Chapter Text
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Art by Keziahrain
Billy could almost enjoy his minimum wage job slinging ice cream, if it wasn’t for the uniform.
He knew he was better looking than average, but even his west coast good looks struggled to maintain his dignity against the polyester disaster that was the Scoops Ahoy uniform. There was only one other male employee who too was subjected to the indignity of the male uniform, but while the other was thin and lanky, Billy’s muscles were taunt under his short sleeve shirt.
While it made for a good show for the parade of local teens girls, and a few particularly bold mothers, it made Billy feel like he was stretching out of his skin.
Max couldn’t help but let out an annoying bray of laughter upon first seeing his uniform. She and her little group of losers mainly steered clear of Scoops Ahoy when Billy was on shift, but he could still see them pass outside the shop windows from time to time. The boys mainly looked away with the occasional awkward peek, but Max always made sure to flip him off as she passed.
If he was busy with a customer, he made sure to throw back at her a smile that was all teeth and dark promises. Promises that they both knew were empty.
It was such a pain that after the event at the Byers' house, Max didn’t seem afraid of him. At least, she didn’t seem afraid enough.
But what had been worse, was the one and only time that Neil came to see him at work.
Billy had been treading very carefully ever since that night that everything went to hell. Neil was getting rougher, and a little more careless with the marks that he had been leaving, and it wasn’t like the sailor shorts and t-shirt combo left a lot of skin covered.
Neil had vetoed his attempts to lifeguard that year (he had made the mistake of protesting too loudly and couldn’t see out of his left eye fro the rest of the weekend).
A girl from class had actually gotten him an interview, he had been so close. It wasn’t until he had to decline and was on his own job hunting that he realized how stacked things were against him.\
He was still the new kid in town, which meant that he’d be passed over for the kids whose families knew each other, who already had an ‘in’ even before filling out an application.
In the end, it was the ice cream shop in the new mall that called him back, and when he first got a glance at the uniform, he realized why they were willing to settle for him.
Max seeing it on him for the first time had been bad.
His team mates from the basketball team seeing him for the first time had been humiliating.
But Neil?
Billy could feel his acid glare on his skin, peeling at him until he felt so impossibly small. There had been a mix of disdain with a sour touch of satisfaction, as if he felt that Billy shouldn’t be allowed any dignity as he worked. He hadn’t been back since.
Which was fine with Billy. If anything, he would sell his dignity to save up as much as possible during his last summer before graduation. The looming threat of enduring one more school year of Neil hung over him ominously, but every cent that he saved up was one cent closer to him leaving Hawkins in the dust. He would gladly never see anyone in the town ever again (including his team mates, Max, and Susan) if it might finally being free from Neil.
So being periodically humiliated by his classmates and leered at by the occasional adult was ultimately a small price to pay.
Something his coworker didn’t seem to agree with.
“If you little punks don’t stop asking for samples, I’m going to get security to ban you all. For LIFE.”
Robin Buckley was in his class, not that he ever had a reason to notice her before. He supposed if gaggles of 12 year olds had been lurking the halls at school, she and her temper would have been much more memorable.
“The sign says that we are entitled to test any sample we want before making a purchase, and as many as we want.”
The appointed leader of the gang of preteen marauders pointed one glittery nail at the laminated sign in front of the counter, which tragically for Robin’s sanity backed up her claim. “And I would appreciate the Scoops Ahoy employees to adhere to their company policy, if that isn’t asking too much. Is it?”
That last part was directed at her companions, who all tittered their agreement.
Next to him, Robin seethed.
Billy almost had to be impressed by the amount of attitude someone under 5 foot could posses. He had been hovering by the register ever since the middle school girls had come in, leaving Robin to fetch their never ending requests for different flavors. The little leader had spared a glare for him exactly once, then ignored him as her team followed suit, intent on breaking down Robin’s resolve.
“And I know that Scoops Ahoy policy states that a purchase is required to be a customer, and an unwillingness to make a purchase is grounds for being ejected from the store.” Her face was starting to get splotchy and red. It might be a good idea for him to tell her to take five and retreat into the break room.
Instead, the two girls glared at each other in a silent battle of wills. After an impossibly long minute, the younger girl huffed. From around her was a chorus of similar huffs from her friends.
“You know ladies, I think I lost my appetite for ice cream. We can come back when the other geeks are working. Let’s go get some smoothies somewhere else.” And a practiced flounce, she and the other girls made their exit. Next to him, he could feel the waves of rage emanating off of Robin.
“You know, it should be illegal for kids to be let to roam free at the mall without their parents.” She spat out. “It’s just not right.”
“I dunno.” Billy replied, leaning against the register with a practiced ease. The sailor suit kept it from looking as cool as it did when he used it on girls at school, but it helped him feel smug. “You’ll probably need to get the sheriff to back you up on that one. The security here can barely keep the raccoons from sneaking in the service doors.”
“And that’s another thing that grosses me out!” Robin turned to him, wagging a finger as another rant started getting underway. “How do they expect any of the food court stores to function if animals keep sneaking into here? It’s unsanitary and the mall is going to get shut down and we are ALL going to lose our jobs!”
So riling up an already upset Robin Buckley was probably the wrong thing to do. In his defense, Neil had been particularly awful that morning, and anything to distract Billy was welcome.
“Looks like we’re going to need to get the newspapers involved too, Buckley.” He drawled out as their next batch of customers filtered into the store. “Could you do me a favor and try not to bite anyone’s head off this time? Since you’re so keen on keeping your job?”
Her customer service smile was back on, but her eyes had a manic gleam to them.
“No promises, Hargrove.”
Hello! Here is the awesome artwork from my partner Keziahrain, who you can also find at Keziahrainalso on tumblr. Thank you for being amazing, I couldn't wait to show your art!!!! Also thank you to my beta Benzin for checking out a new fandom for my sake. You both made this fic possible!
