Take Me Back (Deja Vu) -- For @crawlingbackwards

[california_dreaming]

Hawkins, Indiana. Friday, June 30th, 1995.

Ten years ago to the day a young lifeguard was kidnapped by her coworker from the pool, an act that ultimately led to hear death. Ten years and one day ago, the life of a particular asshole from California had been changed forever. Later on he'd blown out of town, not looking back, unable to face the horrors that the now infamously cursed town had in store.

A bit under a year later he read newspapers about a state of emergency that almost made him get back in his beat Ford Escort and drive back. But no. Nothing could ever get him to go back to that hellhole. That's what he told himself.

Hilarious that ten years to the day that his life had been ruined he had done just that, holing up in a hotel for some sleep to recover before what would be yet another life changing weekend in the cursed town. His ten year high school reunion. Hell, Billy didn't even know for sure just how the invitation had gotten to him. Someone must have found his contact information, because it had come and for a laugh he'd agreed.

Mostly because it was long past due when he should check in on Max, and he'd heard she might be in town checking on Susan. The drive was nice too. Good for inspiration. He'd taken it slower than the trip back to California, stopping at points with great views, hauling out a sketchbook, and getting ideas down on paper when he needed it. Never knew when some small detail would create something beautiful. Or terrible. Worked either way. Still gets into town, crashes on the couch in Susan's place after a meal (she'd actually gotten a bit better at cocking, who could have expected it), and then prepares for what comes next.


Billy Hargrove knows how to make an entrance. Has already made one in this small town before, but he does it now for old time's sake. Waits until he'll be half an hour late, so he can ensure all eyes are on him. If he's going to be back in this place of nightmares and memories, he wanted to live out some of the good ones. Which means tearing into the school parking lot in his blue and white Chevy Chevelle, engine roaring, music blaring. Barely anyone is outside of the school building, already headed into the gym, but the few who are...

Oh the looks he gets. They know this entrance. They know what it means. And before he even gets out of the car he knows there are whispers. But he does get out, smooths his fitted and well worn jeans over his legs as he does so. Back then he'd be in some shirt he hadn't bothered to do up all the way. These days he's still too mindful of old scars, choosing instead to have one where he can have the sleeves up and the buttons all done, like self respect. After a moment to psych himself up he gets out and makes for the gym.

"Well damn, Carol, you sure aged like fine wine," he says as he comes to a stop at the check in desk, smiling down at her. She looks so shocked. Like she can't believe he's here. Neither can Billy. But he keeps smiling and she reaches for a badge that is really deep in the box, like no one expected it to be needed.

"You too," she says as she hands it up. "Like what you did with your hair."

Billy reaches up, considers the curls. They're bleached more blonde than ever from all the sun back home, just as changed by California as he had been. But when he touches it he almost laughs. Apparently he'd forgotten to pull his hair out of the sloppy bun he'd put it in earlier while helping tidy a bit around Susan's place. Even reaches for the tie when Carol shakes her head.

"Oh no. Leave it like that," she grins. "You look tasty."

And Billy laughs as he accepts the passed over name tag so he can affix it to his shirt.

"When have I not been a snack?" he asks before nodding to Carol. "See you inside later."

Then he heads past her into the gym and feels the eyes turning on him.

Billy Hargrove had come back to Hawkins High School. Now he just needed to make it through the night. Maybe it would be easier this time, because so much of the old arrogance and steel had been worked off of him, just leaving a softer, happier man in its place.

Comments

[california_dreaming]

"Not sure how much time I'll have free in town, Pretty Boy," he points out. "Max might demand a lot of my time. Wouldn't want to miss some hot... caffeine while we can get it, right?"

That was definitely a suggestive statement, even has a little smirk with it. But it's probably only about coffee.

[crawlingbackwards]

There's something familiar about that look, something that makes Steve feel younger in a way. He doesn't miss the suggestiveness of the others tone. Sure Steve wasn't really into the hook up scene, and he never brought guys home if he could help it, but this was Billy. And he wasn't going to be there for that long.

"Well, the cafe's closed this time of night but there's always the diner. I'd suggest my place but...Robin and the kiddo are there." For all Liz would be in bed by now he was sure. "Not that it means that place is off limits...just that you run the risk of having to share my attention with a sleepy kid."

[california_dreaming]

Cafe's closed huh? Interesting. Billy chuckles. Of course Steve isn't going to take him home with the guy's got a whole kid. And that's something Billy respects.

"Pretty sure you've been having to share your attention between kids and other people since you were in high school."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Don't remind me. They really got me ready for this whole being a parent thing." He waved his hand before both fell on his hips. "Do you wanna follow me or..."

This time of night, the diner was probably their best bet if they really wanted coffee. And really, Steve wanted to talk to Billy. See how he was doing, be able to really talk to him without having to beat around the bush about things. Sure he wouldn't say no to a roll in the sheets with someone as attractive as Billy, he also actually enjoyed a real conversation with someone who might get why he had to sleep with a light on some nights. Or why he hated the cold and couldn't stand the sound of fireworks.

[california_dreaming]

Well, not the early stages of parenthood, but Billy just accepts Steve's words with a smirk. Papa Harrington, huh? Who could have ever predicted that.

"Diner still in the same place? Or Hawkins get creative and move a business once in a ten year period?"

Because yeah, he could go for some talking.

[crawlingbackwards]

Most people close to Steve knew his wish to be a dad, to have a lot of kids eventually. A big family from the only child. It was something he had dreamed of, in the end he got a failed marriage and the sweetest little gremlin of a daughter. At least they were happy, it was still better than his own childhood at least.

"Are you kidding? This place? Creative? Nah, never gonna happen." Steve laughed and shook his head. "It's still in the same place as ever, pretty sure it's still got the same staff too."

[california_dreaming]

"Talk about a dead end job," he snarks at that statement. They deserved more probably. But it wasn't his place to cause problems.

"Since there won't be drinking, guess we can both drive," he suggests, looking thoughtful. "Meet there in a few? Maybe you call in to let your babysitter know where you are? Clearly someone has to be in charge of watching the watcher."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yeah, I'll stop by my place and meet you there." Steve nodded, still smiling as he pushed off his car to unlock and open the driver side door. "See ya there."

He'd have an easier time just dropping by, telling Robin where he was going, letting her rib him as he changed into something way more comfortable, and then meet up with Billy at the diner.

Perfect plan.

[california_dreaming]

"Don't leave me waiting," he says with a shrug. But he leaves the guy to leave and heads to the diner. Once he's there he is content to order a coffee. Good thing he's brought a sketchbook out of the car too, to start some wind down drawing while he was at it.

Because he's got to pass the time and Hawkins makes him tense. Stupidly tense.

[crawlingbackwards]

The trip would have taken him less time if he hadn't been fussing over his clothes(Steve it's just coffee with Billy Hargrove, what's the deal?) on top of making sure Robin was cool to stay a little longer. He had no idea how long they'd be talking for or if things would just fizzle out. A short conversation wasn't much to go off of after all.

What did surprise him was how Robin all but pushed him out of the house after he got on some of his more usual attire, a t-shirt under a long sleeved button up and jeans. Nothing fancy but still just above completely casual.

The trip to the diner doesn't take long, it never does in a small place like Hawkin's, and he's glad to see Billy there waiting. Making a small wave to the waitress he slides into the booth across from Billy and smiles. "Hey."

[california_dreaming]

Billy looks up when Steve greets him, and his smile grows.

"Did you really just change to come see little old me?"

[crawlingbackwards]

"Maybe? But I also just really wanted to be in something more comfortable for having coffee." Shrugging Steve smiled at the waitress as she walked up and took his order before giving the same bright smile to Billy.

"You know, if someone told me before you left that I'd be excited to sit down and have coffee with Billy Hargrove...I'd tell them they were crazy."

[california_dreaming]

"You deliberately wore uncomfortable clothes to a reunion?" Billy says with a smirk. How interesting.

Though the comment about crazy earns a snort of amusement.

"Yeah. I'm not shocked that you're a bit mad, man."

[crawlingbackwards]

"No, I wore nice clothes because it's what's expected." Steve rolled his eyes and chuckled. He was still stuck sometimes doing what people expected of him, it helped to hide other things about his life. Like his weekend trips to Indianapolis to go to a bar or two up there.

"Excuse you, I'm not mad." There's a laugh as Steve rubs at the side of his face a bit. "Okay maybe a little but I'm pretty sure we are all after the shit we went through."

[california_dreaming]

Billy of course hadn't put nearly as much work into it, but he does flip his sketchbook closed and smiles.

"I'm clearly mentally damaged from it, Harrington," he says with a shrug.

[crawlingbackwards]

"Pretty sure we both are, so it's fine." Steve grinned, nodding at the waitress as she gave him his coffee and walked away.

"So, art? Definitely not what I expected from big tough Billy." He started, mixing in some creamer and sugar into his coffee before continuing. "It's nice though, and you're really good."

[california_dreaming]

"No one expected it of me. But I found a therapist out west. Needed one. They suggested doing art to get things out. And once I started, I couldn't stop. Used to draw a lot as a kid, but Neil..."

No, not going there. He lets it go and sips his coffee.

"Grew pretty fast, and the darkness, the way I did it, the style, it seemed to mesh well with calls for work. Sent in a portfolio of some stuff, and I get regular commissions for it now."

[crawlingbackwards]

"That guy was a piece of work," Steve rolled his eyes before letting the subject change. No need to dwell on abusive assholes after all, right?

"Yeah, I mean I told you the guys lost their collective shits when they figured out who it was right? Wheeler still refuses to believe it's you." Steve laughed. "Will is gonna freak when I give him the card you signed. Kid's got big dreams of doing something similar and Dustin's been encouraging him ever step of the way."

[california_dreaming]

"Wheeler? Why are you talking to your ex-girlfriend about playing cards?"

Because he doesn't get that Nancy Wheeler has a kid brother. Yeah, he cared that little about those kids around Max in the past. "I'll try and encourage this Will kid then."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Wha-no not Nancy, her younger brother. Mike. He's one of the brats that Max runs around with. Tall, lanky, totally trying to be a mini-Munson." He tries to hide his grin a bit by taking a drink from his own coffee. "Nancy's been up in New York for a while now, went off to NYU and she's been trying to get into journalism. Still."

"He'll love it, if he doesn't explode from embarrassment first. Kid can still be pretty shy, when he's not being a total gremlin."

How did his life become so wrapped up in all these kids? Still after all this time he found himself talking about everyone else more than himself.

[california_dreaming]

"Artists can be shy," he says with a shrug. That's just how it goes sometimes. He considers and then opens his sketchbook and slides it over to Steve.

It's a sketch of a man in full knighthood armor, with a shield and a blade. And the guy, swinging the blade, looks a bit like Steve.

"Sometimes you can use it to embrace your interests."

[crawlingbackwards]

"I could never imagine you as shy," Shaking his head he leaned over a bit, making sure to hold the mug away from the sketchpad as he looked the sketch over. At first Steve was more focused on the details that were there, the sword, shield, armor....it took a moment before he actually looked at the subject. When he did however it wasn't hard to see the resemblance, and he'd be lying if he wasn't at least a little flattered.

"He's...he talked to me a little after they got back from Cali...Dustin caught Eddie and I in a...compromising situation and apparently told Will. The kid just needed someone who understood what he was going through. In a small town like this, you know how hard that can be. I bet you talking to him will be great."

[california_dreaming]

Billy laughs. Yeah, that's a good point there. He was never very interested in being shy. Eyes on him, caring about him, acting like his existence mattered? That'd been how he'd lived his life since he was about ten.

"Eddie? Eddie Munson? Huh. Yeah, that scans. Just wouldn't think Steve Harrington would hit it off with Eddie Munson. Guess you really have changed a lot."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Look," Steve laughed and shook his head. "Eddie and I...I mean he was fun and made me laugh. Not to mention all the shit we were going through. Can you believe this guy tried to convince me to try and win Nancy back? Then when that wasn't happening...one thing led to another...led to Dustin barging into Eddie's trailer with his hands up my shirt...talk about awkward."

Steve laughs because the memory is easily one of his favorites. Dustin was only outraged because the two hadn't told him that there had been anything going on.

"We broke things off when he decided to leave Hawkin's though. Figured he deserved to be free while they were off touring. We're still good friends. Keeps joking he's gonna kidnap Lizzie to take her on tour with him."

[california_dreaming]

Win that prude Wheeler back? Fuck no, Harrington could do a hell of a lot better than that. But for now he's laughing because that's a whole image to consider. Steve Harrington being all pretty and embarrassed.

"So the only reason you two aren't doing the horizontal tango on the regular is because he went off to chase fame? Interesting."