Mileven One Shots

Return of the Grinch (1985)

I know it's spooky season, but quite a lot of people wanted me to write a one shot about Mileven celebrating Christmas. So, without further ado, here's Mike & Eleven's Christmas in 1985; or as I like to call it: the greatest holiday for reunions. Enjoy!
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A frozen sheet of ice met the bottom of El Hopper's white converse as she dashed towards a familiar doorway. Her skin prickled with excitement as she glanced over the two story home that withheld her favorite being on this planet. As she skipped and slipped closer towards the mahogany door, she swore she felt her bones begin to sing as she inched closer to him.

Too consumed with joy to stop herself, her hands unmercifully pounded upon the entryway as she begged to be joined with her lover. Her fists did not cease their demands from what she was seeking until she noted that her nimble fingers were now resting upon a warm body.

There, stood at the door in all of his Christmas sweater glory, was her beloved boyfriend. Mike Wheeler's dimples were glowing and his cheeks were tinted a blossoming shade of pink as his eyes eagerly met the girl of his dreams.

El reached her hands upward and rested her palms against his face as she whispered breathlessly, "I'm here."

"Welcome home," Mike murmured as he placed his hands on her waist, unceremoniously pulling her stunned form against his own.

Their bodies melted into a warm haze of heaven as the two basked in their reunion. Sure, they had just seen one another last month at Thanksgiving, but that didn't change the fact that their souls had been desperately yearning to be in one another's presence since the last time they had to part.

Once the two stepped back from their embrace, El glanced up at her lanky boyfriend. She was taking a moment to admire his captivating dark orbs when something placed slightly above his mop of hair caught her attention.

Mike noticed that her eyes had drifted away from him, so he gently bopped her nose and asked, "what are you looking at?"

His girlfriend slyly smiled and lifted her eyebrows, encouraging him to look above where they stood. And when he did, he couldn't help the grin that stretched across his freckled face.

"Mistletoe. Looks like you have to give me a kiss," El sassily proclaimed.

Mike leaned in closely, his breath ghosting across her face as he stated, "well, we can't break the holiday tradition."

Then, without wasting a second, their lips crashed into one another's. Their hands intertwined as they anchored themselves into one; almost as if they needed grounding to believe this level of happiness could ever be achievable. A flurry of colors danced behind their closed eyelids as they basked in the taste and sensation of being together once more. The euphoria that surrounded them felt endless, like an eternal promise.

Yet, as Mike pulled his girlfriend inside of his home, he remained unknowing of what event would occur within the next few hours. As the chilling winter winds picked up, an emotionally unexpected gift awaited the girl he held onto.

*****

El had to periodically force her eyes shut and reopen them to assure what was happening was all a reality. Following a full hour of cuddles and solitude with Mike, she now found herself surrounded by family and friends. Her gaze met briefly with Joyce and Karen's; the women both looking at her with pride and a hint of sorrow. The two mothers adored watching their children flourish in their relationship, but both women remained heavily saddened by the loss Eleven had to suffer.

And while El's heart was filled with immense love, she still could not help but to feel a splintered crack within her beating organ. There was a deep, black hole that threatened to consume the light within her life. She had known never-ending loss, and as of now, the only brightness left shining in her world was the family and friends that surrounded her.