DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Season 4 Bonus Chapter IX.

She was so beautiful. Even when she cried, he was so mesmerized by her. It teared Billy apart when he saw her under the moonlight.

Diana hastily stood from the bed. The words were lost in her; there was so much to say, and no clear way to start. She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. She knew Billy didn't like to see her in shambles. The two were only separated by a few feet. The longer Diana looked into his eyes, the deeper she felt the weight of everything that had happened compress the heart inside her chest.

Billy gazed at her while she stood in front of him. This wasn't the same Diana that left for Hawkins just days ago. He hated this fucking town for it; she was paler, even in the night. Her cheeks were hollow and bags under her eyes had formed. The clothing she wore was dirty too. There was some blood on her...was it hers? And her hand–Billy couldn't tell what happened to her hand in this light, but it felt like a blow to his chest when he took her in.

Diana's lips started to tremble. She needed him this past week, she did. She took one step forwards. And another. She then lunged at him and sank her head into his chest. Billy was the first to wrap his arms around her back. With one hand, he held the back of her head. A sob escaped her lips when she felt him hold her. She wrapped her arms around his torso. Although she didn't know what to say, his name slipped out first. "Billy," she mumbled.

He rocked them back and forth. All the frustration and isolation he had felt faded away. The phone call he received from Diana hours ago had brought them to this moment. Billy was so shaken by the call; for a moment on the plane, he had believed her. He did give in to the doubt that she wouldn't make it. Reality had felt like it was moving in slow motion when he sat in the backseat of an old man's car after he hitched a ride with the man. Billy passed total ruination the deeper the car drove into Hawkins. When he looked out the window, police cars sped at every turn; they were responding to the earth collapsing on Hawkins. Billy had asked the old man to stop the car when he knew he was close to Diana's house. He hid in the shadows and under the trees to avoid any attention. Billy didn't know where Diana was. She could've been anywhere, and she was; she was in another world he didn't know how to access. Billy had mastered the skill of waiting. And now as he looked at her, Billy only wished she wouldn't stay like this forever. His shirt was wet with her tears. The hand that held her head glided to her chin. At first Billy felt her brush his hand away and lean her face on his chest. He knew Diana didn't want him to see her like this. But slowly, he tried again and lifted her head with his hand cupped around her cheek. Diana closed her eyes as Billy lifted her face to meet his. He watched as more tears poured out. With the back of his hand, he dried her eyes as she fell apart. "Open your eyes, Diana," Billy murmured.

Her head shook in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Billy," she whimpered as her eyes opened, "I'm sorry for everything I said. And everything I haven't said yet. I was so scared...I never wanted to say goodbye to you." Diana took in his eyes. They reminded her so much of the burden she'd been carrying for days; Billy had his reasons for not telling Max months ago. Diana would never understand it, but Billy had known Max for longer. Why didn't she tell Max the minute she arrived? Maybe she acted out of selfishness once again; no one could've stopped her if she did. She should've tried harder.

"I was scared too," Billy told her, "it felt like I had already lost you on the way here." He watched as she melted into his caress. Diana felt calm in his arms once again. As chaos waged on in the town, a calmness paced around her room. She was safe here. Billy was too–even if he wasn't supposed to be here.

Diana raised her eyebrow. Based on the time and his presence in the one place he wasn't allowed, Diana assumed he hadn't wasted a second to board an airplane. "You came here as soon as I hung up, right?"