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After everything that he’s been through, Hopper is just happy to have his daughter back in his arms, “I missed you.”
“I missed you more,” El says into his chest.
Hopper pulls back from the hug, “Impossible.”
The two sit in El’s old room in comfortable silence for a bit before El breaks it, “Mike and I broke up.”
Hopper tries to find any emotion in her face, any reason to punt Michael Wheeler into the sun, but he comes up empty.
“Oh,” Hopper gently pats El’s back, “I’m sorry kid.”
“Nah, it’s for the best,” Eleven says simply, “Mike and I just weren’t meant for each other.”
“Yeah, well,” Hopper tries to hide his joy for not having to deal with him anymore, though it probably doesn’t work.
“I know you never liked him,” El laughs then Hop joins her, and its like they were never apart.
“We should probably go back out to see the others,” Hopper says as they calm down, he stands and reaches his hand for El to take, then they are back out the door.
--
You know, one would think that after your daughter broke up with her boyfriend that he would stop being at your house all the damn time. But this was certainly not the case for Jim Hopper. After he returned to Hawkins, the Hopper-Byers family moved into a new house, Hop and Joyce got engaged and now Hopper has two sons.
Though one of them is best friends with Mike Fucking Wheeler so the little shit is always there. On his couch when he gets home from work, at the kitchen table for dinners, he is almost always heard through Will’s closed door laughing or animatedly talking, only sometimes drowned out by the loud music the two boys were playing. And there he was sitting on the kitchen counter at breakfast the next morning waiting for Will to pack his lunch so they can get to school.
Mike Wheeler had gotten significantly less of a pain though since he was no longer dating his child. He was just his usual amount of a pain in the ass. And thankfully he only had to deal with one Wheeler, as Jonathan and Nancy decided to call it quits, something about it being a fated thing, and something about college.
“Hey, Hop,” Will calls from the couch, “How was work?”
“Exhausting,” Hopper takes off his coat and wanders over to his chair to watch whatever movie will was watching, only to find that Will was not alone on the couch.
“Hello,” Mike says with a small wave before dropping his arm back to where it was comfortably around Will’s shoulders.
“Hey Wheeler,” Hopper really should have expected him to be here, like he always is, it’s a wonder his parents let him spend days upon days at the Hopper-Byers residence, “So, what are we watching?”
“The Breakfast Club,” Will says not taking his eyes off the TV, sinking further into the comfort of Mike’s arms.
Hopper settles in and watches the last half of the movie, and definitely does not watch as his daughter’s ex-boyfriend is entranced by Will more than the movie. Something to bring up later certainly, not right now.
“... a brain… and an athlete… and a basket case… a princess… and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.”
No one says anything for a few moments and just watch as the credits roll, then Hopper stands, turns off the TV, “I’m gonna start on dinner, Mike are you staying?”
Mike looks to Will, and they seem to have a whole conversation with their eyes before Mike turns back to say, “Uh yeah.”
Hopper just nods and turns to go to the kitchen before he hears conversation and laughing picking up in the living room. And as much as having Mike around all the time is a pain in the ass, he’s just glad that Will has Mike back. He’s heard from Jonathan and Joyce about the summer of 85 and the year they were apart, how they were drifting apart, but seeing them now, everything was going to be all right. Will deserves a friend- or best friend? Or whatever they are.
--
“Mike!” Will exclaims loud enough the whole house can hear, “How did you never learn how to tie a tie?”
“Dude, I don’t know.”
Today is the day of Joyce and Hopper’s wedding, they weren’t doing a really big ceremony, just a small service with really close friends and family then a party at the Wheeler’s house (Karen insisted). So right now, Hopper, and all the guys were getting ready at the Hopper-Byers’ house, while Joyce and her bridal party were getting ready at the Wheeler’s. It was an odd group to say the least, Murray and Dimitri (Enzo) were already pregaming in the kitchen (“It’s 9:30 in the morning,” Mike had pointed out) , Lucas, Dustin, Mike, and Will were all getting prim and proper in Will’s room, Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson, who were acting chauffeurs today were already dressed in their suits (Eddie had adorned his dress pants with chains and even Steve couldn’t stop him). And Hopper, the man of the hour, was getting ready to marry the love of his life.
On the other side of town Joyce, Karen, Nancy, and El were getting into their dresses, while Robin and Max wore suits, and Jonathan was taking pictures to remember this day, also he was elected the Maid of Honor, so he was doing his duties well and making sure his mom had the best day.
For the actual ceremony, El was the one to walk with her dad to the “officiant” (Murray) then came the “flower girls” (Dustin and Lucas) and the ring bearers (Mike and Will). And finally, Joyce hand in hand with Jonathan. More than one tear was shed as the most badass mom in the world walked to the man she loves in the most beautiful dress. And even more tears are shed while the couple exchanges vows.
“Do you Jim Hopper, take Joyce Byers to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Murray asks.
“I do,” Hopper says with the biggest smile on his face.
“And do you Joyce-“
“Fuck yeah, I do,” Joyce cuts Murray off eliciting chuckles from the small group.
“Well then, by the power vested in me by the state of Indiana, I now pronounce you one,” Murray pauses to smile at his friends, “You may now kiss.”
And so, they do. And it’s everything. Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers were now, Mr. and Mrs. Hopper-Byers, and as they all leave the venue and pack into the 3 cars that they came in to go to the reception, this is probably the most normal and perfect of a moment that their little family has had in a while.
--
Karen brought out a two-tiered wedding cake and soon speeches and toasts were in order. Thanks for support over the years, love shared for the couple, and funny stories from over the years.
The rest of the party goes off without a hitch, the adults drank more than they probably should if they were meant to drive, but Jonathan, Steve, and Eddie were going to take care of that part. It was an evening of pure happiness, and never once interrupted by interdimensional monsters, so that’s a plus.
“Dad,” Jonathan says getting his attention, which he indicates with a hum and a small smile at the reminder that Jonathan sees him as a father figure.
“We should probably get going home, Can you go find Will and El? I’ll wake up mom so we can go,” Jonathan explains.
“Yeah, sure kid,” Hopper stands from his chair, he thinks he recalls Will going upstairs with Mike a few hours ago.
As he’s approaching Mike’s bedroom doors he hears a hushed conversation that he was certainly not supposed to hear.
“Do you think we would be able to get married one day?” Mike asks with a hint of sadness evident in his voice.
“I don’t know,” Will replies solemnly, “I would love to say yes, but...”
“Yeah, I know,” Mike says softly, “But it doesn’t matter, I don’t need a piece of paper to say that I love you.”
“Well, I love you too Mikey, as if I need your ego more inflated more,” Will’s tone suddenly more recognizable as his joke like behavior and Mike’s once solemn aura dissipates as he chuckles.
Hopper uses his two functioning, not drunk braincells to decide that he shouldn’t make it obvious that he eavesdropped on their conversation, so he takes a few steps back down the hall and calls, “Will, we’re getting ready to leave.”
A beat, “Coming!”
Hopper descends back down the stairs to find El already in the living room talking with Max and Robin, while their designated drivers are looking especially comfortable in each others’ arms. Steve sometimes chiming into the girls’ conversation while Eddie just looks down fondly, in a way that Hopper can only recognize as love, and it’s nice to know that Mike and Will aren’t alone. Then only a few moments later do Mike and Will follow, both wearing only their dress pants and shirts with the first button undone. Then the family and the party at large (or at least the ones who would be leaving that night) collects their jackets and shoes and file out of the house and the party says their farewells in the driveway and Hopper doesn’t mention it when he sees through the night Will hang back to give Mike a kiss goodbye just within the threshold of the Wheeler house then come bounding out to say goodbye to his other friends.
--
It was 5 days later when Hopper decided to talk to Will about it (He and Joyce had taken the weekend to go on their honeymoon, it was only to Chicago, but it was a weekend away form their kids), he had told Joyce, who had her suspicions about the pair but also didn’t know they had gotten over themselves. Joyce had said “I didn’t say anything or do anything when Jonathan and Nancy got together, so I was just giving Will equal treatment,” and as much as Hopper totally understands that; it’s Mike. Like of all people.
Hopper didn’t give a shit that Will is gay, but why did it have to be Mike Wheeler. He’s already done this once already, but here goes nothing.
He knocks on Will’s door he hears, “Come in!”
When he enters, Will in front of an easel painting something with blues and greens bopping his head slightly to the music he has playing in the background.
“Uh, can we talk about something kid?” Hopper thinks this should be easy, it isn’t the first time he’s had to talk to one of his kids about boundaries including Mike Wheeler, but last time didn’t go especially amazingly.
Will furrows his eyebrows in confusion, putting his brush in the jar of murky water and places his paint palette on his desk beside him before turning in his chair to face Hopper, “Uh, yeah.”
“So,” Hopper takes a deep breath, “I’ll just say it. I know about you and Mike, and before you panic, just know I don’t care about you being gay or bi or whatever and that I love you unconditionally.”
Will opens his mouth to say something, then closes his mouth, this was clearly not what he was expecting today, “Oh.”
“Look kid, I love you, just know you can talk to me if you ever need to,” Hopper says softly.
“Yeah, of course,” Will says fidgeting with the silver ring on his right ring finger.
Wait- what? Since when did Will wear jewelry?
“Mike gave it to me the other day,” Will had caught him looking.
“So uh, how long have you two been a thing?” Hopper has his bets, but also the protective parent in him really wants to know how long he’s been letting a teenage couple sleep in the same room.
“Since like a week after we got back from California,” Will starts, “El knows, that’s why she and Mike broke up.”
“Holy shit,” Hopper breathes out.
“Does uh, does mom know?” Will asks nervously.
“Yeah, yeah she does,” Hopper says with a smile, “I told her after I saw you kiss Mike goodbye after the reception.”
Will blushes furiously at the mention that they were caught.
“I know it probably would mean more to hear from her, but she loves you no matter what,” Hopper says, “I just needed to make sure that you know some ground rules.”
Will groans but Hopper continues, “door 3 inches open, that’s a must. Also, I don’t know how accepting Mike’s family is, if they know at all, but you let him know that if he needs a place to stay that our doors are open.”
Will seems so touched at the thought and he smiles so wide, “Yeah, his family doesn't know, you know how Ted is. Nancy I think knows, but I'm not worried about her. So thanks, I’ll let him know.”
“Also make sure to use protection, just because you can’t get pregnant-“
“Dad!” Will groans, and that right there is the moment when Will first calls Hopper ‘Dad’.
“Just so you know, Mike is coming over tonight,” Will says, “We have a project to work on for History.”
“Yeah, sure,” Hopper says with a smirk, “I definitely believe you.”
“What? We really have to do homework!” Will defends as Hopper stands and leaves.
“Just leave the door open.”