Okay so this may have some Mileven in it but I wanted to focus on Hopper and El's father-daughter relationship.  I was randomly watching videos where like kids will ask their parents to adopt them (like on Christmas and stuff) and this came to mind.  Also note that I do not know how this stuff truly works so just go along with it a'ight?

It was Christmas morning and the entire party was spending it at the Byers house.  Joyce had gone all out decorating the house with everything glittering and glowing.

The party sat around the tree after exchanging gifts.  El sat straight as a pole with nerves buzzing on all ends as she fiddled with a heart necklace, with the words Mike + El, 353 days and forever etched into it, that Mike had given her.  Mike sensed her nervousness and gently put a hand on her leg in an effort to calm her.  He knew exactly why she was worried.  She'd had him come with her and Joyce to work out the present she was going to give Hopper.

To say El was terrified would be like calling the Upside Down paradise.

What if he didn't want to adopt her?

She'd never had a true parent figure in her life until she met Hopper.  He took her in as his own.  He gave her eggos and taught her new words everyday.  He would watch soap operas with her even though he made comments on how "unrealistic" it all was.  He helped her get ready for the snowball and gave her the special blue bracelet she never took off.  Even if he kept her away from Mike for so long, she forgave him.  She knew he was protecting her.  She knew he'd always protect her.  And besides Mike, he was her favorite person in the whole world.

"Alright, did anyone have one last present to give?" Joyce asked, giving El an encouraging glance.

She took a deep and shaken sigh, "Me." She said, trying to keep the nervous tremble out of her voice.

She picked up a box all done up in messy Star Wars themed wrapping paper that could have only been wrapped by her judging from the amount of tape randomly placed all over it and 3 separate bows (one green, one red and one white.  Christmas colors is what she had said when Joyce asked her about the bows)

The entire week leading up to Christmas, El had done her very best to hide the box.  She had shoved it far under her bed and beneath a blanket.  She'd check on it every night and every morning to make sure it was still there.  When coming over to the Byers today, she hid it with the gifts she'd gotten for everyone else.

El gave Hopper the box with a nervous smile and he ruffled her curly hair.

She took a deep breath watching him open it, as well as Joyce and Mike holding their breaths as well.

Hopper pulled out an envelope, raising an eyebrow.

"O-Open it." El whispered.

Carefully Hopper opened the envelope and felt tears come to his eyes as he read the paper.

"A-All you have to do i-is sign. . ." El said, tracing patterns on the floor with her foot and not meeting his gaze, "Will you- will you adopt me?"

He's crying.  He doesn't want to adopt me.

"I've been waiting to for so long."

El's head snapped up at Hopper's shakey voice and he gave her the brightest smile she'd seen.

"Do you think El Hopper sounds good?"

El just laughed and ran forward to hug him tightly.  He hugged her back, rocking them both side to side as he felt tears fall.  He saw the small bead on the blue bracelet shimmer in the sun from the window and held her tighter.

The party was now cheering and Mike gave Joyce a thumbs up with the biggest grin.  Joyce was wiping her own tears away and smiling.

"I love you Dad." El whispered, feeling tears fall down her cheeks.

Dad.  He was going to be a dad.  Forever.

"I love you too kid," Hopper whispered back, kissing her head, "Merry Christmas."

•

So, I almost started crying writing that.  I think having Hopper be El's father was one of the best decisions on the show tbh and once we get Jopper cannon this is going to be even better😭 Anyways, hope you liked!

~ ky