Chapter Text
“Knock knock.”
“Knock knock?”
Dustin was about to continue the joke before realizing that Eleven misunderstood the concept already. He sighed, scratching his head.
“Okay, let me just-Let me explain this first.”
It was the night they found Eleven again. She was shivering, she was tired, and she was weak after defeating a battalion of baby Demogorgons that had spawned all over town throughout the sewage system. Everyone was covered in slime, blood, and bruises, but they were alive; they had managed to bring Eleven back from the Land of the Dead through a risky opportunity at creating a rift using the technology the bad men had used to create one in the first place. Dustin was trying to distract her as he, Lucas, and Will waited for Mike to come back with Nancy and Jonathan, who were taking care of the straggling baby Demogorgons that refused to give up so easily.
Mike had yet to see Eleven; he was the one who volunteered to fight the first stream of baby Demogorgons that threatened to disrupt the process of opening another rift.
“If we get her back, keep her happy. Keep her alive, and keep her smiling,” Mike had panted out, clasping Dustin’s shoulder before rushing after his sister, dragging along his baseball bat out of the building.
So here she was, after making every single one of the hell spawn that had erupted in town burst in ash as she had their parent. She was wrapped in a blanket, and Dustin and Lucas had an arm around her each, uncaring of the “cooties” they were so worried about catching just a year earlier. With a protective circle around her and a haste reintroduction to Will, Dustin was doing his best to make Eleven smile. He flicked a ball of goo out of her hair, not failing to notice that it had grown to her chin, a curtain of light brown hiding her fearful eyes.
“So I’ll say knock knock, and after that, you say ‘who’s there?’ And then’ I’ll say something, and then you’ll repeat it, and then add, ‘who?’ Let’s try it. Knock knock?”
“Who’s...there?” Eleven tried, smiling as Dustin clapped his hands together in success.
“Lettuce!”
“Lett-Lettuce who?”
“Lettuce in, the door’s locked!”
Eleven cocked her head slightly as Lucas shook his head in disappointment.
“The first joke she hears, and it’s your crappiest one.”
“Lettuce. Lettuce in. Let us in-?”
Eleven’s eyes widened in realization. She snorted, giggling as she began to understand the joke.
“Hey, it worked!” Dustin said, grinning. Lucas rolled his eyes.
“Of course it did.”
“Okay, I’m gonna just continue telling you more Knock-Knock jokes, ‘kay El? Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Interrupting cow.”
Lucas snorted, trying to cover his mouth. Eleven didn’t notice.
“Interruptin co-”
“Moo!”
Eleven jumped, startled at Dustin’s seemingly unprecedented outburst.
“In-Interrupting-?”
“Moo! Moo! Moooooooo,” Dustin said, placing his hands on his head to imitate horns. He nudged Eleven playfully, who looked at him in utter confusion but smiled anyways. Dustin then began to tickle her ribs, which caused her to kick and shriek in laughter. Lucas giggled as he joined in the tickle fight, tickling around her neck as Dustin tried to tickle her ribs without getting kicked.
“Dustin!” Eleven shouted before shoving him back with supernatural force, her accidental use of power pushing him onto the ground. Lucas doubled over in laughter, and Dustin blinked rapidly as he tried to process what had just happened. Eleven looked horrified at first, until Dustin burst out into laughter, and soon all three of them were smiling and laughing, and Dustin felt his chest swell with pride as Eleven held out a hand to him, pulling him back up.
“Thank you, Dustin,” Eleven giggled. Dustin took a ridiculous bow before ruffling her hair.
“Don’t mention it. It’s great to have you back, Eleven.”