Ø17

1

She smiles.

The first thing she does every time she hears Jim Hopper's voice is smile. It's something she was hearing more often since he helped reduce the miracle of a girl, Eleven. The young girl has saved their asses so many times in the past two years, and they couldn't be more thankful. 

Joyce Byers leaned along her beat up pinto outside Hawkins Middle School, where there was a dance being held. She still felt anxious about her son, Will, being left by himself, even if he was with friends. The lingering thought of Bob being mauled by the demodogs made her dissociate from her surroundings, until a familiar sweet voice snapped her out of it.

"Hey"

Joyce popped up hearing Hopper's voice. "Hey."

"I thought I might find you out here." He says knowingly.

Joyce smiled. "Yeah, Will wanted me to give him some space. So I'm giving him a few feet." She replied back, realizing her baby boy was growing up. 

Hopper smiled, his hands searching his pocket. "What do you say?" He pauses."I'm pretty sure Mr Cooper retired in the seventies." He walked up, and leaned on her car next to her with a cigarette in hand. "So I think we'll be alright." He mumbled, the cigarette in his mouth as he lights it. He takes an inhale, and hands it to Joyce willingly. She takes an inhale of the same cigarette, and coughs. Hopper's cigarettes were way stronger then her typical brand.  Joyce and Hopper stays in silence.

 "How you holding up?" Hopper asks, trying to break the quiet space between them. He takes back the cigarette and takes another puff.

"You know…" Joyce drifts off, biting her lip.

"I know. That feeling never goes away." He intervenes. "You know it is what they say  everyday it does get a little easier." He passes the cigarette back to her and she shakily inhales, her nerves getting the best of her. She pears up at him with sad doe eyes, tears threatening to spill. Her thoughts on Bob start overtaking her mind. Before she could fully break, Hopper wraps an arm around her tightly. She melts into his side. She holds his hand that had been placed on her arm gently. The hug in silence, forgetting the world for a moment. Hopper nuzzles his face into Joyce's hair. 

Joyce feels her nose run, and she wipes her nose, removing the blood dripping from her nose. 

Not again. This damn weather.

Hopper pulled away from her. "Oh, your nose is all bloody!" He grabbed an old handkerchief out of his pocket for accidents like this, and hands it to her. Joyce pinched her nose tightly, chuckling slightly. "I swear this cold weather is doing me in."

Hopper smiles worried at his best friend. "That and you're stressed Joyce. Come on, let's get in my car and turn the heat on."

Hopper holds Joyce's arm, helping her into the police vehicle passenger seat, then moves to the driver's seat. He starts the engine, and he turns on the radio to "Hot Blooded".

Well, I'm hot blooded, check it and see
I got a fever of a hundred and three
Come on baby, do you do more than dance?
I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded

"How ironic is that?"

Joyce laughed awkwardly with the handkerchief pinched at her nose. "Foreigner really knows how to add some irony to situations. Especially for stupid 
rendezvous like this." Hopper laughs and sings horrendously along to the song.

Now it's up to you, we can make a secret rendezvous
Just me and you, I'll show you lovin' like you never knew

Joyce moved the handkerchief and cleaned the blood as best as she could. "I think it stopped." She says, relieved. She turns to Hopper for assistance. "Is there blood on my nose?"

Hopper takes his sleeve and wipes a small part of the edge of her nose. "Not anymore."

Hopper takes the bloodied handkerchief between his two fingers and throws in an old plastic bag. "Now Joyce, are you sure you're okay?"

Joyce tugs at her coat. "I'll be fine Hop. Like you said, everyday gets a little easier. I promise I'll be okay."

"You're tough, Joyce. You've been through hell these past couple years You deserve a break from all of this." Hopper remarks. 

"I wish it were that easy Hop." Joyce sighs sadly, and leans into his shoulder. "I knew this would hurt, but I feel like it should've been me who died."

Hopper holds her tighter in his arms. "No. You lived for a reason. Bob would want you to keep going, for the boys. He's seen how much you love your sons, and how empathetic you are with people. He'd want you to continue on, even if it was without him."

Joyce's emotions weighed heavy on her heart, and her throat started to choke up. "Then why do I feel so guilty? I just want a normal life, but every bad thing seems to be thrown at us all at once and-"

Her voice breaks and she can not continue. Tears finally spill down her cheeks in angry streaks. "I hate this." She finally lets out  letting herself fully cry. Hopper holds her tightly in the warm vehicle, wishing life would be easier for her from this moment forward.

But boy was he wrong.