Author's Note: Hi everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Just to let you know, I will probably be unable to update next week because I am a part of my school's play (costume crew, so not that impressive, but still a commitment!) and will be staying until nine everyday, and still have to do my homework! So… I will try my best everyone.


El had stopped crying some time ago, when Hopper had came in to see what was wrong. His eyes had gone wide in fright at the sight of the girl curled up in under her sheets, tears streaking down her cheeks. Immediately he was at her side, asking her what was wrong. All she could do was sob and blubber, and Hopper held her until her tears ran dry. "What happened, El?" Hopper asked. El could only manage to whisper Mike over and over again until she fell asleep.

When she woke up, Hopper had made her Eggos to try to comfort her, but they were tasteless and bland in her mouth. She thought about subtraction and about Mike, wondering about what she had done to make him so cold, and wishing she knew how to fix it. She finished her second Eggo and picked up her pencil, then shakily wrote something on the pad of paper.

Eleven - Mike = ?

She let a tear stain the paper before pushing back from the table and throwing away the rest of her meal. She wasn't hungry, she felt… empty inside. Hollow. Hungry in a way even Eggos couldn't fix.

She missed Mike desperately. She had seen him just this morning, had the courage to kiss him on the cheek, they ate Eggos together and they had tasted sweet then. Now she was confused and her heart felt sore and she was tired. Emotionally exhausted, really.

She decided she could sleep more. She walked back to her room and slipped under the covers, instantly gliding into dreamland. Hopper came to check on her and looked sadly at her sleeping form. This was a first for her, her first time being hurt by a boy. Hopper was trying hard not to feel like a bad father for not being able to protect her from this. Mike was a good kid, Hopper knew that, but that didn't mean he wasn't pissed at Mike for hurting El, even if he didn't know what Mike had done.

Hopper figured that Mike would come to apologize, at least he would if he knew what was good for him, but he wouldn't be here until at least school was over. Hopper reached into his jacket and pulled out a pack of smokes. He flipped open the container and expertly tapped out a cigarette, then placed it between his lips. He returned the pack to his pocket and then lit his cigarette. He smiled at the lighter fondly, he had "lost" it for a week, and El and Will had returned it to him covered in stickers. His favorite was the waffle one, El's eyes lit up whenever she saw it, even if it was the wrong shape. Stupid square waffle stickers. Waffles were supposed to be round.

Hopper puffed on his cigarette and thought about the one person who couldn't seem to leave his mind these days: Joyce. She was making him even more of a mess then he already was. Of course she would make him even more of a wreck, she was a wreck herself. Hopper found himself making more and more excuses to come over to the Byers' house these days just so he could see Joyce. They would make dinner together on weekends, but they both were equally terrible cooks, and together their meals were even more shitty because they were too busy avoiding the implications of their obvious tension around one another to try to make a decent meal. Jonathan would end up subtly covering their meager attempts in a perfectly crafted sauce or side dish.

Really, there was no reason for Hopper to be there most of the time. He, of course, considered El like a daughter to him, so naturally he wanted to check up on her, but he didn't need to come to the Byers' house nearly have the times he did. Joyce was a perfectly capable mother, and El was in great hands, but Hopper didn't want to face his affections for Joyce head on, not just yet. Jonathan, that cheeky shit, realized that Hopper and Joyce's feelings weren't exactly platonic early on, and he kept El and Will away from Joyce and Hopper as much as he could. Hopper was grateful, really, for the extra time alone with Joyce, but he was also concerned. Was he really that obvious in his affections? And if so, why hadn't Joyce realized yet?

Hopper's life felt like the plot of a bad fanfiction (Author's Note: Hahaha it's not bad you lil shit), and it made him sick to his stomach. He moved out to the country to have a mundane life, which had obvious not ended up happening. The least the universe could do was make his life exciting like an Indiana Jones film, not like the bad preteen romcom it was becoming.

Hopper was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard a knock on the door. "What in the hell?"

He tapped the excess ash off of his cigarette and then went to check the door. He swung it open and there Mike, slightly sweaty and panting, blood smeared across his face and his jaw bruising slightly, stood.

"What the hell happened to you, kid?" Hopper asked, gazing at Mike's beaten-up appearance.

"I… uh… got in a fight." Mike struggled for breath. "Is El here?"

"A fight?" Hopper took a drag and raised an eyebrow at Mike. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Some… some people are more important than school. Is… is El here?" Mike pleaded.

Hopper stayed silent, blocking the doorway with his large frame.

Mike sighed. "I know I messed up big time, Hop- Chief Hopper. I'm here to apologize. I was being stupid, and I hurt her, and I am so sorry for that. Please, please, give me the chance to apologize to her. Please."

Hopper sighed and moved out of the way, allowing Mike to step into the house. "She's sleeping in her room." He said curtly.

"Thank you." Mike smiled gratefully and headed toward El's room.

"Hey, Mike?" Hopper stopped him. "You do know that skipping school is called truancy. Technically, I should report you for this."

Mike swallowed. "Whatever happens, El is worth it." He said, his voice a little shaky with fear, but still sure of his decisions.

Hopper waved his hand at Mike dismissively. "Relax, kid, I won't report you. This time. Don't do it again though."

"Thank you, Chief." Mike nodded and walked up to El's door. He sucked in a deep breath and knocked lightly. "El?" He whispered. No response came, so he eased open the door to find El lying in her bed, asleep.

He was careful to keep his footfalls soft as he walked to her sleeping form on the bed. He smiled down at her, tears pricking in his eyes. He sniffed and eased himself down so he was perched at the edge of her bed.

"I'm sorry, El, for being mean. I was scared. I still am scared. I'm terrified, really, that I'll hurt you or ask too much of you. You mean the world to me, El, and I… I can't bear the thought of losing you again." Mike whispered.

El sighed and turned over, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "Mi-Mike?" She asked sleepily, reaching her hand out for Mike's.

Mike grasped her hand, smiling down at her. "I'm here, El."

"Wh-what happened to you?" El asked.

Mike chuckled. "I got into a fight with a mouthbreather. Don't worry though, El. This time I won."

El sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "Wh-what about school?" She stuttered sleepily.

"Don't worry about it, El. All that matters is-" Mike started.

"Are you mad at me?" El interrupted him, doe eyes looking up at Mike, full of sadness and confusion.

"No, no, no, no. I'm not mad at you, El. I don't think that's even possible." Mike said.

El yawned and scooted closer to Mike under the blankets. Mike froze. El's hip was touching his though the layers of blankets, but it still made him feel electric. El leaned her head onto Mike's shoulder and nuzzled closer to his, eyelids fluttering, still not fully awake.

She was so beautiful it made Mike's heart hurt. Her long eyelashes dusted her high cheekbones, her lips were tinted pink like a flower, and her hair, which had started to grow out into a stylish pixie cut, was tickling his neck and it made him want to sneeze. She looked so sweet and delicate and innocent while she slept, like something Mike needed to protect. The thought was ridiculous though, El could throw him across the room without even lifting a finger and they both knew it.

But now, she was in the peculiar place between awake and asleep that warranted Mike's thoughts of protecting her. She was not quite yet fully aware, but aware enough to function independently. El took a deep inhale and exhaled loudly, blowing out a breath that smelled like warm milk. And that's how Mike realized how close together they were.

Mike's lips were inches from El's, and it was tempting, so tempting. All he wanted to do was lean in and press his lips against hers, even just for a moment. She made his heart swell and sent sweet shocks down his spine, and all he wants to do was show her that in a way his words failed to. But he wouldn't push her, he wouldn't kiss her.

But then El did something Mike didn't expect.

She kissed him.

And nothing was ever the same again.


Author's Note: Haha cliffhanger, I wonder how Mike will react! Have fun suffering until I post next!

Kisses,

Chattre