TRIGGER WARNING BEEEEEP.
(Also if you haven't read Little White Lines, I would suggest doing that first, you'll understand things much better.)
"Why aren't you swimming?"
Max's head shot up. A figure- silhouetted by the sun and unrecognizable- was walking toward her. They sat down on the pool chair next to her. It was Mike.
"I don't feel like it," she lied.
In truth, she didn't want the boys to see the bruises and scars. They didn't need to know what Billy and her stepfather did to her, nor what she did to herself.
Max hadn't even wanted to go swimming with them. But when she arrived at Lucas', he, Dustin, and Will were already in swim trunks- wow Lucas had abs- and Mike hadn't got there yet. She told them that they didn't have her bathing suit, to which they replied to just swim in her clothes.
But when Mike sat next to her, she noticed that he wasn't wearing a bathing suit either.
"Are you not swimming?" She asked him, noticing that he was wearing a thin, long sleeved shirt, just like she was.
He shrugged. "I wanted to talk to you."
Max gave him a disbelieving look and fingered her sleeve. Out of all the party- El included-, she got along with Mike the worst. He wasn't exactly as cold as he was before, but she was certain that he'd never talk to her if she wasn't in the party.
So why was he talking to her now?
"About what?"
"About Billy."
"What?" It didn't come out as a question, more like a What the actual heck Mike Wheeler?
"I mean, I, uh, I-" He spluttered. "If the reason you don't want to swim has to do with him, I understand."
He looked at her half scared, half hopeful. Like he wanted her to understand, but at the same time, didn't.
Sadly, she understood.
"No, no he doesn't- I don't-"
How did he know? What did he mean he understood?
"I just want you to know, Max" he rolled up his sleeve and placed his hand ontop of her's. She couldn't quite see his wrist, but she had a feeling- "That you're not alone. I'm here for you. I know I was quite an idiot before-" she nodded with a laugh "-but you're part of the party. And we stick together."
Max felt tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and let a few tears sneak out. "Billy and my stepdad just get so angry sometimes," She whispered. "And then I just feel so bad and I want it all to end and- and- and-" Max began to sob now and Mike squeezed her tighter.
"I know, shh, it's all okay. You're okay," he cooed, rubbing her back.
A little while later- the others had come looking for them, but Mike had shooed them away- Mike and Max were sitting on the pool chair, facing each other. She was calm.
Mike had rolled up both of his sleeves, a gesture that made Max feel safe and comfortable. She rolled hers up too. It was summer and she was hot.
Mike had told her why he did it. He had told her about El and Hopper finding out.
"I haven't done it since she came back, but... I always have thoughts," he looked past her. He focused back on her face. "There will always be thoughts. But you have to destroy them. Don't supress them. That will only make it worse. Think about Lucas. Think about all of us. And if it's really bad, call me. My mom just got me a phone for my room- sick of me hanging around in the kitchen talking to El. I'll answer, no matter what time of night. And if Billy or your stepdad ever... you know, you can come over. I hid a telekinetic girl in my basement for a week, I don't think my parents will find out. They probably won't care, either. You can tell the boys when you're ready. I haven't yet. And we can talk to Hopper. But only if you want to!" He assured her.
Max shrugged. She had thought about telling the chief. But she didn't think that would work. Billy or her stepdad would find out- and that would be worse than how it was now.
"You'll call me though? If you ever want to... you know?"
"I will. I promise," she told him. "Thank you, Mike."
It seemed like such a small thing, not something capable of expressing all her gratitude to him.
But he nodded and smiled.
It was around midnight when his phone rang. He groaned softly, before shooting up in his bed, one thought on his mind.
"Max?" He stage-whispered into the phone, not wanting to wake up his family.
"Mike!" She sobbed on the othe end of the line. "I know I promised I'd call. I wasn't going to but I remembered and I just want it all to go away-" She was bawling into the phone, her words clumsy and hysteric.
"Max, listen to me. You have to stay here for us. For me," he felt tears stinging his eyes, and a lump in his throat.
"Mike I really can't do this anymore. I'm sorry."
The line went dead.
"Max!" He practically yelled.
He dialed the same number. It went to voicemail.
"Remember about the campaign on Saturday?" He asked. "Remember that? We need our Zoomer, Max. We need you. Max!" He let out a sob. "Max, I know I was a jerk and an idiot and I know that I don't deserve you as my friend, but Lucas deserves you as his girlfriend and the party needs you and Max..."
He hung up and called again.
"Max, please, please answer..."
"Thank you, Mike."
It was her.
A half sob, half laugh escaped him.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow?" She asked. Her voice was hoarse with tears.
"Yeah," he assured her. "You're okay tonight, right? You promise you won't do anything?"
"I won't. I promise."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you."
He hesitated, not wanting her to take this the wrong way. His heart forever belonged to El. But he needed her to know.
"Max, I love you. Like Holly or Nancy," he added, making sure she understood.
"I love you too. Not like Billy," she laughed.
And Mike knew he would see her tomorrow morning.
Mike got better at talking to Max. Her calls became fewer, and less frequent.
Soon, they decided, they were going to tell their friends.
And they did tell them. All the party had come over to Mike's house and were hanging out in the basement. El- who had made a habit of checking Mike's wrist every time she saw him- was there, too.
The boys had cried when they told them- not something Mike and Max hadn't expected. But they all hugged in one big group, thankful that they were all still alive. Whether they had survived demodogs or the Upside Down or themselves, they had survived.
El checked Max's wrist too, everytime she saw her. Dustin used soft markers and connected the scars into words like "We love you" and "Stay alive". Lucas ruffled Mike's hair when he saw him, telling him that he was glad he was here (he didn't need to tell Max. His kisses spoke for themselves). Will would quietly ask if they were alright. They- including Mike- would make sure Max was okay at home.
While the attention was almost overwhelming for the first few days, Mike and Max were just glad to know that their friends cared. (Mike ended up telling Nancy about himself, and she had taken it upon herself to check in on him every waking and sleeping hour.)
And while things weren't perfect, they never would be, this little party had one thing that made them want to live until tomorrow.
They had each other.
AWWWWW. Yeah so I saw this one post about the party just being super caring to each other and thought things would go a little like the end there. Also I NEED MORE MIKE AND MAX FRIENDSHIP. And I thought that Max probably- it's pretty much canon- has problems at home and having Mike help her out would just be great. Ah, I'm fangirling over my own fic. Anyway, for those of you who are looking forward to that AU, it's coming. I've got a long car ride tomorrow. And sorry fir not updating ANY of my other stories I'm so bad... tell me what you think in the reviews if you don't mind!