revivalproject | Do you wanna feel how it feels?

For a long moment, Billy doesn't answer. Max was sent back. Sent home. She was safe here in Hawkins. Or as safe as she could be with that thing that he knew was going to kill him when he got sent home. A little of the fight drains from him because Max is gone - the one person that he figured he could depend on here from Hawkins.

Steve wouldn't touch him with trust or a ten-foot pole, and Eddie was a freak that summoned demons and shit.

He feels the hot sting of grief flood through him to fill the emptiness and he grabs Eddie to slam him against the wall. "You're fucking lying, Munson!" Steve said he and Eddie would protect her from Billy after all. "Where's my step-sister?!"

'Don't do this! How long? How long?'

Billy shakes the memories out of his head and gives Eddie another shove. "Where is she?!" There's rapid blinking, trying to will the tears to not fall. Never fall. He's not a God damn pussy.

Trying to dodge, Eddie still finds himself slammed against a wall, feeling that familiar ache in his shoulders.

"I told you-!" he snaps, gritting his teeth as he's shoved again, and he tries to grab Hargrove's wrists to keep from further shoving. He pauses, looking up at those rapidly blinking eyes, his own gaze softening some, a conflicted expression settling over him at the display of emotion.

"Look, I'm...I'm sorry, but...she's gone, man. I didn't want her to go either-"

It seems like Eddie grabbing his wrists does seem to keep Billy from shoving him more. But he holds him against the wall in that tight grip to keep him from squirming away. All he wants to do is beat Eddie's face in, but that won't bring her back, would it? She was gone from here and back to Hawkins.

His gaze goes empty for a moment, letting at least one tear slip free before he comes back to it. "She said she just got here. She was going to fucking help and now she's gone!" His voice raises before he can stop it and he finally throws Eddie to the side, to the floor. His head hangs enough to hide some of his face with his curls.

"...my one God damn chance."

Steve is heartbroken. He's fucking devastated. He just got here and Max and Eddie were safe. Now... Now she was gone? He'd heard from someone else what that meant and spent the morning checking all around to prove it wasn't true. She wasn't gone. She wasn't back in Hawkins and in that coma, maybe dying. She couldn't be. He was gonna look out for her.

But she's nowhere to be found.

He's already sniffling and rubbing at his nose as he gets back to the room. He wants to find Eddie and just be held for a little while. That was part of their arrangement, right? Eddie would do that. And, Christ, he probably would need it too; Eddie loves Max too. This was so fucking sudden. And no warning. Steve's mind wanders and wonders... could Eddie be taken too? Just like that? Could he?

Steve is filled with adrenaline from that simmering fear when he gets back to their room. Their empty room. But before he can panic more, he hears a shouting, familiar voice from Max's room and takes off running. He arrives just in time to see Eddie get thrown to the floor after apparently being pinned. And that right there is apparently his sanity's last straw as he grabs Billy by the shoulder, just like he had before, and socks him in the face.

The tear earns a touch more sympathy, though most of that is lost when he's tossed aside, groaning. He knows Hargrove has arguably way more to be upset over than someone like him who's really own known Red since she and her mom moved to the trailer park.

"Look, we can ta-" Eddie starts to rationalize, when WHAM there's Steve, and Steve's fist- and Eddie stares up at them both in disbelief. "Jesus-"

Billy doesn't know how to deal with grief. Maybe if he had a parent that cared about that sort of thing, he would be better with it. But he's not. So all he knows is anger and there's only one thing to do with that and that's hit things.

At least with that he's managed to somewhat hold back on. Shoving Eddie against the wall and throwing him to the floor is the least of what he could do.

He should go. Take he walkman and go back up to his own empty room to try and deal with this. But before he can, there's a hand on his shoulder, turning him and then a fist zeroes in on his face. Billy hadn't even heard Steve enter Max's room.

The knuckles crack into his cheek and nose, sending him into the very wall he had just pinned Eddie against. The blond leans against it for a very long moment, staring at Steve with a stunned look. Then it melts into that arrogance, eyes shining. "Look who came to join the party. Wanna tell me you're not hiding her away either? That she's gone too?" He pushes off of the wall and saunters a little towards Steve even as blood dribbles from his nose.

He reaches up quick to grab Steve by his shirt, pulling him in to crack his forehead into Steve's. Billy isn't handling his grief well, eyes shining and starting to laugh like a maniac.

Steve's head on a good day is a dropped egg. Having someone slam their own hard skull against his is more than enough to ring his bell. Steve would have staggered or even fallen but Billy is holding his shirt and that is enough to keep him in striking distance. Still, his vision swims and there are two Billy shapes for a second before it settles into one. There is a throb where contact was made that thuds in time with his racing heart.

"For all I know you did something to her! And I am not gonna let you do the same to Eddie!"

He pulls back and sends a hook right into Billy's gut with all the force he can manage. The dude works out like a machine so it won't be easy to get purchase against abs. The best he hopes for is to wind him.

"Ooookay- okay, woah-!" Eddie pushes to his feet, wincing at that loud crack. He scrambles to try and get between them, a little late- that follow up blow at least making it a little easier to try and pull and push Steve away with a concerned expression, supporting his weight while looking back between him and Hargrove as he tries to be the god damn rationale one. It's not a role he's meant for.

"NO ONE did anything to her. None of this is going to bring her back- just- fuck- just everyone chill out-" he commands, trying to put on the voice of authority he uses for Hellfire. "Christ."

"I didn't do ANYTHING to her!!" He yells back, gearing up for another punch. "She was going to hel--" but the sentence gets cut off by a yell of pain that tapers off into breathlessness. The wind knocked out of him gave plenty of space for pain to rear her ugly head again. God, he wasn't healed up from his arrival yet. Healed enough to not pop open anything, but not enough to keep standing.

Head throbbing and midsection metaphorically screaming in pain, Billy drops down to the floor, clutching an arm around his midsection before just doubling over. Fuck. That doctor bitch was going to tear him a new one if he rips anything open.

Eddie's right. None of this fighting was going to bring Max back. At least like this, he can hide the grief finally breaking a little through the dams he's tried to make. "...I didn't do it..." and fuck if he doesn't sound rough... and a bit broken.

"Just like you weren't just tossing Eddie around?"

Steve moves away from Eddie just so that he can stand in front of him, whole body still tensed for a fight. The sound of Billy's voice and the pain behind it give him pause but the memory of Eddie getting tossed to the ground is too recent and too vibrant for him to calm down fully.

"I don't think it's just a fucking coincidence that you show up and Max is sent back. She was safe here! Healthy and fucking..." He shakes his head, eyes welling up all over again. "If...if anything happens to Eddie. If he disappears... you better hope to God that you do too."

Giving an exasperated sigh, Eddie let's Steve move between them, but gives Hargrove a concerned look at that sound he makes. He's been gut punched plenty, and it can hurt like hell, but this...sounds like something more?

"Steve-" He presses- catching his arm, "None of us control it, okay? No one makes this happen but them-" he points vaguely skyward and tries to calm the mood, keep any more fists from flying.

"Fucking hopped up jocks, I swear-"

"I DIDN'T DO IT!!" He all but screams back at Steve from where he's still on the floor. At least Billy's gotten some of his voice back. There's a vague thought, wondering if anyone else lives in the hotel, that's gone the moment is crosses his mind. "I DIDN'T SEND HER AWAY!"

He coughs, finally rolling onto his back. The motion rucks up his shirt enough to show the bandages he's still sporting to try and cushion some of the aches and pains. Billy's tanned face is wet, gaze distant and not looking towards either of them.

"I've been leaving Munson alone but I came here looking for Max and saw him pocketing her stuff. And she's gone." Another series of coughs, a hand going over where Steve punched him. There's already bruising starting to show on his face as blood slides down his upper lip and cheek, into his hair.

"Hey," Steve grumbles to the 'hopped up jocks' comment. Still, he is too amped to really do anything about it. Some of that dissipates as Billy's shirt moves and the bandages are revealed. Right where he punched. Steve winces a little but can't bring himself to regret it. Instead he just stays silent and between the fallen bully and his friend.

"Eddie wouldn't be stealing from her," he latches onto the only thing he can focus on which is defending Eddie from the accusation. The adrenaline is fading though and slowly he comes down. His head is still aching and a migraine is probably in the near future. His fists don't unclench but they do find their way to his hips. He sighs as Billy coughs, hating that he feels a little guilty.

"Dude, are you gonna die from that punch?"

If they were alone Eddie might apologize for the remark with a kiss, and he will- later. But for now he can only spare a look and a reassuring grip at his shoulder.

"...I just wanted something to remember her by, I wasn't thinking of it like stealing-" he mutters, and he sighs, nodding towards the bed and encouraging Steve to sit.

"Try not to kill each for 5 seconds," he says, disappearing into Max's bathroom. He returns to press a cool cloth to Steve's head, manually ensuring he holds in there before crossing to offer a warmer one to Hargrove to help clean up the blood. "Everyone here clearly cares about Max. So for her sake, we shouldn't kick the shit out of each other until one of us actually deserves it first, okay?"

"No, 'm not gonna die. Just fucking hurts. Not finished healing up from the Mind Flayer and the doctors here patching me up." At least he stays on the floor where he's clearly less of a threat to the other two. He glares towards Steve, but the look doesn't hold for long and he groans at the throb in his head.

"Fuck."

At the press of the warm cloth, Billy's hand fumbles up to it in an attempt to clean up the warm trail of blood himself. "It looked like you were stealing when I came in here." The gaze shifts to Eddie, avoiding Steve.

"Shouldn't have pushed you against the wall," he mumbles out. As close as he's going to get to apologizing at all right now. He doesn't issue one to Steve - the former King of Hawkins threw that first punch.

The non-apology apology takes the wind out of Steve's sails. Finally he walks to the bed and sits down, holding the cold towel against his head and watching Billy closely. "Shouldn't have tossed him to the ground either, if we're pointing out shitty acts..." He more grumbles that than anything else. He looks at Billy and his wrapped middle and frowns.

"I wouldn't have punched there if I knew you were still...whatever." It's not an apology but it's all Billy will get. Steve looks over at Eddie, gaze intense.

"You're okay?"

"S'fine," Eddie dismisses, almost equally uncomfortable with all that junk. And oh good. No one is punching each other any more. Eddie finally lets out a breath, releasing some of that anxious tension, and he moves to sit with Steve.

"I'm fine, Mr. Concussion," he teases softly, looking into his eyes and frowning.

"Should I call a doctor in for you guys?"

"Clocked me good, too." There's a breathy laughter, almost manic again and he turns to look at Steve with a pained smirk. "Too bad I didn't have a plate. Might've won this one." He wouldn't have. The mistake in keeping Steve in close quarters was the literal downfall this time around.

His head turns to look back up at the ceiling, then towards the wall.

"...'m fine. I'll sleep it off." After all, it wasn't he first time he'd been hit, but not by either of the two currently in the room with him. Billy wonders if he should get off of the floor but figures Steve isn't going to let him get any closer to Eddie, even injured.

He breathes, raggedly, thinking of Max. "...I wanted her here," he whispers. "Was gonna try to be better." Keyword 'try', but Billy felt like it would be easier without Neil's presence being a threat.

"That plate was a cheap shot and you know it." Not the point and Steve rolls his eyes. Unfortunately that hurts his head something awful and he winces with a hiss before pressing the cold cloth in harder. Glancing at Eddie he offers a soft smile.

"I'll be fine. If I baby my head enough I will avoid the migraine. Probably."

The mention of Max makes him slump forward. He looks back at Billy, sympathetic even while being angry. "I don't like the idea of her being back in Hawkins. She was safe here... I was able to look out for her. I have no idea what she returned to..."

"...You two are freaks," Eddie notes, giving an exasperated shake of his head, but smiling despite himself.

"She might come back," he offers, not sure, obviously, but he's heard stories from others. "If she does you can show her how you've been trying. And she's got you back there, Steve. You're gonna keep her safe."

More things get realized and Billy understands that he really hates right where he is at the moment. Once he leaves here, he'll be alone in his grief, to try and get past Max's sudden departure like he had to learn to deal with his mother doing the same all those years ago. The two currently sitting on the bed have each other to work through it.

Billy has no one and he knows it's only himself to blame for it. He rolls onto his side, gritting his teeth tight (and wishing he had Tae's towel to bite into) as he does so. More laughter, high and tight with a hand throwing the warm cloth over his face. It doesn't help at all.

"I'm supposed to keep her safe. And I can't do that anywhere. I die doing it back in Hawkins and she's ripped away from me before I can even try to be fucking better here!" Because she's gone, the only piece of his current family that he likes, even if he's been horrid at showing it. Billy has no idea what her life is like after he passes. The laughter turns into sobs. When was the last time he had actually done anything aside from anger and arrogance?

Billy breaking into sobs is enough to stun Steve. His mouth opens in surprise and he glances over at Eddie before looking back at the blonde. What was he supposed to do right now? Billy is a bully and a menace and is dangerous. But right now he just looks sad. Sad and grieving. The humanity of such a response breaks the mental view of him being nothing but a monster.

Steve isn't about to go closer to him, but he at least relaxes his tensed muscles. It's a ceasefire at the very least.

"Dude...being "better" isn't something you can do for someone else. Trust me, I tried. Until you're doing it for you, it's just not going to stick. Maybe...maybe Max leaving will help you do that. So if she comes back, you've already done the work without her needing to help you along."

Dude... Eddie blanches a little, and instinctively looks away from the show of vulnerability, sharing that look with Steve and giving a very lost gesture, likewise not sure what to do.

"...you meant a lot to her," he offers, "You guys clearly had some...sibling issues or whatever, but, uh- she seemed real shook up about loosing you..."

Hard to be dangerous when Steve might've given him a concussion and laid him out on the floor for hitting his healing wounds. Everything hurts and he prays it's not bad enough to have to go back to the hospital. Tae might actually kill him for wrecking all the work she put into not letting him die.

He hears Eddie and Steve, but it feels distant. He feels hollow, like he had in his room so many years ago with the phone up to his ear. Billy figures Max always sort of hated him. And then the way she looked and spoke to him in the sauna room, that locked door between them. The Californian knew she didn't, not entirely.

"Yes it is. If I can be better for someone else... I can be better for everyone else, too." Which included himself. Maybe.

Edited 2023-06-09 01:58 (UTC)

"If you do it for someone else...then shit like this happens. The person leaves and now what? You don't know what to fucking do. Or, worse, you let someone else make you worse. You do it for you or you don't do it at all. Believe it from someone who did that shit himself."

He looks at Eddie, sympathizing with how awkward he must be feeling. He lets out a soft exhale and extends an olive branch.

"Everyone in this room loves Max. And we all fucking hate that she's gone. So... I guess let's not disappoint her by killing each other. She loves us, too. All of us."

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