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It’s the March of their first year together. There’s a chill in the air and Billy’s still uses his leather jacket, while Steve is bundled up in a long-sleeve and a sweater. Hawkins has just entered spring and while they can’t be together during school hours, they still have the weekend to hang out as friends. Friends who can go to the movies together at the Hawk and sit in the back where no one is paying attention to them.
Steve got them tickets to a showing of Sixteen Candles during one of the movie theaters events of rerunning movies from a couple years back. It’s about the movie experience, Steve tells Billy as they drive. This is the closest to a traditional date they can get. They had dinner at Steve’s place already and Steve had to push Billy out the door or they were going to be late.
“You don’t know you won’t like it,” Steve counters Billy’s grumbles. “You said you never even heard of the movie before, it’s practically new then.
“It’s not about having seen it or not, pretty boy,” Billy drawls. “You’re taking me to see a chick flick.”
“I haven’t seen it either,” Steve says. He’s not about to tell Billy that Nancy hadn’t been interested in seeing it when they were together, but he thinks Billy gets it then. So, he gives Steve a smirk and places a hand on his thigh with his other on the wheel of the Camaro.
Truthfully, Billy’s been in a mood all day. Steve doesn’t point it out, not wanting to make it worse, so he treated Billy to his favorite dinner on their date night. Steve just thinks going to a movie will really cap off the evening. They can have sex when they get back, Steve had assured him. Billy teased him for “wining and dining him like some chick” early in their relationship, but Steve knows he secretly enjoys all the rituals and dates Steve puts him through. He gets a faint blush that Steve’s learned to see through the tan. His complaining is just par for the course. Even if he is acting a bit weird today.
Steve gets the feeling that Billy was a bit jealous of all the attention he was paying towards the Party, especially since Will’s birthday and subsequent party was the week before. They really went all out for the kid after everything he went through last year.
So, Steve proposed a date night for them today. Billy would come over after school and after dropping Max off at home. He told Billy he could stay the night since it was the weekend. Billy, who had been subdued that morning and during practice, an odd occurrence for the other teen, lit up at the prospect. Even more when he saw that Steve fixed all his favorite foods. Never say that Steve doesn’t go all out for the ones he loves, not that he’s told Billy that last part. Not yet.
“What’s it about?” Billy asks, pulling Steve from his thoughts. His eyes on the road but hand stroking Steve’s thigh.
“I don’t know. Never saw it when it came out.” He knew it was a romantic movie and, yeah, maybe it is a “chick flick,” but Steve thinks they’ll have good time anyway. All the way in the back of the theatre, they can hold hands. Which is such a pre-teen thing to get excited about, considering he and Billy practically skipped that stage of the relationship altogether. But every time it happens, Billy gets a small but genuine and sweet smile. It’s one of Steve’s favorites.
“Do you know if it’s any good?” Billy continues, and Steve knows what he’s trying to do.
“Look, if it sucks, we can bail and head back to my place,” Steve responds, keeping his voice light and open.
They get to the Hawk and Billy has to remove his hand from Steve’s leg, leaving it feeling cold in the aftermath. Steve wishes they could hold hands in public, get his hands on him like he would a girl. But this is enough, if it means being with Billy, it’s enough.
They forgo popcorn but Steve gets a pack of red vines they can share, along with a couple of cokes. They do find a seat in the back in a mostly empty theatre. Another reason for choosing this movie, less people are likely to choose it opposed to the new releases, giving the couple even more privacy.
They don’t even finish with the previews before Billy’s pinky finds his under the arm rests. Billy’s not good with initiating more romantic gestures, Steve has found, so he takes the hint and grasps Billy’s hand, squeezing it a little to get the small smile out of Billy.
Things were going well, until the movie actually started. It was only the opening scene, but Billy went rigid in his seat and slack in his hand. Steve looks over, concerned, and sees a tense expression on his boyfriend’s face. Billy starts chewing his lip, which is a tell that Steve picked up which means that Billy’s upset about something and trying to distract himself.
Steve doesn’t even get the chance to ask what’s wrong before Billy’s out of his seat and leaving the theatre.
He has no idea what just happened. What could have sent Billy off or why would just leave like that. It’s not like him but maybe he really just didn’t want to watch the movie. Steve practically forced him, he considers, he only has himself to blame.
He breathes out a sigh and picks up their candy and drinks and heads out himself. Steve doesn’t find Billy at concessions but does see him back in the Camaro.
The door isn’t locked, thankfully. So, Steve slips in with their stuff and sets it down. Even though Billy hates food in his car, he doesn’t say anything, which worries Steve even more. He hates it when Billy gets quiet like this, it’s never anything good.
“Want to tell me what that was about?” Steve prods, gently. He doesn’t want to push Billy, but he wants to know what’s wrong, if he did something to upset him.
“It’s a stupid movie,” Billy mumbles. His hands rest on the wheel with head resting on top.
It’s a strange sentiment, considering they were barely five minutes in. What could have set Billy off about it? There was a girl and her family forgot her-
“Oh my god,” Steve gasps. “today’s your birthday.” It explains the weird mood and how Billy was acting weird around Will’s birthday, with all of Steve preparations. Steve went all out for the kid but didn’t do anything for his own boyfriend on his birthday.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that- the movie, it wasn’t to-” Steve rushes to explain himself. He took Billy to a movie about a girl’s birthday being forgotten while he forgot his own boyfriend’s birthday. He didn’t even know when his birthday was before now, stupidly never asked. But it feels like more than that. No one at school told him happy birthday either.
“Relax, pretty boy, I know.” Billy sighs. “I never told you, you didn’t know. It’s whatever.” Billy tries to brush it off.
“It not! Billy, hey-” Steve places his hand on Billy’s cheek and cradles his head, turning the boy to look at him. His eyes are glassy, like the dam is finally breaking.
“No one knew, no one cared,” Billy tells him, voice on the edge. It breaks Steve’s heart. Because shouldn’t his family have known? Then again, Steve’s always gotten the feeling that Billy’s dad is an asshole, but not to this extent. Steve puts a pin in the thought, right now, he needs to attend to his boyfriend.
“I care, I wish you told me. Would have at least given you a blowjob before we left,” he jokes, making Billy smile at least. They both chuckle and Billy leans back against his seat. “I would have at least picked a different movie.”
“It’s okay, Steve, really. I never told you,” Billy pauses, then looks to Steve again and frowns. “I don’t know your birthday either.”
“Oh, it’s, uh, August 14th, plenty a ways away,” Steve waves him off. He’s not letting Billy off the hook just yet. “Let’s go rent a movie, your favorite movie. We’ll watch it at my place.”
Billy lets out a fake long-suffering sigh, but he’s blushing. They pull out of the parking lot and start down towards Family Video. Billy places his hand back on Steve’s thigh and squeezes.
“Don’t even think about getting me anything, okay? Dinner was enough.” Billy tells him pointedly. “More than I’ve had on my birthday in a while,” he says quietly, like he doesn’t mean for Steve to hear. But Steve does and he places a hand over Billy’s.
“Fine,” Steve huff. Though he still plans to get do something special. Maybe not today, but soon. Because even if Billy is letting him off, Steve isn’t.
Billy tells Steve to wait inside the car while he gets the movie, but not before Steve makes him take his money to buy it with. When he comes back out, he smirks and hands the chosen film over.
“It’s not exactly my favorite but, well, it reminds me of you, of us.” Billy looks away while saying, peeling out and challenging the speed limit to get back to Steve’s.
Steve flips the box over and stares at the cover. Grease.
He barks out a laugh and shoves Billy’s shoulder. “Am I supposed to be Sandy?”
“Yeah, she fits you perfectly,” Billy laughs, music to Steve’s ears. They’re both smiling in earnest now and Steve’s not about to ruin it by making fun of Billy’s choice.
What’s better about watching a movie at home is that Steve can break out the alcohol out of his dad’s stash. The good stuff. It’s a special occasion after all.
They settle and cuddle on the couch, pressed into each other’s side, hands around their waists. They nearly miss the beginning after some heady making out. Steve does want to watch the movie and they’ll have all night and morning to indulge.
For now, they cuddle and hold each other close. Something they don’t normally do, but Billy is leaving himself open and vulnerable and all Steve wants to do is hold him.
He doesn’t tell Billy he loves him, not yet. He doesn’t want to make Billy think he’d only say it because it’s his birthday. Steve decides they’ll have plenty of time later.
“Thanks, y’know, for all this,” Billy says, turning to nestle into Steve’s neck. Steve’s about to protest, that this doesn’t feel like nearly enough, but Billy beats him to it. “I haven’t celebrated since my mom left. My dad, he usually just ignores me. Probably the best thing he does, honestly. I don’t even think Max or Susan know my birthday.
“We celebrate their birthdays though, or my dad makes me, anyway. I haven’t really celebrated my own, even by myself. Usually, I just get drunk. But when you said ‘date night,’ none of that shit even mattered. We were celebrating, even if I was the only one who knew it. And I didn’t want to spring it on you, either.”
Steve listens to Billy pour his heart out and his own clenches for many different reasons. He’s going to need to talk to Max, first of all, but he swells with pride as he hears Billy, comfortable enough with Steve, in their relationship to share what he’s really thinking.
“My parents usual just send presents through the mail when they can’t make it,” Steve confesses. “The past few years especially. But y’know, small town. Everyone knows everyone. People knew and I’d throw a house part. Still wish my parents would show though.”
They hold each other tighter, commiserating on shitty birthdays. It’s nice, in a cathartic way.
They don’t even make it halfway through the movie until Billy is laying on top of Steve and they lazily kiss. Steve strokes Billy hair and messages his scalp the way Billy likes. Billy makes the most delicious sounds, Steve lapping them up every time.
They finish the movie with Billy still on top of him, watching the screen with his head on Steve’s chest. It starts to get close to midnight, and Steve realizes he hasn’t yet said the words.
He tips Billy’s head up to meet his eyes. “Happy Birthday, Billy.”
Billy smiles, eyes Steve before kissing him again.
“I’ll just have to make next year extra special,” Steve tells him.
“Next year, huh?” Billy teases but looks earnest and a little hopeful.
“Yep. Didn’t you know? You’re stuck with me, Hargrove.” And Steve knows it’s the truth.
In the coming years they’ll watch Grease on Billy’s birthdays, even if they don’t always make it through the whole thing. Sometimes it’s with the rest of the Party, sometimes it’s just the two of them. But no matter where they end up, they always celebrate together, on Billy and Steve’s birthdays. They always end it the way the did the first time, in bed in each other’s arms, not leaving till the next morning’s come and gone.