#i just think it's more realistick that way

[lovelytremendousglitter]

He is screaming and crying for help

Part 1

Jim only felt slightly guilty at this. He was, after all, a tired middle aged police officer and honest enough with himself to know that if it weren’t for Jane, he would have probably fallen into Morpheus’s arms with a half-finished sixpack and a couple of empty chip bags.

        So Hopper could definitely appreciate a home cooked meal. Returning home to a ready dinner and a happy daughter is something that both scarred and soothed his wounded heart. It serves as a painful reminder, not only of what he used to have, but of how he failed Diane and how he continues to fail every day. Because, yeah the fact that a teen basically parents his daughter but doesn’t stick around when her parent’s over is sick. Hopper would very much like to have a dinner with the boy. Ask him a couple crucial questions. Like what business the most popular kid in Hawkins has hanging around any children, annoying nerdy ones at that. But every time he gathers enough courage for that, Steve slips out with progressively lamer excuses. Jim’s getting increasingly worried. When was the last time he was in the same room as Harrington and the kids? He has no idea what’s happening under his own roof every other day and that’s unacceptable.

              The past two weeks he found himself looking for an opportunity to kick him out, throttle him a little, make him never come back again. And then he sees Jane, and how his presence makes her more confident, more sociable. Watches with poorly vailed delight as she happily gobbles up Harringtons pumpkin stew. Last time he cooked they had to spend the entire evening cleaning up and getting El to eat vegetables ended in them not talking for three days and he’s just so tired. Looks at the dinner before him, which is more nutritious and tasty than anything Hopper would ever hope to create. Jane is getting closer to a healthy weight and he’ll begrudgingly admit he is too.

              At night he lies in bed agitated. Reasons Harrington’s just lonely after getting dumped. Or that somehow this is his ploy to get her back. That by taking care of the brats she’s so close to, he will gain something in her eyes. He goes to sleep once again promising himself to finally talk to the kid. That he doesn’t mind buying, making and cleaning up after dinner, if it gains him some of her attention.

              Needless to say the police chief never expected this. One thing about Harrington is that he never stays over for long, especially with Jim present. Despite what one could have expected Steve is actually surprisingly understanding of him and his wariness about people seeing El, hurting her. Seems to know that a boy his age hanging around kids isn’t welcomed and so he never overstays his welcome.

              So when Hopper comes home to the sight of one Steve Harrington lying on his couch and bleeding all over his only white towel, with two thirds of the toddler bunch jumping around him, he is a little bit shocked. They haven’t noticed him yet. Jane stands in the middle holding what looks like every blanket they own. Will is holding a steaming cup attempting to spoon feed Harrington. Henderson looks like a maniac, with rubber gloves that Jim forgot he owned, holding a roll of bandages. He can clearly see Mike Wheeler anxiously trotting along the cabins living room yelling angrily into his radio. It’s shocking enough that he releases his hold on the door and it closes loudly. Suddenly all (accept for Harringtons who lets out a yelp as he moves to sit) heads snap to him. The door locks snap shut at once. There’s a second of peace before all five start yelling over each other.

“Oh, great sir, you have to hel-“

“Hopper I can explain. I wa-“

“Steve is hurt.”

“Chief, pass me the antiseptic”

“-ink Dustin knows appropriate firs-“

As always Hopper focuses on his daughter first.

“Are you hurt? Any of you?”

“I am not hurt”

“Obviously we’re not hurt. Haven’t you heard the best paramedic is an alive paramedic.”

Since he met them Jim has never once been as thankful for their all-knowing snarky attitudes as he is now. God knows he can’t handle more than one moaning kid. There’s only going to be one problem today. A problem witch has apparently given up on moving and let his head fall with a quiet thud. Some part of Hopper, that he takes great effort to hide, is happy that Harrington finally can’t escape him. He closes his eyes and tries swallow down the venomous offspring of his suspicion. It takes one second, one second, to collect himself and of course that’s all it takes for the chaos to start up again. This time provoked by Wheelers radio.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?”  Maybe it’s the interference but Jim doesn’t recognize the voice of whoever Mike was yelling at more than any other people in this town.

“Steve is hurt. We’re helping” El instantly replies clearly pleased to know what’s going on and Jim is shamefully a little proud, that his little girl is most calm in this situation.

“We’re trying to do stiches, sir, and.. uh-” Will ever the polite young man tries to offer but then Wheeler of all people has to ruin it by bitching back at the walkie-talkie.

“Hopper’s pissing himself, don’t interrupt” Oh, that’s it El is going to wait three years before that boy is allowed in here again. He’s outdone himself this time. It’s getting very clear to that Mike needs to be taught some respect and he would gladly fulfil his duty as the chief and be the one to teach him.       He’s just about to threaten the kid with that, when the Henderson kid screeches.

“Steve is dying, is what’s going on and if you’re not going to tell us about stiches than get lost because you’re no help right now.” Jim didn’t even know that a fourteen year old boy was capable of such a sound, but he quickly abandoned that thought when little Will started shaking Harrington by the shoulders. Oh shit. Hopper will begrudgingly admit, that sometimes he can be a victim of tunnel vision, and it would seem his dislike of Mike Wheeler might have misguided his judgement of the situation, but now, as he looks at Wills pale face he can feel himself sobering up.

              His eyes move over Harrington, trying to assess the damages. His face is still full of yellow and green hues, but there aren’t any visible cuts. If it weren’t for the bloody towel under his head and Byers’s terrified expression he wouldn’t even know anything was wrong. Steves eyes are closed and he’s breathing small quiet breaths. He’s unconscious.  Hopper is sure he was talking just fine five minutes ago. He cups his face between his palms and maneuvers them/it to look for the cut. Now that he touched him he realizes Harrington is burning. His hair feels damp, especially where it’s shorter, but it looks as over-the-top as ever. He lets out a whine when Hopper pushes him up to sit. Around them the kids are all holding their breath. The only sound interrupting the surprisingly firm silence was the crackling coming from Wheelers radio.

              He finds it.  Going from the back of Harringtons head, next to his left ear, to the middle section on top is a open cut, slowly oozing blood into thick hair. Carefully Jim tries to push the hair apart, struggling to get a better look while not worsening the wound. When he finally manages, the pregnant silence is interrupted by several kids’ gasps. It’s not good. It’s vicious red, leaking puss in several places and if Hopper’s seeing properly, has some remnants of dirt in it. The edges are painted a darker color, somewhat scabbed over, like an old poorly treated tear re-opening. All right, that’s it. Hopper is done letting Steve from his grasp. It’s about time to get this problem over with thoroughly.