intothedysphoria

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Enterprising conman Billy who makes his living swindling/seducing and then robbing rich men with summer houses in California through various schemes. Steve Harrington is the richest of all of them.

It doesn’t hurt that he’s pretty. And funny. And kind of smart, despite what Billy’s heard.

The problem is when Steve tells Billy that he’s in love with him. And worse, Billy finding that he reciprocated.

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Billy getting the welcome home he needs <3

(Full version will be on twitter so you can see Steve’s panties 🤭)

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The UK is on an amber weather warning because of this fucking heatwave

I’m not having fun 💀

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Billy Hargrove was infuriating to have in all classes but especially English.

For a guy who supposedly only cared about girls and beer, Hargrove had an opinion on fucking everything. While Steve was struggling to keep up with the letters tumbling down the page, there was a constant barrage of “that opinion is reductive. This author is a piece of shit. I’m reading Dune instead of listening to you.”

Hargrove got sent out of every class, always quietly smug, but he clearly had a love for reading. One Steve struggled to relate to.

Occasionally they’d bring real world problems into English too. Like the day AIDS came up. Someone had called Byers a fag (probably some ex friends of Steve’s) and said he must have AIDS. Hargrove had given the guy a punctured lung by the time security pulled him off.

Steve got volunteered to drive him back home when he got excluded. The Camaro was missing again, Hargrove didn’t say why. He also wouldn’t tell Steve his address. So they just drove.

Hargrove didn’t say thank you but he did throw a book at Steve’s chest. Emma by Jane Austen.

“It’s funny. Read it.”

There was no real reason for Steve to obey Hargrove of all people but he did. And it was actually funny, in an old timey way. Made Steve chuckle a couple times.

He tried to give Hargrove, who’d come into school with a swollen eye, the book back. He refused. Told Steve to keep it, then returned to The Time Machine.

Huh. Maybe Hargrove was kind of cool. In an asshole way.

They were watching the news in form, protestors lying on the floor, wearing pink triangles. They didn’t speak or even move but the way the cops treated them made Steve feel sick.

Billy’s jaw tensed before he flipped a table and walked out.

Steve followed him.

He was sitting with crossed legs in the parking lot, flipping off any cars that tried to get around him. Steve sat opposite and didn’t say anything. The eye looked even worse now.

“I’m gay Harrington. Now stop fucking gawking.”

Billy was staring at anything but Steve, mostly the car above him. Steve tried to school his face into a more appropriate expression.

“Reagan’s putting us through a fucking genocide and nobody fucking cares.”

Steve stayed silent. He wasn’t wrong.

Then Billy got up, after scrubbing at his one good eye.

“Official state secret ok Harrington?”

And he kissed the tip of Steve’s nose before sauntering off.

Oh shit. Steve was definitely gay too.

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Saf bestie please save me from the duffers changing This Machine Kills Fascists to This Machine Fights Dragons because I remembered that and I simply lost the willpower

"What's with the guitar?" Billy asks one night when the moon is full and nothing hurts, with Munson's arm curled around him and Harrington kissing his neck.

"Uh, I play? You knew that?" Munson frowns adorably.

"This machine kills dragons? What kind of pussy shit is that, why doesn't it say fascists?" Billy scowls.

"Oh," Munson leans over and puts his cigarette out on the side table. "That's... well... I had this friend. James. He's the one who taught me D&D. Great guy, he was so creative..."

Munson trails off, eyes searching the ceiling.

"Anyway. James had this inside joke, about dragons. He used to always say Reagan and Nancy Reagan were dragons, hoarding wealth and resources and lying that they would ever share," Munson makes a rough noise, like a sniffle. "I didn't know it, I don't even know if he did but James had... aids."

"Is he-" Harrington asks quietly.

"He died last year. And he left me his guitar. So... really wasn't my choice but..."

Billy just hugs him then, because what else is there to do.

Later, when the storm of the moment passes, Eddie pulls down the guitar and sings Wildwood Flower to them, just softly.

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Billy knows jack shit about Harrington.

But he'd still put money down on him not being straight - as in, maybe he's not labeling it, but if he's feeling brave there's no telling where the night might take them. He gets more bi by the shot, also on random Thursdays when they're rained inside the dorm and getting blitzed. There is no inbetween. Because Inbetween, he's painfully shy about crossing certain lines, but he looks at you with these soft eyes that keep you guessing.

Everything is fine as long as it's untethered. Just some memories to make. He'll probably share them with his kids someday, a little wistfull. How he was young once, and used to chase stars. How he held the unattainable cupped in his hands for a little while and the nights burned around him.

Billy wonders sometimes if he kissed Steve, whether it would change anything. Whether it would leave a scar.

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I won’t be writing anything for Billy died day because Billy’s alive living in Palo Alto with Steve and their cat Pepper, and he just burned himself on his morning coffee so…

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The renormalisation of abled people using the r slur to address anyone they disagree with sure is making me feel emotions rn

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Of course what would get me thinking about Billy again is the temptation of another think piece around his character and disability politics

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To be loved

Is to be changed

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AHS 1984 but Harringrove.

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Officially got a degree now

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I can always make myself feel better by imagining Billy meeting Steve’s mom and getting his cheeks pinched. Mrs Harrington saying he’s a real bad boy, I like that in a man, and buying him fancy cigarettes because he shouldn’t smoke that cheap shit. And Steve is mildly annoyed that they’re besties at first but then he sees Billy just bloom under the attention, and he doesn’t mind so much anymore.

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Billy, flirting with Steve exclusively through overtly queer classic literature references, and Steve who has never even heard of Oscar Wilde being absolutely baffled.

Robin, perfectly aware of what’s going on both sides, decides the situation is above her pay grade and lets Steve figure it out himself.

Which he does. But only when Billy starts using WHAM lyrics instead.

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Ummmm so I’m not gay apparently.

Surprise I’m bisexual?

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Smashes a plate over Steve's head