( TW !! coercion, homophobic slurs.)

ACT ONE
the scapegoat.

ARLO SAT QUIETLY, HIS HEAD LEANING BACK
against the cold leather seat. Him and Billy had been hanging out for hours, the hang out causing Arlo to feel mentally exhausted.

He blamed the exhaustion on the thoughts that ran rampant in his mind, despite the fact that wasn't the case. The real reason for his current shitty mentality being the boy sitting right next to him.

Billy Hargrove was a terrible person. While half the school knew it, there were two people who would never admit it.

One of those people being himself; the other spot was temporarily reserved for Arlo Leone.

After all, Arlo no longer felt like he had the room to pick who was and who wasn't shitty. He had slept with Billy when he was drunk. Arlo was the definition of shitty.

Even if the accusation was completely false.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused Arlo's head to turn sideways. His eyes catching onto Max's as she got closer to the car.

"Can't buy a bus ticket?" Max questioned Arlo, making a faint smile pull on the boy's lips.

"Can't pick better friends?" Arlo retorted, his eyes traveling to the boy who stood at the door of the arcade. His eyes seeming worried as they stared into Billy's car.

The response rendered Max silent, her eyes shooting to Billy who had also been staring at Lucas.

Arlo caught onto this, deciding to ignore it as he got out of the car. Letting Max take a seat in the back.

Her knees squished against her as Arlo pushed his seat back up. The boy being sure to mumble a quiet "Sorry." in response to the girl's uncomfortableness.

"The hell did I tell you?" Billy cut in, placing a pair of expensive sunglasses over his eyes. His arm still resting on the open window.

"Lucas?"

"So, he has a name now?" Billy lowly laughed, barely turning his head to look back at Max.

"It's a small town, okay? We weren't hanging out."

"Well.. You know what happens when you lie."

The sentence caused Arlo to furrow his eyebrows, his uncomfort growing as the sentence echoed in his mind. While he wanted to cut into the conversation, interrogate Billy about what he was implying; He also didn't.

Arlo had been told off by Billy quite a few times, all of which only happened when he got into Billy's business. Which is why the Leone boy stayed silent. Finding it much easier than before.

"I'm not lying."

Max's sentence was enough to make Billy put the car in drive, the tires screeching on the ground as a silence fell over the trio.

This time was different though. Arlo didn't turn to check on a distraught Max, instead he stayed looking ahead.

While the action was small, it wasn't insignificant.

Billy Hargrove had finally found the lie that worked. The lie that got Arlo to slowly start becoming more and more obedient to the boy. Which comforted him.

Arlo softly swung his head to the music that blared through the tv speakers. His eyes taking glances at Billy every few seconds.

The Hargrove boy was currently lifting weights, sweat gleaming off of his exposed chest as he did so.

While Arlo found the boy increasingly attractive, he very well knew there was no use mentioning it.

His thoughts were abruptly stopped when Billy sat up, his mullet now more curly due to the sweat that dampened his hair. "Wanna give it a go?"

"Nah, man. I can't lift that many."

This was another one of Arlo's many mistakes. Telling Billy that he was physically weak.

While Billy wasn't keeping count. He knew if he was, the list would already be quite long. He sometimes wondered if maybe it was the weed that made Arlo so foolish, but Billy didn't bother giving him the benefit of the doubt.

"Give it a go. I'm taking a smoke break." Billy repeated, stepping away from his weight for just a second to grab one of his cigarettes from his carton.

After he lit the cigarette he turned his attention back to Arlo, who still seemed unsure. "I'll spot you."

The bleach blonde boy then sighed, finally giving in as he did so. He sat down on the bench, getting ready to lay down on the bench before the sound of a doorbell ringing stopped his train of thought.

Billy sighed at the ringing, inhaling his cigarette once more before deciding to scream to Max. Who happened to be in her bedroom. "Are you getting that or what?"

"Okay!" Max screamed back, their yelling mixing together while the doorbell continued to ring.

The girl then walked past the two in the living room with an annoyed glare, her distaste for them being clear in her face.

While Billy laughed at the attitude, Arlo brushed it off while he got back to the task at hand.

Arlo then quickly slipped off his large long-sleeved shirt. Leaving the boy shirtless as he did so, his few stick and pokes on full display as he finally laid down on the bench. Not noticing Billy's lust filled eyes.

Billy then shook his head, removing the look as he glanced at the front door. Realizing Max had gone outside to talk to whoever has knocked.

While curiousness had gotten the best of Billy, Arlo didn't care. Which is why when Billy decided to follow Max outside, Arlo stayed seated.

Fortunately, before the boy could open the front door, Max pushed her way in. Her face rid of any annoyance until Billy stopped her, blocking the way back to her room. "Who the hell were you talking to?"

"Mormons."

"Mormons?"

"Yeah—talkative ones." Max clarified, squeezing past Billy after her lie. Not caring if Billy managed to catch on to her or not.

While the boy seemed intrigued, he didn't ask her anything else. Instead he walked over to the front door, peeking out with furrowed brows before slamming it shut.

Unaware of Max sneaking out of her room at the same moment.

"Want a beer?" Billy changed topics, heading towards his kitchen as he listened for Arlo's response.

"Sure.."

Billy didn't respond, instead appearing back in the living room a few seconds later. Struggling to carry three cans in his hands.

He then handed Arlo one, placing the extra beside him for a moment before beginning to down one.

Once he had consumed a reasonable amount, he placed the can down. Looking at Arlo expectingly. "Ready?"

Arlo furrowed his brows for a moment, his mind still tingling with the effects of the weed he had smoked prior to coming to Billy's house.

It then clicked what Billy was asking, making him nod as he quickly finished his can. Tossing it onto a nearby couch before laying down. Ready to lift a few weights.

Arlo hadn't been lifting for long when he had given up, reminding Billy once again that he wasn't the best at lifting weights.

So the pair had temporarily been taking a break, one that consisted of Billy finishing off both cans. As well as sneaking a bottle from his father's stash and downing that as well.

To say Billy was a tipsy was an understatement, Billy was out of it. Which is why Arlo was on high alert, scared of what the blonde boy had lied about him doing.

Arlo was currently sitting on the sofa, watching a Billy added a few weights to the bar. "Come on, Leone."

"Nah, man. Not right now.."

"I'll spot you."

"I don't really want to—" Arlo scratched his neck, not knowing exactly how to tell his friend no.

"Stop being a pussy, just—hurry up."

Arlo sighed lightly at his friend's words, reluctantly forcing himself to stand up as he trudged over to the work out bench.

Once he laid down on the bench, Billy gesturing for him to sit up caused him to furrow his eyebrows. Not understanding what he did wrong.

"You can't lift shit because you're restricting your arms." Billy pointed out, pointing at Arlo's long sleeved shirt.

Arlo glanced down at his own shirt, trying to think of what Billy was implying for him to do.

"Take it off." Billy finally spit out, his words slurring making his usual confident voice sound unsure. "I know what i'm talking about."

Arlo sighed trying his best to ignore the discomfort he felt as he slipped the long sleeved shirt over his head. His torso now on full display.

He then placed his arms loosely over each-other, attempting to cover the bruises that were currently almost healed. Not that it mattered, seeing as they'd be replaced with new ones soon enough.

Billy tried to subtly check out Arlo, keeping his smile down as he did so.

Arlo Leone was attractive, while Billy would never admit it. He would purposely force Arlo into uncomfortable situations to see it, and he didn't think that was necessarily wrong.

"Now try." Billy instructed, having Arlo lay down as he got ready to attempt to lift the weights again.

Arlo placed his hands on the cold bar. Billy doing the same as he helped him lift the weights up, well aware that the Leone boy couldn't do it himself.

Billy then slowly began to let go, watching as the bar got closer and closer to Arlo. Fear momentarily passing through his eyes as he spoke.

"Billy—I can't."

The bar continued to slowly lower, Billy taking his hands off for just a moment before grabbing it again.

This time the mullet boy actually helped, placing the bar back onto it's holder with ease. A smile playing on his lips.

Billy knew what he was doing. He always did, seeing as the boy was much smarter than he looked.

This single moment was another trick, this one convincing Arlo's subconscious to physically rely on Billy. Realizing the boy was much stronger than him.

"Sorry, man. I thought you had it."

"It's my bad." Arlo admitted, running his hand through his short curls as he sat up. Billy taking the spot next to him on the bench.

Billy was silent for a moment, which worried Arlo. Seeing as the boy seemed to never be silent, loving to talk. Mostly about himself.

So as Billy silently looked at Arlo's ribs, the uncomfortable feeling that he had felt prior to lifting weights had resurfaced. "What?"

"Where'd you get 'em from?"

Arlo glanced down at his own torso, knowing exactly what Billy was talking about but wanting to act oblivious. "Oh—Pickpocketing fail."

"Who'd you try to pickpocket?"

Arlo paused, never thinking of a lie for this question. After all, everyone was always satisfied with the first answer. Never asking anymore.

"A cop."

Despite the lie being semi-believable, the brief pause was enough proof for Billy. He knew what had really happened. After all, he has experienced it.

The only difference being his father was smart enough to not leave bruises.

The realization that filled Billy clouded his headspace, his drunkenness wearing off as he glanced down at Arlo's lips. He wanted to kiss him.

Billy Hargrove would never admit he was gay. Taking that secret to his grave, instead he blamed it on the pair's similarity.

After all, he assumed it'd be like kissing himself. Seeing as Arlo had gone through what he did, they were one in the same.

Which is why he leaned forward. Slamming his lips onto Arlo's as the bleached blonde boy attempted to back away. Not completely sure he wanted this.

"You're drunk—"

Billy ignored him, continuing to make out with the boy.

Arlo placed his hands onto Billy's chest pushing with all his strength as he did. Not being nearly enough to get the much stronger boy off of him.

He opted with biting Billy's lip, making the white boy momentarily pull away. Annoyance in his eyes.

"Just—shut up, Leone."

Billy then slammed his lips back onto the boy's next to him. Smirking when Arlo finally caved in. Feeling pressured to continue the session, even if he didn't want to.

    
     
   The boy finally kissing back only caused Billy to smirk, removing his lips temporarily to unbutton his pants

Fortunately the door opening caused both boys to jump, subconsciously moving away from each other.

So, as Arlo stared at the now open door with wide eyes. He was shocked to see two adults. While he hadn't met either of them, it didn't take a genius to figure out who they were.

Billy's parents.

The sight caused something to shift in Billy, instantly making him turn to push Arlo off of the bench. His shoulder hitting the cold living room floor with a thud.

"Billy—"

"Get the fuck off of me! Faggot."

Arlo didn't reply. He couldn't, not with the shock that was filling his mind. Unaware to fully process what exactly was happening.

"Don't let him get away with that. You hear me?" An unfamiliar male voice added on, clearly pissed.

Arlo then felt a sudden pain to his ribs, making the boy place his arms over them. A unwanted grunt leaving his throat.

The feeling then reoccurred, this time in another open area.

His kicks never ceased, neither did the encouragement that Billy was receiving from his father. His father who had still assumed that Arlo had made a move on Billy.

"Billy—" Arlo attempted a few words, not getting very far seeing as Billy grabbed ahold of his hair.

Slamming his face into the hard floor as he mumbled slurs.

The Leone boy then felt a sudden dizziness as his vision darkened; his nose beginning to drip blood as his eyes drooped closed.

— a/n ! steve finally rejoins the story in the next chapter . so excited