Hey guys! I know it's been quite a while... I've started university which was very time-consuming and so is my workload, so my updates are most likely going to be even less frequent because I need to focus on my work. This chapter might be a bit confusing because of all the OCs introduced. Most of them will probably be irrelevant, but here they are: You've already met Henry and Vienna, babychilds of everyone's favourite couple, #mileven
Ayla: only babychild of #jancy
Vince, Phillip, Ryan: Vince is Will's partner, Phillip and Ryan are their adopted twin sons
Jordan: only babychild of Max
Alex, Sabrina, Lucia: babychilds of Dustin and his (ex)wife Francesca
Sheila: Lucas' niece
Elora: whom you've also already met, Henry's bff
Lucjan, Jason, Emily, Avery: Lucjan is Holly's husband, Jason, Emily, and Avery are their children
Hope you enjoy and please leave comments!
K is for Kiss
December 2015, Hawkins, IN
"Mommy! Emily fell!"
"Uncle Jonathan, can you take a look at my blog? I think I'm getting into photography."
"Jordan, pass me the salt!"
"DAD! HENRY'S BEING A DICK AGAIN!"
"VIENNA, I HAVE TOLD YOU NOT TO USE THAT WORD!"
The house was already full when the last bit of family arrived, adding four Hendersons to the mix. In times past, Karen would have been freaking out at the amount of people in her house, but these last few years Grandma Wheeler was only allowed to bake copious amounts of cookies in the days leading up to Christmas. This was followed by a relegation to the couch next to her husband. It was a good thing that Ted had since gone nearly deaf, because he had always hated overly loud environments (which his family had evolved to become, unfortunately for him).
It was El who answered the door in her place. Karen loved Eleven very much, and if asked would say that El was her favourite in-law. Not to say that she didn't like Jonathan or Lucjan, but Karen had simply always adored the girl's relationship with Mike, and by default adored her as well. Generally, Karen just loved this whole rag-tag family to pieces, even though technically most of its members weren't actually related to her.
As the Hendersons piled in, Karen heard her granddaughters come running up the staircase. Ayla had come to grab Sabrina, and Vienna in search of Lucia. The four girls squealed excitedly at their reunion, while Alexander joined Jordan and Max in the kitchen and Dustin greeted El.
"Where's Mike and the guys?" Asked Dustin.
"Down in the basement, I think Mike's showing them something. Though I don't know why he decided to do that now, what with all the kids down there," answered El. " Y'know, Mike things," she added with a snort.
Dustin smiled. "It's good to see you. I heard Holly is pregnant again?" He said, removing his jacket and hanging it on the drowning coat tree.
El nodded. "Yup, two months. I don't know how she's going to manage four young kids, I could barely handle my two with a lot of help from Mike and they have a five year age gap," she joked.
"To be fair though, yours have crazy supernatural powers."
Max observed one of her oldest friends as he passed on his way to the basement, waving. He looked good. Very good, for being divorced with three kids at 44. Agh, stop thinking that! We broke up! The two had dated in high school but had split up to go their own ways, much the opposite of their happily married friends Mike and El. Max herself had never donned a ring.
Turning back to the pot of mashed potatoes on the stove, she forced herself to focus on the things left to be done before dinner. "Jordan, can you and Alex set the tables please? We're twenty nine including Jason, Emily, and Avery," she said. Her daughter opened the cupboard and started counting plates.
In the dining room, there were two tables of six pushed together, making eleven places. That would be for some of the adults, Jordan decided. A smaller table of five was next to it, which could be for Holly, Lucjan, and their three kids. On the other side was an even smaller table seating only two, which gave Jordan an idea. Having no more space in the dining room, the kids and teens were sent to the basement where there was a long folding table seating twelve. Karen and Ted had had to purchase more tables over the years as their family grew and they insisted on still being the hosts for Christmas dinner.
Jordan walked over to the long table where Alex was setting out some plates. "So," she began, "I think my mom likes your dad."
Alex nodded. "Didn't they date in high school?"
"I think so. What do you say we put them both at the little table for some quality conversation?" She suggested with a smirk. Alex stopped to look at her.
"I like the way you think."
Soon it was time for dinner, and all the kids were ready for a feast (Aunt Max and Uncle Mike were excellent cooks, while Aunts El and Nancy were marvellous bakers). Once all the rowdiness had ceased, it was time to eat. Elora, not being a family member, was awkwardly trying to sit somewhere. Henry had gotten squished between two of his cousins and while Elora liked Vienna just fine, she didn't exactly want to sit and talk with a bunch of little kids at dinner.
Just when she was about to give up and sit with Vienna and the other girl (Ayla, maybe? Or was it Lucia?), someone else tapped her shoulder. It was Sheila! Sheila was the only other person whose name Elora had managed to remember, because she was also randomly in Hawkins for Christmas and Elora found it funny.
"Come sit with me, I don't really know these guys either," she said, smiling.
They found a seat at the middle of the table, next to the girl with red hair and across from the curly-haired dude, who appeared to be having an intense discussion regarding something happening upstairs.
"Wait, what's happening?" Asked Elora.
The redhead turned to her. "Me and Alex put my mom and his dad sitting together, 'cause we think they could use a conversation. I know my mom and I'm pretty sure she likes him," the girl added.
Elora smiled. "Matchmaking, huh?"
"It's my specialty," the girl answered. "I'm Jordan, by the way, and this is Alex," she said, gesturing to the curly-haired dude. "I don't know who you guys are, I'm sorry! It's been all rushing around and stuff, I knew there were going to be new people here but I haven't had the time to introduce myself."
"I'm Sheila," said Sheila.
"You're Uncle Lucas' niece, right?" Asked Alex. Sheila nodded, already piling food onto her plate.
"I'm Elora," said Elora. "I'm Henry's friend," she added.
Jordan furrowed her brow. "His friend? And he brought you all the way from Indianapolis to spend Christmas with the family? Sounds like a more-than-friends type of situation if you ask me," she answered. Across the table, Alex snorted.
"You need to calm down, Jordan. Not everyone is into each other the way you think they are."
Elora was blushing. "N-no, um, we're just friends. I mean, he's my best friend, but just that."
Jordan nodded and didn't say anything, but Elora could tell that she wasn't going to drop the subject entirely.
Alex smiled at Elora. "Excuse her, she's just being a dumbass like usual," he said. "So what does bring you here? How come you aren't spending Christmas with your family?"
Elora began scooping food onto her plate as she explained. "My sister's in her second year of college and she decided to stay in L.A. this year so my parents went on a cruise," she said, setting her plate down and pouring herself a drink.
"It was either go with my parents, which I didn't want because I'm terrified of sailing, or stay with my sister, which I didn't want either because I don't really like her. She's rude and condescending to me, but it's not the way siblings usually are, she's just mean. So I was gonna go be subjected to a terrible Christmas in L.A. until Henry told his parents and they offered to bring me to Hawkins with them," she continued, sitting down.
"I almost didn't come, but Henry came over one day and worked his magic to convince my parents to let me. Sometimes I think they love him more than me," she joked.
She had been quite surprised that Henry had gone to such lengths for her, but when she asked him all he said was that he refused to allow his best friend to have a terrible Christmas if there was anything he could do about it. Best friend… If only he could come to his senses and realize that he wasn't just her best friend, he was much more. Stupid idiot.
Alex's sunny disposition and Jordan's extra-ness made Elora feel welcomed at the table, so as she dug into her food she asked the question she'd been waiting to ask for ages.
"So, who's gonna tell me funny family stories?"
"Oh, we have a shit ton of those…"
Meanwhile, as Holly and Lucjan wrestled their children into their seats and Karen helped Ted in from the living room, Mike was in the kitchen taking the second turkey out of the oven. He had noticed that Max and Dustin were together. Turning to his wife, who was checking on the JELL-O in the fridge, he asked "Do you think Jordan did that?"
El glanced in the direction he was pointing out. "Probably. You know her, remember when she was little and tried to get Holly together with that random boy at the mall?"
Mike smiled. "Okay, she's crazy, but you have to admit that it was funny!"
She nodded. "It was. Do you think she'll try anything with Henry and Elora?"
He shrugged, looking at the steaming bird on the counter. "Maybe. I don't think he likes her like that yet, or if he does he hasn't realized it."
"Yet?" El closed the fridge and turned around to look at her husband, who proceeded to stare at her. "Hello?" She waved her hand in front of his face. "Earth to Mike!"
He kissed her. "Merry Christmas, ma chérie," he said in a very bad French accent. "I always forget how beautiful you are and sometimes I have to stare."
She slapped his arm. "You're so dumb," she laughed. "You're plenty handsome yourself."
There was a second of silence before Mike raised his eyebrows and pointed to the ceiling. "Mistletoe!"
They were about to kiss again when Hopper interjected from the dining room. "Hey, are you two gonna bring in the turkey or am I gonna have to separate you like I used to 30 years ago?"
"Dad! We're 44!"
After the tables had been cleared from dinner and dessert had been eaten too, the kids were left in the basement as the teenagers headed upstairs. Henry caught up to Elora at the back of the pack on the way out of the basement.
"Hey, El, how are you finding everyone? I know it's a lot of people to keep track of," he said.
She shrugged. "Jordan and Alex are pretty cool, and I talked to Sheila as well. Haven't met anyone else though."
He smiled, happy that she was liking his "cousins", even though the ones she'd talked to weren't his actual cousins. It was time to introduce her to teen tradition: a game of honesty hour. It didn't sound intense, but in their games it was quite the experience. Everyone seemed to share a dislike of dares, so honesty hour was like a better version of truth or dare. Plus you really got to know who you were with on a personal level. It was the teens' bonding ritual, and part of the reason they were all so close with each other even though they lived all over and saw each other rarely.
The bunch was led into Nancy's old room, where Elora and Vienna were staying over the holidays. Being the last ones to enter the room, Henry and Elora sat together on the floor facing the bed. Jordan and Alex were taking it up as the de facto leaders of the group (although really it was mostly Jordan).
"Okay, kiddos, it's Ayla's first year and we've got some newbies! Warning: this game always gets a bit explicit so don't be shocked. Only rule is nobody tells their parents anything, what happens in this room stays in this room. Let us begin!" Proclaimed Jordan enthusiastically. "Who wants to go first?"
Phillip was ready from the exact point they'd left off last year. "Jordan, have you ever fucked Alex and if not then would you?"
There was a resounding "Oooooooooo," in the room. This had been asked last year but the answer had been interrupted by the clock striking midnight and them being called downstairs by their parents. Henry thought it was funny because he could see that Phil only wanted to know since he himself thought Jordan was hot and if Alex could get her then maybe he could too. Henry also thought that Phil needed to calm down. He loved Phil, but Jordan was obviously not interested.
"Fuck off, Phil! I haven't, and I wouldn't. Alex is like the brother I never had, you know?"
Phil seemed disappointed. Henry's phone vibrated in his pocket.
El /heart emoji/: R all the questions like that
Fool: Not always but pretty much
He could see his text messages being received and discovered that his name in Elora's phone wasn't actually his name.
Fool: Why is my name fool youre so rude to me
El /heart emoji/: Bc ur a fool duh they picked you to play puck lol
Fool: Excuse me im offended puck is very wise
El /heart emoji/: Ok but hes also an ass like u r
Fool: Go away -.-
Meanwhile, Jordan had asked Sheila if she'd ever had any pets she didn't like, to which she said no because she'd never had any pets. Henry thought this was an oddly tame question coming from Jordan, but he let it go. Sheila then asked Alex what he really thought of college, seeing as he was in his first year there. It was also a tame question, but Henry gave her a pass since she was one of the newbies and the game was still beginning.
About forty minutes in, after a series of interruptions by Jason and Emily escaping upstairs, there was finally a question directed at Henry. He'd been hoping his family had forgotten his existence because they always asked him the most embarrassing questions, but alas his wish was not to be granted.
"Henry!" Jordan. Oh god. "How many crushes have you had and who were they?" He cringed, face heating up.
"J, why do you always have to ask such embarrassing questions?"
"Just answer!" Everyone was looking at him, Elora with particular interest.
He picked at his socks. "Um, there was- three, I think? Elora, Angela, and Maria," he said.
"You liked me?" Elora asked incredulously. He couldn't look at her, so he focused on Jordan instead, who was smirking on the bed. Dammit Jordan! Jeez…
"Yeah, for like a year. Fourth grade." Well that wasn't embarrassing at all, thought Henry.
Ten minutes after that, it was somehow Jordan's turn again, and this time she directed her question to Elora. "Have you had your first kiss, and if so who was it?"
Henry could now see what Jordan was up to. Clearly, she thought there was something between them and was directing her questions in such a way as to try to expose whatever she thought it was. Jordan and her matchmaking ways…
Elora had turned a bit darker, and Henry knew why because he knew perfectly well the answer to this question. She mumbled something that Jordan couldn't hear, but Sabrina was on Elora's other side and close enough.
"Did you say it was Henry? This one?" Added the girl, pointing at him. Elora nodded, pretending to inspect her feet, but Henry saw her look at him sideways.
Another loud "Oooooooooooo," was heard. Even Ryan, who wasn't usually that into other people's lives and therefore this game, had had his interest piqued.
"Wait, I wanna hear the whole story now," he said. Jordan's face was taken up by a smile that could only be described as evil. It seemed she had found what she was looking for.
"Tell us," she urged. And so the story came about, words tumbling out of Elora's mouth as they both became more and more embarrassed.
She scratched her head, staring at her socks. "It was over Christmas break in like sixth or seventh grade, I think? It's really awkward to tell and I hate you guys for making me tell it, ugh. Basically I was over at his house and we were playing GTA but then I died and we went to have a cookie break. Mrs. Wheeler makes the best cookies, right? So we're standing there in the kitchen eating cookies and I decided to ask…"
At this point she turned to Henry, silently asking him to continue. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "She just asked if I would kiss her because she wanted to know what it felt like," he said, bright red. "So I did. That's what happened. Are you happy now?"
Jordan smiled again, clearly satisfied. "Thank you for the beautiful story, peeps. This, unfortunately, brings an end to our game. Until next year!"
"Kids! It's time for the picture!" Yelled Vince from the bottom of the stairs.
"Right on time," said Phil. "Coming, Dad!"
As everyone rushed out and down to the ground level for the annual family photo, Henry and Elora were once again the last ones left.
"Hey, I'm sorry they asked that, it's really awkward. Jordan can kind of be a dick sometimes."
Elora smoothed down some stray baby hairs. "It's fine, dude."
"Cool?"
She smiled.
"Cool."