Jopper : You make my heart skip a beat

Chapter 18

Hopper saw El smile happily, out of the corner of his eye. "What's made you so happy, El" Hopper chuckled, his hand still firmly clasped in Joyce's. Our hands are under the blanket...so that can't be why. So why is she smiling? Oh no...did she see me slip my hand under the blanket. She always been good at noticing things. But. She does seem happy. So if it is about us holding hands... maybe that's a good thing. But what if she mentions it. Joyce's hand would leave mine so fast I wouldn't even be able to comprehend what El said first. Please don't, El! Please, please don't!

"Oh nothing... I just love this movie." She smiled at them, turning back to the movie. I love El so much. And I love Joyce so much. 

Subconsciously, his grip tightened slightly in his overwhelming happy state. And once again, without thinking, he laced his fingers through hers. And she did the f*ing same!

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the blush she was trying to hide. Is she blushing. No...she's not. Why would she be blushing? It's probably just the heat coming from the fire.

Their fingers stayed intertwined throughout the rest of the movie. El and Will were smiling and laughing while watching the movie, eyes permanently glued to the tv, unless they were reaching for their snacks or drinks on the coffee table in front of the couch. Hopper and Joyce on the other hand, did anything but focus on the movie. The only thing they could both actually focus on was their hands. 

Hopper loved her small hand in his large one. I love the way her fingertips are cold and soft, but her palm is warm and welcoming. I love the way her cheeks turn a pale pink when I smile at her. I love the way she smiles while watching El and Will cuddle close together protectively, like siblings. I love the way she laughs at the tv like there isn't a care in the world. I love the way her hair falls down her shoulders so freely. I love the way her nose scrunches up when she smiles or laughs or is beyond confused. I love those beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. I could get lost in forever. I love her. She's imperfectly perfect. She's Joyce Byers. She's my Joyce.

The four of them, even if for just a short time, forgot all their worries and troubles and enjoyed the family time, smuggled up on the couch together during one of the coldest snowstorms Hawkins has ever seen.

When one of the kids absolute favourite scenes come up, and they get fully immersed in the movie, Hopper looks over at Joyce and now can't pull his eyes away from her. He just stares at her with heart eyes. God she is my weakness. I just melt into a puddle of love when I'm around her. And I'm pretty sure everyone except for Joyce has noticed by now, judging off the looks they give me when I'm with her. She'll be the death of me. But I still love her for it.

Joyce catches him staring at her and turns to face him. Speaking quietly, so as not to interrupt the movie. "What?" He just stared at her, love in his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She questioned, she scrunched up her nose in confusion as she stared him down.

Her scrunched up nose is so damn cute! Without thinking. Without realising what he was about to say, could ruin just about everything he had in his life. Without comprehending the words he was about to say, could turn his whole life upside down in a good way or a bad way. 

"You're so f*ing beautiful, Joyce." He whispered, his voice thick with lust and desire. 

She stared at him. Shock overtaking her face. Hopper, realising w he just said turned beet red. He was about to attempt to fix his horrible mistake, when he got interrupted by extremely loud music. The movie had ended and the final credits were rolling. 

"Can we play a board game now, mom?" Will asked, clearly unaware of their current situation. Joyce recovered herself, all traces of her earlier shocked expression, now gone. "Um... yeah sure, honey." 

Joyce gently slid her hand out from Hoppers as she stood, lifting the blanket with her, so as not to raise suspicion amongst the two young teenagers. Oh no. Oh sh*! I really have ruined everything! I f*ed up so bad, now! What am I going to do!? I can't exactly recover from that!

Joyce spoke to Will catching Hopper's attention. "What game to you wanna play?" She asked, walking over to a stack of family board games on a side table beside the fireplace. "How about Pictionary?" El asked. God she loves that game. She is too good at it. 

Will was the first to speak, excitement building up. "Yes! I'm El's partner!" Hopper, still sitting in his same position on the couch, knowing this was going to happen, said "Hey, now, that's hardly fair. We all know El's the master at this game and whoever her partner is, ends up on the winning side." He said in a light-hearted manner, a smile on his face throughout his entire argument.

El knowing he was joking, she giggles and added, "You snooze, you lose!" El and Will ran to the large table and started setting up the board game. Hopper stood slowly, avoiding eye contact with Joyce. I don't want to f* this up more! I can't do that to myself or Joyce or the kids. I need to apologise.

He broke the awkward silence with a half-hearted chuckle, saying, "I guess that makes us partners." She smiled up at him with a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Yes, I believe so... and we are going to win!" She giggled, her nose scrunching up making him blush lightly. 

"So here's the plan..." she continued describing their best strategy to win the game. God she is so obsessed with winning and it's so hot. No stop, Hopper! That's what got you into that mess earlier. Focus on the game. And her cute smile. Stop!

They joined the kids at the table. "Right, we'll go first." El said turning to Will. "You ready?" Will questions the adults as El grabbed a marker. Joyce smiles brightly at her son before replying, "Yeah!" El, being ever the competitive player, just like myself and Joyce and all her friends, added cockily, "Get ready to lose!"

Hopper smirked at her then looked to Joyce, raising an eyebrow. "You wish!" He said, reaching under the table and squeezing Joyce's hand lightly. 

And she f*ing squeezed back. Their hands didn't slip away as El started drawing furiously as Will started to guess. "A fish!?" He guessed wildly as El never stopped her marker from flying across the page.

Hopper pulled on Joyce's hand gently, making her lean closer to him, as her ear was inches from his lips. "I think we've got this." His voice was so quiet, she barely heard. 

Hopper was trying his very best, not to kiss Joyce in that moment. I can't f*ing kiss her. Our kids are right there! And I know for a fact, that she definitely wouldn't want to kiss me. I'd be embarrassed beyond salvation and... just...broken.

But little did Hopper know...how much the Joyce Byers. Wanted to kiss him at that moment.