A fire burns today // Billie joe fan fiction

[16] Real wife material

"Tre, think about this man! We've worked so hard you can't throw this away over a girl!" Billie stressed, his hands going through his hair for the millionth time now. His hair was messy and he was frustrated. Clearly in a bad mood. He sat on Tre's bean bag in his room as I sat on the floor next to it, as most of the floor was being taken up by Tre's drums pilled up in the corner. He sat there, on his bed.

"It's not just Alice Billie!"

"Then what is it!?"

"Whenever it comes to anything out of me and Mike, it's always Mike! Like with anyone! Mikes always the favourite."

I watched Billie part his lips, I already knew he was about to say something to Tre on the lines of: stop being stupid or you're being an Idiot. So I spoke up before he could even get his first words out.

"Tre, I don't have a favourite. I love you and Mike equally. I never thought there was ever tension between you both," I spoke softly to him, in an understanding tone, to calm him down.

"It's just recently y'know." He spoke back, in the same tone, not shouting like he was a minute ago with Billie.

"But moments like when you and he are laughing on the floor, on about Cum and run-" both Billie and Tre sniggered, "- or when you're both playing energetically like children with the swing ball in Billies back garden, or when you're both making fun of Billie together. You both have such a good friendship, you can't let Alice ruin that."

"But she picks him." He said slowly.

"I'll be honest with you Tre, Alice has never had a boyfriend in her life. She doesn't know what she's doing with boys and I can bet you Mike will be getting annoyed with her with in the next week or so."

"Oh yeah," Tre sarcastically laughed raising his eyebrow. "Bet."

I nodded. "I bet you twenty."

He smiled. "You got it Marsha, twenty on the table."

There that smile was again. I looked at Billie. Who seemed a lot more calmed down and happy now.

"And I think your bands amazing. The way you all work together is fantastic, and I've never been more amazed at such talent that can be produced from a trio of stupid, immature stoners who don't even know what they're doing in life." They both laughed. As Tre went silent for a minute.

"You're right," he spoke. I looked up sort of surprised.

"I am?"

"She is?" Billie said sounding more surprised than me.

He stood up, "Yeah, I'm fucking good at the drums, the music we do rocks. I can't throw that shit away."

And for the absolute relief. A few hours later, back I was again. Watching them all play together in another band practice, after taking what felt like long years moving back Tre's drum kit.

They finished, as Tre and Mike cracked open a beer, asked me and Billie if we wanted any. To my surprise he declined, and so did I.

We went and sat together in the living room.

"I can't thank you enough," Billie said looking at me astonished.

"You don't have to."

"I do, you're a miracle worker. The way you handled that conversation way better than I ever could."

I blushed. "I was just helping you out,"

"But, I'll be honest with you Marsha I didn't think you'd get to him. Tres a stubborn fucker when he wants to be. But you were just saying the right things like you always are and you sorted it!" He said looking at me, the biggest smile on his face. "That's like-," he paused. "-Real wife material right there."

My face was on fire. "You're too sweet."

"I'm serious! You're amazing!" He laughed chucking an arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer to him, but I didn't mind. I didn't mind one bit.

"Now that I've helped you. Could you answer me something?" I asked him, turning to him. He took his arm from around me and looked back at me with the same serious face.

"Sure, what do you want me to answer?"

"At the beach, yesterday. You were so close to kissing me. I know it sounds stupid for me to ramble about this but. You were in your boxers for crying out loud and I was in my underwear! We're in the ocean at night under the fucking stars at a beach and you had the chance to and you didn't- it just seems like a perfect moment. And you didn't. Why?"

He took a moment. Looking at me, looking at me closely. Before he answered.

"I know it's gonna sound stupid, and come across like a bad joke. But I was so stressed and obviously upset. When I first kiss you, I don't want to have Tre being an arse on my mind, or Mike hooking up with your best friend, or The drums being moved from a room I don't even know what I had in there although I didn't know about that until after. I wanted to just plain think about you. But I had everything else on my mind and it just wouldn't have felt perfect." He told me. Twirling his thumbs around each other in his hand looking down, as if he was shy.

"Billie," I smiled. Looking at him, he looked up at me and gave a small smile, "why are you so hooked on it being perfect though?"

"Cause, I don't wanna fuck this up." He straightened up, from his slouchy position on the couch he straightened his back a bit. "You're so much different to other girls I've fucked over, or I've hurt. And I don't wanna mess this up with you. I'm scared you're already scared I'm gonna mess this up. Like everyone's just waiting on me to ruin this one chance I get to be happy, and for god sakes I just don't want to let you go that easy. I'm not willing to."

"You're so much more adorable then you let out to be, acting bad y'know?" I smiled. "I like this side of you, does anyone else get to witness this?"

"Sometimes my mom," he shrugged. Pushing us into a fit of laughter.

"But I like it."

I'd be an absolute liar if I was to say I wasn't scared he was gonna fuck me over or mess me around. But some sort of comfort in his eyes made them thoughts melt. The way he worried and cared about me. The moments he would hold me, so few and so short but so filled with gentleness.

"I like you," he said. Looking dead into my soul.

"What?"

"What?"

"Did you just say you-"

"No."

"I think you did." I laughed.

"No, don't- don't erm- don't think I did?" He said acting confused as he scratched the back of his head looking away.

I shoved him playfully.

"I hate you sometimes Billie." I smiled. "When you're ready to admit how you feel, I'll tell you what I've really been thinking of every time you ask me."

"I already know, you basically tell me, kissing me."

"There's so much more than that, you idiot."

"I'm curious." He smiled.

"Curiosity killed the cat y'know?" I smile.

"For you, this cat would die any day."