"But I didn't take any pyjamas", El said, looking at her father.

"Oh don’t worry, I can lend you one. There must be one that fits you", Joyce answered.

"Actually, Joyce... I think they'll be too small for her", Hopper answered, trying to hide his laugh that he couldn't hold back.

"Hey!" She grumbled, slapping his arm.

"Okay, I didn't say anything!"

Hopper raised his arms to surrender, under the amused gaze of his daughter.

"You, on the other hand, nothing will fit you, so you'll sleep like that", Joyce responded by shooting him with her eyes.

Then she went to her room to look for something El could wear.

—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—

It had been dark for a while, the stars were watching them from the sky and Hopper could feel the wind swirling through the house with a mixture of Joyce's perfume and fresh paint.

She had been in her room for a few minutes while he was sitting on the couch... the children were in their rooms, which meant the coast was clear.

He stood up and walked to Joyce's room, which was closed, thinking about what he was going to tell her. It’s true, what was he going to tell her?

He raised his hand to knock at the door when he heard small steps behind him.

"Dad?"

"Oh, aren't you asleep?"

"What are you doing?" 

"Uh... I'm going to... the bathroom."

"In Joyce's room?"

"Uh no. Actually, I was... I was going to the restroom, but there... there was a mosquito! And so as it went that way and those bugs are annoying, you know, I wanted to kill it so we wouldn't get bitten..."

"Uh... okay." She responded, rubbing her eyes. "But why don't you take the product that's made to kill them easily in the bathroom?"

"What about you? What are you doing here?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Me, I'm really going to the restroom", she said as she left.

Joyce came out of her room with blankets and found herself right in front of Hopper who hadn't moved. She widened her eyes slightly as she realized how close they suddenly were.

"Uh... what are you doing... just behind my door?" She said, looking up to his eyes.

"I wanted to go to the restroom but El just kind of took my turn", he said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Okay..." Joyce laughed, shooking her head and handed Hopper some blankets.

"Thank you."

"I don't know if we're going to need them because it's warm, but... just in case."

Hopper put the blankets on the couch and turned to Joyce who, to his surprise, stared at him.

"Do you want to go outside for a smoke before we go to sleep?" He said smiling.

"I'm not saying no", she replied as she walked to the door.

----

Joyce was staring at a point in the distance that she was the only one to see. She got lost on this point, which became darker and darker as the minutes went by. She let the smell of Hopper's cigarette enter her nostrils. 

He was leaning on the wooden railing, this situation seemed familiar to her. 
She smiled when the wind brushed her cheeks, Jonathan and Nancy were in their room as were Will and El. And Hopper was by her side... Everyone was here... She felt... complete.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"I was thinking about you", she smiled before she realized what she had just said to him.

"What?" He asked, coughing before turning towards her, then crushing his cigarette in the ashtray she had brought.

"Um... I mean, I was asking myself some questions, and some of them were about you."

She turned her head slightly as she waited for his answer, allowing her to hide her reddened cheeks.

"Maybe I can answer them then..."

Joyce smiled before thinking about what she was about to say... Was it really a good idea to try something?...

But she was tired of feeling her chest tighten every time she saw him, and she knew his intentions after all, she wasn't blind. She thought she was ready but... 

She could see the looks he gave her when he thought she couldn't see him. She just wanted to fall asleep next to him and hold him whenever she wanted to.

Hopper's heart was beating faster and faster and louder during the seconds after his response. Joyce frowned and smiled next to him.

"Don't you think we've changed?" She finally said, turning to face him but without crossing his eyes.

He still had his right side against the railing, his elbow bent to hold his head. His back was bent so he was smaller than usual, Joyce would have bet she would have been able to look at him without having to raise her head.

"Um... yeah. Everyone's getting older, thanks for reminding me", he laughed.

He loved to spend moments like this, looking each other in the eyes, talking about anything and everything. Actually, just being with her.

It was always like that.

Always intimate.

Always Joyce.

"No... I mean the two of us. Just us."

She closed her eyes for a few moments, knowing it was too late to go back. 

She liked Hopper, she liked him more and more every time they saw each other. So maybe she was risking losing him like Bob, but she was willing to push that fear away every time she saw him looking at her as if she was the center of the Earth. She wanted to be able to live her life, to live it to the fullest. And maybe with his help she'll be able to overcome this...

Hopper, realizing that the discussion he had been the most looking for was about now, smiled before answering. He just wanted to make this moment last... 

"And... what exactly are us to you?" He said, raising an eyebrow while biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling.

Joyce looked up at the sky and wondered why he was making faces with his mouth.

"Why are you helping us so much with the house and everything?"

"Okay, I see, the lady avoids answering, asking another question. That's clever."

Joyce couldn't help but laughed as she shook her head.

"So... why?"

"I guess it's because I really enjoy spending time with you and it gives me an excuse to see you", he finally said as he looked into her eyes.

"Oh yeah, do you?"

"Yeah, I do."

"And... why do you like to spend time with me?" She asked, moving closer to him with a smile.

Hopper sighed, he understood from her smile that she wanted that too and he wasn't going to be able to stand looking at her for much longer without doing anything, he was going to crack.

"I think... I think I'm in love with you, Joyce Byers." He said in a whisper and smiled.

"You only think?" Joyce replied, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes... well, what I mean is that it's all up to you now..."

"I thought I was clear on my side."

"Uh no, not really. Or maybe I just didn't understand", he said as he got a little closer to her.

Joyce gave him a mocking smile before crossing his eyes so he understood, he took her head in his hands to guide her to his lips.

Joyce didn't immediately respond to his kiss, what disturbed him. He began to move away from her gently as he was thinking about what he could say to her, but she placed her hands on the back of his neck and brought him back to her own lips. Pressing her mouth against his.

Hopper lowered his hands from her cheeks to her waist. And he realized that this was what he'd been missing all along. It was her. It was like walking on the air, feeling light and never wanting to come back to the Earth. 

He could have sworn he felt Joyce's lips curl into a smile before she pinched his lower lip and then moved away from him, much to his regret. Then she glanced behind him. 

"Oh..." She said, biting her upper lip while keeping her hands on Hopper's neck.

He turned his head to see El at the doorway with a big smile on her face.

"How long have you been here!?" He exclaimed, frowning.

"Enough to see what you've been waiting for, for a long time."

"Hey!" He said grumbling.

"Okay, I didn't see anything then!" She replied, closing her eyes and raising her arms in the air.

Joyce couldn't help but laughed at the scene taking place in front of her.

"What's so funny?" Hopper asked as he turned his attention back to her.

"You two", she said smiling.

Joyce walked away from Hopper and went to prepare the couch. She walked past El, who gave her her most beautiful smile.

"Is everything all right?" Her father asked her.

"Uh, yes... why?" She said, turning to him.

"Why did you come here then?"

He gave her an interrogating look.

"Uh, I... there was a mosquito." She replied with an evil smile.

Hopper couldn't help but chuckled at her face.