*4th of July au
━━━━━━━━
"Come on guys, were nearly there." Dustin yelled from the top of the hill, holding onto his cap as he did so.
The party plus Steve, Nancy, Johnathan, Hopper and Joyce, made their way up the marvelous hill located beside lovers lake. It was about four minutes until midnight, four minutes until the fireworks would go off.
Mike panted as he tried to keep up with his friends but his jelly like legs almost bolted from under him as he desperately tried to catch up. El who was almost ahead of everyone looked back to see her struggling boyfriend. She giggled and stopped running, carefully making her way down to make sure he was okay.
He had stopped altogether by now, hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath, his midnight hair now sticking to his forehead. El grabbed one of his hands with hers, interlocking their fingers. He almost jumped, not expecting the company and his cheeks tinted red in embarrassment.
"Oh god El- I don't know how you guys can run that f-fast." He wheezed, standing up properly as he towered over his tiny girlfriend.
She just shook her head and let out an adorable laugh, squeezing his hand tighter.
"Come on we're gonna miss them." She smiled, trying to drag him behind her as she started to walk up the hill again, but felt a hand pull her back.
"Follow me." Mike grinned, bringing her in the opposite direction of everyone else and towards the lake, almost shaped like a heart.
She didn't argue, as long as she was with him she was happy. So their clasped hands were gripped together tightly as they hurriedly made their way to the surface of the lake. It was quiet there, only a few other couples who were a good distance away. It was perfect and Mike sat down against the cool pebbles, gesturing El to join him.
"Two minutes." Mike stated, glancing at his calculator watch he was so attached to.
El sighed heavily, scooting close to Mike and resting her head against his shoulder.
"You okay?" He asked tenderly, leaning his own head against the top of hers as he rubbed soothing circles into her hand, their fingers still intwined.
She nodded slowly, "I've never seen fireworks before."
Mike understood why she might be nervous. Everything in this world was all so foreign to her, it was natural to be a little scared but Mike pressed a soft kiss to her head, bringing her even closer against his body.
"They're amazing El, they're colorful and very pretty. Almost as pretty as you." He grinned, causing El to blush.
"Hopper said they make a loud noise like 'bang'. I don't like loud noises." She shuddered under the shining summer moon.
Mike sighed apologetically. Of course she wasn't comfortable with loud noises, it brought her back to the lab. Twisted memories that he wished he could erase from her mind. But he squeezed her hand in reassurance.
"They are loud El, but I'll be right here beside you, they won't hurt you I promise."
She nodded letting out a sigh of relief, enjoying the soft sound of the lapping water, and the safe and homely feeling of having Mike right beside her. She wouldn't want it any other way. She heard the faint yells of the rest of their friends, counting down from ten excitedly.
"You ready?" Mike asked, nudging her gently and she nodded in anticipation as she looked towards the sky, gripping Mike's yellow shirt with her hands.
A loud crackling noise and an explosion of red and gold erupted in the black midnight sky. El jumped at first, burying her head into Mike's chest. But after hearing the hollering and excited yells she looked back up, suddenly becoming awe struck by the magnificent sight.
"Pretty." She whispered, the gorgeous colors reflecting off her amber eyes.
"Yeah." Mike mumbled back, his eyes not on the fireworks, but the girl beside him.
She was so incredibly surreal to him. The way her tiny hands gripped onto him sent shockwaves of electricity down his spine, lighting his entire body up. Her heavenly scent of soft roses and maple syrup, invaded his nostrils, sending him into a hazy spell. Her beauty, how was she real? Her golden waves, framing her angelic face, her alluring hazel eyes that made him melt as he looked into them, her sun kissed skin that felt so soft and delicate under his touch. Her smile that made him want to burst with happiness. She was his happiness.
"I love you." He said aloud, letting the three words slip off his tongue as if it was a second language to him.
El's attention was slowly drawn away from the colorful sky as her eyes widened towards her boyfriend, "What?"
Mike froze visibly as he bit his lip hard. Why did he say that? He cursed himself mentally, closing his eyes momentarily as he tried to process what happened. So stupid so stupid so stupi-
He felt a pair of petal like lips colliding with his own, two tiny hands cupping his burning cheeks. The kiss lasted a few short seconds, but the passion and love that was put into it almost made his feel like he was floating. El pulled away, hands still cupping his face as she stroked his freckled cheeks with her thumbs. He saw something in her eyes he had never seen before, something so strong and pure.
"I love you too Mike." She smiled, her eyes welling with tears.
Mike was at a loss for words. The girl that had came into his life, and taught him what it felt like to care about someone so much you would do anything and everything to protect them, even die for them without a second thought. The girl that understood him better than anyone without even having to explain himself. The girl that brought him so much happiness he forgot how it felt to be sad. That girl loved him back.
Mike rested his forehead again hers as they embraced each other. They were barely teenagers, but they knew more about love than most adults, a bond only they shared. They didn't even care about the fireworks anymore. The only thing they cared about right there, in that moment was each other.
And that's how it would always be.
━━━━━━━━
Ugh this was better in my head but oh well. It's kinda short too.
I miss mileven so much though so I decided to write my own oneshots on them to help my mileven depression.
