Chapter Text
Billy hated Max and Max hated Billy. That’s just how they worked. Billy would constantly be an asshole to her and Max would retaliate. Although, that didn’t mean that Max wasn’t scared of him. Only the party saw her reaction to hearing the Camaro rev outside, she would grab everything she had and sprint outside to go in the car.
Max, Lucas, Mike and Dustin were in Science whilst the teacher rambled on about something boring that Max paid barely any attention to, something about Max being late and the boys were sticking up for her? She glanced at the time and realised she was an hour late for being picked up, without a word she sprinted out of the room and building to the carpark. Billy’s car was parked there but he was leant against it. Max walked up to the car and waited for him to get in.
“What did I say if you were late one more time, shitbird?” His voice was far too calm, she looked up to him slowly but the second they made eye contact she looked back down.
“Asshole. That I would skate home…” Billy lit another cigarette. He climbed into the car. She tried to open the door but it was locked, Billy rolled the window down.
“Think I was lying? Skate back.” He drove off before she could even get a word out. She put her skateboard down and started to skate back.
Almost four hours later, she limped into the house. Billy was probably in his room, Neil was sitting on the sofa and her mum was in the kitchen.
“Why are you late, Maxine?” She walked off to her room. Neil started to shout after her but she kept walking. Billy walked out of his room which made Max bump straight into him. She apologised and moved around him, Billy knew something was wrong. He followed her into her room, she just sat on her bed.
“Where’s your skateboard?” Neil barged in past Billy and started shouting at her for all sorts. She just replied ‘yes, sir’ and ‘no, sir’ when needed. He seemed satisfied and walked back out. Billy stood in front of her and realised her leg and arm were pouring with blood. He walked off to get a first aid kit before returning in front of her.
“Lift your trouser leg up.” Max did without question, hissing and wincing as she did so. As he went through the routine of bandaging it he questioned her.
“Did you get bitten by some sort of dog or something?” She just looked away.
“None of your business.” He didn’t continue to ask anything else. Once Billy finished bandaging Max he began to walk out.
“Wait.” Billy rolled his eyes before turning around..
“What?”
“Don’t go…” He carried on walking out of the door and into his own bedroom, Billy left both doors open which gave Max an invitation to sit with him in his room. She limped and stumbled onto the bed. He left the now fifteen year old Max enough space to stretch her leg out.
Billy knew she was going through a rough time since starcourt but he wasn’t able to help at all. She would just shut him down anytime he tried to talk about it and he would do the same. Although he had only been told very little about the upside down, he understood that it was not a place for kids to keep saving the world from.
“Was it something from the upside down that attacked you..?” She stayed silent which gave him his answer.
“It was something that I have never seen before…” Now Billy was finally getting answers. He didn’t hate Max as much as he used to, their relationship has definitely gotten better but they still were constantly at each other’s throats. The effort to try and change was there but neither knew how to do it or what to say, they both were very alike and that usually made them clash. However, because they were so similar they would be able to understand each other with no words. The two were terrible at communicating with one another, they just gave little signs that had their own meanings and right now this was working fine. Were little signs just enough though? Billy didn’t know, he wanted to be a big brother for Max but he just wasn’t cut out for it. So he just gave it his best shot and cursed himself when he fucked it up.
“What was it like?”