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Joyce was awoken to the sound of her kids voices. On Saturdays, that was now her alarm clock. Reaching out her hand to her left, she found Hopper and cuddled a little closer to him. Were they already entwined? Of course. Did that mean she couldn't move even closer to him? Definitely not.
He grumbled at the movement and a smile couldn't be resisted from appearing. Mornings with him were her definition of heaven.
"What time's it?" He asked, fingers subconsciously stroking her knuckles.
"Time to get up, Hop. Sounds like the kids are killing each other out there."
Finally, his eyes opened and Joyce was granted with the pleasure of looking into his crystal blue iris' that never failed to bring her into a trance. "'Kay," he replied, sitting up with another groan.
She mirrored his actions, back screaming in complaint at the movement. "Let's get the coffee pot on," she said, untangling her legs from him and reaching for the first flannel her hands were upon. Dressing and taming her hair with her fingers, she then dragged Hopper out of bed and into the kitchen.
"Mornin'," he greeted their kids who evidently decided to take their breakfast into their own hands. Eggo boxes scattering the work surface.
"Hey," Will greeted and Joyce walked over to him, planting a kiss on his forehead, much to his dismay.
Then, she walked over to Jonathan, planting another kiss. Last but not least, she walked over to El, who was stationed on the sofa watching some show Joyce didn't recognise.
Hopper made a beeline towards the coffee pot and Joyce joined him, putting forward two mugs. Whilst it was brewing, she noted the washing up and decided no harm would be done by completing it. However, Joyce didn't get through a single plate before two hands were wrapping around her waist.
"Hey," she whispered in greeting to Hopper. Who, she'd recently discovered, was extremely clingy in the morning.
"Hey," he replied but couldn't say another word because Will's fake gagging noises filled the room.
"Please, step away from one another," he begged and Joyce couldn't help but chuckle.
"One day, honey," Joyce began, calling it quits with the washing and turning to her son. "You're gonna' fall in love and you'll understand."
"I'm not gonna'... fall in love," he said the word love as though it was a curse and she could only shrug, hoping one day he'd be proved wrong and her son would find the happy ending he so desperately deserved.
Once pouring the coffee, Joyce and Hopper joined Will, El and Jonathan at the table. The young girl was rambling about her show. Joyce was, shamingly, half listening. Her ears weren't completely turned on at that time.
She took a sip of her steaming hot coffee and caught the end of El's sentence, "The two wanted a baby. But, I don't understand. How do you even make a baby?"
Joyce almost choked on the scolding hot substance and so did Hopper. Will looked as though he wanted to dissolve into the floor and Jonathan was trying to appear nonchalant (unsuccessfully).
"So? Do you know, Joyce? Well, you had Will and Jonathan so you must know."
Joyce bit her before she turned to Hopper, begging for help with her wide eyes. "Erm... yes, I know."
Joyce knew Hopper had been needing to have this conversation with El. What they didn't anticipate was having it on a Saturday morning in front of her two, much more informed, boys.
"So? How?" El pushed and Joyce exhaled.
She caught both her oldest sons eyes who were now beginning to chuckle. For a moment, Will remained embarrassed but soon was laughing alongside his brother.
"What?" El asked, brows furrowed. "I don't get it. How are they made? Hop, tell me."
Hopper looked desperately towards Joyce for help. She sighed, "Well, El... It's complicated."
"We're not doing anything else. We have time. Tell me. Pretty please with a cherry on top!"
Joyce looked towards Hopper. It was his turn to exhale, obviously accepting defeat. His face was crimson as he began, "Well, when two people love one another very, very much..."
"Do they have to love one another very, very much? Is that necessary?" El asked and this sent Jonathan into another laughing fit.
Joyce had abandoned her coffee completely. "Well, no. But that is often how it... goes."
El nodded, intrigued at the sudden, new information.
Joyce nodded at Hopper to continue. "And they want to show that... love."
"Like you and Joyce?" El asked and Joyce's breathe caught. "Do you show your love?"
Hopper and the boys were now speechless and Joyce had to intervene before the pause became to extended and El jumped to conclusions. "Now, you don't ask people that. This is a private thing."
"Oooo, okay. Is that why you are all laughing?"
"Yep," Will replied, stuffing his mouth with Eggos so he wouldn't have to say another word.
"So, continue. You were at the point about love," El urged and Joyce huffed, wishing the subject could be dropped for another time. El and her questions were certainly going to be the death of the couple.
Hopper raked a hand through his hair, "El, kid. How about we talk about this another time."
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Joyce said.
Much to their agony, El dismissed the suggestion immediately. "No, I want to know how babies are made."
"Yeah, tell her how babies are made, Mom," Jonathan pushed jokingly.
A severe warning look was sent in Joyce's oldest's way and it had the opposite impact from what she wanted. Instead of sobering, Jonathan started chuckling. Knowing she really didn't want to have the sex talk right in front of her two kids when it was unnecessary, Joyce suggested, "How about you and Hopper go into a room and talk about this?"
Hopper appeared half mortified that he'd have to hold the conversation away from Joyce while being half pleased that it would be away from Will and Jonathan. Her partner shut his eyes, clearly counting to three before stating, "Joyce, can I speak to you?"
"You are," she replied, shortly, knowing what he would say if they parted from their kids.
"I mean over there," he said, pointing his head towards the kitchen.
Grudgingly, Joyce followed him away from the table, "So?" she pushed.
"Help me, please," he whispered, tone urgent but was quiet enough so their kids wouldn't pick it up.
She shrugged, "Not my fault you waited 'till she was thirteen." Joyce did feel bad for Hopper. However, she was wanting to be spared so added, "I've already endured two talks and I did just fine."
His head was soon in his hands, "i'm not you though. You're really good with words and I'm..."
"Shit?" she answered, when at a loss for words.
"Yeah, shit," he replied. "Please, help?"
Joyce looked into his genuinely scared eyes and knew she'd never be able to deny him help. "I'll be present. But," she stated, poking him in the belly. "You're doing most of the talking."
Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her passionately on the lips. It was short but didn't fail to make her smile. He whispered, "Thank you."
"No problem. Let's get this over with," she replied, sending him a smile before returning to the table where Jonathan and Will were clearly trying to dodge the questions El threw at them. "Come on, Honey. Go into your room. Me and Hop will follow."
"Finally, answers," the young, innocent girl exclaimed, bouncing out of the room.
She left Hopper leaning awkwardly against the counter top, Joyce in the middle of the room and her siblings at the table with smirks. "You think she'll be that happy when we've explained," Hopper grumbled.
To Joyce's surprise, Jonathan smiled before sating, "Have fun."
"We've already told her about-" Will began.
Joyce cut him off, "You told her something?"
At that, he shook his head, "Kidding. But I bet Max did. Good look with explaining the comments she's come out with."
"Fuck," Hopper muttered. "Let's get this show over with."
"I'll be listening from the other side of the door," Will jestered.
"Very funny," Joyce deadpanned, not saying another word before following Hopper into El's room.
Twenty two minutes of questions and awkward explanations later, the couple had explained the basics. Hopper originally stuck to biology over the feelings but naturally, El had questions about the other side too. It took El some time, but she did realise the reasons for the topic not being widely discussed. Despite Joyce's earlier claims, she did end up doing a lot more talking than intended, much to Hopper's delight.
When rising from El's room, Hopper muttered something about a whisky, Joyce something about wine. Will and Jonathan tried to joke with them but were quickly silenced when the fridge opened and Hopper pulled out a drink. The boys quickly realised that he wasn't exaggerating.
El was soon heading out, to Max's. Joyce had no doubt conversations would continue. But, they didn't involve her so she held no objections. The couple flopped onto the sofa, their sons following. When she took Hopper's drink and chugged it, Will's brows furrowed, "It couldn't have been that bad."
Hopper nodded, "She had to explain what cu- you know what, never mind."