Don't Panic - B. Hargrove

TWENTY-NINE

Billy was in an exceptionally good mood as he did his daily weight-lifting exercise with a big grin on his lips. If he had known what an effect kissing a boy had on his mood, he would have it done much earlier. He felt light, breezy even as if he could take on the world and the weight was way less heavy on his arms than it had been just yesterday. It was safe to say that this was true, a good day. Max seemed to sense this revelation as she approached carefully, looking down at him with a glimmer of amusement in her eyes that could also be easily interpreted as a smug suspicion.
"What is it?" he sighed as he pushed the weight up one final time before letting it fall into its pole bell support and sitting up.
"I just got the board the guys and I bought for David, " she said holding up a brand-new skateboard.
She had told him about her and her friends' money pooling to get the Byers boy a gift as a thank you for all he did that night. He didn't expect them to act on it that soon, though, so he eyed the graffiti on the back of the wooden deck that was showing a figure that reminded him of a wizard whose features actually looked a lot like David's. It was kind of disturbing. So was how much the boy in the painting has influenced Billy's relationship with Maxine. For the first time since they lived together, he didn't mind her.
"It's his DnD character. I Will paint it at the hospital. I was wondering if you could give it to him tomorrow," Max spoke up again and Billy held out a hand in which she placed the board.

He looked at the picture up close. That kid had talent. He even got that loopy gaze right he had grown to adore so much. The lips, on the other hand, were a bit too slim and too pale, but that was a comment he sure as hell would not speak out aloud.
"You can give it to him yourself. We're taking him home tomorrow for tutoring." he hummed, giving the gift back to his sister .
She beamed and once again he had the feeling that girl was delighted for a Whole different reason.
"Cool."
"Cool." he echoed.
"So make sure you're on time for once."
"Sure. Can I put it in the trunk?" Billy sighed again, then reached into the pockets of his jeans, pulling out his car keys.
"Don't forget to lock it." he pointed out sternly as he gave it over to the boy.
"I won't," she chirped, then strutted away with confidence.
Billy looked after her, shaking his head. She was still a weirdo. With a heavy sigh, he lifted himself off of the bench and stretched his back, grinning thinking about how his training had already paid off for lifting David Byers.
And he was looking forward to doing it again. Speaking of which, he still had a lot to do in preparation for their date tomorrow. With Max in the house, it would be best to relocate their activities into his room, and which was in desperate need of some cleaning.

When he opened the door he was greeted by an aggressive mixture of his perfume, sweat, and cigarette smoke entering his nostrils like a slap in the face.
"It smells like a raccoon has died in there," Max commented as he skipped by on her way back into her own, the way more pleasant room across the hallway.
Billy huffed. Sadly, she was right. He needed to get that smell out. David was a sensitive boy, he sure as hell would not appreciate the chaos. From what Billy remembered, the boy's own room was tidy and breezy, with outdated rattan furniture from the 70s and warm, earthy colors. The most exact memory he had of the linen sheets that felt cool to the touch and the soft mattress that had enclosed them like a cloud when Billy hovered over David. He couldn't provide anything like that.
His room was dark, covered in metal posters and cigarette ash and his bed was tiny and worn out. But he could still try and make kt a least a tiny bit more welcome and that started with opening the two windows as wide as possible. The air was chilly but it washed the smell away while Billy got rid of his laundry and put fresh sheets on the bed. It wasn't perfect but it was way better and he couldn't remember when he had ever looked so tidy. Most likely when his mother was still around.
With her gone, he just never cared. That Byers boy was good at making him step out of his comfort zone and he sure as hell lingered on his mind.

Billy eyed the results of his work skeptically, his gaze roaming over the bed and the little table he usually used for his ashtray that was now awaiting Byers's books he always liked to spread for a better overview of the topic he was about to explain. Billy liked watching him read and highlight, but studying was not what he had in mind for tomorrow at all. There was too much he wanted to do to the boy and so little time. If it was for him, he didn't want to spend a single minute on chemistry.  But David surely did and that made him sigh heavily because it made the boy happy, he would let him ramble on about elements all day and would even try to understand them.

At the other side of town, David was lounging on his bed, his chemistry book on his lap while he took mental notes on all the things he had missed out on so he could explain them to Billy when there was a soft knock on the door. He looked up to find Jonathan entering.
"Nancy and I are going to the movies tonight and wanted to ask if you want to join?" he said, leaning against the doorframe.
Ever since he and Nancy Wheeler finally got together, Jonathan had the weird idea that David would feel left out. He didn't. He liked being on his own and now he had his own romantic problems to deal with anyways.
" Thank you, but no. I'm still preparing tutoring for tomorrow," he responded, tapping on the pages of the book with two fingers. Jonathan eyed him closely.
"You have to be careful with him, Doodle," he spoke up.
"I'm always careful." David hummed. "Besides, he really is not dangerous. Not to me at least."
"Billy is an asshole, Doodle. You shouldn't keep your hopes up about him." David met his twin's worried gaze.
"I don't." he quickly muttered, well aware of what a big lie that was. Jonathan knew him well enough to see right through it.
"You've got a generous heart, Doodle. He'll break it. Remember how upset you've been the day after Halloween." David sighed as he picked at his thumb, gaze directed at his book again.
"I just want you to be safe..." Jonathan hummed softly as he stepped closer. "No, you don't want to accept that I make my own decisions. If I want to teach Billy Hargrove chemistry, then I do so and there is nothing you can do about it. Don't pretend you need to protect me." It was a rush of words that left his mouth in a fast mumble, but every one of them hit their target precisely. Jonathan was hurt deeply as he stood there, gobsmacked for a moment.
" Really, Jonathan, you don't need to look out for me anymore. I'm okay. I'm the one with the gun," David added, feeling guilty for his choice of words.
Jonathan tilted his head while crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at his twin once more and David could see how he wanted to say more but choose otherwise.
"Okay. But promise me to be careful with your new friend."
"I'll be," David agreed, internally cringing at how Jonathan had phrased that.
New friend. To him, Billy was already so much more and he knew his brother had at least a suspicion in the right direction but as always, was too tactful to speak it out. It drove David mad sometimes.
But maybe it was for the best.
David hadn't exactly figured out the entire thing himself. He really didn't need the advice of his brother who finally got lucky because Nancy trauma-bonded to him.  He could only deal with his own basket case.