October 1984

"Forty! Forty-one! Forty-two!"

Tommy and the guys let go of Billy's legs as he stood up from breaking the record at doing the keg stand. Standing, he spit a mouthful of beer up into the air, beer and foam spraying up and splattering against his bare muscular chest. Everyone out back went completely wild, cheering and screaming. Tommy lost it, cheering and laughing as he handed Billy back his cigarette. Taking a drag of it, Billy shouted...

"THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT HAWKINS! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!"

Tommy laughed, leading Billy through the crowds of teens and back inside. Walking in, Tommy's house was packed with most of the senior class. His parents were away for the week visiting family down state, and Tommy held his blow-out, scoring three kegs, and enough liquor to kill a small army from his older cousin who worked at the state liquor store who owed him a favor. Nearly everyone was there, partying it up, and trashing the place. Tommy, dressed as one of the villains from the Karate Kid, rubbed Billy's shoulders and continued walking as Billy snaked his way through the crowd. Tommy wanted to introduce him to "King Steve". aka Steve Harrington. Steve was one of the most popular kids at Hawkins High. He won prom king last year despite the fact he was just a junior at the time. He was class president, on the basketball team, and everybody knew and loved him. He was voted most popular, and class clown. All the girls had crushes on him, and his large circles of friends ranged all over. He was currently dating Nancy Wheeler, some prissy looking chick Billy knew from history class. Still, besides from afar, he really hadn't gotten a good look at "King Steve". Tommy had lost it when Billy decided to show up at the party. He had just started school, keeping his distance from everyone.

They had arrived at Hawkins nearly three weeks ago, and finally after nonstop days of unpacking, the dreaded first day came. Billy was in charge of driving that little shit Max to school at the elementary building across the parking-lot from the high school. He drove his Camaro in, ignoring Max completely until they parked.

"Meet here at two-thirty or you're skating home."

Max shot him a look. Ever since everything had happened, the two couldn't stand each other. Neil had made it his business to make Billy Max's babysitter. Suddenly she had become his responsibility and her chauffeur. Neil started his new job at the lumber yard, and Susan at the bank. Their house was on one of the last streets before the farm land started and the houses became more spread out. The last few weeks when Billy wasn't helping move furniture, unpack boxes, help Susan, mow the front and back yard, and paint the back steps...he was driving Max around town under strict orders by Neil. They had discovered an arcade downtown, where he drove Max to everyday. She would get out and Billy would threaten her to be outside by three or else. She would slam the door and go inside while Billy simply drove around town.

The backroads allowed him to speed up the Camaro, while seeing what else this shit little town had to offer...which wasn't much. When school started, Billy knew he was turning heads when he stepped out of his car, and walked straight to the office. His schedule wasn't that bad, and opted not to tell each class a little bit about himself each time a teacher introduced him. Instead he just grabbed his books, and found a seat, feeling eyes on him. Enjoying the attention, he kept the whole front up of being moody and mysterious. He sat back, spacing out, and by lunch a bunch of the guys were hanging off him wanting to know everything about California. He adjusted to life here, even though he hated it.

Friday Tommy H handed him a flyer begging him to come to his holiday blow-out. Deciding to say screw it, he drove out and arrived wearing jeans and his leather jacket. Instead all of the girls' jaws dropped as he entered, as Tommy and a few of the guys ran over, offering beers, before coaxing him outside to where the keg was. Now less than a half an hour, feeling slightly buzzed, Billy was led over to "King Steve" who stood with his girlfriend. Billy didn't get who they were supposed to be, but as soon as he walked over, he stared at him and suddenly felt an inner voice whisper...

He's cute...

"We got ourselves a new keg king Harrington."

Patrick, one of Tommy's annoying friends grinned and added...

"Yeah! Eat it Harrington!"

Steve slowly lowered his sunglasses off and stared at Billy. Nancy, Steve's girlfriend seemed uninterested and walked away. Billy's greenish blue eyes locked with Steve's brown ones and instantly Billy felt something like a building heat in the pit of his stomach. Staring, he grinned.

"So, now that I've dethroned the all mighty King Steve, you think you can keep up with us and do a shot to celebrate." Steve smirked, taking the teasing with stride.

"Yeah, sure...just me a second...

Billy smirked turning as Tommy led them out to the back deck where Justin was preparing fireball shots. As Billy walked through the crowded party he glanced back and saw Steve near the kitchen area looking bummed out as that bitch girlfriend of his walked away. Steve shook his head before walking around the counter and joining them. Billy walked with the others but couldn't help but keep glancing back at him. He was shorter than the guys he usually liked, but everyone had been right about that hair. Smiling, he continued walking with him before exiting through the open patio door leading into the deck where the cool October air hit his bare chest, still wet from beer. A few of the guys circled around as Justin turned, handing out shot glasses. Billy stood across from Steve, as they held their glasses before Tommy raised his glass.

"To our new keg king, Billy Hargrove, and to a truly tubular senior year for the class of 1985!"

All of the other guys cheered as Billy looked across and saw Steve staring at his bare chest, his eyes looking partly amazed, and curious staring at it. Billy locked eyes with his gaze, and instantly Steve tore his eyes away, his cheeks turning a dark shade of red as he stared at his shot glass as everyone knocked them back. Billy instantly felt that heat return and grinned. Taking his shot, he never took his eyes off Steve. Maybe this move might not be a complete waste of time after all...

Present...

It was well after hours, but Steve used his pass key to sneak into The Starcourt Mall. The main mall officially closed at one in the morning after the last trucks came in with shipments and the cleaning crew had finished. The stores inside all closed at eleven-thirty, and Steve reassured Billy it was totally safe. They would just sneak in through the back entrance where the shipments came through. He used his pass key after Billy parked in the nearly deserted parking-lot, glancing around ready to be spotted at any second. Instead, Steve circled around the car, now re-dressed just like him, his hair floppy and hanging in his face. Smirking, he stood in front of Billy and reached forward, squeezing his hands.

"It's okay, nobody will see."

Billy rolled his eyes, hating that Steve could read him so perfectly. He usually was the cool one, the calm and collected one. The one who constantly reassured Steve and made him feel safe. Instead being out in the open like this together, made him keep waiting for any second for somebody to see him.

"You okay?"

Billy snapped out of his thoughts, before locking eyes with Steve. Instantly he laughed, cupping the side of his soft face with his much larger hand, gently making circular motions with his thumb. Steve smiled staring at him, before reaching forward, and putting his hands in his jean pockets and pulling him forward. Pressing his groin against his, he rotated his hips against his, and laughed before Billy made a face and then noticed the pretty nasty hickey he had left on Steve's neck. He had been rearing and ready to go back in the woods, feeling himself get worked up again, but knew they needed to take things slow. He knew this was all new to him, and wanted to take care of him.

"How you gonna explain that to your old man?"

Steve shrugged, not looking like he even cared.

"I'll say a really hot blond gave it to me."

Billy chuckled before Steve hooked his arm around him.

"Come on, let's go."

Both began to hurry across the parking-lot together, laughing and holding each other having absolutely no idea that this would be the very same location Billy would die at later this very same summer.

Later...

"Shhhh!"

Billy laughed as Steve jogged in front of him through the back hallways of the mall that connected the stores, the back entrances, and the loading bays. Steve had been careful, making sure the coast was clear as the snuck in. Billy walked a few feet behind Steve, watching him jog, sneakers hitting the cement floor ahead of him. Staring, he smiled and tilted his head to the side watching the way his ass moved in his jeans.

"You certainly move well for a guy who took one Hell of a pounding less than an hour ago."

Billy teased as Steve shot him a look before playfully flipping him off as they reached the Scoops Ahoy rear entrance. Stopping, Steve brushed his hair out of his eyes and laughed glancing at him.

"You're lucky I'm even walking right now."

Billy laughed as Steve let them into the dark ice cream shop and flicked on a few lights.

"Welcome to the glamorous area of my employment."

Billy whistled and took a look around.

"Wow...it isn't the Hawkins' Pool...but it truly is something."

Steve turned holding two containers of ice cream from the lay down freezer. Turning, he smiled.

"So are you ready for my world famous USS Butterscotch?"

Billy raised an eyebrow before crossing his arms and leaning against the counter. Steve winked at him before turning and getting to work on the ice cream. Watching him, Billy honestly never in a million years would have believed he would fall this hard for somebody like Steve, yet here they were just a mere hour after having sex and sneaking into this stupid ice cream shop together. Watching him he couldn't explain it, but with him it was different than how it had been with Alex. Watching Steve gave him a strange fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach. He figured this was what people referred to as the "butterflies" for Billy, that usually just sounded like a bunch of romantic bullshit, but somehow in these last few months, he actually believed it. He knew tonight when he crawled through his bedroom window, all he would be thinking about was that hour crammed in the backseat of his car.

He had wanted to be gentle and take it slow with Steve. He wanted this to be special and not embarrassing like it had been with him. Still, it really had been something. Sure they had messed around, but tonight Steve allowed him to go all the way. He knew that hour would be constantly replaying in his mind tomorrow morning when he jerked off in the shower, certainly wishing Steve was in there with him. But tonight, it was just the two of them. He wanted it to last forever and tonight he figured he would just be a stupid carefree teenager with his boyfriend... Boyfriend... He liked how that sounded. Smiling, he walked up behind Steve, slipping his arms around Steve's waist and pressing his groin against Steve's ass, hoping he could feel his erection which was starting to form beneath the material of his tight jeans. Steve was shaking up a bottle of whipped cream, and paused smiling as Billy gently kissed the side of his neck.

"Want some?"

Steve held up the shaken up bottle of whipped cream. Smiling, Billy tilted Steve's head to glance back at him before he opened his mouth. Steve smirked before spraying whipped cream straight into Billy's mouth. A tiny bit flecked on the side of Billy's lips, before Steve grinned and leaned over, kissing his mouth, sucking the whipped cream off. Sucking against his skin, their mouths started to move against each other when suddenly they turned and started breathing deeply through their noses as their tongues tasted each other, moaning before Steve laughed through the kiss and lifted the whipped cream bottle and aimed it towards Billy's face, spraying him right in the air. Startled, Billy pushed Steve off and jumped as Steve completely lost it cracking up.

"Oh you like it like that huh princess?!"

Steve cracked up before Billy grabbed the second bottle on the counter and aimed it at Steve spraying him right in the chest. Laughing, the two began to dance around, ducking, and dodging each other as streams of whipped cream went flying. Their laughter floated through the shop and finally settled down twenty or so minutes later. Finally the two had made a surrender, slumped down on the floor, smeared in whipped cream, splitting a half made ice cream and laughing.

"So, was tonight special princess?"

Steve smirked taking a scoopful of ice cream and nodding.

"Yeah, it really was...us cleaning up so Larry the manager doesn't think there was a massacre in here tomorrow will be the perfect way to cap it off."

Laughing, Billy leaned in, kissing Steve's cheek as the two continued to laugh and talk, eating ice cream, and for once actually not worrying about anything and actually feeling at ease. They continued sitting there behind the counter, eating ice cream and stealing kisses from each other. Less than an hour later they cleaned up, and walked arm in arm back out after locking up.

Once they got into the car, Billy glanced in the rearview mirror at the mall and smirked, having absolutely no idea that the boy sitting beside him, the boy he truly felt he was falling in love with...would be forced to speed into this very same car to stop him from killing Nancy.