Unexpectedly Enough

Twenty Four

Billy stood in the spare room of the house, wood pieces stacked against the wall, cutting the current piece in his grip into a smaller version. A tool belt clung to his hips at his jeans, sweat shone off his shirtless back, a pencil balancing off of his right ear. His head nodded up and down in rhythm with his foot tapping, 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' by The Clash blasting through the house.

"But you've got to let me know", Billy's raspily sings quietly to himself as he works, completely not aware of the new feet that had just entered the living room. Joyce carrying Lila in her arms, while Steve struggled to keep up with Annie. The music quickly fills their ears, Steve knowing exactly what is happening before he even sees it, as he's walked in on it before. He shoos Annie upstairs to clean up before her nap, Joyce placing Lila in her bouncer while they wait. The two make their way to the guest room, finding Billy standing with his sweaty bare back facing them; he runs a hand through his damp hair and shifts his footing.

"Well, looks like someone's been busy today", Joyce says.

Billy turns around and smiles immediately; "yeah a little, figured I'd try and get this done sooner or later. It would be nice to have another room."

"You've got a lot done", Joyce compliments him, looking around the room in a sense of awe.

Steve walks over to Billy who puts his arm around his waist the second he's close enough;
"How was ice cream?", Billy asks, kissing Steve softly.

"It was great, Annie had an amazing time. Lila's been a bit cranky all day, 'probably gonna put them both down for a nap in a few minutes", Steve tells him.

"Yeah, lets send them home to your aunt all wild", Billy laughs.

"That's the plan."

Annie appears in the doorway from upstairs and stands next to Joyce, her little arms wrapped around her leg as she stares up at Billy.

"What's Billy doin?", She asks.

"He's building stuff for the new guest room", Steve tells her as Billy turns to look at her, smiling softly.

"Ohhh. Like a new bed?", Annie asks.

"Mhmm", Billy tells her.

She just stands there and watches him, like she's mesmerized by the way he just gets the pieces of wood to change shape and join together, it's like magic to her. But the magic can't last forever, and Billy moves his arm the wrong way; causing the hammer to fall of the table and onto the floor, taking the piece of wood with it, before cracking in two.

"Damn it!", Billy groans, seemingly forgetting Annie's presence.

"Billy! Don't swear in front of Annie", Steve tells him, and a look of realization suddenly comes over Billy's face and he's rambling out the best apology he can.

"Right, damn! Oh - crap! Shit! Fuck! Sorry!"

Joyce now has her hands over Annie's ears, and she can't help but break into laughter with Steve as they see the horrified look on Billy's face.

"Oh my god, I'm gonna ruin the kid", He says.

"Billy baby you're fine", Steve tells him.

He turns to Annie, patting her back gently;
"Tell everyone you'll see them later. It's time for you and Lila to get a nap in", Steve tells her.

"Okayyy", She says, waving softly at Joyce and Billy, before heading upstairs with Steve.

Joyce turns and sees the look on Billy's face, he's smitten. She sees how he looks at him with the kids, like his heart is swelling and pure love is pouring out of his body.
"What're you thinking?", Joyce asks him.

"What? Uh...nothing", He lies.

"Billy."

He sighs, he knows there's no getting around it with Joyce, she's too wise, she's seen it all, especially since she's with Hopper.

"I want one", He tells her, "a baby."

He could tell Joyce wasn't expecting that by the way her mouth fell open, but he also knew she was there to listen and wasn't going to judge him in anyway.

"It's probably crazy just stupid..."

"Billy honey, it's not stupid. Trust me I know the feeling. Hell I'd take a baby with Hop any day if we could have one", She says.

"You would?"

"Of course I would, I love him. And I know you love Steve."

"I do", Billy says, "god I really do."

Joyce is standing next to him now, her arm around him gently, pulling him closer;
"It's just I see him with those kids and I just want all of that. A family with him. To see him as a dad someday. It just makes my heart melt. I don't even know how we would have one or if that would even be possible but I just know I want that with him."

"It'll happen sweetheart, one way or another it'll happen", she tells him, rubbing his arm; "don't you worry."

"Thank you, Joyce", he smiles.

And she smiles back. But then Steve comes back down the stairs and the conversation has to end. Joyce goes on her way back home to take care of some other things, but promises to come back later. Steve decides to help Billy, having missed him all day while they were gone. It goes well, and they get a lot done before they both get stuck in a particular piece.

Finally, Billy can't handle the frustration of not being able to figure it out and turns to Steve.

"What do the directions say?" Billy asks.

Steve picks up the paper instructions and reads aloud, "it says to put the nails through each piece, and screw the bottom."

Billy stops and smirks, looking at Steve with the look that Steve knows too well.

"Oh honey", Billy says, his smirk getting wider, "on the daily."

Steve was visibly shocked, but tried to to laugh;
"Billy!", Steve scolded him, swatting his arm with the instructions.

"What?!", Billy laughs, "just telling the truth."

"You're so fucking perverted", Steve tells him.

"I know", Billy says, pulling Steve in close and squeezing his ass cheek, kissing him,;
"but you love it."

"Mhmm", Steve throatily groans out, kissing Billy rather roughly, because fuck, he loved him with his entire soul.