ic inbox;

[driving]

[text, voice, or video]

Comments

first, hell yea, also text, un: jackkline

[sinnabon]

Hey Billy, it's Jack.

I'm not sure if the Fluids will work in the Great Sleep, and I know it'll probably get dangerous, so I wanted to let you know there's another way you can reach me if you get into trouble and need some help.

It's kind of weird, but since I'm part angel, I can hear prayers? It doesn't have to be anything special, you can even say "Jack, get over here" and that works. Just start talking out loud and say my name like you're trying to talk to me. I'll hear it and teleport straight to you.

[driving]

part angel
what
that church shit is real??

[ He's very confused about that but now might not be the best time to ask. ]

okay i'll keep that in mind
i guess i've got your back, too. i can hear you if you yell really loud and i'm not too far away.

[ You know, just like everyone else. ]

text; un: high.king

[endlessflask]

Steve Harrington. are you into him or not

[driving]

WHAT
oh my god
why would you ask me that
fuck off
that's disgusting
that's the worst thing i've EVER heard
you're the high king of shit ideas that's what you are
god
steve harrington is the WORST
do you wanna fight me is that it
we can fight right now

[ 'The lady doth protest too much, methinks'. In other words: that's a big old yes because he's clearly prepared some responses to this exact question and instead of just saying 'no' like a normal person, has spilled out every single one of them back to back without giving Eliot a chance to respond. ]

LIKE TWO WEEKS AFTER THE GAMES START

[acidwashjeans]

you doing okay

[ whether he's seen billy around or not, this is a text he's been hovering on sending for the past two weeks. anytime he stops doing something his thoughts just start kicking in stressed and paranoid circles. he's not sure where mike or will are right now and he's pretty sure he's going to go crazy if he just keeps doing nothing ]

[driving]

is any of this "okay"

[ Ugh and that's just going to make Steve fuss even more. ]

i'm alive and not injured

ACTION yes hi

[acidwashjeans]

[ the bathroom is freezing, so even though steve feels like shit after that conversation he's quick to get back in bed where (he hopes) billy is fast asleep ]

[driving]

[ Billy is NOT asleep, and he was definitely eavesdropping. He rolls over, nuzzling Steve's neck.

He's trying to keep Eliot's words in mind. Steve needs some time to grieve without being made to feel guilty about it, even if Billy wants to act like he's not dead and nothing's wrong. ]

I'm really glad I'm here with you.

whenever billy's gone over to mickey's

[acidwashjeans]

hey im home

have you already started at the rec center? didn't think you were working today

[driving]

42 crimson drive
come get me


please

[ Billy rarely ever says please, so this must be something serious. He won't be loitering around in front of Mickey's house until Steve picks him up, he'll just slowly walk down the street with his hands in his soaking wet pockets. ]

**special delivery**

[endlessflask]

[ Left outside Billy's door is a small, wooden crate filled with a variety of things. First, a few bottles of homemade eggnog (careful, it’s boozy!). There is also a bundle of cinnamon sticks and whole nutmeg, attached to a tiny grater so you can add fresh spices to your festive drink. Tucked away in the crate is also a festive tin, filled with a variety of holiday cookies - shortbread, gingerbread, and sugar cookies.

It’s not all just food and drink. Safely concealed in a small, cloth bag, is a charm, along with a note: wear me for a little extra warmth!. And, just for Billy, there's a carton of his favourite cigarettes.

A tag attached to the crate simply says: Happy holidays, from Q & Eliot.. ]

merry crisis

[4thwaller]

[ Under the Harrington household's xmas tree or whatever the fuck they have going on, is a gift addressed to Billy from a Wade. Inside it are car dice and if Billy happens to wander out to his car to affix them or just y'know to do normal things, he'll realise someone has broken into it too (if stealing car keys and then leaving them in the kitchen when he was done with them counts as "breaking"). Inside his car, are these horrifying things and these. Enjoy!!!

Upon closer inspection it all seems to be home-made with little Deadpool mask'd washing tags and no cars were harmed in the making of said Christmas gift prank. ]

merry chrysler;

[sscuriosity]

[a nice whistle on a leather band for his stupid job as a lifeguard wrapped in a small box with tissue paper.

the card says warm wishes.]

a gift??? suspicious

[deadboywalking]

[will was surprised too, okay, but he couldn't just get gifts for everyone in casa de harrington and leave out billy. in fact, he went so far as to make a gift -- handpainting a lighter with his tiniest paintbrush and everything. billy's from california, there's waves there, right?]

crimmus

[sinnabon]

[ jack's a practical gifter, and what he wants most for his friends and loved ones in deerington is safety and security. he can't be around all the time to protect everyone, and there's so many supernatural threats abound. so, for the week leading up to christmas, jack goes on a scavenger hunt for all the silver he can find in the city and the junk yard, and on christmas eve, he locks himself in his room and starts to transmute things.

though exhausted the next day, he still makes his way around town, leaving gifts for his friends. for billy, jack's left him an ornate weapon with a silver blade, left with a note explaining the silver is effective against a wide range of supernatural creatures, and warning to always keep it close.

not the most heartwarming gift, but hopefully useful, and that's his aim. merry christmas!! ]

christmas

[capturethemoment]

[ A book on how to play guitar, because of their network conversation
He also found a KISS guitar tab book ]

Christmas eve

[laminae]

[In an attempt to enthusiastically celebrate his first ever Christmas, Fern is covertly dropping off a wrapped gift addressed to Billy from him on his doorstep.

It's a butterfly knife!

Because of course Fern would assume a knife makes a good holiday gift.]

12/25.

[micycle]

[Under the tree is one bottle of whiskey with a bow and a gift tag.

On further inspection, Billy will find that it's actually his own bottle from the cupboard. But now he has a bow.]

yes hello i am here for some more titanic AU

[acidwashjeans]

[ Despite the knowing looks all his friends are giving him, Steve is steadfastly refusing to admit there's anything between him and Hargrove from third class. Just because Ian's apparently found his soulmate doesn't mean Steve has.

Steve's just... enjoying the last of his freedom before they land and he's married away for the family business. And Billy Hargrove is turning out to be an all right type of guy, even if he is covered in dirt all the time.

Speaking of which, he's slipped the guy a note to meet him at the service stairs closest to Steve's suite. His dad forked out half a fortune for them, on the off chance he and Mrs Harrington would be joining Steve. They didn't, so he's had the whole place (three bedrooms, four bathrooms, three sitting rooms, two dressing rooms, a private section of the deck) all to himself.

At the set time, Steve's waiting at the door-- having sent the attendant away to get him something. He's there and ready to whisk Billy down the corridor to his room.

If Billy shows up, that is.]

[driving]

[ Billy shows up on time (well, mostly) with an empty box tucked under one arm so he can pretend he's delivering something and avoid getting the stink-eye from anyone who thinks he doesn't belong on this floor.

He sees Steve and smiles. ] Package for Mr. Harrington?

[ There is a package for Mr. Harrington, but it's not in the box. Billy's still covered in a layer of coal dust from the day's work, as much as he tried to wipe his face off. The showers in third class are flaky at best. ]

A C T I O N

[acidwashjeans]

[ It's been a crazy week.

The ship sinking-- and not just sinking but getting taken over with monsters, washing up on a lighthouse and finding a whole underwater city that's falling apart. Getting back all his memories, finding out that Mike's dead and Nancy's gone, having weird dreams about monsters chewing on his neck, scrounging for literally anything to keep them alive, going over a week without putting anything in his hair, worrying constantly about the kids--

Steve's had time to see Billy, to hang out with him, to be around each other while they get things done or scrounge for supplies. But there hasn't really been time to just be together for a few hours.

So Steve's got a babysitter (thanks Wade and Peter) and found some rooms in the hotel a few floors up that aren't too destroyed or filled with crap. There's only one door in, so in case the crazy mask-people show up they can keep themselves safe.

He texts Billy the room number and lays out on the bed, watching a bunch of fish go lazily past the window. It's quiet and peaceful and he feels he could just about go to sleep while he waits for Billy to show up. ]

[driving]

[ Billy's had just about enough of this whole thing and, surprising even himself, finds himself missing Deerington. At least they had their own room and their own house. This place was just a shithole.

But he'll still take any time he can get with Steve, even if it's in some trashy abandoned hotel. ]

Falling asleep already, Harrington?

[ He saunters in, stretching his arms above his head and trying to take up as much space as he possibly can. These last two months have been a little lean for him and he's self-conscious that he's starting to lose some muscle definition. ]

text, un:harrington, misfiiiire

[acidwashjeans]

i swear to god if you aren't home before ten i'm going to ground your ass so hard

un: hargrove

[driving]

you're going to do what to my ass

do you mean 'pound'
you're going to pound my ass?
because sure, we can do that

un: klapbak (misfire)

[clussy]

dude you're like the peak definition of twink im pretty sure
i dont even wanna HEAR it

[driving]

[ wow he has left this kid alone for months and this is what he gets?

ok fine it's on ]

excuse you??
you are the second person to call me that and you're both fuckin WRONG
i'm way too buff to be a twink

un: gwenniefromtheblock

[variantcover]

[ It's just a link to a coupon for Manes on Main. Is it a misfire? Is she trying to tell Billy he needs a haircut? Who knows... ]

[driving]

why are you sending me this
i don't need a haircut
my hair rocks

misfired text; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

I think I'm just going to murder them all and be done with it.

[driving]

haha awesome



wait
who are you murdering

text, sometime between age swaps.

[micycle]

i need to ask you something

steve's lying
and i know you don't care about me enough to

[driving]

ok what is it

irl, yes hi hello, cw: sex

[acidwashjeans]

[ It isn't summer yet, but there's a promise of it in the warmth of the air across Steve's sweat-soaked skin.

He's glad, summer and everything it brings with it has always been his favourite time of year. Lounging by the pool, driving through town on long summer nights, finding places to park and fuck in the backseat of cars-- those aren't exactly things Deerington encourages, but the memory of them back in Hawkins means he's looking forward to it.

Not that he needs summer or a dark place to park right now. Somehow this nightmare town has set him up with both his own house and a boyfriend to fuck him completely brainless when he needs it. Thinking through that twist of fate is beyond him right now.

With a groan, Steve musters the little energy he has left he gropes around for Billy, pulling him in so he can kiss him. He's aiming for the mouth, but kissing whatever he gets his hands on is fine too.

All of Billy is pretty fucking fine. ]

God, I love you.

[driving]

[ Steve misses his mouth and kisses him on the jaw, but that's okay. Billy's still basking in the glow of...well, everything, and isn't in a position to criticize.

Nothing could make this better, he thinks. And then he's immediately proven wrong. ]

...you do?

[ Dazed as he is, Steve has his full attention now. He'd come to terms with the fact that Steve might not say 'I love you' as quickly as Billy would like him to, and that that doesn't mean that he doesn't love him...but it's sure nice to hear it.

He smiles, and despite the discoloration he's clearly blushing. ]

text; un: rbucks

[yourule]

hey you know how to like fight people right? with fists and stuff not words

[driving]

yeah i know how to fight with fists. why?

harrington already told me i can't start a fight club with the kids if that's why

christmas gift.

[micycle]

[It's not even wrapped, but the tag tied around its base with a ribbon unmistakably marks the novelty ashtray under the scraggly Christmas tree as belonging to Billy. Have a chuckle and enjoy.]

B E A C H 8D

[acidwashjeans]

[ it isn't the same beach as in that dreamworld (it's more dangerous) but there's something about being at a beach that puts steve more at ease than he's been since they arrived in the hotel

his hair's a mess, wet from days spent in the sun and salt water, and he's just doing his best not to think about it, but his normally pale skin's taken on a slight tan

he's still just as clingy as ever, though. as they explore down the beach, steve's making sure he sticks close to billy; holding his hand, keeping an arm around his waist, never going too far.

until he yelps in surprise and looks down, having stood on something hard ]

Shit! What was.... oh, hey. Look at this.

[ he reaches down to dig something out of the sand. it's an old toy racing car, the paint chipped but showing it was once red

just like steve's favourite toy car. ]