Alone, No More (Harringrove)

Chapter 20//Realization

"Your daughter has become quite the young lady," he said suggestively to Billy's father, but kept his eyes on the boy.

He watched as his father merely shrugged before taking another swig of his beer, as if a grown man hadn't just openly insinuated their desire of his own daughter. Not that it had ever bothered him before. And, regardless the fact that Billy had only just began to allow the bridge between his sister and himself to be repaired, ignoring the countless years he broke her heart every time he pushed her away, his blood boiled on her behalf. 

He had, years ago, vowed to never have children, no thanks to hell his father had put him through. However he could never quite understand what it took for a parent to completely abandon their child like that. How his father could allow himself, much less another man, hurt his kids. 

What had died inside his father for him to lose all sense of humanity? 

Admittedly, Billy was no star pupil. He'd been to juvie, beat up his fair share of people he thought below him. But there was no chance in hell he'd physically hurt someone he loves, much less his own flesh and blood. He couldn't even imagine it enough to even consider it to be who he could end up as.

He wished he could expect more from the man that raised him. Wished he could have someone to look up to, to have helped him grown into someone deserving of Steve Harrington's friendship. But all he had was a bastard of a dad, who seemingly didn't mind his children being abused.

Billy was smart enough to know Riley would never risk laying his hand on Maxine, even if that fact didn't settle his racing heart, and didn't give the man the satisfaction of riling him up. Instead, he took a shaky inhale through his nose until his lungs burned, before slowly letting it out. 

He had to control himself,  which was a stretch for his usual antics. And even while Riley eyed him, waiting with bated breath to see if Billy would explode, he could imagine Steve teasing him about his self control. He wished his imagination was enough to calm him down, even further he wished Steve were there to keep him calm, however he had to settle on relying on himself. 

"Little twat, that one is," Billy's father finally grunted dismissively, seemingly oblivious to Billy's barely concealed rage. 

His restraint waned and his body began to vibrate with the desperate ache to hurt them both. He had to turn his back, to admit defeat, even if it hurt his ego, before he gave in. So, after a moment of careful preparation, the blonde grit his teeth, and turned to walk to his own room, praying those cold grey eyes of Riley's hadn't followed him.

"G'night Billy boy," the vile man called from the living room through a cocky chuckle. 

Billy gathered every iota of control he had, to not break his bedroom door under eager knuckles, as he shut and locked himself in. Vaguely, he heard the T.V volume get turned up before he let himself succumb to darkness.

"You okay, man?" Steve's voice pulled Billy from the darkness he'd fallen into. Billy's eyes met the brunette's, and the lack of emotion made Steve's brows knit together.

It had been a week since Billy's view of the world had been turned upside-down. Suddenly he was actively participating in this otherworldly scavenger hunt for a local cop, praying none of those demodogs came out of nowhere to attack again. All while trying to keep Max and himself out of Riley's reach after the man had the audacity to stick around to taunt them. He'd had virtually no time to be alone with Steve, to confide in him like he'd been getting used to.

Even still, being surrounded by their team prior to their second game, he couldn't say anything. Even though Steve's gaze kept meeting his. 

But god did he need to talk to him.