The world went dark. The sound of pumping blood beat heavily in Steve's ears, throbbing louder than his laboured breathing. His gut churned upside down. He was dragged to his feet and, thanks to the liquor, the floor felt like it was slipping away from him. He swayed to the side and then he was leaning back against a woman's chest.

"Shh, shh," Darla's voice was low and tender in his ear. He knew those murmurs were meant to reassure him but now all he could think about was being left in the ocean at midnight. Darkness all around him, drifting along in the waves, unable to catch his breath…

"Don't coddle him." This voice was husky, right next to his other ear. Billy's words laid hot on his cheek. Two large hands pressed flat against his chest and slid down his body slowly, raising the hairs on his arms.

Steve pressed his lips together. He needed to remain calm. They weren't going to hurt him… Well, maybe they were. But he could take it. He had to… if he started crying in front of Billy now there was no way in Hell he could show his face around town. He jiggled his wrists. The metal was cold and the bands were too tight, plucking away at the invisible fuzzy hairs. He tried to find a clasp to release his hands, but surprisingly there wasn't one. These cuffs didn't come from any sort of toy-store police kit.

"Got his arms?"

"Mhmm."

"Good."

Billy's hands on his torso dipped down and wound behind his legs. He was hoisted up by the knees in a second and he let out an impulsive yelp. Darla had a wicked strong grip on his arms. They were carrying him around the cabin, which only made the dizziness worse.

Suddenly he was flung to the side. He braced for the impact of the hardwood floor or even the cold dirt outside if they were going to toss him in the yard and let the fire ants feast, but instead there was the creaky give of the box spring mattress. He yelped again and tried to keep from getting sick from all the movement.

Someone jumped onto the bed next to him and rolled him onto his back. His arms remained trapped underneath him and his legs were dragged to the corner of the bed, his ankles left dangling off the side. Darla's fingers trailed along his neck, under his jaw, and wound their way up through his hair. The sensations made him shiver.

He moved to sit up, but her hands turned into cinderblocks and pressed down hard on his shoulders.

Billy was rummaging around through drawers. There was a lot of shuffling of papers and books until he coyly proclaimed 'Aha!' and rejoined the two on the bed.

Shwick… the scratchy sound made Steve's heart skip a beat. It was too familiar. Anyone who had ever encountered Billy knew that he smoked like a chimney and he always had that damned lighter with him.

"What are you doing?" he exclaimed, frightened.

Billy let out a throaty chuckle and straddled his knees. "Scared?"

He couldn't move. "Let me go."

"Nah."

"What are you doing?!"

Darla giggled too close to his face. Her hands continued to roam, and they played with the collar of his shirt, letting her digits casually slip under the fabric every now and then. Her touch made his toes curl. Billy laid his hand down flat with his palm pressed on Steve's stomach. He gave it a light pat and cooed, "Relax… you're okay…"

The reassurance had the opposite affect.

Without warning, Billy grabbed the fabric of his shirt and yanked it up. He pulled the hemline up and over Steve's head, revealing his upper body altogether, and somehow the room got even darker.

Darla's hands roamed lower. She dragged her fingernails along his chest and began to circle and brush his nipples, making him catch his breath.

Billy removed Steve's belt and tossed it across the room and undid his jeans, but he didn't slide them off. He tugged them down a few inches, with rough movements, and then feather-brushed his thick fingers over Steve's waistline.

He gulped. This time it came out like a whisper, "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Waiting."

He was almost too scared to ask. "For what?"

"Tell me, Harrington… have you ever felt this with that girl?"

"Felt what?"

Billy chuckled. "Scared. Alive. Aroused…" his fingers, so impossibly delicate, slid beneath his boxers.

Steve pressed his lips together. Everything in his body stiffened, especially below the belt. Billy smirked at the discovery.

Darla was leaning over him. The tips of her hair danced across his chest and although there was a panic welling inside him, Steve realized he wasn't scared. At least not as scared as he should be. He tried to blame the liquor, but there was a quiet voice inside him telling him that these two people weren't out for his blood. Maybe, just maybe, they were trying to help him get over Nancy.

In their own… strange… way.

It was silent and relatively still for a few seconds. It wasn't too long, but it was enough time for Steve to realize that they were conversing, silently. Then they switched positions. Billy hopped off of his lap and Darla swung one leg over, throwing all of her weight on his thighs.

"How you doing, Stevie?" Darla murmured. She grabbed at his crotch and giggled softly at the surprised moan that came out of him. "Oh, good."

Billy returned to the bed and took up residence by Steve's head. He leaned over, close enough so that his musky scent was still detectable. "You're going to thank me for this, man."

He was rubbing something squishy between his hands. Before he could ask what, two warm, wet palms splashed onto his stomach and started to rub in firm circles. Oil. It was warm and slick to the touch and Steve grit his teeth together. He gave his nipples a teasing pinch as he worked his way up his chest. He didn't stop massaging until every inch of Steve's exposed skin was slathered.

Billy cleared his throat and his hands left Steve's body. "Wait, hold it up a bit higher."

"Here?" asked Darla.

"Yeah, that should be good."

"Wait, what… What's good?"

Something tiny and scorching fell onto the center of Steve's stomach. He yelped and tried to coil in on himself, but the two held him down. Billy clamped a slightly slimy hand over his mouth and now his warm lips were right next to Steve's ear. "Stay still, dude."

Another boiling droplet fell a few seconds later, just as the slight sting from the first one began to subside. This one fell lower. It landed just below Steve's belly button and he growled from behind Billy's hand. The realization washed over him and he could feel the beads of nervous sweat building up around his neck.

Candle wax.