The dawn felt rougher than bedtime.
Cold light poked through the clouds, jolting Eli up under the shelter's edge. A crick in his spine nagged after dozing curled on the seat, while frosty air locked his hands up tight. He froze - no clue at first where he'd landed. Then bits of yesterday stitched themselves together
Hawkins - where things start quiet. Then, outta nowhere, chaos kicks in. Not long before it all falls apart.
He gasped, air spilling out unevenly.
He checked left then right - just trees, wet pavement, maybe silence too heavy to name. Not a sound, not a soul. Like the air itself was waiting.
"Alright," he said under his breath. "Time to figure this out."
The System gave another soft pulse, with tiny blue words twitching at the edge of his sight.
Quest Active: Find Safety
Goal: Find some place safe - or someone reliable you can count on.
Reward: +5 EXP
He wiped his eyes. "Sure, sure, I get it."
He wanted warmth - something to eat. Someone grown-up who wouldn't haul him off in a van or grill him with questions. Still, roaming Hawkins like a clueless kid with no excuse? That wouldn't work either.
Telling the truth just wasn't possible.
Hey, I come from a different world - on top of that, the timeline's ready to collapse.
Yeah. No.
He grabbed his stolen blanket - a soggy ad poster pulled from behind the bus shelter - brushed away grime, then headed into town. Each footfall cracked through the quiet. Not even birds stirred at this hour.
Hawkins Police Station was just down the road. That much Eli knew from watching - tiny place where every spot sat within walking distance, weather aside. Right about now? Options were running thin.
If someone had to track him down, Hopper was a safer bet than just any grown-up showing up - might report things to social services or start grilling him with endless questions he couldn't even begin to answer.
He moved at a slow pace, eyes on the ground, acting like just another student heading to class before sunrise. Perhaps that would stop folks from gawking.
Yet when he moved nearer the middle of town, folks started waking up. One runner passed by. Then a man delivering papers. Lights blinked awake in Melvald's shop. Meanwhile, the cop building sat further off, wedged next to a small eating spot.
Eli swallowed.
Here goes nothing.
He never made it to the entrance.
Hopper walked out, holding a coffee cup, wiping his eyes like he barely got any sleep. In person, he seemed larger - wider shoulders, thicker frame, worn-out look. Dark circles hung under his eyes, plus he favored his left leg when walking.
Eli froze.
Hopper spotted him right away - cop's gut feeling. His face changed slightly, almost like a twitch. Though not much, it was enough to catch attention.
"…You lost, kid?"
His voice sounded just like Eli recalled - gritty, low, tired.
Eli tried to speak - yet his voice stuck. The words he'd practiced faded fast.
Hopper moved a bit nearer. Not pushy - more like careful. "How much time you spent out here?"
Eli stared at the ground. "Um… I - I don't… I woke up outside of town."
It wasn't exactly lying. But most of what was true? Left out on purpose.
Hopper put down his cup. "Out past the city limits - by yourself?"
Eli nodded.
Hopper sighed. "Alright. Come inside. We'll warm you up."
The tightness in Eli's chest eased - slightly.
The System let out a quiet beep.
Quest Complete: Find Safety
Reward Granted: +5 EXP
New Passive Unlocked: Calming Presence (Lv.1)
Your calm way of acting makes grown-ups feel a bit more comfortable.
Eli stayed calm on the outside, yet amusement bubbled up within. That ability - helpful when blending in. Exactly what he needed.
The place felt cozy, like those aged spots where you smell coffee mixed with dusty books. Hopper led the guy toward a tiny lounge tucked off to the side.
"Sit," he said, gesturing to a chair. "You look like you slept in a freezer."
Eli took a seat. Meanwhile, Hopper filled his mug with steaming cocoa from a gadget that seemed to predate either of their lifetimes.
"What's your name?"
There it stood - the instant things might fall apart.
"...Eli," he whispered. Not loud - just quiet-like. Eli Navarro - that's the name."
"Where're your parents?"
Eli hesitated. "I… don't know."
Hopper held his gaze a moment - like a cop sizing someone up, hunting for dishonesty. Meanwhile, Eli worked on keeping his breath even.
Calming Presence was likely helping, since Hopper finally exhaled slowly while wiping his brow.
"Alright. We'll figure this out. But first, you need to warm up. And eat something."
Eli gave a quick nod. As if holding on for dear life, his fingers clung to the steaming cup.
Hopper yanked a cabinet door wide, grabbing a crumpled packet of stale powdered donuts. "Ain't fancy food - though beats going hungry any day."
Eli grabbed it without a sound.
Here I am, munching on old donuts - kinda weird, kinda dreamy. Him right there, facing me. Just Hopper, no title, nothing heavy yet. Not the man he'll become later. Back before pain piled up, before battles started, before that dark world showed up, before grief knocked him down.
Hopper hadn't become that guy Eli saw on screen - not quite. Still, you could spot him. Worn out, rough around the edges, though deep down solid.
Eli needed to watch himself - getting close too soon could backfire.
Even worse - tweak it way too much.
After sixty seconds passed, Hopper took the seat opposite once more.
"You said you woke up outside town. You remember anything before that?"
"Just… walking. I think. And being tired."
He shook his head. "Everything else is kinda fuzzy."
Hopper frowned, clearly concerned. "Could be shock. Could be trauma. Happens sometimes." He scratched his beard. "Any family you can call?"
Eli moved his head from side to side.
"Anyone who might be looking for you?"
"…I don't think so."
It felt like the least risky reply. Just not the kind he enjoyed saying.
Hopper sighed again. "Alright. We'll run your name, see if anything comes up. For now, you stay here where it's warm."
He got up to go - then stopped right there, glancing back at Eli, his face calmer now.
"You did the right thing coming here."
Eli sensed a tug inside his ribs - odd blend of thankfulness but also shame.
"Thanks," he whispered.
As Hopper went into the hall to phone someone, Eli sat staring at the table. He carefully pulled a donut in half - just so his hands wouldn't tremble.
He was safe now - no direct threat left.
He had a place to stay. Plus, he was safe. Besides that, an adult looked after him.
He finished his first mission.
This world... this version of things... it wasn't sturdy. A single slip in what he said might shift where Hopper looked, twist his thoughts on Will vanishing, even decide which people stayed alive or ended up gone.
Eli exhaled shakily.
He needed to fit in. Yet he also kept a low profile.
He needed to remain at twelve.
"Hey," came a voice near the door.
Hopper leaned in. "We've got no matches on your name so far. But I'm not gonna toss you out. Social services opens in a couple hours. Until then, you can sit tight. Maybe get some sleep on the couch."
Eli gave a small nod, hoping his relief didn't show too much.
Hopper's tone softened again. "You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you."
A soft bell sound rang out.
System Notice
Emotional Stability Restored
Minor Stat Boost Applied: +1 WILL
Eli nearly grinned at his cup.
Perhaps the world hadn't decided to break him - just not today.
Yet things still weren't over for him.
He dropped onto the couch in the station's front room. Not cozy - yet next to the icy seat outside, it seemed like paradise.
He shut his eyes.
Stay awake - not to drift off. Simply to feel air move in and out.
Yet sleep showed up - thick, quick. It crashed down without warning.
He opened his eyes when shouting started down the hall.
" - no, he's not in any danger, Flo - "
"Well, what if he's lying, Hop? Kids run away - "
"This one didn't. He looks like he hasn't eaten in days."
Eli pushed himself up, eyes flickering open.
Hopper noticed and lowered his voice. "Hey. Everything's fine. Just Flo being Flo."
A moment later, Hopper turned back to him. "Social services can't see you till this afternoon. But until then, you're with us."
"Alright," Eli murmured under his breath.
Hopper paused, considering him. "You said you don't remember much. But… do you remember being hurt? Anyone hurting you?"
"No."
Too quick.
Hopper lifted an eyebrow.
Eli tried again. "I don't think so. I just… remember being somewhere else. And then waking up here."
It wasn't false - just not what Hopper would believe. Instead, it was something he couldn't handle.
The sheriff nodded slowly. "Well, we'll figure this out. Hawkins isn't big. It's not easy for a kid to slip through unnoticed."
Eli nodded.
Yet strangely, that's just what he had to manage.
Stay unnoticed.
Stay harmless.
Stay alive.
The day dragged by, heavy with heat, chit-chat, forms to fill - then more sitting around. Hopper left him alone after that, something Eli was glad about, though he wouldn't say why. Each passing hour kept him just slightly more at ease.
Yet staying safe wasn't the same as being steady.
This world was moving fast into disorder.
One way or another, he'd run into the kids. Then there's Eleven - she was part of it too. What came next tore Hawkins wide open.
Yet that might hold off.
Right then, he felt warm - just a scrap of blanket. There was shelter, though, some place with doors that shut tight.
Right now, at least, he was able to take a breath.
In silence, the System whispered its last message:
New Quest Unlocked:
Find a Place to Belong
Goal: blend into Hawkins while keeping events on track.
Reward: +10 EXP, +1 Hidden Attribute
Eli squinted at the bright words on the screen.
A spot where you fit in.
He couldn't remember if it'd happened earlier.
Yet perhaps - just perhaps - he might finally make it happen.
Take it slow. One moment at a time.