asskicked :: let's make this awkward

[theblondedevil]

- - -

When most people went on vacation, they came back with a sunburn or too many souvenirs. Or herpes, if they were really unlucky. Things that faded away over time with medication. What Billy came back with from his one week 'vacation' back home in California was something a bit harder to make go away. He oughta know since he tried to give it back. Apparently, babies were not really returnable that way. Oh yeah, he had a baby now. A kid. Though it didn't really look him with its small squished face and ugly bald head. He almost wished he'd gotten herpes instead.

He barely even knew the mom. Some old flame of his. He had to admit that she looked pretty good for just giving birth, except for that nasty scowl on her face that she wore as she practically dumped the baby in his arms when she saw him.

Next time his dad offered to send him on a trip back home, he was staying in Hawkins.

What the hell did he know about babies anyhow? Except that his liked to cry. A lot. The only thing that even got the kid to quiet down was walking. Literally, the second he tried to sit down, it was like the end of the world. He'd only been home for three days now and he hadn't slept a wink. But sleep was the least of his concern. Word traveled fast in small towns and he was sure that somehow the gossip had spread. There went his reputation.

It wasn't all bad though. Max's mom helped with groceries and buying whatever the baby needed-

-except tonight she was out on a date night with his dad and Max was who knew where and he was out of diapers AND food. He would have waited until it was late and everyone was probably at home but Lila (Max named her and he didn't care either way so it stuck) couldn't wait and wouldn't stop crying until they got to the store and he walked inside.

Of course, it was just his luck that he spotted a familiar brunette on the other side of the store and he made a quick and hopefully unnoticeable beeline for the baby aisle.

Comments

[asskicked]

Steve hadn't seen Billy for quite a while. He's not sure what he was expecting honestly. They often enough just stop talking to each other and all. He hadn't heard the rumors but he'd actively been avoiding hearing anything to do with Billy Hargrove and yet ... now he's seen him. And he sees him holding a baby??

"Hargrove," he calls after closing most of the distance and holy shit it is a baby and this is the baby aisle.

"What the fuck."

[theblondedevil]

He had hoped Steve wouldn't recognize him and that maybe even if he had, that he wouldn't bother with coming after him because goddamnit, he really didn't want to explain why he was holding a four-month-old and looking at cans of formula. Girls were supposed to do this. They knew how. He didn't. What the hell was he even supposed to get? There wasn't just one formula. There were at least five different kinds. How the hell was he supposed to know what he was supposed to get?

But first problem first.

Steve looked ... just as good as ever and he definitely takes an extra long minute going from head to toe and taking him all in. If it weren't for the baby in his arms, he would have tried jumping him right there.

"What's the problem, Harrington? Never seen a baby before? Also, language," and he put a hand over one of Lila's ears mockingly.

[asskicked]

"It's a baby it doesn't understand what I'm saying, dude," Steve rolls his eyes and he frowns. So this is why Billy had up and disappeared.

"It's not yours is it?" he asks but why would Billy have a baby that wasn't his? that wouldn't exactly make a ton of sense but fuck.

[theblondedevil]

"It's not yours, is it?"

The question is almost like a slap and he visibly winces. He hesitated, turning his head to stare at baby shit on the shelves. He doesn't see them. They're just a distraction. Just something he can pretend to look at while he tries to decide whether to lie or not. His hand tenses around the baby and maybe it can sense that he's stressed because it gives out a little noise and Billy has to remember to loosen his hold.

Finally he snorts. "Yeah, she's mine." And that's probably the end of whatever he might have had with Steve.

[asskicked]

Steve rubs the back of his head when Billy admits it. He kind of figured it but he thought Billy would lie to him about it which would have really pissed him off. He's ready to be pissed off but instead Billy just says the truth and he feels a bit deflated.

Because well... this is not what he expected.

"Is this why you fucking disappeared and didn't call or whatever at all?"

[theblondedevil]

Of course he wanted to lie! He would have loved to come up with an insane story about why he was currently holding a baby. Maybe it was actually his little sister. Or he'd stolen the baby. Either options would have kept him open for ... well, whatever he wanted. A baby tied him down. His social life, what he had been able to make of it in this stupid town, was down the crapper.

"I got you a postcard," he admitted without bothering to actually answer Steve's question. Because duh, yes, this was why. And he didn't want to admit that he'd been scared of losing Steve once the other found out. But what was the point now of trying to hide anything? Billy sighed, still refusing to look at Steve directly. "I wanted to call. I didn't think you'd believe me."

[asskicked]

Steve frowns at Billy and glances at the baby again. This was just so fucking weird. Like, Billy is the last person that should be holding a baby? But as much as maybe he should walk away or whatever he stays there to keep talking to him. He pushes his hand through his hair.

"I didn't get a postcard," he said and then lifts a shoulder. "I don't know why you think this would be hard to believe."

Well, okay, Billy taking care of a baby is hard to believe but him having a baby isn't that weird.

[theblondedevil]

"That's cause I never sent it." He bought one, wrote on it and even got stupid and smeared a lipstick kiss on it with the hopes that it would embarrass the brunette a bit because a red-faced Steve was somehow both cute AND sexy. But before he could send it off ... he got a gift of his own.

Billy fixed Steve with a look, like he didn't believe how cool he was being about this. Like he was just waiting for Steve to tell him to forget his number. But he wasn't. He chewed his lips for a second, then turned. "You wanna hold her?"

[asskicked]

Steve just frowned more at that and he really feels a little annoyed that the other had sent the postcard anyway or whatever. Who cares if that's a bit petty.

"You're not just gonna run off and leave me holding her right?" he was only half joking. It's not like it's a secret that Steve likes kids, though, babies would be a new thing for him.