It was Billy who first broke the silence after Starcourt. That was a surprise to Steve. He always thought he’d be the first one to break.
For a summers evening it was bitterly cold. At least, that’s what it felt like to Steve. Robin would tell him it was actually very warm later.
Billy had dumped him. That’s all Steve really knew. He’d dumped Steve and gone off to better and brighter things, which was seemingly every girl and closeted guy in the entire town. Steve’s attempt at a rebound we’re significantly less successful.
A sailor uniform was significantly less sexy than lifeguard shorts, noted.
Starcourt changed all of that and Billy was standing on Steve’s front porch, asking to come in. He should have said no, or at least directed Billy towards a different house. He didn’t say no.
Billy slept in Steve’s bed that night. Patrick came to pick him up the following morning. Steve tried not to be jealous. He failed.
They’d broken up. Billy was allowed to see other people, better people. Not like Steve who couldn’t control his hands and took things too literally and never made proper eye contact.
Besides, Billy needed a friend. He’d only just gotten away from his dad and Heather had just died. He needed someone to confide in and a shoulder to cry on, not Steve being his awkward, clingy self.
He didn’t let his hopes creep up when Billy started gently holding him after a nightmare and carrying him upstairs. It was just because Billy was a good person who didn’t like to see others suffering. Nothing more.
The cooking together didn’t mean anything either. It was just Billy being nice. Even when he gave Steve that sweet smile, the one Steve had only seen when they were together.
Carol told him to make Billy feel special. He was clearly still into Steve. Steve just needed to prove that he was a safe person to be around.
They weren’t going to get together. Steve knew that. He set the sitting room up like it used to be whenever they were having dates anyway. Soft lighting, gentle music, popcorn.
Dumb, stupid hope that refused to die.
Billy started crying when he walked in. Not like little sniffles either, like sobs and big salty tears.
Then he kissed Steve. Who was extremely confused.
Billy had panic broken up with Steve because he’d realised that he was falling in love and he associated being in love with getting hurt. Steve had assumed that Billy had broken up with him for being disabled. Then the Mindflayer happened and all Billy wanted to do was to see Steve again.
By the end of the night, both of them snoring to the end credits of The Breakfast Club, maybe they weren’t so broken up after all.




