Work Text:
“Flo - remember I have to leave early today OK? It’s the kids’ first day back at school.”
“Fine,” Flo replied, not looking up from her desk and her breakfast. “You needed to tell me this at 10:30 in the morning?”
Hopper rolled his eyes before going back into his office. Perhaps he was a bit on edge about Billy’s first day back at school and El starting her second year at Hawkins High. He sat down and ran a hand over his tired face. Would every day be like this? Wondering if both kids would get through the school day without any incident? Billy was starting his senior year as a nineteen year old, after taking a year off after being almost ripped apart by a monster and then carefully stitched back together again. There had been multiple discussions and debates about if he should just get his GED and call it a day or go back and take the year of school he’d missed. Jim had no doubt he’d pass the GED with flying colors, but thought perhaps going to school every day would give him a sense of purpose, a place to go, get back out into society, give him time to think about college and his future, work on getting his mobility back. Or those were all of the reasons Joyce encouraged Billy to sign up for his senior year. Who was Jim kidding, he was scared shitless and already regretting not just signing Billy up for the goddamn GED course. At least that way he’d be home and Jim could keep an eye on him. And Eleven hadn’t blown anything up at school her freshman year but it was only a matter of time, he was sure of it - he stared at his phone just waiting for it to ring.
He was about to sort through the messages Florence had left on his desk when he heard the door to the station bang open and one of the deputies say, “Jesus Christ, that thing scared the shit out of me -”
Hopper shot out of his seat so quickly, it clattered to the floor behind him and he bolted to the door. He rounded the corner into the lobby of the station and almost collided with the golden retriever barreling towards his office.
“Odie, what-” Jim started, but before he could even finish the dog was barking once in his face and grabbing Jim’s shirt sleeve between his teeth, tugging him towards the door.
“Jim?” Florence asked.
“Billy’s dog, gotta go,” He yelled over his shoulder - letting Odysseus pull him out of the station’s front door. He had a millisecond to debate getting in his car and driving over to the high school, but Odie was already tugging him down the street, he let go of his sleeve, barked at him to keep up, and took off towards the high school.
“Goddamn cigarettes,” Jim bemoaned, before running after the dog. Odie was trained to not leave Billy, under any circumstances, unless he was given a command to do so. Hopper’s heart was already pounding wildly in his chest, imagining all of the scenarios he might be met with - Billy hurt, Billy missing, Billy dead.
Thankfully the school was only a few blocks away, Odie not even turning around to see if Jim was still following him, just headed back towards his charge. As soon as the school came into sight though, Hopper radioed back to the station, asking for someone to meet him there with a car for possible backup, they didn’t need to know the reason.
Odie headed immediately for the back of the school, running towards the football field. Jim could barely keep the dog’s huge, golden, bushy tail in sight as he darted through a crowd of people on the outskirts of the field. The stands were packed full, people clapping along as the marching band performed on the field, cymbals crashing together, and out of tune trumpets sounding behind them. Hopper saw a baton get thrown up in the air out of the corner of his eye.
He saw Odysseus charge towards the bleachers and disappear behind a row of metal. Jim all out sprinted behind him.
It took him running through a few rows behind the bleachers until he saw him. Billy was laying on the ground on his back, with his face in his hands, his knees pulled up, his sneakers and shirt caked in dirt, and he was alone. Odie’s harness lay abandoned in the dirt beside him, Hopper hadn’t even noticed the dog was missing it. Billy’s dog came up and settled next to him, taking up watch.
“Billy!” - Hopper yelled, skidding to a stop right before he ran into the kid and dropping to his knees beside him. “Billy - what’s going on? Are you okay, can you hear me?” Hopper let his hands hover over Billy’s torso without touching, he wanted to start cataloging him for injuries, but knew better than to touch the kid without his permission.
Billy peeled a hand away from his face to squint at Hopper with one blue eye, his chest was heaving with short breaths. He used the same eye to glare over at Odie, “Traitor.” The dog’s tongue lolled out of his mouth, a proud expression on his dumb, dog face.
“Bill, cmon’ what’s going on, talk to me, man.” Hopper was using his most patient voice, but he had his hand on his walkie about ready to radio for an ambulance.
Billy wiped his other hand over his face, smearing dirt, before dropping it. “It’s fine, I’m fine,” He panted out, shaking his head at Hopper’s expression which said, you can barely breathe, you are clearly not fine.
“F-fucking pep rally,” His teeth started chattering. He attempted to push himself into a seated position, his arm shaking a bit, and Hopper couldn’t wait anymore, he reached out and tugged Billy up, pulling him up by the hand, while his other hand went to his back and rested between his shoulder blades. He waited for Billy to continue.
“Th-there was a stupid, f-fucking c-c-cannon,” He bit out, angry at himself for stuttering. He was fidgeting with his fingers, Hopper knew he was probably aching for a cigarette but he’d tried to cut Billy down to 2-3 a day with his lungs still recovering. He only agreed when Hopper said he’d also cut back in solidarity. Billy saying he’d be able to sniff him out if he smoked at work behind his back, Hopper firing back that he’d trail him at school to see if he smoked during lunch time.
“A cannon? Jesus, that’s what this high school is wasting my tax dollars on.” Hopper went to take a cigarette out of his pocket before pushing his hand through his hair instead.
Billy shrugged, he tangled his left hand in Odie’s fur and started petting the dog. Hopper paused, he didn’t want to ask ‘are you okay’, physically Billy seemed okay, but admitting he’d had a panic attack at a loud noise and had to hide under the bleachers to get himself together was probably not something he was about to do. He was still panting though, obviously struggling to catch his breath, and quell his anxiety.
Hopper’s walkie crackled to life. “Chief? I’ve arrived at the high school. Over.” It was Callahan.
“Callahan, I need you to call the Harringtons and tell Steve Harrington to head over to Hawkins High School immediately.” Jim could already see Billy shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. “If he’s not there try the Family Video store, then the Henderson household and ask Claudia Henderson to find him. Over.”
“Chief - what?”
“I said over,” Jim bit out.
Billy looked over at Hopper, resigned. Hopper returned it with an eyebrow raise, daring his young charge to challenge him and what Billy actually needed right now. Billy looked down at his feet, before mumbling out, “He’s at work.”
“Callahan, call the video store. Over.”
Jim sat down in the dirt next to Billy to wait. Billy was shivering, running his hands up and down his arms, his breath still coming out quickly, eyes a bit too wide and terrified.
“Kid - why don’t you try putting your head between your knees, hmm?” Again, he didn’t want to touch Billy right now, he also didn’t want to make any decisions for him, but it physically hurt seeing Billy like this. Billy slowly lowered his head between his knees, took a deep breath, and kept his left hand buried in Odie’s fur.
Hopper frowned. “Billy - where’s your inhaler?” This was a problem he could solve, his kid couldn’t breathe well, get him his inhaler.
Billy paused, pretending to still be thinking, and distracting himself with petting the dog. Although, his worry must have ratcheted up a notch, because Odysseus laid next to him instead, pressing his body along the side of Billy’s for support, resting his head on his paws. Hopper hoped that Billy knew he wouldn’t get mad at him for the response, but he didn’t know if that was something Billy intrinsically felt just yet.
“It’s-” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s in Harrington’s car.”
Hopper bit his lip from letting out the ‘Dammit Billy, what did we talk about’ that was waiting on the tip of his tongue, he held in a sigh as well. “Okay, well good thing he’s on his way then, huh?”
Billy rolled his eyes towards the ground, but kept his mouth shut.
“I’m not mad, kid,” Hopper tried. “I just worry about you and want to have your medicine on you if you need it. That’s all.”
“Thought that’s what the seeing eye dog was for,” Billy grumbled under his breath, unsuccessfully.
Hopper laughed. “Hey, if it wasn’t for that seeing eye dog I wouldn’t be here right now hassling you!”
Billy let out a little snort. “Yeah, yeah.” But he didn’t sound mad about it, his embarrassment of having Hopper witness some of his lowest moments seemed to be waning. They sat in silence as they waited for Steve.
They heard Steve’s car before they saw it, screeching into the Hawkins High parking lot. Billy rolled his eyes again, but Hopper saw the small, fond smile on his face. Steve would go to the ends of the earth for Billy. And if he got a call at work from a cop that wasn’t Hopper saying he needed to come to Hawkins High without giving a reason, Hopper could only imagine his level of panic as he sped over to the school.
Hopper still didn’t know how they went from Billy breaking a plate over the other kid’s head to now soulmates or some shit, but he wasn’t mad about it. Someone wanted to help comfort and take care of Billy Hargrove besides him, Joyce, and El? Well that was more than okay by him.
“Billy!” They heard the strangled yell from somewhere beyond the bleachers, closer to the football field. Odie’s head snapped up, head tilting to the side; Billy’s dog loved Steve.
“Go get him, Odes,” Billy said, the dog staring up at his owner but not yet moving, always on the job unless given a command otherwise. “Break.”
At the one word the dog was off like a shot, Jim thought it was probably for the best, he didn’t know if Harrington would think to look for them buried under the bleachers. Billy picked up his dog’s harness to have something to do with his hands; he was breathing a bit more slowly now, getting some of his color back. Jim’s heart rate was also rathecting down from sheer terror to its almost constant, resting state of kid induced panic.
As soon as Steve came into view, Odie bounding along behind him, barking with glee, Hopper held his hand up to his mouth. “Harrington - inhaler!” He made a gesture with his other hand to simulate pressing down on something with two fingers.
Steve’s eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, but his expression clearly and quickly went from confused to understanding. He scrambled back towards his car so fast he almost tripped, a golden retriever chasing behind him, dirt being kicked up behind them.
“Anyone give you shit today?” Hopper started. “About having the dog I mean?”
Hopper had called the school a month ago as soon as Billy had agreed to go back and he registered for his classes. He’d had a whole speech prepared for the principal but as soon as he identified himself as Hopper and said my kid is coming to school with his service dog every day, end of story, the principal had agreed without an issue. Jim did threaten to come up there personally if any of the teachers gave Billy shit for it either - Hopper wanted the principal to get it through his head that every teacher, janitor, parking attendant, and lunch lady would not breathe one word about it and leave Billy the hell alone. Once the principal agreed and said he’d even put it in writing once Hopper asked, he’d finally hung up. He wanted to tear the guy a new asshole about the lack of ramps at the school and other accessibility issues, but he poured himself a glass of whiskey instead. Besides, Billy was walking better every day and now that he had Odysseus, he’d been using his cane less and less, said he wouldn’t need it at school. Hopper hadn’t seen it in a week actually, he bet it was also ineffectually sitting somewhere in Steve Harrington’s fucking car.
Billy shook his head and then Steve was rushing over with a paper bag in hand, sliding to his knees beside them in the dirt, Odie following closely behind.
“OK,” Steve gasped out. “I got it, I’m here.”
He pulled the inhaler out of the bag - it was still in the pharmacy bag and in a cardboard box, unopened - Hopper glared over at Billy who was conveniently looking at his shoes.
Steve ripped the packaging off with both hands and presented the inhaler to Billy. “You remember how to-”
Billy glared at Steve who quickly shut his mouth and let Billy take the inhaler from him.
Billy shook it up and pressed it to his mouth. “You’re welcome,” Steve mumbled under his breath, but he didn’t look annoyed, he was actually smiling - now that he could see why he was called to the school, could see that Billy was safe and unharmed (at least physically).
As Billy inhaled dramatically, holding the medicine in his lungs, his right hand found Steve’s left in the dirt and he gripped it tightly. An apology.
Hopper looked away, grabbing Odie’s harness and calling the dog over to put it back on.
Billy hit the inhaler two more times, before handing it back to Steve, who immediately wrapped it back up in the box and bag.
“Better?” Hopper asked as he stood up.
Billy nodded, letting Steve pull him up on his right side, hauling his arm over his shoulders to support some of his weight. Odie dutifully trotted over to Billy’s left side so Billy could grab the harness, leaning against it a little, it was tall enough that Billy could hold it without having to bend down.
Billy still looked fairly ashen and spooked, eyeing the crowd outside of the bleachers with something akin to dread.
“Alright,” Hopper clapped his hands. “Bill, I’m gonna’ sign you out for the day, I'll go let El know that I’ll pick her up later - Steve can you take them home or do you have to get back? I have to head back to work but Callahan can give me a ride.”
“But-” Billy opened his mouth.
“I got it, Chief!” Steve replied. “I already told them I wouldn’t be back today.”
Billy glared at him again. “Steve, you can’t just-”
“Thanks, Harrington,” Hopper replied, he had an ‘I owe you one’ on the tip of his tongue, but ate it. He didn’t want Billy to think that taking care of him was something they somehow kept score of. Instead, he pulled a twenty out of his pocket and handed it to Steve. “Order some food.”
Steve pocketed the bill with a smirk. “Will do.”
“Hop, you can’t be serious,” Billy huffed.
“Why not? Go home, relax, take the day off.”
“But, it’s the first day! You really don’t give a shit if I miss the first day?” He seemed incredulous, his face red, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Hopper sighed. “Exactly, it’s the first day, it’s not a big deal. Look, we’ll try again tomorrow, alright?”
Steve took Billy’s hand that he had thrown over his shoulder and tangled their fingers together for a second. He looked around quickly, mindful of where they were.
Billy stared at Hopper for a minute, before deflating with what Hopper hoped was relief. “OK, man, if you say so.”
“Good, I do say so.” They started walking towards the parking lot, Hopper spotting Callahan over by one of the goal posts, nodding at him as he walked up. Billy and Steve and Odie followed a bit more slowly behind, Jim tried not to telegraph that he was walking a bit slower than usual, but he was sure Billy knew. He knew everything.
Hopper gave Callahan the ‘one minute’ signal with his finger and walked the boys over to Steve’s BMW. Steve opened the back door and Odie hopped right into the back seat, settling next to - of course - Billy’s cane which was resting on one of the seats. Steve helped Billy into the passenger seat, dropping him down as gently as he could without seeming like he was overtly helping him or pitying him. It was a delicate dance that Jim knew all too well.
“Alright guys, well, I’ll see you later,” Jim said as Steve went around to the driver’s side. He leaned down into the window on the passenger’s side, he didn’t want to hover but- “Hey,” He said softly to Billy who looked over at him, a defeated sort of expression on his face. “If you need anything you call me, OK?”
Billy sighed, but nodded. “Okay.”
He closed the passenger’s door gently and then hit the roof of the car twice. He could feel both boys rolling their eyes at him, but it was a hard habit to break.
He desperately wanted to call out of work, grab El, and go home with the two boys - keep an eye on Billy himself, make sure Eleven got through the first day of school, laugh with the kids over pizza and a movie. But, he didn’t want to hover, he walked over to Callahan once he saw the BMW drive away. He had a feeling Billy had everything he needed for the moment.