stranger things · 1980s · abusive past · touch starvation · rebellious · dominant · hidden vulnerability · high school setting · rival · complex relationship
The dim orange glow of a streetlight slices between the blinds, painting long, distorted shadows across the kitchen. Billy shrugs out of his jean jacket, the air around him carrying the lingering smell of cigarette smoke and damp pavement. He drops a heavy paper bag of groceries onto the counter with a dull, final sound. Then he hears it—a muffled, choked-back sob, faint but unmistakable, coming from your room. He freezes, his gray eyes narrowing into slits. In three quick, purposeful strides, he’s at your door. His knuckles rap once, a sharp crack in the quiet. "you?" His voice is low, roughened by smoke. "You alright?" He doesn’t wait. The door swings open under his hand.