[ As far as Billy was concerned, Steve absolutely still cared about his old title and was deep in denial about how much it hurt to see Billy take it away. What else could there be that was more important than High School social status?
You didn't become the King if you didn't care, and Billy can't even fathom the extent of what Steve's been through with monsters and other dimensions. His world is a small one, powered by fist fights and petty social games.
He finds a spot on the ground that is clear of trash and toilet paper and plunks himself down, setting the bag down beside him. Despite his earlier threats, if Steve wants to take a can he's not going to stop him. ]
I don't have anywhere else to go.
[ No relatives he was close to and no friends with jobs he could split a room with, even back in California. Billy'd chosen the lone wolf lifestyle and that left him without anyone to rely on but himself. A seventeen-year-old with no support network securing a job that can pay the bills wasn't easy. ]
[Steve bites his own tongue before he can correct Billy. Because he wouldn't understand, what the fuck would this asshole understand? Steve can barely remember when his biggest worries were about looking cool, and don't get him wrong - it's not like he suddenly stopped caring about his hair, his jeans. But people like Tommy, like Carol? Jesus, fuck that noise.
But maybe it shows on his face, how little it matters. Really, he'd much rather Billy take the title and stop being such a dick all the time. Steve feels too young to feel this tired.]
You know, I didn't give myself that nickname. [It's as much as Steve is going to say about it, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against a tree as they find somewhere to settle. The beer is only going to look more tempting the longer this conversation continues.
Now that - the admission from Billy, albeit a tipsy one - is unexpected, and Steve tries to keep his expression neutral, to stop his eyebrows flying up towards his hair.]
[ Unless people in Hawkins are just so nice that they give you flattering nicknames just for being alive. He doubts that, but he's not in the mood to push it any further than that. He's the new king, that's all that matters. ]
Then I'll get kicked out of the house, start driving, and see where I end up. [ That's about as much as Billy - tipsy or otherwise - is capable of planning for the future. He expects his dad'll kick him out sooner rather than later, but after that? He'll just go somewhere and see what happens. ]
[Steve snorts. Yeah, the one thing in his life he'd earned - and was it earned? Or was it because his parents were loaded and his punches were rough enough that nobody felt like risking their face was worth it? But Billy can take it. Steve had never really been holding on that hard.]
You really think they'd give you the boot? [Steve doesn't mean to sound skeptical, it's just - well, a much different situation than anything he'd have thought to expect.
Steve sets himself on the ground next to Billy, and hell, he'll grab one beer. Billy can chase him down for a fiver later.] You could go anywhere, where would it be? Family, money, all this shit doesn't matter. Where would you go?
I'll be more surprised if they don't. [ He wasn't going to college, and Neil Hargrove didn't exactly have high enough hopes for Billy that he'd keep supporting him after he turned eighteen. ]
Far from here. [ A fact that Steve would probably be happy to know: that he might not have to deal with Billy much longer. He longed to be back to spending his days on the beach, working on his already-fading tan and listening to music on his boombox with whoever was his current lover cradled at his side.
He took another sip of his beer. ] Back to California, probably. Maybe Hawaii.
[ooc: sorry my dear, graduated college and went on my senior trip, RL just jumped me in a back alley for a minute there!]
Shit. [The way Steve says it sounds more like a statement of fact than anything else, and he pops open the tab on the beer with a satisfying shhctk. He's not sure Billy's inclined to say anything else about it, and Steve's not looking to push his luck, so...he's just gonna leave it there, and take a swig of the beer.]
Hm, well. California's still continental. Hawaii's...pretty damn far. You ever been?
[Steve hasn't. His dad takes business trips and his mother...does whatever it is his mother does (drinks on the beach, mostly), but Steve doesn't typically go.
He wonders if they might have gotten along, back when Steve was more of an asshole (he's still an asshole, just maybe trying a little harder) and Billy was happier. Or maybe not, Steve's not going to try and puzzle that one out at midnight on a Sunday.]
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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[ As far as Billy was concerned, Steve absolutely still cared about his old title and was deep in denial about how much it hurt to see Billy take it away. What else could there be that was more important than High School social status?
You didn't become the King if you didn't care, and Billy can't even fathom the extent of what Steve's been through with monsters and other dimensions. His world is a small one, powered by fist fights and petty social games.
He finds a spot on the ground that is clear of trash and toilet paper and plunks himself down, setting the bag down beside him. Despite his earlier threats, if Steve wants to take a can he's not going to stop him. ]
I don't have anywhere else to go.
[ No relatives he was close to and no friends with jobs he could split a room with, even back in California. Billy'd chosen the lone wolf lifestyle and that left him without anyone to rely on but himself. A seventeen-year-old with no support network securing a job that can pay the bills wasn't easy. ]
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But maybe it shows on his face, how little it matters. Really, he'd much rather Billy take the title and stop being such a dick all the time. Steve feels too young to feel this tired.]
You know, I didn't give myself that nickname. [It's as much as Steve is going to say about it, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against a tree as they find somewhere to settle. The beer is only going to look more tempting the longer this conversation continues.
Now that - the admission from Billy, albeit a tipsy one - is unexpected, and Steve tries to keep his expression neutral, to stop his eyebrows flying up towards his hair.]
So what's your play? Stay here and then - what?
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[ Unless people in Hawkins are just so nice that they give you flattering nicknames just for being alive. He doubts that, but he's not in the mood to push it any further than that. He's the new king, that's all that matters. ]
Then I'll get kicked out of the house, start driving, and see where I end up. [ That's about as much as Billy - tipsy or otherwise - is capable of planning for the future. He expects his dad'll kick him out sooner rather than later, but after that? He'll just go somewhere and see what happens. ]
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You really think they'd give you the boot? [Steve doesn't mean to sound skeptical, it's just - well, a much different situation than anything he'd have thought to expect.
Steve sets himself on the ground next to Billy, and hell, he'll grab one beer. Billy can chase him down for a fiver later.] You could go anywhere, where would it be? Family, money, all this shit doesn't matter. Where would you go?
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Far from here. [ A fact that Steve would probably be happy to know: that he might not have to deal with Billy much longer. He longed to be back to spending his days on the beach, working on his already-fading tan and listening to music on his boombox with whoever was his current lover cradled at his side.
He took another sip of his beer. ] Back to California, probably. Maybe Hawaii.
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Shit. [The way Steve says it sounds more like a statement of fact than anything else, and he pops open the tab on the beer with a satisfying shhctk. He's not sure Billy's inclined to say anything else about it, and Steve's not looking to push his luck, so...he's just gonna leave it there, and take a swig of the beer.]
Hm, well. California's still continental. Hawaii's...pretty damn far. You ever been?
[Steve hasn't. His dad takes business trips and his mother...does whatever it is his mother does (drinks on the beach, mostly), but Steve doesn't typically go.
He wonders if they might have gotten along, back when Steve was more of an asshole (he's still an asshole, just maybe trying a little harder) and Billy was happier. Or maybe not, Steve's not going to try and puzzle that one out at midnight on a Sunday.]
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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.