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]

Doing his own thing? Well damn, didn't think being an artist and coming back to this hellish town would mean he could help someone else find their purpose in life.

"Just... going to point a thing out, beautiful. California's got this whole program thing, where kids that graduate high school in California and get into one of the state schools, they're covered tuition wise. Doesn't mean you can't save up for college for your little kid, but there's good schools there, and it might be a safety net."

It also was a state with a lot of schools and need for teachers. But Billy's just biased like that.

"Not that I'm saying move to California or anything if you choose to get out of this place."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Uh huh," Steve just gives him a look that feels more knowing than it probably actually is, still. It's amusing, not to mention that is a check mark in California's favor as far as places to move.

"Could be nice to get out of the cold, how are the winters out there? I know it's a lot warmer in the summer and I know you definitely weren't ready for the winters out here back then so I'm gonna guess warmer all around."

[california_dreaming]

"Big fucking state, Stevie. Really depends on where in it you land. In the north there are full on ski resorts and forests and winter. In the south, a lot less of any of that shit. But around where I am, it's warm and sunny a good bit of the year."

And he doesn't expect that will be the only lure, but some people really enjoy it.

[crawlingbackwards]

"Good point. Down where it's warm and sunny a lot might be nice. At least out there you have more of a choice when it comes to the climate. Like you said, want colder weather just go further north. Not as easy out here if you want more sunshine." Honestly the warmth definitely is alluring. Billy had his own reasons for not liking the cold, but Steve almost lost his life multiple times in that ice cold version of Hawkins. The place that was damp and rotting.

"Sounds like I should plan a vacation and while I'm out there look at prices on places."

[california_dreaming]

"Could always go south," Steve points out. "Deep south is probably sunny."

And too humid to live, but that's just how it goes sometimes.

"See if you like it before you consider that shit, Steve," Billy laughs. No doubt Steve would still have his job arranged for the next school year. So even if he came out this summer to try, it would probably be another year before he moved.

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yeah but, I heard the south is about as bad if not worse than out here for people like us." Steve shook his head.

"Trust me, I don't just jump into things anymore. Looking at prices just means I'm making sure I could even afford to live out there. Besides I can't just up and move over the summer, I'll have to make sure they can replace me at the school and get all that squared away." Not to mention deal with Dustin's whining about even the idea of him moving.

[california_dreaming]

God there is something nice about 'people like us'. That Steve loops them in together.

"Sounds pretty damn responsible. Looks like you're finally a real king, man. Someone worth following."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Wha-no...I mean..." Steve laughed shaking his head, signature hair style bouncing with the movement. "I'm a dad and a teacher, of course I'm responsible. Or feel like I have to be more now than ever."

Being called anything remotely close to King Steve again turns his stomach most times, but this is different. Billy's not pointing at what he used to be and calling him that sort of 'King', he's pointing out how he is now. More mature and being, like Billy said, responsible.

"Maybe, but I know how to follow too. Sometimes people know different things and you gotta step back and let them lead."

[california_dreaming]

"Pretty sure teachers are supposed to be a sort of leader."

Artists are not, clearly.

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yeah, I'm just saying that...I don't know." He just doesn't feel like one. More like a caregiver. Well, okay less so with a bunch of teenagers who would rather he not make them run laps or do tests depending on if he was in the gym or the classroom.

"It feels different is all I'm saying. Definitely not what everyone thought being the 'King of Hawkins' was."

[california_dreaming]

"You're more than who you were in high school. I mean, look at me."

A guy that was openly queer back home, a successful artist, and someone who cared enough to come visit the shitbird, even if he was using the reunion as an excuse.

[crawlingbackwards]

"Preaching to the choir," There's a look in Steve's eyes a moment, a quick up and down of the man in front of him before he continued. "And trust me, I've noticed."

Billy seemed so much happier and more relaxed, even while being in the shitty town like this.

[california_dreaming]

Seriously, did that just happen? Billy laughs and grins. Yeah, getting checked out by the Steve Harrington was... Well, hot.

"I'm glad you did. As for other things I'm noticing..."

He looks at his watch.

"It's late. I should probably let you sleep."

also if you wanna pause on any of these to work on selkie things just let me know

[crawlingbackwards]

It sure did, Billy. The blonde had already sort of shown interest at least at a glance, so why not flirt back?

That is until Steve is forced to look down at his watch with a grown.

"I would say that I'm not Cinderella and my Beemer won't turn into a pumpkin if I'm out too late but...I really don't wanna go home to a crabby best friend playing babysitter."

No, it's really late at night and so the most I can do on that is quiet musings and thinky thoughts

[california_dreaming]

"Yeah," Billy says, because he understands. "You should run on home, Papa Stevie. And I've got a shit ass hotel room waiting for me."

Mostly he needs a shower and to get some damn sleep.

That's very fair!

[crawlingbackwards]

"Wait which shitty hotel?" Steve is starting to pull out his wallet before freezing and giving Billy a look. The same sort of look most mom friends give their friends when they say they haven't eaten or something.

only still awake because I'm finishing a day in coral island

[california_dreaming]

Billy... frowns. If he'd had literally any other choice, he would have taken it. But it was the same one that...

His eyes get distant for a bit.

"It doesn't matter. Just gotta get through the night and sleep some. That's all. Just drive there, take the long way. Nowhere near the steelworks."

I still need to grab and try that, iirc it's on gamepass. Hope you sleep well tho!

[crawlingbackwards]

There's the knowing look and Steve shakes his head. Waving the waitress down he pulls out the cash for their coffees before looking at Billy.

"I have a spare room, no where near there. Plus I can guarantee the beds are cleaner and if you don't mind a bunch of questions from a talkative girl and my daughter," He kind of chuckles because he loves Robin but he also knows she'd have questions for Billy. "Then you can have breakfast with us."

[california_dreaming]

Well then. Billy considers. He'll forfeit the money for the reservation though... Can he afford to take that hit?

"I booked the place, for starting tonight," he notes. The offer is nice, it really is. And the nap on Susan's couch felt so very, very long ago. So he's really got to make up his mind.

[crawlingbackwards]

"How many nights are you in town? I'll give you the money for the reservation and you can stay at my place. If it's the one I'm think of that place is terrible." He really hoped he wasn't coming off as desperate because honestly, he couldn't imagine having to make the long way around drive just to avoid possibly the worst place for Billy's mental health.

"Plus, I'm not that far from the trailer park. Getting to Susan and Max's place will be so much easier from my place. There's even a tv in the guest room."

[california_dreaming]

Geez, he's really suggesting that. Billy looks shocked. What the fuck?

"You'd really do that, Harrington?" he asks, because yes, he's utterly shocked. He doesn't care about the TV though. "You'd have to explain yourself to a kid and a friend, and you'd pay for the privilege of questions?"

[crawlingbackwards]

Taking in the shocked look, Steve just reached out and patted the blonde on the shoulder.

"Look, you may have taken off after everything but it's not like I'm bringing home a complete stranger. You're still kinda one of us, besides you're Max's brother."

[california_dreaming]

"Still a stranger to your kid," Billy counters. And, honest... "I've been gone for ten years, Steve. I knew you all for eight months. I've always been a stranger."

Fuck, he really has. They've never known him, not even Max. So why should Steve trust him around his family? On the weight of one evening at that?

[crawlingbackwards]

"Alright you got me there, however, I still have my spiked bat so..." He shrugs, as if he doesn't think he's actually going to need it. "I helped take out a kid killing psycho with a god complex, I think I could take you if I needed to."

He isn't wrong, Billy is basically a stranger. Maybe even more so now than he was before. They guy had changed. Even still, Steve felt like he wasn't that bad of a judge of character.

[california_dreaming]

Shit, that was a point. But he rubs the back of his neck. Was he really going to do this?

"Alright," he says after a long moment. "If you're sure. But i have to deal with the hotel thing tonight."

Even though the drive will upset him.

"Geez, Harrington, if I'd known all it would take to get you paying this much attention to me would be to reveal how much of a mentally ravaged artist I was, I wouldn't have pulled your pigtails so much back in high school."