Rebel, Rebel - Jim Hopper x Reader

viii. Home

You both walked hand-in-hand for what seemed like hours before arriving at Criscow Lake, a small body of water often left untouched near the edge of Hawkins. You and Hopper had walked in silence, your hand squeezing his as a sign of comfort and assurance.

"I'm really sorry about your mom," you whispered once the both of you sat down, now looking out onto the lake as it shone under the faint blue light of the moon.

"I just don't get it," he replied, his voice shaky. "I don't...I just didn't think I was that bad of a son, y'know?"

"Hop, she didn't leave because of you," you replied, your tone almost pleading with him to search for reason as you turned to him. "You know that, right?"

"Why else would she have just...left?" he asked hoarsely, a tear beginning to stream down his face as he searched your face for answers, any answers at all. "I get suspended, they catch me graffitiing down town...and then she just leaves me. No note, nothing. Just...air. I'm a piece of shit son-"

"Stop talking about yourself like that," you snapped, grabbing his hand. You scooted your body closer to his, motioning for his head to settle on your chest. "Look, I don't know the exact reason why she left, Hop, but, something is telling me it's about your father."

His body began to shake as he wrapped his arms around your middle, his face nestled atop your breasts as he began to quiver, "Why doesn't a-anyone love me? Why does everyone just l-leave?"

You felt your heart crack in half as you heard the desperation in his voice. You hated both of his parents: his father for constantly spitting abuse at him, and his mother for abandoning her son with no warning.

"I love you, Jim, and I'm not going anywhere," you whispered into his hair, embracing his shoulders warmly. "You are the most amazing, loving, beautiful person I have ever met, and you deserve so much more than this. I need...I just really need you to know that you're loved."

He sniffled, his neck craning up to look at you as a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, "By you?"

"By me," you confirmed, leaning down to press a reassuring kiss to the top of his forehead.

You held him closer, the both of you reveling in each other's warmth and the silent sounds of the forest surrounding you before you broke the silence, "This...this will be our little piece of home, okay? You and I...we're family. I'm here for you, and you're here for me."

"Home," he echoed, his eyes sliding shut as he drifted off to sleep, cradled in each other's arms until the sun arose the following morning.

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His hand gripped onto yours tightly, his palms sweating as you both walked towards the edge of the lake, a light blue blanket draped over his shoulder as you walked in silence. You smiled at him, squeezing his hand reassuringly as you both neared the edge of the water.

"I can't get over how beautiful this place looks at night," you sighed, waiting as Hopper laid out the blanket over a patch of dirt.

He slid his jacket off of his arms and placed it on the cloth before beginning to roll his sleeves up, "It's so peaceful and calm...nothing like Hawkins, y'know?"

You beamed at him before sitting down on the soft fabric, your eyes watching him intently as he joined you. You both looked out at the water silently, the sounds of crickets chirping filling the comfortable silence between you. He slowly reached his hand out to brush against your fingers, causing you to shiver at the intimacy behind his touch.