Experiment 000: Billy Hargrove X Reader

Chapter Twenty Five

Unedited

    You're all in Mike's basement as El finds Hop. This whole time, you weren't even thinking about him and where he's been. It's been a rough past couple of days. As the kids sit on the floor and some stools, aside from El who's sitting on the couch, you're pacing the floor.

"I found him." El says, blood beginning to drop from her nostril.

"Where is he?" Max asks.

"Woods."

"Woods?" Lucas questions.

"He's with...Will's mom." El continues.

"My—my mom?"

"What are they doing?" Max asks.

"Ill...annoy. They're going to Ill-annoy." She attempt to pronounce the word.

"Mike! Breakfast!" Mrs. Wheeler knocks on the basement door.

"Not now, mom!" Mike shouts loud enough for her to hear. "Illinois? Illinois, like the state?"

El takes off the blindfold as Mike continues to ask, "The state of Illinois?"

El shrugs, "Ill-annoy." She stammers as your eyes land on her neck specifically.

She has bruises from how tight Billy, or rather the Mind Flayer, was choking her. You were frozen solid at the time as you just watched Billy choke her. You hate yourself for that. You're supposed to be her older sister, the one who protects her and you let her get choked. What kind of big sister are you? What kind of big sister lets their little sister almost die?

"Zee!" Your sister raises her voice.

You shake your head, turning your attention to her, "Yeah?"

"Can we talk?" She questions, pointing to the bathroom.

You nod, swallowing the gather spit in your mouth. She hops up from the couch as you make your way to the bathroom, the two of you meeting there at the same time. She opens the door and walks in, you following behind her. El shuts the door.

"What's up, kid?" You ask, grabbing the dry rag from the small hand towel rack.

"You seem...troubled. Are you okay?" She questions as you turn on the faucet and wet the rag.

You could lie and tell her you're fine, or be the sister that she needs and tell her the truth. "I'm scared, El." You admit, bringing the rag to her nose and wiping the blood. "I'm scared that Billy is too far gone and that I can't save him..." you trail off, looking down at the bruises, "that I can't save you." You finish wiping the blood and place the rag down, shutting off the water with your other hand.

"You did save me. All of us."

You shake your head, a pained chuckle escaping, "He was choking you, El. He shouldn't have even had the chance. I should've thrown him through the wall sooner, before he even grabbed you, but I..."

"You what?"

"I hesitated. I shouldn't have hesitated."

"But it was Billy—"

"That wasn't Billy. I knew that and I still..." you fight back the tears, "I still hesitated."

"It's okay."

"No, El, it's not o-fucking-kay," the tears break free, gliding down your cheeks, "I'm your big sister! I'm supposed to protect you and I froze up and—"

She throws herself onto you, squeezing your body tight, "You will always protect me," she looks up at you, "even if it's late. Even if you freeze."