Hello can you accept this request of the prompts '2. We are locked in...' , '21.- I'm sorry', '37.- I was such a fool', '41.- How could you' and '48.- I'm never leaving you' for a Divorced!Jonathan Byers x Divorced!Reader (both with kids) fic in which they meet again at a High-school reunion in the 2000s, that is in a hotel and when they try to leave using the elevator, they get stuck there and start talking about their lives and their past when they used to be childhood friends until high school when reader started to change to be popular and left him, and they discuss many things until they made up when the elevator starts to work again, to finally they exchange number to keep in contact with each other.
A New Beginning | Jonathan Byers x Fem!Reader.
a/n: First of all, credits to my friend @alex-walker-86 because she helped me with the title š and second, I LOVED this idea, I don't know who you are, but I adore you, kisses to your wonderful imagination š. I had to change the 48 a bit, to make it look good, hope you don't mind š.
Warnings: Jonathan and reader divorced, Jonathan and Reader single parents (It says so in the request, but I put it as a precaution ^^).
You took one last look at yourself in the mirror, fixing your dress with your hands. You walked around, checked your hairstyle and makeup, you wanted to look decent, rather, you wanted to avoid looking like a 38 year old woman with a divorce in progress and an eight year old child you loved with all your soul.
"Still getting ready?" you turned to look at Steve. He was with his arms crossed, smiling broadly in a teasing manner, "Hey, pretty, you look amazing."
He walked over to you, grabbing your shoulders and leading you out of the bathroom. As you complained to him about how he had no right to kick you out of your own bathroom, you managed to catch a glimpse out of the corner of your eye as Steve's girlfriend - whom he had miraculously been dating for almost half a year now - played happily with your son, Daniel.
"Why did you bring your girlfriend?" you frowned. It didn't bother you, but it seemed odd.
"We were supposed to go to dinner with her parents today," he sighed, leaning his full weight on you, ignoring your complaints, "but then you called me to ask for help with Dani and I couldn't say no."
You grimaced as you watched him sigh in love. You loved seeing him happy, but that didn't take away from the fact that it made you nauseous to see him being so mawkish with her or with anyone, especially if it was with you.
"When I told her I thought she was going to be mad, but she offered to come over with a big smile and canceled dinner without hesitation, don't you think she's a sweetheart?" You quickly brushed it aside, rolling your eyes jokingly.
"I'm glad you're happy and in love and all that shit, but that's not why I called you" you grabbed your wallet and walked over to your son. He had slightly tanned skin, eyes as dark as night and straight black hair. How happy you were that he looked like you and not his idiot father. "Honey, I'm leaving now."
You bent down to his height, giving him a resounding kiss on the forehead, laughing at the sight of your pink lipstick mark on it. You shook your head as you watched him try to remove the stain in vain, grumbling under your breath.
"Bye, Mom," he gave you a smile, one that made you feel a comforting warmth in your chest. You loved this child.
"Bye, Y/N" smiled Steve's girlfriend, holding some action figures of your son in her hands.
"Bye" you waved goodbye to her with a nod, walking to the exit door.
"I'll be right back" said Steve, kissing his girlfriend shortly, laughing as he heard Daniel pretend to retch, "Shall we?"
You walked out as soon as Steve opened the door for you, walking to his car. You always envied his life, in the financial sense of course. Even now he had the best of the best, and it was all thanks to his modeling job. How lucky were people with a good physique and charisma.
"Ladies first" you laughed exaggeratedly as you watched him open the passenger door for you, but you didn't hesitate for a moment to get in.
After a few seconds Steve was already in the driver's seat, turning on the radio after having started the car. The trip was silent, you had nothing to talk about and neither did he, at least not something that really interested you, so you both chose to let the music invade the atmosphere.
"Well," said Steve after about ten minutes of driving, "looks like we're here."
You nodded in agreement, looking at the fancy hotel your former classmates had decided to have the reunion at. You had no idea where they got the money to pay for it, but you didn't plan to complain.
"Thanks for the ride, and for taking care of Daniel," you said quietly, unbuckling your belt and letting out a heavy sigh. Again the nerves set in.
"It's nothing, you know I love kids" a kind smile appeared on his face, eliciting a chuckle from you. At what point had the great king of Hawkins, Steve Harrington, turned into a caring adult who was on the prowl for a wife and six small children?
"Anyway, go later" you got out of the car, still laughing, "remember to come get me, keep an eye out for the phone."
He nodded quickly, starting the car and disappearing into the night streets after a few seconds. You wrapped your arms around yourself, shivering slightly. It was colder than you thought it would be.
You entered the hotel, walking towards the receptionist and giving her your ID card. You saw her check a list and write something on it, then she gave you directions and you went to the elevator.
You pressed the button and waited a few seconds for it to open. You entered at a slow pace, trying to think of what you would tell your old friends why you had disappeared for two decades. Sure, the answer was obvious, they were all shit, you didn't want them in your life, not anymore, but you didn't want to tell them that, at least not today.
The elevator door began to close. A hand got in its way, making you open your eyes in surprise.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the man muttered, crestfallen, entering, trying to fix the sleeve of his suit, "I didn't mean to, but I really needed to get in and..."
You both looked at each other in surprise at the sight of the other's face. Your lips trembled slightly, his shoulders tensed at the same time. The elevator door closed.
"Jonathan" you murmured, turning over the bracelet you had decided to wear as an accessory for tonight, "it's been a while."
"Yeah..." he nodded, standing next to you, both of you looking at the elevator door. He looked too uncomfortable. "I guess we haven't talked since '83, huh?"
You tried to salivate, closing your eyes tightly. That was the year Will disappeared. The year you got sick of living in the shadows like a weirdo. The year you cut yourself off forever from him, from your lifelong best friend until that moment.
"Yeah, I guess so" you took a breath, shifting your foot impatiently, how long was this taking to go up?
You didn't want to keep talking to him, you wanted to run away, get some air, maybe a drink, no, the whole bottle of Champagne. With that thought in mind you tried to hold on for the rest of your trip. At least until the elevator moved abruptly, causing you both to stumble and fall to the floor.
"Oh, shit" you grunted under your breath, rubbing your hip and watching as Jonathan tried to call for help via the emergency button.
"Couldn't you fix it faster?" his voice sounded calm, too calm for the situation you both found yourselves in. You heard a male voice say on the other end 'sorry, we can't do anything for at least the next half hour'.
You banged your head against one of the walls, stretching your legs out on the floor and shivering slightly as you felt the cold on your legs.
"Well, looks like we're locked in..." said Jonathan, taking a seat across from you. He stretched his legs out as well, lightly brushing against yours.
"Yeah, I think I noticed" you grimaced as you saw Jonathan's expression at your sarcasm. You cleared your throat, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for talking back to me like that, or something else?" He raised his eyebrows, trying to connect their gazes, "because, as far as I remember, you're not the kind of person who would apologize for using sarcasm."
You sighed, holding your head with both hands. Suddenly your throat felt tight and your heart began to ache. You hated remembering that time, remembering how you treated Jonathan just because you want to be popular.
"That's not why I meant it" or at least you thought it was, you weren't even sure. After you left Hawkins High School you never saw him again, you could never apologize to him for everything you did to him. "Even though I should, I was such a fool at the time."
"Yes, you were" he replied mockingly, gently kicking your thigh. You looked at him in surprise, why was he acting like that? Was it a joke? "I think I understand why you did it though."
"Oh yeah?" you frowned as you heard him laugh out loud. You were seriously confused, "Why are you laughing? What's so funny?"
"It's just..." he closed his eyes, trying to take a deep breath so he could speak without laughter in between, "it amuses me to see how confused you look" a friendly smile made your heart skip a beat, "Y/N, it doesn't matter that you were a 'merciless bitch' back then, I'm over it" he tapped your thigh softly again, this time with an even bigger smile, "we were teenagers, stupid, impulsive, wanting to be accepted."
"Yeah, well, I'm still sorry I acted like a 'merciless bitch', you didn't deserve it" this time you smacked his thigh, looking down at your hands. You hadn't felt like that in a long time. "Don't think I'll repeat my apology."
He laughed again. You looked at him again. The confinement was beginning to become more bearable.
Jonathan put his hand to his forehead, brushing a few strands of hair out of his face, it was the first time you had seen him so concerned about his appearance. It was the first time you saw the white mark of a wedding ring on 'that' finger.
"What's that?" you pointed at his finger, feeling too curious to hold back the question.
"Oh," he lowered his hand, looking at the mark on the wedding ring, "it's proof that I'm divorced."
"I'm sorry" you mumbled quickly, knowing how awkward it was to have someone ask you about that. "I didn't know."
"How could you...?" He raised his eyebrows, expectantly.
Your cheeks tinged pink. You felt stupid right now.
"Right..." you cleared your throat, hugging your legs, "Nancy?"
He nodded, an overly deep sigh made you remember how terrible it was to go through all that, especially if you had a child.
"We got to a point where neither of us could find a reason to be together" he shrugged, "I think we were together these last few years just out of simple habit...and Amy, of course."
"Amy?" You cocked your head to the side, trying to remember some Amy.
"My daughter," he smiled sweetly, pulling his wallet out of his back pants pocket, "She's ten years old."
He took a photograph from one of the wallet's compartments. In it was a smiling little girl, without a set of teeth, with curly blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes; she looked like a little angel.
"She's beautiful, Jonathan" you smiled almost helplessly. She reminded you of your little boy, your reason for living.
"I know" he nodded proudly, taking the picture as soon as you handed it to him and putting it away carefully, "I'm not lying when I say she's a lovely little girl."
"I believe you" you laughed nodding, watching as he began to ramble on about how proud he was of his baby girl, how smart and talented she was... you were beginning to wonder if your ex-husband talked about Daniel like that. You didn't believe it, but you didn't care, you could give him all the love he needed all by yourself.
"I'm sorry, I guess I got carried away" he mumbled embarrassed after a few minutes, coughing slightly to cover the embarrassment in his voice, "tell me about yourself, we've only talked about my life."
"Well" You raised your hand, pointing to the finger where a few years ago your ring had been, "I'm also divorced" you smiled bitterly, lowering your hand heavily, "truth be told, I'm not sure what I saw in that idiot, but just as you see, things didn't work out."
"I'm sorry," he grimaced, crawling to your side and leaning his shoulder against yours. Barely a graze.
"It doesn't matter, I don't see him anymore anyway" you picked your shoulders, "and besides" you smiled, looking at Jonathan. Ah, if only you could have seen how your eyes sparkled at the memory of Daniel, "thanks to him I have Daniel".
"Your son?" He murmured in surprise.
"The one and only" you laughed, sighing with joy, "he's eight years old, I don't have pictures of him here, but believe me when I tell you he looks just like me."
"Then he must be very attractive" he joked, tapping your shoulder playfully.
"He is, he's the cutest boy in his class and..." you fell silent as you felt the elevator make an annoying noise and start moving.
You looked at Jonathan. He looked at you. Silence returned.
"Well, at least now we won't be starving" you laughed as you listened to him, shaking your head slightly.
Just as you were about to say something to him, his phone started ringing. You watched him pick it up and sigh as he saw who it was. You fell silent as he signaled you to wait.
"What happened?" he mumbled seriously, looking uncomfortable, "again? I thought we had agreed that you wouldn't do any more meetings in your days with her..." he sighed heavily, looking at the elevator door, "fine, I'll go there, don't leave until I get there."
"Everything okay?" you asked cautiously. It seemed to be a sensitive subject for him.
"Yeah, it's just Nancy," he mumbled, putting his phone away and dialing floor one, "she had a last minute meeting and won't be able to see Amy, so I'll have to come back."
"Oh, sure, I understand, it's happened to me a hundred times" you laughed nervously. Of course you knew the comp felt, and you also knew that a good father would do these things for his daughter, but you had liked talking to him. You wanted to keep having these kinds of talks with him.
He smiled, softly and tenderly. He helped you up from the floor. The door opened.
"Now that we meet again," he murmured close to your ear, sending a shiver down your spine, "I'll never let you go, not as easy as twenty years ago."
He handed you a slightly crumpled piece of paper and helped you off the elevator, stepping back into it. Your cheeks burned too much, but you still didn't look away from him until the doors were completely closed.
Only then did you look down to see the paper. You unwrapped it carefully, frowning in confusion as you saw that it had something written on it.
'I had hoped that we would meet again today, and the fact that you read this confirms it. I'll leave you my number so you can call me and we can get back in touch. Thank you for giving us a second chance to meet'.
"Idiot" you muttered with a smirk, tucking the paper carefully into your bag, thinking about how to ask Steve to start getting the idea of coming to visit Daniel more often.
