Roomies {Harringrove}

Years Later

A year after they get together and two and three and five, Steve Harrington is still telling Billy Hagrove that he's more than happy without a ring on his finger. Billy holds onto hope because the lgbt community is fighting back but Steve gives him gentle kisses every time he frets over it. Their love is and will always be enough. Marriage between two men seems so far off from being possible, what with the crackdown on people like them that swarmed with the AIDS crisis. He can remember how tasking it was alone to finally come out to all the people he cares about.

Of course, none of them saw it as a big deal. They'd all already guessed something was going on by the way Billy and Steve always act around each other, even in public, unable to completely hide how utterly smitten they are. Dustin jokingly began to list a number of guys Steve could've chosen instead of the big brainless lug that is Billy Hagrove. In return, the blonde placed a smile on his face and tried not to imagine snapping the neck of his boyfriend's little brother and child.

"Hmm... Eddie Munson? He's cute and all but I have much better people to do."

"You... Mean things, right?"

"Sure."

"That's right, baby." And then he swooped in with a kiss to seal the deal. No one gets to touch but him; him alone. Dustin, meanwhile, screeched in disgust and ran for his life. Billy's triumph doubled instantly.

He's getting some acting roles while working at the diner and Steve is happily engaged in a job teaching kids. He's still getting therapy; both of them are and Billy constantly thinks he isn't doing enough but there's always reassurance on his boyfriend's end. He just really, really wishes he could buy him a ring and Steve just really, really wishes Billy could see that they don't need that.

"Just you and me. Let that be enough."

"I know, baby, I just-"

"Shh. Happy five years, you silly Billy goat. Now kiss me, you fool."

Billy's sister gets married before them, in their relationship's eigth year. It's a lovely little ceremony. Billy walks her down the aisle where she devotes herself to Lucas Sinclair, then turns to Jane Hopper and exchanges "I do"s with her as well. Legally, she's only bound to Lucas despite keeping her surname but in their hearts, there's so much more. No one understood the dynamics at first, especially not Billy but it's simple. Lucas and Jane love her and she loves both of them. Billy smiles a bit, remembering how she'd called upon Robin to help her explain, leading to a lecture about the history of polyamory across the world that he'd had to sit silently through, getting through her speedy rambling only by the touch of his lover's hand.

He and Steve make out in the closet and he again asks Steve to be his husband. He whispers it over and over with every breath between their lips because he wants it so bad and Steve knows, he wants it too, as much as he tries not to dwell on impossible things. So he accepts, teary-eyed and drunk and they dance the night with pretend rings moulded from the muselets of champagne bottles.

Maybe his sister and her partners couldn't have afforded this much all on their own but Billy is there to provide. He's landed a pretty good role and he's always wanted to take care of her, better than her mother ever could. It takes out a chunk of his savings but what does he care? She's happy in love and so is he.

One good role leads to more and soon, Billy is getting noticed. He wins an award for his acting and Steve is there at his side the whole time, refusing to follow him to any more premiers and award ceremonies afterwards as his career soars to avoid any suspicion. He can't show his partner off but this is fine. He can live like this. It's all he's ever wanted, right? To be loved and adored... But Steve's is the presence he wants more than anything else.