It's nearly a week after the Snow Ball before Mike can see El again. She's still not allowed to leave the house, and Hopper isn't too keen on visitors. The rare occasions where he's been allowed over, he feels like the Chief is constantly watching the two of them together, like he thinks Mike might run off with her or something.
And he's not an idiot, he gets that Eleven can't go out just yet. Mike's not going to risk her getting found out just so he can show her how to play Pac Man or something. But he kind of misses having El to himself, so tonight he's snuck over to the cabin alone one night when he's sure Hopper will be working late.
And it was definitely worth Boba Fett action figure he offered Dustin to drop by the precinct and weasel Hopper's schedule out of the ever-helpful Flo. Because right now he has El nestled on the couch with him watching old reruns, peaceful in a way it never is with parents hovering or their friends all crowding in. She's curled up across the cushions, but her head is in his lap, one of his bands hand wrapped around hers while the other brushes through her curls.
He's still getting used to it, her having actual curls. Her hair is longer than his now, and it makes her look softer somehow. He's also grown a bit taller than her, which adds to how fragile she feels in his arms sometimes, even though she's the strongest person he knows. But she doesn't seem to mind him watching over her like this.
She was wearing another floral dress tonight, but with long sleeves and thick leggings underneath that wrapped around the arches of her feet (he thinks Nancy called them 'stirrup pants') in deference to the cold weather outside. Eleven seems to favor dresses now that she has a few of her own, though sometimes still layered with a shirt from Mike or Hopper. Mike likes her in them as well, though at first he was a little worried it would drive a further wedge between her and Max, and set her more apart from the group. But Dustin and Lucas were just so excited to have her back, and to Will she's like the sister he never had (and actually wanted). She warmed up to Max once she realized the other girl had no interest in taking Mike from her, and the two were quickly becoming fast friends. Max even promised to show her how to skateboard when she could finally leave the cabin, even though she only pointed and laughed when any of the guys tried to learn.
So El was fitting back seamlessly into their party, though Mike can admit to sometimes being a bit selfish when it comes to spending time with her. The hand wrapped around hers tightens a little at the thought and El looks up at him with a sweet smile. Mike imagines they probably look pretty goofy staring at each other like this, but no one is here to make fun of them. Eventually they're pulled out their reveries when the noise of television demands their attention. It's one of those cheesy local commercials, with some guy practically yelling at you. This one is about a Christmas tree farm or something.
El looks back up at him, face quizzical. "Why...trees?"
"Like why are they selling trees?" She nods. "They're for Christmas. You decorate them with lights and stuff and then on Christmas morning Santa is supposed to leave presents underneath." Not for the first time, he thinks about all the things El missed out on. He wonders if he should try and explain Christmas too, but El is already forging ahead.
"Santa?" And how do you even begin to describe Santa?
"Yeah, he's all in red and he comes down the chimney and brings you presents."
Eleven looks over at her tiny stove, and the thin pipe leading out of it. Nothing bigger than a squirrel stood a chance coming down it. "How?"
"Because Santa's like magic," is the best way Mike knows how to explain it.
"Magic? Like, me?" She asks, mouth twitching slightly.
"Yes! I mean no, I mean…" He scrambles to try and explain the difference, just as he catches the smile that Eleven can no longer manage to keep hidden.
He realizes El's just been teasing him this whole time, or at for least for part of it, but Mike doesn't mind. He's actually a bit relieved, really. "So I guess I don't have to be the one to break the news about Santa at least. How'd you find out?"
El nods over to the tv, "and Hopper."
"Hopper told you Santa wasn't real?" Mike could have guessed that Hopper wouldn't be that big on holiday spirit, but he never knew a grown up to be the one to ruin it. Usually it was another kid, intent on lording the knowledge over you.
"Accident." El added. That made more sense. Nancy had let it slip to him in the middle of an argument one Thanksgiving a few years back. She had felt really terrible about it, and even tried to convince him that Santa was real and she had just been lying, but you can never really go back to believing. He suddenly wishes El had gotten the chance to believe, even for just one year. To have a normal Christmas, a normal childhood, just for a bit. He guesses from the wistful look on her face that she probably wishes for the same.
"Well you still get presents, even after you find out about Santa," he offers up.
"Where?" She lifts her head from his lap to look around the room. Mike immediately misses their closeness.
"Hopper didn't say anything about getting a tree?"
She shakes her head. But then she suddenly hops off the couch, running over to the kitchen only to bring back a thick cardboard rectangle. When she turns it over he can see the picture of a painted Christmas tree across the front, covered with 25 little doors - several of which have already been opened.
"Oh, Hop got you an Advent calendar. Nancy and I used to get those every Christmas. We'd always fight over who's turn it was, so I guess my parents gave up on it. But hey, you you haven't opened today's yet," he smiles. "Here…"
He carefully accepts the calendar from her, turning it around so she can push at the next door. Inside is a tiny foil wrapped chocolate which she holds between them.
"Share."
"It's your calendar, El, you should have it." But she keeps holding it between them until Mike relents and breaks the chocolate in half, handing the bigger piece back to her.
She sits back on the couch with him as they enjoy the treat, watching as yet another local tree farm ad pops up on the tv. It's even cornier than the first, though it does give Mike an idea.
"Hey, maybe we can find a tree out in the woods and bring it in." He looks over at El, whose expression immediately lights up. Her joy is infectious, and his mind is already racing with planning it. "I mean I know where my Dad keeps the saw so we can just cut one down ourselves and put it up."
"Yes, Mike!" Her hands clasp his in excitement, but then her expression suddenly shifts. "But…we don't have..." she searches for the words, before letting go of his hands to reach for the calendar, pointing at the ornaments on the tree.
"Oh yeah, we'll need lights and stuff," he considers for a few minutes, before grinning, drawing out another smile from the girl across from him. "Just leave it to me, I think I can get everything we need in a few days. And then I'll come back."
"Promise?"
"I promise."