Don't Panic - B. Hargrove

TWENTY-SEVEN

„How do you flirt?" David asked looking up at Steve while the boy was gobbling down a spoon full of smelly Mac n cheese.
„What?"Steve responded, bluntly staring at the boy.
„You heard me. How do I do it?" David repeáted, taking a sip of his chocolate milk.Steve sighed.
„Well, usually, it comes quite naturally, more of a vibe than a tactic.It's about a compliment, running your hand through your hair and height is usually an advantage." he listed, furrowing his brows in concentration.
„I'm short. And I don't like to mess up my hair."David shook his head, wholeheartedly dismissing the suggestions.
„Also, Ím not good  at giving compliments either."
„Yeah, I know that. You always manage to call me dumb somehow." Steve nodded, crossing his arms in front of his chest while pausing his lunch.
" I don't. I just point out your strengths." the tiny boy argued and Steve nodded at that again.
„Just like that. So maybe, dońt do compliments. Why do you want to learn how to flirt anyways?" David averted his gaze.
Because he didńt want another panic attack when Billy flirted with him. He had needed an entire period to recover from chemics today when Billy had hinted to like him, and he was still getting hot just thinking about it.
That was a problem he needed to solve. Steve was his only friend and the only one he knew was considered charming and had always gotten the girl. At least for a while. If he couldńt teach him, nobody could.
„I think I should know just in case someone was flirting with me." he mumbled, hoping he had not given away too much.
Steve squinted at him.
„Doodle, did someone flirt with you? Was it Heather?" David shook his head violently.
„No. What do you always have with that girl? I thought I made clear I wasńt interested in her at all," he huffed in dismay.
Unbothered, Steve clicked his tongue: „Yeah, but she's cute." David rolled his eyes heavily.
„That's exactly why I never asked you before."

„All right, all right, Jesus, dońt be like that. Let me think for a sec." Steve responded and David really needed to suppress the question if that was a good idea.
„Well..." the boy spoke up a moment later and David eyed him suspiciously. „Thinking about you and your sense of tact...maybe you shouldn't flirt.Maybe you'd be better off just being blunt as usual and telling her you like her straight to her face." David frowned at that conclusion.
„So you are saying im insensible?"
„Pretty much, yeah." Steve agreed, picking up his spoon again.
„Maybe if you would tell me who the fuss is all about, I could give you some lines, though, so you can profit from the Harrington Charme."
„Thanks, but no." David cringed at the thought alone.

„And you did it again." Steve just pointed out, turning his attention back to his meal.
David on the other hand, overthought the only useful advice Steve had given him. Just tell him you like him. Could it be that simple? He didn't notices how Steve peeked up at him again. „Why are you brooding now?" he wanted to know, and David just stared at him.
„I'm not brooding.I'm thinking."
„Same thing." Steve shrugged.
„It's not. And for your information, I am actually considering your advice." David said.
„Wow. I'm honored" Steve was now the one to huff out.
„I thought you wanted me to tell you how smart you can be." the other boy pointed out a bit confused.
„Yeah, you didńt." Steve shook his head. David tilted his head. „Sometimes I ask myself why we even get anything we say to each other."
„Me too, Doodle.Me too. But I have to say, I'm glad you're dipping your toes into dating, I bet there's someone out there already waiting." And Steve emphasized that statement with a wink.
"Don't do that." David immediately scolded him for that, it was making him uncomfortable.
"Whatever, Doodle." Steve glared at him.
"Drink up your chocolate milk" 

Indeed David took a long sip at that, emptying the carton.
That was the end of their lunch discussion but not the end of David's string of thoughts. The idea of just telling Billy how he felt lingered in his mind and didn't want to let go of his attention. He hadn't been that unfocused in class since Will had disappeared, and he really didn't like that state of mind and how exactly two scenarios were playing in his head on repeat.
The first one was the realistic outcome of telling Billy, the one where the other boy would simply laugh in his face and call Jim names. The second one was the more romantic option, a heartwarming scene of Billy confessing how much he loved David, going down on one knee like prince charming, and asking for David to be his boyfriend. Of course, David was biased and hoped for the last one to happen but again, he was a realist and that outcome was more than unrealistic.
The odds were as equally high as Tommy confessing his love for Steve - almost non-existent. The best he could hope for was a chuckle and Billy simply dismissing everything he had just heard.
The overthinking stayed all the way until basketball practice, where he was watching the boy of his desire from his usual spot this time indeed brooding.

Billy was more than happy to see David was there to watch them train. He looked cute on the bench in his big sweater, dangling his feet. He had waved at Steve, then a little shyer at him when he entered, and hadn't stopped looking at him since. Billy liked that.
The other boy was clearly thinking about him while he bit his lip, which to Billy, was almost seductive. He was doing his best to look good at the game, a little disappointed he had been put on a team shirt this time, only waving it off because he had an idea what was even hotter in David's eyes than his body: Billy being nice to previous Harrington.
And he listened to the captain, actually playing with rather than against him with the added benefit of confusing the boy and catching a glimpse of a heavy sigh leaving the tiny boy's mouth.
Just as expected, he was into Billy being a nice guy and Billy himself didn't feel so bad either with Byer's clear validation in view. The next slam dung was dedicated to him and as Billy turned to the bench, David cheered for his team. His own personal cheerleader. Well, his and Steve's on which Tommy felt the need to comment.
"That's right Harrington, show your girlfriend how it's done. You missed the retard, didn't you?" The next thing that happened was not planned at all, just an aggressive impulse as anger boiled in Billy at those hateful words. He just couldn't resist smacking it off and so the ball hit Tommy's face with a satisfying thump.
Blood gushed out of his nose that looked a little more crooked than it used to. Every drop was pure gratification. 
"Dude, what the hell?" Steve exclaimed, glaring at Billy in annoyance.
" I slipped. Sorry. " Billy shrugged at his gawking teammates, a subtle smirk playing at the corner of his lips, unnoticed by all of them.
He wasn't sorry at all. And while Tommy was brought to the nurse, Billy's gaze shifted back to David, searching for a reaction of any kind. If the boy was disapproving, he didn't show it.
He was just looking right back at Billy, sitting on the very edge of the bleachers, leaning forward. Billy send him a small smile, one of the rare genuine kind he only spent on special people and David was the first one to receive it in quite a while now. And the tiny boy smiled back, a faint pink blush blooming on his cheeks, making him look oh so pretty yet again. Billy needed to be careful, he was already staring too long. The last thing he wanted was to fuel speculation about his or David's sexuality.
He was still unsure what he was and didn't know if David was really gay on his part either. Also, what they had was so fragile, barely existing at all, it wouldn't survive an attack like that. Billy didn't want it to break.
He didn't want any more problems for David. So he turned, getting his head back in the game, eager to score a few more points, not to win but to make David cheer for him again.