Neil Hargrove - Tumblr Posts

Bruises - Billy Hargrove

Billy x Fem!reader

Warnings: mentions of abuse

Word count: 691

Summary: Seeing Billy’s bruises at school and not believing there from a fight.

Masterlist

Stranger Things Masterlist

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“What’s with the bruises?” Y/n asked as she approved Billy at his locker. He had a lot of new bruises on him like he has some other times. But these looked worse than normal.

“Got in a fight in gym.” Billy answered with a shrug although Y/n noticed the slight pain in his eyes as he did so.

Y/n shook her head knowing that he hadn’t got in a fight in the gym. She knew for many reasons but for her, it was easy to tell they weren’t bruises that just happened, they were from at the very least last night if not the night before. “No, you didn’t.”

“What makes you think that? Hmm?” Billy asked with a gruff tone even though he knew that wouldn’t intimidate her in the slightest. y/n noticed also how he stiffened at her statement.

“These are older. I’d say maybe Saturday night or Sunday. They're not from today.” Y/n stated softly with concerned eyes as she gently touched his wrist and Billy didn’t pull away from her kind touch. The truth was to him her touch calmed him. Made him feel safe.

“Not here.” Billy said quietly giving her a look that had vulnerability in his eyes. An emotion he only ever let her see.

Y/n nodded in understanding, rubbing his pulse with her thumb she asked. “Then where?”

“After school. I’ll drive you home. We can talk there.” Billy spoke as he shut his locker. He knew she understood him and was the only person who cared about him. He could trust her, he does in fact. But he couldn’t do it at school, not with listening ears present.

“Okay.” she nodded at him. With that set the two continued on with the school day, normally Billy would’ve suggested ditching but Y/n was pretty sure he wanted school as a distraction today which meant whatever happened might’ve been really bad.

After school Y/n and Billy met outside in the parking lot by his car, once Max got to the car and inside they took off. Billy dropped Max off at home before they headed off to Y/n’s for a quick stop.

They got out of the car and headed inside, once they made it inside the two went to the kitchen for drinks and snacks. They decided to take their drinks and snacks on the road, climbing back into Billy's Camaro they headed off to an empty field that overlooked some scenery Hawkins had to offer. Y/n and Billy got out of the car and sat on the hood. There was a bit of silence between the two as they sat so close they were touching. Billy smoked for a bit and y/n was waiting patiently for him to finish, not wanting to push him into talking about it right away.

“What happened Billy?” Y/n asked softly after he put out the cigarette.

“My dad.” he stated, those two words were all that needed to be said for her to understand. Billy looked down not wanting to look her in the eyes.

Y/n shook her head but her features remained soft. “Billy I told you-”

“I know, I know.” Billy nodded letting out a sigh, knowing she was right.

“Then why haven’t you come to me?” she was concerned why he hadn’t come to her sooner.

Billy shrugged looking down to where he was reaching for her hand. “I’m not used to someone caring.”

Y/n nudged him and squeezed his hand before stating with a smile. “Well get used to it.”

Billy smiled back at her returning the squeeze. “I guess I will.”

Billy leaned in and pulled her into a kiss, cupping her cheek with his free hand before moving his hand down to her nack. Y/n pulled back a little bit before getting off the hood so they could head back. “You are staying with me tonight, no arguments.”

“Yes ma’am.” Billy smiled jokingly giving her a salute before he to got off the hood of his car. He didn’t know what he’d do without her.

Tag:

@gruffle1

No Plans - Billy Hargrove

Part 2

(2/3)

Billy x Fem!reader Harrington

Warnings: none (I don’t think)

Word count: 2,602

Summary: Billy ask’s his father to go over to Y/n’s for Christmas Day. Susan asks that Y/n comes to theirs for Christmas Eve in exchange. Neil makes it that or no he can’t go. So Y/n goe’s to the Hargroves for Christmas Eve.

Authors Note: Next Christmas Day 2023 Its Christmas at Y/n’s! (3 parter over the course of 3 years)

P.s ~ Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! And others!

Masterlist

Stranger Things Masterlist

Holiday Masterlist

Part 1 (2021) ~ Part 3 (2023)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“So are you guys excited for Christmas break?” Susan asked as the small dysfunctional family sat around the table to eat dinner. Something they had recently started doing, per Susan’s suggestion. To make them bond more as a family.

“Yes.” Max answered as she put food on her plate just to end the silence.

“I actually have something to ask about Christmas.” Billy spoke up knowing now was possibly the best time to ask. Susan could possibly help persuade his father to say ‘yes’.

“Go on.” Neil narrowed his eyes towards his son. Waiting for him to ask whatever he wanted to ask.

“Y/n’s parents have invited me to spend Christmas day with them at their house. I was wondering if it’d be okay with you, I’d accept.” Billy explained nervously, not looking his father in the eyes. He just focused on grabbing food like Max.

“Well, we’ll miss you but I would think it’d be okay.” Susan spoke up after moments of just silence. Susan smiled, she liked Y/n and the effect the girl had on Billy. She made him happy, calm and seemed to distract her step-son from his fathers actions. “How about since your going to Y/n’s for Christmas day she come’s over here for Christmas Eve?”

Susan would love to have Y/n over for Christmas Eve, but since she basically gave Billy the okay before his father said anything she wanted to put a suggestion out there.

“That sounds like a great idea Honey.” Neil smiled over towards his wife. Looking over to his son an idea of his own popped into his head so he looked to Billy with almost a smug look. “Let’s make it a deal. You can go to your girlfriends for Christmas Day as long as you both spend Christmas Eve here. If she doesn’t then you can’t.”

Billy nodded to show he understood. “Yes sir.”

Now he had to ask and tell Y/n. Hopefully she’d be okay with coming to his, but he wouldn’t blame her if she said no. His house wasn’t the most welcoming.

^     ^     ^

“Done.” Y/n stated looking completely serious at him. When Billy told her his father’s conditions for him spending Christmas with her Y/n answered without a second thought.

“Y/n-”

Y/n shook her head when he spoke her name, already knowing he was going to try and change her mind. He never liked her being anywhere near his father. “No, Billy. I said done. Done deal, I’ll gladly go over to your house for Christmas Eve.”

Billy’s corners of his mouth twitched upward at the lengths she would go for him. “You don’t have to.”

He knows his house isn’t the best environment. It’s stressful and you're always on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“If it means you can come over for Christmas Day then yes. I do. One night your family won’t change my mind about you.” Y/n cupped his hand between both of hers, adding pressure to reassure him. Y/n has been with Billy long enough to know that he feared his father would drive her away. But that was never gonna happen.

“I’m sorry. In advance.” Billy apologized for what he was sure was gonna be a very awkward Christmas Eve.

“Don’t be.” Y/n shook her head. Y/n never put the actions of others on someone else's shoulders. Y/n loved Billy for him and his fathers horrible actions or words will never change that.

^     ^     ^

“You're actually going to his house?!” Steve’s eyes were bulging out of his skull upon having heard of his sister's plans. The Hargrove/Mayfeild home was not the friendliest place from what he’s overheard Max say.

Y/n was in the middle of picking out her shoes and jewelry when her brother barged into her room having heard the news.

“Yes, it’s the only way he could come over here for tomorrow. His dad’s a dick.” She mumbled under her breath, but honestly Y/n didn’t care if he heard her. Neils ultimatum was just to try and ruin Billy’s plans to come over to hers for the holiday. “We’re not staying the night. We’re coming back here after.”

Steve knew there was no changing her mind and he did understand why it was important to her to have Billy over tomorrow. Steve sighed before saying. “Be careful.”

Y/n smiled at Steve and his brotherly protectiveness. “I will.”

Not long after Y/n and Steve’s conversation ended the doorbell rang and since nobody in their family was arriving this early it could only be Billy.

“Hey. You look beautiful.” Billy smiled looking Y/n up and down once the door opened. She was wearing a beautiful red velvet dress, which conveniently matched his shirt.

“Thank you. You ready?” Y/n blushed, smiling at his compliment.

“Yeah.” Billy nodded, reaching out for Y/n’s hand. They were halfway down the driveway when Steve decided with a huff that Billy was different around Y/n. His sister was making Billy Hargrove a better person.

“Hey!” Steve called out just as Billy had closed the passenger door. Billy turned to look at Steve with a furrowed brow, had he already done something wrong in Steve’s eye’s? He opened and closed the door for Y/n, he was being a gentleman. Hell he didn’t suck face with her the second she opened the door so. . . “Look after her.”

Billy nodded at Steve to assure him he would. Steve wasn’t the only one worried about tonight. Billy never knew what would set his father off and he never wanted Y/n around when that happened.

“Are you ready for tonight?” Y/n asked once they got on the road. She knew he was probably nervous, he never liked having her in his house.

“Nope.” Billy shook his head in one strict nod.

“Too late.” Y/n let out an amused breath. She reached for his hand nearest to her, luckily it wasn’t the hand he had on the steering wheel. That was normally always his left. Y/n squeezed his hand tightly to calm some of his stress, something she was sure she was gonna have to do a bit of tonight. “It’ll be ok.”

Billy let out a deep breath, squeezing her hand back. “I hope so.”

The drive felt faster than normal to Bilyy as within seconds it felt like he was parking in front of the dreaded residence.

As they got out of the car the young couple walked up the pathway to the small house hand in hand.

The door was opened by Susan who was dressed up in a green Christmas dress that had Christmas characters printed on it.

“Merry Christmas Mrs. Hargrove.” Y/n smiled politely at Max’s mom who was smiling back at the two teenagers.

“Merry Christmas Y/n, and please call me Susan.” The older woman stepped aside to let them in.

Billy would never understand how Y/n could be so nice and polite to people’s faces.

“Thank you for inviting me.” Y/n nodded as they walked further into the home. At least it looked more like a home because of the Christmas decorations, which she was sure was all Susan.

“Oh you're always welcome sweetheart.” Susan liked on the rare occasions Y/n came over. Billy seemed a little more relaxed when around the y/h/c-ed girl.

“Hey Max.” Y/n greeted as the young red head ran over to her, wrapping her arms around her torso. Y/n hugged her back.

“Hey Y/n.” Max greeted back, enjoying the moment before pulling away. She loved Steve’s sister/ Billy’s girlfriend. Y/n treated her like a sister, and Max loved it. “Thanks for coming, and Merry Christmas.”

Max was glad Y/n accepted to spend Christmas Eve with them. Max was going to spend the later time of tomorrow with the party, she was glad Billy was going to spend it with his girlfriend. Neither of them wanted to be in that house any longer than they had to.

“It’s not a problem. Merry Christmas too.” Y/n smiled at her. Y/n liked Max, she was the sister she never got.

“Billy.” Max rolled her eyes as she greeted him as well. Since they were in ear shot of their parents.

“Runt.” Billy said quietly back so his father and Susan wouldn’t hear him.

“It’s Christmas, can you two be social?” Y/n cut in looking between the step siblings with pleading eyes.

Max and Billy narrowed their eyes at each other but both could agree between them like this that they’d be sival for Y/n’s sake. “Fine.” They both agreed at the sametime.

“Thank you.” She said smiling at both of them before the 3 headed into the main room.

Not long after Dinner was ready so they all sat around the small table. It was a little uncomfortable at first with a lot of tension in the air. The food wasn’t horrible, it was actually pretty good. Small talk was made during dinner. Under the table Y/n and Billy’s hands were clapsed together. Y/n was aware of the scrutinizing gaze from Neil Hargrove, but she chose to ignore it.

After dinner Y/n helped Susan and Max clean up, and Billy stayed to help since he didn’t want to be alone with his father. Or have Y/n alone in this house.

Once they finished all of them moved into the living room sitting around on the floor were Max, Billy, and Y/n. Y/n had been pulled down to sit between Billy’s legs by Billy who smirked at her as innocently as he could. Susan and Neil were sitting on the small couch looking over them.

Susan announced they could open their presents and Y/n was excited to see what the two could have gotten. Max started digging out gifts from underneath the tree.

Y/n was trying to keep Billy from tickling her sides when she heard Max speak.

“And here you go Y/n.” Max handed her a wrapped present that indeed had her on the tag hanging from the ribbon tied around it.

Y/n looked up towards Susan and Neil with a surprised and shocked expression. “Oh you didn’t have to get me anything.”

Susan waved her hand in a dismissing notion with a bright smile. “Nonsense.”

“Thank you.” Y/n smiled, thanking them before opening it.

Billy leaned his head down to whisper in her ear. “You don’t have to like or keep it.”

Y/n knew he didn’t want her to feel obligated to do anything. But in all honesty the Y/n really did like gift. It was beautiful. Turning her head to the side she answered. “I do like it.”

“I have a gift for you to open tomorrow.” Billy told her as he unwrapped one of his gifts, arms still around her torso as she leaned against his chest.

“I have a gift for you to.” Y/n smiled, turning her head to look at him, she couldn’t wait to see him open his present.

After presents were opened Y/n and Billy stayed around for awhile, for Maxes sake Y/n told him. As they walked to the door after saying goodbye to Max, Susan and Neil followed them. Which Y/n could see added tension to Billy’s shoulders.

“Thank you for a fun Christmas Eve Mr & Mrs Hargrove.” Y/n stated politely with a well rehearsed smile. Billy knew it but no one else did, besides maybe Steve. But Y/n truthfully thought it wasn’t a bad night. The food was good, Neil was social for the most part, the conversations weren’t bad. But knowing how Neil normally treated Billy, that irked Y/n beyond belief. Billy knew that.

“Your welcome honey.” Susan was happy to have had her over and that she seemed to enjoy the evening.

“Hope your family doesn’t regret having him over for the holiday.” Neil said with a condescending smile on his face.

“We won’t.” Y/n stated with a strong tone in her voice. Making it clear that Billy’s presence was welcome in her home with her family.

“We’ll see.” Neil narrowed his eyes for a quick second before they went back to normal.

“Let’s go.” Billy spoke softly, handing Y/n her jacket. He didn’t want to seem brazen and give his father any reason to say he suddenly couldn’t go.

“Goodnight.” Y/n said as they left out the front door. Once they were in the camaro and on the road, Y/n turned to Billy and scoffed. “Your dads a dick.”

Billy let out an amused laugh, wondering how long she had been waiting to say that for. Billy smiled over at her. “Thanks for going tonight.”

Y/n smiled back at him. “My pleasure.”

“Oh it will be.” He winked at her, flashing a smirk in her direction.

Soon enough they arrived back to the Harrington household, a spot had been saved for Billy in the driveway. Once they got out and walked to the front door upon opening it 3 kids rushed towards them screaming.

“Y/N!!!!”

“Hey guys!” Y/n kneeled down embracing all of them at once. Billy watched as he closed the door.

“Who’s that?” The kids asked, pointing at the mullet haired boy behind their cousin.

“That's my boyfriend, Billy.” Y/n told them as she glanced back at Billy for a second.

“Hi Billy.” The kids smiled at him and waved.

Billy replied awkwardly, not used to children being so joyful about his presence. “Hello.”

The two boys and girl turned their attention back to Y/n before telling her. “Y/n, we’re in our jammies.”

Y/n nodded letting out a laugh. “Yeah I can see that.”

One of the boy’s crossed their arms and pouted his lip before saying. “We have to go to bed soon.”

It was obvious to any one over the age of 10 that the kids were pouting about having to go to bed soon. It made Billy chuckled deeply.

“That’s the only way Santa will come.” Y/n told them with such a kind and enthusiastic voice. Billy admired it, how she was with children. It made him start to think. Which it in turn made him zone out for a bit.

“Really?!” They all said at the same time super excited.

“Yeah.” Y/n nodded encouragingly, hoping they’d believe for as long as possible. “So go get ready for bed, ok?”

With that said they ran off, Y/n laughed watching them run off. When Y/n stood back up to full height and turned to face her boyfriend she noticed that he was fully focused on her.

“What?” She asked slightly nervously at what about her was getting this attention.

“You were cute with them.” Billy said, pulling her into him. He smirks with mischief in his eyes. “You’d make a sexy mom.”

Billy never saw himself with kids but hot damn did  that scene before him change his mind.

“Oh really?” Y/n looked up at him through her lashes with bright red cheeks, and it wasn’t from the cold weather.

“Hmmm Hmmm.” He hummed, leaning in to kiss her.

Before Billy could get to heated with the kiss, they are around her family after all. Y/n pulled back with a warm smile on her lips. “Well we should go to bed to. Tomorrows a long, fun day.”

Everything I learned about Neil Hargrove in one scene:

He doesn't respect the boundaries of others but expects others to respect and uphold his boundaries.

The example: he yells at Billy to open his bedroom door, as opposed to Susan who just prior had knocked. Both want to talk to him, but only one respects that Billy shut his bedroom door for privacy. Example 2: He walks straight into Billy's room uninvited while Susan stays in the hall. Example 3: while speaking with Billy, Neil becomes surprised and quickly angered that Billy raised his voice. One could argue that this is a matter of manners, how one raises children etc about not raising your voice to your parents. However the main point is that thus far Neil has ignored at least three separate boundaries of Billy's and the moment Billy treads on a single boundary that Neil has... He becomes angry.

Another example Neil was late to return home, but when Billy points that out, it is considered crossing a line. Billy is the one that is flawed. But he is not allowed to point out flaws in Neil.

Neil has a sense of entitlement.

Again with the example of not feeling the need to knock at Billy's door and instead yelling and demanding he open it. So what if Neil believes I paid for the house I own it, I own the door, etc etc. Neil operates with a belief system that if he yells at Billy, Billy will open the door. If he tells Billy to "watch his sister" he'll do it. And so on. And when these high and mighty expectations aren't met. Neil takes them like a personal affront. That Billy's hurting him, making him angry, or possibly disobeying him on purpose.

Neil believes that Billy owes him his loyalty, and that as a son he should be dutiful and ask no questions. Neil believes that he is owed a lot from Billy... He demands that Billy apologize even though Susan says it's unnecessary. The apology truly isn't for her it's for Neil and what he believes he's owed.

Neil uses coercive language.

When Neil has Billy pinned to the wall he uses "we" statements. "What did we talked about?" As if to suggest that this topic is something that was mutually agreed upon rather than just told and yet again expected of Billy.

He then uses more pressured coercive language with an unspoken threat attached. That Billy will sacrifice his date night because he's instead going to prove what a good loving brother he is, "isn't that right Billy?"

Neil uses multiple forms of intimidation.

He mainly uses physical intimidation, entering Billy's room immediately. Using closed off or standoffish body language. He already doesn't believe what Billy is going to say no matter what it is. When Billy eventually does something that Neil finds worthy of biting onto and becoming fully aggressive with he then relies on full eye contact. It's like he hardly blinks compared to Billy and that he's trying to burn holes into him.

When Neil pulls away and it seems like the threat is dwindling Neil turns back and again leans into direct eye contact. He also becomes more tense locking his jaw.

Lastly, it seems that Neil's both promissory and ending notes of intimidation are yelling or otherwise raising his voice. He seems like he quite literally wants to be the one to have the last word. He wants to start scenarios with "or else" and end them with it too. The worst gut churning mic drop of all.

Every so often, I find myself thinking of the kind of story that Billy could have had if it had been Neil who got flayed in S3, instead of Billy.

If it was Neil who went off to work one day, and came back Wrong... not because he came back mean, but because he came back too nice. Too calm, missing all the sneers and casual insults that are usually thrown Billy's way whenever they're in the same room; strangely unconcerned with Billy's life but too concerned with whatever Max and that new friend of hers are up to, instead of offloading "responsibility" for his step-daughter's every move to Billy under threat of violence if he doesn't make her stick to Neil's rules.

And Billy is the only one who notices just how wrong this all is.

Max listens to him about as well as she ever does - which is to say: not at all - when he tries to bring up Neil's behavior with her (admittedly, he probably brings it up with his usual amount of grace and tact, which is to say: also none). It's not like Billy can tell the cops that his dad is acting weird by being too nice, if he was even the sort of person who went to cops to solve his problems. He hasn't exactly cultivated the kind of friendships where they talk about his relationship with his shitty dad, either, so he's exhausted his extremely short list of people who might understand as soon as Max storms off in her usual cloud of pissy, righteous teenage anger at his inability to talk to her without being a dick right off the bat.

And like, he's not even entirely sure why he's bothering to try and understand this new leaf Neil's turned over? Shouldn't it be a good thing that his dad is mostly just ignoring him, that Neil's finally taking a bit of responsibility for the kid whose mom he decided to marry and play happy little family with in the first place?

It's just... it's weird, is all.

It's weird, and it grates at him, and he can't help but drag himself into this mess, looking for trouble even when it doesn't find him first as his dad likes - liked - to say whenever Billy got caught up in the consequences of his own poor decision making.

So long story short, Billy goes from the one always being watched to the one always watching his dad, discovers his dad may or may not be starting some kind of cult with all his (white, male, because the man's definitely got plenty of bigotry that Vecna's perfectly happy to play along with, as long as he gets his army somehow) coworkers, discovers that actually it may be a literal fucking Satan cult or some shit when some of those coworkers and/or his dad start bleeding black (and maybe he catches sight of that new friend of Max's displaying what are definitely magic fucking powers), and winds up stumbling into the midst of the Upside Down plot all on his lonesome just as things are coming to a climax with the melted-people-spidermonster at the brand new mall, of all places.

And maybe Billy's been doing some of his own rather difficult and unpleasant personal introspection and character growth, in between spying on his dad and discovering that his sister and her nerdy little friends know way too much about magic and monsters, but still can't seem to notice just how fucking weird her own step-dad is acting until he goes straight-up feral at their little magic friend, said magical friend shoves him through a brick wall with her brain, and he escapes without so much as a broken bone so far as Billy can tell from his vantage point, hidden what is suddenly looking like a much less safe distance away from whatever-the-fuck-that-was than he'd originally thought.

The point is, Billy's done some thinking of his own. Some growing as a person, even, one might say.

So by the time he follows his dad to the mall, he still honestly has no clue what the hell is going on, but he knows his dad has always been a bastard, and he knows that little magic kid his dad is dragging towards a horror movie spider monster the size of their house might be the only one who can save this stupid nonsense town full of monsters and cornfields and bullshit and maybe, possibly, a few people who don't deserve to die horribly in some insane alien monster apocolypse.

In this universe, instead of El making a last minute, desperate attempt to reach out to Billy with empathy before the Mind Flayer feeds her to the monster, it's Billy who steps in out of nowhere to distract his dad from this random little girl the monster seems to want so badly but isn't gonna get.

Because Neil's been acting weird. He's been ignoring his fuckup of a son, paying too much attention to Max and hasn't even called Billy a delinquent or an irresponsible fuckup or a faggot in nearly a week, and apparently he's possessed by a monster that might literally be from hell.

But Max seemed to think Neil was still somewhere in there when he went crazy on her little magic friend, and maybe she couldn't reach him, but Billy's spent half his life learning just how to push his dad's buttons and get Neil's attention lazer-focused on himself.

Pissing off Neil Hargrove is an artform that Billy's long since perfected.

It feels good to be doing it on purpose because he's trying to stand in front of someone else to keep them safe, for the first time since his mom left and he started thinking he had to care about himself first, since no one else was going to. Doesn't even feel afraid when he tells his dad loud enough for the peanut gallery to overhear that he was right all those years, he raised a filthy fucking faggot who likes dick instead of pussy, that he doesn't give a shit about respect and responsibility if those things are supposed to turn him into a Man like the one that Neil Hargrove's always been.

Billy's always been a disappointment to his father.

Somehow, that fact doesn't sting like it used to.

Now he's got proof his dad hates him enough to shake off a shadow monster from another world just to beat on his own kid, and Billy?

Billy meets his dad's rage with a fucking smile.

For once, his dad's hits don't hurt more than the ache of the physical bruises they'll leave behind, don't come packed with that extra kick of guilt and shame and longing for a dad who loves him. For once, he makes himself get back up, bloody teeth bared with all the feral hatred and rage fostered from years of living in fear of his own father, and he hits back at the man who was already a monster long before he ever got possessed by one from another world.

Billy was never gonna be the kind of son his father wanted, but it's on his own terms now. Because Billy's never gonna be the kind of man his father was, either.

And step one of being a better kind of person is making sure this stupid fucking town and his annoying bitch of a step-sister and all the other weird little nerds and annoying classmates she seems to hang out with and all the other blissfully ignorant hicks sensibly enjoying the 4th of July fair instead of fighting eldritch horrors in the mall, actually survive to see July 5th...

Even if that means fist fighting his dad in the mall while a little magic girl takes advantage of Neil's distraction to take on a melted flesh monster in the background of this brand new form of fucked up mess his life has somehow become.