Talking things out with the guy who wanted to smash your face in was some after school special shit if he'd ever heard it, but maybe they actually knew what they were talking about sometimes. The bad guy with the hidden heart of gold was such a cliche, but hadn't he been that guy not too long ago? Not to this extent, but Jonathan probably would've had a few choice words to say about Steve before fighting a monster seemed to wipe the slate clean. Was this Billy's clean slate moment?

"Talk? And what would we talk about?" Billy asked, slipping his indifferent mask on again. "Want to tell me how hard you have it because you don't get enough attention? Do you think I care? That I want to hear that?"

"Why not? Does it hit a little too close to home?" Steve challenged.

"Watch it," Billy hissed, pointing the glowing end of his cigarette at him.

"I'm right, aren't I? You're not just a psycho who attacks children for no reason."

"I warned him to stay away from Max. If he's not going to listen to my words, he's going to listen to my fists."

"Is that the kind of lesson you're used to?" Nancy might be the one who was good at investigating, but Steve wasn't as dumb as people thought he was. He may not know history and science, but he could see what was going on here. "And why do you care so much about what Max does?"

"I don't!" Billy spat, but Steve could see his facade was slipping.

"And earlier, I would've believed that. Especially with how you talked about her. But people don't get that worked up over someone they don't care about," Steve argued. He was about to go in for the kill. "I think you do care about Max, you just don't want anyone to know. You don't want her to know. Why?" Billy surged forward, grabbing Steve by the collar and slamming his back down on the hood of the car. All the air was knocked out of his lungs and his vision went a little blurry as his head bounced on the smooth metal.

"You don't know shit!" Billy screamed in his face.

"Billy, stop!" Max cried, opening her door and stepping out of the car. Steve wanted to yell at her to get back in, but he couldn't get enough air to speak.

"You don't know anything about me or my life! Mind your own damn business!"

"No."

"No?"

"I'm not going to pretend that nothing is going on. Too many people turn a blind eye to shit in this town, but I won't. So if you need to take your anger out on someone, take it out on me," Steve choked out, staring at Billy through his cloudy vision. "I'm not going to stop fighting." Billy shoved him again, but let him go. Without anyone holding him up anymore, Steve slid to the ground, propping himself up on the front of the car. Billy paced back toward the house and Steve heard light footprints getting closer, before Max knelt down by his side.

"Are you okay?"

"Told you to stay in the car," Steve mumbled, dropping his chin to his chest. It felt like there should be brain matter leaking out of his ears.

"Yeah well, I guess both of us are idiots." Steve snorted, then immediately regretted it when it caused another flare of pain in his skull. "Why did you say all that stuff to him?"

"You heard it?"

"I was only like two feet away."

"So you can listen to that, but you won't listen to me when I tell you to stay in the car?" Steve huffed, keeping a wary eye on Billy. He was still pacing a bit away from them, but the asshole was fast. He dipped his voice lower, wanting to keep his next question between the two of them. "What's it like at home?"

"It's fine," Max said quickly, staring at the ground between them. Steve knew that answer. He lived that answer. That answer was bullshit.

"Does anyone hurt you?" Steve asked, watching carefully for the truth. Max shook her head immediately and he mostly believed her. "Does anyone hurt Billy?" That time, there was hesitation. That was all the confirmation he needed. Steve shoved himself off the ground, using the car for support. It was probably already dinged to hell, so what was a little more damage? He could say the same about himself.

"What are you doing?" Max hissed, standing up with him and trying to hold him back by his arm.

"Something dumb," Steve muttered, shrugging her off and nudging her back to the passenger's seat. She didn't climb in, but she stood next to it. He hoped she'd be able to move quick enough if things really went to shit. Steve walked over to block Billy's path, trying to figure out what to say. Were there perfect words in this situation? His track record for being supportive wasn't the best. If you asked Nancy, he was probably bullshit at it. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

"What do you want, Harrington? Back for another beating?" Billy sneered, stepping up uncomfortably close to him. He was so close that Steve could see tiny tremors going through Billy's body. Whether that was from all the fighting and drugs in his system, or something else, he wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?" Billy laughed, shaking his head. "Don't worry, my knuckles are fine."

"I'm sorry that whatever's happening to you at home makes you feel like you have to do this." Billy reared his fist back to punch him again, but Steve didn't move. He braced himself for the pain, but didn't break eye contact. Steve had no idea where this bravery came from, but ever since he ran back into the Byers house to swing a bat at a monster, he stopped running away from fights.

"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you," Billy warned, still keeping his fist cocked in the air.

"Let me help you." Billy let out a bitter laugh, finally dropping his hand back down to his side. Steve watched as Billy's expression wavered, but he didn't know him well enough to know what all he was seeing. When it finally settled, it was all resignation.

"You can't help me," Billy scoffed, gritting his teeth as the truth he didn't want to admit to was finally coming out. "No one can."