Hello readers!
Sorry it took so long to get this out to you, and double sorry that it's shorter than the other chapters. I've had some personal things to deal with as of late, but I thought I should get this out, so I typed it up real quick last night and sent it to my beta reader for a check-up. I could have made it longer, but I thought it was a good place to end it where I did.
This is no longer the second to last chapter of Somewhere New, it is now the third to last! I am adding another chapter onto the end, which will likely be another long one like the chapter before this one(I think you can guess what the chapter in between will be once your read this one).
Also, as it turns out, this story was nominated for Best AU in the Stranger Things Levoes(or Lero, I'm mildly confused about the name between the account page and the message they sent me), so thank you all for your support! I didn't win, but the story that did win(Everybody Talks by HannahBerrie) is one of my absolute favorites, so I can't be upset. Definitely go give it a read, it's really good!
Now, without further delay...
A year and a half.
It's been a year and a half since I came to Eternity. A year and a half since El and I were reunited, where nothing can ever tear us apart again, and it's been the greatest year and a half I can ever remember having.
Every morning I wake up to see El right beside me, either sleeping like a peaceful angel or waiting for me to wake up as well. I've managed to expand her breakfast diet beyond just eggos, though they remain a daily staple in our home. We've even managed to work through some of her phobias, though she still doesn't like closing the door all the way.
The mantle of the fireplace is adorned with photos and souvenirs of our many outings and activities. The seashell from our first trip the beach sits front and center, right next to the picture we took at the dance. There's a pinecone from a walk we took through the woods, a picture of El in a flower crown that I made for her on a picnic, a caricature drawing of the two of us in the city, and dozens more besides. Each one is a memory I never want to forget.
My favorite one, however, is the simplest one of them all. It's a picture Barb took of us at one party or another, when El and I had snuck away for a few minutes alone, or least we thought we had. That particular party had been by a lake, and the sun was setting behind us, turning the sky a beautiful mix of orange, pink, and purple. Barb had taken it when we kissed, our silhouettes black and featureless against the light of the sun.
If you didn't know that the picture was of us, it would be pretty hard to tell, which is part of why it's my favorite. It doesn't matter if you know who is in the picture, you can definitely tell what is in the picture. Two people that love each other, as if the whole world could fall apart around them, and they wouldn't even blink.
Maybe it's the way her arms were around my neck to pull me down to her, or maybe how I'd let my hands fall to her waist to pull her closer to me. It might be the way our bodies had fit together like a puzzle, like they were meant to go together. It could even be the way the little space between our necks almost looked like a heart.
Any of those could be the reason that the picture is my favorite, but none of them really are. Each of them is more than true, but they're not why I love it so much. No, it's because of what I decided on at that moment, what I decided to do.
It's taken me weeks to plan exactly how I want to do it, how to make it perfect for her. All the sparse moments with her I'd had to give up just so it can be a surprise will be totally worth it. I'd gotten so nervous about that I started asking the only people I know for advice.
Bob was the first one I talked to, because I felt some other connection to him. It's almost like we're the same, just born generations apart, so he can somehow understand the storm of thoughts in my head better than I can.
"That's a big question to ask, Mike," Bob had said when I told him what I wanted to do. "Are you sure you want to do it so quickly? You have all of eternity."
"I know, but... I want to do it," I responded, my mind still spinning. "I want to show her how much she means to me."
"I'm not your dad, Mike, so you don't really need my approval," Bob told me with a chuckle. "Whatever you decide to do, just make sure she understands what it means beforehand. She's a special girl, and this is a very special moment."
Then I talked to my grandfather, which had been a little awkward.
"Aren't you a little young for that, Mike?" He'd asked. "You're still just kids."
"I know that, but I just can't stop thinking about it now," I replied, turning a little red at the subject. "I just wanted to ask what it was like."
He'd smiled and then winked at me, to which I'd turned red again. Having any relationship conversation with him always gets awkward, but this one especially.
"It's the most magical thing you've ever felt," He explained, almost wistfully. "It never lasts as long as you want it to, but for that short little while, no other feeling can compare."
I'd left Benny for last, hoping I could figure out some way that he wouldn't kill me for the idea of what I wanted to talk to him about. True to his nature, he almost chopped off part of my fingers with a spatula, though he claimed it was an accident. Still, he'd said something similar to Bob; that he wasn't either of our parents and can make our own decisions. He'd winked at me too, though, which meant he didn't disapprove of my plan.
That brought me to buying everything we would need for my plan to work. Everything would need to be perfect, or there's no way I could go through with it. Luckily for me, there's no need for money in Eternity, so when I wasn't sure what to get, I had room to get everything.
Last night I almost asked early, after we finished an unexpectedly romantic movie. I'd felt something building up inside of me, pushing me to get straight to it, but thankfully I hadn't. When I'd turned to El, the question already on my lips, I'd seen her half lidded eyes, and the smile on her face as she rested her head against me. The question evaporated then and there, and all I could do was kiss her forehead.
I'd carried her up to bed, already wearing our pajamas, and pretended that it wasn't still a physical struggle for me to do. I'd filled out a little in the year and a half, but I am still by no means a strong person, whatever my championship belt hanging on the wall may say. When I set her down on the bed and tucked her in, I had to fight down the deep breaths I was taking.
"Love you..." She'd murmured with a sleepy smile.
"I love you too," I'd told her, giving her a last kiss goodnight.
I'd turned the bedside lamp off and left her to fall asleep, going to turn off the television and clean up our eggo plates. It was only a few minutes later, after doing those two things and double checking a few other important things, that I went to bed as well, El already fast asleep.
I'd thankfully woken up before her this morning, scribbling a note and leaving it in my place. It gave me the time that I needed to set everything up downstairs.
The fridge can get incredibly specific about what it puts out sometimes, which is what I'd checked last night. The table is set up for a special occasion, breakfast is ready, and I have exactly what I'm going to need.
Every single one of those thoughts runs through my head when I hear her footsteps on the staircase. Then I see her, wearing flannel pajama pants, an old t-shirt that says Hawkins PD on it, and an oversized flannel shirt. I know for a fact that those are her favorite pajamas of all, like the ones Hopper had given to her, with an addition I'd suggested. Her feet are covered by fuzzy white bunny slippers.
"Morning, El," I greet, trying not to sound nervous as I walk forward to meet her.
"Morning," She mumbles groggily as we hug each other. "Do I smell eggos?"
"Of course you do," I tell her with a grin. "I made eggos, bacon, and eggs."
"Yay!" She exclaims, shaking off her grogginess. "You're the best!"
I try to hold back from saying anything, too scared I might spill my question early. In truth I'd made her an eggo extravaganza, her favorite of all.
El digs in ravenously, but for once I finish my breakfast before she does. I get up to put my plate in the sink, my palms sweating as I go into the living room instead of back to the table. I'd checked this part last night as well.
With a click, the tape starts to play just as I hear El put down her cutlery. The first few chords of Every Breath You Take start to play when I step back into the dining room. El gives me a questioning look, but takes my hand when I hold it out. I gently lead her back to the living room, our song playing around us. With slow movements I put us back in position to dance, just like the first time.
El smiles, adjusting her arms around my neck again as my hands gently rest on her hips. We sway back and forth, slowly turning around each other to the music .
"I love you so much," I murmur, taking in every detail of this moment.
"For all eternity, right?" El says with a giggle, and then leans up to ghost a kiss on my lips, barely letting them brush together.
"Yeah..." I respond, my grin coming back again. "Forever..."
The song doesn't last long, but every single second lasts a perfect eternity of its own. When the last notes fade away, El gives me a real kiss, and then steps back.
"I'm going to change," She tells me, turning to leave, the ears of her bunny slippers bouncing when her feet move.
"Wait!" I exclaim, not wanting the moment to pass me by. My hand delves into my pocket, drawing out the thing I'd spent hours pouring over.
When she turns back around, my mouth turns dry with nerves, but I still manage to sink down to one knee. The tape starts to play the next song, which is the same one because I suck at making mixtapes.
Her eyes go wide when she sees the little box, and she gasps when I open it, revealing a ring. In the end, it's nothing super fancy, because that's not what El likes. It's a plain silver band with two bright diamonds set on top. On the inside, where she can't see yet, I'd had the word 'promise' engraved. My promise to her, to love her with everything I have and everything that I am, now and forever.
"El," I manage to say as her eyes start to tear up. "Will you marry me?"
My question is left unanswered when El tackles me, almost knocking the ring box from my grasp. Her lips crash into mine, and I can feel every ounce of pure, radiant, ecstatic joy in her mind. That feeling is more than enough answer to know, but I can't help myself when we finally separate our lips.
"Is that yes?" I ask with the biggest grin I've ever had.
"Yes, yes!" She cries, almost crushing me with a hug again. "Yes."
When I finally get to slip the ring on her finger, a perfect fit, I know. This is my new favorite moment, for now at least...
Yes, that just happened.
Mileven is getting married, and it will be fluff to the maximum degree!
Yes, I realize that they're only about sixteen chronologically, but that doesn't matter(to me at least). They have nothing to worry about in Eternity that they might in real life(like getting jobs, buying a home, planning a future, etc...), so they can just be happy together.
I always planned to end this story with them getting married, since they're in a place called Eternity, it seemed fitting that I would include them getting married so they could officially be together forever. I know that it isn't entirely necessary, since they're going to be together forever no matter what, but it's an excuse to write more adorably happy fluff, which I desperately need with what I'm about to do in my other story, Number Games(it's sad to eleventh power).
Since I'm already shamelessly plugging other stories, definitely send me requests for my Stranger Things Collection, which I promise will be updated soon!
Until next time!
