ages 18-19
in which mike visits el in the hospital
mike's pov
as i walked down the hall with eery white walls surrounding me, i could hear the echoes of my footsteps. i slowed as i neared her room, room 353. i stopped right in front of the closed door, taking deep breaths before i placed my door on the cold door handle. i prepared myself for the terrible sight i'd see when i open the door. even though i've visited her everyday for the last 8 months, i'm still not used to the sight of her like this.
i entered the room and my gaze fell upon my beautiful girlfriend, unconscious with monitors and tubes surrounding her. she's been in a coma for what feels like forever, yet the memory feels like it occurred just yesterday. we were on our anniversary date, i had many big things planned for the night. but, the only thing big that happened was the mind flayer coming back. el wanted to take care of it as quick as possible, even though i tried convincing her otherwise. i know it was selfish but i am selfish when it comes to her. i didn't want the only thing going right in my life to be ruined. i just couldn't bear to lose her. thank god she survived and the mind flayer was defeated, but her deafening screams still haunt my dreams.
i like to think she can hear me when i speak to her. so, that's why today is a very special visit. as i approached her i fiddled with the velvet box in the pocket of my jacket.
"hey sweetheart, it was just another bad day at school but seeing you just made my day better" i whispered to her only as i smiled down at her.
even though she's unconscious, she's still as beautiful as ever.
"el, i really hope you can hear me or else i'm gonna sound really stupid right now" i chuckled sadly as i reached for her cold hand.
i sat down on the chair next to her bed and took a couple deep breaths before i began my declaration of love for her.
"ellie, baby, love of my life, i know you aren't awake, though i hope you are soon. i just really needed to do this before, god forbid, anything bad happens to you. el, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and if i lost you that night i know i wouldn't be here today. baby i can't live without you, you're my oxygen at this point. ever since i kissed you for the first time, i knew that i wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. babe please wake up i really need you to wake up. i know i sound selfish but i need you in my life, i need you to live, please, for me? el, i'll definitely do this again, you know without the crying and hopeless begging, when you wake up but for now this'll have to do. eleanor hopper, i know you can't answer me right now, but would you do the honor of making me the happiest man on Earth and become my wife?"
my free hand took the box and opened to reveal a ring el had told me she loved a couple months before the incident. it was beautiful, like her. i had our favorite word engraved on the inside of the ring, "promise."
i looked down at out conjoined hands while tears streamed down my face. i was about to say something else but then i felt something i haven't felt in months.
her warmth, her embrace, she faintly squeezed my hand. my eyes shot up to her face to see a small smile growing on her lips.
"el?! el, are you awake? please baby give me another sign that you're here and that you heard me. umm, squeeze my hand once if you don't want to marry me or twice if you accept." i almost screamed excitedly. god i haven't felt this in so long, it felt like hope.
i waited for a couple seconds and felt her squeeze my hand once. the smile on my face fell before she waited another second to squeeze my hand again. my face lit up again and i stood up, kissing her hand then pressing quick kisses down her arm before i reached her cheek. i then placed a long kiss on her smiling lips, it's been too long that i've gone without her touch. i placed the ring on her finger and admired how good it looked on her.
the nurses came in and informed me that visiting hours are over, so i pecked her cheek once more and skipped out of the room happily. my smile just stayed on my face as i drove home, only growing wider when i'd think of her. when i opened the front door of my house, my gaze was met with the party, my family and hopper. they all stared at me and were bombarding me with questions about why i'm smiling so much.
and with the biggest smile on my face i told them,
"she said yes."
