Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Stranger Things.
A/N: So… this is the last chapter of this story. The next update will be a separate story all together, a sequel if you will. I hope that you have all enjoyed reading, as much as I have loved writing it. This last one is really just full of romantic nonsense… but there is some valuable plot. :)
Adult content warning.
Chapter 23: The Honeymoon
Niagara Falls, New York, February 1st, 1986
"So, what do you think?"
"It's… —it's amazing," El gasped and snuggled deeper into the arms that were wrapped around her. "Thank you for taking me here, I've never seen anything like it."
"What else do you want to do for your birthday?" Billy squeezed tighter.
"My birthday…?"
"Well, yeah… I'd say it's safe to say you're seventeen now. It's February first today."
"Oh. I guess…I am." She calculated internally, "this is good—I can't really think of anywhere else better--." She turned around to face blue eyes, "But what's that big one over there? How do we get over that way?"
"That's Canada." He snorted, "those are the horseshoe falls, I don't think we'd do well to try and cross the border now… but how about a boat ride? We can get wet." He winked and stole a kiss from her accidentally separated lips.
Mesmerised initially, El nearly stumbled backwards into Billy when they had first approached the metal fence of the falls. Everything about it was breathtaking to her; the power, the astronomical size, just its mere presence seemed completely imaginary in her eyes-- Billy loved that sweet side of her, she just seemed to treasure every moment with him, and never expected anything more from him other than his presence. Because she expected nothing, he wanted to give her everything.
The way she looked at him...adoration that shone through her like the sun; expressed the message clear as day, he could do no wrong in her eyes. In his eighteen years of existence, he'd been told countless times that he wasn't enough— if it hadn't been said it had been expressed through actions. How many girls had just used him to fulfil some 'bad boy' fantasy only to leave him on the curb once they were finished? The laugh had been on them, he'd learnt early on to beat them to the punch.
When El thought long and hard about it, everything about Billy seemed imaginary. Although he had a rough exterior, deep down his insides were warm, caring and protective. And for whatever reason, she was the only one he'd let see it. In their time together "living in each other's pockets," she'd experienced so many things with him. He'd shown her the world through his eyes and that meant more than just surroundings or sex. He'd taught her about herself-- she wasn't just a lab rat moulded to be a weapon. She was valuable, special— a being deserving of love. And because he'd done all that for her, she'd done the same for him.
"Woah, wanna step back a bit, you'll fall in." Billy pulled her back from the ledge of the boat.
"I was just looking to see how deep it is, but all I can see is mist." She straightened out her plastic poncho.
"It's deep, trust me and it's cold, so I'd rather you didn't fall in because I don't really feel like jumping in there after you." He mocked, leaning on the railing next to her. "--You know… the last time I came here, I was about eight and I was with my mom." He regretted saying it almost instantly and quickly turned away from her.
"You miss her." El placed a hand on his arm. "You know… we could find her… I could find her for you. We could—"
"No, El, we couldn't-- I don't ever want to see that bitch again, forget I even brought her up. --I shouldn't have." He whisked his arm away from her embrace and turned to place his back against the railing.
It was still painful, that was clear, how much further could she push him, "Billy," she tried again, inching towards his standoff body language.
"El, just drop it." Hunching over the railing, he inched further away and focused his eyes on the approaching waterfall.
El wasn't about to let him shut her out, they were past that now… as always, she just needed to force her way in. "You tell me if you change your mind," she pulled his arm off the rail to force him into an embrace. She threw her head back near on vertically to catch his eyes, "I not leave you. You know that, don't you?" She wrapped her hands around his neck to pull him down into a kiss, but he resisted.
"Well why not? …I know I'm a dick." He rolled his eyes to hide the weakness in them, but returned his gaze wanting to hear her answer. She'd leave eventually, everyone always did.
Oh dear, he was feeling vulnerable, open and exposed. He'd lash out any second to barricade himself. She'd have to level the playing field.
"because mouth breather…" she scoffed, her face became serious as she held his within her palms. "I love you," his frozen body and wide eyes said it all, he was beyond shocked by her honesty. She said it so casually, so 'matter of factly' it couldn't have been a lie or even a fabrication of the truth to make him feel better. She loved him. Why? He had no idea. Only his mother, had ever said that to him and even when she did, he wasn't entirely sure she had even meant it… considering she had just walked out on him and left him to fend for himself with that monster, He had to call his father. "Sir."
In truth El had been sick of dancing around the clear and present fact that she did in fact love Him. Feelings, like everything, were black and white to her. This consuming emotion she felt towards Billy, wasn't your average teenage fantasy either. It was deeper. It was consuming, powerful and unstoppable. She'd regretted not saying how she felt earlier, there was no need to hear him say it back, she knew how he felt and that was enough.
"Now come on!" She smiled into his wide blue eyes, "Look we're really close, I want to feel the mist!" Grabbing a limp and shocked hand, she towed him along to the front of the boat.
--
Hawkins, Indiana, January 21st, 1986
"It's really good to have you back chief—we missed you around here." Florence's eyes launched up at the comment, the Chief of Police, was finally back.
"Jim! You're back!" she exclaimed, she trekked her way over to him, holding him in a long overdue hug.
"Ah yes, it's good to be back. I'd love an update on everything that's been going on… while I eat my donut and drink my coffee," he leant back into his chair, heavy feet 'thudded' onto the large wooden desk. His double-glazed donut was quickly whipped from his hand and a banana took its place in its stead. Hopper sighed at the punishment, "some things never change."
"Well…" Officer Powell started, "we still haven't caught the gas tank bandit…. And… some information came back yesterday about the lab. A few bodies were found but it would appear any evidence helping us find the crook responsible for the explosion… has well… disintegrated." He trailed off, before hesitantly continuing, "Also chief… there's something else… probably nothing, but it's worth mentioning now that there's been another complaint."
The silence deepened within the room; Hop stretched his chair back to sneak another donut from the box behind him. "Well are you going to make me beg… what is it?" he washed a mouthful down with a swig of coffee.
"Well… three nights ago, one of those jocks from the high school came barrelling in here ranting and raving about some guy who had just apparently… and this is crazy chief… he thinks he just appeared next to him in his car… and then…" Powell snickered, "he says he made him crash… into a wall… that just magically appeared—I know it's crazy." He scratched his head," but then last night, I had Neil Hargrove in here, claiming something very similar. Only he reckons he'd seen this guy before… in his own backyard."
"Interesting, you're right, all of that does sound... crazy. Well, I guess I'll have to take a trip down to visit Mr. Hargrove, won't I?" Hopper casually cheered his coffee mug to the air. "Out of curiously, who was this 'jock'?" he raised a curious eyebrow.
"Rob Delany, Chief, why's that?"
"Interesting… no reason."
"oh and… I was also thinking chief… my wife is due to have a baby soon. --I'm thinking about cutting back my hours a bit, just for a while… you think we could get a new deputy in… I was thinking someone the little punks around here, might actually be scared of. Maybe someone a bit younger, they could relate with. We've been experiencing a lot of petty crime as of late, and it's only going to get worse once the mall reopens… what do you think?"
Hopper paused in thought for a moment before answering, he couldn't hold in the cunning smirk, "Actually, that's a great idea. --And I think I've got the perfect guy in mind; it just might take a little convincing."
--
Niagara Falls, New York, February 1st, 1986. Time? Mid-afternoon. Does anyone ever keep track of the time when they're on vacation?
"So… what do you want to do now?" Billy looked feebly towards the brunette, their encounter earlier on the boat had left him feeling funny. His guts had that odd feeling again— shaky and uneasy, weak but powerful.
"Let's go back to the room, I'm kind of tired," El smiled and faked a yawn, she sneakily glanced back to Billy to make sure he caught her drift.
"You don't have to beat around the bush with me princess," He patronised craftily. Bolting in front of her, he lifted her up from just above her knees, meeting her face with his. For the first time ever, she was a head taller than him, he'd have to lean up to kiss her for a change.
"Who said I wanted that," she grinned, "I told you… I'm tired." She accepted his outstretched neck to receive the lustful kiss he was dying to lay on her.
"You're such a tease." He rolled his eyes and placed her back down to her feet.
--
It had become apparent that El had fabricated the truth about her intentions of returning to the motel. A wolf whistle pierced through the crisp afternoon air, not that either of them gave a damn, or even perceived that it could be directed towards them. They hadn't even made it all the way past the motel's carpark before El had begun backing Billy in towards their room. Just metres from their door, and her shirt was completely open, leaving her exposed in the broad daylight. Frustrated she climbed her way up around Billy's waist and wrapped her legs around him to keep herself secure. Against Billy's primal instincts he found himself pulling her shirt back up over her shoulders and holding it closed. She obviously didn't care about her modesty, but he sure as shit did. It was a hard task to accomplish when he himself was full of need.
"Can you just wait a minute," he struggled to speak through haggard breath. His lips were in the process of being ransacked, fingers were intertwined through his hair, holding his lips firmly onto hers. He fumbled to find the key in his pocket, he'd nearly lost the last of his coherent thoughts when El's hands found their way down the front of his pants. He growled out in frustration, "El, I'm so fucking horny, you need to stop." He chuckled nervously.
Ignoring his objections, she jumped down from her perch and continued her search inside his pants, when she'd reached her target, Billy's eyes became heavy. Finding the key, he fumbled with the lock on the doorknob, "When I get this door open, you're in for the shock of your life," he growled suggestively.
Another wolf whistle came from a not-so-distant location and it ripped Billy from his ecstasy that this relentless girl was now doing on his neck. "What the fuck are you--!" he started before his head was ripped back down to her lips.
"Shhhh, look I opened the door," she beamed into their kiss.
"You mean…you could have opened it the whole time! and you just let me—." his face scowled in displeasure.
"Yes."
With one hand under smooth-edged ass, she was back up around his waist. The other hand he used to burst the door open in a single strike. Entering in, he used his foot to close it behind them. He trudged over towards the bed but then stopped midway, "nah, too gentle-- you wanna be a pain in the ass, then fine." He mumbled. He eyed off the desk that had the rooms phone book, along with a couple of pamphlets of tourist attractions-- that would do just fine. Quickly making his way over, he leant down with her still firmly wrapped around his body. He scattered all the articles in his way in a single swipe and let out a struggled grunt as El worked on the zip of his jeans. Sitting her down along the edge, he pulled off the remainder of her shirt. "You seriously aren't wearing a bra and you stripped yourself off outside? 'you little hussy,'" his speech had been muffled into a passionate kiss, but his tone was clear-- he was annoyed. It didn't matter if it was hot as hell, he had never been the type to share and he certainly wasn't about to now.
She giggled at his obvious jealousy, just another sign that he definitely did care. "Sorry," she attempted to conceal her laughter, but the humour in her voice was loud and clear.
"I don't think you are," he nipped from neck to collar bone. Being too busy warming her up for their fun, he hadn't noticed his pants had somehow been fumbled down to below his knees. That was until a small but warm hand grasped the length of him. He growled at the sensation and abruptly laid her back onto the desk, wasting no time to remove the remainder of her jeans. He stopped for a moment, looking her over, drinking every inch in. From her frazzled and unruly hair, to divided lips and heaving bosom, finally settling on spread thighs and arching hips. She wanted him--bad.
Billy often thought about his changeover to fidelity. It baffled him, he didn't have the slightest interest in being intimate with someone else, why the hell would he? The sex was great and everything with El was just-- easy. The idea of being with someone else, or for that matter of her being with anyone else, made him feel sick to his stomach. And that realisation could not have hit him at a worse time. She was spread out on top of the desk, with knotted eyes and widespread legs. Knelt between her quivering thighs; he had been more than ready to do his worst.
Too frozen in his epiphany, he couldn't seem to get to work on bringing her to what would be her first climax of the afternoon. Shocked and dumbfounded, he silently made his way back up to his feet to lean in over her.
His presence hovering above her caused El's eyes to fall open, Billy's troublesome expression erupted a self-consciousness within her, "what's wrong… did I… do something?" she leant up on elbows and very unsuccessfully attempted to cover herself up.
Billy laughed internally at her efforts, "No, don't be stupid-- of course not."
He stared into her doe like face for a few more seconds, wide brown eyes penetrated through him so deeply he felt the wind knocked out of him, "I--." He inhaled deeply; ah fuck it.
"Fuckkk, El baby-- I love you." He exhaled out. Finally, that weight had been lifted off his shoulders, he could breathe easily again. "I love you so fucking much, I don't even know what to do with all of it."
With that done and dusted, he threw her body against his and forced her legs to wrap around him once again. With a darting tongue he found his way into her mouth. The aggression had caught her off guard initially, but she revelled in it all the same. Perhaps it wasn't aggression, it was passion.
Her hands were back into messy blonde locks, it seemed to be all she could do to ground herself against the primal instincts that seemed to take all over all his sanity. "I lervee you too." She tried to say with Billy's tongue halfway down her throat and it seemed to only fuel him more. In another bold and swift movement, one hand entered the moist and warm cavity between her legs. The other was used underneath bare backside to hoist her up and into him once again. She wiggled and bucked against his hand until he had made his way over to the bed. Roughly, he threw her a top of it.
She'd squeaked when she'd bounced onto the soft mattress, but never received the punishment of missing his touch. He quickly advanced on her, crawling atop her body to claim back her lips. He stared into her eyes with such fierceness no further words were needed to be spoken. When he saw her melt into the crisp white sheets, her hands raised up above her head, eyes knotted in anticipation for his touch, he saw it for what it really was, pure and unadulterated trust. Trust in him. It was so intoxicating. Revelling in all the sensations, he placed a finger back in between warm and closing folds, she moaned as he alternated between thrusting fingers and tongue, humming into her as he went. She was close. This would be easy.
He leant back towards the edge of the bed, continuing his assaulted of circling around her pulsating heat. Multitasking as he reached the rubber from the nightstand. Not wanting to stop the moaning of his name from kiss swollen lips, he attempted to place it on with one hand. Feeling his attention weaken, El's eyes flew open in frustration. She leant up and whisked the thin latex from his hands. She had it rolled down in under a second. Then jumping atop his lap, she convincingly lowered herself down onto the length of him. He'd moaned when she'd initially engulfed him but surprisingly, despite the build-up, he took her slowly, allowing her to ride him at her own pace. It hadn't been what he'd had in mind, it had turned out better. Watching her use him to pleasure herself, was a welcomed treat.
The feel of her walls throbbing around his shaft, accompanied by her fingers digging into his shoulders, told him she'd come at least twice. But he'd let her have her fun, judging by the sounds and careless actions she'd been engaging in, she was completely lost in the moment.
Were her eyes that sealed shut that she couldn't see him watching her, smirking at her?
"You are the most gorgeous goddamn thing I've ever seen in my life." He nuzzled into her neck.
Her eyes sprung open from the shock that he had in fact never taken his eyes off her. And when he saw her confidence dwindle, he smiled even deeper. Throwing her back against the bed, he pushed her legs up towards her head, testing to see just how far he could go. Delighting in yet another one of her fantastic qualities… flexibility. He took her there, legs spread in the air, holding them down with one hand, the other he used to knead soft and full breasts. He lost himself inside her sometime after and collapsed next to her. Still panting frantically, he grabbed her by the waist to bring her under a well-defined bicep. "I don't want you think that I just said what I said based on sex." He glanced down to her, checking to see if she understood. "I said it… because I meant it. --I love you El. And I'm going to tell you everything single day. You make me so goddam happy."
she smiled uncontrollably and placed a kiss onto his damp cheek. "I tell you every day too—so that you believe it." she nuzzled in against his chest. His heartbeat was so strong and quick against his ears.
It may have only been mid-afternoon, but being absolutely spent, sleep began to claim them. Listening to the soft pitter patter of rain beginning to fall outside, Billy couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world. He'd finally found love— and love had finally found him.
--
Niagara Falls, New York, February 1st, 1986
Time? 19:00
It was noticeably dark outside when Billy finally began to open his eyes. He slid a hand across the bed searching for the warm body that had been next to him. She was gone. He sluggishly made his way out of the bed and placed a pair of trusty boxers on. The bathroom door was a jar and light oozed out through the crack, with a small push he lightly pressed it open. And there was El in front of the sink, tears streamed down her face, a piece of steel wool in her shaking hand. Self-removal of tattoos is never a good idea. Luckily it appeared Billy had caught her before she'd been given the chance to follow through with the act. "What the hell are you doing!" he launched in after her, grabbing her armed hand by the wrist he wretched the offending article away. "What are you doing El, why would you want to hurt yourself?" He spoke a little calmer this time.
"I don't want it." She sniffled but couldn't seem to face him.
"Okay, I can understand that… but this probably wouldn't even work-- it'd just end in more tears and blood… What the heck brought this on anyway?" With a hand on her chin, he forced her to look at him.
"I had a dream... a bad dream."
Billy sighed in defeat, his anger had its limits only for El. And with those limits— he found himself holding her in his arms once again.
"I don't want you hurting yourself. I fucking mean that." He shook her slightly, "Now come on… let's get dressed, I have an idea."
--
"Well that's interesting… I've never seen any ink like this, it's like it's burnt right into the skin… where'd you get this done?"
"Hey dickhead, no questions, just cover it." Billy hissed at the over pierced/ over tattooed man. El looked over to him thankfully, she couldn't bare to even lie about its existence.
"You got ID honey?" he turned to face El.
"How about we pay you what you want, and you just give her the ink. It's her birthday—come on man." He casually lit a smoke up.
"Yeah got cash?"
"Wouldn't be here if I didn't." He exhaled a cloud of smoke out.
"Whatchya want Honey?"
"Hey don't call her that-." Billy pointed a cigarette filled finger. "She's not yours to be pet calling." He flashed a cunning smirk.
"Well I haven't heard that come from her, now have I?" The artist flashed a shit stirring grin.
"Hey- you want your teeth smashed in?" Billy got up from his leaning position.
"--Something pretty." El interjected, her gentle voice immediately broke the men's sparring.
"Pretty? Anything in particular?"
"No, just... pretty, please." She smiled and sat down atop the parlours bed. Closing her eyes, she left herself at the mercy and fate of his creativity.
--
"Well, he was a bit of a shithead, but it looks good. With it all coloured in and shit, you look like a little brawla' Except... when you look at it up close and see that it's little birds and shit." He kissed her hand before playfully biting one of her fingers. She giggled on cue when he abruptly pulled her down a nearby alley way. Covered by darkness, he backed her up to rest against the brick wall of a building. Kissing her passionately enough to cause her knees to weaken and buckle beneath her, he placed one had against the small of her back to keep her onto her feet. The other found its way up and under her shirt. Sliding under the lace of her bra, he tweaked and gently pinched a rose bud nipple between thumb and forefinger.
"No way!" She pushed his hand away at what he was suggesting.
"You were happy to do it in broad daylight today?" He nipped the side of her neck.
"That was different, we were almost in the room," she gasped and pointlessly fought against his wandering hands.
He sighed roughly before whispering into her ear once again, "fine, let's go back to the room then."
It had been luck and a welcomed break, that everything in Niagara appeared to be within walking distance from their motel.
The tattoo parlour had been about a ten minute walk from their motel. Approaching the door, they could already hear the phone ringing from outside their room. El impatiently opened the door with a simple twitch of her hand. Racing in, she answered just in the Knick of time.
"Hello?"
"Hey kiddo! It's me, dad…. Can you put Billy on the phone? It's important."
"It's Hop, he wants to talk," she shrugged her shoulders to where Billy was digging around for his lighter.
He made his way over, sitting down beside El he took the phone from her hand, "Hey, what's up?"
"Well first of all, it stresses me out to no end, to know that you two only have one phone line. Technically if you had your own rooms, you'd have two. But I'm not getting into that now." Hop sighed, "I need you to come home." He spoke seriously. "Things have been happening here, things… that involve numbers… if you know what I mean."
"Right... bad things?" Billy creased his brow at the thought.
"Things that could be bad, soon." Hop sighed knowingly.
"We'll leave tomorrow morning." Billy staggered his speech as he exhaled out a cloud of smoke.
"Good—oh and kid, I've got a proposition for you… just keep an open mind and I'll make it worth your while."
--
A/N: End of Volume one.
