pretty boy like you // harringrove

19.

So much was running through Billy's head. There weren't any words for the debilitating fear that was running through his veins. He knew that Steve and Chloe knew what AIDS was. You'd have to, living in the time they were. But they hadn't seen it like Billy had. They hadn't seen the boys that had been used by the men at the bar they snuck into for the first time at fourteen, hadn't seen them get their diagnosis and be dead in two months, hadn't seen the men in their twenties sob outside the hospital with their partners just holding them and holding and holding and they didn't get into gay bars looking for a hookup and finding bartenders telling the stories of their dead.

They didn't know it like Billy did. He grabbed hold of Steve's hand and closed his eyes. He heard Chloe's soft cries next to him, and grabbed her hand as well. "Chloe, I'm so sorry."

"I don't... I thought it was just..."

"No, IV drug users get it from that. Gets in their blood."

"Fuck."

"Is Karen living with anyone right now? If she is, we need to talk about further treatment and what life will look like when she gets discharged."

"Yeah," Ronnie said, stepping forward. "That's me."

Ronnie left the group of them sitting in the corner, shellshocked.

☆☆☆☆☆

"Chloe?"

She let out a choked sob at Karen's voice. "Hey, babygirl."

"Can't believe I've got the HIV."

Chloe just ran a thumb over her cheek. "We'll make it work, yeah?"

"What?"

"I'm not, like, breaking it off with you - not that we're anything. I mean, unless you want to be. Like-"

"Chloe. We're a couple."

"Oh, okay, good, because, like, that would be really bad if we weren't, I kinda told everyone we were before I talked to you about it-"

"We were a couple. Not now. I can't do that to you. I love you, okay? I've loved you this whole goddamn time. I wish we had time to be together, but not now. Not with this." Karen couldn't meet her eyes but they were holding hands so tight it almost hurt.

"I don't care about this. Shit, we're already two girls - may as well add this on top of it. Whatever. I love you, too. This doesn't change that."

"But it's not fair. I talked to Billy about it before... people are dying everywhere. He knew a boy that got diagnosed and was dead in two weeks. I can't do that to you. I'm already a crackhead, I'm this close to dropping out, and now I have the fucking virus- it's not fair."

"Cutting me off isn't fair. We make this work, yeah?" Chloe pushed herself into Karen's space, lying down next to her. "We make us work. If Billy and Steve can stick together after all their shit then we can handle this. We have this."

"Chloe..."

"Don't. I'm not letting us go."

☆☆☆☆☆

"So, while Karen does have HIV, it hasn't progressed to full blown AIDS yet. There's no cure, but we can treat symptoms."

The nurse's voice droned on. All Ronnie could think of was the news stories, the dying, the dead. Karen was his baby. She didn't deserve this. No one deserved this.

"I'm sorry. I just... is there anything we can do? Treatment for the HIV, not the shit it causes?"

The nurse's face pinched up. "Yeah, I'm sorry, but there's not. There's been almost no research, and there's almost no funding. It's a full blown epidemic, but because of the communities it impacts - drug addicts, like your daughter, and gay men - the government just... doesn't care."

"Fuck. But it's not only gay people!"

"Yeah, I know that. I know a straight guy who got it and he was completely ostracized by everybody. But no one cares."

"It's bullshit."

The nurse, Brenda, according to her name tag, frowned again. "I know that. The people impacted know that. But try and get Reagan to give a shit." She looked a bit suprised at her own bitterness. "I'm sorry. That was unprofessional."

"Don't be sorry. It's refreshing to find someone else that doesn't kiss that dickhead's ass."

She smiled. She had warm eyes and a kind face. "Well, if you really don't mind me being unprofessional, could I get your name and number?"

"Hitting on a guy right after his daughter gets diagnosed with the HIV? Ballsy."

"Well, the worst you can do is say no. You don't seem like the type to report it."

"Well, I certainly won't do that."

"Your name and number, though?"

"Yeah, alright."

☆☆☆☆☆

"Billy, are you okay?" Steve asked. They were in the hospital bathroom. Billy was leaning against the sink. He looked like he could barely breathe.

"Yeah, fuck, Steve. I always thought... I mean, not in Hawkins. Like, Cali? Sure. We're all queers there. But here? This place felt... like it couldn't touch us here."

"Hey, baby, no. Karen's strong. She'll make it through."

Billy shook his head, tugged at his hair. "No. It doesn't... It's a death sentence. Karen's fucked, okay? She's screwed."

"We don't know that!"

"Shit, Steve! You don't know this like I do! You didn't see this like I did! I woke up every day and I checked the obits while I ate breakfast! My friends dying just became a normal part of everyday life and I thought when I moved here that was over but now Karen's sick and none of you understand!"

Steve flinched. "Billy, I'm sorry. I didn't..."

"None of you do."

"I know. But even if Karen doesn't make it, me and you and Chloe - we've got it. We stick together. And we help Kay as much as we can."

"Of course. I love you. I'm sorry I snapped."

"Baby, don't worry about it. I love you too."

☆☆☆☆☆

When Karen got home, everyone sat around Ronnie's kitchen table. Billy, Steve, Chloe, Nancy, Liz. Everyone important. Plus Hopper, who Karen had never met, but heard good things about. They were here for Billy. Ronnie's house had become a bit of a safe place for him. They had grown close, and they both had jobs at the same mechanic place.

"Billy, I need you to tell me about how your father treats your family." Hopper put his hands down on the table, looking deadly serious.

"I don't understand. Did something happen?" Just at that moment, Max walked in the door with Will and El.

"Max can explain."

"Billy, I'm sorry. Neil found out that my mom was leaving... he got so mad. I didn't know what to do. I thought he was gonna kill her! I called 911, I didn't know what else to do-"

"Maxine. It's okay. I'm glad you called them. Is your mom okay?"

"Yeah, she's pretty bruised up but she's okay. Staying in that apartment we found."

"Where's my dad?"

Hopper smiled. "Oh, he's in a jail cell at the station. We're holding him until Susan decides if she wants to press charges. But if we want anything we need your testimony, Billy."

"I don't..."

"If we charge him with domestic abuse, we can have everyone in this room testify against him. And it'll work. But Susan said she'd let you decide."

"Billy, please. We can finally get away from him. All of us."

Steve squeezed Billy's hand, and Billy inhaled shakily. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll testify."