hawkins, indiana.
july 1986.
in which, the shadow monster possesses mike and uses him to threaten el.
( post dilemma )
"mike, please, hold on"
mike lays on the backseat of hop's truck. his head lays on her lap. he chuckles weakly, his eyes lock with hers, a faint smile appears on his full-of-dirt face.
"i'm-i'm okay, el"
tears run down her cheeks, "no, you're not, mike", she shakes her head, sniffling.
"hey" he murmurs, placing his hand on her cheek, rubbing his thumb against her smooth skin, "don't cry"
she smiles through tears, sniffling once again and letting out a breathy chuckle. she brushes away a strand of hair that falls onto his dark-brown eyes, and tilts her head to press her face against his palm a little harder, smiling as her eyes water even more. his face is full of scratches and blood, his breathing is raspy and his eye lids are barely open now. a deep cut sits on his left cheek.
he's in pain, and she wishes so badly she could do something to help.
"i love you" he breathes. it almost sounds like a goodbye.
the nerves overcome her. she sniffles, wipes away her tears barely with the back of her hand and sits straighter.
"no. i know why you're saying that. this is not the end, mike. you're going to get better and you're going to tell me those three words again when you're safe and with me, when i have a nightmare, when you're kissing me, when you're hugging or cuddling me. you're gonna tell me during most random moments, those that take me by surprise but regardless make my heart start beating like crazy, because the person that i'm in love with is telling me— that they feel the same way" she licks her lips.
mike pulls out a grin, "i know. i just— i needed you to know." he whispers.
el chuckles a little, but her heart stops when his eye lids completely fall, and the hand that rested on her cheek falls to his chest.
"mike? mike!?", she panics, her faint smile falling completely, "dad, dad, he's- he's barely breathing! dad, please, please hurry!" she says between sobs.
"we're almost there, kid. i promise. just- keep talking to him. make sure he keeps breathing" hopper struggles to breath on his own. he can't let this boy die. it'd destroy him, it'd destroy el.
el leans forward, kissing his forehead and brushing his dark locks, whimpering.
"please don't leave me, mike" she whispers.
"i love you"
"i need you"
she takes a deep breath and leans up, still looking down at him.
"it's always been you, mike"
hopper's heart squeezes at her words.
"the one who i feel safe with. the one who makes me feel warm, in and out. the one who makes me laugh with his nerdy-ass jokes", she chuckles through tears, hopper too.
"i knew. i knew i was in love with you the second i walked through the door that night from '84. the warmth, the relief, the happiness i felt as soon as i saw you was the first that i felt for those 353 days"
she's holding his hand tightly, fingers interlocked.
hopper grins a little as he listens to the girl, tears still running down his cheeks.
YOU ARE READING
Mileven One-Shots | SEQUEL (Completed)
Fanfiction"meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling for you was out of my control"
