#hairoic

it had been a long year. then again, the last few years had all been hard when she was honest. coming back to the normal side after her demogorgon attack -- the upside down haunted her in ways few could understand. perhaps will was the only one that truly did. but this year, they'd learn about henry. or vecna -- 001. max was still in a coma, and barb was afraid they might never get her back. and with hawkins split in to and the military here trying to hide what was actually happening, barb was still here. not at indiana state. and maybe that's why tonight she'd chosen to drink. not like she was new to it now. but old her would have been surprised. it was only two long island ice teas, but it was enough that her heart raised a little extra when steve forgot personal space. they've all gathered tonight at the WSQK station to watch the ball drop. it was robins idea, and barb hadn't minded a party for once. if you could call this a party. but as the ball counted down, slowly dropping them into a new year, barb got an urge she'd never had before. maybe it was because steve was rambling. or maybe she just needed to feel something. but barb turned to him, scanned to make sure everyone's eyes were on the tv -- and then she kissed him. soft, testing almost. she didn't force it, if he wanted to stop, he could easily move away. but wow -- steve's lips really were soft.

A FAMILIAR , LOW VOICE RIGHT NEXT TO HIS EAR ; good timing , too , considering that he's this close to falling asleep in class ( again ) . Tommy easily tips back his chair , backrest almost touching Billy's desk behind him to hear him a little better . green eyes land on Steve three rows ahead - pass it on . Tommy squints . " what , write it on a piece of paper and hand it around ? what are you , some fifth grader ? " he , instead , steals a pen from Billy's desk , aims , and flings the damn thing at the back of Steve's head .

Her breath hitches at the sound of her son's voice - sounding so small from underneath the covers, but she turns around with a brave face and smiles at him reassuringly. "I'm just gonna get some ice, honey, I'll be right back. I promise."

With one more look at his bruised face, she turns back away from him and then beelines it to the kitchen to open the freezer and start rummaging through the frozen meats in order to find the ice pack. "Come on," she groans in desperation when she can't immediately find it, fighting the tears from the overwhelming fear and worry that had nearly knocked her off her feet when she'd seen the state of her son.

"I'm here," she calls out only a few seconds later, ice pack and kitchen towel in hand and practically jumping up the stairs to make it back up to his bedroom in no time. "I'm here," she then repeats, quieter, while she walks over to his bed and carefully sits down by his side. Gently, carefully, she moves the hair from his face, her own contorted into concern, and she softly places the ice pack over the side of his face that's most badly bruised. "Is that okay?" she then whispers after a moment, making sure she's not pushing it down too hard.

They sit in silence for a moment, him propped up against some pillows with his face all black and blue, and her, holding up the ice pack and continuously stroking his soft hair away from his eyes. But finally, after a while, her gaze falls from his hair down to look at him, and she drops one hand on top of his to give it gentle squeeze before she speaks. "What happened to you, baby?" Pause. "Whatever it is – you can tell me. You know that, right?" And then, just in case it was keeping him from saying something, she added, "and we don't have to tell your father, if you don't want me to. I promise."

whatever strength max still retained was not enough to keep away the matching grin she donned.      last time she had seen steve , they had been in that smelly rv outside the creel house reading to go mono - e - mono with the monster himself.      eighteen months now felt like years looking at the guy before her.      

Tommy hadn’t really thought it through much, to be honest. He was just jealous… jealous of Steve’s new happy life with his goody-two-shoes friends, all spending time with each other. Meanwhile Carol had dipped, his relationship with his father was dangerously on the rocks, and his stupid crush on the best friend who’d walked out on him was still going strong. He was still frustratingly handsome. All long and lean, with his hair floppy and cute in a way that made him want to grab it and yank.

Something in Steve’s eyes shifted, and Tommy’s brows pulled together as he looked him over. He recognized that look. That was the look Steve would get anytime he was challenged on the court. The look that said he was about to do something stupid, like...

Tommy froze, eyes going wide and breath hitching as Steve moved closer with a smirk. No. No fucking way was he about to-

Steve gripped his shirt and yanked him forward. Tommy made a startled sound that was muffled by Steve’s lips pressing to his. Sparks went through him from his fingers to his toes, and Tommy fucking moaned. Startled, soft- and undeniably wanting.

Years. He’d been wanting to know what Steve’s lips felt like for years, and he was not at all disappointed. Steve's lips were soft and firm and warm and wonderful... but all he could think about was how scared he was. Of his father, of his life... of the fact that Steve wasn't kissing him because he wanted to. Not really. Not the way Tommy wanted him to want to. The way he knew he never would. His cheeks burned with humiliation; screaming somewhere in the back of his mind demanding he shove Steve away, maybe hit him until he forgot all about that moan. And he did.

Shove him, at least. Tommy shoved him back against the wall, crowding close as he kissed him back with a ferocity- a dam he'd spent his entire life building and patching over and over finally having given way. If he was going down for this shit, he might as well have some fun while he burned, right? Fuck you, Steve… fuck you! He practically growled into the kiss, fingers tangling in Steve’s hair. If he was going to be wrecked by the end of this, then so would Steve.

Billy stood there, arms crossed, a wary look etched onto his face. His hair was shorter now, the curls every woman here enjoyed gone-- shaved off during his time at the prison, and the tiredness around his eyes was hard to ignore. The group — Steve, Dustin, Lucas, and the rest — stared back at him, unsure how to react. Billy didn't blame them. What do you say to someone who was presumed dead?

After all that happened, it felt surreal to be back, but when Hopper left him at the given address, he was surprised to learn that his dad, nor his step-mom lived there anymore. So what the hell happened? This is why he was at the gymnasium, a rehabilitation of sorts for those that needed help with all that they had lost. Many called this an earthquake, but Billy knew better. And the group of kids he was looking at knew better too.

However, standing there and just staring wasn't going to help. So he slowly walked up to Steve, or far enough to where Steve would walk up to him. He couldn't face Lucas - not yet, not until he learned the truth of what happened to Max and his dad. Where did they go?

Billy’s posture stiffened when he saw Steve meet him halfway. “Look, Harrington, I’m not looking for a fight.” His tone was low, controlled even, but quick enough to call a truce before all shit hit the fan. “I just… I need to talk to Max. Something happened, and I have to know she's okay. Even Susan.”

The tension hung in the air, thick and almost tangible. In that brief moment, it wasn’t about anger or grudges but about something deeper, something that he didn't fully understand yet.

@hairoic said: 🥞 to bring my muse breakfast in bed.

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ☪︎ . *. ⋆ IF IT WASN'T THE WARM SCENT of something cooking that woke jonathan up, it definitely would have been the deep ache that settled in his stomach as he continued to try waking up in bed. every inch of him was, clearly, thoroughly exhausted from the ... activities he and steve had partaken in the previous night. it wasn't like the soreness in his gut BOTHERED him or made him feel sick; if anything, it was a pleasant ache, an ache that reminded him of how he and steve had connected in the most wonderful way, in a way that made him feel seen, loved, and needed.

despite what had woken him up, it still managed to AMUSE him, the way steve actually managed to wake up before him, cook a whole meal for him, and bring it into the bedroom for him to eat. he certainly went all out, though; he couldn't deny the way his mouth watered at the scrambled eggs, the fresh buttermilk pancakes, the steamed bacon, the diced fruits that decorated the edge of the plate.

❝ oh my god ... you really went all out for me, ❞ he comments, opening his arm at his side and nodding, a gesture he hoped steve would know was an invitation to get cozy beside him. he happily NUZZLES against the other's cheek once he takes it, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. ❝ thank you, baby. ❞

forgive him, for the pet name drops quicker than he can bite it back.