Maybe I'm a Mess

Maternal Instincts

Being the chief of police in Hawkins was rarely ever very grueling work. Up until his world turned upside down, literally, about a year ago, it was a walk in the park for Hopper. Still was. So it was no surprise when Hopper returned to his office, feeling dissatisfied with his work for the day. Small town police work was nothing compared to his short time in the city.
"Chief." Flo greets him as he removes his hat and shakes off the snow.
"Oh." she gasps at the gash on his forehead that was now leaking dark red into his eyebrow.
"Rough night?" she asks, still staring at his wound.
"Just a couple of drunks down by the river." he says with a wave of his hand, effectively ending her questioning.
"Oh. Well, just thought you should know that Joyce Byers called earlier today for you. Something about possible trespassers. Keep throwing rocks at her windows." Flo says, her eyes focused on the paperwork in front of her.
"Okay. I'll go by and check it out on my way home." Jim replies, gently sliding his hat back on his head and trying not to noticeably wince and the sharp pain in his head.
The drive to her house from the station was brief, made even briefer with his speeding. He wasn't worried or anything, it was probably just some teenagers, but he could never be too safe when it came to Joyce.
He knocked softly on her old door and waited patiently as he heard her quick footsteps reach the door. He couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face as she yanked the door open, the breeze making her hair flutter for a moment.
"Oh, Hop, thank god you're here." she breathes out with relief as she steps aside to let him in.
"Everything okay? Any broken windows?" he asks, taking a look around as he removed his hat.
"Not yet. But they've been throwing those damn rocks for-" she cuts herself off with a sharp gasp as Hopper turns to her.
"What happened? Who did that to you? Are you okay?" Joyce asks quickly as she rushes towards him, hands stretched out to cradle his face.
Hopper almost flinched away from her, caught off guard by the physical affection, even if it was probably just her maternal instincts kicking in.
"Oh, it's nothing, Joyce. Just some drunk assholes." Jim replies, waving her hands away from his face and turning away from her to look around the house.
"It doesn't look like nothing." Joyce continues, stepping back in front of him and grabbing his face again.
Jim paused, taking advantage of their close proximity, his eyes studying her face as she stared worriedly at his injury.
"Here, come take a seat in the kitchen, i'll grab the first aid kit." she says, finally looking at him as she begins to pull him into the kitchen by his right hand.
"Joyce, no, seriously i'm fine-"
His lame attempt to get away was cut off by Joyce's fierce glare, her right eyebrow raised in warning.
"Hop, that needs to be cleaned or it's gonna get infected." she says sternly before her gaze softens.
"Don't worry, Jim, i'll be gentle." she whispers playfully, a gentle smirk playing at her lips.
Was he crazy or was Joyce Byers actually flirting with him?
He shakily takes a seat, still processing her comment while she runs to grab the first aid kit. He quickly wipes the bead of sweat that's forming at his brow, accidentally smearing blood across his forehead in the process.
"Shit." he mumbles, quickly standing to wipe the blood from his hands. He truly didn't know how bad his cut was, having never looked at it.
"What happened?" Joyce asks, walking into the kitchen with a wet towel, ointment and bandages in her hands.
"Guess i'm bleeding more than I thought." Jim grumbles, drying his hands and returning to his seat.
Joyce grabs a chair and pulls it dangerously close to Jim's before taking a seat. Her knees find their place between his as she sets her supplies on the table.
"How did it happen?" she asks, staring at the gash above his eyebrow.
"Few drunk bastards down by the river. Things got a little out of hand and next thing I knew there was an empty beer bottle flying at my head." he says, staring into her eyes as she begins to gently wipe the blood away.
"Kinda lame, I know." he chuckles.
"Not lame. Brave." she says, her eyebrows scrunching together as she stares back into his eyes. He could stare into those big brown eyes for the rest of his life if she allowed him to.
"Will looks up to you because of that, you know." she continues as she squeezes ointment onto her finger.
"For getting beat up by drunks?" he asks jokingly, receiving a playful glare in return.
She gently begins to dab the cream onto his cut, her lips parting slightly in concentration. Her face was mere inches from his, so close that he could almost taste her sweet breath. One small movement could close the gap between them.
"You're the bravest man he's known. Like a superhero in his eyes." she finishes quietly as she wipes the cream from her finger with the towel.
"Superhero." Jim laughs, shaking his head.
"You don't give yourself enough credit." Joyce says with a sigh, pressing a bandage to his forehead.
"Look at me. I don't know what comics Will is into right now but i'm no super hero. I've never saved anyone. In fact, I seem to ruin everything I touch. I'm like a curse." he says, his eyes leaving hers to stare at his clasped hands.
"You have saved lives. You saved El's life. You saved Will from that monster." she says, grabbing his hands and flinching slightly at the memory of her baby hanging limp in those dark vines.
"You saved my life." she finishes softly, making him look up at her in surprise.
"I...when did I-"
"You believed in me. You saved my life that day. I mean it, Jim, I don't know where I would be without you." she tells him, her thumbs stroking the backs of his hands, making his heart flutter. Feeling brave, Jim reaches his hand to her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before grazing his thumb along her soft cheek. To his surprise her eyes slip shut and she leans into his touch, a soft sigh escaping her lips. It was now or never.
"Joyce, I...I've been meaning to tell you-"
"Mom! We're home!"
Will's voice calls out, making the two adults jump away from each other. Joyce quickly stands up and crossed the kitchen as if they had been caught doing something wrong.
"Hey, sweetie." Joyce says with a smile as Will walks into the kitchen followed by Jonathan who looks between the two suspiciously. That young boy was far too good at reading the room.
"Hey, chief." Will says, giving Jim a small wave before going to the fridge and grabbing a juice pack.
"Hey, kiddo." Jim replies, glancing at Joyce who was avoiding his gaze.
"How did you hurt your head?" the boy asks as he opens his drink.
"Oh, uh, bank robbery. Yeah, you should see the other guy." Jim says, glancing at Joyce with a soft smirk.
"Will, let's, uh...let's go listen to the new tape I got." Jonathan offers, giving Hopper and Joyce one final suspicious look before walking towards his room.
"Cool." Will says, following after him, leaving the two adults alone once again.
A pregnant pause followed their exit before Jim broke it by clearing his throat.
"Well I should, uh, probably get home." he says gruffly, standing from the table.
"Yeah, right. It's...it's late." Joyce agrees, finally glancing at him.
"Thank you for, uh..." he trails off, getting lost in her big eyes that now can't seem to leave his.
"Sure. Sure." she whispers, her eyes glancing to his lips involuntarily.
Jim hesitantly takes a step towards her, watching closely as her breathing picks up and a small blush creeps onto her cheeks. He gently cups her cheek again, feeling the warmth of her skin under his palm.
"Is this okay?" he asks, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in any way.
"Yes." she whispers almost breathlessly, her big eyes boring into his, looking darker than usual.
"W-What was it...you wanted to say?" she asks, looking a little disoriented.
Now it's his turn to blush.
"I was just gonna say...that..." he trails off. His heart had never raced like this before and he suddenly felt like a teenager asking his crush to prom.
"It's just me, Jim." she says with a soft smile, sensing his nervousness. He smiles widely.
"It is you. It's always been you." he whispers, shaking his head with disbelief. Her nose scrunches with confusion. Add that to the ever growing list of things that Jim Hopper loves about Joyce.
"I wanted to tell you that I think you're the most beautiful woman I have ever met." he begins slowly, taking her off guard.
"You're kind and caring and passionate. You've got so much love to give, despite everything. You're funny, you're stubborn as hell. You're my best friend."
His thumb brushes the skin of her cheek softly and though his heart was still racing, he had never felt more alive. She made him feel like life is worth living, something he hadn't felt since before Sarah.
"Jim." Joyce whispers, tears springing to her eyes.
"You don't have to say anything back I just-"
She cuts him off for the second time that night, but this time she did it by pressing her lips to his, her tiny fists pulling him by the collar of his shirt.
He hesitates at first with shock before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her even closer to him.
A soft moan escaped her lips as one of his hands grabs at her ass. The sound ignited a fire inside of him, making his body react in a way he had never experienced before. He knew if he didn't stop now, he would end up taking her right then and there on the dinner table.
"Fuck, Joyce." he gasps, pulling away from her, his eyes still closed as he tries to compose himself.
"Yeah. Fuck." she says softly, the sound of the vulgar word rolling off her tongue starting the fire up all over again. He groans softly as he rests his forehead against hers, his hands rubbing her back gently.
"You're my best friend too." she says finally, making him smile.
"Maybe more than..best friend." she says with a smirk, nudging him softly in his stomach.
"Definitely more." he says, going in for another kiss. This one was different from the last, both of them taking their time to explore each other.
His tongue lazily danced with hers as if they had been doing this for years. He would love to do this for years.
"I really should go." he mumbles against her lips. She hums in response as she tightens her hold on him. His hands roam her upper body, relishing in the fact that he has Joyce Byers pressed against his body.
"Really, I..." he mumbles, pecking her lips one last time before pulling away.
"I have to stop before I can't." he tells her honestly, his dark eyes staring into her lust filled ones. She bites her lip and smiles sheepishly.
"Don't." she says simply, her fingers playing with the fabric of his uniform. He groans and shakes his head with a smile.
"Don't tempt me, Byers." he tells her before moving out of her embrace to grab his coat and hat.
"Don't worry. We have plenty of time to finish what we started."