Knee Socks | Billy Hargrove AU

11

We arrive at the river after about thirty minutes of listening to Billy's horrendous music blasting and I never felt more relieved to step out of a car before.

"I can't believe you listen to that crap," I tell Billy when he gets to my side. I glance in his direction and see a smile that's much different from his signature deviant smirk. It warms my heart instantly.

"I'm hurt and utterly offended that you have terrible taste in music, Myers," Billy retorts with sarcasm lacing his tone. He placed a dramatic hand over his heart to emphasize his fake hurting.

I can't help but chuckle at his theatrics. "Wow, so there is more to you than lust and rage! You're actually sort of funny," I tease.

We walked side by side down a path that looked a little questionable, but the water that surrounded us made me feel safer. It flowed peacefully among the rocks, the sun reflecting a bright light off the blue waters. With each step we took, I noticed our bodies getting closer and closer.

"Oh sweetheart, I'm hilarious. You've only seen me at my worst times." He nudges my arm playfully, making me stumble a little. I play with him back, nudging him harder but realizing quickly that my nudge was no match for his strong stature.

"Holy hell, do you have rocks hiding in your biceps or something?" I exclaim while rubbing my shoulder that was currently in pain.

In a sudden motion, I am brought face to face with Billy, his hand on the place where I had just been tending to. "I'm sorry sweetheart, are you alright?"

The seriousness of his action made me want to burst out laughing, but the seriousness of his tone and voice made me quiet. "Y-Yes I'm alright. You have a really hard arm..." I smile lightly, which lightens the mood and Billy's face.

"Well if you plan to stick around you'll have to get used to it," he says while moving his arms around my waist. I tense up at the new feeling, knowing it was something I'd never experienced before.

"Is this okay?" Billy asks gently, loosening his arms as if he was going to pull away. Before I can even think, I place his arms steady around my waist, making him smirk. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind."

As we make extremely intense eye contact, and skin-to-skin contact, I begin to examine his facial features. They were breathtaking - he was breathtaking. I ran my fingers along with the outlines of his face, and he softened into my touch.

I recalled the bruise on his temple with my eyes, and against everything I thought I was, placed my lips to the spot. He didn't have to tell me what it was from, but he did have to know that I would be there if he needed me.

His eyes fluttered close at the feeling of my lips on his temple, but I noticed a quick furrow of his eyebrows that indicated the pain from the bruise.

I start softly, "I don't know what happened... and you don't have to tell me... but just know that I'm here."

He opens his eyes and I'm met with an ocean-blue color that I want to swim in anytime I see them. "I... want to tell you," Billy says, placing his forehead on mine. "I just don't think I'm ready for you to know how fucked up I am yet."

The sadness in his voice makes me want to hold him for hours and tell him that he's worth more than he even knows. He stood up for a girl he spoke two sentences to because he knew it was the right thing to do. He may have stupid ways of expressing things but from what I've witnessed, everything he does is for a good reason.

"That's okay, Billy. I think you sell yourself extremely short. Just know that I'm here," I say, bringing my hand down to squeeze his in reassurance.