There's a stupid party at the Byers' house and of course, Max is allowed to go, because she made big eyes at Susan all week. Of course, Billy has to be the fucking driver, because Neil's got more important things to do, but Billy never does. Billy has to stay, too, like a fucking babysitter. No thanks.
"I'm so happy they moved back from California," Max rambles, already buzzing with excitement Billy doesn't get. Like it's good for anybody to leave the ocean behind and trade it for Midwestern blues.
Billy follows her. Neil asked him to call him when they are at the Byers place. Just to get on Billy's fucking nerves, just to make sure he stays put. Like Billy isn't going to head off as soon as he hangs up.
Billy walks into the living room. There are too many people here, too much laughter in the air, it's too warm and it's just wrong that he's here.
He doesn't belong here and his stomach twists when he gets a glimpse of the kitchen where he beat Harrington's pretty face until it was bloody and bruised, where he was so much like Neil it made him feel sick for weeks. One day he won't be able to stop. Like father, like son, right?
"Billy?" A voice cuts off Billy's train of thought. A voice Billy hasn't heard in month, a voice he was scared to forget. The only voice that every told him he was enough, the only one he believed.
But that can't be. Argyle doesn't know where they moved to. Argyle can't be here - only that he's standing right in front of him.
"Argyle," Billy says, all the memories of salt water against their lips, stolen kisses under the pier and the bitterness of leaving it all behind on his tongue.
"Dude, I missed you!" There he is, in a room of people who hate him and there Argyle is, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him in the first hug he has gotten since he moved to Indiana. Since the last hug Argyle gave him, before Neil turned the most beautiful thing in Billy's life into a terrible regret.
"Fuck," Billy says, trying to choke back a sob, because no way in hell he's going to cry here.
"'m here," Argyle whispers in his ear.
"You know each other?" Harrington asks, brows furrowed like he doesn't know how to make sense of the scene in front of him.
Argyle is the only person that ever knew Billy.
"Jealous, Harrington?" he leers, always ready to put up a shield, to hide behind arrogance.
"No," Harrington purses his lips and crosses his arms. Huh.
"He sounds like you, Billy," Argyle says with a grin, arms still around Billy. Billy doesn't really mind.
"No fucking way," he snorts.
"I'm not like Hargrove," Harrington claims, face flushing, while the Henderson kid behind him shouts "Steve is way better than Billy!"
Argyle laughs and holds Billy tighter. "Let's see about that."
Maybe Billy will stay for a while longer.
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Argyle hanging out with Billy has Capybara hanging out with Crocodiles energy.
Yeah, Billy is prone to snapping, but Argyle is just so chill and friendly like... Why would he need to?
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Billy Big Bang 2024 - IT'S BACK ON (with some adjustments)
We decided we couldn't just let the Billy Big Bang die out completely this year so we have created a new server and I (@kallisto-k) have taken over as the second mod alongside @writer-in-theory!
Author sign-ups are running to May 15th and artists until July 6th! Beta and pinch hitter sign-ups run indefinitely! Please check out the full schedule or reach out to us via the ask box on our Billy Big Bang 2024 blog if you have any questions!
Artists, authors, beta readers and pinch hitters can sign up via the google form here - please make sure to use an email you will check frequently in case we need to get in contact with you! It's also how we will invite you to the discord server so doubly important!
A huge shout out to @alicetallula for letting us use one of their incredible Billy pieces for our blog and server icons!
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