Season Three Inspired Oneshots~

~15~

In which El doesn't want Mike to leave.

El absolutely adored Mike's visits to the cabin, she was cooped up, and Hopper was nearly always working, so it was nice to have a 'friend' over.

That's what Hopper called Mike, just a friend, but of course that was a lie, no matter, she was just happy to have his company.

But the most difficult part when it came to Mike's visits were the leaving part, Hopper insisting she'd see him again soon, but she remembered how he mistreated the word soon in the past.

She always got anxious when he had to leave, always, but she always let him go, because Hopper insisted he'd be okay.

But on a certain day, El simply refused Mike's departure from the cabin.

It was a rainy day, the rain trickling down the freshly redone windows of the cabin, making the place more cozy.

El and Mike were set up on the couch, cuddled together for warmth, is what they told Hopper, when in reality they just wanted to cuddle.

Hopper got home, opening the door and walking inside, looking tired and not wanting to deal with the teens without an after work mug of coffee. He brewed the coffee, and the scent made the cabin even more cozy, and just made you want to doze off.

"El, it's 5 o'clock, you know what that means." Hopper mumbled, taking a sip of his coffee.

El groaned at the thought of Mike leaving, sliding to the floor, putting her head in her hands.

"El? Hey, what's wrong?"

She looked up at Mike with puppy dog eyes, filled with tears. "I-I don't want you to go." she said on the brink of tears, making him look at her with worry.

"Well I have to go, El, I'm sorry." he said quietly.

"Wheeler has to go, kid. You know you'll see him again soon."

"B-but I don't want him to go, and he can just stay the night, and he can share my bed and--" Hopper choked on his coffee, spitting it out slightly. He looked at the brunette with wide eyes, shocked to hear the words leave her mouth so casually.

"Nope, no way in hell, not a chance. It's raining, so I'll give you a ride home, c'mon, Wheeler." he said motioning to the door.

If Mike wasn't so frightened of Hopper, he would've stayed right where he was, but he didn't, he began to make his way to the door to grab his jacket, but something, or rather someone was restricting him from moving.

He took heavy steps forward as El clung onto him like it was life or death, and he didn't dare look at the chief, knowing he could get both him and El in trouble.

"El," Hopper's voice got firmer, his patience stretched thin. "Mike has to go home." he said simply.

"Mmmm, no." she mumbled into Mike's back, which she now was buried into.

"Kid--"

"No! No no no!" her voice got louder, even though she was still buried into Mike's back.

Hopper groaned loudly, walking over to the closet, pulling out a blanket and a pillow, laying it on the couch, before walking to the phone.

"Karen, hey. Listen, yeah, it's Jim, yeah uh, is it okay if Mike just stays the night? He'll be on the couch she just," he got quieter. "She's just having a hard time saying goodbye."

Goodbye, the word shattered El inside and out, and it was the reason she didn't want him to leave. She didn't want to spend a whole 353 days away from him ever, ever, again.

Hopper hung up the phone.

"Listen I have to go down to the station for a bit again, you're asleep by ten at latest, you hear me? Ten. He sleeps out here, that is a rule, this is not going to happen again." he said, throwing on his hat and walking out the door.

El squealed with glee, tackling Mike in a hug, making him slip, and fall backwards onto the couch.

She looked up at Mike, their eyes meeting.

"I won." she smirked, saying it quietly before hugging Mike again.

She did win, she got her way, and she didn't have to bid farewell to Mike.

And she knew for a fact that Hopper would have to let Mike stay over in the future, unless he wanted more shattered windows, he'd have to get used to Mike's freckled face.

i have exams tomorrow 👊🤠

anyways i really like this, thanks so much for the idea ivy ily

✌️~bella