PSL with moretolifethanstupidboys

[fuckboyofhawkins]

Its been a week and a half since Billy appeared outside Steve's window and made it known that he was alive. Steve had been quick to reach the Byers the day after he'd shown up, explaining as much as he could before pulling Billy on the phone with El.

They'd talked for hours. Longer than Billy thought he'd talked to anyone else. Ever.

Along the way he'd asked to see his sister, but at every mention of it Steve stopped him. 'Its for her safety' he would say. 'Or for your own' was another he would used.

Needless to say, he wasn't happy about it. He was starting to get antsy. To get cabin fever. To freak out.

Until El and Will finally told him it was okay. That there was nothing left of the actual Mind Flayer inside him. Well, nothing dangerous anyways. His powers were connected, yes, but it wasn't anything they thought would be bad.

Still, he'd insisted El call Max. "Please just...I can't. I can't just call. Please get her over here." He said, chewing on his lip as he watched her call.

And then after that? He'd been a nervous fucking wreck. He paced the living room and the hall, up the stairs to Steve's room to look out the window and back down.

"Fuck I can't do this!"

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[moretolifethanstupidboys]

Max returns the hug easily, wrapping her arms around him as tight as she can, burying her face into his chest and letting out a soft sob. Six months had been so long and she felt like she'd been one of the only few people who even cared he was gone.

To have him back... her heart felt like it was going to explode.

"I missed you too."

[fuckboyofhawkins]

He hated that it was his fault she was so sad. He really did, but it wasn't like he'd had any control over the situation. He just continued to hold her, keeping his arm around her before looking at the others.

"I don't...think anyone is going to come looking for me. At least not anytime soon." He cleared his throat, looking over at Steve and then at El. He'd been avoiding talking about it, but he stood slowly after letting go of Max.

He ran his fingers through his hair, walking over to the table where the newspaper sat. "I sort of let it slip my mind, but this reminded me." He opened it, turning the front page to everyone. The article was about a huge power and water preservation station in Chicago that'd had some sort of meltdown and blown up after going critical.

"This is where I was. I...um. I did this."

[moretolifethanstupidboys]

Max gets up from the couch and follows Billy over to the table, pressing into his side as he flips the paper around for Steve and El to see.

The article on the front page is something about a meltdown and Max just stares at it in shock, her wide eyes looking between her brother, the paper and her friends, trying to read the reaction of the room.

"You did that? How?"

[fuckboyofhawkins]

He stared at his sister as she stared at the paper and then at him again, asking him how it was him.

"I got mad. They..." He started, frowning deeply before scrubbing a hand over his face. "I wasn't cooperating the way they wanted me to. They made...threats. Against you, El, everyone. To use you against me, to make me...behave."

He ducked his head, breathing out slowly and a bit shakily. He really wasn't sure he wanted to go into detail about this. Wasn't sure how any of them would react or if he even wanted to know how they would.

"It just...started with the guards. But the angrier I got..." He looked down, staring at the floor. "I blew the place up..."