Harringrove Ao3 Favorites Part 2

ask me to (stay)

Triggers/Warnings: N/A

Author: hoppnhorn

Author's Summary: But Billy looks up at him with an expression that makes Steve shudder. It's angry, sure, but there's something else under the surface. Something cold.

"You got something to say?" He snarls.
Steve sits up, his heart racing and his face hot. He can't help but respond to Billy; he's never been able to resist.
They fight, they fuck, and it's all because they can't seem to get enough.

Tommy has a thing about starting conversations that Steve really just, doesn't want to get into. And one of those times, it just so happens that Billy is in a chatty mood.

Chattier than his usual eye-rolls and grunts of irritation.

Sometimes Steve can't tell if Billy hates Tommy or simply can't stand the topic conversation. But they still show up to these stupid end-of-summer things because Billy mentions them, so Steve sort of assumed that Billy wants to go .

But now he wishes he'd ducked this one out because the conversation of monogamy comes up when Carol swoops in, kisses Tommy soundly on the lips and calls him "husband" and Tommy says "my girl" and it's pretty dumb . It's annoying how gaga they are for each other when they're only fresh out of highschool; it's not like Tommy is going to marry her that spring.

Or maybe he will.

But before it can get much further along, Billy is launching into a tirad that begins with, "Monogamy is fucking stupid."

And Steve feels his stomach shrivel to dust.

Ash probably.

He feels like he's swallowed hot coals as Billy rants about freedom and human nature and whatever bullshit he's spouting to declare that humans weren't meant to stay with one person. That they should be free to have as many partners as they please.

Steve can't fucking think as he stares down at the beer in his hand.

It's not like he'd expect Billy to put a ring on it, but. They've been whatever since the end of senior year and it's been a few months. He'd assumed that it wasn't just.

Nothing.

"So it's gonna be something new every night huh?" Tommy says loudly, his eyes sparkling with something between envy and maybe laughter. Like he can't imagine how long that would last in a place like Hawkins. There's only so many choices.

"Worked out just fine back in Cali." Billy says with a snort, pulling out a cigarette to light with a stupid flick of his wrist. Big shot California boy. He never lets anyone forget it, even though he's lived in Indiana almost a full year now. "When I get back there, it'll be back to business as usual."

Steve knows that it's really dramatic of him to feel like his soul is being crushed in half by the words being exchanged between drunk morons, but he can actually feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, burning behind his nose.

"I gotta piss." He mutters as he stands, practically runs from the couch they'd all been sharing. There's no line for the bathroom but he doesn't really check as he rounds the corner and starts out the front door.

It's late enough that no one will notice, probably. They'll just think he passed out somewhere.

A few hours later, he's basically asleep when he hears the window opening in his room.