A/N: First attempt in a few years so please cut me some slack. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1 Snowball Sleepover
Eleven pulled away from Mike a smile reaching across her face.
"Erm El. If you need me to explain anything about what just happened I can…"
"Mike." She told him in her soft tone. "I know what a kiss is. I learnt a lot in the last year. Mostly from TV. I know that what we may have is a roman."
Mike chuckled at the error she made. "You mean romance El?"
She nodded simply before a worried look appeared across her face. "Will we have a romance?"
Mike's lips trembled with nerves. He knew he cared for her so much and that his feelings were real. But they were only thirteen going on fourteen. If he decided to make her his girlfriend which he desperately wanted to, their parents would not be thrilled. They would say they were too young and that dating was for when you were older. But Mike knew he was ready now and he was sure that she was too. But did she really understand what it all meant? Before he could even voice any of his concerns, they were interrupted by the rest of the gang wandering over.
"El!" The boys yelled as they all engaged into a big bear hug.
"Hi guys." She told them.
Max clung to the back of the crowd. Since Eleven's return and frosty reception to Max she didn't believe that Eleven had warmed to her presence. The rest of the gang could sense this too and they could only hope that once they spent more time together Eleven would see how great Max was and welcome her into the group.
"So you guys totally just missed Nancy dancing with me." Dustin bragged as he ran a finger through his crazy up do. "She clearly digs me."
"As if Dustin. She's totally fucking Jonathan now!" Lucas pointed out with a grin. Will pulled a grimace at the thought of his brother being intimate with someone.
"What's fucking?" Eleven asked puzzled.
The gang all looked around awkwardly, they forgot that at times she was not in the know about certain things. Desperately wanting to avoid a sex education chat, Mike changed the subject.
"So after the Snowball I'm having a big sleepover. I think Hopper said you could come Eleven? All the gang together again in the basement."
Eleven nodded in agreement.
"Ok but no sucking face you guys." Max told them as she pointed towards both of them.
"Whatever Max. We all saw you and Lucas making out I think we should be watching out for you two." Dustin pointed out as he began to make kissing noises at them.
Max turned a deep shade of red before she quickly rushed off for some punch. The rest of the gang swiftly joined her and Mike and Eleven's conversation was forgotten. The rest of the night passed in a whirl, they sat and talked by the round tables and danced in a group to the songs. Occasionally Mike and Eleven would sneak off for a dance alone but would often be interrupted by one of their friends. Soon the night was over and after the last sounds of I Melt With You were finished, the gang all ventured outside to await their lift back to Mike's. Jonathan drove Will,Max and Eleven whilst Nancy drove Dustin, Lucas and Max home in her parents car. Once back to Mike's with all their things Nancy who way babysitting whilst her parents were away promptly told them to go down to the basement and keep quiet at this late hour. It was a weekend and only ten o'clock as Mike pointed out but as Jonathan ventured into the house with the girls and his brother it became clear that the two of them intended to be left alone for the rest of the evening. The boys decided to change into their pyjamas in Mike's room and gave the girls privacy in the basement to change. Max felt very awkward being left alone with Eleven. She had no female friends and had no experience of dealing with other girls who disliked her. But she also felt a sense of sympathy for Eleven and her lack of life experience. As she grabbed her bag from the sofa she turned to Eleven who simply sat on the sofa clutching her backpack to her chest.
"Do you want some privacy? I can change in the bathroom if you want." She suggested.
Eleven shook her head unsure. Max let out a sign. Annoyed at the tension. Now was the time to tackle the issue.
"Look El. I hope you're happy for me to call you El? I know you may find being around a new girl a threat, but I'm really not a threat. I actually like Lucas, I am not interested in Mike if that's what you're worried about? And I really hope you can accept me at some point and maybe be friends. Because before I met the guys, I've never really had proper friends. I've always been alone."
"No friends?" Eleven asked her with a sad look in her eye.
"No." Max admitted as she came to sit beside Eleven. "My Mom she moved around a lot before she met my Step-Dad. So I never really got the chance to make any friends, I was always the new girl."
"I understand Max. I never had friends before. I only had Papa. And he was bad. I'm sorry. " She told her as she leaned her hand towards Max. "Friends?"
Max took her hand smiling. "Yes El. Friends."
There was a long pause of silence before anyone spoke again.
"Max." She said. "I'm shy."
"Shy about what El?" She asked puzzled.
"About being in my PJs. What if Mike thinks I am not pretty any more?"
Max chuckled softly. "No one cares about people's PJs El. Everyone wears them, even Mike. You have nothing to be shy or worried about. I promise."
El nodded with a smile before getting up and walking towards the bathroom to change.
Max was right, there was nothing for her to embarrassed about her pink checked PJ bottoms and matching top were nothing to joke over in fact they were less embarrassing than Max's oversized black David Bowie shirt and grey shorts. Eventually the boys came down and they decided to put on E.T, as Elle had never watched many films. They spread across the room strategically, Max sat next to Lucas on the sofa with Will on the end feeling awkwardly like the third wheel and Dustin, Eleven and Mike sat on the floor underneath blankets. Snacks were sorted to, Dustin had ensured it. A huge bowl of popcorn sat amongst them with mountains of red vines and a few eggos on a plate specifically for Eleven. As the film began Mike clumsily placed his arm over Eleven's shoulder, she smiled at him as she gently cuddled onto his shoulder. Mike felt more at ease, happy that she seemed comfortable with the affection. This didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the group as they all looked at each other with smirks. Two hours later the film was over, the snacks were eaten and the gang were beginning to look sleepy, Will in particular who had fallen asleep on the end of the sofa. Since the defeat of the demagorgan's and closing the gate to the upside down Will seemed to sleep often and easily for the first time in a long time. They all decided that it was time to go to bed, then came the awkward decision of sleeping arrangements. This was the first time the boys had integrated girls into their sleepover and it brought a slight blush to all their faces.
"Will's asleep on the sofa already so just boost his feet up and he can sleep on there." Dustin said gesturing to Lucas and Max who got up and carefully placed Will's feet onto the sofa. "Why don't you and Max hunker up in the corner by the sofa? I'll take the arm chair and Eleven can sleep in the fort with Mike."
"Separately. " Lucas insisted. "Me and Max have separate sleeping bags."
"Do we have separate sleeping bags?" Eleven asked Mike as she looked at him with a smile.
"No. We have Blankets near the fort." Mike told her.
"Behave guys." Dustin said to them all with a wink as he headed to his corner of the room.
Dimming out the lights they all headed to their designated areas. Mike tucked the blankets into Eleven as she began to settle into her bed for the night before he laid down beside it in his own blankets.
"Night El." He whispered.
"Night Mike."
They hunkered down into their blankets. But Mike was so uncomfortable he laid there wide awake. Thoughts running through his mind. In his teenage dreams he never believed that the girl of his dreams would be sleeping over at his house, closely beside him. All it would take is for him to shuffle closer and they would be touching. But Mike did not want to push his luck by betraying Hopper's trust or do anything Eleven was not happy with. Their earlier conversation also worried him. He had never answered her question about them being in a romance. He desperately wanted to answer, but then they'd been interrupted. Perhaps he would get a chance to discuss it with her tomorrow before Hopper came to pick her up? He glanced at his electronic watch it had only been fifteen minutes since they had all decided to sleep, but judging by the sounds of Dustin's loud nasally snore and the collective deep breathing everyone else was asleep except him.
"Mike." A voice whispered close by. He jumped up looking over at El a look of concern on his face.
"El. Are you OK?"
"I can't sleep. Would you come here with me and snuggle?"
"You know what snuggling is right?" He asked her with a serious expression on his face.
"Yes. I think it would help me sleep." She replied.
With a mutual understanding Mike shifted over as she moved to make room for him and he got under the blankets. Unsure of what to do he quickly placed a hand gently onto the small of her back wrapping his arms round her, she quickly mirrored his movements. They were lying face to face and their noses were inches from touching. They smiled at each other sweetly. The whole time Mike was working very hard to keep his feelings in check and his urges and sexual thoughts to himself. These thoughts were soon distracted by Eleven talking to him.
"Mike. I need to know something."
"What is it Eleven?" He asked.
"Mike. Dad, Hopper. He explained about how when people like each other they may show it with ways of affection. He said that when people have a romance it's usually when they're older. But Mike, I like you now. So does this mean no romance?"
"El I like you too. A lot." He started. "And well you're Dad. He's saying what he believes to be true. But I don't agree El. I like you and we have something some people our age have never experienced. I want you to be my girlfriend El. You understand what I am saying?"
"I do Mike." She told him sweetly. " I want you to be my boyfriend."
It was then that they shared their second kiss. It was as quick and sweet as the first one and this they were cuddled close together. After he pulled away he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before they eventually fell asleep huddled into each others arms.
A/N: Hope this was good for a first chapter. I will be adding more chapters as quick as I can and there will be more Milleven and some Lucas and Max coming up. Please rate and review with any thoughts.
