Jopper OS (English Vers.)

Too close... (part 1)

Context:

- All the events of S1,S2 and S3 have taken place, except for Hopper's disappearance

- For this, we imagine that the machine hasn't malfunctioned. He was then able to reach the safe space and trigger the explosion with Joyce.

- In this Two Shot, the idea that Joyce can move away won't be tackled.

- Let's also note the fact that as Hopper is alive, Eleven still lives with him.

- In this Two Shot, they didn't talk about the date in the Russian base. This means that they're still stuck at Joyce standing Hopper up :)

Enjoy the read !

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Omniscient POV

The sun had set on Hawkins, and mist had settled in the streets, throwing an anaesthetic veil on the town. The wind had started to blow, bringing along the first raindrops which were already forming puddles in the holes of the damaged road.

People were hurrying to go home or take refuge inside a coffee shop. As summer had barely ended, few were the people who thought of taking their umbrellas with them.

That's what happened to the Chief. His hat carried a whole pond of cold water that he shed on the threshold before entering the nearest bar. When he came in, he could feel the disapproving looks of the clients who were staring at the puddles already forming at his feet. "I'm the chief of police" he whispered to himself, as if to justify himself, before taking a seat.

The Golden was one of the only bars still able to compete with the Mall. It had opened right before the project for Starcourt got approved, and stood out thanks to its dance floor in the middle of the room. A dance bar !

The only lights came from the mirror balls that were projecting coloured rays of light in the room.

The place was very modern and, given its musical programmation, mainly frequented by young people.

But at this very moment, Hopper didn't care about the lousy music or the blinding lights and just wanted to dry up in peace !

***

CRAAAASH !

"Shit !!"

Joyce vent down to pick up the cardboard boxes that had fallen from the back room shelf. Doing inventory was torture ! Calculating sells and benefits, checking the stocks... she would once again work late tonight.

She got up, pushed away the messy hair that was covering her eyes, and nodded, satisfied with herself. If she kept that up, she would only have one night of hard work to go through before being done.

She glanced at her watch. 8.30 pm... she had to go ! Taking her coat, she crossed the store and checked that the till was locked up correctly. She then locked up the door behind her, and... her jaw nearly hit the floor when she got drenched in only a few seconds. Her freezing hands were holding her bag strap tightly and she ran towards the shop on the other side of the road, that she only knew about thanks to some friends. She would be late home again... She quickly got in, wiping her feet on the entrance rug. She immediately saw that she was out of place here.

The music was deafening and the lights only amplified the headache she had been fighting for the last hour. The laughter, the clinking glasses and the dances on the dancefloor brought back some memories of the day she hadn't been there.

If she had crossed this restaurant threshold...

If she she had gone on this "not a date" that night...