Look After You ➳ Mileven

Siblings

My first one is actually Will and El's friendship because I love them so much I'm ready for a Hopper-Byers family, ok?
* Kali (008) does not exist in this so El doesn't fully understand the whole sibling concept.
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Jane Hopper learned a lot within a year. She learned what friendship was, what it meant to be loved, and how much power there was in a simple name. While Jane became her legal name- she was still El to everyone that knew her. She'd always be El to herself because that was the greatest thing Mike gave her; a name. 

The boys had all taught her things within that year. Dustin taught her how to finally laugh in life. Lucas taught her many popular things until she was an expert on everything from Ghost Busters to Star Wars. And then Will, who she had become closest to (besides Mike) after everything, taught her creativity. She watched him draw whenever she could because she loved how the colors would spread from crayons onto a paper- bursting into shapes and shading. 

Will had told her to meet him at Castle Byers when she'd gotten up one fall morning before he left for school. The boys had shown her the fort before and it reminded her of the one in the Wheeler's basement. The time passed until El saw the digital clock change to the time the boys got out of school.

"Three one five." She whispered to herself before pulling on her sneakers and jacket and running outside.

The fort wasn't far away from the Hopper-Byers' house. El walked through the wooded area, down the hill and through the trees. She knew Joyce hated the thought of her only daughter walking through the woods alone just as much as she hated it when her youngest son did so- but she'd learned to put even more trust into her kids and their safety. The wooden structure came into view with the sign that said "Castle Byers" on it.  The curtain was closed and El knocked hesitantly against the wood. 

"Password?" She heard Will's voice say from inside.

"What?"

"Tell me the password." Will said.

"You never told me one."

It was silent for a few seconds before she heard a sigh followed by Will saying, "Come in."

El pulled aside the curtain and crawled inside. It was a small fort that could barely fit their whole party- but for the two of them it was perfect. Will was sitting in the corner reading a comic book. 

"You're lucky you're my sibling." He said with a smile, "Or I wouldn't have let you in here without figuring out the password."

El tilted her head to the side and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Sib-ling?" She said, sounding out the word.

Will set the comic book down to look at her. 

He nodded, "You and I are siblings- and Johnathan too."

"What's a sibling?" She asked, the word still coming out slower than most of her now well learned vocabulary.

"Remember when mom and dad got married a few weeks ago?" Will asked. 

El nodded quickly. How could she forget? The boys were dressed up even fancier than at the snowball as she, Nancy and Max had been bridesmaids- standing up at the alter as Joyce and Hopper became husband and wife. There was even an after party with lots of dancing. It reminded her of the snowball. She watched people dance slowly. Joyce and Hopper, Nancy and Johnathan, Lucas and Max, her and Mike. Dustin and Will had been sitting at a table arguing what cake flavor tasted better- Dustin arguing chocolate while Will fought back with vanilla. She remembered asking Mike if the two of them would be like Joyce and Hopper one day and saw his cheeks tint pinker than her dress as he quickly looked down at his shoes and stuttered out a nervous, "I promise." She didn't understand the reason to be nervous but instead shrugged her shoulders, thinking how life would be like with parents now.

"Earth to El." Will gently waved his hand in front of her face.

"Sorry, what?" She asked.

"Sibling." Will reminded her, "Basically, since our parents are husband and wife- or our mom and dad -it means that you are Johnathan and my sister and we're your brothers."

She thought for a second, "So, like Mike and Nancy?"

"Exactly!" Will said.

El paused for a moment, "What do siblings do?"

Will smiled brightly, "Well, they teach each other things-"

"Like drawing?" El interrupted, pointing to the drawings taped to the "walls" of the fort.

"Yes.  And they protect each other-"

"From the demogorgons?"

"Well- hopefully not those again. But usually brothers protect their sisters from any boys that will break their heart. It's their job."

El crinkled her nose, her barely noticeable freckles stretched across her cheeks, "Mike wouldn't break my heart."

"I know," Will shrugged innocently, "but I know his address if he does." He smirked, his eyes having a gleam of mischief.

El rolled her eyes and nudged him playfully.

"Most of all," Will said turning more serious, "they're always there for each other. No matter what.  It's a promise."

"Promise?" El repeated, her eyes practically twinkling at the word that had become her favorite.

"An extremely special one." Will said, "Siblings stick together and love each other always. Even when they annoy each other."

He ruffled El's short brown hair and she swatted his hand away, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Brother." She smiled, "I like it."

"You're stuck with us now." Will smiled, "Get used to it."

"I already am." El said, practically bursting with happiness, "There's nowhere I'd rather be."