Things To Hide In The Dark. (Harringrove)

Chapter Thirteen

Steve looked over at Billy in the morning light. His face reminding him very much of one of the Greek statues he'd seen in pictures. Billy was beautiful. He was a sight to behold in the Amber rays of morning light shining through Steve's window.

Last night was absolutely amazing. Steve had never experienced anything like it, and was sure he never would again without Billy. He had never enjoyed sex more than last night. The way Billy made him feel could never be described in words.

His hands and lips and overall domination, Steve hadn't known he'd been missing out on anything untill Billy bedded him. Until those strong arms and soft lips unraveled him from above himself. It was a meeting of souls, and bodies alike. Nothing would be the same after last night.

Steve brushed a golden ringlet from Billy's cheek, smiling softly at the sleeping beauty. His face is a little more scruffy today, his lips are a soft looking pink, and his eyelashes lay like a blanket on his upper cheeks. He is absolutely breathtaking, and Steve can't understand how he'd gotten as lucky as this.

Just then, before the thought even had time to settle, Billy moved. A small movement of his hand, but Steve noticed. The asshole was awake. How long had he been awake? He knew he was staring at him, somehow Billy always knew.

"What 're ya looking at pretty boy?" Billy's thick morning voice wrapped around him like silk. His still sleepy rasp sending chills down Steve's spine.

"You." He replied simply, leaning over Billy's shoulder to kiss his cheek. He placed his hand on Billy's bare chest, and looked into those bright blue eyes squinting at their first light of the day.

Steve looked back to Billy's smooth chest, running his fingers across the soft skin. He wondered if Billy was grossed out by the older boys chest hair. With Billy being as smooth as the day he was born, aside from his pubis region. Yes he had arm and leg hair, but that didn't count to Steve. All guys have that.

Steve's chest was pretty hairy, and the hair was dark in contrast to his pale skin. He'd always been kind of self conscious about it. He was an early bloomer. He had chest hair at fourteen. Young for a boy.

"You're thinking about something too hard pretty boy. 'S too early for that. What's on your mind?" Billy turned towards him then, wrapping Steve in his strong embrace. He pressed his face into Steve's neck, kissing the skin there.

"Nothing. It's stupid." He admitted, rubbing his hands over Billy's back in a soothing kind of way.

"Couldn't be. You're not stupid." Billy's muffled words against Steve's skin made him smile. "I wanna know." Billy was looking at him now with those eyes that he could melt for. Steve would never be strong when it came to Billy.

"I'm just self conscious." Steve admitted in a whisper, pulling his lip between his teeth.

"About what pretty boy?" Billy was confused. What did Steve need to be self conscious for? He was perfect.

"I-I just don't know if you like.... hate my chest hair." Steve's voice quieted the more he spoke. Billy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, Steve thought he might not have heard him.

"Your chest hair?" Billy looked at him. He placed a hand on Steve's chest now, gently running his fingers through the soft hair and smiled at him. "No, not at all. Matter of fact I love it." Steve let out a sigh of relief he hadn't been aware of and smiled. "You're perfect pretty boy. I wouldn't change a thing about you." He kissed Steve's cheek, a soft gesture that has Steve blushing like crazy.

This boy would be the death of him.

~~~
8:34 pm

Billy went home that night. Well, not home, but he went back to Neil's. Steve had begged him not to, but he knew he couldn't hide forever, and not facing it would only make it worse in the long run. He knew regardless it would be ugly, but his thoughts would never prepare him for this nights events.

He opened the door almost stealthily had it not been for Neil sitting on the armchair facing the door. A bottle of beer held lazily in his left hand, threatening to hit the floor if his grip loosened any more. Neil's gaunt face looked at him with apprehension, a look that chilled Billy to his core.

His hollow eyes seemed to look through Billy instead of at him. The hatred in his face was so potent that Billy had to look away. The stare was too much to hold.

"Steve Harrington." The slur of Neil's words did nothing to ease the fear of that name coming across his lips. He knew. It was over. "Care to explain." He looked up at Billy with hooded eyelids, his moustache gleaming with some form of liquid. The thought made Billy's stomach flip.

Billy's body went frigid. Fear ran his blood cold, and he knew that this would never end well. It wouldn't matter what he told his father. He'd not come out of this unscathed.

"He's a friend."  Billy spoke confidently, something he absolutely wasn't. "We went to school together." Billy's heart pounded up into his throat. His palms becoming slick with sweat, and all he could think about is Steve. His safety.

"Fuck friend?" Neil's smirk made Billy stiffen. The words sounded juvenile, but the threat was the same.

Neil had Billy pinned to the front door so fast he wasn't sure what happened. He was deceptively fast for a drunk.  Neil's fisted Billy's curls, and slammed his head back on the unforgiving oak of their front door. Billy groaned as a sharp throb erupted from the back of his head.

"Since you can't learn a god-damned lesson the first time I'm giving you two options. I'm going easy on you because I love you son." Billy held back a snort. What a narcissist. "You pack your shit, and leave. Go back to California and be with that other  fag boy or wherever the fuck you wanna go, I don't care, or I pay a visit to Loch Nora, to that boyfriend of yours. I'll kill him if you ever talk to him again. Take your pick."

Neil pulled Billy towards the hall by his hair. Letting go of him and watching him stumble towards his room. Four duffel bags lain out on his floor, unzipped and open. Ready to be filled. Billy took no time in doing so. He threw his whole life in those bags. Clothes, records, momentos, and stray tears that fell from his cheeks.

It wasn't a choice. He couldn't let anything happen to Steve. He'd rather never be able to see him again than jeopardize his safety and happiness. It was going to kill him, but Steve would be better off without him anyway.

He left the unimportant things and took two duffel bags to his car at a time. Neil passed out on the couch, Billy had a fleeting though to slit his throat. He wouldn't. Not with Susan and Max in the house.

He headed down the hall and knocked on Max's door one last time. The red head answers with a blotchy tear stained face, and bombards Billy with a hug. Sobbing into her only brothers chest, her little body shook with sorrow.

"Don't go Billy." She begged, but knew he couldn't do it. She had heard everything from her cracked doorway.

"You know I have to Max. Tell him I couldn't stay in this town any longer. Don't tell him about Neil. I don't want him doing anything stupid. Let him hate me."  Billy's tears fell atop her red hair, he bit his lip to hold in his emotions. Max knew, without his name, who Billy was referring to. The only other person in this world that mattered to him.

She nodded. Wiping the tears from her face when she pulled away from Billy. He ruffled her hair and they exchanged there love for one another. Max watching as Billy walked through that house one more time. Her knees gave way when she heard the Camero speed away.

The last time for that too.