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Max is abrasive. She knows this. She's been told this frequently throughout her life, made well aware of it by her mother and her stupid classmates. Though, when she moved to Hawkins, she figured things would be different, she would be different.
Evidently, she was not. She just couldn't stop hurting people's feelings with her words. Truth be told, Max never wants to be rude, not really. She tells the truth, she's an honest person, but people don't like the truth. Billy always glared at her whenever she spoke to him, manhandled her back into her own room, spitting insults in her face whenever she dared to speak to him honestly. The Party were better, not by much —they didn't understand fully, Max thinks no one ever really will— and just laughed at her honesty, like she had told a joke. Max laughed along.
She's been in Hawkins for a good three years now and she's only ever found two people who truly get her. Sadly, as much as Max loves him, Lucas is not one of them. He still frequently misunderstands her, though, they do get into less fights over it now, better at communicating at seventeen than they ever were at fourteen.
They're sat in Mike's basement playing god knows what, Max stopped paying attention like 20 minutes ago, when Lucas laughs at something Mike said. Mike has a frown on his face and his eyebrows are drawn in confusion. Max is familiar with the feeling.
Mike clears his throat and mutters something before getting up. Max knows there's an apology on the tip of Lucas' tongue but would be pretty ineffective, given that he doesn't know what he's apologizing for. "I'mma get another drink." She mumbles, completely ignoring her half empty cola can and Jane's raised eyebrow.
Mike's standing at the kitchen island when she bursts through the basement door, he doesn't look up at her nor does he seem startled by Max's presence. He just stares down at the bowl on the counter like it'll fill itself.
Max clears her throat, making her way over to the refrigerator and grabbing another can. "So. What was Lucas laughing at?"
Mike shrugs at her, his lips drawing into an awkward line. "Something I said, apparently it was funny." He says. His eyebrows furrow yet again, always very expressive. The opposite of Max, she often gets told she's stone faced. She never knows what to say to that.
"Hmm, and were you trying to be funny?" She asks.
Mike scoffs, glaring at her over his shoulder. "No. They always laugh at me though, I should be used to it by now." He says honestly. And, that's a little sad isn't it? Max can relate, the party are always chuckling at her 'jokes' that were never really jokes. They've known Mike longer, he's got a good couple of years on her in this friendship group but they still don't understand.
Max hops up onto the counter next to Mike and his still empty bowl. "Try me?" She huffs out.
"Okay. I said that Stacy kinda looks like a chicken, I meant like a cute one, I don't think she's ugly, but like she does." He says. He finally picks up his snack of choice, regular salted chips, how original, and starts to shovel them into the bowl.
Max's hums thinking. "Well she does a little. Plus she's kinda loud like a rooster in the morning, wakes me up in algebra." Max says. Mike's looks at her in shock, pausing briefly before nodding. See, she's not alone, take that Billy.
"I always thought her hair was like some secret antenna that she used to wake up the nation. She'd make a good TV host though." Mike grabs some of the chips and stuffs them into his mouth. Max grimaces at him.
"You are right about that, she's smart enough for it too. Her hair is full of secrets i bet." Max nudges Mike's arm and he smiles.
"How on earth do you understand me better than my friends of like seven years? Probably more actually." Mike asks.
Max shrugs at him and jumps off the counter. "Currently, I don't know but I just think we're too honest for them. Seriously, I've been called rude my whole life. I never understood why to be honest, I just said it how I saw it."
Mike hums at her, passing her the bowl. She takes some of the chips and passes it back. "I've been called rude too, actually I've been called oblivious for most of my life too. Like, sorry i didn't pick up on the super secret code you were sending me, I didn't know you were sending me one and you never mentioned it. Obviously, though, that's completely my fault."
Max chuckles at him. "Yeah, i get that. I once told a teacher when I was like six that she 'looked a bit fatter today'. She did not appreciate that. Two weeks later she was telling us she was pregnant. Like my bad, I'll just keep my observations to myself next time."
Mike laughs at her, a full snicker if Max had to name it. "Dustin got hit in the face when we were nine in gym class and Will and Lucas were straight up lying to his face when he asked how bad it was. They acted like I was an asshole when I told him he looked like he had just been hit by a mallet. Dustin definitely did not appreciate that."
Max's face scrunches slightly. "But he asked!" She yelled.
Mike nods rapidly. "I know right? I think he wanted us to sugar coat it or maybe comfort. But if he wanted that why ask for the truth?"
Max groans. "Dude I know right? Humans don't make sense, like at all. I constantly feel misunderstood."
Mike passes her back the bowl. "Well I understand you perfectly fine." He states smiling.
Max smiles back at him, eating the remaining chips in the bowl. "Good, wouldn't have it any other way."
They head back down to the basement, chips ate and cola forgotten, and join the game once more. Uno, Jane's choice evidently.
"Where's your drink?" Lucas asks when she sits down next to him.
Max giggles at him, a small taste of his own accidental medicine and Mike joins from him spot next to Will. The others look at them like they've grown two heads but that doesn't matter cause they understand each other.
The other person is Holly, but that's a story for a different day.