Work Text:
He knew something was wrong.
You could never hide anything from Jim Hopper, even your emotions-especially since you wore them clear as day.
“What’s wrong?” He’d asked, and you shook your head in response, taking a deep breath to calm yourself.
“I know something’s wrong. Talk to me.”
He walks closer to you, finger touching your chin as he tries to get you to look at him. Your resolve is so close to breaking, but you still hold on, voice trembling and not at all believable when you say, “I’m fine.”
You hated that you were such an emotional person, and you hated the fact that you have such a hard time validating your own emotions even more.
It’s all over once Jim sits down beside you, pulling you back into the couch and into him-your once stiff posture melting once you feel his warmth and smell his scent as his arms wrap around you.
Your knees draw up and he helps you tuck yourself into him as much as humanly possible… and the dam breaks, emotions well over and the first sob chokes out of you.
The sobs that leave you are so gut-wrenching, you can’t even try to contain them. Jim’s already late for work but it’s the furthest thing from his mind as he lets you sob on him, waiting for you to be ready to talk to him about what’s been weighing heavily on your mind and heart.
His shirt is soaked with your tears and it makes his heart ache, needing to know what’s wrong.
“I’m s-sorry.”
“And what are you apologizing for?”
“B-Because I’m cry-crying, and your shirt’s all wet and you’re su-supposed to be at w-work!”
The tears are still falling but you’re breathing a lot better now, and Jim wipes your cheeks with the backs of his fingers as they steadily fall.
“Your emotions are nothing to be sorry for, my shirt will dry, and you’re more important than work to me right now.”
“Please, baby, what is wrong?”
You take another deep breath, willing yourself to not start sobbing again.
“I just feel like-… I'm not enough and then too much all at the same time. And then I get scared that y-you’re gonna l-leave me because of it. And I try so hard to not let my mind get the best of me, but I get doubtful sometimes and I’m just scared.”
Jim is quiet while you talk, and you can’t bring yourself to look at him at all but he just holds you tight and keeps rubbing your back.
“Thank you for telling me that, I know it must’ve been really hard to do so,” you nod at this, taking another deep breath as he continues, “I’m sorry that I’ve unknowingly made you feel this way at all. But, listen, I need you to hear me when I say this.”
You nod again but he grunts, picking your head up from his chest and forcing you to look at him.
“You are enough. You’re more than enough, and I swear that to you. I love you so fucking much. I’m fucking in love with you. I’m sorry that I don’t say it enough, and I never ever want you to doubt my love for you again because I’d rather have both my legs sawed off than to ever think about leaving you. Do you hear me?”
You nod but Jim says nothing, so you open your mouth and speak, “I hear you.”
Your words are nearly cut off with a deep and rough kiss, Jim’s hands still on either side of your face while his mustache tickles your nose.
He pulls away after several seconds, wiping any stray tears as he kisses you again.
“Okay?” His voice rumbles, one eyebrow raised. “Okay.” You nod, giving him a small smile.
“Okay.”
He then pushes you back a little so you’re sitting straight up as he gets up from the couch, walking over to the phone.
He looks at you quietly as you question him with your eyes when he dials a number, tucking the phone against his ear.
“Hey, this is Hop, tell the guys I’ll be out today.”
Your stomach flutters as you relax again, holding back a chuckle when he speaks again, “Well Flo, just tell ‘em that unless anything supernatural happens, do hesitate to call me.”