Jonathan Byers x Reader

Take my picture? - P.24

Policemen quickly exited their vehicles leaving the flashing lights still on frantically providing lights to the once calm pathway to the Byer household. Your eyes scanned the faces of each man who passed by Jonathan's car paying you no attention as some stayed near Joyce while the others continued down toward the lit up house. Between the sounds of the police cars and the side conversations of what appeared to be every member of the police department in town it was near impossible to hear what was being said to Jonathan and Joyce in that moment. 

Squeezing the handle of the door tightly, you watched the expressions of the mother and son who seemed to be preparing for the absolute worst. It had been days since Will disappeared and it was a fact that every day he had been gone the chances of finding him alive became lower and lower. 

It felt like a lifetime had gone by as you kept your eyes on mostly Jonathan's face waiting for any sign of good or bad news from the police offer talking to them. Though, it was until Officer Hopper appeared in the small group that the news had finally been delivered. 

Jonathan's eyes instantly squeezed shut as he desperately held on to his now panicking mother. She extended her arms in his embrace and began to yell frantically at the police officer almost as if she didn't believe a word he was saying. 

"He was just trying to communicate with me!" you thought you heard her yell through all of the commotion. 

She looked desperate even almost crazy as she tried to explain things that you couldn't quite make up from the safety of the car. Hopper put a hand on Jonathan's shoulder as he reluctantly let go of his mother surely to let her react appropriately and stop her from hurting herself by being restrained. 

Straightening up in your seat, you watched as Jonathan made his way to the driver's side of the car once again as the surrounding policemen ushered his mother back toward the house that seemed a little off itself. 

You remained silent as Jonathan opened the door and slid back into his seat moving the car slowly toward the front of the house careful not to hit any person walking around the front. Hectic wasn't a strong enough word to describe the scene and the whole ride to the house seemed like something out of a dream. 

"Please don't leave me." Jonathan choked out in the silence of the vehicle before exiting from his seat not even waiting for an answer. 

It was obvious that he knew you would stay until he asked you to leave even if it took days to happen. Tonight would be a night that it wouldn't be safe for either member of the Byer family to be alone. 

Removing your seat belt, you quickly opened the door leaving the warmth of the car behind to enter into the cool air that seemed even more harsh tonight sending an unwelcoming shiver across your skin. 

Joyce, standing in the living room explaining something that made no sense to Hopper, refused to sit down or even think about relaxing even for a moment. Jonathan stood near the entrance of the living room unsure of where to go or how to act. He looked almost frozen and numb refusing to show any signs of emotion as he watched his mother have a meltdown. 

Taking your place near the kitchen in an attempt to stay out of the way, you couldn't help but immediately notice the extreme amount of christmas light dangling from the ceiling stretched to every inch of the house and even back the hallway. But what was even more strange was the alphabet pained on the wall ruining the wallpaper with thick letters that had lights strung around each letter. The house was a wreck as if there had been some sort of struggle that had been ignored by the severity of the situation regarding her sun. 

"He was talking to me!" Joyce's voice broke your thoughts.  "Through the lights!"

In that moment it all clicked with her statement. She had hung lights around her home in an attempt to speak to her missing son. She had truly gone off the deep end. 

Hopper and Jonathan both tried to reason with her though it was pretty pointless as she refused to see any logic or reason. After about fifteen minutes of arguing back and forth Jonathan retreated to his room unable to take one more second of the situation. As you were about to follow him, Joyce frantically ran to you putting both of her hands on your shoulders with a panicked look that instantly made you stiff.

"You believe right?" she asked with firmness and hope in her voice that at least one person would believe her tale. 

"Yes." you managed to say almost instantly not exactly having the heart to turn on her like the rest had. Though you did believe that she thinks Will attempted to speak with her even if in reality it was nothing more than a power shortage. Her expression instantly changed from one of despair to one of hope as she pulled you into a quick hug before returning to argue more with Hopper. 

Taking advantage of the argument, you quietly ducked out of the room and made your way back the hallway to where Jonathan's bedroom had been. The door had been closed for privacy though you didn't even bother knocking. 

Inside, he laid stretched out on his bed with his headphones covering his ears blasting one of his favorite songs in an attempt to drown out the noise. Small tears ran down his cheeks while he kept his eyes tightly closed absolutely refusing to open them no matter what. 

Closing the door gently behind you, you grabbed the blanket you had given him from the floor and brought it to the bed. Even when your body weight pressed against the mattress he stayed in the same position hurting so much that he couldn't function. Bringing the blanket over both of your bodies, you stayed still pressed beside him gently rubbing his stomach while still listening to the loud conversations happening in the living room.

~~~To be continued~~~