harringroveobsessed

[harringroveobsessed]

Billy and Steve get away from the house party for a little “In Vino Veritas” for @harringrovesummerbingo

[harringroveobsessed]

Childhood best friends Harringrove losing their virginity to each other one sticky hot July night, the summer after their junior year. Whispered declarations of everlasting love as they lay tangled together in the sheets on Steve’s bed. Vowing to be each other’s one and only.

anon...you requested this back in September 2022 and it was at the very bottom of my drafts...I'm so sorry 😭 I'm not sure if you're still in the fandom or not but I finally finished your request!! light smut at the end!

-

He had expected it to be awkward. And, it kind of was, but he hadn’t expected it to feel like this - like what he’d been missing for so long as finally there, right where it was supposed to be.

Their lips had brushed for the first time at the age of 13 and 14, as a dare, at Tommy’s birthday party. And when Steve had pulled away, he saw this confused look in Billy’s blue eyes, his brows furrowed slightly. They’d been friends since the tender age of 6, when Steve had spotted a blond boy with curly hair standing alone at recess on the first day of kindergarten. They���d been inseparable ever since.

But once the girls and boys at the party had begun to giggle at them, they had laughed it off, Billy pushing at his shoulder like he always did, and Steve pushed that evening to the back of his mind, content to forget all about it.

Except, he couldn’t. Whenever he looked at Billy, his eyes went to his lips. Shaped so perfectly, pink like his mother’s azaleas, with a sharp cupid’s bow and plump bottom lip that drove Steve crazy. 

And as they grew, muscles filling out and limbs elongating, jaws becoming scratchy with stubble, Steve still found him beautiful. His eyes, so intense, even when they were staring off into the distance and disconnected from the moment. His hair, always curled and set to Billy’s specifications, smelled of hairspray and cigarettes and Steve loved it. The freckles that dotted Billy’s nose and cheeks made Steve’s knees weak, along with the ones on his shoulders - especially those ones. 

He spent so long admiring Billy and convincing himself that it was nothing, that he never noticed Billy doing it back. Looking when Steve wasn’t. Hooking up with girls that had brown hair and brown eyes. Grabbing Steve’s biceps during gym class and grinning at him knowingly, “You been lifting weights or something?” even though Billy knew they worked out together multiple times a week.

Perhaps it was just building up to this moment, at Steve’s 17th birthday party. His parents had fucked off to wherever they were that month and Billy had convinced him to throw a party, whispering in his ear all week at school.

“C’mon, dancing queen. You’re only seventeen once.”

‘Dancing queen’. As if Billy listened to ABBA. 

Obviously, he gave in. He told a few people, who told others, and those others told their friends, and now here Steve was, being helped upstairs to his room by Billy. A strong arm around his waist, both of them giggling drunkenly as they get into the room and Billy shoves him onto the bed with a grin.

“Sleep it off, Stevie,” he hummed, not even bothering to look away as Steve rolled onto his back and began to undress, always one to sleep in just his briefs when he was drunk.

“I’m—" a hiccup, “I’m gonna, okay? S’your fault for giving me so many shots...” He mumbled as he kicked off his jeans, feeling Billy help him when they got caught on his ankles. He managed to open his eyes - unsure of when he’d closed them - long enough to see Billy standing at the foot of his bed, a soft smile on the blond’s face. “You gonna sleep here?” He asked softly.

Billy had nodded, “Yeah. M’not tired, though.” There were still guests downstairs, after all. And Steve trusted his best friend to make sure everyone left or had a place to sleep before going to bed himself.

“‘Kay,” Steve whispered, “G’night.” 

“Night, Stevie.”

When Steve woke up the next morning, his brain feeling way too big for his skull, he found Billy next to him, asleep. And despite the hangover, Steve had sleepily blinked through the waves of nausea to admire Billy in the morning sun: messy hair, thick eyelashes casting a shadow fanning across his cheekbones, and his lips slightly parted with deep breaths. Clothes missing except his briefs, so comfortable and safe in Steve’s bed.

Steve’s heart had skipped a beat and he knew he was in love with Billy in that moment.

He’d always been a fool for love, but with Billy, it was different. It ran deep, something that felt like it was in his DNA, like he’d been made to love Billy Hargrove before he even knew it.

In the summer after their junior year, it all came to a head, when he kissed Billy in his backyard.

It was a hot July evening, and instead of melting in his room, Billy had shown up on Steve’s front door with a six pack of beer, a towel over his shoulder, and a familiar smile as he asked, “Wanna go for a dip?”

And who was Steve to deny him anything?

-

The sun is hot but at least the beer is cold, Steve thinks as he leans back on a recliner and sips at the lip of his can, watching Billy flop down in the recliner next to him, cracking his beer open with a happy hum. 

It’s easy, with Billy. They’re assholes to each other but it’s the way they work. Snide comments, mean smiles, soft looks, inside jokes. They talk and drink for the entire afternoon, finally taking a dip in the pool once their skin is hot to the touch, and even then they’re splashing each other because it’s a competition and Billy never backs down, keeps poking Steve until he gets a reaction.

Maybe that’s why Billy swims him into a corner, a smirk on his flushed face, water clinging to his eyelashes and soaked curls. Steve lets himself be cornered, a hand resting on the edge of the pool as he grins at his best friend, ready to splash the blond but Billy has this look in this eye then. Something a little intense, a little serious, and it makes Steve freeze. 

He sees the way Billy’s eyes flick down to his lips, for just a second, but it’s long enough that Steve notices. 

And, he freezes, for a moment. The tension is thick and Billy falters, that cocky expression slipping away to uncertainty for a moment, like he's realizing that he's made a mistake.

Steve hates it. Hates that Billy would think for even a second that he wouldn't want this.

So, he pushes off the wall a bit, until he's pressed up against his best friend and he's clumsily pressing his lips to Billy's for a second before pulling away, eyes wide.

Billy's eyes are equally as wide, his jaw dropping a little in surprise.

And because Steve is Steve, he breathes, "I'm sorry."

Which has Billy blinking in confusion, his brows furrowing for a moment before he huffs in exasperation and splashes Steve in the face again.

"What the fuck!" Steve coughs, feels the chlorine burning his nose and eyes as he wipes at them, and when he opens them Billy is climbing out of the pool, the wet muscles of his back flexing under the sun so perfectly that Steve is stunned into silence at the mere sight.

Billy stands and turns around, an expectant look on his pink face as he stares down at Steve, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. He waits a moment before asking, rather impatiently, "Are you getting out or what?"

"Are you going to throw me back in when I do?" He asks cautiously, already swimming to the edge where Billy had just lifted himself out from.

"You're making me want to, the longer you stay in there," Billy mutters, watching Steve climb out of the pool and standing there just a few feet away.

They look at each other for another moment, unsure of what to do, because it's settling in that they kissed without a dare or an audience and it meant something.

"Do it again," Billy mutters suddenly, almost whispers.

And Steve doesn't need to be told twice.

He steps close, their chests nearly touching, leaning in to press another kiss to Billy's lips - when he feels a shove to his chest and he's indeed flailing backwards into the pool.

When he resurfaces, Billy's frowning down at him and all but hissing, "Why the fuck would you apologize?"

"I don't know!" Steve gasps with desperation, a hint of a whine in his voice as he swims back to the edge of the pool, pushing his wet hair back from his face and glaring up at Billy as he folds his arms over the edge of the tile, "I...I panicked, I guess."

"Yeah, no shit," Billy huffs, his mouth twitching, "C'mon. Get out."

Steve gives him a look, which makes the blond roll his eyes before taking a step back from the pool, a safe distance away from Steve as he climbs back out again.

And then Billy's charging at him again, and Steve tenses and squeezes his eyes shut, expecting to feel himself thrown back in the pool, but then there's only warm skin and strong arms around his shoulders, pressing him down into the earth, and then Billy's demanding mouth against his.

His mouth is wet, hot, sucking Steve's tongue inside with a soft sound. Steve's immediately wrapping his arms around Billy in return, pressing into his body, tilting his head as he lets Billy claim his mouth.

It's aggressive, a little rough, so Billy.

The blond pulls away, his lips so red now, his eyes so blue under heavy lids as he whispers in a tone Steve can't refuse, "Upstairs."

They track water inside, but no one's around to give them shit for it, and it's hard for Steve to care when Billy's pushing his shorts down, so beautifully naked and hard in Steve's bed.

He pushes his own shorts down and climbs onto his bed, crawling on top of Billy and letting his best friend pull him down, feeling a hand gripping the soft-firm muscle of his ass, encouraging him to rock his hips down.

"Billy," he breathes, slotting his thigh between the blond's, their lips meeting again in a kiss as they rock together, desperate and needing and wanting.

Billy moans into his mouth, the sound so low and rumbling, settling in Steve's chest where he never wants it to leave.

It's embarrassingly quick, their first time, with the sensation of their cocks sliding together so slick and hot, pushing each other over the edge with a gasp and hissed curse.

And under that gauze of bliss, where Steve feels like he's floating, he begins to talk.

"Want you forever," Steve murmurs, unable to stop the swell of affection in his chest as Billy begins to rock under him again, their bodies so intertwined he didn't know when he started and Billy ended.

"One and only," Billy whispers, his voice a little shaky, staring up at Steve with such raw vulnerability, "You."

"Don't want anyone but you, Billy," Steve smiles gently, leaning down and pressing sweet little kisses to Billy's warm cheek, again and again, and Billy accepts them without complaint.

In fact, he looks pleased, with his own soft smile and pinked cheeks.

He looks happy.

Glowing with it, maybe.

Steve wants to see him like this, forever.

"It's always been you, and always will be," he promises, gently bumping the tip of his nose against Billy's, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, "Gonna love you forever, whether you want it or not."

"I do, want it," Billy whispers, his voice cracking a little with emotion, his blue eyes so wet as he clings to Steve, "Promise?"

"I promise," Steve murmurs, kissing him again and again in his too-hot room, humming happily when Billy whispers his own promise against his lips.

[harringroveobsessed]

quiet morning after a downpour.

for @harringrovesummerbingo prompt - summer storm

[harringroveobsessed]

I just finished reading a F1 fic where a racer "sponsors" another racer on the condition that when they both reach a certain age, the first one is allowed to call the sponsored one for sex whenever he likes. And it's a little twisted but they do like each other and the sex is hot.

And it made me think of how that would work in other universes. Like which of our boys come from families wealthy enough to sponsor another boys military academies and training so that when they end up as navigators/pilots/engineers/etc together the contract comes into play, and what that would look like if it were common knowledge and common place.

I'm not sure of the best pairing for it. Maybe Steve/Billy? Or Steve/Johnathon?

Sorry for the ages it took me to respond, I’m still alive ❤️

Fucked up, disgusting, power dynamics but make it sexy??? Tag me in 😄

Y’all know I’m Harringrove ho so that’s where my mind went! Obvs Steve is the sponsor and Billy the sponsored 😉 My mind is EVERYWHERE for this one so this might be completely incoherent!

It’s been normalized so much that people don’t think twice about this set up, but Billy is very much disgusted with it. However, I t’s necessary to achieve his dreams so he reluctantly goes with it.

Steve, as a spoiled rich kid, doesn’t think too much of it but does feel an inkling of discomfort with the set up but doesn’t know why at first. He thinks it’s because Billy’s so mean to him. He also doesn’t understand why that turns him on so much 😈

I think it’d be fun to explore them learning from each other and slowly understanding just why the set up is so gross and feeling conflicted over enjoying it so much despite knowing it’s wrong.

Also, I would liiive if Billy went into it thinking he’d have to bottom every time (because fucked up power dynamics for the win) and being bamboozled when Steve wants to be railed six ways to Sunday.

There’s be so much fighting and of course it ends in sex every time, terrible angst over whether it’s real or just the contract… le sigh. Cutting myself off here before I ramble too long because I’ve got shit to do today, but what a fun idea to explore 👀

[harringroveobsessed]

[harringroveobsessed]

They don't care if it's the hottest summer of the decade. The jackets stay on. They say it helps with their "tough" street cred (not really), getting them inside exclusive places (pizzeria across the arcade that nearly blacklisted them twice), and they could bed whoever they want (they only ever have eyes for each other since they were kids), as long as the jackets stay on. @harringrove-summer-exchange this is my exchange for @billyharringson , I hope you like it :-)

[harringroveobsessed]

Billy Hargrove who finds himself on Steve’s couch late at night for the millionth time. Who needed somewhere to go but can’t imagine going anywhere else.

Who says “sure” when Steve suggests staying up late to watch a movie, because Steve can’t sleep sometimes too, and Billy is a lot of things but he tries not to be a hypocrite.

Who suddenly finds himself tucked into Steve’s side because Steve’s touchy. And Billy doesn’t really know how to deal with this.

Steve’s wrapping an arm around Billy’s shoulders, shoving so close that Billy’s right arm doesn’t really have anywhere to go and his hand ends up on Steve’s leg. Steve’s fingertips are curling gently around the back of his neck, his thumb brushing up, down the tip of his spine, along the base of his skull under his hair and back again. It’s maddening. Billy’s going to die.

Steve doesn’t even seem to realize he’s doing it. Too focused on the movie, occasionally chuckling to himself. It’s embarrassing, actually, that Steve can be touching Billy this much and not even seem remotely bothered. Billy doesn’t like that.

Then Steve’s shuffling again, and his thumb pushes into the side of Billy’s skull right there between his spine and his ear, to tip his head so Steve can nudge their temples together. Like it’s nothing. Like it’s normal.

And Billy allows himself a shaky sigh and tries to relax into it. Shifts so his head is leaned more comfortably against Steve’s, tries to breathe into the gentle stroking motions instead of feeling like he needs to crawl out of his skin to escape how soft it all is.

Finally manages to say Steve’s name, to try and get his attention. Just – because he needs it. He’s completely plastered to Steve’s side and his heart is thumping against his ribs and he needs Steve to just look at him.

“Steve,” he says, and it’s way softer than he meant it to be. It’s practically fucking delicate. He wants to choke himself.

Steve looks at him, though, which makes it worth it. Blinks at him slowly, lashes low, the only light from the tv. The colors are all odd, the shadows cast funny from Billy’s perspective. The blue line of his nose, the brown of his eyes turned black. “Billy?”

Billy can’t stop looking. It’s like Steve’s eyes have him in a death grip. The scene must change, because suddenly his eyes go from bottomless black to an amber that might as well be glowing from the inside, warm and molten.

“I…” he has to say something. Anything. He’s suddenly extremely aware of his hand that ended up on Steve’s leg – when had that happened, again? “This is… nice.”

A tiny smile curves just the corner of Steve’s lips. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Billy echoes, suddenly breathless. Out of words. He’s gone. He’s so fucking gone. Steve has to stop looking at him.

The hand on Billy’s neck moves and for a moment Billy thinks Steve’s going to let go, and his stomach twists. But no, Steve’s just moving again, half-facing Billy at this point, keeping him close as the arm on Billy’s shoulders curls around his neck. Keeping him still. Billy’s arm is suddenly freed and it feels wrong, so he twists his fingers up in the fabric of Steve’s shirt. Holding on, because if Steve’s going to trap him here, then Billy’s not going to let him go, either.

Steve’s eyes keep moving, flicking over Billy, who can tell because his lashes keep fluttering. Steve nudges closer, knocking their temples together again, then pulls back just enough to slot their noses together instead. Billy can feel the heat of Steve’s breath on his mouth.

“Steve,” he whispers again. He can’t close his mouth all the way, lips parted, fucking waiting like a girl. “We shouldn’t…”

“Shouldn’t… what?” Steve’s thumb has moved from Billy’s neck and is now caressing the underside of his jaw.

Billy closes his eyes. “You’re too close.” It’s the worst lie Billy’s ever told. Steve’s not close enough. “Can’t… be this close.”

“Why not?” Steve’s voice is a low murmur, this gentle, warm thing. “We’re not doing anything.”

Billy’s breath is rattling in his chest. Can’t even fucking breathe smoothly.

“I’m not moving unless you tell me to.”

Billy squeezes his eyes shut tighter. Steve’s just killed him, with those words. Billy can’t tell him to move, Steve must know that.

Something brushes Billy’s half-open mouth.

“Don’t,” Billy manages. His fingers have sunk into the hair at the nape of Steve’s neck, and he doesn’t remember doing that. He sounds broken, even to himself. “Don’t move.”

Steve’s so close that their lips are brushing on every exhale. His eyes are closed, just holding Billy close. Not kissing him, just... resting, with their mouths together. It’s torture. It’s perfect. Billy wants to live here, in the space between Steve’s open lips. He’s clinging to Steve’s shirt and the back of his head, begging him not to go anywhere.

Steve’s breathing is quiet and slow, like he’s content to just be here, to hold Billy so close. Billy feels like he’s dying, but that’s fine.

Billy’s not even sure he kisses Steve.

His mouth moves a little, trying to form words, but Steve’s mouth is like – inside his own, so there’s nowhere to go and his lips press closed around Steve’s bottom lip and Steve does the same thing at the same time and Billy’s fucking kissing him. He’s kissing Steve Harrington.

It stays like that for longer than Billy would ever be okay with, normally. But Steve’s so clearly savoring it and Billy just lets him. Feels helpless to do anything but let him. Steve kisses him in these little brushes, like each kiss is still an accident, like their mouths are moving and just happen to be around each other’s.

Billy’s still clutching at him like he’ll disappear at any moment, and Steve must take pity on him or something, because he finally cups Billy’s face in both his hands and kisses him properly. Kisses him with such intention and slow, aching affection that Billy might as well be a puddle on his stupid expensive couch.

Steve’s fingers find his own then, gently prying Billy’s hand out of the fabric of his shirt. For a moment a surge of panic floods Billy’s system, because no, no no no, Steve’s pulling away. He grips Steve’s hand desperately, kissing him again, hasty and hard.

Steve laughs, then, a breathless little sound. “Hey.” He nudges their noses together again, like before, then nuzzles Billy’s face, the curve of the bridge of his nose fitting just right against Billy’s cheek. “I’m not moving, remember?”

Billy closes his eyes, and feels the strands of Steve’s hair beneath his fingers. Nods.

“Not going anywhere unless you say so.”

[harringroveobsessed]

Blind marriage au pretty please!🥺

thank you anon!! I’ve had so many comments and tags asking for more so here we go with part 2!!

part 1 of this

“So… there’s a slight problem.”

Steve lay on his side in bed, all curled up, holding his phone. Watching as a still-exhausted Billy addressed the camera. Billy looked… annoyed, amused? Something, with a bit of spark in his eyes that wasn’t there before.

On screen, Billy turned his laptop around to face the camera. Showing off the Google form in its basic purple hue, clicking over to the results tab, which had –

“Two hundred people,” Billy deadpanned. “Two. Hundred of the two million people who saw that dumb thing. Two hundred of you apparently live in my area — or are willing to move here, which is insane.”

Billy was doing that thing where he waved his hands around while he talked. It was endearing. Steve giggled a little, watching him.

“ – check all the other boxes as well,” Billy was saying. “I just, what the fuck, guys. The majority of you all are college students in the area. Uh, that makes me a little nervous to be honest, just because… my apartment is closest to my school, and either you’d have an obnoxious commute to get anywhere else or I’d have to move, which… is not happening.”

Steve watched as he tousled his hair with one hand. Pretty golden curls tumbling down around his face.

“Anyway, I’ve been… going through everything and I realized I forgot to ask you for your Instagram handle if you applied. Which means I can’t just DM people I think would be a good fit.” Billy gave the camera a stare and a slow head shake, eyes slightly widened, like he couldn’t even believe himself. “So if you’re watching this and I read your name right now, send me a message. Hopefully this reaches you. I mean, it would be weird to apply to marry me and then not follow my… but whatever.”

Oh shit, so this was it. Billy was listing the final round of applicants. He was rambling a little about his reasoning — the whole proximity thing, age gaps, people already in college and the conflicts. Steve was only half paying attention to any of that, mostly just enjoying watching Billy’s pretty face.

“ – be great, but. Okay, next… Steve Harrington.”

Steve immediately bluescreened so hard he didn’t catch anything else Billy said.

He frantically scrambled to scroll back.

“Steve Harrington. I know you’re not in LA but you said you’d been wanting to move, so there we go. DM me, you know the spiel at this point.”

And then he went on to talk about someone else, and then he was giving a little closer, and Steve just couldn’t be bothered to watch the rest. He was already clicking over to Billy’s profile for the weirdest DM slide he’d ever sent in his life.

Stevie.Harrington << so I know this is forward, but… wanna get married?

Billy wasn’t sure what to expect when he read out the names. How many people would see it, how many would actually DM him. Retention and all that. It felt like each round of this whole hellish game-show he’d created for himself just got smaller and smaller. But maybe it would be fine.

Hours after the video is out, he had three messages.

One from Hannah, a girl from LA, who sent a very polite “hey, you read my name, just reaching out” sort of message. Simple, easy to deal with, thank god.

Another girl named Brooke sent a message starting with a winky face. Cute. “Still got it,” Billy muttered to himself, unable to keep the smile from his face. Even desperate and exhausted, apparently.

And lastly — “so I know this is forward, but… wanna get married?”

Which dragged an honest snort of a laugh from Billy’s throat.

Not many guys had applied, and even fewer had made the cut, so Billy hadn’t really been expecting any of them to text. And he remembered Steve’s application, a little. He clicked on Steve’s profile for the fun of it.

Well.

Alright, Steve Harrington was definitely getting a message back.

Steve was on facetime with Robin when it happened.

billyhargrove >> hey pretty boy

billyhargrove >> moving a little fast, don’t you think?

The squealing sort of sound Steve made was mortifying. Girly, even.

“Woah, what happened?” Robin asked, her eyes wide. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Steve managed, quickly switching over to Instagram. “Remember that stupid thing I did with that hot guy and the form and – ”

“Steve, tell me you didn’t actually fill it out,” Robin groaned. “I thought that was a joke, I didn’t realize you were actually that stupid!”

“Your mistake.” Steve rolled over onto his front, his phone propped against his pillow, feet in the air. “Robs you don’t get it, he’s so hot, and I made it to the final round – ”

“This is like, the worst season of The Bachelor I’ve ever seen,” Robin said. “Little Stevie fawning because the guy everyone’s competing for gave him a rose. Aww.”

“Shut up, I have to think of a good response.”

“Oh, yeah, get your lady-killing pants on. Because your success rate is soooo high these days.”

“I can’t believe my best friend hates me,” Steve dead-panned back. “My best friend in the whole world wants me to suffer and die alone. Wow.”

“I hope this guy likes drama queens.”

Stevie.Harrington << isn’t your deadline in like a month? thought you’d like a guy who doesn’t drag his feet

“You know what we need? A zoom call,” Robin said suddenly. “You get all quiet when you’re typing and it sucks. I wanna see. Share your screen or something.”

“I am not zoom calling you so you can virtually peep over my shoulder.”

“Wow. You hate me so much. My best friend won’t even – ”

“Robin I love you so much,” Steve said seriously. “I will not start a zoom call for you.”

billyhargrove >> thoughts on a summer wedding?

billyhargrove >> I’m thinking early August, beachside, small crowd, you know, nice and intimate

Stevie.Harrington << wow. is this your way of saying you can’t afford a venue? or food for guests? not even gonna romance me?

billyhargrove >> can you afford it?

Stevie.Harrington << …no

billyhargrove >> beach wedding it is

“This guy’s an asshole,” Steve declared. “He’s already decided when and where we’re getting married. No input from me.”

“You’re not getting married,” Robin said.

“I dunno, maybe I am.”

“Steven I swear to god.”

“I’m serious!” Steve blurted, looking at her face on the screen. “I’ve outgrown this town, Robin. No one my age is here anymore, and at some point being friends with high schoolers gets weird, man. And I’ve always wanted to go to California. And… I don’t know. It’ll be a fresh start, you know? With someone there to help me find my place.”

Robin sighed. Put her chin in her hand. “You know you could have come with me to New York.”

“No, I couldn’t,” Steve insisted. “I couldn’t. I’d hold you back. You’d be too busy worrying about me to have all the fun you’re having. Making new friends and everything. You know I’m right.”

Robin chewed her lip. “But running away to California as seems like a bad backup plan, Steve.”

“I’m not running away, Robs,” Steve promised. “I’ve thought about this a lot. Not the marriage thing, but… moving. I’ve been thinking about it since before you left.”

She sighed. “I know.”

“Yeah.” Steve smiled a little. “It’s okay. I’ll be okay. And it’s an adventure, you know?”

She still looked skeptical, but eventually she nodded. “Yeah. Just don’t forget to call me once you’re married to this random hot guy.”

He snorted. “Never, Rob-Bob.”

“Alright, dingus.” She grinned at him. “Talk to you tomorrow. Good luck sexting.”

“What? I’m not — ” but she had already hung up. “…okay.”

Steve flopped onto his side with a huff. Robin was the worst. She was the best, but like, she was the worst. Anyway.

Stevie.Harrington << I’ve never actually been to the beach

billyhargrove >> What.

billyhargrove >> god I guess that makes sense, you did say you were from Indiana

billyhargrove >> I think I’d die

billyhargrove >> like instantly on the spot combust without the ocean

Steve snickered to himself, curling up a little in bed. And Robin said he was a drama queen.

Stevie.Harrington << guess you’ll just have to show me what I’ve been missing out on ;)

billyhargrove >> oh you have no idea, pretty boy

Stevie.Harrington << so… I gotta ask. how many other people are you texting right now? what’s my competition look like?

billyhargrove >> like for the marriage thing?

billyhargrove >> honestly you’re the only one I’ve had a proper conversation with yet

Stevie.Harrington << damn. should I fly out to LA?

Steve held his breath, heart racing. This was crazy. This was fucking crazy. He was not going to get married to this guy.

billyhargrove >> you wanna?

billyhargrove >> I mean you got this far, but

billyhargrove >> for real?

Stevie.Harrington << what, got cold feet?

billyhargrove >> fuck no

billyhargrove >> just I figured I’d be marrying whoever the fuck agreed to this you know?

billyhargrove >> so it’s crazy that you’re like, sexy and funny and shit and you wanna go through with this

Stevie.Harrington << how about I fly out to LA, we go on a date or two to make sure we won’t be miserable, and then have a really shitty beach wedding

billyhargrove >> shit, pretty boy

billyhargrove >> thought you’d never ask

[harringroveobsessed]

My fic for @alicetallula as part of the @harringrove-summer-exchange.

Read on AO3 here.

Prompt:  The boys having fun while on vacation at the beach, surfing, sunset walks on the sand, cocktails and dates by the seaside, being happy while at the beach.

“Motherfucker!”

“Seriously Steve?” Billy couldn’t help but roll his eyes as his boyfriend attempted to bury his whole face into Billy’s chest, “You’re a grown man who fought literal monsters and you are freaking out over a shitty movie?”

“It’s different,” Steve insists, “What am I supposed to do if a damn ghost is coming for me, it’s not like I can hit it with my bat is it?”

Billy snorts. He can laugh about it now sometimes, when the nightmares slow down for a little while but 1985 and 1986 in good old Hawkins, Indiana were a real shitshow.

The fact that Billy’s still in Hawkins is a whole other thing. He and Steve have an apartment here, Billy might as well go on down and buy the pair of them a shared plot at Roane Hill Cemetery he’s that convinced they’re never getting out of this town.

There had been opportunities to leave but the timing was never quite right, Billy was still recovering or Max was still recovering. Then the shitbirds were graduating high school, normal life shit got in the way and now it’s 1988, three and a bit years since Steve kissed the apparent sanity out of him and Billy’s never left.

Billy turns his eyes back to the movie and watches as the fog spreads ominously across the beach, “At least those fuckers got to fight their monsters in California, lucky bastards.” Billy sighs mournfully, “Steve, I would have loved to kill a ‘gorgan on the beach.”

Steve doesn’t respond but Billy feels him smile into the kiss that’s pressed to Billy’s neck.

☼

Steve’s been acting weird the week leading up to Billy’s birthday.

He was real cagey the few times Billy caught him whispering into the phone, all but fleeing into the shower after claiming to be just gossiping with Robin. Billy didn’t quite buy it, Steve is a lot of things, but a good liar has never been one of them; Billy shrugged it off figuring it was just them being weird, he’s used to it at this point from the two of them.

Billy comes to the sobering realisation it must be about his birthday, realises it after a whole week of Steve giving Billy these looks. Guilty looks but with a hint of excitement, like Steve is hiding something … and he’s happy about it? Jesus, Billy hopes Steve isn’t going to throw him a surprise party again, he spent the first 20 minutes of his 19th birthday party sobbing into Steve’s shoulder in front of everyone he knows, and he’d really love not to relive that mortifying experience.

The morning of Billy’s 21st birthday Steve wakes him up with a kiss as normal, then a mind-blowing round of morning sex before leading him to the kitchen for coffee and pancakes. All in all, a perfect morning in Billy’s eyes.

He spends most of his workday musing over what the hell he should be expecting tonight since nothing of his morning was a surprise. Billy parks his car, he half expects to come home to an apartment full of freshly turned 18-year-olds throwing streamers in his face, surely Steve wouldn’t try that again, please. Quickly Billy throws open the door and hearing nothing but quiet music, he slowly opens his eyes realising he had closed them on reflex expecting… something.

Billy walks further into the apartment and finds nothing but their dinky little table set up for two, decked out in the fancy tablecloth and tableware Steve stole from his parent’s house all those years ago.

“There’s my birthday boy!” Steve croons, balancing two steaming plates as well as the bottle of wine in the crook of his elbow, “Are you hungry? I made your favourite.”

Billy’s eyes narrow in suspicion, “Yeah,” he says slowly, “Where is everyone else?”

“Everyone else?” Steve laughed, setting down the plates and leaning in for a kiss, “What? You want me to throw you a party now?”

Billy allows the kiss, despite his concerns. “Steve, I know there is some kind of surprise, you’ve been about as subtle as a brick. You going to fuckin’ propose or something?” Billy’s joking, mostly but he still gets his kicks watching as Steve’s cheeks light up a pretty pink and the way his boyfriend stumbles over his words.

“Oh my god, no Billy!” Steve groans, he pops one hand on his hip and wags his finger in Billy’s face like he’s a misbehaving child, “Would it actually kill you to just be good for once and wait?���

Billy grins, “It just might babe, you never know.”

“Sit the fuck down and eat your food asshole.”

Billy scoffs but does as he’s told and sits the fuck down and eats his food, though not without the occasional pout sent across the table.

Steve makes him wait until their plates are clear, then moves them over to the couch with their wine where he finally pulls out an envelope that was nestled behind the cushion and hands it to Billy.

Billy tears open the envelope, desperate for this whole surprise ordeal to be over so Steve can start acting like a normal person again and it’s – it’s just a birthday card. Billy raises an eyebrow at his boyfriend in question.

Steve rolls his eyes but he’s smiling all fondness, when he places a hand on Billy’s thigh, “Well? Open it up then babe.”

Billy opens the card. Blinks once, twice, three times before he finally registers what is inside. Stuck with tape to the opposite side of the card where Steve’s wrote his usual sappy shit that he writes in Billy’s cards are – plane tickets. Two plane tickets to California, dated three days from today; Billy doesn’t even register that he’s crying until Steve’s warm hand is at Billy’s cheek gently wiping away a tear.

“Bills, I promised you three years ago now that I’d take you home one day, I’m sorry it took me so long and I’m sorry it’s just a vacation.” Steve pauses to sniffle and dash away a few tears of his own. “I-um.”

Suddenly, the couple of inches between them is too far and Billy pounces, cuts Steve off and kisses him, kisses him, kisses him. “Don’t apologise, don’t you dare. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.” Billy breathes between kisses, voice full of wonder, “I get to – you’re taking me home.”

☼

The beach is even better than the one from Billy’s memories. The salt on the air, the heat on his skin and Billy’s hit all at once by the feeling of bittersweet nostalgia that clouds his vision with tears.

“Hey baby,” Steve wraps his arms around Billy’s waist from behind, pulls him in while pressing kisses into his hair. “Are they good tears?”

Billy nods shakily and hears Steve let out a small sigh of relief. They stand for a minute, just soaking in the view as Billy tries to breathe through the memories coursing through his brain. He thinks of his mom, thinks of Tyler the first boy he ever kissed on this very beach, thinks of Neil catching them and – nope, shuts down that memory real fuckin’ quick.

Billy turns in Steve’s arms and finds Steve watching him with a gentle smile, he gets caught on that smile and the way Steve’s hair moves with the ocean breeze; Billy captures a mental polaroid of the moment, thinks about Steve who loves him so much he brought him to the beach, and adds it to his collection.

“I love you so much.” Billy’s voice comes out hoarse, he clears his throat and tilts his head to kiss Steve hard, right there on the beach and - fuck you, Neil. “Thank you.”

Steve’s face softens as it always does after Billy gets a little mushy, he lifts a hand from Billy’s waist up to his cheek “I’d do anything for you, and this? Not exactly a hardship babe.” Steve says before pulling away, “Wait here, don’t move!”

Billy does as he’s told for once and stays put, digs his toes in the sand, feels the scorching heat of it from the midday sun, lets the feeling burn through him and be washed away when the water crashes gently at his feet. A tap on the shoulder has him turning to Steve and Billy can’t be held responsible for the shocked sudden laugh that falls from his lips.

“Surfing!” Steve says, grinning like a loon, “It’s first on the itinerary!”

“Surfing.” Billy repeats with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, it’s not like he isn’t fuckin’ dying to get back on a board, it’s just, “You’re going to surf too?”

Steve huffs, “I was captain of the swim team for years babe, it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t ask if you were going to swim. You rented those right, you didn’t think to get like, a teacher or something?”

“I don’t need a teacher, I have you. Anyway, I bet I’m a natural talent!”

Steve was absolutely not a natural talent.

Billy watched him wipeout five times until he had to plead with his boyfriend to stop. Steve clearly wasn’t having fun and Billy was a nervous wreck each time that head of tousled hair he so loved took a little bit too long to resurface. Steve was frustrated at first but was assuaged by simply floating on his board and cheering for Billy when he caught a good wave. Billy can’t believe he almost forgot this feeling, his mom used to always call him her little water baby and being back on a board felt like greeting the sea again as an old friend.

Steve had wandered off after an hour or so of floating and when Billy finally washed ashore, he found him chattering happily with a mom and her kid. Steve was wielding a little yellow bucket and assisting the girl with her sandcastle, tongue poking out in concentration as he focussed on shaping the tallest tower while the girl shrieked happily beside him.

The whole scene melted Billy a little, made him think about Steve and kids and what a good dad Steve would be and maybe Billy could be - Jesus the sun must have melted Billy’s brain or something, what the hell is wrong with him. Steve notices him and jumps up while Billy’s brain is still reeling from the train of thought it just went on, and all but demands he come see his sandcastle.

“Billy this is Laura, Hannah’s mom.” Steve gestures towards the woman who returns Billy’s smile, “And this is Hannah, she’s the best sandcastle maker in all of California didn’t you know?”

Billy nods seriously, “I can tell. That’s one good looking sandcastle you got there kid.”

“Oh!” Hannah’s eyes go wide, “You’re Steve’s boyfriend, he was telling us about you. He was right though, you are really pretty!”

“Uh. Thanks kid, you are really pretty too.” Billy blushes, he glances over to Laura and she’s still just smiling like she thinks they’re cute, utterly unphased by them being two guys. Billy is too used to Hawkins where though he and Steve haven’t actually ‘come out’ as such, they still garner a sneer or two at the grocery store every now and then.

Steve saves him by declaring they have to go as they have reservations. As Billy’s waving goodbye he asks if Steve has every minute of this week booked up on his so called itinerary.

Steve smiles a little coy and reaches down to tangle their fingers together, “Nah. Just today actually, today’s a special one.”

☼

They wash off the sand and grit and get changed at the beachside cottage they’re renting for the week. Steve keeps checking his watch and adjusting something in his pocket while Billy is fluffing his hair, antsy about the reservations they have apparently. Billy tries to unwind his boyfriend with a little makeout session but regretfully Steve cuts it short far too soon and insists if they leave right now, he’ll make up for it later.

Billy grumbles on their way to the restaurant about being so cruelly denied his boyfriend’s dick but shuts up when he spots where they will be eating. The restaurant is nestled by the beach, with an outdoor patio area that’s draped by hundreds of fairy lights overhead making the whole place glimmer. There is soft music coming from inside mixing in with the sound of the waves crashing just a few feet away. The whole place seems kinda magical and intimate and okay, fine Steve wins. Billy would have been pissed if he’d missed out on this.

They’re seated in a quiet area on the patio and Billy’s mouth waters when a waiter walks by with someone’s order, the smell of seafood mingling perfectly with the salt air. Steve is smiling at him when Billy looks up from the menu, a little smug now that he knows Billy is impressed.

“You like it baby?” Steve winks, smirking he leans back in his chair, arms crossed, all cocky like he’s ‘King fuckin’ Steve’ again, “Order whatever you want beautiful, it’s on me.”

Billy is about to wipe the smirk off his face by pointing out the 500 dollar bottle of wine – and holy shit, rich people are insane – when Steve leans back a little too far in his chair and it topples backwards, depositing his boyfriend into a heap on the floor. And there is the dork Billy fell in love with, Billy sniggers as a waiter comes rushing over to pick Steve off the floor despite his blushing protests.

“I love you.” Billy says once Steve is upright in his seat again, covering his face and groaning into his hands.

Steve peaks out from his hands and the embarrassment on his face melts into a beaming smile, he reaches out across the table to link their hands, “I love you more.”

They eat like royalty, lobster, muscles and the biggest scallops Billy had ever seen while they steadily drank their way through the cocktail menu on offer. Billy had been right in that it was kind of magical; they don’t do things like this much in Hawkins, it’s not like they don’t go on dates it’s just that it’s different. There aren’t too many options besides Enzo’s or the diner after all and they don’t seem all that special after the fiftieth visit with a pack of kids in tow for birthdays and graduations and even then, they can’t always sit how they are now, tipsy and giggly and leaning over the table every now and then for a quick kiss.

Billy gazes at Steve, watching as the fairy lights make the brown of his eyes more shimmery and gold and he thinks for the millionth time how damn lucky he is.

☼

Steve insists on strolling along the beach after dinner to catch the sunset and Billy is full and sleepy, but he has to agree it sounds like a nice idea. It’s quiet on the beach as they walk, hands tangled together as they have been almost every second since leaving the airport; there are a few clusters of people here and there, some other couples similarly taking in the view and a little off in the distance a group of teenagers are gathered around a fire, the embers catching off the dying rays of sunlight.

They stop just as the sun is hitting the horizon, Billy marvels at the way the sky is marbled by fading pink and hints of lavender slowly bleeding into deeper orange and reds. Billy feels Steve’s hand drop from his but is too enraptured by the colours reflecting in ripples onto the face of the water before them.

Billy isn’t usually one to wax poetic about a sunset but that word from earlier keeps coming back to him, magical. The whole night has been like one of the old romance movies Billy used to watch with his mom when Neil stayed out late at the bar. He wonders if Steve is thinking the same way.

"It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?” Billy asks.

“Yeah. It really, really is.” Steve replies but his voice sounds off, choked like when he’s about to cry.

Billy turns to his side and Steve… Steve isn’t standing where he was a minute ago, confused Billy spins on his heel and. Steve is - holy fucking fuck is Billy dreaming? - Steve is on one knee and he’s holding out a ring and Billy can’t breathe and -

“Billy.” Steve says.

“What the fuck Steve?” Billy interrupts.

Steve frowns up at him, he looks less confident suddenly with the way his shoulders start to creep up towards his chin and fuck, Billy is messing this up, of course he fucking is.

“Billy.” Steve starts again, sounding more determined than before, “I had a whole speech planned but that was dumb of me because I know you. I know you better than anyone and I don’t know how I ever thought I’d get through it without you interrupting me, so I’ll keep it short. I love you, love you ‘til the end of the fucking line Bills. Will you marry me?”

“Steve.” Billy whispers, it feels like the only word he can say. He’s going to cry. Billy’s going to explode into tiny little pieces of that magic he’s been feeling all night but – “Steve, we can’t get married. Like legally.”

Steve shrugs, “Don’t really care. Marry me baby. Say yes, you know you want to.”

Billy laughs despite himself at the stupid smile on Steve’s face, the stupid smile he’s going to get to keep forever and all it’ll take is one word. “Yes.”

Steve whoops and punches the air like he’s just shot the winning ball like he used to do in high school and Billy can’t stop smiling. He’s smiling when Steve slides the ring onto his finger, he’s smiling when Steve swoops him up like he weighs nothing and spins him around on the sand, his smile only falters when it has to as Steve leans in and kisses him, kisses him, kisses him.

☼

[harringroveobsessed]

Thoughts on a scenario where maybe billy came to Indiana a few years earlier and became best friends with Steve… and had to watch steve fall for and chase after Nancy… and then witness the messy breakup afterwards…how do you think that would have played out? in my mind billy falls in love with Steve at first sight in every universe

First of all, hi and YUM. I too believe Billy falls in love first in every universe, every timeline, every instance. One version of that is this.

***

Boy meets boy in the sixth grade, in the last place Billy ever expected something to happen and things just click. From the very start. For once in Billy’s life, it’s easy. Good. One summer passes, then two, three years of just the two of them, him and Steve, and they’re friends, best friends, and brothers too, and Steve doesn’t talk to Tommy anymore, hasn’t since Billy got here and they’re not together, Billy knows this, but what they have — it’s good. Really good. 

Freshman year hits, something he and Steve had been looking forward to for years together, and it’ll be the two of them, Billy’s sure of it, forever and ever, just like Steve had promised him. 

And then there’s Nancy. 

Billy’s jealous. Undeniably. Knowing he should be happy for him, let go of this stupid summer afternoon of a pipe dream — 

But he’s just about the prettiest thing Billy's ever seen and Billy’s always left claw marks in everything. 

Billy feels – is replaced. And he has to just — swallow back the ache, when the honeymoon period for Steve lasts and lasts and lasts — and Billy has the front row seat to it all, every day, watching her losing interest in slow motion. 

Killing Billy slow too, because it only makes Steve try harder, to convince her that no, he really is the one for her — and Billy can’t do anything about it except sit there and try to smile, listen close when the best friend he’s ever had needs him. Hating himself for always being so selfish, wanting what he can’t have. 

The fallout, when the scales do finally tip, is bad. Steve’s a mess. Even personally accusing Billy one time of tearing them apart. And Billy, the punching bag he’s always been, just takes it right to the chest. Lets him cry about it, forgives him. Loves him anyways. 

It gets better, eventually. The aching raw of it fading in time. Billy tries to be what he wishes he’d had when he was hurting. Someone who lingers. There when he calls. Though every cell inside him reaches, strains for him, Billy does not — cannot, make a move. 

Steve is straight. That much he’s sure of. 

He’s sitting on Steve’s childhood bedroom floor when it happens.

Steve sighs heavily from his spot on the bed, propped up against the headboard. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

Billy frowns up at him. They’ve only been sitting here for half an hour, they’ve listened to music much longer than this before. “Okay," he trails, "so .. put on a different record?”

Steve almost laughs, then motions between them.

“No, I mean, this.”

Billy breathes through the sudden pit opening in his stomach. He wets his lips, chooses his words carefully.

“What, um, what do you mean by that?”

“All this bullshit! Like, pretending, and whatever.”

Out of the blue, the knife drives deep. Billy makes himself laugh but it feels like glass. Fitting, how Steve would use the same word Wheeler had with him. 

“So … what,” Billy asks, feeling the hope he’d been carefully stoking sizzle out with a splash. Not quite able to look at him suddenly, when all these years, meeting his eye had been the easiest thing in the world. “That’s it?” 

Billy bites his tongue so he can’t say any more. The metal taste of rage in his mouth like a bit. Picking roughly at the carpet underneath to distract himself like maybe he’ll get out of this without crying. The pressure inside rising like the tide. All the time he’s invested in this friendship, and now Steve was dumping him?

If it was for Tommy, Billy might kill himself. 

“No — I mean —” Steve sighs, frustrated. Good, Billy thinks. “I can’t like ... be friends with you.”

Billy’s face twists. “Not getting any better, Harrington.” Choosing to use his last name in the way he knows Steve hates. In for a penny, in for a pound. Eye for an eye, and all that. 

Steve sighs again, slumping against the wood with a thump. “God,” he moans pitifully, the same sound he made when Billy pushed them to do another hour of homework. “I’m really fucking this up aren’t I,” he groans, scrubbing his hands over his face, getting his hair sticking up. “This is so not how I wanted it to go,” he grumbles. 

Billy’s feelings are all over his face, he can feel it. “The fuck are you on about, man? Spit it out.”

Steve drops his hands, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Look, can I — show you?”

Billy levels him with a look, like fucking as if.  

“Just — close your eyes,” Steve says, pleading now. Like he knows he’s losing Billy, and fast.

“What?” Billy snaps, face contorting into a snarl. “Why?”

“Just — trust me,” he says. “Please.” 

Billy sets his jaw, his hands curling into white fists on his knees. He stares at Steve for a long second, warring with himself. God, he was such a fucking sucker for this one, wasn't he. Pathetic.

“This better be good, Harrington,” Billy says finally. A warning underneath. “You’re lucky I like you.”

Heart pounding in his chest at the slip, Billy’s eyes slide closed. Walking the plank, the sword at his back. Thinks he hears Steve say something like, yeah, I’m kinda banking on that, under his breath. 

He hears Steve stand up, the mattress creaking from the relief of his weight. Feels the sinking pressure of his bare feet on the carpet as he walks around Billy, stirring the air. The soft rustle of papers on the desk. Billy feels Steve settle in front of him, Steve’s hand coming down on Billy’s knee, his summer scent washing over Billy. 

Steve doesn’t say anything for a long moment, but Billy waits like he’s asked to, eyelids flicking back and forth under the wash of the hundred thousand ways this might go. 

“Open your eyes,” he whispers. Finally. 

Billy opens his eyes and goes overboard.

It’s the middle of June but Steve is on one knee in front of him, holding out a Valentine’s card.

It’s clearly handmade and Billy’s pretty sure his heart has stopped in his chest. Simple white cardstock with magenta glitter messily scattered in the center, a heart made out of pink construction paper glued in the middle. Be Mine in Steve’s beautiful, looping script.

He tears his gaze away from the card to look at Steve.

“What – is this?” Billy whispers through numb lips. 

“It's for you," Steve says, that spring strawberry flush taking over his cheeks. "Read it,” he encourages.

Billy forces himself to move, take the card from Steve with shaking fingers, trying to keep his head above water, drowning in those soft brown eyes.

He opens the card.

How could I have missed it? It’s always been you. 

Two sentences and Billy is set aflame.

“I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you,” Steve says while Billy reads it five times over, waiting for the words to change between one blink to the next. His brown eyes liquid, hand searing where it rests on Billy’s knee, sliding up his bare thigh to rest at the hem of his shorts. “I’m so sick of pretending that this, what I feel for you isn’t everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m -- sorry it took me so long to figure out but .. it’s always been you, Bills. Always.”

Billy’s animal heart roars in triumph. He raises his head to look at Steve, the room blurring around him. Never in his wildest dreams was it like this. Billy lets out a shuddering exhale, shaking his head in wonder. He’d been so wrong, thinking Steve was dropping him, like Steve could ever be cruel. 

“Steve — don’t you know by now?” Billy says, reaching out in wonder to trace his fingers along the side of his beautiful face, leaving a trail of pink glitter along his skin in his wake. The same one inside his chest. Memorizing the way Steve was looking back at him, like Billy’s only dreamed of, like he’ll disappear if Billy takes his eyes off him. ��‘M crazy about you.”

“Billy —” Steve breathes, leaning into his touch, his eyes molten. “Can I kiss you?”

“Yes,” Billy nods, feeling himself go watery around the edges, the tide breaking, surging over his levee. “Please.”

And then Steve is laughing gently, crooning oh sweetheart, holding Billy in his hands like water as he kisses him for the first time.

***

Thank you for stopping by!!

[harringroveobsessed]

“In the Fog” comic for one of my @harringrovesummerbingo fills (square C1 to be exact for the mods).

[harringroveobsessed]

My fic for @alicetallula as part of the @harringrove-summer-exchange.

Read on AO3 here.

Prompt:  The boys having fun while on vacation at the beach, surfing, sunset walks on the sand, cocktails and dates by the seaside, being happy while at the beach.

“Motherfucker!”

“Seriously Steve?” Billy couldn’t help but roll his eyes as his boyfriend attempted to bury his whole face into Billy’s chest, “You’re a grown man who fought literal monsters and you are freaking out over a shitty movie?”

“It’s different,” Steve insists, “What am I supposed to do if a damn ghost is coming for me, it’s not like I can hit it with my bat is it?”

Billy snorts. He can laugh about it now sometimes, when the nightmares slow down for a little while but 1985 and 1986 in good old Hawkins, Indiana were a real shitshow.

The fact that Billy’s still in Hawkins is a whole other thing. He and Steve have an apartment here, Billy might as well go on down and buy the pair of them a shared plot at Roane Hill Cemetery he’s that convinced they’re never getting out of this town.

There had been opportunities to leave but the timing was never quite right, Billy was still recovering or Max was still recovering. Then the shitbirds were graduating high school, normal life shit got in the way and now it’s 1988, three and a bit years since Steve kissed the apparent sanity out of him and Billy’s never left.

Billy turns his eyes back to the movie and watches as the fog spreads ominously across the beach, “At least those fuckers got to fight their monsters in California, lucky bastards.” Billy sighs mournfully, “Steve, I would have loved to kill a ‘gorgan on the beach.”

Steve doesn’t respond but Billy feels him smile into the kiss that’s pressed to Billy’s neck.

☼

Steve’s been acting weird the week leading up to Billy’s birthday.

He was real cagey the few times Billy caught him whispering into the phone, all but fleeing into the shower after claiming to be just gossiping with Robin. Billy didn’t quite buy it, Steve is a lot of things, but a good liar has never been one of them; Billy shrugged it off figuring it was just them being weird, he’s used to it at this point from the two of them.

Billy comes to the sobering realisation it must be about his birthday, realises it after a whole week of Steve giving Billy these looks. Guilty looks but with a hint of excitement, like Steve is hiding something … and he’s happy about it? Jesus, Billy hopes Steve isn’t going to throw him a surprise party again, he spent the first 20 minutes of his 19th birthday party sobbing into Steve’s shoulder in front of everyone he knows, and he’d really love not to relive that mortifying experience.

The morning of Billy’s 21st birthday Steve wakes him up with a kiss as normal, then a mind-blowing round of morning sex before leading him to the kitchen for coffee and pancakes. All in all, a perfect morning in Billy’s eyes.

He spends most of his workday musing over what the hell he should be expecting tonight since nothing of his morning was a surprise. Billy parks his car, he half expects to come home to an apartment full of freshly turned 18-year-olds throwing streamers in his face, surely Steve wouldn’t try that again, please. Quickly Billy throws open the door and hearing nothing but quiet music, he slowly opens his eyes realising he had closed them on reflex expecting… something.

Billy walks further into the apartment and finds nothing but their dinky little table set up for two, decked out in the fancy tablecloth and tableware Steve stole from his parent’s house all those years ago.

“There’s my birthday boy!” Steve croons, balancing two steaming plates as well as the bottle of wine in the crook of his elbow, “Are you hungry? I made your favourite.”

Billy’s eyes narrow in suspicion, “Yeah,” he says slowly, “Where is everyone else?”

“Everyone else?” Steve laughed, setting down the plates and leaning in for a kiss, “What? You want me to throw you a party now?”

Billy allows the kiss, despite his concerns. “Steve, I know there is some kind of surprise, you’ve been about as subtle as a brick. You going to fuckin’ propose or something?” Billy’s joking, mostly but he still gets his kicks watching as Steve’s cheeks light up a pretty pink and the way his boyfriend stumbles over his words.

“Oh my god, no Billy!” Steve groans, he pops one hand on his hip and wags his finger in Billy’s face like he’s a misbehaving child, “Would it actually kill you to just be good for once and wait?”

Billy grins, “It just might babe, you never know.”

“Sit the fuck down and eat your food asshole.”

Billy scoffs but does as he’s told and sits the fuck down and eats his food, though not without the occasional pout sent across the table.

Steve makes him wait until their plates are clear, then moves them over to the couch with their wine where he finally pulls out an envelope that was nestled behind the cushion and hands it to Billy.

Billy tears open the envelope, desperate for this whole surprise ordeal to be over so Steve can start acting like a normal person again and it’s – it’s just a birthday card. Billy raises an eyebrow at his boyfriend in question.

Steve rolls his eyes but he’s smiling all fondness, when he places a hand on Billy’s thigh, “Well? Open it up then babe.”

Billy opens the card. Blinks once, twice, three times before he finally registers what is inside. Stuck with tape to the opposite side of the card where Steve’s wrote his usual sappy shit that he writes in Billy’s cards are – plane tickets. Two plane tickets to California, dated three days from today; Billy doesn’t even register that he’s crying until Steve’s warm hand is at Billy’s cheek gently wiping away a tear.

“Bills, I promised you three years ago now that I’d take you home one day, I’m sorry it took me so long and I’m sorry it’s just a vacation.” Steve pauses to sniffle and dash away a few tears of his own. “I-um.”

Suddenly, the couple of inches between them is too far and Billy pounces, cuts Steve off and kisses him, kisses him, kisses him. “Don’t apologise, don’t you dare. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.” Billy breathes between kisses, voice full of wonder, “I get to – you’re taking me home.”

☼

The beach is even better than the one from Billy’s memories. The salt on the air, the heat on his skin and Billy’s hit all at once by the feeling of bittersweet nostalgia that clouds his vision with tears.

“Hey baby,” Steve wraps his arms around Billy’s waist from behind, pulls him in while pressing kisses into his hair. “Are they good tears?”

Billy nods shakily and hears Steve let out a small sigh of relief. They stand for a minute, just soaking in the view as Billy tries to breathe through the memories coursing through his brain. He thinks of his mom, thinks of Tyler the first boy he ever kissed on this very beach, thinks of Neil catching them and – nope, shuts down that memory real fuckin’ quick.

Billy turns in Steve’s arms and finds Steve watching him with a gentle smile, he gets caught on that smile and the way Steve’s hair moves with the ocean breeze; Billy captures a mental polaroid of the moment, thinks about Steve who loves him so much he brought him to the beach, and adds it to his collection.

“I love you so much.” Billy’s voice comes out hoarse, he clears his throat and tilts his head to kiss Steve hard, right there on the beach and - fuck you, Neil. “Thank you.”

Steve’s face softens as it always does after Billy gets a little mushy, he lifts a hand from Billy’s waist up to his cheek “I’d do anything for you, and this? Not exactly a hardship babe.” Steve says before pulling away, “Wait here, don’t move!”

Billy does as he’s told for once and stays put, digs his toes in the sand, feels the scorching heat of it from the midday sun, lets the feeling burn through him and be washed away when the water crashes gently at his feet. A tap on the shoulder has him turning to Steve and Billy can’t be held responsible for the shocked sudden laugh that falls from his lips.

“Surfing!” Steve says, grinning like a loon, “It’s first on the itinerary!”

“Surfing.” Billy repeats with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, it’s not like he isn’t fuckin’ dying to get back on a board, it’s just, “You’re going to surf too?”

Steve huffs, “I was captain of the swim team for years babe, it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t ask if you were going to swim. You rented those right, you didn’t think to get like, a teacher or something?”

“I don’t need a teacher, I have you. Anyway, I bet I’m a natural talent!”

Steve was absolutely not a natural talent.

Billy watched him wipeout five times until he had to plead with his boyfriend to stop. Steve clearly wasn’t having fun and Billy was a nervous wreck each time that head of tousled hair he so loved took a little bit too long to resurface. Steve was frustrated at first but was assuaged by simply floating on his board and cheering for Billy when he caught a good wave. Billy can’t believe he almost forgot this feeling, his mom used to always call him her little water baby and being back on a board felt like greeting the sea again as an old friend.

Steve had wandered off after an hour or so of floating and when Billy finally washed ashore, he found him chattering happily with a mom and her kid. Steve was wielding a little yellow bucket and assisting the girl with her sandcastle, tongue poking out in concentration as he focussed on shaping the tallest tower while the girl shrieked happily beside him.

The whole scene melted Billy a little, made him think about Steve and kids and what a good dad Steve would be and maybe Billy could be - Jesus the sun must have melted Billy’s brain or something, what the hell is wrong with him. Steve notices him and jumps up while Billy’s brain is still reeling from the train of thought it just went on, and all but demands he come see his sandcastle.

“Billy this is Laura, Hannah’s mom.” Steve gestures towards the woman who returns Billy’s smile, “And this is Hannah, she’s the best sandcastle maker in all of California didn’t you know?”

Billy nods seriously, “I can tell. That’s one good looking sandcastle you got there kid.”

“Oh!” Hannah’s eyes go wide, “You’re Steve’s boyfriend, he was telling us about you. He was right though, you are really pretty!”

“Uh. Thanks kid, you are really pretty too.” Billy blushes, he glances over to Laura and she’s still just smiling like she thinks they’re cute, utterly unphased by them being two guys. Billy is too used to Hawkins where though he and Steve haven’t actually ‘come out’ as such, they still garner a sneer or two at the grocery store every now and then.

Steve saves him by declaring they have to go as they have reservations. As Billy’s waving goodbye he asks if Steve has every minute of this week booked up on his so called itinerary.

Steve smiles a little coy and reaches down to tangle their fingers together, “Nah. Just today actually, today’s a special one.”

☼

They wash off the sand and grit and get changed at the beachside cottage they’re renting for the week. Steve keeps checking his watch and adjusting something in his pocket while Billy is fluffing his hair, antsy about the reservations they have apparently. Billy tries to unwind his boyfriend with a little makeout session but regretfully Steve cuts it short far too soon and insists if they leave right now, he’ll make up for it later.

Billy grumbles on their way to the restaurant about being so cruelly denied his boyfriend’s dick but shuts up when he spots where they will be eating. The restaurant is nestled by the beach, with an outdoor patio area that’s draped by hundreds of fairy lights overhead making the whole place glimmer. There is soft music coming from inside mixing in with the sound of the waves crashing just a few feet away. The whole place seems kinda magical and intimate and okay, fine Steve wins. Billy would have been pissed if he’d missed out on this.

They’re seated in a quiet area on the patio and Billy’s mouth waters when a waiter walks by with someone’s order, the smell of seafood mingling perfectly with the salt air. Steve is smiling at him when Billy looks up from the menu, a little smug now that he knows Billy is impressed.

“You like it baby?” Steve winks, smirking he leans back in his chair, arms crossed, all cocky like he’s ‘King fuckin’ Steve’ again, “Order whatever you want beautiful, it’s on me.”

Billy is about to wipe the smirk off his face by pointing out the 500 dollar bottle of wine – and holy shit, rich people are insane – when Steve leans back a little too far in his chair and it topples backwards, depositing his boyfriend into a heap on the floor. And there is the dork Billy fell in love with, Billy sniggers as a waiter comes rushing over to pick Steve off the floor despite his blushing protests.

“I love you.” Billy says once Steve is upright in his seat again, covering his face and groaning into his hands.

Steve peaks out from his hands and the embarrassment on his face melts into a beaming smile, he reaches out across the table to link their hands, “I love you more.”

They eat like royalty, lobster, muscles and the biggest scallops Billy had ever seen while they steadily drank their way through the cocktail menu on offer. Billy had been right in that it was kind of magical; they don’t do things like this much in Hawkins, it’s not like they don’t go on dates it’s just that it’s different. There aren’t too many options besides Enzo’s or the diner after all and they don’t seem all that special after the fiftieth visit with a pack of kids in tow for birthdays and graduations and even then, they can’t always sit how they are now, tipsy and giggly and leaning over the table every now and then for a quick kiss.

Billy gazes at Steve, watching as the fairy lights make the brown of his eyes more shimmery and gold and he thinks for the millionth time how damn lucky he is.

☼

Steve insists on strolling along the beach after dinner to catch the sunset and Billy is full and sleepy, but he has to agree it sounds like a nice idea. It’s quiet on the beach as they walk, hands tangled together as they have been almost every second since leaving the airport; there are a few clusters of people here and there, some other couples similarly taking in the view and a little off in the distance a group of teenagers are gathered around a fire, the embers catching off the dying rays of sunlight.

They stop just as the sun is hitting the horizon, Billy marvels at the way the sky is marbled by fading pink and hints of lavender slowly bleeding into deeper orange and reds. Billy feels Steve’s hand drop from his but is too enraptured by the colours reflecting in ripples onto the face of the water before them.

Billy isn’t usually one to wax poetic about a sunset but that word from earlier keeps coming back to him, magical. The whole night has been like one of the old romance movies Billy used to watch with his mom when Neil stayed out late at the bar. He wonders if Steve is thinking the same way.

"It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?” Billy asks.

“Yeah. It really, really is.” Steve replies but his voice sounds off, choked like when he’s about to cry.

Billy turns to his side and Steve… Steve isn’t standing where he was a minute ago, confused Billy spins on his heel and. Steve is - holy fucking fuck is Billy dreaming? - Steve is on one knee and he’s holding out a ring and Billy can’t breathe and -

“Billy.” Steve says.

“What the fuck Steve?” Billy interrupts.

Steve frowns up at him, he looks less confident suddenly with the way his shoulders start to creep up towards his chin and fuck, Billy is messing this up, of course he fucking is.

“Billy.” Steve starts again, sounding more determined than before, “I had a whole speech planned but that was dumb of me because I know you. I know you better than anyone and I don’t know how I ever thought I’d get through it without you interrupting me, so I’ll keep it short. I love you, love you ‘til the end of the fucking line Bills. Will you marry me?”

“Steve.” Billy whispers, it feels like the only word he can say. He’s going to cry. Billy’s going to explode into tiny little pieces of that magic he’s been feeling all night but – “Steve, we can’t get married. Like legally.”

Steve shrugs, “Don’t really care. Marry me baby. Say yes, you know you want to.”

Billy laughs despite himself at the stupid smile on Steve’s face, the stupid smile he’s going to get to keep forever and all it’ll take is one word. “Yes.”

Steve whoops and punches the air like he’s just shot the winning ball like he used to do in high school and Billy can’t stop smiling. He’s smiling when Steve slides the ring onto his finger, he’s smiling when Steve swoops him up like he weighs nothing and spins him around on the sand, his smile only falters when it has to as Steve leans in and kisses him, kisses him, kisses him.

☼

[harringroveobsessed]

Billy was supposed to be picking her up but it's gone 5:30pm and he hasn't shown. It's unlike Billy to not pick her up. He always complains he isn't a chauffer but he always picks her up at the exact time he needs to. Not a minute early nor a second late.

No one answers the phone when she calls home. She's called three times over the span of half an hour and all of them have leads to voice messages.

Steve is kind enough to stick around when he notices she's still at the Wheeler's. Normally she's the first one gone but tonight it's her, Dustin and Mike standing around the kitchen, waiting.

Max's mum was away for the week, there was a funeral out of state for a relative Max doesn't know so she was allowed to stay back. Plus her mum didn't want her to miss so much school.

Neil was always home from work by 6pm but he'd never come pick her up unless something was seriously wrong and somehow neither Billy or her mum could come get her and even that's a stretch.

"No answer" Max bites her lip as she hangs up the phone and turns to Mrs Wheeler who was nervously playing with her pearl necklace.

"I hope everything is alright" Mrs Wheeler says "Billy is always very punctual, isn't he?"

"Yeah" Max turns to Steve. "You sure it's okay to take me home?"

"Of course" Steve smiles. "We'll take Dustin home first and then I'll swing by Cherry"

Max has never been in Steve's car with only Steve. It's very different from Billy's car in that she's actually allowed to tough the stereo. Max secretly really likes Billy's car and is very jealous of it but Steve's car is nice too. Plus the music Billy plays has started to grow on her but she'd never admit that, not in a million years.

Steve tries to keep conversation light as they drive over to Cherry Lane but Max has a gut feeling that something is wrong. She replies at the right times and nods when she needs to but doesn't make any move to continue the conversation.

Billy likes to think that Max is an idiot. That she doesn't know that Neil hits him and that he isn't always getting into fights. Billy likes to fight, he's always angry at something and he's only become angrier when they made the move to Hawkins.

But he can't fight back against his Dad. So when Billy comes out for breakfast with a split lip or a black eye and clean knuckles, she knows Billy was in a fight where he wasn't allowed to fight back.

The house is dark when Steve pulls up and Billy's camaro is sitting in its usual spot near the curb. She sees Steve frown when he also notices the car and then turns back to her house. He unbuckles his own seatbelt and steps out of the car glancing around the yard.

Max walks up the path to the porch and gets her own house key out of her backpack. Her mum had one made for her for emergencies and she supposes this could be one. She takes her shoes off next to the front door and notices that the combat boots Billy always wears are also there.

"I'm just gonna stay until we know what's happening" Steve says as he follows her in.

"Billy?" Max calls out, flicking the lightswitch to the living room on. "Did you forget to come pick me up?"

Steve follows her as she turns on more lights, making her way down the hall to the bedrooms. Billy's door is shut and she tentatively knocks but hears no answer. She slowly opens the door, not really knowing what she and Steve could walk in on but to her surprise Billy wasn't there.

"Holy shit" Steve breathes out, taking in the room before him.

Billy's room is completely trashed. The window was broken, sprinkles of glass all over his bed. His posters were torn from their spots on the wall and his precious vinyl collection broken into black shards all over the carpet. It looks like Billy had been shoved into his small vanity as all the items are scattered across the floor and there's a crack making its way up the mirror.

"Billy?" Max calls out again but louder as she moves faster down the hall. The bathroom door was wide open and Max could see a red stain on the edge of the door. Steve pushes past Max and Max lets him because she isn't sure she wants to see what's in the bathroom. Steve turns the light on and there he is.

Billy makes a noise and immediately shuts his eyes from the sudden brightness, groaning in pain from the way his body jars. He's lying on the bathroom floor, chest to the tiles with his head tilted to the right. There's blood dried against his nose and a small puddle staining the tiles. His left arm was angled awkwardly in a way that arms don't work and there was hair in the sink. Blond curls littering the floor and not attached to Billy.

"Billy!" Max exclaims and shoves past Steve. She reaches out and touches his shoulder making Billy let out a painful groan as his eyes shoot open and he looks wildly around the room. They're wide and unsettled and there are red splotches in the right one. "Billy, what happened?"

He doesn't answer her, just keeps making painful wheezes and looking around the room. Steve finally rids himself of shock and crouches down next to Max on the floor. Billy's eyes widen even more when he realises that someone else is in the room.

"Hey" Steve says firmly "Hargrove, what happened?"

Billy doesn't answer. He's shaking, hasn't stopped since they've been here and his jaw looks swollen. He groans urgently, trying to convey what happened but not being able to open his mouth. He's struggling and then they realise it's like his jaw is locked and doesn't seem to be in the right place.

"Holy fuck" Steve immediately jumps up and runs out of the bathroom. Max can hear him calling an ambulance from the kitchen. Billy's breathing is getting faster and faster and he's starting to shake harder.

"Billy" Max looks him in the eyes "You need to calm down and tell us what happened"

She's trying to be strong but it's jarring seeing her hotheaded, angry brother lying in pain. She's seen him in pain and on the floor before, when she drugged him and threatened him with a nail studded baseball bat only three months ago but this was different.

“There’s an ambulance coming” Steve rushes out “I left the front door open for them and told them to come to the bathroom”

“He’s not listening to me!” Max cries out “He won’t calm down”

“His jaw’s broken, Max!” Steve shouts, not meanly but panicky “He can’t breathe properly because his jaw’s broken and swollen”

It seems like hours before Max hears sirens. Her brother is still hyperventilating on the bathroom floor and no matter how many times they tell him, he won’t calm down. There’s an ambush of noise as a gurney makes its way into the already cramped bathroom and the EMT’s push the two out of the way. 

“How long has he been like this?” one asks, shining a light into Billy’s eyes. Billy grimaces and tries to turn his head but stops when the pain becomes overwhelming. 

“We don’t know” Steve says quickly “We found him like this when we got here, definitely more than 30 minutes”

“This your brother?” the other asks Max. Max can only nod as they turn Billy onto his back. He arches in pain and makes a loud cry when his arm is jostled. Head falling back as they secure his left arm with a splint and another around his left knee. She hadn’t even noticed the knee injury. 

“Kid” the first EMT leans over Billy “What’s your name?”

Silence. 

“What’s your name, Kid?” he tries again. Nothing. The other EMT does something to his ears and shakes her head at the first. He turns to Steve and Max. “How old is he?”

“17” Steve rushes out and Max shakes her head quickly.

“No, he’s only 16” Max cuts in “He’s 16 and his name is Billy or, um, William”

Steve looks surprised at this but Max doesn’t elaborate. He’s on the stretcher now and they’re moving him out of the bathroom.

“Why isn’t he listening to us?” Max asks loudly, rushing after them “I need to go with him, I don’t know where his Dad is, I’m the only one here”

“His hearing is damaged from a blow to the head most likely” the female EMT explains quickly. “We need to call a parent”

“My Mom is out of town, um, his stepmother and I don’t know where his Dad is,” Max explains. They’re in the front yard and she can see some of the nosey neighbours peering out of their windows or standing outside the front door. “Can I go with you?”

“No can do, sweetie,” she says, loading the stretcher into the back of the ambulance. The male EMT has angled Billy’s face and Billy lets out a loud sound, almost like he’s trying to scream. “Perhaps this young man could drive you to the hospital so you can wait until we have parental guardians”

It’s a blur after that. The ambulance speeds away and Max leaps into Steve’s car and they follow after the vehicle. 

“Can we call Hopper when we get to the hospital?” Max asks quietly. It kinda feels like she’s dreaming, that none of this is real. 

“Of course,” Steve replies, not taking his eyes off the road. “Any idea on who did this?”

“I’m pretty sure Billy’s Dad is the one who did this” Max answers after what seemed like hours of silence but was really only a few seconds. 

“I didn’t know Billy was only 16” Steve comments. He’s trying to keep things light considering the situation. “Seems a lot older”

“Yeah” Max rubs her eye “He skipped Freshman year back in California so he’s already a Junior”

“Skipped?” Steve looks over at her before focusing on the road again “He doesn’t seem like the studious kind”

“I know” Max is overcome with exhaustion “He always says his grades are the only thing he has”

They don’t really speak after that. Just drive through the emptying streets until the pull up to the hospital.

[harringroveobsessed]

Max: No-one cares, Billy.

..

Steve, plenty of times driving to Cherry Lane (once - with flowers) : "Listen, dude .. Let's .."

And turning back.

"Dammit. Like, I can talk to him about something, right? What's the big deal? He's new here, I can take him to a couple of places, show him around, be .. nicer .. I guess. We just got off on the wrong foot. I kinda .. want to get to know him."

A harringrove au where Steve cares.

[harringroveobsessed]

Posting starts today

Please tag us at harringrove-summer-exchange so I know to reblog your work and to include it in the masterlist!

[harringroveobsessed]

Billy puts up a sign that says "Make your barista laugh and get a free coffee."

It's a fun promotion that never pays out because Billy has an iron lockdown on his face UNTIL....

Steve Harrington comes in making the corniest dad jokes. Beyond corny. Puns... so many puns.

And Billy doesn't break but he knows it's just a matter of time.

[harringroveobsessed]

Posting starts today

Please tag us at harringrove-summer-exchange so I know to reblog your work and to include it in the masterlist!