Fallout || Stranger Things [2]

seventeen || seattle and snow

The Seattle International Airport, decorated to the nines in bright lights and trees, was an unforgiving place, especially to first time flyers.

And Billy Hargrove was just that.

Even when they moved from California the Hargroves had decided to drive, but with snow covering most of the nation on the cusp of Christmas, he had no choice but to climb aboard a steel trap rushing through the sky and leave Indiana behind for two weeks for the Pacific Northwest.

Although he had played down his feelings about the trip on the drive with Steve to the airport in the morning, he was more excited than he cared to admit.

In actuality, he had been looking forward to his trip to Washington the entire semester. Although Jordan called on a semi-regular basis to check in on him, it wasn't the same as getting coffee with him twice a week for the entire summer. As much as he hated going to Hawkins and risking seeing his father, he knew he would've frequented the city more often if the Rivers' hadn't left town.

But with the excitement of seeing Jordan and Elena again came the dread of being with Tatum's family without her.

Billy stopped under a slew of red and gold lights, craning his head around to both sides as he readjusted the duffle bag slung over his shoulder. "Uh..." Squinting at a nearby sign, his boots scuffed the ground to turn direction, finally discovering the right way out of the airport terminal. He weeded his way through the bustling corridor down to the arrivals, dozens of families reuniting as he sought out a familiar face.

"Billy!"

The college freshman skidded to a stop, brows raising as he tipped his head over his shoulder. A grin broke out of his face as he spotted Jordan headed his way through the sea of people. "Jordan," he greeted warmly, pulled into a hug as soon as the author was in reach.

"How the hell are you, kid?" Jordan asked, clapping a hand on his back before releasing him. He was dressed in a relaxed suit, his classic businessman style slowly being pulled away by the PNW. "Let me take that." He snaked the duffle from Billy's shoulder, hauling it over his own. "You have any more luggage?"

"I packed light," he replied, left with only a backpack over his shoulders.

Jordan tipped his head to the side, taking the lead out of the bustling arrival terminal. "Flight go okay?"

Billy shrugged mildly, following at Jordan's side. "I don't have anything to compare it to, but it wasn't awful. I did feel like a sardine after a couple hours. I don't know how you do international flights."

"Alcohol," Jordan replied with a grin, pushing through the exit doors out into the frosty Seattle afternoon. "Lots of alcohol."

The two made their way to the Mustang in the parking garage, the still running engine offering warmth to combat the winter chill.

"Hey, I've got this for you," Jordan said once the two were inside, flipping open the center console and clicking his seatbelt into place. He produced a navy-blue rectangle bearing the United States emblem and held it out to Billy.

Billy's brows furrowed, taking the slim collection of pages. "A passport?" he asked, filing through them. "Like...a passport, passport?"

"Yeah." Jordan paused, evaluating the expression on Billy's face. "Did...did we not talk about getting you one?"

"Not that I can remember," he replied, turning the document over in his hands.

Jordan hummed in slight concern. "There was a note on my desk about it." He shrugged after a moment. "Well, now you have one. Maybe you can come with us if we go see Elena's family. We're not sure how to explain Nina away, but she's been pestering to go see it."