What, do you idiots think I've got basketball games to get to?
[ He sits up, sending them a frown and folding his legs. ]
Who else do you know that owns a house big enough to hide you both with enough security to keep out people? Not monsters, but vampires kinda trump demodogs if you ask me and busybodies are gonna be more dangerous for a while just like Eddie said.
[ He tilts his head at Billy and raises his wrist, covered in drying blood. ]
Unless you're so starved from living in that hellhole you want to keep me all to yourself, Hargrove. You get a taste too, you know.
[ It's not like they have other options. And it'll take months to heal, to relearn how to walk, on a prosthetic. If they've got a safe place to hunker down and heal, then it shouldn't matter how long it takes.
But he knows Billy's been feeding less for his sake. ]
Okay. But if it becomes too much - the leg's coming off.
No, actually, because I've watched a ton of vampire movies and when they talk about body parts there's some kinda conversation about how they're not themselves because they're suddenly okay with people being in pieces. Pardon me for being on goddamn edge.
[ Muttering angrily, he folds his arms and stays where he is. ]
[ he covers one of billy's hands with his own, winding their fingers together and turning to look at steve. they should maybe just... wait. to talk about jason. or neil's bloody death. until steve's a little more sure they're not going to eat him on a whim. ]
It's my leg, y'know. B's been playing nurse since he saved my ass so if anybody can talk about my body parts, its him.
I'm fine. Look, whatever this is, [ gesturing to Them(TM) ] I'm okay with it, but I'm not into third-wheeling and you two clearly want to be alone, so I'm gonna go.
[he tenses for the acknowledgement; it's different playing with it than to be called out, and it's - shit, it's scary. it's goddamn scary; much scarier than wanting to sink his teeth into Steve. slowly his fingers flex, coming away from Eddie's face and settling on his own thighs.
he looks at Steve - really looks at him, wonders how much of Steve Harrington he overlooked just by being a competitive dick. he swallows. ]
Stay. We can figure out the logistics of staying at your place.
Honestly, you both made me feel a little loopy so I want my own bed.
[ He can tell they're alarmed he's noticed but there's no way to explain his newfound awareness of same-sex relationships without outing his best friend and her love-life's myriad problems. Steve feels like he was once looking through a telescope until it shattered one day and turned into a kaleidoscope.
He looks from Billy's all-over tension to Eddie's anxious expression. ]
I'll come back in a couple of days, you can ... have more then. Just don't do anything stupid in the meantime.
[A few days is fine; it's a few days of doctors being baffled by Billy's strange new anaemia and Eddie's slow but otherwise miraculous recovery. Billy gives another statement while Eddie's mostly out of it, goes through their story again with the kind of hollow emptiness only a victim could give. They tell him he's lucky to be alive. That Eddie's luckier. That they're not sure what Neil Hargrove did with Jason Carver's body, but they'll keep looking.
Billy spends most of his time by Eddie's side. His room is isolated, only ever filled by Max and occasionally Susan when she sneaks him in snacks. He tells her to send a lawyer to him to sort out the house - finds out Hopper is in town again, which - well. He hadn't known he was supposed to be dead. He tells Susan to call in a favour - tells Wayne to do the same.
By the time the weekend rolls around, Billy's starving. Has, on more than one occasion, sunk his teeth into Eddie's neck and gotten absolutely blitzed on morphine. It's not enough, though, not really. The blood bags, he finds, are kept less locked up than one might expect. He's been tempted enough times before Steve comes back around to visit - about as tempted as Eddie probably is to just sign himself out. ]
[ Steve recovers quickly. He goes on jogs, eats heartily out of some weird notion he's trying to pass ... nutrients, maybe, onto two more people, and when he gets a chance to head back to the hospital he's sure to bring a backpack that has some cleansing wipes, tissues, and bandages. A nerdy magazine from Dustin about DND.
Even his wrist has scabbed over.
Knocking the door, he heads inside with a deep breath. ]
He looks better. Much better. Started draining his IV bags when no one was looking, letting a poor intern take the blame for inserting it incorrectly. There's color to his cheeks and he sits up with a little struggle, big brown eyes bright and alert. They're starting to wean him off the pain medication. ]
[and Billy is - conspicuously absent, for the moment. Quietly rifling through some of his belongings that Susan brought and maybe, actually talking to that lawyer. He'll be round, eventually, definitely less tense.
but, probably it's a good idea to let Eddie sweet talk Steve for a bit, before he comes in and decides to make a fuss about not being able to crawl into Eddie's bed while they have company.]
[ Having mentally prepared himself for some deviant Nosferatu scene he's more than relieved to find Eddie simply waving from the bed, looking much better. ]
Munson. Got you something, we're gonna strike up a deal.
[ Steve sets his bag down on the end of the bed, pulling out the DND magazine (well, it has DND in it and Dustin reassured him it was the latest issue of whatever Hellfire obsessed over). He rolls it up and waggles it, hand on a hip. ]
[ his eyes are on the magazine, staring at it hungrily. there's not much entertainment in here when visiting hours are often, and billy can't just live in this room with him. ]
Not like I have a lot of choice here. What am I selling my soul for now, Harrington?
I did some reading. If you bite into the wrong tendon in my wrist you're gonna fuck up my hand for good. So you, [ pointing to Eddie with the magazine, ] get to eat from here, [ Steve points to his own neck, ] and if you behave you get to read [ dropping the magazine from a corner, it hangs with the front cover swinging from between his thumb and forefinger, ] this.
Hilarious. Vampires are supposed to be good with throats. Or, practiced, I figure. Better you ride that instinct than chew up my damn arm like a rogue Pomeranian.
[ For now, the magazine is slid back in the bag. Steve wanders around the bed to sit close, easing off his coat and trying to lighten the mood. ]
You know real monsters aren't exactly like the D&D ones, right? Feels like I shouldn't be the one having to tell you that.
[ hiding nerd shit from him. eddie sits up a little straighter, unable to stop himself from leaning in a little to admire how nice steve smells. all those ridiculous hair care products at work, no doubt. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 10:07 pm (UTC)[there's just slight frustration. ]</small. He's right, Harrington. It can't just be you.
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Date: 2022-08-09 10:15 pm (UTC)[ He sits up, sending them a frown and folding his legs. ]
Who else do you know that owns a house big enough to hide you both with enough security to keep out people? Not monsters, but vampires kinda trump demodogs if you ask me and busybodies are gonna be more dangerous for a while just like Eddie said.
[ He tilts his head at Billy and raises his wrist, covered in drying blood. ]
Unless you're so starved from living in that hellhole you want to keep me all to yourself, Hargrove. You get a taste too, you know.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 10:26 pm (UTC)But he knows Billy's been feeding less for his sake. ]
Okay. But if it becomes too much - the leg's coming off.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 10:29 pm (UTC)and if Billy's able to drive out of town for a day, and come back fuller, well. who's actually going to complain??]
I'll hack it off myself, how's that?
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Date: 2022-08-09 10:46 pm (UTC)[ He's going to lean against the wall by the window, hand in his hair and at the back of his neck. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 10:48 pm (UTC)[ no, he's going to flirt weirdly. leaning in to kiss him - before steve speaks up, then he's stopping himself.
because yeah. vampires? sure. steve is an open minded modern man. gay dudes? maybe not so much. ]
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Date: 2022-08-09 10:52 pm (UTC)[the grin is back; softly anticipating and then nothing. which is probably for the best - Billy's still has that lingering terror. the anxiety. ]
Not to be insensitive dude, but we're the least weird shit you've had to deal with this week. For sure.
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Date: 2022-08-09 10:58 pm (UTC)[ Muttering angrily, he folds his arms and stays where he is. ]
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Date: 2022-08-09 11:04 pm (UTC)It's my leg, y'know. B's been playing nurse since he saved my ass so if anybody can talk about my body parts, its him.
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Date: 2022-08-09 11:07 pm (UTC)[some old, slightly meaner part of him, does find Steve's discomfort a little funny. like, he imagines he could spook him so easily now. ]
You want me to nurse that wrist of yours too, pretty boy?
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Date: 2022-08-09 11:09 pm (UTC)I'm fine. Look, whatever this is, [ gesturing to Them(TM) ] I'm okay with it, but I'm not into third-wheeling and you two clearly want to be alone, so I'm gonna go.
[ Eat a whole Dominos pizza, maybe. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:12 pm (UTC)( and also, guiltily, because it had beaten hard and fast for steve harrington not that long ago. still does. still does. ) ]
... Sorry, man. We can keep our hands to ourselves.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:16 pm (UTC)he looks at Steve - really looks at him, wonders how much of Steve Harrington he overlooked just by being a competitive dick. he swallows. ]
Stay. We can figure out the logistics of staying at your place.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:25 pm (UTC)[ He can tell they're alarmed he's noticed but there's no way to explain his newfound awareness of same-sex relationships without outing his best friend and her love-life's myriad problems. Steve feels like he was once looking through a telescope until it shattered one day and turned into a kaleidoscope.
He looks from Billy's all-over tension to Eddie's anxious expression. ]
I'll come back in a couple of days, you can ... have more then. Just don't do anything stupid in the meantime.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:27 pm (UTC)[ steve harrington is a good dude. he just needs to remember that. ]
Thanks, man.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:38 pm (UTC)Billy spends most of his time by Eddie's side. His room is isolated, only ever filled by Max and occasionally Susan when she sneaks him in snacks. He tells her to send a lawyer to him to sort out the house - finds out Hopper is in town again, which - well. He hadn't known he was supposed to be dead. He tells Susan to call in a favour - tells Wayne to do the same.
By the time the weekend rolls around, Billy's starving. Has, on more than one occasion, sunk his teeth into Eddie's neck and gotten absolutely blitzed on morphine. It's not enough, though, not really. The blood bags, he finds, are kept less locked up than one might expect. He's been tempted enough times before Steve comes back around to visit - about as tempted as Eddie probably is to just sign himself out. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:47 pm (UTC)Even his wrist has scabbed over.
Knocking the door, he heads inside with a deep breath. ]
Hello ... ?
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:52 pm (UTC)[ Eddie throws a hand up, waving.
He looks better. Much better. Started draining his IV bags when no one was looking, letting a poor intern take the blame for inserting it incorrectly. There's color to his cheeks and he sits up with a little struggle, big brown eyes bright and alert. They're starting to wean him off the pain medication. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 11:55 pm (UTC)but, probably it's a good idea to let Eddie sweet talk Steve for a bit, before he comes in and decides to make a fuss about not being able to crawl into Eddie's bed while they have company.]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-10 12:01 am (UTC)Munson. Got you something, we're gonna strike up a deal.
[ Steve sets his bag down on the end of the bed, pulling out the DND magazine (well, it has DND in it and Dustin reassured him it was the latest issue of whatever Hellfire obsessed over). He rolls it up and waggles it, hand on a hip. ]
You want to hear it?
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Date: 2022-08-10 12:03 am (UTC)Not like I have a lot of choice here. What am I selling my soul for now, Harrington?
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Date: 2022-08-10 12:09 am (UTC)Deal?
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Date: 2022-08-10 12:11 am (UTC)[ he feels his mouth go dry, something else beyond the hunger living in his skin suddenly stirring as he sets his eyes on that pretty throat. ]
... Deal.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-10 12:14 am (UTC)[ For now, the magazine is slid back in the bag. Steve wanders around the bed to sit close, easing off his coat and trying to lighten the mood. ]
I made sure not to wear my best shirt.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-10 12:18 am (UTC)[ hiding nerd shit from him. eddie sits up a little straighter, unable to stop himself from leaning in a little to admire how nice steve smells. all those ridiculous hair care products at work, no doubt. ]
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