strxngehxrringrove - Tumblr blog

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but what about Billy noticing signs of abuse in Steve the closer they get to one another and the more Billy learns about Steve’s home life?

because we know that at the very least, Steve’s parents are absent. he’s one of the few core characters whose parents we never actually meet, but we hear a lot about them. we know that Steve was terrified of his father finding out he’d had a party when left home alone, so much so that he begged Nancy to lie to the police because he didn’t think that his father would care that a classmate went missing from his own backyard. he was scared of what kind punishment he might receive. we also know that his father, who Steve expected to work for after senior year, was at best disappointed and at worst angry that Steve, who had few academic supports outside of his bookish girlfriend coaching him on occasion, didn’t get into college and refused to help him even though he clearly had the means to. (granted: Steve was not owed a job just because daddy held the purse strings, but the Harringtons clearly had enough money to get Steve a tutor to help him improve his test scores/applications.) his father could have recognized that Steve needed help, but instead wrote his son off as lazy and sent him off to find his own way and “learn the value of a dollar”. we also know that his father was unfaithful to his mother on enough occasions that 1) Tommy H, one of Steve’s closest friends, knew about enough about the situation to comment on it and 2) she willingly left her son alone in an empty house to trail after and keep an eye on her husband, showing that Steve was not a priority to either of his parents and that he was raised in an untrusting, tense household.

and to Steve, none of these things qualify as abuse. he doesn’t see himself as abused or neglected. he’s convinced himself that this is normal, that this is just what his family looks like. all kids are scared of their dads, right? all kids cross their fingers for their parents to leave town, right?

but Billy, who has a little more life experience, who has been able to compare his own early upbringing with someone like Max, who never had a bad word to say about Susan or her bio dad, would clock it. because he’s been there. because sometimes, when Steve talks about his dad’s raised voice, all Billy can hear is Neil.

“you know that’s not okay, right?” he tells Steve one day, and Steve scoffs, waves him off, tells Billy that he’s overreacting, thinks that Billy is projecting, because the things his own father does feel leaps and bounds away from the awful things that he knows Neil has done to Billy. how can he call himself abused when Billy is the one sporting bruises every other week? it doesn’t compare, he tells Billy that, and Billy gets so, so serious. “they don’t always have to hit you to hurt you,” he says, and Steve wonders just when Billy got so damn wise.

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Usually we see Steve being the soft one in the relationship but what about a prompt where Billy is soft one and wakes Steve up with kisses and when Steve tries to get out of bed Billy pulls him back in wanting to stay in bed for the whole day?

weeeeee im squealing oh my gosh yes this is adorable pleaseeee i am obsessed

steve, to everyone's surprise, was a morning person. waking up and rolling out of bed instantly to get on with his day, often leaving poor billy, who definitely wasn't a morning person in bed alone, which the blonde hated.

so when billy actually woke up before steve, for the first time ever, he slid straight over to his brunette boyfriend, pressing his chest against steve’s back, sliding his arm over his waist, pressing kisses all over his shoulder and neck which of course, caused steve to stir

“morning' pretty boy” billy mumbles, smiling into the kiss he was pressing behind steve’s ear while rubbing circles into his hip at the same time

“hey,” steve yawned, rolling away from billy to look onto the bedside table. “what time is it?” he asks, his eyes having not adjusted to the light just yet

“dunno” billy frowns, although steve can't see it, reaching out in attempts to pull steve back, the latter boy just swats his hand away

“oh god, it’s already nine” steve huffs, throwing the covers back so that he can swing his legs over, sitting on the edge of the bed, stretching his arms above his head

billy watches the muscles in his back flexing before asking, “do you have work today?” he rolls across the bed until he's laying just behind steve

“no, why?” he replies, looking down at billy. he yawns after he speaks which causes billy to yawn, both of them chuckling as it happens

“so stay in bed” billy shrugs after, throwing his arm around steve’s body, “come on it's a saturday, it's raining out,” he gestures out of the window, “neither of us have plans so let’s stay in bed” he offers, looking up at steve as the brunette stands up

“we can’t waste the entire day bills”

“uh, yeah we can” billy scoffs, almost rolling off of the bed to catch steve’s wrist, to pull him back, “back in bed, c’mon”

steve gives in, figures in half an hour he can escape and get on with his day. his legs hit the edge of the bed and he tumbles, falling down directly on top of billy who scoops him up and rolls over with him, tangling the together until steve’s got his head resting on billy’s chest

“put the telly on?” steve grumbles, nodding to the tv at the end of the bed. billy reaches over to the bedside table, on his side of the bed, swiping up the remote. since steve can't see a clock and isn't very good at judging time, he guesses he can figure it out by episode lengths.

they scroll through channels before landing on something they’re both familiar enough with to keep on and eventually one episode turns into two, and then two into three and honestly steve did really mean to stay in bed for only one of them but then billy started playing with his hair, holding him tight, touching him in a way that didn't mean sex was going to happen minutes after and the more he did it, the more steve craved it

no one has ever been like this with steve, just happy to be there, touching him, enjoying his company and honestly he didn't think billy would be into it either but it feels so good, fingers weaving their way into his hair, gently scratching across his head, fingers tracing patterns into his arms, his chest, over his face. it feels so good his eyes flutter shut, eyelashes brushing off his cheeks.

billy chuckles when he notices steve’s breathing even out, that the brunette boy is asleep at midday. he ever so gently, removes steve’s body from his, curling his boyfriend up in the covers before he slides out of bed, out of the bedroom. he runs downstairs, stomach rumbling in anticipation of food.

he makes pancakes, a whole stack of them piled high with cream and strawberries because when at the harrington house, naturally you go all out. he rushes back to the bedroom just in time to catch steve waking again, “breakfast!” he smiles, holding out the plate with two forks, “or is it lunch?” he asks before shrugging

steve decides his lecture on food in bed is going to fall on deaf ears so he scoots over and when billy plops down beside him and offers him a fork, he takes it, digging into the food before billy can eat it all.

billy ends up choosing a channel that's playing a film some time after they've eaten, absentmindedly pulling steve into him again and of course steve get hooked onto the plot within minutes so he has to lay there and finish it which isn't a bad thing, not with billy kissing the top of his head every ten minutes

“we need to get up” steve pouts when the film ends, credits rolling, “we’ve been in bed for too long! its three pm!” he shrieks, pointing at the clock

billy chuckles, ”thank you, i can read clocks you know,” he shoots back, “look i’ll make a deal with you, watch another film, that’ll take us to what, six?” he says, steve nods, “then we can go for a walk, go for a smoke if you want to get out of the house that bad” he offers, rolling on top of steve

the rain has gotten heavier as the day progresses, already becoming dark out, so he weighs up his options. laying in bed, warm and comfy with his boyfriend wrapped around him, “okay” he hums, accepting his fate, smushing his body against billy’s

“then when we get back from our walk, hot shower, takeaway, your pick! and then back to bed” billy smiles and even steve can't lie to himself at this point, it sounds nice

so that's exactly what they do, steve dozes on and off against billy, during the second film, all while the blonde never takes his hands off of steve once, then they go on a walk, they smoke, laugh and get completely soaked through, clothes dripping by the time they get home

billy bundles them into a hot shower, naturally holding steve in front of him, trailing open mouthed kisses over steve’s neck, causing the brunette to groan while he heats up under the water. they giggle and laugh, desperately drying each other off with plush bath sheets before running and crashing back into bed, shivering for only a moment before they're grabbing onto each other for body heat

they order a chinese takeaway, steves choice, although billy doesn't complain and they remain in bed, for the rest of the evening.

except this time steve holds billy, lets the blonde curl up into his side, laying his mop of extra curly, thanks to the shower, hair on steve’s chest. he runs his fingers all over billy, ticking, ghosting, tracing hearts here and there. and steve loves every second of it, to the point of making a mental note, for when they're both free and the weather is bad, maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt to just do nothing for the day.

and just as billy’s dozing, on the cusp of a good night's sleep, he feels steve’s fingers trace over his shoulder, ‘i love you’, billy nuzzles his head into his boyfriend's neck, pressing a single kiss there, mumbling out an, “i love you too” before falling asleep.

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Billy: Hop, can I see my boyfriends?

Hopper: No.

Billy: Why?

Hopper: Chores before whores

Billy: Hop-

Hopper: Dishes before bitches

Billy: What the hell-

Hopper: Cutting grass before getting ass

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wayne knowing about eddie and billy and just accepting that billy's gonna more or less move into the trailer, into eddies room. not even bothering trying to fight it cos eddie's an adult, and billy's a few weeks shy of being one. becos they're both gonna be leaving soon, and he's honestly gonna fucking miss them. becos he doesn't know neil hargrove personally, but he doesn't trust that man one bit. becos he actually likes billy. likes the way he treats his nephew, like he matters, and that's all he's ever wanted for eddie.

hopper knowing about billy and eddie and being tired at most, amused at best. they're not sneaky, they're not subtle, they're typical stupid in-love teenagers. but small towns are dangerous, and these kids have been through enough, so hopper makes sure to make his presence known before knocking on the car window to tell them to take it somewhere more private, makes sure to be the one to attend and deal with the bar fight that broke out at the hideout. let's them off with barely a slap on the wrist and no permanent records whenever he has to drag them to the station, to help keep up appearances.

benny knowing about the hargrove boy and the munson boy, and after the 6th time he watches them play fucking footsie under the table, watches them let their hands wander over the table - so fucking close - only to snatch them away at last second, he's had enough. walks over and brings their regular order, even though they've already eaten, adds an extra piece of cake to the mix, and says 'happy 6 months. it's on the house.' becos they're not exactly quiet, then walks away. leaves them spluttering and coughing, clearing their throats, denials at the ready, but then he hears forks scraping across plates, and nervous laughter, and when he looks over next, they're hands aren't quite touching, but they're more relaxed than he's ever seen them, and they're the only one's in the dinner like they always are at this time of night, and he thinks if one of the only things he can give the people of this town is a safe space to be themselves, then that's something he can live with.

max knowing about her brother and dustin's new bff, not becos they've told her, but becos it's the only thing that makes sense. billy not flying off the handle as easily these days, eddie not being able to sneak out billy's window anywhere near as quietly as lucas can sneak out hers, the fucking mixtape that permanently lives in billy's car these days. honestly it's insane that the entire state of indiana doesn't know. but max knows for as loud and obnoxious and fucking annoying as billy is, that this is something personal, private, and that if anyone - if neil - found out, god knows what the consequences would be. so she plays oblivious and obtuse, even though the second they're alone, she's instantly bullying him for being dumb and in love, even if he does give it right back, rolling his eyes at how eddie's gleefully bragged about running into lucas in the bushes at the side of the hargrove-mayfield residence multiple times, offering him a ride home every time, says they're gonna start their own side club to hellfire, some stupid dumb long title that's something like it's 4am i'm your daddy's worst nightmare i'm in your bushes i'm climbing your windows i'm in your house i'm fucking your son club but then billy's giving her a considering look from the drivers seat of his car and saying 'or daughter, i guess.' and max is sinking down in her seat and smacking billy on the arm and 'shut the fuck up, billy.'

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After Starcourt and the whole holding off a meat monster thing, Billy's hands are too messed up to drive. Too shaky. Too prone to random flares of red-hot pain or ice-cold numbness to make it safe for him to be in charge of any kind of heavy machinery which, apparently, includes Susan's shitty hatchback.

So Steve offers him a ride to and from his physical therapy sessions.

Billy suspects that Max was the one who sorted out the arrangement, can't imagine King Steve offering his chauffeur services out of the goodness of his heart, especially not at eight in the fucking morning. But hey, the public transport in Hawkins sucks ass, so he's not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. And while the first ride is awkward- full of stilted conversations that peter out into uncomfortable silences- the second one isn't quite so bad. The third is almost pleasant, and by the fifth they've got a heated game of license plate spotting going. The sixth has them both singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody, Steve's attempts at the falsetto being the first thing to make Billy laugh in months. The seventh has Billy brandishing a tape of A Night at the Opera and insisting on a repeat performance, then regretting it when Steve keeps on replaying I'm in Love With My Car over and over again instead.

And from then on, it's good. Fun. Easy. A hell of a lot better than taking the bus.

Which is why Billy doesn't say anything when he gets cleared to drive. Because it's not like he has his own car any more so, really, it makes sense to keep shtum. That's what he tells himself, anyway, as he tries not to think about the fact that the half hour he gets in the car with Steve is easily the best part of his day. Hell, it's the best part of his entire week.

He doesn't know that Steve overheard Doc Owens giving Billy the all-clear weeks ago. Because Steve doesn't bring it up either. But he does start taking the scenic route home, with some hastily muttered excuse about the shitty traffic signals on Kerley.

And it works. For a bit. Billy gets an extended pocket of happiness. Steve warbles his way through the Queen back catalogue. Billy holds his tongue through I Was Born to Love You. It works.

But eventually there comes a point when Billy's discharged from hospital completely, when, right at the end of his session, the doctors inform him that there's nothing more they can really do for him. When, apparently, his broken body and messed up mind are considered good enough. And that's when he has to bite the damn bullet and swallow the bitter taste in his mouth, the reminder that Billy Hargrove never gets to keep a good thing for long, and tell Steve that he's got his Wednesday mornings back to himself now.

He holds it all in until they're back at Cherry Lane. Forgets about it, just for an hour, and lets himself have one more ride. One more easy conversation. One more bubble of laughing, smiling happiness.

And then he lets it all pop.

"So the good ol' doc says that was my last poke 'n prod visit. Looks like this is as good as it gets. So, yeah, you're a free man, Harrington. No more taxi service. Thanks, uh, thanks for...y'know. The help."

And Steve nods and he smiles. Warm and bright and genuine when he tells Billy that he's welcome. And then he makes some joke that Billy isn't listening to before driving away with little more a dorky little salute wave and his usual, "See you around, Hargrove."

And Billy doubts that. He doubts it very much.

But he does see Steve. Because Steve comes back. The next week, Wednesday morning, just like clockwork, Billy hears the familiar pip of a horn and he shuffles out of bed and pulls back the curtains and there he is, like he always has been. Harrington. Steve. Smiling. Waving. Waiting.

And Billy has to swallow that bitter pill again, but first he has to hold it in his mouth while he pulls on some pants and walks barefoot towards the Beemer and then he has to try not to let the bitterness colour his tone when he leans through the open passenger's side window and says, "Thought I told you, Stevie, I don't need a ride anymore."

And Billy knows it must just be a trick of the light, but he's pretty sure Steve's cheeks flush. Just for a second, he could've sworn that Steve looked sheepish. And he's pretty damn sure he must be dreaming when Steve smiles at him, soft and fond but a little nervous and says,

"I know, but...you still need breakfast, right? Cause, if you want? There's a diner, does this pancake platter thing with, like..."

But Billy's not really listening. Because there's a tape sitting on the passenger seat. Queen, again, but this one's brand new and still wrapped in shiny cellophane. Ready and waiting.

A Kind of Magic

Fitting. Billy thinks.

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If I am able for a request when u have the time. Where the part with Robin and Steve in the bathroom floor. But instead it’s Steve and Billy and at the end when Billy says he likes guys he goes in for Steve I just need fluff Thank u

For the sake of brevity, let’s just say that this is in an AU where Billy worked at Scoops Ahoy with Steve (although I do have an idea for an AU where Billy is freed from the Mind Flayer but is kidnapped by some sneaky Russians before the kids can get to him post-sauna test, so if you want to think of it in that sort of scenario, be my guest! and someone let me know if you’d be interested in reading something like that because…now I’m tempted). 

take this to your grave(fic requests open)

The words leave his mouth before Billy can stop them. He can feel them popping off of his tongue and he cannot tell why, what their purpose is, if he even wants to hear the answer. “Have you ever been in love?” It’s a silly question. The kind that pre-teen girls giggle over at sleepovers, the kind that movie characters ask just before they confess their undying love for one another. Of all the questions that he could ask a drug-addled Steve Harrington, of the dirt that he could dig up, this is what his own hazy brain comes up with: 

Have you ever been in love?

Keep reading

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We Could Be Heroes, Just For One Day Masterpost

This is a story that I have been working on since the release of Season 3 and am now editing to fit in with Season 4.

The first two chapters are edited and available for your reading enjoyment. I'll continue posting here as the chapters are updated.

Chapter One: The Arrival

Chapter Two: The Doppelganger Theory

Chapter Three: I'm Right Here

[strxngehxrringrove]

Okay but Max dressing as Billy in Halloween. Billy is like "oh yeah because I'm scary isn't it 🥺🥺" but Max is like "Noo all the boys dressed as their heros, I wanted to do it too!"

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if i see one more time that steve is the brother max deserves i’m throwing hands

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Steve tells Billy that he loves him with a month of starting to date him. Billy doesn’t say it back, but he shows his love for Steve through his actions. The way he always makes sure Steve eats enough, gets enough sleep, and takes care of his mental health. He shows it by staying on the phone with Steve until he falls asleep, by bringing lunch to him at work. He’s never once, even for a second, doubted Billy’s love for him.

So when Billy turns to Steve one day, six months in and tells him that he loves him, sounding like it’s a big revelation, all Steve says in return is “Duh. Tell me something I don’t know, baby.”

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Reading the line “land locked hurricane virgins” really just made my night

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington Characters: Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Billy Hargrove, Lucas Sinclair, Erica Sinclair Additional Tags: Starcourt Mall (Stranger Things), Power Outage, Scoops Ahoy (Stranger Things), Scoops Ahoy Steve Harrington, Lifeguard Billy Hargrove, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Friendship, One Shot, Thunder and Lightning, Love Confessions, Implied/Referenced Homophobia Summary:

A tropical storm descends over Hawkins. Good thing Steve knows a good lifeguard.

@ihni 💗

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Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Maxine “Max” Mayfield, Past Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington - Relationship Characters: Maxine “Max” Mayfield, Billy Hargrove, Neil Hargrove, Susan Hargrove, Billy Hargrove’s Mother, Matilda Hargrove (HC for Billy’s mother), Steve Harrington, Minor Characters, Eleven | Jane Hopper Additional Tags: Post-Season/Series 02, Billy Hargrove is Bad at Feelings, Billy Hargrove Tries to Be a Better Person, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Maxine “Max” Mayfield Friendship, El and Max become friends way sooner than s3, Billy Hargrove & Maxine “Max” Mayfield Have a Good Relationship, They try to have a good relationship, Billy Hargrove & Maxine “Max” Mayfield Bonding, Queer Maxine “Max” Mayfield, Gay Billy Hargrove, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma Series: Part 2 of Starship Stranger Things Summary:

Max has no clue what Billy’s deal is. He’s been weird since that fight that he had with Steve in Novemeber and it’s kind of freaking her out. So when she finally pokes hard enough and gets an answer, she needs to find out if her weird, angry brother is telling the truth. But what’s worse is that he is telling the truth. And now Max feels like an asshole. And now, they’re going to try to be good to each other.

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Billy didn’t have his tattoo during s2, so when do you think he got it? Did he go to a shop or did someone he knows do it? Do you think it has a special meaning behind it?

omg hello lovely! yes ive thought about this a lot !!!!

i reckon he got it the second he turned 18, 29th march, went straight to the shop, cos he is not dumb enough to get a friend to do it, infections and what not. and he got it, nearly chewed through his lip because he didn't think would hurt, that bad

i also think he hides it form neil, yes it was a spur of the moment act of rebellion but then once he had it, he kinda got scared about how neil would reacts he makes a habit of wearing long sleeved tops at home or at least when neil is at home

billy smokes a lot, stress reliever right? but max has picked up on the fact that he practically chain-smokes and she told him, "you're going to smoke yourself to death" to which billy shrugged, "you'll probably die with a cigarette in your mouth" she cringes and billy replied

"dying sounds stressful" he huffs "you know what, bury me with a cigarette in my mouth, at least then beyond the grave, ill always have one with me" he smirks when max starts howling with laughter, he made her laugh like that

so now, he has a little skull, smoking a cigarette

[strxngehxrringrove]

We Could Be Heroes, Just For One Day Masterpost

This is a story that I have been working on since the release of Season 3 and am now editing to fit in with Season 4.

The first two chapters are edited and available for your reading enjoyment. I'll continue posting here as the chapters are updated.

Chapter One: The Arrival

Chapter Two: The Doppelganger Theory

Chapter Three: I'm Right Here

[strxngehxrringrove]

Something Good

For Harringrove Week July 2022

(reposting because Tumblr doesn't like me and I had to start my account from scratch)

Read on ao3 here

Billy had witnessed Steve’s mother-henning tendencies enough times that he wasn’t really surprised by them anymore. In fact, he’d come to appreciate them, especially as he leaned against the car, watching Steve wrangle six kids and all of their belongings into his beamer. 

Billy wasn’t entirely sure why they had agreed to bring the brats along with them for the Fourth of July weekend at Steve’s family lake house, in total honesty, it had sounded like a nightmare when Steve had pitched the idea to him, but puppy dog eyes and a good blow job were all it took for him to be somewhat on board.

However, he was now starting to remember why he’d thought it was a bad idea as he watched Steve and Dustin argue about “supplies”. 

“Dustin, we’re going to a lake house with a fully equipped kitchen, not camping in the desert. We don’t need this crap.”

“What if we get stranded, Steve? Then what?”

Steve rubbed his forehead and glanced over at Billy, pleading for help.

Chuckling, he pushed himself off the car and approached the pair.

“Dustin, we have plenty of food. You can bring two of your snacks and the emergency flares if that makes you feel better but that’s it. Got it, shithead?”

“Got it.”

“Good.”

Dustin knelt down and dug what supplies Billy had allotted him out of a backpack and threw them into Lucas’s duffle and ran back into the house to get rid of the rest.

“Thanks for the assist,” Steve sighed, wrapping his arms around Billy’s waist and leaning their foreheads together.

“He’s only that stubborn because you let him get away with too much.”

“You sound like a dad.”

“Well if I’m the dad that makes you the mom.”

“Shut up,” Steve laughed, leaning in to capture his lips.

“Gross. Max, mom, and dad are making out!”

“Get a room,” Max’s voice carried from inside the house.

“We wouldn’t have time to make out if you would hurry up,” Billy called back. “Get a move on shit birds, we’re burning daylight.”

An hour later than they’d originally planned on leaving, all six kids were piled in the back of the RV that Steve had rented. Billy was in the driver’s seat and Steve was sitting passenger to navigate. After a brief safety lecture to the kids, they were on the road.

It took less than half an hour for the bickering to start as Mike, Dustin and Lucas argued over what board game to play. Luckily, Max shut it down by letting El choose, and they became involved in a rousing game of Candy Land. 

“I’m starting to think this was a bad idea,” Steve said, turning his head to look at Billy.

“I told you so,” Billy took his eyes off the road long enough to see Steve stick his tongue out at him. 

“They’ll be fine once we get there. There’s plenty to keep them occupied. Besides, we had to bring Max anyway and she wanted to bring Lucas. Then the rest of them would have thrown a fit, so it’s easier to just bring them all and keep the tantrums to a minimum. Plus, none of us like to spend the fourth alone.”

Steve’s voice dropped to a whisper and Billy shivered, trying his best not to think about the events of last summer. 

“God you really are a mom,” Billy chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

“Shut up,” Steve smiled despite himself. 

They fell into silence for a few minutes before Steve spoke up again.

“You know, I’ve always had a dream sort of like this. I’ve always wanted a bunch of kids, like six of them, and I wanted to take them on road trips and see the country. Maybe even drive all the way out to California and spend a summer there.”

“You want six more kids?” Billy asked. “That sounds like hell. Let’s start with two.”

“Three?”

“Deal. Wait does that count Max?”

“No, she’ll be grown up anyway.”

“Fair. Alright, three kids.”

“And a dog?”

“Jesus Harrington we better be rich.”

“Don’t worry I have a trust fund.”

Billy snorted a laugh and turned to look at Steve.

“I love you dumbass.”

“I love you too, now keep your eyes on the road.”

In a little over two hours, they were pulling into the driveway of the lake house. It wasn’t as big as Billy had pictured. He’d been imagining something like Steve’s real house, too big and empty. But this house seemed cozy, with chipped blue paint and rocking chairs on the porch.

Billy was even more shocked by the interior. Unlike the cold, white decor of Steve’s actual house, this house had worn grey couches and a floral printed armchair angled toward the fireplace. Old books lined a giant shelf on one wall.

“This is nice,” Billy said, knocking Steve’s shoulder with his own.

“I haven’t been here in so long, I almost forgot what the place looked like.”

Once all the kids made their way inside, they went about assigning rooms. There were four bedrooms in the house. Steve and Billy were sharing the master, with El and Max occupying the room next to it. Will and Dustin were in the room down the hall and Mike and Lucas were upstairs in the loft. 

Steve declared that unpacking could wait until that night and instructed the kids to change into swim clothes. 

The back door led right out to the dock, which stretched out into the lake. There were a few houses around them, all with a similar setup, but Billy didn’t see anyone else around. Steve had explained that most of their neighbors had kids that had been around his age, and since they all grew up, most of their families didn’t come out much anymore. Billy had been just fine with that, he was glad to have the lake all to themselves.

Billy and Max made a show of jumping straight off the dock, plummeting into the cool water. Billy came up and shook his head like a dog, spraying Max with water. She shrieked and dove under, grabbing his legs and pulling him down with her. Their horseplay lasted a few minutes before they called a truce and Max swam over to wade in the more shallow water with El and Will. 

Steve swam out to Billy and wrapped his arms around his neck. Billy slid his arms under Steve’s legs, supporting him and treading water to keep them both afloat. 

“So, what do you think?”

“I think this wasn’t such a bad idea. The kids are having fun.”

As if to prove his point, there was squealing and shouting as Max chased Lucas and Mike into the water, declaring them both dead when she caught them. 

“They needed to get out of Hawkins. We all did.”

Billy nodded and looked over Steve’s shoulder to catch Max’s attention.

“Be careful with your eyes,” he called.

After her run-in with Vecna, her eyes were still sensitive. Luckily, she hadn’t suffered any lasting damage, but drops and other medications were needed to keep her eyes healthy and help her see. 

“I will,” she answered.

“She’ll need more medicine after lunch,” Steve reminded.

Billy lifted one arm to show Steve his watch, “Alarm is already set.”

Steve just smiled and kissed his cheek.

When they were all tired out and starting to get sunburnt, Steve and Billy herded the kids inside for sandwiches and to unpack their bags. Steve promised them a trip to the movies that night if they cooperated and all six of them had been angels ever since. 

Once all of them were showered and clean of lake water and dressed, they loaded back into the van to go to the theatre. Steve bought them all drinks and popcorn to share, and Billy covered the eight tickets. The kids had decided on Ferris Bueler, even though they’d all seen it at least once, it was the best of the choices. 

After the film, Max and El managed to talk them into getting ice cream, so they sat around picnic tables at the local ice cream shop as the sky began to go dark. 

“They might shoot fireworks tonight,” Steve had warned them before they’d left the house.

Everyone was putting on a brave face, but when the first crack of light when off, they all jumped. Steve’s hand clutched Billy’s knee in a death grip, nails digging through the fabric of his jeans. Billy placed a hand on his and wrapped his other arm around Max who was shaking.

They all sat there together, eyes trained on the sky, anticipating each pop.

“It’s kind of, pretty,” El ventured.

“It sort of is,” Lucas agreed.

“I like the gold ones that sort of fizzle out,” Max agreed, sitting up slightly taller.

They all began naming their favorite ones, using it as a distraction. Before they knew it, the display was over.

“Maybe- maybe that wasn’t so bad,” Will glanced up at Billy and Steve. 

“No it wasn’t,” Steve agreed.

They were all sort of shaken up but recovering when they arrived back at the house.

Determined to change the mood, Dusting pulled out Twister, instructing Steve to spin and Billy to judge as they competed. 

About half an hour in, Steve stopped spinning entirely, just calling out random limbs and letters, seeing what sort of shapes he could tangle them into.

“This is nice,” Billy said, leaning into his side. “Out,” he called as Lucas hit the ground.

“Yeah, it is. I was worried about you earlier, with the fireworks.”

“I think I was too busy worrying about everyone else to be scared.”

“Me too. But the kids seemed okay. A little nervous, but okay.”

“Yeah. I think they’re getting better, slowly.”

“We all are,” Steve agreed.

“We should do this every year. Turn the fourth into something good, ya know.”

“Something good," Steve repeated. "I could get behind that.” 

[strxngehxrringrove]

Sex on Fire (18+)

For Harringrove Week July 2022

Prompt: Fuck or Die

Read on Ao3 Here

Billy really hated the upside down. If he ever found out who was behind all of this, he was going to kick their ass seven ways to Sunday. Then he might let them recover and do it all again just because he can. 

So he was a little grumpy. He felt it was justified since his insides felt like they were on fucking fire. He huffed, throwing the covers off of his bed completely and rolled over, trying to find a cool spot on his mattress. His knee bumped the wall in his fit of writhing and he heard a harsh thump on the other side and Max’s voice shouting, “Go to sleep asshole.”

He kicked the wall again to annoy her and flopped on his back once again. Usually, after a night of fighting monsters from the upside down, he fell asleep as soon as he was in bed. He wondered briefly if he was getting sick. His body burned with what felt like the worst fever he’d ever had. He spent a minute trying to figure out where he would have caught the plague. Max hadn’t been sick since she’d had a cold back in January and none of the other brats she insisted they hang around had either as far as he knew. 

Giving up on finding sleep, he stood and padded into the living room and picked up the landline. He dialed Steve’s number and leaned against the wall as it rang, hoping he wasn’t disturbing his boyfriend's sleep. Then again he didn’t care that much because if he couldn’t sleep, why should Steve get to?

“Hello?” Steve’s voice was rough from sleep, and Billy felt a little flutter low in his stomach at the sound.

“Hey Stevie,” he kept his voice low so he didn’t wake up Max and Susan.

“Billy, it’s two am. Why are you awake?” “My entire body is on fire.”

“Are you sick? Do you have a fever or something?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t feel bad other than that.”

“Wait, didn’t you get bit tonight?”

“Shit, yeah I did. Do those damn bats have rabies or something.”

“Fuck Billy I don’t know. But if they do we’re not telling Robin. Can you drive?”

“Yeah I guess so.”

“Come over here and let me keep an eye on you. I’d rather you not die alone in your bed.”

“Okay. I’ll be there in ten.”

“Okay. Be careful, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Billy snuck around carefully, digging around his room for clothes. He wanted to cry when his t-shirt scraped against his sensitive chest and he momentarily contemplated driving naked, but he really didn’t want to explain that one to Hopper if he got caught.  He cranked the AC in his car as high as it would go, but he was still sweating through his shirt. As he drove, he felt a stirring between his legs, his dick getting hard against his thigh. 

“What the fuck?” he questioned out loud, reaching down to palm himself to take some of the pressure off.

When he parked in Steve’s driveway, he wrenched open the car door and nearly took Steve’s front door off the hinges as he burst into the house.

“Steve something is seriously wrong.”

“What is it baby?” Steve’s hands were on him, searching him for injuries or any indication of what might be wrong with him.

As soon as the cool skin of his fingers brushed Billy’s neck, he moaned and nearly hit the ground. He would have if Steve wasn’t there to catch him.

“Billy what is going on?” “I don’t know,” Billy was almost crying. His skin was on fire and he was so hard it hurt. He was also pretty sure precum had leaked through his jeans.

“Shh, it’s okay. Talk to me baby.” “I think one of those bats poisoned me.”

“What do you mean poisoned you?”

“I think they’ve evolved. They bite you and make you so horny you die. It’s fucking genius honestly.”

“Billy you’re not making any sense. Poisoned you to be horny? Is this some elaborate plan to get me to fuck you? Because you seriously could have just asked.”

“No. No I promise,” Billy did fall to his knees this time, tears falling down his cheeks as he buried his face in Steve’s shirt. “Please Stevie. Help me, it hurts.”

This time, Steve knew it was serious. Billy almost never begged, and he sure as hell didn’t cry. Something was actually wrong.

“Okay, okay I gotcha. Can you walk upstairs?”

Billy nodded, but made no move to get up. Steve lifted him as gently as possible, cringing as Billy cried out when Steve’s hand touched his side.

He carried most of his weight as they trudged up the stairs to Steve’s bedroom. He laid Billy out as gently as he could on the bed. Billy whined, flipping onto his front and burying his face in the pillows that smelled like Steve, grinding against the bed shamelessly.

Steve dug in his bedside table for lube and a condom, the sat beside him on the bed.

“Billy, baby can you look at me?”

Billy turned his head, his blue eyes rimmed red from crying and mouth open as he panted.

“I think sex might be the only thing that can fix this. But I don’t want to do anything to hurt you. You gotta give me a yes Billy.”

“Yes Steve. Yes please, it hurts.”

“Okay, okay,” Steve placed a soothing hand on his back, gasping at the temperature of his skin even through his clothes. “Just breathe for my honey. Can I take your shirt off?”

“Uh huh.”

Steve lifted Billy the best he could, and manuevered his shirt off of him, wrestling as it got caught in his hair.

“Flip over for me so I can get your jeans.”

Billy rolled over slowly, and Steved popped the button on his pants, wrestling them down his sweaty thighs. 

“Stevie,” he whined, reaching for him.

“It’s alright baby. I’m gonna take care of you. Let me gte undressed and I’m gonna make you feel better.”

Steve stood and wriggled out of his own t-shirt and shorts. He climbed back on the bed and kissed Billy gently. 

“I promise I’m gonna make it all better. Let me take care of you baby.”

Steve trailed kisses down his neck and to his chest, pausing to lick at his sensitive nipples.

“Hnng,” Billy let out a sound that Steve had never heard from him before. 

“Feel good?”

“Hurry please.”

“Okay, okay.”

Steve continued his kisses, worshiping Billy’s body, letting the boy writhe under him as he kissed and licked and bit his heated skin. When he reached Billy’s waist, he wrapped a gentle hand around Billy’s cock.

“Steve,” he cried out.

“Yeah baby. I’m here.”

He jerked him slowly and gently as he used one hand to pop the cap on the lube. He took his hand away long enough to coat his fingers and his palm. He went back to stroking his cock and used one finger of his other hand to gently rub at his hole.

“This okay baby?”

“Uh huh.”

“Good boy,” Steve kissed his thigh as he pressed a finger into his hole. 

Billy cried out and immediately came over his stomach. 

“Holy shit,” Steve whispered.

“Daddy, please. Please,” Billy begged, writhing under him.

“Shh, calm down baby. You gotta be still, you’re gonna hurt yourself.”

Steve continued, gently stretching Billy around his fingers.

“Fuck me please Stevie.”

“Okay baby. I gotcha.”

Steve sat up on his knees, covering his cock in lube. He slid a pillow under Billy’s back, lifting his hips to get a better angle.

“Relax sweet boy.”

Billy reached out to grab his hand and Steve held him tight, rubbing his knuckles gently as he pushed in. Billy cried out and came again, adding to the puddle on his belly.

“Stevie.”

“I’m here baby. Daddy’s gotcha.”

“Fuck me daddy.”

Steve started at a slow pace, then sped up until he found a good rhythm. Billy whined and cried out with every thrust, hands scrambling over Steve’s sweaty chest. 

“You’re doing so good baby. I promise I’m gonna make it all better.”

Steve leaned over Billy, propping himself on his elbows so that he could kiss him and run his fingers through his hair.

“I’m close baby.”

“Cum Stevie please.”

Steve increased his pace again and swore as Billy clenched around him. His fingers dug into his back, pulling Steve closer to press their foreheads together.

“Fuck Billy, I’m gonna cum.”

“Please,” Billy repeated.

Steve’s thrusts stuttered and he bottomed out completely as he came. Billy clenched around him again, coming for the third time that night. 

Billy floated in that good space for a while, glad to be rid of the burning sensation on his whole body. Something cool swiped between his legs and over his belly and he reached toward the sensation.

“I’m here sweet boy, just gimme a second to clean you up.”

Once Billy was as clean as Steve could get him without a proper shower, he climbed back into bed with him, curling his body around Billy.

He stroked his curls, keeping a hand on him at all times so that he didn’t panic when he came back to the surface.

“Stevie.”

“I’m here baby. You back with me?”

“Uh huh.”

Billy rolled over to face him, and Steve rubbed his knuckles over his cheek.

“You feel better.”

“A little embarrassed but yeah.”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never acted like that before. It’s not me.”

“You were sick babe, you weren’t yourself. But you’re okay now. I didn’t hurt you did I?”

“No. I’m a little sore but good sore.”

“Good.”

They laid together for a while as Billy recovered, Steve stroking his hair and giving him little kisses. 

“I should probably get back home so Susan doesn’t flip when I’m not there,” Billy made no move to get up despite his words.

“Or, It’s almost three. How about we nap for a bit and then we can get up and go get breakfast for you to take back.”

“That works too.”

Steve chuckled and kissed him again, “Get some sleep baby, you need it.”

“You sleep too.”

“Okay. Goodnight Billy.”

“Goodnight Steve.”

[strxngehxrringrove]

School's (In) For Summer

For Harringrove Week July 2022

Prompt: Summer School

Read on ao3 here

The last place Steve wanted to be was in summer school. The last person he wanted to be there with was Billy Hargrove.

Of course, they’d drawn a tentative truce after last fall, when Steve and the brat pack had filled him in on all things upside down and creepy. However, they hadn’t made an effort to spend much time together outside of making sure the little shits didn’t die and they preferred to keep their interactions to a bearable minimum. 

Now, Steve was being forced to spend the days of his summer in a tiny, humid classroom doing English homework. Steve was taking the class to earn his diploma, Billy was taking it now instead of in the fall in hopes of graduating earlier. That was the only information Steve had gotten out of him the first day, and they hadn’t spoken to each other outside of brief hellos upon arrival and goodbyes upon departure. 

But Steve was bored, after two weeks of silence and the ticking of the clock in the stifling heat, Steve was sick of it.

He ripped a piece of paper from his notebook and crumbled it, tossing it across the aisle at Billy’s head.

He swatted it away, looking up to glare at Steve and then turning back to his own papers.

Unsatisfied by Billy’s dismissal, he tore out another page, repeating his earlier actions.

“Cut it out, Harrington.”

“Dude, you’ve been sitting here in this classroom for a week working on this damn essay. Aren’t you bored out of your mind?”

“I don’t want to be here anymore than you do, but I want to be in my dad’s house way less, so I just want to finish this class and be out of this shithole by Christmas.”

“Why do you want to get out so bad? Where will you go?”

“There’s a lot of reasons that I don’t really wanna talk about. But if it really matters, I wanna go back west. Back to California maybe, I don’t know.”

“What’s California like? I’ve never been farther west than Missouri once.”

“Most of the west is just farms and cows,” Billy tucked his pencil behind his ear and leaned back into his chair, coming to terms with the fact that Steve wasn’t going to let him get any work done today. “But California, it’s everything. Drive in one direction and you get to the beach, the other way is the mountains. It’s always warm, the kind of heat that sinks into your bones. And the beach, it’s nothing like the lakes around here. Clear and bluer than anything you’ve ever seen.”

“I’ve always wanted to see it one day. The beach I mean. Dreamed about learning to surf or some shit like that.”

“You can come to visit me and I’ll teach you how to surf pretty boy.”

“Come visit you?” Steve huffed.

“Sure. We’re friends and shit now right?”

“Aww c’mon Hargrove, just admit you’ll miss me.”

“Yeah I’ll miss you,” Billy mumbled. 

He turns back to his work, pencil scratching something out and rewriting above it. Steve lets him work for a few minutes before interrupting. 

“Let’s get outta here.”

“Oh so we’re ditching now Steve,” Billy made a disapproving sound. “What would your mommy think?”

“Mommy would have to be home to find out. Seriously though, I got the good weed from Eddie Munson and someone has got to help me smoke it.”

“Fine. But if we get caught I’m blaming you.”

“Man even Mrs. Brown ditched,” Steve gestured to the lack of teacher in the room. “No one gives a shit.”

He stands and throws his belongings haphazardly into his bag and leaves the room, Billy’s heavy footsteps behind him.

He leads them out to the picnic tables in the woods behind the cafeteria, where Munson does all of his deals. It’s deserted when school isn’t in session and a good place to avoid getting caught. He hoists himself up on the table and places his bag on the bench next to his feet. Billy follows suit, scuffing the toe of his ratty Converse against the wood as Steve digs the joint and a lighter out of his backpack. 

“Guest gets first hit,” he says, turning and pressing the joint to Billy’s lips. 

He wraps his mouth around it, holding it there while Steve sparks up and lights it for him. He takes a long hit, blowing it in Steve’s face and handing off the joint.

They stay like that for a while, passing it back and forth before Steve lays back on the table, looking up at the sky. Billy follows suit, their shoulders pressed together comfortably. 

The air around them is hazy and when Billy turns to look at Steve he finds brown eyes already on him. 

“Hi,” he whispers. 

“Hey.”

“You weren't lying. This is good shit.”

Steve laughs, “I have no clue where he gets it but God bless Eddie Munson.”

Billy fake salutes to that, taking the joint back for the last hit and flicking the butt to the ground.

The weed makes him brave, loosens his lips and he turns once again to look at Steve who still hasn’t taken his eyes off of him. 

“I wasn’t joking. Earlier I mean, when I told you to come to visit me.”

“I wasn’t joking when I said I would.”

Steve moves a little closer and Billy can practically taste him as he whispers, “Can I kiss you?”

Billy nods and Steve closes the distance to capture his lips. It isn’t the most comfortable angle but neither of them can bring themselves to care because their lips are touching and it’s the best damn thing Billy has ever felt. 

Steve pulls away first, but touches his cheek gently with his fingertips, “Wanna come over? My parents are gone, as usual, so we can watch a movie or whatever. Order pizza.”

Billy hesitates, “I don’t know.”

“I know for a fact that Max is sleeping over at Hopper’s with El tonight. I also know that you don’t want to be alone in the house with your dad and I don’t want to be alone either. So stay, and I’ll make sure you’re there to get Max tomorrow morning so you both stay out of trouble.”

“Okay yeah. I’ll stay.”

“Good,” Steve sits up and starts to grab his stuff. “Oh and this is an open invitation by the way. My house is always safe if you need a place to crash or you just wanna get away for a while.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. We’re friends and shit now right?” Steve repeats Billy’s words from earlier. 

“I think whatever that was makes us a little more than friends,” Billy gestures to the picnic table behind them as he follows Steve to his car. 

And shit does the thought of being more than friends with Steve Harrington scare the shit out of him. 

“We can be whatever you want us to be,” Steve stops and reaches out, twisting his pinky around Billy’s. “But for the record, I’m good with more than friends.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

Steve chuckles and leans in for another kiss. 

“C’mon, pizza and beer are calling my name.”

So yeah, Steve still wasn’t a big fan of summer school. But if that night, with his head on Billy’s chest as he slept, he said a small thank you to whoever put him in the same room as Billy, well that was no one’s business but his own.