she was ready.
three hundred, four hundred, even a thousand days could never have prepared her for the week she had faced. el was only thirteen. thirteen years of lies, deception and pain gave her the fire low in the back of her head that burned hotter with every step she took in her beat up converse. eleven traveled on foot to will's house, following her intuition and memory like a compass. when she saw the chief's car out front, and the line of monsters circling the house, she knew she was home. suddenly, the fire overtook her, controlling her power as she raised her left hand slowly. she felt as if she was walking on air. the demons screeched and screamed as eleven turned badass, killing in an instance. one flew through a window, her anger getting the better of her.
'what if he isn't inside?'
'what if you were too late, again?'
'what if you can't save him?'
'what if you were always the monster?'
her heart raced faster. no. she knew he was alive, as of at least a few hours ago. the boy she loved was in there, he had to be in there. hopper wouldn't let him get hurt, he knew what would happen if she got upset. hell knows the cabin was still a mess from the last time.
eleven found herself at the door, opening the door easily with her mind before slowly stepping in. the warmth of joyce byers' house was openly welcomed by the teen, who was still shivering under the makeup and oversized blazer dotty had given her. el let her eyes search the room, noticing it was covered in, drawings? but, bad drawings. not good. evil.
suddenly, it all stopped. there he stood. el stepped a little closer, letting his name be drawn from her lips. the memories from that significant week flooded back to her, how he looked so small before. now, he was different. a good different, really good. her bottom lip trembled slightly, a sad smile overtaking it. he was there, finally there. it wasn't just in the void, where she'd thought for a split second that she was visible. every time he walked through her, she cracked a little. her motivation, spirit and her heart cracked. he was like tape, or an ultra strong glue. mike could heal her.
her legs finally moved, wrapping around him tightly. she felt him pulling her close, the two whispering gentle promises to one another. el smiling against the soft fabric of his shirt, just crying and crying. she couldn't help herself. it was just so, mike. he was everything to her. for three hundred days, she was just inside, looking out of a one way window. she was looking out at everyone else, but nobody knew she was even there. but he knew, of course he knew. mike knew everything.
she could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his love and warmth filling her veins. the two talked, finally talked. it wasn't just her screaming into the void, or crying from dreams of him. it wasn't the overpowering jealousy she felt in the gym that day. it was just happiness.
she had to pull herself away eventually, sat in the back of the truck on the way to the place where it all started, to finally end it all. eleven could see mike stood there, watching her leave with tears on his cheeks glimmering in the light. on the elevator, infront of that monster who took her friend, she felt so weak. it was the hardest task to complete, especially for a thirteen year old girl who just wanted to cry for years and hug mike forever. but then, it made sense.
mike.
she thought back to kali. "channel that anger.." so she fucking did.
they tore away my childhood.
they hurt me.
they hurt my friends.
they destroyed my mother.
they destroyed my aunt.
they could have killed mike.
with that realisation, eleven screamed, sealing the gate closed. forever.
she passed out in the chief's arms on their way out of the lab, sleeping all the way back to joyce's house. hopper woke her up when they got inside, laying her down on the couch. mike immediately leapt to her side, one hand under head and the other holding her limp hand. he sobbed, clutching her close to him. slowly, she woke up and held him closely to her body. eleven sat up, letting mike climb onto the couch with her. he leant into her shoulder, the broken teen just crying in her arms as she played with his curls and whispered gentle reassurance to him.
"I'm here, I won't leave again.." she said eventually, cupping under his chin carefully so he could look up at her. his eyes were bloodshot and red from the tears on his freckled cheeks, just holding her tighter. "do you promise?" he asked, his voice low and breaking a little. el just chuckled sadly. "do you even have to ask anymore?" she replied, kissing the top of his messy hair. eventually they moved from the couch to will's room, el crashing straight away as they were wrapped up in each other.
"mike?" el whispered, at about two in the morning. she'd been drifting in and out of sleep, but she'd noticed he'd been awake all night. el felt calm, feeling his fingers toying with her curls. el mumbled softly, cuddling closer to the boy next to her. mike laughed quietly, holding her closer. "yes, eleven?" he asked, loving the sound of her name on his lips again, not like it ever left. her reply made him press a loving kiss to her soft lips, before he shed another tear of happiness.
"you're my true north."
-
i have so much love for this pairing you have nO idea.
leave me little AU's in the comments because gODDAMN i love my kids. i really want to do more aged up stuff of mileven and lumax because 10/10 !!!! but yeah ideas would be good
