41- No Matter What Happens, I Love You
Summary: El and Mike reminisce about some stuff. Set after S4.
Requested by: friendsdontlie83
Mike sighed as he moved yet another box.
There had been a lot of moving the past couple of months, first with Hopper and El and then with the Byers.
He turned to go get another box when he saw someone standing in the doorway.
El.
Despite it being around 3 months since spring break, Mike and El hadn't been able to talk much.
"Hey, Mike." El said softly. "Can we talk?"
"Sure." Mike said, sitting down on the floor, gesturing for her to sit next to him.
"So," El started.
"So." Mike repeated.
"That was a lot." El said.
Mike chuckled. "Yeah, that was... a crappy spring break."
El smirked.
"I- I'm glad you're okay." Mike told her, voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm glad you're okay too." El said, leaning her head on her shoulder.
The couple sat in silence for a few moments until Mike broke it.
"I was so scared."
El lifted her head off Mike's shoulder to look at him.
"I thought you were going to die and- I didn't get the chance to say that I love you."
"But Mike," El cut him off. "You did say that you love me."
Mike gave his girlfriend a confused look.
"When I was losing to Vecna, and Max was about to-" El stopped for a moment. "Also lose, you told me that you love me."
"You heard that?" Mike asked.
"I did. That's what made me be able to stop Vecna." El told him.
Mike had no idea El was able to hear that, she had never told him that she did. He assumed that she suddenly found the strength to beat Vecna not him giving her the strength.
"Well," he said. "I meant every word."
"I know." El place her head back onto Mike's shoulder. "I love you too." she whispered.
Mike smiled at her. "We've been through a lot of stuff, huh?" Mike asked.
"Don't I know it." El chuckled.
"Do you remember our first kiss?" Mike asked.
"Over a bunch of pudding cups and right before the bad men came." El recalled.
Mike chuckled.
"Remember you called me 353 days in a row?"
"I wish you could have responded." Mike told her.
"Me too." El agreed.
"How about when Hopper tried to talk to us about our relationship?" Mike remembered.
"That was funny." El said, remembering when Hopper told them that Mike's grandma was sick.
Mike and El continued down memory lane for the next hour or so, until a voice carried through the house.
"Everyone come out to the living room, please!" Hopper's voice called.
El and Mike stood up and headed to the Byers living room.
Hopper was standing there with Joyce, both looking worried.
"What's going on?" a voice behind them said.
Max appeared in her wheelchair with Lucas pushing her, her clouded eyes darting one way or another.
The whole Party was soon in the Byers living room waiting for the news.
Hopper took a deep breath. "We have to leave." he announced.
There was silence.
"Wait what?"
"Why?"
"What's going on?"
"Is the Upside Down back?"
"Okay, okay everyone calm down." Joyce said. "It's getting too dangerous for us to keep living here."
"What are we going to do?" Lucas asked.
"We talked to your parents and got it all figured out." Hopper told everyone. "You're going to travel with each other and meet up with your families a couple towns over."
"So, go back home and start packing essentials." Joyce cut in. "Sorry that it had to be this way but it's the only way we can stay safe."
Everyone nodded and started hustling.
El looked at Mike. "Here's another thing to add to our list."
Mike looked back at his girlfriend. "Let's do this then."
The couple started to head to a car like the rest of them.
Everyone brought their essentials to Hopper's house, where they started packing.
"I can't believe we're leaving." Dustin said quietly.
"It's weird." Will remarked. "All the memories here."
"Our bike races." Dustin remembered.
"The AV club." Mike added.
"The arcade." Max said.
"The Hellfire Club." Lucas cut in.
"Scoops Ahoy." Erica recalled.
"All of you guys." El said.
"It's going to be hard." Will said. "Leaving all of this behind."
They all nodded.
"You know," Max started. "Even with all the crap that's happened, I'm really happy that I met you guys."
"Me too." Dustin chimed.
"Me three." El said.
The Party wrapped each other's arms around each other, forming a group hug.
Later, Mike was helping El clean her room.
"So, this is really happening." El said softly.
"Yep." Mike replied. "This is really happening."
"Mike," El turned to him. "No matter what happens, I love you."
"Me too, El." Mike gave her a hug. "Me too."
AN: I hope you liked it, friendsdontlie83! Requests are open everyone!