JJ stood at the top of the snow covered hill with the rest of her classmates. Quite a few of them showed up to the Hawkins sledding reunion party Nancy had organized for those of them that were home for the holidays. Everyone was complaining about how cold it was and how they didn’t want to be chilled to the bone by falling in the snow. She couldn’t believe these people had agreed to make an appearance solely for a party to play in a winter wonderland and then refused to participate.

“Seriously, you guys?” She shook her head in disappointment. “Move. I’m going down.” The small crowd parted, and JJ steadied her sled at the top of the hill, making sure it would travel straight from where it started. Everyone’s eyes were on her, including Billy’s, whose burned brightly as he watched her daredevil antics.

“Need a push?” He stepped forward and offered to help JJ start her downhill journey. She smiled over her shoulder at him and replied with one simple word.

“Nope.” With that, she took a running step forward and jumped into the sled, the momentum propelling her forward and down the hill. Inspired by JJ’s bravery, the rest of the group followed suit, everyone finally conceding to having the good time they all gathered for in the first place.

The rest of the afternoon was spent laughing, catapulting snowballs, and wiping out in the icy powder. Everyone agreed they couldn’t remember the last time they had so much fun. Billy was just glad to be there with JJ, soaking in the warmth that emanated from her on that freezing winter day.

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The sun was setting, and JJ was completely soaked through her clothes. Teeth chattering, cheeks aching from smiling and the bite of the bitter wind, she began saying goodbye to her classmates.

“I need to get going so I’m not walking in the dark. I’ll see you guys at Tina’s in a couple days!” She waved, a chorus of farewells arising from the group as she gathered her sled.

“Walking?” Billy’s voice boomed above the rest.

“Yeah,” JJ answered. “It’s not far.”

“No way. You’re freezing. Come on, let me give you a ride. It’s on my way.” Billy stepped toward her while all of the bystanders quieted, waiting for her to bite back sarcastically. To their surprise, she accepted graciously.

“Actually, that would be nice.” JJ’s whole body shook from the cold as she spoke. Following Billy to where his car was parked, she was thrilled to see he was still driving that cobalt blue Camaro she had always made fun of him for but secretly loved.

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“Thanks again for the ride.” JJ was still shivering as Billy pulled into the Ferons’ driveway.

“Any time,” he drawled, his signature smirk sliding into place. JJ had the house to herself for the night. Her parents were being entertained at another stuffy cocktail hour for some other overly posh law firm, and while she originally planned to get some relaxation time in, she now had a better idea.

“You want to come in? I’ll make you a hot drink for your troubles.”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Billy replied, his smirk blooming into a smile. He followed JJ inside, and he couldn’t help but notice she was still shaking from the cold permeating through her wet clothes.

“I’ll put the kettle on. You make yourself comfortable,” she instructed, leaving Billy alone in the living room. 

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“What’s all this?” JJ’s grin shone brightly against the dim glow of a fire crackling in the fireplace. She handed Billy one of the mugs she was carrying back from the kitchen, taking note of the pile of blankets on the floor in front of the dancing flames.

“You’re freezing. We need to get you warmed up, and I thought a fire might help. Here,” Billy said, taking JJ’s hand and leading her over to the bundle of warmth he had prepared. They sat down on the plush area rug together, and Billy draped two of the blankets over JJ’s shoulders, wrapping his arms around her, moving them up and down slowly to create friction.

“What a gentleman,” JJ crooned in jest, giggling at Billy’s display.

“Frostbite is no joke, Jacqueline,” he quipped back, his smile still bright in the low light.

“I suppose that’s true,” she agreed. They shared a comfortable silence looking far off into the fire, the crackling and popping sounds keeping them company.

“You know,” Billy started. “Body heat is really the most effective way to warm up.” JJ met his gaze, and his ocean eyes were dark with a devilish haze. She knew exactly what he was playing at, and she loved this game.

“Oh, well, in that case.” JJ stood up, letting the blankets fall from her shoulders, and pulled her sweater over her head, discarding it onto the floor. Billy’s eyes followed her every move as she peeled off more layers – t-shirt, undershirt, pants, socks – until she was down to just her underwear, her blue lace bra almost matching the color of his stare.

Billy followed suit, shedding his sweater, shirt, and pants, still watching her all the time. JJ felt the heat of a blush creep up to her cheeks just looking at him. He was like a God. The outline of every dip and valley of Billy’s body was contoured by the flickering of the fire. His golden skin looked butter-soft, and all JJ wanted to do was touch him, but she forced herself to be patient.

They returned to their seats on the rug, and Billy leaned closer to her, cupping the side of her face in his hand with a hungry look in his eyes. JJ’s lips parted as Billy ghosted his thumb over them, and there was no more talking. He kissed her slowly, with passion and sincerity, and she was already losing herself.

Billy tasted sweet like honey and warm sugar, and soon JJ was melting into him while their kisses turned fiery, all teeth, tongue, and desperation. Billy pressed wet, needy kisses to her jaw, her neck, her collar bone, leaving playful bites in his wake. JJ’s breathing grew heavy, and all she wanted was more, more, more.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take it any longer, Billy leaned into her until her back was pressed into the thick, plush rug in front of the fire. He lowered himself to her face one last time, locking her lips into his and running his tongue along the bottom one, then the top. He was teasing her, and she was eating it up.

Billy placed nips and kisses again down her neck, to her collar bone, to her chest, and he didn’t stop until he got to the top of her panties, taking the waistband in his teeth and letting it snap back against her skin. He glanced up at her from between her thighs, eyes full of sin, and JJ’s heart hammered double time.

“Are you warming up yet?” Billy asked seductively before pressing his warm, wet tongue flat against her clothed slit, just enough so that she could feel the rush of his hot breath.

“Whatever you do,” JJ warned, running her fingers through Billy’s sandy curls, “just don’t stop.” A dangerous grin formed on Billy’s face just before he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and slid them down her legs, tossing them to the side. Big, strong hands pushed her thighs apart, making room for Billy to nestle down in between them. His breath ghosted across her bare skin, creating goosebumps over her entire body as he licked a long stripe through her folds.

JJ’s breath hitched at the contact, and she pulled lightly on Billy’s curls, eliciting a growl from deep within his chest. His tongue was like warm velvet sliding up and down and in delicious circles around her clit, and her vision grew hazy in the glow of the flames. She didn’t have room in her mind to care that her moans sounded pathetic and desperate as she tightened her grip in Billy’s hair and moved her hips languidly against his expert mouth.

“Fuck, that’s so good.” Billy’s eyes snapped up to meet hers as she glanced down at his mesmerizing movements, the work of his mouth and his dark stare setting her core ablaze. She let out a gasp when she felt him push two fingers inside of her, curling them up to meet her sweet spot. He fucked her slowly, the constant contact of his tongue pushing her closer and closer to the breaking point.

“Billy, please,” she breathed, her eyes brimming with tears at the stimulation.

“Beg me,” he purred, the low vibrations of his voice against her aching pussy sending shockwaves crashing over her.

“Please, I want to cum for you so bad. Mmmm – please, Billy.” With those magic words, he picked up the pace, thrusting his fingers into her harder and faster and sucking fiendishly on her clit until her moans turned into blissful sobs. Every move Billy made stoked the embers in her core until it was white hot and smoldering, and then there was an explosion.

JJ’s eyes screwed shut, tears spilling down her cheeks as she lost control, her whole body shuddering as her walls clenched around Billy’s fingers. She writhed against his tongue, a string of colorful expletives flooding from her lips as she rode out her climax. Slowly seeping back into the fabric of reality, JJ steadied her breathing as Billy removed his fingers and set an iron grasp on her thighs, pushing them farther apart while his blunt nails dug into her flesh as he held her there.

He continued to lavish slow, lazy circles on her clit, the overstimulation sending jolts up her spine as more tears slipped down her cheeks. JJ couldn’t take it anymore and tried her best to push him away, but he was too strong.

“Beg me,” Billy commanded once more. He wasn’t going to stop until she was a pathetic, weeping mess.

“Billy, please,” she cried. “I can’t take it anymore, please.” He gave one last long lick along her clit and looked up at her, his cerulean eyes shining like the surface of the ocean under the sun. He steadied himself on his knees and stretched his back, the glow of the fire rippling over his defined muscles before he laid down next to her.

“You taste divine,” he whispered. He leaned in and kissed her fiercely, and she could taste the sweet and sour remnants of herself on his tongue.

Once she was finally able to string a coherent thought together, JJ knew she was in trouble. Everything about Billy consumed her entirely, and though she knew she’d never be the same, in that moment, all she wanted was to be completely immersed in him. He was going to ruin her, and she was content to let it happen.

“Thanks again, Joyce!” JJ waved her final goodbye to Joyce Byers as she exited Melvald’s General Store and started down the sidewalk back to her parked car. She excitedly unwrapped the long end of her candy cane, immediately popping it in between her lips and hollowing her cheeks around the minty treat. Peppermint was her favorite, and she was never known to decline a free candy cane.

The chime of laughter rang in her ears as JJ approached a trio of people coming the opposite way down the sidewalk. She swore she recognized them – two men and a woman – all bundled up in winter garb, joking amongst themselves and walking at a brisk pace.

As she got closer, a fire started in her belly at the sight of Billy Hargrove walking alongside two of her other former Hawkins classmates, Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins. They hadn’t noticed her yet, so she did her best to compose her posture and brighten the look in her eyes.

“Is that JJ Feron?!” Carol exclaimed, holding out her arms and quickening her pace. It took all of the energy JJ could muster not to roll her eyes. She and Carol had never really been friends, but she wasn’t about to bitch and moan in front of Billy, especially after last night.

JJ accepted the friendly hug from Carol and tuned out her giddy gushing as she snuck a glance at Billy who wore his usual smirk, his icy blue eyes shining against the crystalline backdrop of snow and gray sky.

“How are you guys?” JJ willed herself to smile at the trio in greeting which was returned by Tommy as Carol began droning on about how miserable her journey home to Hawkins had been. JJ continued to lavish licks on her candy cane while she feigned interest in Carol’s story. She was eternally grateful when Tommy checked his watch, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“We’d better get going, babe. We’ll miss our movie. Great to see you, JJ. Let’s catch up later.” Tommy’s brisk remarks were music to JJ’s ears, and she unsheathed her candy cane from her mouth with a pop.

“Don’t miss your show. I’ll catch you guys later,” she replied contentedly.

“Later,” Billy agreed, his eye contact almost too intense for the moment. JJ couldn’t help but feel like Billy’s statement was more of a promise, and her suspicion was confirmed when she caught him stealing a glance at her over his shoulder as the three of them continued past where she stood on the sidewalk.

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JJ made it back to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She was removing her winter layers and hanging them up in the closet when her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jeans. She took it out, surveying the screen, and a devious smile bloomed on her cherry-red lips.

Billy: Someone’s looking delicious today.

She stifled the giggle that broke open in her chest, the urge to kick her feet like a schoolgirl almost getting the best of her. As much as she wanted to return the compliment and then some, she decided to rein herself in and play it cool just to see if he might give chase.

JJ: Not nearly as delicious as this candy cane.

She was still working away at the candy cane, making sure to savor it as she undressed and got ready for a shower. Not even a few minutes flew by before her phone was buzzing again.

Billy: What I wouldn’t give to be that candy cane right now…

JJ’s eyes rounded, her cheeks almost matching the shade of her lipstick at Billy’s daring comment. She grinned around her candy cane and laid back on her bed to reply. She had an idea that would bring Billy to his knees.

JJ: What? You mean you want to be inside of my warm, wet mouth…have my soft tongue licking you up and down…getting your sticky flavors all over my lips?

It only took Billy a few seconds to respond, and she knew she had him in the palm of her hand.

Billy: Jacqueline…you’re killing me… JJ: I was just clarifying ;) Billy: Sure you were. At this rate, I might have to take a trip to the bathroom just so I can focus on the movie. JJ: A trip to the bathroom? What for? Billy: Wouldn’t you like to know…

JJ let herself squeal and laugh alone in her room. Ravaging a bite out of the end of her candy cane, she decided to take things a step further. She opened her robe to reveal her white lace bra and settled her snack snug in between her cleavage, letting it drip sticky sweetness onto her warm skin. Positioning the phone camera high above herself, she snapped a photo and quickly sent it before she could change her mind.

She stared back at herself on the screen, her red lips and the stripes of her holiday treat standing out bright against the pure white of her bra and bedsheets. As soon as the picture made it through to the other side, Billy was typing. JJ’s breath shallowed in anticipation.

Billy: DAMN. Billy: If you could only see what you’re doing to me right now.

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BILLY’S POV

Billy tapped Tommy on the shoulder in the dark. “Bathroom,” he whispered simply. Tommy nodded in response, and his eyes returned to the giant movie screen. Billy sidestepped out of the aisle and hurried out into the lobby of the theater, almost jogging his way to the men’s restroom. JJ Feron was going to be the death of him, and he was a willing victim.

He burst into the room with way too much gusto for a public restroom visit and made sure he was alone before locking himself in the stall furthest away from the door. Pulling out his phone, he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans with a groan, finally able to relieve some of the pressure on his aching, rock-hard cock.

Unlocking his phone, Billy pulled up the picture JJ had just sent him. Hiding it from Tommy during the movie was difficult, but he had managed to sneak a look at it just long enough to drive himself totally wild. He couldn’t take just sitting there anymore. After his adventure with JJ the night before, all he could think about was seeing her again, and this was the next best thing.

Seeing the photo a second time made him bite his lower lip, his brows knitting together in despair, missing her in that moment, as he gripped his waistband. With his empty hand, he let his cock spring free, salty dewdrops already forming at the tip. Billy stared at JJ’s perky tits just barely covered by her white lace bra, a bitten off candy cane nestled between them, and he spat into his hand. If he didn’t feel like he was about to explode into a million pieces at just the sight of this girl, he would be embarrassed at how unglamorous the situation was.

Tracing his tongue along his lower lip, he began a steady rhythm fisting his cock over and over to the thoughts of everything else he wanted to do to Jacqueline June Feron. He thought of her auburn curls tangled around his fingers as her pussy sucked him in deeper each time he tried to pull out. He remembered the sound of the frame of Steve’s mirror rattling against the wall, and JJ’s tireless moans, and each moment of pleasure he recalled only pushed him closer and closer to his edge.

Billy’s phone vibrated again, and the words on the screen sent him reeling.

JJ: I wish I was doing more…being the good girl I am, sucking you like that candy cane until you burst in my mouth…

That was all he needed. He felt a surge of heat just before he painted his hand white with his own sticky release, unable to stifle the strained moans escaping his throat in between his heavy, labored breathing. Delirious, wrist stiff and aching, he slumped against the wall of the stall he was in, waiting to regain his vision and control of the rest of his body as the wave of pleasure ebbed.

He took one last glance at JJ’s photo before he responded shamelessly.

Billy: My hand doesn't clean up nearly as well as your mouth would. Can I see you again tonight? JJ: I'm a little busy, but I'll try to fit you in. Billy: Oh, I know you can ;) JJ: Pick me up at 10.

With JJ's agreement to meet again that night, Billy shoved his phone into his pocket and cleaned up the best he could in the bathroom before sauntering back into the theater. He glanced at Tommy and Carol who were like zombies, mindlessly shoveling handfuls of popcorn into their mouths, hypnotized by the giant screen in front of them, barely even noticing he had returned.

Billy smirked to himself, feeling almost filthy for the break he had to take, but he really couldn't help himself. He couldn't get JJ off his mind no matter how hard he tried to concentrate on the show, and if he was honest, she was all he really wanted to think about.

“And these are your new sisters,” Neil explained with no trace of enthusiasm to his son in the driveway of your new home. “Billy, don’t be rude. Shake hands,” he instructed sternly.

Billy held out his right hand for you to take, his jaw clenched, expression unchanging as he let out a flat, “Welcome home.” His handshake was firm, and he didn’t make eye contact with you or Max as he stood before you.

“Thanks,” you replied, testing a small smile. Again, his expression didn’t soften.

“Why don’t you go help Susan with some of the boxes,” Neil muttered to Billy, the stern coldness in his eyes revealing that this was more of a command than a suggestion.

“Yes, sir,” Billy responded, already stepping down the driveway toward your mom’s car.

Once Billy was out of earshot, Neil turned to you and your sister and put on his best impression of a smile. “I hope the drive wasn’t too long for you girls,” he offered.

“It was okay,” you answered him, attempting to mirror the almost smile. The three of you basked in the awkwardness before Max piped up with a question.

“Will we be sharing a room?” She already knew the answer because your mom wouldn’t shut up about how excited the two of you should be to get your own bedrooms for the first time in your lives.

“Not at all,” Neil answered almost cheerfully. “Why don’t I show you two around, and you can get settled while we bring in your things?” Neil held out an arm, gesturing toward the front door of your new home, and you and Max trudged forward with your backpacks and snacks in tow.

The house wasn’t large, but it was more than you were used to, coming from the two bedroom, one bathroom townhome you had shared with your mother and sister for the last six years. Four bedrooms, – one for you, Max, Billy, and your mom and Neil – two bathrooms, a fireplace, and a separate kitchen, living room, and dining area. You even had your own yard complete with a tire swing, and you knew that would be a big bonus for Max.

“I hope you won’t mind sharing a bathroom with Billy,” Neil sighed almost apologetically. “He keeps things clean, so you won’t have to worry about that. But if you have any trouble at all with him, you just let me know.” Neil’s eyes were icy and cold as he spoke, his teeth gritting together at the end of his sentence. You were a bit taken aback at how he talked about his own son.

“What…kind of trouble?” His expression softened immediately, and he tried again at his smile.

“Well, you know, boys will be boys. He’s a good kid, but sometimes his attitude needs some…adjusting,” he explained.  “I’ll be outside helping your mother. If you need anything, don’t be shy.” Neil rapped a couple of times on the doorframe and exited your new room. You felt all tension dissipate the moment he was gone, and you took the time to glance around your new space. You had enough room for all of your posters. A queen size bed rested in one corner with shelves above it, a full size closet at the end of the bed, and a window with a desk underneath it on the wall opposite the sleeping corner - perfect for studying after school. You could get used to this.

You were pulled from your thoughts with the muffled clatter of a box being set on the wooden floor beside your bed. Turning around, your eyes met his for the first time. You couldn’t help but notice he looked almost…scared?

“Sorry. I’ll be more careful with the next one.” Billy’s hands turned to fists at his sides, thumbs fidgeting over his knuckles, his jaw clenching at the close of his words. His appearance was unlike any guy you’d ever seen in person before.

He looked like something out of the cover art of one of your mom’s romance novels she always had tucked away in a spot she thought you and your sister wouldn’t think to look. His blonde, shoulder length curls were carefully coiffed into one of those trendy mullet styles, plush pink lips outlined a perfectly white smile, his skin still golden from the California sun, and his eyes sparkled cerulean like the surface of the ocean with a depth you couldn’t quite reach. You could tell he was stacked and muscular through his clothes, and his jawline was sharp enough to cut glass. Still, there was something about him that seemed on edge.

“Don’t worry about it,” you reassured. “I don’t think there’s anything breakable in there.” He nodded in acknowledgement and turned to exit your room. “So,” you called after him, “what’s the high school like?” You just wanted him to know you were approachable and that you had no intention of making his life Hell, especially since you were all forced to exist in the same house from now on.

“Probably worse than you’re imagining,” Billy scoffed, turning slightly back towards you. When he noticed your nerves amping up at his comment, he sighed. “It’s not that bad. Small, easy to find your way around, and everyone is…nice enough, I guess.”

“Oh, that’s good. I’ve never gone to a new school before, so I’m probably just overthinking it,” you admitted, finally slipping your backpack off and letting it plop down on the bed. Billy turned to fully face you again, his hands in his pockets, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine. Plus, you’ll know at least one person. And if anyone tries to give you shit, tell them they can answer to me.” You weren’t sure what that meant, but it did make you feel a bit more confident about your upcoming first day at Hawkins High.

“Uh, okay. Well, thanks for that.” You breathed out a small laugh, and Billy’s smirk bloomed into a smile.

“Don’t mention it,” he drawled before giving you a wink and disappearing back into the hallway to fetch another load of boxes. You didn’t have time to process the fact that you’re pretty sure your new step brother just winked at you before Max poked her head around the corner of your doorframe.

“Hey,” she whispered, catching your attention. “What did he want?” She looked back toward the hallway where Billy had just retreated, and you motioned for her to come in.

“He was just bringing some stuff in, so I asked him about the school.” Max was invested now, also having expressed her worry of starting in a new class already a month into the school year.

“What did he say?”

“Mixed review, really,” you answered, both of your expressions changing to that of confusion.

“Okay…well, do you know what to expect at all?”

“Not really. But he did say if anyone messed with me to tell them they could answer to him.” Max’s eyes widened.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She sat down on your bed, shuffling the toes of her shoes on the floor below.

“No idea,” you answered, meeting her gaze.

“Great.” Max sighed and stood up once more. “I guess I’ll start unpacking my new room.” She fluttered her eyelashes, hands waving in mock excitement. You laughed, knowing she was doing her best sarcastic impression of your mom gushing about your new home. You both rolled your eyes before she giggled and made her way back down the hallway to her own space.

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Your first dinner was awkward, to say the least. Neil had ordered a pizza for everyone since your bandwagon arrived close to mid afternoon, and your mom didn’t have time to cook a full meal even though she insisted she didn’t mind. You rushed to the door to help Billy bring in the boxes from the delivery boy who he happened to know from school.

“Troy, this is my …” he hesitated, breaking eye contact with the boy on the doorstep and looking down at the ground with a sigh, “new sister, Y/N.” You smiled tentatively, and offered a half wave, taking a couple of boxes off the top of the stack from Troy.

“Troy Holstad. Nice to meet you,” he obliged before giving Billy a perplexed look. Billy nodded once curtly and took the remainder of the boxes from Troy before waving him off with a “see you at school,” and closing the door. He nudged your arm to get your attention and spoke softly.

“There you go. Now you know two people,” he reasoned, beaming at you before shuffling back toward the dining room and adjusting his expression back to that of a sullen teenager. Billy carefully set the boxes down in the middle of the dining table, and you did the same. Everyone thumbed through the different boxtops to find the flavors they wanted, your mom and Neil opting for supreme while Max grabbed two slices of pepperoni, and you and Billy each took a slice of Hawaiian.

“So, Y/N, your mother tells me this is the start of your senior year,” Neil declared, his voice resonating in the silence of the dining room.

“Yeah, it is,” you replied around a mouthful of melted cheese and pineapple topping. You felt uneasy in your stomach when Neil glared daggers at you, looking up from his plate where he was using a knife and fork to cut his pizza. He sighed audibly as his nostrils flared and started again.

“Y/N, I know this is new for you, and we haven’t had much of a chance to talk about rules and expectations. In my house, we operate on a system that upholds the home and the image of the people in it appropriately. What is that system, Billy?” Billy sat up straighter in his chair, not looking up from his plate as his father addressed him..

“Respect and responsibility,” he recited, his voice almost shaking as his jaw tightened once more.

“That’s right,” Neil agreed. “Now that you’re a part of our family, you’ll learn to respect your elders and develop a keen sense of responsibility, just like the good, caring, all-American kids I know you can be.” Neil’s hard smile appeared below his mustache as he continued. “First of all, we address our elders with courtesy. When I ask you a question, you respond accordingly. Isn’t that right, Billy?”

“Yes, sir,” he muttered, his eyes still glued to his plate.

“I’m sorry,” Neil hissed. “I couldn’t hear you.” He leaned closer to the table, eyes searing into Billy as he awaited his response. Billy straightened up even more, his eyes snapping up to meet his father’s.

“Yes, sir,” his voice ricocheted in the dining room this time, his face flushing as everyone soaked in the awkward silence. You caught Max’s eye and noticed she looked afraid and perplexed as your mother kept her gaze on Neil, trying to seem like she was listening intently to him.

“See, girls, Billy knows the drill. If you have any questions, I’m sure he can straighten them out for you. I know you’re not used to this whole thing, having a man of the house, but you’ll adjust.” Neil gestured to the pizza on the table, his smile still active as he announced, “Let’s eat!” Max looked up at you from the corner of her eye, and you shook your head slightly, signaling for her not to say anything as you took another bite of your pizza. You side eyed Billy whose gaze seemed far away as he quickly finished his dinner.

“May I be excused,” Billy asked with perfect posture, taking the napkin from his lap and piling his used utensils on his plate.

“Yes you may.” Neil waved Billy off as he stood up, pushed in his chair, and took his plate to the kitchen to be washed.

You felt anxious as you saw Neil eyeing Max while she ate, and you held your breath as he spoke again.

“Tomorrow, we’ll practice using a fork, young lady,” he said sternly as Max’s cheeks burned, embarrassed to be holding her pizza at that exact moment. Neil paused and tilted an ear in her direction, hinting that he was expecting a reply.

“Y – yes, sir,” she choked out quickly, setting her pizza back down on her plate. Your mother cleared her throat and started asking Neil more about the school, the town, and how his new job was going. You let the two of them chat away as you gave Max a worried look, seeing her pick up her knife and fork to cut out a bite of her pizza. You stood up and grabbed your plate and jumped, the sound of a fist pounding on the dining table startling you off your feet. Your mom and Max gasped simultaneously as you met Neil’s eyes.

“Where do you think you’re going, Y/N?” You caught your breath and stuttered in response.

“I – I’m sorry. May I be excused?” You looked at your mom in panic, but she averted her eyes, looking at anything but the situation before her.

“That’s better.” Neil smiled again. “Of course. Don’t forget to clean your plate.”

“Thank you…sir.” You glanced at Max once more, hoping she would follow suit so she wouldn’t be yelled at. You hurried to the kitchen, rinsing your plate in the sink and setting it out on the dish rack to dry. You steadied your breathing as the tension melted away now that you weren’t in a close proximity to Neil. 

After the awkward and almost frightening dinner, all you wanted to do was talk to your sister. You knew she would be looking for an escape after enduring Neil’s intensity, so you put on your coat and grabbed your paperback copy of The Outsiders, leaving the house through the front door.

You shuffled through the dried leaves across the lawn to the only tree in the yard and perched yourself on the tire swing, propping your feet up and opening your book to your marked page. A few lines in, you heard a clanging sound followed by a sigh, and your eyes followed the noise over to a blue Camaro with the hood up. Billy was standing over the engine, using the back of his hand to swipe stray curls out of his eyes, a dirty rag draped over his shoulder.

He didn’t seem to notice you were there as he worked, tinkering with a wrench, grunting and sighing every so often. You pretended to carry on reading while you watched him work. After all, looking wasn’t a crime, and he was quite the sight to see. After a few more minutes, he set his wrench on the edge of the Camaro’s hood and grasped the hem of his sweat-speckled t-shirt with both hands, lifting it up and over his head, tossing it on the roof of his car. Your cheeks turned scarlet at the sight of his toned chest and chiseled abs sparkling with a sheen of sweat in the crisp October air.

Your gaze snapped to your book quickly, and you glued your eyes to the words on the page, determined not to look up again. Your heart hammered in your chest, and you swore you could hear the blood flowing in your ears when a voice startled you.

“Hey, are you okay?” You jolted upright at Max’s question.

“Jesus, you scared the shit out of me,” you breathed.

“Sorry. Are you okay?” She repeated her question, concern behind her bright blue eyes. “You look really flushed.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine,” you answered, forcing yourself to keep your eyes far away from where Billy was working on his car. “What about you?” Max used the ropes of the swing to lift herself up, and you moved aside to make room for her on the tire.

“I’m fine. What the hell is up with him?” Max looked almost afraid while the two of you recounted Neil’s strange behavior at dinner, coming to the conclusion that this move might not have been for the best like your mom kept insisting.

“All we can do is follow the rules and stay out of his way, I guess,” you sigh, feeling defeated. “I don’t know how far he’ll go, but Billy seems to be pretty scared of him,” you almost whisper, leaning in closer to Max. She glanced over at Billy who was still fixated on his car.

“A guy that big scared of his dad? I don’t even want to think about why,” she shuddered, her eyes dropping to the ground.

“Hey.” You touched her shoulder, and she looked up at you. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Got it?” She gave you a small smile, nodding her understanding, but you could see the anxiety behind her eyes. “We’re going to be okay.”

“I know,” she assured you. You smiled at her and grabbed the ropes of the swing to climb out of the tire. Tossing your book onto a pile of leaves next to the tree, you stood behind Max and gripped the ropes as you walked the tire backwards before giving it a hard push. Max giggled as she swung back and forth, spinning slow circles and crying out, “You’re going to make me dizzy!”

Robin was talking about a swing she had as a kid – now she’s talking about a video game she played at the arcade that she can’t remember the name of – and that reminded her of a milkshake she tried once that had a similar name – and now she’s talking about her old manager at Scoops Ahoy who was a total jackass. She’s talking a million miles per second, and Nancy is nodding along…but then Nancy looks at her – really looks at her – and she has an epiphany.

She loves her.

Robin is still talking, and Nancy’s eyes have glossed over, fixating on Robin’s lightly mascara’d lashes, her cherry-stained lips, her blonde chin length hair with bits of sunshine scattered in the highlights.

Nancy is in love with her.

She has always known this deep inside her chest, somewhere underneath all the guilt and the piles of memories stuffed away in the catacombs of her ribcage where the light could never reach them. She pushed her feelings for Robin down there, too, not knowing if she ever really deserved to be happy. But today, she couldn’t help but let the magic creep into her thoughts.

What if it works?

Robin is still talking, and Nancy realizes she loves that, too. She is enamored with Robin for being herself even though she knows Robin could never be anything else if she tried. Nancy aches for her own authenticity, and Robin’s being so effortless captivates her. She hasn’t realized she has stopped nodding along with Robin’s ramblings until she hears her name.

“Nancy? Sorry. Did I lose you? I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” Robin sighs apologetically and averts her eyes as Nancy snaps out of her dreamlike state.

“No, no, I’m listening. Sorry, I was just thinking…about what you were saying,” Nancy lied terribly.

“No offense, but you’re the worst liar I’ve ever known.” Robin chuckles to herself as she focuses her attention back on the stack of videos she’s filing away on the shelves and notices Nancy is unusually quiet all of a sudden. “You okay?” Robin looks at Nancy, her eyebrows raised in concern.

There they are again, those sky blue eyes, fixed on Nancy, and her stomach is suddenly full of a thousand butterflies. Nancy opens her mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. Robin files the last few tapes on the shelf in front of her and closes the gap between them, resting a gentle hand on Nancy’s shoulder. “Nance?”

Nancy shakes her head to make the clouds dissipate. She wants to say this right. She looks at Robin again, into her eyes, studies her face, and stands square in front of her, mustering all of the courage she can. She never thought the most important speech of her life would be given here in the New Releases aisle of Family Video, standing in front of her best friend on a sunny Tuesday afternoon with too many memories flashing through her mind and not enough words in the English dictionary to accurately describe how she feels.

“Robin,” she starts. “You know how you sometimes say that things about you are defects?”

“Yeah. Most of the things about me tend to be,” Robin scoffs, half smiling.

“They’re not,” Nancy says matter of factly.

“What?” Robin is taken aback. This isn’t their usual conversational map.

“They’re not defects,” Nancy repeats. “They’re…assets.” Nancy grips both of Robin's shoulders firmly as she locks eyes with her.

It's now or never.

Robin notices the tears gathering in Nancy’s eyes as she speaks passionately and deliberately. “I have never known anyone else who cares like you…who thinks like you…who loves like you do. Robin, you are so special in every way, and nothing about you is wrong. It never has been.” Robin’s stomach does a backflip at Nancy’s words, and her mouth feels like desert sand as she searches for something to say.

“Nancy, I –”

“No. I’m not done,” Nancy interrupts. “You see me, Robin. You see me like no one else ever has. I’m not lost when I’m with you, and you make me feel heard, and right, and…validated. I feel real when we’re together, like my feet are on solid ground for the first time in my life.” Robin’s hands are trembling, clutching her vest as a tear falls from Nancy’s eye. “Robin?”

“Yeah?”

“You are everything I didn’t know I needed, and I can’t live another second without you knowing that I –”

“Me, too.” Robin interrupts Nancy’s soliloquy, cupping her face and swiping away her single tear with her thumb. Robin smiles so wide her cheeks start to ache, but she doesn’t care because Nancy is holding her closer now, their noses almost touching.

Nancy echoes her smile as they lean in closer, their lips brushing together before they connect in the sweetest first kiss either of them had ever shared. It is slow, syrupy, the texture of honey pouring into a piping hot cup of tea, and they melt into each other for a moment. Their lips part, eyes opening slowly, each of them catching their breath before Nancy speaks again.

“I love you,” she says simply, another tear cascading down her cheek.

“Today and every day,” Robin replies, her smile plastered on her face. She swipes away Nancy’s tear again as both of them let out a sigh and a half giggle, relieved that the feeling was mutual. They’re still holding each other close when they hear a voice from the front counter.

“And what do we have here?” Steve had returned from his break to see the tail end of their interaction, and the blush in his cheeks confirms that he had witnessed more than just the last ten seconds. Nancy and Robin looked at each other for less than a second before bursting into a fit of laughter.