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jarviscockerssecrethusband · 2 months

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The podcast was Steve’s idea.

It had started with a joke from Heather. She’d took one look at Billy and Steve’s accidentally matching gym clothes and told them they looked like a failing alpha bro podcast duo. The type of guys who’d talk about being alpha males. Billy had laughed hard but it had made Steve think.

They’d been best friends since kindergarten and were functionally inseparable. Billy had seen Steve through a long period of deep, dark depression and Steve liked to think he’d helped Billy through Neil. Most podcasts Steve had listened to, the hosts didn’t even sound like they liked each other. They’d be perfect.

It took Steve about a month to convince Billy to put himself in front of a microphone. For a guy with a 300k follower Instagram thirst trap account, Billy was crushingly self conscious about his voice. He’d been on testosterone for three years but still felt like he sounded “clockable.” It wasn’t until Steve promised that if they got even one comment about Billy’s voice, they’d immediately delete the episode, that Billy agreed.

Between the two of them, they had absolutely no qualifications to start an agony aunt podcast. Still, the first episode was released onto Spotify and it had a surprisingly warm reception. Most of their listeners were queer or neurodivergent and were asking about what to do when a hookup went wrong or how to go outside without having a panic attack.

It was heartwarming really, the affect Steve felt that they were having. Two trans guys talking openly about sex, relationships, social faux pas, fitting in and the occasional tangent on oyster forks wasn’t exactly common. And their audience seemed to cling to them like two older brother figures.

It was perfect. Should have been perfect. It was just that there was a bit of a side affect.

As it turned out, spending every week with your best friend, who was physically just your type, and was also just an absolute sweetheart, led to having a crush on said best friend.

That is if you were Steve anyway. Shit.

Most guys on realising they were crushing hard on their best friend probably would have done something normal, like tell him. Not Steve though. Steve endeavoured to lock himself in the broom closet and scream before every recording session of the podcast.

It would work. Hopefully.

Then Billy started getting random listeners proposing to him via email. They’d read them out before every advice segment and Billy would either accept or decline depending on how funny he found it but it still made Steve die a little inside. Billy felt like his in some intangible, indescribable way and even jokes about marriage felt like suffocating.

He redownloaded Grindr the next day. The guys on there left a lot to be desired, especially compared to Billy but at least it stopped Steve from feeling quite so lonely. He flirted, made decisions that made Robin tut and generally started morphing into the kind of hot mess Steve had been in his late teens.

Billy didn’t seem to notice. That is until he did.

Steve was very late for recording the newest episode, a silly one about accents. He hadn’t remembered to shave so the patchy stubble that hrt was helping him grow in was a mess. There was gum stuck to to the bottom of his shoe. Something had gotten spilled on his shirt.

His co host once again looked delicious. Delicious and worried. So worried in fact that he dragged Steve into the very closet that he’d spent almost two months hiding in.

There was only so long Steve could hedge around the issue. Not with Billy worrying about all the things that could have gone wrong, anxious brain in overdrive. Steve had to tell him.

A short, excruciating silence followed after Steve admitted his crush/budding love. One that the slightly irrational part of his mind was convinced would culminate in Billy punching him again.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, Billy called him a dumbass, they made out under a precarious tin of paint for fifteen minutes, and agreed that getting together was long overdue.

The first email they got from a listener after going public about their relationship was short and to the point.

Can I propose to both of you?

I think it was @camaro-and-smokes and @prettyboy-like-you who reblogged being interested in the og post about this idea and since I am a fic writing weirdo, I wanted to write a little ficlet for them! I hope you both like it

(Inspired LOOSELY by the hilarious Help I Sexted My Boss podcast which I adore. Also inspired a smidge by Lust For Life by @oopsiedaisiesbaby)

#billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #harringrove ficlet #writing this instead of working WHOOPS #trans steve harrington #trans billy hargrove

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half-oz-eddie · 5 months

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One week after being taken in by Joyce and Jim, Billy's found it hard to kick his old habits.

He's found himself rather dependent on drugs and alcohol. So, he does what he usually does to deal with time at home— he gets high and drunk.

He always did it to numb himself, mind and body. So he wouldn't feel the punches. So the screams wouldn't sound so loud. So his body could still feel relaxed in frightening situations. So he could still sleep at night after facing the waking nightmare which was Neil hargrove.

He didn't need to do it anymore, but he still did.

Jim wasn't trying to smother the boy. Eighteen's still an adult, even if he's a kid in Jim's eyes. So he just...waits for Billy to eventually come home, hoping to God he doesn't have to go out looking for him.

10:30 PM...11:42...12:20...1:35...

2:32AM, Billy finally stumbles in the house, quite noisily. His keys hit the floor, he mumbles curses under his breath, he bumps into the coffee table because he's not used to navigating this house in the dark just yet.

He sighs in annoyance and just plops down on the couch. He's already feeling a little uneasy because he made so much noise.

Jim surfaces from his bedroom and sits next to Billy. He shines a flashlight in his face, answered by a groan and the quick reflex of Billy slapping the flashlight away.

"You're wasted, aren't you?" Jim assumes. "Joyce has been worried sick about you. I stayed up all night waiting because she sat by the window waiting to see you park in the driveway."

"Mmh." Billy groans. He's not coherent enough to respond, to apologize.

"How the hell did you drive like this?!" Jim questions.

"I do it all'a time. S'no big deal."

"It's a big deal. Are you crazy? You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"So what?"

"So what?! Billy! How do you think we would feel if something happened to you?"

"I'unno. I just got here. Wouldn't matter."

"It would matter. Jane loves you. Will and Jonathan really like having you here, and Joyce, psh, forget it. You're her baby, just like her other boys. She knows what you went through and all she wants to do is take care of you."

Billy whimpers in response before a soft sniffle can be heard.

Jim places a comforting hand on Billy's shoulder. "Don't cry, alright? Let's sober you up so you can say goodnight to Joyce."

"M'kay." Billy nods.

Jim makes him a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

"Listen. You don't have to check out whenever you come home. Things're different now. It'll be nice if you're present so we can feel like a family."

"You don't need a screw up like me in your family."

"We're all screw ups, Billy. We've all screwed up in one way or another, or been screwed over by life. That's what makes our family so great. We understand each other."

Silence filled the kitchen. The kitchen clock ticked and the lightbulb above them softly buzzed.

"Sorry." Billy finally said. "I'm not used to this."

"I know. You want some cookies and milk?"

"I'm not a kid." Billy rolled his eyes.

"You're my kid. And you can have cookies and milk if you want 'em."

Billy chuckled. "I guess I do want them."

"Atta boy." Jim excitedly opened up a pack of Oreos and poured himself and Billy some milk.

They'd eaten nearly half the package when they heard someone clear their throat.

They both turned to see Joyce standing in the doorway, her arms folded over her robe.

"Having a late night snack, are we?"

"Sorry." Jim apologized. "Did we wake you?"

"No. I was already up. I went to check Billy's room to see if he'd come home and...here he is with you, eating all the snacks."

"I'll replace the oreos." Jim promised.

"I don't care about the oreos, honey. I'm just glad you're home." She said, smiling at Billy. "I was worried you wouldn't come back, then I wouldn't know if you were safe or taking care of yourself."

Billy frowned. "I didn't mean to worry you. I-I swear I won't do it again."

"I hope not." She approached him and kissed his forehead, then snatched the oreo out of his hand and dipped it in his milk, before shoving the whole cookie into her mouth.

Billy laughed as she strutted away, bidding a quiet goodnight before returning to bed.

"I guess I'd better turn in too." Jim said with a stretch as he stood. "What about you?"

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna do the same."

"Goodnight, kid."

"G'night dad."

They looked at each other wide-eyed. Billy didn't mean to call him dad. Not this soon.

"Sorry was that...that was weird, right?"

"Not to me. Whatever makes you feel comfortable."

They smiled at each other before heading to their rooms.

Billy snickered at the pajama set Joyce had laid out for him on his bed. He hadn't worn a pajama set since he was 8 years old, but the red lounge pants and matching cotton shirt were so soft, and the made bed was even softer.

He didn't want to feel numb anymore. He wanted to feel the comfort of his bed, and the warmth of his loving family.

#couldn't sleep so here you go #abuse tw #drugs tw #alcohol tw #adopted billy #billy and hop #billy hargrove #jim hopper #joyce byers #ivy.doc #hargrove.doc

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stranger-rants · 10 months

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Thought about how people don’t think Billy could be abused because he’s “strong.” Thought about how abused children develop a tough exterior to protect themselves, which it does to some extent, but it may also prevent other people from seeing that they’re being abused. Thought about people commenting that Billy could sweep the floor with Neil in that scene, but people not understanding how Neil could dominate Billy financially and psychologically and institutionally and even then… we don’t really understand how physically strong Neil is in comparison, and how the fear of Neil’s physical strength was instilled in Billy long before he could lift weights. How Billy swinging back at his father could cost him everything. How it could mean losing his life. Losing shelter - his house, his car. Losing whatever income he has, which he depends on to escape. Yeah. Billy is strong, but even the strong can crack under the weight of heavy abuse. Even the strong need supports to not only help them carry the weight of their trauma but to help them become truly resilient - not just a façade of power and strength.

#we’re at the deep 4am conversations part of the sleepover y’all #billy hargrove

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billys-pretty-babe · 11 months

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SFW Alphabet

Pairing : Billy Hargrove x Fem!Reader

Warnings : A few mentions of Neil and his abuse and two mentions of Karen.

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

At first, he's not very affectionate, maybe a brush of his hands against yours, quick kiss in public but as he gets more comfortable, he gets more affectionate, hand always in your back pocket or you waist.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Billy's a protective best friend, he hates seeing you get into trouble. Friendship would most likely start at school.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Billy loves to cuddle, he's a big spoon, it gives him a chance to protect you, especially when you guys are at his house for the night.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Billy was against settling down, he saw how his parents ended up and it scares him but when he sees a future with you, he's more than ready to leave Hawkins and settle down in California. He cooks, he used to cook for Max when Susan and Neil would leave them alone for a few days but he sucks at cleaning, leaves his clothes everywhere and forgets to clean the kitchen after he uses it.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

He'd be straightforward, nothing to soften the blow. I don't think he'd place blame on anyone (unless there is reason to) but blame it on growing apart.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Depending on the circumstance. I truly believe he had no girlfriends before you, or serious ones at least, he had hook ups but no one to give his love to. As soon as the two of you graduate and leave Hawkins, you guys get eloped at the courthouse in Santa Barbara.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Growing up with Neil, Billy had to have his walls up and show no emotion. Six months into your relationship, Billy understood that he was safe to show emotion, especially excitement. I feel like he may be a little rough at first with physical affection but in no way does he hurt you, he's just so excited to show you he loves you.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Billy's a hugger, he likes when you sit in his lap and cling to him as he talks about his day, his hands under the back of your shirt as he gently rubs the skin. He's hugging you multiple times a day, no matter what.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

About six months in, he realizes he's in love with you but doesn't say it until about eight months.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Oh, Billy's jealous. He sees someone flirting with you at a party and he walks over with a red cup in his hand and places his other arm around your shoulders and you know it's him just by his cologne.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

His kisses are fast paced at first, that's what he's used to. He likes to kiss your pulse point on your neck, just simple little kisses to show affection if he can't express himself properly. He likes being kissed anywhere

(BONUS : after the mindflayer, he wears shirts more often so you kiss the fabric, knowing exactly where his scars lay on his torso and chest).

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

"I've seen you, teaching lessons. Swimming lessons" This shows Billy's a good teacher to the kids, and while we never get to see him with them, I feel like he's gentle with children because he never got that with his father.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

He's not a morning person so it's spent in bed, talking about how you hope the day goes.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Dinner together, always, Billy hates eating alone now that you guys are together. He does his routine with you and everything.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

About four or five months in, his walls begin to break and he reveals just enough about his home life that you understand why he has the marks and bruises on some days that you get to see him. I feel like he doesn't give too much away at first, he doesn't want to scare you off.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

At first, he was ready to blow up at every little thing, he had anger issues. Now, he has a lot more patience and knows to step away from anything whether it be fixing something or an argument with you, before he gets angry.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Billy remembers everything you've ever told him. Let's say you guys have been together for five years, he still remembers what you said about your senior prom dress.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

He truly doesn't have a favorite moment, everything is his favorite, he's just happy he found someone to put up with him and his flaws, you helped him heal.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Extremely protective, he hates when you leave the house alone especially if it's the weekend because everyone is out and he knows you hate crowds and it makes you nervous but errands have to be ran. In public, he's standing in front of you, if you're walking down the sidewalk, he's closest to the road. He doesn't like to be protected, it hurts his ego.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

You're Billy's first girlfriend so he puts his all into everything and it truly surprises you each time he does it.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

He pulls his hair until the roots break when he's stressed, sometimes, he forgets he's smoking and burns himself or the furniture.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

This is Billy Hargrove that we're talking about, the same guy we watched get ready for a date that he never got to go on. Curls are always styled to perfection, shirts are always unbuttoned and jeans are the tightest they can be. He makes sure to keep a good skin care routine and to shave his beard when it begins to grow but he leaves the stache.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yes, this poor boy only knew love from his mother so when you come into his life and you showered him with love, he hates, absolutely hates when he can't see you for a few days. He swears he's dying because his chest hurts.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Billy's shy, we saw him practice his lines in the car before going to meet with Karen, he needs to know what he'll say so he won't mess anything up. He exudes confidence but in reality, he's an introvert except when he's under the influence, then he'll talk anyone's ear off if they're willing to listen to him.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

According to Billy, he hates everything but you. He doesn't like when you leave a mess in his Camaro but doesn't mind you leaving chap stick or your jewelry in the car, sometimes he'll hang your necklace on his rear-view mirror.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He snores, loudly. He likes to press against you so his mouth is near your ear and it wakes you up. He also takes all of the blanket, claims all the warmth you need, you'll get from cuddling with him, you guys sleep with separate blankets now and he pouts until you slide under the large comforter with him, your throw blanket over you just in case.

#billy hargrove x f!reader #billy hargrove x female reader #billy hargrove x you #billy hargrove fluff #stranger things billy #billy hargrove fanfiction #william hargrove #billy hargrove #billy stranger things

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hargrove-mayfields · 6 months

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Benny lets Steve work at the diner.

Nobody else would hire the kid who wore chunky headphones and couldn’t stand for more than an hour before he was crumpling under his own weight. Seizures, panic attacks, overstimulation.

Steve’s disabled, he can’t work full weeks, but he’s also restless. Billy provides for them just fine, but it makes Steve all twisty inside knowing he’s so dependent. Even though his partner promises it’s really, really okay.

They compromise by getting him out of the house to work at Bennys whenever he can; Benny who is super understanding of the whole situation and lets Steve work just two days a week, or less if he’s not able.

On his breaks, Benny will sit with Steve and just talk. About the diner, about life. About this crushing anxiety and insecurity problem of Steve’s.

He talks about a time when he felt the same way. Turns out Benny Hammond is deaf.

When he started the diner, he hadn’t had hearing aids yet, and there were many that insisted he’d fail. Almost thirty years later though he’s still going strong.

Benny even says that maybe thirty years later, Billy and Steve will be trucking along just fine too.

Steve gets all wide eyed and blushy, he didn’t realize Benny knew about him and Billy being a couple. That was supposed to be a secret. But maybe thirty years of sitting back and watching the people of Hawkins taught him how to spot that kind of stuff.

It’s a special kind of comfort, having someone older to relate to. To teach him the tricks of not being so insecure. To confide in about his boy problems without fear of being outed to everyone.

Billy gets that too in the form of Jim Hopper.

After Neil left, he’d been adopted by Joyce, and then Hop became his step-dad not long after.

He comes with Billy by the diner all the time. Pays for a meal and doesn’t say a word when Billy spends the whole time checking on Steve and watching him taking orders and things.

They have support now. Real support.

Even moved out on their own, in the big adult world, two terrified teenagers that grew up into slightly less terrified adults. And they aren’t ever really alone. They’re one phone call away from having an army of support.

They’re doing fine. Much better than they realized they could.

All because of Steve reaching out one day over a slice of cheesecake at the diner, for which Billy says he’s so proud of him. And as always, loves him so deeply.

————

We’re nearing the end of @harringrovemovember already you guys! Wow!! Today I’m excited to have wrote about male role models, this is one headcanon I hold really dear!!

#harringrovemovember #harringrove #billy x steve #billy hargrove #disabled steve harrington #my writing #my moodboards

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dwobbitfromtheshire · 28 days

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Nancy wandered into Max's hospital room after everyone was unexpectedly kicked out. Max was lying in the bed, her head bent as she cried. Maybe she shouldn't. . .maybe she should give her the space she said she wanted. She couldn't leave her alone to cry, though. She sat carefully in the chair next to Max and took her hand. Max jumped.

"Who's there?" Max asked, her eyes trying to look around the room.

"It's Nancy," she said softly.

"I said that I wanted to be left alone," Max said.

"I know. I was never really good at doing what people told me to do, though," Nancy said, smiling when Max laughed.

"Me neither," she said softly.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you if you need to talk," Nancy said.

"I'm just - I'm really bad at letting people in," Max said.

"I'm the same way," Nancy said. "When things get rough, I tend to push away the people who matter the most. . .especially when they just fall apart, and then you just let them."

"I want to let people in, I really do," Max said softly.

"Yeah, me too," Nancy said.

"I don't know where to start. Every time I think about it, it's like I can't breathe," Max said.

"I think for me, my biggest fear is that my pain will somehow hurt them more than if I just let them go. In some weird way, it's my way of protecting them," Nancy said.

"Yeah, that makes sense," Max said.

"Somehow, in the back of my mind, I tend to think it's better if I do this alone, but we live in a world dependent on people and as much as we try to admit that we don't want help or think we don't need help there's always this part of us trying to reach out for the people we care about the most. We keep trying to push it away or stamp it out because there's people in our lives who tell us we don't need them, that we don't fit. Like my mom said to me once, 'People are always saying you can't. That you shouldn't. That you're not smart enough. Not good enough. This world, it beats you up. Again and again. Until eventually. . .most people, they just stop trying.' I think when you start to believe that, it starts to come true. I think the hardest thing for people to say is that they can't do this alone. I think it takes a lot of strength to say that you can't or don't want to do it alone. Max, you're the strongest person I know, I think you can do it. No, I know you can do it," Nancy said.

"In the junkyard," Max said, sniffling. "When Steve moved me out of the way to protect me from the demogorgon, and stood in front of us holding up the bat. . .no one's ever done that before. Not Billy, not Neil, not even my mom. . .it's the first time I felt like I could do it myself. I looked at Steve and thought that this was what a brother's supposed to be. He's supposed to protect you, not hurt you, and when I saw Billy hurting Steve, I had to stop him. For a long time, I just wanted Billy and Neil to stop hurting us. When Billy died, I thought it was my fault, so I pushed Lucas and everyone away because I thought I was protecting them."

"It's not your fault, Max. What happened to Billy. He had many chances to do the right thing by you, to be the brother you needed. He failed you, Max, and you wishing for him to stop hurting you doesn't make you a bad person. You didn't wish him to die, did you?" Nancy asked.

"I just wanted it to stop," Max said.

"He waited until it was too late, and because of what Dr. Brenner did. . .because of the Russians. . . He died without really making it up to you. All these things that happened to you aren't your fault. The blame lies on other people. I know what it's like to feel guilty about the things that are out of your control. I know what it's like to deal with trauma that no one's ever dealt with before. How do you deal with real flesh and blood monsters? We have no guidebook for this, only each other. When you're ready, we're here for you," Nancy said.

"I'm scared, Nancy," Max sobbed. "I don't know if I can handle being blind. I won't ever see my mom's face or the sun again. I won't ever see the ocean or Lucas's face. I'll never see him play basketball. I should have gone to his game. Why didn't I just go to his game? Because I was scared? What kind of excuse is that?"

"A really good one," Nancy said softly. "Sometimes, the best way you can let people know you care about them is to let them take care of you."

"He's good at that, Lucas. He read to me, I heard him," Max said. "I heard his voice. . ."

"Steve’s good at taking care of people too," Nancy said, mentioned casually.

"Except he pretends as if he doesn't like it like he's a goddamn cat," Max said, and Nancy laughed.

"He is a cat, but then I think so are you," Nancy said.

"Lucas is more like a golden retriever," Max said. "Which is weird because I'm not a very affectionate person."

"I'm not really either, but there are other ways to show people you care about. One of them is, like I said earlier," Nancy said. "And it's in the little million different ways that I think only you can discover along the way. And if it's someone who's willing to do the same, even better. . .How do you want to show Lucas you care?"

Max grinned so suddenly, it startled Nancy.

"I want to see him play basketball," Max said.

"Max. . ."

"Will's a good dungeon master, right?" She asked Nancy.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think he would be willing to transfer those skills into telling me what's going on when Lucas is playing?" Max asked.

"I think he would be willing to do anything to help in any way that he can," Nancy said with a grin of her own. "That's a good idea, Max."

Max beamed, suddenly looking more comfortable in her hospital bed.

"I want to make it work this time with Lucas," Max said. "No more pushing him a way or El or anyone else."

"I think Robin's hoping for that too. She said something about 'two flames that never should have been burned out,' so she's rooting for you and Lucas," Nancy said.

"Was she saying that about us or about you and Steve?" Max asked slyly.

"It can be both," Nancy said.

"Well, she's smart, so maybe she knows what she's talking about," Max smirked. "Does Steve have anything to do with you breaking up with Jonathan?"

"No, well, a little bit. It's been a long time coming. We've had problems before, but I think an important part of wanting to be in a relationship with someone is wanting to be with them. We didn't want to see each other, and it's not because we didn't love each other. It's just that love wasn't enough anymore. Suddenly, it wasn't Jonathan who I could see in my dream anymore," Nancy said. "He wasn't who I wanted anymore, and I wasn't who he wanted, but that doesn't mean he's not going to be in my life. We were both relieved when we ended things."

"Are you sad?" Max asked.

"A little, but I think that happens when you close a chapter of your life," Nancy said. "But then a new chapter starts. . .a new day begins and the sun rises. . . I'm looking forward to being friends with Jonathan."

They sat in silence for a while as Max let Nancy stroke her knuckles.

"Thank you, Nancy," Max said and paused. "You're too stubborn for your own good, you know?"

"I've been told," Nancy laughed.

"I didn't really feel like I would ever have a family again until I came here to Hawkins. You and the others. . .especially Steve and Robin. . .have been the best older siblings that I could have asked for. I don't think. . .I don't want to do this alone," Max said.

"We're here," Nancy said softly and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Can you send Lucas in?" Max asked.

"Yeah," Nancy said.

She walked out into the parking lot where everyone was loitering around. Lucas was talking to Will and Mike when she approached. She touched his shoulder, trying to ignore the nostalgia and the realization that he had grown so much. They all had.

"Hey, Nancy," Lucas said with a smile.

"Max wants to see you," Nancy said.

"Is that a good thing?" Lucas asked. "I mean, is she okay?"

"Yeah, and it's a very good thing," she grinned and hugged him. "Good luck."

"Thanks!" Lucas exclaimed and ran off towards the hospital.

She found Steve’s car parked a few feet away. Robin and Dustin were leaning against the trunk while Steve argued with them about something. That was something Nancy noticed Steve did. He would start a trivial argument in order to get other people's minds off other things, especially when they worried too much and they couldn't do anything about it. He knew how much Dustin was worried about Max. Steve was so much smarter than he ever let on. His back was to her. Robin and Dustin's eyes looked at her curiously as she approached. She didn't care. Nancy placed her hands on Steve’s hips and turned him around.

"Nancy?" He asked.

"I love you," Nancy said.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. He froze for a moment, and she was about to pull back when he returned the kiss. He wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her weight, as she moved her arms around his neck. Nancy smiled against his lips, enjoying the familiar way they fit against hers. They smiled into the kiss before pulling away.

"Hi," Steve said, his cheeks red.

"Hi," Nancy said.

He stared at her in amazement, and she looked at him expectantly.

"Oh, yeah, I love you too!" Steve exclaimed.

Robin and Dustin let out a squeal. They turned to find them both clinging to each other, jumping up and down in excitement.

"I can't believe Dustin had doubts!" Robin exclaimed.

"I didn't have doubts. You had doubts," Dustin accused.

"Harrington! Did you seriously just make out with Nancy in front of me?!" Jonathan yelled from across the parking lot.

"Oh, shit!" Dustin exclaimed.

"She kissed me!" Steve squeaked, and Jonathan laughed.

"Oh, man, your face! Sorry, man, I was messing with you. Nancy and I broke up. I'm dating someone else," Jonathan said, grinning. "We're good."

Everyone in the parking lot laughed and Steve sighed.

"I'm going to kill him," Steve muttered.

"The look on your face was pretty funny," Nancy giggled.

Steve smirked and began ticking her sides. She laughed and slapped his chest.

"Oh, yeah, you think so?" Steve asked.

Nancy laughed and shook her head. Steve stopped and hugged her tightly. She let him for a moment, letting him savor her touch while she did the same before pulling away. She laughed when he went over to gush about it with Robin. Suddenly, Lucas came running out of the hospital with a grin on his face. He ran over to Will.

"Are you okay?" Will asked.

"Better than okay! We're officially back together. She said she loves me and we kissed," Lucas said.

"That's great!" Will exclaimed.

"I was wondering if you would be able to help Max with something," Lucas said.

Nancy smiled. These kids were more than friends. They were family. They all were. Whether romantically or platonically, they were all willing to help each other through the bad times, no matter how big or small. The part of her that wanted to do everything on her own was no longer screaming at her. Even without monsters from other dimensions, it was difficult to navigate this world on your own. Nancy wouldn't go anywhere without one of her guns, just like Steve wouldn't go anywhere without his bat, nor would they go anywhere without knowing that they always had their family to fall back on.

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ihni · 8 months

Text

Of mothers

(on AO3)

Billy was just a kid when his mother left him. She told him she had to go, that she had to get out, that she needed to get away from his dad. She said she would sort things out, and that she’d come back for him. But she never did. Her calls became less and less frequent, and Billy grew more and more desperate. Perhaps she heard it in his voice over the phone and found it as sickening as his dad did, because eventually, she stopped calling entirely. One day when Billy called the number she had given him, no one picked up. On the twelfth attempt – after eleven with no answer – Billy found that the number had been disconnected.

Grief consumed him, almost as if she had died. He would have almost preferred it if she had, because at least then it wouldn’t have been her choice to leave him behind. At least then, no one would look at him and wonder what was so wrong with him that even his own mother didn’t want him. So he started telling people who asked why he was living with only his father that his mom was dead. Car accident, or cancer, or falling to her death while rock climbing – the cause of death differed from time to time and depending on who asked. Mostly, people stopped asking questions when he told his lies.

But sometimes, they called him out on it.

One time Jason, one of his classmates, overheard him when he told a new classmate that his mom had died on an expedition to South America. Jason pushed him, and said – loudly – that his mom had told him that Billy’s mom wasn’t dead at all; that she’d left, and was alive and well because Jason’s mom had seen her in a department store on the other side of town a couple of weeks ago.

Billy, who hadn’t seen his mother for five months at this point, saw red. He hit Jason in his lying mouth, and kept hitting even as people tried to stop him. A teacher eventually showed up and pulled him off of Jason, and the both of them were taken to the principal’s office; Jason, after he’d been patched up by the school nurse.

Their parents were called. Billy’s dad couldn’t leave work immediately, so Billy had to sit in the principal’s office alone while Jason and Jason’s mom and the principal all looked at him as if he was trash. Jason’s mom went on a tirade about Billy being a delinquent who hurt innocent kids, and at one point she directed her words at Billy directly and told him that what he had done was wrong and that he was bad for acting like this, and Billy had to dig his fingers into his knees so he wouldn’t start crying. He wished for his mom to be there too, to stand up for him the way Jason’s mom stood up for Jason, but his mom wasn’t there and his dad was at work and Billy was alone.

Neil showed up just as Jason and his mom left, and Jason’s mom’s voice was low but clear when she told him that Billy obviously needed some structure – a female presence – in his life. Billy gritted his teeth and refused to look up. Neil sent Billy out into the hallway while he spoke to the principal, and then he took Billy home for the day. Neither one of them spoke a word to each other in the car, but once they got home Neil pushed Billy up against a wall, got in his face and told him in no uncertain terms that if he ever did anything like that again, he’d be sorry. Billy opened his mouth, then, tried to tell his dad what Jason had said about his mom, but Neil just slapped him and growled that she left us, Billy, get that through your thick skull! Then he shook Billy so hard that Billy’s teeth rattled, and left him in his room, with a smarting cheek and unable to hold back his tears.

Sometime later, Billy’s dad brought a woman home. Her name was Susan, and Billy didn’t like her. She was quiet and nervous with a smile that looked too practiced to be sincere. She had a daughter, Max, who was a couple of years younger than Billy and who looked at Billy with a mixture of curiosity and hope. Billy hated both of them. He wanted his own mother, not this discount version that his dad had brought home along with her ugly-ass kid. But Neil told him that Susan and Max were a part of the family now, and that family was the most important thing there was, and that Susan was his mother now, in all the ways that mattered. Billy knew in his heart that it wasn’t true, but didn’t dare argue. Instead he lowered his gaze and said yes sir.

The first time Billy’s dad slapped him in front of Susan, her eyes widened ever so slightly in alarm. It was enough to make Billy hope that maybe, maybe she would do something, or speak up on his behalf like Jason’s mom had spoken up for Jason that day. But Susan said nothing. Just blinked and bit her lip and turned her back on them to get started on dinner.

And even though their little family had just gone from two to four people, Billy was more alone than ever. He hated it, he hated them all, and he pushed little Max away with words and shoves when she tried to get close to him, because no matter what Neil said, she wasn’t his real sister. He never tried to call his mom again, and his mom never called the house as far as Billy knew, and he continued to lie and start fights and act out. In school, some people started to pull away from him, and his old friends never wanted to hang out anymore. He knew that it was because he was so angry all the time now, but he couldn’t stop himself.

Billy got new friends, but they were the wrong crowd, according to Neil, who told him to stop spending time with them. Billy didn’t listen. He was so alone, and he didn’t want to be alone, and some of his new friends didn’t have mothers either. Alan and Darren lived with their fathers, too, because Alan’s mom was a druggie and Darren’s mom was a cheating whore who left her husband and kid to start a new family with an accountant. Billy didn’t feel the need to lie to his new friends about his mom being dead. He told them his mom had left, and they took it at face value. They knew his dad was kind of a hardass, because their fathers were, too. Moms left and dads pushed their kids around, that was just life, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Nothing but try to escape it, for short moments at a time. Billy and his friends started stealing things from convenience stores and gas stations and even older kids; cigarettes, candy, alcohol if they could get a hold of it. They started smoking, started drinking, tried anything that anyone would let them do. A couple of times, Billy got driven home by the cops or by a concerned adult, and Neil’s punishments got harsher every time; Billy got grounded, pushed around, locked in his room. But he didn’t stop. It was the only escape he had.

Their next-door neighbor were the Millers; a mom and a dad and three kids, a cat and a dog and a white picket-fence. Their oldest son, Jerry, was only a year younger than Billy, and when Billy was younger he’d used to hang out at their place a lot, mostly so he could pet their dog but also because Mrs. Miller was a good cook and she had never seemed to mind it if Billy had a meal or two at their place. But after Billy started hanging out with his new friends, she stopped inviting him for dinner. If he approached the fence when the kids were out, Mrs. Miller called them inside. Billy once got Jerry alone, and Jerry admitted that his mom had told him that she didn’t want him to hang out with Billy anymore because she was afraid he was a bad influence.

Jason’s mom had called him bad, and now Jerry’s mom did the same. Billy had the horrible realization that maybe it was true, maybe he was bad, and maybe that’s why his mom had left and stopped calling and hadn’t come back for him like she promised. The thought hurt, so to cover it up he punched Jerry so he fell into the bushes. Jerry’s shoe fell off, and Billy took it and threw it up onto the roof before he turned and ran away. He didn’t want to hang out with Jerry anyway. Jerry was just a little kid, after all.

Jerry must have told his mom about it, and Mrs. Miller must have done what mothers are supposed to do – stand up for their children – because Neil stormed into his room before dinner and slapped him so hard that he fell to the floor, and then followed him down and hit him again, and again. In the kitchen, Susan was preparing dinner, and she had the radio on at a higher volume than usual. She probably didn’t even hear Neil yell at his son, or Billy’s sobs once Neil had stomped out of his room and slammed the door shut behind him, after telling him to go to bed without dinner. Leaving Billy alone and hurting in his room.

Billy got used to it, as he grew older. The ache for his mother became a constant which he buried under a layer of anger, and he drowned out the hurt by getting drunk and getting high and getting into trouble. When he was out and about he became larger than life, as if to counter-act how he had to walk on eggshells at home to avoid confrontation with his dad – which didn’t always work out anyway. In short, life was bad, that was just how things were, but he didn’t think it could get much worse.

He was proven wrong when Neil eventually uprooted all of them and dragged them off into the middle of nowhere, Indiana. He told the neighbors it was because he’d gotten a job offer he simply couldn’t refuse. He told Susan that it was a chance to start anew somewhere else, as a family, away from her ex-husband and Neil’s ex-wife, and that it would be the best thing for everyone involved (Max had tried to run away back to her dad twice, at this point). And he pushed Billy up against a wall and told him that if you can’t stay away from trouble, boy, I’ll drag you away from it myself. It’s for your own good, son.

Billy would later learn that Max had overheard what Neil told him that day, and blamed the move on him. Billy didn’t give a shit then, too angry to care, but he did notice that she was colder towards him after the move, and stopped trying to keep things civil between them.

In the end, Hawkins didn’t change much for Billy except that he’d been forcibly removed from his home and his friends. Despite the fact that Hawkins was a small town and that everyone seemed to know everything about everyone, nothing changed in the house. Neil never reprimanded him in public where there neighbors could see, and he never left bruises where Billy couldn’t cover them up. And Neil knew, just as Billy knew, that red skin after an open-handed slap would fade within an hour or two.

From the outside, Billy thought that they probably painted a pretty average picture of an ordinary family of four: Hard-working dad, part-time working mom. Caring parents of two kids. In reality, Billy’s dad took any chance of belittling Billy, or slapping him, or pushing him around. The man’s ire seemed to have increased in intensity since they moved, and Billy was the one paying for it because God forbid Neil lay a hand on his precious wife or perfect little step-daughter.

Susan never spoke up for him. Whenever she was in the room during an altercation, she would turn away and look in another direction. She didn’t even leave the room now, she’d just. Look away. She never spoke up for him once.

Caring parents, Billy’s ass.

It was all a façade, but then again – Hawkins seemed to be full of those. On the outside, everything seemed to be picture-perfect, but one just had to look a little bit closer to see that it was just on the surface. Billy ended up at the Wheeler house one night when Neil had sent him out to look for Max, and Mrs. Wheeler basically threw herself at him. She was probably the same age as his own mom, and he knew that she had a daughter that was in the same year as him – yet she looked at him as if he was a piece of meat. He put the moves on her, curious to see how far he could take it, and he was pretty sure that she would have jumped on his dick right there if he had offered. Things were obviously not as good as they seemed between Mrs. and Mr. Wheeler, not when she surreptitiously parted her bathrobe so that Billy would see more of her skin.

Disgusting, really. But it made it easy to get answers out of her, so he smiled and purred and complimented her, only to drop the act the second he turned to go back to his car.

The rest of that night was … confusing. When Billy woke up on the floor of the creepy Byers house hours later, sluggish and aching and with only a vague recollection of what had happened, it was to a tiny woman glaring at him and nudging his arm with her foot. Get up, she’d said. Get up, and get out of my house. He’d managed to get to his feet, dizzy and disoriented, and the woman was so small – barely reached up to his chin – but her eyes were black and he felt a tendril of something like fear run though him; something he hadn’t even felt when Max slammed that bat down between his legs earlier. There were people behind the woman now, huddling in the corner. Billy couldn’t make his eyes focus enough to see them properly, but by the way the lady kept herself between them and Billy, he surmised that they were her kids.

And he got it, then. Just like Jason’s mom, and Jerry’s mom, this lady was protecting her kids from danger, from something bad – from Billy. It hurt, a little, to see this woman go up against someone as big and bad as Billy to keep her kids safe when his own mother had left him behind without a second thought. He had to swallow around a sudden lump in his throat, but he blinked and ignored it and stumbled out on the porch, holding the railing for balance. The door slammed shut and locked behind him and he was left outside in the cold, in the dark, with his car and jacket gone and only having a vague idea of which direction to walk to get home.

Alone, again.

He didn’t remember much of the walk home, but he did remember the lady’s dark eyes boring into his. When he got home, his car was parked out front and the lights were on in the house and when Billy walked inside, the rest of the so-called family were in the kitchen, with Susan holding a protective arm around her daughter’s shoulders while Max was busy draining a cup of hot cocoa. They all looked up when Billy stumbled in. Susan looked from Billy to her husband, and then grabbed the cup out of Max’s hands and told her it was time for bed.

She ushered Max out of the room – none of them looking back – and left Billy there with Neil, who stood up from his chair and looked Billy over with narrowed eyes. Billy glanced at the doorway where Susan and Max had disappeared, and remembered how the lady in the Byers house had kept herself between Billy and the others, even though she had been small and frail and unarmed, and he felt all the fight leave him as he realized that he would never have that. No one Billy knew would willingly get between him and any kind of danger.

Neil really laid into him, that night. It was relatively bad. He spent the weekend in his room, and then three days home from school. Susan called him in sick. Billy overheard her on the phone, when she called the school administration and told them he’d caught a bug. Just like a real mother would have, if he’d been staying home because of a cold instead of aching ribs.

But she wasn’t a real mother. At least, not Billy’s.

This was made abundantly clear one day, a couple of months later, when Billy came home after basketball practice to the sight of Susan stuffing bags into her tiny car. Neil was simultaneously trying to grab at her arm and check that the neighbors weren’t watching, but Susan evaded him – pushed him away, even, snarling something that Billy couldn’t hear – and got in the driver’s seat, slamming the door. Not until then did Billy see Max in the passenger seat, face red from crying and holding a hand to her cheek.

Neil slammed his hands down on the roof of the car, making Susan – and Billy, where he was standing – jump in fright. Susan looked past Neil, locked eyes with Billy …

And Billy thought take me with you, thought don’t leave me here with him, thought please.

… but Susan turned away, like always. Just started the car and backed out of the driveway, ignoring her husband’s curses and her step-son’s wide eyes. As the car turned onto the road, Max turned her head and looked out the window. Billy could see the redness of her cheek, and things slotted into place. Neil must have slapped her – and recently, too, because the red skin after a slap fades within an hour or two – and for once, Susan didn’t look away. Didn’t leave the room, or keep silent. Not when it was her child that got hurt.

For years, she had seen how her husband treated his son – how he insulted him, threw him up against doors and walls, held him there with a hand on his throat, slapped him in the face and beat him with open hands and fists and feet – without so much as a peep. For years, the woman whom Neil had insisted was Billy’s new mother had stood by and watched this happen to Billy, without lifting a finger to help him. Billy had thought that maybe, she was just too afraid to do something. Maybe she was just too meek, too nervous. But the moment something happened that threatened her precious daughter, suddenly she wasn’t meek anymore. She packed her bags, took her daughter, and left.

She left. Was more of a real mother than Billy had given her credit for – just not for him.

Never for him.

Fighting against tears that she didn’t deserve, Billy only barely managed to get himself back under control before Neil turned around and spotted him. His eyes darkened at the sight of him, but when he stalked up to Billy it was only to clap a hand on his shoulder and say, well son, looks like it’s just you and me now.

Billy nodded, mutely, and refused to acknowledge the sting of betrayal. Because he should have learned long ago, that caring mothers were for other people, not bad seeds like Billy.

He turned and, with heavy steps, walked after Neil up to the house.

Alone, like he’d been for as long as he could remember.

(Kinda sorta written for whumptober day 1; "safety net")

#billy hargrove #stranger things #ihni writes #of mothers #whumptober 2023

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weird-an · 6 months

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Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💙

@sanguine-tenshi You sent me that ask, too! Thank you.

I think I did one of these already, but well, some days you need to love yourself a little more and today is one of these days. I love all my fics. My faves depend on my mood. Here is today's selection:

A Study In Bruises - I love the exploration of the similarities and differences of Jonathan and Billy and also, how an outsider's POV shows glimpses of Steve's and Billy's relationship. It was so much fun to write and I love to revisit it.

Cross Road Blues - Billy selling his soul to Demon! Steve, wanting Neil to stop hurting him. I could imagine it so so well writing it. This whole AU is a movie in my mind! It was so much fun to punish Neil Hargrove, too (if I'm honest). Also, I loved the little joke about Steve sucking at math (because hey, he's a demon and has powers, but that doesn't solve your issues with algebra).

Mama Don't Preach - Billy's mom comes back, wanting to meet her son. Billy and his mom is another intriguing relationship. Also, Steve's POV hits differently in this one.

Swallowing The Truth - Heavy Angst is also a good flavour to write and I just love Billy getting out of Cherry Lane. And Jim gets to punch Neil.

Snake Charmer (Good Omens) - A little cracky thing about Aziraphale taken an interest in snakes and Crowley being jealous. My first Good Omens fic and so much fun!!

Spreading the love in other people's asks now! <3

#harringrove #self rec

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passivenovember · 5 months

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Hey! Just wanted to drop by and say your writing is absolutely stunning. You have this innate ability to drag the reader into your writing.

I just finished skinshed and my god the opening chapter was a masterpiece (as was the rest of it). The way you described Billy’s fear of his father, those constant check ins ‘his daddy starts breathing again’ were spine chilling - that slow build tension was incredible.

I was wondering what your view is of Billy and his attitude towards himself - do you think it’s all self-loathing, do you think because he is so overly sexualised he believes that that is all he’s good for, do you think the abuse has hardened him or really he’s soft but trying to protect himself etc etc - I’d love to hear your thoughts (also if you have any fics that you delve into this specifically in please tell me I will consume immediately - though I do plan to read everything anyway 😅)

((FIRST OF ALL I'M CRYING. I'm at work, getting sniffly at my desk over this because you are so unbelievably kind to say this. Thank you. You didn't have to go out of your way to make me smile this hard, but you did. And now I feel like I could punch through a wall or maybe save a school bus full of children if they were careening off a mountainside, or something. Not that I would ever hope for that, but you get my drift.))

This is such a good question!

I'm going to start with "Yes, AND," because in my writing, I love to explore all of these avenues. Billy is all of these things and more, and everything you mentioned is accurate to what we're shown on screen. It's accurate to real life, too. Anyone who's been through abuse like that knows that your anger, sadness, self-loathing, and hope have layers and shades and different textures to them. Nothing is stagnant, when you're an abuse survivor, and things can change by the second depending on what you're experiencing. Sometimes anger looks like sadness and vice versa. Sometimes the texture of those emotions is sharp enough to cut your hands open, and I think that's what we see happening with Billy.

Everything he touches is covered in his blood, it's staggering to see.

He doesn't know how to handle his sadness, so he hammers it into the shape of rage, and he's afraid of himself.

I mean, in season three when Vecna (a creature who is known to show people what they're most afraid of) approaches Billy to be his foot soldier, the thing that Billy sees is himself.

Billy is afraid of his anger.

He's afraid of his sadness. He's a child who is carrying the weight of the world and he's being crushed under the pressure.

From what you mention above, though, I think Billy is soft at his root.

He shows several times (mostly in season three) that he's got a good heart under all the shit he's done to hide it. He's a crier. He paints a layer of vibrato over himself to mask how easily he bruises, but if you throw kindness on him, the armor washes away. It erodes. And as we see in the Battle of Starcourt, he will sacrifice himself so that others can live.

On the flip side, for me, is that the thing about Billy is he's in survival mode. When El travels into his mind in season three, we're introduced to his past. We see that he's spent years taking the brunt of horrific abuse and until the day he died, Billy was constantly being scraped against the pumice of his father's anger. Everything about his experience with Neil tore little holes into him that never fully heal, when he's alive, so he bleeds easily. He folds with almost no pressure.

At his root, I think Billy is afraid of being seen.

I think he's afraid of what he'll do if someone looks at him and sees past the layers he's built to protect himself.

And that leads to him hiding behind the sex-pot persona, and perpetuating his father's actions with Max, and I think it kills him. I think Billy hates himself, but he doesn't know how to stop. He doesn't know any other way, and he never got the chance to learn.

That's what makes him so tragic.

As for works where I explore Billy as a character, Ive got a few that come to mind.

Self Loathing: If Snow Loves the Trees and Fields

Anger: I Know Why The Bird Takes Flight

Sex'd up (but still angry lol): punisher

My writing has changed a ton over the years, but if you read the older stuff, I hope you enjoy it, anyway!

Thanks again for reaching out. This made me want to write so much fanfiction lol

#harringrove #billy hargrove #THIS IS SUCH A GOOD QUESTION OMG #jaz speaks

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callsignspark · 8 months

Text

soft-tober announcement

soft October - part of the Dagger, Sword & Shield universe

by callsignspark

October is my favorite month of fall. It’s just the right blend of warm days and chilly nights. Apple picking, hay rides, pumpkin carving, corn mazes, and trick-or-treating to end the month. It’s filled with soft memories of fun times spent with loved ones. I’m taking inspiration from these fond memories of mine and creating soft-tober!

Sixteen days of warm, cozy, and sweet fall-related prompts for all of my Dagger, Sword & Shield universe couples! (Plus a few extras!) Starting October 1st, I’ll be posting a short one-shot of each DSS couple based on a prompt from one of these three lists.

The masterlist for soft-tober can be found here! And on my main masterlist and the DSS universe masterlist! All posts relating to soft-tober can be found here!

If you'd like to be tagged for soft-tober, please send an ask!

callsignspark disclaimer: my blog is an 18+ space; minors do not interact - you will be blocked. I do not consent to my work being copied, run through an AI generator, translated, or posted elsewhere. I do have an AO3, where I eventually will be cross-posting my works.

01. Javy & Erin - “Do you want some hot chocolate?”

03. Callie & Kelly - “Do you like cinnamon?”

05. Jake & Flora - “Trick or treat?” “…Depends on if you’re the treat.”

07. Logan & Kristina - “It’s Halloween, why are you already putting up Christmas decorations?”

09. Bradley & Mary - “Is this costume too revealing?”

11. Billy & Aaron - “I don’t like scary movies.” “I’ll keep you safe.”

13. Warlock & Betty - “Here, take my sweater.”

15. Mav & Penny - “It’s never too early for Halloween music!”

17. Mickey & Carlee - “Quit trying to scare me! I know that’s you!”

19. Hondo & Cara - “Isn’t this stuff for kids?”

21. Cyclone & Linda - “Halloween is for children.”

23. Neil & Laura - “Candy corn is the best candy.”

25. Reuben & Danielle - “I forgot how cold it could get.”

27. Natasha & Calvin - “Do you like my costume?"

29. Brigham & Catherine - “Hey, where’s your costume?”

31. Bob & Elaine - “We should carve pumpkins!”

tagging some friends and people who might be interested!

divider credit here

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astragreenwoode · 1 year

Text

The Spitfire Curse MASTERLIST

Rating: Explicit (18+ ONLY)

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Fem!OC(Endgame), Billy Hargrove x Fem!OC, Steve Harrington x Fem!OC, Robin Buckley x Fem!OC, Chrissy Cunningham x Fem!OC,

Warnings: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-Con, Canon-Typical Violence, Graphic Descriptions of Violence, Non-specified Mental Illness, Self-Harm, Drug Use, Hypersexuality, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms

Genre: Adventure, Thriller, Horror, Slow-Burn Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort. Smut, Fluff, Slight Canon-Divergence, Fix-it fic

Summary: After the traumatic events that taint their hometown of San Diego, California, the newly blended Hargrove-Mayfield family moves to Hawkins, Indiana for a fresh start. Maeven and her little sister Max are stubborn and passionate like their father; everything that's not the soft, frilly, perfect girls their mother wishes they could be. Max would rather play games and skatw than make new friends in Hawkins. Maeven would rather keep herself busy to escape her grim past in California.

But the Mayfield sisters are about to discover the secrets of Hawkins once the cold wind blows and the leaves fall. Their new home is filled with top-secret government projects, creatures from another world, and even stranger things. They'll do anything to keep each other and their new friends safe. . .just as long as their dysfunctional family and emotional wounds don't bring their world crashing down first.

AO3 Edition

Chapter One: Someone Who Loves You Wouldn't Do This

Maeven looks back on the day her life took a turn, leading her and her family down a painful path, and her life being relocated to the middle of nowhere, Indiana.

Word Count: 7681

Chapter Two: Aren't You Supposed To Burn If You're A Star?

Maeven remembers the first time she realized she and Billy could become ‘family’ as Neil sneaks his way into her mother’s heart. The morning of the school tour, she wakes up and discovers she doesn’t remember all that happened the night before.

Word Count: 8275

Chapter Three: People Are Strange

Word Count: 11,042

Maeven recalls the last time she was so nervous to be at a new school, and how her father helped her through it. During the school tour, she meets two of her new classmates and catches glimpses of other friends she may make along the way. But whether or not she adjusts well to Hawkins High all depends on her…and Billy, of course.

Chapter Four: Filled With A Distrust In Authority

Word Count: 8.374

Maeven reflects on her relationship with cops before her nerve-wracking meeting with the police chief of Hawkins, who turns out to be the complete opposite of what she expected.

Chapter Five: A New Found Feeling I Did Not Understand

Word Count: 11,151

Maeven remembers the first time her mother and sister caught her doing drugs, as well as the reason she started in the first place. After her meeting with the Chief of Hawkins, her mom drags her and Max to the general store for some last-minute shopping. While there, she meets a single mother who offers her a gig that could help her find her place in her new home. Maybe she had more friends in Hawkins than she initially thought.

Chapter Six: Red Means "I Love You"

Word Count: 12,861

Billy had been Maeven’s classmate since Middle School but only got to know her at a party at the end of their sophomore year. As treasured as that night was to them both, the current state of their relationship isn’t as pretty.

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jarviscockerssecrethusband · 2 months

Text

It takes Steve a while to adjust to moving out.

He’d always been a naturally quiet person under all the King Steve bluster, happy to curl up with Billy in front of Golden Girls instead of going out. That steady silence was one of Billy’s favourite traits about his boyfriend, the blanket of calm he always seemed to bring into any room he entered. Unfortunately that also meant that Steve sometimes struggles with talking full stop.

It was a sleepy one bedroom apartment in a quiet neighbourhood that was friendly to Jess, Billy’s Australian Shepard. Steve loved it because it had a view of the sea. He’d never seen the beach in person before, just photos on glossy postcards his dad would send him whenever he had to go on a business trip to Portugal. Billy loved it because nobody gave a shit about him lighting up a blunt at 3AM when his anxiety started crawling up his chest and down his back.

In theory it was perfect. Absolutely perfect. It didn’t matter though. It was still a big change. And Steve was restless.

Tossing and turning every night, biting his nails down to the pit, he’d even picked up smoking again. They both knew it was just teething pains. Steve would be absolutely fine in a month. But they also both knew that Steve wouldn’t really feel better until he talked about it.

The conversation finally came up on a Friday. Steve had been even more agitated than usual, wringing his hands and clinging to Jess like his life depended on it. He started violently when Billy finally tapped him on the shoulder, asking him what was wrong for Christs sake pretty boy.

Then Steve folded like a house of cards.

He thought there was something wrong with him for not being able to enjoy this. He was bratty. Spoiled. Ungrateful. Especially since Billy had grown up taking so much shit from his home life but Steve couldn’t even deal with moving states.

All Billy could really do in response was kiss him and tell Steve it was going to be ok. It wasn’t his fault that he struggled with change. It certainly wasn’t his fault that Billy had been brought up under Neil. It was just adjusting. Nothing more.

He got the legendary Harrington gooey eyes in response and knew everything was going to be ok.

And waking up to his boyfriend laughing in the kitchen with pancake batter all over his face just confirmed it further.

For @dragonflylady77 I hope you like it Guin ❤️❤️❤️

#billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #harringrove ficlet

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thatoneidiotdts · 2 years

Text

Night of love

A/n: eh just something short, I didn't see any soft fics for him in some time so I've decided to fix that. Gifs aren't mine as usual. REQUESTS ARE OPEN.

Wordcount : 0.6k

Note: no pronouns for reader so all genders work for this.

Warnings: mentions of Neil and I think that's it.

Moonlight, a true beauty of the dark. Shining through your window as you laid in your bed besides your beloved. The ever so quiet whistle of the wind, crickets and the deep breathing of the man besides you filled your ear.

His head was tucked softly in your neck as his arms were holding you close, as if afraid that if they let you go, you will disappear. You look at him, and he looks back. Softly smiling to yourself you kiss his hairline for a thousandth time that night.

He tried his best to hide it but he couldn't, his smile was wide and genuine, something you rarely saw. He gave you a light squeeze as a thank you before kissing your neck.

"I don't deserve you." Billy said and you shook your head, not agreeing with him. "No, you do deserve me sweetheart. You've been doing so well for the past year. You deserve every kiss, every hug. If I were to list everything you deserve I would never stop talking."

You could see the confusion on his face but you continued. "You work on your anger, you moved away from your shitty dad and you are working on having a better relationship with Max. You overcame so many things Billy."

His breath hitched and his shoulders stiffened as you say that. He didn't want to look you in the eye so he hid himself into your side, not daring to meet your gaze. You softly ran your fingers through his hair, feeling him melt in your arms as soon as you started.

"Of course there is still work to be done but you already did so much. That cannot be overlooked now can it?" As you said that you placed one of your hands on his cheek, gently coaxing him into raising his head.

His eyes always mesmerized you, you swore they could change colour depending on the weather just like the ocean. Usually piercing sapphire blue eyes but now deep murky ones meet your gaze.

His eyes were puffy and also starting to go red, threatening to spill tears. You sighed as kissed his brow, then his nose, cheek, and the side of his mouth before kissing him right on the lips.

As you pulled away your eyes met his again. "Oh my love how I adore you. I am so proud of everything you did." Something changed in his gaze, at fist a single tear dropped form his eyes, then more followed.

He placed his forehead onto yours and closed his eyes while still holding you close. The two of you soaking in each other's presence and love. You took one of his hands into yours.

Intertwining your fingers you brought his knuckles to your lips, softly kissing them one by one. He opened his eyes again and returned the affection before letting go off your hand and somehow holding you even closer than before.

"Thank you." No matter how rough and mean his voice was, in moments like this, when the two of you were alone, his voice was nothing but soft and caring, something that you would never believe if you didn't pursue this relationship.

You smiled as you brought your lips to his again before placing more kisses all over his face, if he wasn't so sleepy he would be mumbling and complaining about being babied but you knew he loved it.

He nuzzled his face into your neck again which gave you a hint that it was time for rest. You closed your eyes, letting his soft breathing and warm skin lull you to sleep.

#gender neutral reader #x female reader #x male reader #billy hargove imagine #billy hargove x reader #stranger things #stranger things billy #stranger things imagine #stranger things x reader

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