you're my safe place ~ MILEVEN ONE SHOTS~

Friends Don't Lie

(this was an awesome request from JustACece , I hope that they enjoy the angst fest that this turned into! If any of you have any other requests, leave comments! Love you all<3)

All of her life, her perception of love had been manipulated. She was allowed fairy tales as a treat one day, and the colorful book was filled with beautiful illustrations about a special princess being saved. For years she wanted to be the princess, wanted somebody to come and stop her from being locked up, but it seemed as if nobody cared enough to save her. The families in fairy tales were different than what she was used to, the king and queen always holding the princess tight, squeezing her into a hug after the prince had saved her. Her own childhood was different, a sense of family something that entirely confused her over the years. Papa gave her treats when she was obedient, mumbling the term 'good girl' after she collapsed with exhaustion. It took a long time before she was fully convinced that a real family was different, that she should not have been locked in a small and dark room as punishment. It was strange for her to learn that everything that happened to her was wrong, that she should not have been scared of her own father and that she wasn't to blame for their cruel torture. She was completely manipulated into believing that is what love was, that love was shown through punishments and doing what you were asked to, no matter what. 

When he came into her life unexpectedly, it was a long time before she started to call him 'Dad'. The term was unfamiliar and at first, felt wrong coming from her lips as if it was forced. After what had happened to her, he never wanted her to feel forced or trapped and convinced her that she was allowed to choose what she called him. The term slipped from her lips one day when neither of them were prepared for it, a simple term that changed everything for her.

"I told you that I'm not stupid" he glanced at her. 

El looked away innocently and hummed. "What do you mean?"

Hopper rolled his eyes, watching her wave to Mike who was waiting outside of his door. It was something that she asked for, to be back in his house, the first place where she got a sense of home. The small fort was still up when she went over and she pulled Mike into a fierce hug before she knew what she was doing, sniffing into his shoulder. He pulled her closer, worried that was something was wrong until he saw her teary eyed smile as she pulled him into a long kiss. The fact that he had kept it up meant more than he knew, and both of them somehow knew that Mike would someday be extremely reluctant to take it down. 

When got inside the cabin, Hop watched her as she took her coat and scarf off while smiling to herself gleefully. It felt so right for her to be smiling, all of her smiles stolen from her at such a young age, and now he never wanted to stop making her laugh. Before she escaped to her bedroom to watch television, he couldn't resist teasing her. 

"Your lip gloss is smudged, you know" he teased. 

El gasped and let out an embarrassed whine. "Dad!"

Time seemed to stop for a moment and they both paused, glancing at each other cautiously as if they had no idea how to react. El's heart was racing as she noticed the furrow in Hopper's eyebrows, before it smoothed out considerably. It felt so natural escaping from her that he couldn't help the warm smile that took over his face, a familiar look in his eyes that reminded her of home. He ruffled her curls affectionately and they both stood there for a moment, smiling at each other as if finally understanding what being a family felt like. 

The Party were gathered at the Byer's House, enjoying their first Christmas together. It was boxing day, a day that served as being less suspicious, so everyone gathered together at Will's house so that they could give El her presents. Mike squeezed her hand after she told him that she was going to the bathroom, waiting patiently for her as everyone else continued playing the board games that he had brought over. His eyes narrowed at the loud voices coming from the kitchen, looking around the corner of the living room to see Joyce with her arms crossed, speaking to Hopper in a stern voice. He raised his eyebrows, walking closer slowly while the others continued talking between themselves.