ᵖᵃʳᵗ ¹⁰ - ʜᴀʟғᴡᴀʏ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ
❛ ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ sᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ ❜
It was currently nighttime, Ven was sitting on the couch flipping through pages of a random book Hopper gave him as El was in her room.
It had been a year since that night in the woods. Hopper had taken the kids to his cabin where they now lived with him.
At first, it was chaos, Hopper not really knowing how to take care of two now 13-year olds; he still really doesn't.
Seven found it amusing though but still decided he wouldn't give the man a hard time.
The boy could hear static coming from El's room, coming to the conclusion that she must be trying to talk to Mike.
Mike, Seven remembered when he said he would never miss the piece of shit, but since it's been so long since he last saw him, man....he really missed that piece of shit.
Ven glanced at the clock above where the tv would be--if El didn't take it--a frown on his face when he saw that it was 8:15.
He put the book down when he heard a faint voice in his head, looking towards the front door right as he heard a knock on it.
Knock knock...knock...knock knock knock.
Ven got up from the couch and ran over to the door, unlatching the multiple locks before opening the door revealing an exhausted-looking Hopper.
"Sup." the boy smiled at the man watching him take his hat off with a sigh.
Hopper put his hat on the hook handing on the wall before ruffling Ven's curly hair, "Hey, kid."
The man walked off to grab a glass of water with the boy plopping back on the couch watching Hopper chug it within seconds.
"Hey...what'd we talk about?" Hopper's stern voice echoed through the cabin.
Seven's eyes trailed to the plate of half-eaten waffles, cursing himself for not disposing of it since he knew El might get in trouble.
Seven got up and took a seat on one of the chairs surrounding the small dining table just big enough for 3 people, Hopper taking the seat across from where El and Ven normally sat.
"I tried to stop her but you know how she get's..." Seven shrugged, his finger tapping against the edge of the table.
"No signal." El's voice finally echoed from her room.
"What?" Hopper shouted back.
"No signal. eight - one - five, you're late."
"Yeah, I lost track of time. I'll signal next time, all right? And it's eight-fifteen not eight - one - five."
The girl came out of her room and took a seat next to Ven with a smile, looking at Hopper for confirmation. "Eight - fifteen."
Hopper nodded, rolling up his sleeves just above his elbows, setting them on each side of the dish in front of him. "Now what'd we talk about? Dinner first, then dessert. Always. That's a rule. Yeah?"
Eleven blushed in embarrassment, "Yes."
Seven nudged the girl giving her a knowing look that made her roll her eyes.
'Shut up' she thought making the boy chuckle before the little family began eating their dinner.
──
The next morning Seven was ready and dressed for the day, even had a little ghost pin on his plain shirt that Hopper gave him to wear for Halloween.
The boy was on his already made twin-sized bed, his back against the wall, once again reading his book only looking up when he heard his door open.
He let out a weird sound when he saw Eleven with a sheet on her head and to cutouts for eyes. "What are you wearing?"
"Costume." the girl stated, handing the boy a sheet that he could wear too, watching the boy stand up before pointing to his pin on his chest. "Ghost. Put it on."
Seven raised his brows, swallowing thickly, "Um no thanks."
The boy could faintly see the girl roll her eyes through the holes before she walked out of the room, the boy following behind her.
He sat at the dining table, watching in amusement as Eleven snuck behind Hopper, who was making breakfast.
Hopper turned to greet the kids but jumped back when he saw El right behind him. "Oh, Jesus!"
Seven had to bite his lip to hold in the laugh trying to escape, listening to Hopper try and calm himself in his head.
"Ghost." Was all El said.
Hopper grumbled and nodded, placing two plates on the table before grabbing the other one. "Yeah, I see that."
"Halloween."
"Sure is. But right now, it's breakfast, okay? Come on, let's eat." Hopper said placing his plate on the table and taking a seat, taking a bite out of the piece of bacon he picked up.
Eleven stood by the table, the sheet still on her head. "They won't see us."
"Who won't see you?" Hopper questioned, looking towards Seven for an answer but the boy was mid-bite, staring at the man with a piece of scrambled eggs hanging from his lip.
"The bad men." Eleven stated as if it was obvious.
"What are you talking about?" Hopper sighed.
"Trick or treat."
"You want to go trick or treating?" Hopper raised a brow, looking between the two, Eleven nodding excitedly while Seven just shrugged though he had a hopeful face.
"Yes, but--"
"So you know the answer is no." Hopper interrupted the girl.
"But they won't see us." She insisted.
"I don't care. You go out there, ghost or not, it's a risk. We don't take risks. Alright? They're stupid and..."
"We're not stupid." Seven and Eleven both said, the girl's words harsh while the boys were bored.
"Exactly."
El grumbled, pulling off the sheet on her head and sat down next to her brother and began eating.
Ven looked between Hopper and El, trying to ignore the awkward silence that loomed over them, the boy taking a sip of the orange juice that was sat out in front of him.
"Look, alright--" Hopper sighed, putting his cup of coffee down after taking a sip. "How about I get off early tonight, and I buy us a bunch of candy, and we can sit around and get fat, and we can watch a scary movie together? How's that for compromise?"
"C-compromise?" Eleven stopped twirling her fork between her fingers to squint at the man.
"C-O-M-promise. Compromise. How about that's your word for the day? Yeah? It's something that's kinda in-between. It's like halfway happy."
"By five-one-five?" Eleven questioned.
"Five-fifteen. Yeah, sure."
"Promise?"
Seven looked between the two a frown pulling at his lips, though he quickly dismissed it.
"Yes, I promise."
"Halfway happy." Ven mumbled, El giving the boy a confused glance though Hopper didn't pay any mind, not hearing the boy's words.
──