Sunset Ave. (12/?)
Title: Sunset Ave. (12/?)
Fandom: The Green Mile AU
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Billy/Percy
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I don't own either Billy nor Percy, just the plot and everyone else in it.
--
Sunset Ave.
Chapter Twelve
Hate’s a strong word
Percy ran, charging down the road as if there were a swarm of angry wasps chasing his hide. He ran, even though he was short of breath and his chest was burning and his eyes stung with sweat. His calves ached with each pound of his boots on the stone flecked road and he didn’t stop until he stumbled up the porch of the Wharton farm.
He hammered on the door with balled fists, hammering away until the door was pulled open. And Percy reeled back, eyes wide because Billy stood there in his dirty dungarees, brown hair stuck up at the back and a wary expression in his features. His face was still an assortment of cuts and bruises, one eye swollen. ‘You!’ gasped Percy.
Billy blinked, looked around him and then back at Percy. ‘Well, I do live here, Purty,’ he replied.
‘No! You’re supposed to be dead!’ Percy stuttered between lungful of air.
‘I didn’t realize yer hated me so much yer wanted me dead.’
‘No, no,’ Percy shook his head. ‘You were dead. My dad… your dad!’
‘Oh,’ Billy said, all humor gone from his expression now. ‘I see.’
‘I don’t understand.’ Billy peered at Percy through his lashes, before shrugging.
‘What’s not t’ understand? Y’all thought the ol’ bastard had kilt me. Y’all come runnin’ up ‘ere to see if it’s true.’
‘Who… who was it?’ Percy asked, though he had a feeling he already knew. Billy scratched a spot on his chin.
‘Patrick,’ he said, casually, though there was a strain to his voice. ‘Me daddy gone kill Patrick.’
‘How’s Jessie?’
‘Look, is there a reason yer here?’ Billy demanded. ‘Cause last time I saw yer, yer said yer never wanted t’ see me again. Now, I done what yer told me, Purty. So, what yer doing here?’
‘I just… I needed to know that it wasn’t true,’ Percy said, nervously swallowing. Billy did a slow spin in the doorway.
‘Well, I’m fine. Not a hair outta place. Bye now.’ And he shut the door. Percy couldn’t say he didn’t deserve it.
--
‘Whadda mean it ain’t Billy?’ Henry asked, shaking his head. ‘Now, the Sherriff done told me it was a young man with dark hair. He couldn’t really make out any other features ‘cause of the mess, but-’
‘Cause I seen Billy. I seen him with my own goddamn eyes,’ Percy replied.
‘You seen him? You mean you went up to the Wharton farm when I expressively told you not to?’ Henry’s face reddened angrily. ‘You must damn well listen when I tell you things, boy. I do not want you seeing that Wharton!’
‘I just needed to see if it was true!’ Percy replied. ‘And Billy’s alive.’
‘Who did they find in the creek then?’ Irene asked. ‘Maybe Kendal was wrongly arres-’
‘It was Patrick, mom,’ Percy said to her. ‘And Kenny did it.’
‘Oh. Oh, dear,’ Irene said, looking down at her hands resting on her lap. ‘I wonder why Kenny… Wasn’t Patrick married to Jessie Wharton? They have a baby, right? I read it in the paper.’ She glanced up. ‘Maybe, we could send up some pie?’
‘No,’ Percy said, shaking his head. ‘It’s none of our business.’ Henry sighed, but nodded in agreement.
‘We will pray for them,’ he said. ‘We must keep to our own, now.’
--
Percy sat on the windowsill in his bedroom, resting his head back against the wall as he stared through the glass into the black night. His hands were clenched on his lap and he blinked away the sting of tears that threatened to fall.
Where had it all gone wrong? Everything had been good and Percy… he hadn’t minded being with Billy really. He didn’t care if it was a sin or if he’d go to hell because when he was with Billy, none of that mattered. None of it.
How long would it be before everyone forgot the idea that he was a faggot? Because, maybe, after that he’d be able to go back to Wharton and it would all be forgotten.
In a sudden desperate flurry of movement, Percy pulled at his shirt, discarding it to tug at Billy’s overalls. But, Billy was ahead of him, slipping his legs out the demin as Percy slipped his trousers over his hips. Their lips met in a clash of dominance, which Wharton easily won. He let his lips move across Percy’s chair, the two tumbling back onto the wooden posted bed.
Wharton grinned as he moved onto all fours, Percy moving to stand behind him. Percy’s eyes were dark, almost dangerously as he tugged down Billy’s briefs.
Irene frowned as she stood at the top of the stairs, leaning closer to Percy’s door. She could hear quiet sobbing and she itched to go in and cradle her baby boy and tell him everything was going to turn out okay.
Instead, she turned and walked the other way.
--
Billy hauled the hay bale out the barn, muscles flexing, sweat rolling down his back in the last of the harsh summer sun. He lifted it up with a grunt, throwing it into the back of the truck where Don stacked it with the others. Billy turned to get another from the barn, ready for the farmer’s market tomorrow, when there was a scream and the sound of smashing glass from inside the house.
Don frowned, straightening up and wiping his brow with the back of his hand. The door was thrown open and Jessie stalked out, face flushed and angry. Maggie staggered after her, supporting herself in the doorway. ‘Yeah, get outta here yer little bitch!’ she screamed.
Jessie turned back on her. ‘I druther be anywhere, but here!’
‘Least my husband wasn’t a faggot.’
‘Patrick was not a faggot!’ Jessie’s voice was hoarse, cracking and she angrily wiped tears from her cheeks. ‘I hate you!’
‘My husband’s banged up because Patrick couldn’t keep his hands to himself!’ Maggie spat; she was drunk, swaying slightly where she stood. ‘He touched my son! Yer own brother was molested by that man!’ Jessie came forward, up onto the porch, face to face with her mother.
‘And yer don’t think Billy asked for it? It wasn’t like he said no!’
Maggie slapped her, the crack rebounding on the wood of the porch and for a moment, it was still and quiet, other than the wail of Teddy inside the house. Robbie appeared behind his mother, before pushing between them.
‘Stop it!’ he protested. ‘Stop fighting.’ Jessie stared at Maggie, before pushing her way into the house. A few moments later, she returned with a sobbing baby boy. Without a word to any of them, she opened the door of the car they used for church and climbed in. No one stopped her as she reserved out and left them.
Billy took a step towards the porch, but Maggie glared at him. ‘Yer have torn this family apart,’ she hissed, before turning and walking inside. Robbie charged down the porch steps, punching his stomach with balled hands.
‘Yer ruined everything! I hate yer!’ he snapped angrily. ‘I wish yer’d die! Even Percy hates yer now cause yer ruined everything!’ Billy’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Percy and raising his hand, he backhanded the younger boy. Robbie staggered over, hitting the floor with an ‘umph’. Touching his cheek, his looked up at Billy with round, hurt eyes.
Billy looked back at him, before stepping forward. ‘Shit, Robbie.’ Rob jumped to his feet, jumping away from Billy and turning, racing off towards the orchard. ‘Fuck,’ Billy hissed.
--
Percy rapped hard on the door, nervously glancing around him, before knocking again. The curtain beside the door twitched and Percy frowned. ‘Mr Darkfield? Hey, I can see you. Hey!’
‘I’m a little busy at the moment, Percy. Go home,’ came the muffled reply from behind the door.
‘Yeah, I heard curtain twitching takes up a lot of time,’ Percy spat back. ‘I just want to talk.’
‘I can’t let you in, Percy,’ Darkfield replied.
‘Why?’
‘Because… cause of what I’ve heard.’
Percy felt a low sinking feeling in his stomach. ‘It ain’t true! They were all lies,’ he protested.
‘Percy, get outta here before I call the police.’ Percy didn’t move for a moment, staring at the white painted door of the house, before he took a step back.
He really was alone in this world.
--
Percy sat down opposite his mom at the table, picking up his glass of water and taking a drink. Joelle had her back to them, looking out the window as she beat eggs in a bowl. ‘Some boy come round today,’ she asked, conversationally. ‘Look beaten, poor soul.’ Percy froze, looking up to see Irene looking back at him. ‘Boy left a message. Say he is called Billy or somethin’ like that. Say he wants you to go to park in woods. He say you know what he mean. And he say it urgent.’
It fell quiet, Percy just waiting for his mom’s reaction to Wharton’s message. Irene glanced at the clock, letting another moment pass before she dropped her gaze back to Percy.
‘You have an hour ‘fore your father gets home,’ she said. ‘Now, go.’ Percy couldn’t help, but smile, getting to his feet and hurrying out the room. He grabbed his coat and boots, tugging them on and dashing out the house. He raced across the town, stumbling up the hill and heading down the dirt track through the woods, until he finally got, breathlessly, to the clearing.
Billy was sat cross-legged on the floor, taking a gulp from a cider bottle. ‘Hey, there, Purty. Glad yer came.’