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allonsysilvertongue · 7 years

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Here’s a prompt: Jopper + new year’s eve celebration

I had a lot of fun writing this. Thanks for the prompt, anon!

Hawkins: The Upside - 1985

Hopper couldn’t remember thelast time he had celebrated New Year. Before he lost Sarah probably, when heactually had something to look forward to when a fresh year came. When he returnedto Hawkins in ’79, his life had spiralled out of control too much for suchtrivial things like New Year celebrations to be a feature.

Letting ’84 dissolve behindhim without much fanfare was more than acceptable to him except now, there wasEl.

Despite her special psychicabilities that set her apart, Hopper actually wanted her to have a life fromhere on out that would be as normal as possible. And normal teenagers celebrateNew Year.

It started then with a simple ‘you could invite Mike’. That somehowreached Will’s ears who in turn talked about it to Dustin and Lucas. Of course,Lucas told Max and Dustin… Well, he told Steve about it.

(Hopper still wasn’t quitesure how that friendshipcame to be but fighting alternate dimension monsters together probably bonded them).

“I heard it from Will. He saidMike told him. You’re gonna ask me how Mike knows right? That’s ‘cause El askedhim to come for Chief Hopper’s party.”

“I don’t buy it,” Stevesnorted derisively. “The Chief’s known for being a party pooper, always shuttingdown parties whenever one of us threw it. Cause we’re too loud or some shitlike that.”

Dustin rolled his eyes andshot back, “if you don’t believe me then come see for yourself, asshole.”

“His gotta be boring,” Stevecontemplated. “What’s the Chief listening to anyway? Does he even know music?”

When Joyce’s car finallyemerged through the woods in front of his cabin, Hopper already had five kidsin there. Will walked up to his door as Joyce trailed after her son.

“You’re here so you got tostay.”

He kept his voice steady soshe wouldn’t know that he needed heraround but if the way one side of her lip curled up in obvious amusement wasanything to go by, Joyce could see through his bullshit.

“They’re yours now,” sheteased.

“Oh, come on,” he let out abreath, opting now to be open about his struggle. “I can’t deal with them allon my own. What am I gonna do until midnight?”

She shrugged, not letting himoff the hook that easily.

“Bet my hat you have nothingbetter to do anyway.”

Joyce glared. It was adorablethat she thought he would back down just because a five foot tall woman wasglaring at him.

Hopper opened the door wider,grinning.

“You’re insufferable. I havelaundries to fold, you know, and I was looking forward to a nice, quiet night.”

“No, you don’t. You’ll spendthat time, in your own head, worrying.”

The look she shot him told himthat he was right. The moment she came in, El came forward to give her a hugwhich she returned with such warmth.

Joyce took in the sight of hishouse. Hopper had tried to make thehouse look a little festive back during Christmas. He didn’t think he hadsucceeded much but there was a Christmas tree which El had a good timedecorating and to him that was all that mattered.

Since the six children wereoccupying the sitting room in an intense game of Dungeons & Dragons whilethe television was turned on for background noise, they both retreated to thekitchen.

“Got nothing fancy,” hegrumbled, tossing her a can of soda.

“Oh, well, I clearly made amistake. I should have just gone to the Wheelers. Karen would have given mewine or champagne. That, I imagine,is how New Year is celebrated.”

Hopper crinkled his nose.“You’re not that funny.”

“That wasn’t what you thoughtof me back when you were sitting next to me in detention,” she said slyly.

“I was young and stupid,” he retorted, taking thesoda back from her to exchange it for beer but she swatted his hand and tookback the soda.

She stood there in hiskitchen, her eyes twinkling in mirth from their exchange, and a thought flashedbriefly through his mind – Lonnie’s anidiot.

Close to 11.00 pm, Nancy andJonathan dropped by, surprising both adults especially Hopper who firstly,clearly did not recall inviting them and secondly, at their age, he would havebeen at a party one of the high school kids would have thrown.

“Powell broke it up. There wasa fight,” Jonathan explained.

Jonathan and Nancy shuffledawkwardly inside. The last time they were here, they had been trying to get theMind Flayer out of Will, not a pleasant memory to associate with a place.

Returning back to the kitchen,Hopper’s eyes strayed to Will.

“Your boy looks… healthier.”

“He does, doesn’t he? He needsto eat a little bit more but I’m afraid he will always just be scrawny,” Joycesmiled, rubbing her hand up and down her folded arms.

Sometimes, Hopper couldn’thelp thinking that she was trying to make herself as small as possible, toshrink away from the world until it was only her and the two boys, someplaceshe could keep them safe.

“He still has nightmares,” shegave up that information out of the blue. “Nothing as bad as the episode twomonths ago but the nightmares didn’t stop.”

“El has them too,” he informedher, watching her take a sip from the soda. “Dealing with kids havingnightmares about aliens… I think that’s going to be our new normal, Joyce.”

She snorted loudly, choking onher drink. Hopper handed her a napkin. The sound had attracted Jonathan’sattention and he shot them both a curious glance, his eyes shifting from hismother to Hopper. He said nothing.

At some point from when hisbrother was taken to now, Jonathan had come to accept that Hopper was going tobe a strange part of his life.

Ever since El, Hopper had beenover at the Byers’ place a couple of times to drop her off when he had to worknight and when he picked El up in the morning, they often stayed, at Joyce’sbehest for breakfast – him and El, together with the three Byers. It felt alittle dysfunctional but it also almostfelt as if they were a family, one that could make it work. Hopper refused todwell on such thoughts. Nothing will come out of it.

“Do you really think it’sgone, Hop? That Mind – Mind Flayer…”

He let out a breath. He wasn’tplanning on having this sort of discussion today but today being the last dayof the year…. A lot of reflection going on. A good, nice man would have takenpains to assure her and comfort her that the danger was gone, even if it meantlying to her, but Hopper didn’t truly believe that they were out of the woods.He didn’t speak of this to anyone, not even to Joyce for fear of worrying herneedlessly, but truthfully, a part of him was waiting for the other shoe todrop.

Getting El settled to a lifehere in Hawkins had been a challenge but it was a good one. Christmas had beenquiet and enjoyable. In less than an hour, they would be ushering in the NewYear and yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something might go wrongsomewhere. At any moment now, something would fuck him over. He was sure of it.

It was a depressing thoughtwhich was why he kept it to himself and he hated how vulnerable he felt.

“She closed the gate, Joyce,but that thing… it’s still out there, right? It’s still…. We didn’t kill it. Wedidn’t end the threat. We just trapped it there.”

He heard the strangled intakeof breath and he wished he hadn’t opened his mouth. Instinctively, like he haddone that night on the Snow Ball, Hopper put an arm around her, the cigarettehe was smoking to warm himself up, dangled from his finger. Just like that night,Joyce leaned into him.

“But the gate’s closed,” hewent on, dropping a kiss to her head, a silent apology. “Maybe I’m just beingparanoid.”

“You have a cause to be. Youand me, both. What if it comes back for Will or Jane? Oh god, Hopper,” shefisted his shirt in distress, “I can’t go through that again. I can’t watchWill go through that again.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” he squeezedher arm lightly. “Nothing’s happened but if something goes after them, then wedo it together like we have before. Nothing’s changed, Joyce, I’m still in yourcorner.”

There was a time before whenhe had been sceptical but Joyce didn’t have to worry about that guy anymore. Hewas here a hundred percent. Even if his kid’s life wasn’t on the line, he wouldstill be here for Joyce.

She glanced up then and thesmile she gave him…. It made him want to do things to her, most of which, wouldbe inappropriate in a house filled with children.

He would have even kissed herif her boys were not currently sitting just outside the kitchen or if SteveHarrington had not choose that moment to walk through his front door causing arippled of excitement.

“You made it!” Dustinexclaimed.

“I heard here’s where themonster-killing squad is so,” he shrugged, “here I am.”

Hopper poked his head out ofthe kitchen just then to really make sure it was the Harrington boy in hiscabin.

“Hey, Chief, nice party,” hechuckled, looking for the alcohol. “Very… kid-friendly.”

Hopper rolled his eyes andretreated back to the kitchen where Joyce was still leaning against the counter,watching him with a hint of fondness in her eyes. At least that was what heliked to think it was, that some part of her was fond of him. It made him feeldesperate but with El around he kept thinking – wishing – that he had been given a second chance and that wouldinclude having a second chance with Joyce.

When the countdown started, heallowed Joyce to tug on his hand and followed her lead out. They hung behindthe group.

“3,” Nancy’s voice rang out.

The others picked up after her, “2!”

“Happy New Year,” the raucouscried broke through his cabin.

Hopper smiled, he couldn’thelp it. Being here in this room with a woman and children who had gone throughhell and survived…. They deserved this celebration.

“Happy New Year, Hop,” Joycestood on tip toes to kiss his cheek.

It was ridiculous how shortshe was and yet still so determined to reach him. He leaned down slightly andthe feel of her lips brushing against his stubble jaw made him closed his eyes.He reached out to touch her hip, just to hold her steady, nothing at all to dowith the fact that lately, he felt quite a need to touch her.

When he straightened up, hecaught sight of El and Mike, and he was quick to place a hand on El’s shoulder.He stared down at the boy.

Looking chastised, Mikecleared his throat, changed direction and much like Joyce had, kissed El on thecheek instead.

“Here’s to a monster freeyear!” Steve raised his own can of sofa.

Hopper could toast to that. Rememberingtheir earlier conversation, he glanced down at Joyce next to him. “We can hope,” he spoke softly.

“Time for firecrackers,” Lucasannounced and before he could get a word in, the kids were running out of hiscabin followed by the three teenagers at a languid pace.

Joyce shook her head. “Hop,this ragtag team… I can hardly believe they took down a species from analternate dimension.”

“The winner might just surprise you yet – it’ll make for a goodtagline for a movie.”

He was rewarded by Joyce’sdelightful laugh and in the middle of the night, in this New Year, it was anice sound to hear. Whatever 1985 had to offer, he was ready to face it with Eland with Joyce, and whatever it was they had between them.

I was aiming for light and fluff but it got a bit dark, as usual with my writing. Still, I hope that was an enjoyable read!

#jopper #mileven #jim hopper #joyce byers #steve harrington #asks #filed under: hawkins the upside

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