Chapter Text
1
"Mike!" Dustin called from the kitchen. "I've got the chocolate pudding!"
"Okay!" Mike yelled back, resisting an eyeroll. Why the hell was Dustin so obsessed with the stupid pudding? They had more important things to worry about.
He turned back to El, his tone softening significantly. "Are you feeling any better?"
El just shrugged and Mike sighed softly. Before he could say anything else, though, she spoke.
"What's pu-tting?"
"Pudding. It's this chocolate goo you eat with a spoon."
El made a face and Mike was quick to reassure her.
"Don't worry, when all of this is over you won't have to keep eating junk food and leftovers like a dog anymore. My mom, she's a pretty awesome cook, she can make you whatever you like."
"Eggos?" She asked hopefully, looking up at Mike.
"Well, yeah, Eggos but... real food too." He exhaled. "See, I was thinking, once all this is over and Will's back and you're not a secret anymore, my parents can get you an actual bed for the basement. Or you can just take my room if you want, since I'm down there all the time anyways. My point is, they'll take care of you."
El began to smile and he felt hope swell in his chest. He really liked El, she was so cool and badass, it would be totally cool if she lived in his house, like a really long sleepover. He used to have those with Will when Lonnie was being an asshole. Which was all the time.
"They'll be like your new parents," he continued. "and Nancy... she'll be like your new sister."
"Will you be like my brother?"
He frowned. "What? No, no."
"Why no?" She asked, the confusion clear on her face.
Mike faltered a little. Why didn't she get it? Lucas had said it was obvious.
He sighed, he supposed he could just explain it to her.
"Because... because it's different."
"Why?"
Why was it different?
"I mean, I dunno, I guess it's not. It's stupid." He looked away. It really was stupid, he was stupid, why wouldn't be like El's brother? He wanted to be like her brother, protect her and like... do nice things that siblings did, things that Nancy never wanted to do anymore. Why was it different?
"Mike."
He looked back at her. "Yeah?"
"Friends don't lie." She said firmly and Mike swallowed a groan. Why had he taught her that? What was he supposed to say now? Oh, what would Lucas say?
"Well," Mike scoffed at himself. "I was thinking, I don't know, maybe we could go to the snowball together." He said haltingly.
Yes, that was good, that was safe. He wanted that.
"Snowball?"
"It's this cheesy school dance where you go in the gym and dance to music and stuff. I've never been but I know you're not supposed to go with your sister."
"No?"
"I mean, you can, but it'd be really weird. You go to school dances with someone that you... like."
"A friend?"
God, this was proving to be harder than he'd thought it'd be.
"Not a friend, a uh... uh, someone like a..." He trailed off.
His heart pounded. Was he really going to do this?
He had to. It was his moment.
Before he could psych himself out, he took a deep breath and kissed Eleven. It was a little too forceful and very brief but when he pulled away Eleven's eyes widened and she smiled at him.
Mike couldn't do anything but smile back at her, the smile naturally stretching his cheeks. He'd done it, he'd kissed a girl and not just any girl, the coolest, prettiest girl ever, who had superpowers and, by some miracle, liked Mike back.
He didn't have time to dwell on the first kiss adrenaline rush though. He saw headlights appear through the window and remembered that that they had a mission to complete. Finding Will came before anything else, including girls.
"Nancy." He guessed in reference to the headlights flooding into the room. "Hold on, I'll be right back. Just stay here."
He got up to leave without sparing El a second glance.