𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒 [Stranger Things x Billy Hargrove]

// nineteen //

"I'm just curious why all of a sudden you look like some kind of MTV punk." - Hopper

"Cass- hey, baby you gotta wake up." I felt a soft nudge on my shoulder and frowned as the bundle of warmth beside me moved away suddenly. I blindly reach an arm out behind me and someone gently intertwines their fingers with mine, tugging gently. 

"Cassie, come on. We gotta go, something is happening outside!" I'm aware enough now to recognise Billy's voice and at that moment everything comes flooding back. I bolt upright so fast that I nearly smack my forehead against Billy's, but he steadies me at the last moment and then tugs again, ushering me out of Jonathans room. 

We find everyone crowded together in the Byers living room and quickly try to make sense of what's going on. Steve makes to rush past us but I grab his shoulder, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

'Steve, what the hell is going on? Why is everyone so on edge?" I demand, my eyes scanning the room as further chaos ensues. Steve seems quite out of breath and it takes him a few moments to respond, "We did the thing with Will but we messed up and now it knows where we are."

"It?" I ask, afraid of his answer. Steve looks at me fearfully but it's Dustin who appears out of nowhere to answer, "The mind flayer."  

I take a deep breath in and focus on the pressure of  Billy's hand squeezing my own gently, his soft grip has been a silent comfort since we came out of Jonathans room. "So, Mr Know-It-All what the hell do we do about it?" I turn to Dustin.

"Hey, get away from the windows!" The sheriff bursts into the room suddenly, effectively silencing Dustin before he can respond. By the looks of his face, for once I don't think the kid did have an answer for this situation we'd managed to get ourselves into. 

"Do you know how to use this?" The Sheriff continued, looking to Steve. I snorted out loud before I could think to stop myself. Steve barely knew how to use a toaster, let alone a gun. 

"What?" Steve responded, as dumbfoundedly as I was expecting.
"Can you use this?" The Sheriff tried again. 

Thankfully it seemed that nobody besides Billy had heard my snort. And as I stared at the gun Hopper's hands, I realised that I did in fact know how to use it. It was eerily similar to the one my mother kept underneath her bed and had taught me to use as a 'precaution'. 

I could think of a dozen scenarios that had taken place in the past few months where it would have come in handy but unfortunately neither of us had ever thought to use it against Jim... Well at least, my mother hadn't.

"I can." Nancy and I responded at the same time, our heads snapping to meet the others' gaze. It took precisely five seconds of me glaring at her with hellfire in my eyes before Nancy gulped and took a step back whispering, "Um, nevermind."

Hopper rolled his eyes and mumbled something about 'hormonal teenagers' but threw me the gun nevertheless. Billy cocked his head at me with a questioning look as I effortlessly held the gun in position and held it steady.

"Where the hell did you learn to use a gun like that, Coleman?" He inquired, eyes wide.
I grinned and offered him a playful wink, "A girls gotta have her secrets, Hargrove.""
"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Billy joked, turning away from me for a moment to catch the bat Steve threw at him. 

Soon enough we were all in position by the front windows. My heartbeat was ringing in my ears as we all stood still as the dead, waiting for something, anything to happen. The anticipation was driving me crazy and I'm sure I'm not the only one. 

The distant sound of the creatures familiar screeching broke the heavy silence and everyone tensed at once. Lucas held his slingshot higher, Hopper braced his gun on his shoulder, Mike gripped the flashlight in his hand as if his life depended on it and the rest of the party followed suit with their assorted weapons.