The Miracle Place

16.

{Billy & Joel}

Billy had kept to his word and talked to the nurse about Jane seeing Peter. Jane had fallen back asleep after receiving news that Peter was out cold and would be for the next few hours. Billy grabbed Joel's hand, saying he needed to talk to him. They figured the best way to do so would be to walk around the hospital for an hour or so.

Their hands swung loosely between them, connected by their pinkies. They were silent for a while before Billy spoke, "What do we tell the doctor? About the chip?" he asked.

Joel huffed. "Nothin', I guess," he mumbled, "PAT is confidential within a small portion of the government. Telling them about it would expose Jane and put her in more danger. And, I would get arrested for hacking into said confidential system."

"Well, we wouldn't want that," said Billy. "You wouldn't last a day in jail."

Joel stepped sideways, knocking into Billy's side. "Asshole. It's because I'm skinny, isn't it?"

Billy didn't answer and instead, he chuckled lightly. "You're too kind."

"What, you want me to punch you in the face? Because I've honestly been waiting for the opportunity," said Joel.

"You know what, I probably deserve it," Billy laughed. His expression fell into a grimace. "God, I hate hospitals. The smell... the lighting..."

"Yeah, I know," Joel sighed, slipping his fingers between Billy's. "You wanna talk about it?"

Billy thought for a moment before shaking his head once. "Nah, better not get into it now. I can't be all emotional - gotta hold myself together. For Jane."

If not for myself, he finished.

He spotted a gift shop out of the corner of his eye and tugged Joel to an abrupt stop. "Let's pop in for a second." He dragged them both into the shop, searching for what he was looking for. Billy stopped in front of the stuffed animals, eyes flickering frantically between them. He stepped forward, grabbing a beige teddy bear - much similar to the one she'd been carrying when he found her - and tucked it under his arm, not bothering to look at the price.

"Aw, that's nice," Joel cooed.

"She had to leave her other one at the house," he frowned. "Couldn't go back for it. She never put it down." Now he was smiling uncontrollably at the images of her dangling the bear at her side like a child. "Oh!" He pulled Joel to the other side of the shop towards the notebooks and pens. "Better grab one of these."

Joel furrowed his brows at the book. "I thought she couldn't read or write?"

"She can't. She used it as a sketchbook," he said, scanning through the different colours. "The kid can draw, though. She's really good at it. Do you think she has a favourite colour?"

Joel snickered. "You're way overthinking this, Ba-Billy. Just - here-" He reached forward and handed Billy a red one. "-everyone likes red."

Billy nodded, but he couldn't pull his eyes away from Joel. He caught his slip-up, but he was spiralling over what it could have been. Did he just say... He also didn't miss the way Joel's cheeks flared, most likely embarrassed. He knew Joel was not the flirting type from the many occasions in school when Aaron Stellar would follow him around and compliment his sweaters and Joel would smile and say "Thanks, man!" every time. Joel was also very oblivious to flirting. "He just likes my sweaters!" he'd yell every time Billy brought up the possibility of Aaron having a crush on him.