What: Hopper's return to society Where: Outside the hotek When: Mid day Warnings: Will update if necessary Status: OPEN
He nodded at Joyce, tried to communicate with her that it was all right, he knew the risks, and he didn't regret doing what needed to be done to save the world, with just a look. It felt woefully inadequate. He held her gaze, though, strong and steady, calm and accepting. He didn't want to die, of course he didn't. But he would, because there wasn't time to debate, there wasn't time for him to get out of blast range. She needed to turn those keys and close that god damn gate right the hell now. He knew she'd tell Eleven that he loved her, that he was sorry, that he did this for her. He'd needed her to be safe, he prayed that she was, that Joyce would ensure her safety in the future. That was all that really mattered; keeping Eleven and the other kids safe, but especially Eleven. And Joyce too, he supposed.
And then he closed his eyes, preparing himself for the moment of death as Joyce shifted and moved to turn the keys. And then...and then there was the sensation of the ground beneath him, and he felt chilled where before there had been an oppressive, stale heat. He blinked, his eyes needing time to adjust to the light of day because he'd been deep below the surface for a few hours prior.
He pushed himself to sitting up. "The fuck?" he muttered, looking around. He looked down at his clothes. He was wearing the god damn Commie uniform he'd taken off the guy when they found the lab. He lurched to his feet, turned in a circle looking around, looking for something, anything, that would tell him where he was. The sign for The Rosebud Inn greeted him, but it meant nothing to him. He didn't know of any Rosebud Inn in Hawkins.
He blinked, trying to clear his vision, even though his vision wasn't fuzzy or obscured in any way. There was no darkness, no floating cosmic debris or whatever it was in the Upside Down. It was just clear, bright, normal world environment. He didn't understand how this was possible. He should be...dead. Not here. Where ever here was. "Seriously, what the fuck?" he muttered.