👤 👀
━━━ for every "👤" [ alternatively: "NPC" ] sent to my inbox, i will introduce you to ONE NPC relevant to my muse's lore !
william 'billy' franklin is ten years older than his sister, elizabeth. born and raised in memphis, tennesse, billy had a relaxed childhood compared to his peers. homeschooled, a mother who rarely scolded him, a father who rarely spoke up against his wife, and freedom to do whatever he pleased. he's the apple of his mothers eye. and despite the gap, the highlight of his younger sister elizabeth's day. her bright paintings and singing loud for all to hear from her bedroom may go unnoticed by their mother, but billy found time to compliment his sisters growing talents. cheering her on and always keeping a close eye on her.
for a few years growing up, engrossed in books, billy considers college. somehow, without a high school diploma to his name. both require money. and the idea of being so far from home doesn't sit right with him.
at 16, he moves out of the family home ... not very far. a shabby apartment on monroe avenue but the rent's cheap and he picks up a full-time job as a parking attendant. spends his days visiting his parents for dinner, spends his nights reading or trailing back from dive bars with friends after one too many beers. the streets lit by neon flashing lights and music all around and his younger years feel like they're going to last forever. four years into his job, a woman complains about a ticket. gets real pissed off. enter: diane. a few years later, that ticket turns into a marriage certificate. and when diane bursts in the door of their tiny apartment with news that she's pregnant, twin girls, billy realises his younger years are over. goodbye to his roaring 20s, hello baby bottles. late nights are nothing like they used to be.
billy gets a job at a local mechanic. trains up in an apprenticeship and gets his shit together. better money than his last job and over time, the couple can afford a house. two blocks away from his parents place. intentional. he never could stray too far from home. diane complains, says his mother is overbearing, makes a huge fuss of the kids. she's always visiting, or they're always over at the family home. billy loves it. it's quality time, he says. family, dinner, conversation, what more could he want?? except one member of the family decides to leave. there is a pang of envy, despite his insistence to stay near home, that elizabeth is going to 'see the world.' it's literally just indiana. but he congratulates his sister regardless, hopes her new boyfriend alan treats her well and pulls the guy aside with firm words. alan calls it firm words, it was a genuine threat.
when word comes through on the phone that elizabeth is to be married, she's pregnant, and wants them all to visit hawkins, billy was happy for her. albeit, hesitant - this alan guy, he never did like him all that much from their brief meeting. billy tries to plan the logistics, with diane on board, but when his parents don't budge on how far the trip would be, he caves. agrees their congrats will be reduced to a phone call. again. that's just how it is when someone moves 'way, he'd shrug it off often. he'd call a lot, basically when a free moment arose without his job, a clingy child, his wife, or their parents taking up his time. they write letters too, send photographs. his sisters wedding photo and her kids are framed on billy's wall, next to his own family photos.
when christmas rolls around, billy always calls like clockwork on christmas eve. it was always the siblings' favorite night. they'd share a drink over the phone, despite the cost, and reminisce. these calls would be when he'd spend time talking to his nephew too, eddie. god, billy thought he was great. funny as all hell even as a small kid. elizabeth had to beg for the phone back, to which billy would always dramatically complain.
billy's wife, diane, starts to crack over time. growing snappier and exhausted. he's great with their twins, no doubt about that, he spends every moment he can with the girls ... but his wife?? not so much. and ugh, that mother of his, diane would groan. billy plays ignorant, smiles and waves, seemingly oblivious to the multiple, growing and boiling communication breakdowns in front of his eyes. he knows, he'd just rather not address something 'out of his hands.'
a call comes in, in '72, that elizabeth is sick. that urge to remain close to home finally snaps. disintegrates in an instant when the news drops and the color pales from billy's face. he, and his father, insist: they have to go to hawkins. they have to! diane agrees, though she'd intended to discuss separating for a while that same evening. she puts that on hold.
months later, the trip to hawkins is taken but it's far too late. the regret never leaves billy. it's a knot unable to be untied tears his stomach apart, a cloud resting in his mind over thoughts, a tension in his shoulders he can't shake, a clenched jaw that gnaws at his teeth. he stands directly behind his nephew and niece at the funeral, alongside alan. a few drinks later that evening and alan's walking around hawkins with a black eye. both engulfed in grief. billy drives his parents home the next day in silence. there's a spark lost in him. a loudness and playfulness he'd always bring to a room, it simmers down.
he visits hawkins once more. it's difficult, but he visits his nephew and his niece. spends a few days at a local hotel and takes them out for ice cream sundaes, brings them to the park, buys them comics and toys, spends hours listening to them talk because he's just glad they're somewhat okay. he doesn't leave without another word of warning to alan.
he sends letters and calls every so often, with all the free time now that his own kids are grown and his wife - ex wife - moved out. christmas eve, the phone will always ring at eleven p.m. only it's eddie that answers. he's still so damn funny, billy thinks.
