A safer place

chapter seven

warning!
this contains physical and verbal abuse, as well as wetting and panic attacks. please be aware and skip this chapter if you don't want to read about these things <3

Max groaned, climbing in the backseat of Steve's car.
Billy had forgotten to pick her up from the arcade, but luckily for her Steve was going to pick up Dustin and would now drop her off as well.

They chatted a bit until Steve took a turn and stopped the car in front of Max's house.
„Alright, time to giddy up and go home" he said, turning around in the drivers seat to look at her.

„Thanks, see you guys tomorrow" Max replied, getting out of the car and slamming the door closed, waving after her friends as they drove off.

The girl then made her way to the front door, but stopped when she heard yelling from inside, along with muffled sobs.
Her heart dropped and she quickly unlocked the door, rushing inside.

„What's going on?!" she yelled, terrified at the sight of her brother standing in the living room, a wet patch on his jeans, face covered in tears, snot and blood.

Across the room, there was Neil Hargrove, looking at his son in utter disgust.
„Go to your room, Maxine" he growled, but Max shook her head no and stepped between the two to protect Billy.

„Absolutely not. What did you do to him?!" she shouted, shielding Billy from his father with her arm.
„I was teaching him a lesson, and he pissed himself like a fucking child" the man spat in their direction, and Max saw red.

„Get the fuck out of this house, Neil, or I'm calling the police" she growled, dead seriously staring her stepfather down.
He growled, rolling his eyes and rushing past them.

After he closed the door with a loud bang, Max finally turned around to look at Billy.
The boy was still sobbing, holding his abdomen and Max made a mental note to check him for injuries later.

„Billy, it's okay, he's gone" she tried to approach him, but the blond stumbled backwards, eyes wide in fear.
„No! No no no! Go 'way!" he yelled, stumbling over his own feet but even after he fell to the ground, he still yelled at her and scooted away.

„Okay- okay sweetheart, I'm not coming near you. It's Max, Billy, I'm not going to hurt you" the girl tried to talk over him, and sighed in relief when Billy blinked away some tears and seemed to now see her clearer.

„S-sissy!" he exclaimed, voice breaking as he cried out and made grabbing motions towards her, tears starting to flow again.
Max was by his side in a second, slowly raising a hand to hold his, but stopping a few inches before actually touching him.

„Can I take your hand, sweetheart?" she asked, trying her best to stay calm. There was no use in freaking out as well as it would only scare Billy more.
When the boy nodded, she slowly took his hand in her own, drawing small circles on it with her thumb.

„Sweetheart, I need to to do as I say, alright?" she took a deep breath „Mirror my breathing please- In- And out" Max slowly let the air flow out of her lungs, and repeated after holding her breath for a second.

Billy caught on to it after a few times, now in- and exhaling at the same pace as his sister, which visibly helped.
„Good job" Max praised, voice steady and almost whispering, to not startle the boy again.

„Am sorry sissy" Billy managed to choke out between the deep breaths, and Max looked at him confused.

„For what, sweetheart? You did nothing wrong, I promise" she assured him, waiting for an answer.
„But I had an accident" Billy whined, not understanding why Max wasn't yelling at him like his dad did.