𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

{ little bonsai tree }

"steve?"

"yes, kiddo?" steve ruffled el's curly hair, making her giggle and sit next to him on the couch.

"christmas." she looked at him with her big honey eyes, putting her elbow on her leg and her head on her hand.

steve sighed. whenever el asked a single word, that meant she was asking what it meant. "it's a holiday. families gather together, have dinner, give presents to each other, uh, decorate their christmas tree-"

"christmas tree?" she furrowed her eyebrows, tilting her head a little.

"yeah, uh, it's a tree you put inside your house, and you decorate it with spheres, christmas lights, and a bright nice star on the top."

"do you do that with your family?"

steve winced, bumping his shoulder against el's arm. "i do it myself. my parents are normally in a business trip or something, i don't even care anymore."

"that's sad."

"you get used to it, after a while."

"but you shouldn't." el pouted, scooting closer to steve and putting her hand on his shoulder. "we can decorate christmas tree together."

"are you sure?" steve raised his eyebrows, surprised by her suggestion.

"yes." el put her head on his shoulder, smiling. "like a family."

"like a family." steve nodded, smiling widely before turning to el to tickle her, making her laugh.

"time to go kid." jim closed the door of his office at the police station behind him, took his hat and put it on, grabbing el's jacket as well and giving it to her as the girl stood up from the couch, followed by steve. "thanks for taking care of her."

"no problem, we had a great time." steve smiled, ruffling el's hair again as she grinned.

"can we have a christmas tree?" eleven looked up at jim expectantly, who frowned in confusion. "christmas is in two days."

"i don't know, kid. a christmas tree wouldn't fit in our cabin." jim said, making el pout. "who told you about christmas trees?"

"steve." el responded, simply. "can he do it with us?"

"we'll see, kid, we'll see." hopper shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "but don't get your hopes up, we probably won't be able to. maybe next year, when we get a new house."

"next year?" el's eyes opened widely, and her eyes went from jim to steve, who raised his shoulders, and then back to jim. "but- i want a christmas tree this year." her eyes started to get watery, and her lower lip started to tremble as well.

"i'm sorry, kid, it's probably not the best idea right now. we can do cookies, though, and get fat together, doesn't that sound good?"

"i guess." el shrugged. "what about steve?"

"he can cook with us, if he wants to." the pair turned to said boy. "today, at my house, at six?"

"i probably won't be able to, mike needed me for something at his house." steve said, and kneeled in front of eleven when he noticed the way she lowered her head. "hey, i can go tomorrow, watch tv and maybe play something, okay?"

"okay." she was sad, jim and steve could tell. but how could she not? her past christmases she didn't even know what that was, and now, in her first actual christmas, she wouldn't be able to do anything normal people do with their families.

"goodbye, steve." jim waved, before opening the door of the police station and exiting, followed by el.

"what did you even need me for?"