Chapter Text
Nancy’s eyes widened as she opened Eleven’s handmade card, the three words forming such an unexpected question written carefully.
“Be my Valentine?”
Nancy glanced at Mike, who was staring at her in confusion from the kitchen as Eleven shuffled nervously on the living room carpet.
“A Valentine is who you have a special feelings for,” Eleven said quietly, her words seeming as though she was repeating them. “For someone you think is pretty and nice.”
It was the first Valentine’s day Eleven had experienced, and after days and days of Joyce and Hopper trying to explain to her what it was about without “ruining her innocence”, Eleven concluded she knew enough to do something about her crush on Nancy. She hadn’t expected it, but after learning a Valentine was someone you liked because they had things you liked a lot about them, she knew she wanted Nancy to be her Valentine; she smelled nice, she was pretty, she hugged her whenever she wanted, and her tummy fluttered with “butterflies”, like Mike described it, whenever she smiled at her.
“Is Steve going to be Nancy’s Valentine?” Eleven had asked Mike one night, after a game of D&D had broken out into a scuffle between Dustin and Lucas, ending with a messy basement, and irritated Karen, and an ultimatum to have the basement cleaned in an hour or not be able to hang out with Mike for a solid week.
“No, they broke up a month ago,” Mike said as he put the blankets back onto the couch. He looked at her from the side, clearing his throat.
“Do you, uh, know who you want to be your Valentine, El?”
Eleven looked up the stairs leading to the house, Nancy’s laughter reaching her ears.
“I think so,” she said quietly, smiling at Mike while she handed the game board to Will as he put away the game.
“Um,” Nancy said, putting her hand on Eleven’s shoulder gently. “I’m sorry El, but I-I don’t think of you that way. Not that it’s bad to like me o-or other girls!” She said as Eleven shrinked in visible disappointment. “I just-I’m too old for you, is all! I’m flattered, though. But I think it’s best to stay as just friends. Don’t feel bad about it, you’re too good for me anyways.”
Eleven looked down at the floor, lip quivering. “Okay,” she said softly. Nancy sighed, unsure of what to do as Hopper looked at her in complete surprise, still unable to process the exchange. Nancy pulled her into a hug, and Eleven took a shaky breath, doing her best keep her composure in front of her father and the rest of her friends. Nancy ruffled her hair and gave her a smile as she pulled out of the hug.
“Why don’t you go see if any of the others have some Valentine’s cards for you, okay?” She suggested. Eleven gave her a weak smile and nodded, walking back to her friends with a long face.
“Hey El, what’s up?” Mike tried to say nonchalantly, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach. Eleven shrugged, sitting on the counter as she fiddled with the buttons of her blouse as she wiped away tears falling from her eyes as discreetly as she could.
“Hey, I got you a card and a cookie, Eleven!” Dustin said cheerfully. He gave her the gifts, and Eleven smiled gratefully.
“Thank you.”
“I got you a box of chocolates, ‘cause my mom had an extra one and it’d be weird if I gave it to one of the guys,” Lucas said, handing her the box. Eleven laughed softly, rubbing her eyes and grabbing the box. Dustin huffed.
“Dude, I love chocolates, though!”
“I know,” Lucas said, which earned him a slap up his head as he snickered.
Will rolled his eyes and handed her a sheet of paper. Eleven looked at it and gasped. It was a drawing of her, done with colored pencils and pen. It was strikingly realistic, and Eleven looked at Will in surprise.
“I’ve kind of been drawing you a lot, since you’re a pretty cool subject to draw,” Will said with a bright smile. “I thought you might have liked to have one of the drawings I did!”
“I look...beautiful,” Eleven said, looking at the drawing in awe.
“That’s because you are, ” Mike muttered under his breath. Eleven looked up at him.
“Oh, I got you something, too, El,” He said quickly, hoping to avoid her asking about what he said. He handed her a handmade card, and Eleven took it gingerly, smiling as she rubbed her fingertips across the surface of the construction paper. She opened it, and began to read it aloud
“Eleven, I-”
“Wait!” He said abruptly, ears turning pink in embarrassment. “M-Maybe read it later by yourself.”
Eleven looked at him in confusion, but just nodded.
❤
“Papa?” Eleven said as she and Hopper walked into the house, the party having just ended.
“Hm? What’s up, Eleven?” He said with a yawn. He unlocked the front door, letting her and the Byers in first. She turned around, stopping him from entering the house.
“Read this to me?” She said, handing him the Valentine. He smiled at her assuredly.
“Sure, kid. Let me just lock up, wait over at the couch. You want Joyce to help?”
She nodded, and Joyce smiled at her.
“Alright, sweetie. Will,-”
“No, just you two,” She said hurriedly, and Joyce and Hop looked at each other.
“Um, okay?” Joyce said suspiciously.
❤
“‘Eleven, I know you probably won’t get what I mean when I say this right away, so I’m going to try and explain it as best as I can,’” Hopper read aloud as he sat on the couch, his arm around Eleven and Joyce as Eleven sat in between them.
“‘I like you,’” Hopper continued, pausing for a moment as he stared at the card, taking a deep breath. Joyce patted his hand, urging him to continue. Hopper cleared his throat.
“‘I like you, but in a special way. I want to make sure you’re okay all the time, I think you’re pretty no matter what you look like, and even though you’re my best friend, I want to be around you in a different way than the guys. I don’t know if you feel the same way, but I just thought I’d ask; Eleven, will you be my Valentine?’”
Joyce sighed, bringing a hand to her chest. “That’s so adorable,” She said with a smile.
Eleven blushed, eyes widening as she realized that while she was pining after his sister, Mike had a different kind of special feelings for her. Her crush on Nancy was different in the sense that she couldn’t really be around her without blushing, but with Mike, she trusted him, and liked it when she held his hand, and whenever he would hug her and tell her that he was glad she was there with him.
He liked her in the special way.
The most surprising revelation for her, however, was that she felt the same way; she just didn’t know that was what you called those feelings you have for someone.
“Thank you, Papa,” Eleven said hurriedly, snatching the card from his hand and racing into her room, slamming it behind her without even touching it.
“Aw, isn’t puppy love just so sweet?” Joyce said, scooting into Hopper’s embrace. Hopper sighed heavily.
“I’m not ready for this,” He groaned. Joyce just laughed, hugging him and patting his chest sympathetically.