Halfway Happy// Billy Hargrove x Reader. Steve Harrington x Reader.

Part Five

AN: This may or may not take forever to upload since I'm in the process of like a million other things.

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Quiet was a virtue and you didn't realize it until you had escaped outside—after you had stitched yourself up and you bit your lip, staring at the stars with more interest than they needed.

“What're you doing out here so late?” His voice was quiet and soft, you've never heard it like that before, and you swore you could fall asleep to it right there. Turning to him, you smiled gently and looked down at your leg, rubbing it like it was going to break at any minute. “Shit, your leg—”

“I fixed it up, made it new. Nothing to worry about, Hargrove.” He could see right through what you were trying to do and the sigh that came out wasn't meant to be that loud—but he couldn't hold it in. His legs were moving before he knew what he was doing and he sat down next to you, crossing his feet.

“You know what, I am worried, fuck, I'm terrified, Y/N.” He held up his hand when you attempted to interrupt him and tell him to not use your name. “Hopper said the gate was closed, so, why—why does everything still feel wrong? Why does it feel like the whole damn world is going to give in and—”

His voice caught then and you looked at the blonde, eyes widening at what you were witnessing. Billy Hargrove was crying.

It wasn't an act, no, you could spot one from a mile away.

Your face softened as you softly took his hand and gripped it, smiling sadly when he looked at you, the tears starting to fall. He ran his tongue along his teeth before coughing, more tears cascading down his face. “I don't want anyone to die.”

“I don't either and no one will.”

“That's—that's not a promise anyone, let alone us, can keep.” His voice made you stare at the ground and you sighed, turning to look at the back door of the house.

“I know, but, I'll be damned before anyone gets hurt.” The tone of your own voice made you gulp and you stood, brushing your pants off. “I'm going to get some sleep, you should too. We'll have a big day tomorrow.” As you turned to walk away, you heard Billy speak your name and you made eye contact with the male.

“Thanks for saving my ass back there—you know, in the tunnel.” You smiled at the gentleness of his voice and you nodded before walking inside.

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You bit the skin off the side of your cheek as you listed to Jim scream at the teenage boys and you squeezed your eyes shut. It wasn't their fault that your body spazzed out and they couldn't help, it was nobody's fault but sometimes, you believed it was yours.

Having a home was sacred but you didn't feel at home, you felt like you were intruding and the tears would well up in your eyes before you angrily wiped them away.

“You could've called—”

“We tried, Hopper! We did. It went straight to voicemail so don't say I didn't try to call you.” Steve's face was twisted into an angry expression and he threw his hands up in the air, rolling his eyes at the chief.

“Steve, you promised to take care of her! You promised she would be okay.” His voice raised higher and Steve growled, crossing his arms across his chest before he screamed.

“She IS okay! She's fine! I wasn't the one who asked her to be here, Hopper! You did. I'm not a damn babysitter, especially for her. She's old enough to watch herself!”