Chapter Text
Jason walked staggering, he had drunk too much and made too potent mix, his hands touched the wall to be able to support himself and head to the bathroom, praying that it was not occupied. He knocked on the door when it was within reach of his hand without receiving an answer, so he pushed it open, finding the place free, though not at all clean, he was certainly not the first to have spilled his guts in there. He plopped down on the floor in front of the toilet and held his hands in it, completely ignoring the filth that seemed to be embedded there, the very hells coming out of his mouth.
The music was still playing within the walls of that place, an old business from the 50's that had gone bankrupt in the mid 70's, the youngsters of Hawkins had been partying there since the beginning, generation after generation, the walls were full of signatures along with graduation years. Jason shouldn't be there, he was aware of that, the party was only for the 84-85 graduating, seniors; but the boy was only one grade below them and he belonged to the basketball team, he had a VIP pass for that since Steve Harrington, the King of the school, was the captain of the team and could invite whoever he wanted. Jason couldn't wait for Steve to graduate, the captain's would be his then, he was sure. A month ago, when the Camaro burst noisily into their lives, he saw that reality in jeopardy, Hargrove was a star on the field, even overshadowing Steve, but the blond truncated his destiny and reaffirmed Jason's when he bent over backwards to help the cheerleaders.
The sudden change of music brought him out of his thoughts, the pop music that had been playing so far suddenly cut out with a screech, as if someone had stopped the tape abruptly without waiting for the song to finish, and then something thunderous started playing, with too much guitar and screaming. That same damn music that Hargrove and Munson loved so much. Jason felt even sicker at the thought of the two of them at once, Chrissy soon appeared in his brain beside them, taking their hands with a huge smile. A new wave of nausea hit instantly, as if his brain wanted to remind him of the reason he had gotten so heavily drunk, as if it wanted to remind him of what he had done. The loud sound of the music almost managed to cover the soft knocking on the door.
-I’m busy! -he exclaimed without taking his head out of the toilet.
The door still opened slowly with a slight creak from the rusty hinges, Jason grunted holding in the next wave of vomiting acid and lifted his face, he was expecting one of the older guys demanding that they needed to piss, that they had preference as seniors, but whoever it was didn't say anything, just closed the door as slowly as they have opened it. Jason turned his head wanting to see them but the image he found was really confusing. The person behind him was really tall and burly, the muscular arms and thighs along with the visible abs made it clear that he was a boy, but he was wearing the Hawkins High cheerleading girls uniform, with the skirt cutting a little above mid-thigh and the top so tight across his chest that it revealed his stomach. He wore brown military style boots and leather bracelets on one wrist, his curly blond hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, a few front strands were loose as bangs, his eyes were visible and were a deep blue framed by dense black lashes and what was undoubtedly eyeliner. But the rest of his face was covered, the boy wore a bandana tied over his mouth, which had a drawing of a skull's jaw.
-What the fuck?
He didn't have time to stand up or move, he didn't even have time to say anything else, the boy's hand was raised leaving visible an axe that until now had remained hidden behind his thigh, and in a matter of seconds he hit Jason's head with the butt of it, making him collapse on the toilet, which was the second blow. Jason felt a sharp pain in his forehead and could see the blood trickling to the floor from his nose, he must have gotten a gash somewhere but he was too stunned to identify where the pain was coming from, his eyes moved to watch as the figure stood static, glaring at him. A prayer crossed his mind, "please let this be it, let this be just a hit, let this be just a beating, let this be just a joke", but that person wasn't going away, in fact he gripped the axe tighter and Jason knew it was a life or death situation. He managed to turn just in time to avoid the blow falling on him, leaning against the opposite wall to try to pull himself up, but the combination of alcohol and blood loss were not helping. A new blow landed on him, Jason shrugged enough for the axe to embed itself in the wall instead of his head, and he took advantage of the new support to rise up at once, charging at that figure and pushing him against the wall. He wasn't going to stay and fight, nor would he try to pull out the axe, that was what the stupid brave ones did in the scary movies, and they always ended up dead.
He took advantage of the stranger's moment of disorientation due to the blow and pushed him away from the door, grateful that there was no latch and opened it to escape, to call for help. A quick glance let him know that the place was empty, they would have gone to the Quarry or Lover’s Lake, he had been left alone. That discovery must have left him frozen more than he expected, because he felt how an arm wrapped around his shoulders hitting him to a strong chest, the glow of the axe by the lights of the place let him know what would happen just seconds before the edge of it passed through his throat, Jason raised his hands holding it and noticing the moisture of the hot blood that emanated from it.
-Hey, I'm closing! Is anyone else here?!
It was Steve's voice, Steve Harrington, coming from the front of the store, where the couches and tables were piled up for celebrations. Jason knew Steve couldn't see him, the bathroom was in the back room, there were at least a couple of walls between them, but he prayed he could at least hear him if he yelled; he parted his lips as that boy dragged him back inside the bathroom, but nothing came out of them, only a barely audible exhale to himself that let him know that cut had left him speechless. Jason listened as the music faded and the front door closed, hearing the padlock they had placed there, and knew he was completely lost.
*****
Steve was still the king of the school thanks to his position as captain of the basketball team, which had kept him popular enough despite the ups and downs that his relationship with Nancy had caused to his reputation. The brunet turned off the engine of the beamer and slowly climbed down noticing the crowd that had gathered at the entrance of the high school, Hopper's car parked right there, his assistants trying to control all the students. Steve approached slowly, absolutely baffled by the situation, his eyes searching for a friendly face to tell him what was going on, luckily Robin found him first.
-Hey, knucklehead, I've been looking for you like crazy!
-I just got here... What the hell is going on?
Robin took him by the elbow so he could guide him to a point where Steve managed to see the entrance to the building, Chrissy Cunningham was there crying in Billy Hargrove's arms, the psychologist stroking her shoulder in a soothing way while Hopper talked to her directly beside him.
-They found Jason at the party site... dead -Robin spoke softly as if saying it too loudly would cause a catastrophe even though it was obvious that everyone already knew about it.
Steve had always been pale but it seemed that his skin was still capable of paling, the blood in his body had frozen, Robin's hand on his shoulder tightened a little more as if she feared he was going to faint.
-That's not... that's not possible, Robin, I... I... I...
-Steve Harrington!
Hopper's voice instantly silenced everyone present and broke the panic attack Steve was about to have, the boy looked up quickly and noticed how Robin let go of him, people moved aside to make a corridor between him and Hopper. The brunet moved quickly, reaching out to Chrissy stroking her blonde hair, the girl gave him a sideways glance due to her face being sunk into Hargrove's chest, they were red and the makeup was smeared.
-Steve... -whispered the girl in a faint choked whimper.
-Hargrove -Hopper spoke at the same time -Is it true that you have the keys to the place?
The brunet quickly opened his backpack to take out the set of keys with a golden key ring that read 85, Hopper slowly reached out his hand to take them while his eyes examined it as if he was going to find the answers there, Steve knew what this was going to mean but his heart didn't sink any less for it when he heard it.
-Come with me to the principal's office, please.
Steve nodded slightly as he began to walk behind Hopper, he turned his face for a moment watching as Billy took Chrissy in his arms to carry her to the bathroom, it looked like the blonde had passed out. The door closed behind him, the director sat in his chair and Hopper leaned slightly on the table, Steve took a seat in one of the chairs across from it.
-Hopper...
-Don't worry, Steve, I know it wasn't you, I know you almost as if you were my son.
That didn't completely relieve Steve, he knew that somehow he was going to be implicated in this, and that many people would think that he did it or was complicit, or that he could have at least saved Jason and didn't; but somehow he was glad to know that the police chief trusted him so blindly, that he had that concept of him, that there was a kind of parental bond between them. Hopper knew Steve as well as any teenager with a chance of a rant in town, but since the police chief had adopted that 12-year-old orphan girl and Steve had become her babysitter, they had forged a much closer bond.
-Steve, you closed the place, you were the last one to leave, did you check if anyone was there?
-The music was on so I thought there would be someone, but I asked and no one answered, if Jason was there, he was either dead already or unable to speak, I swear I didn't hear any noise.
-Is there any way to get in other than that door?
-No, Hopper, you saw that all the windows have bars on them and the door to the back room was boarded up long ago, you can only get in and out through that door, and only I have the keys.
Hopper stroked his mustache thoughtfully.
-So the killer had to come in while you were having the party, did you see anyone strange?
-Well... I wouldn't know, it's not like I was at the door checking who was coming in and out, and there were a couple of times when I went to the gas station to get some ice... but I didn't see anyone strange.
-All right, son, thanks for your help.
-Do you want a list of the guests? At least the ones who were actually invited, the official ones?
-I'd really appreciate it
Steve took a sheet of paper the director offered him and quickly wrote down the names of all those who had been invited, although always the guests invited others and the number grew, but Steve knew many of the additional ones as well. Hopper took the list and quickly underlined Jason Carver's name, then crossed out Steve Harrington's, the boy hoped it meant not only that he had interrogated him, but that he was not a suspect.
-Can you think of anyone or any reason?
-I have no idea, Hopper.... Jason was a popular kid, sure there would be someone who was envious of him or disliked him, but I can't imagine anyone in this school capable of murdering someone.
Hopper nodded slowly and Steve finally stood up to leave the principal's office, clutching his backpack tightly to try to calm his nerves, aware that the chief had taken the keys to the place, they wouldn't let them party there again, it was now a crime scene. The brunet didn't feel up to going to class, even less so knowing that he had physics first thing in the morning, so he headed for the fire exit to get some air and calm his nerves. The door closed behind him with a faint click, Steve took a deep breath of the cold early October air, but instead of getting clean air and the smell of wet grass, his nose was permeated with the smoke of a Malboro cigarette. He turned his face quickly to find Billy there, leaning against the wall, sitting at the foot of the stairs, slowly smoking a cigarette.
-You heard me come and you didn't even move.
-The principal is too busy right now to go looking for teenage smokers -Billy mumbled, smiling around his cigarette.
-Come on, share... I'm on edge.
The blond reached out his hand offering the cigar, the last puff still held in his mouth, but as Steve went to take it, Billy turned his hand to grab him by the wrist and pull him down. The brunet fell across his lap, his hands on the ladder to avoid the blow, his legs across the floor and his face level with the blond's. Billy took his chin gently and pressed down causing Steve to open his mouth, then leaned over and exhaled the smoke over it, some escaped grazing their nostrils but some entered his palate. Neither said anything, Steve just closed his lips enjoying the smoke, his eyes narrowed looking at Billy who was smiling too charmingly. He knew he shouldn't do it at school, they would have two reasons to expel him that day, but he felt unable to resist, for the blond's lips were much better than nicotine. Steve craned his neck, ending the millimeters that separated them, enjoying the smoky, minty taste that characterized the boy's mouth, his hand reaching up so he could sink into the curls at his mullet, lightly scratching the skin and gently tugging at the hair. Billy growled into his mouth before breaking away and brushing the cigarette across his lips, Steve took it and took a gentle puff without taking his eyes off the blue orbs, the blond licked at it.
-How is Chrissy? -asked Steve taking the cigarette out of his mouth.
-Last night her boyfriend was murdered and the last conversation they had wasn't pleasant, how do you think?
-The last one... did something happen?
-It seems Jason was a little drunk and finally brought up his darkest thoughts.
Billy took another cigarette, as sensual as it was to share one, he absolutely needed the whole thing, and it seemed that on this occasion Steve did too.
-Please tell me he didn't lay a hand on her?
-Nah -the blond denied softly -Jason may have been an overbearing prick who thought he was a big deal because he was part of the basketball team, and he may have been a real big asshole at the time, but he loved Chrissy and he wouldn't lay a hand on her.
Steve nodded in relief, if Billy said it it must be true, Chrissy always told the blond everything without leaving out any details, that's cause he was her best friend.
-And can you tell what he was a dick about?
-Apparently Jason thinks I joined the cheerleading squad instead of basketball so I could sleep with his cute little girlfriend
The brunet laughed lightly making himself more comfortable in the blond's lap.
-You became a cheerleader so you could have the classic romance with the captain of the basketball team -he said.
-Exactly -Billy smiled, licking his teeth before leaning in and stealing a kiss -But it's not like I can go tell him 'I'm not fucking your girlfriend, I'm fucking your captain'... especially now that he's dead.
Steve coughed somewhat uncomfortably, having a sensual conversation with dead people in between made him feel guilty, but nothing he said was a lie.
-And that was it?
-I wish, the icing on the cake was accusing her of sleeping with Eddie as well.
-Eddie Munson? The king of the freaks? The lord and master of Hellfire?
Billy nodded as he took another puff. Steve didn't have a friendly relationship with Eddie Munson beyond having seen him at school, having shared subjects and knowing his kids were crazy about him, wanting to join the club when they finally got into high school next year.
-I don't know how he could think that -Billy muttered -Chrissy's nice to him, but she's nice to everyone, and they've never been alone, I'm always in the way.
-Of course you are, because Chrissy became friends with Eddie because of you, Hargrove, her friends' friends are her friends.
-Eddie Munson isn't my friend -the blond said -He just has good taste in music and he's my dealer, besides, my sister now hangs out with those geeky kids of yours, next year they'll be in high school, no doubt they'll want to join Munson's Hellfire, so it's a plus to have an informant on the inside.
Steve laughed softly as he raised his hand to stroke one of the blond's curls, seeing how it glistened in the sun, Billy was still smoking slowly trying not to blow the smoke in his face even though the brunet was also smoking.
-I understand that you keep up the facade in there, but you know that with me you don't have to make so many excuses, you can admit that you like Eddie Munson, there's nothing wrong with being friends with the "freaks" -he articulated his fingers to make it clear that he didn't believe in those stupid things anymore, Steve was friends with everyone, from popular people like Billy and Chrissy, to the opposite like Robin and the kids -Eddie Munson is cool.
Billy smiled slyly and leaned over to rub their noses together.
-Am I going to be the one who has to worry about him now, Harrington? You seem to have a thing for metalheads.
-Easy, Hargrove, Eddie can be all the metal he wants, but he's not you, he'll never be you.