Unexpectedly Enough

Nineteen

Mid-afternoon breeze blew through Steve's unruly hair, sweeping it upwards. It felt nice in the summer heat, the sweat on his brow slowly drifting away at the cool air. He knew he was home when he saw the blue camaro, which meant his home was also there. He never walked up the porch steps faster than he did when he came back to the house and Billy was already there. The doorknob turned with his firm grip, the door opening to reveal the calm living room. The lights were off, sunlight brightening up the room, cascading across the wall and couch, where Billy sat.

Their eyes immediately locked, brown on blue, and it was like an unspoken word, or unneeded smile, but it was love, it was happiness. White tank top, white jeans that were uncommon, and his usual gold pendant hung from his neck. His hair hadn't grown much since he had gotten it cut a few weeks back, and Steve loved it more and more each day. He loved Billy's long hair too, but his short hair gave Steve some kind of buzz through his body that he couldn't explain, and it just made it harder for him to keep his hands off of Billy.

It was so hard for Steve to pretend he didn't need Billy when they were in public, to pretend he didn't love him with every ounce of being he had in his soul. To pretend that he wouldn't do absolutely anything for the blue eyed boy in less than a second. He wanted to touch him, hold him, kiss him, show him he loves him. Billy was Steve's world, there was no denying that.

"What were you up to?", Billy asks finally as he parts his lips into a smile, taking in Steve's sweaty frame.

"Hopper's", Steve says, licking his lips slowly as he leans down, his lips hovering inches from Billy's mouth; his eyelashes brushing softly across Billy's cheeks as he looks into his eyes.

"He wanted some help with his back porch, it's falling apart."

That was a lie, well not completely. He was at Hopper's, but not for his porch. He was working on something special for Billy.

Billy mumbles a short "ah", before Steve's lips are on his. Tingles ran up Steve's back when Billy's fingers ran across his skin from underneath his shirt.

"I uh", Steve says, pausing to catch his breath, "I've gotta head down to the store to help Joyce in a bit after I shower. Do you uh, do you want to come with me?", Steve says. "Maybe do something special after?", He adds.

Billy's face lights up and nods immediately. He wouldn't have said no to anything Steve suggested anyways. It took less than fifteen minutes for Steve to get in and out of the shower, eager to spend time with Billy after not seeing him all morning.

"So what did you have in mind for afterwards?", Billy asks once they are in the car, growing closer to the store as they get into town.

"Well", Steve smiles as he reaches to turn down the radio just a bit so he can hear Billy and only Billy, "you'll just have to wait and see."

Billy pouts slightly at that, he didn't hate surprises, he just strongly disliked waiting to find out what they were. Especially when Steve was the one organizing them. But he couldn't do anything about it because he knew Steve wouldn't budge or even give him the tiniest hint of what it could be, so he'd just have to wait.

"Stupid cars", Steve mutters as he turns the car off, complaining about the lack of parking spaces which made him have to park a few blocks from the store. It was already after twelve and Steve has promised Joyce he'd be there by twelve thirty and they were cutting it pretty close. If Steve hated anything, he absolutely hated being late, for anything really. It just made him feel bad.

Finally they reached store, and headed inside, Steve holding the door open for Billy. It was quite a bit cooler inside which both of the boys were thankful for, but it was also deserted. It's been like that since Starcourt Mall had opened. Most people flocked there for anything and everything they needed, so nobody really came to the store anymore. Most of the shops in town were like that. So it was just Joyce peeping up from behind the back counter when they walked in, offering them a warm smile.