sins of my youth. // Billy Hargrove x oc !plus size

021 ➶ Days In The Sun

A/N: Hello all. If you're with me, thank you so much for everything. TW: Hospitals, rape mention in conversation, Pica, slight nod to past abuse/child abuse, and asshole science teachers. Smut!!! Max begins to heal with help from friends. Billy and Evie fall deeper. Prom chatter begins around Hawkins High. Lots of 80s refs as usual  ;D Long chapter because I'll be on vacation next week. **Let me know what you think!!

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   Hospitals were always such a bleak and sterile affair. Might have been the dull ache in Evie's gut making the anxiety of it worse. Might have been the fact that she couldn't take Billy's hand despite them sitting across from each other.

Max woke and they prodded with tests into the late hours. Parents only. Evie sent Carol off with her faithful skates and stayed after calling her mother. Just said it was the neighborly thing.

"Do you think whoever grabbed her...?" Billy tried to say the word, flicking his lighter several times because his skin was crawling. Evie shook her head.

"No."

"They probably tried, but she fought back. If that car... If they put her in that car, they would have."

"They didn't, she's safe. The Chief is looking into it."

"In the dark with no camera around the place. No description of that fucker or his car. Yeah, I'm sure the bastard will just turn himself in." Billy snapped that and Evie flushed, eyes elsewhere. He exhaled a shudder and recalibrated. "You found her. You found my sister."

It was the closest thing to 'thank you' Evie would hear from him tonight. Billy met her eyes when they turned back. A crack.

"Neil's hitting her." Evie stared at her hands and rushed the words out before regret could seep. "I saw a bruise and I saw her face when I looked at it. She didn't want you to know. I shouldn't be saying anything and I'm sorry, but you have to know."

She inhaled sharper. Stopped and waited for an uneasy beat.

"I'm bound to see it sooner or later." Billy's face contorted. But, briefly. "I hoped he'd hold out. Focus on me and my shit. Guess I haven't been getting into much shit lately."

He got quiet. Monotone.

"Don't bring it up ever again. I'll handle it."

"Billy."

"Evie." He cut that. "I got it." She frowned at him.

"Can I sit by you?"

"No." It came out a bit softer. They sat in silence for a few moments longer. Billy's boot came out and nudged her shoe. Evie pushed back, fingers curling around the chain his ring was sitting on.

"I wish I had more to tell Hopper-"

"I'm glad you're here." Billy replied instead, wincing. He didn't say more and Evie didn't ask for anything else. Silence again. Shoes nudging back and forth. Long luxurious beats. "I wrote this story about you. Short thing to pass time in AP Bio."

He said it all so nonchalantly. Not looking at her. Still idly flicking the lighter.

"You did?"

"Not the first, but it's the most coherent. Feels like most of my shit is bullet points."

"And this one wasn't?" She paused to see him nod. Cheeks heating.

"I had this dream that night about you is why. You know, after the park. And the bus. And the bedroom." Billy was rubbing his eyes like it was silly. Like it didn't consume him. Utterly.