I'm looking forward to it, really. My old man's a prick. [ He takes a nice, long drink at that. ] Aren't they all?
[ No, they're certainly not - especially not in the way that Billy's dad was, but he's always looking for ways to downplay his home life. The thought that he might be unfortunate or a victim of anything didn't fit with his tough guy image. ]
Come to think of it, I dunno how I'd get my car to Hawaii, so probably not there. [ He shrugs. ] I just heard the beaches were nice. [ Which shows how much thought he's actually put into this: almost none. He's going to get kicked out of the house soon and his plan will be 'I'll just do whatever, I guess' and he isn't even terribly concerned about that. ]
Yeah. [ Steve agrees quietly, and while he might not know the details, he thinks they probably mean that in different ways. Billy's dad used aggression - Steve's used indifference. That was the rub of it, though - you kind of couldn't help but be a victim of your parents, no matter who you were. The difficult part was growing up to not be like them. ]
Don't they have like, boats and shit for that? [ Don't look at him, he's not pretending to be an expert. Steve watches Billy for a long second before looking out towards the forest, the dark shadows and distant town lights, all the way past the trees. ] S'a nice car.
[ Probably the closest thing to a compliment Steve's ever paid Billy, really. Maybe he'll be too drunk to remember by the end of the night. ]
Wasn't really planning on paying to use a boat. [ Because he has next to no money as it is. The spare change he got was used on booze and cigarettes and hair products and not much else.
He smiles at the compliment - probably the most genuine smile he's ever given Steve. He's proud of his car. ] Yeah, it really is. [ He takes another sip. ] Way better than yours.
[ Just in case Steve was starting to forget that he was talking to an asshole. ]
How much could a boat cost, anyway? [There is such a thing as saving for something you wanted. Depends on how badly you wanted it, but. That's why people had jobs and shit, right?
A smile seems weird on Billy. A smile that doesn't preclude something rude, anyway. All things considered, the remark that does follow is pretty mild, and Steve snorts, taking another swig of his beer in response.]
Yeah, yeah, sure. [Billy knows more about cars than he does, anyway.] Got you beat on the hair, though.
Easy for you to say. [ Billy wouldn't consider his family poor, but they certainly weren't well off. Just barely scraping into the middle class.
Steve, on the other hand, was absolutely loaded. Billy didn't particularly envy it. Aside from his car, he didn't care for possessions that much, and he wouldn't want the pressure to live up to his family name.
He snorts at the last comment. ] You think so, huh? Dream on, Harrington. [ He flips his hair behind his shoulders with s switch of his hand.
Actually, Steve's right. He's got the best hair Billy has ever seen, not that he'll say that to his face. Billy is proud of his own hair, too, but it isn't as impressive. ]
[That gets Steve to pause, for a second. Maybe the most ignorant part of Steve's statement is the fact that he meant it, genuinely, that he doesn't know how to even begin guesstimating on how much moving a car via boat would cost.
But it's embarrassing, how dumb he can be sometimes, like he really is just an airhead, so he doesn't say any of that.] Yeah, maybe it is.
[Steve raises an eyebrow, smirk slowly creeping onto his features, and takes a swig of beer to hide it.] You've got potential, but you're missing the volume.
[Billy's got damn good reason to be cocky about his own hair, though, because aside from the initial reaction of incoming swaggering douchecanoe, Steve distinctly remembers begrudgingly admiring the veritable mane Billy had cultivated.]
[ Billy doesn't care if Steve's a bit of an airhead, mostly because he's not the smartest guy, either. ]
Volume? Pfft. It's all about style. [ He runs his fingers through his own hair, trying to fluff it up a bit. ] In a few years this'll be long enough for some serious headbanging. [ Yeah, just imagine Billy with hair down his back like all of his favorite rock stars.
He goes to take another drink, but he stops. Hesitates. Was he really out here with Steve Harrington, talking and laughing and enjoying himself like they weren't enemies?
He misses having someone to joke around with like that. He hasn't made any friends in Hawkins. But he can't help but question Steve's motives a little. ] Nothing better do to on a weekend than hang out with the guy who beat your face in, huh?
[Well, Billy would be the first, then. Nancy's wonderful, but Steve can sense her irritation - and he doesn't really think Jonathan's thought that much of him to begin with.
Dustin and the rest of the kids, though, they look at him like he knows what he's talking about (even if they're also willing to call him on his bullshit). It won't last forever, sue him for enjoying it while it does.] Yeah? What, you a big Motörhead fan?
You've got to achieve a balance. [Steve shakes his head, and to his credit, his bangs brush neatly over his eyes as he does so. Billy's hair is curlier, for sure, but Steve's has an artful wave to it, and definitely no lack in volume.
Steve sighs at the question, because while the words sound like they're meant to needle him, Billy's tone lacks the usual bite.] Not really, I guess.
You know you didn't have to do that, right? [They haven't talked about it - they don't talk about anything, actually, Steve and Billy. Steve's not sure what Max told her brother, if she bothered with a cover at all, but they both know Billy's accusations were full of shit from the beginning, so.] I don't give a shit if you want the homecoming crown, or whatever. Take it.
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[ No, they're certainly not - especially not in the way that Billy's dad was, but he's always looking for ways to downplay his home life. The thought that he might be unfortunate or a victim of anything didn't fit with his tough guy image. ]
Come to think of it, I dunno how I'd get my car to Hawaii, so probably not there. [ He shrugs. ] I just heard the beaches were nice. [ Which shows how much thought he's actually put into this: almost none. He's going to get kicked out of the house soon and his plan will be 'I'll just do whatever, I guess' and he isn't even terribly concerned about that. ]
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Don't they have like, boats and shit for that? [ Don't look at him, he's not pretending to be an expert. Steve watches Billy for a long second before looking out towards the forest, the dark shadows and distant town lights, all the way past the trees. ] S'a nice car.
[ Probably the closest thing to a compliment Steve's ever paid Billy, really. Maybe he'll be too drunk to remember by the end of the night. ]
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He smiles at the compliment - probably the most genuine smile he's ever given Steve. He's proud of his car. ] Yeah, it really is. [ He takes another sip. ] Way better than yours.
[ Just in case Steve was starting to forget that he was talking to an asshole. ]
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A smile seems weird on Billy. A smile that doesn't preclude something rude, anyway. All things considered, the remark that does follow is pretty mild, and Steve snorts, taking another swig of his beer in response.]
Yeah, yeah, sure. [Billy knows more about cars than he does, anyway.] Got you beat on the hair, though.
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Steve, on the other hand, was absolutely loaded. Billy didn't particularly envy it. Aside from his car, he didn't care for possessions that much, and he wouldn't want the pressure to live up to his family name.
He snorts at the last comment. ] You think so, huh? Dream on, Harrington. [ He flips his hair behind his shoulders with s switch of his hand.
Actually, Steve's right. He's got the best hair Billy has ever seen, not that he'll say that to his face. Billy is proud of his own hair, too, but it isn't as impressive. ]
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But it's embarrassing, how dumb he can be sometimes, like he really is just an airhead, so he doesn't say any of that.] Yeah, maybe it is.
[Steve raises an eyebrow, smirk slowly creeping onto his features, and takes a swig of beer to hide it.] You've got potential, but you're missing the volume.
[Billy's got damn good reason to be cocky about his own hair, though, because aside from the initial reaction of incoming swaggering douchecanoe, Steve distinctly remembers begrudgingly admiring the veritable mane Billy had cultivated.]
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Volume? Pfft. It's all about style. [ He runs his fingers through his own hair, trying to fluff it up a bit. ] In a few years this'll be long enough for some serious headbanging. [ Yeah, just imagine Billy with hair down his back like all of his favorite rock stars.
He goes to take another drink, but he stops. Hesitates. Was he really out here with Steve Harrington, talking and laughing and enjoying himself like they weren't enemies?
He misses having someone to joke around with like that. He hasn't made any friends in Hawkins. But he can't help but question Steve's motives a little. ] Nothing better do to on a weekend than hang out with the guy who beat your face in, huh?
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Dustin and the rest of the kids, though, they look at him like he knows what he's talking about (even if they're also willing to call him on his bullshit). It won't last forever, sue him for enjoying it while it does.] Yeah? What, you a big Motörhead fan?
You've got to achieve a balance. [Steve shakes his head, and to his credit, his bangs brush neatly over his eyes as he does so. Billy's hair is curlier, for sure, but Steve's has an artful wave to it, and definitely no lack in volume.
Steve sighs at the question, because while the words sound like they're meant to needle him, Billy's tone lacks the usual bite.] Not really, I guess.
You know you didn't have to do that, right? [They haven't talked about it - they don't talk about anything, actually, Steve and Billy. Steve's not sure what Max told her brother, if she bothered with a cover at all, but they both know Billy's accusations were full of shit from the beginning, so.] I don't give a shit if you want the homecoming crown, or whatever. Take it.