𝐽𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑛𝑒𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑠

❀𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 (1/2)

Request from @lxnakhm

Hopper was home now. Eleven no longer cried for him to come home to her. Instead she grieved her best friend. This time as she cried, her father held her in his arms. Joyce felt like a piece of her, a wound that had been opened the moment she watched as he disappeared, was healing. Yes, they almost made love while in Russia. Yes, they had been holding hands for comfort. Yes, they were madly in love with each other. Yes, they shared a room because Joyce refused to make him sleep alone in the living room. Yes, they cuddled every night although there was room on the bed that was now theirs. They loved each other. But they haven't been able to really talk about it since the 5 of them have been together ever since they wrapped things up. One night, Joyce was in the bathroom attached to the bedroom she shared with Hopper, brushing her teeth. Hopper felt like he might explode. He thought she loved him back. But he wasn't sure. His heart pounded in his chest as he debated doing it or not. She could've been caught up in the moment when she rescued him. They haven't gotten to Enzo's yet and neither of them had said anything about it. The kids have been in bed for maybe an hour or so. He sat on the bed, fidgeting with his own hands. "Hop?" His head snapped up at her voice.

"Hm?"

"Whats wrong?" Joyce made her way over to her roommate. He looked up at the woman standing over him. He met eyes with her and blinked once before a hand came up and brushed her cheek.

"I love you, Joyce." It took everything he had to make it loud enough for her to hear. He watched her face. She bit back a smile, but that didn't stop her from blushing.

"I love you too, Jim." It almost came out as an exhale. Her eyes left his and went to his lips, but closed when he leaned his head up enough to place a hard, yet passionate kiss on her lips. She hummed, placing a hand on the back of his neck as she sat straddling his knees. He pulled her closer. "Is this okay?"

"Yes... Are you sure you want to?"

"Never wanted anything more." He responded, taking one last good look at her before channeling every ounce of his love for this woman into completely destroying her in the best way either of them could think of.

The two just laid there together, limbs tangled. It was silent. Joyce leaned her head down and placed a kiss on his scarred chest. Jim smiled softly, stroking her tangled, curly, brown hair that was sprawled out on his opposite shoulder. "Uh, Hopper?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we official then?"

"If that's what you want, Joy." He replied. Joyce looked up at him.

"I'd love that." She answered, leaning up just long enough to give him a kiss.

"And the kids?" Jim pulled the blanket up higher over him and Joyce.

"Well. I guess we have to tell them. We can't hide it from them, they're smart, they'll figure it out."

"Yeah, that's true. Think they'll be mad?"

"Probably not." Joyce shook her head against his chest.

"Still nervous to tell them?"

"Oh yeah."