Playing House - [Jopper] ✓

Just Too Good at Goodbye

This was it. Hopper was packing up and getting ready to return back home. Back home, back to work, back to the real world. He couldn't live on Joyce's couch forever, even though if she had asked him to... he would do it in a heartbeat.

Joyce didn't want to admit it but she cried in the shower that morning. It hurt her heart to know he wouldn't be there anymore. He'd be around but he wouldn't be there to enjoy breakfast with her or to watch a movie at night beside her.

It wasn't a matter of him taking care of Will that she would miss, even though she definitely would miss the help. She would miss him.

--

"Hey, buddy." Hopper said as he held Will in his arms. The baby stared up at him with beaming brown eyes.

"I had a lot of fun with you this week. I didn't expect to like this so much." Hopper laughed quietly as the baby grabbed towards his beard.

"I started to feel like we're all a real family. I'm really gonna miss it here, I'll miss all of you." Hopper said as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'll be around though. I promise I won't let you down, I don't ever want you to have to look at me like your dad. I'll always be here for you, kiddo." He sighed as he brushed down the baby's hair with his palm.

Hopper gently set Will back down in his bassinet before finding Joyce in the kitchen.

--

"Alright uh... I'm off." Hopper said with a deep breath. He felt like his heart was stuck his throat.

"I really, really can't thank you enough for this, Hop." Joyce said as she forced a sad smile. She couldn't ask him to stay, he had gotten her back on her feet... he did what he came to do. She couldn't let false domesticity do this to her.

"Don't worry about thanking me, Joyce. I did this because I care about you and the boys. I want you safe and comfortable. Please make sure you get good rest, alright?" Hopper asked as he squeezed her shoulder.

Joyce nodded in response. "I'll go get Jonathan." She said quietly before trailing off to her eldest's room.

When she was out of his sight, Hopper groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. This was harder than he thought.

--

Hopper stood by the door as Joyce came back with Jonathan.

Kneeling down to the little boy's height, Jim smiled and patted his shoulder.

"I had a lot of fun this week, kid. Be good for your mommy, alright?" Hopper smiled and ruffled his hair.

"I'll be good. I promise. Thank you for reading to me this week. I really liked it." Jonathan's voice was shaky, almost as if he was going to cry. The same way Joyce had looked as she stared down at the two.

"Goodbye, buddy." Jim said with a sad face.

"Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting." Jonathan repeated from the book Hopper read to him.

Joyce heard the sharp inhale of a pained breath from Hop. He was looking up at the ceiling while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Joyce pulled Hopper into a vice-like hug, hiding her face from him. "Thank you so much." She whispered.

"Anytime, Sweetheart. Anytime." Hopper said as he rubbed her back.

"Alright. I uh... I guess I should get going." Hopper said as he nervously pointed towards his blazer.

"Goodbye, Hopper." Joyce said sadly.

"Goodbye, Joyce." Hopper said with a deep breath as he turned to the door. Grabbing his bag, he walked out and shut the door behind him.

Joyce felt her heart speed up when the door shut. She was gonna be sick if she stood there any longer.

Running towards the door, swung it open. "Hopper, wai—mmpf"

She couldn't finish her sentence before Hopper clasped her face gently in his hands, pressing his lips to hers.

They stood there in the cold for what felt like years as they kissed. Neither of them could bring themselves to end it.

Once she pulled away, Joyce looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Don't go, Hop, please." She cried as she held onto him like her life depended on it.

Hopper looked down at her with a sad expression. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't get my feet to move. I tried but I just couldn't." He said as his chest pounded from loss of breath.

Before either of them could say another word, Joyce pulled him down and smashed her lips to his.

He didn't leave, he never left. He was home now.