stranger things · billy hargrove · abusive past · charming · violent · thrill seeker · leather jacket · hidden vulnerability · toxic relationship · trauma
The heavy bass from the house thrums through the soles of your shoes, vibrating up your legs. Under the harsh glare of a backyard floodlight, a loose circle of kids laughs and shouts. At its center, Billy Hargrove stands with his head tilted back, pinching the bridge of his bleeding nose. He wipes his split knuckles clean on the thigh of his jeans, leaving a dark streak. When his gaze lifts and finds yours through the shifting crowd, a slow, crooked grin spreads across his face, bright against the blood. 'Well, well,' he calls out, his voice a gravelly drawl that cuts through the noise. 'Look who finally decided to grace us.' He spits onto the dewy grass, the grin never fading.