All those years ago part of Steve had been pissed when Billy tore out of town, he couldn't really blame him but he wanted to. All the others had faced shit and didn't run but Billy had. In the end however, Max had talked to Steve. Told him what their life was like at home and how Neil could be. She explained things that made Steve's chest hurt and he felt bad for being so mad. Who wouldn't run when confronted with nightmares and horror terrors on top of having terrors at home too?
The years had passed, Vecna defeated, and things finally seemed to quiet down. Steve stayed in Hawkins, looking after the brats while they grew up and being there when Robin returned from going away for college. Or maybe she came back for him? No one really knew. People still thought they were an item but that changed when Steve started seeing a girl pretty regularly. They hit it off great at first, but it wasn't long before the night terrors, the paranoia, and everything he couldn't tell her became to much.
When he got the invitation for the school reunion, Steve almost didn't go. He had papers to grade and he didn't want to leave Lizzie alone all night. Of course upon hearing this Robin demanded he went. She'd take care of the kiddo and he could always grade papers later. It was fine. She couldn't go but she wanted to know all the drama from the people who were coming back. Sure some had stuck around like Carol, Tommy, and a few others but there were also a bunch who hadn't. Not that either of them knew that someone had managed to find Billy Hargrove of all people.
Billy, that was a name that made Steve think. He remembered the day that Dustin blew into his office at the school waving a card that he had gotten in some pack. The picture looked all too familiar to the thing they had faced all those years ago. And the artist 'William Hargrove'. Steve said it had to be a coincidence but Dustin was the same as always. He refused to believe it could be anyone else. Which was an interesting little thing to think about, Billy Hargrove...an artist. One that apparently Will was starting to follow closely.
Going to the party was like stepping back in time. Sure he had been in the gym lately, they just had a pep rally the other day and an assemply that he had to be at with his class so of course he'd been there. But now looking at all the familiar faces, some feeling like they hadn't aged a day, Steve felt a familiar claw of anxiety hit his stomach. It was only made worse when he saw Tommy and a few of the old team coming up to clap him on the back and tease him about being a teacher instead of some big time lawyer or something in sports. Steve just laughed it off and took a long swig of his barely cold beer. Tonight was going to suck.
Or that's what he thought until the gymnasium doors swung open and none other than Billy Fucking Hargrove just strutted in like he still owned the place. It was enough to make Steve choke on his drink as the guys next to him saw the ex-usurper king and cheered.
"Well fuck...I owe Robin twenty bucks....this might actually get interesting."
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The years had passed, Vecna defeated, and things finally seemed to quiet down. Steve stayed in Hawkins, looking after the brats while they grew up and being there when Robin returned from going away for college. Or maybe she came back for him? No one really knew. People still thought they were an item but that changed when Steve started seeing a girl pretty regularly. They hit it off great at first, but it wasn't long before the night terrors, the paranoia, and everything he couldn't tell her became to much.
Even with a little nugget of their own. A girl with curly brown hair like her dads and her moms green eyes. Elizabeth or Lizzie, Lizard if you were Eddie or Robin. When his at the time fiancé left Steve with their daughter it was hard, being a single dad had never been on his list of life goals but here he was.
When he got the invitation for the school reunion, Steve almost didn't go. He had papers to grade and he didn't want to leave Lizzie alone all night. Of course upon hearing this Robin demanded he went. She'd take care of the kiddo and he could always grade papers later. It was fine. She couldn't go but she wanted to know all the drama from the people who were coming back. Sure some had stuck around like Carol, Tommy, and a few others but there were also a bunch who hadn't. Not that either of them knew that someone had managed to find Billy Hargrove of all people.
Billy, that was a name that made Steve think. He remembered the day that Dustin blew into his office at the school waving a card that he had gotten in some pack. The picture looked all too familiar to the thing they had faced all those years ago. And the artist 'William Hargrove'. Steve said it had to be a coincidence but Dustin was the same as always. He refused to believe it could be anyone else. Which was an interesting little thing to think about, Billy Hargrove...an artist. One that apparently Will was starting to follow closely.
Going to the party was like stepping back in time. Sure he had been in the gym lately, they just had a pep rally the other day and an assemply that he had to be at with his class so of course he'd been there. But now looking at all the familiar faces, some feeling like they hadn't aged a day, Steve felt a familiar claw of anxiety hit his stomach. It was only made worse when he saw Tommy and a few of the old team coming up to clap him on the back and tease him about being a teacher instead of some big time lawyer or something in sports. Steve just laughed it off and took a long swig of his barely cold beer. Tonight was going to suck.
Or that's what he thought until the gymnasium doors swung open and none other than Billy Fucking Hargrove just strutted in like he still owned the place. It was enough to make Steve choke on his drink as the guys next to him saw the ex-usurper king and cheered.
"Well fuck...I owe Robin twenty bucks....this might actually get interesting."