tangled (mileven au)

epilogue

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THREE MONTHS LATER

The stars were as bright as ever shining over Lover's Lake. There was a slight chill in the air, but neither Mike nor El even noticed.

It was their last weekend in Hawkins, before the two moved away to start a new life— one where El didn't have to hide in case someone recognized her, one where Mike could get away from his father and the memories his hometown was filled with.

Of course they were sad to be leaving behind their friends, El especially, since she had grown close to them over the past few months, but they'd see them all again.

They didn't know what they wanted to do once they got out of there, but Mike had all the money they needed to get to a place where they could figure it all out. For now, they would enjoy life and their time together.

El was resting her head on Mike's chest, his fingers combing softly through her hair. The longer they laid there, the more she couldn't help but think of the last time they had been here and how things had been so different. She was just getting used to being out in the world and they had barely known each other then.

Now, it felt like there wasn't anyone out there who knew the other better than they did.

"Do you miss him?" Mike asked, breaking the comfortable silence they had fallen into. He didn't have to say the man's name, she knew who he was referring to. "I mean, I know he was a bad man, but he was the only parent you've ever known."

"No, I don't miss him at all." El sighed, snuggling even closer to him. "The more time I spend with you, the more I realize how bad he treated me. I'm glad he's gone."

Mike scoffed, a look of disdain crossing his face. "Yeah, me too. I've never hated anyone more than that sicko."

"You know, that day he found out about you, he said that I didn't need to get tangled up with you. He said that you'd hurt me, that it was the worst thing I could do." El shook her head at the thought, having known all along just how wrong that deranged man was. "Getting tangled up with you was the best thing that ever happened to me, Mike Wheeler."

"Yeah? Well, I sure am glad that I fell through that window of yours." Mike rose up, planting a chaste kiss on her cheek.

He laid back on the ground to resume gazing up at the sky above, but it wasn't enough for El. She needed more than that, so she used those handy powers of hers to pull him close enough for her lips to meet his.

"I love you, Mike."

The words slipped right out, for the very first time and she didn't mind at all. She had been wanting to tell him for weeks now, because she knew the feeling she had for him was love, there was simply no other way to describe it.

"You don't know how good that sounds coming from you." He sighed, like it was a relief to finally hear her say it. "I love you, too."

After greedily stealing one more kiss from him, El snuggled back into his embrace, a place that had quickly become her favorite to be in. The moment felt magical, like most moments she spent with Mike.

It seemed that the life she deserved was finally beginning. It was everything she'd always hoped it would be, and so much more. It were as if a page was ripped right out of the fairytales that used to fill her shelves, and she was somehow lucky enough to be living out the story.

She had finally, finally gotten her happily ever after and it was so incredibly beautiful. 

the end.

thank you for the love on this story! i've enjoyed writing it so much, even if it was very much of a struggle to do in the end... if it wasn't obvious due to my no existence on this app, this is my last book to write but i'm so happy to have ended with this one. y'all know i'm a sucker for some fluff and this story was full of it so my heart is happy.

ok ily bye <3