El faced Joyce with a beaming smile and said, "Joyce?" It was only now that Hopper realised, he had been staring at Joyce for the past few minutes. Doing nothing else, but looking at her. Oh no. I was staring at her again. In front of the kids. And it wasn't the same, normal look I gave her. The contained look that I use to keep my true feelings at bay. Hidden behind a look. No, this was different. It was deep. Filled with something I can't explain. Something I've felt for a long time. Since I first met her all those years ago. But wait... she was looking at me. At me. With something new, hidden deep within those chocolate brown eyes. Something I haven't seen before. We were staring into each other's eyes. Both filled with meaning and...love? She doesn't think like that. At least about me. But those eyes...was it because of what happened earlier. Maybe. Maybe she really isn't mad or angry or upset with me. The last thing I want to do, is to push Joyce away. I can't live without her. She's my world. I live for her and those three kids. They're all I'll ever want, ever again, in this twisted, paranormal world. All I need.

"Yeah honey?" Joyce voice pulled him back down to earth as he took a big bite of pizza to distract himself of all the things running around inside his head. Does she feel the same as I do? Or is she just looking for a little comfort and a friend?  No matter what, I can give her that. A friend. A real friend. Someone who is there for her no matter what. Day or night. But. Have I pushed my look? Have I ruined everything?

"Can me and Will be excused?" El asked, looking hopefully at Joyce, who looked distant, caught up in her own thoughts. She's really good with El. Teaching her. Helping her. Showing her the ins and outs of this strange world that just keeps getting stranger.

She never excepts help. Ever. But offers it so often. She never lets me help her. Or pay her back for helping out with El the past couple months. And when I offer her help, or the opportunity to pay her back for everything she's done to help me. For me. She declines. Refuses is a better word. And when I do find a way to trick her into letting me help her, she insists on paying me back. Sometimes she amazes me. I stand corrected. She never fails to amaze me.

"Yeah sure, sweetheart." Joyce smiles at the two kids as they leave the room. Only him and Joyce left at the table. He saw Joyce dip her head down, all her focus, intently on the pizza slowly disappearing from the plate in front of her. We are finally alone. Together. Since we almost kissed. Since I almost kissed Joyce Byers.

He watched as she took another bite of her pizza. He really, really wanted to sit next to her. Just to be closer to her. I want to feel her beside me. Close to me. Breathing slowly as her pizza disappeared. Her ever-shaking hand, lying an inch from mine. Her bottom lip, pulled in between her teeth. A simple gesture that makes me fall to my knees in front of her. I want to be beside her. Close to her. For the rest of my goddamn life!

For some reason, beyond his control, he slowly stood. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help himself. Overwhelmed by the thought of being closer to her, he made his way to the seat beside her, bringing the rest of his pizza with him.

He heard the chair creak and moan as it's dragged across the polished, wooden floor. Joyce looks at Hopper who's now in the middle of taking the seat to her right. He sits down without a word. I know if I say anything. I'll ruin it. I'll ruin everything. So he stayed silent until she spoke.

"You did a good job." She chewed on another slice as he caught her eye, confusion written plainly all over his face. What? What does she mean? What did I do a good job at? If anything it's her who does a good job at everything. Raising her boys. Help raising El. Working. Taking care of the rest of their crazy friends in the Party. Being a single mom. Staying strong for everyone. Being the person anybody can count on. Being the person I can count on.

"A good job of what?" He puzzled, completely baffled by her statement. "Raising El all by yourself for the past year. You did a good job." She stated, not stopping her quest to finish the slice.

He wiped the pizza grease from his mouth before chuckling, adding, "Yeah well, there were times where I got stuck in the middle of a telekinetic temper tantrum, books and furniture flying at my head." This made Joyce explode with laughter. He loved the sound of her laughter. She made him smile. The snort she let out, really made him laugh though.

"And how did you handle that" she said between bursts off laughter."Badly." He laughed again. "I bet." She chuckled. God I love it when she teases me. She's so...goddamn perfect. Why is she so perfect. Her laugh. Her smile. Her strength. Her courage. Her feistiness. Her intelligence. Her patience. Her love.

"I'm offended, Joyce" he said. He let mock hurt take over his expression, trying to sell the fact he was deeply hurt by her comment, as he clutched his large hand at his heart. Joyce laughed once more, before wolfing down the last part of the pizza slice. Like mother like son.

When they had finished their food, he stood and began to clean up. He reached over to the pizza boxes, intending to throw them away. His large, rough hand brushed up against her small, soft hand. He was sure his heart skipped a beat as she blushed slightly, before pulling her hand away.

Oh shit! I have definitely messed this up. She can't even stand to be touched by me. What the hell am I doing? What the hell have I done?!

Hopper, his heart beating rapidly at the thought of messing up his friendship with Joyce, sat down on the worn couch with a complaining squeak from the springs. He looked up at the sound of her re-entering the room. He had already turned the tv back on, finding it on the same movie they were watching earlier.

Would she still want to watch this movie? Probably not after what happened last time. 

But she sat without complaint. She wasn't as close to him as he would have liked, but he can't say he wasn't surprised. It doesn't make it hurt any less though.

He desperately missed the heat that radiated from her body. He kissed the feel of her small body pressed against his. He missed the sound of her rhythmic breathing as she inhaled. He missed her even heart beat as it beat its way throughout her small frame. He missed her. Even though she sitting beside me. She feels like she's in another world. I miss her.

They got engrossed in the movie once more. He found, that his thoughts would never remain silent again. Somehow they ended up closer. She wasn't fully pressed up against him. But still closer than before. Why is this happening. I thought she hated me now. Why am I torturing myself like this? Just stop complaining about getting to be close to her, you idiot! The closer she got, the louder his thoughts would become.

They were enjoying the other's company, before the moment between them was brought to an abrupt ending. The all too familiar creak of Will's bedroom door, filled the nearly empty, silent house. Echoing off its walls and into every corner of each room. "Will, honey, is everything ok?" Joyce turned to look at her youngest son.

Hopper spotted the two of them, Will and El, standing beside one another, in the doorway to the room.

"Have you looked outside?" Will asked them, looking out the window. "No why?" Joyce turned to face the window as Hopper did the same. They were met with a blank, white glass pane. They couldn't see anything beyond that. The sudden snow blinding them to the outside world. And blinding us from the outside world.

"There's a huge snowstorm outside!" El exclaimed pointing at the falling snow, barely visible in the white background. It was piling at least several feet high off the ground. Blocking us from getting out. Looks like me and El are gonna be stuck inside here for a while. 

Hopper looked over at Joyce, on the couch, and spoke only to her. No hint of disappointment or anger or frustration in his voice. "I think we're snowed in." 

I'm going to snowed in with Joyce Byers and our kids.

Hey, I hope you guys like the story so far. Any feedback is welcome and votes are appreciated. If you have any ideas for this story please comment them and I'll try to work them into the story. I have a rough plan of we're it's going so it should be updated regularly. Thank you. ❤️