This Means War // Billy Hargrove x Reader

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄

HAWKINS. DEC 15th. THE NIGHT OF THE SNOW BALL.

"You look great, Mikey." Your brother was stressing over his suit, complaining that it was uncomfortable and how he shouldn't go because of it. It was a little difficult considering you were already driving him there, though. "Relax, you're stressing me out with how much you're stressing out."

"Right. Sorry." He says, huffing lightly in the passenger seat. He had been annoyed at the fact El couldn't come with Hopper wanting to keep her safe, and so naturally the evening was just going to be a dull affair now according to him. His friends would be there though and Nancy too, but she'd gone with Jonathan who was taking pictures at the event. 

It was December 15th, and a cold evening at that so you wished the heater in your car would work. A shiver runs through you and a ghost of breath forms at your lips. Still, it felt kind of good as well. It meant Christmas was on the way and you were excited about the prospect of a few weeks away from school eating your weight in festive food and lounging around in your PJ's. 

"Have an awesome time!" You yell at him as you pull up to the middle school and he climbs out, shutting the door and waving you off with an amused roll of the eyes. You switch off the engine and get out, moving to the trunk to grab your jacket out of the back since the chill was getting too much.

"Fancy seeing you here." A voice, deep and husky in the chill of the evening, sounds from behind you and you whip around from the shock of it, not expecting anyone to want to talk to you. It was Billy, wearing blue jeans and a button-up of a similar shade, his denim jacket over the top. 

"Thought we were keeping our distance." You remind him, though there was a lightness to your voice to show you weren't being mean. For once. It was the first time you'd spoken since the ride home and your shoulders were tense at the sudden interaction but you couldn't deny you were in a good mood. It was just annoyingly affecting your judgment, apparently, considering you weren't running him down with your car.

You felt a little out of place, but you lean against the trunk of your car to feign indifference to the situation. "Dropping off Maxine." He informs you, not that you asked. The music of the dance spills out onto the parking lot, adding a very unwanted ambiance to the mood. "Dropping off Mike." You offer an olive branch, though it was small and reluctant. 

He moves closer, joining you by leaning on the trunk of your car as well. You almost flinch away from him, not wanting to be in his proximity but you don't. You're not entirely sure why, either, you just stay there. 

Maybe it was the warmth radiating from him, settling over your chilled skin and stopping you from freezing to death in this damn cold. "Cold tonight, huh?" You comment, immediately feeling stupid after pointing out the obvious. 

Billy just elicits a quiet chuckle, lips peeling back to reveal a small smile. "Sure is." He humors your idiotic words, as he should, and you risk a look in his direction to find him already waiting for you, his smile extending just a fraction as you turn. 

"Shut up." You tell him, the amusement in his expression clear to you. "I wasn't going to say anything!" He defends himself but you didn't care, you could see the witty retort hiding behind those blue eyes, just waiting to be spoken.

You laugh then, unable to contain it but hiding it behind a hand anyway. "God, let's go." You tell him, pushing from the trunk and making your way to his car after grabbing the keys from your own so it didn't get stolen. Billy was openly perplexed, following you like a lost puppy. "What? Where?"

"Anywhere. I don't care. I have time to kill before Mike's ready to go." It was a bad idea, you could feel that much in your gut, but right now you didn't give a shit. Life had been so desperately lonely lately - Nancy had been busy with Jonathan, your brother with El and Steve with-- well, anyone that would take him. Your parents rarely had time for you and you were just about low enough to spend time with Billy of all people just to pass the time. A horrible decision really, but you were due a few of those.