the_freak | Dear Billy

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Dear Billy

It was risky, hanging around the hospital like this when pretty much all of Hawkins was still convinced he was to blame for all of this, but Eddie felt like he owed it to Max to visit. It was rough seeing her like that. And he couldn't help the gnawing guilt that if any of them should have lost to this thing it was him. Each of them meant so much to so many people, and here he was, bruised and bandaged, but alive. And the only person who might have cared to know it had to think he was dead. It didn't seem fair.

He ducked outside for a smoke, keeping his head down, but people were too preoccupied with the mess that had opened up under them to be worried about hunting the Freak. As far as they were concerned the Munson boy was dead, and good riddance.

Trying to get the damn smoke to light, Eddie grew still, eyes suddenly catching a familiar set of piercing blue ones, and seeing that moment of recognition in them he paled. He abruptly turned tail, walking aimlessly around the side of the building and praying silently he'd only imagined that look of recognition.

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"That you know of," but Munson is right - Billy doesn't have one. Maybe his nickname that just stuck as his regular name was enough of one. Finding a couple of bowls, the mixture is spooned into even portions and carried over to the table with utensils. He sits and stirs his own slowly.

"The fuck are you scared for, Munson? That I'll beat the shit out of you if you fuck up?"

Look at Hargrove just taking over. Not that Eddie minds. He finds his seat again and accepts his portion, taking a large spoonful while it's still too hot and cursing.

"Well..." Eddie shrugs and gestures vaguely, "Yeah. And uh...also I don't wanna hurt him. Or you. And the world might be ending. And I'm still wanted for murder. So...lots of things to be fucking scared of right now."

Something familiar. Having to set the table for Susan, with Neil's hard gaze watching him. Responsibilities or some bullshit like that. Susan was always glad for the help.

He blows on his spoonful, then eats it silently and takes the time to listen to the other teen. "Murder that you didn't do," he points out, almost looking skeptical "So now you're dealing with that, and us. A dead guy that's split into two personalities."

Another bite. "So what's the plan then, Munson?"

Eddie continues to shovel in spoonfuls until he's used to the burn, never quite learning his lesson.

"Yeaah, I miss when not flunking out for a third time was all I had to worry about," he agrees.

"I don't fucking know...call my friends? They know more about all this Upside Down shit than me, and they have connections. They should be able to help keep you guys safe."

Hargrove is slower at eating the food, letting it cool in the spoon before taking the bite. He frowns around the utensil before stirring again. "This isn't Upside Down bullshit. This is my brain. Our brain." It was just the aftermath of it all. No Vecna, no Mind Flayer this time.

"I don't think anyone can really help." More stirring. "I probably just gotta lay low for awhile. Long awhile. There's no telling how the fuck people are going to react to us. Especially if they find us together."

"...I dunno then. I don't even know what to do about myself. I'd say get the hell out of Hawkins, but I doubt you wanna leave Max, and I don't feel right leaving everyone else to deal with all this doomsday shit."

"They'll probably assume I made you rise from the dead to do my bidding," Eddie mutters.

"We're not leaving Max," and that's said with a determined tone. He glances at Eddie with a hard stare to match it. Then a few more spoonfuls get eaten and he sits back with the hard stare melting into a smirk.

"With all the shit that's happened, that's probably the most normal thing they could expect from you." He glances around and finally lets his gaze linger out of the window. Then to the clock on the stove. It's late.

"I'll do the dishes. We should probably sleep after that, figure out what to do tomorrow." He looks back to Eddie. "I don't know who will wake up, but if it's quiet, it'll probably be Billy."

"Well then you are I are probably going to be seeing a lot of each other, 'cause Hawkin's is...a real mess right now," Eddie warns.

"Mm," he nods, and glances at Hargrove with a faint frown. "...how are you handling all this?" he asks. If Hargrove's dealing with all the bad so Billy doesn't have to, then who's looking out for him?

Hargrove goes quiet, thinking about Mac and everything that's happened since that fateful night in the mall. All the nights that followed locked away. He tries not to dwell on anything for too long, afraid of what might happen emotionally.

It's Munson's question that snaps him back to attention. And he just stares at Eddie, completely stunned by it. No one's ever asked him how he's doing - as either Billy or Hargrove. He supposes being split is new, so of course no one's asked him.

"I'm handling it," he finally answers, though Hargrove doesn't look like he even believes that. Maybe because he's not handling it well, but he doesn't know what to do. They don't teach this sort of shit in school. He runs a hand through the shortened curls.

A soft sigh and he tilts his head back. "…it's rough. I don't know what I'm up against anymore and everything is a mess and I just want us safe, Munson."

"I'll do my best to keep you guys that way," he offers, though he doesn't look too confident himself, "Is uh- is there a way I can get you out that doesn't involve you trying to kick my ass?" he asks, offering a small smirk, "You know, if we need to have a chat?"

At least Eddie knew that Hargrove could still pummel him if it came to him. He was weaker now, starved and thin, but he still knew how to fight. Hargrove straightens up in his chair and finishes off the food in his bowl, then takes it to the sink to rinse out.

"Well, that is the easiest way to get my attention. There is just shouting for me." He turns his head to look at Eddie. "I'm usually under the surface, waiting."

Watching.

Or maybe he was saying that to spook Eddie.

"..." Eddie tries not to look like the words get to him, but he's not great at masking his emotions.

"Love an audience," he quips, "I had set up the bed for Billy, but then he slept on the couch earlier, you can go where ever you're comfortable."

Well it would explain why Hargrove was so quick to slide back into the driver's seat of Billy's body. The changes had been so quick when the blond felt threatened. He thinks about the options of where to sleep.

"...I don't want to sleep alone. If he wakes from a nightmare, I don't know what'll happen if I can't get control." Maybe the screaming had been because of the two of them wrestling about for control after being startled awake so hard. Hargrove hopes what he's indicating gets across to Munson. He's a creative freak, he should be able to pinpoint the meaning quick enough.

"..." Eddie thinks he gets his meaning, eyes darting about a little, suddenly flustered, both shy about being right but also reluctant to assume wrong. "...both in the bed?" he clarifies, "And Billy's not going to kick my ass when he goes from 'we need to talk' to 'waking up in bed beside me'?"

Why was the other flustered now? He had seen Billy nearly naked, cut his hair, held him and soothed him through a nightmare. Hargrove gets up and starts towards the entrance to the living room so he can get to the stairs. "No, he won't do that."

A pause. "He trusts you," even if this side didn't fully trust yet.

"Sleeping with someone else in the bed might help with nightmares, Munson."

Eddie snorts, not sure why exactly either of them should trust him, but he follows after Hargrove either way, yawning.

"Guess I can do that," he agrees, not putting up much of a fight. He wouldn't mind another body either, truth be told.

It doesn't take much to find the bed that Eddie's made up. It's a full-sized bed which means the two of them would at least fit, and the blanket looked too big which was fine. They wouldn't fight over it at least. Hargrove goes to close the blinds and draws the moth-bitten curtains shut before sitting down.

He strips down until he's just in his white tank and jeans, boots tucked to the bedside and jacket laying over them. "Better not fucking kick us in your sleep." There's not much bite in him. Hargrove is tired, even with the nap. It's been a very long day, from finding Munson in the hospital with his step-sister, to...everything else that happened after that.

Hargrove lays down with a sight, keeping to his side so there's room for the other and pulls the blanket over himself (the moths seemed to have ignored this blanket it seems).

"All bets are off once I'm asleep, dude," Eddie says with a shrug, but he'll obviously do his best. He's exhausted too, toeing out of his shoes and socks and not much more before flopping into the bed.

"Either of you tries to murder me and your sleeping alone tomorrow."

"Whatever. Only one of us would murder you anyways, and you're talking to him, Munson." He throws some of the blanket over Eddie and settles. It takes awhile for sleep to take him, but when it does, it's Billy asleep and not Hargrove.

Hargrove hadn't been lying when he said Billy trusted Eddie. Slowly but surely, the protector of the two was starting to come around to the metalhead, too.

And he sleeps peacefully, on his side with an arm curled under the pillow for extra support.

"Very comforting," Eddie mumbles, all ready half asleep. He's maybe been pushing it a bit, and evidently he isn't all that wary of Billy or Hargrove murdering him in his sleep, because not long after he's out cold.

It seems Hargrove's thought of sleeping with another warm body close worked. Billy had no nightmares through the night. No waking up screaming, no kicking, no fighting. There was something different at least.

Maybe it was because he had gone months without some sort of interaction, or maybe he had gotten cold. But somewhere in the night, Billy had turned over and moved in his sleep. It started with him tucking his head under Eddie's chin, then to getting part of his face between the pillow and the teen's neck. But he was quiet, settled, blissfully unaware of his position which could almost be considered intimate.

Likewise, Eddie slept soundly, not waking as Billy got closer through out the night, and when he does finally yawn and shift as the daylight streams in through the window he freezes up in surprise.

Cheeks pink, he finds himself looking over Billy's peaceful face, and he tries to even out his breathing to keep from waking him.

His legs have wiggled around Eddie’s, one arm thrown over him too. Billy sleeps soundly, with really only a light snore coming from him. When Eddie stiffens, it makes him shift. He felt it.

Grumbling, the blond pushes with his body until Eddie was on his back and Billy could lay more on him. The change in position at least stops the snore. But this version of Billy is probably the furthest from whatever Eddie thought of him. He rubs his cheek on the metalhead‘s chest before shifting again. Waking up. A soft groan and the eyes start fluttering open.

Oh- okay- Eddie doesn't see much choice but to allow himself to be pushed into place, blinking in surprise and confused amusement as Billy uses him as a human pillow. Who the hell is he to object?

"...hey?" he greets with a soft laugh once he sees those eyes flutter open.

Billy feels soft. Because this is Billy, not Hargrove, and he’s warm and comfortable. It had been a long time waking up as either of those. Eddie gets space as he sits up, rubbing the sleep from blue eyes. Light dances over his curls and skin and he looks to the other.

"…What happened last night? You wanted… to talk to me and I think I passed out. 'M sorry. Was it important?"

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