Maybe I'm a Mess

The Bar Scene

Joyce gets a little too drunk at a bar in town and you'll never guess who she calls for a ride home ;)

Joyce was never much of a drinker. Sure she had a glass of wine every now and then before bed but she couldn't remember the last time she had been drunk. Maybe that's why it was so easy for her to drink herself into her current state.
Her old beat up converse stumble and twirl around the dirt covered floor of the hole in the wall bar she was in. Her eyes were closed as she danced to an old song playing through the jukebox, a half empty bottle of beer dangling from her fingertips as a soft smile formed on her lips.
This was the same exact song she danced to at her senior prom with a certain tall, ruggedly handsome boy who was now chief of police here in Hawkins. That night was one of her clearest memories from her time in high school.
"Last call was twenty minutes ago, Joyce. Anyone I can call for you?" the bartender asks again, leaning over the bar towards her.
Her eyes open to look at him but she continues to dance, a soft giggle escaping her lips. There was nothing funny about the situation she was in. She had just finished saving her youngest son's life from some giant monster in the upside down, her most recent boyfriend was eaten alive by said monster, and her oldest son has never felt like more of a stranger.
"No," Joyce whispers softly, taking a rather large swig of her beer before continuing.
"No, I don't have anyone."
There's the laugh again.
The pain filled, heart broken laugh that signals the last shred of sanity leaving her body for the night, having been washed away by the last four beers.
"Joyce either you tell me who I can call or i'll have to call the cops. Taxi services closed ten minutes ago and there's no way i'm letting you drive yourself home." the man says, having already taken her keys.
This sends Joyce into another fit of laughter though.
"Here, i'll do ya one better." Joyce says, poking the bartender in the chest before holding out her hand.
"Ill call the cops myself."

Jim Hopper had just gotten back to the station, his night having been filled with ordinary calls. Car broke down on the road, domestic dispute that turned out to just be a young married couple having rowdy sex. Jim had learned to appreciate the ordinary though. After months of anything but, he relished in the mundanity of it all.
As soon as he stepped into his office, his phone began to ring. With a tired sigh, he hits the speaker button and answers gruffly.
"Flo, my night ended six minutes ago-"
"Thought you might wanna take this call on your way home." Flo replies. Hopper rolls his eyes and begins to gather his things.
"Oh yeah? And why's that?"
"It's Joyce."
Jim's movements stop and he finds himself staring holes into his phone. A million scenarios rush through his head, each one more horrific than the last.
"She okay?" he manages to finally choke out. There's a pregnant pause which only made Jim's heart race faster.
"Physically, yes. She's down at Joe's." she replies finally.
"Joe's? That dive bar across town?" he asks with surprise. That wasn't really Joyce's scene.
"Sounded like she'd been there for a few hours." Flo says, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
"Alright, i'll take the call. See you tomorrow Flo." he says before hanging up the call and rushing to his cruiser.
Sure enough, there was Joyce's car parked right in front of Joe's, the only car left aside from an old pickup, the cold air having frosted up the windows. He parked next to her and headed inside, mentally preparing himself for the state Joyce was sure to be in.
The sound of a bell above the door alerted Jim's arrival but Joyce didn't seem to notice. She was facing away from him, her body still swaying to the loud music as the alcohol dangled from her fingers.
Jim had only seen Joyce this way once before.
Right after she had found out Lonnie was cheating on her the first time.
He took a few steps toward her and then stopped to admire her beauty while he could.
She was in a simple tshirt and jeans, probably having come her straight from work. Her wavy hair was slightly tussled in a way he found extremely sexy. She began to turn towards him as she danced but her eyes were closed, wearing a soft smile on her face. She had strands of hair sticking to her sweaty face and chest but she didn't seem to care.
He took another step forward involuntarily, as if his body was being pulled towards her. And then another step, and another.
His hand reached out on its own accord, his first two fingers reaching out and lighting a trail of fire down her arm with the simple touch. His fingers reach her hand and easily pluck the beer from her fingers, setting it on a nearby table.
And then, her eyes open and they find his.
She closes what small amount of distance is left between them by stretching her hands out and taking his, pulling him close to her.
Her hands wrap around his neck as she presses her body against his, forcing him to sway with her to the music much like they did on prom night all those years ago.
"You made it." she breathes out with relief, her big doe eyes captivating his.
"Yeah, I made it." Jim says, his hands finding their home on her waist, a small smile tugging on his lips. He never gets to see Joyce this carefree anymore. Not since before Lonnie.
"How long you been here, Joyce?" he asks, his hands moving to rub her back gently, taking advantage of their close proximity for as long as he can.
"Oh, not long." she says, her eyes lazily flickering from his eyes to his lips as she leaned towards him. He could tell by the stench of alcohol on her breath that it had been a while.
"How about we get you home?" he offers, noticing the bartender staring them down, Joyce's keys in his hand. He hated to break the moment but he didn't want any kind of word going around about him and Joyce.
Not over some stupid drunk night. Joyce would be horrified.
"Home?" she asks, her eyes widen.
With Will being at the Wheelers and Jonathan reluctantly staying with one of his lab partners to finish a project, Joyce thinks of her empty home and the memories of the monsters that lurk in the dark corners.
"You okay?" Hopper asks, breaking her from her tormenting thoughts by brushing a strand of hair from her sticky face.
A mischievous smile stretches across Joyce's face as she moves her hands to his cheeks, stroking them.
"Orrrr...we could go on an adventure." she says, raising an eyebrow as she daringly stares into his eyes. She didn't know if she meant to flirt as much as she was, but she knew she would do anything to get out of going to that house in that moment. Or, perhaps, she just had less of a filter with this much alcohol in her system and she couldn't hide her attraction towards Jim as well as she could if she were sober.
"I don't think you're in any kind of state for an adventure." Jim says, guiding her towards the bar to retrieve her keys.
"How about you take me to your place, chief?" she whispers into his ear playfully but it was enough to make Hopper almost trip over his own feet.
He can feel his cheeks redden at the sound of Joyce calling him chief in such a seductive manner. It gave his body a reaction that he was not expecting as his pants began to tighten.
"Well, what would the boys think?" he banters back with a smirk, hoping that'll hide the obvious attraction. She simply smiles in return and raises an eyebrow as if considering it.
Before she can say anything else that'll make him want to take her right there on the bar in front of the bartender, he begins to guide her to his car.
"How will I get my car?" Joyce asks before she begins to hiccup.
"I'll bring you in the morning." he says as they walk outside.
"Okay." she replies, her body beginning to shiver as she wraps her arms around herself.
"Jesus, Joyce, you didn't bring a jacket?" he asks, already placing his own rather large jacket around her small shoulders. It almost seemed to swallow her.
"Didn't think about it." she mumbles, searching through his jacket pockets and pulling out his cigarettes.
"Joyce," he starts as she leans against his car.
"No." she says simply, taking a long drag.
"Joyce," he begins again, his voice taking a more sympathetic tone.
"I don't want to talk." she says sharply, catching him off guard. Joyce was usually always an open book, wearing her heart on her sleeve. Always said what was on her mind.
"I don't want to push. But this is kind of my territory. You know, the whole brooding thing, closed off with a beer in my hand at all times. Suits me more than it suits you." he mumbles, earning a hard glare.
"I don't want to talk." she says again, putting a beat between each word. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so angry with him when just a moment ago she couldn't stop thinking about his firm chest. She knew he was worried about her but she was afraid that if she began to talk about the things that led to her being in that bar, she might break completely.
A hefty silence followed Joyce's command and Jim was left standing there, leaning against his car next to Joyce while they shared a cigarette. He wasn't good with these things. Always seemed to push too hard or react too callously.
And things with Joyce were always weird but especially now with Bob having so recently passed. Jim didn't want to make a move too soon and come off as heartless but he had also spent his entire life waiting for the right moment with Joyce and there never seemed to be one.
He wishes every day that he could go back and marry her before Lonnie could. But he knew that would mean erasing his life he had with Sarah. No matter how short lived it was, he couldn't do that. He wouldn't be who he is today without her.
"It's just..." Joyce begins, her voice so soft that Jim almost didn't hear her.
"I don't feel safe anymore. Everywhere I go, it follows me. The fear. The darkness. The loneliness." she says. Though it's completely dark outside, Jim could see the sliver of a tear illuminated in the moonlight as it rolled down her cheek.
"I just wanted to forget about it all. Just for a moment." she says, shaking her head as she wipes the tip of her nose on Jim's jacket sleeve. At this point, Jim couldn't help himself as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pulled her body into his.
"Im sorry, Joyce." he whispers into her hair, his apology running deeper than their current wounds.
Her hand covered his on her shoulder and she rests her head against his chest.
"Im sorry." he says again.
Her wet eyes look up into his and she forces a small smile and a shrug, as if to tell him it wasn't his fault. None of it was.
"C'mon. It's cold out here. Let's get you home." he says, pulling her away from the car and towards the passenger side door.
The drive home was silent, but it was a comfortable silence. Jim had kept his hand on Joyce's knee and her hand held onto his tightly. They both stared straight ahead, still not used to showing any sort of affection toward one another.
As Jim pulled into Joyce's driveway, her eyes trailed over to him. How big his hand was compared to hers, the way his tight uniform looked covering his biceps, his thick, soft beard. She imagined her fingers giving gentle tugs on his beard as he slammed into-
"Joyce?" he asks with worry after his question goes unanswered for a second time.
Her big eyes flicker into his with surprise and confusion, making him chuckle and wonder where her head just was.
"Huh?" she asks, scrunching her nose in a very adorable way.
"Do you need help getting inside?" he asks for a third time, though he knew the answer now.
"Oh, uh, no. I can walk." she says, her hands fumbling to find the handle. She finally manages to push the door open but practically falls halfway out of the truck into Hopper's waiting arms.
"Oh, you're fast." she breathes out, their faces dangerously close. She wasn't sure if it was their proximity or if it was because she was finally standing up but she felt considerably more intoxicated.
"Let's hope that's the last time you say that." he mumbles the innuendo as he steadies her on her feet. She blushes at the comment and holds onto his hands tightly which are holding her waist.
Slowly but surely, he guides her into her house, fumbling briefly at the locked door but successfully got Joyce safely into the warm, dark house.
As soon as the door was closed, Jim felt Joyce's fists grab his shirt and pull him towards her. He was thrown at first, thinking it was an act of passion but quickly understood that it was fear. Her eyes squeezed shut and her breathing was quick and hard as she attempted to bury her face into his chest.
"Hey, it's okay." he says, reaching out to flick on a light, illuminating them.
He watches as she takes in her surroundings, her eyes flickering to each corner of the room and landing on the spot in the wall that she had driven an axe into just months ago when she thought Will was on the other side.
"Joyce, you're safe now. I promise." he tells her softly, his arms still wrapped around her. She sniffles and looks up at him.
"Thank you." she whispers, a final tear slipping down her cheek which he quickly wipes away with his thumb before he could process what he was doing. Her eyes take a darker tone and she looks confused as she looks at him.
"I think you're beautiful." she says to him, her fingers playing with the fabric of his shirt. He chuckles and shakes his head.
"You're not gonna like that you said that to me tomorrow." he tells her, earning a soft giggle from her.
"Maybe." she says simply, her eyes still staring into his intensely.
"Let's get you to bed." he says, guiding her towards her room. He picks out a set of pajamas for her as she flips down onto the bed on top of the covers.
"I don't think you want my help changing." he says, setting the pile of clothes down next to her on the bed.
She smiles up at him, the mischievous twinkle back in her eyes as her teeth catch her bottom lip.
"Maybe I do, chief." she breathes out making Jim stop in his tracks. There it was again.
His pants were painfully tight now, which she did seem to notice with a quick glance and widening eyes. 
"Uh, no, no, I don't think you do." he chuckles awkwardly as she rises to her knees, still noticeably intoxicated. Her hands reach out and grab him by his belt loops.
Her eyes locked on his, she gives a gentle tug, bringing him closer to her. She watches him swallow hard as his eyes flicker to her lips. She was aware of the hold she had on him, how he was wrapped around her finger.
"I make you nervous." she whispers, their foreheads almost touching. He could feel the heat of her breath against his cheek and he was sure his heart was about to burst with the speed it was pumping.
All he can manage is a weak smile and firm nod.
"Undress me or i'll undress myself." she says before she can chicken out. She could feel the way the alcohol was affecting her, making her brave and filterless. And she was going to take advantage of that.
"Joyce, you're drunk." was all he could think to say as he took a step back from her. It wasn't enough for her. She grabbed the bottom hem of her shirt, quickly pulled it up over her body and tossing it to the side as she watched Hopper's reaction. His eyes widen and his mouth drops slightly as he takes in a sight he had only seen in his wildest dreams.
A half naked Joyce, her perfect breasts encased in a black lace bra as she sits on her knees in front of him on the bed.
"Joyce," he whispers, taking another step back. Her hands begin to undo her pants and Jim was torn. His mind was yelling at him to step out, give her some privacy, but he couldn't seem to get his feet to move, couldn't seem to get his eyes to look away out of respect like he knew he should.
And just like that, his internal battle had taken too long and she was pulling her pants down her porcelain legs, revealing her matching panties. Joyce giggles wildly as she throws her pants at him and sprawls out across the bed, bouncing slightly.
The feeling of fabric smacking his face broke him from his trance like state and he was reminded that Joyce was not in her right mind and wouldn't want him just standing there watching her undress herself.
"Alright, Joy, time for bed." he says, pulling down the covers and helping her slip under them. Her hands were a bit adventurous during this, trying to slip under his shirt or graze across his lower region, most of which Jim was able to deflect. He ended up pinning her wrists above her head with one hand while his other hand began to pull the covers over her.
"I always imagined this is what it'd be like." her voice broke through his thoughts. He looks at her with confusion and with a smile on her face, she looks pointedly at her restrained hands.
"Ah, so you have thought of it." he says with a smirk as he releases her and takes a seat beside her on the bed, facing her.
"More than you think." she says, her eyes slipping shut but the soft smile remained on her face.
This comment makes Jim's cheeks burn and he's thankful that her eyes are closed so she doesn't catch it.
"Joy?" he begins gently, earning a soft hum in return.
"Why were you there? At Joe's tonight?" he asks gently, not wanting to push her. Her eyebrows scrunch together and he immediately regrets asking.
"I think about Bob a lot." she whispers, breaking his heart for many different reasons.
"It was the guilt that drove me there tonight." she says simply, her eyes never opening. This confused him.
"Joyce, what happened...it wasn't your fault. You know that, right?" he asks, his hand gently brushing her hair from her face. Her eyes flutter open and look into his with a look that almost shattered his heart completely.
"It's not that." she whispers with guilt.
"I..." she starts shakily, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"I f-feel bad...because I couldn't love him the way he loved me." she finishes softly, the tears welling up in her eyes again.
"He knows you loved him-" Hopper tries but she cuts him off.
"He knew I loved you more."
Those six words gave him the biggest shock to the system he's ever experienced. Her eyes bore into his, watching his reaction closely.
"You...love me?" he asks, not sure if the alcohol in her system is making her feel things that aren't really there, or heightening something maybe she tried to keep buried within her.
Her lips pull up into a smirk as her eyes slip shut again.
"Maybe." she says simply, stretching her arms above her head. She turns her body to him and captures one of his large hands in her two small ones, playing nervously with his fingers.
"Well, I...maybe love you." he replies, unable to keep the smile from his lips. She smirks again getting lulled deeper and deeper into sleep as his free hand begins to play with her hair. And then, just before sleep has fully taken her, she mumbles her final words of the night to him.
"I know you do."

Okay there you have it! My first official Jopper fic. It will be a collection of one shots so if there's a scenario you want to see written leave it in the comments! Hope you enjoyed!! xx