Love Affair (JOPPER)

Adjusting

So much has happened in the last few years, they all wonder if it will ever stop completely. It never does, or at least they think. Anything that reminds them about what has happened they go into complete panic, a light flickering, magnets in only Joyce's worry, or a tingle on the back of Wills neck. All they want is relief but they are always on their toes.  But now they are all just paranoid, now everything is normal besides the part living with a 16 year old girl with telekinesis.

Most of the time Hopper wakes up sweaty and breathing heavy from bad dreams, most about what happened to him. What he's never talked about. He has never told anyone about it but he knows he should. He should because even though those memories will never go away, at least talking about it would help cope and help him better understand. Therapy is too scary for him, because if he goes to a therapist than whatever is actually wrong with him is true, and he has to face knowing that there is something wrong with him and he needs to be treated. It's not like he doesn't want help, he just needs someone or something to fill the void.

Aside from that, after he recovers himself from the panic, he realizes that he is at a warm place and that he's not in that hell hole anymore that he fought so hard to get out of. He wakes up sometimes forgetting where he is but relieved because anywhere is better than where he was.

He wakes up this morning, not sure if anyone else is awake. He feels the early sun hit his face from his window, waking him almost fully. But also giving him a warm feeling.  Since he came back, he's been taking a lot of showers. He likes the way it makes him feel. He sits up and heads to the bathroom, grabbing towel and extra clothes with him.

He turns on the water and adjusting its temperature to his liking. He steps inside and feels the warm water hit his skin. He soaks up all of warmth in his open pours, refreshing his face, always giving him a new very favorable reason to stay in one place forever. He uses the shower as a gateway to think freely, to let himself go.

He thinks about where he could get a gob, if he's going to move out eventually, the kids, randomness. But what he mainly thinks about is Joyce. He thinks about how bad him being gone must've hurt her, and how he's so damn sorry about it. There's no way to make that up. He does what he can to take some stuff off of Joyce's hands but it's still not enough. She deserves better, better than him.

But he also thinks about the little things she does that somehow gets him crushing even harder, her laugh, her touch, jokes, when she puts her hair behind her ear. Little things that get his blood rushing to his cheeks faster than a bullet train.

He steps out of the shower and puts his clothes on, then walks out the bathroom into the kitchen where he finds Joyce and El making pancakes together.

He hears the word "Mom" Come from El. Even though this isn't his first time hearing her say it, Its still warms his heart to know that Joyce is considered her mom. A caregiver. A person who truly cares. Joyce has helped El cope and try to live a normal life since he's been gone, teaching how to communicate to people and just be a normal kid and try to make friends which hasn't worked out the best she'd hoped.

Hopper peaks around the corner to make himself present before stepping into the kitchen

"Dad look, I'm learning how to make pancakes again" She said excitedly while holding a whisk in her hand and a bowl in the other with Joyce hovering over her shoulder in precaution of a potential mess being made.

Hopper walks out to the fridge and grabs himself a water. "Again"?

"It's a process". Joyce replies teasing El. Joyce has always worried about how she'll do in the future when she's out of the house and living on her own or with a friend. El has already learned so much from Joyce, lots of Women stuff and basic things to keep herself healthy and safe. "How did you sleep"? Joyce looked over at Hopper before he walked off.