Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Life is an array of daisies and trauma. There are bursts of beautiful colors and sensations that starkly contrast against the wounds that seamlessly hide within one's inner heart. Pain painted firmly within perfected peace is a haunting concept; however, that simply is life.

El Hopper had been born and raised within the dark. For her whole life, she felt as though she had never seen the sun. She once suffered cruel endeavors of abuse at the hands of her manic mother that she swore left deep gashes within her soul. Her father and savior; Jim Hopper, had revived her from that harsh environment the second he learned of her existence.

Since then, the girl grew with embedded trust issues. She flinched when people got too close and felt panic every time she had to meet someone new. So, when her father informed her that she had to begin attending a Support Group at the start of her senior year, immediate anxiety filled every crevice of her mind. El was brilliantly shy and kept to herself, which meant she did not mingle amongst any peers.

It is often the largest, most challenging changes that bring humans joy. And while she didn't know it yet, she was going to meet light for the first time. The sun is precious and often can be provided by endless love and self-acceptance.

This is a story about trauma meeting tranquility. And El Hopper meeting her iridescent light; Mike Wheeler.

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Each morning began with the same awful sensations for El Hopper. There was a constant burning at the back of her throat from pent-up screams she had bitten back in the night. An ever-present heaviness swelled in her chest; continually reminding her of the terrors that met her every time she dreamt. It took all of her body’s energy to drag herself from bed, and while she found herself dreading every single waking day, this particular day was much worse.

Hopper had been a great parent to her for the past several years. He withheld great care for her and she could see that very clearly. Yet, there was also a dim sparkle in his dark irises that she easily identified each time he looked at her. The guilt he carried was not fair. He was not to blame for the way her life unfolded. Hell, he hadn’t even known of El’s existence since Terry had intentionally hidden their child from him until her time on this planet expired.

After El had successfully rolled out from her covers and gotten herself ready, she trudged out to the kitchen. She sat silently in front of her father until she willed herself to murmur, “do I really have to do this?”

With a heavy sigh, Hopper nodded, “I just want you to try it out a few times. If you find out that you hate it, then we’ll look into something else,” he paused, leaning over the table to ruffle her hair as he finalized, “eat your waffles so that you’re there on time.”

She couldn’t hold back the roll of her eyes as she passive aggressively dug into the food on her plate. As El slowly chewed, a brief replay of events swirled through her mind. First was the sight of her mother hovering above her with her cold hands wrapped around her throat. Then, her subconscious played the day she left her mother’s funeral with her newfound father. And finally, a sudden flicker of days bled past her. Dancing in the kitchen with Hop mingled with the way she walked through school like a ghost.

To tell the truth, El had yet to speak to a single soul in Hawkins aside from her father. He was all she knew, and she preferred to keep it that way. However, Hop could see she was struggling. One-on-one therapy hadn’t worked to resolve her pain; which is exactly how she now found herself headed to a support group for troubled adolescents.

As she went to step out of the car, Hop grabbed ahold of her wrist. He rubbed the blue elastic he had given her as he disclaimed, “I love you, kid. I want to see you happy, so please, give this a chance.”

Repressing the tears that threatened to come forward, El whispered, “love you,” before hustling inside the gray building.

El kept her head down to the ground until she walked into the meeting room. The chairs were set up in a circle and the walls were coated in inspirational posters. There was already ten other teens present, so she hurried to find herself one of the last remaining seats. She kept her eyes downcast away from the others, wanting nothing more than the ground below her to swallow her whole. She had gotten so good at keeping to herself that she had begun to believe she had the power of invisibility. Yet, it seemed she was terribly mistaken.

“El?” a voice that she vaguely recognized struck her core.

When her eyes flickered beside her, El was met with the sight of a boy she had seen in school. His lanky height and impeccable ability to speak up was hard to ignore. In fact, he was one of the only people she was familiar with due to the overlap in their class schedules during Junior year. And even though she didn’t talk to anyone and kept to herself, El was quite observant. She knew this boy well; from his freckled cheeks to his interest in science fiction, however, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

The boy blushed as he interjected her thoughts by stating, “I’m sorry, I just recognize you from school. You sat beside me in world history last year and I remember how nice your handwriting was,” his cheeks tinted darker as he rambled, “I’m being creepy. God, I’m sorry. You’re El, and I-I’ve been meaning to talk to you forever, but never worked up the courage to. Anyways, I’m—”

Looking downward, El murmured, “Michael.”

Like a stunned fish, his lips parted as he stuttered, “y-you know me?”

She simply nodded her head, hoping to be met with silence. Yet, before she could even take a breath, he spoke once more, “wow! I didn’t think you knew I existed!”

El finally brought her eyes to his, analyzing his welcoming grin with a scowl. Almost like he was petrified by her gaze, he clarified, “my friends call me Mike though; if you want to be friends that is.”

“What is ‘friend’?” she dryly served the rhetorical question.

Mike frowned slightly at her as he pried, “a friend is someone you would do anything for. Don’t you have anyone like that?”

A harsh invisible smack struck El’s core as she recognized that she did not have anyone except her father. She never experienced what it was like to have someone’s hand to hold while whispering hidden secrets. She didn’t have a partner to express her favorite movies to during sleepovers. And she certainly did not have anyone that would call her a friend.

Her glassy eyes must have betrayed her because before she could speak, Mike’s gentle hand rested on her shoulder as he softly asked, “do you want to be friends?”

“Why would you want to be friends with the lonely school freak?” She bit out sharply.

Although her tone was rather harsh, Mike was surprisingly not taken back by her words. Instead, he found courage as he disclaimed, “you carry a new book with you each week. You don’t stick to one genre. I’ve seen you take on Stephen King and then Jane Eyre. You’re quiet, but your facial expressions let on that you know far more than other people,” he daringly stared at her as he added, “I know there’s a reason you keep to yourself, but you don’t have to be alone.”

Not a second after the words left his mouth, the group’s leader finally began conducting today’s session. There were several new members aside from El, so to provide everyone with some familiarity to one another, they were instructed to go around the circle and introduce themselves. They were also asked to share as much as possible; from favorite colors to buried fears. El felt badly that she wasn’t able to pay attention to what her peers had to say; however, she couldn’t stop thinking about what Mike had just said. Clearly, during her days of analyzing others, she had failed to recognize that maybe people were intrigued by her as well.

When the circle reached Mike and he rose from his seat, El finally rattled herself away from her internal monologue. She felt her heart full stop as he proudly disclaimed, “my name is Michael. I like Star Wars and I hate failure. I’ve been coming here for over a year, and today’s the first session where I think I made a friend.”

A muffled gasp left El’s lips as his eyes met with hers. Her observational skills were sharp, and the notable hope she could see within his warm irises was impossible to deny. Once Mike had sat himself back down, she found herself wobbling as she stood up. Swallowing back all of the fear she felt, she urged herself to be someone new. To let herself feel what it’s like to live.

“I’m El. I like to read and do puzzles with my father. Today’s my first time here,” she glanced over at Mike; who smiled up at her as she finished, “and for the first time in my life, I think I’ve made a friend.”
 

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The morning after El’s first support group session, she awoke feeling as though she were in a different body. It was like her lungs could intake deep breaths for the very first time in her entire life. She no longer felt as though she were being held beneath a tub of water by the hands of her mother; no longer being drowned in the misery of her past.

Yet, it was the thought of those memories that caused cold reality to come sweeping over her. Before she had left the group, she had only been able to agree to sit with Mike at lunch the next day at school. However, as she got herself settled into her favorite cardigan, all’s she could think about was how this was one great mistake. She had never let anyone in, and perhaps it was best things remained that way.

Shortly after she had arrived in the hallways of Hawkins High, El found herself looking down as usual. She supposed the more frequently she huddled inward to herself, the better off she would be. The idea that anyone would want to spend time with her became increasingly more comical as the seconds passed.

Just as she had made a beeline for homeroom, a sudden tug on the collar of her jacket made her harshly gasp. She clutched at her neck desperately as she spun around, shocked at the person before her. The sight of Mike Wheeler’s cheery smile immediately guided El to repress the hidden trauma he had unknowingly awoken. Using the back of her hand, she delicately swatted his arm as she exclaimed, “what the hell was that for?!”

Mike scuffed his shoe on the ground as he sheepishly disclaimed, “I’m sorry. I tried calling your name, but I don’t think you heard me.”

“Y-yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about this friend thing,” El boldly admitted.

Resting his hands upon her shoulders, Mike leaned down to be at her eyelevel as he murmured, “hey, don’t overthink it. The first step to being friends is to get to know one another.” Once the last word left his mouth, the shrill sound of the bell interrupted the rest of his speech. Before El could wander off though, Mike finally disclaimed, “and that’s exactly what we’ll do at lunch. See you then!”

Not giving her a second to protest, El watched as his long legs took off down the winding hall. She watched him in wonder as his body moved with a slight limp; to which she had never took note of until this very second. Not wanting her curiosities to get ahead of her, she forced herself into her assigned room before plopping down at her regular desk. As her teacher began the lesson, she managed to overhear the two girls beside her talking about a new episode of a reality show. With her mind running a mile a minute, the dimples in her cheeks exposed themselves as she indulged in the idea of friendship.

***

In her time spent at Hawkins High, El had never stepped into the cafeteria. The herds of bodies sat closely to one another mixed with the volume of their loud voices made her feel like she was dipped into sensory overdrive. She had only stepped into the doorway, yet here she was, abruptly turning around to see herself out. However, to her own hidden disappointment, she found herself slammed directly into a boney body.

Mike’s arm landed on her lower back as he steadied her quick moving frame. He then cheekily questioned, “already planning to ditch me?”

El bit back a smile as she pleaded, “can we at least sit in the corner? I need some peace and quiet.”

“Your wish is my command, my lady,” Mike stated in a poorly mannered British accent. He then held out his forearm, gesturing for her to hold onto him as he asked, “shall we?”

Begrudgingly, El took ahold of him and allowed the intriguingly odd boy to guide her to a safe space. The moment the two sat down across from one another, Mike quickly began to fire out hundreds of questions. The two exchanged details about their favorite songs and seasons as they formed their own bubble. It was refreshing for El to find someone that shared similar and starkly contrasting differences from herself. It reminded her that the world had things to offer that she had never looked into.

About twenty minutes into their conversation, El found her stomach growling due to the two of them not having touched their packed lunches. As she unwrapped her sealed meal, Mike excitedly exclaimed, “are those Eggos?!”

With a sheepish grin, El nodded, “they’re my favorite. Ever since I came here to live with my dad, they’ve become my comfort food.”

Mike’s skin paled faintly as he stated, “I actually know your dad fairly well.”

“W-what?” El robotically remarked in pure shock.

Shaking his head, Mike began to quietly explain, “I know I only just told you about my interest in Dungeons and Dragons, and it might be too soon for you to talk about why you’re in the support group, but I want to tell you about something.” He took a breath, looking over her facial expression as he revealed, “Chief Hopper – I mean, your dad.. he saved me. When I was thirteen, my dad accidentally fell asleep with our fireplace burning. He woke up a few hours later, but it was too late. He got my mom and sisters out, but by the time they were all outside, he didn’t have a chance to get me from the basement,” Mike shook his head; almost like he was willing the events out of his mind before he continued, “the first responders were working on the flames from the outside, but my mom told your dad that I always fell asleep in the basement while I was writing campaigns. So, he ignored the firefighter’s instructions and broke down the door.”

El could see the look of hurt flash across Mike’s face. Before she could verbalize a word though, he added, “I lost my part of left leg. The burns from my knee down weren’t repairable and the best way to make sure I remained stable was to amputate. I was lucky enough to get fitted for a partial prosthetic by my fourteenth birthday, but now I suffer with occasional phantom leg pains. The support group helps me remember that I made it out though.”

Just as the last sentence left Mike’s mouth, a jolting shock filled his system. El’s dainty hand tangled with his fingers and squeezed with more compassion than he had ever felt in his life. His heart missed several beats, and continued to palpitate as the beautiful mystery beside him murmured, “Mike, I am truly sorry that happened to you,” she caressed her thumb along his knuckles as she shyly disclaimed, “I’m so glad you survived that experience. If you ever want to talk about it more or if you need anything, I’ll be here for you.”

There were fierce flames beneath her words, fueling her declaration with pure empathy. Mike could feel her sincerity, and while she was welcoming the deeper opening now flowing between them, he dared to question, “El, why do you keep yourself hidden from the world?”

His question took her breath away as she bit down on her lower lip. She fumbled with her hands; just now recognizing that her right one was still intertwined with his. Keeping herself grounded in bravery, El began to state, “Mike, my life before my dad got custody of me. I was.. I endured abu—”

The truth of her haunting past was just on the edge of escaping and setting her soul free of the repressed weight when El suddenly found herself interrupted by four of her peers. A gorgeous red-headed girl and three dotting boys now stood alongside of the duo with furrowed brows. Accompanied by their evident confusion was a look of interest, like they were eager to pry into the pair’s budding dynamic.

“Mike, where the hell have you been? We’ve been waiting for you in the AV room because we didn’t realize you were spending lunch hanging out with— uh, her,” the girl spoke in uncertainty.

Before Mike could get a word in, his curly headed friend added, “dude, I didn’t know you were making moves on the girl you’ve been in lo—” Dustin found himself brutally cut off from speaking as Will’s sharp elbow made a jab into his ribs.

Once again though, not getting a second to speak, Mike felt the world around him crumble as his hand felt the absence of hers. El stoically rose from her seat, looking downward as she uttered, “gotta go.”

Mike loudly called after her, “El! Wait, please! El!” He made a rushed attempt to move after her, but his natural clumsiness was immediately triggered by his unusually high rate of speed. Thankfully for him, Lucas’s speedy hand-eye coordination came into brilliant use as he steadied his lanky unbalanced form; however, none of his friends could catch his hopes from falling in despair.

El’s walls had just begun to subside; yet, Mike could already feel them rebuilding higher and tougher than before.

And as El walked away from him, she had to fight with herself to ignore his calls. She felt like a fool for allowing herself to believe in the wondrous idea of her having a friend. Each step she took further away from Mike, the imaginary water within her lungs filled back up. She was submerged entirely in lonesomeness, and all she could do was embrace that dark familiar sensation.

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It had been a few days since El walked away from Mike in the crowded cafeteria. During those series of extended hours, the sky turned relentless as millions of rain droplets flooded the rocky earth below. Typically, the rain provided her with much delight. Yet, it now seemed too fitting to her current state of mind.

El was in the midst of counting the puddles she saw from outside the window of the passenger seat when her father’s firm voice caught her attention.

“Do you know him?” Hop asked while giving a nod in the general direction before him.

With harsh realization, El suddenly became overwhelmingly aware that she was attending another support group session; which meant she could no longer avoid Mike. There were no crowded hallways that could provide her with silently sly escapes at this location. Somehow, she had managed to become so lost within her own mind that she hadn’t even recognized their arrival at the parking lot. However, she had found herself here now, with the boy staring over at the cruiser like he was anxiously awaiting her arrival.

In a desperate voice that didn’t truly belong to her, El pleaded, “please let me skip today. Please, I’ll do anything.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Hopper attempted to soothe her, ruffling her hair in a nurturing manner as he offered, “want me to come in with you?”

A curt shake of her head sent El’s soft curls flying around her head. She swallowed back all of her fear as she prepared herself to be the stoic statue she had trained herself to become over these past few years. Just as her hand met the door handle though, Hop’s warm tone stopped her as he stated, “you can do this. And remember, there’s nothing wrong with letting people in. Understand?”

She sent her father a halfhearted smile before dashing through the rainy path. As she made a slick attempt to reach the door, those familiar fingers her skin had already become fond of found a way to meet her wrist. When she glanced up, there was something notably different about the version of Mike Wheeler before her. His brown eyes no longer obtained a hint of light within them; almost as though he had lost his sense of optimism.

Right as the boy went to speak, El interrupted him by exclaiming, “look, you don’t have to do this. You don’t need to befriend the school freak for charity. And if you were only befriending me as some sort of prank or joke, then please, just spare me.”

Before he could get a word in, El’s body pushed the door in as she stalked off to the arranged circle. Still, she could hear the sounds of his uneven footsteps launch behind her. It shouldn’t have been a surprise when Mike still sat down alongside of her, but for some reason, she couldn’t get herself to comprehend where this; his apparent interest, was all coming from.

“Today I want everyone to share one thing they’ve accomplished recently,” the facilitator of the group instructed.

Around the circle they went, and after each person spoke, applause would follow. Then, when it came time for El to stand, she felt the room become smaller as everyone’s eyes fell upon her. She rose from her seat in a shaky fashion, swallowing dryly as her throat threatened to close up. She silently picked at the sides of her nails as she wracked her brain for something to say.

“El, would you like to share?” the facilitator kindly asked.

Before her mind could repress her thoughts, El found her tongue honestly revealing, “I mean, I guess I can say I recently accomplished trying to be more open. I told someone about my favorite books and music, but that stuff doesn’t really matter,” she scuffed at the ground with her shoe as she finalized, “I don’t think I’ve actually ever accomplished anything in my life aside from having mastered being alone. It’s what best for everyone.”

It was a second after the last breath escaped her chest that El realized she had truly just spoken those words aloud. The deafening silence that now filled the room was unbearable, which is why she found herself fleeing the scene of the crime. The whistling white noise of horror that filled her ears was her only savior as it properly cancelled out the voices asking if she was okay.

After escaping out to the empty lobby, El landed on her bottom in the corner of the space. She placed her head between her knees and focused on taking deep breaths like her former therapist once taught her. As she released a firm exhale, she found herself yelping as someone’s arm rested around her shoulders.

She immediately went to shrug off the person’s touch, but she found herself stopping as Mike softly asked, “what can I do? How can I help?”

The warmth that radiated off of his body had this odd simmering sensation. It was like all of the panic that had flooded her veins was rapidly draining now that he was beside her. However, despite that relief, El found herself fighting off the tranquility that was being offered as she whispered, “it’s n-nothing. Go back to the group.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Mike emphasized strongly.

With a huff, El found herself shaking her head as she spat, “I told you, you don’t need to treat me like charity just because I don’t have friends—”

“And I already told you, I’ve wanted to be your friend long before you walked into this support group,” Mike firmly stated.

A small laugh fell from El’s mouth at the idea of anyone wanting to pursue friendship with her. It was a completely odd idea; almost like someone taking in a rabid animal as a house-pet. She furrowed her brows and looked up at the boy that was sat shoulder to shoulder with her. Gently, she probed, “why did you want to be my friend?”

It was as if the boy had taken her interrogating question as a joke because he immediately responded with a light chuckle. When El glanced over at him, she tried her best to deny the fact that his expression and manner exuded purely authentic and genuine vibes. All things considered, she still forced herself to believe his intentions were not as sweet as they seemed.

“When I sat next to you in world history last year, it wasn’t just the interesting books you brought in with you that made me want to be your friend,” Mike paused, blushing as he exposed, “you have this energy that I’ve never felt from anyone else. I can tell you care deeply about the things you like and the people you love. I know you’re intelligent and kind, and I just want to get to know you.”

The affirming speech El had just heard startled her as conflicting thoughts swarmed her mind. Before she would allow herself to get any further expectations though, she bluntly questioned, “why did your friends address us sitting together at lunch like you were seen with some kind of caged animal?”

Mike shifted his leg uncomfortably as he explained, “the party—my friends, we’re a small group. None of us have made any new friends since middle school because we’re used to being bullied. We don’t usually welcome anyone easily,” he then halted his speech as he sneakily linked his pinkie with hers before murmuring, “I know it probably seems creepy and I know I’m really just a useless nerd, but I want to be your friend, El Hopper.”

The idea of friendship felt like it came with plenty of collateral damage. There could be fights that are unrepairable and hearts could be broken. However, the idea of sharing laughs beside someone and being able to confide concealed secrets was simply too divine to pass up.

Interlocking her pinkie finger tightly with his, El whispered, “you really want to be my friend even though I’m not good at this?”

Mike shook his head, holding back a gleeful giggle as he reached out and pushed a stray curl behind El’s ear. The pink tone that graced her cheeks spread to his as he assured, “it would be an honor to be your friend.”

A grin that was typically reserved for happy endings in the novels she read quickly reached across El’s face. The echo of her father’s assurance to let people in reached the sensible portion of her mind; which is why without another given thought, she yanked herself up from the ground and held out her hand, “want to get out of here?”

The dimples that etched into Mike’s angelic face were hypnotizing as he allowed El to help him off of the ground. And as he found his footing on the solid earth, his hold on her hand never wavered. As the two brushed through the doors of the facility, the gloomy skies seemingly parted as they were greeted with abundant sunshine.

As their souls worked on becoming acquainted, it became abundantly clear that it didn’t matter where they were headed to. Mike and El were getting lost in something much more profound than any direction or location could cause. And once they were lost in each other, perhaps they would never want to be found again.

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It's weird how universal holding hands could be. To feel what it's like to have ahold of someone was far more intimate than El would have imagined. Yet, here she was, keeping her fingers interlocked with a boy she had just officially met less than a week ago. It was a unique sensation; like she had been given the honor to guide someone along in life.

El and Mike had only been walking down the side of the road for approximately five minutes before curiosity got the best of him as he abruptly asked, "where are we going?"

"Somewhere.. nowhere," El hummed before looking up at him mischievously. His doe eyes bled into hers with an emotion she hadn't seen very often. There was a trust there, and she could feel it radiating loudly. She then pointed at an obscured building as she revealed, "my favorite place."

As El pushed in the door to Benny's Diner, she shyly looked to Mike to see his reaction. When their eyes connected, he brightly smiled as he exclaimed, "I come here all the time! My friends and I live on Benny's burgers and fries. How have I never seen you here?"

A flash of random events burst through the girl's mind. The truth was that El Hopper had never been here during the light of day. In fact, since it was the only twenty-four-hour place in town, this was the exact place her father would gladly bring her to in the middle of the night after a particularly bad nightmare. It had become such an established ritual of theirs that the owner of the joint even named a specialty item on the menu after their usual orders.

Before she could respond, a gruffly warm tone greeted, "are my eyes deceiving me? Am I really seeing little Ellie here before midnight?"

A crimson blush fed into her cheeks as that brutal truth was blindly revealed to Mike. Biting back on embarrassment though, El forged onward and stated, "hey there, Benny. Can we sit at my usual place?"

"Yes ma'am," Benny replied before recognizing the lanky boy beside her. He shook his head when he saw their intertwined hands, daring to ask, "are you here to introduce Wheeler to the extravaganza?"

With furrowed brows, Mike questioned, "extravaganza?"

El held back a laugh at his confusion as she confirmed that was her exact intent. As Benny saw himself off to the back of the diner to prepare their dish, El pulled Mike along with her to the corner of the dining space. There was a tucked back table surrounded by beaming colorful lights that simply entranced people's vision.

Just a moment after the two sat across from one another, Mike asked once more, "how have I never seen you here? I know that if we had been here at the same time as each other that I easily would have recognized you."

Ignoring his question entirely, El cheekily wondered, "how are you so sure you would've known I was here at the same time as you?"

"Because my eyes never miss you," Mike immediately responded with a hard blush. Seemingly reeling back from his words, he stuttered, "I-I mean, what I m-meant was—"

El could recognize the discomfort swarming within her newfound friend's frame, so to spare him from his suffering, she surprised herself by disclosing, "I know this place is popular with students after school, so I never come here during normal business hours. I only come here in the middle of the night with my dad," she paused, smiling as she continued, "Hop and I made up the Triple Decker Eggo Extravaganza after I had a particularly bad nightmare. He always brings me here to take my mind away from it all."

When El finished speaking, she had to mentally prepare herself to look back at Mike. There was nothing though that could have helped her anticipate his reaction. The foreign glow in his eyes was more apparent than ever and his lips were parted in an awestruck way.

Stunned by his silence, El sarcastically asked, "did that answer your question?"

"You and your dad really seem to have a special bond," Mike quietly disclaimed. There was something more there; a sense behind his demeanor that let El know he was holding something back. His voice picked up an octave as he stated, "from my few encounters with the Chief, he seems great. He actually stayed at the hospital with my parents until I was all out of surgery. I remember he came in quickly to make sure I was okay before he left the room in a hurry."

And just like that, a bomb dropped in the bottom of El’s gut. A sudden flashback to the day her father collected her. She had just bid farewell to her deceased mother's corpse; silently thanking the heavens above her for the freedom from the cycle of abuse, when a burly man came bustling towards her. He was winded and exclaimed to child protective services that he had just rescued a boy from a house fire when he received news of his daughter; whom he didn't know existed, being claimed as a newfound orphan. The look of distraught and the hint of fine smoke echoed off of him in waves in a way that haunted her to this day. Although she was forever thankful for Hopper, it still wasn’t a time she was particularly eager to recall.

"El, are you okay?"

Before she could answer the boy in front of her, Benny's booming voice echoed, "a triple decker Eggo extravaganza for my two regulars!"

Brushing the tears that built up behind her eyes, El beamed a smile of gratitude up at the man before she looked over at a wide-eyed Mike. He grinned brightly at her as he exclaimed, "El, this looks amazing! You and Hopper came up with this?!"

She nodded her head as she dug into the gourmet dessert before them. She watched in excitement as Mike took a bite, and she couldn't hold back the loud laugh that left her mouth at the sight of his wondrous expression. As she continued in laughter, she noticed the way the boy's eyes now smoldered like a blown out candle. It was almost like she was feeling what it was like to be seen for the first time.

"Is there something on my face?" El insecurely asked as she reached over for a napkin.

However, she found her hand captured by Mike's as he matter of factly stated, "I've never heard you laugh before."

A scarlet tone entered her cheeks for the millionth time that day as she muttered, "I know, it's ugly—"

"Wrong," Mike interjected immediately before he promised, "it's beautiful; which is why I plan to spend the rest of our friendship making you laugh as much as I can."

A warm flutter engulfed El's abdomen as she smiled. The melting sensation remained within her for quite some time, and as the two continued conversing, realization of what she was experiencing dawned on her. She had always believed romance novels best explained what it felt like to be enamored by someone. But now, as she experienced butterflies for the first time in her life, she could think of a million better ways to describe this euphoric feeling.

***

After the duo had completed their waffle treat, they slowly made their way back towards the facility. In the parking lot, looking around with complete concern, stood El's father. The moment he caught sight of her, he came bounding over to her in quick strides. Hop didn't hesitate to wrap her up in a hug as he exclaimed, "I was so worried! They didn't know where you went! I thought you ran away or that something awful had happened!"

As her father pulled back from her, El sheepishly smiled as she pointed to the lanky boy beside her. She cleared her throat before offering a brief explanation, "I made a friend."

Hop's stunned face made her giggle as prideful tears collected in his orbs. He placed his hands on his hips and questioned, "a friend?"

"Hi, sir, I'm—" Mike attempted to introduce himself, but the Chief's booming voice interrupted, "Mike Wheeler. My god, you've gotten tall. It's been, what, three years now?"

The boy merely nodded in response, looking to El as though he was seeking permission to engage in this moment. The girl simply smiled as she revealed, "I took Mike to have his very first Eggo extravaganza."

Even if he were blind, Hopper still could've seen what was going on before him. The way his daughter swayed on her feet as she shyly looked up to the beaming boy beside her was as clear as day. His fatherly instinct urged him to end whatever this was that was brewing; however, he was too happy to see his brilliant daughter finally opening up to someone other than him. And that is the only reason he found himself proudly offering, "well Mike, I don't make them as amazingly as Benny does, but if you ever want to come by for waffles and a movie, you're always welcome."

Dimples etched into the boy's freckled cheeks as he responded, "I'll be sure to take you up on that offer, sir."

"Just call me Hop," the burly man instructed before adding, "I'll let you two say goodbye. Good to see you again, Mike."

When the girl's father had made it back to the car, Mike looked down at the petite beauty beside him as he murmured, "thank you for taking me to Benny's today. I had a fun time."

"Me too," El replied quickly before she attempted to dash off towards her dad.

Yet, her fingers were caught by Mike's as he halted her movements. She stared up at him with a furrow in her brows as he disclaimed, "I know this friendship thing is new to you, but I really like spending time with you. Do you think you would be able to sit with my friends and I at lunch tomorrow?"

Conflicting thoughts flew through El's mind as she tossed this idea around. As she looked up to Mike though, she felt her abundant negativity crumbling at the sight of his pleading eyes; which is exactly how she found herself confirming, "yes, I'll sit with you and your friends tomorrow."

A loud giggle left El's mouth as Mike goofily thrusted a successful fist into the air as he collected his victory. She was soon met with his glooming raven eyes as he reiterated, "that laugh is going to get me into a lot of trouble."

As Mike backed away towards the direction of his parked car, he quietly murmured, "I'm really glad you're not hiding yourself from the world as much as you were before."

El stood still for a moment, watching as her lanky friend climbed into his car before she sat herself into the passenger seat beside her dad. As the cruiser slowly began to move, all she could think of was how remarkable it felt to be integrating herself more into the world as well. It had only truly been a day of being vulnerable, but she already felt like she was discovering more about the world that she had unknowingly kept away from herself in solitude.

There were many things to learn about life, and El was happy to be given the opportunity to do it beside her newfound friend.

***********

Chapter Text

***********

The sounds of shrill voices made El's head throb in an unfavorable fashion. The squeals of teenagers made her brain push again her skull painfully; which is exactly why she found it so difficult to be in the high school cafeteria on an exciting Friday afternoon.

She had only just sat herself down at a table when a somewhat familiar boy came bounding over to her. A bright smile graced his smooth face as he held out his hand and disclaimed, "hey El, I don't know if we've ever formally met before, but I'm Lucas Sinclair."

The girl shook his hand tightly as she shyly spoke, "it's nice to meet you.. again."

"Believe me, I'm glad we finally got to this point. I swear, Mike has been wanting to talk to you for a long time," the boy boosted with a smirk.

Before El could even question that reoccurring remark, a few more thuds fell at the table. A loud boy with ringlet brunette curls sat alongside of her as a beautiful redhead settled next to Lucas. A few seconds after their arrival, Will Byers made his way to his seat as he joined them. Soon, it became impossible not to be immersed in Dustin and Max's comical bickering as Lucas and Will offered her quiet insight to their dynamic.

Only five minutes had passed when the boy she had been silently waiting for came hobbling towards them. His cheeks were flushed and as he sat down beside her, he sheepishly smiled before lowly whispering, "I'm so sorry for being late. I fell in gym and it took me awhile to get myself moving. This whole leg thing is not—"

"Hey, it's fine. I'm happy you're here now," El assured with a smile as she revealed, "I actually brought you something."

The girl's face illuminated in a hue of fuchsia as she handed him a cold, toasted Eggo. She looked down and shook her head as she murmured, "it's stupid, but I thought sharing waffles could be our thing."

If El wasn't so hypnotized and lost within her own overwhelming thoughts, then perhaps she would have noticed the way Mike's eyes blossomed. Maybe she could have even felt his pulse that had rapidly leapt forward in hopeful strides. However, she did find herself yelping in surprise as his lips shockingly touched her hand. Afterwards, he offered her palm a small squeeze as he whispered, "waffles can be our thing. Thank you for this."

Before she could respond, Dustin poked her shoulder and requested, "my lady, may I exchange one of my chocolate puddings for one of your Eggos?"

El giggled at his formal remark as she played along, "of course you can, sir."

As Dustin dug into his waffle, he wiggled his eyebrows at Mike and muttered, "guess waffles can be a thing for the three of us."

A now brooding Mike found himself attempting to swing overtop of the petite girl beside him as he made an effort to land a smack upon Dustin's mop of curls. Shortly after, the table lit ablaze in flurries of questions as they got to know the once silent girl. As they discussed movies and games, El made a quick connection with Lucas as the two confessed their love of romantic comedies. Meanwhile, she found a way to bond with Max over their mutual obsession with handsome male actors. A few moments after their trivial conversations fizzled, a more intimate discussion came to light.

"Hey El, my mom actually used to date your dad back when they were in high school. I think she's always kind of wondered who he ended up with," Will innocently brought up before asking, "what's your mom like?"

Just when normalcy had painted her life, it seemed like the bleakly painful black and white flashes had returned. The water she had been thrust within rapidly refilled her lungs as her hidden battle burst within her mind. The remembrance of her mother's firm hand latching upon her neck during brutal punishments made her feel like her airway had closed, causing her to feel like she faded out of reality.

El gasped with a flinch when Mike's hand laid on her shoulder. His eyes that burned with passionate concern made her reel back as she realized that the group was now looking at her curiously. She shook her head, willing the thoughts away as she mustered the courage to disclose, "m-my mom died a few years ago."

"Oh, El, I'm so sorry for your loss," Max earnestly spoke.

Just as the others attempted to offer condolences, El shrugged, "it's really okay. She wasn't a very good person. I have my dad and that's all that matters."

Lucas could sense the shift in light within the girl before him, so prior to any of the party members prying further, he made an abrupt change in the topic of conversation. He offered the girl a reassuring smile as he did so, and he would never have any idea how grateful El was for him at that moment.

It was in the midst of their discussion surrounding the next dungeons and dragons campaign that El found a window to excuse herself. She had only made it to the hallway when she became overwhelmingly aware of the sound of uneven steps behind her. She turned around with a yelp, not having expected Mike to already be so close to her. With their chests less than three inches apart, he whispered, "are you okay?"

El looked down and nodded, "I'm fine, I just need a second. It's a bit stuffy in the cafeteria and—"

A sharp exhale of breath cut off her words as Mike boldly lifted her chin up with his forefinger. He waited until her gaze settled onto his iridescently dark irises as he murmured, "you always look down when you're trying to hide, and I want you to know you never have to hide anything from me."

Thick emotion coiled within El's esophagus as she felt tears brewing behind her orbs. She bit back the cries that wanted to come forward as she whimpered, "not here."

Taking ahold of his familiar hand, she tugged on his body until they were stood within an empty classroom. El had always heard the saying, 'the truth shall set you free.' Yet, she had never once felt tempted to reveal the brutal honesties that consumed her upbringing. However, as she rocked on her feet, she looked up at Mike and felt herself compelled to embrace the beauty behind vulnerability.

Not giving herself a moment to hold onto her lingering doubts, El courageously disclosed, "my mom was abusive my whole life. She controlled every move I made, so whenever I spoke without being spoken to, she would grab me and hold me under water," she paused, rubbing her neck as she recalled the feeling of those harsh touches. She then forced herself to take a deep breath as she felt Mike's arm supportively wrap around her middle. She unconsciously moved more firmly into his hold as she continued, "she kept me hidden from my dad. He only found out I existed when she died from cancer a few years ago. He's really the only person I've ever known how to talk to. I-I guess I've just been too scared to let anyone else in."

There was an unusual silence that coated the limited space between them. It was comfortable and inviting, which is why El felt content enough to quietly add, "I'm not really ready to talk to anyone about it, but I felt like you deserved to know why I am like this. It's the reason my dad sent me to the support group."

When El finally brought her glossy eyes up to meet with Mike's, she felt a thrilling chill run down her spine. The way his pupils blazed against hers was far more intimate than she could have imagined; almost as though he was pouring his heart within her soul with just a simple gaze. And as his hand came forward to rest upon her cheek, El felt herself gasp as the pad of his thumb swept away the tears that had sneakily fallen without her knowledge.

Clearing his throat, Mike solemnly spoke, "I am so sorry you were treated that way, El. Nobody deserves that; especially not you," he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, stepping closer to her as he wedged his foot between hers. His breath fanned across her face as he confidently stated, "I will always be here for you. I care about you, and I want you to know that if you ever want to talk about anything, I'll be here. This will always be a safe space."

"Do you promise?" El breathlessly questioned.

A sincere smile fell upon Mike's face as he murmured, "I promise."

As she looked up at him, it was like she was looking within herself for the first time. There was a warmth; a way of feeling true acceptance that she had never known in her life. El did not think she could ever believe in the idea of romantic love. She had never once idealized the concept of finding a lifelong partner. Yet here she was, silently leaning into Mike's open embrace with her walls completely fallen.

Mike daringly rested his forehead upon hers as he whispered, "El, I know this isn't the right time, but there's something I need to tell you." She gave him a silent nod, eagerly nudging him to continue. He wet his lips as he began to say, "I—"

"There you guys are! Lunch ended a few minutes ago and—" Lucas's voice died in his throat as he witnessed the sight before him. He internally kicked himself as he watched the duo spring apart, almost like they were a fire that had been met with a bucket of cold water. The boy desperately tried to backpedal as he exclaimed, "I'll take your bags out of the cafeteria and drop them off at your classes. See you guys later!"

Once Lucas had fled the scene, El looked up at Mike's face; which was now painted with brutal disappointment. As bold as ever, she leaned forward and bopped her nose against his as she suggested, "we'll have more time to talk. What about tomorrow? We can have a movie night."

Abundant hope radiated off of Mike as his fingers desperately intertwined with hers. The girl of his dreams was finally giving him the entryway he had silently been begging for. As the bell suddenly rang, he informed, "the party and I are actually going to the quarry later in the afternoon. Would you want to join us? And then afterwards, we can have a movie night. Just the two of us."

El nodded, smiling brightly at the idea of having plans as she walked towards the door. Once the two found themselves back in the hallway, they glanced at one another with significant longing. Mike broke the silence as he disclaimed, "tomorrow. It's a date?"

There was a hitch in El's breath, but before she could overthink it, she found herself innocently confirming, "it's a date."

El took a moment to watch the enchanting grin that broke out upon Mike's face. She even found herself lingering in the same place, giggling as the lanky boy turned and walked down the hallway further, throwing his fist in the air as he whisper-yelled, "yes!"

Soon, El found herself spaced out throughout the entirety of her remaining classes. She reflected on the pride she felt for herself, thinking of how proud she was that she finally allowed herself the chance to be open with someone. Her fingers trailed along her lips as she imagined what could come of this; what this building up between the two of them could lead to.

The way her heart was soaring felt invincible. El had felt like there would always be a firm boundary between her and other human beings. Yet, when she thought of Mike, that imaginary barrier turned to ash. The fine line that nestled between the two of them felt like it was disappearing entirely; as if their souls had naturally bound to one another's in an irreversible way.

Only time could truly tell, and as the claws of her past silently sharpened, the fairytale El never allowed herself to embrace became more apparent. Within the next twenty-four-hours, a major shift would occur, and it would be remarkably telling if Mike could keep his promise to be there.

After all, there would always be a fine line to being alright.

************

Chapter Text

***********

When Saturday afternoon finally rolled around, a harsh wave of nerves bundled tightly within El's abdomen. After she found herself dressed and ready to head over to the quarry, she crashed onto the couch with an unnerving huff. Anxiety was something she was used to experiencing, but this felt different. It was almost as though the average feeling had turned more pressurized than the normal dreadful sensation that had become a close acquaintance of hers.

"You look like you're going to puke," Hop interrupted her inner turmoil with a laugh as he sat down beside her.

El simply responded to his remark with a firm glare as she dramatically sighed. She took a moment and sunk further into the cushions, embracing the comforting familiarity of the small home she adored. Kicking her boot-clad feet on top of her dad's legs, she suggested, "I could stay home and we can watch movies today."

Hopper immediately shook his head and said, "nope, that's not happening." He then squeezed her knee with care as he questioned, "you were so excited about these plans last night when you talked to me about it. What's changed?"

Before she could get a grip on herself, her impending panic washed over her as tears collected in her shiny honey orbs.

Swallowing back her limited pride, El quietly asked, "what if they don't like me? What if they find out I'm just a freak and they decide they don't want to be my friends?" She paused, biting onto her lip as she added, "I think Mike just feels bad for me and that's why he invited me to the quarry. He probably doesn't even want to have a movie night together afterwards."

"Woah, hey now," Hop halted her statements as he propped her slouched body upright. He then grabbed ahold of her wrist, outlining the blue elastic band that he had gifted her as he murmured, "you are so bright, El. It's about time you start putting yourself out there. You deserve to be happy. You understand me?"

A tear rolled down her face as she took in her father's words. Just as she was about to speak, Hopper added, "I've only seen you with the Wheeler kid once, but I'm telling you now, the way he looks at you.. there's no hiding how he feels. You probably already have him wrapped around your finger," the burly man suddenly paused, allowing his own words to sink in as he sarcastically said, "as a matter of fact, you should go now before I change my mind. Boys have cooties, don't you ever forget that."

El laughed at Hopper's rambling antics before she rose up from the couch. Her father saw her to the cabin door, and just before she stepped outside, she threw her arms around his middle. She took in the scent of his worn out flannel, embracing the feeling of home as she murmured, "love you, dad."

As she climbed onto her bike, Hopper brushed a stray tear away from his cheek. Witnessing his little girl finally entering the world the way she should made his heart swell with pride. It was when she began pedaling off that the chief loudly shouted, "love you too, kid!"

As her legs pumped along the wooded path, adrenaline strongly coursed through her. The trauma she wore within her flesh wasn't infecting her blood any longer. El was determined to be released from the pain that had stricken her core. She was ready to let people in and to experience the affection her heart never allowed her to desire.

For the first time, she was free.

***

When El finally arrived at the quarry, she was met with several beautiful sights. The trees surrounding her were tinted in a variety of blinding colors that made her feel truly appreciative of nature. And right there in the middle of it all, sat in a welcoming circle, were her newfound friends. Her ears buzzed in delight at the sound of their excited calls out to her as they recognized her arrival.

"Thank god you made it, I need a distraction from Dustin's annoyance," Max boosted to her from afar.

The boy with curly hair swatted the redhead's arm before adding, "El, I was starting to worry you weren't going to show up and we'd have to console our saddened Paladin!"

At the mention of the lanky boy, El's brows furrowed. She once again flickered her eyes across the circle; recognizing that there was only four members present. Just as her hopes were diminishing, familiar arms suddenly wound around her waist from behind as her feet were lifted off of the ground. Mike spun her in a circle for a moment; likely relishing in the sound of her childish laughter. Once she was planted back on the earth, El looked up at him with wide eyes. Everything about his presence; from his scattered freckles to his warm smell of cologne, made her veins come alive with the feeling of infatuation. His low voice soon pulled her away from admiring his features as he whispered into her ear, "I'm happy you're here."

"Me too," El beamed with pure honesty.

After an exchange of prolonged eye contact, Mike maneuvered his arm around her petite shoulders as he lead her over to the group. Dustin immediately monopolized El's attention; insisting to her that he was going to teach her how to make the best s'more. Yet, as the marshmallow he was roasting caught aflame, Lucas interjected. Playful bickering rallied to life, and soon enough, El found her sides aching from the series of effortless laughter she released.

Once the group was settled with snacks, Will stated, "I'm glad Mike introduced you to us. It feels like you were always meant to be a part of our group."

"Thanks, Will," El sheepishly replied with an appreciative smile.

Dustin, being his normal lack-of-filter self, interjected, "we are already used to you being around because you're always brought up in conversation. I swear, ever since Mike saw you freshman year, he's basically been in lov—"

Lucas jabbed at the boy's ribs and deadpanned, "dude, shut up."

As Will and Lucas redirected the conversation, El's eyes caught sight of Mike. His cheeks were flushed and his lip was caught tightly between his teeth. Deciding to be bold, she got up from her spot and made her way towards him. She figured now that she was choosing to live, she might as well take ahold of what she wants. She was only a few feet away from him when another body stood in front of her.

"Wanna take a walk with me?" Max politely asked.

Not wanting to be rude, El graciously accepted her offer. As the two started moving away from the boys, the girl could feel familiar raven eyes burning into her back. She turned around, looking Mike directly in the face before sending him a subtle wink. She didn't get to see his reaction as she continued moving forward, but if she had, she would have been met with the sight of an adorably fierce blush.

After walking for a few moments, Max and El found themselves settled upon the edge of a small cliff. The water of the lake that swelled beneath their feet wasn't too far away; however, for the first time in years, El did not feel fear. Instead, the sounds of the occasional crashing waves only offered her true bliss.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but from what you said about your mom at lunch the other day.. she sounds a lot like my step-father," Max lowly disclosed to the brunette beside her. She then continued, "he usually takes out his anger on my step-brother, but whenever Billy isn't around, I'm his next pick. I'll never forget when I came to school with a busted lip in eighth grade. I swear I thought Lucas was going to kill him."

El released a sharp intake of breath as she spoke, "Max, I'm so sorry. If you ever need someone or somewhere to escape to, I'll always be here."

The redhead warmly smiled at the girl beside her, knocking her shoulder against hers as she stated, "same to you. I have a feeling we'll be the best of friends."

A fast grin spread across El's face as she took in that endearing statement. She mentally thought of her ideal girl's night; one with matching pajamas and talks of boys all intermixed with an array of pop music. She had to forcefully pull herself out of that daydream though to respond, "I'd love that."

A fleeting thought soon crossed El's mind though, and before she could swallow back her word vomit, she found herself expressing, "I've never been good at this," she paused, gesturing between their bodies before continuing, "friendship has always seemed like a fantasy to me. Too good to be true."

Rosy blush coated El's cheeks as she replayed the words she had just spoken aloud within her mind. Just as she went to apologize for her awkward revelation, Max abruptly laughed. Once her harsh cackle subsided, she found herself pointedly confessing, "you and I are insanely alike."

El furrowed her brows at the statement, but before she could question it, Max remarked, "I never understood how to make a connection with anyone. I was used to being alone, so I eventually became comfortable with loneliness." El watched in amazement as Max's usually stoic eyes turned glassy. With a sniffle, she smiled, "the day I met Lucas it felt like everything fell into place. I gave him hell for a few days, but within a week I knew I found something special. He helped me realize that I didn't have to be alone; that I deserved to feel loved."

With Max's final sentence lingering in the atmosphere, it was as though the world clicked into its final rotation in El's orbit. The bursting beautiful imagery of a glittering kaleidoscope filled her consciousness as realizations trickled in; causing her heart to yearn for one particular individual.

After a short second of silence, El found her thoughts interrupted by Max's chirping voice, "you know, I never thought I would see Mike so in love."

El felt herself internally repress the sensation of swooning as she stuttered, "h-he doesn't love me. I don't even know if he l-likes me."

With a roll of her icy eyes, Max exclaimed, "El, he's been pathetically obsessed with you for years! I'll save the rest for him to tell you, but believe me when I say Mike has a big crush on you."

The words El had just heard sat within her gut for a few moments. Her beating organ fluttered in anticipation as she allowed herself the pleasure of embracing her feelings. When she talked to Mike, she felt acceptance. There was a foreign electricity that coursed through her when she was around him and she had already found herself becoming addicted to it. It was like looking at him and speaking to him had become her favorite pastime. And somehow, even though it had been less than a month, she was already certain she knew what she was experiencing. Love.

"I-I should tell him I feel the same way then, right?" El nervously questioned.

Max chuckled at the girl's reaction as she proudly encouraged, "go get your man, girl!"

With bravery coursing through her, El made a move to get up. She giddily played in her mind how she envisioned confessing to Mike that she had recently started falling for him. Imaginations of their first kiss mixed with the words she wanted to say that were right there on the tip of her tongue thoroughly had her focus captivated.

"El, watch out for the edge!" Max's loud warning cry jolted her love drunk mind, but it was too late.

The wind had caught El by surprise as her feet accidentally sent her over the side of the earth. The white noise that radiated in her ears was haunting as she made her way below, and as she crashed through the surface of the water, her nightmare vividly came to life. The water in her lungs was no longer a small detail of her terrors. Instead, this was a fated blanket of her reality, and the darkness was enveloping her whole.

Just as El had opened herself up to friendship; to the idea of finding love by Mike's side, life had reappeared to remind her of the lonesomeness she was once kept to. As she cried out for help, she physically felt her leaping heartrate decline. Her arms and legs fought to find the surface, but the relentless waves that she had watched from above earlier only pulled her down further.

Death was a quiet beast, and the silence was prepared to greet her kindly.

************

Chapter Text

***********

Each time Mike laid eyes on El, it was like he had complete tunnel vision. The world around him ceased to exist whenever she was in his sight. Everything about her ethereal existence had entirely enchanted him. Even before he had been given the pleasure of truly speaking to her, it was the effortless beauty and the way her eyes crinkle when she's analyzing something that always intrigued him. He simply wanted to see the world the same way she did just because of the way she took things into detail.

There was something the echoed off of El in waves; a solemn kind of heartbreak that Mike so desperately wanted to heal. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he always believed she was the missing piece of the puzzle he could not complete on his own. She was angelic and intimidating, and he feared he would never be good enough for her.

The day she walked into support group, his world changed. He was determined not to let anything hold him back. He was going to put himself out there because getting to know El was worth the potential risk of rejection. He was tired of putting himself down. And god, he was immensely grateful he took a chance. Getting to hear her laugh and see her smile was a gift. Mike swore those things alone could become his motivation for survival for the rest of his existence. After spending a few days of being her friend, he felt as though he had achieved an unmeasurable amount of happiness.

And here he was now; entirely lost in his El induced thoughts as he sat beside his friends at the bonfire. He desperately wished to see her and Max reappear back to them, but the two were still off having a conversation. As happy as Mike was for her to be making friends, he selfishly wanted the opportunity to talk to her alone. Regardless of time, he was finally ready to express his honest feelings before Dustin could reveal them on his behalf.

As the boys sat around, a sudden agonizing shout interrupted the crackling fire. Lucas immediately identified his girlfriend's tone as she cried out for help. Without a second thought, all four of them took off in the direction of her voice.

When they arrived at the cliff's edge, Mike's heart plummeted as his eyes took in the absence of El. An eerily empty sensation consumed him whole; almost like every star had been robbed from his sky.

"Where is she?! Where's El?!" Mike's panicked yell barreled harshly out of his throat.

Max continued to point at the water in shock. It wasn't until Lucas's coaxing hand soothingly squeezed her shoulder that she finally sputtered, "s-she fell in and she hasn't come back up! It's been a minute; I don't understand why I can't see her—"

"No, no, no, this can't be happening," Mike mumbled as he instantly began ripping off his shoes. It was as though all of the thoughts in his mind had ceased and his only sole purpose was to retrieve El. He threw his jacket off and moved to the edge, prepared to launch himself into the dark water. However, before he could sink into the abyss that was currently withholding the love of his life, a firm set of arms wound around his middle.

Mike thrashed against Dustin's tight hold as he desperately attempted to set himself free. It was almost like the lake was calling out to him; tempting him to float along the bottom alongside of El.

Lucas's muttering caught his attention though as he stated, "Mike, that water is cold and your leg... it's not safe. Meet us at the shoreline."

Before anyone could make another sound, Lucas had already landed feet first within the water. He disappeared beneath the surface for a minute, and during that time, Dustin had successfully pulled Mike's lanky body along with him. By the time they had made it to the lake's edge, Lucas was already swimming ashore with a petite body hung over his shoulder. The sight of pure grey radiating off of El's normally cream colored skin was horrific. There was a dazzling blue shade that had etched into her lips, effectively piercing a hole directly through everyone's hearts.

"I don't think she's breathing," Lucas choked out as he laid the girl down.

Just as the boy had went to proceed with CPR, Mike's body carefully shoved him aside. He clattered to the ground beside the girl he loved as he murmured with a cry, "come on, El. You're not leaving me." He began a series of deep compressions on her chest before blowing air into her mouth.

If it had been at any other time, or under any other circumstance, Mike would be elated to feel her tender lips upon his. Yet, as he tried breathing life back into her lungs, all's he could focus on was the idea that their future was slipping away from them. He desperately wanted to give her his own life; wanting nothing more than to see her body fill with oxygen. But as his hands pressed above her ribs, he was met with harsh resistance.

"Please don't do this. Don't leave me," Mike's vision blurred with tears as he sobbed. He released an anguished yell before shuddering another exchange a breath between her parted lips . His weak arms attempted to bear down more firmly upon her chest as he cried, "you have so much left to live for. The world needs you, I need you—"

A sudden choking sound escaped from the back of El's throat. With one more firm compression to her upper body, a flood of water sputtered from her mouth. She shook relentlessly and looked around with bloodshot eyes in pure horror.

As Will laid a warm blanket across the girl's shaking shoulders, Dustin emphasized with a teary grin, "holy shit! Welcome back from the dead!"

Before another person could react, Mike had practically flung himself on top of El's form. He cupped her cheeks in his hands, analyzing her empty expression. Without looking away from her, he held up his keys to his friends and instructed, "go heat up my car. I need to get her to the hospital."

Lucas pulled the rest of their friends along with him as they took off in the direction of the familiar station wagon. Once the duo was alone, Mike whispered, "El, I know how scared you must feel, but I need you to talk to me. Are you okay?"

The girl's porcelain face remained entirely vacant of any emotion as her eyes trained intently to his. Mike was just about to speak again when her brutally shivering lips quivered open. She took a labored breath before brokenly murmuring, "t-the water.. it w-was going t-to take me."

Although her words were choppy, Mike replayed the truth behind her trauma that she had only revealed to him a short time ago. He understood that the water likely triggered something deep within her; probably the same way the snapping sparks from the campfire sent panicked shivers down his spine. Not wasting another second, he wrapped his arms around her small waist as he quietly assured, "Nothing is going to take you away. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

Tears prickled in El's eyes as she appreciatively gazed at him. The words she wanted to say itched at the tip of her tongue, but the heavy exhaustion from her near death drowning prohibited her from the ability to speak. It was a moment later when her water-logged limbs felt themselves being lifted upward. Mike's shaky arms kept a firm hold on her, and as he took large uneven steps, he whispered, "I got you, El. You're safe."

As soon as the pair made it to the station wagon, Max's wavering voice asked, "I-is she okay?"

Lucas wrapped a tight arm around his girlfriend's shoulders as he quietly assured, "she'll be fine. Mike will make sure of it."

As they helped make sure the girl was settled in passenger seat of the warm car, Dustin stepped back to where his car was parked and stated, "get her to the hospital, we'll meet you there!"

"H-hop," El uttered as her long eyelashes fluttered.

Mike urged his friends to go seek the girl's father before he jumped into the driver's seat. As he backed away from the quarry line, his eyes caught ahold of the crashing waves and flames of the dying fire. It was a sight of heaven and hell combining, painting the horrors from each of their pasts.

A moment after they had made it onto the main road, a comforting weight settled on Mike's shoulder. Within the crook of his neck, El had luxuriously nestled her head. Her breathing was so incredibly even that he would have believed she was asleep. However, just before the grips of unconsciousness could take her, the girl that owned his heart quietly released a series of words that made the organ in his chest skip a palpitating beat.

"I wish I had been fully alive for our somewhat first kiss."

***

The moment they arrived at the hospital, Mike had to put up a fight with the medical staff as they pried El from his arms. As they loaded her onto a gurney, he loudly disclaimed, "you're not taking her anywhere without me."

"Sir, you can't—" one of the doctor's attempted to speak, but Mike immediately cut him off by asserting, "wherever she goes, I go. Understand?"

It was a challenge for Mike to keep up with the fast paced movements. Within twenty minutes, it felt like millions of tasks had unfolded. First, they moved quickly to change her into dry clothing before wheeling her into brain scans and chest x-rays. Once assuring that all appeared well, she was placed in a private room where she would undergo a twenty-four-hour stay to assure she remained stable.

Mike busied himself during this time by playing with her cold fingers. As he caressed along her smooth skin, he had unconsciously begun to sing a song about the sun. His own personal sunshine was nearly robbed from him; which would have left his world entirely unhinged. In such a short period of time, he had decided that tracing the lines of El's palms; feeling her pulse faintly vibrate beneath the tips of his fingers, was officially his favorite feeling.

As soon as Mike had recognized his own off-pitch humming though, he shut himself up with a blush. Only a few seconds had passed when El's body silently came back to consciousness. A quiet gasp left the boy that was sat beside her when she suddenly grabbed onto his wrist. Before he could utter a word though, she softly pleaded, "please keep singing."

With tears crowding his eyes, Mike felt a feverish quality of emotions strike within him. Her golden brown eyes were melting against his and he mentally reminded himself to never take this for granted. At the remembrance that she had nearly died not even an hour before, Mike moved quickly to bury his head between her collarbones as weak sobs wracked his chest. His cheeks heated up as he felt her dainty hands latch within his unruly curls and his ears perked up as El's sweet voice murmured, "I'm here. It's okay."

Mike continued to cry against her skin for a few moments before prying his head forward. He weakly rested his forehead against hers before whispering, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry this happened. I should have been there. I promised—"

"It's not your fault, Mike. I'm okay," El assured once more before she began sitting herself up. As she fully propped forward, she tugged onto his arm and implored, "come sit with me."

With her doe eyes calling out to him, Mike realized that he would never have the power to say no to her. As he gently sat alongside of her on the hospital bed, he felt his skin prickle alive as their thighs bumped together. Once he was settled, El interlaced her fingers with his as she rested her head against his shoulder. Exhaustion still weighed upon her, but she fought off sleep as she boldly remarked, "I stand by what I said earlier."

"What?" Mike questioned with furrowed brows.

He could feel her lips form themselves into a smile against his skin as El murmured, "I wish I had been fully alive for our kind of first kiss," she interrupted herself with a small cough before adding, "and I wish we could've had our movie night like we planned."

Her words lit a frenzied match within Mike as every part of his body felt as though it had been pierced with Cupid's arrows. Loving goosebumps adorned his skin as his heart leapt into his throat. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he would ever be good enough to even be associated with someone as ethereal as El. Yet, here she was, comfortably resting beside him. And regardless of the near death experience, her beauty still persistently kept him captivated.

"Oh god, did I read this all wrong? Was that weird? I—" El had just begun to weakly remove herself from his side as she feared his silence was a form of rejection.

Just as she had attempted to climb out of the bed, Mike graciously pulled her back towards him as he enveloped her within his arms. His hands effortlessly cradled her face as he rambled, "I'll never forget the yellow dress you wore on your first day at Hawkins High because I remember thinking you were the sun; and I still see you that way. You're just too good to be true." Mike took a breath, steadying his rapidly beating heart before he whispered, "there will be other movie nights and dates, and if I'm lucky enough, I want there to be a real first kiss."

El found herself shivering as she processed his words. Before she could speak though, Mike misinterpreted her body's subtle reaction as being harsh chills. He moved quickly to retrieve a blanket before returning to her and wrapping her up. Once he was looking back at her, El reached her hand upward and dragged her thumb along the top of his lip. As she looked into his eyes, she asked, "can we try this date thing again without the near death experience?"

Mike softly laughed at her innocent question as he admired her beautifully pink cheeks. He leaned down and nudged his nose against hers as he promised, "there will be plenty of time for us to do whatever we want. But first, you need to rest."

Finding comfort within his arms, El grinned as she cuddled further into his body. As she closed her eyes and gave into exhaustion, she found that the most beautiful lullaby of all was the sound of their evenly matched breaths.

As sleep captivated her quickly, El failed to hear Mike utter those three spellbinding words.

It was later that evening that Hopper and the rest of the party members finally came bustling down the hospital halls. When they made it to El's room, a lulling silence of realization blanketed them all as they saw the sight before them. Even as they slept, the pair sported silent smiles upon their faces. It almost seemed like there was a protective glow that surrounded them; as if they were enchanted by an everlasting gift.

Dustin nudged the chief's side as he pointedly whispered, "I hope you're ready to gain a son-in-law because those two are in love."

For the first time in years, both the boy and girl slept without a hint of darkness. El was not met with the horrors of water in her lungs nor was Mike greeted by familiar burning flames. Instead, the two had dreams of quiet tranquility as they laid interlaced in one another's arms.

Having been blissfully doused in love's finest stardust, it was up to Mike and El to take ahold of the precious bond they had established before the wind swept it away.

***********

Chapter Text

***********

The morning after El's near drowning, the girl awoke to the beaming sun. As she came further into consciousness, she recognized that a lanky body was warmly attached to hers. Ever so subtly, she sat herself upward and met her father's eyes. Hopper; who was sat in a chair at the end of the bed, sent her a smile of affection before mouthing, 'I love you'. Her drowsy orbs soon continued to drift around the room, and as she recognized the figures of her newfound friends fast asleep, the once cold and closed off part of her heart felt a loving tug.

As the day trickled onward, her friends one-by-one woke up. Everybody plummeted towards El as they greeted her with an emotional hug. Soon though, they all began to see themselves out as they had to return home. Throughout the day, Mike was the one that remained by the girl's side.

It was shortly after the sun had rested that El was finally discharged from the hospital. With her father's unwavering presence, Mike was not able to say the eager words that were prying at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to confess to his feelings; to make it clear to her that she owned his heart. However, as he saw her to the chief's car, he was only bold enough to place a peck against her cheek.

Much later that Sunday night, with the two teens separated, neither found sleep as they had hoped. Just shy of midnight, El found something eating at her mind. As she quietly dialed a number she had recently acquired, she found herself nervous when the voice on the other end answered.

"Dustin, if you're calling me this late to talk about food again, I swear—"

"Lucas! Hi, i-it's El," she shyly disclaimed.

The boy cleared his throat in surprise as he questioned, "El? Is everything okay?"

El found herself chuckling in shock at the sense of having a caring friend before forcing herself to respond, "everything's okay. I'm sorry to call this late, I just wanted to thank you again for pulling me out of the water yesterday. I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you—"

Lucas released an interrupting scoff as he happily assured, "no need to thank me, it's what friends are for." She could practically hear the smirk on his face as he added, "besides, I couldn't let you die. What would I have done with Mike?"

El found herself giggling at his cheekily sarcastic remark. Just as she went to respond though, Lucas revealed with a sigh, "speaking of Mike, do you have any idea why he would be sneaking out? As his neighbor, I was lucky enough to witness his clumsy attempt to climb out of his window a few minutes ago."

It was at that moment that El's ears picked up on a gentle tap upon her window. She almost ignored it, but then the noise happened again. As butterflies flooded her belly, she whispered, "as a matter of fact, I think he's here now."

"Of course he is. Goodnight, El," Lucas warmly disclaimed before disconnecting the line.

Quickly throwing her phone aside, El stood up on her tippy toes as she peered outside. An effortless smile overtook her face at the sight of the lanky boy that was sporting a set of flannel pajamas. As she raised up her window, she yelled in a hushed whisper, "what are you doing here?!"

With dimples etching into his freckled cheeks, Mike warmly admitted, "I couldn't wait until tomorrow to see you. Can I come in?"

Stepping aside with a grin, El gave him the room he needed to climb into her bedroom. Once he was firmly planted beside her, she found her arms moving on their own accord as she wound herself around his waist. She temporarily buried her nose into his chest, feeling the butterflies continue to liven within her belly as Mike's lips graced the top of her head.

After a few comforting minutes, the pair finally separated. Both of them stood in stupefied glee as they looked one another over. Forcing herself back to earth, El silently pulled the boy to sit beside her. Just as she went to speak, Mike quietly whispered, "I couldn't sleep because I had something important to tell you."

The girl nervously swallowed as she pointedly stared at him, waiting for him to go on. However, Mike couldn't seem to bring his gaze forward as his eyes remained trained down to the worn out floorboards. His right knee was bouncing and a recognizable tremor shivered through his long fingers. Sensing this uncharacteristic nervousness, El brightly chirped, "what's your favorite color?"

With furrowed brows, Mike finally looked up in confusion. Before he could utter a word, El chimed once more, "I've never been very good at friends, but I know you're supposed to tell each other the deep stuff. I know your fear of failure and your interest in writing. I know you love your sisters and your friends more than you love yourself," she paused, smiling at him as she disclaimed, "but I don't know what your favorite color is."

There was an instant look that traced itself upon Mike's face. It puzzled El as she hadn't ever seen it displayed on anyone else's expression. It was like he had glazed over something daunting; something that had cast him into delirium. However, it wasn't a darkness. Instead, he looked enchanted, like he had been caressed by an otherworldly angel.

"Orange," Mike murmured softly with a small smile before sighing, "it always used to be orange... kind of like a sunset." El thought he was done speaking, but he suddenly shot her a pointed stare as he added, "then I met someone like the sun, and my favorite color became yellow."

There was a quiet lull that settled amongst them. Mike daringly broke the existing stillness as he linked his pinkie with hers. After another minute, their fingers proceeded to dance closer together until the rest of them were completely intertwined. As their eyes met, the boy implored, "what's your favorite color?"

Much to her dismay, El's cheeks tinted themselves with heat as she rambled, "I-I don't think I have one specific favorite color, but I do really like pink. Have you ever seen a pink rose? They're p-pretty."

Mike released a hum as he processed her words. As he peacefully analyzed her, he understood why pink would be her favorite. El was vividly distinct and could effortlessly catch a person's eye. Yet, she was also muted; almost like her defenses were hopeful to keep her hidden. She withheld such delicacy, but wielded a fierce unwavering strength. Everything about her aurora radiated not just pink, but all of the colors that painted the world.

Upon their own accord, El and Mike gradually descended closer to one another. As the gap between them closed, their foreheads met as their breath mingled. The limited space now left separating them seemed like it could become charged with electricity; almost like the emotion radiating off of them was enough to cause a minor explosion. The ebony irises that belonged to Mike fell deep into El's golden ones as their chests tightened in anticipation. Noses bumped together and eyes fluttered shut as they inched even closer. Both were filled with eager anticipation; desperate to taste the other's divine flavors.

However, just before their lips could meet, a loud knock fell upon the doorway. The two jolted backwards like deer caught within headlights as they realized Hopper was awake.

Soon, his gruff tone echoed, "kid, are you okay in there? I thought I heard you talking."

El sputtered quickly, "I-I'm fine dad. Just had a d-dream."

"Oh, okay," Hop bluntly disclaimed.

The pair heard his boot clad feet echo further away, making them believe that they were off the hook as they shared equal breaths of relief; at least until her father's voice returned with, "you should probably tell Mike to head back home soon before his parents notice he snuck out though, alright?"

Silence followed for a moment before Hopper's chuckle could be heard from his spot on the couch. Mike and El shared a look of defeat as their cheeks blazed with warm blush as they recalled what almost happened. Had the chief not interrupted, their lips would have met and sparks would have flown.

With disappointment laced within her voice, El murmured, "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's okay," Mike assured as he placed a finger beneath her chin, lifting her face up to his as he added, "we'll have plenty of time together. How about tomorrow — after school? 3:15?"

"After school. Three one five," El repeated with a delirious smile.

Just before Mike could escape through the window, he couldn't resist the strong magnetic pull as he brought El back into a loving hug. With her head burrowed within his chest, the girl dared to disclaim, "you said you had something important you wanted to tell me."

Mike's arms tightened around her; almost like he never wanted to let go, as he stated, "we'll have more time to talk tomorrow, I promise."

As the duo begrudgingly separated, El watched as he climbed back out of the window. And as he went, it felt like he had taken her heart with him. She had never felt like this before, and she wished something as powerful as these loving emotions had come with a fair warning.

Once outside of the home, Mike gave himself the pleasure of glancing over the girl he was enamored by one more time. The singular look alone sent his heart into a frenzy, making him wish he had been brave enough to say what he wanted to earlier. Then, as if parting with her wasn't already hard enough, she boldly blew a kiss with a grin. He giddily caught the imagined peck with his hand, pressing it into his chest as if he never wanted to let go. With a final glance back at his own personal sun, Mike bid her a halfhearted wave before forcing his feet to pedal.

The whole way home he felt immense hope that tomorrow would bring great promise. El had become the best part of life; in fact, she had evolved into the best part of him. She brought out emotion within him that he had never felt before. However, the most destructive disasters are often unplanned. And unfortunately, Mike would find himself lingering within the eye of the storm, desperate to grab ahold of the girl he loved before it was too late.

***********

Chapter Text

***********

Neither El or Mike slept well with the next day hanging right above their heads. Both were desperate for the school day to evaporate past them, hopeful that their time together would come sooner.

In effort to make herself feel better, El found herself rising with the sun as she pulled on her infamous yellow dress. Though she did the action unconsciously, deep down she knew she had dawned the specific article of clothing due to it being Mike's favorite color. As she exited her room, an uncharacteristic pep graced her steps. A new day filled with unique emotion that she gladly accepted.

"Someone looks a little too excited for school," Hopper pointedly disclaimed.

With a huff, El went about preparing her Eggos as she mumbled, "I'm not excited for school."

Not wanting to pry into his teenage daughter's business, Hop's mind recoiled as he planned what to say. As he watched his little girl sit across from him at the table, prideful emotions welled within him. Just a month ago, El had been closed off and secluded within the isolated space of her room. Yet, here she was now, a mere few weeks later; blooming into an unafraid flower. His eyes turned misty as he brought himself to say, "hey, remember what we talked about. It's okay to be open to the world," Hopper paused, smirking as he muttered, "in fact, it's a rule."

El's doe eyes became hazy as she sarcastically murmured back, "I thought there were only three 'don't be stupid' rules?"

With a shake of his head, Hopper grabbed ahold of her small hand and squeezed, "you know what, forget about the rules. The world is really big, El. You have to take ahold of what you want, understand?"

A tear fell from her eye, hitting the old wooden table as she whispered, "I understand."

Not being able to hold himself back any longer, Hop brought his hand forward and ruffled her perfectly placed curls. For the rest of the morning, the two ate in splendid silence. Soon after, the pair set off into the cruiser before pulling up to Hawkins High. As they parted ways, El found herself feeling confident within the halls for the first time. Instead of keeping her head down, she looked up and analyzed the universe around her. While it was all still underwhelming and average, she somehow felt more appreciative of what had been right in front of her the whole time.

As the morning bled into early afternoon, she found her legs bouncing in excited anticipation for lunch. When the bell finally signaled, she actually dashed down the hall to the room she used to dread. Once within the cafeteria, her eyes lit with joy as they settled upon familiar faces. Bounding over to her friends in happy strides, El essentially threw herself into a seat at the table as she greeted, "hey guys!"

"El!" Dustin cheered as he slung an arm around her shoulders.

Once they all greeted each other, Max quietly moved to sit on the other side of the girl as she checked in to see how she was feeling after the events that occurred on Saturday. After El had assured her that all was okay, she proceeded to confide in the girl about a particular raven haired boy. Her cheeks lit aflame as she told the redhead about the previous night and the almost kiss.

Interrupting their conversation, Lucas curiously questioned, "does anyone know where Mike is?"

Recognizing that it was now ten minutes into lunch and the lanky boy had still not appeared, worry fizzled in El's gut. She then remembered that during lunch the week prior, Mike had admitted he was late due to a fall that occurred in gym class. With fear of not knowing where he was and if he was okay, she proceeded to lift herself out of her seat.

"Where are you going?" Will curiously asked.

"To look for Mike," she offered briefly before walking out of the room.

Being in the hallway during lunch hour was almost unnerving. There was an unusual stillness that made every step taken echo hauntingly. An eerie feeling of despair was beginning to form in El's heart, but she wasn't sure why. As she turned the corner, instant relief filled her veins at the sight of Mike. His wavy hair; which was partly ruffled from engaging in an activity in gym class, made her hands ache as she wished to rake her fingers through his effortless curls. However, as her eyes drifted to what was in front of him, her eager happiness came plummeting down. In his right hand was a bouquet of beautiful budding roses, and just a few inches from his face lingered a pretty popular blonde girl. El watched in frozen horror as the girl's eyelashes fluttered as she outwardly flirted with him; a sight that made her particularly nauseous.

Not wanting to see anything else, El quickly turned on her feet. Yet, it seemed her converse had betrayed her as they elicited a loud squeak. The raspy voice she had grown to admire halted her form as Mike called out, "El, wait!"

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was interrupting something," she miserably muttered before attempting to take off once again.

As her feet carried her away, a set of long fingers caressed her wrist. Mike spun her around to face him, and when she did, the blonde girl he had previously been beside was out of sight. His eyes dilated slightly as he crouched down to El's height and asked, "hey, what's wrong? What's going on?"

El looked at him as if he were absolutely mad before tears proceeded to cloud her vision. A pitiful cry escaped her open mouth as she whimpered, "let me go."

She proceeded to tug on her arm; which he still had ahold of, and as she did so, his innocent fingertips accidentally fell upon a partially healed wound that she had inflicted a few weeks prior. A sharp yelp escaped her as she ripped her limb away from him, quickly cradling it to her chest as she took a step backward.

With realization simmering in Mike's slow moving mind, a variety of realizations dawned on him. He watched El as she created more distance between them; to which he instantly took a step forward. His mind was reeling with millions of things he wanted to address as he struggled with a stutter, "El, I c-can only imagine what that l-looked like, but I promise—"

"No, you don't have to promise me anything. You don't owe me anything, Mike. It's okay, I understand," she tearfully whispered before attempting to flee.

Her legs had only made it so far though before his free hand palmed at her shoulder, swiveling her around to meet his dark irises once more. With pleading eyes, Mike earnestly admitted, "I told you I'm a nerd, right? Well, what you just witnessed was some girl's sad attempt of asking me to do her homework. I swear, I was trying to get out of it, but she wouldn't shut up and I—" with an abrupt discontinuation of his current sentence, Mike's attention was derailed by a more pressing sight. A crimson color was cascading in a sneaky thin trail down El's forearm, and it didn't take him long to note what the injury was likely from.

Newfound tears made their way within Mike's eyes as he grappled with his words, "El, y-you're bleeding. Here, let me take a look. I can take care of—"

As he tried reaching out to catch ahold of her arm, El pulled herself away from him. Her heart was begging to give into his soft, loving touch; however, the reality of him knowing the extent of her personal struggles made her force the invisible wall to build itself back up. She knew she was far too damaged to be loved, and she wasn't sure why she allowed herself to think otherwise.

"M-Mike, I have to go. You shouldn't be friends with someone like me. Y-you deserve better," El tearfully disclaimed as she backed away. It took her a second to recognize that he was inching back in, and once she did, her fight or flight took control. She could sense he was wanting to grab her from the fall she was causing, but she took advantage and sprinted, leaving him calling out her name in her wake.

Once her arms forced open the doors of the school's entryway, El looked around in fright. She had never ditched school midday; however, she was in need of hiding. Repressing the feel of her aching heart, she allowed her feet to take her away, back to the solitude where she felt she belonged.

***

Watching El's iridescent yellow dress twirl around her heavenly body was a sight that should have made Mike swoon. Yet, as he watched the fabric morph around her in enchanting waves as she took off in a fast run, he could only feel sincere loss. His throat ached from crying out for her to wait for him and his leg burned from attempting to keep up with her.

Witnessing her leave was shell-shocking. It was as though El had taken Mike's heart with her; leaving him to fend without the necessary beating in his chest.

His muscles yearned for her to return so he could right all of the wrongs. It was as though his body didn't know how to function; which is why his hold on the bouquet he had been carrying around all day faltered. Once he realized he had dropped the roses onto the ground, Mike cried out, "no, no, please!" His shaking hands reached down and collected the semi-damaged petals, trying his best to restore their previously perfect state.

As he gazed at the flowers that were back in his hold, he recalled how they had been the reason for him missing his first class of the day. Mike couldn't stop himself from entering the florist that morning as he had been practically possessed by the idea of retrieving a dozen pink roses to greet the girl he loved. His mind had simply gotten ahead of him as he fantasized about finally vocalizing his feelings to her.

"Mike! Where have you been? El came out looking for you—" Lucas cut himself off as he got a good look at his best friend. Recognizing the tears running down his cheeks, he questioned, "dude, what's wrong?"

With his heart lodged in his throat, Mike practically gasped as he spoke, "s-she left. She saw that idiot Stacy practically trying to seduce me for the hundredth time in hopes that I would finally consider doing her homework and then it all just went to shit," a harsh cry briefly interrupted his chaotic rambling before he forced himself to continue, "Lucas, I really love El. The thought of there ever being anyone else isn't even an option. I love her so much and I-I—"

Lucas's hands gripped Mike's shoulders as he emphasized, "you love her, I get it." He then gave him an encouraging smile while enforcing, "now go get your girl!"

Mike's mouth gaped open for a moment as he processed exactly how this could turn out. She could scream at him, or even worse; reject him, but none of that mattered. El was his friend before anything else and he wanted to make sure she was okay. With a halfhearted smile, Mike disclaimed, "okay, I'm doing this. I'm going after her!"

As he took off down the hallway, Lucas looked after his friend with a proud smirk. Having been a romantic at heart, he knew their love was too unique to be cut short before it could even truly begin.

***

As Mike sped off in the car he inherited from his parents, it seemed like his head remained almost entirely empty. The only thing his mind could latch onto successfully was the thought of her. From her honey colored eyes to her button shaped nose, there truly wasn't a single thing he didn't love about El. She was probably the most stubborn person he had ever met in his entire life, but it was just another thing he had learned to adore about her.

Pulling up to her father's home, a pit of nerves fulfilled his body. His steps were wobbly as repressed panic surged through his veins and his palms quickly became sweaty. As Mike reached up to knock upon the door, his eyebrows furrowed as he recognized the entryway had been left ajar.

Using to the toe of his shoe, Mike quietly entered the cabin's living space before locking the door behind him. As he made it further into the home, he took it upon himself to set the bouquet of roses on the kitchen counter. As his feet trailed into the living space, he stopped to admire a portrait of El smiling as she stood in the rain. He was inching closer to look at other framed photographs when his ears suddenly picked up on her hiccupped cries. Making his way speedily down the hallway, he called out, "El! Where are you?"

He reached a closed door and immediately heard the swell of water. Mike's chest heaved in worry as he rambled, "I need you to let me know you're okay, El. I'll leave and I won't bother you again, just please, tell me you're okay."

"M-Mike?" El's quiet voice was partially masked by the sound of the running faucet.

Taking a gulp, Mike whimpered, "y-yeah, it's me. I'm here, El. Are you okay?"

A quiet gasp left Mike's throat when the door slightly opened. Standing before him was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen; however, her face was now adorned with four small red scratches. Without hesitation, he delicately cradled her face within his hands as he questioned, "what happened? Did somebody hurt you? Are—"

A surprisingly small giggle left El's lips as she interrupted, "I couldn't really see too well when I ran home because I was crying," Mike could practically feel her cheeks heat up beneath his hold as she added, "so I might've accidentally run into a tree."

Holding her here and seeing the ghost of a smile upon her face made Mike's heart feel like it was going to catastrophically combust. He reached over to turn off the sink's faucet as he soaked a nearby washcloth before giving his full attention back to her porcelain face. Holding up the damp cloth, he asked, "may I?"

With the permissive nod of her head, Mike proceeded to gently wipe away the dry blood. Once her face was free of the crimson color, he took ahold onto her hand, lifting her wrist up to his face. El immediately looked down in shame as the scars from her past self-injury rested on full display. Just when she attempted pull away from him though, his lips daringly pressed against her fragile skin; paying particular attention to the wound she had just bandaged after its accidental reopening.

Mike purposefully took his time, allowing his mouth to grace every inch of her scars. Afterwards, when he looked up, he saw a fresh coating of tears grace El's angelic face. Using the pads of his thumbs, he wiped away the moisture that had fallen from her eyes as he emphasized, "there's nothing to be ashamed about," he paused, rolling up the sleeve of his sweater to reveal a small faded vertical line along his inner forearm as he stated, "I understand."

With parted lips, El tearfully whispered, "Mike... you have so much to live for—"

"And so do you. I haven't hurt myself in a long time. You don't have to talk about this with me now, but I want you to know that I'm always going to be here, okay?" Mike offered his words in a murmured tone.

Failing to think of anything else to say, El simply whispered, "okay," before throwing her arms around his shoulders. It only took Mike a millisecond to follow her lead; bringing her body in impossibly close to him as he buried his head within her hair.

The two stayed that way for a few more moments before El pulled back. She wrapped her arms around her middle and placed her stare back onto her feet as she muttered, "I'm such an idiot. About before, I—"

"You are not an idiot," Mike pressed before lifting her chin up, waiting until her eyes linked onto his own before continuing, "if I ever saw another guy close to you, I think I would lose my mind. But I need you to know that what you saw wasn't anything important. Stacy always tries flirting with me in hopes that I'll do her assignments for her. I'm not sure why she still tries that method because it's literally never worked."

At his final sentence, El released a loud laugh. She covered her mouth, muffling her sound to a mere giggle as she spoke, "well, to be fair, she is really pretty."

"I mean, I guess," Mike begrudgingly stated before stepping closer to her. As he tucked one of her stray curls behind her ear, he brought himself to question, "remember at Benny's when I said my eyes never miss you?" He watched as El blushed with a nod before revealing, "well, that's because I've only ever had eyes for you. I swear, you're all I see because you are the most beautiful person to me."

His words made El's heart flutter as an unmeasurable portion of butterflies erupted within her belly. Taking his words in stride, she boldly began to confess, "Mike, I have to tell you something. I don't know how you feel about me, but I know that I really l—"

"Woah, wait," Mike laughed in disbelief as he had a hypnotic inkling of where this was headed to. Taking a gentle hold of her hand, he pulled her out of the space of the bathroom and back towards the front of the home. Once he grabbed ahold of the semi-wilted flowers, he sheepishly explained, "I bought you these pink roses this morning because I wanted to do this romantically, but to be honest, I have no experience with this. I've never felt like this before..." he trailed off as his repressed nerves began to paralyze him.

Sensing his hesitation, El moved inward until their faces were only an inch apart. She smiled at the sight of his lips parting before she assured in a lighthearted murmur, "I never thought I would ever let anyone in, but then I met you. You have changed every aspect of life for me in the best way possible. Mike, I—"

"I love you," Mike tearfully cut in with a laugh as he craned his neck downward, resting his forehead against hers before continuing, "I don't know if love at first sight is real, but I've felt drawn to you since the very first time I saw you. And then I got to know you, and my god... I didn't know it was even possible for someone to fall in love so fast." His eyes peered into hers intently as he calmly stated, "I need you to know that it's okay if you don't feel the same way. Being your friend is enough, but I just needed you to know how completely in love with you I am."

A moment of silence passed through the duo before El threw all of her last remaining worries away into the wind. There was absolutely no hesitation when she planted her lips against his. An immediate smile spread across her face at the sound of Mike's shocked whimper; which she then returned at the feel of his tongue trailing against her lower lip. Both of their sets of hands imbedded into one another's hair as they tugged each other closer.

Breaking away from the kiss first, El quickly whispered in a soft tone, "I love you too."

Mike's pupils dilated in elation as he quietly pleaded, "say it again, please."

"I love you," El assured before peppering small kisses to every freckle on his face as she continued to beautifully exclaim, "I love you."

Mike basked in the moment of feeling her skin upon his and hearing her happy voice utter the words that sent glorious chills down his spine until a budding thought commanded control of his mind. Taking ahold of her face, he cradled her as if she were the most priceless jewel in the universe. Gazing into her golden brown eyes, he brought himself to question, "El, will you be my girlfriend?"

As she processed his request, a small burst of fear fulfilled her. El had just become acquainted with the concept of being a friend; how could she possibly learn how to be a good partner in such a short period of time?

With nervous hesitation, she stuttered, "w-what if I'm not g-good at it?"

With a cheery laugh, Mike kissed the tip of her button nose before placing a peck to her forehead. He then sighed as he asked, "do you trust me?"

"Yes," the word tumbled from El's mouth instantaneously. With her heart leaping with a rush of adrenaline, she brought herself up onto her tippy toes; delicately stroking her lips against his as she murmured the title she realized she was yearning to call him, "boyfriend."

The silky tone of her voice and her heavenly assuring words made Mike feel like he might melt into a maddening puddle of mush; however, the action also made a foreign hunger awaken within him. Before he could act, El took his hand and brought him over to the couch. It was as though a wild fixation had burst within them both, because within a second, their lips molded into one. Their labored breath echoing off of the old wooden cabin walls created symphonies about true love that coaxed magic upon their ears.

It was Mike who needed a breath first, and as he pried himself back, he allowed his thumb to brush along her plump pink lips. As he gazed at her, he murmured in a daze, "this is real, right?"

A knowing smile spread along El's face as she laid alongside of him on the small piece of furniture. Hooking her legs between his, she whispered, "definitely real," before she tucked her head beneath his neck, indulging in the sound of his heart beating as they sunk further into this pleasant reality.

As if they had been living in a fairytale, the rest of their day unfolded in pure simplicity. The duo talked about stories and memories; not even aware that their lives greatest chapter was just beginning. And as they turned the page in their own novel, they would find a new day that withheld different events and complications.

Still, Mike's hand held tightly onto El's as the two embarked on something new. A journey that neither had experienced before. Every triumph and hardship that a love as true as theirs entailed — they would conquer it all as one.

***********

Chapter Text

***********

It had been nearly a week since Mike and El had made their relationship official, but it felt like it had been years. Within such a short time period, the girl had already been able to formally introduce her designated partner to her father over a proper dinner. While it wasn't the most comfortable experience, Hopper was more than happy for his daughter. Having seen the way Mike looked at her was enough for him to understand that she was safe; that she would be treated and cared for as she should be.

Prying them apart though had already become the most difficult thing. There was a developed attachment there that caused everyone at school to look at them in confused wonder. Luckily Mike and El didn't care about the on looking stares as they joyfully strolled hand in hand down the hallways together. It did not matter who was watching; even if it had truthfully captivated attention from their peers as they witnessed the resident dork locking lips with the unspoken girl. The only people not surprised by their public displays of affection were the party, and that's because they had known Mike has been head over heels for El since the second he saw her.

After a long week of having the questionable eyes from her classmates upon her, El released a relieving sigh as she found herself squeezed into the passenger seat of her father's cruiser. He was unusually quiet as for a few moments before he murmured, "you look happy, kid."

With a shy smile, El answered, "I am happy," she blushed, thinking of scattered freckles before she felt the need to input, "it's not just because of Mike though. I've always been content in my little bubble."

"Yeah, but the world is much nicer when you have other people besides your old man to talk to," Hop remarked with a smirk before he felt her small hand lightly strike his shoulder. The two laughed for a moment, knowing his statement was true. El is living now as she should have been for years; a life with peers she could experience adolescence with.

As Hopper pulled up to a familiar location, he parked with a sigh. "I'm proud of you for still coming to support group," his eyes wandered, catching sight of something; or someone, before he continued, "by the way, I'm not going to be picking you up afterwards because you have plans."

El's mouth gaped open in surprise as she wondered aloud, "but I didn't make plans. I thought we could watch a movie together—"

Her gentle tone was interrupted by the sound of the old metal door cracking open beside her. As Mike ducked his head and peered inside, he beamed at Hop as he declared, "I'll have her home by nine, chief!"

"You better," Hop deadpanned as he repressed a smile at the dotting couple. He gave his daughter a knowing look as he instructed, "have fun, but not too much fun. I'll be home from work around eight fifteen, but if you need me, just give the station a call."

Still reeling from confusion, El could only mutter a small goodbye to her father as Mike helped her step out of the vehicle. Once her feet were planted on the ground below her, Mike placed two quick pecks upon her parted lips. The petite girl pulled back and analyzed him; noting that his smile was much too wide for them to only be attending another boring session of support group. It didn't help that she could also feel his fingers absentmindedly drumming against hers as their hands remained interlaced.

With furrowed brows, El leaned up on her tippy toes and narrowed her eyes as she questioned, "what are you up to?"

"What makes you think I'm up to something?" Mike cheekily retorted.

Her honey colored orbs simply rolled at his poor ability to lie as she tugged his hand towards the building. Soon though, the lanky boy halted her as he spoke, "I-I don't know how you'll feel about this, but I want you to meet my family." Mike's cheeks blazed as he looked down, scuffing his feet on the concrete as he rambled, "you're the most important thing to me in the world. I know it's lame, but I already know my mom is going to love you. I kind of already asked for your dad's permission, but if you want me to just take you home after group, I can do that. I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with."

As soon as the words tumbled from his mouth, El gave Mike a fraction of a second to catch his breath before she pressed her lips to his. She smiled as she felt his fingers splay against her hips as he brought her body closer to his. Just before their chests could touch though, El placed a steady hand on his sternum and whispered, "we probably shouldn't make-out in front of the support group – don't want to traumatize these kids any more than they already are."

Having realized the density of her joke, both El and Mike burst into a fit of laughter for a moment before they collected themselves. Trailing her fingers against his cheek, El murmured, "I'm nervous to meet your family because I want them to like me, but I trust you, so I'm ready to meet them when you want me to."

Heaving a heavy sigh of relief, Mike pressed his forehead against hers as he mumbled, "thank God because my mom is dying to meet you."

"Have you been talking about me to your mom, Mike Wheeler?" El teased with a snicker.

Mike blushed and playfully flicked her shoulder before guiding her into the building. Once they were sat amongst the circle, the pair waited in silence with the other group members. When the facilitator finally began the session, they asked each person to reveal something they had recently achieved.

"Who would like to share first?"

Before El could even process it, her hand had shot up from her side. Everyone looked at her curiously as they never expected the quiet girl to initiate a session. As she stood up on shaky limbs, she could feel the soothing burn echoing into her from Mike's eyes; and that was all she needed to feel safe.

"I made some friends," she bluntly disclaimed with a chuckle. El took a breath as she twirled her thumbs before she continued, "and I'm going to continue being open with other people by meeting my boyfriend's family. I'm really nervous because I want them to like me, but I'm proud of myself for letting people in."

Without another word muttered, El was quick to sit herself back into her chair. Her breathing was slightly amped above normal as she processed all she had just revealed. As she reflected, she found a small gasp falling from her mouth as Mike's pinkie finger latched onto hers. Looking at him through her downcast eyelashes, she saw a glimmer of pride within his irises. Then, within an instant, she watched as her boyfriend rose from him seat.

"I finally asked the girl I'm in love with to be my girlfriend and she said yes," Mike's naturally wide grin faltered as he profoundly added, "but the real achievement will be making sure she's always happy, because that's all that matters to me."

Once he had sat back down, the rest of the group members were granted their time to reveal their achievements. As they did so, Mike and El had to work hard to be respectful listeners. Although, the pair couldn't stop themselves from playing footsies to pass the time; almost like they were two magnets, unable to keep themselves apart from one another.

After support group had concluded, Mike guided El back to his car. On the drive to his house, he noticed her fingers trembling against her knee. Sensing the anxiety falling off of her in waves, he pulled the car over a few blocks away from his house.

With confusion painted on her face, El mumbled, "I'm not a stalker, but I know this isn't your house."

Mike analyzed her nervous jitters as he trailed his fingers along her shoulder. He gently pressed a peck to her cheek, smiling to himself as he felt her shaking subside. Squeezing her thigh, he made purposeful eye contact as he murmured, "they're going to love you, I promise."

"I'm just worried they are going to recognize that I'm not good enough for you."

El's troubling words quickly laid in the space between them heavily for a moment. As Mike reflected on what her statement implied, a hurricane of thoughts proceeded to assault his mind. The idea that he was too good for her was outrageously absurd to him. Sure, Mike knew he had potential to be successful in this lifetime. He was intelligent and motivated; however, he knew within his heart that he was made for one specific thing. And that was to love her.

"Hey, look at me," Mike pleaded as he cupped her cheeks in his hands. He allowed himself the pleasure of becoming temporarily lost in her beautiful eyes before he finally uttered, "I know it's going to take a while for you to realize how amazing you are, and I'm going to help you learn to love yourself," he paused and pressed a kiss to her forehead before he concluded, "but I need you to know that you make me happier than anyone else ever could. Okay?"

El could feel the sincerity dripping from every word he said, leaving her entirely breathless as she whimpered, "okay."

Once they arrived at the Wheeler household a few moments later, it felt like a blizzard of nerves had kicked up within El. Goosebumps from fear arose on her skin, but Mike was quick to kiss them away. She practically molded onto the side of his torso; almost like she was hopeful to not be seen. However, that was seemingly impossible in this particular scenario.

The second they walked in the door, a blonde little girl bounded over to them in quick strides. "Woah, are you El? You look like a princess!"

A fierce blush melted into every portion of El's skin as she beamed, "I am El, but I'm afraid I'm not a princess."

The girl looked at her with critical eyes before thrusting a tiny doll into her open hand, "you're not a princess because you're a queen!" Not giving El a second to respond, Mike's little sister tugged onto the teenage girl's arm as she explained, "I'm going to show you my room. I'm Holly by the way."

As El followed after Holly's quick steps, she threw a bright grin back at Mike. Once she disappeared up the stairs and out of sight, Mike's feet came alive to follow after her. Yet, the second he made it further into the living room, a familiar tone halted his motions.

"Michael, where is she?" Karen questioned her son with bright eyes.

Mike scratched the back of his head and pointed to the upper level of the home as he explained, "you just missed her. Holly already declared her as the queen and abducted her."

A glimmer shined off of Karen's eyes as she murmured, "Holly is quite picky about who she likes. This girl must really be special."

"She is," Mike immediately responded with a dopey expression.

The sight of love speckled across each of his features in starkly recognizable ways. There was a veil of happiness that was falling away from every inch of Mike's body; which did not go undetected by his dotting mother. As Karen stood there looking over her boy, she sensed that this was not some mere teenage fling. No; this was it. Tears quickly flooded into her orbs as she processed the fact that this was the night she was meeting the girl her son would likely spend the rest of his life with.

Flattening her apron against her chest, Karen instructed, "well then, we have to make sure this meal is good enough for a queen."

As the mother and son went into the kitchen to finish preparing dinner, the sounds of girlish laughter radiated from above them. There was a certain peace that had filtered through the air; almost like all was finally whole. It seemed as though El was a puzzle piece that fit finely into every aspect of the Wheeler's perfect life, but everything is not always as it seems.

***

After Karen and Mike had finished setting up the table for the evening, the duo moved up the stairs to get the girls. As they hovered near the doorframe, neither Holly or El noted their arrival as the two proceeded to play. The tiny girl had found a spot nestled in her brother's girlfriend's lap as they brought to life a fairytale with the use of a few dolls.

Clearing his throat, Mike questioned, "I'm sorry, are we disturbing you two?"

"Yes," Holly deadpanned and stuck out her tongue.

El merely smiled up at him with a blissful expression. She sent him a wink before encouraging Holly to go wash her hands for dinner. Once the little girl was free from her lap, Mike bounded over to her in a quick stride to help her up from the floor. Once she was on her feet, he pressed a kiss against the crown of her head. El moved to reciprocate his gesture, their lips only a centimeter apart before Karen reminded the pair of her presence.

"El, it's so nice to meet you," Mike's mother chirped, holding out a hand for her to shake.

El maneuvered herself out of Mike's hold as she warmly greeted, "thank you for having me over, Mrs. Wheeler." As she shook the woman's hand, a foreign feeling tingled through her arm. The remembrance of how her mother treated her fell away as she received the outwardly nurturing nature that Karen exuded.

"Please call me Karen, sweetheart," she enforced before wrapping an arm around the girl, steering her down the stairs as they sparked a conversation.

Once settled at the table, the four of them found an effortless rhythm as they fell into normalcy. Karen was just reiterating how much Nancy would love El when the front door opened. A man the same height as Mike in formal business attire walked through the home, soon plopping down at the table without a word. The mood instantly turned dim, feeling as though everything suddenly shifted onto its head.

"Dad, this is El, my girlfriend," Mike proudly introduced.

Ted Wheeler took several bites of food from the plate before him as he looked over the teenage girl. With scrutiny clear in his eyes, he muttered, "chief's secret kid, right?"

El could feel Mike immediately heat up as he leaned forward from beside her, almost like he was preparing to scream. She quickly squeezed ahold of his hand, silently assuring him that all was okay; even if what was said did instantly spark a negative emotion within her. She simply collected herself and the boy beside her by rubbing her thumb along his clenched knuckles as a way to soothe them both.

"I am Jim's daughter, but I'm no secret," El brightly grinned as she took another bite of her own food. She then took initiative to redirect the conversation as she asked, "so Nancy is in school for journalism, right? That's really amazing."

Karen smiled at the girl; however, her dimples didn't appear as prominent as they had earlier. In fact, there was a light that she had radiated beforehand that now seemed to be out entirely. Clearing her throat though, Mrs. Wheeler responded, "yeah, Nancy's always been passionate about writing. She'll probably talk your ear off about the article she's currently working on when she comes home for Christmas."

"Writing seems to run in the family," El smiled as she looked over to Mike.

Before Mike could respond though, Ted's stale voice interrupted, "my son is not going to pursue writing. He's going to get an Engineering degree from MIT, isn't that right?"

It was like all of the air had inflated out of Mike's posture as he slouched down within his seat. His eyes trained onto his plate as he mumbled, "I mean, I have no idea where I'm going or what I'm going to study."

A shade of red tinted upon Ted's face as he looked over his son in disgust. He subtly shook his head, almost like he was preparing to release an onslaught of offenses. It was in that moment that El understood why Mike was able to be so empathetic of her past history of abuse; and that was because he was silently enduring his own.

"Michael, there is only one path in this world for people like you," Ted huffed before dryly chuckling, "and this girl here is nothing, understand? Use the brain you allegedly have and—"

Mike's fist cracked upon the top of the table, causing every piece of silverware to rattle. He brought his pointer finger forward and stared directly into his father's eyes as he lowly threatened, "do not fucking talk about her like that. I don't care that you don't respect me as your son; that's perfectly fine, but you'll treat her with respect." Mike's firm facade almost faltered at the feel of El's dainty palm squeezing his thigh, but before he could give into her precious touch, he brought himself to sneer, "do you understand that?"

As Ted stared at his son in pure shock, El's mind was already ten steps ahead of everyone else. She looked on at Karen, taking in the familiar painting of horrified alarm that remained so clearly upon her face. Her eyes then flickered over to Holly, who was thankfully in a daze as she played with the peas on her plate.

"Holly, would you mind showing me more of your dolls?" El pleasantly asked.

The little girl instantly lit with joy; practically bouncing out of her seat as she took off towards the stairs. El remained back for a mere minute, looking down at her lap quietly. She then brought herself to say, "thank you for dinner, Karen. You have really made me feel welcome," El paused, her eyes dragging towards Ted as she emphasized, "I can see now where Mike gets his heart from."

And on that note, she slid out from her chair. Before she walked away though, El held out her hand, offering Mike the perfect way to escape. As his fingers intertwined with hers and their eyes locked, it was as though everything was complete. It didn't matter how others perceived them because what truly mattered was that they had one another. Hand in hand, they were given the world – they were free.

***

After another hour of playing dolls and a short sit down with a very apologetic Karen, El was back in the car with Mike. A comforting silence blanketed between the duo divinely as he slowly took the path back to her home.

"My mom and sister love you," Mike lowly spoke as he lifted up their conjoined hands to place a kiss upon her knuckles.

El happily sighed, content to hear those redeeming words. She remained silent though as she looked over Mike's features; his unruly raven locks and the beauty of his perfect ivory skin reflecting from the moon's light. She found herself biting down on her lip as she reflected on his heart and loving nature, making her belly boil with butterflies.

"Pull over."

Mike's eyebrows furrowed harshly as he followed his girlfriend's sudden instructions. Once he had the car placed in park, he suddenly began to ramble, "baby, what's wrong? Are you okay? Was it something my family did? I know my dad—"

Before another word could manage to tumble from his parted lips, El had stealthily maneuvered herself to straddle his lap in the driver's seat as her lips descended upon his. Swallowing his shocked gasp, Mike's breath turned into a groan as his hands dug into the dip of her waist. El's hands greedily pried at his locks of hair as her tongue delved into his mouth. Her heated kisses soon moved down his jawline as his lips managed to attach to the sensitive pulse on her neck.

As the two forced themselves to separate, desperately catching their breaths; Mike gazed at her with a stupefied expression. As his thumb caressed her lower lip, he panted, "w-what was that for?"

El kissed the pad of his thumb and giggled, "what, can't a girl kiss her boyfriend?"

Mike leaned his forehead against hers, chuckling softly before leaving a smattering of pecks against her face. He relished in her divine laughter; loving the way joy emanated off of her in gracious waves. He then tucked a stray hair behind her ear, smiling as she pressed her cheek further into his palm. Trailing his fingers against her smooth skin, he lowly murmured, "you are everything to me." Mike took a deep breath, eyes casting away as he revealed, "I was telling the truth when I said I don't know where or what I want to do for college. I just know that wherever I go or whatever I do, I want it all to be with you by my side."

A small gasp escaped El's lips, her eyes turning glassy as she whispered, "really?" She then laughed into her hand, softly crying at the sight of Mike eagerly nodding his head. El wiped away her tears of happiness as she added, "I love you, and I want that too."

"I love you," Mike's spoken breath reached her lips as he managed to steal a few more kisses.

A silence soon snatched the vicinity as they listened to one another's shared breaths. As El traced her fingers along Mike's collarbone, she found herself questioning, "your dad – has he always treated you like this?"

"Yeah," Mike hummed, kissing her temple as he revealed, "it used to bother me when I was in middle school. I could tell he was disappointed in who I was, but after the fire... after almost dying, I realized there's no point in trying to be anything for anyone else but myself." As Mike's hands caressed the small of El's back, he found his vision blurring. As a tear escaped his eye, he cried, "I'm so sorry he spoke to you like he did. I should have intervened better—"

"Don't," El interrupted him, pressing a soothing palm to his chest as she continued, "do not apologize for someone else's actions. You can't control your father, Mike." She sadly sported a knowing smile at him; communicating without words that she understood what it was like to have a negative parent within one's life. Kissing the tip of his nose, El quietly questioned, "you're nothing like him, you know that, right?"

Mike's teeth flashed as he grinned, collecting the girl on his lap tightly within his arms as he confirmed, "I know."

After embracing for another fleeting moment, the two caught sight of the clock on the dashboard in front of them. Eliciting a few expletives, they both scrambled back into their positions as they realized it was nearly an hour past El's curfew. When the pair arrived at the cabin several speedy minutes later, Mike decided to come into the home to offer his girlfriend's father an apology for their tardiness. However, when they entered the small space, the gruff man was already passed out on the couch.

The couple soon found themselves back in the sanctuary of El's bedroom as they caved into their undeniable lust. They were unable to keep their hands and lips separated; which was something the two would find themselves struggling with even in their old age. It was almost as though they were addicted to one another, never able to get enough of the other's touch.

Soon though, as Mike walked towards the bedroom door to leave for the night, El's enchanting tone pulled him under a spell.

"Mike," her doe eyes were captivating and her voice was small as she gently pleaded, "will you stay with me?"

Not even needing a second to contemplate that request, his body was drawn right back to her. As the two pulled back the covers on her bed and settled into a warm embrace, Mike softly promised, "always."

When it came to Mike and El, there was nothing left off the table. Their love was pure and full; consisting of all the light and darkness within their worlds. It was unconquerable, and would certainly last for an eternity.

***********

Chapter Text

***********

One Year Later

The weeks bled into months and soon it was a passing year. High school was behind them and the future was developing brightly. Over time, El was truly able to find herself and the qualities that make her tick. This past summer she had been offered to take a peer counselor position through the support group and was delighted to find that she enjoyed working with younger kids recovering from their past traumas. As for Mike, his writing had sincerely taken off. In fact, he had already published a short story about a girl with telekinetic powers escaping from an evil laboratory; which he was now creating into a full length novel.

Even with all of their success piling up within their laps, there were still horrors that haunted them. For El, her night terrors of being held underwater still visited her, and because of that, she and Mike had made it a habit to have frequent sleepovers. In truth, the two had already practically been living together; regardless of how wary that made Hopper feel. However, throughout this time, El had only seen Mike encounter one mild nightmare.

At least until this night; which just so happened to be the five-year anniversary of the fire.

The couple were only a week away from moving into their own apartment and all had felt right. Both were set to begin their college courses while maintaining their mundane jobs. El had been peacefully asleep when a sudden whimper startled her. As she stirred awake, she felt Mike's arms tighten around her middle, and when she turned to face him, she recognized the silent tears cascading down his cheeks.

"Mike, wake up," El spoke in alarm as she shook his shoulder.

After another minute of him remaining trapped in his nightmare, Mike unconsciously muttered, "El," his voice broke before it became louder, "El, please! Don't take her, take me."

It was at that point that El disregarded her subtle attempts of quietly awakening him as she proceeded to climb on top of his form. Once straddled upon his waist, she picked up his head from the pillow and cradled him tenderly as she spoke, "please wake up. It's okay, it's just a dream."

On that note, Mike's eyes suddenly jerked open. He looked around the room; taking in his surroundings, before recognizing the weight settled over his body. His arms awoke on their own accord as he wrapped himself around El, pressing his face against her hair as he breathed in her scent. Within an instant, sobs of relief released from his body as he clutched her closer to him.

After a few moments, El pulled herself back to gaze over her boyfriend. Looking into Mike's eyes, she could see a war raging within his mind. She could tell he was grappling with whatever terrors his dream had evilly depicted, and it was clear that it had sincerely shaken him to his core. As she played with his hair, she lowly cooed sweet nothings into his ear, wanting him to feel at peace.

Once she could feel the pulse of his heartrate decline to a normal pace, El delicately questioned, "do you want to talk about it?"

Mike's eyes flickered around her form as if she were a heavenly angel before he softly pressed kisses to her face. He then played with her fingers as he revealed, "it was the fire." He exhaled at the feel of El's hands; which were now massaging along his shoulder blades. Mike graciously sunk into the sensation of her touch as he absorbed that she was truthfully here with him before he brokenly disclosed, "t-the nightmare... it t-took you. You were screaming and I-I couldn't get to you. The fire was taking you f-from me and I-I couldn't save you."

A strangled cry escaped Mike's throat as he dove his head into the crook of El's neck. For a few moments, all she could do was comfort him with reaffirming words; grounding him back into their safe reality as he uttered on repeat, "I can't lose you."

Eventually El pried his head forward, pressing her forehead against his as she softly demanded, "look at me, baby." Mike's crying seized as she laid his hand over her heart; allowing him to feel it beating before she assured, "you won't lose me, I promise."

Chasing away the fright his night terror had created, El molded her lips against his as he allowed her to further melt into his frame. Mike delicately caressed the skin of her waist where her pajama top had ridden up as he became intoxicated by the power of her being. A few moments later, with her back now pressed to the mattress and him hovering above her, a shocking realization struck his core.

Scurrying out of the bed in his boxers, Mike quietly whispered, "holy shit, does Hopper know I'm here?"

El laughed at her boyfriend's wide eyes as she explained, "he had to work overnight." She then patted at the empty space beside her as she added, "besides, he knows you sleep here almost every night anyways. I'm pretty sure Karen had to convince him to be okay with it."

Releasing a sigh of relief; much like a lost puppy, Mike slowly crawled back onto the bed before plopping down beside his girlfriend. As he buried his face into the comfort of her chest, he released a groan as El's sweet fingers rubbed soft circles along his scalp. Once he found himself fully relaxed in her embrace, an internal wound resurfaced to the forefront of his mind.

"I won't ever let anything happen to you," Mike lowly disclaimed. His fingers began to fiddle with edge of her shirt as he continued, "I'm never going to be like my father. I promise I'll always keep you and however many kids we end up having safe."

Allowing his words to sink within her gut, El's chest tightened uncomfortably. Tears flooded behind her eyes as she imagined what it was like for Mike. He nearly died amidst a series of scorching flames, and the mere idea of a world without his remarkable presence made her feel absolute pain. Even if their souls weren't tethered together, she knew that this universe needed someone that provided light like him. Someone with a massive heart and eternal good for others to cancel out the remaining darkness within society.

From where Mike was settled against her sternum, he could feel as El's breathing became labored. Before he could sit himself up, a cold tear that had escaped from her beautiful orbs fell upon his cheek; and on that note, he scrambled up as quickly as he could possibly manage. Cupping her porcelain face within his hands, he assessed her for any potential external harm. After crossing out any and all possibilities, he watched on as she proceeded to sob. Gently rubbing his thumbs along her cheeks, Mike murmured, "what's wrong, love? Talk to me, El."

As her lips wobbled, El struggled to utter, "I-I'm so s-sorry your father is such a p-piece of shit." She leaned herself inward, brushing her nose against Mike's as she disclosed, "what happened to you; the fire, your father's disapproval of you being with me and every negative thing he has said to you... I need you to know I won't ever let anyone treat you that way again. We'll keep each other safe, okay?"

Mike's heart thumped heavily as he soaked in El's earnest words. The love she had for him and the love he had for her was unlike anything else; something so precious it was impossible to imagine it even being real. Goosebumps blossomed along his skin as her fingertips danced along his arms. Unable to restrain himself longer, he allowed his lips to give into temptation; plummeting against hers so intently that he had to swallow her gasp.

After exchanging several more breathtaking kisses, Mike rested his forehead against El's as they caught their breath. As he looked into her eyes, he lowly murmured, "you are everything to me." He pecked the tip of her nose, watching as a small smile skirted along her face as he whispered, "thank you for letting me love you."

Dimples etched further into El's cheeks as she beamed, "I love you so much."

Holding open her arms, Mike greedily accepted the invitation as he settled back against her side. As sleep took them back under for several more hours of rest, neither of them found themselves greeted by nightmares. Instead, they were kept in a tranquil state; heartbeats synchronized as they indulged in peace.

When the sun rose the next morning, the rays of light painted along their skin as a new day was offered to them. As Mike stirred out of his slumber, he looked beside him to the angel that was currently eliciting small snores. Grinning at El's adorable state, he began to pepper every inch of her skin with kisses. His ears soon tingled with joy at the sound of her rousing giggles as his lips marked her body with love.

"G'morning," El sleepily mumbled with a smile before she placed a peck upon his lips.

Mike responded by dragging her frame closer to him, pulling her directly into his lap as he murmured in her ear, "good morning, baby."

El buried her head within the crook of his neck, eyelashes fluttering closed as she dared to give back into sleep. However, Mike's voice called her back to consciousness as he implored, "I know we were planning to pack this morning, but would you mind going somewhere with me?"

Looking over to the clock, El recognized what was scheduled to begin in less than an hour. With a small nod of her head, she leaped out of his hold and held out her hand. The two quickly got ready together; finding intimacy in the little moments of their morning, before they dashed out to Mike's car.

As they drove, both of them silently recalled that this was the place where they came together. An inviting circle that they would likely not return to again after their move as they have both found comfort and quietness alongside of one another. It had become their safe place; the spot where their love and healing all finally began.

***

Walking up to the support group hand in hand, Mike and El glanced around as they quickly recognized a decent quantity of newcomers. Settling into their seats, a normal silence fell across the room. El could practically feel the bundle of anxiety and nerves radiating off of the younger teens as they glanced down at their shoes. She sincerely sympathized with them; having a fine understanding of how she felt during her first few sessions.

A sudden squeeze to her palm called El's attention away from her festering thoughts. Mike gazed at her, analyzing her eyes for the answer he was seeking. After a moment, he leaned towards her ear and quietly whispered, "they'll be okay – just like we were."

El's warm irises turned a golden lukewarm at the words he had spoken; breathing in the reality of having such a deep connection to someone that he could practically read her mind. Her thumb rubbed along his knuckles as she silently mouthed, 'love you.'

Without another moment passing by, the usual facilitator entered the room and took a look around the circle. As he noted all of the new faces, he couldn't stop himself from smiling at a particular pair he had been happy to know over the past year and a half.

"Hello everyone, my name is Dr. Clarke, but you can call me Scott," he paused, eyes temporarily landing on Mike and El once more before he continued, "for many of you, this is your first time at group and I know how scary that can be. However, a few of your peers sitting with us today have been on this journey before. Mike and El; seeing as this is your last group before the big move, would either of you feel comfortable sharing some words of advice to our new members?"

All at once every eye in the room shifted towards the pair. With a sudden lump in her throat, El looked to Mike for help. Patting her thigh, he rose up without a word because he knew she needed another minute to collect her thoughts.

"Hey, I'm Mike. I started coming to group a few years ago in hopes of making connections with people my age," he sighed, wiping his brow as he admitted, "to tell you all the truth, I didn't think it would work out. I thought that my nightmares and the war in my mind was just something I would have to deal with on my own." Mike glanced down at El and smirked before he finalized, "once you find a connection, don't let go of it. There are many lifelines in the world, and you won't find one by accepting being alone. Look for your own personal light. When you know you've found your sun, keep it close to your heart."

As Mike sat back into his chair, he could feel the waves echoing off of El. He knew her like the back of his hand, so he could practically feel the water of her past refilling her lungs as she replayed in her mind what had brought her to her first support group. Offering her a hand, he smiled at her with remarkable encouragement. And as she stared into his eyes, he could tell she was coming back to the present. With assurance replanted in her mind, he watched as the love of his life stood on her own two feet without anyone's help.

"I-I'm not good with my words, but I want you all to k-know that you are worthy of f-forgiveness and love," El stuttered out nervously as she fidgeted with her fingers. She took a moment to look at her feet as she recalled the comfort she has received from her loved ones before she continued, "I can imagine you've all encountered terrible hardships that seem difficult to recover from, but you all deserve to find some peace and happiness. So, don't stop working on yourself. Accept help and let others in," El paused, grinning as she added, "my dad told me it's okay to be open to the world, and he was right. There aren't any rules on how to survive, but just like Mike said, try your best to find what makes you feel like living is worth it."

When El landed back in her seat, her cheeks immediately flushed at the feel of Mike's eyes upon her. And as she turned to look at him, the expression on her beloved's face made her stomach fill with butterflies. The pure adoration flooded out of him and practically drowned her as he blatantly consumed her.

Soon though, Mike and El's attention was redirected away from one another as the group session took off. The couple politely listened and watched as the newcomers introduced themselves. It was a unique experience for them both; to witness others unknowingly begin to bond in a way that they had.

At the conclusion of group, just was Mike's arm had wound around El's waist and was steering them out of the facility, a small voice caught their attention.

"H-how long does it take to feel better?"

El looked over the teenage girl and instantly recognized her as Dottie; an incoming freshman at Hawkins High that had just revealed to the group a few moments prior that she too had unfortunately suffered from a history of abuse. With a warm smile on her face, El quietly assured, "there isn't a timeframe to healing, but I promise it gets better each day."

The girl simply nodded at her response before she fleetingly dashed out of the group's space. Once she was out of sight, Mike squeezed El's waist and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. As El's eyes trailed up to his, his smooth voice murmured, "you never cease to amaze me," he paused, taking one last look over at the chair he had sat in before adding, "I'm so glad I finally gained the courage to talk to you."

El giggled at his words as she leaned up on her tippy toes and pecked his lips. She grinned at him with a certain sparkle in her eye as she whispered, "I'm glad I let you be my first friend."

With lightness fulfilling their hearts, Mike and El walked out of the building that day, hand in hand, feeling more complete than they ever had before. The past could not bound them to any misery as their love was an ethereal equation that would last for an eternity.

His fire met with her water; both elements setting them free.

***********

Chapter Text

***********

Five Years Later

***********

A sweet sound echoing right beside El's ear awoke her to the sun one early Saturday morning. The feel of Mike's breath against her cheek and the way his fingers unconsciously twitched against her hip made an effortless smile break across her face. As she connected their hands together, she found herself quietly giggling in glee at the feel of their wedding bands connecting.

The two had already been married over a year and had long established a lifetime of joy. Mike and El had their ceremony and reception just a day after they graduated college because neither of them wanted to go another day without being husband and wife.

Mike had floored everyone by successfully publishing his first novel during his junior year of undergrad before he managed to earn his creative writing degree. And El, well, she was an unstoppable force. She breezed through school and skillfully graduated at the top of their class. Now she was a fulltime counselor; her specialty being specified to teens that struggled with depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. She also had begun running a weekly gathering for adolescents, modeling a replica of the support group she had met Mike in.

Presently, as El laid awake that morning, a remembrance of the sneaky plans she had made for that evening came creeping into the forefront of her mind. Within an instant, she sprung up from bed as she rushed to have herself ready in time for the events she had laid out.

El was in the middle of her shower when she felt a presence stood directly behind her. She immediately sighed at the feel of her husband's lips upon her neck, followed by a delighted squeal as Mike began shampooing her hair. The two bathed each other in a peaceful quiet; absorbing the sensation of starting their day beside each other.

As El was towel drying her damp locks, she attempted to casually inform, "I have to go out today for a bit, but I'll be home by 6:00pm."

"A weekend session?" Mike questioned with furrowed brows as he brushed his teeth.

Looking down at her feet, El became frozen as she grappled with how to lie to him. Sure, she could fabricate and say she had a new client on her roster, but that didn't sit right with her. In all of their years together, Mike had always been able to read her like a book. It was one of her favorite things about their dynamic, but at times like these, it could also be a weakness.

"Something like that," El mumbled before moving towards their shared closet. As she began to dress herself, she could feel those hauntingly alluring dark eyes burning against her as Mike tried to analyze what was going on.

Taking a step closer to his wife, Mike trailed his fingers along her lower back. He watched the way she shivered at his touch before he brought himself to murmur, "is everything okay?"

Biting down on her lip, El had to do her best to repress the smile that was eagerly trying to burst across her features. She really hoped he could not actually read her mind, because if he could, he would ruin the surprise she had diligently planned.

"Everything is perfect," El whispered as she buried her face within his chest. The two basked in their embrace for a moment in silence before she brought herself to pointedly add, "don't forget you have plans with the guys today."

With a roll of his eyes, Mike bluntly expressed, "I wish I could skip Dustin's annual D&D campaign so I could spend my time thinking about what you are up to."

Disregarding his last point in that statement, El moved out of the bedroom and into their living space. She gathered all of her necessary items into her purse and made her way towards the door; however, before she could dash out of the home, she paused and turned to face her husband once more. His tall stature stood frozen in their hallway with a devastatingly handsome pout, making her contemplate whether or not this surprise was worth leaving his side. Once she recalled that all of their friends were in on this pact though, she convinced herself that this would be a night that he would happily never forget.

"Come here, love," El lowly advised him.

The way Mike shuffled to her was almost comical; appearing like a lost puppy desperately hoping to not be abandoned. Once he reached El, she immediately stretched her hands upward and massaged along his sharp cheekbones. His body visibly slumped in contentment, exposing that he was officially lost in her euphoric haze.

As soon as his eyes fluttered shut, El sneakily leaned up on her tippy toes and surprised Mike by closing the gap between their lips. The sound of his pleasant groan and the feel of his hands grabbing ahold of her waist never failed to make her heart skip multiple beats.

Having to pull herself back from his spell, El placed one final kiss to his lips before she smartly advised, "try not to miss me too much today." She then pressed a peck to his cheek, smirking as she remarked, "make sure you are back home on time if you want a special surprise."

On that note, El tried to hustle out of the front door to assure she had the final word. However, just as the outside air hit her face, Mike's gentle palm softly connected with her behind. As she turned to him with a shocked expression, Mike playfully stated, "just wanted to give you a surprise of my own, Mrs. Wheeler."

Putting a temporary halt to her steps, El childishly flicked his nose as she sweetly remarked, "you are everything, Mr. Wheeler."

Once she made it to the car and began pulling out of their driveway, El noted the way that her husband stood outside of the door and watched. She could tell he was desperate to know what she was up to; which caused a sly grin to etch further into her face. Just as she reversed onto the street, she heard Mike's goofy tone proudly call out, "I love you, baby!"

With a blush now burning her cheeks at his loud declaration of affection, El managed to blow him a kiss. And as she drove out of the house's sight, a bundle of wild emotions pooled deeper within her belly. There was such bright light waiting to shine on the life ahead of them, and she was eager to enlighten Mike with this news.

***

Saturday afternoon bled by quickly for the pair. Shortly after El left home, she fled speedily to retrieve Max to help her fulfill all of the errands on her list. Once they had collected all the necessary items, they went back to the Wheeler household to arrange her desired setup.

Meanwhile, Mike had found himself forcefully scooped up by Lucas earlier than he had planned being for Dustin's detailed campaign. Throughout his time with the guys, he had an inkling that something was off. Each time he mentioned his wife, he noticed that the three of his lifelong friends shared an odd glance before they shuffled to change the subject.

"Okay, what's up with you guys?" Mike snappily questioned.

Will and Lucas made eye contact; silently communicating that they needed to come up with a solid excuse. However, the two of them could not control Dustin's blabber mouth as the curly headed boy pitifully rambled, "why would something be up? Nothing is up. We are just focused on the campaign and not what El is up to. I'm sure you'll find out soon anyways."

Lucas and Will immediately smacked Dustin's shoulders, causing him to yelp out a frustrated cry. While the three of them proceeded to bicker, Mike's mind was hustling quickly as he thought out every possible scenario. He knew El clearly was conjuring something that she didn't want him to know about for the time being, but he couldn't imagine what that would be.

'Make sure you are back home on time if you want a special surprise.'

Her wording from hours prior rang clear in his head, making him ponder what surprise she could possibly have in store for him. Mike was phenomenal with memorizing important dates; he never once missed their anniversaries, even going as far as to celebrate something as minor as her completing an ordinary assignment.

With a pinch in his brows, Mike finally asked, "do you guys know what El is planning?"

"No," Lucas quickly answered before further explaining, "all's we know is that she wanted you out of the house for a few hours. She told us she would let us all in on what it is later."

Will glanced over at the clock, his eyes widening comically as he exclaimed, "yeah, and she wanted us to make sure you were home on time," he paused, handing Lucas his keys as he instructed, "you need to be there in the next fifteen minutes. I'm sure whatever this is all about is important to her."

In a rushed flurry, Lucas ushered Mike out of Dustin's home and got him into the passenger seat of his car. The ride was filled with silence as his eager mind continued sorting through the various different ways this evening could turn out. As they pulled up out front, Lucas gave him a final comforting smile before the lanky boy stumbled out of the vehicle.

Upon entering their home, Mike could not pinpoint anything that was different. Although, he soon noted that there was an uncharacteristic stillness surrounding the space. As his feet took him further in, a shiny leather book that was resting on the kitchen island caught his attention. Right on the cover of the novel was golden engraved writing, and as he read it, a quiet gasp left his mouth.

Fire & Water
A Lifetime of Tales by Mike & El Wheeler

Mike's fingers shook as he traced over the letters, and as he flipped open to the first page, he found himself startled by the printed words sprawled across the fine sheet. His eyes moved in a hypnotized fashion as he drank in what his wife had written.

'Hiding something from you has never been easy, Mike. In fact, hiding from you in general has been my biggest challenge. I was a loner and believed I was meant to live in pure solitude, but you didn't allow that. The second you talked to me in my first support group session I knew I had been seen. The way you spoke to me like I was a person that mattered; the way you made me feel of precious value. You have changed my life in the best way possible. You have made living worthwhile. And that day you had seen me, I also saw you. Mike, you are a person composed of unmined perfection. I am grateful every day that you allowed me to find you.'

A stray tear fell from Mike's eye as he found himself crumbling beneath the vulnerable retelling El had created. He allowed himself a second to take a deep breath before his eyes returned back onto the page.

'You never once let me run away. You continued to see the good in me; the worthiness within every broken part of my soul. You filled the cracks the past had left within me, and I would like to believe I have been able to do the same for you.'

Turning over to the next page, Mike found himself grinning at the sight of pictures. A box of Eggos placed beside an old supercom; both pixelated images obviously cut out from an outdated magazine. There was also a photograph from their high school graduation and one from their wedding day. In the first photo, El was staring up at Mike with adoration; while in the second photo he was looking down at her with a smile he had never once seen on himself before. His eyes then flickered over to the following page as he recognized that there was more to be read.

'I know that you are the writer in this family, but I thought this could be a place where we recount our life together. We can write about the good and the bad; every detail that makes our relationship so unique. Our nightmares from our past traumas are not pleasant, but they are valuable in showing how we have grown. In fact, we are continually growing. Our love blossoms every day, just like that bouquet of pink roses you had gotten for me years ago. Now, Mike, please follow the petals until you find the sun. We have more to add to our story, and I want us to do it together.'

Upon reading the final sentence, Mike's body jolted in a quick haste. His eyes were filled with tears, but he was still able to see the pink rose petals she had purposefully scattered along the hardwood flooring. He followed their stems down the length of the hallway until he found himself abruptly halted by the sight of something green dangling from the ceiling.

The bunched up plant made him recall the many Christmases he had spent with El; all including a special kiss beneath this exact Mistletoe. As Mike's eyes analyzed it further, he recognized a frail white paper placed between it's fine branches. As he unraveled the note, he found himself reading his wife's lovely handwriting once more.

'I know it's not Christmas, but I wanted to remind you of your favorite time of the year. Many people kiss beneath this plant each holiday season. It's a loving tradition, and it's one of my favorites because it gives us an excuse to kiss in front of our friends and family. But did you know Mistletoe represents life and fertility? I told you we are continually growing together and I realistically meant that. Now, turn to the right and see your sun's rays as they only shine for you.'

A numbing glow burst through Mike's heart as he followed her instructions. He finally had an idea of where this was leading to, and God, he hoped he was correct. His mind stayed temporarily hooked upon this theory until his eyes caught sight of the most beautiful wonder he had ever seen. The yellow dress he adored seeing her in was flowing from her frame, practically enticing him to come closer. As he followed his heart's desires and inched nearer to her, he finally recognized that El had a few items nestled within her grasp.

"You ready for your surprise?" she whispered with a smile.

Mike couldn't help himself as he pressed a quick kiss to her lips, lingering there for a moment before he nodded his head feverishly. El then took ahold of his hand, guiding him to sit beside her on their bed as she handed over the things she was holding.

As his fingers quickly unwrapped the material, El's loving voice shyly cooed, "I hope you like it."

Once the gift unraveled, three white sticks fell to his feet. Mike looked down and analyzed the plus signs staring back at him before glancing over the material she had given to him. As he read the bright font on what he now recognized to be a t-shirt, a feeling of pure adrenaline struck his core.

World's Best Dad!

Without another second passing, Mike turned to El with a wide grin on his face. Her dainty fingers connected with his for a fleeting moment as she placed a blurry black and white image within his grasp. The ultrasound labeled with their married name was within his palms, and as the tears flowed freely from his orbs, it began to sink in that this figure in the photograph was currently forming within El's womb.

Although he could feel his body practically vibrating with joy, Mike still brought his hands forward to cradle his wife's angelic face. She was everything to him; the world and more, and he would never underestimate her ability to make him feel like the happiest person alive.

"Is this real? We're going to be parents?" Mike quietly questioned as his thumbs collected the tears that had fallen upon her cheeks.

With a smile so bright, El giggled as she revealed in a happy whisper, "we're having a baby!"

Within an instant, Mike had lifted her body up within his arms. He relished in the sound of El's laughter mixing with his; collectively feeling both of their forms trembling as waves of emotion crashed over them.

After a moment, Mike sat her within his lap, cradling her closely into his chest. He soon abruptly rolled El onto her back as he crouched his head downward, facing her stomach. He allowed his lips to press against her lower abdomen, leaving kisses along the space where their baby would develop over the next few months. He then trailed upward, assuring his lips brushed along every inch of his magnificent wife along the way.

As Mike pressed his forehead against El's, he brought himself to murmur, "I love you so much. You have no idea how happy I am," his lip quivered slightly as a single tear fell from his eye.

Insecurities and uncertainties had a habit of gnawing upon El's heart. In a moment like this, she wished she could step outside of her own head. She always second-guessed herself; never feeling good enough to fit into any specific role. She recalled the time Mike asked her to be his girlfriend and the way her happiness felt temporarily derailed by immediate hesitation. She continually felt like a burden, believing that she was an anchor dragging upon life's ship.

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?" El suddenly asked, her eyes skirting downward as she proceeded to worry aloud, "I mean, my mom was horrible. What if I'm not good enough for this? What if—"

Before she could say another word, Mike had properly silenced her qualms with his lips. He lingered there for several seconds, breaking away only to press his nose against hers. The way El felt in that moment; his raven eyes peering through her like an alluring open window, made her feel submerged in a sense of security.

"El, you are the most caring person I know. You go out of your way to take care of our friends and family, and you never fail to make people feel safe," Mike paused as he interlaced their fingers, squeezing her palm as he murmured, "you are going to be the best mom in the whole world, I promise."

A tear rolled from El's eye as she grinned at Mike. His words coaxed away her self-doubt in a heavenly way, making her feel consumed by pure happiness. As she tangled her free hand within his unruly curls, El whispered, "we're going to be parents."

"We are," Mike dopily spoke before burying his face within El's neck as he added, "you make all of my dreams come true."

After a few moments of quiet sniffles and pecks, a sudden thought burst through Mike's mind, causing him to sit straight up. Before El could question him, he had already begun rolling out of bed. He could feel his wife trailing behind his lanky uncoordinated steps in worry, causing a soft giggle to escape from his mouth as they slipped upon the rose petals that she had romantically left in the hallway. When he finally reached his work desk, his fingers anxiously rummaged through the bottom drawer until they landed upon what he was seeking.

El's eyes skirted between her husband and the perfected spine of the blue book in his hand. She had never seen this specific novel; knowing that for a certain fact as she would have recognized it's beautiful craftsmanship. Placing a hand on her hip, El pensively asked, "what is that?"

With a smile so bright, Mike proudly explained, "you are deserving of a surprise too, and I have been waiting for the right time to tell you I finished my next book, so..." he paused while he pawed through the novel, stopping just after the copyright page before confessing, "this is for you."

As El focused on the page before her, a shuttered breath escaped from her parted lips. Getting closer, she read the words her husband had created in a love-drunken haste; taking in the telling way that this dedication page belonged to their past, present, and future.

'This story could not exist without my wife. She has had ahold of me since the first time I saw her. And that initial time we sat side by side in circle, I felt at home. The flames from my past became doused in the water from her lungs, causing them to clash into something far greater than ever expected. We were two ghosts back then, but we quickly became a home. Our story is being written every hour of every day; always changing. I know there will come a time when it's not just the two of us. There will be screaming and laughter; the joys and triumphs we will face as we take on new roles. We will watch our beautiful children grow and we will rest knowing we have given them the best life. Regardless of where our story takes us though, I know we will be taken together. My heart, my soul, my everything – it's all you, love.'

The sobs echoing from El's throat were kept silent until she completed reading what he had written there for her; finally crumbling aloud as she wept into his collar. The feel of Mike's arms immediately wrapping around her and the sound of his soft tone fulfilling her ears composed a symphony, one that made her feel like she was floating in an ethereal universe.

Once she was certain she could speak, El sniffled, "that was the most beautiful thing I have ever read," she pulled back from Mike's chest, laying a hand upon his freckled face as she murmured, "thank you for giving me this gift; this life."

With a hearty laugh, Mike exclaimed, "you are literally carrying our child, so I think it's you that has given us the most beautiful gift."

Sensing that El was about to argue against his claim, Mike leaned down and captured her lips with his. He gladly swallowed her gasp, smirking at the feel of her tongue upon his. A moment later, with their mouths separated and their foreheads resting against one another's, Mike whispered, "you have given me everything just by existing. I love you more than anything."

Hearing her content hum made Mike's heart flutter. The two stood there wrapped up in one another for a second longer before El suddenly guided them back towards the table. As she flipped to a blank page in the book she had started for them, she turned to him with wide eyes and questioned, "want to help me add this?"

As tears recollected in Mike's eyes, he nodded with a wide grin. The two breathed in sync as they grabbed ahold of the tape to secure the first ultrasound of their baby to the blank page. Standing there hand-in-hand, the pair stared at the image as they quietly discussed how they would tell their family and friends. And later that evening, as they laid intertwined, the two recalled all that had led to this moment.

"I'm happy everything happened the way it did. The fire, the way my dad has been... I wouldn't change anything because of where I am now," Mike uttered in a hushed tone. His arm naturally tightened around El's waist, helplessly dragging her closer as he added, "but even if those things didn't happen, I still believe we would have found each other."

El's fingertips trailed along his chest as she lightly spoke, "I wouldn't change anything either. What we have been through was hell, but it's what brought us together." She placed a peck upon a silver scar on Mike's wrist; giggling as he did the same thing back to her. She then caught sight of the yellow dress that was now on the floor, smiling as she murmured, "one day that dress isn't going to fit me."

Mike chuckled as he dropped a peck to the crown of her head, "that doesn't matter. You don't need that to be my sunshine."

"You are so corny, Mike Wheeler," El teased with a blush.

Hugging her close, Mike simply whispered back, "and you are everything, El Wheeler."

Drifting off to sleep that night, the two of them found peace holding onto on another. The aroma of the pink rose petals guided them further to tranquility as they unconsciously braced for their future that was on the horizon. There would come a time soon where Mike and El were no longer a pair, and that was okay. Over the years they would welcome plenty of children, eventually finding themselves composed as a family of six. However, they would never lose ahold of one another.

Their bond would never be like any ordinary love. The relation that had started in the basement of a support group flourished into something entirely otherworldly. Mike and El were two souls created for one another; instilled in the ghosts of their pasts that could not catch up to them as they survived with each other's synchronized beating hearts.

The world is really big, and one mustn't hide themselves away. Take ahold of what is wanted.
The petals, the sun; both fire and water – anything the soul is intended to endure to attach to their mate. Always make room for a love to conquer all.

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