#DontCallHerAnnie

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Don’t Call Her Annie 14

Title: Revelation & Revelry

Characters: Jim Hopper x Reader (OFC)

Word Count: 4700+

Summary:  Annette Horowitz is Joyce’s younger sister. She hasn’t been the perfect sibling or aunt but after she finds out Will is missing, she finds herself crashing back into Hawkins to do everything in her power to help, driven by a need to prove herself. With the tension finally broken in a confession of feelings, she and Hopper are reminded of what it’s like to feel young and in love. Is the life experience since their youth enough to make it work out this time around?

Notes: Two dorks in love.The kids. Domestic Fluffs.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13

You can check out my other work on My Masterlist.

Your pen taps against the legal pad on the counter in front of you to the beat of the weeks Top 40 hits. The rain is coming down outside the record shop, you're in the post-lunch lull, your attention focused on reading an article in The Rolling Stone. The bell chimes from the door and you're plucked out of your thoughts and back into your body. It'd been three days since you'd seen him last. That last being before you'd driven home on your bike from the farm. The smile blooms across your face as you turn to face him

"Afternoon, Chief." you practically sing out, putting one hand on your hip.

"Afternoon Annette," he says with a tip of his hat. His eyes move around the open space of the shop. "You by yourself today?" he asks low, voice mischievious.

"Depends on who's askin'." you retort with a small laugh, moving towards the front door.

"Chief of Police would like a word with you." he says with a grin full of bad intentions.

You flip the sign on the door without looking at it and keep your narrowed eyes on him until you pass, heading to the back office. "Just in time for my break." you grin. "You've got 15 minutes, Chief." you say as he walks into the small office behind you after unlocking it. You close it back and his lips are on yours immediately. You clumsily hit the wall to turn on the light. You toss his hat onto the desk as he pushes you against the door. You enthusiastically mess up his hair with your roaming fingers.

"Mmph...missed you." his lips fumble against your own between kisses, his fingers buried in your hair.

"Missed you." you purr back, your arms tightening around him.

"Can't stop thinkin' about you." he groans, kisses turning to loud exaggerated smooches as he pecks them down your neck. "I saw you walkin' into work this morning and couldn't stop thinking about how you looked in this." he chomps down on your shoulder with a low, rumbling noise. You chuckle at how his facial hair tickles when your hair is pulled back, leaving the sensitive skin vulnerable. "You know how good it feels to finally admit that?" You let out a content hum as his mouth brushes against your ear.

"I have an idea." you sigh out, he huffs a laugh out against your skin.

"And now I get to finally do this..." his voice drops low and his hands slide up the outside of your thighs and back to grab big pawfuls of your ass. You laugh as he nuzzles his face into your neck before pulled back and showing his strung-out expression, lip between his teeth at you.

"I've been waiting for you to do that too." you say with a suggestive tone, sharing the same expression he wore. He looks over your body in the short sleeved burgundy print, thin fabric sundress, hands kneading your hips. "Although I was hoping you'd do it on a day I wasn't wearing anything under this dress." you give him a sly closed mouth smile.

"Is that something you do often?" he inquires with a raised eyebrow.

"You've been staring at my ass, you tell me." you say with a chuckle, raising your chin to kiss him.

He growls and his hands go back to roughly grab your cheeks. "You never wore anything under your dresses in my dreams." he gave a playful retort, grinning down at you.

"Then I'll have to wear my favorite dress for you next time I see you."  you purr.

"Oh? Why's that?" he asks in a rumble, kissing you softly.

"Because it's really tight across my tits and I don't wear a bra with it." you bite out in a whiney whisper that makes him noisy exhale. "And no panties if you promise to fuck me like you did in those dreams of yours." you suck his bottom lip into your mouth and flick your tongue across it.

"Fuck, why you doin' this to me Ann?" he asks with a laugh, shaking his head. "That mouth is just as dirty as it was in my dreams, that's for damn sure." he chuckles as he returns to kissing you.

"Oh it is filthy." you say, shaking your head and an animated expression of enthusiasm followed by a laugh.

"When can I see you again? Panties or no panties, when can I see you again?" his tone more sweet, a deep laugh bubbling out of him. He goes back to his hands on your hips, distancing himself more, except for his lips which were moving close to your ear.

"Since the promotion I work afternoons and I'm out by 8, off Wednesdays, work Friday nights, Saturday mornings, off Sundays."

"I wanna see ya Sunday then." he gruffly requests, pulling back to look at you while he spoke.

"You can find the time real easy now that you know you'll be getting some, huh?" you laugh, your nose scrunching up at him.

"Nah. I wish." he chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. "Since it's so close to the kids going back to school I'm letting El have the others over for game night at the cabin. Tell me this isn't a massive mistake, please." he asks, taking one of your hands in his with a grin and nervous chuckle.

"I've hosted it plenty at Joyce's. It'll be loud but you can do it. Especially with me there to run interference." you give him a supportive peck on the lips. "Let them have one room to themselves, " you shrug and narrow your eyes flirtatiously at him. "We hide out in the other room." you say slowly, one eyebrow raising.

"And I thought I would have trouble with the kids." he scolds in a deep voice, his finger coming up to point into your face.

"If you think I'm not going to indulge in some very old fantasies of sneaking around and making out with you then you don't know me very well." you admit with a warm laugh. "Also you owe me for helping you with this." you smirk and tilt your head for a moment as you shrug.

"That's reasonable." he grins and picks up his hat, adjusting it on his head.

"I'm a reasonable woman." you state obviously. Smoothing out his shirt along with the hair down around his ears.

"Very much so." he admits with another kiss. "I'll see you Sunday then?"

"Of course. You can just ask me these things now, Jim. Since we're...ya know" you move your finger back and forth between the two of you, "Doing whatever this is." you say with the shake of your head, turning the knob of the door behind you.  He puts his hand on the door before you open it. His other hands holds your face again, as you look up at him.

"I guess we should make our intentions clear shouldn't we?" he says quietly, looking over your face.

"Now is as good of a time as any." you say supportively.

"I want us to be together," he states with no hesitation. "Exclusively." he adds in an obvious tone. "Because of El I don't think it would be best to be open about it just yet." he says, looking away from you with unease.

"I totally agree." you let him know quickly, as you saw he was afraid you might take offense. He exhales noticeably.

"Oh, thank God." he says with a huff of a laugh.

"Reasonable, remember?" you explain, motioning to yourself with your hands. "You gotta protect the girl, I get it, I agree. I take no offense." you say sweetly, kissing him. "I don't want anyone else but you anyway so don't worry about it." you instruct, your hand patting his chest. "But can I tell Joyce?" you ask with a tense joking smile.

"Jesus, of course Annie." he shakes his head is brow furrowed."Wait, you haven't told her yet?" he says with a higher pitched amused laugh. "I wanted to make sure I knew what was going on exactly before I told her. She'll have a ton of questions so I wanted answers. For her sake and mine." you add with raised brows and a smile.

"Well tell her I said I finally manned up. And that I love you and you're mine and that's all she needs to know." he hugs you, entrapping your arms.

"If only it was that easy." you say wistfully as he kisses you again with a squeeze.

"Never is, is it?" he nods and laughs, kissing your head and letting you go. "I'm gonna get back to work." he pecks you again. "You call me, alright? Don't be a stranger." he says against your lips, one last noisy smooch and he reaches for the doorknob himself.

"I'll miss ya Chief." you coo at him, tugging him by the hand and planting one last kiss on him before you went back to reality.  He raises an eyebrow at you with a charming smile. "Love you. Behave yourself." you instruct sweetly with a pat to his butt.

"Love you too." he says in the sweetest way, humming against your lips. "I'd tell you to behave but there's no point is there?" he chuckles against you one last time and sighs, one last long press against your lips.

"Smart man." you flirt, your hand squeezing his butt one last time. "Some of us have to work for a livin', get outta here!" you call out after him your voice teasing but your eyes hearts, leaning against the door frame. He waves his hand at you but doesn't turn back, but you see his shoulders moving as he laughs, you see him suck in his bottom lip to suppress his smile as he walks down the street and out of sight. ------------------------------------------------------------ You drive quickly to Joyce's from work so you can have time to talk to her before the boys get home from school. You're sitting at the kitchen table, chewing the inside of your cheek and not making eye contact. She slides a glass of water in front of you and sits next to you.

"What's wrong?" she asks before you even look at her.

"Nothing." She groans aggressively at you, she was still adorable even when she tried to look mean. "It actually is nothing. For the first time in a long time there's nothing really wrong." you laugh a little crazily at the thought. You sigh and meet her very intrigued stare.

"What happened?" her tone casual, leaning in closer to you, giving you her ear.

"Uh..." you say, snorting, "A few things happened?" your voice high pitched, running your fingers through your hair. "Well, just one big thing, really." you close your eyes and let the laugh move your body.

"You're lying." she says fast and shoves your arm.

"I didn't say-" you retaliate loudly, still laughing and leaning on the table with your arms.

"You two finally-" she says, her words moving fast, her hand flat on the table as she leans in.

"We did." you say erupting into laughter.

She slaps your arm a few times in her enthusiasm, meaning no harm by it. "ANNIE!" she hisses in excitement too close to your face. "You better NOT be kidding!" she scolds, her lips pursed, her finger pointing at you aggressively.

"I'm not! Why the hell would I lie about this?"

"I don't know-I just-" she shakes her head as if her operating system was failing.

"He told me he loved me." you say with a scrunched nose and in a deep bashful tone, waiting for her to hit you again. Huge grin planted on your face.

"HE WHAT?!" she puts her hand on her chest. "When? Where?" she shakes her head and hands back and forth, clearing her mind. "Just tell me EVERYTHING." she demands, pulling her chair right next to you like you used to when you'd tell her about crushes you had when you were kids.

You tell her everything. -------------------------------------------- Jonathan is standing in the kitchen, his eyes wide at the way his mom had just shouted his name and demanded he come immediately into the kitchen. She pats the table top by the seat on her unoccupied side. She speaks quietly as Will has gone into his room after being chirped at lovingly by her already.

"I know I didn't raise you to be a man who gambles but it seems that a bet we made has finally been settled."

His eyes snap over to you. You're not surprised at the bet's existence, not with the way Joyce looked at you after she saw your face anytime Hopper would talk to you. Not when Jonathan had called you both out in the earliest stages last summer, you knew they had to have many snarky conversations about the two of you.

"Who said it first?" he asks.

"It being," you lower your voice "I love you?" you ask, leaning in towards the table.

"Yeah." he nods obviously.

"Technically he did. He said the words first."

"So we were both right on that one." he says as he swings his face over to Joyce for a moment. She nods in agreement.

"I can't believe you two." you say with a chuckle, crossing your arms and leaning back in the seat, shaking your head.

"I can't believe you two." Jonathan smartly replies back. "I lost my bet on it taking past the year marker of the incident for you two to finally admit it." he states quietly, motioning over to his mother.

"I guess that means you took the under?" you ask as Joyce with a raised eyebrow.

"I just thought ya know, that maybe one of you would finally break with the summer heat and all. Since I saw how you reacted to him last summer." she says with a smirk, her chin lowering slightly in a tease. Jonathan's eyes narrow as he doesn't know about the lumberjack incident and you'd like to keep it that way.

"Don't ask, hun. Trust me, you don't wanna know." you say with a huff of laughter, shaking an open palm at him. ---------------------------- You kick the door to the cabin, your arms full of paper bags from the grocery store

"I let everyone in even though you had the key." El says, walking up to you from the group sitting around the tv.

"Oh that's fine, don't worry about it, sweetie." you say, patting her on the back as you set the bags on the counter.

"I had to use my powers to do it." she states, her eyes pointed up at you. You respond with a furrowed brow in question at her.

"Hopper doesn't like it when I use my powers in front of other people." she whispers, as you lean in to her slightly.

"Well they already know about your powers, right? No one who doesn't know about the lab saw did they?"

"No." she says, eyes darting about the kitchen.

"I don't think he'd be mad about that." you give her a comforting smile and shrug. "How about..." you begin with a grin, "if he doesn't ask about it, we just won't bring it up?" you offer to cheer her up. "And if he does ask, be honest. But I'll back you up, alright?" you say, bumping her with your hip as you hug her shoulders with one arm for a moment.

"Alright." she says with a nod.

"Took you long enough, Annette!" Dustin shouts from the couch where he and Lucas are playing a video game.

"Better watch that mouth Henderson or you're not gonna get what's in these bags." you scold playfully.

"What's in the bags?"

"Well looks like we've got, junk food. Junk Food. And beer." you laugh at the last addition.

"Ann you always come through." Dustin praises, nodding, leaning forward towards the screen.

"Beer's for me so don't get too excited, kid." you chuckle, putting away the candy, cakes and frozen food.

"I'm bringing in the pizza so wrap that up if you wanna eat." you say, motioning your hand to the tv as you walk across the room to your bike with the small trunk on the back, big enough to sit medium pizzas in. You plop them on the table and walk into the kitchen. The Will standing back with El, as Dustin stormed the table, slamming himself into a seat clumsily, as Lucas pushed him trying to get to the other set. Mike is handing pieces to Will who hands it to El. "Can you behave while I go out and out and smoke?" you ask, pulling the pack out of the back of your denim shorts. "Keep them in line for me, sweetheart?" you ask El with a wink as she smiles mischievously and takes bites of pizza clumsily.

You light your cigarette and jump slightly as you hear the door behind you to see Will following you out.

"Hey baby-" your voice lilts. "Oh, wait.  I won't call you that around them if you don't want by the way. Old habits die hard." you say with a shrug, inhaling.

He gives you a small sweet laugh, his shoulder shrugging. "No, it's fine I guess." he asks, slowly standing next to you, both looking out into the woods.

"Something bothering you, hun?" you ask, bumping him with your elbow. You couldn't believe how tall he'd gotten in the last few months.

"No, I'm fine." he says, not looking at you. "I just overheard you and mom and Jonathan in the kitchen the other day and I wanted to know if that was something I should keep to myself or-?" he asks, now looking up at you with narrowing eyes in question.

"Oh no, what was it I was running my big mouth about now?" you ask lightheartedly.

"You and Hopper." he says quietly.

"Oh hell." you say with a laughing, sputtering out smoke. "You're an angel for asking me first so thank you." you say sharing a smile with your nephew. "You haven't mentioned it to anyone have you?"

"No, that's why I was asking. I knew he was going to be here later and I wanted to be smart about it.

"This is you being very smart about it." you nod enthusiastically. "I hate to ask you to keep a secret for me, because that's kind of jerk thing to do." you say with a slight frown, lowering your voice. "We are keeping it a secret though." you say with a sigh. "If it doesn't work out we don't' want to bother El with it and he's such a prominent figure in town and you know how people talk-" he cuts you off as you show your anxiety through the speed of your words.

"I get it." he says with a toothy grin, holding his hand out at you as if you stop you. "I won't tell her." he says nodding his head at you. "Or anyone else, but that's kinda obvious." he says with a quiet chuckle.

"Ugh. Thank you." you say, smooching the top of his head.

"Okay now that you can't do in front of them." he says laugh and pushing you away.

"That's fair. Auntie Ann just loves ya baby." you say with a laugh and he opens the door to his friends. ------------------------------------------------------- As soon as Jim gets home he's barking at the kids and you're rolling your eyes, hand on your hip watching him point and give smug glares to back talk.

He sweetly squats down next to the chair El is in and speaks to her softly, ruffling her hair and rising.

"Hey. What'd I tell you about feet on the table?" he groans as he smacks Dustin's feet as he makes his way through them, making them tidy their space and be quieter, turning down the tv himself.

"I bet you're a blast at parties." you say with a smirk. As he looks up at you under a heavy brow with an annoyed look on his face.

"Can you not make these kids behave?" he asks, playfully defensive, a grin on his face now that he's talking to you. He works to take off his belt and hat.

"They were behaving." you say with a shake of your head. "They were also happy and now you gone and spread your grump onto everyone." you say with a chuckle.

"You let them act like that and the place'll be a mess later."

"Yeah and you tell them to clean up before they leave. You end up a handful of dishes, and your garbage taken out, it's not a big deal." you explain, smug look on your face in the delivery of your personal experience with the kids as proof you were correct.

"And you've got them to do that before?"

"Every time at Joyce's," you say obviously, moving your hand out to emphasize your point.

He looks you up and down and grunts at you, moving to the fridge as you go to bring pizza boxes into the kitchen to clean up a bit. He stands arm to arm with you by the sink, taking a piece of pizza from the stack of boxes.

"Remind me," he begins casually, shutting the box and leaning in close as he turns back around and says quietly, "To kiss you later for bringing beer." he settles back on the countertop and his stomach moves with laughter, his face lazy and chewing.

"Don't have to ask me twice," you say with a grin, washing the last dish in the sink. "Let's get these kids in the other room. Let them get their game going, we get the tv. I finally get to eat." you say with a with a smile, turning and moving to the group of kids.

"Alright, who wants to get away from the mean ass bear-" you moved back to Jim who is standing in the kitchen looking offended while the kids snicker.

"Hey!" he says in defense of himself, not moving but glaring just the same.

"And get the game started in the other room so you can yell and I can shut the door so Hopper doesn't also start yelling because you're too loud and then I yell because he's yelling and everyone yelling at once and it turns into a bad Monty Python sketch and no one wants that." you say with a strong nod and a loud clasping together of your hands. Everyone but Dustin looks confused who is giving you a nod of approval at your reference. ------------------------------------------- The kids are deep into a dungeon, you believe you heard them say in their heated shouting when you'd pulled the door to.

You run your fingers through Jim's hair as you stand behind the couch, scratching his scalps as he lets out a deep groan. "You wanna come smoke with me, handsome?" you ask, looking down at his tired face, eyes moving behind his lids as your pet him.

He stands on the far end of the porch, you shut but doors behind you as he hands you a cigarette as you approach him.

"The air's starting to feel different isn't it?"

"You're gonna have to be more specific." he chuckles, mumbling through the cigarette between his lips.

"It's near the end of summer." you take a deep breath and cross your arms, listening to the crickets. "You can feel that little extra chill in the wind at night." you explain, leaning closer in as you speak, hugging your leather jacket that was sitting on your shoulders over your thin and soft from wear, concert tee.

He hums. "When you put it that way it makes sense." he nods.

"The air doesn't feel like this in the city." you ask, your gaze far away, all the way to New York in your mind.

"No it does not." he says slowly, half smiling at your musing.

"It's one of the first things I realized when I came back." you say with a lazy smile. "I never slowed down enough to feel a breeze or take a few deep breaths and take in the air when I was away from here." you say with a sigh, taking another drag.

"Things move slower here. Gives you the chance to breathe."

"I didn't appreciate it when I was younger." you shake your head with a grin. "But now I do." you let out another happy sigh, all your weight leaning to one side.

"Yeah." he groans in agreement. "Slowing down isn't exactly a young man's game." he chuckles, putting his arm around your shoulder.

"It seems like no matter how slow the place you live in is, kids always make time speed up, don't they?" you laugh, taking a drag and thinking about how the past, going on two years now, had flown by. "I mean they start school in less than a month." you say with an already exasperated tone.

"Believe me, I know." he says, taking a particularly long drag.

"Oh, are you nervous about it, Daddy?" you ask in a baby talk and bump him with your hip.

He gives you one of those deep low laughs and shakes his finger at you with a scolding expression.

You snort in a laugh when you exhale, your shoulders shaking with it. "I've done it with the boys, there's no need to worry about it. It's overwhelming at first when you see all the things you have to get done, but as you're actually doing it, it's not that bad. Especially if the kids are excited." you say with a sweet smile, remembering the year before. "And  I can help you with," you shrug, "Whatever you need, really." you say obviously, rolling your face his way.

"She's very excited." he says enthusiastically. "I'm scared shitless but she's very excited." he says very matter of factly then he starts laughing at himself.

"I'm nervous for her too. I'm being cautiously optimistic about it though." you offer as help to ease his worries, reaching up to hold the hand that rested on your shoulder. "She's very smart. Those kids in there love her to pieces and will watch out for her on the inside. She's got a whole village behind her, Jim, you can't give the kid a better fighting chance than you have." you praise him, knowing he needed it.

He moves his eyes to your face and a lazy smile grows as you give his hand a squeeze. He looks behind you. You knew the pinned down curtains blocked the view of the porch from the inside, and with two doors to get through and them engulfed in their imaginary world, you knew you had a degree of privacy.  He leans in to kiss you with a peck.

"That's for the beer." he says with a grin.

"You're welcome." you say as you roll your eyes at him playfully, pecking him back.

He tosses his cigarette and you mirror the motion. As you're about to turn back his way he's grabbed you and kissed you again. He gently walks your back against the wall of the cabin, hands in your hair.

You moan from the unexpectedness of the passion behind it. Your hands squeeze his strong arms as he keeps going in round after round of lips and tongue coming at you and you greedily accept it all. He pulls back, breathing heavily, thumbs on your cheeks.

"That's for being so sweet."

"Sweet? When was I sweet?" you ask breathless, your eyelashes fluttering up at him and he laughs at your stuttered delivery in your distracted state.

"Talkin' 'bout the stuff with the kids." he says obviously. "It's good to know I have your support." he says, kissing you much more sweetly, moving his hands delicately away from your face as he pulls away.

"Of course you do, Jim," you say with a minor pout. "Don't be silly. I only act like I don't like you." you tug him back down for a slow kiss that leads to a handsy make-out session that you let your younger self indulges in fully.

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[boogiewrites]

Don’t Call Her Annie 11

Title: Dancing & Domesticity

Characters: Jim Hopper x Reader (OFC)

Word Count: 2500+

Summary:  Annette Horowitz is Joyce’s younger sister. After she finds out Will is missing, she finds herself crashing back into Hawkins to do everything in her power to help, driven by a need to prove herself. After a failed attempt at sacrificing herself for her loved ones, will a near death experience be enough for her and Hopper to admit what’s really going on between them?

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 12

You can check out my other work on My Masterlist.

Warnings/Tags: Fluff. Domestic vibes. Feelings (insert Crowley gif here). Slow burn.Tagged folks are at the bottom, if you’d like to be added or removed, just leave a reply and I’ll see it!

Any positive feedback or messages are appreciated. Thanks!

MAY

Jim started dropping off El instead of staying. You could feel him grow more anxious the longer he stayed, the closer you let your bodies get. The longer it went without you talking about your moment, the more the tension grew. You found yourself missing him. 

But without Jim there you got to drink and dance more, which was what you wanted out of girls night originally anyway.

You build the knowledge base that Jim has given El of dancing. Which surprises you. You remember him dancing when he was younger, but that wasn't something you'd expect the big man to keep up with. You let her watch MTV, rated R movies and answered any questions she had that she couldn't ask Jim. You were always dancing when he would pull in to pick her up. She'd light up at the sight of him most nights. She grabs her bag and bounds out the door after her polite goodbyes. He had taught her good manners.

He watches the two of you dancing in the living room as he pulls up every time now. He knows you'll switch the music after you lock the door behind El and pour yourself another drink. If he was lucky you'd have an outer layer he'd get to watch you slink off to the beat of a song he couldn't hear. He gets to watch you dance as he pulls away. It was a small thing he was allowing himself to indulge in.

One night he finds himself stalling longer than usual. He'd had a particularly rough day, trying not to share that information with El on his face as she sits next to him in the car.

"I like watching her dance too." El interrupts his time-killing fidgeting.

"Wh-Huh?" he turns his face fast towards her, she's looking at him with big honest eyes.

"Ann." she nods, looking back to you through the window. "She's a good dancer. I like watching her too." she elaborates. He stutters, surprised at her words and the fact that she noticed.

"Yeah. She uh, she is." he says gruffly, trying to recover his indifferent expression.

"If you like watching her, why don't you come inside to dance with her?" she asks, her face indifferent.

"Well, kid, I don't know if she'd want me to do that." he lets out a small laugh as he moves to grab the gear shift.

"She would." she nods again at him. "She says she misses having someone tall and handsome to dance with." El continues, looking back to you again for a moment before moving back to the cabin of the car. "You are tall and handsome. So she would like that." she says flatly, making him laugh out loud, she jumps at his response.

"I'm handsome?" he laughs, it shakes his shoulders and he ruffles her hair. "Where on earth did you hear that one, kid?" he asks, turning in the driveway.

"Ann." she says looking out the window not realizing what she'd given away.

JUNE

You lazily reach over the side of the couch to pick up the ringing phone. You're deep in a book and don't even bother closing it to answer, your eyes finishing the last sentence before you speak.

"Horowitz." you answer flatly.

"Hey Ann." you hear his voice trial slightly on your name.

"Hey hun, what's going on?" you ask casually.

"A lot. Actually." your eyes go a bit wide in concern, but he soothes your nerves almost immediately. "No, not like that." he lets out a small breathy laugh because he could imagine your face on the other end of the line. "I'm going to be out of town with work and I need to call in a favor." he asks reluctantly.

"Uh huh. I see." you answer, "It'll cost you but I might be willing to help." you grin, finally shutting the book and concentrating fully on the conversation.

"Well, it's a big favor. So I will in fact, very much owe you after this." he chuckles.

"Stop making me worry and just tell me." you say with a soft laugh. Since when was he the dramatic one?

"Alright." he clears his throat. "I need you to watch El for me." he says, his voice confident but reserved.

"Jim, that's nothing! When do you need me? You wanna bring her to Joyce's or?" you ask, moving your hand in explanation to no one.

"No I mean at the cabin." he says lower.

"Oh." you say, your mouth remaining in the "O" shape as your eyes move around the room.

"Yeah I'll be gone for two days and I really don't want her alone that long." you hear the love for her in his voice. Your lips pout at the feeling it gives you.

"I think I'm starting to catch on to why this is a big favor." you say lower. So staying confined in his cabin, with his daughter, taking care of her, being very...domestic. You were not surprised he remembered your conversation that well from the night you agreed to stay, but it touched you in a way that made you want to do any favor he asked. You weren't used to people taking your feelings into account first when building relationships before. Until you'd come back home. Here people listened and cared. You get a funny pain in your chest when you dwell on it too long.

"Yeah." he draws out the word. "I don't want to push any weird unspoken boundaries or anything, but if you would stay with her I would really, really-" you cut him off.

"Save the sales pitch, Jim. I'll do it." you say as if it's nothing. There was a moment of silence on the line.

"That..." you hear him exhale. "Thank you so much, Ann you have no idea what this takes off my mind." you can practically hear his shoulders relax in his tone.

"You'll still owe me. Big time. But you know I'll never pass on an opportunity to have the upper hand on you." you give a soft laugh into the receiver. You suppose you were looking forward to the challenge. Time to play house for a few days.

Since El was still on the down low, for the time being, you have secluded to the cabin without Hopper around. Being alone taking care of a kid you were responsible for had been a living nightmare of yours. And look at you now. She was such a polite, quiet kid that you didn't have much trouble out of her. You asked her what she wanted to do and you did it. You played good cop while the bad cop was out of the house. You'd decided to indulge her with rom-coms, nail polish and answered all her questions along the way. You'd read to her and she to you. You'd start board games you didn't read the rules to, making up your own and ended up not finishing, losing many pieces over the span of three days, you'd deal with the consequences later, right now you just had to get her to bed one last time.

He see's your bike tucked away on the side of the house out of the elements. He quietly pads his way to the door, unlocking the door quietly as it was very late already. He was supposed to be back tomorrow but drove home tonight instead of waiting. He looks around and see's no one, but the lamp in the bedroom is on. He takes off his outer layers, getting comfortable. He sees no dirty dishes, laundry folded on the coffee table and he wonders who you must've paid to watch El instead of doing it yourself with the level of housework he notices is finished. Had you gotten her to do all her chores too? He was honestly a bit taken back by the level of thoroughness you'd approached this favor with. He walks to the kitchen, a poorly made cake sits on the counter top, two pieces cut out of it, a big sloppily draw green icing heart on the top. You must've tried teaching her to bake. He laughs as he pokes a finger into the icing, stealing a dollop. He goes to the fridge to find the grocery shopping finished and meal wrapped in foil in the center of the shelf. He shakes his head and smiles at the thought of you both cooking in the kitchen together.

He decides to check on you, he opens the door to find you curled up in a chair pulled up against her bed. She's deep asleep, you're awake, your nose buried in a book, your eyes are intently focused, your brow low. Your cheek rests on your hand, elbow on the arm of the chair. Your socks show from under the blanket you'd wrapped yourself up in. You don't notice him for a few long seconds. He sees you watching over El, having read her to sleep, still staying in the same room as her even though you didn't have to. He felt a deep shift in his chest and stomach at the sight.

As you yawn your eyes leave the book and you see his head between the door and the frame. You mouth 'hey' and take a big stretch as you quietly leave the room.

"You're back early." you whisper, shutting the door behind you after you give her one final glance.

"I just drove home instead of staying the night." he says, moving out of your way as you head to the kitchen, still stretching and yawning.

"Well, welcome back." you grin, opening the fridge and rubbing your eyes, grabbing a soda. "Food's in here for ya if you want it. " you say, moving the door with your hip and leaning against the counter.

He moves past you to get a beer, which you'd also bought. He looks you over, your hair not styled, no makeup and draws back one corner of his mouth in contemplation of the sight.

"You can stop staring. I know you've not seen me all natural and unkempt many times," you say with a small laugh, moving your hand to present yourself, your cotton shorts and a tank top. Your favorite threadbare flannel over it for modesty and to help cover the still dark scars from your encounters last year, the biggest scar across your upper thigh just peaking out beneath the hem of the mid-thigh hitting shorts. "But that doesn't mean you have to make me self-conscious about it." you smirk and shake your head at him.

"That wasn't my intention." he smiles softly at you, his eyes look like they're searching for something in the distance when he looks at you. "I actually was thinking you looked nice until you opened your mouth." you both choke back your laughter.

"That's usually how it goes." you shrug indifferently, keeping your laughter quiet to not wake El. You turn to go sit at the table.

"What did you girls get into while I was away?" he asks, sitting across from you with a grunt.

"You know, the usual. Drinking, drug trafficking, thefts under $500." you pause while he snorts at your words. "Picking up hitchhikers, introducing her to the idea of teenage rebellion against her father, taking candy from strangers," you shrug casually, "You know, the basics. All the things a young girl needs to know." you grin at him, resting your chin on your hand.

"I should've known better than to leave her with you." he narrows his eyes, a warm smile on his face at your comfortable demeanor.

"We watched movies, painted her nails, read a lot actually. She loves that. " you nod and run your finger over the table in thought, trying to recall if there was anything worth mentioning.

"And baked apparently?" he asks, motioning his head to the cake behind him. You let out a small chuckle.

"Well I made cookies, and those are fast. So she assumed baking a cake would be just as easy and she was so excited about the idea of surprising you with a cake I couldn't say no." your face goes soft at the thought.

"Yeah she gets like that sometimes." he smiles at a memory of her. "I guess I should thank you for also doing all the shopping and cleaning too." he says in a sarcastic tone, but he's really just impressed.

"I know how hot and bothered you get when I go all domestic." you get out before the low chuckle escapes you. He blushes and covers his mouth as he laughs, looking away from you. "Couldn't' pass up on the chance to exceed your expectations." you explain, a smile on your face at the red on his face.

"Well, you did. You even got her to do her chores?" he says impressed.

"Yeah, I just put on some music and danced around and helped her. Wasn't an issue at all." you speak with your hands, your face soft and unbothered. "I think we got everything." you chew your lip, looking around the cabin. "I did shopping and we swept, laundry, dishes, restocked the firewood...yeah. I think I held down the fort pretty well." you swing your head back over to him with a proud smile.

"You did exceed expectations yet again." he crosses his arms on the table leaning forward and looking you over again.

"Never get tired of hearing that." you shake your head proudly. "Thanks." you bat your eyelashes and press your chin to your shoulder sheepishly.

"No. Thank you." he points at you before reaching out and taking your hand. He slides his fingers against yours and rests them on the table top, as he looks intently into your eyes. The sudden intimate nature of the gesture catches you off guard as your mouth falls open for a second as you're obviously affected by the small touch. "Seriously." his voice drops and you lean in to match his posture. "Thank you." he says again, squeezing your hand.

"You're welcome." leaning forward and putting both your hands on his, you give him a quick peck for his sweet words. He's giving you that dumb little smile of his, his teeth just barely showing.

"I would've been a mess without you here this weekend." he almost whispers. His smooth tone makes it your turn to blush.

"You're a mess whether I'm here or not, Jim." you pick at him, your nose scrunching but your lips send a different sort of smile his way.

"Yeah, but I prefer to be a mess with you around." he squeezes your hands and pulls you closer, making you put your legs underneath you in the chair to lean on the table to be able to stretch over to him. You shake your head with a reluctance to your actions as his grin grows wider the closer you get. He closes the rest of the space between you and returns the kiss you'd given him, but thankfully this one goes on longer.

"When'd you get so sweet, Jim?" you coo at him, as he lets your hands go, as you slide back into your seat. You don't want El to wake up and see you crawling across the table to her protector. You fluff your hair and sigh at him, your defenses down.

"I could ask you the same question." he answers smugly. His words make you blush. Again.

Chapter 12 Music & Misunderstanding

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