Chapter Text
A blue house, closest to the three waterfalls. A great green grass field surrounding it. Filled with white daisies. With a clear evening hue along with white puffy clouds, still there in the background. It looked like a fairytale.
Nothing like the void in Eleven mind. Or the crowded woods in the cabin. There was no noise surrounding him from cars from loud horning traffic or squirrels, that passed by his house -never home in Hawkins.
It was nothing like Hawkins where Eleven was stared at, or whispered about. Or California where Jane Hopper existed, and got bullied at.
It was quiet, completely quiet. Strangely peaceful. Perfect for Eleanor. It looked exactly like the peace they wanted. What Eleanor and Mike imagined, before it all got blown up.
Mike gazed at the surroundings. He wanted to take a proper look at it, but instead his gaze was replaced by Eleanor. Eleanor with her beautiful brown hair and blue eyes that looked like the waterfalls behind them. Mike just looked at her.
Gods she was so beautiful, he wanted to spend every minute at her side for the rest of his life. How could he not have spend looking earlier for her.
“come inside Mike, how where your travels?” Oh yeah normal conversation exists -Mike mind helpfully suggests. He could genuily spend all day just looking at her.
“uhm good, it was good. I mean I spent some time thinking about the books, characters, plots” His mind wondered off. Distracted by her smile.
Eleanor was looking at him again, just smiling
They spend all day just kissing or catching up on each other in the bakery, having discussions for the first time. Discussions they would have a thousands times over and over again. Over quiet mornings, peaceful days and morning coffee’s.
And kissing, that part was amazing too really, it was peaceful in the bakery. Very quiet and not much disturbed. Only a few regulars came in for Eleanor’s pastries. The crowd would mostly come in through the week, Eleanor explained.
Mike looked forward to it.
He stepped in the blue house, and first thing he noticed was how everything looked in place. A nice green plush sofa. A long oval table made of oak. A television for news and for interesting movie’s he could watch with Eleanor. An elegant wooden floor.
Then his gaze was catched by books, not just one book, but many of books. All with his name on it, ‘Michael Wheeler’. Carefully worn and cared for. Tears were carefully mended, alongside with doggy ear pages.
“Oh yeah that…” Eleanors voice went quiet, when he noticed him staring at her rather large collection of books.
“I just realy like the series, I mean I also really like the mage and her friends. But also the tragedy behind it. And it has an interesting plot, but the tragedy is quit sad. It fascinates me ” Eleanor explained in a rush. Her cheeks quite red.
Perhaps a normal writer would be a bit creeped out, by the amounts of books she had, with his name atached. But never Mike. Mike stared at Eleanor with hearts in his eyes.
“You really like it that much?” Mike whispered. Eleanor blush went even deeper while her head was nodding. A barely audible yes came tumbling out. “ I will sign it for you. Every single one off them.”
They were alone in a house, there were no other people. It was just them, Mike kissed Eleanor like his life depended on it. Like a man thirsting for water in the dessert, and she was a streaming river straight in his path.
Mike felt at home, for the first time. Here in Iceland, in Hulgur in this strange town, full of strange tales. In her arms holding him steady.
A week later, they were sitting at the kitchen table. Or more specifically Eleanor was sitting down while reading the Icelandic newspaper. Mike tried to make coffee in her kitchen. ‘their kitchen’ Eleanor insisted.
‘I want you to stay’ Eleanor confessed some nights ago. Mike kissed her, insisting he absolutely would be staying, as long as she would want.
“can you get some coffee beans? Darling” Mike smiled at himself while saying that last word. He could call Eleanor ‘darling’ now. He felt like the happiest man on the world.
When the coffee beans was floating over to him, without Eleanor even looking up from the Icelandic newspaper. With only a tiny blood stream coming from her nose, was the only evidence. Of Eleanor using her powers.
“you use your powers now in the open?” Mike gasped. “you could get killed, or worse get hurt. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Never again not after….” His voice extremely proctective. His eyes on the floating coffee beans. His mind miles away, back to the gate. Back to the military.
If anything dared to separate Mike from his one true love again. There would be hell to pay.
Instead of fear, he heard laughter. Mike turned around. Just to see Eleanor laughing him straight in the face.
“your telling me, you haven’t noticed,” Her mouth curled up in a smile -If only Mike could see this all the time. “That this entire town has been using powers. And that only now you are shocked, by me using coffee beans? Not all of the other things that happen here in Hulgur”
“what if they take you again? And what do you mean this town using powers?” Mike whispered, looking Eleanor deadly serious in the eyes “I wont let anyone take you away from me again, never again”
Eleanor looked him in the eyes. She realized he was deadly serious.
“You don’t know?” She whispered.
Then Mike realized. It hit him like a bomb. It all made sense now. The wary looks, the rumors surrounding the town, haunted eyes the people gave him. Sure Mike heard stranger things in his bar back in Hawkins.
But this; on this massive scale. A strange town full of strange events. Of thunder rolling across town, yet never hitting rooftops. Of normals getting caught floating in midair. Of scars that looks like it been through experiments.
A town never descriped in maps.
A town that translates in ‘mind’, because of people using powers.
Sure he was distracted by Eleanor. Beautiful, smart Eleanor. Who baked pastries, but now always made sure to take some for Mike. Who shared with no hesitation.
But that didn’t discount the number of strange events he had seen. Just earlier this week, he saw a gambler getting in a bet. He got slammed down with force on the table after he didn’t pay the bet on time.
But that was just one occurrence, right.
And he genuilly doesn’t care. All he cares about is in this room, kitchen even. Sitting right across him, with her beautiful heart -only thing in the world that ever felt right in his life.
He tried to move on, in college he remembered. It was awkward and it didn’t feel good. He couldn’t stop comparing everything to her. Others felt unwanted after that Eleven shaped hole in his heart.
The only ones who did understand were his friends. But even they moved on in the end. Moved on, away from her.
“Will you keep the town a secret, please. And the secrets within it.” Eleanor pleaded with Mike, of course he would. He would do anything for her.
Weeks passed, the looks of distrust vanished when they saw. Mike was here to stay.
Eleanor was happier then she was in months, years even. And she made sure to show it to him. Hulgur noticed too.
Honestly Mike could get used to this, getting used to Iceland. Getting used to seeing Eleanor live her life fully. Living in her house, that slowly but surely became their home.
It also helped that he was a writer, the small children loved his books. Soon he got shown around all town. Just to make sure that the child got his or her book signed.
He was even asked to go to school, to give a presentation on his books. That was certainly something, he would never forget.
20 children in one classroom with powers. It resulted into a lamp exploding, a pencil case floating and a desk somehow turning sideways. All because of the excitement of having someone being famous visiting town.
It made him think, could he and Eleanor someday have a child, raise it here far away from the government? Far away from everyone Mike knew.
People were happy here somehow using powers in the open. Never hiding it.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A loud booming voice was behind him, Mike recognized it instantly. ‘James Argos’ still dressed in red -still dressed in bold. Wearing his big trademarked frontier hat.
Here in a nice quant bakery, where Eleanor was baking pastries in the back. While he was writing again, on a different typewrite the town provided. It was heavy, but Eleanor did gladly carry it for him that morning, not minding using her powers.
Mike wasn’t sure, how to fall more in love with El. But he did, that morning while she just carried the typewriter like it was nothing. Floating in midair, across the cobblestones path.
“Hello James Argos, how is life?” Mike questioned while staring at James bloodied face. This was not how he expected his morning to go. He just wanted to write a bit more about a certain mage and her friends. Totally not based on his life, before everything went wrong -that would be silly wasn’t it.
“To many bruises, some government official got me. I managed to get him off my back soon enough. But pesky little fellow that man was. Pesky I tell ya, determined too. ” James managed out as an explanation.
“Why do you get in fights so often?” As this was a perfectly normal conversation to have. With the man that let you to Eleanor, to this town filled with rumors, strange events and even more peculiar things happened.
“To protect myself, that why,” James responded “Are you writing, again?”
“yeah”
“good, that’s good” His face was distracted, deep in thought. When the yellow doors opened with such a force that lead to the back of the colorful bakery.
James Argos immediately paid attention again.
Eleanor stood there in full glory -Mike loved her so much.
“’James Argos’ Back again for another gamble? Don’t let me kick you out again like I had too, last time. That was messy.” Eleanor responded with a smile. Her hands carrying pastries on the tray.
“Won’t happen again, don’t worry,” James responded good naturedly. “I just just delivered another person here, figured I wanted to visit the bakery. I was hungry”
“Another person?” Eleanor said surprised.
“yeah from Japan this time, but still. Quite a fight” James Argos responded. “I hope she can settle here properly, just like the two of you?” James Argos looked between the two of them. With glints in his eyes.
“Yeah so Mike and me are together. I know it is against the rules, but well he is famous. And that excuses loads of stuff apparently. The kids love him.” Eleanor explained in a rush. She was blushing.
“So when is the wedding?” When James popped that question, he got a dagger stare from Mike and Eleven both.
“Someday, not now” Mike responded bravely. “Lets just hope the new person settles well here first.”
“She can come to the bakery anytime” Eleanor responded.
“She will, don’t worry” Eleanor handed James Argos the pastries that moment. And James looked between the two of them. Felt the hostile air coming from those two, directed at him. And he left again. He would come back some other times, to enjoy the banter.
“So a wedding?” Mike responded. His eyes looking hopeful at Eleanor. When James Argos left the shop, his footsteps still echoing on the black and white tiles.
“Ask me properly and the answer will be yes” Eleanor responded.
“Dear Eleanor, Love of my life and beyond. Will you marry me?” Mike then responded. It could be more formal for sure -not in a bakery, while standing on polished white and black tiles. But then again this was very on cue for Mike -spontaneous and happy.
What other answer than ‘yes’ could it be from Eleanors lips. When she kissed him, soft and gentle. With a bit of flour in her hair, kissing Mike so gently.
Yes they would get married, and someday even have children. In this strange town, full of strange tales. With a strange name ‘Hulgur’
Mike and Eleanor Wheeler, Finally together. Finally one.
~6 months later~
A baby was crying in the nursery. Slamming around with Arctic fox toy. It clearly looked expensive, with all the fur, and eyes made of glass. Max reasoned.
But that was not what Max was interested in, she was interested in the little note attached to it.
Hello Max and Lucas,
Sorry for not making it to the baby shower. Iceland is beautiful, I think I will stay here for a while. I found the three waterfalls, and a blue house with a beautiful view.
I might even consider staying here permanently.
I also got married, the wedding was nice.
Greetings Mike Wheeler.
It was definitely short for sure. Nothing like Mike, Mike who is a writer. He always writes long sentences and long letters.
Yet for the past few months it were little notes like this, with expensive Icelandic toys added to it. To make up for the absence.
Almost like he was distracted by something, something that takes his attention away from the notes.
That is rare for Mike. Sure getting distracted from baby showers or sports events because writing a book is more important than them. That’s very on cue for Mike.
But taking attention away from writing -the very thing he loves to do. Something must be going on. Max also noticed that there was no return address at all. Almost like he lives in an invisible place -in Iceland with three waterfalls and a blue house.
Max could not figure it out. Something was going on in Iceland. But she did hope, wherever Mike was that he was happy.
Happy in a way that was somewhere far away from here.
Then she noticed something else. Almost faded below ‘mike wheeler’ another name: Eleanor Wheeler. With an (E.) attached straight after the ‘Eleanor’ part.
That’s when Max realized, Mike has founded his one true love.
Mike and Eleanor Wheeler. They were happy in Iceland.
The End