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Eleven's chest heaved as she stood in the darkness of the cabin.
Usually, when Hopper left, he'd leave a light on, but he'd absentmindedly shut off all the lights before he left this time around.
And, sure, she could turn them on herself but, with how panicked her brain was at the reminder of what she went through when she was younger, it didn't cross her mind.
So, when Hopper returned and turned the lights back on, he found his daughter curled up in the corner of the cabin, shaking with tear-tracks down her face.
"Shit" he muttered, quickly making his way to her. He knelt down and held his hands up where she could see them. "El?"
She didn't respond. He kicked himself internally. It was clear the girl had some deep trauma. There was a reason she hated the dark, after all. And he'd just seriously messed up.
"El, hey, I'm here" he tried his best to reassure. "Snap out of it, kiddo. Wherever your head is, it's not real anymore, okay? I'm real"
It took a while but, eventually, Eleven began to come back to her senses, exhausted.
When she processed Hopper in front of her, she practically launched herself into his arms, and he held her as she sobbed.
"I'm sorry I turned the lights out" he apologized, rubbing soothing circles into her back. "How about I make you some Apology Eggos, yeah?"
She wasn't gonna argue with that notion.