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"God, Hop. What did they do to you?" Joyce gasped but not for any good reason. The man in question had just taken his shirt off and an abundance of scars and bruises had just been revealed.
"Got me pretty good, didn't they."
He attempted to shrug off her concern. However, it was ineffective. The crappy motel room they were staying in wasn't large. Subsequently, it didn't take long for a person to move from one side of the room to the next. That combined with Joyce's drive to provide Hopper with support meant that she held the necessary supplies and was next to him within seconds. "Sit down."
"Joyce, they're not as bad as they-"
Joyce, no nonsense, shook her head. "I said sit down Hopper. I'm patching you up whether you like it or not."
He moved towards the bed with a sigh, not before sparing a long look at Joyce. There was something in his eyes she couldn't ignore. The way he looked at her. As though he idolised her and wanted to put her on a pedestal to admire all day. It warmed Joyce's heart. That didn't mean that she had been dissuaded from sorting his wounds out. If anything, it greatened her determination as it allowed her a way to present to him that she reciprocated the feelings he showed with his eyes.
As soon as he was sat on the bed, she was examining his body. She tried to keep a professional eye but failed, miserably. "Like something you see?" Hopper asked, tone joking as her eyes lingered.
Biting her lip, she didn't offer a response. Instead, voiced a command. "Could you lie on your stomach?"
Clearly, he wasn't done with his jokes. "Never done it that way before and don't really know how it'd work but, sure."
This time, her chuckle couldn't be contained and neither could the flush that arose onto her cheeks. She did sober when his wounds caught her eye again. "I mean it, Hop."
"Okay, okay," he replied, flopping onto the bed and muttering a 'comfy'.
That was when Joyce realised that the only way to reach the scars on his back was to straddle him. Hoping she wouldn't be overstepping any boundaries, she swung her legs over him so that she was in a position that allowed her full accessibility. That was when she realised that the pair had already stepped over the line put in place the previous summer. That kiss in the church threw all the 'just friends' claims out the window. Further supporting her thoughts, Hopper didn't even flinch as she got into position. Instead, she was sure she could sense a smile, even though he was facing in the opposite direction.
"This okay?" she asked as she began to open the thing that cleaned his wounds. God, she was shit at first aid. She just hoped that she would be able to help him and not make his pain worse.
"'Course it is."
Joyce nodded and told him, "This may sting a little."
Instead of replying audibly, he only nodded, evidently bracing himself for what was to come.
She chose a particularly bad looking wound and pursued it. "Want me to do it fast or slow?"
"Whatever works best for you. I'd rather it take longer and not get an infection though."
Joyce nodded, knowing that was the best solution. But, as soon as she lowered the wipe onto his damaged skin, he jolted and she caved, removing the contact.
"No, it's okay. Carry on," he encouraged.
Nodding even though she couldn't see him, the wipe was in contact with his skin again. It was almost painful for her, seeing him in such distress. However, she knew the distress would be multiplied by a thousand if these wounds were infected. Thus, she continued.
Meanwhile, on the way back to Hawkins...
"I want to see if she's okay," El declared to those who sat in the pizza van. "If Joyce is okay."
By her side, Will nodded, clearly agreeing it would allow them to relax a little more. "Will you be able to contact her? You know, here?"
El contemplated for a moment. They were moving and she didn't have access to any water, never mind salt. So, she'd just have to put all her strength into finding out where Joyce was. The mother figure who'd cared deeply for her over the past eight months. "I can try."
From the passenger seat, Jonathan reached for a jacket and passed it back to El. "It's not much. But, it should block out your vision."
El smiled gratefully and tied the jacket around her head, obscuring her vision. Please be okay.
From the driver's seat, Argyle evidently caught sight of the action. "Yo, man. What's the magic girl doing?"
Even though she couldn't see Jonathan, El could tell he was smiling. "He's finding our Mom."
"That's so cool, Man. So cool."
"Yeah it is." Jonathan's voice trailed off as he knew the conditions necessary for this practice to work.
Focusing all her attention on Joyce and Joyce only, El willed her mind to find her. At first, all she could see was the darkness of her eyelids. That was when she caught a glimpse of Joyce. Situated in an odd position. However, that didn't matter because Joyce was alive.
"I see her," she whispered, as though voicing the images would eliminate them from her sight. As the focus of her vision intensified, she realised Joyce wasn't alone. She wasn't sitting like that for fun, she was patching up a persons' wounds.
The person seemed all too familiar. Different, but familiar. "Hopper," El gasped as she was torn away from the couple and forced back to reality. Taring of the eye mask she announced, "She's with Hopper."
From her side, Will's mouth was agape. Jonathan's brows quickly unfurowed and he whispered, "He's alive?"
"He's alive," El confirmed. "And with Joyce. Well Joyce was on top of him-"
"Excuse me," Will exclaimed.
"She was cleaning his wounds. I think," El informed.
Will's eyebrows were raised, clearly not knowing exactly what was going on with his Mom and Hopper but not repulsed by it. If anything, El could sense his happiness that the two were finally not ignoring the obvious.
"Shit," Jonathan muttered.
Argyle turned to the back seat, "Holy shit man, did the magic girl just see your Mum and Dad fu-"
"Please, don't finish that sentence," Will commanded.
El, not knowing why the air was suddenly so awkward, reinstated, "She was just cleaning his wounds."
"On top of him?" Jonathan asked.
"Yes," El replied, not knowing why the two boys looked as though they wanted to dissolve into the floor.
"Sounds like they're screwing to me, Man."
"Shut up, Argyle!" Jonathan shouted.
Back in Alaska...
"Done," Joyce announced after placing a bandage on yet another one of his scars.
Instead of jumping off him however, she daringly leaned down and kissed the spot. "You feeling okay?" she whispered, remaining close to his skin. The many goosebumps were visible.
"Yeah," he replied, voice gruff as he rolled over to face her. Somehow, he managed to do so in a fashion that meant she didn't have to move. What she wasn't expecting was a question, "Did you sense that just then?"
She shook her head, ignoring the position they were in and wondering what on God's green earth he was talking about.
"I could swear... never mind."
Joyce's cheeks turned Scarlet as the topic was brushed aside and it fully registered that she was on top of him. Not providing her mind anytime to spiral, she leaned down and placed a kiss onto his lips. The type of kiss she wished she could live in forever. But, only lasted a few brief seconds.
"I'm feeling okay now," he said, voice satisfying Joyce's ears.
A smile rose onto her face, "Really?"
Instead of responding, he wrapped his arms around her neck and brought her lips onto his again. This time, it wasn't brief. This time, she had time to fully embrace the magnificent sensations that were sent through her.
As much as she would have liked it continue the practice all day, his evident pain sent the two apart "Let's get you some food," she said, jumping off him in a smooth fashion and lending him a hand he gratefully accepted as he rose from the bed.