you're my safe place ~ MILEVEN ONE SHOTS~

Take Care Of You

(I hope you guys are ready for some emotion! This has a lot of mileven fluff but also focuses on Hop and Mike - the best duo in my eyes)

There is something important to realize about photo frames. 

They come in different shapes and sizes, adorned with patterns and words to catch the eye - perhaps to draw the eyes away from what truly matters. Because after all, they are simply used to distract from the picture inside. They are relied upon to make boring pictures appear interesting, to add some kind of sparkle or splash of color, always matching the curtains and wallpaper - so that the image is disguised as perfection. It is a rather sad thought, when most of the time, the picture-perfect tagline is merely a facade. 

At first Mike didn't notice the significance of photo frames, simply scraping through life by his teeth so that he would please those around him. He had grown up knowing that families were complicated, that they were never perfect but always loved each other underneath. It was only until he started growing up that he realized it, brought back to the moment before Will's funeral where his Dad tightened his black tie a little too tight - perhaps hoping that it would toughen up his weak son. Or perhaps it was whenever his Mom shook her head with a dazed look, pretending to understand whenever he talked to her about his campaigns, practically counting down the minutes until she could reach for the phone to make a call. It was every single time he felt like an alien within his own family, stuck on the outside as if he was looking in through a window. Throughout his teenage years, he noticed the small details : how the family photographs were encased with rich dark wood or shining metal, all polished weekly by his Mom so that there were no smudges or stains. It was something that made his shoulders droop more with each passing day - that perhaps they were just a perfect-picture after all. 

"It's the Indiana State Competition!" he reminded her, eyes wide with excitement as he rambled on, a new kind of fire within his veins. "I-It's more than just Hawkins, El!"

She squeezed his hand. "But you're going to win."

"R-Really?" he asked in a hesitant voice, eyes flickering with hope. "You think so?"

She nodded. "I know so."

"B-But what if the model breaks...or if the judges just aren't impressed? What if someone else has the same idea and we both show it? Oh god...y-you don't think that could happen do you? I mean, they wouldn't let either of us win if it is too similar and I-"

"Mike" her eyes twinkled, "I believe in you."

It was the most beautiful sight that she had ever seen, his cheeks flushed with so much excitement that she could hardly make out his freckles, teeth chewing on his lower lip nervously as he squeezed her hand. She could tell how anxious he was, how willing to prove himself to everyone and she simply wish that he knew how extraordinary he was - just by being himself. He proved himself to her every single day, never letting the sixteen year old experience a single day where she did not feel loved and cared for. And somehow in that moment she knew that she would always believe in him, no matter who they were or where - she would always be rooting for him. Whenever he rambled on about science competitions or computer engineering that she had no knowledge of, she would nod along obediently and smile when his voice raised - because if it was important to him, then it was important to her. 

He tried his best to smile throughout the day, even sending her a painfully forced grin when he walked up the stairs to receive his award. El clapped until her hands hurt, arms above her head but they felt heavy when she saw the disappointment within his eyes. She knew him better than anyone and he could never fool her, not when his dark eyes flickered around every corner of the crowd, filled with hopes that were soon crushed.