The many sides of jim hopper

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Jonathan Byers couldn't put his finger on the exact day that his mom started dating Jim Hopper. Their relationship developed slowly over time until one day it occurred to Jonathan that he saw the grumpy police officer as much as he saw his mother. He wasn't sure what to think of the budding relationship. His mother did not have the best luck with men. Jonathan grew up watching his father mistreat and abuse her. After Lonnie left, Joyce was single for years and it was just the three of them. Life was hard but Jonathan wouldn't have it any other way. Everyone was better off with Lonnie out of the picture even if it meant working like a dog to make ends meet. Sure, he and Joyce constantly had dark circles under their eyes and lost sleep over the checkbook. But they walked a little taller, breathed a little easier, and laughed a little more now that Lonnie didn't darken the front door.

For years, they lived in a routine that rotated around their small unit. Jonathan was in charge of breakfast and getting Will up for school. Joyce went into work early and took care of dinner. Jonathan went to class and his after school job immediately afterwards. He tried to get home for dinner but that didn't always work out. Will's job was to help with chores and to be a kid. It was very important to both Joyce and Jonathan that Will be a kid for as long as possible. Jonathan's childhood was short-lived if not nonexistent. Joyce knew that her oldest grew up too fast and it made her a little bitter. If it bothered Jonathan, he never complained. It was one of the traits that Joyce admired most of her oldest son.

Despite all of their efforts, Will's childhood came crashing to a halt on that fall night in 1983.

The fallout from that night seemed to be never ending. The nightmares came every night without fail. And they didn't only visit Will. Before that night, Jonathan didn't think he took advantage his family. But that week embedded a sense of loyalty and protectiveness that was sure to never leave. Over time, The Byers fell back into a routine. But this routine deviated from the previous one. Jonathan would not take an extra shift and leave Will alone at night. Joyce was sure to have tabs on both of her boys at all times. And then one day, Bob Newby walked into their lives.

Jonathan kept Bob at arm's length. The man made is mom laugh, which didn't happen often. He was nice to Will and seemed to respect the family dynamics. But Jonathan was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. He was waiting for Bob to stumble in drunk late one night. He was waiting for him to lose his temper and throw something. He was waiting for him to snap at Joyce. But it never came. By the time Jonathan realized that Bob was a genuinely good guy, it was too late. He would never be able to thank Bob for saving his mom and brother.

This time the fallout was different but still tough. The house was filled with tension and sadness. Considering how much time he spent observing people, Jonathan couldn't figure out if his mother had loved Bob and was mourning the loss of the relationship or if she was sad that such a good person was needlessly taken from this world. It was probably both. She put on a brave face, but between Will's bad dreams and Joyce's tears no one got much sleep.

But just like the previous year, The Byers fell into a routine again. Work. School. Family time. Both Jonathan and Will spent more time at The Wheelers for different reasons. Joyce breathed a little easier knowing that when Will was at his friend's house Jonathan was there as well. And then the routine started to shift. It started out innocently enough. Hopper would bring El by to see her friends. Or Joyce would drive Will and Mike out to the cabin. Over time, the afternoon visits would turn into all day hang out sessions. Then one night, El fell asleep on the couch and Joyce suggested that they stay the night. For the first time in weeks, everyone slept through the night.

Jonathan liked to think that he was cautious of Hopper, but all things considered it was hard to not approve of the man who had saved his brother's life. He had to admit that Hop had more going for him then Joyce's previous boyfriends. Bob might have been the nicest guy in the world, but a blind man could see that Hopper and Joyce shared many life experiences. Jonathan wasn't dumb or blind. No one would understand his mother and why she was the way she was like Hopper did. The same went for Hopper. Joyce may not have lost her child, but she came close to losing both of her boys more than once. They both had baggage, but his damaged parts matched hers. In more than one way, they were healthy for each other.