Finally, the oh so awaited day arrived, soothing itself in through the week, a stuffy Thursday. It was maybe... 4... 5 pm? Billy wasn't sure. He hadn't had a chance to glance at the clock ever since the cooking started up. It was an absolute ruckus In, not only the kitchen itself, but the whole house. People rushed around, plates clattered, all of it. Unlike the past few days, now it was only Billy, Steve, Hop, El, and Max in the house. Which, in a small cabin, made it feel a bit cramped. That didn't mean the atmosphere still wasn't full of joy. Well, besides the yelling and the clattering, it was quite the peaceful atmosphere.
"BILLY! WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU PUT THE CRANBERRY SAUCE!?" a yell was suddenly heard from none other but the sweet little boy, Steve. Steve was rushing from corner to cranny of the house, beating even Joyce's hurry. He looked like a stressed mother of 5 in her mid-40s terrified that the turkey would burn in the oven or possibly explode. He rushed to check on the turkey, making sure it was cooking just perfectly in the oven. Joyce busied herself making the mashed potatoes in a hurry, yelling rather similarly to Hop the way Steve did to Billy. Hop tried his best not to stress Joyce any more than he seemed to already be doing so, trying his best not to fuck up the biscuits. El and Max were doing absolutely nothing, giggling and talking to each other quietly while pretending to be busy, going silent and pretending to be setting the table if Joyce or Steve walked by.
Will was on the house phone, doing the same thing as the other teen girls. Except he was buying himself time with another boy, wishing him a happy Thanksgiving, as it seemed Mike was fighting for his life in his own home, practically having to get down on his knees and beg his mother to let him at least 5 minutes on the phone to call his friends and wish them a happy holiday. Will had also taken the moment to talk with Johnathan. Johnathan had instead chosen to spend Thanksgiving with Nancy and the Wheelers, which seemed to simply work out better for the all of them. Steve obviously adored Will, he truly loved him and was one of his favorites, a close second to Dustin, but Steve hadn't taken much time to think of how he would have felt if Johnathan actually had accompanied Joyce and Will. Will twirled the phone cord around his finger as he spoke into the phone, a stupid smile on his face, a certain look in his eye.
Billy had a hand in his hair, trying to remember where he had in fact put the damn cranberry sauce. In all of his years of life, growing up in the home he had, with the type of parents he'd been 'blessed' with, he had never one imagined he would end up in this position. Stressed because he'd, perhaps, lost the cranberry sauce, being yelled at by his boyfriend because he did so, while he was surrounded by various other stressed people that loved him enough to want to make a perfect Thanksgiving dinner just for him and his little sister. Billy walked by Will on the phone and froze, the two boys suddenly freezing and going silent, staring at one another.
Billy bit back a grin, or perhaps a laugh. Fuck. He knew that look perfectly, and he was sure Will knew that Billy recognized it. Billy only snickered and rolled his eyes, rushing away back to Steve in the kitchen, leaving a flushed and flustered Will to go continue talking to Mike, now with a bit more of a timid tone.
"So, you lost the cranberry sauce? The one thing I told you to put in the pantry, Billy?" Steve spoke, not looking at Billy, but instead taking Hop's job in placing the biscuits in the oven since Hop had given up with his hands in the air, deciding to go sit in his recliner since he decided his presence was maybe not helping. "Maybe. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. But, but, but, it'll be fine, Stevie. I'm sure the girls don't even like cranberry sauce and I sure as hell don't, I don't think I've ever eaten a real damn cranberry." Billy walked up behind Steve and slithered his arms around Steve's waist, catching the other boy a bit by surprise, making him pause the biscuit making process for a second. Steve sighed, though it was rather impossible to even fake being upset when Billy was being oh so clingy. It didn't happen often, having Billy like this, clinging to him. But when it did, Steve loved it.
Steve sighed playfully and purposefully placed his butter and flour covered hands over Billy's own that held onto him. "Mhm. I guess no cranberry sauce. Now, stop being a baby, and go help Joyce take the turkey out of the oven. What about that, babe?" Steve purposefully used the pet name, acting as if he didn't hear Billy's sounds of disgust, Billy quickly bringing his hands away and wiping them rapidly to get the melted butter and flour off of them. But, Billy was quick to follow orders, leaning in to give Steve a final little peck to the back of his neck before rushing off to Joyce.
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"Amen." Joyce spoke.
The rest repeated right after. Billy had never grown in much of a religious household, and even now, having the freedom to choose his beliefs, he simply had never felt drawn to Christianity or Catholicism or any religion in that matter. This was obviously frowned upon by many, but Steve was more than accepting, and that's all that Billy cared about. But he was a respectful boy, especially now, so he made sure to repeat what he could of the prayer and hold hands with the people beside him, wanting to mainly please Joyce and Hop. Afterall, he had to be a good look if he were to date the couple's son.
As soon as everyone was done saying grace, no one paused, immediately digging in to the plates in front of them. Huge steaming hot plates of food sat in front of everyone, turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, stuffing, biscuits, and a cranberry sauce. As it seemed that Will had apperantly, very easily, dug around in the pantry a bit and had immediately found the cranberry sauce. It seemd tht Will just had those mom genes in him.
Billy sat beside Steve and Max. He truly couldn't process what was happening. Part of him wanted to cry. To cry to Steve, tell him how much he loved him, how the word 'love' was nothing compared to what he felt towards him. He wanted to cry to Max, ask for her forgiveness even if she'd already forgave him long ago. Billy wanted to cry to Joyce, Hop, hell- even El and Will. He'd always thought those school projects that forced kids to 'say something they were grateful for' were fucking stupid. But now, now he truly understood what it meant to celebrate this stupid holiday.
Well, at least what this specific day meant, besides it being said holiday. He'd never felt so loved. So cared for. He'd had Thanksgiving dinners before, but he'd never had one where he'd actually felt included, loved, cherished. "Do you think I cooked it well?" Steve asked in a quiet question to the boy beside him. He hadn't done the whole job of cooking the turkey, but he'd helped a good bit, and he was scared he may have messed up and everyone was too nice to say anything. Billy blinked away the tears that had formed in his eyes, looking up at the taller boy. God- how he wanted to kiss him. Billy swallowed thickly, cursing how stupidly small the cabin was and how every noise seeped through each thin wall. If there were at least a sliver more of privacy, he would've showed Steve just how good the damn food was.
"It's... it's amazing, Steve. Thank you." Billy spoke in a slightly wavering voice. Steve could only smile lovingly, leaning in to gently peck Billy's cheek before going back to his plate. Billy rolled his eyes and Steve grinned in amusement as he heard Max's exaggerated gag of disgust at the sight of the two sappy boys. "Manners in the table." Joyce reminded both Billy and Steve, though she was obviously smiling as well. The conversation continued between all of them, talking about everything and anything, the topic itself not really being important, the action being what stood out.
As for, the first time in maybe ever, Billy and Max felt as if they were part of a beautiful family, doing traditional family things. It was shocking how something as simple as a Thanksgiving became something precious in he eyes of someone that had never experienced it before.
(Chat pleaaaase what are we thinking of a story about two guys in the 1950s falling in love and dealing with the complications of it)
((Also I promise I will start, like, actually writing. I dunno what happened but suddenly I feel the need to write for hours and release chapter after chapter of story after story. Anyways, take this chapter as a confirmation of this promise. Take care 👍))
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Sugar pills
RomanceSteve's been prescribed pills to help with his newfound problems like anxiety and such. Though what no one told him was that the real pills that he needed were the sweet sugar pills that Billy provided. (I don't own the art I just thought it looked...
