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it was one of those days, were neil and susan were gone. and billy was left in charge of watching max. neil had given him the whole 'respect and responsibility' talk, focusing heavily on responsibility. ever since that night at the byers, neil has been laying into billy about watching max, keeping an eye on her, and you better believe that he has.
one time billy caught her trying to sneak out when he was trying to sneak out, to, well, go see someone. and billy as much, assumed that she was sneaking out to go see that damned sinclair kid. and she was, or at least he thought. that night, the two struck a deal, so max wouldn't tell neil and billy wouldn't tell him, they would cover for one another.
they would now, coordinate when they each would sneak out and away from him, they both would have to be back by a certain time before morning and if they were ever caught, which so far they haven't been, the two had a plan. an excuse, of sorts. and to make sure that max wasn't getting kidnapped skating around at night, billy would drop her off and pick her up, he didn't have to, christ he did not have to, so why did he?
he just… he didn't want her to get hurt and neil notice and neil blame him, in the way he would. or at least that's what he told himself. had to tell himself. but, deep down, he cared for her.
so, on the next night when billy told max that he would drive her, she was a little confused, but went with it, because who would argue for a free ride? but when he started getting closer to the sinclair household, she spoke up,
"not lucas'." she turned her head over to him, and looked at him up and down, sort of a, what the fuck? why would i go there? where do you think i go? it was billy's turn to be confused. "out by the edge of town," and which if this was cali, he would've been pissed for having to drive all the way across town, but hey, hawkins was small. "by the woods." billy lifted a brow, but didn't question it. he knew if he started asking something, max would ask something, and he didn't want to risk letting a thing slip out.
---
it had been a few weeks since then. and billy hadn't said a word about what he was doing, where he was going, who he was with. but max, well she got curious, like kids do.
---
dustin also was curious about what steve was doing most nights. before, steve and him would hang out alot together, would talk, well more of dustin rambling and steve listening. and he missed that alot. he couldn't tell if steve was just avoiding him or doing something else. so like kids do, he got curious. but unlike max, he did something about it.
---
"i can be over in five, princess." billy mumbled, before he hung up the phone. max's ears perked up a little, with his voice barely heard by the t.v. in the background, as she glanced back from the couch to billy in the hall with the home phone in hand. so he was seeing a girl? max looked at his back up and down, before he turned on his heel to face her.
billy raised an eyebrow, "something wrong, shitbird?" max cocked back the same brow, "nope. just wondering who you're talking to."
"that's none of your business, alright?"
max shot back a glare, "so this princess is none of my business?" she smirked and could swear that billy's cheeks turned pink.
"i said it's none of your business, shithead." his teeth grit together.
both neil and susan were out of town for their anniversary and both max and billy left home, with billy put in charge of watching max, because respect, but he knew that max needed space like every kid, and at this point, would at least tell him before she ran off.
"look, can you handle yourself tonight or what?" he said, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. that was more code for, you gonna tell me when they get back?
she looked at him curiously, "yeah, yeah, i can. but,"
"what?"
"you gotta give me change for the arcade and a ride to the arcade tomorrow."
billy glared her down for a moment, before sighing, "fine."
"and! rides after school to the arcade for a week."
"fine."
"great." she made a zipping gesture with her lips and then turned back around, plopping herself on the couch.
billy was gone a moment later.
---
operation: stakeout.
well, that's what dustin coined it, before he decided to sit outside of steve's house, by the glass back door for hours.
ya see, dustin was fed up with steve blowing him off and practically ignoring him (steve was just spending less time with him). dustin had thought steve maybe had a girlfriend now, and asked (relentlessly pestered) about it, but always got the same no each time.
he was prepared to wait for another three hours. he had rations (candy and chips), water, and a radio in case of an emergency.
so, this was just to see if steve was lying to him, and definitely overboard. his head perked up when he heard a distant click and he leaned over to look through the glass door.
---
steve heard a knock and his drowsy eyes and head shot up from the couch. he didn't have to say anything for the guest to open the door. with a devil-ish smirk and wild curls that made him look like an angel.
billy.
"hey-a, pretty boy." the door clicked behind him as he approached the couch. leading to him looming over the lanky boys head.
"hey, tiger." it was always like this.
a trade of nicknames, a few winks and nods, a few chuckles every time. and you'd think that after six months of this happening almost every other day, steve would get tired of the same routine. but he didn't, it always lead to the same thing. either steve melting like puddy in billys arms or steve moaning like puddy in billys arms.
both were good options. but tonight was definitely leading to one. because once again, it was one of those nights were, steve couldn't sleep.
of course after everything, steve had quite a bit of trauma that stuck after the whole tunnel and slight brain damage thing. and a lot of his nights were restless after that. he couldn't, wouldn't sleep, afraid of what he might see. the first night he actually slept well was… well, the night of the snowball.
when billy had apologized, to both him and lucas, and when something clicked between the two. and that, well, that lead to this. to them. to where they are now. to billy planting a soft kiss on steves forehead, to steve gently playing the curls at the ends of billy's hair, to the two kissing so softly that a sheet of glass could be put between them and it wouldn't break, to billy pulling himself closer to steve, to steve slightly yanking at billy's collar, to the two fumbling around each other with their hands, to billy pulling steve on top of him as he kissed him so light, to steve moving a gentle hand on billys side, just in case of bruises, to the two tangling their legs together after who knows how long of soft little kiss and touches, to billy pulling back from the kiss with a smile in his eyes, to steve smiling down at him and leaning his head down to where his lips graze over billy's cheek and he hums a groggy and quiet set of words, "carry me, tiger?"
and it's worded like a question, but sounds like a sweet plea. with having heard steve say that a million different ways from those blessed pink lips, it hits differently every time.
"ya know I'll carry you to your tower, princess." and billy, he doesn't laugh after that, doesn't chuckle, but, he giggles, and steve's heart stops beating whenever he hears that sound, because it's just so pure and so soft and so angelic in a way, that because of that, it throws him off as billy slowly changes the angle and position that they're in just to carry steve bridle style up the stairs to his room, while he leans his head in the crook between billy's neck and shoulder, and he anchors himself there by his 09chin as a why to keep him there. keep billy's strong arms around him, keep billy's warmth around him, keep him there, keep billy there.
steve hummed as billy set down his lanky limbered body on the queen sized bed, not wanting billy to leave his side, but he did for just a moment, to soon join him on the other side of the bed. to soon say a few words that fill steve's world, "c'mere pretty boy." to steve moving closer and turning to where billy holds him in his arms. to steve humming so softly it makes billy lovesick hearing it. to the two being so close that the only barrier they have is clothes. to steve saying those few words that fill billy's world, "i love you, baby."
and it's perfect.
and, "i love you too, princess."
---
outside, dustin's mouth was still gaping open over what he saw.