Mileven One-Shots

An Overdue Reunion

A/N: Hey guys! This one shot follows much older versions of Mike and El, them being around 25 or so in this. Enjoy!

(Third Person POV)

"El?" The brunette barista called from the counter. El's head perked up momentarily at the mention of her name, and upon realization that her drink was ready, she inserted the bookmark into her book that she was thoroughly enjoying. The now 25-year old stuck it into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and making her way to the corner. Her red lips curved into a smile that she offered to the barista, giving a 'thank you, have a nice day,' on her way out with her newly purchased tea. 

El briefly looked down to quickly examine herself, double checking for any imperfections, and as she glanced down, she felt abruptly shoved, her tea spilling every which way. The floor and her white shirt were covered in the drink, and annoyance was written all over her face. 

"I'm so sorry! That was completely an accident! Let me buy you a new one!" The culprit offered, and as El lifted her head to face the man, a wave of recognition washed over her. The dark, poofy hair and hollow cheeks were enough by themselves to show that the person who spilled her drink was none other than Mike Wheeler. 

"Mike? Is that you?" El questioned, a smirk growing on her face.

"El? It's been so long!" Mike embraced the girl into a hug, lingering for what may seem like too long from an outsider, but for the two former lovebirds, it felt like nowhere near enough time. 

"What is it now, 11 years since we moved?" 

"Yeah, I guess it has been. It feels like we were just killing Russians and defeating mind-flayers yesterday!" Mike joked. El's smile faded at the sour memory, recalling the pain and sadness she went through during those awful months. "Oh, shit, sorry. That was really insensitive," Mike apologized.

"Oh, no, you're fine. It's no biggie, really, I would've made many jokes myself if I were you," she responded, lacking truth, willing to sacrifice it if it meant he didn't have to feel guilty. 

"We should get together sometime! It's been too long, we should get a cup of coffee, or tea, sometime," Mike said, changing the subject abruptly. 

"Yeah! Definitely! Here, lemme give you my new phone number," El pulled out a napkin from one of the napkin dispensers on the nearest table, and a spare pen from her purse and wrote down the 10-digit number that was her number. 

"What are you doing here anyway, so far from Hawkins?" She asked, reading the number over to make sure she wrote it correctly.

"I ended up moving out here for work, actually. What are the odds that you live around here, too!" Mike said enthusiastically.

"It's crazy!" El checked the watch that laid comfortably on her wrist and panic began to rush through her veins, "Oh, shit, sorry, Mike, I have a dentist appointment and if I don't leave now, I am going to be late and have to reschedule," she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and began walking away.

"Call me! My number's on that napkin!" 

"Yeah, definitely!" Mike's fingers reached to touch the spot her lips had just touched, that being their first time she kissed him in 11 years. He eventually brought his fingers back down, only to see the tips of them temporarily stained with red lipstick, the same shade her beautiful lips had worn so gorgeously. His eyes looked at the door longingly, and he gathered the napkin into his hand, swearing to himself that he'd protect it mercilessly in order to talk to her again. 

--

Mike nervously paced around the phone he had in his one bedroom apartment, frantically worrying about the worst possible results of him calling.