Mileven One-Shots

the return

-

their hearts are pounding, blood rushing past ears, and fingers tightening on their weapons waiting for the inevitable to happen. there's something outside and he can hear it. the creaking and snapping as it walks closer and closer.

it feels like a million years before the door finally whooshes open.

and it feels like a million years since he's seen her.

eleven.

she's there and suddenly nothing else matters. she looks different than before. her hair is grown now and slicked back, and her eyes are rimmed with some kind of black that matches her outfit. she looks beautiful still. all weapons dropping at the sight of the girl.

mike feels heavy and light.

it's a weird combination but accurate. like the heavy rain cloud that had been pouring over him for all of 353 days is finally starting to rain the last of its storm.

it's clearing.

his feet carry him over to her, face wet and throat scrambling for words.

"eleven."

it's a statement more so than question.

her own face crumbling with relief like his own. "mike!" she gasps and the hug is everything they've been waiting for. mike hugs her tight-so tightly he's almost afraid he might be hurting her, but he figures it's okay since she's grasping into him just as tight.

"i never gave up on you."

she stares up at him, a heart breaking sniffle escaping her because she knows. he looks the same yet different. he's taller and his voice is a bit lower than last time. in fact he's probably a whole head taller and eleven has to look up to meet his eyes. she almost wants to get on her tippy toes to get closer.

"i called you every night. every night! for-"

"353 days?" she asks. "i heard."

his gut fills with heat and confusion. "why did you tell me that you were there? that you were okay?" mike asks and god, she wants to cry even more at how devastated he looks.

"because-" he turns at the voice. "i wouldn't let her." hopper finished and something snaps inside him. even if eleven seems to relax and tense at the sight of the cop at the same time; a hug between the two.

he knows it's wrong but mike hits him. although it's nothing but a tap to the man, his face harsh as he turns and, for a moment he wishes he hadn't done that but everything is too red to matter.

the wheeler boy screams, curses and even hits hopper again.

"you're a lying disgusting stupid piece of shit! you liar! liar!"

it hurts.

he never wants to let go of her and later, when it's just the two of them finally, he tells her just that. "i can't lose you again."

"you won't lose me."

and she means it.

"promise?"

the sacred words that probably mean nothing to many were asked again.

"promise."

they were going to okay.

-

y'all, this book bouta come alive with all the mileven ideas coming through after s2. SO MANY IM EXCITED!