Sugar pills

Part 30

Billy sighed in annoyance. Stupid, idiotic Steve...

He was still adorable though. no matter whether the boy was stubbornly annoying. 

"You look so cute, Billy! Look at you!" Steve smiled widely to himself as he now stared at the picture he had just taken. Billy sat cross-legged on the bed with his arms crossed against his chest. He murmured something quietly before he huffed like a toddler. "Look at your little smile!" Steve giggled. He turned to look at Billy and a small, softer smile replaced the wide giddy one. Steve shook his head with another giggle before he scooted over closer to Billy. He placed his chin on Billy's shoulder and stared up at the boy who, still, didn't budge. 

"Billyyy?..." Steve whispered. Billy only huffed again. Steve sighed with a smile before he leaned up and placed a sweet kiss on Billy's cheek. Steve himself felt a rush of affection go through him at his little act. It might've not been much, but he sure made it feel like it. Steve found it so endearing how Billy could be so stubborn. He reminded him of all of the little kiddos he saw every week. The party was filled of some pretty stubborn kids. and Steve found that mostly, you just needed to give them part of what that wanted. Dustin would usually decline Steve's hugs. Maybe he felt embarrassed to be hugging Steve, but Steve would forcefully pull Dustin into a hug. Because Steve knew, oh, Steve knew that Dustin liked his hugs. He was just a stubborn teen that didn't want to admit it. 

And as adorable and unrealistic as it sounded, this was how Billy was behaving. He wanted a kiss but now because of the photo he pretended to not like Steve's affection. Steve would forcefully do it. He knew these actions were out the of needy stubbornness. 

He had dealt with Dustin, even El, multiple times. 

Billy felt a small burst of a warm, blissful feeling erupt in him when he felt the small kiss on his cheek. Billy let out a defeated sigh before he turned to look at Steve. A small blush still covering his face. 

"They shouldn't have given you that camera" Billy mumbled with a sigh. Steve giggled again "I say otherwise" he mumbled. 

"Come on, we should go to sleep" Steve started to say while he let the blanket drape over him to warm him up from the early autumn nights. Billy giggled "We'll see if our theory is correct, hm?" Billy sighed with a smile. Steve suddenly stiffened.

Would it work?

...

Or would he... would he have another nightmare again?

Steve was partly embarrassed that he had already cried so much in front of Billy. He had already seemed so weak and even if he trusted Billy to take care of him he was still a little embarrassed to be seen in such a vulnerable state by anyone. Even if it was Eleven, earlier he felt it. He did feel the embarrassment creep up in him but because of... the whole situation earlier he didn't hold back. He let himself sob and cry out for Billy.

But now in a calmer situation he definitely felt it. He could feel the same shy, even a little shameful feeling creep-

"Steve? It's okay... I'll be here. And if... if our theory doesn't work and you still get a nightmare... I'll help you okay? So don't worry" Billy softly to Steve with the best reassuring smile he could make. Steve looked over at him and slowly grinned. "Yeah... thank you." He said with a quiet laugh.

"Can you hold me though...? Like the... other time?" Steve's voice suddenly got shy. Billy couldn't say how much he loved the way Steve's voice would chance depending on the situation. He loved how much smaller and significantly shyer it sounded.

Billy stayed quiet and instead started to push Steve down on the bed beside him. Steve got on his side, his back facing the other boy, and waited expectingly for the warm embrace.