After The Night At The Byer’s, Billy And Steve Both Sport The Same Bruises.

after the night at the byer’s, billy and steve both sport the same bruises.

and it doesn’t make sense.

steve’s sure he didn’t get that many hits in, and even then, it wasn’t hard enough to give billy a shiner like his.

and the worst part is, he feels bad.

“Hey, man,” He starts, cornering billy after a particularly difficult basketball practice. billy was awful. he kept his shirt on, too, which was weird. steve was benched completely; he can barely see out of one eye, and the other is still swollen shut.

billy’s panting from practice, hunched over as if it hurts to breathe. facing his locker and not replying to steve.

“um,” steve continues. “i…feel bad about what happened this weekend. i was just looking out for the kids, y’know, and i didn’t mean to hit you that h-“

billy turns around, snarling. looking like a battered, cornered wild dog.

“oh fuck right off, harrington,” he spits, and shoulders his way out.

“dude,” steve says, curling his lip. “i’m trying to apologize to you, asshole.”

“i don’t need your apology,” billy replies, and it hurts a little.

“well maybe if you hadn’t been a racist asshole i wouldn’t have had to hit you in the first plac-“

billy seems even angrier.

“i am not a fucking racist, harrington,” he snarls, but it lacks the horror his voice used to hold because of the wounds on his face.

steve grimaces. “yeah, totally, you just attacked lucas because he happened to be the closest.”

billy looks around the locker room as if someone is watching him. nervous.

“it’s not because of that,” he mutters, chewing on his swollen bottom lip.

“then why?” steve presses. “because if i recall, he didn’t do a damn thing to you, billy.”

billy swallows and refuses to make eye contact.

“it’s my fucking dad, harrington. he finds out max is messing around with a black kid and all three of us get a shiner worse than mine. i couldn’t care less about what those little shits are doing, but he does.”

steve’s face softens.

“so you’re…taking the punches for max?”

“that’s a stupid way to put it.”

“i…” steve gapes. “why don’t you go to hopper or something? he could put your dad in j-“

“because, harrington, i’ve got nowhere to go and no one gives a shit anyway if a dad beats his son as discipline. but i can’t let him put a hand on max. she doesn’t deserve it. even if she’s a fucking bitch.”

billy shakes his head like he’s said something awful.

“now you know. congratulations, harrington. i spent all this time stealing your crown and now you know that i’m just a pussy whose dad beats him. have fun spreading that one around.”

billy turns to leave and steve catches him by the arm.

“i’m not going to tell anyone,” he says, and billy scoffs.

“i promise. i’m not like that anymore. like you said…turned bitch.”

billy laughs.

“so, what? you look at me like i’m a kicked puppy every time i come to school with my teeth knocked in? because i’d rather you spread rumors about me instead.”

steve shakes his head.

“i wont do that either. promise. i just…i dunno. can i help in any way?”

billy shrugs him off.

“do what you do, i guess. protect those little shits. i’m not as good with kids as you are, mama bird.”

steve flushed at that and grimaces.

“please do not ever call me that again.”

and they laugh. and it feels nice.

“hey, uh, are you doing anything this friday?” steve asks, and it feels natural.

“probably looking after max. parents like to go out a lot and leave me with her.”

“well, why don’t you and her come with me and we can catch a movie maybe? she can bring lucas and you two can patch things up?”

“are you asking me on a date, harrington?”

steve’s face gets even redder.

“no, i just meant-like y’know, it would be nice, and i could, um-“

“it’s cool. i’ll come by friday. 5:00? you get lucas, i’ll bring max.”

steve nods. “um, yeah. that sounds good.”

billy smiles softly. “good. and don’t pick some girly movie. max and i like slashers.”

“right. got it.”

“see ya, steve.”

billy nudges him before jogging off, undoubtably late to pick up max.

and steve is frozen. what started as an apology for his own moral compass turned into a date. steve’s going on a date? with a boy? no, it was just a joke. maybe. probably.

he hopes it wasn’t, though.