FILLER VISION | Mike Wheeler

O n e

"Why always we? What's wrong with us?" Dustin asked as he walked back and forth as the brown haired girl sat on the sofa in Mike's basement while Lucas and Mike looking at her.

"Dustin it doesn't have to be like..." Lucas interrupted himself and looked at Mike, who continued to stare at the nameless girl, and she returned him. For some reason he didn't want to interrupt the two but Dustin probably do it already "with El" completed Dustin Lucas sentence what let mike broke from his thoughts and looked at the two boys, immediately the pain from mike came back and when he looked at the brown haired girl again he could only see Eleven in her.

Lucas hit Dustin on the arm and looked at him mad. Dustin immediately regretted having said the name and felt sorry for his friend. "We've been sitting here for an hour and the only thing she does is to look around or stare at you. I have to go home, it's late and tomorrow is school, I'm sorry dude" Lucas said to change the theme of eleven again.

Mike sighed and rubbed his neck, he didn't know what he was going to do with the girl, which didn't even tell him her name. "I also have to go but...if you can't do it with her or if you don't want it that she stay then I can take her with me.." suggested Dustin, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder.

Mike looked at the tent he built for eleven a few months ago when he hid her with him and then to the girl on his sofa who looked so helpless and scared that it nearly broke his heart. He wanted to know who she is and what happened to her that she was like this and seriously want to protect her from all what could hurt her. She was so sorry for him that he couldn't help and shake his head.

"No, she stays with me, she somehow trusts me more than you guys...she would only get more scared" mike said and looked at his friends. "Do you think you can do it?" Lucas asked. Mike nodded and looked at the girl again "Yes I can do it, don't worry, maybe she distracts me, I need distraction" he said and his two friends nodded and went up to make their way home.

Mike looked after them before he looked at the girl and sighed. "So...you will stay with me um...just if you want and if it is ok for you that you sleep here in the basement.." he said and sit down next to her.

She focused on him again and said nothing or showed any reaction. "You really don't want to tell me your name? I want to help you.." he said and only now did he realize how she covered her left wrist all the time with her right hand.

He cleaned his throat and looked at her wrist and hand "Can i see it?". She looked down at her wrist and then at mike again. "Please let me see your wrist...i have to know who you are.." he said.

She struggled with herself if she really should, she trusted him, and she appreciated that he want to help her, so she showed him her wrist and her tattoo. He gasped and gently took her wrist what she let him even if it was very uncomfortable for her. "010" he read and looked at her tattoo.

She nods slightly and pulled her wrist away again. "010?" He asked and looked at her. She nodded again and pointed on herself. "You're from the Hawkins Lab, right?" He asked her, and she nodded again but looks then down and her hand which she plays with.

Mike noticed how the air tense again, and she gets a slight panic that you could see by the fact that she covered her wrist with the tattoo and rubbed it wildly.

Mike didn't want to scare her, so he gently took her hand in his and looked at her like she did. For a brief moment those big brown eyes, like from another world, made him speechless, but he quickly recovered and smiled gently and carefully.

"You're safe now, i swear.." he said, and she swallowed and nodded then. "I...i have to sleep now...but before come with me.." said Mike, getting up and holding out his hand. Ten looked at his hand quickly before grabbing his hand. Both get a weird feeling in their stomachs. Ten held her free hand against her stomach and frowned slightly, she didn't know what that was but then ignored it just as mike kneeling and letting go of her hand. Immediately, the feeling left their stomachs what confused Ten even more.

She watched Mike as he lifted the blanket to the 'tent' and then looked at her. "Here you can sleep...I know it's not the most comfortable but I hope it's ok...I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow before I go to school..." he said and ten goes slowly into the tent. "Before I forget it, if someone is not me or Dustin and Lucas then you're hiding ok? Nobody should find you, it just puts you in danger.." he said. She nodded and looked at him.

He looks back and smiles lightly "Goodnight Ten..". She nodded again and lay down, for the first time in a long while, she lay back on something comfortable and warm. He was satisfied with her nod and watched her for a moment before he made the blanket down and made his way up to his room after turning off the light.

"I'll protect you, i promise" he whispered softly to himself as he stood at the top of the stairs and looked back to the tent again.