I really do love the idea of Billy acting like he hates little kids until he’s presented with one.
Like, say ten years after most have said their farewells to Hawkins and moved elsewhere, they have a little reunion at The Byers’ house. And it’s, like, a big thing, Joyce sends out invitations and everything.
And Billy doesn’t really want to go because he still doesn’t know how they all feel about him, or if they’ll even want him there. But Steve makes him go anyways because “It wouldn’t be the same without you, Bill, please?”And Billy’s a damn sucker for his big puppy dog eyes.
So, they make the flight all the way from California to Indiana for this. And at first Billy feels completely uncomfortable because he’d never even held a conversation with half the people in this room.
So, he ends up sticking to Steve‘s side most of the time, staying quiet and out of everyone’s way. That is until he feels small hand trying to grasp at the thigh of his pants, only to turn around and find a girl that couldn’t be any older than five looking up at him with big brown eyes, vying for his attention.
It isn’t soon after that he makes eye contact with Nancy and Johnathan a few feet away, looking scared out of their minds that Billy Hargrove was that close to their kid. Because they knew what he did to Steve, and no matter how many time Steve says he’s changed, that he was basically a different person now they didn’t believe him one bit.
”Hey shorty,” he greets with a small smile, taking a knee to get on the little girls level, but not for long before his hand is snatched up and he’s being pulled with all the force in this kids body towards the living room.
”Come see what I drew,” she demands, pulling him along the second he got his footing back. And Billy isn’t really sure what’s going on, but items happening.
They stop very Abruptly, the kid grinning ear to ear as she shoves a piece of paper into his hand.
Honestly, he didn’t really know what it was at first, nothing but two stick figures, one with a yellow scribble on it’s head and another with a brown scribble.
”Wow, kiddo, this is a really cool…” and he trails off, kind of waiting for her to finish off his sentence.
To which she does, “You and Uncle Steve!” She beams gleefully and Billy only smiles wider because he got it now and it was the damn cutest thing he’d ever seen in his life.
”Oh, but I think you forgot something,” Billy starts, going to sit down on the couch, grabbing a random crayon to add on with.
Suddenly she looks very serious, sitting on her floor next to the coffee table, very curious as to what she might have forgotten.
“If you‘re gonna draw uncle Steve...” he continues, hand going to work,” You cant forget his big nose.”
The little girl cracks up as Billy draws a rather comedic ally large nose onto the Steve stick figure.
“And his big-“ Just before Billy can get out the word butt he’s interrupted, leaving the Steve stick figure with a semi circle just above his line legs.
”What are you two up to,” Steve asked accusingly, watching Billy quickly turn the paper over as not to be caught in the act.
”Oh, nothing of your interest, Harrington, isn’t that right, kid?” Billy answers in a prestigious, secretive kind of voice, sending Nancy and Jonathan‘s daughter a wink, making her giggle before she agrees with a loud, drawn out “Mhm!”
After that Billy and Steve end up nearly wrestling over the paper, Steve coming out the victor and chasing Billy all the way back into Will’s old bedroom, tackling him on the bed.
Before Steve can even accuse him of anything there’s a child dog piling onto his back, looking over his shoulder at the pinned down Billy.
”Nowhere to run Steve, you’ve fallen right into our trap…” Billy smirks, looking up at the little girl who is holding the same look.
”1…-“
”What‘re you-?” Steve tried to question
”2… 3… Get ’em!” And with that Billy’s fingers were digging into his sides in an attempt to tickle, the kids fingers going to his armpits, clearly understanding the assignment.
”Ah !” He yelped, twitching at the tickling feeling in his ribs, “Nancy! Johnathan! Help! I surrender!” He called.
”It’s too late now, Harrington!” Billy remarked, continuing to both tickle and hold him in place, cheeks almost hurting from the way he was smiling.
Luckily for Steve it wasn’t too late and Jonathan heard his call, plucking the small figure off of Steve‘s back. Billy watched as she kicked and grabbed to be put back, Nancy just laughing from the doorway.
“Well played, girlie,” Billy praised, reaching his hand out to high five her, a limp Steve weighing him down.
Honestly, he wasn‘t expecting Jonathan to bring her forward to accept it, but sure enough he felt a hardy smack on his palm. And maybe, just maybe this trip wasnt turning out to be as bad as he thought it would.





