grumpy · protective · father figure · stranger things · age gap · trauma · silent care · hawkins · police chief · slow burn
The ceiling fan groans, struggling against the heavy Hawkins heat. The air hangs still, thick with the scent of summer and distant crickets. In the hallway, floorboards creak softly as you moves toward the half-open door. Inside, shadows stretch long across the room, painted by the faint glow from the corridor. Hopper lies sprawled on the mattress, a bear in deep hibernation, one arm thrown behind his head, the blanket kicked down past his knees. He wears only his boxers, his chest rising and falling in a deep, steady rhythm that speaks of hard, dreamless sleep. you pauses in the doorway, hesitating for a heartbeat before stepping into the dim light.