Fortunate Son - Creedance Clearwater Revival

[playingtough]

WHO: Billy Hargrove; Open
WHERE: Fountain
WHAT: Showing up in this city beats being dead
WHEN: May 8th
WARNINGS: S3 finale spoilers for Stranger Things?


This doesn't feel anything like Starcourt's floor. The glossy and tiled smoothness of it against his back is missing. It's rough and jagged, like Billy's laying on a gravel road. Or maybe it feels like that as blood seeps out from his sides. It stains up into his white tank top, into the waistband of his jeans. There's faint lines lining his arms and temples where he had been controlled.

Then he feels the pull. Towards a glowing orb and it hurts - fuck does it hurt like hell - to move, but he manages to touch it. And immediately goes down with a yell, brain trying to process all of that and still reeling from being back in the driver's seat of his head again.

Onto his back he goes, blue eyes at the sky again. There's a lot of blood lost from the two wounds, and Billy realizes that's probably why he feels weak. He's not supposed to feel like this, he's Billy Hargrove. King of Hawkins, pretty boy and playboy.

God he's killed so many people in the span of a month, even though it wasn't his fault.

He coughs and finds the strength to wipe away the wetness. Saliva, good, it wasn't blood. He knew coughing up blood was a bad sign at least. He heard about it from-

No, don't think about her right now.

Billy lays there, turning his head to look around. Was there anyone around? He needs to call for help. And he does, a choked out "...help," that has an edge to it because he's not going to be heard as weak as long as he can help it.

Comments

[playingtough]

The hand nursing at the one she had been punishing goes to hold the lighter. "No, no, I won't. Don't take them." A little rushed, but he moves to shove them back into his jean pocket. The cigarettes and lighter were all he had from Hawkins as far as he knew. Nothing else seemed to come with him save the clothes on his back.

He swallows hard, holding up his hands to show they're empty. "No smoking inside," especially if she was going to start fucking taking them. Billy's eyes slide to the door and then back to Tae. "...am I allowed outside now? So I can smoke?" A compromise he hopes because he really wants a smoke.

[butterfly_kiss]

"If I see them again, I'm taking them until you're well enough to leave. If i smell smoke I will do the same. You are not putting the lives of everyone who might be hurt in jeopardy because you're a young idiot caught up in his addiction," she says.

Still, she has to sigh. She doesn't want to move him yet.

"Get food in you first. If you do that I will help you get into a wheel chair and we'll take you outside so you can continue to throw your life into an ashtray."

[playingtough]

Those cigarettes were going to be a lifeline, so Billy knows that he has to behave if he doesn't want her taking them away from him permanently. Already his fingers itch to get one out and smoke, but he can't. Even if he's not officiating it as a promie, he's not risking it.

"I'm guessing that's doctor's orders, eating something." A stubborn huff but she is right. He needs to eat if he wants to heal. "Fine. I'll eat if I can have one smoke outside."

[butterfly_kiss]

"It really fucking is," She points out, sounding very tired and very annoyed. "But you'll eat. And if you eat, you can have the smoke."

That's how this works. She gets the ultimatums.

[playingtough]

"Better not be shitty hospital food," comes the quiet grumble. He's been in the hospital enough to know he hates that poor excuse for food that they serve. "I'll eat if it's not that. I hate hospital food."

If it wasn't hospital food, he'd probably eat the whole plate at least. Digging into his other pocket slowly - he doesn't want her to think he was going for the cigarettes. Instead the comm device is pulled out of his pocket for him to look over.

"What is this thing?"

[butterfly_kiss]

"I assure you we have better cooks than that," she says. "I'll go fetch it once you give me the lighter to put across the room. That way I don't take it and I know you can't get it before I get back. When I bring the food in, I'll bring it back over to you."

SEe, they can make peace.

"Oh, that's a comm device. It's like a smart phone."

[playingtough]

A... comm device. A smart phone? Billy looks at her, skeptical. "What the hell are you talking about? This isn't a phone, there's no line to it." Oh boy. Billy comes from an era that doesn't have the technology advancements for mainstream cellphones. They all still dealt in landlines.

He sets the comm down and digs out the lighter to hold in his hand. "Better not be a trick, or I'll burn this place to the ground intentionally." Which was an empty threat - Billy wasn't that cruel.

[butterfly_kiss]

Oh geez, she's another one of those isn't he? The outdated sense of fashion, the attitude, the scars. Damn.

"You're like Eddie, aren't you? From something like the 80s, before even cordless home phones were invented. You don't even have the internet yet, really. Oh boy. You're in for a bit of a treat."

And no, it wasn't a trick. She holds her hand out for the lighter. Does it even need said?

[playingtough]

Eddie? What Eddie did she mean? His eyes narrow. "It was 1985 last I knew. Fourth of July." Billy's certain he's already said that, but it felt like that was hours ago. Still looking uncertain, Billy reaches over and drops the lighter into her hand.

"...the fuck is the internet."

[butterfly_kiss]

"Geez, that's forever ago. I was only, like, three?"

She takes the lighter and carries it over to a counter, putting it there.

"A place with all the information you could want. And plenty of porn I suppose."

[playingtough]

There's a quip on the tip of his tongue, but he's in enough pain right now that Billy just keeps it. Some things just aren't worth getting stabbed for. This is one of those things.

His gaze follows her, watching her set his lighter far out of reach. Far enough that he wouldn't be able to get up and get it before she got back probably.

"Well now you've caught my interest. Probably makes it easier than using a magazine or sneaking tapes in to watch." And having to watch it on the lowest volume.

[butterfly_kiss]

"Seems to make it so, yes. I don't think it's used for that here. Unsurprising as there are few women and the men who are in relationships seem content with their partners."

Which were also men. Which she supposed might get someone going.

[playingtough]

Now that catches his interest and with the pain he's in, Billy doesn't hide said interest. Partners. A carefully chosen word. Then his face goes neutral again, and works on trying to move into a more comfortable position. Billy wants to sit up, he doesn't want to lay down, but it hurts.

"I'll have to look into that porn thing whenever I find some place to stay that's not this damn hospital bed." He sounds a lot more sour about it than he really is. It's the pain talking. "How long is it going to take to heal up?"

[butterfly_kiss]

Ah, another man like that was it? Intriguing. Tae could do a study here. But yeah, it's boring to have more than passing curiosity.

For now she heads for the door.

"Stay here while I get the food. And hopefully I can get Billy to look over you and heal it up to stability. And no, porn won't be found here."

[playingtough]

Another that was probably hiding, and for good reason. Or at least reasons that weren't present here like they were in a house far away.

Once he's in a comfortable position, Billy relaxes. It's not the best, but better than being flat. The angle feels better, like he's not about to go to sleep immediately. "Yeah, sure, I'll get right on walking around like I'm not bogged down by all this God damn pain." When her back is turned, the blond throws up a middle finger before settling.

While waiting, sleep does take him, but it's not deep sleep. Light dreams that were fragments of memories from the mall. Careening his car through the lot and getting slammed into from the side. Going against the creature. Max screaming his name. All those bad things but he looks at peace as he sleeps, head tilted to one side with curls like a halo from a painting around his face.

[butterfly_kiss]

It takes her a few minutes but she does come back with a tray of food. Blessings on Radley for it being soup and a light salad. She can set aside the heavier things for herself.

“Here,” she says. “I asked Gladio to fetch some alcohol. It will help you sleep and with the pain.”

[playingtough]

He's still asleep when she returns, startling into consciousness when she does. Fists clench into the linens and he stares at her like she's the most offensive thing for a long moment. Then Billy relaxes and scrubs a dirty hand over his face.

"Thanks." Before accepting the tray, the Californian hisses as he pushes himself upright and sits up against his pillows. Pillow. Then the tray gets taken and set across his lap. "What's the menu? And I wasn't expecting alcohol in a rathole like this."

[butterfly_kiss]

Once she's placed the tray of food she goes to recover the lighter and return it to him.

"Yes, there are some locally made sources. But I suspect the replicator is used for it as well. And the rare off-planet trips I have heard about. The local that is in the greatest quantities I've heard of as red-fruit juice."

As for the menu, she gestures to the soup and a light salad.

[playingtough]

Salad. What does he look like, a rabbit? He supposes some of the stuff is good for him. And he is hungry. So Billy starts eating easily, just to have something filling his stomach.

"Whatever's the closest to a beer will do. I don't do colorful drinks - that shits for women." He stuff some of the salad into his mouth, munching politely with his mouth closed. Then tries the soup and makes an impressed sort of noise. Decently good. Nothing like Heather's mom's cooking, but better than starving.

Billy lays the cigarette and lighter in his lap, now focusing on his food instead of just the cigarettes. Apparently some needs come before others. And he doesn't want her to yell at him for smoking in here.

[butterfly_kiss]

He looks like someone who needs the greens to help him heal and make more blood. There was more bio-available iron in greens than in a lot of types and cuts of meat.

"Oh yes, how dare I bring you a drink that is not only more pleasant to taste, but has a higher ABV. Silly me. You want weak alcohol."

[playingtough]

"Yeah, how dare you bring me some girly ass shit. Weak alcohol or not, it at least tastes good to me. Fuck off before I decide to stop playing nice and light up a cigarette in here anyways." The salad is getting eaten quickly, which shows just how fucking hungry he is. Once it's done, he's moving onto the soup.

Billy wouldn't care if he blew himself up in the process with everyone else in here. He's already figured out he dies when he gets home. Might as well speed up the process instead of giving these alien fucks the satisfaction of watching him here.

[butterfly_kiss]

Tae rolls her eyes. The boy is just so frustrating.

"If I go get the alcohol, I need to put the lighter out of reach again. YOu get that, right?"

Don't be a fucking complainer. You're making her life difficult.

[playingtough]

"Go suck a dick," is his only response and Billy keeps eating. He's tempted to absolutely throw the lighter at her, see if he can make a mark on that cheek if he can aim it. But food was important and he's hungry, so he behave and keeps eating.

As much as 'behaving' as he could be considered doing after constantly insulting her. Maybe Billy will blame it on the pain later. "If you were just going to take it away again, why the fuck even give it back in the first place? Like wasting your time or something?"

[butterfly_kiss]

"Because I'm showing you that I will," she says, rolling her eyes and holding her hand out for the lighter. "And you'll find that dom femmes aren't the ones that are blowing anyone. WE're the ones being serviced."

Yeah, she's just not bothered by him.

[playingtough]

Billy doesn't hand it over. If anything, he shoves it into his pocket, wincing at the pain it causes by moving like that. "Whatever lets you sleep at night. I'm not giving you my lighter again. Now I'm going to finish my soup and you're going to fuck off or at least stop ordering me around like you own me or some shit."

He's fucking getting riled up now and can't do shit about it, knowing whatever physical activity he does will rip open the stitches. It's almost tempting, to do that so she'd have to waste her time doing it again.