Work Text:
Will, Mike and El were all piled into El’s bedroom to watch a movie. They were lying on their stomachs on the floor, Will was in between them.
They were doing an Alfred Hitchcock rewatch. Earlier they had finished North By Northwest and the Birds. Right now, they were watching Psycho. A very fitting move marathon in the rain.
“It’s so creepy how he wears her clothes and tries to be her,” El shivered, snuggling into her brother.
Will nodded. “Yup. Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery.”
Just then, El’s new cat Simba crawled up next to them. She had begged their parents for a pet when they got back to Hawkins. Joyce was reluctant at first, but said that the two of them had to be responsible. Both El and Will were excited for the responsibility.
Smiling, Will pet the little tiger coated cat. “I love you, baby.”
“You called someone else ‘baby,’ and I don’t like it,” Mike whined.
Will rolled his eyes. “It’s a cat, Mike.”
“I’m still really jealous,” Mike informed him, earning a soft kiss on his lips.
Then, there was a racket coming from El’s bedroom window. As they turned their heads to see what it was, the window bursted open and a drenched Max climbed into the room.
“What happened?” Will asked, standing up.
El got up too, and helped her brother walk Max to sit on the bed. Mike was standing too, now.
“My mom,” Max choked out. “She left.”
“What do you mean, left?” Mike asked.
“She took off,” Max continued. “She left a note saying I needed to figure my own shit out.”
Mike, Will and El looked at each other in confusion.
“She just left?” Mike asked.
Max nodded. “Earlier, tonight.”
“Weren't you on a date with Lucas?” El asked.
“Yeah,” Max breathed. “Anniversary date.”
Max started to cry, harder. Life hadn’t been very kind to her.
“Well, you can’t stay there alone,” Will told her.
“We have to tell Mom and Dad,” El breathed. “They’ll know what to do.”
The four of them made their way into the living room to find Joyce and Hopper watching tv.
“Mom, Dad,” Will got their attention.
They looked up to see Max still drenched.
“Sweetheart, what happened?” Joyce asked, pulling Max down beside her. “You’re all wet. Let me get a towel.”
As she left to get a towel, Hopper instructed the kids to sit on the couch. Joyce reentered the room with a towel, and draped it around Max.
“What the hell happened?” Hopper asked.
“Max’s mom skipped town,” Will explained. “She can’t live in that trailer alone.”
“She certainly can’t,” Joyce agreed.
“Can she move in with us?” El asked, hopefully. “She can sleep in my room.”
Joyce and Hopper looked at each other. They all knew the answer would be no. But, it didn’t hurt to ask.
“You kids are the sweetest,” Joyce smiled. “But, Hopper and I barely make enough money to support the four of us. So, we can’t take Max in permanently. However, you are welcome to stay here until we figure something out.”
Then, Hopper stood up and grabbed his coat. “I’m gonna head to the station and see if I can’t track your mom down for some answers. We’re not gonna let you end up on the street, kid,” he patted her head before leaving.
-
The next day, the gang were all congregating in Mike’s basement to discuss Max’s situation.
“I mean, she could stay with me,” Dustin said. “But, my mom can only afford me.”
“She can’t stay with us,” Lucas sighed. “My parents would never allow it.”
Mike scoffed. “Don’t they already know you’re doing it?”
“Mom and Dad are hopefully optimistic,” Erica chimed in.
“I have an idea,” Will said. “But, someone is gonna choose jail over this option,” Will looked at his boyfriend.
Mike shook his head. “No. No way. I already have two sisters. I don’t need another one.”
“Please,” El begged.
“She’s still 16,” Lucas pointed out. “Which means she’ll be put in the foster system.”
Mike and Max looked at each other. Neither of them really wanted this. But if Max was moved out of Hawkins, Lucas and El would never forgive him.
Mike sighed, and extended his arm. Max immediately hugged him.
“Nothing's gonna happen to you,” Mike assured her. “I won’t let it.”
Just then, Karen came down the stairs. “Oh, my God. Are we in a parallel universe? You two never get along.”
The pair broke apart and turned to her.
“Mom, I need a favor,” Mike said. “Well, Max needs a favor.”
“I heard,” Karen said. “Joyce just called me. Max, you’re staying here.”
For the first time in 24 hours, Max smiled. Karen scooped her up in her arms.
“Thank you,” Max breathed. “Thank you, so much.”
-
Later that night, Max was unpacking her bags in Nancy’s room. It was a bit too girly for her liking, so she had some messing up to do with it. But, it would work.
“How long have you been standing there?” She turned around to see Mike leaning against the open door frame.
“Long enough to know you have a serious thing for Ralph Macchio,” he teased, pointing to her Karate Kid shrine.
She flipped him off with no hesitation. He gladly returned the gesture.
“Thanks,” she said. “That was really cool of you.”
Mike nodded. “Well, if I didn’t, Will would have gate kept me from kissing him for a year.”
Max chuckled. “I guess that’s true. But, I know some part of you means it. So, thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Mike said. “Sleep with one eye open, okay?”
Max rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who needs to sleep with one eye open. You’ll never see my pranks coming. And Will’s on team ‘Zoomer.’ So, he could literally get you in your sleep and you wouldn’t see it coming.”
“Are you declaring a prank war, Zoomer?” Mike crossed his arms.
“What if I am?”
“I think team ‘Training Wheels’ has got you beat.
Max scoffed. “We’ll see about that, tricycle.”
“It is so on,” Mike held his hand out.
Max shook it with a smirk, causing Mike to scrunch his face in disgust.
“Ew,” he pulled his hand back. “What the fuck is that?”
“Vaseline,” Max said, proudly. “I was just about to put some on my lips when you came in here. You’re such an easy target. Zoomer, one.”
“Oh, you’re going down,” Mike declared.
“I look forward to it,” Max laughed.