something_incredible | (no subject)

From the time he'd made the decision about all this, Hopper has been working step by step to get his shit together enough that it just might work. He'd gotten a job, gone back to work for at least a month so there's evidence of a proper income going into his bank account, he'd cleaned up the apartment bit by bit, made it less like some shitty place where someone just crashed on the couch and more like a home. He'd bought one of those new Blu-ray players and a few movies, plus some books and board games to go with the turntable and records he already owns.

Even when Beverly had just been staying with him some of the time, Hopper had made sure to get her nice, fresh sheets and towels, things that could be just hers, and part of his plan is to get her other things to make her room feel more like a place where she can be happy. He'd picked up a small desk a week back, a chair to go with it, a lamp to put on top, then one of those laptop computers like he already has and almost never uses.

He's been planning all the steps toward getting Beverly living with him full time that he's sort of put off the one major step that's required before he gets into the legal stuff. Asking her.

It's probably dumb to be nervous, but he's nervous anyway. He texts her one Sunday, asking if she's staying the night, because she usually does on Sundays, they usually watch some stupid movie on TV, only this time he's got real movies they can choose from and he tells her so. Then he says he'll pick up fried chicken for dinner, because everyone likes fried chicken.

The rest of the day drags by. He feels like an idiot, but he just wants her to be somewhere she'll be safe and happy. Somewhere she can call a real home, even if it's only for a little while, before one or both of them disappear.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's nice, he realizes, knowing Beverly is from approximately the same time he is, knowing she's about as well versed in computers as he was when he'd come to Darrow. It means he's only going to feel the regular amount of behind when she starts to talk about school and trends and all the other things he doesn't get because he's too old.

"Like I said, there's some paperwork, stuff I have to sign, but we can pick your stuff up from the Home whenever you want," he says. "I, uh, sorta figured you might wanna talk to Eddie first. Tell him about this before you just move out."

And he's okay with that. He can wait a little while longer. Eddie is important to Beverly and the kid seems like kind of a disaster, but Hopper likes him well enough.

"Yeah, I definitely want to do that," Beverly says, the smile she shoots him a little softer, appreciative. Eddie was already one of the best and only friends she had before this place, but he's become something more like family since then. It's not a matter of just moving away from a friend. She likes some of the other kids at the Home, but she wouldn't go out of her way to talk to them before leaving. With Eddie, though, she doesn't want him to feel like she's abandoning him, though she doubts he would.

It's not like it will take her long to move, anyway. Delaying it for a day or two won't make any real difference when it isn't going to be some huge undertaking to move her stuff over.

"But once I do that... There's nothing else I need to stick around for. And not a lot to move."