C H A P T E R   T H I R T Y - S I X

" NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS " 

ITS ADORABLE.
i hope you guys
like this one 🥺❤️

ITS TIME, ITS THE ONE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AHHHH

| D E C E M B E R  31st , 1986 |

H a w k i n s , I n d i a n a

AS THE WORLD MOVED ON, so did Y/N.
After taking control and absorbing the mind flayer's conscience and essence to combine with herself, she felt more powerful than ever, yet oddly rejuvenated and at peace. It was a calming combination, and one that she felt she would have to grow accustomed to.

For the past couple days, she had been conveniently avoiding Mike after telling him to give her more time, because she wanted to be sure she could get the Mind Flayer under control. Now, she had it locked up and subsided in her mind, and even better, she was in charge.

She wasn't flayer by him, she became one with him. And that was the answer all along.

But now that she had her powers and her mind's battles under control and solved, she didn't want to wait anymore. She knew how she felt about Mike, hell, she's known for years. And although at first she wasn't sure how Mike felt, he proved to her time and time again that he did, indeed, truly love her the same.

So, what was she waiting for now? Another excuse to back out of an extremely nerve wracking situation? Yes.

But she wanted to tell Mike she was ready. She was ready to open her heart again, her mind, her soul. She was willing to open up, and let Mike love her and as she wants to love Mike.

And that's what she planned on telling him. In some way. Some how. She hadn't worked out the details yet, but she knew one thing.

It was New Year's Eve, and she knew they were all going to meet up at the lake next to Hopper's house to watch the fireworks and set off poppers.

Y/N would tell Mike how she feels, tonight.

The time for Mike and the gang's arrival was fast approaching as she changed into clothes that hadn't been lounge wear like she's been wearing 90% of the time. She wanted to have fun again, she wanted to move on from the traumatic time of her life she had endured just a few weeks ago.

It was obvious that Hopper was doing his best to move on, and it was working, because he's been so happy with Joyce. Y/N had a good feeling about those two, knowing she hadn't seen her father this genuinely happy in a long time. She could only hope she found the same
thing with Mike; she knew she would.

"Y/N, let's go, they're here!" Hopper called out from the living room, making Y/N frantic to finish.

Y/N groomed her now short hair, changing into an nice but casual change of clothes before putting her dirtied Nike shoes on. She took a look at herself in the mirror, before turning to walk across her room to meet her father in the living room. She saw everyone standing around, about to walk outside in the dark of night to head over to the lake by their house.

Her eyes skipped from El, to the party, to Joyce who stood by Hopper's side, and then finally, to Mike. Mike was the closest one to her door, standing as if he wanted to casually bump into her. Y/N met Mike's eyes as he smiled softly, his hands in his jean jacket pockets.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, before someone else filled it with words.

"Alright, let's get going." Hopper announced, leading the whole group outside of the cabin. The group followed behind him and Joyce, everyone conversing amongst themselves as they approached the immediate lake next to the cabin.

It was calming to hear the rippling currents against the shallow sand shore, just as it always was when Y/N was a child. The group made their way down the boardwalk that led into the water, giving them a better view of the open night sky to view New Year's firework show.

Bundled up in coats and blankets, everyone situated themselves to prepare for the fireworks to ring in the new year, because boy did they need a fresh start. Y/N stood with her hands in her coat pockets, staring up at the sky in its own blanket of infinite stars. She hoped next year would be a bette one, a normal one because she's now ensured the safety of the town of Hawkins.

She felt a presence stand next to her, his shoulder touching hers as they stood next to each other. Mike glanced at her, quickly averting his gaze once Y/N turned to look at him. It was a bit of a silent shy game, taking turns admiring the other person without meeting each other's eyes.

Y/N noticed that Mike did something different with his hair, letting it grow a bit longer without making it straight. She liked him without the bowl cut, because now she could see that his hair was actually curly sometimes.
He looked good. His hair kind of reminded her of David Bowie, but he still looked good.

"I like what you did with your hair." She spoke finally and smiled subtly, returning her gaze to the river as Mike turned to look at her.

"Thanks, I'm trying out something new." He shrugged shyly, his hands in his pockets of his jean jacket.

The river tossed below them quietly, the murmurs and small talk of the rest of the party added to the background noise.

Y/N nodded, staring up at the sky without looking back at Mike. "Kinda reminds me of David Bowie."

Mike chuckled, shaking his head. "You just couldn't let me have this, could you?"

Y/N smirked knowingly, turning to look at him. "You know I had to."

Y/N couldn't help it. Her eyes lost their concentration as she found it harder to form clear thoughts while she locked eyes with Mike. The close proximity between the two was undeniably distracting, their breaths becoming heavier as they felt that they knew exactly what would happen if they stayed like this.

A single strand of Mike's longer curls fell over his face, and instinctively, Y/N reached up to push the curl up and out of the way for her to admire Mike's features. Mike seemed to be doing the same, a soft smile appearing on his face as he reached to hold her hand gently as it lingered about his face.

Y/N felt butterflies swarm her stomach at his touch, her insides absolutely melting as their stares had such power over the other. It was as if they were communicating everything they wanted to say just though their eyes and touch, but that wasn't enough.

She wanted to speak a thousand words, and Mike wanted to profess his love for her a thousand more times, if it meant that they could be together.

Tell him, tell him, tell him. She repeated to herself, wanting to tell him just how much she loved him back.

But sometimes, actions speak louder than words ever can.

And it was a blanket full of stars above them, that Y/N cautiously leaned up, her eyes locked with Mike's nervous ones as their lips finally touched.

They kissed. It was simple, it was bliss.

Y/N had never in a million years felt such content in kissing someone than she did with Mike, and it was well worth the wait.

Mike hadn't felt such a thrill, such a rush, from kissing anyone else before. Not even El could compare to the way he felt with Y/N.

Their lips danced softly together for the first time, a long awaited rekindling had finally come to pass. Their first kiss together.

They pulled away slowly, as if to process what just happened. It was everything they hoped for and more, leaving a buzz of adrenalin coursing through their bodies and a tint of rosy blushing cheeks.

"Mike.." Y/N breathed, trying to catch her breath because it had been taken away quite literally. "I have to tell you something." She placed her hands to his jacketed chest, something she always did when they were kids when they hugged, a gesture of play fighting.

"The thing is.." Y/N began, looking up at Mike with obvious vulnerability in her darkened eyes as she stared at Mike's utterly loving ones. She gathered her composure, preparing her thoughts. Preparing her list of all the reasons she's in love with her best friend. If she ever had a doubt about the way Mike felt about Y/N, the speech he gave her a few days prior definitely sent those thoughts away.

She knew she was ready to open herself up again, and this time, she wasn't afraid.

"You're my best friend. You keep me grounded, you keep me sane with what little sanity I have left." She chuckled, her thoughts now spilling out in disorderly strands. Mike smiled softly at the sight of Y/N smiling, encouraging her to continue.

"You make me feel safe. And happy. Things I haven't felt in a while, ever since the facility. But with you, I feel again." Y/N smiled, as if realizing this all on the spot. She looked up at his eyes, seeing his own eyes serious and intently listening to her words.

The chattering of the group began as the countdown of the minute until midnight began.

"So I guess what I'm trying to say here is.."
Y/N paused, eyes flickering between both Mike's ember eyes that she's grown up with, and recalled the first time she ever met his gaze that day on the playground.

She remembered thinking he had the ugliest bowl cut, but the most mesmerizing chocolate eyes.

Mike remembered thinking she had the most
odd choice of playground equipment, but no doubt the prettiest eyes he's ever seen.

He's never seen such a sweet creature like Y/N, and even though he didn't realize it yet, he had instantly fallen for her alluring charm.

His heart was in her hands before they could even understand.

10..

And even now, they realized things hadn't changed much from that day. They're both still as unequivocally in love with each other.

9..

They know what makes the other laugh. They know each other's strengths, fears, weaknesses. Y/N is the only one that knows how to help him with panic attacks. Mike is the only one that knows that she secretly loves rom-com movies.

8..

Mike hates rom-com movies, but he'll watch them all day everyday if it meant spending time with Y/N.

Y/N hates staying after school for the AV club sometimes, but she'd stay for hours on end because she knew Mike loved it.

7..

They know each other. They care about each other. They'd walk through fire for each other.

Mike would travel to the upside down and back all over again if it meant saving her once more.

Y/N would repeat their awkward and emotionally painful middle school years of El's arrival all over again, if it meant that she and Mike got to this point in their friendship.

6..

If it meant making the other happy.

That's love. They're in love.

"I'm in love with you, Mike."

Y/N's eyes searched Mike's nervously for his reaction, her heart beating a million miles an hour.  The last time she uttered those words, her heart had been ripped out by Mike himself, so she was a bit weary.

5..

But once she saw Mike's eyes widen with hopeful surprise, he smiled widely. "Really?"

4..

Y/N smiled, shaking her head with disbelief. "I never stopped, you dingus." She joked, and Mike chuckled, missing her sense of humor so much.

3..

One of the many things he's fallen in love with about her.

He chuckled back, his eyes softening before growing calmly content with blissful rekindling of their feelings. "Me neither.."
He couldn't have been more ecstatic to know that Y/N finally felt trusted him and felt comfortable enough to profess her love.

2..

His eyes practically radiated his love for her, smiling softly as he simply admired his best friend in front of him.

He reached a hand to place it delicately to Y/N's cold cheek from the winter wind, blushing as she leaned into his touch after hesitance at first.

1..

His eyes flickered from hers to her lips, their  connection once again wanting to be fulfilled. His cheeks blushed, hoping he wasn't doing anything wrong, because he didn't want to get anything wrong with Y/N.

Y/N smiled softly at his cautiousness, but lifted her own hand to cradle his on her cheek, silently encouraging him to lean forward.

"Happy New Year!"

And so he did, leaning down to press his lips to Y/N's once again softly, sealing their professions with a dancing kiss. A kiss that had a new meaning because of their rekindling and clear feelings for one another as the new year rang in underneath the blanket of stars with the added spark of dazzling fireworks.

What a perfect way to ring in the new year, with a kiss that communicated all unspoken words they've wanted to say. With a lifelong bond worth of love to give to each other.

With a new chance to start a new beginning with each other's love as a strong foundation.

They smiled against each others teeth before pulling away, leaning their foreheads together as if to send a silent thought to communicate feelings instead of using words.

They had been so lost in each other's presence, that they hadn't even noticed the commotion happening around them. There was no hoots and hollers like it was supposed to be customary to ringing in the new year all while watching the colorful fireworks.

No, the gang all stood and watched the fireworks silently with cautious yet hopeful eyes at the start of a new year.

They held each other for comfort with weak smiles on their faces. Lucas held Max at his side, Hopper and Joyce pulled away from their New Years kiss, to then hold each other in their arms. El, Dustin, and Will all had their arms around each other's shoulders, watching the colorful sparks in the sky.

There was a sort of silent understanding, as if everyone was watching the fireworks with the hopeful notion that things would get better with the new year. Because with a new year, comes new beginnings, and that's all they could ever ask for.

Mike and Y/N turned to look up at the fireworks, and because they knew they would be uneasy with the sound of fireworks because of what happened at the Starcourt Mall, they held onto each other. Mike wrapped a comforting arm around Y/N, holding her as she leaned into his side, her head leaning against his shoulder while she hugged him.

As the colors splattered across the sky, Y/N turned to look at her father, seeing him watch the sky as he held Joyce in his arms. He caught her stare, sending her a soft smile as she smiled back.

Hopper hadn't seen Y/N this happy since she was younger in her first years of middle school before El, and Y/N hadn't seen her father this happy since Joyce agreed to go on a date with him. They were happy to see each other happy.

Because for the first time in years, they were all genuinely happy.

Because for the first time in years, Y/N had been at peace with herself, with her friends, and with her father.

⋆

Author's Note :

MY HEART IS FULL.. IM SO HAPPY THEY FINALLY KISSED AND ARE GOING TO BE A NEW COUPLE STARTING TJE NEW YEAR RIGHT DJDJDKFNMS

also.. we hit 100k, WTF?? thank you all so fucking much, it means the world to me that you all read and actually like my shit writing 😭❤️

N E X T  C H A P T E R ( last one ) :
(This one will be the epilogue!! )
-MIKE & Y/N FLUFF

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what do you think about all this ??

PUBLISHED
December 22, 2020
at 11:32 PM

2692 words

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