AN:

I kept getting requests for a first time story so here it goes. It'll be two or three chapters but only the second one will have the actual sex. Get ready for all the feelings, it's going to get really cute.

It was quiet as they walked through the park, their hands swinging back and forth between them, fingers laced tightly. The day was winding down, the sun getting low in the sky, and Mike looked over at his girlfriend, who was licking her strawberry ice cream from it's sugar cone, gazing around at the sunlit trees.

"Hey, you want to swing?" he suggested, spying an empty swingset on the playground up ahead.

"Oh," she saw where he was looking and nodded. "Yes!"

It was their three year anniversary of officially dating and instead of going all out like previous years—which usually ended with him being stressed and not enjoying their day—he'd gone for something simple, echoing one of their first dates. A movie with popcorn and then ice cream and a walk. They'd spent some time at the ice cream shop, talking about the past and how they'd met, and then the future, where he was applying for college and how long he had to wait for an acceptance letter.

There were moments of companionable quiet, where nothing needing to be said. It was one of the things he loved about her, how she made silence seem warm and easy instead of awkward and cold. He supposed part of it was just that she had always struggled with words, but in the same way he'd always understood her without her having to explain. Most of the time.

There had been jealousy and hurt. Lies, even, struggles as she dealt with high school and social situations she didn't understand. Times when he didn't realize she was struggling and assumed too much. Times when she assumed he understood and acted rashly. In the end they'd always found a way to communicate and make their way back to each other, something he hoped would hold them together after he left for college.

But he wasn't going to think about that now, focused on the present instead of the uncertain future, pulling her towards the swingset and stealing a lick of ice cream as she sat down. He pushed her, getting her going, and then she turned as she swung, laughing, and demanded he swing too.

"Please! Swing with me, Mike!" she begged, eyes dancing.

He did, plopping into the seat next to her and and kicking off. His long legs made it harder, the swings meant for someone much smaller than him, but he managed and soon they were both swinging through the air and laughing.

Their swings synched up and he looked over at her she pumped her legs, feeling the familiar happy tug in his heart that happened when he watched her do… anything. She glanced over and noticed him watching her. She stuck her tongue out, then shoved the rest of her sugar cone into her mouth, licking her sticky fingers without losing a beat. Her yellow dress billowed around her and he couldn't help but think she looked like a beam of sunshine, warm and bright and shining for him.

I love you so much, he sighed inside.

Her swing slowed and he did too, stopping himself and spraying sand under his feet as he turned to her. She leaned, close to him, and then he realized what she wanted and leaned in too. Their lips met and he sighed happily again, tasting the strawberry on her skin and figuring it couldn't be sweeter if it tried.

"Thanks for taking me out," she smiled as she pulled back. "Happy three years."

"We should do this more often… I feel like we lay around a lot and never do anything."

Her eyebrow quirked. "Is that bad?"

"No! No of course not! I just… I like doing things with you. New things, especially."

"New things? What kind of new things?"

"I dunno. Any new thing. Things we haven't done before… like when we drove to Indy for the day and watched that ballet?" He reminded her.

"Nancy was with us."

"Well… yeah," he sighed. "Maybe next time we can go… just the two of us."

It sounded like a solid plan. They were old enough to drive the hour and a half to Indianapolis if they wanted, but Hopper was still cautious about El leaving Hawkins, even if she was with Mike. He called it an "unnecessary risk" and only allowed the trip to see the ballet after Mrs. Wheeler had assured him Nancy would be there with Jonathan Byers and of course the police chief trusted them.

Mike sighed and El noticed that he seemed upset at her not having as much freedom. He liked Hawkins and his friends, but he wanted to show her everything… and Hopper was making that hard.

Reaching over, she took his hand and pulled it towards her.

"Maybe next time," she nodded in agreement. "Maybe I can visit you. Take the bus. We could do something fun… something new."

"If your dad lets you leave…"

"He will. Or I'll just leave and he'll have to let me," she shrugged, like it was no big deal.

"Jeez, El, don't get in trouble. You'll get grounded and then you really won't be able to see me," he worried, brows furrowed.

"I'll miss you."

Her voice was soft and he saw the nervous energy that made her twitch, the anxiety she tried to hide at the thought of him leaving. The dark cloud they'd been avoiding all day hung heavy over them and he saw her dim.

"I'll miss you too. But we'll make it, El. I'll call every day and you can visit and I'll be home every break and maybe some weekends too—"

"Mike." Her voice was soft but firm and he quieted. "I'll wait. Don't worry."

She could see the worry he carried too. That leaving her behind would create the opportunity for someone else to step in. That the distance would weigh too heavy and she would need someone closer. It was stupid, but it was there and he sighed and squeezed her hand.

"I just want you to be happy, El. Even if I'm gone."

"You always make me happy," she smiled softly. "Even when you're not here. I'll wait. I promise."

"I love you," he blurted.

"I love you, Mike," she murmured back.

They kissed again, soft but needier, her hand resting on the back his neck and pulling herself closer, the chains of their swings clanking. He didn't want to ever let go, wanting to live in the perfect moment they were creating for the rest of his life.

"Ewwwwww! They're kissing!"

She let go and swung back, looking over her shoulder at the small child behind them who was pointing and making a grossed-out face. His mother stood next to him, giving the two teenagers a disapproving glare and El felt her face heat up.

"Let's go, I should get you home anyways," Mike mumbled, also blushing.

They scurried from the playground without a backwards glance and headed to the parking lot where he'd parked after their ice cream. El's face was pink and she looked at him over the top of the car, a giggle quirking her lips. He smiled back and shook his head, annoyed at getting kicked off of a playground for kissing his girlfriend. It's not like they'd been making out.

Which he wouldn't have minded. It had been a week or two since they'd managed to get some time alone and he missed kissing her and feeling her pressed against him, her hands tangling in his hair as his fingers snuck up under her shirt, her hips pressed in his lap—

"Mike, are you going to unlock the car?" she asked, breaking him from his reverie.

"Oh, uh, yeah."

He did and they climbed in as he tried to focus on more important things. Like driving.

There was some song playing softly and he heard her humming along, her hand reaching over to rest on his as he shifted, the touch comforting. He always liked to touch her, whether it was just holding her hand or pressing kisses across her face. Sometimes it was ridiculous, as he'd try and keep her in his lap during a movie night or wrap his arms around her between class at school.

"God, when are you two just going to bang and get over with already?" Dustin would complain loudly. "I'm so sick of the all the lovey-dovey mushy bullshit."

"Dustin," Mike would warn, face flushing.

It's not like they were waiting for marriage or something. They'd talked about it. Sex. It was just something they hadn't done yet. It was something they'd have to actively think about—Who's buying condoms? Where will we be alone? What if your dad finds out? What if the condom breaks?—and their breezy kisses and fiery makeout sessions were just easier than taking it all the way.

He definitely wanted to. She was the most beautiful, sexy thing he had ever seen in his life and he loved her so much that sometimes he thought he would just die. But he wasn't pushy and he didn't need it to prove she loved him, so it just… hadn't happened. She'd even told him one time that she wanted to—right before Hopper knocked on the window of the car and asked what was holding them up.

Biggest boner killer ever.

Since then he'd been a little more conscious of both of their parents, weirdly worried about what might happen if they were caught. Hopper did own a gun, after all.

He sighed and let the thought blow away as he drove up the gravel driveway. A few years ago the Chief had extended the road to make it all the way to the cabin, the need for secrecy past and not being able to drive up to his house a damn inconvenience. His beige police SUV was missing from its usual place and Mike noticed El frown.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" he asked, sharing her concern.

It was weird for her dad to not tell her what was going on, or not be where he usually was. Despite the years, there was always a low-burning fear that the government would show up and try to take her back. Mike would die before he let that happen. Hopper too.

"Yeah… just to make sure," she agreed.

They warily got out of the car, and when she reached the front door, it was firmly closed, the five locks unlocked so she could get in. The door creaked open and they crept in. El quickly spotted a note on the fridge and went to grab it, reading it out loud.

"Bradley's Big Buy was robbed. Had to head out. Be home late. Dinner is Eggos tonight, sorry," she paraphrased, brow furrowing, looking over at Mike. "A robbery?"

"That's not good. But he didn't say murder so I'm sure it'll be fine," he assured her.

"Hmmm," she agreed, sighing and setting the note back down.

Clearly it didn't make her feel better and he glanced around the empty cabin, spying the TV and couch. Maybe a distraction?

"You want to watch something? I could stay for a bit if you wanted…" he raised his eyebrows and she nodded. "Since there's no one here telling me 'take a hint and get out'," he grinned.

"He likes you," El protested. "He just doesn't know how to show you. He tells me he likes you."

"I'll believe that when I hear it."

They snuggled onto the couch after making some Eggos, El flopping on top of him and resting her head on his chest, wrapping her arms and legs around him and burying her face into his shirt. It tickled and he tried not to laugh, appreciating her enthusiasm. They didn't get to really cuddle that much, usually in the company of friends or adults and unable to do much more than hold hands or cuddle into each other's sides. But now they were almost melded together, his arms pulling her closer as he kissed her forehead, reaching for the remote and turning the TV on.

Some show she liked was on and they watched that and then two M*A*S*H reruns before she sat up, glancing towards the windows, biting her lip nervously. The sun was long gone and she seemed worried again. Technically it was "late".

"I'm sure he's just caught up in police stuff. Robberies are a big deal—"

"But—"

Bz. Bzz bz bzz.

The radio hummed and she slapped her hand over Mike's mouth to listen to the morse code coming from the radio across the room. They didn't need to use it anymore now that the agents and lab were no longer monitoring the airwaves, but sometimes Hop liked to anyway. It was kind of fun.

After a moment he felt her relax and tried to decode what she was listening to, pushing her hand off of his mouth. He'd missed the first part and was only able to figure out "sleeping at office tonight. Sorry, kid."

She got up and went over to the radio, beeping back a quick response he didn't catch—she was faster at morse code than he was—and then received a "good night" as an answer. Setting the receiver back down, she looked over at her boyfriend, much more relaxed and no longer worried.

"What'd he say? I missed the first part," he asked her as she walked back to where he was still laying on the couch.

"They have a suspect in custody but are still trying to get proof it was him. He's going to be at station all night trying to crack it and he won't be home until tomorrow."

"He sleeps there?" Mike furrowed his brow.

"There's a couch. It's bad for his back but… sometimes it's better than not sleeping."

It was quiet, the TV turned off, and then her eyes met his, a knowing smirk twitching her lips upward. His heart sped up as she held out a hand, which he took, bringing it to his mouth and gently kissing her knuckles, looking up. Their eyes locked and then they were both rushing to her room, flopping onto her mattress and laughing breathlessly, seizing the moment they'd been rather generously offered.

"El—" he started to say but she shook her head.

"Don't talk," she breathed into his ear, putting his hands on her waist, one leg wrapping around his hips. "Just kiss me."

He did what she asked.

AN:

If you want me to hurry up with the next chapter leave me a review and tell me what you think. It's not going to be a long story but I wanted to write something with chapters so here it is. I'll try and post tomorrow if I finish it in time.

Thanks for all the kind reviews on my last few stories. It feels good to be back.

~Wyn