Chapter Text
Billy Bailey's head throbbed as he sat in class. He started zoning out when all the words started moving around and became muddled together. Once the bell finally rang, he went to his locker, where he was soon greeted by a rather bubbly girl.
"Hey B" The girl said sweetly.
"Hey Erin" Bill drawled, putting his books in his locker.
"Will you be at the church service tonight?" Erin asked.
"Haven't I been there everyday?" Bill asked, slightly teasing, mostly serious.
"Yes, but I figured I'd ask" Erin leaned against the row of lockers.
Erin was a nice girl. The two had met at church as kids, and for a while, the two were inseparable.
"Sup y'all" a lanky dark haired boy flung his arms around Bill and Erin's necks.
"Hi Jeff" Erin giggled slightly.
"Hey sweethearts" Jeff winked. Jeff was Bill's best friend. "We're skipping service tonight, I'm tired"
"Cool with me" Bill said. "Does that mean you've got an empty house?" He asked.
"It means we're gonna eat pizza and watch all the movies you're not allowed to watch" Jeff winked. "You can come too" he looked over at Erin.
"No thanks" Erin laughed. "Pizza is bad for you" she teased.
"What if I make a five course meal out of it?" Jeff asked.
"There's a reason we always order take out pizza and not frozen, because you manage to fuck it up every time" Bill interjected.
"Language mister" Jeff teased.
"Bye boys" Erin laughed, ducking out from Jeff's arm. "Have fun with whatever you get up to"
"Thanks sweetheart" Jeff winked.
"You know she doesn't really like you" Bill teased. "She thinks you're cute, but that's all you have going for you"
"Oh I know" Jeff laughed. "Skip with me?" He asked.
"You know I can't" Bill said.
"I know, I figured I'd ask" Jeff pouted. "Cmon, I'll walk you to class"
•••
With cigarettes dangling loosely from their fingers, they laid on the floor of the basement living room and mindlessly chatted about life.
"Shannon asked me on a date next weekend" Bill said, taking a long drag.
"Yeah?" Jeff hummed. "Whatcha say?" He asked.
"Said sure, sick of dad telling me what to do" Bill said, blowing smoke rings. "He's cute" he mused.
"Not my type, but I think y'all'd be cute" Jeff blew smoke in Bill's face.
"Really?" Bill asked. He yawned.
"Hey, go take a nap before I take you home" Jeff offered.
"Can I shower here? I smell like smoke"
Bill asked.
"Go for it, I'm gonna order pizza"
After his shower, Bill took a long look in the mirror. He squeezed the water from his brown hair, noticing it was getting lighter as the hair dye washed out, and his natural ginger color was coming through. He sighed and got dressed.
He always kept extra clothes at Jeff's place, clothes that he liked to wear, and clothes his father would approve of.
He stepped out of the bathroom and heard Jeff giggling on the phone to someone. He leaned against the wall just outside the room and listened, twirling his hair between his fingers.
"I'll just sneak out tonight... be back to get ready for school... please?... I miss you too... I'll see you tonight... love you baby, so much" Jeff whispered lowly into the phone.
Bill came from around the corner and tossed his clothes next to Jeff's.
"So... who ya talkin to?" Bill asked, being nosey. He plopped down next to Jeff on the couch.
"Nunya business" Jeff teased. "I'm sneaking out to Robby's later"
"Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" Bill asked.
"The girlfriend who socks him in the face when she gets the chance? Unfortunately." Jeff sighed. "I'm cuter though" he chuckled.
"Uh, if you say so" Bill sassed.
"He's moving soon, so we're just, fuckin around I guess while he's still here" Jeff sighed. "Doesn't matter"
Bill frowned slightly and gently rubbed Jeff's shoulder, both being startled by the sudden doorbell.
"I'll go get it" Jeff got up, sniffling a bit, and headed up the stairs.
Bill sighed, feeling sad for his best friend. He started thinking about his date with Shannon, no longer sure if he wanted to go on it. They planned to run away soon, the week before they graduate, which was still 6 months away.
"What're you thinking about?" Jeff asked, coming into the basement living room, pizza box in one hand, and a six pack of Pepsi in the other.
"Just a little longer" Bill said. "Then..."
"Then we're outta this hole" Jeff said. "Figure out where we're going?"
"I... saw an ad for a singer, in LA" Bill said. "I saw a lot of them actually, I really think we have an opportunity there"
"We're going to LA then" Jeff said. "I've got a few hundred saved already. I'm going to drop out soon" he said.
"Why?" Bill asked.
"Because I want you to keep going to school, I'm going to scrap together more cash. Besides... I want to watch you graduate. And my parents won't be too mad about it if they think I'm going to be giving them money"
"I thought we were leaving before that?" Bill asked, cracking open a can of soda.
"We were but... I'm not cut out for school, we know that, I'm failing and you've got straight A's." Jeff said, picking at his pizza.
"Alright... just for you" Bill said, bumping his shoulder lightly against Jeff's.
"Can't do anything right, can I?" Jeff chuffed bitterly. "Do you think there's room for me in LA?"
"If there ain't room for us, we make room" Bill said, rather confidently.
"When's your date?" Jeff asked, changing the subject.
"Next Friday after school" Bill replied.
"Nervous?" Jeff asked. "Shit I gotta have you back soon" he muttered, realizing the time.
"Fuck" Bill said under his breath, looking at his phone. "Kinda?" He said. "I mean, he's nice., he's cute, can't really go too bad, can it?"
"Just pick a public place, you'll be okay"
Jeff said. "You ready to go?" He asked.
"Yep" Bill said, standing off the floor, pulling Jeff up with him. "Thanks for this, I needed it"
"Just don't let your parents know I'm a bad influence" Jeff chuckled, grabbing his keys.
Bill rolled his eyes and gently shoved Jeff up the stairs and up to his truck. Bill's dad hated Jeff's truck, it was big, dirty, old, and loud. And Jeff absolutely reveled in the way it ruffled the old man's feathers.
"Thank you, I'll see if I can come over tomorrow evening" Bill said, getting out of the truck. "Skip service, make up something"
"God, I am rubbing off on you!" Jeff laughed.
"I need to get away from you as quick as possible" Bill joked. "Anyways, see you later"
Jeff watched Bill go inside before driving away. He peeled out of it and went to Robby's place, not even caring he'd get into trouble. At this point, he was over it all. He slowly drove past Robby's house upon seeing Rob's girlfriend's car in his driveway. He heard shouting coming from the open window and decided to park just past the house. The moment he turned his headlights off, his phone rang.
"Baby?" Jeff cooed into the phone.
"Come over, please..."
"Already here, baby" Jeff said, he watched as the girlfriend drove out of the driveway and down the road. He immediately backed up and backed into Rob's driveway.
He hung up the phone and let himself in. He wasn't all that prepared to see Rob on the couch, his hair a mess and what looked to be like the start of a black eye. He walked over and sat in Rob's lap, hugging him around his shoulders, which Rob immediately hugged Jeff around his waist and pulled him closer.
"Baby what happened to you?" Jeff asked.
Rob just shook his head and nuzzled into Jeff's neck.
"I'm leaving... tonight..." Rob whispered. "Why can't I take you with me?" He asked. "Please?" He whispered.
"I-I'll come find you, I promise" Jeff cried quietly. "I promise baby" he whispered.
"Please, just come with me" Rob whispered, hugging Jeff tighter. "Please, Izzy"
"Baby you know I can't..." Jeff whispered. "But I'm going to come find you"
"Come here... I want to give you a few things" Rob said, squeezing Jeff's waist, coaxing him to stand up.
He lead Jeff into his bedroom, which half packed away.
"Extra guitars, records... clothes... all yours" Rob slung his arm around Jeff's shoulder. "You're such a big part of me" he whispered. "You can stay here if want, there's two grand in the dresser, I want you and Billy to make it to LA safe, make it back to me" he whispered. He pulled Jeff into him, who continued to cry. "I love you" he kissed Jeff's forehead.
"Promise me" Jeff cried "promise me you won't forget me" he begged.
"I won't Izzy, I promise" he whispered. "You're the reason why I'm chasing this dream" he cooed. "It's all for you, baby... I just wish you'd come with me"
"I hate you" Jeff cried, gently hitting Rob in the chest as he cried into his neck. "I hate you... I fucking hate you..."
"And I love you" Rob whispered. "Lay down with me for a while. Snuggle with me"
He pulled Jeff onto his bed with him and rubbed his back, as Jeff tried to fight him off, quickly losing the battle. Rob chuckled and hummed, peppering Jeff's face with kisses and tickled him.
"Quit it! I'm supposed to be mad at you" Jeff laughed and sniffled.
"You're cute when you're mad" Rob teased, kissing Jeff behind his ear.
He slowly started kissing Jeff's neck, easily calming him down. He felt him lean into his chest. His hands wandered and one rested on Jeff's waist, the other in his hair.
"I love you" Rob whispered. Jeff gasped lightly, rolling his hips a bit to meet Rob's. "Easy, baby..." he murmured.
He pulled one of Jeff's legs between his own and tangled them together and slipped one of his hands under his shirt, rubbing his back. They rested their foreheads together and soon fell asleep together.
A few hours later, Rob got out of bed. He managed to switch his car and put Jeff's truck in the garage, all without waking him. He went down the hall and slowly and quietly brought all his bags and threw them in the car. He went back upstairs and cuddled back up with Jeff for a couple more hours. He kissed the back of his head and whispered sweet nothings in his ear.
"I tell the stars about you..." he whispered. "I'm with you, every minute, every day" he kissed the back of Jeff's head. "You have my heart... I'm so sorry baby... I love you"
He ended up leaving in the middle of the night, making sure Jeff was warm and comfortable, with a bouquet of roses and a love note.