Stonathan ❤️

41

NOT MINE!!

all credits go to wolfish_willow on ao3

"Shoot," Joyce said as she dropped her keys on the way into the house.

It was just one of those days. She was glad to finally be home, but she would really appreciate it if she could relax and stop dropping her things. Sighing, she closed the door behind her and picked the keys up off the floor. It occurred to her she might have a better time finding them in the morning if she left them there, but it was too late now. She was committed.

Hopefully tomorrow she would remember that she'd put them on the couch with her purse and jacket.

"Will?" she called softly, looking in at the kitchen table in case he was drawing there before she remembered he was at Mike's again today. It was still hard, letting him out of her sight. It took everything in her not to lock him away. The world had been so hard on him. She hated how she worried when he was gone, but it was something she was learning to deal with. It would be worse for everyone if she gave into that fear.

As much as he would always be her little boy, he wasn't twelve anymore. She didn't keep him home before, and she wasn't about to start now even if it meant she had to pick up an extra pack of smokes to keep herself calm.

Joyce grabbed the pack and a lighter out of her purse and was heading to the backdoor when she heard it. She'd been so lost in thought over Will, she hadn't noticed music playing somewhere in the house.

Setting her things on the counter, she walked back out of the kitchen and into the main room. It had to be coming from Jonathan's room. When she thought back on it, his car had been out front when she pulled in. She rubbed a hand across her forehead, sighing. While she'd been worrying about her youngest, she'd hardly given Jonathan a second thought and it stung to realize it wasn't the first time, and probably wouldn't be the last. He was so independent. Had been for so long, too long. Since before she kicked Lonnie to the curb. It made it so easy for her to focus everything on Will but it wasn't fair.

He was nearly an adult now, just about ready to break free of this town and the people and the craziness that came with it. It was a waiting game at this point to see which colleges he was accepted to, but there was no doubt in her mind he would get into his dream school. When that happened, she worried that he would get away and stay away. At the same time, she worried he wouldn't, that he would let her and the kids and the Upside Down/government conspiracies hold him back.

She didn't plan to let that happen, but if—when—she succeeded in convincing him to go, if he needed convincing, then these were the last few months she would have the chance to see him and spend time with him regularly. It wasn't time to waste by smoking in the backyard before she even poked her head in to say hello when she got home.

As Joyce got closer to his room, she knitted her eyebrows at the distinctly pop music coming from it. She didn't think she'd ever heard... Was that Abba? She didn't know if Jonathan could even say their name without rolling his eyes. What was he doing listening to it in his room?

Shaking her head, she rapped her knuckles in a quick double knock.

A muffled, "Yeah?" came from the other side of the door and that was all the permission she needed to poke her head inside.

She paused part way in at the sight of her son laying sprawled across the bed on his stomach with Steve Harrington mirroring him. There was a pile of photographs between them at the foot of the bed.

They hadn't been at odds in a long time, not even after whatever happened between the two of them and Nancy last year. But this was the first time she'd seen the two of them together outside of how-to-make-sure-the-world-doesn't-end meetings.

"Hey Mrs. Byers," Steve smiled. He leaned most of his weight on one elbow so he could lift his other hand in a wave.

She returned both the wave and the smile. "Steve, it's nice to see you."

When she looked at Jonathan, she warmed at how relaxed his face was. There were no lines creasing his forehead. His shoulders weren't hunched downwards or up to his ears. He looked happy.

She felt the smile on her face grow wider.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know I was home. So, hi sweetie," she paused, hoping she hadn't embarrassed him with the pet name, but he gave her one of his small smiles.

"Hi back," he said with a wave of his own.

"I'll leave you guys alone. You're welcome to stay for dinner if you'd like, Steve."

He looked at Jonathan who shrugged and nodded. Turning back to her with a nod of his own, Steve agreed. "Yeah, thanks. Sounds good."

"Great. Have fun, I'll let you know when dinner's ready."

She backed out of the room and closed the door. Hand pressed to the wood, she stood there for a moment, listening to the sounds of Abba and some laughter float out. It felt like there was a balloon expanding in her chest, a warmth spreading through her because Jonathan had a friend. She couldn't remember the last time he had anyone over like this before. Not even when he was a kid. He'd never had a close relationship with other kids, not like Will had with his friends. Not with anyone.

Soaking in the sound of their laughter, definitely Jonathan's this time, she breathed deep and left the hallway. She had some dinner to go make.