A Brief History of Falling for Billy Hargrove [harrington x hargrove]

6.

The first time Steve willing went to the police station was when he got a call from Chief Hopper.

"Listen son, I know I should be calling Billy's parents but..." he paused as if he was carefully choosing his next words, "Billy's relationship with his father isn't exactly, uh, ideal. I supposed you know what I'm talking about."

Steve's throat went dry and he desperately wanted to punch something (not Billy, not this time). "I have my suspicions."

"I could have called his step mother but I recon his old man would have found out either way so I'm calling you. I hope you have enough common sense to appreciate this act of kindness."

Steve closed his eyes, seeing the bruises and blood and despair in Billy's eyes in the darkness behind his eyelids. "Yes sir," he mumbled.

"Good. Now get your ass over here." Steve was about to hung up when he heard Chief's voice again, "And Steve, I want you to keep him out of trouble, do you understand? He's not a bad guy. He just doesn't know what it's like to be loved. Find him a nice girl. Fuck, find yourself a nice girl while you are at it. Do whatever you want, just keep him from being arrested again. 'Kay?"

Steve answered with another 'yes, sir' and hung up. The thought of getting Billy a girl didn't make him happy. He didn't think about it too much.

Twenty minutes later, Billy was sitting in the passenger seat, drumming his fingers against his knee and being so damn infuriatingly silent.

And so Steve burst out. "You beat up a guy!? Fucking hell, Billy! That's what I'm here for! You are supposed to call me when you want a human punching bag! Not pick a fight with a random guy who oh-so-unfortunately rubs you the wrong way and beat him into a barely breathing pulp!"

Billy kept gazing out of the window, expression permanently blank, because Steve was wrong. Steve was fucking wrong. Today he wanted to hurt someone – really, really hurt someone – and he wouldn't hurt Steve (anyone but Steve). But how would he ever explain that to him? So, instead, he asked him if he could spend the night at his place.

"Anytime," Steve said. "Always," he added, face softening, because, no matter how mad he was, he wouldn't say no to Billy.