Smoke -- Jim Hopper

45. SUNSHINE

thanks  @TonyStark4ever for showing me where to find this GOLDEN pic like man🥴

Also thought it would be nice to stretch out this nice "honeymoon" phase of season 3 while I can :,-(((

This chapter is so fluffy you might drown in the fluff. Guess I'm making up for all the times I deprived you all in the past chapters lol

Also, the votes from the poll are pretty much dead now, so Nat will be sticking to Jim's plot with Joyce, Alexei, and Murray. However if you'd like me to make an alternate "mini-book" for the plot with Steve, Robin, Dustin, and Erika, let me know! :-)

As always thank you for reading, love you all

Not edited

Warnings: mentions of abuse and Jim being cheeky

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Sunshine peeked through the opaque curtains in the room Natalie and Jim shared. Natalie stirred in her sleep when she heard the subtle whine of a puppy next to her.

"Sam, please hold it for five more minutes," she muttered under her breath and cuddled closer to Jim who subconsciously wrapped his arms around her. She smiled and kissed his shoulder.

Sam whined again, much louder this time.

"That damn dog," Jim said, his voice raspy from sleep, "I got 'em, go back to sleep," he told Natalie as he got out of bed and led Sam out of the room and onto the front porch.

Natalie nodded and began to drift off back to sleep until a piercing headache seemed to appear out of nowhere and she winced. Now unfortunately awake she got up out of bed and led Bucky outside to go potty with Sam while she rubbed her temples.

"You okay?" Jim asked as he took a drag on his newly lit cigarette, the smoke curling from his mouth as he spoke.

"A little early for a smoke, yeah?" Natalie said as she continued to rub her temples. With a sigh she leaned against the railing of the cabin, "I'm fine, I just have a killer headache for some reason."

"Probably from all that sassin'," he said with a chuckle, his stormy blue eyes twinkling as he watched her reaction.

"Oh my gosh, it's literally six-thirty in the morning and you're already being this sarcastic, Chief, I'm appalled," Natalie replied with a wide grin.

Jim quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace, "you give sass, you get sarcasm, my dear."

Natalie rolled her eyes while she snaked her arms around his neck and pushed some of his hair away from his eyes. "You're too much for me Jim Hopper."

"And you're too much for me, Mrs. Hopper," he said cheekily and bowed his head to capture her lips with his.

"Not Mrs. Hopper yet," she said queitly with a soft smile before he kissed her.

"Hmm well that's going to change next month," he told her and pulled her in quickly to kiss her before she could speak again.

Natalie sighed and smiled into the kiss, wondering how she got so lucky.

"Okay, ew," a pitchy teenage voice interrupted them.

Natalie and Jim broke away to see Mike making a grossed out face at them before he quickly walked around them and into the cabin.

"You have got to be shitting me, that little son of a bitch," Jim growled and narrowed his eyes.

Natalie shrugged, "at least he's punctual."

"How many thirteen-year-old boys get up this early?" Jim said while shaking his head, "it's strange, like creepy strange."

Natalie laughed and then checked her watch, her eyes widened with alarm, "oh no, I'm late to work!" she yelped and raced back into the cabin, her eyes frantically searching for her scrubs. She managed to find a clean pair, they were the ones she had from vet school. She slipped them on and frowned when they felt a little tighter, considering she fit into them last month. "I really got to stop eating ice cream," she muttered to herself as she tied her shoes and went to grab her keys.

Jim gave her a whistle as she raced by him to get her car keys, "damn, your ass looks good," he said with raised eyebrows.

"Oh stop," she said, her face flushing a bright red as she grabbed an apple from their fruit bowl.

"Oh my gosh, El, your parents are disgusting," Mike said loudly from El's room and then both teens started giggling to each other.

Jim clenched his jaw and glared at El's door, "that kid, I swear," he trailed off and then kissed the top of Natalie's head, "have a good day at work," he said and then patted her bum.

"Jim!" Natalie yelped and let an awkward laugh, her face even redder than before. She looked at her watch again and groaned before running out the door and waving to Jim.

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Work was more awful again than usual. The hospital was full of dogs that had gotten overheated, so that meant more fluids, awful. Some kid also brought in his pet rat, which Natalie only took a look at after he paid her twenty bucks, she was not a big fan of rodents. Needless to say, the rat had rabies or something and she put it down. That resulted in the kid crying and both of his parents yelling at her. Finally, she had a run in with Max's older brother, Billy. Something about that kid really ticked her off. Especially since he managed to hit one of his neighbor's dogs with his car.

The dog thankfully was okay, only needed some stitches and had a broken toe. Currently she standing across from Billy who was picking at the dirt under his nails.

"So, are you going to pay for this?" she asked referring to the Westie that was laying down on the examination table with his tongue out, panting, and a little out of it from the pain killers.

"Huh," Billy said and then turned his gaze onto the dog, "oh no, that mutt isn't mine."

Natalie clenched her jaw, feeling her blood start to boil, "look, Billy, you hit the dog you pay for the dog. I'm not letting you leave here until you do."

Billy groaned, "are you kidding me? That's bullshit!" he shouted, the vein in his neck popping out from anger.

"Sit your ass down, kid," she snapped and stepped around the table to confront Billy who weirdly listened to her, "you're a snotty seventeen-year-old who thinks he knows everything and can get away with everything because of the way he gets treated around this town. That does not fly with me," she raised her hand to point her finger at him, but he flinched. It was a little subtle, but she noticed it and immediately stepped back from him,  her heart hammering in her chest.

Billy's facade broke for a heartbeat and he then cleared his throat, "what? Cat got your tongue, Dr. Blackwood?" he sneered.

Natalie, still very shocked at his reaction didn't answer for a couple of seconds. Her memories of her own father hitting her resurfacing. She hoped to God that wasn't why Billy flinched but her gut told her she was right. She met his gaze, "you can work off the payment for the dog. I need a kennel tech."

"Are you sh-" Billy began.

"You have no other choice," she snapped back and folded her arms across her chest, "you just need to come by once a day in the morning, that's all."

Billy slid down further in his seat, "fine."

Natalie nodded, "good, now get out of here."

Billy quickly stood from the seat and stormed out of her clinic.

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So Billy and Nat have a connection now, what do you guys think? :-)