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1-800-whatwouldbillydo · 1 year

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Dissecting Character Scenes: Billy Hargrove

*I say that like he’s not the only character I analyze lmfao- anyway*

His Hand Movements

The above movement is what I do when:

I’m nervous. For one, it helps me calm down. Since anxiety is essentially unwanted energy, it helps deal with me being an overcharged energizer bunny by using that energy in a non-harmful way.

I get too in my head, and I need to ground myself.

I’m thinking.

I’m about to talk to someone or do something. When you overthink, or when you have a lot on your mind, even talking to people is something you feel like you need some preparation for. Especially when you’re in a completely different environment, and you have to start over.

I need to remember something, like the “script”. What am I going to say to Person A? What are they going to do? How are they going to respond? How should I respond? These scripts are like mental teleprompters. I play numerous scenarios in my head, and I prepare a bunch of responses to them, whether it’s physical or verbal. It’s an internal peptalk. Sometimes you cancel out the responses that you don’t think will apply, and you zero in on what you’re going with. Needless to say, it takes some time to always do this, which you aren’t always offered.

When you live with an unpredictable abuser, you’re walking on eggshells. It can require you to apply extreme control over your tone, your volume, your facial expression, and your words. They nitpick at everything you say, so you learn to think before you talk. You have to take a step back somehow, collect yourself, and keep a level head, which is hard in an environment like that.

The impressions other people have of you can get you in trouble with your abuser. Whether you’re late for a class or you don’t turn in an assignment, the last thing you want is for someone to call your abuser.

They count on you to mess up somehow, so they have a “justification” to punish you. If you talk back or raise your voice, they can see this as a green light, because they’re making you react. And your reaction, no matter what, will probably piss them off.

So, thinking things through, including your tone of voice and what comes out of your mouth, are things you tend to pick up in that sort of environment.

Scene #2

How am I going to handle this?

That’s what I find myself asking when I find myself in an unknown situation where I need to measure my response. The unknown tends to be borderline suspicious. Sure, living with someone like Neil can make you paranoid, but you’ve got some built in red flags in your court. You pick up things that others may not. To you, it’ll probably be common sense. In this situation, it IS common sense for Billy to be suspicious of Steve.

Flying off the handle immediately isn’t Billy’s style. It takes a considerable amount of control to even talk to Steve. Neil had shaken him up, and then Billy dealt with Karen. Now he’s having to deal with Steve lying to him about where Max is. But he uses force as a last resort. So much happened to him before this particular scene, that he was most likely a bundle of emotions and anxiety by the time he drove up to the Byers’ house.

While the audience knew what was going on, Billy didn’t. The fact that he actually tried to talk to Steve shows that he didn’t want for there to be a fight. He just wanted to get Max home.

“I don’t understand” is quite literally his theme all throughout his life. The entire time he was in Hawkins, he did not understand what was going on.

@ickypuppi3 pointed out that he fidgets so much with his fingers, like that scene with Max in the car at school when he’s holding his cigarette. The anxiety really comes through when he’s about to do something.

Scene #3

Like in this scene, where he’s prepping to face Neil, who’s banging on his door, signaling that he’s in a hotheaded mood. How Neil’s “temperature” is will indicate what Billy’s reaction will be. Here, he has to face Neil’s heat with as much of a cool head as he can. He also knows that no matter what he does, Neil will blow a gasket.

GIF credit to @suledins

#when your blorbos are already so much like you that self-projection is bullshit #Dissecting Character Scenes #ch: billy hargrove #character analysis #neil hargrove #billy hargrove #billy deserved better #billy hargrove character analysis #billy hargrove deserved better #tw mentions of abuse #just in case #every-dayiwakeup #i am once again spreading my 'billy thinks things through and has more patience than people give him credit for' agenda #if you see any errors #no no you dont ✨️✨️✨️

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aspec-stories-blog · 5 years

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Good News!

romance (mention), romantic attraction (mention), genderfluid character, fanfic, Loki Agent of Asgard, Young Avengers, Loki, Verity Willis, Kate Bishop, Billy Kaplan, Teddy Altman, Tommy Kaplan

Some days it was harder than others to pinpoint what what he was going to be like. If he was going to be a woman or a man. If he was going to like a man or a woman or someone like him. If he was actually going to feel what the Midgardians called sexual attraction or not. Most days it didn’t matter since most days concerned whether his current mission (either given to him by the All Mother or himself) would get him killed (or in deeper trouble) or not.

But some days it mattered. Like today.

As he nervously paced himself in the living room, half mumbling about the state of himself and his home, Verity sitting on his couch watching him do this. Didn’t try to speak a half truth to him as she didn’t know how Loki’s guests would take to the new version of himself. All she was speaking when he stopped pacing for a moment. “Either sit down or risk having your neighbors complain about the racket you’re making and probably try to throw you out since you didn’t get this place legally.”

“They won’t hear a thing.” He said, looking over at her. “I made sure to soundproof the place since some spells can get noisy. And catching up on Migard pop culture means shouting at the tv for some entirely stupid writing.”

“Usually there’s another reason a good looking guy would say why they soundproofed their place,” She said, “But since it’s you, I have to hope that you don’t have something in mind for them that ends with the world somehow ending.”

“Not planning, but the night is still young.” He said before resuming his pacing. The steps echoed in the apartment, somehow louder than before.

Verity sighed. She honestly didn’t know what to do with Loki when he was nervous like this. He usually would be sprouting some half lie that Verity knew entirely was believed due to how much he believed it and all would be right. But since it was people that he has told her in confidence about some of the things he did to them, she knew he had a right to be nervous.

Still, she stood up and walked over to him. Gently, she got a hold of his hand and held it into hers. “Why don’t we watch something that’ll distract you for now?”

For a few moments, he blinked his eyes, pulled out of his haze of worries. Looking towards the tv, he knew what they should watch until he got the dreaded knock. Loki didn’t say a word as he dragged Verity to the couch and pulled up a show that he’d come to adore since diving into the pop culture of the realm on the tv.

Verity leaned back into the soft cushions of the couch and watched as the opening of Futurama played, seeing Loki be a little less tense than before. She let the dialogue of the characters wash over her as she closed her eyes to catch up on some sleep.

A few episodes passed by the two of them before a knock was heard. Loki stiffened up for a few moments, not moving to get up or pause the show. Verity gave him a light shove, her eyes still closed and suddenly he was up and moving towards the door. There was another knock, this time in more rapid pace and more impatient than the one before.

He quickly opened the door to have Tommy nearly hit him with his fist. The speedster barely looked at him before zooming into the apartment. There was a sigh from Billy (Tommy’s twin, Loki found out just recently when deciding to invite some of the Young Avengers) and a look of apology from Teddy.

“Come in.” Was all he said before turning around. There were a few whispers from the couple behind him, but he also picked up the light steps from Kate who was standing behind them.

As he entered back into the living room, he saw the way Verity looked like she had been in a wind turbine. Her red hair was messed up and blown everywhere and her clothes looking more ruffled and wrinkled than when Loki last left her.

She was also sending a glare his way.

“Couldn’t have warned me that one of your friends was a speedster?” She says in an annoyed tone. At the same time she started to straighten out her clothing.

“I would, but the result would have been the same.”

“A warning, Loki, I just needed a warning. Do you know what it’s like to suddenly have a strong burst of wind rush over you?”

“I’m sensing your facetious tone here.”

There was a groan and she headed towards his bathroom to fix her hair. Then from behind him was a light snicker. Turning towards the group, he was faced with the mixed looks of surprise and amusement.

“Oh, please don’t stop for us. It’s hilarious to see you bickering with your girlfriend,” Kate said, smirking growing wider when she caught his gaze.

As he narrowed his eyes at what she was implying between him and Verity, Teddy spoke up, “It’s nice to see you again, Loki.”

“Yeah, it’s a joy.” Loki said rushingly. “Why do you think she’s my girlfriend?”

The three of them shared a look. Then a silent conversation that he knew he wasn’t being let in on. Just before it could break up and they started to explain themselves, Tommy rushed back into the room and seated himself on the couch.

“They think that because you bicker like an old couple. Plus, she scolds like one too.”

“Tommy,” All of them say, exasperated.

“Well, it’s better than dancing around the subject,” Verity said, returning with her look close to as it was before Tommy rushed by her. Her eyes sweep over the room and the situation, finally settling on Loki. “Though none of you are right about us. We’re friends.”

“Denial or something else that you’ve gathered us here for?” Tommy asked. Then rushed towards the kitchen to stand on the other side of the breakfast nook. And once more Billy sighed, his face meeting his palm.

“Something else.” Loki replied. He motioned Verity to follow him and moved towards the couch. As he sat down, he also motioned the others in the room to take a seat.

Billy and Teddy took two of the three seats of the breakfast nook while Kate took a seat in the other piece of furniture that Loki had bothered to put in besides the couch, tv and coffee table. Once settled, they all looked towards Loki, curiosity filtering through on their expressions.

He shifted in his seat, unsure of where he should start. Their stares reminded of what he had done to each of them when he was younger (of what he had done to his other self) and it made him wonder where he truly stood with them. There had been no contact between them over the last few years (not since the night they finally defeated Mother) and the only reason it had started back up was due to Verity giving him the opinion that maybe he should apologize. That he should give them the option to either accept or reject his new attempt at being their friends.

He’d made contact with Kate, the most likely to not go out and try to end him for doing such a thing. Soon it spread to Tommy, Teddy and Billy as he was given a push by both Verity and Kate to do so. There were tense conversations between all of them for what he had done with Mother and what he had done to each of them because of that.

And yet here they were, still looking at him like they were friends that he’d seen from many tv shows who’d cared.

A soft touch from Verity wrapped around his shoulder, knowing her contact would be a calming effect. “I wanted to speak about parts of my identity if we’re to move forward with our friendship. Verity suggested that it would be best to talk to you in person rather over in text to gauge the tone from each of you.”

“And in usual fashion, he’d rather get it all over with.” She says, lightly patting him on the back. There was a light chuckle from the others.

“Well, let’s hear Lokster.” Tommy said loudly, zooming back into the living room.

“The easiest part to start with is that I am both man and woman.”

“Genderfluid?” Kate said questioningly. Like she was pulling the word from deep in her mind.

“Yes that’s the Midgard term for it.”

“Sweet! What do you look like as a woman?”

“Probably not a lot different, Tommy,” Billy sighed out.

As Tommy went to retort something at his twin, Loki quickly shifted from a man to a woman. It felt slightly odd when he wasn’t feeling the way he usually would when shifting to this body, but it was well worth it to see the rest of the Young Avengers looking shocked like they were.

“Oh, are you free to date?” Tommy asked, rushing to Loki’s side that didn’t have Verity.

“That was the other part. Well two parts.” He admitted. Loki watched as Tommy sat back, looking over him carefully as he shifted back into a man. “I’m gray asexual as well as biromantic.”

“You’re Ace?” Teddy asked with wonderment. A different reaction from what Loki expected.

“Huh, that might explain a few things over the years since that night.” Billy says with a similar look like his boyfriend sitting next to him.

“Yes, I’m Ace.”

“Congrats.” Kate says. A smile spread over her face, happy with what she was hearing.

“So you are still free to date?” Tommy asked, a cheeky grin spreading.

“Yes, Tommy, I am. Though I doubt you have the patience to do so.” Loki replied.

“Hey, hey, don’t judge me based on my speed.”

“Besides, don’t you have David as a boyfriend?” His brother said. A smile that only came when a sibling was messing with other came over his face when Tommy speed over at him.

Loki could only watch in amusement as their fighting involved the others in the room, including Verity surprisingly. At some point, he started his episode of Futurama once more to hear Bender loudly proclaim ‘Bite my shiny metal ass!’ amiss the chaos.

- - -

by @too-music

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