#just something to make these unappealing mobs nicer

[bunnymedley]

i wanna commission a minecraft mod so bad but itd probably be rly expensive and idk if mod commissions are even rly a thing...

[hunnywrites]

Arcade Dreams: Chapter Fifteen

Summary: There’s a new girl working at the Palace Arcade and Hawkins’ Family Video. Billy can’t stand her, and the feeling is mutual. No matter what everyone else seems to think.

Pairing: Billy Hargrove/OFC

A/N: This is a little bit of a filler plot, but there is some more ground work being laid out for a future plot line. I told you guys Teddi’s dad would be important! And in about three more chapters some big stuff is gonna be happening. Enjoy!

It was late. Teddi had come home from the arcade a few hours ago and she was trying her damndest to sleep. There was just too much on her mind. Even more so now. When she had come home her parents had been awake and waiting for her. Immediately she started panicking that she was in trouble. That they had found out that she’d snuck out on New Year’s, or that she had had Billy over or that she’d gotten detention. But her mom seemed too happy. Which was almost even more confusing. 

Apparently with her father’s new promotion to the mayor’s office came a big raise. And so now her parents wanted to move to the nicer side of Hawkins. Three doors down from the Harrington’s, in fact. It wasn’t much of a discussion either. They were moving and that was that. Teddi shouldn’t have been that surprised. This had happened before in New York. Her dad had his shitty construction job, he’d gotten his promotion, and he moved the family into this flashy house upstate. But the fact that this was happening again and so soon really weirded Teddi out. There was something going on, she just couldn’t figure out what. 

Then there was also the Billy situation. Walking in on him and Cheryl. She really didn’t like to think about it. Anytime she did she got that weird fluttery feeling in her stomach that she hated. Eventually she realized that she also felt a little jealous. It was impossible not to have a crush on Billy. Even with his bad attitude. She’d had one since the moment he’d walked into the video store for the first time almost a month ago. Had it really only been a month? It almost felt like she’d been hanging out with Billy for years. 

Teddi let out a huff, turning over in bed and staring up at the little glow in the dark stars that she’d stuck to her ceiling. Billy. There was probably some alternate universe out there where everything was different the two of them were dating. There was a chemistry there. She felt comfortable around him. She knew her cheeks got all warm any time he would flirt with her. But that was the thing. Billy flirted with everyone. And he didn’t date. And Teddi wasn’t really up for random hookups in the girl’s locker room with someone she wasn’t dating. It was like all of the puzzle pieces were there, but they couldn’t seem to make them fit together. 

She felt badly about avoiding him. It was the same thing that he was constantly doing that drove her crazy. But she just didn’t want to deal with that problem right now. Not with everything else going on. So she skipped her last period all together so she could avoid a run in with him in the parking lot after school. And when she was at work and she heard the rumble of the Camaro’s engine she ran to hide in the break room and told Keith to cover for her (which he had gotten a big kick out of). But now with the news her parents had dropped on her, Billy was the only person she wanted to talk to. 

The red numbers of her alarm clock were flashing 12:26 AM. It was a Friday night. There was a chance that he was home and still awake. Or out at the lake, probably with Cheryl. Teddi let out a sigh. She threw her covers aside and grabbed her boots and her puffy coat and gracefully slid her window open and out and into the snow. Billy’s house was about a two minute walk from hers. Shorter if she hurried like she was tonight to get out of the cold. 

There was a light on in his bedroom. Thank god. It was dim, but Teddi took it as a good sign. She felt a little badly for dropping in unannounced. But at least he was alone. Teddi peered into his window to see Billy lounged out on his bed with a Playboy in hand. She rolled her eyes and knocked on the window. Billy jumped slightly, his eyes widening a little when he spotted Teddi. He tossed the magazine aside and crawled over to the window before opening it for her. 

“Reading the articles?” she asked.

Billy rolled his eyes. “The hell are you doing here?” okay, so he seemed a little annoyed with her. She could understand that. But he was letting her in. That’s what mattered. Teddi expertly crawled into his room, much more easily than she had when she had been drunk, and plopped down onto his bed. 

“I couldn’t sleep.” she said simply. Billy moved back to his original spot on his bed and crossed his arms. If this had been any other day this situation would feel totally normal. Hanging out in Billy’s room while they listened to music, Neil and Susan none the wiser. But now Teddi was super aware that she was alone with Billy on his bed. And all she could think about was walking in on him kissing Cheryl Burns.

Billy watched Teddi fidgeting nervously at the end of the bed. So much so that it was starting to make him feel nervous. He scratched the back of his neck. “...Is everything okay?” he asked her warily. 

“I’m moving.” she all but blurted out. 

Billy’s eyebrows raised in surprise. Moving? Back to New York? Teddi had only been in Hawkins for a couple of months and now suddenly they were up and leaving? “...What do you mean you’re moving? Where are you moving to?” he asked with a frown. He felt that anger bubbling back. Like when Neil and Susan had announced they were moving to Hawkins. That one shred of happiness was being ripped away from him yet again. 

Teddi fiddled with the end of the t-shirt she’d been wearing to bed. “Apparently Steve and I are gonna be neighbors.” 

Billy let out a soft, relieved laugh. “Jesus. Is that all, Weird Girl? I thought something bad was happening.” he was pretty sure Teddi was the only person that could think moving to the yuppie side of town could be a bad thing. 

Teddi let out a groan and fell backwards onto the bed. “You don’t get it,” she huffed. “There’s something weird going on here with my dad. This is exactly what happened in New York when I was little. The construction job, the promotion, getting all cozy with the mayor. It’s all too similar to be a coincidence, you know?” she paused. “...You think maybe he’s doing something illegal?” she asked, looking over at Billy.

“Are you asking me if I think there’s some sorta secret mob activity going on in that tacky ass mall they’re building? I’m gonna have to say no,” Teddi only pursed her lips. Billy chuckled. “I think you’re just being a little too paranoid there, Nancy Drew.” he teased. And he was probably right. Teddi had read one too many mystery novels growing up and if was starting to get to her. That was all. 

The two fell into a somewhat comfortable silence before Billy finally spoke up. “How come you’ve been avoiding me all day?” and just like earlier today, Teddi was back to avoiding eye contact with him. She hadn’t really been expecting him to bring it up honestly. When she didn’t answer Billy let out a heavy sigh. “Look, I know that I said I’d stop messing around with Cheryl-”

Teddi shook her head and turned to face him. “No, no. Look, you’re a big boy. You’re allowed to date or whatever with whoever you want, okay? I just want you to be with someone that makes you happy. And Cheryl only seems to make you happy for...you know...a couple of minutes.” she said with a small giggle. 

Billy had to admit he felt a little disappointed by her answer. He’d sort of been hoping Teddi would admit the whole thing had made her feel just a little jealous or something. If she initiated things between him it didn’t make him pathetic or weak, right? Instead he smirked down at her. “Oh trust me, it’s a lot longer than a couple of minutes.” 

Teddi felt her cheeks grow hot as she smiled, biting down on her lip. “Whatever, Hargrove. You know what I mean,” Billy couldn’t help but laugh at the sound of Teddi’s giggle. “...What do you think you’re gonna do after school?” she suddenly asked, propping her head up on her hand. 

“What, you mean like college?” Billy asked with a scoff. College definitely wasn’t for him. He hadn’t put enough effort into his school work to get into any decent school on top of the fact that the idea was completely unappealing aside from the parties. 

“Not necessarily,” Teddi shrugged. “Like...in a perfect world, if you could do anything you wanted once you graduate, what would you do?” 

He didn’t even need to think about it. “I’d go back to California.” 

“Really?” she asked. “Even if you could go anywhere in the whole world?”

“In a heartbeat,” he nodded. “I’d give anything to go back.” Teddi didn’t miss the longing look in Billy’s eyes as he thought of home. She was a little jealous. Sure, she missed New York and the city, but it was clear she didn’t miss it anywhere near as much as Billy missed California. You could see the home sickness all over his face. 

Teddi smiled softly at him. “What do you think you miss the most?” she asked. 

“The beach,” it was clear there was no contest. “I used to spend all my time down there. Me and my friends would have bonfires. Real ones. Not like the ones they have here in that shitty steel mill. I had this spot under the boardwalk where I’d bring girls,” he smirked. Teddi smiled and rolled her eyes. “And I’d go surfing. There was always something to do back home. Even if my dad was being a dick and locked my car in the garage. It’s not like here.”

Teddi sat up. “You went surfing? Big, bad Billy Hargrove?” part of her could picture it. She could see that California surfer boy hidden under all the winter clothes. She could picture his hair a few shades lighter from the sun. She could notice the slowly fading tan. But at the same time, Billy Hargrove on a surfboard might have been something that she needed to see to believe.

“I was the best,” that signature cocky grin of his was back. He leaned back against the wall and smiled. “I can’t wait ‘til I get to see the ocean again. Once I leave Hawkins I’m never coming back.” 

“Maybe I’ll go to California one day,” Teddi mused. “I’ve never even seen the ocean.”

“Wait, what?” Billy’s eyes widened and he shook his head almost like he head misheard her. “How is that even fucking possible?” 

Teddi laughed softly. “I lived upstate! It was practically just...yuppie Hawkins. I’ve actually only ever been to New York and Hawkins. We never took family vacations or anything.” There had been a lake a few miles from her house that had what was probably the closest thing to a beach she’d ever been to. It had really small patches of sand and a dock that all the kids liked to jump off of. But she knew it wasn’t anything close to a real beach. 

Billy scoffed again. “You’re definitely going to California.”

“Oh, so we’re going together now?” 

“It’s not like you have anything else planned.” on the surface it sounded like some other sassy comment of his. But the fact that Billy was offering to take Teddi back to San Diego, to the place he clearly loved most on Earth, spoke volumes for how far they had come. Teddi almost wanted to pinch herself to make sure this wasn’t all just a dream. 

“...Do you believe in fate?” Teddi asked after a small moment of silence. 

Billy rolled his eyes. “Oh, here we go…”

Teddi playfully slapped his leg. “I’m serious. Do you?”

Billy was quiet, mulling the question over for a bit before he finally shook his head. “No. ‘Cause life’s way too fucking depressing.” he muttered. He reached over to his nightstand and grabbed his pack of cigarettes. 

“I mean...true,” Teddi said with a sigh. “But don’t you think you and I becoming friends is like...weird? Like the universe meddling in our lives sort of weird?” Billy only raised an eyebrow as he took a drag of his cigarette. Teddi turned to face him, crossing her legs and holding up her hands. “Okay like listen, aside from the...depressing similarities in our lives. We’re totally different people, you know? Like, I wonder if there’s some sort of cosmic reason behind all of this.” 

Billy watched Teddi with an amused look. Sure, it was unusual that he’d ever become friends with someone like Teddi. She liked all of that nerdy shit that Max and her friends liked and he hated. But it wasn’t that weird.

“How can it be so weird if we’re sister signs?” he asked with a grin.

Teddi blinked wildly. “Wha- how do you know we’re sister signs?”

“You told me when you were drunk.”

She grumbled. “...That sounds like something I’d do.”

Billy chuckled and shook his head. “You wanna know what I think?” he asked.

Teddi gave him an unamused look. “That I watch too many movies?” she asked.

He grinned. “Bingo,” Teddi visibly deflated at his comment. “Alright, alright. Let’s say for argument's sake that you’re right. What would the big cosmic reason be?” he asked.

Teddi thought for a moment. “...I don’t know,” she huffed. Billy let out a snort. “What if we’re supposed to figure out whatever shady business my dad’s been up to or something?”

“What are we, the Scooby Gang now?” he asked with a laugh.

“I have the van already,” Teddi grinned. “All we need is a dog.”

“Not sure if I’m committed enough for a dog just yet.” he joked. He held out his cigarette in offering to Tedd. She shook her head. 

“Can’t. My dad shit a fit the other night. My mom told him I came home smelling like smoke.” she said with an eye roll. 

Billy knew that whatever happened hadn’t been as casual as she was trying to convey. She had told him that things had calmed down at home ever since her dad’s promotion. But Billy also knew that guys like their dads could still be unpredictable. Teddi had told him that Chief Hopper had come into the video store about a week before to ask her if things were okay at home. He got why she lied, really he did. But he wished that she would fess up. She seemed pretty sure that a guy like Hopper would actually help. And the world wouldn’t really be missing out if a guy like Greg Larsson was locked up. 

But he wouldn’t pry. Neither of them ever pried. “...Everything okay?” he asked.

Teddi shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Just the same usual shit. Nothing I can’t handle.” and that was that. They would drop the subject. 

“You workin’ tomorrow?” he asked, putting his cigarette out in the nearly full ashtray on his nightstand. 

Teddi shot him a knowing look. “What do you think?” 

Billy pulled a face. “I mean at the arcade. Neil and Susan are going off for some work conference of his or something and I’m stuck with Max. She wanted to rent some movies and have that El girl over again and I am not dealing with a sleepover on my own.”

“So are you asking me to come over and help you control girl’s night?” she asked with a pleased looking smile. 

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, Teddi. You in?” 

She smiled and nodded. “I’m in. It’s my night off from the arcade, but I gotta work at the pool tomorrow afternoon. I’ll call you after my shift. I should probably go though and at least try to sleep,” she grumbled. She crawled over to the window, glaring back at Billy. “And no staring at my ass while I climb out.”

Billy smirked, placing his hands behind his head. “I make no promises, Larsson.” 

Teddi rolled her eyes and muttered out an “ass” before crawling out the window (Billy definitely checked out her ass) and quietly sliding it shut behind her. Billy’s smirk faded a little. Christ was he in deep.