[ steve takes the phone and skims the conversation
if he's honest, he doesn't really care what set billy off. billy's hurt right now and that's where his focus is. he's still got a hand on billy's shoulder, close to the burn.
but after a moment he sighs and hands the phone back. ]
[ He smiles, but it's a small, weak smile. He is an asshole. And deep down in his gut he wonders what it says about him, that he's still pulling stunts like this despite everything. ]
I already know the answer to that. [ he huffs out the answer, still frowning at Billy's shoulder as he tries to figure out what the fuck they're going to do
until he looks up at the apology and sees that small smile
his shoulders ease a fraction as he sighs, holding billy's stare. he's still too worried and stressed out to smile, but he moves his hand from billy's shoulder to touch his jaw ]
[ He doesn't hate Mickey. He doesn't even dislike him. It's just really easy to make him angry. ]
I don't know why I'm still so goddamn angry. I'm really happy with you, too. [ And he thought his happiness might make his anger go away. Unfortunately for him, that's not the case. ]
[ billy's anger is something steve can't really fathom. steve gets angry sometimes, but not like billy seems to
he shrugs, and with a final look at the burn he turns to get the car in gear. Billy's soaking wet, so they might as well just go home to sort this out]
[ steve's feelings are still stressed and worried and not at sure he's okay with what's happened, but billy's still in one piece and that's got to count for something.
as he pulls away from the curb he holds a hand out across the console, reaching for billy's.
it isn't a long drive back to Maple Street, ten minutes at most]
[ He holds Steve's hand the entire way, but he doesn't say anything else.
When they pull into the driveway he's eager to get inside and get out of these soaking, uncomfortable clothes, but he turns back to make sure Steve's out of the car before he goes inside. ]
[ the silence is good. it helps steve calm down from the blind panic he'd been in at getting billy's message. even when they get back to the house, he takes a moment to sit
until he sees Billy's waiting for him ] I'm coming, I'm coming.
[ and, now out of the car and calmer than he was before, he's ready to deal with what has to be dealt with. ]
Did you two roll around in some snow after the blowtorch fight?
[ steve keeps hold of billy all the way up the stairs and into their bathroom, only letting go to root around in the mess of face and hair and medical things ]
There's a tube of something for burns in here someplace, from back during the arena fights.
[ He wants to ask again if billy's feeling better, but he also doesn't want to crowd him or be a pain. ]
Found it. [ He grabs the tube and squirts a bit out, slathering it onto his wound (which thankfully was already thoroughly washed). It stings a little, but compared to being torched it was nothing.
He's eager to get it bandaged up so he doesn't have to look at the enlarged veins surrounding the burn site anymore. ]
Hey- hey. Be careful with it. [ Even if Billy's being as gentle as possible, Steve's still going to try to get the tube off him and do it himself.
Not that he really wants to look at the injury more than he has to, but he wants to make sure it's looked after properly. ] Come on, let's get your shirt off.
[ But alright. Fine. If Steve wants to dote on him a little, who is he to say no? He carefully lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it onto the bathroom floor. ]
Duh. [ Steve's fingers are gentle, tracing the edge of the wound to make sure there's nothing caught in it. He's entirely focused on it, until he looks up and catches the smirk on Billy's face. ]
You're not supposed to be enjoying this. [ but his face is turning a little pink, because they both know how much steve likes getting billy to do what he says ]
[ He leans in close enough to give Steve a quick peck on the cheek. ] Hey, uh.
[ His expression falls a little. ] Do you think I'm like my dad? [ Out of all the things Mickey said, that's the one that's really sticking with him. ]
Shut up. [ He turns pinker at the kiss, still trying to gauge how clean the wound is. It's looking all right, so steve's got no reason to put off getting the bandage on.
[ He sighs, though he can't help but smile a bit at how pink Steve's face is when he kisses him. ] I always thought that I could never be like him. He was so...strict, and disciplined. I was a rebel. He hated everything I did. But we're both violent bastards, aren't we?
I haven't-- I've met the guy like twice, okay. [ Which isn't an answer, he's just thinking.
He puts his head to the side. ]
I think... you could be like him. That's how it works, right? Everyone can end up just like their parents, all that stuff they hated about them. [ Steve's pretty sure they read something in English about this. ]
But-- I don't think you have to be. You think I'd date you if you were still going around running kids off the road?
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if he's honest, he doesn't really care what set billy off. billy's hurt right now and that's where his focus is. he's still got a hand on billy's shoulder, close to the burn.
but after a moment he sighs and hands the phone back. ]
Could to two of you be any more assholes?
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[ He smiles, but it's a small, weak smile. He is an asshole. And deep down in his gut he wonders what it says about him, that he's still pulling stunts like this despite everything. ]
I'm sorry.
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until he looks up at the apology and sees that small smile
his shoulders ease a fraction as he sighs, holding billy's stare. he's still too worried and stressed out to smile, but he moves his hand from billy's shoulder to touch his jaw ]
He really got to you, huh? Mickey did.
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[ He doesn't hate Mickey. He doesn't even dislike him. It's just really easy to make him angry. ]
I don't know why I'm still so goddamn angry. I'm really happy with you, too. [ And he thought his happiness might make his anger go away. Unfortunately for him, that's not the case. ]
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he shrugs, and with a final look at the burn he turns to get the car in gear. Billy's soaking wet, so they might as well just go home to sort this out]
You're feeling okay now?
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[ He just wants to dry off and bandage his wound and lay down in bed with Steve for a while. ]
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as he pulls away from the curb he holds a hand out across the console, reaching for billy's.
it isn't a long drive back to Maple Street, ten minutes at most]
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When they pull into the driveway he's eager to get inside and get out of these soaking, uncomfortable clothes, but he turns back to make sure Steve's out of the car before he goes inside. ]
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until he sees Billy's waiting for him ] I'm coming, I'm coming.
[ and, now out of the car and calmer than he was before, he's ready to deal with what has to be dealt with. ]
Did you two roll around in some snow after the blowtorch fight?
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[ Yeah, the guy he just tried to beat the shit out of actually helped him. Relationships between tough guys were complicated affairs.
He opens the door and holds it for Steve. ]
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he catches billy's hand again as he goes in. he's got a plan, and that involves bandaging the shit out of billy. ]
Come on. The kids are all watching some kind of sci fi movie. [ so they don't need to worry about millions of questions about what happened.
and the kids are watching lord of the rings, but steve refuses to learn what that is. ]
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He follows Steve upstairs, as quietly as he can so he doesn't distract the kids from their sci fi movie with magic and wizards and zero technology. ]
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There's a tube of something for burns in here someplace, from back during the arena fights.
[ He wants to ask again if billy's feeling better, but he also doesn't want to crowd him or be a pain. ]
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He's eager to get it bandaged up so he doesn't have to look at the enlarged veins surrounding the burn site anymore. ]
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Not that he really wants to look at the injury more than he has to, but he wants to make sure it's looked after properly. ] Come on, let's get your shirt off.
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[ But alright. Fine. If Steve wants to dote on him a little, who is he to say no? He carefully lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it onto the bathroom floor. ]
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With Billy's shirt off he steps in closer to make sure the wound is all clean before he bandages it. ]
Sorry.
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Alright. You're in charge.
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You're not supposed to be enjoying this. [ but his face is turning a little pink, because they both know how much steve likes getting billy to do what he says ]
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[ He leans in close enough to give Steve a quick peck on the cheek. ] Hey, uh.
[ His expression falls a little. ] Do you think I'm like my dad? [ Out of all the things Mickey said, that's the one that's really sticking with him. ]
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Until Billy asks that] Do I think-- what?
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[ He sighs, though he can't help but smile a bit at how pink Steve's face is when he kisses him. ] I always thought that I could never be like him. He was so...strict, and disciplined. I was a rebel. He hated everything I did. But we're both violent bastards, aren't we?
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He puts his head to the side. ]
I think... you could be like him. That's how it works, right? Everyone can end up just like their parents, all that stuff they hated about them. [ Steve's pretty sure they read something in English about this. ]
But-- I don't think you have to be. You think I'd date you if you were still going around running kids off the road?
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[ To Billy it feels like every time he gets too comfortable something sends him spiraling back to his old ways. ]
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[ he means bandaging him up, but being close to them kind of applies as well. ]
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cw: spousal abuse mention
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