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Steve has thrown his last firework, knows the others are out to. The thing’s focus shifts to where El is lying on the floor, Billy in front of her.
«Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…» Steve is chanting under his breath. Someone has to do something! Someone has to do something, or that thing is gonna get El! Someone has to do something, but theres nothing to be done! There’s nothing! Steve’s still frozen to the spot, frantically trying to find a solution that isn't there, when one of the arms of that… thing suddenly snaps out.
It’s going for El, but it never reaches its target because Billy fucking Hargrove catches it instead.
Steve’s mouth drops open in complete shock. He’s still in there! He thinks. Billy is still in there!
And then the first arm bites into Billy’s side. And then the next one, and the next one, and the next one. They just keep coming. The moment stretches forever, every person in that room holding their breath, unable to quite wrap their minds around what they’re seeing. Billy is screaming, but Steve can barely hear him over the sound of his own heartbeat and the blood rushing in his ears. The moment stretches and stretches as Billy is brought to his knees, as the thing readies its final blow.
«No…» Steve whispers, because this is wrong. This is all wrong! Billy can’t die… He just can’t! Steve didn’t realize he cared so much about the other boy until this moment, but as he helplessly watches Billy let out a final scream, he feels like it’s his own insides that are about to be ripped out of his body.
«Billy!» Max screams, and the sound is heart-wrenching. Steve wants to close his eyes, doesn’t want to have to live with this memory for the rest of his life. He wants to turn away, but he just can’t. He feels rooted to the spot by the irrational hope still fluttering in his chest. The impossible but unshakeable dream that somehow, this disaster can still be averted.
He holds his breath, holds his breath, and…
The thing starts to sway.
The thing starts to sway, and then it starts to stagger, and then the arms are slipping out one by one, and Max is rushing forwards to catch her brother as he falls. He’s to heavy for her, but somehow she’s still managing to drag him backwards, away from the monster, as the thing starts flailing. Then it’s crashing into the railing right in front of Steve, but he barely notices, unable to tear his eyes off Billy. Even as the creature goes down for good, even as Robin breathes out a breath of relief next to him, Steve’s focus never waivers.
Max has fallen backwards, and Billy is laying in her lap, sorta, and they’re both covered in so. much. blood. That last scream Billy’d let out had been so awful, and what if it was too late? What if the narrow avoidance of that final blow hadn’t made any difference? What if Billy was dead anyways? Because the entire bottom half of Billy’s shirt is wet with blood, and Max’s hands are red, and the floor is red, and surely a person needs that blood in their body in order to survive? And then Billy’s chest rises and falls, and time snaps back into place.
Steve doesn’t realize he’s moved until he’s landing on his knees next Billy and Max, and Billy is trying to say something to Max, but his eyes keep slipping closed, and Steve needs him to stay awake, dammit! People are shouting over his head-
«Call 911»
«There’s no power!»
«He needs a hospital!»
«Get him to a car!»
-and Steve hears that last part. Get him to a car. Finally, something Steve can do. He scoops Billy into his arms, and as Billy’s head lolls into his chest, his eyes flutter open again, and he looks up at Steve.
«Harrington…?» Billy utters in a hoarse voice, before he passes out again.
---
The parking lot had been full of people, and lights, and cars, and everything had happened so fast. Paramedics had gotten Billy into an ambulance, and Max had climbed in after him. Before Steve had even known what was happening, the doors had slammed shut and they’d been driving away.
After what had felt like hours in that parking lot - being poked and prodded and questioned - almost everybody had wound up back at the Byers house that night. When they’d found out about Hopper, they’d all seemed too caught up in their own grief (or the grief of those around them) to worry too much about Billy, but Lucas naturally insisted on going after his girlfriend, and Dustin didn’t want Lucas to go alone. Someone had to go with them, and Steve didn’t mind. He was actually glad for the opportunity to check up on Billy. He knew there was nothing he could to for the other boy at that moment, but even so, Steve wanted to be there, and so he, Lucas and Dustin had headed to the hospital.
They’d found Max alone in the waiting room, and the four of them had spent half the night there before getting the news that Billy was out of surgery, and that he’d pull through. Steve felt like he could finally breathe again after that.
Dustin had radioed Will to update everybody else, and the two boys had checked in with one another a few more times as Billy had slept, but nobody else’d showed up. Billy had woken up seven hours or so later, and Max had gone in to see him, but only briefly before he’d fallen asleep again.
The second time Billy’d woken up, the kids had all been asleep, and so Steve had gone in to see him alone. Steve couldn’t remember the time spent in the waiting room all that clearly when he looked back, but he could picture perfectly the way Billy had looked lying in that hospital bed. There’d been a small bandage on his cheek, and bruises on his arms, but his skin had been clean. His face had no longer been sweaty and flushed with sickness. It had been returned to its normal colour. His hair had been messy, but it’d looked very soft, spread out on the pillow around him. He’d looked younger, somehow.
At the sound of the door opening and closing, his head had turned towards Steve, and his blue eyes had locked onto Steve's own.
«Harrington?» Billy’s voice had been weak, but not as weak as the last time he’d said Steve’s name.
«Hey man.»
«Where’s Max?»
«She’s asleep in the waiting room» Steve had hesitantly stepped a bit further into the room. «I can go wake her up if you want.»
«Nah, let her sleep. She’s earned it.» Billy’d turned away from him, and Steve had taken it as permission to step even further into the room.
«How, uh… How’re you feeling?» Steve had asked as he’d stepped up to the bed. He didn’t think he’d ever heard his own voice sound that soft before. Hadn’t known it was possible. Billy’s eyes had snapped to his at the question. He’d looked confused and suspicious, like he didn’t understand what game Steve was playing at, but after a few seconds he must have given up. He’d huffed out a laugh and rolled his eyes.
«I’m just peachy, Harrington. Juuust peachy.» He’d given Steve a bitter smile, before letting it drop and looking away again.
Steve hadn’t really known what to say to that, so for a few moments he’d just stood there awkwardly looking around the room, as Billy’d stared at the wall. Then his eyes had landed on the chair standing up against the wall, and for some reason, he’d grabbed it and pulled it up to the bed. He’d sat down before he’d even realized what he was doing. This time Billy had looked at him with less suspicion, more confusion, and as their eyes had met, Steve had been unable to look away. Time had seemed to slow down, and they’d stayed like that for a while, as the seconds had stretched. Then, eyes still locked on Billy’s, Steve had half-risen from his chair. As if he’d had no control of his own body, he’d leaned forward and brushed a stray curl away from Billy’s forehead. His hand had lingered, and he’d stood like that, staring into Billy’s eyes as Billy’s breathing had sped up, until a tear had welled up in Billy’s eye. When Billy’d pressed his eyes shut and turned his face away, Steve had averted his gaze and pulled back, suddenly afraid that he’d done something wrong. He’d sat back down in the chair, and his eyes had started flitting about the room, searching for anything to look at that wasn’t Billy, unsure of what to do, when he’d noticed Billy’s hand. It had been open, and on top of the blanket, and right in front of Steve. He’d reached out and grabbed it, looking to comfort Billy in any way he knew how, and even as Billy’s eyes had squeezed shut tighter and and his face had pressed further into the pillow away from Steve, his fingers had tightened around Steve’s hand.
They’d both fallen asleep like that, and when Steve had woken up a few hours later Billy had still been asleep. Not wanting to make thing awkward when the other boy inevitably woke up, Steve had gotten up to leave. He’d stopped to look at Billy for a few seconds, as if to reassure himself that the other boy was okay. He’d looked so peaceful, and, as if his actions were once again out of his own control, Steve had bent down and pressed a soft kiss to Billy’s forehead before leaving.
---
Steve has only been to see Billy in the hospital once since then. Dustin and Max had needed a ride, and Steve had agreed to take them. He’d driven them up a few days after the… incident, but he'd mostly stayed in the waiting room, only entering when it was time to leave. Billy and Steve haven’t been alone together since that first night. Yet. Because for some reason Steve is on his way to the hospital to visit Billy, and this time he doesn’t have any of the kids with him. He just wants to make sure Billy is okay, because he hasn’t quite been able to get Billy out of his mind, ever since everything happened. He’s been like a constant presence in the back of Steve’s head, like there’s always some part of him that’s worried about Billy. Even when he’d seen Robin the other day, Steve had kept getting distracted by thoughts of Billy. Wondering if he was all alone in that hospital room, and hoping that he wasn’t lonely…
Steve thinks he should probably be a bit more upset about the fact that Robin is into girls and not guys. He had tried to hit on her, after all, and he thinks they’d make a good couple. Wouldn’t they? But since everything happened, he’s barely even thought of her. Somehow it’s like everything else has become secondary compared to thoughts of Billy. Steve doesn’t quite understand it, he just knows that he really, really, needs the other boy to be okay.
Billy’s asleep when Steve opens the door. He considers coming back another time, but decides against it. He tries to be as quiet as possible as he walks in and closes the door behind him, but he can see that Billy is already stirring. He comes to as Steve pulls the chair back over to the bed. Steve sees the moment Billy opens his eyes, sees the moment he recognizes him. He sees Billy’s confused expression, and he sees as it shifts to one of surprise. He hopes it’s pleasant surprise. He thinks he sees the corners of Billy’s mouth twitch upwards for just a moment, but he isn’t sure.
«Harrington.» Billy says «Didn’t think I’d see you here.» The words aren’t gentle, but the delivery kinda is, Steve thinks. Doesn’t know if he’s imagining things just because he wants to think Billy is happy to see him.
«Yeah, I just, uh.. Came to see how you were feeling.» Steve says as he sits down. Billy lets out a small laugh.
«Just peachy.» Billy says, but this time he says it like they’re sharing an inside joke. He’s looking at Steve as he says it, and he’s smiling. With the way his eyes are crinkling at the corners, Steve suddenly thinks that maybe it isn’t such a stretch to think that maybe, Billy really is happy to see him. Steve is feeling a bit shy, but he meets Billy’s eyes, and smiles back.
«How are you?» Billy asks, and Steve would be lying if he said the question didn’t surprise him.
«I’m good.» Steve says. «Tired, after everything that’s happened, but… I’m good.»
«Yeah, I know what you mean» Billy says, and the way he’s looking at Steve makes Steve blush and look away. When he looks back up at Billy, Billy is also kind of blushing and looking away. Steve kinda wants to grab Billy’s hand again. It’s sitting right in front of him, on top of the blanket just like last time, but for now at least, Steve restrains himself. A few long seconds tick by before Billy clears his throat.
«So, my memories of that night are kinda fuzzy» He starts. «But um, Max has been filling me in on all the shit went down, and uh, apparently after I passed out or whatever, you picked me up and carried me out of there like I was some kinda princess? I mean, I’d have a pretty hard time believing that unless I had some kind of memories of it, considering what a skinny little… bitch you are or whatever, but uh.. I guess what I’m trying to say is… Thank you. For getting me out of there, for getting me help. I owe you one, Harrington.»
Steve goes kind of speechless for a few seconds. Billy is blushing and looking away, but he keeps glancing back at Steve every few seconds, obviously embarrassed, not used to this kind of thing. Steve grabs his hand on instinct.
«It was nothing. No need to thank me for it.» He says with a soft smile, and then he blushes again.
«Still…» Billy says, and then he squeezes Steve’s hand. «I’m grateful.»
Steve doesn’t quite know what to say to that, but he squeezes Billy’s hand in return, and then he strokes his thumb back and forth over the back of Billy’s hand a few times, and when Billy’s grip tightens, he thinks that maybe he doesn’t need to say anything.
---
Steve goes alone to visits Billy in the hospital several times after that, and they talk a lot. They get to know one another pretty well. Steve would even call them friends, so it probably shouldn’t come as as big of a surprise as it does when, the day after getting released, Billy shows up at Steve’s front door. Except that it does, because Billy had been so different in the hospital, but Steve had kind of expected him to revert back to his old ways as soon as he was out and around other people again. Apparently, though, Steve was wrong, because here Billy is, first full day back in the real world, and he’s standing on Steve’s front porch with a cigarette dangling from between his lips and a six-pack of beers in his hand. Steve didn’t even realize Billy knew where he lived.
«Hey, Steve» Billy’s smirking as he says it, but his eyes are soft.
«Hey» Steve doesn’t know what else to say, still very much shocked by Billy’s appearance
«I brought some beers» Billy says after a few seconds of silence, mirth dancing in his eyes.
«Sorry, uh, come in» Steve hurries to say, realizing he’s been staring for a while.
Billy drops his cigarette and steps on it before he walks through the door. He almost brushes against Steve as he does, but they don't quite touch. Steve closes the door behind him and then he leads Billy through to the kitchen. Billy puts the six-pack down on the counter and grabs two beers out of it as Steve finds the bottle-opener. He cracks open the first one and hands it to Billy, whose index finger brushes against Steve’s hand for a brief moment as he receives the bottle, and Steve almost forgets to let go. Almost. Then he reaches for the second bottle and cracks it open for himself. They clink their drinks together and Steve takes a sip. Billy takes… a little more than a sip.
«Hey Steve…» He starts, and he’s looking nervous. His eyes are trained on the floor, and he’s not looking at Steve at all. «I…» He pauses to clear his throat. «I just wanted to apologize… For all those times I was such a dick to you, and…» Billy looks like he’s ashamed.
«No it’s fi-» Steve starts. He can see how hard this is for Billy, and he wants to make it easier.
«And,» Billy continues «For that time I beat you up.»
«Don’t wo-»
«No, I really am.» Billy says, and then he looks up at Steve, and he looks so vulnerable. «Sorry. I really am sorry.» Billy’s gaze is so direct, and Steve can tell this means a lot to him, that Steve’s response matters a lot.
«You’re already forgiven.» Steve says, because it’s the truth. As Billy’s exhales, Steve can see the relief on his face.
Billy takes another sip of his beer, but Steve is too busy looking at Billy to do the same. Billy notices him staring, and hesitantly swallows his beer.
«What?» he asks, but Steve knows there’s no way to answer that question with words.
He bites his lip for a second, deliberating, before he makes the decision. Quickly, before he can give himself the chance to back out, he surges forwards and kisses Billy. Just a quick press of lips. He’s already pulled back before Billy has the chance to realize what’s happened. Billy just stares at him for a few seconds, mouth slightly open, before he blushes, and looks down at his beer with a little smile that he can’t quite suppress. Steve can’t help but do the same, but he looks up every few seconds to look at Billy, sometimes catching him looking away from Steve, sometimes meeting his gaze, before quickly looking down again. God, he feels like a little kid again, butterflies fluttering around inside of him like the first time he’d held a girls hand. He kind of likes the feeling, if he’s being honest with himself.
When Billy’s leaving later that night, Steve walks him to the door. Billy blushes as he quickly presses his lips against Steve’s just before he turns around and heads out into the night.
Steve stands in the doorway and looks after him, unconsciously brushing his fingers over his lips and thinking that Billy has to be just about the cutest thing in the whole damn world.
And a month or so later, when, after a particularly slow make-out session, Billy blushingly asks if he’s Steve’s boyfriend now or whatever, Steve thinks that Billy’s just about the cutest thing in the whole damn universe.