𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐌𝐄 // Billy Hargrove

Pandas

My life was a mess. I hadn't seen Jonathan in almost a week, Steve and Dustin were off doing God knew what, Hopper was busy, and the kids were separated... What a good couple of days, truly.

Something terribly wrong was going on with Billy and I couldn't put my finger on it... no matter what, I couldn't shake the feeling this situation was giving me.

I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I looked to my side and saw my stuffed panda on my desk... Billy gave it to me after 3 months together.

We were both inside his car, listening to some slow Queen songs when he started staring at me.

"What?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him.

"Nothing." He shrugged.

"You were staring." I said knowingly.

"Your point?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You annoy me so much, sometimes." I said rolling my eyes.

"So do you, princess." He teased.

"You know what I noticed?" I asked him.

"What?"

"I noticed that recently you haven't been as angry as you used to be." I told him.

"You noticed that too, huh?" He asked.

"Obviously. It's good to see you... happier, for a change. Don't get me wrong, you still get angry, just not on the same level." I explained.

"Oh yeah?" He asked smiling.

"Yeah... if you ask me, I turned you into a whole panda." I said smiling.

"A panda?" He asked surprised.

"Yes, a panda. I don't know, you just remind me of one. Mainly when you're angry! You look like a raging panda." I said laughing.

Billy chuckled but didn't laugh. Instead, he just gave me a look I couldn't quite describe. Admiration and surprise, maybe, but what for?

"What?" I asked him.

"It's nothing... I-I just... I have a gift for you." He said quietly.

"Billy, you didn't have to!" I told him.

"I know. But when I saw this, it just reminded me so much of you that I had to get it." He said as he handed me a bag that was in the backseat.

"You're making me nervous now..." I said as I grabbed the bag.

When I opened it, I think I finally understood Billy's previous look.

"It's a panda." I said in awe as I pulled the stuffed animal from the bag.

"Yeah." He chuckled. "I was walking around the mall a couple of days ago with Max and when I saw this, it just clicked in my brain. You're a panda." He stated.

"I'm the panda? I thought you were the panda?" I asked confused, a smile never leaving my face.

"You only eat, sleep and hang with friends. Sounds pretty much like a panda to me." He said teasingly.

"Well, to me you're the panda. Pandas are very cute, but have you seen an angry panda? It's so funny! They're like big fluffy cute things roaring and scaring everyone around. It's quite hilarious." I said amused.