Chapter Text
The night at the Byers, Billy came close to losing the only game he and Neil have ever played together. It started out with his mother, and whoever got to Billy first.
Now, it's Max.
And Max won't leave that shithole house or Steve fucking Harrington.
But it's been five years, and Billy's never lost. He knows what happens when Neil wins.
It happens when Neil ends up at the Byers house and finds Billy drugged out in the living room.
He's so fucking relieved that his dad finds him and not her.
Even when he's dragging Billy out of the house by the back of his shirt, carelessly tossing him against the passenger side of the car. Billy barely manages to swallow the urge to puke. Whatever Max injected him with is making him dizzy. He can barely see Neil coming right at him, kicking one of his legs until the world tilts and he's on the ground.
He can't really understand what his dad is saying as he opens the door and shoves Billy into the passenger seat. But he gains some lucidity when he dad slams the door.
Blinking, he looks through the windshield and doesn't see his car anywhere. He wonders how his dad knew where he was.
Maybe he called in a favor with the cops. That sheriff doesn't seem to care much for Billy. He probably ratted him out.
The driver's side door is pulled open before he can think much else.
His dad sits down quietly, hands gently setting around the steering wheel.
They sit in uncomfortable silence for awhile before Neil reaches out for the cigarette lighter in the truck. He pushes it in, and Billy watches as it heats up quickly.
"You know son, I'm going to find her either way, but let's make a long process short. Why don't you just tell me where she is and we can all go home."
Billy's pulse is quickening and he can't get his hands to work right in order to grab the door handle.
For once, in all of his lies to his dad in an effort to buy Max more time, he really has no idea where she is. Just like he doesn't know where the rest of her little shit friends are either. Or Steve.
Fucking Steve.
Billy raises his eyes, already trembling with unshed tears.
"I-I don't know." He stutters.
It must be the drugs that are weakening his impulses because when Neil reaches for the lighter, Billy flinches.
Instantly, his blood goes cold.
Neil hates when he flinches.
Says he needs to learn how to take his punishments like a man. That no amount of crying will make him stop. No amount of begging will help either.
Billy knows this, he's had years to learn this. It's almost ingrained in his muscles not to flinch when his father is around.
But some days, Neil will take him by surprise and he can't help nature.
And right now, drugged out of his mind, he can't control himself.
Neil looks annoyed right away, but to make matters worse, tears flood Billy's eyes and he's quite literally fighting for them not to fall.
But, judging by the look on his fathers face, he knows he isn't successful.
And when his father pulls out the lighter, he flinches when it burns through his jeans and sears a mark into his thigh.
He splits his lip trying to keep quiet.
He's flinched and cried, that's enough. That's all Neil will be punishing him for tonight.
Well, that and losing Maxine.
Fucking Max.
The next morning when the chief of fucking police pulls up with Max in the backseat of the cruiser, Billy nearly shits his pants.
He's so fucking lucky Neil and Susan are at work. He barely registers opening the door for his sister, let alone the bullshit excuse the chief gives to him for Max being in the cruiser.
Billy manages a weak nod and quietly thanks the chief for bringing her home.
He waits at the door until the chief drives away before turning to look at her.
She's covered in dirt. Her hair is a mess. And she looks like she's had about five minutes of sleep.
Billy doesn't even say anything to her, he just walks right past her back to his bedroom and closes his door behind him. If it's a little loud and it makes Max jump, well, consider it payback, Billy thinks, looking down at the row of burns on his leg.
* * *
The rest of that week Max and Billy are grounded. Max, for sneaking out, and Billy. Well. He's grounded for letting her sneak out.
They're stuck at home and then school. He continues ignoring Max whenever he can get away with it, letting her think she's scared him with that whole nail-baseball-bat act. And, if he's being honest, it did. A little.
Enough that he's a little wary of the baseball team now and makes it a point to shove anyone carrying a bat.
But he's not just...scared. He's angry.
If Max would just listen for once. They wouldn't be in this mess.
Everything eventually comes out when, a week later, the chief bumps into Neil at the hardware store, apologizing for keeping Max over when he didn't know she had a curfew. They start small talk, explaining the friendship between their daughters and Neil smiles and shakes the chiefs hand before leaving the store without the items in his hands.
Max is on the couch watching T.V. when Neil walks in. Billy's doing the dishes and tenses when he hears him address Max.
The T.V. is off when Billy comes around the corner and finds his dad standing in front of Max with his arms crossed over his chest.
Max looks annoyed that Neil's just shut the T.V. off but she doesn't look scared.
"Maxine," he starts and Billy tenses even more because he knows Max hates being called 'Maxine' even though that's her fucking name. That's why he usually just calls her whatever comes to mind first. But Billy is standing in the doorway to the kitchen, praying to a god he never believed in that Max won't correct him.
And for once, it looks like there is a god because Max keeps her fucking mouth shut.
"Would you care to explain why the chief of police told me you didn't have a curfew?" Max frowns, but then she seems to recall that night at the Byers and she tenses.
Neil catches it and it's good that his hands are tucked under his arms otherwise he might have smacked her for it.
When Max can't think of something to say, Billy speaks up.
"It-it's my fault," he says, carefully adding a sir before Neil can remind him.
Max is looking at him weird, trying to figure out why he's covering for her but she's too stupid to understand. Neil would have used this against her. Susan isn't home, it would have been the perfect opportunity for him to hit Max for the first time.
But Billy's not going to let that happen.
His dad is glaring daggers at him, obviously waiting for him to explain himself. So Billy does. Or, at least, he tries to.
"The chief dropped her off afterwards and I didn't tell you because," He pauses, eyes darting before they land just shy of his dad's chin. "I didn't think it was a big deal."
Neil's eyebrows raise and he looks almost surprised by the balls on his son.
"Max," Neil says, eyes never leaving Billy's face. "Why don't you go outside and meet one of your little friends?"
She doesn't move for a second, her eyes darting between Neil and Billy before her step-brother finally looks at her.
"Go, Max."
Only then does she get up.
Neil doesn't move an inch until she's closed the door behind her, shoes on and skateboard in hand.
They wait a minute, half expecting to hear Max's skateboard on the road from here. Another minute passes and Billy's upper lip is sweating.
Finally, wheels on asphalt starts and it sounds like fucking music to Billy's ears.
She's safe.
He did it.
And in three long strides his dad is across the living room and reaching for Billy's throat. He forces Billy back, making him trip and stumble when he accidently bumps into one of the dining room chairs. Neil doesn't stop until he's got Billy pressed against the back door.
"What did we talk about Billy?"
Billy is trying to breathe through his nose, willing the words to come out clear.
"Respect and-
"Responsibility." Neil finishes, jerking Billy away from the door only to slam him down on the table. The salt and pepper shakers tumble over, one rolling off the side of the table before it breaks and Billy is closing his eyes.
Neil absolutely hates when things break during their punishments. Especially if they were Susan's before they got married.
And Billy knows those fucking salt and pepper shakers belonged to Susan's grandmother.
They're part of a whole fucking china set that Billy cleans every year after Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
Neil doesn't look away though, he probably doesn't give a shit about salt and pepper shakers right now, but later?
Billy will have to clean that up, and then he'll have to apologize to Susan. He'll have to give her some bullshit excuse about how he broke them.
Neil pulls him up and finally releases him, only for him to collide with the doorframe and split his lip.
Billy is on his knees, trying to remember how to breathe when his dad grabs a handful of his hair.
"Let's give Max an hour. And then you can try and find her."
Billy doesn't try to stop the tears this time.