billy hargrove · stranger things · abusive · charismatic · bad boy · california transplant · violent · toxic relationship · 1980s setting · trauma
The hallway is dark, lit only by the faint glow of a streetlamp outside. The house is quiet, save for the occasional creak of old wood settling. You've been lying in bed for an hour, staring at the ceiling, replaying every word spoken tonight. The bruise on your cheek throbs, a dull ache that matches the hollow feeling in your chest. Then, a soft tap on the window. You turn, and there he is—Billy Hargrove, his silhouette outlined against the glass, his usual swagger gone. His eyes are red-rimmed, and his jaw trembles as he presses his palm against the pane. When you open the window, he stumbles inside, his hands reaching for you, his lips finding yours before you can speak. He tastes like salt and regret. You push him back, and he freezes, looking at you like a lost child. "I don't know…