#harringrove story challenge

[medusapelagia]

Harringrove future events

I made one for Steddie events and it seems only fair to do one for Harringrove!

Harringrove Story Challenge @harringrovestorychallenge is looking for more writers! From the 16th of January to 31st of March each writer will write a different chapter for the same long story!

Harringrove Big Bang @bigbangharringrove season is almost here! We are going to star posting from the 1st of February!

Harringrove Love Fest @harringrovelovefest is going to keep us company from the 8th to the 14th of February and here are the prompts!

Harringrove Relay Race on the 12th of April @harringrove-relay-race is going to fill our dashboards with a lot of incredible Harringrove contents!

Harringrove Holiday Exchange Holidays are already gone but you can keep giving love to all the wonderful fics written for the @harringroveholidayexchange on the AO3 Collection

Feel free to reblog and add any other event you might know of!

#harringrove events #signal boost #billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove big bang #harringrove story challenge #harringrove love fest #harringrove holiday exchange #harringrove relay race

[dragonflylady77]

Harringrove Story Challenge

Chapter 1 by @harringrovestorychallenge

Chapter 2 by @lorifragolina

Chapter 3 by @medusapelagia

Chapter 4 by @mymisfitsbabe

Chapter 5 by me, @dragonflylady77

(chapter 6 coming soon by @destroya2005)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What the fuck?”

“Shhhhh not so loud. You’ll wake them up.”

“I didn’t know they were together.”

“Ewww, Will, why would you say that?”

“Really, Dustin? Are you fucking blind?”

“Well, Max, after seeing them like that, I kinda wish I was.”

“Yeah, same.”

“Ugh, boys. You suck.”

Billy lay still in Steve’s arms with his eyes closed, pretending to be still asleep and listening to the dork squad pass judgment on this… whatever… him and Steve were doing.

By the sounds of it, Max and Baby Byers were on board while, unsurprisingly, the annoying Wheeler kid and Henderson were making exaggerated gagging noises. Billy wondered what Sinclair and that psychic kid would think about it. She low-key terrified him.

As if he’d make her materialize by thinking about her, she called out to the dork squad.

“I found Eggos.” 

Billy waited until the footsteps left the room to crack an eye open and sneak a glance towards the doorway to the kitchen. Baby Byers was standing there staring at Billy and when he noticed Billy looking back, he flinched before giving a little wave and rushing to the kitchen.

Steve grumbled then and rolled onto his back, his arm around Billy’s shoulders, pulling him to lie on Steve’s chest. Billy took that chance to look at him. The freckles sprinkled on his chest and neck, the hint of chest hair now he’d quit the swim team, those lips that did sinful things, the freckles on his cheek that Billy liked to kiss, his ridiculously amazing hair he was so proud of…

Billy felt his heart kick in his chest when he was reminded of the words Steve had said to him last night. Steve had said them over and over and they were spinning around in Billy’s head now, over and over. He knew he felt the same. Getting the words out was another matter. 

Billy knew that Steve might change his mind if Billy didn’t say it back. And he wanted to, he did, he’d never felt that way about anyone else. He’d never even said the words to anyone, not since his mom had fucked off leaving him behind. 

But once those words were out, there was a chance they might get back to Neil and then Billy was dead meat. He knew they’d been careful meeting up all those times they’d hooked up, but he worried that once he told Steve he loved him back, he’d lose that urge to hide his tracks and they’d get caught. That only spelled trouble.

With a sigh, Billy extracted himself from Steve’s embrace and quickly got into his clothes that Steve had got for him from the dryer last night. Pretty boy needed his beauty sleep so he left him to his slumber and headed for the kitchen to get some coffee.

Gritting his teeth and not making eye contact with any of them, he walked straight to the coffee machine, glad to see someone had thought to put it on. He grabbed a mug from the cupboard without thinking about it, rolling his eyes at the gasp he heard, then a scuffle and muffled ‘ow’.

Billy turned around, steaming mug close to his chest, taking small sips because that shit was hot, and leveled the kids with a blank stare. “What?”

“Nothing,” Max said with a grin. “Those idiots didn’t know you and Steve were friends now, is all.”

“Oh, right. And the fact that I was out there last night in the woods smashing monsters with a tire iron didn’t clue them in?”

“Speaking of,” Steve's sleepy voice interrupted whatever the kids were going to reply as they all turned to look at him. “You really should go wash off that blood, Billy.”

“Yeah.” Billy drained the last of his coffee and walked up to Steve who was standing in the doorway, not moving. “Get out of the way, pretty boy,” he said with a soft smile he was glad the kids couldn't see.

Steve smirked, then he slung one arm around Billy's waist, turning them so his back was to the kitchen, shielding Billy from the glares of irrate teenagers. “You go get clean, baby,” Steve whispered. “I'll call Hop and see about getting the brats home.”

Billy nodded, letting Steve press a short kiss to his lips before he headed down the hallway, ignoring the various outbursts coming from behind him.

Let him deal with the fall out. Billy was too fucking tired for this. Neil. The monsters. The added responsibility of having to care for so many people. Steve and his I love yous…

Billy took his time in the shower, wven washed his hair a couple of time. The Harringtons could afford the water bill and he needed to wash the previous night off his body. Too bad he couldn't wash off the memories as easily.

He wasn't looking forward to getting home, knowing there would be hell to pay for him for not being there when Neil and Susan got home the night before. Max would get a vague telling off but Billy knew he'd probably be missing school for a few days. 

Fuck. Maybe he'd be better off in the forest against the monsters. At least there he could fight back.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his dark thoughts.

“Billy? You okay?”

“Yeah, Stevie, just getting dressed. I'll be out in a minute.”

“Can I come in?”

“Door's unlocked.”

Steve opened the door, and he looked confused. “You didn't lock it?”

Billy shrugged then shoved his shirt into his pants. “Force of habit. I forgot. Not allowed at home.”

Steve stepped in and reached a hand out to Billy's arm. “What the fuck? Baby, that's fucked up.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it, Harrington.” Billy moved out of his grasp. Steve just didn't get it. Billy lived by Neil's rules and probably would until it killed him.

“Oh wow. Yeah, okay, geez,” Steve said, clearly hurt and Billy felt like shit for resorting to calling him by his last name. It wasn't Steve's fault Billy's home life was fucked up. 

“I'm sorry, pretty boy. I'm fucking tired and I don't wanna go home because nothing good ever happens to me there.”

“Stay here then,” Steve said, like it was that easy.

“Steve…”

Steve stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Billy cautiously and Billy let him. “Billy, I love you and even if you don't feel the same way, it still means I worry about you. And I want you to be safe.”

Billy put his hands on Steve’s waist and rested his forehead against Steve's collarbone so he wouldn’t have to look at him. Steve would definitely know how Billy felt then. “It’s not that—”

“Not that easy, I know. But will you let me help? Please? Hop is coming to get some of the kids. He can take Max home. We can come up with some story to tell your dad to keep you out of there for a bit.”

“And then what happens when I do go home, Steve? He'll probably take me into the woods at the back and make me dig my own grave. God knows he's threatened me with it enough times.”

“Jesus fucking Christ. Yeah, you're not going back to that house. I don't care. We'll figure something out.”

“He’s my dad.” Billy was done talking about it. He needed to get Max and he needed to get the fuck home. With a bit of luck, Neil would be out and Billy could sleep for a few hours before he got what was coming to him.

With a sigh, he removed himself from Steve's embrace, resolutely not making eye contact with Steve because those big brown eyes had got him into enough shit already. “I'll see ya, pretty boy.”

“Billy, wait.”

Billy ignored him and stalked off to find Max, stopping in the lounge to get his leather jacket. He hollered, “Time to go, shitbird!” and found his keys where he'd left them, in that bowl on the sideboard in the foyer. Fucking rich people and their huge houses.

Max and the brat pack were furiously whispering but she must have seen how serious Billy was by his glare because she shuffled over to him with a loud sigh.

Billy turned to her friends and fixed them with a glare, one by one. “You nerds need to keep your mouths shut about this morning the same way you keep your mouths shut about those things in the woods or I will make you regret it. Understood?”

TBC

next chapter by @destroya2005 ^_^

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #harringrove story challenge #harringrovestorychallenge

[camaro-and-smokes]

Harringrove story challenge

Chapter 1 by @harringrovestorychallenge

Chapter 2 by @lorifragolina

Chapter 3 by @medusapelagia

Chapter 4 by @mymisfitsbabe

Chapter 5 by @dragonflylady77

Chapter 6 by @destroya2005

Chapter 7 by @camaro-and-smokes

(Chapter 8 coming soon by @harringrovestorychallenge)

::::::::::

Chapter 7

Tw: mentions of blood

Billy blinked in confusion, staring at the open doorway of the shed. Neil's screams had faded away completely, leaving an eerie silence hanging in the air. Slowly, Billy pulled himself to his feet, wincing at the pain that flared through his body.

He cautiously approached the doorway, peering outside. There was no sign of Neil or whatever had taken him, so he stepped out from the shed. The door was laying on the ground, pulled off from it hinges and now splintered and covered with splatters of blood. A trail of blood lead towards the woods, but otherwise the yard was empty.

“What...the fuck?” he muttered under his breath. Had one of those monsters actually come into town in broad daylight and snatched Neil away?

Billy's mind was reeling as a chill went down his spine. Had the monsters followed them? Why? The screams had faded away muffled, as if Neil had been dragged off into the darkness, not just into the forest.

Billy felt a twinge of guilt at the feeling of relief that overcame him at the realisation of Neil being gone, they'd been looking for him and Susan the whole night, afterall. However, it passed quickly when he heard a screech of tires from the street.

Soon Steve ran down the driveway with his nailbat. “Where is he?” he bellowed all the way from the street.

Billy turned to look at Steve and seeing the concern on his face, the tears just started falling from his eyes.

Steve rushed over, throwing his bat on the ground, and pulled Billy into a tight hug. “Are you hurt?” he asked.

Billy wrapped his arms around Steve and shook his head against his shoulder, unable to speak, and shaking uncontrollably along his tears.

“Thank god,” Steve murmured. After a while he pulled back to look at Billy, wincing. "Is this your blood?” Steve asked as he gently examined Billy's face.

“Uh...he didn't yet...” Billy stopped and swallowed. “I don't think so,” he said after a while.

Steve looked Billy for a moment “Well, let's get you inside and cleaned up anyway,"

Billy allowed Steve to guide him back to the house.

Susan and Max were waiting anxiously in the kitchen, both springing to their feet when Billy and Steve appeared.

"Are you alright?" Max asked when she saw Billy.

Steve looked at her and shook his head as he helped Billy to sit on one of the kitchen chairs. “Just get the first-aid kit, please, would you, Max?”

For once Susan was useful and went to fetch the kit from the medicine cabinet. She brought a few hand towels with her, wetted one under the kitchen faucet and gave to Steve.

She and Max remained on the other side of the table as Steve knelt in front of Billy with the towel and the first-aid kit. “Are you sure you're not hurt?” he asked Billy.

Billy nodded, still feeling shaken.

Steve rummaged through the kit to find what he would need and placed them on the table before he started cleaning Billy's face with the towel. “What happened out there?”

“I...I don't know,” Billy said honestly. “Something took Neil.”

Steve's hand stopped at the words and he stared at Billy for a while. “You sure about that?”

“He was about to...” Billy couldn't finish the sentence and bit his cheek instead.

Steve waited Billy to tell more, but when he didn't continue, he got back to cleaning Billy's face. To his relief it seemed that the blood wasn't Billy's.

Billy looked at Steve. “I closed my eyes, heard him scream and when I opened my eyes again, he was gone. That's all I know,” he said quietly.

Steve finished tending to Billy's face and then stood up, his expression grim. “Alright, I'm going to go check out the shed and see if I can find any clues about what happened to him.”

Billy stood up. “I'll come with you-” He stood up so quickly that blood rushed from his head and he felt light-headed for a moment, having to lean to the table with his other hand to stay up.

Steve placed his hand on Billy's shoulder. “Hey, you're shaking like a leaf. Stay here. I'll check it and come back.”

Billy wanted to protest, but he still felt shaky and numb after the ordeal. So he sunk back into the chair as Steve headed out the back door.

“I'll come with you,” Max said and ran after Steve.

Steve turned around and held his hands up to stop her. “Hey, no you're not!”

“Watch me,” she said, pushed Steve aside and stormed out the door.

Steve didn't really fight it, he was glad he didn't have to go alone, even if it seemed that something grim was afoot in broad daylight. He followed Max to the backyard.

Steve picked up his nailbat from the ground. As he approached the shed he noticed that Max did stay behind. Which was a good thing.

With caution he peered into the dark interior of the shed before entering. There was nothing there, nothing significant, at least. Lawnmower, some yard tools. But the door hinges were deformed and broken. Something had literally pulled the door from its hinges.

He went to the door – or the remains of it that were laying on the yard. They had blood spatters on some of them and big clawmarks on the sides where whatever it had been had pulled the door open.

Steve felt his pulse quicken. Whatever had taken Neil had been in here, and it was strong enough to splinter solid wood. He looked around, looking for more clues, and noticed a trail of blood leading towards the tree line.

To be honest, he'd had enough of monster fighting and he wasn't really eager to go after them because of Neil. There was something wrong with Billy's and Neil's relationship, and Steve had a hunch of what it could be. But he was Billy's dad.

Steve and Max returned to the house. Billy was waiting for them by the backdoor, his arms crossed over his chest, and Susan standing a bit further in the hall.

After Steve closed the door, he leaned to the wall and looked at Billy. “Do you want to go after it?” he asked Billy.

“You have to go find him!” Susan cried out.

Billy glared at Susan. “He deserves everything that's coming. Don't lie, you know that,” he snarled.

She swallowed, then she beckoned to Max. “Come on, Maxine, you probably haven't eaten anything. I'll fix you something.”

Max slouched to her mother, leaving Billy and Steve by the door.

Steve looked at after her and when she was out of hearing range, he asked, “So, what do you want to do?”

#harringrove #harringrove story challenge #harringrovestorychallenge #harringrove fic #billy x steve #steve x billy #Suometar writes

[starkstruck27]

Harringrove Week Day 5

Prompt(s): A Mix Tape (It's modern day though, so I made it a playlist), In the Front Seat of Neil Hargrove's Truck

Dialogue Challenge: "When I turned 18..."

Word Count: 10,001

Tw(s): none

Also, if you'd like to listen to the playlist I used to write this story, here's the link. There are more songs on there than are in the story, since it's my own personal playlist for Billy, but I hope you enjoy if you listen to it!

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 6:00 AM

Billy knew better than to keep his phone on when he was at home. He couldn’t even leave it on vibrate, lest he get a notification at the wrong time and his father remembered he had it. And even though Billy had bought it and continued to pay for it on his own, his father wasn’t above taking it away or even breaking it if it meant gaining more control over his son’s life. So he kept it on ‘Do Not Disturb’ at all times, and only turned on the vibrations once he’d left the house for the day. It wasn’t like anyone texted him all that much anyway, except for Max, when she needed a ride or something like that.

So when he woke up to his alarm clock at 6 o’clock sharp the morning of his birthday, he was more than a little surprised to find he had eight new messages, all from the same unknown number. He only had four numbers saved in his phone: Max, his dad, his step-mom, Susan, and his basketball coach. It was safer that way, in case his father decided to do a phone check, so that way he wouldn’t find anyone else and lord it over Billy. And even though he had most of his friend’s numbers memorized, this one he didn’t recognize. Still, he opened the messages out of curiosity, but it only left him even more puzzled.

Hi, Billy! Happy birthday! Hope it’s a good one!

That was all the first message said. It was time-stamped at exactly 12:00 that morning, and not even a minute passed before the next message was sent. It was a link to YouTube, nothing else, not even an explanation. The next five messages were the same, just YouTube links, nothing else. They had been sent every hour, on the hour, and the last one had just come in.

Billy sat and scanned over the links. This couldn’t be a spam number, because each link was different, and each one led to a different video. He didn’t know much about music, but he recognized some of the names of the artists. Rihanna, Gorillaz, and Lana Del Rey were all pretty popular with the kids at school, and Max had a thing for the first band that was sent, All Time Low. Still, this was weird. Who in the world would know that today was his birthday and would go out of their way to lose sleep just to send him a new song every hour?

He didn’t have a lot of time to think about it, though. It was already 6:10, and he wasn’t even dressed yet. He had to leave by 6:40 to avoid his father, so he put his phone in his backpack and went to his closet to get dressed, not bothering with a shower today. His hair looked fine from when he styled it yesterday, so after a few minor adjustments, he was about ready to leave. He snagged a piece of Max’s toast on the way out the door and grabbed his favorite blue thermos, and when Max finally joined him in the car, they were finally able to leave for school. 

While Billy had waited, he’d opened his phone back up and opened his messages, clicking the unknown number and then on the links. Each one, obviously, took him to YouTube, and he entered them into a playlist, simply titled 18. He hadn’t listened to any of the songs yet, but he started his car while he waited for Max so that it would be warm when she finally came out, and that gave his phone the opportunity to hook up to the bluetooth sound system. Max got into the car just as the first song began playing, the All Time Low one, called Weightless. 

“Since when do you like ATL?” Max asked, munching her toast and getting crumbs everywhere.

“I don’t, and watch where you’re eating for fucks sake!” Billy replied, muttering under his breath about how she was gonna have to vacuum his car after school.

“Then how come you’re playing them? It can’t be for little ol’ me, that’s for damn sure,” Max said, rolling her eyes and brushing more crumbs off of her lap.

“First of all, watch your fucking language. If your mother hears you talking like that, I’m gonna be the one in trouble, so quit it with the goddamn cursing. Second, someone sent it to me for some reason. They sent me a bunch of songs, so I’m gonna listen to them and try to figure out why,” Billy said, glancing at his phone. It was 6:45. Would there be another message when 7:00 hit?

“That’s weird. How many songs did they send?” Max asked, glancing at Billy’s phone screen, too, but she couldn’t see it very well.

“Seven, so far,” Billy said, the song changing to one he’d never heard of before. It was called Bukowski by some band called Modest Mouse.

“Mind if I see what they are?” Max asks, and Billy shrugged.

“Have at it,” he said, letting Max examine his phone. The seven songs on the playlist so far were listed in the same order they’d been sent, starting with Weightless and Bukowski, and followed by Umbrella by Rihanna, Video Games by Lana Del Rey, On Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz, Good Morning Sunshine by Aqua, and finally, Betrayed by the Game by a band called Dance Gavin Dance. 

“Huh. Seems like whoever sent them had trouble picking a genre, this is all over the place. So, who would have your number and would have a music taste this diverse?” Max thought out loud, then added, “It could’ve been-”

“It could’ve been anyone, Maxine, but that’s none of your business. When I want your theories, I’ll ask. Now shut your trap for the rest of the ride or I’m not giving you a ride to Wheeler’s house later,” Billy interrupted, not in the mood for Max to start up. Once she got herself started on trying to figure something out, she became relentless, and right now, he was too tired for that. Besides, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to know who it was sending him the music. What if it was some nutcase like that Carver kid on the basketball team, or that Muppet girl Tammy Thompson? Yeah, if it was someone like that, Billy really didn’t want to know. 

Thankfully, Max shut up after that and just listened as the songs played on their way to school. 

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 7:03 AM

Billy had pulled into the high school’s parking lot four minutes ago, and after letting Max out of the car, he waited anxiously until his clock changed to say 7:00. He’d listened to almost all of the playlist so far, and decided to finish it up in his car before the bell rang at 7:45 and he’d have to get to class. He was halfway through one of the songs when a notification came through on his phone, another link, a few seconds after the clock changed. He paused the song he was listening to and went to the message, finding another link and no words, just like the others. 

He added the song, called Far Too Near by AFI, to the playlist, and continued to sit in his car and listen until the latest song had finished, and hence, the playlist. It was only 7:17, but Billy went inside the school anyway, making sure to grab his earbuds from his center console before he did. He grabbed his thermos, too, and went straight to his favorite classroom, Mrs. Norcum’s. She was a young teacher, early thirties at the very most, and she and Billy got along like they’d been friends since childhood. She often let him eat lunch in her room, or spend study halls there, if he wanted a quiet place to read or work. She was one of those cool teachers that was up to date on all the latest trends, and she made her classroom a safe space for all her students. She was the kind of teacher that everyone always wanted, and were disappointed if they didn’t see her name on their schedule at the beginning of the year.

“Hi, Billy! Happy birthday!” Mrs. Norcum said as she saw him walk into her room, a smile bright on her face as she rummaged around in her Golden Girls lunch bag. She finally produced a cupcake with green frosting and sprinkles, gesturing for Billy to come closer so she could give it to him. Billy was one of her favorite students, and while she never showed favoritism when they were in class, she’d told Billy of it when they were having lunch a few months ago. 

“Thanks, Mrs. N. Is it cool if I make myself some tea?” Billy asked as he held up his thermos. Mrs. Norcum nodded and turned on her Keurig machine, then offered Billy the box of different flavors of tea. He chose the honey-infused black tea and dropped the bags into his thermos, then set it under the machine to brew.

“So, what’s new, birthday boy?” Mrs. Norcum asked as she put her selection of teas away. She opened the minifridge beneath her desk and pulled out the cream she kept in there, as well as a few sugar packets, and handed them to Billy as well as a spoon. 

“Not much. Max is getting on my fucking nerves again, but,” Billy shrugged again, watching as the machine spit hot water into his thermos.

“Since the bell hasn’t rung yet, I’m not gonna get on you about the cursing, but remember that not all your teachers are as cool as me, so you better watch it,” Mrs. Norcum said, giving Billy a wink as she watched him prepare his tea.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m just kinda absent minded today. I started getting these weird texts this morning at 12 am and I’ve been getting more every hour, on the hour. It’s kinda freaky,” Billy said, putting the lid on his thermos and taking a sip of the scalding hot liquid. It tasted like heaven.

“What do you mean, ‘weird texts’? Like, weird in the way that you need to block the person or weird as in it felt like you woke up in an episode of Black Mirror?” Mrs. Norcum asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Weird as in someone sent me a message to say happy birthday and every hour after that they send me a link to a YouTube video so I can listen to a song. The songs are pretty good, the only thing that’s weird is that I don’t know who sent them. I made a playlist out of them,” Billy said, sitting in one of the bean bag chairs Mrs. Norcum kept in her room. Another thing about Mrs. Norcum was that she believed students learned best when they were comfortable, so she kept very few actual desks in her classroom. Mostly the students sat on couches and comfy chairs, and they could even sit on the floor if they wanted to. Billy almost always chose a bean bag.

“That reminds me of something I used to do,” Mrs. Norcum said, “Back in the 80s, when my parents were teenagers, people would make each other mixtapes, then when I was a teen in the 2000s, we made each other CDs, and now, kids send each other playlists. It’s kinda odd that this person isn’t sending the songs all at once, but it is intriguing. Let me know what becomes of it, especially if you find out who it is.”

“Will do, Mrs. N. See you later!” Billy said, leaving the classroom with his tea and heading for his homeroom.

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 8:14 AM

Billy was sitting alone in Mr. Murphy’s silent study hall, trying to get some work done for his history class, and listening to his playlist again from the beginning. Another song had come in at 8:00 on the dot, and he’d added it to the list as he listened to it. This time it was one he knew, mostly because of Max, called Tear in my Heart by Twenty One Pilots. He’d never admit it in his sister’s presence, but he liked it, and he was beginning to enjoy the mystery person’s eclectic music taste.

It was about halfway through the class period when Billy noticed Steve Harrington checking his phone almost religiously every couple of minutes or so. This wasn’t out of the ordinary for him, he almost always had his phone in his hand, always playing a game or checking his social media. But he usually put it down when he needed to, and as he and his friend were trying to work on a project, he shouldn’t have had it in his hand. 

“Steve, c’mon, you gotta help me. I know you’ve got a lot on your mind, but I need help,” his friend said. Billy thought her name was Robin.

“Yeah, I know,” Steve replied, glancing all over the room. Billy had stopped paying too much attention at this point, so he didn’t notice the other boy glancing back at him. “Just trying to figure something out.”

Billy had turned his attention back to his worksheet, his stomach twirling as he saw himself doodling a heart with an arrow through it over in the margins. He quickly turned his pencil over and erased it, feeling his face heating up as he did so. He knew he had a thing for brunettes with pretty eyes and bright smiles, but that didn’t mean he had come to terms with the stupid crush he had on the other boy. He’d realized it a while ago, but he’d pushed it down, knowing that it would go away after a while if he just ignored it. 

Only, it didn’t go away. In fact, every time he saw Steve laughing at something his friend said, sweating through his shirt as he ran around during basketball practice, or acting like a disgruntled mother when someone says something to one of the little gremlins he babysits, it only got worse. He was still doing his best to ignore it, but he couldn’t always ignore the way his heart fluttered when he saw Steve fluffing up his hair, or the way his breath got shorter when he saw him dancing his way through the halls with his headphones on. There was just something about Steve Harrington that made Billy weak in the knees, no matter how much he tried to make it stop.

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 9:43 AM

Another song had come in at 9:00, and Billy had been listening to it on repeat as long as he could. It was his favorite so far, called Achilles, Come Down by Gang of Youths. He’d spent more time researching the song, its lyrics, and the band that wrote it than he had paying attention to his algebra teacher, and he knew that it would come back to bite him in the ass later, but he couldn’t have cared less. He was more determined than ever to find out who was sending him these messages, because the song was so beautiful, and it made him feel so much, he just had to know who had shown it to him. Surely they couldn’t be one of the crazy assholes that went to school with him. It couldn’t be them. It had to be someone special.

As the bell rang at 9:55 to signal the end of class, Billy packed up his things and headed for the gym. He wasn’t particularly looking forward to it, since all they were doing today was walking the track, and even though it was almost 10:00, it was still fucking freezing outside, and Billy hadn’t packed a sweatshirt in his gym bag. 

As Billy got to the locker room, he saw that the spot by the door that was usually occupied by Coach Garven was instead taken by a short, stick figure like man with glasses that must’ve been at least four inches thick. Billy recognized him as one of the Hawkins’ substitute teachers, though he’d never been in a class where this guy was subbing. 

“Are you one of Coach G’s kids?” The sub asked as Billy walked over.

“Yeah,” Billy replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. He’d turned on the vibration feature on his phone ever since he’d started getting the messages, and now he was waiting anxiously for the next one.

“Alright, well, I’m Mr. Helfer. I know you guys aren’t supposed to have your phones on you in the gym, but since we’re just walking outside today, I don’t mind if you guys bring them. My only condition is that you have to check off your name on the attendance sheet by the coach’s office. We got a deal?” Mr. Helfer asked, and Billy nodded. Mr. Helfer nodded back and let Billy into the locker room, just as the bell rang. Not even a full second later, Billy felt his phone buzz with a text. He smiled.

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 12:31 PM

Billy had kept his earbuds in all through gym class, Spanish class, and now he was keeping them in through lunch. He typically ate in Mrs. Norcum’s room, but today she was busy, so he had to eat in the cafeteria with the rest of the student body. Three new songs had come in, including the one from gym class, and all were added to the playlist. It now contained 13 songs, but Billy still had no idea who was sending them. 

After the song at 10:00 came in, Billy thought it might’ve been that guy Eddie Munson. The 10:00 song was called Freaks by a band called Surf Curse, and while he and everyone else in Hawkins knew that Eddie listened primarily to metal, was it so far-fetched to think that he might be branching out a little bit? Especially since he’d gotten together with his girlfriend, Chrissy, because she was the complete opposite of him and was probably trying to expand his horizons when it came to music. 

But as soon as 11:00 rolled around and a link came through that led to Crocodile Rock by Elton John, Billy quickly scrapped that idea. Most people in Hawkins under the age of thirty had never even heard of Elton John, and some, like Eddie, openly hated his music with a passion. So, that was one suspect down. The problem was, Billy didn’t have a next one to look at. He was back at square one.

At 12:00, the song This Is The Best Day Ever by My Chemical Romance came through, and Billy started to observe the other outcasts around the school, thinking that it might be one of them that had somehow gotten his number and started sending him songs. He was especially suspicious of the goths, since they tended to favor music more than anybody else, but none of them had ever looked his way before, and none of them were looking now. So that was another flop.

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 3:30 PM

Roger Rabbit by Sleeping with Sirens, Cabron by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Gotten by Slash all came in at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 respectively. Now that the school day was over, Billy was a little sad, since he had to go to basketball practice and he’d have to stay until at least 5:00. Coach G had gotten back from his doctor’s appointment and he had a strict no phones rule, so he’d have to wait until he got back to the locker room to check it again, and Billy was not a patient person. Halfway through practice, though, when everyone was taking a short break to drink some water and stretch, Coach G pulled Billy aside.

“Hargrove! C’mere for a minute!” Coach G yelled, waving him over. Billy jogged over to him, still drinking from his water bottle as he stood in front of the older man.

“Yeah, Coach?” He asked, wiping some sweat from his brow. He couldn’t help but notice the clock behind the coach reading 4:01. 

“Listen kid, your pop has a pickup truck, right?” Coach G asked, looking up from his clipboard at the boy.

“Yes, sir,” Billy replied.

“Alright, good. Can you borrow it for a day? I have a shipment of new uniforms and equipment coming in two towns over in Goldville tomorrow, but I have another appointment and I can’t get out there. If I could get you out of class a little early, could you go and pick it up for me? Goldville is about an hour away, and the Sports Center you’d have to pick them up from is right at the entrance to the town. You think you could do that for me? I’ll pay you back for gas,” Coach G asked, clapping a hand on Billy’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I can do that. Just let me know what time to be down here,” Billy said, hoping he’d be able to leave early enough to miss Bio.

“Well, school ends at 3:00, so how about I get you out at 1:00, just after lunch? I think that’ll give you enough time to get there and back before all the teams leave for the night, and Coach Vargas should be here to help you bring the stuff inside before she goes home,” Coach G said, checking some papers on his clipboard.

“That works for me,” Billy said, shrugging, taking one final sip of water and crushing the plastic bottle in his fist.

“Good. Now, when you get there, go into the sports center and ask for Oscar. When you find him, tell him you came for the stuff that Howard Garven ordered, and give him this,” Coach G said, handing him a note scribbled on scrap paper with a phone number and his signature on it. “If he gives you any shit, tell him to give me a call at that number. I’m just getting some blood drawn, so I should be able to take the call, but it probably won’t be an issue. Oscar’s pretty laid back.”

“Yes, sir,” Billy said, taking the note. “I’m gonna go put this in my bag so I don’t lose it, is that alright?”

“Sure, kid, but hustle back. We’re not going to wait for you all day and we gotta get practice going again. And thanks again,” Coach G said, patting Billy on the shoulder again and blowing his whistle to get everyone else’s attention as he ran off for the locker room.

When Billy got into the locker room, he went straight for his locker, opening it as quickly as he could. Coach had told him to hustle, but he was determined to check his phone before he left again. There was no cell service in the locker room, and he didn’t have time to listen to a whole song anyway, but he was at least able to open his texts and see a new message, sent at exactly 4:00, pop up on the screen. He couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of practice.

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 7:13 PM

Billy was sitting on his bed, facing the door, his laptop in front of him as he worked on an essay for English. He didn’t have much homework tonight, thank goodness, and so he decided to just relax until Max finished helping Susan with the dishes. He needed to ask her a favor, but in the meantime, he decided to listen to the latest songs he’d been sent. He hadn’t gotten a chance to until now since his father had been home, and now he was anxious to hear them.

The song sent at 4:00 was called The Fall by half∙alive. Then, at 5:00, it was This Ain’t a Love Song by Bon Jovi. 6:00 brought the song Better by Guns ‘N’ Roses, which was actually one of Billy’s favorite songs of all time, though he doubted whoever was sending it knew that. Finally, at 7:00, The Red by Chevelle came through, and he’d just gotten through listening to it when he heard the sink turn off in the kitchen and the sound of Vans squeaking on the wooden floors of the hallway.

“Max!” He called from inside, just loud enough for her to hear. He didn’t want to alert his father or Susan, and he hoped he’d been quiet enough for that. Thankfully, he was, since the only thing he could hear after that was Max’s annoyed groan and the sound of his bedroom door opening.

“What do you need, fuckwad?” She asked, shutting the door behind her as she leaned on the frame.

“I need a favor, can you help me with something?” Billy replied, motioning for her to come closer.

“Depends. What is it?” Max asked, crossing her arms as she stood in front of him. That kid Henderson must be rubbing off on her, she never used to take this tone with him before. It made him want to smile a little, but he held it back.

“I need you to ask Neil if I can use his truck tomorrow. He won’t say no to you. Just say that you and one of your little friends did a big project that’s too big to take in any other cars, so you were hoping I could drive you and your friend tomorrow and we could put the thing in the truck bed. I need the truck for a basketball thing, but he’ll probably tell me no. He won’t say no to you,” Billy reiterated, hoping Max would just do it.

“What’s in it for me?” She asked, putting her hands on her hips now. Christ, she was getting too sassy for her own good.

“I’ll give you ten bucks,” Billy said.

“Make it twenty,” Max replied.

“Fifteen,” Billy sighed.

“It’s a deal,” Max grinned.

“You suck, shitbird,” Billy groaned.

“Yeah, and you swallow, assface. Now pay up and I’ll go ask,” Max said, holding out her hand with a smirk. Billy groaned again and gave her the money, then watched as she took a second to put on her best puppy-dog eyes and headed for the door.

“Oh, by the by,” she said, stopping and turning around just before leaving the room, “Did you ever figure out who was sending you those messages earlier?”

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. Either way, I’m not telling you,” Billy said, feeling his cheeks going a little warm.

“So that’s a no, then. Alright, whatever. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Max said, leaving. Billy couldn’t hear what was said in the living room, but a few minutes later, Max came in to get his keys so she could swap them with Neil’s. 

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023: 11:54 PM

Billy had been listening to his playlist for almost the past hour, trying to fall asleep. He didn’t think any more songs would be coming in since the day was over, and the next hour would be midnight, technically making it tomorrow, and thus, his birthday would be over. He had gotten Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) by Garbage at 8:00, followed by Sweater Weather by the Neighborhood at 9:00, Far Too Young To Die by Panic! At The Disco at 10:00, and Santa Monica by Everclear just about an hour ago at 11:00. There were still no actual text messages, but Billy found he didn’t really mind it. He loved his playlist and even though he’d like to know who sent it to him, he figured they must’ve remained anonymous for a reason, and he could respect that.

It wasn’t until 11:59 that Billy was once again surprised by his mystery text-buddy. One of the songs went quiet for a moment and his text sound played instead, making Billy crack his eyes open and sit up before squinting at his phone. He saw a message with actual words in it and clicked on the notification, sitting up for real and leaving his earbuds in, even though the music stopped playing on YouTube when he left the app. He rubbed his eyes a little and let them adjust to the bright phone screen, then looked at the two messages that had popped up almost immediately when the clock changed to the last minute of the day.

Hi, Billy. I hope you had a good birthday, and that you liked the songs. I just thought you might like them, and they made me think of you. Whatever. I just hope you liked them. Here’s one more. Happy Birthday!

“God, whoever this is texts like an old man,” Billy muttered to himself as he read the message, but he couldn’t help the coy, unavoidable smile that rose to his lips as he clicked on the final link. It opened YouTube again, and as Billy added the song to his playlist, he heard a piano intro begin. He read the title, Great Party by Frank Iero and the Future Violents, as the singer began to croon, then set his phone back where he had it and settled back into bed to listen and focus on the lyrics. 

By the end of the song, Billy was beginning to cry a little, but he blamed it on yawning too much. The song was pretty, and gritty, and heartfelt in a way he wasn’t expecting. He sat up again as soon as it was over and picked up his phone again, taking his earbuds out and opening his messages. He found the unknown number that’d been texting him all day and finally sent a message back, typing and retyping it over and over again to make sure he didn’t sound like an idiot. Somehow his cheeks still burned anyway.

Who is this? I’ve been trying to figure it out all day and I mean I like the songs but I kinda wanna know who’s sending them, y’know?

There was never a reply.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 6:10 AM

When Billy woke up and checked his phone again, he found three things that pissed him off beyond belief.

One, he’d woken up ten minutes late, and thus would have to skip either breakfast or a shower if he wanted to leave the house on time.

Two, he’d forgotten to put it back on the charger last night, so his battery was down to 23%.

Three, whoever had been texting him still hadn’t responded to his message from last night.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 12:45 PM

Billy had left lunch a little earlier than normal today. First of all, he’d decided to skip breakfast that morning, so he wolfed down his lunch as quickly as possible. Second, he had to go down to Mr. Kline’s room to drop off the note Coach G had given him to leave class early. Mr. Kline didn’t have a class during the junior/senior lunch period, and when Billy got to his room, he was almost always napping, so he knew he wouldn’t be disturbing anything important. Mr. Kline was still grumpy about being interrupted in his nap, but he took the note, gave Billy his homework, and sent him on his way. 

Billy then went towards the gym after stopping at Mr. Kline’s room, twirling his keys on his finger as he walked. He knew that Coach G had a class now, so he went into the locker room and sat on one of the benches, checking his phone again. He’d been able to charge it earlier and get it up to 100%, and now he was trying to play a game to kill some time before the coach came back. The reception in the locker room was still lousy, but he was still able to play for a little while until the gym class came back. 

“You ready to go, Hargrove?” Coach G asked as he checked his clipboard again. Billy would be surprised if he could put that thing down without having it surgically removed. 

“Yes, sir,” Billy said, patting his pocket where his keys were.

“Good. I’m getting ready to head out, myself. Now we’re just waiting on your partner,” Coach G said, shuffling some papers around.

“What?” Billy asked, confused.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. I asked one of the guys from the team to go with you to help with some of the heavy lifting. You need to work on your team work, anyway, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity. He should be here any minute,” Coach G said, putting his clipboard papers down. “If you want, you can go to your truck and I’ll send him out when he gets here.”

“Alright, I guess. See you later, coach,” Billy said, biting his lip as he walked out to his dad’s truck. He didn’t like most of the guys on the team, he could hardly tolerate some of them, so he was really not looking forward to spending upwards of three hours with one of them. But he didn’t have much of a choice at this point, so he bit his tongue and threw his backpack into the backseat of the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat, turning on the car. He plugged in the aux cord and opened his new favorite playlist, and he was just about to hit the shuffle button when the passenger door opened, and who should climb into the car beside him but Steve Harrington.

“Hey, Billy!” He said, all chipper as he put his bag on the floor between his legs. 

“Hey, Harrington,” Billy replied, a lot less enthusiastic, “You ready to go?”

“Whenever you are,” Steve said, buckling his seatbelt and smiling brightly. 

“Alright,” Billy said, abandoning the idea of putting on his playlist in front of Harrington and instead turning on the radio as he pulled out of his parking space.

“You can play whatever you want, I’m not picky,” Steve said when he saw Billy attempting to put the cord away. Billy stopped and thought for a second, but eventually took the cord out again, and once he got to the stop sign at the edge of the parking lot, he plugged it back in.

“Alright,” he repeated, pressing the shuffle button and praying that nothing too mortifying would start. It was Santa Monica, so he was safe. For now.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 1:36 PM

They hadn’t said much for the entire half an hour that they had been driving. In fact, the only sound in the car at this point was the music, which, despite the variation in the tracks, Steve didn’t comment on. Billy was sure he’d laugh when Umbrella came on, but Steve just smiled and listened to it, bobbing his head a little to the beat.

“I didn’t know you liked Rihanna,” he said after a minute, glancing over at Billy and keeping on his smile.

“I mean, who doesn’t like Rihanna?” Billy said, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. “But yeah, I didn’t even make this playlist. Someone sent me the songs and I like them, so I put them together into one.”

“Hm. Well, whoever it was, they have good taste. I love Rihanna,” Steve said, turning back to look through the windshield as he began to hum along to the song. It was a nice sound, and Billy felt his stomach erupting with butterflies.

A few more songs played as the car traveled further down the highway. There were no more comments made by either boy as they drove closer and closer to Goldville. That is, until Achilles, Come Down came on and Steve’s entire face softened, a sweet little smile making it seem like he was a kid on Christmas.

“Oh, I love this song,” he sighed, “It’s one of my favorites.”

“Mine, too,” Billy replied, “And I had never heard it before until yesterday. But I love mythology, and I like the message of the song.”

“Yeah, same. The singer kinda sounds like Johnny Depp, though,” Steve said, laughing a little. 

“Now why would you say that? I’m never going to unhear it now,” Billy said, but he found he was smiling, too. 

“Hey, there are worse people to be serenaded by, right? I’d rather have Johnny Depp singing to me than, like, Orlando Bloom or Kiera Knightly,” Steve said, shrugging.

“Are you just naming the Pirates of the Caribbean actors?” Billy grinned, glancing over at Steve for the first time since they’d started driving. Seeing him so giggly and carefree made Billy’s heart skip a few beats.

“Shut up, they were the only people I could think of. But I meant it, I’d rather have Johnny Depp singing to me than anyone else. He’s handsome,” Steve said, pretending to fan himself like an overdramatic fangirl.

“Yeah, you’re not wrong,” Billy laughed, turning his face back to the road. He smiled a little when he saw a group of seven crows sitting on a power line, seeming to watch them as they passed. 

His smile quickly faded away during the second verse of the song, though, and was replaced by a look of something close to wonder as, after a few more moments of quiet, Steve began to sing along. 

He had a wonderful voice. It was smooth and silvery, as if he’d had honey coating his vocal cords, even though he wasn’t singing very loudly. Billy was completely enamored by it. And at the same time, he wished Steve would stop. He didn’t know if he’d be able to control his actions if Steve kept singing, and he didn’t necessarily want to find out what consequences that might bring. But Steve didn’t stop singing once the song had ended, nor after the next song, nor the next one. He sang along the rest of the way to the sports center, and only stopped when they got out of the truck. Billy had never been so relieved and so disappointed at the same time in his entire life.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 2:14 PM

The town of Goldville wasn’t a very big one. It wasn’t even as big as Hawkins. It had a tiny town square filled with shops, a large fountain in the center of a roundabout in the middle of the square, and at the North-most point, there was a church with a large clock tower overlooking the square. There were a few fast food restaurants on the road in, and a couple grocery and department stores scattered around the outskirts of the square, halfway between it and the houses making up Goldville’s suburbs. There wasn’t much else except for the schools and a few buildings that were most likely offices of some kind, and of course, the sports center.

It didn’t take them long to find it, though the GPS was due most of the credit. They traveled through the square, took two lefts, and soon they were pulling into the parking lot. It wasn’t a very big sports center, but in a town like Goldville, it didn’t need to be. They pulled into a parking spot near the front of the store and went inside, Billy twirling his keys on his finger again and Steve slipping his hands into his pockets.

“Oh, by the way, I was gonna ask,” Steve said as they walked inside and looked around for an employee, “I saw a games and comics store in the square as we got into town. Do you mind if we stop there before we leave? My friend has a birthday coming up and I wanted to see if they had anything I could get him for a present.”

“Yeah, the Henderson kid, right? Max was saying something about that,” Billy replied, tucking his keys away and shrugging. “I don’t mind. I was actually considering staying a little to look around the town, too. I like small towns like this.”

“Really? I thought you preferred big cities, what with the way you seem to hate Hawkins,” Steve said.

“I do like cities, I like the anonymity they give to a person. No one knows who you are or what you’re like, so they don’t pay you any attention, and I like that. And I like small towns because they just seem very quaint and friendly and like you belong there even if you’ve never been there before and you’ll never be there again. But Hawkins is different. It’s a big town, so the people there are nosy, and while everyone knows you, they know enough people not to care about you, unless they don’t like you, so you become a pariah. Big towns and small cities are the worst. I like big cities and small towns,” Billy explained, shrugging as they continued to wander around the sports center.

“ I never thought of it like that,” Steve said back, smiling shyly. Then he looked down one of the aisles of running shoes and stopped. He saw an employee at the end of the aisle, and nodded his head in his direction, signaling for Billy to follow him. Billy almost wanted to choke himself when he thought that he’d follow Steve to the ends of the Earth if only he asked.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 3:27 PM

It took an hour for the guys at the sports center to confirm, check, and help them load up the order Coach G had made into Billy’s truck, plus another ten minutes to secure the equipment with ropes. By the time Steve and Billy made it back to the square and found a parking spot, they were almost a half hour late in their schedule, but neither of them really cared. After all, Steve’s friend Robin was helping with lights and sound in the spring musical, so even if Coach Vargas was gone by the time they got back, Robin and the other theater kids would still be there to let them in. So rather than fret about time, they parked the truck and began to explore Goldville’s town square.

Their first stop was the comic and games store. It was called Throwback Games and Comics and had a picture of Marvel’s Squirrel Girl painted on the front window holding a bouquet of flowers for spring. Inside there were shelves of comics all along one of the walls, as well as figurines and other trinkets that were categorized by universe and publishing company. There were posters littering the walls, and life-size plastic statues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in one of the corners. The other side of the store had tables set up with more figurines on them, as well as every type of trading card imaginable and about a million sets of those stupid dice Max collected. There were boxes of board games and guide books displayed on shelves all over, as well as a basket spinner full of stuffed Pokemon, Superheroes and other creatures. It was like being inside a nerd’s wet dream.

“The kids would absolutely lose their shit if I brought them here,” Steve said, looking around the store in wonder. “Maybe I can arrange a trip here for spring break.”

“You really care about those kids, don’t you?” Billy asked, fighting a dopey grin as Steve blushed.

“Yeah, I do. They’re all shitheads sometimes, but they can be sweet, y’know?” Steve chuckled as he took out his phone and opened his photos. “When I turned 18 was when I really got to know them, though. I didn’t really want a party, but Nancy insisted on throwing me one. I’d had a bit of a falling out with Tommy and Carol at that point, so she didn’t invite them, but that didn’t leave a whole lot of people she could invite, so she did the best she could. She invited Jonathan Byers, which meant Will was gonna come along, since he stuck to Jon like glue back then. Mike was obviously already there, and Dustin since we had just started to get close, and that didn’t leave a whole lot of other people to invite, so she told Mike to invite El and Lucas, too. Erica didn’t want to be left out, so she came with Lucas. It was the most awkward party I’ve ever been to in my life, but it wasn’t all bad. The kids started to take a liking to me, and when no one was around, they started coming to me for rides and stuff. It was a little annoying at first, I felt like I was nothing but a chauffeur to them, but little by little, things changed again. A few weeks after that party, El was having trouble at school, getting bullied because even though she’s smart, she wasn’t the best at reading or math because of where she lived before Hopper adopted her. But she was too scared to tell Hop what was going on, so she came to me instead. I helped her with the bullying thing, but I was also able to help her with some of the academic stuff, too, and her grades started improving. And when Will was getting ready to come out to Jonathan and his mom, he got scared of how they would react, so I went with him for moral support. I guess what I’m saying is that all my life, people told me that I would never amount to anything, that I was essentially worthless. But with the kids, I feel like I’m not only useful, but wanted. They want me around and that means a lot to me, since a lot of people don’t, so I try to be as nice and caring to them as possible, even if they make me want to tear my hair out sometimes. But this is a perfect example, look.”

Billy smiled at the photo Steve was showing him, a warm feeling bubbling up in his chest as he studied it. It was a Snapchat story that he’d saved to his phone, and it showed a selfie that El had taken of the group of kids and Steve in the Wheeler’s basement. The TV was showing a four player game of Mario Kart, and sitting on the floor was Steve, Dustin, Max and Lucas, all with colorful controllers in their hands. Max was cheering and pointing at the screen, Dustin had his hands thrown up in frustration, Steve was giggling and leaning forward to see better, and Lucas was shrugging with a sympathetic smile. Mike and Will were laughing together on the couch behind them, and El was smiling brightly between them and Erica, who was rolling her eyes. The caption read, ‘Game night with my friends! Erica thinks they’re all getting way too into it.’

“This was from a few weeks ago. Dustin had been talking so much smack about how he was going to win the little tournament bracket that we had set up, but Max had thrown a blue shell at him and knocked him down a peg. She didn’t win, either, Lucas did, but what really got me about this picture was that when I saw it later on El’s story, she said it was game night with her friends. I was the only one of the older teens that the kids hang out with that was officially invited, and even though Nancy was there because she lives there and Jonathan stayed for a little bit after dropping Will off, I was the only one that they said, ‘hey, we’re having a game night, you should come and hang out with us’. I don’t know, it’s kinda silly. Robin always makes fun of me for being friends with literal children, but I always just think about it like I’m the cool older brother that they like to hang out with, and it makes me feel pretty special considering that four out of seven of them actually have older siblings to pal around with.”

“Eh, I’d say only three out of seven. Max and I don’t really hang out much aside from being forced to,” Billy said, picking up a little figurine of a knight and smiling. “But I suppose you’re right. It is pretty special that they like hanging out with you as much as they do. And you’re good with them. Max is always raving about how cool you are and how much she loves hanging out with you. They’re all very lucky to have someone like you looking after them.”

“Max is lucky to have you too, you know. You give her rides and stuff and she told me about the time you made cookies for her school bake sale when Susan forgot to. Plus there was that time she said that one kid at school was picking on her for being a redhead and the next day he came to school with a black eye,” Steve said, putting his phone away and giving Billy a knowing look.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Harrington,” Billy replied, crossing his arms and looking away. Steve saw right through him, though, and he knew it.

“Sure you don’t,” he said, turning to look at some of the shelves, “But if I do bring the kids here over break, maybe you could start knowing what I’m talking about. I mean, my car only has five seats and there’s seven kids, plus me, so three of them are gonna need some other mode of transportation. Besides, we probably won’t be able to explore this whole town today in the time we have, so then we could walk around a little more and it might even be a little bit warmer out, too. There’s a lot of cute little shops here and I’d like to come back and look around them without having to worry about herding seven kids in the process.”

“I’ll think about it,” Billy said, knowing full well he’d be back here, surrounded by Steve and his gaggle of Hellions, in a few week’s time.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 4:36 PM

After going to Throwback, Billy and Steve began to get hungry, so they started looking for a place to eat. They figured that Coach Vargas would already be long gone by the time Steve had found a gift for Dustin, so they stopped worrying so much about time and decided to focus on satisfying their appetites instead.

Steve was the one to see the adorable, 1950’s style diner somewhere towards the West end of the square, and he suggested stopping there to grab a bite. Billy was up for anything at this point, so he followed Steve inside, waiting by the front for a hostess to seat them.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order,” the waitress said. Her name tag said her name was Violet.

“Thanks,” the boys said at the same time, taking their menus from her and looking through them. They didn’t need long to decide, and when Violet came back, they both ordered simple burgers and fries with Cokes to drink.

“This place is so cute,” Steve said, smiling as he looked around the place from the small booth they were seated at. “I love places that are authentic like this. Like there are a lot of 50’s style diners, but very few of them actually get the looks right the way this one does.”

“What do you mean?” Billy asked, looking around the place along with Steve.

“Well, for one, a lot of authentic diners from the time period didn’t have a ton of pictures on the walls. They had some, but not a huge amount like most replica diners do. And another thing is the color scheme. A lot of diners would have only one or two central colors besides black and white, and they were most often red, blue and yellow, or blue and pink. This place only really uses blue and pink, with a few accent colors here and there, which is more true to the origins. Plus, they have an actual jukebox and no music playing without the jukebox being on, which is true to the time. The uniforms are another thing. All the guys are wearing short sleeve white shirts, white pants with black belts, and black bow ties, plus the little hats, and the girls are wearing 50’s style light pink dresses or poodle skirts. I just think it’s cool that they put that much thought into the place,” Steve explained, pointing out things as he mentioned them. 

“Huh, I never would’ve noticed, like, any of that. How did you pick it all out?” Billy asked, still looking around at everything. 

“I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to that stuff. You might laugh at me when I say this, but I absolutely love interior design. I was never given much choice on what my room looked like growing up, because my mother decided on all that for me, but I love seeing how it evolves through the time periods and stuff. It’s interesting,” Steve said, sipping on his Coke as Violet returned and set it in front of him.

“I won’t laugh at that,” Billy said, stirring the ice cubes in his own drink around with his straw. “Everyone has their thing, and if yours is interior design, then that’s honestly pretty cool. I don’t know anyone else who’d be able to tell me all the ways 50’s style diners are inaccurate portrayals of the real thing.”

“Thanks,” Steve said, and Billy was almost sure he could see a blush rising on his cheeks as Violet walked over with their food in hand. Billy couldn’t help but think about how pretty it was for the rest of the time they spent in the diner.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 6:06 PM

Billy stood at the gas pump, shivering as a cool wind blew through the gas station like a wind tunnel. The sun was starting to set and they were only halfway back to Hawkins, so by the time they’d get there, it would probably be pitch black out. Steve was inside the rest stop they were at, using the bathroom and going into the little convenience store area to get them some drinks for the way home. He had just come back outside as Billy finished pumping the gas, climbing back into the truck as Billy paid and already opened his drink, leaving Billy’s in the cup holder.

“Did you seriously go in there and buy yourself a bottle of Minute Maid orange juice?” Billy asked as he plugged the aux cord back into his phone and queued up the GPS.

“Maybe,” Steve replied, twisting the cap back on as Billy grinned at him.

“Only you, Steve Harrington. Only you,” he said, shaking his head as he smiled and pulled out of the rest stop onto the highway.

Thursday, March 30th, 2023: 7:17 PM

Thanks to a car accident on the highway, there had been an almost half hour delay in the two boys getting back to Hawkins, meaning they didn’t get in until almost 7:00. Thankfully, when they did get back, Robin and the rest of the theater kids were just wrapping up, so they were all willing to pitch in to bring all the stuff inside the school to where Coach G wanted it. After that, everyone went home, and Robin hitched a ride with another friend who lived much closer to her, even though Steve offered to give her a ride like he always did. She and her friend drove off, and soon enough, it was just Billy and Steve in the parking lot.

“I had fun with you today,” Steve said as he grabbed his backpack out of the truck, tossing it over his shoulder.

“Me too, Harrington. You’re actually a lot more interesting than you look,” Billy grinned, leaning against the side of the truck.

“If anyone else had said that, I’d take offense to it, but coming from you it’s probably the best compliment I’m gonna get, so I’ll take it,” Steve smiled, and Billy swore he could see him blushing in the dim headlights.

“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, right?” Billy asked, smiling back as he climbed back into the truck. Only, something seemed off. Steve wasn’t smiling now as much as he was biting his lips, almost like he was in the middle of making a tough decision.

“Yeah, of course,” he said, fiddling with his bag strap. “Only, there’s just one more thing I wanted to tell you. I wasn’t going to, I was too chickenshit, but Robin said that if I don’t tell you tonight, she’ll tell you tomorrow, so it was up to me.”

“What is it, Steve?” Billy asked, looking at him with concern in his eyes. “C’mon man, get back in the car. It’s cold out and you look like you’re about to dump a whole lotta words on me all at once, so you might as well sit down for it.”

Steve nodded and climbed back into the truck, but he still took a moment before speaking, as if he were searching for the words to say.

“It really isn’t going to take too long, it’s just something I have to tell you about…” he paused, taking in a deep breath, “About that playlist from earlier. Y’know, the one that mystery person sent you. Well, it wasn’t exactly a mystery person.”

Steve paused again, taking another breath before looking up at Billy, straight into his eyes.

“I was the one who sent it,” he said, “I wanted to, I don’t know, I guess just try and make your birthday a little bit better since Max told me that you don’t really like it and I also wanted to try and subtly tell you how much I like you without saying straight to your face. But I thought that if I told you who I was, you might not keep checking the messages and I didn’t want that. And I was gonna tell you earlier when you first put it on when we were driving, but I got nervous and-”

Billy cut him off then, he’d heard all he needed to hear. He reached forward and grabbed Steve by the front of his shirt and pulled him in, crashing their lips together as softly as he could. It wasn’t magic and fireworks and all that, but it was the most amazing kiss Billy had ever been a part of, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. And Steve was kissing him back just as fiercely, moving his hands to hold the sides of Billy’s face until it ended, leaving them both smiling like fools.

“I wish you would’ve told me from the start it was you,” Billy said, “I would’ve done that a lot sooner.”

“Well, had I known that, I wouldn’t’ve even made a playlist,” Steve replied.

“Don’t say that, I love my playlist. You did really good with it, showed me a lot of great songs I might not’ve listened to otherwise,” Billy said, a blush painting his cheeks as he tucked some of Steve’s hair behind his ear.

“I’ve got a lot more of them, you know,” Steve said, taking Billy’s hand and kissing his knuckles. “Maybe you can come over to my house tonight and I can show you some more.”

“I’d love that,” Billy said, beaming brightly.

“And I love you,” Steve replied, kissing it off his face. 

#HarringroveWeek #billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #billy hargrove x steve harrington #stranger things

[aidaronan]

Hello!! Just a quick question about the Monsterfucker May event: can we include Billy? You specified it had to be legal adults and I wanted to make sure it would be fine to include him since he's 17. Would it be possible if we age him up a year? (fyi, endgame is Mungrove/Harringrove)

Bon the jour. That caveat is def mostly to avoid stories feat the younger kids bc I'm not interested in hosting that event.

So basically yeah sure. Again, I figure most people will be smart enough to read tags or deal with the consequences (esp in a Monsterfucker challenge where there's potential for many kink tomatoes lol)

#Asks

[fizzigigsimmer]

Unless you've watched Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story you probably aren't going to understand this but I just need to say it. Reynolds and Brimsley were so Harringrove coded. The competitive natures and lingering hints of rivalry. Ripping each other's clothes off from the pent up frustration sure, but the tenderness that always came after. The way they challenged each other and how their partnership saved the King & Queen respectively. The way Brimsley hoped for a lifetime and Reynolds let him have that hope, even though you could see he knew better. 😭 Anyway I cried a river over these two and I need an AU so bad.

#harringrove #regency au where Steve and Billy are the King and Queens personal servants #they fight over table settings and bond over bitching about the lower servants #idiots in love #it started out as hate fucking but now it's love

[st-rarepairbang]

FAQ

General

What is the Stranger Things Rare Pair Big Bang?

A big bang is a writing and art challenge pairing authors and artists to complete a long work of fiction. The ST Rare Pair Big Bang is centered around stories which take place in the Strange Things universe, focusing on less-popular pairings, with a minimum word count requirement of 10,000. 

How do I sign up?

To participate as a writer, sign up at the Author Sign Up Page (TBA). Sign ups begin Saturday, July 1st, 2023 and run through Monday, July 31st, 2023.

To participate as an artist, sign up at the Artist Sign Up Page (TBA). Artist sign ups begin Saturday, July 1st, 2023 and run through Wednesday, September 20th, 2023.

Can I sign up as both an author and an artist?

You may sign up in both categories, but please be aware of your ability to balance your workload. Signing up as an artist is a commitment to the writer you claim that you will produce artwork for their story. Signing up as a writer is a commitment to the artist that claims you that you will produce a finished story to accompany that artwork.

Where is the schedule?

The schedule for this festival can be found here. If there are any questions or issues surrounding the schedule, please direct them to the mod contact post.

When and how do artists claim stories?

The Artist Claim Post will go up on Saturday, September 23rd, 2023. In order to submit your story for an artist claim, you must be at least halfway finished with your draft (5000 words). Authors will submit their story summaries during Author Check-in Number 2, summaries will be anonymized and posted, and artists will fill out a form to claim the story. All artist claims are first come, first served.

Where will the stories and artwork be posted?

All stories and their accompanying art should be posted in their entirety to Archive of Our Own, with a header linking to your story submitted to this tumblr. During the final check-in, when you have finished your works, you will claim a date and time to post your works to AO3 and the linked header to tumblr. You will be responsible for posting your own story/header at least 2, but no more than 24, hours before your assigned time. Please do not cross-promote your works until the bang is completed.

Authors

What is the minimum word count? Is there a maximum word count?

The minimum word count required for this festival is 10,000 words. There is no maximum word count.

Can I use a story I’m already writing?

No. The goal of a big bang is to create a new work of long fiction within a specific time frame. As such, stories you have begun prior to the start of the bang cannot be used. Planning, preparing, and outlining prior to the bang is allowed; beginning your story before the bang starts defeats the purpose of the challenge.

Can I write more than one story?

Signing up for more than one story is allowed, but discouraged due to the high word count requirement. You are the best judge of your writing pace, so please only sign up for what you feel is realistically achievable. Remember that submitting a summary to the Artist Claim Post is a commitment to your artist to complete your story or stories.

Where can I sign up as an author?

Please sign up using the Author Sign Up Page (TBA), beginning on Saturday, July 1st, 2023. Sign ups end on Monday, July 31st, 2023.

Is cowriting permissible?

You may sign up with one coauthor for any given story. You may also sign up for an additional story with a different cowriter, or as a solo writer, if you desire.

Which pairings are permissible?

For this big bang, the main pairing of the story should not be Steve/Eddie (Steddie), Billy/Steve (Harringrove), Will/Mike (Byler), Eleven/Mike (Mileven), or Robin/Nancy (Ronance). Collectively, these five pairings are tagged on more than two thirds of the Stranger Things completed works on AO3. You may include these big five ships as background ships, but you must tag for their presence. Any other pairings are permissible, including poly ships (OT3+) which contain the big five ships, as well as general (Gen) fics focusing on any platonic relationships. Crossovers with other fandoms are allowed for this bang. Real person fic (RPF) is not allowed. Reader-insert (/reader, /you) ships are not allowed.

Will my story definitely have art?

Due to the higher ratio of authors to artists in most big bangs, we cannot guarantee that all stories will have accompanying art. This is why we require that stories be halfway completed for submission to the Artist Claim Post. Completing half the minimum word count by Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 and writing an interesting summary will increase your chances of being claimed by an artist. 

When are the check-ins, and how many words are required for each one?

The full ST Rare Pair Big Bang schedule, including check-in dates, can be found here. Check-ins are an opportunity to touch base with your artist, the other authors, and the mods, but no specific word count is required. In order to submit your story for an artist claim, however, you must have a word count of at least 5,000 words by the end of second check in on Wednesday, September 20th, 2023.

What if I don’t finish my story?

You may drop from the ST Rare Pair Big Bang at any time prior to receiving an artist claim without penalty. Dropping after art claims is unfair to your artist. If you drop after receiving your artist claim without prior contact with the mods, you may not be allowed to participate in next year’s ST Rare Pair Big Bang.

Is a beta required for my story?

Your story must be beta-read at least once before submission. If you do not already have a beta reader, you can visit our beta page (TBA) or our discord to request one.

Can I submit my story early?

You may not submit your completed story until at least 2, but no more than 24, hours before your assigned posting date and time. However, if you finish before November 15th, 2023, you will be poised to claim your posting time slot as soon as the final check-in opens. Please do not post your story to AO3 more than 24 hours before your assigned posting date/time.

Do I have a Tumblr/AO3 account to participate as an author?

All authors must have a frequently-checked email account and an AO3 account (or access to one) in order to post your finished works. AO3 accounts are free to set up and easy to use. Let the mods know if you need an invite; we have several available for use. We apologize if this is inconvenient, but previous bangs have had difficulty with posting format and consistency and this seems like the best solution to allow authors to maintain control over their own work and keep the bang running smoothly. Please provide us with an email account you check at least daily. Only the mods and your artist/author collaborator will have access to the email address you provide.

May I post my story as a series of installments over time?

No. Your entire story must be posted on AO3 before you fill out the form we will use to author its post on our tumblr. You may start posting to AO3 up to 24 hours before your time slot, in order to get all chapters posted and any formatting issues resolved. Please choose your posting slot accordingly. If you need more than 24 hours to format your story, please use AO3’s draft and preview system.

Artists

What are the art requirements for the ST Rare Pair Big Bang?

The ST Rare Pair Big Bang allows a wide array of art, with requirements based on the media. Minimums are described below.

Traditional/digital art:

One piece of cover art

A banner/header (which can be modified from the cover art if you choose)

Fanmix:

A linkable playlist with at least 5 songs (hosted on spotify, youtube, or the like)

Front and back cover art

Fanvid:

A video at least one minute long

Photoset or gifset:

At least six frames/gifs

Podfic:

A recording that covers the entire text of the story.

The summaries posted to the Artist Claim Post will include a note on any types of artwork an author prefers to receive/not to receive. Some authors may be uncomfortable with certain content (eg. nudity) or formats. Please do your best to make an artist claim that will best suit both you and your writer.

Artists are required to host their artwork on a site of their choosing (imgur, tumblr, discord, or the like), and then provide embedding links to their authors. Simply emailing your finished art files to the author is not acceptable. See below for more information.

How do I claim a story?

The Artist Claims will occur on Saturday, September 23rd, 2023. Only stories with drafts of at least 5,000 words will be posted in the claim post. The Artist Claim listings will be anonymous (no author(s) names) and will include any pairings or warnings which appear in the story. All authors will have 24 hours to submit their preferences for which story they want to claim via google form, and then stories will be assigned according to a lottery system.

How does the lottery system work?

Story summaries will be randomized into a list. We will start at the top of the list and count how many artists chose that story as their top choice. If only one artist chose that story as their top choice, they will be assigned to that story. If more than one artist has listed that story as their top choice, we will randomly pick who gets assigned to that story. For artists who are not picked for their top choice, their second choice becomes their top choice for the next round of random picks.

This is different from our previous first come, first served method of art claims in order to make the big bang more equally accessible to everyone.

Can I claim more than one story?

Please claim only one story in the first Artist Claim Round. If we still have unclaimed stories, we will make a second round claim post later that same week.

What do I do when I’m finished?

When you have completed your art, please contact your author to determine the best method for sharing your artwork. Any graphics or traditional/digital art should be embedded within the story, which requires the artwork be uploaded somewhere. There is no requirement for exactly where the artwork be uploaded (imgur.com was a popular service before recent changes, discord and tumblr can work as well), though it must be uploaded by the artist. Graphic/traditional/digital artists may also make an art masterpost on AO3; please do not post your art to AO3 until 24 hours prior to your author’s posting date/time. Artists creating a fanmix for their stories should post the link to the youtube/spotify/etc. fanmix, along with the accompanying cover art, to tumblr or AO3; your writer will include a link to the fanmix in the header of their work.  Artists creating a fanvid should post their video to YouTube, preferably with a link to the author’s story in the notes.

Do I have to have an AO3 account to participate as an artist?

No, an AO3 account is not required to participate as an artist. Your works can be hosted in any location mutually desirable to you and your author, and embedded/linked within the work in the most appropriate fashion. We do need a way of contacting you, so you must provide a frequently-checked email address. We cannot allow sign-ups with only tumblr urls. Email addresses will be kept private to the mods and your author partner(s), only.

Betas

How can I offer my services to authors for this festival?

Please join our discord to connect to authors looking for beta readers!

Any other questions?

Please direct all questions to the mod contact page, and we will respond as quickly as possible.

#strpbb: admin

[not-close-to-straight]

How could you just drop the harringrove shifter!verse into my lap first thing in the morning (for me). The softest thing ever and I’m going to die from cavities. This might be the cutest and sweetest thing I’ve ever read! I can

So I’ve gotta ask, what type of felines are they? Is everyone in The Party a shifter? Does Steve get stressed and turn into a partial shift? Is it a modern day story or 80’s timeline?

Ahhhh! Sorry for so many questions I’m just so excited for this! It’s such a good story line! I can’t tell you how much I love it!

I'm not even sorry, I'm literally obsessed with it. I love a good shifter verse and @paranormalmoonlight5 suggested feline shifters like, months ago and I just jotted it down and never did anything with it. But looking through my fic ideas for potential kofi fics and I saw it and my brain went "hey let's hyperfixate for a few hours" and now I am all over it.

Without giving away a weird amount of details for the verse (gotta preserve the mystery right?) both Steve and Billy are "big cat" shifters in a verse where everyone is some sort of shifter. Think.... Runaway Red? Smitten Kitten? Everyone is a shifter. People present right around 15, the big shifts (Alpha designation) present earlier, Billy took on a full shift when he was 13 in an attempt to protect himself from Neil. Steve is 18 and still hasn't presented at all and Billy doesn't understand how King of the School can be this doe eyed fluffy haired non shifter??

Post Season two, post Barb's funeral and losing Nancy, life finally slows down enough for Steve to actually mentally process everything he's been through in the last few months and last two years and it culminates in a complete mental breakdown which of course, drops him into his first ever partial shift and leaves him stuck there panicking, mentally all over the place, physically in alot of pain and the only person who might be well settled into his shift enough to take on the chore of helping without being too terribly affected by the rush of hormones/take Steve's biology as a threat/challenge? BILLY!

80s timeline mostly because I actually don't like ST characters in more modern settings for a bunch of reasons that don't actually matter but also because the lack of texting/internet/modern aids to ease Steve's shift/give him information means he's completely dependent on Billy which is just... amazing.

[medusapelagia]

Harringrove - The Book

This is the third chapter of the @harringrovestorychallenge

1st Chapter by @harringrovestorychallenge

2nd Chapter by @lorifragolina

(coming soon 4th Chapter by @mymisfitsbabe)

CHAPTER 3

TW: blood, mention of domestic violence

“Let’s get inside.” Steve said, dragging Billy inside. Their clothes were dripping on the floor while Billy was shivering in Steve’s hold.

The rich boy had so many questions, but the most urgent was “Are you hurt?”

Billy stared at him, confused, then he lowered his eyes and saw that he was covered in blood. “Not mine.” He replied, still shaking. “There was… there was something. In the woods.” He murmured, while Steve gently guided him toward the big shower in his ensuite bathroom and opened the hot water before getting under the shower with him. The water rapidly turned to a shade of dark pink that slowly faded while Steve kept washing Billy under the warm embrace of the water.

"Do you want to strip? You can borrow something of mine." He asked, not wanting to push the blond-haired boy.

Billy nodded but he didn't move, so Steve stripped him gently, leaving him with a pair of black boxers and a pair of wet socks stained with traces of blood; when he felt that the boy was warm enough, he turned off the shower and dried him with some fluffy towel, always whispering praising in his ears, then he guided Billy back to his room and gave him a sweater and a pair of joggers.

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked, studying his face with attention.

The boy nodded but he remained silent, and Steve didn't know what to do: he didn't want to push but Billy was covered in blood when he got to his place, and he talked about the woods...

"Can you tell me what happened?"

The blond haired boy snorted, finally looking like himself for the first time since he got to Steve's house. "You won't believe me."

"Try me." Steve replied with a stern tone and Billy turned toward him, studying him for a long moment before looking away.

"I got home the other night; Neil was angry because I was late, but I wasn't! I mean, he told me to get home before midnight and I did and he was screaming, trying to get to me, but I was still close to the door, and I knew I had your bat in the trunk, but he is still my father so I... I got in the car, and I drove to the quarry. I thought I could sleep there, in my car, and come back in the morning. Sometimes I do that, you know? I sleep in the car and come back in the early morning after he leaves for work, but tonight... Tonight there was something that was watching me, I swear to god! I felt his eyes on me! I thought it was Hagan or some other guy from school doing a stupid prank, so I got the bat, I just wanted to scare them but... it wasn't a boy or an animal! It was..."

"A monster." Steve concluded for him, and Billy turned toward him so quickly that his neck cracked.

"How do you know?"

"Why do you think I have a nailed bat, uh? Not for playing baseball." Steve replies, taking Billy's hand in his. "There are monsters in Hawkins." He tried to explain, "They come from a parallel dimension or something like that."

Billy pinched his nose. "Great. So now I must pay attention to my dad and to those fucking monsters. Absolutely great!" He complained, then he turned toward Steve. "But if they are real... if they didn't come from my imagination, we must warn everyone!" 

Steve shook his head. "Can't. The government is keeping an eye on everyone who knows something and if they find out that we talked with anyone I'm sure it will not be pleasurable." Steve insisted but Billy was not going to listen to any of this.

"You don't get it, Steve! If I hadn't had the bat with me, I would be fucking dead!"

"Do you think I don't know?!" Steve yelled, standing up abruptly. "A girl died in my fucking pool last year because one of those monsters got her! Ok? And Nancy and Jon barely survived because I was there! Do you think it’s easy living knowing that a girl died and I was right here and I didn't do anything? Do you think it's easy going to dinner at the Holland's with Nancy? Because it's fucking not! But I do what I must do: I pretend! I pretend that everything is fine, I pretend that what happened didn't affect me, and that I'm a normal teenager attending high school, like getting up and going to school wasn't the hardest thing I have ever done! And I keep an eye on the people I care about! Nance, the kids, you."

"What about the others, Harrington? What about the ones that are not under your protection, huh?"

"I can't save everyone, Billy, I have come to terms with it."

"And that's all? Who do you think you are? God? You can't choose who lives and who dies!"

"I'm no god, Billy! And that's exactly why I can't save everyone! But now you know too, so there will be two of us keeping an eye on those... things." He replied, offering Billy his hand, "I swear this was not a burden I wanted to share with anyone, especially with you, but maybe we can help each other. What do you say?"

Billy glared at Steve, ready to lash out against him, but then he thought about a curious red-haired girl who was very good at getting in trouble and shook Steve's hand. "I'll keep my eyes open, and you will keep an eye on my shitbird." He told him, staring at him with his ice-blue eyes.

"Who?!"

#billy hargrove #harringrove story challenge #steve harrington #billy x steve #Billy Hargrove #Steve Harrington #Harringrove #Billy x Steve #Stranger Things Fanfiction #Harringrove fic #medusapelagia fanfic #medusapelagia #my fanfic

[dragonflylady77]

(header by @dirtbagdefender )

Harringrove Master List

Harringrove micro poetry on Ao3 (series)

Grease 2 AU ramblings

Harringrove Story Challenge chapter 5 by me

Fics:

Why fight a guy (when you can kiss him instead) [previously titled Steve can't take it anymore] - on Ao3

Never fall for a straight guy - on Ao3

A frankly ill-timed visit - on Ao3

definitely better than being dead (July 4 fic) - on Ao3

i wanna do everything with you (harringrove relay race fic) - on Ao3

i got you a whole flower shop (valentine's day fic, Florist!Billy) - on Ao3

i know how i feel about you now (HGC valentine exchange, present for @spaceofentropy, Limo driver!Steve) - on Ao3

Mr Steve and the Monster Hunter (Harringrove Big Bang fic) - on Ao3

The Birthday Wish (Billy's birthday fic) - on Ao3

Not-So-Blind Date (Harringrove Relay Race Fic) - on Ao3

Billy Hargrove Bingo Fics below (Masterpost here)

I have plot notes for 2 more squares (Tarzan AU and Phone sex so I will update if/when I get to them)

Pizza my heart (Billy Hargrove Bingo - A1 Hate sex) WIP - on Ao3

Steve's pick (Billy Hargrove Bingo - A2 Love at first sight) - on Ao3

Snowball fight at the old junkyard (Billy Hargrove Bingo - B3 Snowball fight (ch1) & A3 - The Party approves (ch2)) - on Ao3

Nobody puts Billy in a corner (Billy Hargrove Bingo - C2 Dirty Dancing AU) WIP - on Ao3

Text posts:

We Talked About This (also on Ao3) | Flirting (also on Ao3)| Clingy Mess | Angst | Wake Me Up (also on Ao3) | Am I dreaming | Only The Best (slightly extended version on Ao3) | Harringrove Husbands | Finding peace together (also on Ao3) | No 'plenty of bitches in the sea' for this Billy

+++++

Stuff I wrote for other fandoms

RWRB drabbles

Power Rangers 2017 fic

Spuffy missing scene fic

+++++

Important Posts I love & Lists of HG fics by trope that I put together

Steve's hairy chest fancam vid by @shieldofiron (who is the bestest)

Dacre Smoking (direct your thanks towards @prettyboybillyhargrove for this one)

Neil Gets Dead Fic list (nothing I wrote but handy list!)

Ghost!Billy (handy list compiled by me, written by other people)

Ace HG (another list collated by me)

Merfolk HG (I like lists, okay?)

Camboy AU (you know you wanna read)

#dragonflylady77 #stuff I wrote #dfl writes #harringrove #steve hairy chest agenda #steverito my love #guin likes to make lists #harringrove merfolk #ace harringrove #ghost billy hargrove #neil gets what he deserves #happy billy didn't die day #micro poetry #camboy!au #limo driver steve harrington #florist billy hargrove #mr steve and the monster hunter #the birthday wish

[all-or-nothing-baby]

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 💖

@slytherkins and @shealynn88 my loves, thank you both muchly for my tags! it may have taken me 6months (+?!) to get to this... but LET'S GO! lol.

(okay i'm a proper rebel me so i'm picking my FAVES FROM 5 FANDOMS instead bc nobody can stop meeeeeee mwuhahaha!)

NOTE: if you're going to read any of these fics, firstly tysm ily <3. secondly and most importantly, PLS CHECK THE REST OF THE TAGS ON AO3 AS I'VE ONLY LISTED A SELECT FEW HERE.

.

1. STRANGER THINGS (Harringrove)

.

HOUNDS OF LOVE (Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Canon Universe, Past Underage, Angst, Semi-public Sex, Porn with Love, POV Billy, 2282, EXPLICIT)

.

Billy has always been a coward. Ever since—ever since Her. Since she did the double-up on him. Since she switched off and let her light go out of his life forever by taking off and leaving Billy Boy Blue's sorry ass behind.

Harrington doesn’t know any of this though. Nobody does. Nobody will. And nobody should anyways because Billy, he shouldn't be so pathetic. He’s supposed to suck it up and shut the fuck up not moon over it, not be a little pussy while he's getting his boy-pussy railed. And he certainly shouldn't be moaning through this feral fucking need of his like some frilly pink-pantied cheerleader, hell.

Never did know what was good for you, boy.

OR

Billy just wants to get royally fucked.

Doesn't want this. Doesn't want to be coddled. Doesn't want to be treated nice. Doesn't want some rich boy's dumb lovin'.

Even if he actually, really does.

.

CHERRY BOMB SERIES (Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Canon Universe, Pining, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Getting Together, POV Steve Harrington, Teen-Explicit)

.

A collection of Harringrove fics which hopefully read well as stand-alones BUT will also eventually—and are intended to—make up one big Steve Harrington POV 'Five times Steve wonders... & One Time He Doesn't Have To' Getting Together story.

EDIT: Now with an added little interlude in the middle which will bump up the final number of works.

Updates as and when xp

.

2. SUPERNATURAL (deancas)

.

THE LAST TIME (Castiel/Dean Winchester, AU—Modern Setting, Sex-work, Not Really Non-requited, POV Dean, 2269, MATURE)

.

Hey, baby. Wanna spend the night with an angel?

No such thing, Dean had tried. But it had come out as a question, a challenge. An almost Prove me wrong... please? And with a smile which he couldn't have helped if he'd tried.

OR

Hurt/Comfort Modern Sex Worker AU where maybe fate and free will can exist side by side.

.

WET EARTH'S CALLED MUD (Castiel/Dean Winchester, Canon Divergence, Angst, First Kiss, Getting Together, POV Dean, 1905, TEEN)

.

Dean, I've got you

And I realise: he always has me.

Sheet and fork lightning fires up the whole sky and thunder cracks its huge whip above us, clouds bursting like huge water balloons, the downpour soaking us in seconds.

Everything is terrifying.

OR

Fix-It-Fic for Jack in the Box WHERE THEY ACTUALLY TALK DAMMIT. And maybe do the thing they should've been doing for 11 bloody years.

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THE DAY THE WORLD WENT AWAY (Castiel/Dean Winchester, Endverse AU, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Hopeful Ending (as much as endverse can be), POV Dean, Porn with Love, 7346, EXPLICIT)

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Dean had come to apologise. To thank Cas. But pieces of Cas' broken heart were now on show, stabbing right through his beautiful face, slicing through Jimmy's muscles and skin. Dean could see it all now, pouring out through the jagged cuts; fear, shame, all the hurt—the lion's share of it of which Dean himself had caused. Cas was now wearing his pain on full display all over his body, like a shiny fucking outfit of the day.

Dean had never hated himself more. Even after torturing an endless stream of once-human souls in hell.

Cas let the pistol drop to the floor.

"Then what, Dean?" he choked, "why are you here?" His wet eyes searched Dean's with such wretched frustration, Dean couldn't take it a second longer. Had to make it go away, end the pain. Ironically, Dean realised, he did want to make everything stop for Cas—for both of them—even if only for a little while. Just not by means of a bullet.

How the hell do you make the whole world just stop?

OR

Quite possibly the only not-completely-100%-gut-wrenching Endverse fic you might ever find.

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THURSDAY'S SMILE (Canon Universe, First Kiss, Getting Together, Proof I Can Write Fluff, POV Dean, 1381, TEEN)

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Cas walked around the stainless steel kitchen island to Dean's side, his eyes now keen on the square of dressing protecting a nasty cut on the left side of Dean's forehead. As he reached his destination, his right knee automatically slid between Dean's knees to part them, allowing him to stand in between—and closer to Dean. Like, a lot closer.

Dean tried his best to take a slow and secret, calming deep breath.

It didn't help. Now his sense of smell was just reaffirming what his heart was already screaming at him with each beat:

CAS-CAS, YES-YES, CAS-CAS, YES-YES

Cas peeled back the surgical tape and lifted the gauze to check the cut.

And then it just kind of... happened. Dean was tired, hadn't even had his first essential cup of joe yet, let alone the necessary second. It was just a dumb joke, really.

OR

When it finally happens, it's on a Thursday.

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3. TEEN WOLF (sterek)

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LOVE LIKE GHOSTS (Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Canon Universe, Established Relationship, Stiles Has Self-esteem Issues, Choking, Consensual Non-consent, POV Stiles, 713, EXPLICIT)

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They both know not talking about this isn't okay, isn't healthy, but—and God knows why—Derek loves Stiles. So, the big guy, he gets it: that the best thing isn't always the right thing.

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DRAW YOUR SWORDS (Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Canon Universe, Angst, Pining, Getting Together, POV Derek, 7914, EXPLICIT)

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Something inside Derek snaps. No, not snaps. Clicks into place. He snarls, "That's my line, little pig."

Shit.

Stiles blinks, twice. Three times. "What?" and he’s flailing at Derek's reference.

"If you're the little pig…" Derek's predator eyes flick deftly across each of Stiles' delicate features, "...then what does that make me?" 

Realisation crosses sharp yet soft bone structure and Stiles answers, slowly.

"You're the big…"

Derek moves impossibly closer.

"...bad…"

A goddamn virus.

"...wolf."

OR

Derek keeps his distance from Stiles, regardless of how he feels about him. It's better that way. Better for Stiles.

But when Stiles has had enough of pretending there's nothing between them, just how much longer can Derek's wolf be tamed?

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INCLUDES MY ART!

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THE CROSS HE BEARS (Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Canon Universe, Established Relationship, Wolf!Derek (for a time), Derek Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-slash, POV, Derek, 702, MATURE)

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Stiles knows exactly how to take care of his wolf.

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4. BBC SHERLOCK (jimlock)

MY NAME IS A KILLING WORD (Jim Moriarty/Sherlock Holmes, Canon Universe, First Kiss(es), Sherlock's First Time, Getting Together, Jim Moriarty in Love, POV Jim, 671, MATURE)

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He's so funny. Not to them. But to me, he's so funny.

The first time I kissed him—up against a wall, John just around the corner, Sherlock taller than me but certainly feeling small—he was bait on my hook. So much so, I was sure he'd squirm as such but he froze. A museum pillar of what the fuck? Didn't struggle as I tasted Stiff Upper Lip whilst trying to coax out a passion I just knew he had buried inside of him. Then he whispered Moriarty, like a question, and it was hilarious. Hilarious because it was so infuriatingly Sherlock, and hilarious 'cause it was hot as naked sin, I remember thinking as I spirited away, giggling.

OR

The first time Sherlock finally calls his nemesis by his given name. (Moriarty POV).

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5. PREACHER (the unholy trinity)

WELL, I HEARD THERE WAS A SECRET CHORD (Proinsias Cassidy/Jesse Custer/Tulip O'Hare, Canon Universe, Established Relationship, Poly Relationship—F-M-M, PWP, Light Dom/Sub, POV Tulip, 1326, EXPLICIT)

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How do the Unholy Trinity manage to turn anything remotely pious into something truly ungodly?

Like fucking pros, that's how.

With Tulip hating on Genesis, she finds a way to take back a little control... with the help of a certain raucous Irish vampire.

OR

The PWP Dom!Tulip Sub!Jessidy fic nobody asked for.

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TUMBLR DON'T EAT THIS IT'S TAKEN ME FORACTUALBLOODYEVER!

#asks #ask games #writing asks #fic recs #fanfic #fanfiction #harringrove #stranger things #deancas #destiel #spn #sterek #eternal sterek #teen wolf #jimlock #bbc sherlock #the unholy trinity #preacher #wonderful asks #wonderful people #aonb answers back

[grey-sides]

do you think you could write a fic where either billy or steve genuinely doesn’t feel romantic attraction for the other, but they’re not mean about it or anything, because sometimes things just don’t work out the way we want it to! but maybe they stay friends or deal with it in their own ways

Anon! You're challenging me! 😳 I'm going to tag this as harringrove but it's one-sided, of course. I hope you enjoy! I feel sad after having written this but maybe it's also a bit cathartic. As always, feel free to prompt me or just slide into my inbox to say hello!

Billy knows that Steve knows about Robin and is apparently cool with it. But he doesn’t know if Steve is only cool with Robin because Robin’s a girl and won’t hit on him. Cause that’s something that gets to straight guys, the idea that another guy might flirt with them. 

No one wants to flirt with you anyway, Tommy H, you’re gross and annoying. But Steve isn’t. Not anymore. Not when he’s started to figure himself out and his shoulders don’t slump so much and his smile comes a little easier. 

And it’s late one night, the embers of a summer fire faintly glowing out by Steve’s pool. When Billy turns to him, he could blame it on the alcohol even though he hasn’t had a drink in four hours. Or maybe it’s exhaustion because they’ve all been up since like six. Or maybe it’s just because he’s started to hope. 

But Steve is. Steve is straight. Very heterosexual. Into girls and girls alone. Won’t call you a slur anymore, but he won’t flirt back. Is the thing. His smile is kind and gentle and his eyes are warm and he touches Billy’s shoulder and he says “I’m sorry.”

And Billy tells him “It’s okay” because it is. Because Steve is his best friend. His only friend. The first friend who willingly talks on the phone with him. Or drives out to the middle of nowhere to walk across an abandoned bridge. Steve who has driven out to Indy to pick Billy up when he’s gotten too drunk and his car is half a state away.

Steve is his best friend and it hurts, but it’s okay. 

It’s just as okay as when Nancy sorta-kinda ended things with Steve even though the words have never been spoken. It’s just as okay as when Robin came out and broke Steve’s heart. So it’s okay now because Billy’s gotten used to heartbreak and heartache and Robin always buys the top shelf ice cream when he goes over to hers. 

And Billy loves Steve so he doesn’t want to lose him. Can’t imagine going more than a couple days without telling Steve some dumb story that makes him laugh. Seeing him smile and insist that this time, this girl, will be the one. 

Billy loves Steve and he wants Steve to be loved. He wants someone to see all the wonderful parts of Steve and decide that she will work for it too. For his all-encompassing, desperately hopeful love. 

Billy thinks it should be a testament to how much he loves Steve that he would rather see Steve happy with someone else if just to see him happy. The ache in his chest lessens every time Steve smiles. Every time he bumps their shoulders together. Steve doesn’t shy away from him. 

Billy knows Steve has watched the news, has heard about the disease afflicting gay men, but it doesn’t scare him. He tells Billy there are worse things to be scared of and he doesn’t care if he gets sick from Billy. From touching him, sitting by him, talking to him. 

Steve is brave and Billy is desperately trying to be brave. Was brave when he told Steve. Was brave when he bucked up the courage to say the words that have been rattling around in his mind since the moment Steve decided to actually give him the time of day. Was brave when he decided to go back to Steve’s house to watch a movie with him and Robin and know it wouldn’t turn into cuddling. 

Billy is trying to be braver for Steve. To show that he knows how to move on, to let it heal, to let the love fade into something more manageable. More friendly. More appropriate. He knows it will, it’s why he keeps pushing on. Because one day Steve will smile at him and his heart won’t shatter in his chest. 

Robin sits next to him at the park where Max is trying to teach the boys to skate. Steve isn’t here, he’s on a date and he claims that this one will be serious. 

Robin puts her head on Billy’s shoulder and she sighs. “It sucks that they’re always straight,” she murmurs.

Billy takes her hand and gives it a tight squeeze. “Yeah but he let me down easy.”

“He’s good like that,” Robin tells him and she laces their fingers together. 

Steve is good like that. Billy thinks that’s part of the reason he loves him so fiercely. Because maybe if Steve loved him back, it would mean that Billy is good too. 

#harringrove #anon #greye writes #drabble #stranger things #billy hargrove #steve harrington #robin buckley

[cherry-toxic]

For the ask game--🗣️and ❌️?? I hope youre doing well!!❤️❤️

🗣️ Talk about your favourite WIP

Metamorphosis. Despite all the stress is causes me.

Like all my fics it has turned out to be far longer than initially planned. Chapter three has been a wip for almost two years and I'm pretty sure by the time its done the sheer length of it is going to turn a few people off.

But, I've come to realise quite recently that I don't really care if this fic gets a lot of attention.

I haven't had a lot of luck when it comes to grimmichi, I've shipped them for about ten years but most of my fic ideas end up becoming way too complex and plotty and I end up losing my patience and burning out before I get anywhere with them.

I think I haven't encountered this problem with metamorphosis because the plot basically follows canon except Grimmjow is an omega and he's got to come to terms with how that affects his life once he becomes an arrancar. That gives me plenty of room to play around and explore a lot of the little things that I've wanted to over to years, particularly those surrounding hollow/arrancar lore, which hasn't been expanded on nearly enough imo.

I've enjoyed fleshing out the different relationships dynamics Grimmjow shares with others too. There's more of his fraccion in chapter three, and Starrk, as well as the introduction on Ulquiorra. Plenty of Aizen and god I love writing Aizen from Grimmjow's pov, it's a combination of intense dislike and admiration which will later contrast with the dislike and admiration he comes to feel with Ichigo...

...but we're still miles away from that yet!

❌️ What WIP do you find the most challenging? Why?

That would be end the fight.

The difficulty I've had with most of my harringrove fics is that they're set in the 80s (before I was born) and in the US (never visited). There's a lot of little cultural differences to keep in mind and I've constantly got to check myself for using British words/phrases. Obviously there's going to be some inaccuracies and I'm okay with that but I don't want readers, most of whom will be US-americans, to be taken out of the story because someone said "wank".

So, there's been a lot of research needed for this fic. Some of it I don't mind, like finding out how a broken jaw heals - I actually found that really fascinating, but other parts like trying to figure out how much the medical bills would be, insurance and all that... yeah my patience ran out and I just skimmed around that part. But it can really slow me down if my brain is refusing to move on and come back to it later. Which happens a lot!

Thank you so much! I have been doing pretty well recently :) <3<3

[mourntheantagonist]

the otp asks are so cool tbh okay, harringrove of course 2 (when they think the other is not listening, oc), 13, 22 and 29 :D

Thank you!!

2. if they could each describe each other in one sentence, what would it be?

(when they think the other is not listening)

oh now you got me thinking about them writing about each other in a diary! fully just letting themselves speak freely about each other, no facade to present, just their true and genuine feelings about the other.

I have to believe billy would write down the most poetic and sappiest thing.

there’s just something about his eyes and his smile, they hold some kind of power over me that makes me feel like I’m just an open flame at his mercy.

and steve, who’s definitely not known to be a poet, but can still be heartfelt when he wants to be.

he’s different, and I used to think that was the thing that was wrong with him, but when I’m around him it’s like suddenly everything is right in the world.

this doesn’t necessarily answer the question but I’m rolling with it because I like the two of them being sappy little sluts.

13. name something they would never do for the other person. 

hmm, I could definitely name a lot of things that they would never do to each other, but for???

that’s a tricky one.

I could dive into kinks but I think it’s more fun to explore more deeper topics with this question.

I think that billy would never hurt someone for steve. It’s something that he comes to decide later on in his own personal healing process. he’d grown up with that mindset—fixing problems with your fists, and he’s gone a long time without doing it. he’s learned new ways to cope with his anger without resorting to violence and as much as he’d want to hurt anyone who hurt steve, even knowing he would have done it years prior, he won’t do it now, under any circumstances. he knows that’s it’s just a slippery slope, and he promised he’d never do it again. and steve would never ask him to.

I think steve would never pretend like neil doesn’t exist for billy. let me explain. I like the idea that one of billy’s favorite things about being away with steve is that his dad can’t get to him there. steve is is one and only safe space and he’d like it if neil never had anyplace in that part of his life. steve could accept that if that was all that it was. but when billy starts coming to his house covered in bruises, steve will not just pretend like they aren’t even there. he won’t not acknowledge them. he’ll make billy talk about it in one way or another, and he most certainly will not let billy insist that he’s fine. he won’t pretend that neil doesn’t want exist because he knows what road that leads down. he will stay away from billy’s dad because he can understand that. he understands how the situation could possibly get worse if he were to pull something. but he will not ignore him. he will not let billy think for a second that he doesn’t despise the man to his very core. he knows billy wants a life without neil. steve has no intention of taking that away. steve just knows something that billy hasn’t quite grasped just yet. that they will have a long, long life together where they’ll never have to think about neil ever again very soon.

22. if their lives were what was originally intended at birth, would they have still fallen in love?

ngl I’m a little confused by this question so if I have misinterpreted it I apologize.

reality can be whatever I want, and I am of the mindset that in any universe, these two will always find each other and always fall in love. that will never not be true in my stories. they are truly made for each other in my opinion. steve is the rock, the support and the comfort that billy needs in his life while also possessing enough strength to make billy believe it and keep him from fighting it off. billy is that break from nature he needs. steve grew up so cookie cutter, so desperate to fit in and be liked, and billy helps him challenge that part of himself and brings excitement to a life that could have been far too boring without him.

I don’t know if that answers the q but it’s what I came up with 😅

29. What are each of their signature foreplay moves?

hehehe yay I was waiting for the dirty ones :)))

steve? it’s all tongue. that boy will put his tongue anywhere and everywhere and billy just eats it all up. steve has a real knack for rimming let me just say that.

billy? it’s all seductive talking. not necessarily dirty talk, but it’s tender kisses and whispering words into steve’s ears with a hot breath that makes steve shiver.

#harringrove #stranger things #billy hargrove #steve harrington

[fizzigigsimmer]

The problem with having too many sims stories going...

When you finally have a bit of time to play with your sims but you don’t Know which save to play in.

I am torn between Witch!Steve x Werewolf!Billy, Harringrove Family save, Stranger Teens, or Harringrove History Challenge.

It’s a fantastic problem to have but a problem nonetheless.

#fizzi plays the sims #lol

[madsexcellency]

Its so interesting hyperfixating on hannibal while indulging in some stranger things ships because harringrove is so controversial. I mean it makes sense, its not healthy. But like after months of cannibal romance and exhaustively dark and twisted metaphors for love, harringrove is not as bad as it could be. Like. fuck, hannibal and will nearly killed each other several fucking times. They put each other in jail and gaslight the fuck out of each other and it did really well! Gay ppl (me ha) ate that shit UP. Hargrove kinda shoves him and beats him up for (what looked like) kidnapping his sister (ngl steve didnt really look all that innocent then tbh). Like get steve to shove him around a few times and call it even.... Even Steven, Ha!

The D brothers set Billy up for a redemption arc. I mean they kinda fridged him for Max but still. He is a complex character full of flaws and tragedies and heartbreaks. As a writer i find it interesting and challenging to find a way to believably write a character arc where he grows as a person. As a reader i love watching character slowly subtly change naturally throughout a compelling story. In terms of fanfiction Billy Hargrove is a gold mine for good story potential. The duffer brothers know this bc he was and still is the at the center of major plot points. The man is an angst magnet.

Also, yeah, you're valid if you hate Billy bc its implied he is racist. Thats a very valid reason not to like him. As a queer poc living in this world fucking every day its nice sometimes to imagine that maybe people can change and be beautiful. Im willing to invest emotional energy into that because the only alternative is believing the world will never change.

ALSO key point: unhealthy dynamics in stories are always more entertaining when the lovers have equal power against each other. Makes it more interesting (and complex) and honestly a lot less likely that your readers will get that bad taste in their mouths and stop reading it.

Tldr; Billy is fucked up but people get a kick of out fucked up shit. (And racism is bad. good for you if you can maintain a moral compass without getting depressed im really jealous of you/gen)

#hannibal nbc #billy hargrove