soft soulmates - elmax

"pretty"

El woke up in a cold sweat this morning. She let out a small scream while her heart raced, as if a million demons had just chased her down a crowded hall. She searched her room with her eyes rabidly, pulling the covers to her face. Hopper stepped into the room unexpectedly as el's eyes met his. Her expression lightens the second she sees him. Her face was painted white, as if she had just seen a ghost.
"First day of school, kid. Time to get ready. I'm making breakfast." he spoke reassuringly as she shoved the covers away from her, sliding off her bed. She grinned, she knew she was going to see mike and the rest of the part today. So she was happy. She rushed getting ready, pulling on her striped long sleeve shirt and blue overalls. Her shoes were a bit warn but she didn't mind. El ran to the kitchen finding hopper sitting at the table. Her seat had a plate of eggos and a glass of water in front of it. She walked towards the table, her smile still as wide as ever. She pushed herself into the big chair, sitting down to eat. Hopper, his mouth still full of food, goofily grinned at her causing her to laugh lightly. He shook his head, watching as she clumsily poured syrup onto her waffles. El took her fist bite as hopper coughed a little,
"Did you have another nightmare?" He spoke bluntly. El stopped chewing as her smile dropped, she nodded, shoving another bite in her mouth.
"I'm sorry, kid." He ruffled her hair as she shrugged, smiling at him. El bit into her eggo again, spotting hopper pick up a small bag from the ground. He placed it on the table and pushed it towards her. She tilted her head lightly, furrowing her eyebrows at the mystery behind it. Hopper gestures towards it.
"I thought I'd pick you up a little something, for the, you know, special day." He looked down to his plate playing with his food. El smiled before she spoke.
"Special day?" She looked intensely into his eyes.
"Yes! The first day of school. I got you a present." Hopper explained as her face softened.
"First day of school-" she spoke extremely quietly, smiling. "Present?" She said after a long pause.
"Yeah, something someone gives you." Hopper nodded as he pushed the bag closer to her. "Open it" he finished.
"Open..." she spoke longingly as she grabbed onto the package. She looked at hopper to make sure it was okay as he nodded. El reached her hand into the bag before pulling out a small palette. Her eyebrows automatically furrowed.
"It's makeup! I wasn't sure what colors you'd like or... I don't know." Hopper said, his face was a bit red due to nerves of if she would like it or not. She smiled a little looking to him.
"Makeup." She looked back down to the little case with different colored powders. "Bitchin." She spoke even softer. Her small fingers searched for the opening before she huffed out a large breath.
"Here-" hopper reached for the case as el jumped before handing it to him. "Sorry" he said before popping open the palette. She grabbed it, examining ever last color. "I thought I could help you do some sort of... look? For school, you know." He sounded awkward but el didn't notice much. She slowly shifted her eyes to his as she began to smile.
"Some kind of look. You know." She repeated his words, reassuring herself. He grinned watching as el ate the last bite of her waffles. Hopper grabbed the pallet from the table and walked over to the side el sat at. He knelt down in front of her as she pointed to the first color on the tray, pink.
"Pink?" Hopper asked looking up at el as her expression lightened. She nodded,
"Pink." She spoke watching as hopper poked his finger into the baby pink shade. Hopper rubbed his finger across her eyelid, smearing the color on her skin.
"I'm not sure if I'm doing this right." He said, laughing a little.
"No?" El questioned as she grabbed the palette away from him. She gently picked up the brush that sat beside the colors. "You need to use this." She smiled, waving the tiny makeup brush in his face.
"How am I supposed to use it if I can barely see it" Hopper mumbled under his breath as he began applying the powder to her eyelids. She smiled giddily as he finished. She stood up abruptly, running to the mirror to see her eyes. Hopper stood up searching for the books he got for her. He placed everything she needed in her bag beside the door.
"Pretty" he heard el mumble when she reached the bathroom mirror.
"Yeah, now we have to get going, kid. School starts in 20" hopper yells to her. Her head pops out from behind the door.
"In 20?" She asks, slowly walking towards him.
"Yeah, 20 minutes. We have to leave so we get there on time" he pointed at the clock. She follows his finger, nodding.
"On time. 3. 1. 5." She spoke walking to the door.
"That's when school ends, el." He grabbed her bag, handing it to her as she pulled it on her back.
"End? When does it start?" She questioned.
"8" hopper says as he points a the clock again. Her eyes don't follow his finger this time, instead she just nods and walks to the door. He opens it for her as she walks forwards only one step. Hopper bumps into her, expecting her to continue out the door.
"Kid-" he begins,
"Not stupid." She spoke looking up to him.
"No, definitely not stupid. Go get in the car." He smiled down at her as she nodded walking out the front door. He followed her to his car as she jumped in the passenger seat.
"Here we go" hopper speaks loudly causing el to jump as he starts his engine. He glances to her before backing out. "Seatbelt!" He says almost as loud as his last words.
"Seatbelt." El speaks pulling her belt around her, struggling to buckle it. Hopper pushed it into the lock as she smiles and loosens the part around her neck. Hopper rolls down the driveway starting up the hill to school.