I'm fine, I promise.

sick of your charm

Dinner might be a mess if everything gets a little too challenging, questions that are hard to answer get asked. If they knew the whole situation that was happening with Billy, Steve's sure they would be fine with it, but it's not up to him whether or not they know. As much as he wants to tell someone, anyone, just so people would see that he's not as bad of a person as people think, just adapting to a hard life so that he'll be able to survive, he knows that what Billy says goes and it'd be quite asshole-ish of him to make that decision for himself.

Billy had been through the kitchen a couple of times, after following the pleasant aroma that had wafted into the living room. He hadn't said much, only leaning against the counter and watching Steve as he cooked and prepared the seasonings. He was still shirtless from his shower, not fully dry, with little droplets of water dripping down onto him from his damp head, getting the floor wet, but Steve didn't stop him. At least he dried the rest of him before he went downstairs, he usually 'air dries' meaning he lets anything he sits on take his wetness.

The gang had been called half an hour or so ago, he planned on them coming any minute now, Dustin first, like previous times had proven. He always tried to arrive earlier than the rest of the group, he enjoyed his time alone with Steve all to himself. Dustin would always make the excuse of "manners Steve, don't blame you unculturedness on me" or "I wasn't doing anything anyway, shut up".

 Steve really didn't have a problem with Dustin being attached to his hi when he found the opportunity to. Since the whole Dart and tunnel business, Dustin was one hundred percent his little brother and anyone who didn't take it seriously could fight him, not that he would win, but still.

Everyone else had someone to confide in whether if it was in a romantical, friend, or sibling way, some had both. In the younger group, Dustin always seemed like the odd one out, not saying that the kids ignored or even hated him, they just had select people to call their problems to no matter the scene, and Steve in the older group, seeing as Billy hadn't counted in their affairs.

Dustin and Steve were an awkward match made in friend heaven, they had each others back in the long run for even the smallest of problems. Steve had, and still does, sometimes hidden the problems he had deemed too 'adult' to give to Dustin; although, he would probably understand, just wouldn't know how to react. He liked seeming like he knew the answer to any question he would ever hear, but as young as he was, Dustin wasn't ready to hear such scandalous ways, not that it was bad whatsoever, he just didn't want to overwhelm him, as much as Dustin wanted to be seen as an adult.

These kids had already gone through so much shit in the last couple year, enough for a lifetime. They deserve a break for all the rough shit they have been through. Steve never wanted to put Dustin, or any of the kids, in a position for them to have to choose, something life altering, for him at least. Steve is a big boy, who can make big boy decisions.

"I'm just gonna come out and say it, not to be a dick or anything, but honest. This is most likely gonna turn to shit very quickly. Let's lay down the facts: they don't like me and I'm not very "fond" of them either. I'll be civil as long as they are, I won't be the one to start the fire, this time. Promise." Billy speaks from behind him, causing Steve to jump and spill some of the sauce, he was mixing, onto the stove. It seems like Billy had been standing behind him for a prolonged amount of time while he had festered in his head while cooking.

"I know," Steve replies without turning to face him busying himself with cleaning the spill, "I'm not expecting you guys to suddenly start getting along; it's just a start. Tonight won't change all hurt feelings, but will hopefully make people realize you aren't all bad and, maybe, vis versa. The more your all around each other in a not so shit sort of setting, the more, I'm sure, you'll get use to each other."