Fans have been wanting Mike and Eleven together since the very first moment they met in the first season of Stranger Things. Their sweet kiss at the Snowball dance at the end of season 2 was just the beginning. When season 3 starts, Mike and Eleven are a full-on couple. Like the teenagers that they are, they can’t keep their hands off each other. They sneak kisses in El’s bedroom while a concerned Hopper is just outside the door.
Hopper decides to intimidate Mike a little bit so he doesn’t get too close to El and it works. Mike’s fear of Hopper and his little white lie about Nana being sick costs him his relationship. When he continues to lie about Nana, Eleven breaks up with him. “I dump your ass,” she says to him before walking away with Max.
Mike admits that he’s in love with El during a heated fight with Max. Mike is against El using her powers to try and stop the Mind Flayer, while Max thinks Mike shouldn’t have a say in El’s limits. He thinks everyone is being careless about El’s powers. “You’re treating her like some kind of machine when she’s not a machine and I don’t want her to die looking for the flayed when they’ve obviously vanished off the face of the Earth,” Mike says. “So can we please come up with a new plan because I love her and I can’t lose her again!”
Eleven is in the other room, but she hears Mike’s confession. However, because he’s a teenage boy, he’s not upfront about his feelings to her face later on. Mike is constantly by Eleven’s side as they take down the monster created by the Mind Flayer. They’re officially back together just as the Byers leave Hawkins with El. Mike and Eleven plan to stay in touch constantly and spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas together.
El subtly brings up Mike’s feelings for her but he gets nervous once again. Eleven takes the lead and says, “Mike, I love you, too.” They share sweet kisses before El heads out with the Byers. Mike and Eleven went to hell and back in season 3, but now they’re stronger than ever.