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

[crawlingbackwards]

"Robin, just...please? Trust me?" Steve sighed, walking up to Robin and taking her hands. "He really is different from before, ten years changes people. Look at me."

Still, he knew she'd worry. She always did when it came to Steve, hell she came back here after all.

"Look, you can stay and keep an eye on him if you really want. The guest room is called but know you basically have pick of the house. Hell you can take my bed. Just, keep an open mind? He's supposed to be here in like...an hour. And then I'm driving him to take care of canceling his hotel."

[california_dreaming]

She's going to trust Steve the best she can. That doesn't mean she can trust Billy Hargrove.

"I'll call my roommate and tell her I'm not coming back tonight. And you get to explain to Lizzie why there's a stranger at breakfast."

Which of course he was going to have to do that. Who else would? What a silly thing to say.

[crawlingbackwards]

"I was already working on what to say." He reassures her, squeezing her hands before letting them go. "Go call her, I'm gonna peak in on Lizzie."

Patting Robin's shoulder Steve went up stairs towards his old room. Peaking in to see the pail walls lit by a small night light. The room had been painted and new curtains put up. No more matching wallpaper and curtains for Robin to tease him over. Instead it's light and very much a child's room again.

Making sure she was snug in bed, Steve tiptoed back down the hall and back down stairs to wait for Billy.

[california_dreaming]

There's one last concerned look before Robin heads into the kitchen to make the call. She was still at it by the time Steve came downstairs and there was the purring rumble of an engine as a car pulled into the driveway.

"Steeeeeeve," Robin sings out from the kitchen. "Prince Harming is here."

[crawlingbackwards]

Ducking his head into the kitchen he points a finger at her, brows raised in his usual 'don't you do it' look. "Be nice." He hisses before jogging around to the entry hall to catch the door before Billy got a chance to knock.

Did it look weird and maybe a little over excited? Maybe? Shit...should he have waited for the blonde to knock? Probably. Too late now, the damage was done.

[california_dreaming]

Yes, he looks way too excited, and if Robin saw it, she'd only worry even more.

The good news was that Steve did beat Billy to knocking, but partially because he was busy getting things out of his trunk. And because he was, maybe, just a bit unsure if he should knock. There's a little kid in the house. Would be rude to wake her. But then the door is opening and that solves that. Billy slams his trunk closed (oops) and heads for Steve with a duffel bag over one shoulder and a far more carefully carried canvas bag that was large and thin and carried his largest sketchbooks and art supplies.

"Casa Harrington, huh?"

[crawlingbackwards]

"Welcome," Steve threw his arms out before stepping back and letting Billy in. The stair case ever present has photos lining the wall instead of abstract art that his mother had, pictures of Steve and the Party, Robin and Steve in their scoops uniforms, more of them in awful green vests with name tags from Family Video. Himself, Nancy, Robin, and Eddie just before Eddie had left for his first tour. It's a whole line of memories. The house is warm and definitely more cozy than the outside would lead someone to think.

"Robin's in the kitchen on the phone." He motions for Billy to follow him up the stairs. "Bathroom is second door on your right, guest room is the first door on the left here." He stands against the railing of the loft. He talks softer, not wanting to wake the child that Robin had managed to get to sleep.

[california_dreaming]

That was a showy welcome, beautiful. But Billy does step in.

"Robin, the chick that was babysitting?" Billy asks. Of course he doesn't know who the hell she is. But with the door to the room indicated he was happy to put his things inside. The bag is tossed, but the art supplies is handled with far more care.

"Nice place. Better than I ever imagined."

[crawlingbackwards]

It's Steve, of course it's showy on some level. Granted it's more as a joke than anything else but still. Watching Billy, Steve can't help but be curious. He'd seen the portrait that Billy drew of the knight that looked so much like him and he'd seen the art on the cards that Dustin and Will all but shoved in his face. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to see more of what Billy could do.

"Oh yeah, she uh...she was there in the mall. We used to work together. Kinda bonded after everything." They were best friends, family. "She's...protective. Don't take it personally."

For all it sort of was personal. Robin had heard about what happened, surely she had seen things at school.

"Oh, yeah. It's actually pretty different than when I was growing up. Always hated the magazine cover that mom tried to make it look like."

[california_dreaming]

"One of the last times we interacted for an extended period of time outside of basketball, I brained you with a plate. Another time was while you were wrecking the Camaro to keep me from running Wheeler down. Makes sense to be protective."

So yeah, he's not going to judge her. For now, though, he nods as he looks around the room. This was much better than anything he'd expected.

"Shall we go get this shit done?"

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yeah, not the best look for you. Even if one of the last things we all saw of you was protecting Jane." Sometimes it was still weird calling her that, El...Eleven...Jane. They were all the same girl but it was easier to call her Jane when that's what everyone outside of the group called her.

"Yeah let's, I just need to let Robin know we'll be back." Holding up a finger in he made his way into the kitchen, peeking around the door frame.

"Hey, gonna take Billy to the hotel. I'll call if anything goes wrong. We shouldn't be too long."

[california_dreaming]

So this Robin chick was there, huh? That's interesting.

Regardless of Steve's indicating that Billy should stay behind, he does follow Steve, quietly, and peeks beyond him to see who this Robin is. She's about to respond to Steve when she see's Billy's face peeking past Steve just a little.

"You hurt him-" Robin starts to say, ignoring Steve.

And Billy laughs, stepping fully into view and looking Robin up and down. Smirks while he's at it.

"I was going to say 'relax, I'll bring your boy toy back in one piece' but that's not what's up with this at all, is it?"

That gets a raised eyebrow from Robin. She too is looking Billy over. If they were dogs there would be rear end sniffing. Instead it's eyes and knowing looks as they evaluate each other.

"Real starving artist look there, Manbun. You really are the William Hargrove the shits talk about, aren't you?"

"In the flesh," Billy agrees.

Robin nods, just a little bit. Like something makes sense that hadn't before.

"Alright then. Don't distract Steve on the road."

"Scout's honor."

"You were never a scout."

"Guilty."

And just like that, the two seem to have a peace going on.

[crawlingbackwards]

Looking over his shoulder Steve suddenly felt like he was watching some cross between a dog fight and a tennis match. And then after a few exchanges everything is fine.

"Wait...Robin is this that...the radar thing you and Eddie are always talking about? Is that what this is?" Look, sure he might have figured himself out more as he got older, but he was still Steve Harrington, the guy who couldn't quote stuff that had just been quoted back him and who crawled backwards for the first year or so of his life.

At least he tries.

[california_dreaming]

Robin and Billy both look to Steve briefly. Then Billy's grinning and looking to Robin.

"No gaydar?"

"None," Robin confirms with a sigh. "I came out to him because he was busy confessing to me. Told him I wanted Tammy Thompson and not him."

"Miss Muppet voice?"

[crawlingbackwards]

"Don't leave out the fact we were drugged by Russians!" Steve raises his voice only to drop it down to a quieter volume when he remembers his daughter is asleep upstairs.

Still, that definitely doesn't matter. Steve has never had good gaydar. The lights are on, but sometimes no one is home. Good thing he's pretty right? Among other things.

"Also see, told you. Muppet."

[california_dreaming]

Robin throws up her arms in seeming defeat. "We covered the muppet, like, a decade ago."

As for Billy, he's looked confused by Russians coming up.

"Sounds like there are going to be plenty of stories," Billy notes before turning toward Robin. "I promise I'll keep all impure thoughts about Stevie here to myself."

She nods and waves for the door. "Go and hurry back or whatever."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yeah but he wasn't there for that. That's him and Vickey on my side." Pointing at Robin as he walked back Steve couldn't help the grin.

"First off, I told you things were insane after you left, and second...hopefully not all of them?" He shouldn't, he knows he shouldn't. But he can't help it, he's on cloud nine tonight after what he thought was going to a miserable night. He had expected to be stuck at that stupid reunion and just come home to grade papers.

This was something completely different and new. It was nice.

Alright alright, he's going. Grabbing his keys and coat on the way out.

[california_dreaming]

Robin and Billy give each other one last look before Billy stuffs his hands in his pockets and follows Steve out.

"She thinks we're going to fuck," Billy informs Steve quite bluntly."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yeah probably, better than her thinking you're going to hurt me or Lizzie." Shrugging Steve locked the front door out of habit before heading to his own car.

"I told her you were only going to be a couple days and how you hated this place, apparently that read as 'he hates this place so he's gonna be even more of an asshole'." Getting in the car he tossed a stuffed animal out of the passenger seat and into the back.

[california_dreaming]

"Don't have the energy to be an asshole," Billy says. "I want to get some sleep, you know? And I gotta spend hours with Susan tomorrow to cook."

Because lasagna takes a lot of time.

[crawlingbackwards]

"You definitely need it then." Steve chuckles, starting up his car and for the third time that night he made his way out and into town. Only to then this time head in a different direction. One he hadn't had a reason to be in a while.

"Hey, pick a station would ya? Or I think one of Eddie's tapes is still in." Anything to help distract Billy from where they were going to pass.

[california_dreaming]

Tapes? Fuck yeah. Billy has no problem with getting some Corroded Coffin playing.

"So, Steve Harrington and a rock star. Who fucking would have thought."

In fact, he's grinning to himself at it.

"He as creative in bed as other rockstars?"

[crawlingbackwards]

Steve can't help but laugh.

"Creative is one way to put it." Tapping to the drum beat, Steve focused on the road. He remembered watching Gareth at practice and how he'd play the drums. "Let's just say, that black bandana he has in his pocket isn't just for style."

Steve hadn't been as into some of the stuff, but the good thing about Eddie was that he was understanding and a lot more respectful of Steve's boundaries than some he'd met at bars. He definitely could have done worse for the first guy he had been with. Much worse.

[california_dreaming]

"Damn man," Billy laughs. "Who woulda thought? ANd you hit that?"

Fuck, Billy is actually impressed there.

"Never would have thought you'd be into that sorta stuff."

[crawlingbackwards]

"Yes and no. I mean don't get me wrong, some of it wasn't so bad but...I wasn't as into the scene as Eddie." Definitely some of it was actually pretty therapeutic in a way.

"But luckily, Eddie was really good at listening and making sure I was okay with things. He didn't push when I said no to something."