END OF BEGINNING- a byler fanfiction/ stranger things s5

Spellbound

Summary: El KNOWS

a/n: I love that Byler are having their rom-com moments, but my guy Michael still technically has a girlfriend, so...

This scene is kind of based off of a leaked s5 clip that lots of people think is a Mileven breakup. I'm not sure if it is because it looks too casual but whatever. 

Word Count: 710

The next morning, I woke up early. Will was still asleep, so I carefully and quietly got up and left. My throat felt like sandpaper.

I guzzled down some water in the kitchen. There was no one else in the kitchen and the clock said it was 5:30.

"Mike."

"Jesus...Christ!" El had materialised from nothing in the doorway. "Oh, you scared me. Hey, El."

"Hi." She walked up to the toaster. "Do you want an Eggo?"

"El, it's really early."

"I couldn't sleep. Could you?"

"I was thirsty."

El nods. The silence that fills the room is deafening.

"So, how've you been?"

El looks at me incredulously.

"Right, obviously, that's- I just meant, like... you know. Sorry."

"Mike, do you want to talk somewhere?"

"Um, sure."

El took me up to the rooftop. The sun was already rising.

"Um, what do you want to talk about?"

"Us. We were on a break."

"Oh, right. Yeah." I was kissing her brother last night. Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit-

"Did something...happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"With you? While we were on a break. Did you think about you?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course." 

"And?"

"And, I don't know, I guess, I kind of realised," I need to be very careful about what I'm saying here. I don't want to lie, but the situation is complicated. "Maybe we've grown up a lot over these past years. I think we thought we'd just live happily ever after but maybe, maybe it's just not that simple, you know?"

El is quiet for a second. "Do you remember in the bath, when I was fighting Henry, and you called me your superhero?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I always feel like you see me as one thing. A girl with powers, or your girlfriend. And I only see you sometimes as Mike, who saved me, and Mike, my boyfriend. I think we're more than that now. We're not kids. I think we're holding onto something that isn't there anymore, and hasn't been for a long time." El has clearly had a lot of time to think about this. It all makes perfect sense though.

"Yeah, totally. But, I still care about you. So much. And I love you, but not in the way I think you deserve, that you want." I said.

"Love me like-like a brother?" El asked, her head tilted to the side.

"No, no not exactly."

"Like a friend?"

"Yes, like a friend."

"And what about Will?"

"Will? What-what about Will?"

"Do you love Will like a friend? Or do you love him like a boyfriend?"

"Oh." It's all I can say. How did she- Does she know? "I guess, the way I feel for Will is different, because he's my best friend."

El knew more than she was letting on. "Dustin and Lucas are your best friends too. Is it the same?"

"No, it's not. I-I don't know, I guess I'm not really sure how I feel."

"That's okay." Eleven paused. "Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"I think the break should be a breakup. I care about you too, but I don't think we should be together anymore. It's not good for us. I haven't felt like your friend since I was your girl-friend."

"So...you're dumping my ass?"

El laughs, and nods. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Are we still...friends?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course! Friends. Always."

"Good. Thanks, Mike."

It was a kind of relief for both of us. For the first time in a long time, it felt like we were on the same page. No more lying or pretending in that moment. No more half-assed apologies and speeches we only half-meant. No more stupid fights and broken hearts. 

We understood each other in that moment, like we used to, though we were big kids now. We understood ourselves better. 

I was never going to regret my time with El. In a way, she was my first love. My first romance, my first kiss. I was always going to remember it, and I'm glad now I was going to remember it as a good thing that had good times, and a good end, most importantly.

All that ends well, is well, after all.