It was Sunday night and the Hoppers had just said goodbye to the Byers after dropping them home.

In the afternoon, they had played a few fiery games of UNO before returning to the lake to play a game that the girls had won against the boys, sometimes using El's powers.

Hopper came out closing the door of the house behind him and Joyce bit her lip before running after him.

"Jim?" She called him before he got in his truck.

He turned around and looked astonished as El was smiling behind the window.

"Is everything alright?" He asked once she was by his side.

"Yeah, I just wanted to thank you again. The boys are happy. And I... it's been nice spending time with you all."

Then she tiptoed over to put a kiss on his cheek, Hopper was so tall, it practically landed on his neck. Joyce smiled at him one last time before turning around and going back inside.

Hopper felt the heat rising to his cheeks, he rubbed his head with one hand before getting into the truck. He was surprised to see El, smiling from ear to ear.

"What's the matter with you?" He said as he turned his head to go reverse.

"Joyce is right, it was great!"

"I'm glad you liked it then."

After some minutes of silence, El finally decided to say what she had been holding back from the beginning of the drive.

In fact... for much longer : it was since he hadn't answered her when she asked him more than a week ago.

"You like Joyce? Don't you?"

Hopper sighed.

"I... Yeah, I like her. Everybody likes her", he finally said, knowing he couldn't postpone this talk any further.

"What do you mean?"

"That I don't know anyone who doesn't like Joyce!" He got angry.

He could feel the anger building up in him and didn't really know why, which made him even more angry...

"What do you mean?" She repeated.

"What the hell do I mean!? I'm just saying... you wouldn't have any brain if you don’t like Joyce."

"Like... a mouth-breather?

"Yeah, if you want... I mean Joyce, she's... she's an amazing woman, okay? She's always there for you, you know, always listening. She'll definitely help you if you need her", he said, tapping his steering wheel, his eyes glued to the road. "And she is also an intelligent, caring, beautiful and very determined person", he said smiling to himself, "we really need more people like her on Earth. She always fights for what she believes is right. In fact, I've never met a woman as brave as her, and you of course."

Realizing what he had just said, Hopper closed his eyes for a few seconds and bit the inside of his cheek. If he was lucky enough, El hadn't bothered to listen to his answer.

"But you don't like her the same way as everyone else." 

She smiled, more at herself than at her father.

He knew it wasn't a question she was asking him, it was more a conclusion to what she'd just heard.

Damn it, he thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his hand.

"It's complicated, El..."

Not wanting the heavy silence between them to last, he turned on the radio.

—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—

Hopper parked next to the green car in front of the store. He left his windows open so he wouldn't die of heat when he would leave. 

He was going to visit his friend, Joyce. Yes, his friend! He had to get it through his head, she couldn't see him any other way.

The last time Joyce had seen Hopper was previous Sunday, four days before, and she felt her heart beating in her ears when he appeared.

"Hi, Hop! What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come to see a friend for no reason?"

Joyce unconsciously gritted her teeth at the word friend, as he considered her.

"Yes, of course you can." She said, laughing before looking back at her paper, that she tapped gently with her pencil, revealing small circles in the places she was aiming for.

"What's up?"

"Uh, nothing special. I'm closing soon", she said, looking at her watch.

She got up to start packing when Hopper noticed a light blue stain on her jeans.

"Joyce, your pants are dirty." He said, pointing to the stain with a wave of his hand.

"Oh, my gosh! It's paint..."

"Paint? Why do you have some paint on your pants?"

"I-I bought a can of it to paint my room next weekend, I think it's from there."

"Oh, you want some help?"

"No. No, thanks. I'll be fine."

She walked to the door, signaling him to follow her.

"But I'm a great painter, I swear. Are you afraid I'm gonna ruin your wall?"

"No, I'm not doubting your painting skills", she said with a smile, "I just don't want to bother you with anything again."

She threw her bag into her car before she turned her attention to Hopper.

"Joyce, I'm offering it to you because it does not bother me. Come on, you can't refuse my help."

"Okay, if you insist... Well, I have to go home", she said, looking at her watch one more time.

"All right, see you tomorrow for movie night", he said nodding.

"Oh, I almost forgot : Jonathan has sorted out his pictures from last weekend and he's going to develop them tomorrow so he'll bring them home tomorrow night!

"Can't wait to see them!"