Mileven One-Shots

The "L" word

Eleven had learned from all those nights of movies with Nancy of what love was. She'd heard that word almost everyday before but had never really known what it exactly meant before that.

She'd heard it when Joyce and Hopper would kiss each other goodbye in the mornings or when they both said it to her and Will and Jonathan.

With Nancy and her older brother, hushed over phones some nights.

Nancy even told Eleven that she loved Barb but she suspected that there was different types of love. She realized that when all the boys would say it to her as they ruffled her hair (mostly Dustin.)

All of which except her favorite freckled dark haired boy.

So it was only a matter in time before El asked the question that was bugging her for weeks on end.

All the boys had been down in basements trying to help with next campaign when she blurted out the question.

"Mike, do you love me?"

Dustin nearly spit out the juice he was drinking and Lucas started to laugh loudly at his freckled friends flabbergasted state.

"Yeah Mike do you love El?" Dustin nearly screamed as he smirked.

Mike felt like throwing the freaking binder at his friends faces. This was not what he expected when he woke up this morning. He hadn't been able to meet her eyes since she asked the question and El grew sad and confused.

"You don't?" Her voice was small and small tears started to form in her eyes.

"Woah guys I think we should leave them some privacy," Will said, finally speaking up as he watched the whole ordeal.

The two giggling friends sobered up immediately at El's teary eyes and nodded. Quickly before going up stairs Dustin hugged Eleven tightly before whispering, "Don't worry he does love you. Just doesn't know how to say it and besides don't forget I love you more!" That earned a small crack of a smile.

"Don't forget to call us when your done Mikey boy! I wanna finish my pringles! Ow! Lucas what was that for?!" Dustin scowled at Lucas, rubbing his throbbing head.

"Cause you won't shut up," he smirked as he continued to push his friend up the stairs, bickering.

Soon enough it was just El and Mike, the quiet chilly air trailing around them.

"You know what love is?" Mike asked, breaking the silence. El nods, smiling lightly at him.

"Nancy taught me."

"Figures. I told you she'd be like your older sister."

The pair smile at each other as they sit on the couch. Without warning El reached for his hand instantly making the boy blush pink.

"Do you love me?" She repeats innocently, her brown eyes pouring into his with childlike wonder and curiosity.

"Well... uh love is a big feeling and um
y-yeah I do love y-you." Mikes fumbles out of his mouth, stuttering over all his words and El thinks it's utterly adorable (another word Nancy taught her).

"Really?" El asks, an overbearing smile taking over her face. A warm feeling starts to swarm inside the girls stomach at Mike's dramatic head nod.

"Mike?"

"Yeah El?"

"I think I love you too!" She beams excitedly.

Mike smiles a bit brighter that day.

Years later the boys still tease him on how El was the first one to declare his love. Just because he was older doesn't mean he won't hesitate to punch his friends, before stating that he'll be able to do one thing first for sure.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Lucas had quirked an eyebrow when he asked.

"I'm gonna propose."

Mike's childhood best friends yelled and screamed loudly, (Dustin's voice even cracked like old times) happy for their buddy.

Turns out Mike didn't end up doing that first either. The night everything was supposed to happen Eleven fell sick. It wasn't bad by any means but definitely sick enough to not get out of bed.

He brought her soup and hot water bottles for her throat, blankets and piles upon piles of her favorite movies. She had smiled so wide, even with her throat dry, lips chapped and nose red the question slipped through. "Mike I want you to marry me." Well it wasn't exactly the question but it was close enough.

"Oh El, I didn't wanna do it this way while your all sick but-" on their living room floor is where he proposed. He kneeled to the ground and gave his grand speech towards the love of that boys life.

Mike always complains how he thought it was too sappy. Eleven thinks it was just the right amount.

Sappy Mike Wheeler and the weirdo for Maple Street lived happily ever after, after that.