Hidden Within the Shadows

as time goes on

The time passed in a steady stream of days and weeks and months. Adrian got older with each passing year and even managed to get a GED. Natalia had been impressed with him, able to do his GED and have a good passing grade.

Harry had passed away after Adrian's first year with Natalia and her small family. They'd held a funeral for him, cremated him and scattered his ashes per his last request. It had taken a while to get used to the pure silence in the flat afterwards, no sound of Harry's breathing or wheezes. He wasn't moving around or stretching his limbs. He was gone.

It was an odd feeling, knowing someone who had died. It took a lot out of Adrian, who did his best to deal with the loss. All he could do was continue on to the next day and make it through those long hours.

He found a job too, once he'd hit eighteen. So his time was spent working, spending time with Natalia, Marta and Carner, and checking in on the others through the Void.

He spoke to Eleven a lot more often, and she told him about Mike and everything they did, now that she had been allowed out. There had been another incident with the Upside Down, and there were demodogs that had attacked Dustin, Lucas and some other kids. Naturally, Dustin had been the one to name them.

"I miss you," Eleven told him, words muffled into his chest. "Are you safe?"

"Safe as I can be. You alright too?"

She nodded. "Mike misses you. He doesn't talk about it, but I know he does. Why can't I tell him?"

"Mike is a stubborn little shit. If he finds out what happened, then he'll drag everyone in to try and find me. I don't want him to find me. Nancy wasn't happy with me, and her dad hurt me, remember?"

Eleven nodded again, eyes going to the slow-fading scar on his face. "I remember. Keep a secret to keep you safe,"

"Yeah," Adrian said. "How - how are Nancy and everyone?"

"Nancy ... she is stronger now. D- defiant?" Eleven frowned at the word before she nodded to herself. "She's good with a gun,"

"Oh?" Adrian asked, eyebrows raising in surprise. "Well, that's something,"

Eleven smiled a little. "Yes. Mike is a bad dancer too. We went to the Snow Ball together," she said.

"Mike's always had two left feet."

"Two left feet?" Eleven asked, a frown on her face.

"It means when someone is bad at dancing, that they don't have a right foot to lead with or something," Adrian said, waving a hand. The two shared a brief smile. "OK, any other gossip, El?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Things are OK. Nancy and Jonathan are together. S- Steve Harrington took Dustin under his wing. Dustin wants to go to some camp, and Max and Lucas broke up - again,"

"Again?"

Eleven pulled a face. "Again. Mike says they're, uh, in an on-and-off-again relationship."

"Sounds about right. Hey, I have to go to work, but we can meet up tomorrow?"

"I'm meeting Mike tomorrow. He's visiting me,"

"Oh, OK. Have fun,"

Eleven smiled brightly before she was gone, misting away into nothing. Adrian sighed a little before he pulled himself out of the Void. He wiped at his nose, leaning back against the bedframe. At least the others were OK, and things seemed to be going well in Hawkins, with the Upside Down being closed off for the foreseeable.

So Adrian went to work. He bonded with people there, acquaintances at best, and he grew closer with Natalia, Marta and Carner.

Marta had forged him a new birth certificate, and she showed him the final product.