Pregnancy in the Upside Down

Prompt: Stranger things fanfiction eleven tells Mike she’s pregnant and he’s the father

There was a chill in the air as the sun began to set over Hawkins, Indiana. The sky, a canvas of orange and purple, cast long shadows over the small group of friends gathered at their usual spot—the old, dilapidated fort near the woods. Laughter and the sound of banter filled the space, but beneath it all, an undercurrent of unease hummed, almost like a distant echo of something lurking just beyond their grasp. Eleven, a girl with a past as enigmatic as the town itself, sat apart from the group, her brow furrowed in thought, as she twisted a loose strand of hair around her finger. Mike, her closest friend (and something more), had just told a story about their latest adventure battling Demogorgons, complete with exaggerated motions that had everyone in stitches. Though she found joy in the laughter, Eleven's mind was elsewhere, caught in a maelstrom of emotions that she could neither ignore nor fully understand. It was a secret she was carrying—heavy and profound, grounding her even as the world seemed to spiral around them. As the sun dipped below the horizon, colors shifting rapidly into twilight, Eleven felt the weight of uncertainty pressing on her chest. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to tell Mike. “Hey, Mike, can we talk?” she finally said, her voice barely breaking through the fading laughter. He paused, concern flashing across his features. “Sure, El. What’s up?” He led her away from the group, their friends’ chatter fading behind them as they made their way deeper into the woods. Once they reached a small clearing, illuminated only by the waning light of the day, Eleven's heart raced. The moment felt monumental, the air thick with tension. She could feel the pulse of her surroundings, an instinct she had developed from navigating the complexities of both her powers and her emotions. “What’s wrong?” Mike asked, his expression shifting toward worry. He leaned in closer, urging her to share whatever was troubling her. Eleven hesitated, her thoughts spinning. She could feel the child growing inside her, a life that was the ultimate manifestation of love and fear, hope and uncertainty. It was a part of her, a blend of her powers and Mike’s human nature. And telling him would unravel the quiet facade she had worked so hard to maintain. “Mike,” she began, her voice trembling. “I need to tell you something important. Something that will change everything.” He searched her eyes, searching for clarity, but he only found swirling depths of emotion. “You can tell me anything, El. You know that.” She took a deep breath, centering herself. “I’m… pregnant. And you’re the father.” Silence enveloped them, the chirping of crickets a distant reminder of life continuing around them. Mike’s eyes widened, the pieces of the puzzle he had never considered falling into place, his mind racing to catch up with the reality of her words. “Pregnant?” he echoed, disbelief written across his face. “But—how? When?” Eleven looked down at the ground beneath her, gathering her thoughts. “I don’t know exactly. But I felt it. I thought it was just—all the feelings at first. But then I knew, Mike. I could sense it.” She looked back up at him, tears glistening in those dark eyes that he had loved since they were children. “I didn’t want to tell you this way, but I didn’t know how. I thought you should hear it from me.” As the enormity of the revelation sunk in, Mike stepped back, his hands planting firmly on his hips as the gravity of the situation crashed over him. “This is… a lot, El. I mean, I’m only fourteen. We’re teenagers—and monsters are still a part of our lives. How are we supposed to handle this?” Eleven felt her throat tighten. “I don’t know. But I’m scared, Mike. I never asked for this. We fought for our lives. We fought for a normal life. I wanted to be a regular girl, go to school, laugh with friends, maybe a little romance.” The whirlwind of her thoughts erupted like a storm, emotions flooding in waves. “And now… it feels like it’s all slipping away.” Mike’s face softened as he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her. “We’ll figure it out. We always do. You’re not alone in this. I’m here for you, El. No matter what.” “But what if I can’t do it?” Eleven whispered, pulling away to catch his gaze. “What if I can’t be a good mother? What if it happens again—what if the Upside Down wants to take this away from me too?” Mike cupped her face, his thumb brushing away a tear. “You’re strong, El. Stronger than anyone I know. We’ve faced worse things together. If we work together, we can get through this. I promise you.” He paused, searching her eyes for reassurance. “If this is what we have to fight for now, then we will. We can’t run from this, or from each other.” Though the fear still clung to Eleven like an unwanted shadow, a flicker of hope ignited within her. This was a new battle, one where she wouldn’t stand alone. Her heart swelled with a warmth she had longed for through the bleakness of her past. “I—I want to try,” she finally admitted, her voice steadier. “But I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you.” “You won’t lose me, El,” he swore, holding her gaze with everything he had. “We’ll face whatever comes our way, together.” As they stood there in the wild, among the whispers of the trees and the soft glow of starlight that began to fill the sky, Eleven felt a flicker of something miraculous beneath her fear. She still had questions, trepidations, and uncertainties, but she also had Mike, her anchor in a tumultuous world. Together, they would confront the darkness, armed not just with love but the promise of a new beginning.