|| GUARDED || Billy Hargrove

Prelude

March 29th, 1985

||Gᴜᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ||

Astrid took a deep breath to calm himself before knocking his knuckles against the wood.

His bag was strung over his shoulder and he shook himself to calm his nerves. This was the first time he'd come to Billy's house since November, since everything happened.

He had fully woken up about a week after the tunnels and the Hargrove/Mayfield siblings had been visiting constantly according to his doctors.

It was another few days before he was discharged and a few weeks after that the Snow Ball happened where he and Billy had officially started their relationship as boyfriends. They were on the extreme down-low about it for obvious reasons.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door swinging open, a disgruntled Neil Hargrove making his appearance.

Neil stared at him hatefully for a second or two.

"...he's in his room" Neil walked away, leaving a stunned Astrid at the door.

It seemed as though Neil had heeded his warning in November, Billy had told him his dad would rather avoid him now than beat on him like he used to but acting somewhat civil was a curveball he never saw coming.

Nonetheless, he stepped through the doorway and closed the door behind him.

He passed Max's doorway and saw her doing homework at her small desk, she noticed him and gave him a quick wave, which he returned and continued to his boyfriend's door.

He knocked in a pattern only he and Billy knew and moments later the door swung open and he was dragged inside his room, the door shut behind him and Billy pressed him against the wall, pecking him on the lips over and over again as his slowly growing mustache tickled his upper lip.

"What took you so long?" he grumbled between kisses.

Astrid tried to push him off playfully.

"Stop smothering me and you'll find out" Billy didn't move away but stared at him with a small grin.

The boy rolled his eyes and kissed Billy deeply, "Happy birthday Bills" he spoke after he pulled away. Billy's eyes spoke volumes despite the shoddy lighting of his room.

"I got you something" he said, gently moving Billy away from him as he picked his bag up from the floor.

"Did you now? I thought you were my gift"

"And what made you think that?" He commented facing away from him so he could place his bag on Billy's bed. He heard him lock the door behind them.

A pair of arms wrapped around his middle and lips were pressed against his ear.

"Because I wanna unwrap you and take you apart with my bare hands" he drawled, causing a shiver to make it's way up Astrid's spine.

"As appealing as that may sound, I did actually get you something." He shrugged off Billy's arms and pulled out the gift wrapped present from his bag.

He turned to Billy with a hopeful smile and held it out.

"I hope you like it, happy birthday"