze didn’t help though - did he think Steve would try something? Wow...makes you feel great...Steve had some decency.

Y/N had difficulties getting her arms through their proper holes; so Steve gingerly helped her - trying not to do it for her, while also trying not to touch her for too long, on top of trying to well....help her. Billy was not making this easy.

Once the T-shirt was around her neck, hanging loosely (a pleased Billy following as it hung covering her chest, presumably what he wanted - only causing Steve to roll his eyes. He wanted to say - You know how many times I’ve seen her naked? Screw that - you know how many times I’ve undressed her? But he didn’t think he’d be safe to do so...).

“Oh, Y/N....” Steve muttered softly, biting his lip as his eyes filled with guilt. Her back was to him, and the litter of blue, black, purple, and yellow was like a child’s poorly done finger-painting. Streaks here and there, uneven and messy. Lifting his left hand, he warily brushed the skin; it was hot...feverish hot.

“I-I know...” she answered with a choked sob, her hands flying to cover her mouth. Billy was looking away from her, his eyes blinking away anger (he wasn’t about to let Harrington’s ass see him cry). “I’ll get more ice.”

Billy stood up swiftly and left the room - a slow string of curses finding him - Steve swore Hargrove thumped a fist to his kitchen counter...was Billy aware how much granite cost?

“Come here, my love,” he whispered, tugging her back into his chest. He swung his leg up to rest on the sofa, bordering where she sat as if his limb were a railing to keep her from falling.

Y/N leaned back, crying softly into his chest (it didn’t help that doing so was causing her abdomen hell). “Shhhh, it’s okay now...I’ve got you, babygirl...I’ve got you.” Y/N found solace in Steve’s words, gripping the thin material of his shirt she listened to the fast beating of his heart...

Bu-dum, bu-dum, bu-dum, bu-dum...

“I-I’m sorry...y-you have to s-see me like this,” she apologized, which only had Steve sink lower, drawing her as close as humanly possible.

He shook his head against hers as he rested his chin atop her. “No, no, no! Don’t you dare say you’re sorry, darling...this...is not your fault. It never is.” He kissed her hair tenderly and felt his own eyes well up (he refused to cry...he didn’t need Hargrove seeing him as a total softie - and Steve needed to be strong for his girl right now...).

“I-It’s so late-e though...y-you must’ve b-been asl--,” He tilted her head back, hating the way he could almost fit his hand in the same spots as the growing bruises on her jaw. He hated how the print of Neil was still glowing.

He gently shared a kiss with Y/N - forgetting Billy was in the kitchen...he could always deal with that later. She needed to know he was there...really there. Always.

“You, are the most beautiful creature...ever, and I don’t ever want you to say you’re sorry...for-r --,” he paused licking his lips and rubbing his nose to hers,”- for that bastard’s mistakes. You’re too good for that, you don’t deserve that, babygirl.” Steve would never blame her, not for anything. Certainly not this...She was like a flower - a flower that Harrington kept and cherished in his garden of gold.

He took care of it; watering it with hugs and kisses (sometimes drowning her in them...but he found that her particular type thrived on excessive gestures like so). He made sure she was healthy - always getting enough sunlight - making sure she shone that brilliant smile of hers...outdoing any star he’d ever seen...Steve made sure she could always call his garden home...that even if she had nowhere to go - he’d receive her with open, consoling arms.

Steve only hummed softly, Y/N entangled in his arms, their legs entwined as he threaded his fingers through her hair, holding her head close to his heart. He whispered sweet nothings and means of okay to her...and eventually, she gave in...Y/N fell asleep there in his arms and he’d never have it any other way.

“God, you’re such a fucking sap, Harrington,” Steve’s neck hairs stood on end - Billy was standing in the archway that connected the kitchen to the living room. Steve told himself that maybe he hadn’t heard Billy right - or hoped that Billy hadn’t heard him right...

The muscular boy walked over, handing Steve frozen peas, mumbling something about how it’d do better than the lousy packs in Harrington’s freezer.

Steve nodded, moving slowly to take it from the brother - not wanting to disturb Y/N’s sleeping form. He pressed the cold bag to her exposed back, he felt her tense up, before easing back into him.

“She um...she kinda just fell asleep on me,” he explained while avoiding eye contact with the blond. Billy took his original seat - the armchair, but this time, he wasn’t fidgeting or staring at the floor. His blue eyes were fixed on the girl.

Clearing his throat awkwardly - Steve readjusted the bag, he was sure to help sooth these marks it would end up taking more than one bag of frozen veggies to make an impact.

 “How long?” Brown eyes flickered up, meeting blue.

“For?” Steve asked confused, though tried to sound as casual as possible. There weren’t very many times he and Hargrove were in one another’s company...this was the first they’d not been at each other’s throats...

Billy rolled his eyes, scratching at his neck. “How long have you been in love with her?” No beating around the bush, it seemed.

“I-I, uh, well,” Steve’s face flushed pink. The soft lighting of the numerous lamps already bathed him in orange...hopefully hiding the blush well enough. His eyes glanced to the clock by the fireplace...two-twenty-seven. God, it’s too fucking early for this bullshit....he’s really gonna do this to me? -- His sister’s half-naked on top of me...passed out -- and he’s really gonna do this to me?

Billy chuckled, though Steve didn’t see amusement reach his eyes...it was almost a forced laugh (like he was mocking Harrington). “You do love her? Don’t you, Harrington?” Steve could only nod, unsure if the answer should be yes or no...he could see both ending terribly as it was.

“God, and here I thought you were more of a man than this, Pretty Boy,” Billy scoffed, shaking his head as he reclined into the cushion of the seat.

“Since I met her,” Steve suddenly mumbled, his eyes set on the slow rise and fall of breath from Y/N. The hand not holding the frozen packet, circling her waist to keep her in place.

Billy observed his movements as if examining an opponent on the court....looking for a bluff, a flaw, a weak advantage. Hargrove thought he found it without having to try...and it was sitting in Steve’s lap - cuddled close to his chest. “Speak up, Harrington.” He grunted.

“The first day I met her,” Steve repeated, his voice steadier than before...louder than before...the sudden wave of confidence was found when he realized...it didn't matter what Billy thought...Steve loved Y/N...and she loved him. That’s all the reassurance he needed, and he remembered it with each breath she took.

“I fell in love when I saw her,” Steve confessed, his voice softening at the memory. “I-I think she was walking to find you, actually - it was after school one day...she’d asked me where the boy’s locker room was,” he chuckled to himself, hand running through her y/c/h locks. “I had been dying to meet these Hargrove twins for weeks now...but...I guess...I’d never had the pleasure of being formally introduced.”

“It...it was like watching a movie. She was walking down the hall, in my direction...and she said hi to me...nothing much. Enough to keep me coming back, y’know?... To want more.” Billy was quiet as Steve spoke, letting him ramble for as long as he wanted - Hargrove was trying to prove a point that he wasn’t sure blockhead could see just yet (that he knew about their relationship but getting Harrington to spill his guts out was even better).

“Then, I remember walking with her - I had to grab my gym bag anyway, and she had the prettiest laugh. I don’t remember what I said, but I remember the feeling of pride...-- Like, I’d done something really good...”

“She said I was nice - she said she liked my hair and - you know, that sent me over the moon,” Steve was laughing softly, trying not to move too much with Y/N’s head rested on his chest.

“I love her, Billy,” he told while glancing the brother’s way - his silence had been a bit mortifying...but Steve didn’t want Hargrove to think he’d actually been terrified to hear what he had to say. “I love her and I know you don’t like it - but...I can’t change how I feel.”

A few minutes passed by, and neither spoke again. Billy had gotten up, exchanging the now thawed peas for a fresh pack of them (mumbling something about the Harringtons’ having too many frozen vegetables). Roughly fifteen minutes of eerie stillness was carried between them - Billy had an arm bent at the elbow, holding his face up. His other hand tapping his jean covered thigh.

Steve was keeping himself occupied with moving the makeshift ice pack around, looking out for missed cuts (which there were a few) and treating them accordingly. Y/N was still propped between his legs, using him as a pillow - her hands rested around his waist peacefully locking him down.

“She loves you a lot, you know.” The suddenness of Billy’s low tone startled the brunette. He had thought that because it’d been quiet for so long...their conversation had long been shut down.

Steve gave a short closed-mouth smile. “You think so?” Harrington asked while shifting the pack to rest on Y/N’s shoulder.

“We have thin walls at home, Harrington. I hear her talking to you for hours on the phone,” Billy noted while shaking his head at the thought. “Did you know our houselines are all connected?” Hargrove was clearly messing with Steve - as if indicating he’d snuck on calls with them...it was a joke...but...coming from Billy - Steve was slow to react.

Steve sighed. “So you know then?” Billy shrugged. “Give or take, I know enough to realize she’s been seeing you for more than a month.”

The curly-blond chuckled. “I know my sister, Harrington. There’s no reason for her to be going on walks a seven o’clock. It’s not like we have a dog.”

“Maybe you’re not as dense as I thought,” Steve jabbed. Billy only grunted in response, not laughing, but not taking too much offense to his words.

Hargrove rolled his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger before saying,” You know - telling me wouldn’t have done anything.”

“You’re saying my head wouldn’t have been on your wall? Like a trophy?” Steve snorted while rolling his eyes,” Yeah - okay.”

“Don’t get pissy with me, Harrington. You’re the one who went behind my back, screwing my sister, amigo.” Billy had him there.

Steve swallowed a sarcastic bite and answered honestly instead,” We were scared you’d not approve--” “Because just doing it anyway helps your case” “--so we just decided to wait till the right moment...” Steve pretended not to hear Billy’s sardonic interruption.

“Was this the moment you were looking for, Harrington?” Billy’s voice didn’t hold its usual arrogant demeanor. He sounded as if he were genuinely trying to talk to Steve. At least there was that much going for Harrington.

“What, you mean at three-am, sitting in my living room - your sister not even conscious for the talk?” he concluded,” No...it wasn’t exactly the ideal moment.” Billy chuckled at that, and Steve joined him. They surely weren’t friends...no...but...they could understand one another and that made all the difference.

“Take care of her, Harrington.”

Billy understood that Steve loved Y/N as much as he did. He cared for her like he did, and only wanted the best for her. Hargrove could see the way Steve looked at her, and it was like she were the only person in the room. The only smile that mattered, the only mind that counted.

Sure, Billy didn’t exactly like Harrington...but he could get over that (for now) because the dipshit somehow made her happy. Steve could make Y/N smile when Billy wasn’t there to do it himself...so he thanked the brunette for that. He thought his sister deserved the world - more than the world really, but if Steve was the only thing the universe had to offer...and that only thing that Y/N wanted from the universe... Billy could understand.

“I will.”

It wasn’t much different for Harrington. He knew that Billy loved Y/N - may be more than he did...they’d always have a bond that Steve would envy. Y/N never stopped talking about her ‘big brother Billy - the coolest guy she knows, the strongest guy she knows, etc’. Steve felt like he knew Billy better than Billy knew...and yet, here they were - sitting roughly half a room apart - the only thing tying them to civility being a girl whom they both loved.

Sure, Steve didn’t exactly like Hargrove...but he could get over that (for now) because he knew no matter what he did or said; Billy would always be her big brother who made her happy. Billy would protect her when Steve couldn’t, and maybe that’s why it was so hard for Billy right now...because he hadn’t been there at all for his sister when she needed him most...and Harrington wondered if it was eating away at Billy’s conscious.

He’d always been so hard to read - whether cross or content - it all looked generally the same (Steve had told Y/N that once and she’d laughed, saying you just had to know the tells...for example when Billy’s nervous - he usually gets antsy and fidgety). Either way, the pain would always be the same... Steve could understand.

“Just because you’re dating my sister - doesn’t make us buddy-buddy, Harrington,” Billy clarified, a wicked half-smirk finding his lips.

Steve rolled his eyes, brushing the hair from Y/N’s face. “I know - it’s not like I’d want to be friends with you anyway...I can only stand one Hargrove at a time.” Before Billy could say anything (he was going to warn Steve that a certain y/c/h haired girl was not asleep...and had been up for quite some time...), Harrington sputtered a sound of shock as he was jabbed in the side.

“Dumbass,” Y/N grumbled, scooting closer to his side.

Steve’s eyes widened and he stumbled to find his words,” Oh - You’re up...how long have you been up...?” His tone was light, and yet - why was his heart racing so fast? She pushed away his hand holding the pack of frosted peas and sat up with a stifled groan. “Long enough, Harrington,” she looked to her brother sheepishly - he returned the simper, Billy was glad the swelling went down - her face almost looked normal again (and Steve was gaping at the fact that Billy was smiling...like genuinely).

Billy began chuckling shaking his head - the waves of relief and security finding him as Y/N seemed..if not okay...she was at least holding up. He was sure shed be in pain for a few days more, the bruises needing some time to heal. Y/N only giggled, wincing at the ache caused by laughter - whoever said it was the best medicine...was a liar.

The little shit she was...she’d been awake for the last ten minutes or so - sleeping with bruises wasn’t easy...he’d know. She was also a terrible actress - while Steve had been talking, busy with cleaning nicks and cuts, Billy had watched how his sister’s face would momentarily contort at the contact of hydrogen peroxide. Billy was very observant, especially when it came to his little sister...he’d have been lying if he said he had never followed Steve’s BMW back to his house before...he was Billy supposed to know where he was taking his baby sister? (Little? -- Billy, we’re the same age! --But you’re way fucking shorter than me, pipsqueak).

Steve was blushing, very confused, but also glad to see Y/N was feeling a bit better. “I was up long enough to hear that...um...Billy....you know...,” she paused eyes drifting to the floor. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you earlier...I think Steve would’ve been in the position I am if we’d told you.” Y/N made a grime gesture to her battered body.

Billy clicked his tongue, standing up to stretch his back and neck. “Nah, he wouldn’t look like that,” his low voice droned out as he began walking towards the door (not before placing a kiss to Y/N’s forehead and gently ruffling her hair). “He’d look much worse if I got to him, kid.”

Steve rolled his eyes, his girlfriend laughing as she pressed a hand, hissing, to her side. That’s what you get for making fun of me, she swore he said that under his breath - the intimation of a smirk creeping on Steve’s sweet lips.

“Where’re you going, B?” Y/N asked while watching her brother reach for the doorknob.

“Home. I’m tired and I have work i--,” “Stay.” Both sets of Hargrove eyes turned to watch Steve with a bewildered manner. Billy gave a huff of amusement, be licked his lips, hand running down the side of his face as he raised an eyebrow at Harrington.

“Come again?” He demanded.

Steve ran a hand through his hair, a small uplift of the corner of his lips sealing his attempt at kindness. “You can stay here - guest bedroom’s upstairs. It’s almost three, man. Just spend the night.”

Billy looked conflicted. Pride and logic always had a hard time understanding one another...a constant battle of the mind. He was so used to doing things on his own...taking Harrington’s charity wasn’t exactly an ego boost.

It bordered his whole issue with having Y/N and Harrington be together in the first place... He’d spent his whole life taking care of himself. Of her. Making sure she was always safe, making sure Y/N never got the worst of it. His father was not a good example of a man, and Billy certainly had his rough edges.

He knew that if anyone were to be with his sister, they’d have to be a man worth her time. First meeting Steve, Billy took him as the same old, same old...playboy wanna-be, who drank too much, partied too often, and flirted too quickly...Steve reminded Billy of himself (not the kind of man he wanted Y/N with).

Over time though...it seemed Steve Harrington was hiding behind a mask. Billy had been skeptical, seeing as good things always came with a sharp end...but...he saw how happy Steve made Y/N...the sincere consideration he put into everything...Harrington had become the only exception.

And still...that battle of pride and logic waged on and Billy wasn’t sure of the generous offer of sleeping at the Harrington estate.

“I can take care of m--,” “I know, I know. You’re a big boy - but...it’s more convenient for you to stay here, Billy.” Y/N cut in, squeezing Steve’s hand in hers as a silent signal of her appreciation. She didn’t want Billy going home...not (without her), anyway. She didn’t care what happened to her - as long as Billy was okay...she knew she couldn’t do much, but if this was what she could grant him - then she’d do everything in her power to keep it that way.

“Harrington.” The soft reply was barely heard, following a thank you in the form of a head-nod, but Steve waved in response. “Y-Yeah, any time man.” 

Billy’s footsteps were fleeting and soon enough, they were alone. Steve puffed his cheeks out, eyes wide as he looked down to her. “You’re trouble, you know that?” Y/N scoffed, moving to stand up - she was thirsty and water sounded good (or alcohol...).

“Woah, woah - slow down there, tiger -- let me help you,” he shot up, arm around her waist protectively, hand holding hers as he walked her in the direction she pointed. He easily lifted her to sit on the countertop (even though Y/N complained he was being dramatic).

A cold glass of water was handed to her, their fingers touching through the pass. Steve stood between her legs and hesitantly placed his hands on her hips, unsure of what pain may lie there.

“You scared me, babes,” he admitted while resting his head on her shoulder, one of Y/N’s hands combing through his hair, the other holding her cup. “I did?”

“Mhmmm,” Steve hummed, turning his head to look at her, his brown eyes outlining the purple on her jawline. His muscles tensing at the thought of Neil’s hands on her. “I was scared - why wouldn’t I be?”

Y/N shook her head, not wanting to cry again. She placed her drink down, and cupped Steve’s face, lifting his head up, their foreheads pressed together. She closed her eyes, soaking in the scent of a faint shampoo and gentle body wash.

“I’m here, I’m breathing...I’m okay, Steve.” Her thumb rubbed a small circle on his skin and Steve melted into her touch. His arms holding him up, on either side of her as she sat there.

Steve couldn't hold himself back any longer; he tilted his head up, lips meeting hers. The faint taste of copper lingering between their kiss - but he didn’t mind. His body shifting to have Y/N’s front weighted to his, he kissed her, a hand coming to delicately - hold her tender face in his palm.

“I love you, so much, Y/N,” only pulling from the kiss to speak, Steve laughed wistfully. “Don’t cry, darling...you’re way too pretty to cry.”

Y/N shook her head, her hands falling down to hug his neck, he closed his eyes, rubbing her back instinctively. His face in the crook of her neck.

“You think Billy’s okay with this?” she whispered.

Steve tsked, glancing at the clock on the kitchen wall, he clicked his tongue,” I’ll give it till eight before he comes searching for my ass.”

--

a/n footer: I know this may not be what you expected...but...it turned out sweet..no? I personally love Steve & Billy interactions, like...they’re not friends - but...they’ve both got something worth being civil for... I hope you all enjoy! <3

Sunsets Back Home pt. 2 will be out very soon! <3 Along with some Steve requests~

Tagged: @the-first-breath-of-autumn-air @dazedimagines @danielathedoll @allisjustok @wallflxvver @naomiiiiiiiiiii04 @frnchpy @kimmydespell @editsbyjenny @dazedimagines @novaddictx @mairalynn416 @wefracturedmotivation @truthdaze @xxcxrolinexx @savingprivatecass @emmalbg @timeladygallifrey @the-first-breath-of-autumn-air @billyhargrovescigarette @krystalane @truthdaze @neverlandsoundsgood @friendlyneighbourhoodmercenary @imarockstar145 @foryoubarnes @winchestergirl907 @anniethepanda 

Tag list is always open!~

[catharrington]

I lost the hug prompt list, but maybe something where person A doesn’t think person B is going to wake up again, goes through angst, only for B to wake up after all and A hugs them which is a shock to them both. I personally see Billy as A and Steve as B

I’d say this qualifies as a hug, like a desperation hug. Nice nice request you know I like the angsty stuff! This might not be exactly what you wanted to see but it’s all I got. Thanks for the prompt!🖤

Warning: tw violence, tw slurs.

***

Two heavy white lights cut across the darkness and the figures it hides. The sheriffs car rustles to a stop and the rusty door bursts open with an ear piercing shove. Every body in front of the lights are motionless, expect for the heavy breathing and dripping sweat. Dripping just as free and messy as blood.

“What the Hell is going on here!” Hoppers voice is a loud roar into the night and it worked like a switch. Two boy’s run from where they were crouched over another limp body off into the woods. But the two holding Billy Hargrove by the arms don’t get to go anywhere because even bruised and bloodied, Billy holds them right back.

Hopper pounds across the short space to where Billy was pinned up againt an old wooden fence. His face painted a glossy wet picture and his bottom lip split down the middle, but grinning with blood on his teeth.

Another person steps from the Jeep, Jonathan, who had ran to get the sheriff and is still a scrambled nervous mess, helps in moving the shocked boy’s off Billy and get them stomach down on the ground. Hopper slaps them with heavy metallic cuffs easy, because it is easy... because he enjoys it.

Billy tumbles forward and groans, his back sore from being pressed against the fence and his front sore from being a punching bag. But his eyes are wild searching around until he finally sees him.

Folded over on the ground, his arms wrapped around his head in a weak attempt at protection, Steve lays motionless.

Billy tries to stand up but his bones hurt too much under his skin; so he stumbles and crawls over to Steve. He touches his messy hair softly, once, scared to, then reaches out and pulls the boy’s heavy body into his lap.

“Wake up, Stevie,” Billy starts muttering without meaning to, he’s desperate and the tears in his eyes hurt more than the fists ever could. “Come on, pretty boy, come on and wake up for me.” But Steve’s eyes stay closed, his eyelashes pretty against his pale skin. But his skin was red, spoiled with globs of blood still gushing from a cut on his hairline. It ran down across his eyes and nose and dripped from the corner of his lips down to Billy’s trembling arms.

“Pretty boy, babe, Stevie,” Billy is begging and shaking him, his voice quiet, “Steve, I need you to wake up. I need you, do you hear me?”

Hopper has the two boy’s who were holding Billy in the back of his Jeep and closes the door in their face with a cold slam. Their leering calls of fags and queers and they got what they deserve shut off with the hardest slam he could muster. But not forgotten.

Jonathan is standing next to him watching Steve and shivering like the last leaf on an autum tree.

Billy’s voice cracks, his throat closing around a sob or maybe bile, he doesn’t know- he just can’t breath. He leans forward and pressed his forehead hard into Steve’s, hating the way that soft bouncy hair sticks flat against his bloody forehead. Hating the way they took that from him. Tears sting his eyes and they fall fat againt sweaty skin; and he hates them so much.

He hates that he cries. He hates that he has something so precious that can be taken from him like this. He hates how he shakes and begs. He hates that Steve is cold.

He hates how he’s already thinking of throwing every thing away to rip into the monsters in the back of the sheriffs Jeep like the animal his father always says he is.

The night is quiet and cold and red. Then Billy’s muscles seize as soft fingers wrap around his bicep.

He snaps his eyes open and blinks through the tears. Steve is awake, soft brown eyes looking up. And he gives Billy the softest smile he’s ever seen.

“I’m okay,” Steve’s voice is weak and low and anything but okay, but to Billy it’s everything important in the world. He lets out a sob, lets himself cry even more, and cups one hand over the bloody side of Steve’s face.

“I’m okay, Bill. Don’t cry.” And Billy can’t help but cry.

[yikesharringrove]

hello!! i was just wondering if there is anything like au’s, kinks etc. that you really don’t vibe with so that myself or anyone else won’t make you uncomfortable by asking you to write about it. much love 💕

Honestly, there’s not a lot I WON’T write. Even if it’s not something I’m into as a human (like kinks and stuff) I’ll still write it, even if it icks me out a little. honestly, my hard lines are like hard lines.

I also want to say who I’ll write. I’m a Harringrove blog, first and fucking FOREMOST, but I love Stommy, Keg Boys, and Buckleway, and would be down as hell to write Stonathan and Stoncy. ( I LOVE Jonathan, but I have trouble writing Nancy. Just can’t find her voice really.)

I’ll put them under the cut bc I’m gonna talk about stuff people may want to avoid, plus she’s LONG

So, I WILL NOT write incest. That includes Billy/Max bc in my brain and how I like to write them is as brother and sister, that they’ve fixed their relationship, so yes. Which leads me to...

I won’t write for any of the kids in a sexual context. Most of the actors are minors, are that makes me feel yucky to think about writing these characters that way. When I’m writing a sex scene between Billy and Steve, in the show, yeah they are teens and that IS underage, but you’re thinking of characters played by ADULTS. Joe Keery is like, almost thirty. He’s a GROWN MAN. That’s why I won’t write the kids like that. This includes writing kid/teen like Billy/Max of Steve/Dustin and aged up, because it just makes me feel weird picturing these real life CHILDREN somehow aged up in sexual situations.

As far as content, I’m okay with most things, including triggering topics. I try my best to give proper tags and warnings, and if it’s something I DON’T have experience with, I do A LOT of research for my fics. I’ve also gone through some serious shit and use writing as an outlet for it, so I don’t mind writing heavy topics. Things that trigger me specifically, are like super weird things (ex: the song Dancing Queen. Yeah. I fucking know. Used to love that song and now I can’t fucking listen to it) so I have the emotional energy to write pretty dark stuff.

I hate Karen Wheeler and fully refuse to write Karen/Billy (outside of like, Karen hit on Billy and it was grsss!) that’s BIG YIKES to me and their scenes made me v uncomfy. I don’t think I could write Billy/Hopper or Steve/Hopper either, they need him as a father, not a daddy.

I won’t write Harringrove as abusive. These two mean the WORLD to me, and tbh they’ve both dealt with enough abuse. Sometimes I’ll see dark fics where one of them is going through something and becomes abusive towards the other in some way, and that’s just not my jam in a pretty big way. I love fluff and softness for these two because they deserve it, and that’s what I write. Most of my angst has happy endings too.

As far as kinks, that’s my hardest line. Like I said, most shit I will write. There’s a lot of kinks I don’t know much about, or would never be interested in trying myself, but I don’t mind researching it to write it. How I actually write kink is to find articles written by people who participate in and enjoy that kink so I can get more of an understanding of it, what it feels like, and why they participate in it/enjoy it, and then usually watch some porn of it. (which is SO FUNNY bc I’m watching like, hardcore kinky porn squinting at the screen with my glasses on figuring out how I’m gonna write and describe stuff lmao) so most kinks I’m fine with putting in the hours. With a lot of kink stuff I feel as long as everyone participating in it is consenting and in a safe environment, then go right ahead! So I’m not weirded or grossed out by much.

HOWEVER. Kinks I won’t write: -Shit. Usually I’m pretty live and let live, scat play is GROSS. Straight up. Full offense meant. Kink shaming is intentional. -Age regression during sex. I’m okay with writing Daddy Kink, and I wouldn’t mind putting in more research to write age regression outside of sex, but I DO NOT want to write something where they are actively pretending one of the participants is a child. That feels kinda questionable to me. Along with this is diapers and things like that in any context. From research I HAVE put into daddy kink, it’s not about actually pretending the dom is your father, it’s more about being taken care of. I am fine with all that, but to have the sub be pretending to be a child just makes something in me feel off when it is in a sexual context. Again, I’d be down to put in the research if you want to request someone who lives as a little or in a state of age regression and have the other person take care of them like a child. It would be pure fluff. I just wanted to make that VERY clear. -Blood in kissing. You’ll see in a lot of Harringrove when Billy has a split lip and they kiss Steve can taste the blood or something, that makes me feel REAL ick. HOWEVER, I’m a big dumb slut for vampires, and am good to write that, or gore, or even some murder boyfriends, it’s just when someone gets blood that’s not there’s in their mouth that’s pretty yikes for me. -Petplay is fine but I don’t want like, actually anthropomorphic

Honestly, I think that’s like, it? I was seriously thinking of kinks that like, personally I would NEVER want to try but like, I would write them. I don’t care. \

One thing you may or may not have noticed is that I don’t use the F-slur. I spent a lot of my life dealing with a lot of internalized homophobia. I identify as queer, (I always write Steve how I feel, where I fall in love with people above being sexually attracted to just like, a gender as a whole and personally, I can’t have sex without emotional intimacy, but that’s more of a trauma thing) I come from a really conservative place and struggled a lot with my sexuality and thought because I do like guys and have feelings for guys, I’m just straight and pushed down all of my other feelings for people of other genders away. It was actually really recently, after I went to college in a liberal city and met all different kinds of queer people I realized that 1. I have had feelings for LOTS of different people throughout my life (I was deeply in love with my best friend in high school in a SUPER gay way and just kept pretending I wasn’t lol) and 2. I don’t have to label myself if I don’t feel comfortable with that. So I call myself queer. Because I considered myself straight, literally until I was like, nineteen, I always thought of the F-slur as the same way I do the N-slur. I believe the word can be reclaimed by people in the groups it was used to dehumanize, but since I felt I WASN’T part of the LGBT+ community, I never used it. Even now that I have accepted that part of myself, the word just still feels very wrong for me to use. I don’t mind reading it, and it’s used really often in Harringrove fics bc Neil LITERALLY says it in canon, but I just can’t bring myself to type it out, so I just don’t. That’s a SUPER weird side note, but that’s why you may see in stuff I’ll skirt around Neil or Billy saying it.

So basically, I’m comfortable writing most things. Sometimes, requests may take longer because I NEED to put more thought into it, or more research or I want to get it right, for example the one I just posted with nb Steve and trans Billy, I did a lot of research and read a lot of things written by trans and nb people about their experiences and feelings, etc. as I’m a cis person and didn’t want it to be insensitive or fetishy or just straight up BAD. But I LOVE writing so FUCKING much, I will put in the time and do research to see your head canons and thoughts come to life.

One thing that takes me FOREVER is historical type prompts. I’m BAD at history, like remembering stuff in general, so while I LOVE to take prompts set in different time periods, please know it’ll take me a thousand years to fill.

If you read all this, thank you, and I’m sorry for going on weird tangents about stuff, I’m kinda weird and my brain doesn’t move in one direction lol. Please keep putting in requests and letting me into your ideas! I love it!

[valyrfia]

Stranger Things 3 First Reactions

I’ve literally just finished Stranger Things 3, let’s discuss:

Definitely this was the biggest season in terms of action. It did feel like a huge summer blockbuster and while it was amazing, there is always the argument that some of the more quiet emotional moments were overlooked in favour of action

The ending...it didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, but I was actually satisfied

Of course I cried buckets BUCKETS when Hopper died, but I figured he would die when he went down to the basement and we knew if one was standing on the floor next to the drill they’d vaporise. Joyce has really bad luck with love interests

Billy was expected, and don’t get me wrong I absolutely hated the guy at the beginning of this season, but they did an okay job of humanising him. Sure I didn’t love him, but his sacrifice was somewhat touching. Hope we see his dad get his comeuppance at some point

And for Eleven to lose her father figure on top of all the other shit she’s gone through...oof. That shit hurts.

I love LOVE that Eleven was adopted by Joyce. I totally thought we were in for a lab abduction, especially with Hopper, her legal guardian, being gone, so I was so glad to be proven wrong.

We’ll finally get Will and El being siblings next season! We’ve been fighting for this from season 1! I for one am absolutely PUMPED. 

I feel like they could end Stranger Things here and I would be totally satisfied. Arc-wise, all the characters are resolved more or less, El has her family and her powers are gone, Will had to come to terms with his lost childhood, the Byers are finally moving away from the town that’s terrorised them since s1, Steve has had his full redemption, Nancy and Jonathan are going to go off to college. It feels like a really good place to end the series. Of course I am DYING for another season (I’ll put my predictions for s4 at the end of this post) but I want to end on a high, and this is quite a high. 

I assume they have a gate open in Siberia then? Or one that we don’t know about? Also Erica is so damn smart knowing full well that those cages were for demogorgans

‘The American’? Do you reckon they have Kali or one of the other numbers? Interesting. 

That being said, I’m not a huge fan that they just decided to go with the usual cliché ‘Russians are the true enemy!’ trope. Are we just going to forget about all the bad shit the American scientists did in the first place?

I feel like they really underused Will this season, Noah Schnapp is a terrific actor, probably one of the best of the kids and while he has some amazing scenes, most of the time he’s just standing at the back of the party being a Mindflayer radar. We saw what he could do in s2 and I really expected the Duffers to take advantage of that. Maybe next season.

Destroying Castle Byers absolutely killed me, it was the one scene that had me full-out sobbing. However that being said, it was a big emotional moment at the end of ep 3 and then wasn’t really mentioned again except in passing. 

Robin was brilliant, an amazing addition to the cast and her chemistry with Steve and Dustin was incredible

I loved the touching scene in the bathroom between her and Steve, I ALSO love how they used ‘The First I Love You’, the same soundtrack that was used for Mike and Eleven’s confession and the parallel to Nancy and Jonathan’s first kiss. Even though the relationship isn’t romantic, they care deeply DEEPLY about each other and Steve being an absolute ally and telling Robin she could do way better was just so heartwarming and actually made me tear up

Max was also incredible. I hadn’t quite warmed to her last season but she’s so fiery and loving and definitely is one of my favourite characters now. 

Max and El’s friendship made me smile so so much. It definitely felt realistic, despite what the reviews said. True some things were a little cliché, like them gushing over boys in magazines and trying on a million clothes at The Gap but the scene where they were spying on random people through psychic tv and where they were cooped up talking in a bathroom felt real. I absolutely loved their dynamic this season, it’s really refreshing to see a female friendship on screen again (considering the last one was Nancy and Barb?)

Tonally, this season felt all over the place. It was definitely more messy (both in terms of what was on screen AND in terms of plot) than the previous two seasons. The stakes didn’t feel quite as high as usual and the tonal shift dampened some of the really emotional scenes. 

Take the whole ‘Suzie Do You Copy?’ scene, the stakes were way high at that point and then we get a full minute and a half of a musical rendition of Neverending Story, it just felt a bit jarring and out of place. 

Also, we learnt about Russian involvement but we still know nothing more about the Upside Down, the Mindflayer or the original Hawkins Lab experiments.

I criticize, but it was still an absolute joy to watch. 

My least favourite out of all the seasons so far perhaps, but it’s still my favourite tv show

SEASON 4 PREDICTIONS

Considering Mike explicitly mentioned Thanksgiving/Christmas I’m expecting season 4 late 2020. Probably Christmas, I could see them releasing it around Christmas time. That’s also about the correct length of time it’ll take to make season 4. Also the Duffers are really big on framing the seasons around holidays. December 2020 calling it now.

We’ll see the gang reunite in Hawkins, obviously. 

The gang would have just started high school and I reckon we’ll see them start to drift apart. 

Mike will be struggling, out of everyone the two people he was closest with were Will and El. Not to mention Nancy will be gone off to college as well. 

We’ll definitely get some Will/El duo scenes and I am beyond hyped. Millie Bobby Brown and Noah Schnapp are such good friends off-screen it’ll undoubtedly carry over to their on-screen chemistry. 

It’s the duo we deserve. 

I want to see El FLOURISH. Hopefully we find out that El has actually gone to school, that she has friends...loads of friends who just think she’s a normal 15 year old girl. I want to see this. 

I hate to be THAT person...but I really hope they address Will’s sexuality. Again, as with past seasons all we got was very explicit subtext. This season is the last they can really dance around the subject. Will will be 15 or near 15 next season, you know who you’re attracted to at that point.

Not to mention that they have Robin in the mix now, someone who’s maybe not publicly comfortable with her sexuality, but has come to terms with it. A mentor figure, if you will. 

Speaking of Will in the plot sense, I do wonder whether they are going to go down the route of him having powers or not. There’s loads of clues and easter eggs about it/parallels with him and El. I was quite surprised they didn’t go down that route this season and didn’t delve any deeper into his connection to the Upside Down/Mindflayer

It would be super powerful and impactful to parallel him having to keep a secret about any potential ‘powers’ from his friends and family with another ‘secret’. In that situation, I can totally see El becoming Will’s confidante for both. But I digress.

The Russians are up to no good. Again.

We’ll definitely see Kali in some shape or form, and maybe other test subjects

There’s that American after all, I do strongly suspect that’s another Hawkins Lab subject, or past employee. 

I do hope they switch up the formula a bit for the big monster in s4, there’s only so many times you can close the gate after all. 

Either way, I want s4 now, not in seventeen months. 

TO ROUND-UP: It’s still got its charm, it’s still got its magic, it’s still got its nostalgia. Stranger Things 3, it’s been a pleasure. Bring on December 2020