CH 1: Scars

Nancy was beginning to think she'd never stop crying. Every night before she fell asleep, she could envision Barb's face, tormented and scared as she raced through the Upside Down. Because that's how it had to have happened, right? Something similar to her own experience?

"Watch it, Wheeler. Go find some other corner to cry."

Looking up with a start, Nancy bristled when she saw the new kid – Billy? – fishing a cigarette out of his pocket. Mouth curling, she rolled her eyes and turned indignantly to her left.

Billy appraised her with a sneer. "What's the matter? Not willing to use your tongue and speak? 'Cause from what I've heard, you're pretty generous in that department."

"Fuck off." The words were out before she could stop them, and posture tensing, Nancy pressed her lips into a thin, grim line.

"Well, well, well! Guess the kitten's got claws, after all."

"I do," she seethed, "though I wish I could say you had two brain cells, after all."

Billy snorted, snapping his lighter shut with a careless flick of the wrist. Ribbons of smoke festooned from his nose, and he grinned when he caught the disgusted curl of her mouth. "Nancy, right?"

"You know who I am."

"The gossip version, sure." Billy shrugged, taking a long, drawn-out drag from his cigarette. "Are you telling me that's who you really are?"

Gaze deep and cutting, she looked up at his profile and shrugged. "I don't care what people think."

"Yes, you do. You're Hawkins' little sweetheart – straight A's, too, and one of them's in French." He waggled his tongue and laughed, but felt a dip in his bravado when she sniffled. Shit. He hated crying... He hadn't been kidding when he'd told her to go bawl somewhere else.

Drawing a hand over her mouth, Nancy shook her head and sniveled. "Look, I don't have time for this, okay? Barb's dead, and just...nobody else seems to care, and the absolute last thing I need is you getting involved in shit you couldn't possibly understand."

Billy finally appeared offended. "And how do you know what I do and don't understand, huh? What makes you think I haven't lost someone too, you spoiled little rich bitch?"

Nancy flinched at that, startled. "W-what are you saying?"

"Forget it."

"No, I want to know." Expression softening somewhat, she wiped her eyes and regarded him warily. "You can't just say something like that and not elaborate."

Billy shook his head, rolling his eyes.

"Come on, it's only fair... You know about me and Barb, so can't you just...? I don't know..."

"Jack."

"What?"

"His name was Jack."

Chewing her lip, Nancy nodded encouragingly. "And he was...?"

"My best friend. Well...I guess guys like me don't really have best friends, but we tolerated one another. He had my back, and I had his."

"So what happened?"

Eyes darkening, Billy tossed his cigarette and stomped on it, obliterating it beneath his boot. "He died."

"W-well yes, I assumed that, but-"

"He fucking O.D.'d, okay? We both used to do heroin – the good shit, too – but there's nothing like seeing your friend's wide, lifeless eyes to sober you right the fuck up. Even now, I can't get his face and his...his fucking purple tongue out of my head."

Nancy paled, her hand fluttering toward her throat. "Jesus... I-I'm so sorry."

Billy's smile was bitter. "Yeah. Everyone's always so sorry. Never caused anyone to step up and help though, that's for goddamn sure."

Tasting bile, Nancy looked down at the ground. "You must think I'm overreacting about Barb..."

"I never said that."

"No, but...I guess having to actually see your friend must've been worse than hearing about it secondhand."

Billy shrugged. "Loss is loss, Wheeler. It all sucks balls. And last time I checked, we weren't in a pissing contest..." He paused to grab himself, grinning lewdly. "Though I'd certainly win."

Nancy scoffed, a faint hint of scarlet touching her cheeks. "And here I was, thinking you weren't so bad..."

He chuckled. "No need to rock the boat, right?" Angling in toward her, he tucked his hands into his pockets and appraised her with a long, appreciative once-over. "Say, are you always this fun in the morning?"

The corner of Nancy's mouth quirked, the tears finally drying on her cheeks. "You're going to die wondering."

A/N: Me after S2: GOD, I hate Billy SO much, I hope he's the one who dies! Me after S3: writes multiple fics of Billy making long-lasting, meaningful friendships, and over-coming the abuse he withstood for so many years. I GUESS I HAVE A TYPE. haha Anyway, I've always really wanted to see these two interact, because I feel like they'd have really fun/snappy banter. I don't know if I'll continue this/make it shippier, but I might, depending on the response, especially since there are basically only three fics for this ship lol.

P.S. Why, yes. I DID name this after my favorite Beatles song. ;)

P.P..S. If you wish to read my historical/supernatural romance novel, you can find it on my Tumblr, musicboxmemories!