Over the years, Mike and El had gotten much better at kissing – something that tended to happen when two people liked each very much and also happened to stay together for a lifetime. Vast improvements in technique were made by both participants, with experience and trial and error over the years improving the enjoyableness for both of them compared to Mike's rushed, full-on surprise kiss in the cafeteria that one dark night and El's accidental bump-on-the-nose attempt.
Then again, it's not as if anyone's first kiss ever set a high standard.
For what had to be at least the hundredth time over the years they've spent together, El and Mike are watching The Empire Strikes Back, cuddled together on Mike's couch in the Wheelers' basement – Mike had successfully persuaded his dad to let him put the old television set in the basement for the group when the Wheelers got a bigger one for the living room. The two of them – in their normal Saturday morning tradition for the past three and a half years – were alone, with the two always spending time together without the presence of Dustin, Lucas, or Will at least one time a week. The others had no issues with this schedule.
The couch, a new one which wasn't as large as the previous couch that used to be able to fit all five of them on it at once, felt more cramped than ever before; while it was smaller than the old couch, it had never failed to be able to squeeze at least three of them onto it in the past. Within the past two years, however, it had gotten more and more cramped, to the point where now to the pair of sixteen-year-olds, it felt more like a loveseat than a regular couch. It wasn't as if either of them complained about it, though.
Their reactions during much of the movie were the expected ones for whenever they watched Empire – Mike paid close attention to most of the Hoth sequences, especially the battle between the Imperial walkers ("Seriously, they look like big metal camels." – Mike) and the snowspeeders, and then watched the subsequent asteroid field scene with equally rapt concentration. When things started to slow down in the movie, however, Mike sat back in relaxation, having finished watching some of his favorite scenes in the movie already. With most of his other favorite scenes on the other end of the movie, he sat back to focus on the most important person in his life, who just so happened to be the person he spent every Saturday morning with.
El was equally absorbed in the movie, The Empire Strikes Back being one of her favorite movies of all time as well. As she was still leaned forward, paying close attention to the film, Mike admired just how angelic she was – from her stylish pixie cut to her perfectly formed facial features to her cute lips that he just wanted to always kiss.
Getting closer to her, Mike snuggled up against El and whispered in ear. "El."
El turned sideways, slightly annoyed. "Mike, not now – movie," she responded, pointing at the TV screen which currently showed Leia Organa and Han Solo aboard the Millennium Falcon, desperately trying to escape the clutch of Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire.
Mike wrapped an arm around El, bringing them closer together. Despite her earlier annoyance at the interruption and the attention she put into the movie, El smiled. The two of them curled up against one another for a bit, ostensibly watching the movie but in reality paying more attention to each other.
"Hey, El."
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we can just sit here forever, together?" El playfully put a hand to her chin, as if in deep thought as she scrunched up her forehead.
"Hm… I'm gonna have to go with a 'no'. Unfortunately."
Mike clicked his tongue in faux annoyance, nestling his head against El's as consolation for the bad news.
"Well, I guess that's just too bad. At least we have a few more years together." El suddenly sharply sat up, surprising Mike who fell into the void where El had been reclining.
"Wait – what do you mean only a few more years?" El quickly asked, a slightly confused and hurt expression on her face. Mike held his hands up as if to say he were innocent of some crime.
"Woah, woah, woah. I just meant that we'll only be together in Hawkins for a few more years, then it's college after that – for the both of us; together." El's expression softened, and Mike fully understood what had happened.
"Hey, you didn't think I would, well, leave you, did you?" Mike softly questioned, one hand gently cupping El's left cheek. Her hand sprung up to clasp onto his. Bringing them closer together with his other hand, Mike put both of his hands on El's shoulders, and stared her directly in the eyes.
"I would never leave you behind. You know why?"
El remained silent.
"Because I love you. I always have, and I always will." At this, El looked upwards, the hint of a small smile forming on her lips. Mike leaned in, capturing those lips with his own, wrapping his arms around her as she did for hers around him. Their kiss became deeper as they both gave more into it; both put more into it, with the kiss becoming heavier as they rolled backwards onto the couch, one of Mike's hands on the side and around the back of El's head while both of hers reached his neck…
"Sir, sir! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling!"
Both of them broke apart as Han and Leia did the same on screen. Gasping slightly, both mildly out of breath from the deep kiss, El and Mike looked back at the television as C-3PO simultaneously distracted the on-screen couple as well as the real-life couple. The two simply looked at each other as Han, annoyed, replied to C-3PO while Leia just slipped off-screen.
Then El and Mike burst out into laughter over the situation, the hilarity of it too much for either of them to contain. It took nearly half a minute before they regained control of themselves and, with mirth still plainly evident on their faces, smiled at one another before reclining once again to a cuddling position on the loveseat-like couch to watch the movie.
"Ya' know, I like Han and Leia's relationship a lot," El commented, as the movie continued its course with Luke, Vader, and the Emperor each gaining screen time.
"I've noticed," replied Mike. It was pretty obvious, at least to him – the two had dressed up as Han and Leia for Halloween just the year before. It wasn't as if he was going to complain – he thought she looked particularly beautiful in the snow-white jumpsuit that Leia had sported in Empire (coincidentally, or perhaps not coincidentally, El thought Mike looked quite handsome with the trademark vest and clothing of the famous smuggler who made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs).
Mike turned to El with a grin. "So am I your dashing rogue and scoundrel?"
El laughed.
"Seriously? You're way too straight shooting to be a rogue, much less a scoundrel." El slurred the last word in a tone that sent shivers down Mike's spine – in a good way, that is. Mike pretended to pout, and El swung an arm over him and pulled him closer to her.
"You're still cool either way," El whispered, inciting a smile on Mike's face. After quickly pecking Mike on the cheek, El refocused on the movie, and Mike followed suit, content with life at the moment – watching his favorite movie in the world with his favorite person in the world.
El and Mike often kissed to show their affection for one another, and for both of them, each kiss was more enjoyable than the last. Practice makes perfect, right?
A/N: Thanks for reading! This one was a bit more impromptu than some of the other ideas, but I hoped you enjoyed it! Leave a review or follow if you like it, and stay tuned for more. On that note, I'm planning to standardize updates to Saturdays every week, but given how much work I currently have, we'll see how closely I can follow that schedule ;)