Words that need saying

Origin camp. Billy and JT get together to everyone's surprise (or shock).


Billy wakes up wrapped up in Johnathan's arms. It's bright and he isn't sure what woke him.
He sighs and closes his eyes again and then he hears it.

"Billy? You awake?"

Billy sits up in shock.
Cooper.
Johnathan stirs and turns to look at him.

"Billy?" he asks in a voice laden with sleep. Billy has no time to avoid disaster as Cooper chooses that moment to walk in.

"What-Billy? What are you-? What the fuck is going on?"

Billy sighs as Johnathan wakes up fully and sits up to find a very angry Cooper Cronk glaring at him.

"Hey, Coop" Billy greets quietly.

"'Hey Coop'? That's all you can say? I find you in bed with him?" Cooper points an accusing finger at Johnathan.

"Coop-" Billy starts.

"No! I'm taking you to training. Get dressed!" Cooper storms out of the room.

Billy looks at Johnathan.

"Sorry Jay"

Johnathan shrugs with a smile.

"Suppose I should have asked his permission"

Billy leans in and kisses him.

"I'm gonna go talk to him before he explodes. Go have a shower okay?"

Johnathan nodds and Billy puts on his shorts and goes to face the music.

...

"What are you doing, Billy? With him?You know what people say about him don't you?"

Billy sighs.

"I love him, Coop. I don't care about the rumors"

Cooper laughs.

"You love him? Because he's such a great fuck? Billy, that's not love"

"Don't!" It's not often Billy gets angry, especially with Cooper but he's so close now.

"Don't Coop!"

Cooper quietens.

"He's not good for you, Billy"

Billy smiles.

"That's for me to decide, don't you think?"

...

"What the fuck do you want with him, Thurston?"

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that I'm with him because I want to be?"

"You've fucked up your life enough times for me not to trust anything you say. And I don't know why he's with you. I don't understand it but if you hurt him in anyway, I will destroy you!"

"This is his choice, I haven't forced him in to anything. Mind your own business, Cooper"

"He is my business. Hurt him and a lot of people will want your head, Thurston"

"Fuck you!"

"You wish"

...

"Jay? Where's he, Coop?"

"How should I know?"

"What did you say?"

"What I needed to"

"Please Coop, I'd really like for this to work"

"He's going to hurt you, Bill"

"I trust him not to. Give him a chance, please Coop"

...

The boys are all in the locker room when they get there. Billy spots Johnathan and heads straight for him. Johnathan turns to face him and Billy grips the back of his head and crushes their lips together. After an initial 'omph' of surprise, Johnathan kisses him back. The boys are all cheering when they pull back. Billy smiles shy and sweet at Johnathan who grins back at him.

"Get a room!" someone yells and the boys all burst in to laughter.

Johnathan leans forward and kisses him again.

"I guess that wasn't a secret for long"

...

"Calm down, Coop"

"I'll kill him!"

"Come on!"

"He's going to end up hurt, Cam! You know that!"

"I think some of the rumors about Johnathan might be extremely exaggerated"

"I don't give a crap, Cam! I just don't want Billy hurt"

"I know, Coop. None of us want Billy hurt. But he seems pretty damn happy right now. So let's not fuck this up for him, yeah?"

...

Billy bounces up to where Coop, Cam and Darren are in a deep discussion about something.

"Seen Jay?" he asks them.

Cooper ignores him. Cam and Darren look up.

"Don't think he's come down yet, Bills" Cam answers.

Billy looks at Cooper.

"Hey, Coop"

Cooper doesn't look at him.

"Go find your boyfriend, Billy"

Billy frowns and reaches out.

"Coop...?"

Cam and Darren both shake their heads at him.

Billy sighs, looks one last time at Cooper and goes to find Johnathan.

...

He knocks on the boor but gets no answer so he goes in. The room is heavy with smoke. Billy frowns, coughing. This smells familiar. He move in deeper and finds Justin Hodges and Greg Inglis well on their way to great heights on Johnathan's couch.

"Where's Jay?" he asks them, already getting a very bad feeling about all of this.

"What?" Justin blinks at him.

"Where's Jay?" he asks louder.

Justin points behind him to the bedroom.

Johnathan is lying spreadeagled on the bed when Billy finds him. He only notices the syringes as gets closer.
He touches Johnathan's hand with a frozen heart.

"Jay?"

No answer.

He shakes Johnathan on the shoulder.

"Johnathan?"

Billy climbs on the bed and shakes him.

"Jay, wake up!" Billy is pleading and crying and doesn't know what to do . He checks for a pulse and finds it, faint and skittering under his fingers.

"Oh God, Johnathan!"

He runs to the living room and shakes Justin awake.

"What did he take?"

"What?"

"Johnathan! What did he take?"

"Dunno, man. He has his own supply"

"Damn it, Justin!"

Billy makes it to the lounge in record time. Coop, Cam and Darren are still there.

"Help me!"

...

"If you only know the Johnathan that I know, You'd never doubt him"

"And if you only know the Johnathan the rest of the world knows, you'll never trust him"

...

"How long has he been there?" Cam asks, looking at Billy asleep on the side of Johnathan's bed.

"The whole time" Cooper answers.

Cam looks at him.

"How long have you been here?"

Cooper ignores this.

"I fucking told him this would happen"

Cam sighs.

"Coop, I don't think this is the time"

Cooper glares at him.

"Billy shouldn't have to deal with any of his shit, Cam!"

Cam puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Listen, Coop. Billy is not a kid. He knew what he was getting in to when he got involved with JT. And right now he doesn't need us hounding him about his choices. He need his friends to support him. You're his best friend and he needs you more than ever. Let them sort out their own relationship"

...

"Why Jay?"

"I'm sorry Billy"

"You could have died!"

"I just...didn't want to be me for awhile"

"Is it so bad, being you?"

"Sometimes but I didn't mean..."

"Do you hate being with me?"

"No! You've been...I haven't been as happy in a long time but..."

"But what?"

"Why would you want to be with me when I'm such a mess?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"I'm not good for you Billy"

"What? That's-Goddamn it Jay! I choose you. I will choose you always. I don't give a crap about what anyone else says, I love you"

"You do?"

"You complete idiot! Would I be here if I didn't?"

Johnathan smiles then like he'd been holding his breath, small and lovely.

"But you have to promise me something"

"Anything"

"No more drugs"

Johnathan grips his hand tighter.

"You'll be here?"

"Always"

...

"I'm sorry Billy"

"It's okay. I know you were just looking out for me"

"You really love him?"

"Like crazy"