Freckles & Curls | MILEVEN AU

twenty six - her sweetest dream

song - The One by Coldplay 

~"Cause you make my heart feel like it's summer
When the rain is pouring down
You make my whole world feel so right when it's wrong
That's why I know you are the one"~

Jane wasn't sure if she ever believed in the idea of fate. It was somewhat unappealing for her to imagine that her actions and pathways in life were predestined, controlled by something else like she was a piece of chess on a board. She had spent enough time in her life feeling trapped and out of control, and it was important that she now had as much freedom as the universe would give her. She would sometimes stay up all night to watch the stars, staying awake as long as her drooping eyes would allow, or perhaps she would fall asleep earlier the next evening. Her body was exhausted with the change of plans and varying bedtimes, but it helped convince her heart - to prove that she wasn't forced into a routine. 

Mike would sneak over whenever Hopper fell asleep, biting his lip to stop himself from cursing whenever he fell into her bedroom through the creaky window. He would widen his eyes at Jane's laughter, holding up a finger to his lips so that she would quiet down her giggles. She would beam up at him with rosy cheeks, pulling him down onto the bed with her - wrapping the soft blankets around them both. He would stroke her hair until she fell asleep, attempting to braid the strands like his young sister taught him to - hoping that it would impress his girlfriend. Sometimes she would fall asleep in his embrace instantly, soothed by the lulling sound of his heartbeat - the gentle beat helping to clear all of the noise within her head. But there were some nights where the voices were too loud, voices calling her all kinds of names - liar, burden, pathetic, cold-hearted, killer. On the nights that became too much for her, Mike would stay awake with Jane despite her protests - whispering sweet nothings into her ear until she would smile, pressing gentle kisses to every inch of skin that he could reach. He would tell her stories in a soft voice, tales of him and his friends when they were younger, the campaigns they created and even how much of an alien he felt like in his own family. His voice would go quieter in those moments, eyes unfocused - and Jane would squeeze in hand. 

One night, he had asked her a sweet question with burning cheeks. His hands were fidgety and he didn't know how to get his words out - stumbling over the phrases. "Y-You like waffles, right? I mean...I know you like waffles, you have them pretty much every morning! I-I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that-"

"Mike" she found his hand, squeezing gently. "I like waffles."

"Oh, uh-" he scratched his head. "Great."

Jane giggled, "Mike."

He snapped out of his daze, mumbling an apology. "I was wondering if you wanted to get some waffles...with me? We could go to Benny's diner, they do waffles with ice cream which I think you would really like-"

She put her hand over his mouth with a giggle. "You're rambling."

"S-Sorry" Mike groaned, covering his face. 

Jane reached out and pecked his red cheek. "I want to have waffles with you."

"R-Really?" his eyes widened, grin dopey. 

"Yes, I want to..." her smile grew, "...mouthbreather."

He was brought back to a familiar moment of her calling her father the same phrase, the pair of them agitated by his protective streak. So many things had changed since that moment, a moment where Mike never really knew anything about her at all. He had learned so much about her since then, and he had only loved her more for it. He squeezed her hand, kissing her softly that night before rushing home to bed - already excited for tomorrow.