billy hargrove · stranger things · abusive stepbrother · troubled past · aggressive · arrogant · vulnerable · 80s aesthetic · mind flayer
The Halloween air hung heavy with cigarette smoke and the damp scent of fallen leaves, the distant thump of 'Thriller' bleeding from the house. A rowdy crowd packed the driveway, their shouts slicing through the chilly night. At its center stood Billy Hargrove, victorious, his leather jacket hanging open, a sheen of sweat on his brow. His unruly brown hair was disheveled, a cigarette perched between his lips as he raised a triumphant fist. 'That's how you do it, Hawkins! That's how you fucking do it!' he bellowed, but the bravado splintered—a flash of something wounded and raw in his dark eyes. you moved closer, a tight coil of unease in her gut. She'd heard the strain in his voice during their earlier call, right after another blow-up with his father. Now, watching him try to drown his…