the year of el | mileven

ch. 3 | eggos

"Mornin El, want anything for breakfast?"

"Eggos. Please."

✧

Jim Hopper had a feeling that when Eleven had vanished that day after she killed the Demogorgon that she wasn't really gone. He couldn't explain it even if he tried, he just knew it. He would often put food in the woods located at where she was first found, to see if she would respond. After the waffles had vanished, he knew he was close to finding her. He had so many unanswered questions regarding the case at Hawkins Lab that he definitely needed El's help.

4 years ago

After placing an assortment of food on the platter, Hopper hid away as he waited to see if she'd come.

He waited for what seemed like hours, almost falling asleep.

Then suddenly there was a rustling of leaves.

He peered around the giant tree he was hiding behind and noticing the skinny girl with the buzz cut devouring the food.

"Hey!"

She jumped up startled, dropping the platter to the ground.

"Wait. It's okay, It's me Hop. Remember?"

She stared at him for a moment before nodding slightly.

"You don't have to stay out here you know? I can get you a nice warm bed, food, and anything else you need"

"Soon." she calmly stated.

"What do you mean by soon?"

"Need to stay now"

He had no idea why she needed to stay here in the forest, and frankly he felt like it wasn't his place to ask. He knew the girl probably had her reasons for she knew far more and could see far beyond what he was capable of.

"Well alright then, I'll be here every day with food for you. Whenever you're ready to leave just let me know"

She gave him a small smile before leaving back into the woods.

Hopper stuck to his promise and brought food for her every day. On days it rained, he put the food in aluminum foil so it wouldn't get soaked and on the days it was hot, he put fresh food for her in a cooler. He didn't miss a day as he waited for El to finally make the decision to return.

It took two whole years before she was willing to leave. When she finally decided to go, Hopper took her under his wing. He let her stay at his house with him and his new fiance. He gave El the bedroom that was his own daughter's before she had passed away. He taught El a lot about the world, about when and when not to use her powers, and he even caught her up on her schooling and vocabulary. Of course though, he left the girl issues for his fiance to discuss with her because that was way out of his comfort zone.

Eleven had become like another daughter to him even though he wouldn't admit it. They definitely grew a bond over the last couple of years. He kept this hidden though and never told a soul about her. He honestly thought it would be for the best to keep her at bay until the case at Hawkins Lab could finally come to a close.

However, as Eleven learned more about the world in which she lived she desired even more to explore it.

✧

"I should've known you'd say that" Hopper chuckled, grabbing the eggos as they sprung from the toaster and plopped them on a plate.

He placed the plate in front of her "Here ya go kid"

"Hopper"

"Yeah?"

"I want to go to school." She said drenching the waffles in syrup.

"El, we talked about this, You can't go to school yet."

She crossed her arms "Why.."

"Not until we figure everything out with the lab, I mean you helped me a lot but there's just still so much missing data that we have to consider"

"I won't use my powers"

"I know you won't, but El you've never even been in a school. Also, why do you want to go when you have me and Rachel who is a certified teacher catching you up on everything"

She looked at him as she sighed "I want.. friends."

It was the first time it really struck Hop that even though this girl killed monsters, survived the upside down, and had mind powers she was still just that.. A girl.. A teenaged girl in fact.

He scratched his beard as he pondered the idea of her going to school. She knew a lot more now but she still didn't know about some things. He worried at the thought that she could be outcasted or bullied for being slightly different. He looked at her somber face and he couldn't help but give in.

"You promise you won't use your powers?"

She sprung up excitedly "Promise!"

"You also better help Rachel around the house more and for the love of god clean your room.."

"I will, I will!" she shouted

"Fine.. Maybe I'll consider enrolling you in school next month"

She ran up and hugged him "Thank you!"

"You better bring home good grades though kid."

She happily pranced off to her room.

He shook his head "Geez, I sound way too much like a dad"