Love Affair (JOPPER)

Nightmares

It's been a few weeks since Hopper came back from Russia, but he always thinks about the first time he saw Joyce again. She still had bangs, but her hair was longer, other than that nothing really changed. Their eyes met and no words could be said, she immediately smiled and ran to him. He picked her up in one big swoop and held on to her tightly, he buried his face in her hair. He could hear her slightly crying, He puts her down and grabs her face so she can look at him closer. He reassures her that he's right there and he is coming home, and he did. Joyce is still trying to comprehend that he is finally back into her life and making her happy again like he used to.

Ever since he disappeared, Joyce's anxiety rose up to a level of extreme and Depression settled in like moving into a new house and it got comfortable. She was completely ruined, the man she knew since high school, the man who comforted her whenever she felt down, the man who always believed in her even when everyone else thought she was crazy, was gone. Gone as fast as you could squish a bug.

But then when he came back it was like all of that was gone as soon as she saw him. Everyone can see that she was happy again aside from her nightmares. Nightmares that are so bad she still thinks about. They started after bob died, she would wake the kids up by screaming in her sleep, and none of them could get her to stop. Soon enough when it happened a few times Johnathan told Hopper and he told him to call him even if it was in the middle of the night to help her, and the times that he did Hopper never failed to make it to the house. He would climb in bed with her and hold her tightly, he wrapped one arm around her front so she wouldn't hit him and he would put his leg over hers so she doesn't kick him. He talks to her softly in her ear and she would eventually wake up and start crying, that's when he loosens his grip on her.

The nightmares stopped after a while, one like the others happened after he got back, and he used the same technique. After she woke up, she sat up and put her face in her hands and let out a whispered "I'm sorry". Hopper couldn't stand seeing her like this again, he didn't even know what to do to make it better.

Hopper already knows about Joyce's past and trauma but when it comes to talking about his, he's really quiet. He always has been secretive about his trauma, even to Joyce but she's the person he's wanted to tell the most. He lets what has happened to him take over his emotions, and let it ruin opportunities for himself. He doesn't even talk about what happened in Russia, just the thought of having to go back and retrieve all of those horrid memories bothers him. He doesn't want anything to do with them and even if he tried to talk about it he would go to Joyce before anyone else. He knows she will comfort him in a way that no one else can, she can make him feel okay.

Hopper has been living with Joyce for about a month, he settled in. He can't live with her forever so eventually he would have to start looking for other places to stay, but he gotten so comfortable here in California with her and the kids, he feels like a family. He never gotten the chance to wake up to the smell of bacon or pancakes and walk into the kitchen and see her. More like watch her. Even after just waking up she looked so beautiful and radiant, he loved it especially when she had her hair tucked behind her ear. He walks out from where he's been hiding to greet her, she greets him back with a smile on her face.

Everyday she feels so lucky to be in the same room as him, she missed his presence. She missed watching movies together and arguing. Everything about them made the kids more aware of their feelings for each other, but they never talk about it because they could be wrong but the same question pops into their head. Are they in love? It's obvious but the pair themselves seem to not know it yet.

Joyce would look at old photo albums and their old year book and see how happy they were as a couple. Back to when neither of them were a problem yet. Revisited memories, nostalgia, all enough to make her cry and laugh over these photos. A few of them she remembers like yesterday. A one with Joyce and Hopper holding a cake, it was his birthday but Joyce was the one who made the cake and was proud of it so she used the photo to take credit for it, which he found cute.

          ___________________________

"Alright smile"! Joyce's mom said excitedly

Hopper stood Infront of the table holding the cake getting ready to take a picture for his 18th birthday

"Oh wait get me in it"! Joyce hurried over to him with a smile on her face.

"Hey its My birthday"

"Come on Jim, I need a picture with the cake that took me 4 hours to make and my film is running out and I can't get more until I get my next paycheck." She begged him

"I hope you know that you have to actually show up at work to get money right?" He said sarcastically

"Shhhhhhh" She gave him a look to be quiet because her mom doesn't know. He smiled and let her be in the picture with him. He puts the cake down and hugs Joyce tightly.

"Thank you for tonight and the cake and inviting all of our friends over". He says softly into her hair still holding on.

"Your welcome babe, thanks for sneaking out of your house". She giggled while releasing the hug "What did you do this time"?

"The last time I snuck out". He said with a not so proud look on his face. He still had his hands around her lower back while her hands here on his arms.

She smiles at him while pulling him for a kiss, an unexpected flash was noticed by the pair.

"Aw look at the couple, aren't they adorable"? One of their friends teased while lowering the camera

"Put down the camera please, I'm serious I don't have a lot of film left and I don't have that much cash. Yeah maybe I should start going to work". She told herself

After the party was over and after everyone left, Hopper stayed knowing that he will get in trouble in the morning but he didn't care. Joyce and Hopper slept on the couch watching a show they know nothing about. She was laying on his chest with a blanket over them, they lied there so comfortable thinking that nothing in the world could tear them apart.

So young and naive, Joyce thought of the couple they once were. Not a single care in the world besides each other, reminds her a little too much about El and Mike. They are around the same age Joyce and Hopper started being more sexual with each other and she hopes that they are careful, more careful than she ever was.

Joyce thinks of El like her own daughter and treats her like one to, they have had talks about stuff they should be careful about and Joyce taught her plenty more things. El never had a mother figure and Joyce is glad she can take on that role. A family is what El wanted most, she has that now.