I am weak for a moment where Billy is on fire, spitting venom and anger after a fight with his dad over some bullshit. Billy had done a lot of that careful tip-toeing and precise "respectful" language that week to keep up a decent couple of days of having the house quiet only to have an argument explode over a chipped mug.
Steve is with him, outside a deserted gas station at some strange hour of the night, just listening for a bit as he watches the emotional exhaustion wittle away at Billy.
And then Billy is shocked, stunned silent and eyes wide when Steve just grabs him, holds him in a big hug, Billy's chin tucked against Steve's shoulder. He's never been this close to Steve before. He's warm and solid and smells good but Billy doesn't think this is real.
He's just about to pull back, clench his fists and demand that Steve shove his pity elsewhere when-
"Just let your heart rest a minute, Billy," Steve murmurs into his golden locks.
It takes the fire right out of him. Billy grabs Steve in return, tears brimming as a gentle hand rubs circles in his back. He's heard "it's not your fault" from Joyce before. Even Dustin once told Billy "life gets better".
This is different.
Steve just keeps Billy close, leaned up against the side of Steve's car.
So fine. Billy can't hold it back anymore. No one's here but Steve, so Billy just cries. Stops trying to hold himself up with thinned patience and spite like he always does. He just leans in on solid, warm and welcoming Steve and lets himself cry in front of someone for the first time in years. It doesn't feel good, necessarily, but it does feel a lot lighter.