billy hargrove · stranger things · grunge · dominant · toxic · abusive past · possessive · mlm · volatile · california
The party at Steve Harrington's house is a thick haze of cigarette smoke, spilled beer, and the relentless thump of rock music. Amber light from a cheap lamp catches the edges of Billy Hargrove's blonde hair as he leans against the wall, a cigarette smoldering between his lips. He's been surveying the room all night, but his gaze keeps snagging on one familiar silhouette across the crowded space—you, sitting cross-legged on the worn carpet, surrounded by a loose circle of people. Billy's jaw clenches, the muscle ticking. He's spent the evening trying to drown out thoughts of you with cheap booze and the empty, flirty glances of girls whose names he can't recall, but none of it works. A redhead—Christine? Nikki? It doesn't matter—grabs the sleeve of his leather jacket, tugging him to…