Mileven Stories

Permission Granted (1992)

Several of my amazing readers have requested this one shot; including breathless_writer & afangirlingbisexual ! I have been extremely hesitant about writing this, but I hope it turned out well. Enjoy!
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Every walk of life offers a different journey. Stories plot themselves in vague ways; never designed to perfectly replicate a similar tale that came before.

Some people enjoy spontaneous moments that come unraveled without any proper preparation. On the opposing hand, others may need a solid framework to ridden anxiety from existing within their grand gesture. It just so happened that Mike Wheeler found himself straddling the line between those two extremities half hazardously.

Apart of him was desperate to pull off techniques that worked for others in the past, which would require him to assemble a rigid game plan. Yet, another part of him wanted to ask his important question on a random whim.

Mike had inquired Dustin and Lucas for their opinions regarding his plan of action, but the two failed to assist in creating something whimsically simple that Hopper would appreciate.

So, that's exactly how he found himself requesting that his girlfriend's father meet him at the local mall.

To Mike's utter surprise, Hopper was ecstatic about the out of the blue invitation. In fact, it couldn't have been more perfect. The burly man of honor had been desperate to get himself new boots, and it turned out it was a task that Joyce refused to take part in.

On the day of, Mike discovered the reason behind nobody wanting to come to a shopping center with the middle aged man. Shockingly, it was because of how picky Hopper was. The duo had already been to all three department stores and time was ticking by dreadfully. Three hours and a purchase of work boots later, the men finally wandered over to where the main question was meant to be proposed.

"Will you go grab us some food?" Mike asked, gesturing over to the scattered array of options as he faked exhaustion.

Hop scratched his beard nonchalantly as he dropped his box of shoes beside the lanky boy, "sure," he wrestled with his pocket to pull out spare change, "it's on me though."

Pretending as though he hadn't seen the money Mike was presenting to him; Hop turned on his heels and walked away with his own funds, chuckling as he overheard the boy quietly cursing at his retreating form.

Just as Hopper made it past scoops ahoy, he felt a creeping presence lurking behind his shadow. The trained defender silently braced himself before spinning around to be met with one of his greatest disturbances.

"Jesus, Dustin, what are you doing? Haven't you ever heard of personal space?" Hop questioned the curly headed kid.

Dustin sported his characteristically wide grin and giggled, "sorry, sir. What brings you to our stellar starcourt establishment?"

"I needed new boots and came over here with Mike," he clarified.

"Oh. Oh!" Dustin exclaimed, "did Mike ask you already?"

Hop blinked slowly, thinking back to see if he could recall the kid asking him anything, "no. What is he suppose to ask me about?"

Dustin's cheery expression immediately wiped clean off of his face. He appeared slack as panic overcame his features. Rather than think of a lie, he stated what came to mind, "excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom."

Just like that, Dustin proved himself to be a fast paced walker as he sped off from the mess he had unintentionally created.

To say Hopper was confused about the exchange that just occurred was an understatement. He always knew that the Henderson boy had been odd, but that encounter made the seasoned cop feel as though there was a grand scheme to the reason he was here.