A safer place

chapter ten

request by Wills_little
warning! this is a follow up for the last chapter and contains mentions of bullying <3

Steve had been wrong.
Their classmates didn't forget about Billy's accident, in fact they reminded him daily.
The boy had gone from being the second king of Hawkins High to being picked on, even by the juniors.
They were pointing at him in the hallways, whispering as he walked past them.

The coach had benched Billy as a result of him missing multiple trainings, so he didn't have any opportunity to prove himself to the team either.
They laughed at him when he sat on the bench watching, or helped the coach to organise different areas of the gym where they kept the supplies.

The only one who didn't make fun of him was Steve, but Billy tried to ignore him as much as he could. The blond was too embarrassed to talk to him again, since he saw him regressed and weak like that.
The brunette had tried to reach out to him a few times when they were picking up the teens from various meet-ups or during breaks, but Billy always told him off.

And Steve had enough of it. Being embarrassed was one thing, he got that Billy was struggling, but being rude to the only one who was nice to you? The brunette wouldn't have that.

So when the day came that the kids were once again making them wait in Mikes basement as they finished playing their campaign, while Max sat aside and watched them, Steve pulled Billy out of hearing distance.

„What the fuck are you doing Harrington?!" Billy hissed, but the other just rolled his eyes.
„I'm sick of your attitude with me. I've helped you and you're being a total dickhead, I didn't tell anyone how you were acting like a fuckin baby and for that I want at least some sort of explanation."

Billy swallowed thickly, looking over at Max for help, but she was too busy mocking Lucas, so he stared to the ground to gather his words.
Steve sighed, deciding to take a different approach.

„Sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude to you. I don't care what you were doing but you know, I still kind of care about your well-being, I guess" he explained, and Billy nodded slowly.
„Yeah, I get that, Harrington, but it's complicated, okay?" Billy pressed out, looking extremely embarrassed.
The brunette didn't get what the fuzz was about, but he assumed Billy needed some time to make up his mind.

„Alright, I get that. But stop behaving like an ass, okay? You don't have to tell me, if it's that bad, but I am not putting up with your attitude" he stated, before making his way over to the children to ask how long they would take to finish, leaving Billy standing aside absolutely baffled, not knowing how to deal with the situation.
He rarely knew how to do that, but if it was concerning his small side, it was even harder.

It had taken him all his courage to not yell at Max when she found out, and now Steve had seen him being little as well. Billy shivered, shrieking as he felt a hand on his upper arm.
His eyes shot to the person in front of him, exhaling when he saw it was his sister.

„You okay? We're done here, let's go" she said, not waiting for Billy to reply before grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the house.
When the blond looked back at Steve who was about to get in his car, he sighed, realising the brunette was staring straight into his soul.

It took him over a week to find it in himself to approach Steve since they picked up the kids.
When most of the team was already out of the locker room, he sneaked over to the brunette and shyly tapped his shoulder.
Steve turned around with a confused look on his face, but his impression softened when he saw who it was.

„You alright?" he chuckled, and Billy nodded slowly.
„Max is going to Lucas later and I don't want to go home already...do you want to hang out or something?" he asked, keeping his voice down.