Harringrove Ao3 Favorites Part 2

A Rainy Day

Triggers/Warnings: TOO MUCH FLUFF

Author: flippyspoon

Author's Summary: N/A

It was September and Steve's "summer job" at Scoops that he had taken until he figured out what to do next had become an autumn job. He would've hated it more but he had moved out of his parents' house and into an apartment a couple miles from the mall with Billy, who worked at the video store in Hawkins. He had expected people to freak out, or to at least look at him suspiciously when he told them he was moving in with Billy.

Instead, every clueless adult had said, "That's smart. Save on rent. Room with a buddy until you can make some real money."
"Right," Steve had said, nodding. "That's exactly what we were thinking."

Steve grumbled as he parked on the street, three blocks from their three-story place where mostly factory workers lived. There was no dedicated parking and usually Steve didn't mind except that it was pouring rain and he was still wearing his uniform and he had left his umbrella under the counter at Scoops, of course. Steve sighed heavily as he pulled over.

"AAAAAAHHH." He yelled as he ran through the rain, immediately soaked in his dumb blue shorts, his sailor hat doing exactly nothing to keep his head dry. Billy would have gotten off at Hawkins Video Kingdom an hour ago.

Steve dashed up the exterior staircase and threw open their unlocked door, immediately hearing Billy's cackle. He stood, catching his breath as he kicked the door shut behind him. He was dripping on the carpet and now he took off his hat, raising an eyebrow at Billy, and rung it out before putting it on again just to make a point.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Billy said.

"I want grilled cheese," Steve said sulkily, toeing off his shoes. He tilted his head as he looked on Billy who was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants and slouchy socks as he lay back on the couch, a Stephen King paperback on his lap.The supe had fixed the heat and the apartment was nice and warm.

"We got cheese and bread," Billy said. "So that works out."

Steve wanted to crawl up in Billy's lap but he was soaking wet and he dragged himself to their bedroom, tearing off his clothes and changing into sweats and socks.

"Will you make tomato soup?" He hollered from their room.

"We don't have tomatoes!" Billy shouted, sounding distracted because he was probably trying to read Pet Sematary.

Steve padded into the room, toweling off his hair. "I bought canned. I bought all the stuff so you'd make tomato soup if it rained. You make it just right. You're my bed now, by the way."

"Steve-"

Steve crawled up on Billy and lay down on top of him which made it nearly impossible for Billy to read. Steve hummed. Billy always made a good bed with his surprisingly soft chest. Billy's fingers combed his damp hair.

"Can't really cook for ya if you're lying on top of me, babe."

"Too bad. You just look so comfy and cuddle-able," Steve murmured. "Will you read to me?"

"You don't know what's going on," Billy said, laughing, his chest rumbling under Steve's ear.

"Zombie pets," Steve said. "I get it. Lemme get warm then you can get up and cook for me."

"Oh gee, thanks, babe. That's real magnanimous of you."

"I thought so." He pinched Billy's stomach under his sweatshirt. "Go ahead, read."

Billy sighed and started reading and Steve closed his eyes, lulled by that voice now as familiar as his own skin and the tap tap of the rain on the windows.