Smoking About You

Chapter Two

Jonathan hides his eyes in his friend's shoulder, not baring to see his brother be taken but only to hear what might happen.

On this particular day, the sky seems to be more full of black smoke and gray ash, and even though today might be the last day, Steve sees Will he didn't feel sad.

Steve felt almost as if it wasn't going to happen.. but it's right in front of him. It has to, right?

During this somber day you weren't able to see anyone around except the ones close to you and that's when it was a surprise to see the arm of Vecna being sliced clean off by a figure unknown.

Will falls to the ground untouched by Vecna. Joyce goes running towards her boy, grabbing his hand and pulling him away. From behind, Vecna runs out a familiar holding something guitar-like.

As the person got closer, it was clear to tell it was Eddie "The Freak" Munson, but he wasn't himself. His eyes were blackened out, and dark veins traveled throughout his body. Although this didn't make sense to Steve

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦? 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘮..𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.

All of his questions were answered by the next face, who came out from the ominous ash, the one and only Billy Hargrove.

He, too, looked like Eddie but was wearing a white blood-stained tank top, paired with blue jeans and his black boots.

Billy then stood in front of Vecna, having handled an axe with black ooze dripping from it. He planted his feet on the ground, raising his axe again, dragging it down onto Vecna's other arm.

A deafening screech comes from Vecna as he tumbles to the ground, Eddie turns to Billy and they both give each other a nod before Eddie is forcing the group to move far away from what is about to happen.

Billy once again lifts his axe, though this time it's not for an arm, and it's not for the legs. Billy swings his axe, cutting through the neck of Vecna's, his axe flies leaving Billy defenseless.

The group steps closer, thinking Vecna was defeated.

Then, a black smoke quickly shoots into the sky, looking oddly like old drawings of Will's. The party looks into the sky and sees the dark smog. It moves almost like it's looking for something or someone.

Suddenly, it darts down to the ground. Everyone ducks not wanting to be attacked by the unknown mist. Eddie, who was standing in front of Dustin, is pulled out of the spit of protection.

In that moment it happens, the grim smoke shoots into Billy, taking over his body again.

Chills run down Steve's body as he realizes there it was..the scream that had been filling his mind over and over belonged to the person in front of him.

"Billy!" Max cries out, trying to run towards him. Although she is getting used to walking again, she loses her balance and falls

Lucas goes after picking her up, holding her close as tears run down her face. Steve gets an aching feeling he can't ignore. He runs to Billy, grabbing onto his shoulders.

"C'mon Billy, fight it, Max needs you.. we don't wanna see you leave again!"

There's no response. Instead, Billy's body goes limp. Steve holds onto him close, feeling how cold he is, "C'mon dammit." Steve says lightly, smacking Billy's cheek.

Steve looks up, seeing El place her hand on his and her other hand grab Billy's. She closes her eyes, focusing as she enters Billy's mind. Inside, it's empty and quiet. Behind her is Billy on the ground, holding his head, repeating something over and over. She walks closer and leans in

"Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop, make it stop..."

Eleven's eyes water out of fear for Billy. She now knows she has a chance of saving him like she did with Max, and she knows Max needs him.

Eleven feels a presence and turns around to see Vecna as himself rather than the dark cloud that went into Billy. "Trying to fight me again, Eleven." His imitating voice would've gotten to younger El, but not now. She knows she's more powerful than he'll ever be.

Everyone outside the mind gathers around El, Steve, and Billy. El's nose begins to bleed as she tries to stay in Billy's mind to keep him safe. El raises her hand in front of Vecna, lifting him into the air and blocking out all the words he's trying to use against her.

Eleven's jaw tightens as she thinks about ripping Vecna apart. She raises both hands.

Her body tenses as she begins breaking Vecna; first, the legs snap, then the arms..Billy's body flinches as Vecna's body is being overpowered. Vecna's eyes are ripped out, and his jaw is snapped.

"Billy?" Max says, holding his hand tight, Eleven opens her eyes, gasping and falling back. "Guys.." Dustin says with a worried tone. Everyone faces him to see Eddie passed out as well in Dustin's arms.

"Ah shit, alright..alright.." Hopper thinks before saying, "Harrington, you grab him, and I'll get the other one inside the cabin in a hurry." Hopper orders.

Steve wraps one arm around Billy's waist and the other under his legs. He stands up, holding Billy the closest they've ever been since the Byer's house that day

"You got him, Harrington?" Hopper asks, holding Eddie on his back rather than bridal style like Steve is with Billy.

"Oh- um yeah.." Snapping out of his minding shaking his head

The party makes its way inside, where Hopper lays down Eddie on the couch, and Steve is told to use Hopper's bed for Billy. Steve walks into the room, bending over the bed, gently lying Billy down slowly, making his hand leave Billy's cold back.

As he removes his other hand from Billy's legs, he looks at him deeply, thinking about how fragile the once intimidating boy looks and how cold he was

The pleasing silence is broken by a scared Max hurrying as fast as she can over to Billy being quickly followed by her best friend Lucas.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Max says, looking at Steve we puffy eyes and red cheeks

He rubs her back for comfort, "I'm sure he will be.." 𝘞𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘦?

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵? 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴..it's a pain Steve isn't quite understanding

Just as everyone was getting used to seeing these old faces again, the ground began to shake.