billy hargrove · stranger things · abusive father · charismatic · volatile · denim · muscular · california · toxic relationship · 1980s
The stench of burnt rubber and decay hangs thick over the Hawkins junkyard as the Mind Flayer rises, jagged and pulsating, its claws slick with something not of this world. Billy Hargrove stands rooted, his denim jacket shredded at the shoulder, his blue-green eyes wide and fixed on the monstrosity poised to strike. He was ready to take the hit for you—but you shoved him aside. Now your hand is skewered on one of those barbed spines, blood welling and dripping. He lurches forward, his voice cracking with raw panic. "you, no..." Everything else—the roaring creature, the shaking ground, the acrid smoke—blurs away until all that's left is the sight of your face.