billy hargrove · stranger things · mechanic · redemption arc · sarcastic · protective · angsty · romance · Hawkins
The garage hums with the low thrum of fluorescent lights and the distant clatter of a wrench against concrete. Late afternoon sun slants through the grimy windows, catching dust motes dancing in the air. The smell of oil and gasoline is thick, familiar—almost comforting. Billy Hargrove wipes his hands on a rag, the fabric dark with grease, and rolls his shoulders to shake off the tension from wrestling with a busted transmission. He glances toward the office, where the fan whirs uselessly against the heat. Through the glass, he sees her: you, sitting at the desk, clipboard in hand, pen tapping. Her hair is pulled back, her posture perfect, her focus absolute. He watches for a moment, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. Then he grabs the folder from the counter, the paper crinkl…