#after playing billy he's found himself trying to practice more empathy toward bully types bc theyre usually bullying for a reason

[reineyday]

harringrove canon divergent au where billy still targets and bullies steve and steve gets fed up and he's like "who hurt you billy damn" and billy actually rears back and spooks cuz no one's ever really pinpointed that he's hurting (and lashing out).

billy kinda goes in for one last punch that steve dodges and he's like "fuck you harrington" and steve watches his retreating back and he's like "shit is he actually hurting?" and then he starts lowkey asking max things about their home life that he starts to find sus. starts getting worried about billy and max at home. starts asking uncomfortable questions when billy goes to try to bully him again, which only leads to billy yelling at him to stop asking his sister questions and then avoiding him altogether.

eventually steve puts the pieces together and forms his own opinions after seeing neil hargrove out and about, and the next time billy comes to school with a black eye but his knuckles suspiciously clean and unbruised, he sits down beside him during a private moment and again he asks, "who hurt you billy?"

when billy cant look at him in the eye or respond, steve's heart sinks.

#rei rambles #stranger things #billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #it's just. it never happens in real life *especially* when youre lashing out but. it's nice when people notice you're not okay. #during his lil investigation steve asks joyce if neil's ever shown up at her store and what she thinks of him #which tips off her mom senses lol and she becomes eagle eyed about the hargrove-mayfield siblings #rei writes #uh kinda #this is inspired by the post i reblogged directly before this where dacre says #after playing billy he's found himself trying to practice more empathy toward bully types bc theyre usually bullying for a reason #which is extra cool of him cuz he mentions he was bullied a lot as a kid. #he's such a good role model