#billy's world turns upside down (in a good way) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

milliesfishes · 3 months

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𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓹𝓲𝓽𝓸𝓾𝓼 (𝓟𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮)˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

[fem reader] contains: forced lack of eating, body image issues, verbal abuse, physical abuse, cheating pairing: billy the kid x fem reader summary: stuck in an arranged betrothal, you think you'll forever be trapped until you meet billy and your world is flipped upside down (part three) author’s note: thank you thank you for all the love on this series, I hope you enjoy the last part! <3 Pinterest Board Spotify Playlist (chapter starting at My Love Will Never Die)

Secrets are a curse between two people. Once they are known they either bring them together or tear them apart. You and Billy were now closer than ever.

The cabin became your sanctuary, and you escaped to it as often as you could, when you weren't under the watchful eye of those who'd raised you, or your husband-to-be.

Billy's arms were your happy place, and he happily opened them to you whenever you needed. He kissed your worries away, talking enthusiastically of the future. Of how you'd run away together, how you'd get a little place just like this one somewhere far off. You lived in those daydreams when you weren't with him, seeing for the first time ever a future you wanted to be a part of.

The good thing about Billy knowing was that you didn't have to be so on edge all the time. He shouldered the burden with you, gave you some much-needed relief. In time, he coaxed more out of you, about life in Atlanta and the reason your parents had pushed this marriage on you.

"Ain't nobody should be blamin' ya for wantin' to pick the best ya could," he assured you, tracing your cheek as you lay bare by the fireplace sandwiched between blankets and cocooned against him. You nuzzled your cheek against his bare chest so you could feel his heartbeat. "Society rules 'n all...they hardly have a place out here."

"That's why I love it so much," you smiled, and he returned it in a lazy, blissful way.

"That's the only reason ya love it?" he teased, his fingers scratching your arm gently in a soothing motion.

Pretending to think about it, you snuggled impossibly closer. "Maybe there's a couple others."

He dropped his lips to the part in your hair, inhaling your scent softly. "Lucky, lucky man I am."

"You're holding a girl who's engaged to someone else," you mumbled, looking up at him. "Doesn't sound so lucky."

"Ah, you're worth all 'f it," he stopped his scratching and used the same hand to tuck your hair behind your ear. "Any man'd do the same for the sweetest girl in the West."

You let him have that, smiling softly. Billy didn't know he was one of a kind. Having exhausted the resources in most of Atlanta society, you would know. He was special, he brought you back to life. In secret, he reignited the flame you had thought diminished.

But even Billy couldn't erase the turbulence of your family and fiancé, as much as he wanted to.

One day as you were getting dressed, being laced into your corset for the day by one of the maids, your mother poked her head in, looking over you like one would a specimen. She dismissed the maid and started to pull at the strings herself, making your body jolt. Her tactics were more aggressive.

"You've gained nearly an inch," she commented, and you lowered your eyes to the floor.

"I can get it off," you promised, and a scoff was heard from behind you.

"Indeed you will," your mother said distractedly, and you felt the corset tighten around you. "In fact, I think it best if we put you on a restricted diet until the wedding."

You turned to look at her. "What-"

"You want to be able to fit into your wedding dress," she said firmly, and you looked back at the wall so she wouldn't see you clench your jaw. "Honestly, I'm not always going to be around to do everything for you. After you're married it will be your job to remain an acceptable weight for your husband."

It stung. Everything she was saying hit your chest like rain in a thunderstorm hit the roof. But you were an obedient daughter. And you didn't want to make her angry. So reluctantly, you nodded and said in a small voice, "Yes, mother."

"Very good." She tied the knot on your corset and reached for your dress, helping you step into it. You felt numb as she buttoned the back.

Going down for breakfast, you sat at the table and reached for a slice of bread. But then you remembered her words and slowly pulled your hand back, folding it over your other one in your lap. She was watching. Your mother nodded approvingly.

The frustration you felt was awful. Why should you have to do something so demeaning for such an awful man, who in all honesty would hardly notice? But now you were looking at yourself in the mirror through your mother's eyes, pinching the side of your waist and wishing you could cut it off.

Even when you were with Billy you were more hesitant to sit on his lap or lie on top of him, the internal voices telling you that you were too heavy. Sometimes he would bring a little something to the cabin to eat, and you'd nibble at it delicately, letting him have most of it.

Because it was Billy though, after the first couple of times he noticed. "Everythin' okay, sweet?"

You looked up from where you'd been staring at the floor, lost in thought. Remembering where you were, you smiled unassumingly. "Yes."

"You've hardly eaten anything, sunshine, ya seem a little down," he said concernedly, brushing his hand over your cheek. "Ya feelin' alright?"

"I'm okay," you reached for his hand and squeezed it. "Really."

Billy didn't look convinced, but he knew not to push it, so instead he reached out for you. "C'mere."

You hesitated, thoughts of your weight at the forefront of your mind. So instead of going to his lap like you normally would have, you sat by him, still close.

He frowned, tugging on your waist. "Baby, ya missed."

Pursing your lips, you shook your head, drawing your knees to your chest. "No, I'm okay here."

The resignation in your tone was clear, and Billy settled a hand on your thigh, rubbing up and down. "Whatsa matter, honey?"

You looked up at him, at how concerned he was for you. One look into his blues and it all came pouring out of you. The diet, your mother's comments, your eating habits...everything.

When you finished, Billy was quiet for a moment. Then he cooed, reaching for you. "Baby...you come sit on m' lap. You ain't too heavy 'n ya never will be."

He held you there, your bottom on his thigh and your legs across his knees, nestled between them. Pressing a gentle kiss to the side of your ear, he murmured, "Don't give any 'f it a thought. You're so perfect. Pretty as a peach, thought so from the first time I saw ya."

Oh, he always knew exactly what to say. Every minute he was with you made everything all better. Billy wrapped his arms around your waist, under your arms, one hand reaching up to rest on your heart. You leaned back into him and quelled every thought about your body, letting it be buried in the bundle of love he had you wrapped in.

"Can't do much for when you're not with me," he kissed your cheek, letting his lips linger there. "But when you are, I'll have ya eatin'." Billy lifted a slice of one of the apples he'd brought to your lips expectantly. Obediently, you opened your mouth and he fed it to you. "Atta girl."

Every day he uncovered some previously unseen facet of him that made you love him more. And could hardly do anything more than love him, love him with all your heart, love him like you'd never loved anything else. It wasn't give and take. It wasn't one sided. It was golden, pure and hope-filled, all encapsulated by this spot in his arms.

Your mother had insisted on a visit with Henry, and you hadn’t had the energy to protest.

Because she was apparently the expert on all things high society men, she told you to pay him a visit at his office. He would be so happy to see you, she’d said. Especially if you went with a smile.

So, biting the bullet, you allowed yourself to be trussed up like a prized calf and sent on your way, a tight smile plastered on your face as if by glue.

You looked at the tall building with dread. It nearly seemed to loom tantalizingly over you. Henry worked on the second floor, you’d been told (by him, numerous times). Gathering both your skirts and your courage, you made your way up the steps and opened the door.

A friendly woman directed you to the exact location of Henry’s office, and you took deep breaths all the way there. The outcome of the visit depended entirely on what kind of mood he was in. You prayed he’d had a good work day.

It was a unique gift he had, how he could make any door he was behind seem intimidating. You paused and stared at it, gritting your teeth. It’s only an hour, it’s only an hour.

Wishing on every eyebrow hair, star, and eyelash, you grasped the handle and pushed the door open. The sight behind it caused your eyes to go as round as the center of a daisy.

Henry was there, yes, but he was with a woman of unknown identity, who was sitting on his desk with half her dress unbuttoned and pushed down around her waist. Your fiancé was kissing her sloppily, his hands pushing her skirt up to her thighs, exposing the end of her stocking.

Involuntarily, you let out a gasp, your hand flying to your heart. Henry’s head whipped around, and you were almost pleased at his shock, at the slight look of guilt.

Before he could say anything, you turned right on your heel, shutting the door firmly behind you and walking briskly out. Maybe you should have felt bad. Threatened, angry, jealous, even. But instead you felt joyful.

Finally you had an out. You had a real, legitimate reason to leave him and call off the engagement. In high society abuse was (regrettably) tolerated, but infidelity was an entirely different thing.

Inappropriately giddy, you skipped out to your horse, and as you rode home the world seemed brighter. The sun was warm, the grass was green…it was so rare for you to feel this way when you weren’t with Billy.

Oh Billy! You were so excited to tell him, to hold his hands and say sincerely that it was over. You didn’t have to kiss behind closed doors anymore. A torrential stream of daydreams flooded your mind, ranging from running away to getting married, but this time to a man you loved.

You left your horse in the stables, bounding up the steps and immediately facing your mother in the drawing room.

She set aside her sewing and stood, looking puzzled. “What are you doing back so soon?”

Unable to help your elation, you gushed, “I caught Henry with another woman.”

Your mother didn’t seem put off by your tone. “You did?”

Gathering yourself up, you said, “I won’t marry him.”

Striding over to you, looking around for listening ears, your mother grabbed your arm and said in a harsh whisper, “What are you talking about? Of course you’re going to marry him.”

All your hopes and dreams were swept off the table, shattering into a million shiny pieces at your feet. Your heart sank like a rock to the bottom of the river. “What?”

Looking around suspiciously still, your mother pulled you further into the room and shut the door. When she turned back around to face you, her expression was nearly furious.

“I don’t know what you think you saw, but whatever it is…” she paused, looking you up and down. “It doesn’t matter. If he wants to continue the engagement, you will go through with it.”

The energy you’d accumulated from catching your fiancé wasn’t diminished like it normally would have been. There was a fire inside you that could not be quelled. “Over the last few months, he has treated me in some of the worst ways anyone could treat someone. I don’t love him, and I don’t want to marry him. You cannot force me down that aisle.”

Your mother took you by the arms and forced you to sit on the couch, stiffly sitting by you. She folded her hands in her lap primly, but the cold look on her face was hardly ladylike. “We’re nearly out of money.”

A cold wave of shock washed over you. “What do you mean?”

“Your father insisted on coddling you by keeping you in the dark but I cannot stand it any longer,” she said sharply. “Do you really think we left Atlanta with you for the fun of it? That we wouldn’t have sent you off on a train with Mr. Merritt so you were someone else’s problem if we could?”

It was a slap in the face if there ever was one. You could only stare at her.

Your mother continued with only a slightly softened tone. “Mr. Merritt possesses a sizable fortune. And with a marriage your father would gain advantages in the business he’s invested in. But only if you marry. If you end it, we will be ruined.”

Shame warred your inner instincts. You wanted to scream at the fact that you’d been only a pawn this entire time. And cry because of the obligation you felt to your family. Of course you didn’t want them to be left desolate. Your kind heart and seemingly permanently guilty mindset won out. Because it always did. Still, you tried to fight it, tears welling up precariously. “Please. I’ll be miserable if I have to spend the rest of my life with him.”

The emotion in your words did not sway her. “And what do you think will make you happy? That cowboy who likes to sneak around the property?”

You paled as she mentioned Billy, opening your mouth to try and diffuse the situation, but she merely shook her head, leaving you silent. Even the sight of her disappointment was enough to send you spiraling, a tactic she’d used since you were a child.

“What kind of life could that man, an outlaw-“ she said the word like it was dirty. “-possibly give you? Mr. Merritt offers stability. Comfort. If he’s stepping out, you can either live with it or try harder, since you clearly aren’t satisfying him.” Your mother set an uncomfortable hand on one of yours. “Be smart for once, and do the right thing. Or you will be responsible for our misery.”

The irony of that statement was not lost on you as she promptly stood and left, the door slamming behind her.

It’d been days and you’d hardly stopped crying.

Maybe your cheeks would never cease to be rosy, your eyes would never be dry again. Here in the cabin that was once your haven, you stood up straight with your arms folded and your eyes trained on the cold fireplace. The ash was akin to how you felt- once burning bright, now strewn about.

When the door opened behind you, you didn’t turn around. Nor did you when Billy’s arms slid around you, his chin resting on your shoulder. He must’ve taken his hat off, because it wasn’t nudging against your head.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he murmured, turning his head slightly to peck your cheek. When he caught sight of your reddened eyes and somber expression, he turned you around gently and pushed your face to his shoulder. “Baby…”

“I can’t see you anymore,” you breathed, feeling another wave of tears coming on.

Billy shook his head, his nose in your hair, hand softly stroking the back of your head. “What for?”

“I have to marry Henry-“ you started, and he pressed his lips to your head, cutting you off.

“You ain’t marryin’ that bastard,” he murmured, rubbing your back. “You don’t gotta be with me, but no way in hell are ya gonna be with him.”

“I want to be with you,” you pulled back, looking up at him. He had a bittersweet look in his eye, like he’d seen this coming. “But I have to marry him. My family…they…” His azure eyes reminded you of the seaside when you were little, deep, comforting pools you wanted to drown in.

Thumbing your cheek, Billy shook his head. “What’s your family done for you that you gotta keep givin’? That you gotta stay with someone who hurts you?”

Your lips parted to respond, but you found you didn’t know what to say. Although they were family, they had manipulated, scorned, and starved you; both of food and attention. All you could manage was, “I owe them everything. They took care of me.”

“That’s just what family’s s’posed to do,” Billy tucked some of your hair behind your ear, smoothing it back and continually running his fingers through it. “Ain’t somethin’ to repay.”

A single tear slipped from your eye. “They’ll be ruined if I don’t. I can’t leave them desolate.”

“‘S not your burden.” Billy pulled you back in so you were snug against his chest. “You didn’t get ‘em into this, and you don’t gotta get ‘em out.”

“Billy-“ A slight sob cut you off, and you slumped against him, his arms the comfort you had always known them to be.

He was the softest thing in the world at that moment because he loved you, really loved you like nobody else had. You could have sunk into him, buried yourself deep into his depths until the sun burnt out.

But the cold, nagging feeling inside you had other plans.

It was like tearing two magnets apart, the way you drew back from him. You took a heavy step back, taking one last look at him with teary eyes. And then, with a whispered goodbye, you left, disappearing into the cold dark world without any promise of coming back to the light.

Somehow more tragic than losing someone to death is losing someone who still exists in the world, because there will always be that possibility. The what-if. A chasm of regret.

In the next few weeks, it swallowed you, tore you into pieces and put you back together, even though you begged it not to, because then the hurt would only restart.

Henry had come to your door with false apologies and promises, talking in circles in a way that told you he was lying. You supposed you should have been happy he wasn't hitting you.

It felt as though you were standing still, letting things happen to you as time marched on. Your mother was disturbingly cheery, dragging you through the wedding plans, saying things you didn't want to hear and chiding you playfully when you showed little enthusiasm.

"A woman only gets one wedding, you know!" she said enthusiastically as you sat at the dinner table one night, nothing on your plate. She was holding a paper with the guest list, writing and crossing out names.

Your stomach growled softly.

Billy was in the shadows and corners of your life, as a ghost and sometimes not. You would see him across town sometimes as your mother took you shopping. He never said anything, never approached you, just watched silently.

One day as your mother was in the post office arguing for a better arrival time for invitations, he did come to you, removing his hat as he stood quietly leaning on the wall with you.

"Hey," he said softly, looking over you concernedly,

You didn't turn to face him. "Hey."

Always in tune with you, he must have known you didn't want to talk. Instead of asking how you were, a fact obvious to the human eye, he took one of your hands, lifting it and gently pressing something hard and round into it. When you looked down, you saw a shiny red apple, juicy and firm.

Looking up at Billy, your eyes widened slightly, your lips parting. "I-"

"Don't gotta say anythin', sunshine," he promised, taking your other hand and closing it over the apple. Lifting one hand, he traced your cheekbone, the thinning, pale lines of your face. Then his eyes wandered to the way your dress seemed to big for your frame, your bony arms. "Just take it, alright?"

You could hear your mother's shrill voice getting closer to the door. Nodding, you slipped the apple into the discreet pocket of your dress, and Billy squeezed your hand once before he left, disappearing around the corner.

Later in secret, you ate the apple gratefully, savoring every bite. He still cared about you. Even after you'd hurt him, left him. All the love you'd been trying to suppress came rushing back full-fledged. And now you were looking back at that night at the cabin, wishing you had done everything completely differently.

He probably would have run away with you, you realized one night before closing your eyes to fall asleep. The last thought you had was one of hope. Maybe you could fix it. Your family be damned.

The next morning a renewed spirit ignited in you. Maybe if you could find him, confess your loneliness without him, the bright and shiny love you still possessed...you didn't want to get your hopes up, but the possibilities set your heart aflame.

Henry was there when you got downstairs, and he turned around, smiling pleasantly when you walked into the drawing room. Perfect.

"I need to tell you something," you said determinedly, striding toward him.

"So do I." Henry caught you by the arms. "You need to pack your things. We're leaving."

Your mind went blank. What did he mean, leaving? "Leaving."

"That's right." His hair was a little messy, his smile borderline manic. "We're going to go somewhere else and get married when we arrive."

"Wait, slow down," you shook your head, sure you'd misheard him. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember the young lady you...ah...caught me with?" he said in a whisper, eyes darting to the side suspiciously. "Her husband knows. He's got it out for me. So, we need to leave as soon as possible."

"What about my parents?" you asked, looking back at the door worriedly. He turned your chin to face him again and you sucked in a breath at the violation.

"They won't be told. Your father will take over my position and they'll be fine," he pulled on your hand. "Go upstairs and start packing. We'll be travelling light."

You pulled your hands back, casting your eyes to the side as you thought. If Henry was leaving and your father and mother would be taken care of... this time, there was truly nothing holding you back. No guilt or loose ends or anything left behind.

And now that you had a chance at freedom, there was only one person you were running to.

Slowly realizing this, you lifted your head to meet his eyes, your face changing. "No." Your voice was light, and you said the word as a realization.

Henry stared at you. "What do you mean, no?"

"No." You said it firmly this time, straightening up as you looked at him. "I...am not going anywhere with you."

"You're my fiancé-"

"And you've been awful to me," you continued, a new, unfamiliar determination taking over. Lifting your chin, you couldn't seem to stop the words from pouring out. "You hit me, you cheated on me. And now you're asking me to run away with you like nothing ever happened." Shaking your head, you turned, moving to walk away. "We're finished."

White hot pain blinded you, manifesting in a sting on your face. Your knees buckled, and the floor was not a forgiving landing space. As your brain registered what had happened, you waited for the flood of lament, the remorse for having pushed him this far. But it never came.

Henry grabbed you by the arms and pulled you up, sending you stumbling back. He shook you, his expression murderous. "You should be grateful I put up with you after all the grief you've given me."

Looking you over, he exhaled once through his nose, and you were reminded of a bull about to charge. He could have been thinking about killing you in that moment, and you would have no idea.

And that thought, that he could kill you, was viable in that moment. For a second you were sure he would. That he would beat you bloody until your own family wouldn't be able to recognize your mangled corpse.

Instead, he pulled you by the arm outside, barking an order to get on his horse. Your body moved without thinking, and before you knew it you were riding, hanging onto him for dear life.

Would he kill you somewhere remote? Where they wouldn't find your body?

Henry took you all the way to town, getting off the horse in front of the local bank. He gave you a firm glare, and you knew it was a silent order to stay there. You got off the horse, petting its mane and trying to calm yourself. He wasn't going to let you go back home. By all counts, he was kidnapping you, forcing you to go heaven knows where. Hot tears blinded your vision, and you couldn't help but let one slip. Maybe you were entitled to it.

There was a hand on your shoulder, and you jumped, eyes wide as you turned around.

Billy held up his hands in a show of peace, looking surprised. "Woah, sunshine, it's just me." He squinted at you, and you knew he'd noticed your tear. "Hey...'r ya-"

He was cut off by you barreling into him, body smashing against his, arms around his middle, face burrowed in his chest. Your chest heaved with panicked breaths, and you breathed in his scent, wishing you could meld yourself into him.

"Hey...hey, baby, whatsa matter?" Billy asked worriedly, smoothing your hair and trying to calm you down. "Easy, sweetheart. Easy. Breathe f' me, yeah? You're safe with me, I've gotcha. I've gotcha."

Your breaths slowed down as you held onto him. He pulled you into a spot under the shade of a building, getting you out of the sun. "I've got you, sweet." Billy looked at you sadly when you lifted your head, his hand finding what must have been a patch of redness on your cheek. His fingers were cool against the injury, and you leaned into it. "Oh my baby. Who'd ever hurt my sweet baby?"

There were footsteps to the side, and you lifted your head frantically, seeing Henry walk out of the bank and look around for you. Billy followed your gaze and his face hardened.

Not wasting a second, he took his hat off his head and shoved it onto yours, pulling you into a nearby alley. He leaned sideways against the wall, so he was blocking any passerby's view of you. Once you were there, right up against him, he whispered, "What's goin' on? Ya look scared half to death."

Body nearly shaking, you looked up into his eyes. Seaside. "Henry's leaving town. There's someone threatening him. And he's...he's making me come with him."

He looked shocked, shaking his head. "No... no no no, you're not leavin'. He's not takin' ya anywhere."

"Once I knew he was leaving I wanted to come to you," you said brokenly, tears forming rivers on your skin. "My parents are taken care of. There wouldn't be anything...it was selfish of me to think you'd still want me after I-"

Billy pulled you in, knocking his hat up on your head so he could kiss your forehead. "Don't think I'd ever stop wantin' ya. You've ruined me for anyone else, my love. That ain't the point." He looked at you, nodding and urging you to continue.

"He didn't like when I said I wasn't coming," you said softly, closing your eyes and leaning your face fully into his hand. "We rode out here, and he just went inside for a minute. He's probably looking for me, I should-"

"If ya think I'm lettin' ya go anywhere with him..." Billy's fingers stroked the afflicted area of your cheek. "...you've got another thing comin'."

Looking up at him, seeing how sincere he was, how intent he would be on protecting you...it made your eyes well up for another reason entirely. You buried your face into his chest again, holding on tight to him. He held you close, and you knew he wouldn't let go until you started to.

Someone cleared their throat, and you jolted, looking up. To your horror, Henry was standing there, glaring at the pair of you.

Billy turned, and his eyes narrowed when he saw who it was. He pushed you gently behind him, keeping one of his hands clasped in yours. "Can I help ya?"

"You can hand my fiancée back." Henry's words were threatening, but they didn't seem as scary with Billy in front of you.

He stood tall and firm. "I don't think so."

Henry laughed in a chilling way. "I see. You think you've got her, Kid? We're engaged. Bet she didn't tell you that."

"I'm fully aware," Billy said unwaveringly. "Believe me, I know everything."

That seemed to take the wind out of Henry's sails just slightly, and he moved forward as if to physically hurt Billy. But your man remained solid, standing and staring him down.

For all of Henry's talk, you knew there wasn't any was he wasn't at least a little afraid of Billy. The fastest draw in the West, a famed outlaw. your ex-fiancé didn't stand a chance against him.

Scoffing, Henry took a tiny step back. "You'd really go this far for her? She's nothing but a-"

In an instant, Billy had him against the wall, holding him by his shirt, his face right up close. "You don't wanna finish that." His voice was low and dangerously calm.

You almost felt bad for relishing Henry's visible fear. He was so used to being at the top of the food chain, and Billy had knocked him down to the bottom. Henry's eyes were wide, and he looked at you, as if you'd help him. "You won't let him hurt me...you..."

The dead look in your eyes stopped him from saying the rest.

Billy turned to look at you, and his eyes softened. He gave you a look, and you knew right then that he would do anything you wanted. This was the face of a man who would kill for you. The power that gave you was scary.

Turning your eyes to Henry, you saw how pathetic he was, how vulnerable. Now he felt how he'd made you feel every day since that first morning in the drawing room in Atlanta.

And that was enough for you.

You focused back on Billy, shaking your head just slightly. In his eyes it was clear he wanted to do more, wanted to make him pay for everything he'd done to you, everything he'd done to everyone. But he didn't, and it was a testament to how much he loved you.

Shoving Henry to the ground and letting go of him, Billy spat, "You're not even fit to look at 'er." Leaving him crumpled at his boots, Billy went to you, his hands finding your shoulders as he looked you over. "You okay? All good?" He waited until you nodded before pulling you into his arms.

For a moment, you were more than content. Billy had you safe, and he was going to keep you safe. But when you looked up, you saw Henry getting to his feet shakily, reaching his hand inside his jacket and pulling out something silver, pointing toward the two of you.

Your eyes widened. "Billy-!"

He was a step ahead, whipping around, pistol in hand. A shot echoed in the alleyway, and for a second, you weren't sure whose it was.

But then Billy was turning back to you, gun already tucked back against his hip. He looked over every inch of you, tucking your hair behind your ears and gently pressing one of his big hands to your head, settling the hat more firmly against your head. Now both hands were settled behind your head, holding you with his palms over your hair.

His body was blocking Henry's, and you knew he was trying to shield you. So, you let him. You looked up into his eyes, feeling the last tendrils of the engagement crumble from around you. He nudged his nose against yours. "M' brave girl..." he whispered. "Nobody's gonna hurt ya no more."

When he pulled you into his chest again, your belief in the statement multiplied tenfold.

You and Billy had left town by the time the sun rose on the next day. It felt metaphorical, the way you snuck back into your home to gather a few things, tiptoeing past your parents' rooms and taking a horse from the stables, riding side by side with your man over the hills and out of sight.

You never saw Henry's arrest. Never saw the judge proclaim him "unworthy of even a wink of decency".

You never saw your father regain his status as a businessman. He and your mother made the journey back to Atlanta, where he operated remotely, building his success back up.

You never saw anybody from your old life again,

Turning over in bed, you lazily looked up at Billy, snuggling up against his chest as sunlight spilled through the curtains, creating a warm patch on the sheets. You treasured every morning you got with him, remembering that first one where you'd left in such a hurry. You never had to do that again.

Billy nosed against your cheek, peppering gentle kisses over it. Oh, the way he looked at you. Eyes sleepy, smile bright even in the early hours, his arms tightened around you. He muttered against his skin, "I don't think I even know how much I love you."

Rubbing his chest contently, you sighed softly. Your smile seemed permanent these days. "My love."

"My sunshine." He pulled you so you were resting directly on top of him, his eyes warm as you folded your arms on his chest, your chin resting there.

Your liberty was his gift to you, and you chose to spend it on him. Billy took your heart and showed you how it beat.

"Every time," you breathed, and his lips brushed yours, his hand tangling in your hair. "I would choose you every time."

Previous Part

#billy the kid #billy the kid x reader #billy the kid fanfiction #billy the kid x you #william h bonney x reader #william h bonney fanfiction #william h bonney x you #billy the kid imagines #billy the kid imagine #billy bonney #billy the kid 2022 #william h bonney #william h bonney imagines #william h bonney imagine #Spotify

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bugsbenefit · 1 year

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closest to canon Hawkins we can get

this is the map used in s2 and shows up in the canon show as well as in World's Turned Upside Down (also used as the base for most official artwork of Hawkins). as of now it's the most accurate map we have

there have been a few other maps on the show but those deviate a lot from what's seen in canon (like Bob's map showing a river near the town center that isn't really there). the only inconsistency with This map is that the County Coroner is a bit further south than in canon and that some locations that are referred to as "streets" in the show are marked as "roads" or "avenues" here. those are all minor changes though so as far as canon goes. this is the best map we've got

blue - bodies of water, white - buildings, green - residences, gray - streets, yellowish - speculative/not listed on the map but implied through the actual show

also, to explain further, i didn't make these locations up. all buildings in white and streets are already marked on the map, most of them are extremely hard to read and i just put more legible text on top. the Wheelers, Sinclairs, and Mayfields houses aren't listed but are easy to locate since their street names are on the map. only the yellow squares aren't explicitly confirmed on the map and are technically speculative since i added them based on canon information

(explanation of the reasoning for those placements under the cut for anyone that's interested. bc, personally, i hate seeing maps online that make plainly wrong claims without even trying to explain how they got there)

just starting off, almost every version of this map places the Wheeler and Sinclair home further north than me which is canonically false. those maps use a wrong scale. Lucas and Mike are almost next door neighbors (there is only One house number between theirs, but that house could also be located across the road from them, making them actual next door neighbors). also, Maple Street starts further south than a lot of people using this map seem to acknowledge. the actual order of the two houses is up for debate and could easily be switched though

Melvad's is technically also speculative since it isn't listed on the map (only the cinema and police station are). but looking at the town square in the show and the irl location of the stores you can pinpoint it's position

"Weathertop", the highest area in Hawkins, which is where Cerebro is located in s3. since the town is shown to be behind Starcourt when positioned on Wheatertop, the hill has to be located behind the mall

Hopper's trailer is shown to be next to a lake and only features in s1, the shape of the lake matches Lake Tippecanoe the closest but i'm not dead set on this

Benny's Burgers is canonically on Randolph Lane, the map doesn't feature this road but has a Randolph Way instead. it might be an entirely different road, or Randolph lane could be an unmarked offshoot of the marked Randolph Way. however, since Randolph Way leads out of Hawkins into a forested area near HNL and the forest the party looked for Will in, the general location of the road is probably a good guess for it's location

Mrs Driscoll's home is somewhere on Cornwallis Street. we don't know where on the street, but it's there somewhere. (the same also goes for the motel Billy and Karen wanted to meet up at, but since we never even saw the location i didn't mark it on the map)

the Brimborn Steelworks are on Cherry Oak Drive, accessible when driving down Cornwallis. the street Cherry Oak Drive also doesn't exist on the map. however, a street called Cherry Avenue conveniently directly connects to Cornwallis so i'm inclined to believe that's where the Steelwork is located (Cherry Oak Drive could also be an offshoot of Cherry Avenue or it could just be an inconsistency sploof)

the Byers home is marked twice on the map since it could be located on either road leading away from Mirkwood (Kerley or Cornwallis)

Skull rock and Reefer Rick's Cabin are both located at Lovers Lake but since we don't know their exact locations they're technically speculative

Garrot Street is only implied by canon and it's probably the loosest connection on here. Skull Rock is noted to be near "Cornwallis and Garrot". there is only two major/big roads noted near lovers lake, one of them is Cornwallis, the other one would then most likely be Garrot (also made likelier by the fact that the actual name of the road is completely illegible on the map and could be anything)

also note. the Eno River is also on this map, but i had to crop it a bit to fit a reasonable scale. it would be in the far northwest of the map (the south-most tip of it is still visible)

locations that become relevant later on and aren't marked on the map, that also aren't locatable through additional canon information would be things like Max's old home, the Roane Hill Cemetery, the Creel House on Morehead, and Pennhurst (even though we don't know if Pennhurst is actually in the Hawkins map are). also things like the community pool in s3 or town hall in s4 don't show up either

#stranger things

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reidingandwriting · 2 months

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Lover (Steve Harrington’s Version)

Chapter Four: Daylight

“I once believed love would be black and white, but it’s golden”

Word Count: 3.4k

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

Warnings: Fem!Reader, cursing, reader once again having bad parents, mentions of past death (Billy), takes place in s4 so Vecna is unfortunately a thing

A/N: This is my favorite of the chapters posted so far so I hope everyone enjoys :’)

Previous chapter / next chapter

Steve had tried so hard to keep you safe. Away from the strange monsters that had been plaguing his friend group, away from the creatures that had made themselves at home in Hawkins. During the fight with Billy, the Starcourt incident, anything to do with the Upside Down… he had tried to keep you away from it. You meant too much to him, he couldn’t risk your safety.

When you first learned about the Upside Down due to Billy, you were… conflicted. You were upset that he hadn’t told you about it, upset that he had gotten hurt several times and you never knew, concerned that he kept getting himself into situations where he would get hurt. He was a protector, he was protective over the teens, Nancy, and Robin; you couldn’t fault him for his actions, even if they would put you into an early grave from worry. A silly part of you felt a little left out that you hadn’t learned about everything sooner, that you weren’t there to help. And he would have kept it that way- had you not gotten closer to Max.

You had always held a soft spot for the redhead, seeing your younger self in her. After Billy’s death, after El and the Byers had moved away, you had taken a more active role in her life. You spent many nights at Max’s trailer when she had rough nights, sleeping on a makeshift pallet of blankets on the floor, ready to jump into action if anything happened. Ready to be her shoulder to cry on, ready to take her for a late night walk or drive to get her out of her head. You were good. You didn’t know love, kindness and affection were strangers to you. But you were full of it. You were the kindest person he knew, you loved hard. He didn’t want to bring you with them to the Upside Down, but he knew- they all knew- they needed all the help they could get. He never imagined Vecna would go after you.

“This is some trippy shit,” you said as you walked with Steve, your hand gripping his tightly. You had just made it to Eddie’s trailer in the Upside Down and as terrifying as the alternate world was, you were fascinated by it. How similar it was to your own world, you know. Minus the massive amount of monsters ready to attack you at any moment.

“That’s one way to put it,” Eddie said as he opened the door and you followed Steve inside, Nancy and Robin behind you. Eddie shut the door with a click and you looked around, pausing when you noticed an odd looking crack in the ceiling. You opened your mouth to point it out when suddenly, a hole in the ceiling burst. All of you screamed and Steve pulled you back as- is that a broom?- dug a hole in the ceiling. Eddie and Steve walked forward first and you let out a sigh of relief when you heard the kids.

Moments later, a makeshift rope had been formed and thrown through the opening. Robin went first, followed by Eddie, then Nancy. Steve watched as Nancy landed on the mattress back in Eddie’s real trailer and once she was out of the landing zone, he turned to you. “Alright, let me give you a boost.” When Steve takes in the sight of you, he feels a panic he has never felt in his life. Your eyes are milky white as you stare ahead and Steve calls your name. Steve is vaguely aware of the commotion from the others as he rests his hands on your shoulders. “Come on, come on, wake up. Stay with me,” he pleads.

“Steve! What’s happening?” Dustin yells and Steve snaps his head up.

“He has her, Vecna has her. Music, I need music!”

Everyone upstairs freezes for a second before they rush to find music. You? Vecna had you? Erica stays at the opening while the others rush off, ready to relay any messages or updates from Steve. The others tear apart Eddie’s room, desperately looking for music, for anything that could save you. The chaos is loud, to the point Steve can hear it below. It’s nothing but background noise as he tries to snap you out of it. He shakes your shoulders, calls your name, begging and pleading for you to wake up. He barely recognizes his own voice, the pure desperation and panic in his words.

“Stay with me, stay with me!” Steve looks up and yells for them to hurry up, watching as Erica runs off before he focuses on you again. “I know you’re in there, I need you to fight. Okay? You have to fight for me, you have to stay. You can’t leave us, you can’t leave me. Not now, not ever.” Steve cups your cheeks, his words coming out choked and he blinks when he feels water on his cheek. His eyes begin to burn and it takes him another moment to process that he’s crying. He couldn’t lose you, not like this.

Steve had never been one for believing in higher powers, the idea of a god in the sky silly to him. At that moment, though, he prayed to every higher being there was. He’d swap places with you in a heartbeat, he’d give up everything if it meant you were okay. If you survived this. Tears were streaming down his cheeks at this point, fingers digging into your shoulders. He had so much more planned for the two of you. Getting your own place together, hosting holidays at your house, eventually starting your own family- an addition to the family you both had found in the teens, Nancy, Robin, and even Eddie at this point. He couldn’t say goodbye to you like this. He didn’t know how he would handle the world without you by his side.

“There’s so much we have to do. We need you, I need you. I love you so much, the kids, Nancy and Robin, Eddie.. We all love you. If you can hear me, come back to me, please.” Steve’s words were jumbled now and he watched in horror as you slowly began to rise. “Hurry!” He screamed.

You were at home. How did you get home? “Hello?” You called out as you walked around. You sniffed. Was that bacon? You walked towards the kitchen, brows furrowing when you heard the sounds of breakfast being cooked. You heard voices talking, laughing and you stopped when you saw your parents. Your mom cooking breakfast, talking and laughing with your dad. Your dad reading the paper, fiddling with the radio and humming along to the music as he sipped his coffee. God, when was the last time you had a family breakfast? “Mom, Dad?” You asked. Neither of them responded. “Guys?”

Your mom turned towards the table, carrying two plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. She smiled as she sat beside your dad, and you took a seat across from your mom. “Are you excited for our trip today? I can’t wait to be on the beach.” Your mom began to eat and your dad winked at her.

“I can’t wait to see you on the beach.” You scrunched your nose at his comment and your mom turned her head, looking straight ahead at you. She didn’t acknowledge your presence, didn’t even seem to be aware you were in the same room as her.

“Aren’t you glad we never had children?” You felt your heart stop when she asked this and you leaned forward, waving your hand in her face. As good as they were about ignoring you, they never missed an opportunity to make a snide comment or give you a resentful look. Your mom didn’t even falter and if your dad noticed you, he didn’t react to your proximity either. Slowly, you went to touch her hand and you screamed when it was replaced by some monster’s hand, the grip on yours painful. “See how happy we could be without you?” Your mom’s voice distorted as she said your name, the bright kitchen starting to darken as your parents looked at you.

“Maybe we could have been happy if we never had you. Could have lived our lives, enjoyed them. Instead we got stuck with you.” Your dad’s voice echoed in your head and you struggled, stumbling back once you freed your hand. You ran towards the front door, throwing it open and not looking back. You looked around and saw Steve in his driveway, standing by his car and you ran towards him.

“Steve! Steve, oh my god. Something happened to my parents and-”

“Do you think I care?” Steve’s voice was cold, distant, and you felt your heart break.

“W-what?”

“Truly, did you ever think I cared about you?” Steve’s warm brown eyes were filled with hatred as he looked at you and you tried to back away. “Did you ever think you were anything more than a nuisance to me?” Steve took a step towards you. “You were so pathetic, clinging to me during school. No wonder your parents never wanted to stick around, so needy. Always needing to be the center of attention.” Steve’s voice turned mocking and your eyes began to well up with tears. “Oh, the crybaby act. Cry and act like you’re so innocent, like always. You’re a parasite. You take all the joy, all the life, from the people around you until they finally run away from you.” You shook your head and spun on your heel, sprinting away from Steve and your parents’ house. You ran to the end of the road and you were transported to another world. The sky was red and dark clouds filled the sky, lightning flashing in the clouds. You turned around and flinched when you saw a creature, Vecna, a few feet away from you.

“Did you finally realize that you’re the root of everyone’s problems? See how miserable you make everyone around you? See how happy they could be without you?”

“You’re, you’re wrong. My friends love me. I, I don’t make them miserable.” You protested and Vecna chuckled darkly as he walked towards you. You tried to walk away and you yelped as something wrapped around your ankles, causing you to fall. You felt something wrap around your wrists next and you were pulled up. You struggled against your binds as Vecna came closer until you were mere inches from his face.

“Then why did they leave you out for so long? They didn’t want you in their group. You are an inconvenience to them. A burden. You know it, no matter how hard you try to hide it. How else would I know about it?” His words echoed in your head and you thrashed against the binds. They would save you, you know they would. Right..? They just, they just need more time. You can hold out, you can fight a little longer. “Even in your last moments, you’re still trying to convince yourself that you’re one of them. That you matter.” Vecna reached out to your face and you screwed your eyes shut. You didn’t want to die. You needed to be with Steve again, you couldn’t leave him. Leave the girls, Eddie, the kids. You needed them. You thought back on past memories, desperate to buy them more time.

You remembered the day you had met Steve in kindergarten, how clumsy he was and how he still had so much hair, even then. You remembered meeting Nancy in elementary school. You thought back to homecoming, the year you didn’t want to go, but Nancy had convinced you anyway. How you danced with Steve for the first time since you didn’t have a date, and Steve couldn’t stand to see you alone. Your first cookout with the teens, the pool party Steve held a few weeks ago. Your first date with him, your first kiss. All of your memories flashed through your mind, starting to warp from Vecna’s powers and you had started to lose hope. Until you heard it.

I can dim the lights

And sing you songs full of sad things

We can do the tango just for two

Your song. Yours and Steve’s song. You could have cried when you heard the familiar lyrics; he did it. They were going to save you, they hadn’t given up. You tugged at the binds, starting to free yourself. The song continued as you fought against the vines, and you hit the ground with a groan. You jumped up and ran, seeing a misty red cloud ahead of you. Your lungs ached, feet pounding against the ground as you ran, dodging debris from Vecna’s world as the mist began to clear, the outline of Steve becoming visible.

Ooh, love, ooh, lover boy

What to do tonight?

Hey boy, set my alarm, turn on my charm

That's because I'm a good old fashioned lover boy

You heard the slithering of vines behind you and you pushed yourself harder, faster, beyond what you had ever done before and you jumped through the cloud.

Steve heard your gasp before he saw you fall, and he narrowly managed to catch you before you hit the ground. Steve landed on his knees with a thud and he almost sobbed in relief when he saw your eyes meet his. “Oh my fucking- you’re alive.” Steve sighed, the panic melting away. You lurched forward, sobbing as you clung to him, body trembling violently as you cried into his shoulder. “Hey, hey, hey. I got you. It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m here.” Steve held you close, one hand in between your shoulders and the other at the back of your head. A shuddering breath left Steve and his eyes closed. You were alive, holy shit, you almost died.

“Steve! Harrington! What happened?” Max’s voice was louder than anyone else’s and Steve forced himself to look up at them.

“She’s okay. She’s back.” You whimpered in response, hands digging into the denim vest he wore as if it was your lifeline and he looked at you. Time to get you out of here. With the way you clung to him, he’d have to figure out a way to carry you and climb out. But you were with him, you were alive. He’d figure it out somehow because there was no way in hell he’d ask you to let go of him. Never again.

Everyone stayed at Steve’s that night. Mattresses were drug into the living room, pillows and blankets scattered around the floor; no one felt like separating after your close call in the Upside Down. Max sat between Lucas and Dustin, Erica on Lucas’s other side while Eddie sat on Dustin’s other side. Nancy and Robin sat together, and you were tucked into Steve’s lap. You hadn’t said a word since you were freed from Vecna’s curse and Steve, everyone really, was worried. He didn’t know what you saw there and frankly, he was scared to. He couldn’t imagine what happened for you to have reacted like you did. He happily combed his fingers through your hair, the repetitive motion calming you and him. Your favorite vinyl was playing throughout the house, and Steve situated his sleeping spot by the record player so he could keep music playing all night.

“The quiet’s kinda freaking me out, are you sure these are my friends?” Your voice startled everyone and Steve looked down at you, happy to see a little light back in your eyes. Max and Dustin rushed over, Max pushing in front of Dustin but pausing when she finally got to you. “C’mere, Max.” You shifted so you could face her, and you opened your arms to hug her. You held the redhead close to you, not letting go until she did. You hugged Dustin next, followed by Lucas and Erica. Nancy and Robin followed the kids and you looked over at Eddie, gesturing for him to come over as well.

“We were scared shitless,” Eddie said as he hugged you quickly and Steve shot him a look. “We were!”

“I was too. It was… absolutely terrifying.” You tensed when you felt an arm wrap around you, quickly relaxing when you realized it was Steve. “I could feel him in my memories, warping them. He made me see things that felt so real, made me feel…” You trailed off. “He showed me my parents, happy because I didn’t exist. He made me see Steve, and- I knew it wasn’t real. That none of you were real, but it felt so real. The feeling is still lingering.” Steve’s grip on you tightened and you rested your hand on top of his. The air in the room was thick and you all knew what could happen. Vecna could come for you again. You and Max had both been targeted by him now, and the need to take out Vecna grew. Steve wouldn’t let you or Max get hurt again.

You woke up with a gasp, breathing heavy as you remembered where you were. You weren’t in the Upside Down, Vecna didn’t have you. You looked around the room, the light from the kitchen illuminating the living room just enough for you to see everyone. There were the boys, Eddie, Nancy and Robin, Erica, Max and- Where was Steve? You carefully untangled yourself from the blankets and crept around the living room. You checked the kitchen and let out a sigh of relief when you saw a familiar head of brown hair sitting at the dining table. You walked over to him and punched his shoulder, feeling a little pleased when he startled.

“Asshole. You can’t just disappear like that.” You winced at the panic in your voice and you took a deep breath to calm down.

“Shit, sorry. I made some coffee and… got distracted I guess.” Steve spared a glance at you and you frowned when you saw the puffiness of his eyes, red rimmed and eyelashes glistening with remnants of tears. You wrapped your arms around him, pulling him into you and a drop of water hit your arm. “I keep seeing you when I sleep. Floating, not seeing me.” Steve’s voice wavered and you rubbed his shoulder, your own eyes beginning to burn with unshed tears. “What was I like? When he made you see me?”

“Steve, you don’t.. you don’t want to know.” He stayed silent and after a moment, you let out a sigh. “You were cold. It was like I was a stranger. Not even; you looked like you despised me.” Your voice cracked. “You said you hated me, too. I was a parasite to you, my family, everyone. And for a minute, I believed it. I knew the real you would never say that, but it was hard to separate the real you from the you Vecna created.” A beat passed. “I really thought I was a goner. All my memories flashed before my eyes, as cliche as it sounds. I was holding onto that, holding onto the happy.”

“Then you heard the music?” Steve asked and you nodded.

“It freed me. My only thought running from him was that I had to get home to you. The person who had taught me what love was. What real love was. Not the shit my parents have, but real, warm love. Golden.” You cupped Steve’s face in your hands and brushed your nose against his. “You are gold, Steve. And that? Those memories of you, intertwined with me, are what saved me. The heart of our group.” You brushed your lips against Steve’s, rubbing your thumbs across his face.

“I love you,” Steve whispered as you pulled apart and you smiled.

“I love you.” You pressed one more kiss to Steve’s lips before you stretched, yawning. “Back to bed?”

“Please.” You and Steve carefully maneuvered around the mattresses and your sleeping friends, getting back into bed. Steve’s legs tangled with yours, your arm around his waist and your head to his chest. Neither you or Steve slept much more that night, but you were comforted in each other. In the presence of your friends. And that was enough for tonight.

#fem!reader #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x you

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suspiciouslackofclowns · 12 days

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They don’t talk much most nights. Billy will heat something up from the freezer or, on occasion, he’ll actually cook on the stove.

Max likes frozen dinner nights more because her brother doesn’t get mad if she doesn’t clean her plate. He won’t sit there and stare at her with his eyebrows raised expectantly until she reluctantly takes another bite.

Regardless of the food they’re having, he’ll ask the customary how was your day questions when he picks her up from school. He helps her with her homework, runs through times tables with her until she’s sick of seeing numbers, and he always pours over her report card when it gets sent out.

From what Max gathers from her friends at school, Billy does more than some of their parents do for them. Always signing permission slips without looking at them, letting them walk home by themselves.

Max walked home with her friend once and Billy screamed at her when he found her. She screamed back, and they didn’t have dinner that night, both closed up in their rooms.

At times, Max feels like a burden. Like when they go back-to-school shopping at the end of summer and Billy fusses about only buying supplies on rollback, and complains about the expenses at the register regardless. Makes her keep her hand on the side of the basket the entire time they’re at the store, as if she’s just dying to run away and get yelled at more.

She supposes that Billy cares, but only because he has to.

If he could be rid of her, he would.

She tries to bother him as little as possible. Tries to keep her place here secure because, after all, she has nowhere else to go. All she has left in the world is Billy.

So they don’t talk most nights.

One day in particular, when Max is striding up to the car with her backpack slung over one shoulder, she tries to be less noticeable than usual. Opens and closes the back passenger side door as softly as possible and shuffles her bag into the seat next to her, keeping her head down.

Billy glances at her over his shoulder before he puts the car in drive. Doesn’t ask about her day, which is a good sign that his was probably bad. Max takes a deep breath.

Figures that now is probably the best time, considering his disdain for arguing in the car.

“Do you remember my friend Megan?” she asks, voice small.

Billy reaches out to turn the stereo down a few notches, brows pinching together in thought.

“Lil’ redhead with the braces? Yeah.”

Max nods. Holds onto her seatbelt, almost wringing it in her hands.

“Yeah, her.”

“What about her?”

She can hear her heart thundering in her ears, which is silly, because the worst he can do is say no. She has to remind herself that she hasn’t done anything wrong before she swallows thickly and parts her lips to speak.

They’re barely out of the parking lot, fixing to turn onto the main street when Billy leans forward in his seat to check for oncoming traffic.

“Well,” Max begins, and clears her throat. “She’s having a sleepover this—“

Just as Billy pulls forward, a trucks races by out of nowhere, just barely kissing the front bumper. Max jerks forward in her seat from the abrupt stop, and then back again when Billy floors it.

His driving is usually mildly anxiety-inducing at best, depending on the day, but right now it’s just plain scary. Max grabs onto the door handle, eyes wide as she stares at her brother with his fists clenched tight around the wheel.

They make it to the truck at the next light, which is red, and Billy throws the car in park before he climbs out. In the middle of the street.

Max has never seen him so angry in her life, face red all the way down his neck, veins popping to the surface of his skin as he stalks over to the truck.

The driver mistakes his intent and rolls the window down, probably looking to hurl an insult or two, but Billy reaches in and unlocks the door. Hurls it open and drags the guy out of his seat by his shirt, stretching the seatbelt with him as he starts to dangle half upside-down.

Max rolls her window down, unable to tear her eyes away.

“Why the fuck are you driving in a school zone like that?” Billy growls. He keeps a fist tangled in the front of the guy’s shirt and draws his other back before landing a punch hard on his jaw. “I got my little sister in the car, you piece of shit, I would’ve killed you. Do you understand me?”

Before he can respond, Billy hits him again. Snaps his head back from the force, and blood trickles from his nose.

He gasps out, hands flailing to grab onto anything to keep himself upright, and shakes his head when Billy rears back again.

“Jesus, man, I’m sorry!”

Billy holds his glare for another beat before he clenches his jaw and shoves the guy at the ground, leaving him tangled and still semi-suspended by his seatbelt as he turns and walks back around the car.

When he slides into his seat, he’s breathing hard. Throws the car back into drive just as the light turns green and double checks before he goes, freshly paranoid and still on-edge.

Max watches the man stumble and try to push himself up as cars behind him honk, only rolling the window up once they’re far enough away that she can’t see him clearly anymore.

Billy’s skin is red and bloody around his knuckles, fist clenched around the wheel. After his breath starts to calm, and his hold loosens, he leans back more in his seat and sighs. Glances at Max in the rear view mirror.

“Y’okay?” he asks.

There’s a slight shake in his voice. Max’s heart drops.

“Yeah,” she says. “I’m okay.”

Billy nods. His eyes are glassy when he returns his attention to the road.

“Good. You, um…” he trails off, clearing his throat. “You said something about Megan having a sleepover?”

Max looks down at her lap, fiddling with her seatbelt again.

“I don’t have to go.”

“When is it?”

His voice is so gentle, it almost sounds hurt. Somehow it makes Max feel worse than she does when he yells.

“Saturday,” she says. “It’s okay, I don’t—“

“Hey, relax, I’m not mad at you, alright? I don’t care if you wanna go to a friend’s house this weekend.” He switches his hands on the steering wheel, clenching and unclenching his fingers before he rests his bloodied hand in his lap out of view. “Just let me know what time to drop you off.”

Max nods. She looks back up at Billy when he laughs.

“What?”

“I’m pretty sure that guy pissed his pants.”

She smiles and crinkles her nose.

“Gross.”

“I know.” Billy taps his fingers on the wheel. “Since the sleepover isn’t tonight… you wanna go get a burger or something?”

Max quirks a brow.

“But I have homework.”

“Screw homework, I’m starving.”

She giggles at that. Watches through the window as they pass their usual turnoff, feeling that regular pool of dread morph into something warm in the pit of her stomach.

#billy hargrove #max mayfield #billy & max #adoptive siblings au #angsty fic #they’re figuring it out together #I love 20-something year old Billy raising 8-9 year old Max by himself #I also love him being ready to throw down at the drop of a hat #ficlet #my writing #unedited

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luvfae · 6 months

Text

HEARTS IN HIDING

summary: ranch hand billy and the ranch owner's daughter, Y/N, share a forbidden romance, stealing moments and making whispered promises.

fandom: billy the kid

parings: billy x f reader

warnings: brief mention of smut

authors note: i’m backkkkk is it permanent who knows????? but im in love w tom blyth especially billy <3

As the sun rose over the sprawling expanse of Mr. Y/L/N's ranch, Billy found himself knee-deep in the daily grind of ranch work, expecting nothing more than the mundane tasks of shoveling horse manure and mending fences. But what he didn't anticipate was the delightful distraction that awaited him in the form of the ranch owner's daughter—you.

With your captivating smile and eyes that sparkled like emeralds in the morning light, you had a way of turning Billy's world upside down from the moment he laid eyes on you. You made it nearly impossible for him to focus on his work, chatting incessantly about the latest book you were reading or peppering him with questions about his adventurous life.

Despite your father's stern warnings about distracting the workers, you couldn't help but indulge in the joy of conversing with Billy, your heart skipping a beat with each shared moment. But when your father's booming voice shattered the tranquility of the ranch, scolding you for disrupting the workday, Billy felt a pang of guilt tug at his conscience.

As you retreated back into the safety of the ranch house, Billy's heart ached at the thought of being separated from you, even for just a moment. He longed to steal away with you into the quiet solitude of the woods, where you could share stolen moments of passion away from prying eyes.

And when night fell, Billy found himself drawn to your window like a moth to a flame, his heart racing with the thrill of being with you, even if it meant risking everything for just a taste of your love.

"Good morning," your sweet voice echoed through Billy's ear, pulling him from his reverie as he turned to meet your gaze with a warm smile.

"Mornin', darlin'," Billy replied, his heart fluttering at the sight of you. “Did you sleep alright?”

“I would have slept better had you been by my side,” Your teasing words sent a playful twinkle dancing in your eyes, igniting a fire within Billy that burned hotter with each passing moment.

“Y/N! Get back inside, stop distracting poor Billy!” Your father's voice rang out across the ranch, Billy reluctantly tore himself away from you, knowing that your forbidden love could only exist in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of your overprotective father.

You sighed, pushing off the fence. “If only my daddy knew how distracted his favourite rancher was last night when I sucked-“

“Alright, missy. That’s enough,” Billy said, shooing you away.

As you scampered off with a mischievous giggle, Billy couldn't help but feel a pang of longing in his chest, knowing that no matter how hard he tried to deny it, his love was as inevitable as the rising sun. And as he returned to his work with a heavy heart, Billy vowed to cherish every stolen moment with you, no matter the risks, for in your arms, he found his sanctuary amidst the chaos of the Wild West.

#billy the kid #william h bonney #billy the kid fluff #billy the kid x reader #william h bonney x reader

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perfectprofessorloverapricot · 7 months

Text

•| A not so stolen youth |•

Stranger things / chapter 3

Summary: Everything in life seemed limited to walls of whites and rainbows. Caged within the confines of the lab. But an accident that involved a group of teenagers and the upside down world finally let him free. In a funny turn of events he found himself hiding in a step sibling's shed. A redhead that loves video games and a blond that spends his time making sure to keep his good looks.

Character: Male child OC

Warnings: Possible to descriptive scenes, child abuse, use of drugs and bad language.

A/N: I ask you to take into account that I lack experience writing in English and there'll be some grammatical mistakes because my native language is Spanish.

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It was early in the morning, every kid was either at school or at home because they’re sick. All except for one.

Thirteen walked with tranquility through the groups of trees scattered all over the town. He found that the only onces that walked there were a few really young kids, other than that, the coast is completely clear.

But what is not completely clear is his mind. The day before he saw something that brought back awful memories. He found out, his father is not the only man like that in the world and he isn’t the only one like him out there. He would like to say that he doesn’t understand Billy completely, but he does.

The teenage has moments of calmness when he usually keeps to himself or even glances at him as if inspecting his soul, and moments of complete chaos when he is hostile against anything and anyone near him.

Billy was angry at his father, that much was evident, but he couldn’t do a thing because he knew it was useless. That was a feeling he could relate a little bit to well.

It happened too often to him in the lab. Loosing his papa’s respect brought a lot of punishment with it and answering it only left him in pain. His only solution was to hold back and resist. But that led to future explosions where he sent his guards flying or breaking an entire room with a scream.

He was labeled as dangerous and forced to stay isolated.

He was thinking of ways to help make him feel better but nothing came to mind other than a present.

But what?

Or maybe, some company? That’s what he wanted when he was in the lab. Maybe that’s what Billy needs at home.

Before he could think about other options, his senses detected something. He heard a pair of soft footsteps quite some distance further in front of him but instead of dreading to find the person a familiar feeling made itself present in the back of his mind. He waited.

As silent as ever, he walked cautiously towards the sound.

Both kids that found themselves in front of one another gasped in surprise. They know each other.

The curly haired girl smiled at the boy receiving a smile in return.

“Eleven.” Whispered the boy, walking closer to her.

“Thirteen.” Once close enough they engulfed each other in a big hug, giggling, happy to realize they both basically survived.

The kids pulled away, still connected by their arms, smiling like no other day.

They had so much to talk about.

“-and then, she taught how to skateboard.” Commented the boy with glee.

They have been talking for about an hour about what’s happened the last year after escaping the lab and getting in contact with the upside down. So far, everything’s been peaceful.

He was happy to know that she was also taken care off by a good guy, even though she puts a kind of weird expression when she mentions him, she stills seems to trust him a lot too.

“But…” he made a pause and sunk in the log they were both seating at the reminder of what happened a few hours ago. “Her papa…” he turned his eyes from his joined hands to the attentive look of eleven. “He is like our papa.”

Eleven gasped softly at the revelation.

“She and Billy hide me.” His lips curved a little at the sides. He always gets a warm and fluffy feeling in his chest at the reminder of people that care about his safety. “She gave me clothes.” He gripped the fabric of the blue hoodie in his chest. The same that keeps his body heat from escaping. “And a name. Magnus.”

Eleven gave him a close-lipped smile. They don’t know each other as well as she would like too because they were separated in the lab. They met only after the rest of the kids disappeared and their father needed more power to connect with the unknown world. But couldn’t interact that much in a friendly way under the scrutinizing eyes of their handlers. He always wore a frown accompanied with tired eyes. So she is happy to see him finally smile, even in the slightest.

“And you?” He asked, giving her the opportunity to express something that might be bothering her.

“Hopper is good.” She nodded. “But he lies.” The kid raised his eyebrows in surprise. “He says, one day I’ll leave to see my friends but that never happens. He promised soon, but soon never comes.”

Thirteen lowered his head in sadness. He knows that feeling, or he knew, before living with his only friend.

“He says it’s dangerous, that it’s for my protection.” The kid wrapped an arm around her in a side hug to comfort her.

In moments like that he wished he was more like magneto and fight for their freedom.

But he couldn’t, he was just a kid after all. All he could do was make her aware that she’s not alone.

A certain blonde haired teenage boy was currently tightening a screw on the engine of his blue baby Camaro.

He was finishing changing the air filter. After what happened the day before with his father he has been looking for ways to release some pent-up pressure. He already said goodbye to his last hook up an hour ago, he doesn’t know where Max is because she was late and he left her to skate home alone and he already worked out in the living room but nothing seemed to make his anger decrease.

Billy huffed once he was finished, cleaning the sweat in his forehead with the back of his dirtied hand. It wasn’t enough but that’ll have to do.

“Jesus.” Exclaimed the blond once he turned around and found the boy behind him, startling him. Weirdly attentive to what he was doing. “What the hell are you doing there? Are you a creep?” He asked with annoyance. He had almost sent the tool in his hand flying.

The kid just kept looking at him and the car with his big blue eyes and shrugged. He didn’t know what ‘creep’ means.

Billy raised a brow at the look of wonder in the kids face. He has seen it a few times before, directed to him, like trying to figure him out, which makes him edgy, but this time it was directed more to his car. “Never seen a car before?” He asked mockingly.

Unknown to him, the first time the boy saw a car was when he escaped from the lab. Ever since that day, the younger one has been greatly interested in the weird machines that roll faster than any adult he has ever seen runs.

Billy furrowed his brows when the only answer he got was the kid leaning his head to the side, still looking at the car.

Was he really that stupid? No, he couldn’t be. They would have already found him if that was the case, but he would have to live under a rock to not know what a car is.

“What, cat got your tongue, brat?” Thirteen shook his head and stick his tongue out to demostrarte it was still there making Billy huffed and turned to his car.

What a weird kid.

He grabbed the car’s hood and slam it shut to make sure it was closed.

“Cool.” Alluded the boy walking closer to the drivers side.

“What?” Thirteen glanced at Billy for a moment before returning to the inside of the vehicle repeating his word.

“Cool.” He is not completely sure if his using correctly the word Max taught him. ‘A word to describe something that’s better than amazing.’ Is what she said, and that is exactly what he thinks about the car.

“Huh, at least you have taste.” Said Billy as he wiped his hands in a towel he had hanging from his short’s waistband. Until he got an idea. Something that would help him destress and he used to do it a lot in California. “Hey brat.”

Thirteen turned towards Billy, not knowing what ‘brat’ means but understanding he wanted his attention. He blinked a few times, watching the weird look in the teenager’s eyes. He had an idea.

Billy would never in his life know what led him to do what he did, but the next thing he knows, he is driving top speed in one of the many lonely roads in the outer sides of Hawkins with the kid in the copilot seat. He loves to use the backroads.

He thought the kid would be scared shitless, however, the kid was grasping the seatbelt like his life depends on it (because it does) with the biggest smile Billy has ever seen.

But he doesn’t care that the kid didn’t get scared he was too concentrated in the adrenaline coursing through his veins at the speed to actually pay attention. He didn’t even light the cigarette between his lips because it wasn’t needed.

Billy whooped in ecstasy and bobbed along the surprisingly not so loud music. It was more important the roar of the engine than the beat coming from the stereo.

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Cheered Billy with his always sharp smile.

But that wasn’t the best part, he was waiting for the right moment to put his car modifications to the test. In a way he couldn’t in the crowded city of California.

His smile widened when he saw what he was looking for. A wide straight doble lane road.

It’s show time.

He stepped on the break and pulled the hand brake simultaneously, then turned the wheel completely to one side in a second. The car instantly followed the action, turning with so much force skidding the tires in the street. Making a U turn by drifting.

Billy laughed loudly while the kid beside him screamed for his life. The wheels scraped the floor until the vehicle came to a stop in the other side of the road. Facing the opposite direction.

Not waiting for anything, he pushed the hand break back down and step on the gas. The wheels screeched against the ground, leaving marks, before moving at full speed back to the house.

At the speed he was driving it only took him 10 minutes to arrive.

He got out of the car after killing the engine and lit the cigarette between his lips, taking a drag as if it was pure oxygen he was inhaling. Finally he felt a little bit better.

So lost in his relief he didn’t pay attention to the passenger in his car. He only turned his head back when he heard a thud. He found the passenger seat empty and the door opened. He huffed thinking the kid just left without closing the door but he stop when he went around the car and found the kid basically face planted in the dirt while giggling.

Billy scoffed a laugh almost sending the cigarette in mouth flying. He was positive the kid was high with adrenaline. He saw the kid try to stand up in his jelly legs only to fall on his side.

“What the hell?” Billy didn’t need to turn around to know who that was. He merely rolled his eyes when the redhead rushed by him to get to the kid. “What did you do to him?” She asked when the kid tried to stand up again with her help but stumbled to the side like he was drunk. She got even more confused when she heard him giggle.

“I fixed your damn brat.” He grumbled taking a drag of his cigarette before throwing it to the ground and returning to the house. He wanted to take a shower.

Max looked between the retreating back of her step brother and the kid seating in the dirt with a big smile in his face.

Could it be possible that Billy changed his mind?

No, that is not something Billy could ever do.

But either way, she was relieved that he was at least tolerating the kid’s presence.

If Max thought they had made a progress with Billy after the ride he had with Magnus. She was wrong.

The very next day his anger returned when he saw her talking to Lucas. There was no problem with that, she didn’t plan to be part of their club of hypocrites anyway.

Well, that was her plan, until the very next day she wanted to go to the arcade to play dig dug and forget everything only to be tricked in to the breakroom by Lucas himself. They argued about the veracity of the fanciful story Lucas told her ensuring that it was the truth.

Leaving the arcade Billy saw him at the door. At first he acted eerily calm while accusing her of disobeying and lying. But a silent threat was made evident later in the afternoon when Billy broke her skateboard when reversing in his car.

It was his way of telling her he could ‘accidentally’ break something without a problem.

He became a ticking time bomb and she didn’t want to be there to see it explode because she would be the collateral damage, and possibly with her, Magnus too. Even though he has mostly ignored the kid in the last days, it was obvious the anger he was holding in.

Taking every posible outcome Max took a decision. She’ll go back to Cali to her father and she’ll take Magnus with her.

The kid already had a new name, and no one will be looking for a kid in another city, miles away from were he was.

That’s how she found herself in this position. Fidgeting with her fingers inside her hoodie pockets, feeling the money between her fingers and watching attentively at Magnus sitting in her bed and messing with her Walkman.

She got the money by telling her mother that she wanted to buy a new shirt but she wanted the money to buy it herself and avoid any kind of harsh comments from Neil if she went with them to the mall in the neighboring town. Her mother, illusioned with the possibility of her daughter buying something more feminine, gladly gave her double the money she needed to buy the shirt. She thanked the heavens her mother did because she forgot the amount of money it’ll cost to buy two bus tickets.

She forgot a slight detail. The distance between her and her father was much more now that she is in Hawkins than when she was in Cali, and the tickets would be more expensive.

She already prepared two bags with things for her and Magnus. In that precise moment she has the perfect opportunity to leave with him. Her parents aren’t home and they’ll come back until night and Billy was too busy working on his muscles for his next hook up of the night to notice.

Gaining some courage Max sat next to the kid in her bed. She took a breath and spoke. “Mag-“

She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, someone calling at the door.

The kid raised his head, looking between Max and the bedroom’s closed door. He was to concentrated on the Walkman that he didn’t pay attention to the footsteps at the front door. It’s not like Billy’s blasting music trough the house helped at all.

He was already used to the volume of the music, but hearing it with the door open still hurt his head. At least the wood helps to drown out the sound. But he was still relieved that it’s not as loud as the alarms in the lab. That was a real headache.

He jumped from the bed when doorbell sounded again. He needed to hide. He turned to the window but stopped, if the person in the door somehow comes to the backside of the house he’ll be screwed. He turned to the bed. He doesn’t fit under it. As his last and only option, the kid threw himself inside the closet and closed the door, always leaving a crack to let the light come inside.

Max pressed her lips together trying to suppress a laugh. For a moment he looked like a headless chicken.

Her poorly covered smile disappeared when she heard her stepbrother yell at the next ring. “Max, are you getting that or what?”

Exasperated with him she yelled her answered “Okay.” She opened stood up stomping her way out of the room, closing the door behind her

“I swear to God Max.” Fumed the blond getting an eye roll and a glare from his sister when she walked by him. He just proceeded to lift the weights again.

From the closet, Magnus could slightly hear the door opening and closing over the music, along with Max’s voice from the other side of the door, indicating that now she was outside with whoever was at the door. He couldn’t tell what they were talking about because the music muffled their voices.

He waited for a moment, relieved that Max at least sounded like she knew the person outside. He was also aware that it wasn’t Neil, he could have heard his truck parking or his gruff voice booming in the house.

He waited a little while until she finally came back, closing the door behind her. She turned to Magnus watching the window in wariness. She knew why. Lucas was outside of the window. “Magnus.” She called for his attention.

He turned to her, blinking a few times.

“I… ammm.” She fidget in her place looking for the words to say. She didn’t know why she was so nervous, she just made up her mind and decided she’ll find out what’s really happening with Lucas and his group because deep down she still wishes to have friends. “I’ll live with the stalker for a few hours. He says he has proof or something.”

“Where?” Came the silent question from the kid. Max almost didn’t hear it with Billy’s blasting music coming through the door.

“To the old junkyard.” Magnus lifted a brown and tilted his head slightly to the side. There was nothing in there other than trash and forgotten stuff. Nevertheless, he nodded, understanding that she is going there like really few other teenagers do. “Okay, then. I’ll be back.” She said, making the reference of the terminator movie even though Magnus didn’t catch it.

She turned to one of the two opened windows. The one closest to the bed. She stepped on the woodshed outside before stopping and turning to Magnus who was seating in her closet.

“Don’t talk with Billy if he doesn’t talk to you, by the way. He’s not in the mood and can get cranky.” Magnus smiled at the thought but nodded again.

Don’t talk to Billy. Copy.

Max said a soft goodbye before exiting when she heard the boy outside telling her to speed up. He even heard her commenting that whatever they were doing better be worth it.

Minutes later after she left, Magnus stayed in her closet. He was to engrossed in the Walkman she borrowed him.

The interest came when he returned from the store he likes to visit (steal from) with a cassette tape he found behind the garbage dump.

He put on the headphones and changed the tapes the way Max instructed him to. He pressed play instantly jumping in his place and accidentally trowing the headphones. The volume was too high. Even with the headphones in the floor he could hear it clearly.

He decreased the volume to the minimum before putting the headphones back on. The rhythm of the music was somewhat similar to the songs Billy hears when exercising but not as scandalous. He turned the Walkman over to see the tape through the see through cover. The letters in the side said ‘Call Me by blondie’ and something else he couldn’t read due to the blurred sharpie. He likes it though.

He bobbed his head to the rhythm of the music, not caring that he could hear Billy’s music through the headphones. He liked it. He found his taste in music.

Still moving his head to the beat, he stood up and walked to the window farthest from the bed. He sat on the window sill dangling his feet for a couple of second before jumping out. He looked at the full woodshed beside him before returning to the shed. Walkman in hand.

He’ll wait for Max in there.

It’s been a few hours and Max still hasn’t retuned. Magnus got bored since he doesn’t know where Max’s tapes are and he can’t read so well, so he decided to steal an apple from the Hargroves’ fridge.

Meanwhile, the blond teenager was done exercising, taking a shower and currently sharpening his look before his date (hook up). He sprayed hair product in the hair locks that fell on his forehead. Turning over the bottle of colon, he spread a few drops of the liquid in his wrist, even going as far as to spread a little bit in the southern area.

He turned and posed in front of the mirror, smiling with satisfaction at the result. Taking a drag from his previously lit cigarette he leaned forward and blew the smoke against his reflexión, winking. Yep, he was ready.

His smile was erased once he heard someone calling at the door. He noticed the rush in the knock even over his blasting music. “Billy?” He knew that voice. The reason for witch his father decided it was a good idea to move.

Kind of.

“Yeah, I’m a little bit busy in here, Susan.” He answered uninterestedly.

“Open the door. Right now.” He mentally cursed when he heard his father’s commanding voice in the other side. There was no way around this.

Genuinely curious he finally opened the door finding his father frowning face and the always present worried face of Susan shielding herself behind the man.

“What’s wrong?” He cut to the chase.

Neil wasn’t at all impressed by his son’s bluntness. “Why don’t you tell us?”

“Because I don’t know.” He answered with obviousness in his tone. They just appeared in his door insinuating something that he isn’t aware of and yet, he is not surprised. Everything that goes wrong for Neil is always somehow his fault. No matter what.

“We can’t find Maxine-” Said Susan.

“And her window’s open.” Interrupted the man like the boss that he believes himself. Billy faltered for a second, looking in another direction before regaining himself. Even he was surprised. She was in her room with the brat a few hours ago. “Where is she?” Commanded Neil.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Scoffed the Man like his son was the worst dumbass in the world, annoying the younger.

“Look, I’m sure she just, I don’t know, went to the arcade or something.” Explained Billy, still not finding the force in his voice, kicking himself for it, and panicking internally. To avoid looking at the rising anger in his father eyes he went to the closet to retrieve his previously selected leather jacket. “I’m sure she is fine.”

Nike wasn’t having any of it. “You were supposed to watch her.” He commented, like he was just making an obvious observation.

Billy could clearly hear the covered anger under those words. But he couldn’t stop himself from arguing. He was getting annoyed.

He sighed. “I know dad. I was. It’s just you guys were three hours late, and, well, I have a date.” He slipped on the jacket and turned towards the man ready to face it and just leave. “I’m sorry, okay?”

“So that’s why you’ve been staring at yourself in the mirror like some faggot instead of watching your sister?”

That did it.

“I have been looking after her all week, dad. Okay?” He snapped. “She wants to run off, then that’s her problem, all right?” Neil licked the interior of his cheek, concealing his anger with an eerie façade. “She’s 13 years old. She shouldn’t need a full-time babysitter. And she is not my sister.” He turned to the radio. Stopping the music abruptly only to feel his heart drop to his stomach when Neil grabbed him by the colar of his shirt and slammed him against the shelves beside the closet.

“What did we talk about?” Asked Neil in a condescending tone. Practically whispering it in Billy’s face.

The teenager panted in anger and fear. He couldn’t answer fast enough when Neil slapped him in his left cheek, making him groan.

Susan, who once again couldn’t leave the scenario only looked the other way, feeling guilty for putting him in that situation but not doing anything fearing she could be in his position.

Neil grabbed Billy’s chin to force him to look at him before pointing with the same hand. “What. Did. We… talked about?” He made emphasis in each word.

“Respect and responsibility.”

“That is right.” Answered the man, pleased to have him under control once again. “Now, apologies to Susan.”

There was silence for a few seconds. Neil waiting for Billy while the blonde swallowed his pride and fear. “I’m sorry, Susan.” He said, never tacking his eyes from his father’s.

“It’s okay, Neil, really-“ she was interrupted when the man once again rises his voice.

“No, it’s not okay. Nothing about his behavior is okay. But he’s gonna make up for it.” He grumbled the last part. He finally stepped back to turn to look at Susan. “He’s gonna call whatever whore he’s seeing tonight and cancel their date.” He said as if it was the most normal thing to say. “And then he’s gonna go find his sister. Like the good, kind, respecting brother that he is.” He turned once again to his son, already finished with the humiliation. “Isn’t that right, Billy?”

Billy looked at his father with watery eyes hiding all that hate and anger he harbors towards the man. If only he could make him pay or just leave.

“It’s that right?” Yelled Neil when his first answer was only silence.

“Yes, sir.” He said softly.

Neil sighted in annoyance, leaning closer to his son. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”

“Yes. Sir.” He repeated. This time with more courage.

“Find max.” Demanded Neil with finality turning around and leaving the room, intimidating Susan enough for her to step away from his way.

Billy finally let the tears spill once the door was slammed close and hit the wall beside him. He hated him with all his being. He wanted to fight back, punch him or something, but the last time he tried to do it didn’t end well for him.

Sucking his feelings up and drying his tears, he left his room to the back of the house. He thanked the heavens he parked the car in the back really close to were he needs to go. The shed.

Faster than he thought, Billy reached the wooden door and gentler than he wanted to, he opened the door (still slamming it open). “Hey, brat.” He grumbled once inside.

Magnus raised his head looking at him with wide eyes. He knew it was Billy the one walking (stomping) towards the shed. But it still surprised him when the teenage barged in the shed and called for his attention, loudly.

Billy opened his mouth about to yell but stopped. He didn’t want to scare the kid that looked like a frightened rabbit ready to bolt and end up running around like a headless chicken looking for Max for scaring him, or for his father to find him hiding a kid in the shed and get his butt kicked.

Instead he took a breath before talking. “Where’s Max?”

The answer he got was the kid blinking in bewilderment hugging a comic to his chest.

“Ugh, for fucks…” he mumbled under his breath. “Do you know where is Max?” He repeated in a gentler voice, clearly containing his annoyance.

Magnus nodded his head slowly. Max told him to not talk to Billy if he didn’t speak to him first, she didn’t say anything about not telling him where she is.

Billy raised his eyebrows expectantly. “Okay, and?”

“The old junkyard.” He answered softly.

Damn. Now he is in trouble. He doesn’t know where that is. He slightly fidgeted in his place. “Do you know how to get there?”

Magnus nodded a slowly, still with the comic in his hands.

“Okay, then get in the car.”

Magnus instantly light up. He didn’t care that Billy used a commanding voice, he was just happy to get a raid again.

The kid quickly rushed out of the shed as silent as a mouse with an annoyed teenager following him.

Billy was already donde for the night, but unfortunately and unknown for him, it would be the longest and most eventful life of his entire life.

Hope you like the new rout I’m taking with this story.

#stranger things x male oc #stranger things x male reader #x male!reader #x male oc #child oc #child male reader #x child reader #billy hargrove #max mayfield #jim hopper #eleven hopper #stranger things #x male reader #stranger things x reader

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aziraphales-library · 10 months

Note

Heya!

I've read a LOT of GO fics in my time, but I can't remember if I've seen crossovers/AUs of the following movies with Aziraphale/Crowley, can you help please?

So my favourite rom coms of all time are the following, and I'd love GO versions (if they don't exist I may have to write them)!

French Kiss (Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline)

You've Got Mail (Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks)

When Harry Met Sally (Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal)

Runaway Bride (Julia Roberts and Richard Gere)

Never Been Kissed (Drew Barrymore)

I won't bother asking about Pretty Woman because I've read so many versions with either of them in either role lmaooo (and I have loved Every. Single. One.)

Or basically any late 80s/early 90s rom coms with Meg Ryan (except Sleepless in Seattle because I find it incredibly boring) or Julia Roberts!

Thank you so much for everything you do! You've helped me discover so many amazing fics and writers and it is much appreciated!!! 💖💖😇😎

Hello there!

Did you know there is a whole collection from the Good Omens Rom-Com Event that was run a couple years ago? You might find what you're looking for there! (Some of the fics are unfinished so keep that in mind)

We have previously recommended a bunch of You've Got Mail/She Loves Me fics HERE, so check those out.

As for the other ones you've asked about:

French Kiss AU:

A Bit of Crumpet by Fyre [E]

With a handsome, successful fiance and a respectable home in Manhattan, Aziraphale Fell thought his life was more than adequate. He never expected to be jilted in a long-distance telephone call and so he sets out for England to find out exactly what's going on and gets a lot more than he bargained for.

When Harry Met Sally AU:

it had to be you by curtaincall [M]

“What I’m saying,” said Aziraphale, looking fixedly ahead, “and please don’t take this as a personal insult in any way, is that an angel and a demon can’t be friends.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” said Aziraphale, firmly. “It’s against the order of things. You’re supposed to tempt. I’m supposed to thwart. We can’t go being friends.”

A canon-divergent AU inspired by When Harry Met Sally.

I don't know of any fics with your two last wishes but there is also:

Notting Hill AU:

Soho by Lurlur [E]

Aziraphale lives a quiet kind of life, running a quiet specialist bookshop in one of the liveliest districts of London. He's content with his lot, happy with his friends, tolerant of his probably-human housemate, living vicariously through the gossip pages.

One day, a chance encounter with Anthony Crowley, lead singer of wildly successful rock band The Demons, threatens to turn his whole world upside down.

Music and Lyrics AU:

pop! goes my heart by attheborder [E], WIP

When has-been musician Anthony Crowley is recruited by pop singer Anathema Device to write a song for her new record, he jumps on the chance to resuscitate his career with a hit. There's only one problem: he can't write lyrics to save his life.

But a chance meeting with a stranger by the name of Aziraphale, with a poetic streak that's a perfect fit for the song, changes everything for Crowley. Together, they'll create something beautiful, fight the forces of the music industry, and perhaps even find a way back into love...

A Music and Lyrics AU for the GO Rom Com Event, complete with all-new original songs written and recorded by the author!

Kate & Leopold AU:

Until by Nadzieja [T]

“I don’t want to go home.” Half-asleep Aziraphale murmurs into his ear and Crowley's heart clenches. His grip tightens reflexively around the warm soft body in his arms, around the smell of old books and sandalwood.

“Then don’t.” He’s trying not to sound like he's pleading, but his throat is tight and his voice hoarse.

Crowley lives his average life, working in a high-end advertising company at London that pays just enough to get him a room in a shared accommodation. That's just his luck that he ends up living with a literal witch. One day she brings home an even more eccentric man that has a taste for 19th century fashion, as if Crowley didn't have enough things to worry about. Little he knows that the man will turn his world upside down. Literally. And that's just the beginning of his problems.

~Mod N

#good omens #ineffable husbands #rom com #human au #canon divergent au #adult omens #mod n

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chrisbitchtree · 2 years

Text

When Steve was fifteen, his father sat him down and told him how he would know when he’d found the one.

He’d want to take care of them. Make them laugh, make them smile, make them feel loved. He’d want to do anything he could to protect them, shield them from the evils of the world. He wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off of them, and he’d never want for them to be apart.

Steve had rolled his eyes, as per usual taking anything his father had to say about love with a grain of salt.

When he’d started dating Nancy, he finally understood that maybe his father was just a little bit right. He wanted to take care of her, and his heart felt full when his dumb jokes were the source of her laughter.

But for all the love that Steve had to give, it turned out that Nancy didn’t want it. She might have been his one, but he wasn’t hers, and it stung.

Eventually though, he was able to see that it was for the better. Someday he would someone who would turn his world upside down, and he’d know it was right that time.

***

It had been a slow slide towards friendship with Billy. When the blonde had first arrived in Hawkins, all fists and fury and howling rage, Steve had never imagined that someday, he’d be laying back on his bed with the other boy, getting high and making Billy laugh with dumb impersonations of Muppets.

His head was thrown back, and he was wiping tears of laughter from his eyes as he listened to Steve as Miss Piggy tell Kermit that she loved him.

He took a puff off the joint that Billy handed to him, and it sent him into a coughing fit. Billy started laughing harder, slapping his hand on Steve’s knee.

It made Steve feel good to hear him laugh, especially with the fresh black eye he was sporting, courtesy of Neil Hargrove.

He’d shown up at Steve’s with a baggie of weed, knuckles bloody and eyes weary, but as per usual, he refused to discuss the specifics of what happened, mumbling that he’d deserved it for the dirty plate he’d left in the sink.

He’d plopped himself on Steve’s bed and told him to pop a movie in the VCR. Before long, Billy was lost in the antics of the characters on screen, but Steve was seething.

He had to fight the urge to drive over to Cherry Lane and get his fist real familiar with Neil Hargrove’s face.

He wished he could ensure that Billy never felt scared or hurt or unloved ever again. He wanted to shield him from pain and sadness and the evils outside the little world they’d created, just the two of them, in the four walls of his bedroom. He wanted to hear him laugh and smile, and he wanted to be the source of that happiness, forever and always.

He looked over at Billy, his red lips pressed around the joint as he took a hit. His freckles stood out on his shoulders and cheeks, the way they did during the summer, after long hours spent working at the pool. The bright afternoon sun steaming through the window caught on Billy’s golden curls, and Steve found he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

Oh.

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #chrisbitchtree writes #harringrove ficlet

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lorifragolina · 2 months

Text

A Hallmark Christmas Movie in Summer

And now, we're almost there! The poll spoke up and I'm posting the last corner of my first @harringrovesummerbingo card! I had so much fun writing this one, it's my favourite, because both of them are so silly and stupid and funny, and I adored Max, she is a little brat, affectionately!

I love Hallmark Christmas movies and they are perfect for one of them, witha little summer twist!

Title: A Hallmark Christmas Movie in Summer

Square & Prompt: C1 "Caught in a thunderstorm"

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 3679

Major Tags: Idiot to lovers, Hallmark cheesiness, plant shop.

Summary: One is a successful professional person in a big city, probably already an associate, with a healty, handsome neurosurgeon partner. The other is a ripped lumberjack or something similar, living in the same old little Midwest village, maybe not so educated but really good at feeling. One returns home for Christmas and the other turns their entire world "upside down". Now make it in Summer, the one is a bit of a loser and the other is a sort of ripped lumberjack in the same old little Midwest village... Could a thunderstorm draw Steve and Billy near each other?

Read it in AO3

Perfect. Just perfect.

The day couldn’t go worse.

Not only that, he left his card at the reception of the hotel that morning, so he had to come back after a three hour drive. Not only he forgot to stop at the last gas station when that red light of the battery turned on, so now the car was at side of the road, out of power, and he just noticed that he left the house’s key inside, but now, the sky was becoming black and silver, the cold air was blowing against him and he could see the lightnings and hear the thunders really near. He was in the fucking middle of nowhere, alone, frightened, and lost.

Well, lost… he probably would prefer being lost. He crossed the “Hawkins” city sign and sighed.

His parents had sold his childhood home and he came back there to see it for the last time, to take the last things he wanted to keep; he got the chance to take a break from his shitty life in Denver, where his girlfriend had just dumped him for another, less loser, guy, he lost another dead-end job in a insolvent company and he had just to leave the tramp flat he couldn’t afford anymore.

Steve Harrington was coming back to Hawkins in the worst way: heart broken, broke, unemployed and futureless.

And soaking wet, because the dark sky melted down in a cold, heavy and pouring rain in a second, drenching him from head to toe and making him feel even more miserable.

The city seemed empty and turned off; finally he saw the only open shop along the street that had a light inside and ran to it, opening the door wide at the ting of the little bells, and he took shelter inside.

“Fuck to this shitty city, fuck the rain!” he exclaimed while the door closed behind him, his hair still glued on his forehead and eyes, drippin miserably on the floor.

“And a good day to you too, Harrington”.

Steve’s heart skipped a beat, and he slowly raised his head, moving his wet hair with a hand.

He tried to say something, but words died in his throat and he stayed there, still like a statue, mouth opened, totally blanked.

His enemy, his nemesis, his senior year nightmare… his secret high school crush was there, at the other side of the bar, smirking at him with those perfect blank teeth, his pink lips, his soft flawless skin, his sparkling blue eyes and his blonde curls covered by a hanky, a short sleeves shirt that showed his tattooed toned arms, and a tattoo peeking out from the collar too, and a black apron cover him and a bouquet of colorful flowers in his hands.

Steve looked around furtively, during an instant that seemed to last forever, to the shop he just entered; buckets of flowers in the floor, shelf with vases with various shades of green and in many shapes, a light floral scent of dried flowers and fresh water.

He just invaded a plant shop, and Billy Hargove was in charge of it.

Outside, the storm continued.

“Billy?” he finally murmured, and Billy smiled more, becoming more bright, if possible.

“Hi, Harringrove. Long time no see,” Billy finished the bouquet and smiled again, making Steve blush, and he noticed it, giggling. “Back home, finally,” he added.

Steve shivered, the water still dropping from him. “Just… just visiting my parent’s house… they… they…'' he looked around. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to take cover…”

Billy waved a hand. “Don’t worry. Typical summer thunderstorm”.

Steve could barely breathe, everything Billy said sounded terribly hot and flirty, but it was surely his fault because he didn’t expect to find him here, working between flowers and making a bouquet. He was golden tanned, and he wondered how he could get a color like this in a shithole like Hawkins.

“My car broke and I have…”

Billy smiled again and opened his mouth to answer, but in that moment the door opened again with the jingle of the bells.

“Jesus Christ, everything happened to me! It always rains when I do some deliveries by foot, damn shit… oh”.

A short figure, covered by a yellow raincoat, dripping like Steve, had entered the shop cursing with a high pitch voice.

Max took off the hood, shaking off the water, and stared at Steve with the same surprise as him staring at her.

“Steve?” Max eyes darting to Billy.

“Hi… Hi, Max…”

“What’s going on?”sShe asked, while Steve was asking the same thing to himself.

“Steve’s car broke and he got caught by the rain like you,” Billy said in a warm, soft voice, and Steve shivered again. “He’s just visiting, right, Harrington?”

Steve nodded. “Yes, I…”

“Well, it’s late and I think nobody would come at this hour, so, what if we just close the shop for today?” Billy continued.

Max hung the raincoat and took off the boots, smoothing her soaked hair. She shrugged and nodded, turning the sign on the door on “closed”.

“I better get going…” Steve took a step to the door, but Billy snickered a little.

“Oh, not at all, you can’t go around like a drowned rat. Max, can you tidy up while I help Harrington?”

Billy showed a door to Steve, and looked at Max with a crooked smile.

“Slut,” she mouthed.

Billy guided Steve upstairs stairs to the first floor.

“Do you live here?” Steve asked to break the ice.

“Yeah, it’s convenient with the shop. I thought you wanted to dry a little, you seem frozen”.

In fact, Steve felt the water dunking his hair and his clothes and he was beginning to teeth chattering. His hands were ice cold.

“The bathroom is right there. I’ll get some more towels, if you want to take off those wet clothes”.

Steve kept telling himself that it was probably his fault because he was surprised and nervous, but Billy’s tone seemed really flirty.

He took off his shirt in the bathroom and opened the pants button, but he looked behind him and saw Billy standing there, looking at his narrow waist, some towels in his hands and a smirk in that pretty face.

“Please, don’t mind me, Harrington,” he purred. “We used to be teammates after all, don’t we?”

Steve blushed furiously. Yes, they used to be teammates and change in the same locker room, and he had a hard time in his senior year having Billy around. It took ages to understand that a part of this hate and intolerance against Billy was due to a little attraction too. It took ages for him to come out and accept his past crush on Hargrove.

And now he was half naked, embarrassed, in Billy’s bathroom, in Hawkins, the last place he expected to see Billy again, with his nasty look on his back.

“I’m afraid I don’t have many things that can fit you… but I can borrow you a tracksuit,” Billy entered the bathroom, closer to Steve, and left some clothes for him. “Do you need some underwear too?”

Steve felt his cheeks on fire. “No… I’m fine,” he tried to hide his face, dressing up quickly and drying a little more of his hair.

“So you stay at the old Harrington manor?” asked Billy from the kitchen.

“Yes… They are about to sell it and I’m checking…” he nervously went near the door. “I have to go now, I have to return to the car”.

“No way. I’m going with you and I’ll check on it.” Billy took his keys and made it clink, winking at Steve.

“There’s no need…” Steve tried to brush aside Steve, but Billy nodded.

“Of course. I’m glad to help”.

Steve sighed and got in Billy’s car. He wasn’t surprised to see the infamous blue Camaro and to hear the roar of the gas that Billy liked so much in the old times.

“It is the battery, nothing serious,” he said after checking the dashboard. “Luckily I have the jumper cables”.

Billy restarted Steve’s car and then cleaned his hand in his jeans, smiling at him.

“Thank you so much, Billy”.

“No big deal,” Billy leant to his car but he didn’t feel like going away. He shared a little to Steve, who sat in his car, hands on the wheel, too embarrassed to stare back at him.

“Well, Harrington, have a good time at Loch Nora,” Billy sighed finally, patting Steve’s car and opening the Camaro’s door.

“Wait, Billy…” Steve gripped the wheel. “Can I… well, I’d like to… do you have plans for dinner?”

“I could cancel, why, Harrington?” he grinned, with sparkles in his eyes.

“Well, I want… I want to thank you… maybe we can have dinner together?I… I have nothing at the house, anyway…”

Steve sweared internally and cursed himself. Why did he start stammering and begging so pathetically? He bit his lips.

“Deal,” smirked Billy. “You buy,” he blinked again. Steve nodded. “Can you pick me up in an hour?”

Steve nodded again and started the car, trying to go away before doing some other screw-up.

Billy had just the time to take a shower and fix his hair, then he dressed up a little bit and bathed in aftershave, as Max noticed in a loud voice when he stormed out the door at Steve’s arrival.

Hawkins didn’t have a lot of fancy restaurants, but fortunately one of the prettier has a table for them.

Billy ordered a glass of red wine and Steve had the sensation that his way to drink it was too sensual for a simple thank you dinner, and he felt goosebumps all over his body. They chatted nicely about trivial things for half the time.

“So, what is your life in Seattle, Harrington?” Billy asked abruptly in the middle of the second course.

“Denver,” corrected Steve.

“Denver,” nodded Billy. “Living the best life, right? How are you doing with your girlfriend?” he blinked.

Steve gulped, swallowing a mouthful. There was no need to tell his whole pathetic story, but there was no need to lie either. They’re chatting about this and that.

“Well my girl dumped me recently, so not very good but one always survives, am I wrong?” he snickered, trying not to seem too miserable.

“Oh. I’m sorry, but I’m sure you’ll find someone better, plenty of fishes in the sea”, Billy smiled again to him. Obviously he hadn’t an idea about how King Steve had sunk so low lately.

“And you?” Steve teased, raising his eyes at him behind his beer.

Billy scoffed. “Oh, no boyfriend at all,” he stopped a little, letting the word sink between them. “The dating pool is absolute shit, you know…”

Steve pursed his lips. No, he couldn’t really understand how Billy was single, every man, woman, boy or girl, old or young, any gender and orientation should throw themselves at a stunning beauty like Billy, especially there, in Hawkins, where he should be surely one of a kind. He himself would jump on him either…

“I’m bi,” he shot suddenly, almost without filtering from his brain to his mouth.

Billy choked, blushing a little.

Steve praised the earth to open and swallow him.

Billy finally smiled, slipping his hand near Steve’s on the table, without touching it, but making the move evidently. He grinned and changed the topic.

When they left the restaurant, the air was warmer than in the afternoon, the heat had already dried the fleeting rain of the thunderstorm, and Billy put his jacket on the backseat of Steve’s car. Steve left him in front of the plant shop and Billy waved him goodnight with a big smile, sighing while the car went away.

The next day started as a hot, shiny and clear summer day, and Max and Billy were working in the shop with the door open to let some fresh air enter.

Steve appeared in the doorframe in the middle of the afternoon, waving Billy’s jacket as a shield.

“Hello… you left it in my car yesterday…” he lent the jacket to Billy. Max startled looking at Billy, surprised: it was his favorite jacket and he would never forget it.

“Slut,” she mouthed behind Steve’s back, and Billy grinned at her.

“Thank you, Steve. It had been a funny night and I wasn’t thinking about the jacket…” he purred, and Max rolled her eyes, while Steve blushed.

“No problem… Well, I have to go, I… I have some paperwork to handle…,” he turned his back, but Billy stopped him.

“Hey, Harrington, your pantry’s still empty?”

Max sighed, and Steve turned to him, confused.

“Well, yeah… why?”

“What about a homemade dinner… to thank you for it?” Billy whispered softly to him, rubbing his jacket.

Max wished to be abducted in that very moment: Steve babbled something unintelligible for a long, pathetic minute, before nodding and accepting, bright red like a pepper.

“Great,” Billy stared at Steve’s eyes until Steve had to lower his gaze and stormed away.

Max stood with her hands on her hips.

“Harrington, eh? You’re such a slut”.

Billy didn’t look at her face, but took his car keys.

“I have to go for groceries. Ah, sleep out tonight, I need the house”.

Max shook her head. “What?”

“I need the house, so stay at El’s or Sinclair or whatever, understood?”

Max smirked. “You seem a little bold to me for someone who needs a favor”-

Billy rolled her eyes. “Jeez, ok, fine, please, could you please leave me the house for tonight? Please? ”

”You’ll have me for Thanksgiving and the spring break next year!”

“Are you nuts?”

“And Lucas. And El too,” insisted Max.

“You’re kidding,” Billy looked angrily at her.

“You’re the one who wants to get laid, not me”, Max returned to her work, waiting.

“Ok, ok, fine, you three at my house, whatever!” Billy snapped, and Max smirked. “So you’ll stay at El?”

Max nodded. “Ok, deal, I’ll sleep out tonight. I’ve already planned to stay at El’s, anyway,” she made him tongue, and Billy opened the door with rampage.

“Bitch,” he snapped at her.

“Slut!” she yelled in return.

Billy opened the door and Steve entered the apartment, welcomed by soft light, a chill music and a delicious smell from the kitchen. The first time he didn’t notice many details, but now he could see a lot of house plants that seemed obvious, and some pictures of Max, Max’s graduation, a portrait and a photo with her and Billy eating an ice cream.

Billy reached him with a glass of wine and Steve felt a little nervous.

“Is…. Max living here too?”

“Yeah, it’s me and her at the moment…” Billy read the worried look in Steve’s face. “She’s out for dinner,” he smirked, inviting him to sit on the sofa. Steve, instead, followed him in the kitchen where he was giving the last touches to the dinner.

He had tied his hair up in a bun, with some blonde lock on his neck, a silk shirt, red, and Steve had to awkwardly admit that he had imagined it, the sleeves rolled up on his arms; he had already seen Billy’s tattoos last night at the restaurant, but now they were even hotter with the extra care he put in his outfit.

Steve had tried to appear at the best too, and after all he hadn’t completely lost his touch, but he almost passed away when he saw the front, the shirt lazily unbuttoned and the tattoo that peeped out on Billy’s pecs, while his golden medal captured the warm light of the room.

Billy led the conversation during the dinner, and Steve tried to relax, with difficulties, because it seemed that Billy could flirt so naturally that Steve couldn’t even try to resist. After all, an invitation like that had an obvious purpose.

The food was delicious, another skill that Steve didn’t expect from Billy, but he was distracted by the charming conversation and Billy’s lips, along with more than a couple of the fresh white wine that matched perfectly to the shrimp pasta and the delicate sauce of the meat.

When they finished, Billy tempted him with a stronger wine and they moved to the sofa. Again, Steve felt nervous for Billy’s proximity, their knees were lightly touching each other, and trying to guess how to carry on with the date.

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, will Max…”

Billy shook his head. “Oh, she’s busy, she’s out for the night. A pool party or whatever”.

“Oh.” Steve nodded.

“A pity you couldn't throw a pool party here again, right?”

Steve shrugged. “It’s life, I guess”.

Billy chuckled softly. “Although I can only imagine how big is the pool in your mansion in Denver,” he said, in a tone that Steve couldn’t read. He blushed, thinking at the dump he had called home for the last two years.

“Well…” he considered putting all his cards on the table or maintaining a little dignity, at least for the moment. “Actually I don't exactly have a pool… actually I’m leaving my… my apartment, I need a fresh start, I guess”.

“Well, it’s good too. It’s a classic, right? The little city golden boy who leaves the Midwest and lives the best life in a big city…”

Steve bit his lips.

“I guess you can make it successfully whenever you want…” again, Steve couldn't really read Billy’s tone, and it seemed a little mocking to him, but how could Billy know he was all but successfully and rich and that he had had a miserable life since when he left Hawkins without any idea? “Do you already have a plan?”

Steve shrugged again. “I’d always wanted to see California, but lately I was thinking of staying here for a while… like, downshifting a little”.

“Yeah, it’s like a movie, right? The successful man who returned to the shitty little place and made it a big win”. “Well if you’d say living in this shithole is a win...”

Billy blinked, and Steve cursed himself, wondering if he hurted his feelings in any way.

“I mean… there’s nothing wrong with staying here, of course… it’s not a matter of running away or failing, I mean… I’m happy to be there and…”

Steve forced himself to breathe slowly and stop the tornado of thought inside his head. He was better than that, and he could do better.

He raised his eyes and looked Billy straight in his’.

“It’s a matter of luck, too,” he said softly, smirking a little.

Billy smiled lightly and put down his glass, hanging out towards Steve; his hand slipped sweetly on Steve’s thigh.

“It’s a matter of opportunity too,” he whispered, closing the distance between them and kissing him.

Steve released a whine of relief and answered gladly and fiercely to the kiss; he grabbed Billy’s forehead and felt Billy’s hot hands tucking directly under his polo.

Billy’s chest was moving fastly, and his curls were loose and ruffled on the pillow. His lips were wet and parted, and he was looking at Steve topping him with a feral shine in his blue eyes; Steve shivered, although the contact between their naked bodies was almost scalding. He was about to zone out, he would never, ever imagined in his wildest fantasies he could find himself there, between Billy’s Hargove’s legs, his prohibited high school crush, balls deep inside him and making him squirm and whimper.

Billy arched his back even more and clinged his legs on Steve’s back.

“I have been waiting for it since I was seventeen..“, moaned Billy.

Steve blanked out.

He woke up with the soft touch of Billy’s arms around his waist. It took a moment for him to remember where he was and what happened before falling asleep after the most perfect sex of his life.

Billy suggled on his neck, purring and kissing it softly, and Steve felt his considerable manhood, half hard, against his legs. He moaned of pleasure; his girl didn’t like morning cuddles, but he was a fan.

Billy kept brushing his naked skin, burning him where he touched, and Steve reached out for a kiss, then two, and laid down on his back, taking Billy between his own legs, this time.

Billy whispered, satisfied, trying to catch his breath, smiling in the curve of Steve’s neck. It was something he could get used to, Steve thought, if he had to stay in Hawkins, an advantage he had never considered.

After a while, Billy got up and put his briefs on, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“So, you’re thinking of staying in Hawkins for the moment?” he asked, and Steve blinked a little, surprised by the odd and abrupt question.

“Uhm, yes, I think so…”

Billy stared at his eyes, grinning. “Well, if you come to California one day, you can stop and say hello,” he smiles, satisfied with the clueless expression on Steve’s face.

“What do you mean? I thought… you lived here. The shop…”

Billy chucked sweetly. “Oh, no. I’m just helping Susan for the summer, the shop is hers. She’s on honeymoon right now… this is her apartment. I live in California,” he enjoyed Steve’s astonishment. “I work there… modeling. I actually have a pool. Maybe you could enjoy a little party, if you’d come visit”.

Billy smiled slyly, while Steve was speechless. It took a couple minutes for him to regain his senses.

“But… I thought you lived here…” he repeated dumbly.

“Well, I hope it’s not a problem,” Billy whispered, bending a little towards him. “Does it change things?”

Steve shook his head. He wasn’t surprised that Billy was successful and that he was a model, he was even prettier than when he was eighteen. Steve lost the opportunity once, and he was tired of feeling like a loser.

He smirked, smiling at Billy and pulling him closer, grabbing his underwear.

“It’s not a problem. Not at all”.

#stranger things #writing #billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #hallmark #hsb2024

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milliesfishes · 4 months

Note

Hello 👋 I've read all your writings. I'm in love. 🫶 I was wondering if you could write something with reader and Billy, where Billy leaves town because he dosnt want her to get in trouble despite there love for eachother and when he comes back after a few weeks reader is like seeing someone else? Like a little bit of jealous Billy.

I think you're an amazing writer. Anyone who can make me cry while reading is literally the best. 🥰

𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚𝓫𝓲𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓼 (𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴)𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚 𝓯𝓮𝓶 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝔁 𝓫𝓲𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓭 tw: abuse (thank you love you <3)

Knowing you had turned Billy's world upside down.

Your wealthy parents were friendly with Tunstall, supportive of his cause. They had invited the Regulators over for dinner one day, a sunny Tuesday in April.

At the table outside, Billy had stood up to greet your parents, shaking hands with them and nodding politely.

"And of course, you must meet our daughters," your father said, gesturing behind him. He introduced your sister, who was on the arm of a man your father pronounced her fiancé. Then they moved aside, and he saw you.

Angelic and bright with the prettiest smile he'd ever seen, Billy was nearly knocked straight off his feet at the mere sight of you. He'd greeted you the same as the others, the way his eyes never strayed from you the only marked difference.

All throughout dinner, he could barely focus on anything else. You were ever the sweetheart, chatting with everyone and laughing clear as a bell. You were the lifeblood of the gathering, the one nobody could take their eyes off of. There was a gentle innocence to you he'd only really seen in children, that look of hope and goodness that the world hadn't stripped away yet. It was disarming to see it in a woman, but no less endearing.

He instantly wanted to protect you.

After dinner he'd cautiously approached you in conversation, pleasantly surprised when you engaged. It was like being brought to life. His heart beat a steady rhythm, his mind racing. Every word that escaped your pretty lips had him entranced.

Over the next bit he pursued you like a bee to pollen. You were more than amenable to his attentions, and in practically no time he had you in his arms, looking up at him adoringly with eyes reflecting the night sky. You were wholly his, and he gave himself to you.

At first it was a never-ending parade of joy. Kisses, late night meetings, lazy afternoons spent under the trees. Billy'd had flings before, sure, but this was different. You awoke him in a way he hadn't anticipated. The pure joy he gained from simply looking at you was elating.

He told you so one day, while he had you in his lap in a grassy field of flowers. "Think you're the best thing to ever happen t' me sunshine," he muttered, ducking his head to kiss your cheek.

You turned in his arms, and he let himself fall back so he was flat on his back with you on his chest. Giggling at the sudden movement, you smiled softly, leaning up for a kiss.

He chuckled at your expression and obliged, giving you a little peck. "You're adorable."

Looking up at him with doe eyes, you rested your chin on his chest. He held one of your hands in his, stroking the skin of your knuckles. "I love you, y'know?"

Billy smiled at the confession, bringing your hand to his mouth for a kiss. "I know. And I love you too."

He had never loved anyone in this way. Sure he'd thought he had, but now he knew this was different. This was special.

The bliss was short lived.

Things were tense between gangs in Lincoln County. Billy found his life in danger nearly every day, and he'd come to you after dark broken down and exhausted. Of course you were good to him, better than he deserved, he thought. You'd kiss his forehead and, thankfully, keep your questions to a minimum. The more this happened though, the more he began to doubt.

The difference between the two of you made him uneasy. He did not think highly of himself in comparison to you, and the idea of you being too good for him was one that he found heartbreaking, but accurate. You were the sun, his sunshine. And he was all that laid in the darkness. He did not find it compatible.

Billy grew guiltier and guiltier every time he saw you. He knew that by simply holding you he was putting you, and by extension your family, in danger. He'd promised he'd never hurt you. But his presence was hurting you more than his hand ever could. How long would any of this be able to go on before you were harmed?

These thoughts plagued him whenever he closed his eyes at night, clouded every moment he spent with you. Every kiss felt like a betrayal- he'd made you fall in love with him, and he would be devastated if you had to pay any sort of price for it.

And that's why he left.

Giving Tunstall his regards and a message for you, he saddled up his horse and rode into the sunset, though the mere thought of you in the distance behind him would have been enough to make him turn around. He chided himself. It was for you. He needed to do this for you.

Six months of only starving for you went by. He knew no other thoughts, fantasized about nothing else. In every dusty town he rode through, he couldn't bring himself to touch another woman. It would have felt wrong, for he'd left his heart in a two-story house in Lincoln County.

It was agonizing, being alone like this after he'd known such a love. Billy had never before had a problem flying solo, but after everything, it cracked him until the gleaming, sharpened want wrapped itself around his heart and whispered the only solution.

He had to go back.

Billy had never gotten out of town faster, never ridden against the wind in such a way. All the while he was imagining what it would be like to hold you again, to kiss you. His body ached for your soft one, how it had fit against his in all the right places. How could he have ever left you to begin with? He'd found an angel and left her in the desert.

When he got to town, the first thing he did was rent a room and get cleaned up. A friendly woman at the front informed him there was a gathering tonight in the square and he silently rejoiced. For certain you'd be there, you'd always loved events like that.

Billy made himself presentable, donning the blue striped shirt he knew you loved and making sure he was mostly clean shaven. His heart beat for the anticipation of seeing you tonight. He imagined your reaction- would you be happy or angry? Or somewhere in between? He cursed himself for the millionth time for ever leaving in the first place.

When the sun was low on the horizon he made his way over, the sound of fiddles beckoning him to the crowded square. Men and women were dancing in the center, and more were off to the side, chatting and mingling.

Instantly he began to look for you, peering over the sea of people. Every time he saw a woman with your same hair color his heart would beat a little faster. He made his way through the crowd, hoping desperately he wasn't wrong, and you were here.

Then he spotted your sister, and he felt a rush over him. It felt like a lifeline. Even if it wasn't you, she surely knew where you were.

Making his way over to her, he called out to her. When she turned to see him, her eyes widened. "Billy?"

"Yeah, I'm here," he said breathlessly, not wanting to go through pleasantries. But the gentleman in him kept him polite. "How're ya?"

"Fine," she said warily, studying him. "We haven't seen you in months, what...?"

"Long story," he nodded, still scanning the crowd for you. Giving up, he looked at your sister earnestly. "Look...I...." he sighed, looking at his boots. "Is...is she here?"

Your sister studied him for s second, the corners of her lips quirking up in a sad sort of way. "Yes, but-"

"Where?" the word was out of his mouth before she could finish and he realized that, apologizing. "Sorry. Where's she at?"

She pursed her lips, turning to where everyone was dancing and nodding. Excitedly, Billy scanned until he saw you, directly on the other side, talking to one of your friends. His eyes lit up. "Thank-"

"Wait," your sister reached her hand out, stopping him.

He was confused, looking at her then back at you. "What's-?"

Now there was a man at your side, your friend nowhere in sight. You were smiling as you talked to him, and he put an arm around your waist, leaning in to give you a long kiss.

Billy's heart dropped into his stomach, his blood running cold. All his other senses were blurred, zeroed in on the sight of the man kissing you. And you were letting him.

He looked back at your sister after what felt like forever, hoping for some kind of explanation. She looked apologetic. "They've been with each other for about a month."

Billy shook his head, feeling like the earth had swallowed him. He didn't know why he was so surprised. You were beautiful, charming, sweet. Men lusted after you like locusts on grain.

Your sister watched him sadly. "I'm sorry Billy, but you were gone for a long time. She didn't know if you were dead or alive or ever coming back. And then John swooped in...made her feel special..."

The reality of it hit him hard. How could he have come back after months and expected you to just be waiting for him. It was selfish, stupid of him. He looked at your sister again. "'S he alright?"

She shrugged. "He's not my favorite person I've ever met. Our parents aren't fond of him either. But I suppose he treats her well."

This information surprised him. Your parents were friendly people- they didn't seem like the type to dislike anybody. Saving that for later, he nodded. "She love him?"

There was a pause. Your sister turned back to Billy, seeming to be questioning whether or not she should say something. Apparently, she decided to, because she said, "After the way she was with you, I doubt it."

A spark of hope lit in him, and he said, "What does that mean?"

"I think," your sister started, and he nodded. "She was broken after you left. We could hardly get her out of the house. And he just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Since she was in such a sore spot emotionally, he was able to take advantage of that and now he has her."

Billy contemplated this. "I see."

Your sister touched his arm. "My advice would be to talk to her. Win her trust again. Show her that you still love her and remind her of why she loved you." She half smiled. "The way she loved you before...that doesn't just go away."

Billy slowly nodded, thinking about it. Then he looked down at your sister again. "Thank you. 'S good to see ya." She gave him a real smile and nodded over to where you were standing, stepping back.

Catching her hint, he made his way through the crowd, thankful you weren't with him anymore as he approached.

The second you spotted him, your eyes went wide. If you had been holding anything, you would have dropped it.

He stopped a couple feet away from you, shifting on his feet and giving you a sheepish grin. "Hiya, sunshine."

You were stunned. He could see the mix of emotion on your face. Disbelief, sadness...and maybe he was making it up, but he thought he saw a hint of relief. "What are you doing here?"

"Came back," he stated simply, unable to stop looking at you, taking in your little details. Your hair was a little longer, your skin a little more freckled. Beautiful, as always.

Still staring at him, your lips parted, somehow finding your words. "You left."

"I know," he breathed, taking another step toward you. Now you were within reach, and he reached a hand out, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. You let him, and he could have sworn you leaned into his touch just slightly. "I know I did, but..." he tried to find the right words. "You're all I've been able to think about, baby. Since the second I started runnin'."

"Billy, I'm...I'm..." you shook your head, looking so unbelievably sad that it broke his heart. "I'm with someone else now."

"I saw," he said plainly, and you looked down. "'S he a good man, sunshine? Treatin' ya right?"

You hesitated and he frowned, rubbing your cheek with his thumb. Opening your mouth to respond, you started to say something, but then you were looking at someone over his shoulder. He followed your eyes, only to see that the other man was back.

He said your name and you turned away from Billy, going to him. The man put his arm around your waist and Billy felt the bitter taste of jealousy sting his mouth. "Who're you talkin' to?"

You looked at Billy, then back at the other man. "This is Billy."

"Ah," the man's tone was cold, and Billy knew he was suspicious. There was something off about the situation to him; the way he held you, the look on your face, the way you'd reacted when you saw him. He noticed with a modicum of satisfaction that your body didn't seem to fit into his near as well as it did Billy's.

Billy smiled tightly, nodding at the man. "'Scuse me." He made a hasty exit, not wanting to cause tension with him.

All the while he was wishing he got to be the one holding you. Your sister's words about still loving him were ringing in his ears. He didn't want to overstep with the new man in your life, but at the same time he wanted to at least see if what your sister had said was true.

The next day he stopped in a little field nearby and picked a bunch of wildflowers, remembering how you loved having them in your windowsill.

He arrived at your doorstep with a full fist of flowers, knocking firmly. You opened the door and froze when you saw him. "Billy."

"Mornin' sunshine," he greeted, half smiling at you. "Ya doin' anything today?"

You were still wide eyed, looking pretty as ever in a blue dress. But slowly, surely, you shook your head.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Billy requested, holding out the flowers for you.

There was a beat, and then you nodded, shyly taking the flowers. "Let me put these in water."

Billy nodded, leaning against the porch railing as you went inside. You left the door partially open. He waited patiently until you came back out, your hands behind your back as you looked up at him.

He offered you a charming smile. "C'mon, sunshine. It's a pretty day."

Offering his hand to you, he led you through the grassy fields into the forest, to the spot the two of you had always gone to before he left. You were quiet for a while, and he nudged you with his shoulder. "How've ya been, sweet?"

Smiling a tiny bit, you said, "Fine. I've been fine."

He noticed the hesitation on your part, but didn't comment on it, squeezing your hand instead. "Everythin' goin' good?"

"It's been fine," you repeated, looking down. "I..." You shook your head, then lifted your eyes back to his. "I missed you a lot, Billy."

He was somber, nodding. "Missed ya too, sunshine. It's been real hard to be so far from ya."

"So why did you leave?" you questioned suddenly, stopping and turning to face him. "I thought you loved me, I..." you seemed to realize yourself and your eyes fell to your feet.

"Hey, hey," Billy cradled your face in his hands, searching your eyes. "Baby...I did love ya. Hell, I ain't stopped. I left to protect ya..."

You looked so sad, your doe eyes piercing his. "Protect...me?"

"Yeah, sunshine," he breathed, thumbs rubbing your cheeks. "There was so much goin' on with the gangs 'n the rivalries...I couldn'ta stood it if ya got hurt causa' me."

This realization washed over you, and he could see it in your eyes. As you processed it, your hand came up to his wrist, the first time you'd touched him in months. You nearly gravitated into him, your faces so close together. "You should have told me."

"I know," he whispered, his forehead pressing to yours. "I know, sunshine. That was a bad thing to do on my part."

Bringing a hand to your face, you turned away for a moment, still taking it all in. He stood there, watching you, about to say more when suddenly he noticed the sleeve of your dress ride up as your arm shifted, revealing a dark mark.

Instantly he frowned, reaching out. "What's this?"

You jumped out of his reach, lips parted in realization. "Nothing."

His brow furrowed in concern. "Sweetheart-" Billy took your arm gently, his other hand sliding the sleeve up. There were bruises there, on your shoulder. Dark ones. Looking you right in the eye, he said, "What happened."

"I...I..." you struggled to find the words, biting your lip.

He shook his head, gently bringing his hand up to grasp your chin, thumb dragging your lip from your teeth. "None o' that. You can tell me anything, sunshine, honest to goodness. The hell are these bruises doin' on your arm?"

Casting your eyes to the ground, you looked ashamed. "He didn't mean to-"

"He did this to you?" Billy was immediately furious, but he kept himself calm as not to scare you. "Sweetheart-"

"It was my fault," you breathed, looking up at him. "I made him mad, I...I-"

Billy shook his head, cutting you off. He led you to a nearby tree, sitting you down on the grass and kneeling in front of you. This is why you'd been so on edge, why you'd been tense last night. "Where else did he hurt ya?"

"Nowhere-" you started, but he gave you a look and your shoulders slumped. You brought your hand to your thigh, then your hip. "Here."

"Can I see, sweet girl?" one of his big hands settled on your skirt hem. When you hesitated, he half smiled. "I've seen a lot more'n that from ya, pretty."

You took in a breath, then nodded, and he pushed your skirt up, leaning down to examine the large bruises embedded there. His rough thumb smoothed over your soft skin, and he hummed softly as he pushed your skirt up a little further to see your hip, reacting much the same.

When he finally looked back up at you, his eyes were soft but firm. "You ain't stayin' with him."

You opened your mouth, but he shook his head. "No. No buts. You don't deserve this, darlin'. Not one bit."

Hearing his words and watching him smooth your skirt back over your thighs was too much, and you buried your face in your hands, shaking your head.

"Baby," his face fell and he put his hands on the sides of your head, leaning in to press a kiss to your hair. "'S okay. 'S okay, I won't let him hurt you 'gain."

Pulling back, he parted your hands from your face, looking into your eyes. "You didn't do nothin' wrong, sweet. Not a thing. You're gonna be okay."

Wordlessly, you looked into his eyes and the earnesty and sincere feeling in his nearly brought you to tears. "I didn't mean to stay so long...I wanted to leave but I didn't know how...I've never..."

He understood instantly. You'd never left a relationship before. You'd only been left. The thought of it made him sad, and he nodded. "I understand, sweet. 'M sorry."

You shook your head. "Not your fault."

Billy exhaled softly, stroking your cheeks and keeping his bright blue eyes on you. "I shoulda been here for ya, sunshine. Should never have left to begin with."

You closed your eyes, something he didn't recognize playing out on your face. He nudged his nose against yours. "Sweetheart?"

"I just missed you," you said softly, opening your eyes. "I..." you made a little noise in the back of your throat. "I've loved you all this time. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop."

His heart leapt. "Yeah?"

You nodded, your eyes filled with tears. "I didn't think you were ever coming back or I wouldn't have been with him..." the rest of your sentence was lost to your tears and he cooed, bringing you into his chest to rest against him.

"It's okay, it's okay," he whispered, rubbing your back. "I understand. It's okay."

The two of you stayed like that under the trees for a long time, holding each other tightly, trying to make up for lost time.

Finally, after your tears had slowed down, he whispered, "I love you. I have all this time."

You sniffled, looking up for reassurance. He smiled, bringing your head back to his chest and pressing a firm kiss to it. "Never stopped, just like you. Ain't ever stoppin' neither."

Billy held you tight until the sun sunk back behind the hills, whispering sweet things into your hair, and you basked in the glow of his presence, knowing he'd never leave again.

come talk about billy here!

#billy the kid #billy the kid x reader #billy the kid fanfiction #billy the kid x you #william h bonney x reader #william h bonney fanfiction #billy bonney #billy the kid 2022 #billy the kid imagines #william h bonney x you #william h bonney imagines #milliesfishes billy

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thissortofsorcery · 2 years

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Harringrove social media AU (in a season 2 setting because that is my paradise land) where Billy makes surfing TikToks as a teenager, with a really good following and a promising career as a pro surfer. Until Neil moves the entire family to a landlocked state, and Billy knows it's to punish him.

There could be several reasons for this:

-Billy is becoming too independent from Neil;

-Someone questioned a bruise Billy didn't cover up well enough and now it's all over the internet;

-Billy was caught with a guy he was seeing;

-Billy's mom saw his TikToks and tried to get in touch, Neil had been keeping him from her;

And now Billy's in a town in the middle of nowhere, Indiana, two months into the school year, and everybody expects him to, what, be chill about it? Not care that Neil can just ruin his life and his career on a whim, and there's nothing he can do about it? Billy's raging, Billy's seething, Billy's hurt, and no one wants to or can help him. Susan won't lift a finger or say anything against Neil, looks down every time his dad raises his voice or his hand to hit Billy. And Max- Max is furious with him, blames him for the move like he was the one who decided to pack everything, like he was the one who sold his board and packed the cars and bought the ugly house on Cherry Lane.

What the hell is Billy supposed to do now? He's a senior and he had no plans of going to college, hasn't even thought of applying anywhere. His account is going to die out if he doesn't post anything, and who can guarantee he can raise it from the dead in a year if he makes it back to California once he's eighteen? He needs the TikTok money to make it back to California anyway. He's screwed. He's so screwed.

On the other side of this, is Steve. Steve is a gaming streamer and youtuber, or was- is. He's trying, okay? But ever since- everything, he can't play horror games anymore. He used to stream horror games pretty much exclusively, had whole events for it, charity streams, sponsorships, and then the whole Upside Down thing happened, and he knows his role in it was minor, okay, he knows he was there just for the tail end of it, but a seven-feet tall monster with a flower for a face coming out of the ceiling of the Byers house was both his starting and breaking point, apparently.

His channel was pretty good. Pretty stable. Then he tried to stream Blair Witch about a week after everything and had a panic attack on stream. Things didn't get better after that.

Nancy got him into Animal Crossing, because it's soothing, so he streams that now. And The Sims. Needless to say, his channel took a pretty big hit, as did his reputation. Like Tommy H. says, he turned bitch.

But it's fine, everything's fine. He's got Nancy, he's got a loyal online community that stayed after everything, even if it's small and no one's anywhere near Hawkins. He's got his SAD (Steve After Dark) Streams for when he can't sleep. Halloween is coming up and he's maybe sad he's not doing Spooktober this year, but. Maybe on the last week. Maybe on Halloween Day. If Nancy doesn't want to go to Tina's party.

Billy and Steve collide pretty much the same way. Steve is on edge and Billy is on edge, then the world's ugliest dogs are let out, and Maxine sneaks out, and Billy finds her in a house full of boys and an 18 year old washed out streamer who lies to him about it. Next thing Billy knows he's waking up in a half-destroyed kitchen with an empty syringe two feet from him, car gone, and not a single person in sight.

On Monday, Harrington's face looks bad. It's been a while since Billy's felt this guilty about putting a bruise on someone's face, but he knows he lost it a little, that night. Went too far. He doesn't remember most of it, and Billy doesn't know if that's from whatever drugs Maxine shot him with or from just- anger. Remorse just clogs his throat and he can't breathe. He decides to stay the fuck away from Harrington.

And then Tommy H. just has to take pictures of them, make a damn video, post it to Instagram and TikTok and tag them both. Of course it goes viral.

Billy spends a full week in a state of panic. He fully expects Harrington to press charges now.

(Steve, similarly, is panicking. He streams family friendly content now. He can't just get into fights. He can't stream until his face heals as it is.)

Billy feels even more like shit when his follower count goes up and his account sees more activity than it has since the move. Like it's a reward for beating up Harrington, or something. It's not right.

(The same happens to Steve.)

So Billy has an idea. He wants to apologize to Harrington. Wants to make it up to him. Maybe he can help him get his popularity back, get his channel to how it used to be, somehow. And if it keeps his own account alive, well.

It takes a little convincing, but Steve agrees. Dustin is trying to get him into his nerdy games, but Steve isn't sure he likes them. Steve's been having a hard time, since the second round with the Upside Down. He can't sleep, can't focus, Nancy went off with Jonathan. So maybe he wants a distraction, okay? Maybe he wants something that isn't life or death.

So Billy and Steve start a partnership of sorts. Steve films a couple of youtube videos playing co-op games with Billy. Branches out to TikTok, maybe. Starts bringing Billy to his streams, at first just to hang out and then to take over and play some stuff. Billy manages to burn down Steve's entire 9th generation legacy mansion on The Sims in 30 minutes. Billy and Steve play Dead By Daylight together, and Steve feels increasingly comfortable playing horror games with Billy around.

It's working so well for Steve, he decides he wants to pay it back. So he teaches Billy to ice skate so they can make content for Billy's TikTok. Steve takes Billy sledding when it snows. Billy films Steve falling asleep in unlikely places during the day and not waking up when Billy piles things on him.

Steve hunts down and finds Billy's old surfing board that Neil sold and buys it back.

At some point, Steve becomes Billy's best friend. If he could- If they could, Billy would- They could be more, Billy thinks. But they're all over the internet, and Billy doesn't think Neil watches their content, but word can get back to him really easily. People like to speculate as it is. It's a small fucking town.

The climax would be, of course, getting Billy out of Neil's house. Getting Neil arrested. So Billy can be free.

(Feel free to explore and play with this AU as you like!!)

#harringrove #billy x steve #billy hargrove #billy antis dni #mine

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madwheelerz · 2 years

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Seeing as a lot more compelling evidence than the evidence used in the original theory has come to light, I’ve decided to redo the manifestation theory. So here we go and far warning for any potential plot twist reveals.

Overview

The manifestation theory is a theory of mine that the show operates as one huge D&D game and that a lot of the settings that we see such as characters, locations, and events aren’t real, at least not in the traditional sense. They exist in the real world, but they originated from a child’s mind. Mike’s mind.

First let’s see why Mike would’ve randomly started manifesting monsters. The simple answer is that he wouldn’t not without a reason and certainly not on purpose. What I think Mike did is that he tried to turn back time and succeeded, but with the consequence of having expended the reach of his mind a little too far and releasing beings from the mind. Mike is the DM after all so if anyone might be pulling the strings it’s him.

Let’s provide some evidence that the events aren’t actually happening first.

Do I have your attention yet? Good. What I think happened is that Will died. He was murdered in another timeline and after around a year of learning to use his powers Mike turned back the clock to the last time, he saw Will alive, the initial D&D game. This would’ve been something of a save point and is why so many important things show up in relations to that game.

At 8:15, Karen stops the game. Will dies after rolling a seven, Mike wanted twenty more minutes. The works. Will leaves and is kidnapped into the upside down. If Mike is the writer here, then Will is acting as the main character. The game is built around protecting Will except it’s hitting a point beyond Mike’s control.

The barrier between Mike’s mind and reality is weak and it keeps getting weaker the more time passes. The involvement of time travel explains Mr. Clarke bringing up that multiple world’s interpretation and the references to curiosity voyages.

Mike is highly suspicious in the way that he seems to be constantly framed over dialogue suggesting a connection to other worlds and the “Vale of Shadows”, which is what the kids were originally calling the upside-down.

There is also the way Mike sometimes knows stuff and is completely unable to explain how.

So, none of this is real. We’re in a kid’s game and Mike is the DM. This I think is the reason that the three playlist left belong to Will, Billy – literally the other William, and Mike. Mike’s playlist description is also referring to a 5-hour (season?) D&D session despite the fact that none of Mike’s campaigns are that short nor does his playlist actually last for that long.

So, Mike dies = the upside down dies or something to that effect. The Hawkins National Lab isn’t real, but wasn’t one of their main goal to discover time travel?

Weren’t they pushing so hard that they released monsters onto the world. No one from the lab would’ve seen Will prior to his kidnapping to the upside-down, at least not in enough detail to recreate it quite that perfectly, but Mike saw him. They spoke, Mike was acting weird, Will told Mike that the Demogorgon got him. Why do I think the lab isn’t real well…

This is the very first DM book that Mike has. We get a nice shot of it right before Dustin starts to read about the “Vale of Shadows”. As he’s reading, we see Hopper traveling through the interior of HNL. This is also Mike’s first campaign book, so it makes an appearance twice, which is interesting simply because the DM books don’t seem to appear twice, but especially not in the same season.

When Mike narrates from it is connected with the guy in the lab running from a Demogorgon. It’s also interesting to note that the book is the only DM book that we can clearly see has the design of a building on it. So a building design connected with the interior of the lab. It also carries a small drawing of the cardinal directions right above the building and considering that later Dustin is using a compass to lead them to the lab that’s pretty interesting.

This and the fact that Mike’s D&D campaigns take place in the basement and most gates only open in a basement of some sorts. For example, the HNL basement and the starcourt basement, but also the Mindflayer’s main operation being in the basement of steelworks. Basements, basements everywhere.

Why do I think that Mike might’ve turned back time first?

This and the way that Mike is constantly associated with running out of time. With that I’ll leave you to it, but if you decide to watch the show with this interpretation fair warning it gets trippy.

#slay #manifestation theory but part 2 and make it compelling #manifesation theory #byler #<- for attention #jason's speech is insane too tbh

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lovebillyhargrove · 1 year

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An au where Billy's camaro has a mind of its own and is taking revenge on certain residents of Hawkins after Billy's death ("Christine" vibes)

Part 1 Neil / Part 2 Brenner / Part 3 / Part 4

Dr. Brenner has seen it all now. Has been to the upside down and back. Has survived it. If he was powerful before, guess how mighty he is now. With all that valuable knowledge, all that unique experience that he possesses.

One day he will rule the world.

That evening Brenner left the laboratory at 9.30 and got into his car.

"Home." - he briskly instructed the driver and made himself comfortable in the backseat. Things have not been going the way he had planned them. With multiple deaths, including some prominent people of Hawkins, the lab had been closed. This fool Owens was too soft and had no idea what potential was at their disposal.

But now when Brenner is back, everything needs to get back on track again. He's pulled some strings, used his connections, described the possibilities to those in higher power, and voilà, got the lab reopened again. This time, though, they won't concentrate on kids with psychic powers. This time .. ooh, it will be tremendous.

He will rule the world.

The upside down spat Dr. Brenner out on the 4th of July. Something huge was happening that day, he remembered how the whole upside down world was shaking violently, vines restless and slithering, thunderclaps exploding in the sinister sky. Portals, big and small, opened and closed, one after another, and the whole dimension was unsettled. A portal opened up right in front of him, in the ground and Brenner jumped at the opportunity. Jumped through. He found himself in the forest not far from that mall that was built while he was trapped in the other dimension. Something was going on there, helicopters scissoring the night air and ambulances flashing red and blue all around.

The things Brenner had seen in the upside down, the creatures he had come across.. Unlimited opportunities. They could create an army of demodogs. Multiple armies. Demobats could be their air force. Demogorgons were not so numerous, but they could breed them, and with such formidable forces they would be unstoppable.

They literally could rule the whole goddamn world. Russians would cower before them. Anyone and everyone would fall on their knees before them.

"Sir, there is something ahead of us."

The biggest issue seemed to be control. They needed someone in both worlds, someone who had access to the hive mind but also belonged here, someone who

"SIR??"

"Yes?" - Brenner answered with reluctance. He hated to be distracted from his contemplations.

"There's something ahead of us. It's.. a car but it looks like it's.. on fire?"

"What do you mean?" - Brenner leaned forward. There was indeed an object that looked like a car, engulfed in flames, and it was moving towards them. Fast.

Brenner understood immediately that it did not promise anything good

"Turn the car around, quick!! Drive back! BACK!" He hollered

The driver switched gears but the ball of fire gained unbelievable speed and

One

Two

BANG

The sound was deafening. Head-on collision, aimed to kill.

After the dreadful sound of metal grinding on metal, it suddenly became very quiet.

Brenner was still alive.

His vision blurred. He saw the driver's lifeless body in the front seat, blood all over the windshield. Everything was so quiet all around, except the crackling sounds .. and the smell .. the awful disgusting smell of burning paint. He had to get out.

Brenner tried to open the door with a shaking hand, gasping for air, and luckily, it budged. He forced himself to crawl out of the burning vehicle on the asphalt.

The mysterious car that had caused the crash was slowly retreating and rumbling gutturally.

Menacingly.

Brenner had just got a spark of hope that maybe this was the end of it and whoever was driving that hell on wheels had got what they wanted, when the car's engine suddenly roared and it went from 5 to 50.

The remnants of Brenner's body were scraped off the road later.

So much for world domination.

#Billy's Camaro #billy hargrove #dr. brenner

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dwobbitfromtheshire · 4 months

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In the book, written by the Duffers, Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down, the Duffers have repeatedly said that Billy Hargrove is abusive, a monster, and the Duffers compare him to Brenner. In fact, he was designed to be even more dangerous to the young heroes. To me that me that means he was definitely going to murder Lucas, then Steve, then Max before going after the other kids as well. Billy Hargrove and Henry Creel are perfect examples of victims who can also be monsters at the same time. It doesn't give them a free pass to hurt people. It just makes you understand them. Max doesn't need her abusive older stepbrother back. She has better examples for older siblings when wakes up: Steve, Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, Argyle, and Eddie. Those are the people who she deserves by her side. And for people who get mad at Max for wanting the abuse to stop: Max was the one you were supposed to root for. She was the one Billy was supposed to be responsible for, and instead, he physically and mentally hurt her. Yes, Billy was a victim, but Max was a victim too because Billy turned her into one. So many of the characters are flawed, but they're heroes who have made mistakes, and as decent people, they have made up for them. Billy isn't a good person who's just flawed. He's a villain, a human monster who did one good thing, but that one good thing doesn't make up for the circle of abuse he passed onto to Max. For him trying to kill Lucas or trying to kill Steve. Dacre Montgomery should be applauded for playing a wonderful villain, Jamie Campbell Bower, too. Don't forget that they are villians like Brenner. As much as I don't like the Duffers, this is their story, and they did do a great job with these characters as well as picking out the actors who played them. It just baffles me how people can be blind to someone's evil ways just because the character is pretty. Anyway, one more month, and we can celebrate the death of the evil villain that is Billy Hargrove.

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schrijverr · 11 months

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I Found Myself a Cheerleader 28

Chapter 28 out of 28

Bumped to the lowest step on the social ladder after his fight with Billy, Steve gets roped in with the cheer team. What starts as a favor to help them out when one member breaks her leg in turn for protection from the brunt of the bullying, sets the universe on a different path.

In this chapter, With everyone healed, they slowly move back into their lives. As the dust settles, Steve and Eddie go on their first date together.

On AO3.

Ships: steddie & buckingham

Warnings: hate-crime mention, brief child abuse mention, period typical homophobia (I promise it’s the happy chapter, nothing happens)

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Chapter 28: The First Date

Time has passed since Eddie first woke up again. Despite his coma, he’s been recovering pretty well all things considered and is released pretty soon alongside Max and Chrissy.

Steve has stayed in the hospital with him for most of it, growing closer to both Eddie and his uncle, while they kept an eye on everyone else too. Despite Robin’s earlier judgments of Eddie, the two have hit it off and Chrissy has also easily come into the fold, turning their trio into a quartet of queer dumbasses.

Chrissy has been officially disowned and is going to stay with the Buckleys until she’s fully healed up. They would keep her longer, but they don’t have the means with only a nurse and a low on the ladder office grunt salary. Just like Steve couldn’t stay forever, even when they wanted him too.

However, Steve will take her in after. Hopper has legally come back from the dead and they have worked out a deal that Steve can buy his cabin from him slowly over the years.

The room that used to be a haunting shrine to his memory is now packed up with joy as Hopper moves out of Steve’s cabin. The Byers are moving back to Hawkins, Hopper is moving in with them, not wanting to rip another family from his daughter and the relationship he now has with Joyce.

The Byers and Hoppers had cleaned the spray paint off and fixed up the door. Steve nearly cried in thanks when he got home to find it welcoming and lively, instead of that violated mockery of his safe space.

At first, Will and El shared Steve’s bed as Steve slept on the couch, while Hopper and Joyce took Hopper’s bed. Jonathan and Argyle had found some mattresses to put on the floor. It were way too many people for the small cabin, but it was filled with joy and people. Steve needed people whenever he wasn’t sleeping at the hospital, unable to be alone.

Of course, he slept over at Robin’s place too, the three of them gossiping and joking around, laughing as they forgot how the world can be cruel to people like them.

It wasn’t without ups and downs of course. Steve had his first bad nightmare soon after going home to sleep, instead of staying at the hospital. It was mortifying, but while tea with Joyce wasn’t the same as tea with Robin, card games with Chrissy or hot chocolate with Eddie, it was still pretty good. It felt a lot like understanding. Like acceptance.

He also finally talks with Nancy. After they’ve waved goodbye to the Byers, who are off to Cali to finish the year there, she pulls him aside and asks: “Uhm, what you said, you know, in the Upside Down, that you, uhm, that you-”

“That I’m in love with Eddie,” Steve fills in for her, putting her out of her misery.

“Yeah, that. Is that…?” Nancy struggles a little more.

“That is still a thing yeah, I’m gay,” Steve tells her and it feels good to tell her that. “I didn’t figure it out until after fighting that demogorgon and even then I denied it for a long time. Sorry for leading you on when it wasn’t going to work out between us.”

“It’s okay, I- I wasn’t in a good place either then,” Nancy gives him a smile and it finally feels like they’re friends again. “I felt safe with you, still do, but- It’s not the same. I- I am also sorry, for being weird during everything.”

“Oh,” Steve says, not able to give another reaction, because he was pretty sure she was never going to mention that ever again.

“Me and Jonathan talked,” she says. “We were in a rough spot before, I guess. Still are. Uhm, he- he’s going to take a gap year, stay with his family, but I can’t stay here. I’m leaving in the fall for college. But with Hopper here, Jonathan is planning on coming with me next year, maybe in the spring already. So, we’re just taking it slow. Seeing where it’s going.”

“That’s good, Nance. I’m happy for you,” Steve tells her genuinely. Because he is. They have had their worst moments together, been their worst selves around the other, have seen their lows, but he would never wish her ill will. She’s been through a lot and she deserves to get better.

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m also happy for you and Eddie. You seem happier with him. You deserve that.”

Steve feels himself blush. It’s still new, but so wonderful and he can’t help but be happy whenever his relationship is mentioned. “Thank you, I am happy.”

And that’s the end of that conversation. They’re not best friends, Steve doesn’t think they’re ever going to be after all that has happened between them, but they are friends. The air is cleared and they’re both finally on the same page.

It feels good to close that chapter behind him on good terms.

Meanwhile, he’s starting a new chapter. With Eddie. Their date has taken a back burner, since Eddie couldn’t leave the house much at first. But Steve has gotten to sit in on his games with the kids, which has been great. Steve is never going to get into DnD, it isn’t for him, but it’s cute how excited they all get and he can listen to Eddie talk for hours and not get bored.

However, enough time has passed and tonight, he and Eddie are going on a date.

A date!

Steve’s first date with a boy.

Eddie’s first date ever.

It feels big.

Huge.

Too big.

But also, so so good.

However, it being good, doesn’t mean Steve is not nearly shaking apart with nerves. Which is how he finds himself on Robin’s bed, groaning into his hands as he complains: “I don’t know what to wear. Robbie, save me!”

“Well, you brought about your entire fucking wardrobe, there must be something,” she rolls her eyes, justified in her annoyance, since she’s been forced to listen to Steve whine about his date for days now.

“But none of it is cute,” Steve pouts.

“You’ve been on dates before. Many!” Robin exclaims. “Why are you being so difficult now? It’s just Eddie. He’s not even that hot. He’s a weirdo who walks on tables, which is highly unsanitary, by the way.”

“But I actually like Eddie,” Steve whines. “And he is cute. He’s passionate.”

Robin doesn’t look like she fully gets that he can actually find Eddie attractive, but she softens up a little when reminded of the fact that those dates he’d gone on were to hide. So, she says: “I can ask Chrissy to tell you what looks hot. She’s still into men.”

Steve considers it for a moment, then shakes his head. “I want you to tell me,” he says petulantly.

“Chrissy’s your friend too. She actually knows what she’s talking about,” Robin huffs.

Chrissy is currently trying to catch up on all the work she missed while being in the hospital and unable to attend school just yet. They could go bother her, but with the two of them dating and Steve spending a lot of time with Eddie, he wants to hang out with Robin. She’ll always be his number one.

“No,” he shakes his head again. “Chrissy will tell me what cheerleaders will like, you can tell me what weirdos like.”

“You’re also a weirdo, dingus,” Robin informs him, but she looks pleased with his insistence.

She gets up and starts going through the pile of clothes Steve brought with a little more interest than before. He’s sure that once he leaves for his date, she’ll squirrel away some of his clothes, but he doesn’t care. He has a few of her shirts hidden at his cabin too.

Robin contemplates for a second, then pulls out a pale yellow polo and holds it up. “This,” she says. “And jeans. Because Eddie is a weirdo like me, who actually likes a preppy cheerleader. I promise, he’ll like this.”

Steve laughs, but not at her, just delighted at the fact they get to do this. That they get to talk about their partners and pick out clothes for their dates. It makes him feel light.

“Go on. Change!” Robin demands, holding out the outfit to him in excitement.

“Okay, okay,” Steve smiles, taking the clothes as he starts undressing. Neither of them have made an effort with modesty, so Robin just waits as Steve changes into the outfit.

“Spin,” she demands.

Steve spins.

“Yes,” Robin nods. “It’s perfect. You look like a preppy little puppy.”

“And that is good?” Steve asks, amused and a little tentative.

“That’s good,” Robin assures him.

“Thank you,” he grins happily, flopping back down on the bed next to her. He’s still nervous, but having Robin help with his outfit calmed him a little.

“Of course, Stevie,” Robin smiles at him. “You’re gonna call me when you get back, right?”

“If I get back,” Steve winks.

“Dingussss,” Robin whines. “Then you call me from Eddie’s place.”

It should be overbearing. It should feel like it crosses a line to be so wrapped up in each other’s lives. But it never has with Robin. She has called him so many times after dates with Chrissy or other big moments. Sometimes she’s alone, sometimes Chrissy will be giggling through the line as well. They click together.

“I’ll call you form Eddie’s place,” Steve promises.

“Good,” Robin nods decisively. “And have fun and all that of course.”

“Wow, thank you for your gracious wishes,” Steve snorts.

“Oh shut up,” Robin giggles, pushing him softly, though he pretends it’s much harder as he groans dramatically and rolls off the bed. Of course, Robin doesn’t believe him for a second, rolling her eyes as she calls him a drama queen.

The two fuck around a bit more as Steve pushes his clothes in the corner, before Robin follows him to the bathroom where he fixes his hair. A part of his products permanently lives at the Buckley house with how often he’s there.

Despite the fact that they have only one daughter, the shelve in their shower is bursting with both Chrissy’s and Steve’s stuff as well. The two of them taken into the fold of Daisy’s and Thomas’ kindness and acceptance.

All of them came out to them after their stint in the hospital. They’ve always kind of known with Robin with how she started acting when she hit puberty, never fully hiding, but not admitting it either. With the rumors that floated around about Steve last summer and Chrissy’s attachment to Robin, it wasn’t difficult to make assumptions, though they patiently waited for them to be ready to say something.

Once Steve deems himself done, they stumble down the stairs. Chrissy throws down her pencil enthusiastically when she seems them, happy to be done. She smiles: “You look great, Stevie!”

Steve twirls a little, blushing as he grins: “Thank you, Chris.”

Thomas pops his head out of the kitchen. Daisy is working late today, so he’s cooking. He knows what’s been happening, also having opened the door for Steve holding all his clothes, after which Robin pushed him aside, exclaiming how it was an emergency. Then they had to calm him down that no, it wasn’t a bad emergency, just a teen emergency. Robin gets her anxiety from her father.

Now, he just smiles at Steve and says: “Have fun. And be safe. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

Robin groans in embarrassment at her dad and Steve feels himself flush. Still, he’s more touched than embarrassed at the concern for him, finally having adults in his life that actually care, so he smiles at Thomas and promises: “I will.”

“You’ll call us when you get back, right?” Chrissy asks, before Robin can accompany Steve to the door. She would join too, but still being in casts makes being stationary easier.

Steve smiles at the fact that Chrissy has also picked up on their closeness habit. He ruffles her hair in a way that has her squawking and ducking away, as he says: “I will.”

Then Robin walks him to the door, the two dragging out their goodbyes as they always do, trying to cling to the other for as long as they can, before they truly part ways. With that done, Steve gets into his car and drives to the trailer park.

Eddie is sitting on the steps of his trailer when Steve pulls into the trailer park. He’s smoking a cigarette in a way that shouldn’t be as hot as it is, long fingers deftly holding the cig, bracelets moving whenever his arm moves.

Steve swallows heavily, before he parks the car, now getting spotted by Eddie. He lights up, those beautiful eyes sparkling as he waves, shaking his head to unsuccessfully get his hair in check and out of his face.

“Stevie,” Eddie greets, stepping closer, realizing their outside and awkwardly leaning back out of Steve’s space.

“Hey, Eds,” Steve replies, smiling, though that twinge still goes through him. He might finally be at a place where he is comfortable with his sexuality, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world is. So, bro high five it is for now. “Come on, let’s go,” he nods to the car to distract from the reality and get the date back on track.

Eddie grins happily at that and does a dorky little cheer that Steve finds way more attractive than he should.

When he looks away he meets Max’s eyes. Being in the hospital has really scared her mom and the two have been closer than ever. Steve helped Wayne built a ramp to the trailer so Max can get in with her wheelchair. Right now she is at the top of that ramp, giving Steve an amused look.

He flips her off with a grin, then gets back in the car. His sides twinge a little, but his stitches have been taken out finally. Eddie’s are also still there right under his shirt and pants, but right now neither of them care. The wounds are healing, aches are fading and all of them are looking towards the future.

Steve starts to drive and Eddie smiles at him when he glances over. “Hey, Stevie,” he greets, a shy smile on his lips.

“Hi, baby,” Steve says back, letting his voice go soft and warm. He has done this song and dance many times before, but this time it feels good to see the person he’s with blush and giggle, leaning in slightly.

They’re on the bigger road now, which leads out of town, so Steve feels a bit more confident to put his hand on Eddie’s thigh.

Next to him, Eddie takes a sharp breath and Steve listens to see if it was surprise of discomfort, making himself at home when it turns out to be surprise.

It’s quiet for a few seconds, but Eddie has never done well with silence, so he breaks it when he asks: “So, how is this gonna go?”

Steve knows Eddie must be even more nervous than he is. The second he saw Eddie grin, most of his nerves faded. He has done this before, he knows this. It feels right with Eddie. However, Eddie is in the deep end without swimming lessons.

So, he projects as much confidence and comfort in his voice as he answers: “Well, I’m gonna drive to a town where no one knows us. We’re gonna get fries and milkshakes that we’re gonna eat on the hood of the car in a parking lot somewhere. Then we’re going to the drive in theater and watch a movie. And then we’ll drive home. How does that sound?”

“That sounds good,” Eddie answers, boisterous personality creeping back into his voice again. It is not as if Eddie hadn’t known what they were gonna do, Steve told him before, but he obviously had to hear it again.

“Good,” Steve grins, glancing over to meet Eddie’s own. “Now, pick a tape and put it on.”

Eddie dives into his glove box with glee, judging Steve with fondness as he goes. Steve can defend himself about some of his music tapes, since Robin, Chrissy and all the kids have left tapes to play throughout the years. Others… not so much.

Then Eddie stills and his voice is suddenly quieter as he asks: “Why- You have the Master of Puppets album.”

“Oh, yeah, I, uhm, I might have bought it,” Steve flushes, a bit embarrassed. “So you would have something to listen to that you liked when we drove.”

He doesn’t dare to look at Eddie, instead focusing on the road. But he shouldn’t have worried, Eddie lets out a loud noise, somewhere between a squeal and a scream, before he exclaims: “That is so sweet,” and rushes to put in the tape.

At the positive reaction, the smile returns to Steve’s lips, widening even more.

In the passenger seat, Eddie starts to head bang wildly, singing along to the songs in that deep, nice voice of his that Steve has come to love so much. Corroded Coffin hasn’t performed yet since spring break, but this private concert of pure joy is the best Steve has ever seen.

The drive is filled with karaoke, laughter and jokes. It’s perfect, just driving them could have been the date and Steve would have been happy.

Still, he’s excited for the rest of their date as they pull up to a diner. Inside they keep their distance, Steve talking to Eddie about the latest baseball game, he watched with Lucas and Hopper. Eddie nods along, listening. It’s sweet that he’s trying, because Steve knows that it isn’t really Eddie’s cup of tea.

They both order fries and a milkshake, like Steve had suggested, but they also order a burger. Then wait until they can take it with them.

Steve drives them to an empty field, parking alongside the road and they spill out of the car, both giggling like they’ve done something they shouldn’t.

They sit shoulder to shoulder on the hood of the car. Eddie leans his head on Steve’s shoulder and Steve feels like his heart explodes as he buries his nose in Eddie’s curls for a second, breathing in the smell of smoke that clings to Eddie and his three-in-one shampoo, conditioner, body wash that Steve despises yet loves.

Despite having their own, they steal fries from the other and share their milkshakes as they point out shapes in the clouds to each other. They laugh like little kids when one looks like a dick, before Eddie gets distracted by a cloud he swears looks like a d20, but Steve can only see a blob.

When their food is gone, they get back in the car again, this time they hold hands over the console as Steve navigates to the drive in theater and Eddie insists on buying their tickets, since Steve paid for dinner.

Steve argues: “I asked you out, I pay. You can pay next time.”

Eddie blushes happily at the next time, but shakes his head stubbornly anyway. “I feel like it was a mutual asking out, despite all the end of the world things. Besides, I finally have money – government hush money, but still – if I want to help my boyfriend pay for our date, I should be allowed to.”

If he’s honest, Steve was sold the second Eddie said boyfriend. He still can’t quite wrap his head around the fact that he has a boyfriend now and it’s enough to make him smile widely like a giddy loon.

Of course, Eddie clocks that immediately and soon Steve is standing next to Eddie as he defiantly pays for their tickets. Though Steve doesn’t mind, Eddie looks cute when he’s smug.

Afterwards, Steve couldn’t tell you what the movie was actually about (luckily he doesn’t work at Family Video anymore, having been fired for obvious reasons). Instead, he spends the whole movie staring at Eddie, holding his hand.

They’re parked in the back, out of sight as best as they can. It gives them the confidence to sneak a few kisses here and there, though nothing more than that.

They’ve kissed before, but Steve never tires of it. Eddie is just so eager and enthusiastic. It’s endearing and hot. He’ll make soft noises against Steve’s mouth and grip him as closely as Steve grips him. Despite the amounts of girls he kissed, he never knew how much fun just making out could be. He could kiss Eddie for hours.

The movies ends and they drive back home, this time the music playing quietly in the background as they talk.

“I wanna go to college, is that weird?” Eddie softly says.

“Why would that be weird?” Steve asks.

“I don’t know,” Eddie shrugs. “I’ve failed senior year two times, only reason I’m even graduating this year is because you threatened the government into feeling bad about me being hunted by the town and nearly dying for their mistakes.”

“You’re smart. If you want to I think you can do it,” Steve tells him. “What would you wanna do?”

“Creative writing,” Eddie smiles, it’s small and a little shy. He explains: “I love music and if the band takes off, I’m 100% doing it, because that would be the dream. But I love stories more. Like, I can work on my DnD campaigns for hours and I love thinking about the stories. Reading. I want to create worlds.”

“That sounds amazing,” Steve tells him honestly. He has always loved listening to Eddie talk, following along as he spins a tale out of thin air. “You can definitely do it.”

“You think so?” Eddie asks.

“Yeah, I do,” Steve replies. “Ask any of the kids and they tell you your campaigns are insane. I think so too from all I’ve heard second hand and what I witnessed. You’re a natural storyteller. You can totally do it.”

“So, you don’t think it’s silly?” Eddie inquires, sounding like he believes Steve, but needs to hear it again.

“I don’t,” Steve tells him. “Where do you wanna go?”

“Not far and nowhere special,” Eddie says, excitement bleeding in again. It’s clear he’s thought about it a lot. “I wanna start following courses at the community college, part time at first so I can work and help uncle Wayne pay the bills. Hush money is good, but doesn’t solve everything.”

That Steve knows. The hush money allows him to have a few nice things and bridge the gap when he looked for new employment, but he’s not set for life or anything close to it. So, he hums his understanding.

“I might follow Robin and Chrissy,” Eddie goes on, catching Steve’s interest more. “I mean, Robin is waiting for her right?”

“Yeah, saving up for college,” Steve says.

“And you’re probably following those two to where ever they decide to go to college?” Eddie continues.

Steve flushes slightly. It’s not that he wants to do long distance with Eddie, but the thought of not living near Robin kills him. He can’t survive if he can’t easily check up on her in the middle of the night. “Yeah, sorry,” he whispers.

“No need for sorry, sweetheart,” Eddie says in that soothing deep rumble, obviously having caught onto Steve’s thoughts. “I knew you two weren’t going anywhere without the other when I agreed to date you. I want to stick close to them too.”

The confession eases something in Steve’s chest and happily he says: “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nods. “Robs is pretty cool, Chrissy too. I like them. I wouldn’t mind transferring whatever college credits I build up here to a local college elsewhere. We can all rent an apartment together, two couples, but they don’t have to know how. It’ll be fun.”

Steve can picture it in his mind’s eye. When Eddie suggested running away to the city together, bats circling above their heads, he didn’t have the mind to think about the details. But he can’t say he doesn’t like the image Eddie’s painting.

“I’d love that,” he admits softly.

“That’s good,” Eddie smiles. Then asks: “What do you wanna do?”

Steve thinks, rubbing his thumb over Eddie’s hand mindlessly as he does. The two haven’t let go since they got back in the car after paying for tickets.

“I don’t wanna go to college,” Steve tells him after a moment. “Everyone always thought I would, but I don’t want to. I wanna work with Robin in that stupid fruit shop until you all go to college and then I wanna do something with my hands.”

“That sounds like a good goal to work towards,” Eddie says. “Know what you wanna do with your hands yet?”

“No, not yet,” Steve answers. “I might go to trade’s school or find someone who wants to take me in and teach me. I liked patching up the cabin or working on my car. So something like that, probably.”

“You’d look hot in overalls,” Eddie teases and Steve blushes, giggling like the girls he used to take on dates.

They continue to build possible futures they could have together as they drive. Most of them probably won’t exist, but some of them might and it’s good to dream. To believe you can have a future like that.

Steve’s heart feels full with affection to the boy next to him. Neither of them has had it easy, but it feels like the hard part is behind them. That they made it and only need to see where it goes from here, but they can only go up anyway, so it’s okay.

It’s already dark when they get to the trailer park. Most people are already inside, so no one sees the two boys in the front of the car.

“Do you, uhm- do you want to come inside?” Eddie offers tentatively.

They’ve hung out quite a lot already with some heavy making out involved too. However, something in Eddie’s voice sounds too hesitant and Steve finds he doesn’t want to. Not yet.

He shakes his head and softly confesses: “It’s probably silly, but no, I- I wanna do this right, if that makes sense? I finally get to do this with someone I actually like and I want to build it up first, take my time, because I don’t have to rush. It’s stupid, sorry.”

“No, no, it’s not stupid at all,” Eddie quickly says. “I- I quite like that idea.”

“Yeah?” Steve looks up, meeting those eyes.

“Yeah,” Eddie nods, a bit breathless as he stares at Steve with those big beautiful brown eyes of his.

Cutting the tension, Steve smirks and affectionately teases: “Want to get fully romanced, huh, Eds?”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind the full wooing experience,” Eddie grins back, but he betrays his sincerity by curling his hair around his finger.

Steve finds his own features softening and he says: “Let me walk you to the door then. Promise to kiss you goodnight.”

Now Eddie takes the hair he’s been curling around his finger and pulls it in front of his face. In juxtaposition to his actions, he says: “Oh fuck off, Steve.”

“I like sweetheart better,” Steve tells him in a moment of confidence, kissing the hand he’s still holding, before dropping it and getting out of the car.

Eddie scrambles out after him, a little less graceful that Steve had been. Steve doesn’t care, though, he loves how Eddie flip flops between dramatics, grace and clumsiness. It’s part of his charm and Steve is properly charmed.

The two walk to the door. The porch light is left on by Wayne, before he left to work, but Eddie flicks it off, so nosy neighbors won’t be able to see.

He leans in close to Steve, but doesn’t press their lips together, instead smirking as he says: “So, sweetheart, huh?”

Steve feels himself blush, both at the tease and due to the heat that settles in his veins when the petname rolls of Eddie’s lips. “Yeah,” is all he says, a bit dumbly.

Eddie looks pleased with himself, his fingers skittering along Steve’s body until they fall to his waist, curling around his belt loops. Eddie tugs a little as he says: “I was promised a kiss goodnight, remember, sweetheart?”

And it is absolutely unfair how Eddie is using it against Steve, but Steve doesn’t mind it in the slightest, if it means Eddie will call him sweetheart for the rest of their lives.

So, like the whipped boyfriend he is, he obligingly leans down and presses his lips against Eddie’s, enjoying how they’re a little chapped, yet so soft. Softer than Steve had imagined them to be, before they first kissed.

They continue kissing for a little bit longer, neither of them wanting it to end. However, Steve is aware of how vulnerable they are like this, so after a bit, he pulls away and smiles at Eddie: “Is this a yes for a second date?”

“Of course it is,” Eddie smiles. “It was even before you asked me on the first.”

It’s so sincere how he says it and Steve is swept off his feet, unable to help how his heart swells at the words. “Oh,” he replies, giddy. “That’s good.”

“I’m glad,” Eddie tells him, dimples in place like they had been throughout the whole date.

Without making a conscious decision, Steve reaches up to cup Eddie’s face, thumb caressing the right dimple. “I love your smile,” he says, voice filled with awe and affection.

Eddie blushes brightly, Steve can see, even in the dark of the night. He tries to hide, but his fingers are still tangled in Steve’s belt loops and the hand holds him in sight.

“Pretty,” Steve breathes.

“You’re the pretty one, sweetheart,” Eddie replies, getting his blush under control.

“Beautiful then,” Steve corrects, smirking as Eddie blushes once more, this time nuzzling his hand to hide his face. Steve takes pity on him and pulls him into a hug, letting Eddie hide his blush against the crook of his neck.

God, he never wants to leave this moment.

However, the moment cannot last forever, so they each bid the other goodnight, before Eddie opens the door and flicks on the lights, while Steve goes back to his car.

Eddie remains in the doorway as Steve starts the car and begins to drive, waving until he disappears out of sight in the rear view mirror.

All the way home, Steve feels like he’s floating on a cloud and he practically bounces up the stairs to the cabin, keys jingling happily as he unlocks the door.

Inside, the cabin is quiet. The Byers are starting to pack their stuff back in Cali as the kids try to finish up the school year like the rest of the party is trying here. Steve misses the liveliness, but he’s grateful for the privacy.

He kicks off his shoes and falls on the couch, grabbing the phone as he dials a familiar number, not having to wait long, before Robin exclaims: “Steve?”

“Yeah, yeah, Robbie, it’s me,” he tells her, grinning from ear to ear.

“Oh my god, how did it go?” she demands to know.

In the background he hears Chrissy say: “It’s pretty late. Ask if he’s at Eddie. Did they do it?”

“Are you at Eddie’s?” Robin asks, relaying the message, before Steve can hear her move around so Chrissy can listen in as well.

“I’m at home,” Steve answers. “We wanted to do it right. Do the whole romance thing. I kissed him goodnight at the door.”

Chrissy squeals and says: “That’s so cute. Was it a good date?”

“It was,” Steve answers happily, sagging back into the couch as he tells the two of them all about it, not sparing a single detail.

When he sat on the bleachers, dejectedly watching the basketball before the cheer team distracted him, he couldn’t have imagines where his life would be one and a half years later. A lot has happened, not all of it good, but the friends he made because of it are worth it all.

This is the life he wants to live. The future he wants to work towards. And now he can.

A/N:

Eddie deserves to be a little flustered and to be treated right. We love a confident Eddie, but he is also a massive dork at heart <3

I know this is a little shorter than the others, but it felt silly just to drag it out for the sake of it all, but hopefully you enjoyed it all. Thank you so much for reading it in it’s entirely (know that you’ve just read 251 pages), it was a thrill to write :D (and totally didn’t take me from Feb to July to complete before I started posting, what? xp)

#rr writing #stranger things #steve harrington #steddie #eddie munson #robin buckley #eddie lives au #st post season 4 #platonic stobin #stobin #chrissy cunningham #chrissy lives au #buckingham #cheerleader steve harrington au #nancy wheeler

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