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Joyce was finally staying at the cabin when accompanied by Will and Jonathan. Over the past two weeks they'd been back in Hawkins, they were at school when she paid the 'dead man' and 'missing girl' a visit. Unlike that Friday night, where Joyce had somehow managed to give Karen the slip.
They travelled through the tunnels, stepped over the wire in place for caution and then they knocked in a specific way so they could be granted access to the cabin. Within seconds, it was answered. By a ghost.
"El, I told you not to open the door like that!" Hopper's scolding echoed and reached the trio's ears. That explained why the bolts seemed to undo themselves.
Hopper approached the door with a smile and greeted the party. "Sorry 'bout that."
Joyce chuckled, "It's okay, Hop. Could you let us in though? A little cold out here."
Realising he was blocking the doorway, he shuffled out the way, greeting the boys. "El's going through a load of comics and magazines in her room. Think they're from Henderson. He was having a clear out."
"Oh yeah, said he was," Will commented, practically skipping to join El. Close behind him was Jonathan, clearly curious.
"Dinner's in ten," Hopper called, having to speak loudly because of the radio.
Receiving two thumbs up, he seemed satisfied and as soon as the door to the kids room closed, he turned to Joyce, "Missed you."
"Missed you too, Hop," Joyce whispered, as though it was a secret. At the sound of a timer chiming, she glanced towards the kitchen and asked, "Want a hand?"
"You're shit at cooking," he stated, blatantly whilst walking over to pause the timer and check the pans.
Jokingly, she pushed his arm. "Says the one."
"Well, we're making my speciality today, bolognese."
"Complicated," Joyce teased, making her way over to the kitchen and eyeing the pans.
"I've got it all under control, Joyce. Don't stress."
"Feel obliged to stress when you're cooking," she replied with a smirk. When a Fleetwood Mac song began to play, her jokes were thrown out the window and she was looking into his eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck, swaying.
Willingly, he began to sway with her and time passed quicker than Joyce would have liked. Soon enough, another timer rudely interrupted their dance and they were forced to break apart. "I'll get the kids, you maintain your control," Joyce announced, directing towards the multitude of pans that had begun to bubble.
She didn't wait around for his nod before walking into El's room. What she walked in on gave chaos a run for its money. "What the-"
"I'll clean up after," El blurted, trying to tidy some of the comic books scattered over the floor as Joyce eyed them.
Joyce nodded, "I'm sure you will." Her eyes drifted over the comics and eye brows raised even higher when she found a very inappropriate magazine for her age on the floor. "Should I even ask?"
Her boys averted their gaze and El grimaced, "It's Dustin's. Not mine. I was seeing if the boys wanted it but apparently they don't."
At the news, she visibly relaxed and picked the comic book with one swoop, "Think I'll take it off your hands, El. Sure Dustin's mother will want to see it."
Now, it was Will's turn to grimace. "Mom, don't snitch on him!"
Joyce shrugged her shoulders, knowing that she probably wouldn't even find the time to 'snitch' on the kid. Holding up the magazine, she said, "Just don't be reading this filth. Anyway, dinner's ready."
The trio jumped from their seats and bundled into the kitchen, Joyce tailing them, holding the magazine. She joined Hopper in the kitchen, instructing the kids to take a seat who all continued to appear slightly sheepish. "What you got there?" he asked, face dropping when he saw the magazine.
Joyce anticipated his shout but it didn't come because she put a finger to his lips. She would have kissed the frown of his lips. However, knowing the kids where in ear and eyes shot, she resolved to the finger. "It's not El's. Well, it was given to her. She was actually trying to give it to the boys."
Holding the pan in his left hand and spoon in his right, he huffed, "I swear to God, if it's that Wheeler kids I will-"
"It's not Mike, Hop. Now, get back to serving. I'm hungry." Joyce chuckled as she threw the magazine onto the counter top, sparing a glance at the kids who all seemed relieved Hopper's temper was in control.
"Hey, don't laugh," Hopper complained.
She couldn't suppress it, leading to him placing the plates down with a sigh. Being with him relaxed her in such a strange way. They'd only been together for two weeks. Yet, Joyce felt so relaxed by his side that it felt like they'd spent years having dinner together and toning down the PDA in front of the kids for their sakes.
So, Joyce couldn't prevent the words, "Love you," from naturally slipping out.
If Hopper hadn't put the pots down, she was sure that he would have dropped them. It took him a split second to catch up but when he did, he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her close enough that their breathe was shared. "I love you too," he said, voice low and husky.
Her stomach did back flips and all of a sudden, she didn't care about the food, nor the fact they were in the kitchen. Joyce wanted to hold him and never let go because she'd finally admitted it. Her love for him.
Behind her, she caught laughter and realised what she'd just said, for the first time, in front of her kids. Will's voice echoed around the cabin and silenced the entire group, "Please could you quit flirting and serve up the food, we're perishing over here."
"Will!" Jonathan scolded.
"What?"
"Read the room," her eldest muttered.
Now, it was the couple's turn to laugh. A quick kiss that promised more later and then they were serving up the food. Joyce's face remained flushed as she took a seat at the table. Knowing if she talked, her words would be voiced in a mush, she left the conversation to the kids. Her silence allowed her to pay attention to the wide smile displayed on El's face, the subtle happiness in Jonathan and Will's features, even if Will was trying to disguise it with jokes. Then, her gaze landed on Hopper whose eyes met hers. They shared a heart-warming smile that made her blush like she was back in high school.
She was so busy observing her family she was eating at a snail pace. "Something wrong with my cooking?" Hopper teased, eyes moving between her face and the food.
"Nope, it's actually great."
"Actually," Hopper muttered to himself with a contagious smile.