The Life You Deserve

AN: I really hope you enjoy this one because I had a lot of fun writing it :-)

Warning: Sexual themes and actions. Enjoy ;-)

Chapter 25: Let's Go Camping

July 1986

Whilst the camping trip had been Mike's idea, planning it had been very stressful. They had to get all of the parents to agree, which included Max's mom who wasn't very keen on the idea at first. Thankfully El begged Hopper to have a word with Susan and when the idea came from the chief of police, she wasn't exactly going to say no.

Mr and Mrs Sinclair had of course been fine with the idea as well as Mrs Henderson. Jen's parents had taken a while to decide if she could go on the two-day camping trip seeing as boys were going too, namely her boyfriend. But they softened once they realised that the trip was being supervised by four young adults.

Dustin had been dating Maggie off El's track team since El set the two of them up at the beginning of June. He had asked her to come and thankfully her parents had been pretty chilled about the idea. So when all the permissions had finally come in, the whole group were able to plan a weekend date in late July that suited Steve and Robin's work schedules.

They all had a meeting at the Byers soon to be Hopper/Byers house and Joyce had sat at the top of the table making a list for them all of exactly what they would need. Hopper interrupted now again with suggestions and Mike could tell by the way the chief was pacing up and down that he was nervous about this camping trip and he knew exactly why.

It took until the day of the camping trip for Hopper to corner Mike. They had all been piling supplies, tents and equipment into Steve's car when Mike saw a shadow lurking over him and turned to find the chief looking down at him, eyes narrowed and an ominous look on his face. Mike gulped.

"Come on Wheeler. Let's go for a quick walk." He said, not asking but demanding. Mike quickly glanced over at El for help but she was too busy helping Nancy with putting bags into the back of her car. Mike sighed in defeat and gave Hopper a glum nod.

They walked in silence and passed the house and the back garden, their footsteps taking them towards the woods. Mike looked around nervously wondering if Hopper was planning on murdering him.

Thankfully they stopped just shy of the beginning of the trees and Mike could still see the house (safety) in the distance. Hopper leaned against one of the trees, with a pointed look on his face and his arms crossed over his broad chest. It didn't help that his biceps seemed to flex making Mike even more terrified for his life.

"So Wheeler…I'm just going to cut to the chase. What are your intentions with my daughter on this camping trip?"

Mike's eyes widened so quickly he worried he was going to burst a blood vessel. He felt a cold sweat start to rise up his body and his heart pounded uncomfortably. Well shit…what am I meant to say to that? I want to literally do everything to your daughter that she will allow?

"Er…I mean…I want her to have fun?" Mike finally choked out, averting his eyes from Hopper.

"What kind of fun?" Hopper said in a dangerously slow tone.

"Um…well you know, like s-swimming, toasting marshmallows, g-ghost stories…er…like the usual things you do on camping trips…like going on walks and um…"

"Okay quit your rambling." Hopper said lifting one hand up to halt Mike's nervous words. He sighed and looked directly at the young man. "Look kid, I know you and El are getting older but I don't want you taking this trip as a piece of freedom that you need to exploit."

"No sir! I…we wouldn't." Mike said quickly, his palms sweating.

Hopper scoffed clearly finding Mike's words amusing which only added to his anxiety. "I swear we wouldn't like…exploit our freedom." He said hoping to appease the chief. If El's up for making the most of our freedom, then fuck yeah, I am too!

The chief shook his head like he was disappointed. "You know Wheeler, you really aren't as slick as you think you are."

"What? Um…sir?" Mike asked sheepishly, already hitting himself for even questioning Hopper's words, because he clearly knew something Mike didn't.

"Well let's start with the amount of times I've come into my house to find you with your hands all over my daughter, all the 'bathroom breaks' you need to take, like do you seriously expect me to believe you had mystery meat three days of the week?" He asked incredulously.

Mike was bright red at this point and looking down at the forest floor. "You'd be surprised…" he mumbled thinking of all the disgusting food that the cafeteria served but definitely not about to admit to Hopper the real reason why he was always in the bathroom when the chief came home.

"Or should I mention two months ago when you strolled out of my daughter's bedroom with your t-shirt back to front?" Hopper asked with a raised eyebrow.

Oh shit. I'm too young to die. I've not even made a will. Not that I even own anything!

"My point is kid, you really aren't as innocent as you try and make out."

Yeah well neither is your daughter. Mike felt the words desperate to come out, but bit on his tongue desperately to keep his thoughts from spilling out. If they did, he had no doubt in his mind that this camping trip would be cancelled.

"I remember being your age. I get it, okay? I just want you to realise that there is no rush. You are both still 15. You're underage and I will have no qualms about putting your ass in jail Wheeler." Hopper said with authority in his voice.

Mike sighed knowing that if he actually wanted to go on this camping trip anytime soon, he just had to do and act like Hopper wanted him to.

"Yes sir. We will…behave." Mike said looking at the chief and trying to keep eye contact.

"Good. And jesus kid, stop calling me sir. I'm not fucking British you know."

Mike could help but laugh in relief that the tension had finally dropped. "Right sorry…Hopper." He said with a small smile as they made their way back to the house.

"You'll understand when it's yours and El's daughter." Hopper said with a sigh, looking ahead of him as they walked.

His words shocked Mike and he almost went straight first into a tree if it wasn't for the chief grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him out of the way. He barely noticed though, he was more consumed by what Hopper had said. "Y-you think me and El will have children?!" he asked with a dry voice.

Hopper chuckled and spared Mike a grin. "You called her for 350 days didn't you?"

"353 actually."

"Potato potarto. Well I've never heard of anything so sappy…and I guess romantic in all my life. So yes, I think you two will do the whole shebang. Marriage, babies. But please no time soon okay?" Hopper said, his last words coming out almost desperate.

Mike blushed but he was beaming. "Yeah, I promise, no time soon." He said cheerfully. Hopper gave him a warm look and the two men carried on the rest of the walk back to the cars in silence, although comfortable silence. Mike couldn't get the grin off his face, he truly felt that the ice that had formed between him and Hopper when he kept El away for almost a year had just cracked. For the first time, he honestly felt like he could maybe have more than just an amicable relationship with Hopper. Maybe they could become friends in a way…maybe even like father and son.

"Are we there yet?" Max asked twiddling her thumbs on her knees. She was sat in between El and Lucas in the backseat of Nancy's car whilst Mike was riding shot gun, his long legs stretched out. That boy was seriously a tree.

"No Max." Nancy said calmly.

Max nodded impatiently and looked at El next to her. Her best friend was watching the dense trees they passed with such awe that it made Max grin. She couldn't begin to imagine what it had been like to grow up in a lab, to have never truly seen the sky. They really had to make this the best camping trip El would ever go on, she deserved it.

Max looked briefly at Mike who was laying back on the seat, his head to the side where he just stared at El. It didn't even look like he was blinking. Max rolled her eyes in amusement and turned her eyes on her boyfriend, almost jumping in surprise when she realised he was giving her the same look Mike was giving El. She felt her cheeks immediately warm up.

Lucas averted his eyes almost shyly but Max reached for his hand and gave it a gently squeeze until he turned his beautiful warm eyes back to hers. She leaned in so she could whisper in his ear, the music from the radio drowning her out from any pricking ears.

"Are you excited for our trip stalker?" she whispered to him, smiling against his ear and feeling him shudder slightly at the touch.

He gave her a dazed smile and nodded his head slowly. "Yeah, are you?" Lucas asked her, his eyes nervous but so sweet that it just melted her heart. Max knew where his nerves were coming from because they fluttered slightly in her stomach too. After months of heated kisses and gentle exploratory touches, Max had decided that it was time to take things further in their relationship. To go the whole way.

When she had mentioned it to Lucas he had of course been more than eager to comply. But now it was said time, she felt oddly shy. He had seen her naked before after numerous make out sessions lead to heated passion, but what if she was crap at sex? What if it really hurt? Like to the point where she couldn't carry on? Lucas was the purest, most wonderful thing in Max's life and she hated the thought of disappointing him.

She didn't even realise she hadn't responded to his question, but her boyfriend's hand gently came up to her cheek, stroking her skin so softly and bringing her out of her daze. She locked eyes with him and felt her heart flutter. He was so perfect and the love in his eyes was more than she deserved.

"It's gonna be okay. If you…you know, change your mind or whatever, that's cool too." Lucas told her quietly, being careful not to be overheard. His warm smile made Max instantly relax and she knew in that moment that whatever happened between them, she would never be able to regret.

"Thank you stalker." Max said softly, leaning in and placing a loving kiss on his lips, that she hoped would resonate how much he meant to her. No one else came close to truly understanding the real Max under all of her armour. El was getting there and the rest of the party were a few steps behind, but Lucas just knew her. And the thought of him being her only one, in every sense of the word was suddenly no longer a scary thought. In fact it was an incredible thought.

She leaned her forehead against his and smiled, keeping eye contact. "It's going to be great. I can't wait." She whispered.

"No pushing!" Steve shouted exasperated, his hands on his hips as the teenagers all rummaged around for their backpacks and tents, all of them excited and hyper to set up their camp near the lake.

"Sorry mom!" Max shouted rolling her eyes making the party snigger and for Maggie, Jen, Nancy and Jonathan to look on with confusion.

"Aw Steve can we go in the lake first! Look at it!" Dustin whined, almost jumping up and down on his feet on the soft glass that lead straight towards the dark sand and then to the water front. The water was looking stunning in the hot July day, all deep blue and sparkling.

"No Dustin. We need to set up the tents first." Steve said giving him a pointed look.

"But Steve!" The party moaned in unison.

"Oh! Shit heads! Don't piss your pants. The sooner you get your tents up the quicker you can get out to the lake." Steve said with a huff, his hands still firmly on his hips and Robin giving him an amused look.

"You heard the man." Jonathan chuckled as he passed Nancy some of the poles for their tent. The prearranged plan was that the older couples would obviously share tents, then Mike and Lucas, El and Max, Dustin and Will, and then Jen and Maggie.

El was thankful that Max had an inkling about how to put up a tent because she was completely clueless. She looked on with curiosity as Max fitted the poles together and weaved them through the tent material as she asked El to pass certain tools every now and then.

"Need help ladies?" Lucas's voice called and El turned with a smile to see her friend and her boyfriend coming over, eager to help. She was not at all surprised that they already had their tents up.

"No, we're good stalker, aren't we El?" Max said hammering one of the metal stakes into the grass.

"Yeah totally." El said cringing holding one of the stakes for Max and knowing her input had been mediocre, not that her best friend seemed to care.

Mike chuckled and came over to El, putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a sweet kiss on her cheek. She smiled happily at him, her chest warming considerably whilst Lucas went over to pester Max and insist on helping her stake the ground.

"Hi." El beamed looking up at Mike as she hugged his waist and snuggled against his chest.

"Hi." He grinned, his eyes warm and loving as he gave her an eskimo kiss.

"Wheeler you're distracting my assistant!" Max said looking up and blowing a strand of red hair from her warm face.

"I'm not even sorry." Mike called back, kissing El on her forehead and making her giggle.

"Don't worry MadMax, I'll be your glamourous assistant." Lucas teased before he went over to El who handed him the remaining metal stakes. Max gave him an amused smirk but said nothing, allowing him to help her, but not take over. Independent woman and all that!

"What the fuck?! Why won't these fit properly?" Steve's voice echoed as he looked frustratingly at his tent.

"It's because you've put your tent on the wrong way!" Dustin shouted exasperatedly, coming over to help his brother whilst Will chucked their sleeping bags into their already completed tent and then went over to assist Jen and Maggie.

"No, I haven't!" Steve exclaimed, running a hand through his sleek hair.

"Dude, the tent door is currently under your feet."

The whole group burst out laughing as Steve picked up one of his feet and realised that yes, his tent door was on the grass.

"How were you expecting us to get in?" Robin said laughing as she came over with their sleeping bags.

Steve rubbed the back of his neck whilst everyone else continued to chuckle and wipe at their watering eyes. "I don't know…through one of the windows I guess?" He mumbled.

"You're ridiculous Steve." Mike grinned shaking his head.

"Hey! I won't have any teasing from you Wheeler! Unless you want me to divulge our little secret?" Steve warned him.

"What secret?!" Dustin, Lucas and Max asked in unison, all of their faces hungry for the gossip to be spilled.

"It's nothing." Mike blurted out, his cheeks just as red as El's as she thought back to Steve catching them making out in his swimming pool. Her legs wrapped around Mike's waist and her hand touching his –

"Sorry children but I can't possibly tell you, otherwise I'd have no blackmail over young Wheeler." Steve smirked, winking at a very annoyed Mike whilst Dustin saved his tent.

"So can we get into the lake now?" Mike quickly asked in what El knew was an attempt to change the subject.

"Fine by me." Nancy said already in her swimsuit and putting sun cream on Jonathan's shoulders.

"Yes, as long as you all put on sun cream first." Steve said giving them all a pointed look in turn, like the true mother he was. El really liked Steve and how protective he was over the group. "Protection first. Isn't that right Wheeler?" He teased making the group erupt in laughter and for Mike to freeze, his skin the colour of a tomato. Scratch that…maybe Steve's actually a big fat jerk!

El went into her now complete tent with Max and they got changed into their bikinis. Max opting for a blue one tied by strings and El choosing a high waisted pink one which thankfully didn't require the annoying strings. She had pondered bringing her red bikini that Mike had seemed to love so much, but El didn't want to give Steve any more leverage to tease them about the pool incident.

"I'm glad we stuck with the leg waxing." Max suddenly said stroking her own leg. "Look how soft these babies are!"

El grinned and gave Max's leg a little stroke making them both laugh loudly. "You know dad's leg hair hasn't grown back properly." She said playfully thinking back to the poor chief of police having a strip of his leg hair waxed off.

Max cackled with mirth and shook her head. "His stupid fault for not backing down!"

The girls left the tent and chatted away with Maggie and Jen whilst the boys got into their swimming trunks, taking ages because they were all messing about trying to tip the other one's tent. Boys. El thought with a sigh.

"Stalker if you don't get out here in three seconds you're not putting sun cream on my body!" Max shouted loudly. The girls all giggled when Lucas appeared a second later and rushed to Max eagerly who then chucked him the sun cream with a smirk.

Jen and Maggie put their own sun cream on and El was massaging the lotion into her legs when Mike came over with a smile. El looked at him and felt like she couldn't breathe. Swim team rules all. He was getting more toned every single time she saw him in his swimming trunks and damn was it distracting.

She noticed with a huff of annoyance that he had already put sun cream on. "What?" he asked her amused when he was right in front of her. She straightened up and Mike's dark eyes fell to her body, she blushed momentarily noticing the way he looked at her. Wow. But then she remembered why she had been annoyed.

"I wanted to put sun cream on you." She almost pouted.

Mike's eyes finally moved back up to her face and smiled blushing too. "Sorry. It's just…I get kind of distracted when you put sun cream on me and your dad…well I told your dad we'd behave." He said sighing.

El raised her eyebrow at her boyfriend. "When did you tell him that?" She asked half curious and half annoyed that they supposedly had to behave now.

Mike rubbed the back of his neck which was a nervous trait of his. "He kind of cornered me this morning and we had a talk. It wasn't too bad I guess." He shrugged. "But he said that we're still young and there's no need to rush anything."

El was annoyed that she wasn't part of this discussion because she would have told her dad a very different response. What was so wrong with exploring the intimate side of their relationship? She knew Mike was the person she would be with for the rest of her life, so what if they wanted to deepen their relationship. El smirked to herself, well why not tease him a little.

She sighed and picked up the sun cream. "I guess that's okay. I'll just put this lotion on by myself seeing as we have to behave…" She said as innocently as she possibly could. El heard Mike whine in response but she just squirted the cream into her hands and slowly rubbed it onto her upper chest.

El chanced a glance at Mike whilst she massaged in the cream and had to bite her tongue not to laugh. His mouth was gaped open and his eyes were wide as he stared at what her hands were doing. He hadn't even noticed that she was looking at him because he was too distracted. When she moved onto more chaste areas of her body like her arms, Mike finally blinked rapidly as if he was waking up from a dream.

He finally held her gaze and huffed. "That was mean." He moaned making her smirk. "Well you shouldn't be promising things to my dad." El goaded.

"Well I didn't promise him…" Mike said sheepishly, his resolve already breaking.

"Hmm interesting…" El said softly, giving him a knowing grin.

"Come on Mileven! You two are seriously always the last to get into the water!" Dustin called from the lake where there was already a lot of splashing and laughing going on.

"Well that's odd, because Mike and El love the water. Don't you?" Steve shouted.

"SHUT UP STEVE!" Mike and El shouted back in embarrassment.

El turned back to Mike and grinned shaking her head in exasperation. "Come on let's go." She said before starting to run. "Race you to the water!" she called back laughing to herself.

"Hey that's cheating!" Mike shouted already hot on her tail. Damn his long legs! She almost made it to the shore before screeching as Mike lifted her up bridal style and ran into the water with her, throwing her in.

She broke the surface and spurted laughing. "You jerk!" She teased hitting a chuckling Mike in the arm before splashing him. El couldn't be annoyed for long though as her boyfriend grabbed her legs and pulled her close to him.

Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms followed suit around his neck. They rubbed noses and beamed at one another.

"I love you." Mike whispered staring into her hazel eyes and making her heart flood with so much love that she didn't even know what to do with it all.

"I love you too." El grinned, placing a soft kiss on his lips before moving her hands quickly to his shoulders and pushing him down into the water for a second, giving him a taste of his own medicine.

He gasped coming back up to the surface as El started to swim away from him laughing. "Oh you are so getting it!" He shouted as he swam to catch her. Of course she had no chance of out swimming him when he was on the damn swim team but she still giggled like a child when he scooped her up again and spun her around in the water. It was an innocent, romantic and beautiful moment under the July sun.

That was until Dustin declared an epic battle of chicken…

"I swear to god if any of you little shits get water in my hair, I will personally drown you." Steve warned the teenagers as he bobbed in the water, being careful that his sleek hair was protected from the water whilst Robin climbed unto his shoulders to play chicken.

Mike snorted but didn't say anything. Yes, it would be so tempting to push Steve under the water, but he still had blackmail on Mike and El that they didn't want to come out to all their friends. He only hoped that Max would do the honour if her current scheming face was anything to go by.

According to Dustin this was going to be the most epic battle of chicken there ever was, as for once everyone had a partner to play with. It was definitely going to be the biggest version of the game that Mike had played.

"Are you okay to get on?" Mike asked El, turning to her in the water. His heart sang with joy at the look of enjoyment on her face.

"Yes." She breathed eagerly before he grabbed her legs, dipped into the water enough to guide her legs in place before rising out of the water with her sitting on his shoulders. He tried to pretend the fact that her thighs were either side of his face wasn't making him excited.

There were six couples in total and the noise as they began playing chicken was incredible. There was shouting, goading, laughing and screams as the girls fell in the water one after the other.

It was down to Mike and El and Max and Lucas. "No cheating!" Max said to El, giving her an amused glare.

"How could she cheat at this?" Jen called laughing. The party, Jonathan, Nancy and Steve just smiled whilst Robin and Maggie chuckled.

"Oi, me and my girlfriend got into the final fair and square." Mike called, grinning as Lucas and Max came closer for the final battle.

"And I'm about to beat you fair and square!" Max teased, her hands already out ready to fight with El.

"As if!" Mike scoffed. It turned out Max and Lucas did win, but it was a great final and a lot of near misses when El and Max almost both pushed each other down at the same time. They giggled and fought whilst Mike and Lucas just grinned at each other in amusement at their girlfriends' antics.

Max found a spot on El's side just under her ribs where she was apparently very ticklish because a few seconds later she burst into hysterical laughter before falling off Mike's shoulders before he could even try and secure her. He helped her up and out of the water into his arms whilst Max and Lucas shouted their victory and everyone cheered for them.

"Sorry," El said still chuckling, looking incredibly stunning under the bright sun, her hair more golden than ever and water droplets sliding slowly down her soft skin. Mike found his breath taken as he looked at her. She was an angel.

"That's okay." Mike told her, giving her a dopey grin as his palms found her hips and pulled her closer in the water. El wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs went back to straddling his waist.

"You're not mad that we lost?" She asked him playfully, her eyebrow raised as she studied his face.

He totally wasn't mad at all but what was the harm in a bit of flirting? "Well I mean, I'm a bit sad you know?" He pouted.

El giggled and looked him straight in the eyes, her gaze warm and blinding him with her beauty. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" she whispered seductively as her thighs tightened around his waist.

Mike's heart was pounding in his chest. Oh hell yeah! I can think of plenty of things you can – "How about a kiss?" He grinned.

El gave him a sly grin before leaning in, Mike also meeting her lips eagerly. Their lips moved together deeply and his whole body seemed to shake in trepidation. El slanted her face slightly to intensify the kiss and then her tongue was slipping into his mouth and he could taste her. Mike's groaned into her mouth as his tongue stroked hers and one of his hands left her hip and crept into her hair, clutching it slightly. Shit, aren't I meant to be behaving?

They were so wrapped up in each other they didn't notice that the group had stopped the celebrations of Max and Lucas's victory and they had all turned to see why Mike and El hadn't joined in the celebrations.

Jen and Maggie were giggling, Max was rolling her eyes, the boys were sniggering and Nancy just looked plain disgusted. "MIKE!" She shouted.

The kiss ended abruptly at the sound of his sister's voice and Mike turned to look at Nancy through heavy eyes. "Yeah what's up?" he asked her casually and probably too sarcastically because Steve ripped into him.

"Oh I'm sure something's up!"

Before Mike could retort, his face bright red and before anyone could even burst out laughing, El had narrowed her eyes and a small tidal wave of water raced over Steve, engulfing his whole body and his –

"My HAIR! Oh my god!" He shrieked which only then directed the laughter on him as he swam to the shore in a panic at his destroyed hair. Robin was laughing so much she was worried she might drown, so she ended up swimming after him chuckling all the way to the shore.

Mike turned to El and beamed, "did I ever tell you how much I love you?"

She grinned and shrugged her dainty shoulders. "You may have mentioned it." Mike kissed her eagerly but less needy now that he knew that people were watching.

"Come on," He told her playfully, indicating for her to get onto his back. El smiled happily and he swam them around, all of them laughing and joking with the rest of the group.

Mike constantly looked back at El, feeling so incredibly proud of how she had adapted to the water. He remembered how last summer she had barely gone in the lake, too terrified. But now she was a confident swimmer and actually enjoying herself. Her bravery and determination was yet another reason why Mike loved her so much.

The group had been in the lake for hours, sometimes playing games, sometimes just basking in the water as the sun beat down on them. Everyone was now sleepy, sun kissed and content as they sat around the camp fire whilst Steve in his apron galore made them hot dogs.

El had a towel around her shoulders still in her bikini as she watched the flames for a moment. Mike had gone off with Will to collect more wood and Max and Lucas were talking alone just slightly away from the camp site. El watched them curiously for a while. They weren't making out but they were obviously having an intimate chat as they kept kissing and then whispering again with matching smiles.

After a while Steve called them all over for their late dinner and Mike joined El on the log as they munched on their hot dogs whilst Dustin told them all ghost stories. Max interjected now and again with, "yeah like that would happen" and "seriously Henderson? I've heard scarier things from a two-year-old."

"Well if you've got something better, then say it MadMax!"

"Fine Dusty, I will…"

El wasn't really listening, more consumed with how Mike had his arm around her and kept pressing hot kisses to her temple and forehead, his nose nuzzled into her curly locks that were a bit frizzier than usual from the water. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies and her heart raced at how close he was.

That heart pounding feeling stayed with El for the rest of the night until Nancy suggested they all get a good night's sleep after the activities of the day and they all started to part ways.

El couldn't help but kiss Mike with hunger before they went their separate ways. His gentle and hot touches and kisses over the last few hours had been driving her mad with desire. Her hands dove into his hair as she pulled him tightly to her body, pressing her chest against his and hearing him groan into her mouth. It sent fire straight to her belly and she tried to put her feelings into the kiss, her lips moving greedily over his.

She finally pulled away and wasn't surprised to see that Mike looked just as dazed as she felt. "Good night. I love you." She whispered to him breathlessly.

"Night. I love you too." He said sheepishly, his eyes wide and a big dreamy smile on his face. El giggled as she watched him stumble to his tent, almost tripping over his own feet like he was drunk. El sighed with regret that she wasn't following him and begrudgingly went to her own tent.

She had just changed into a tank top and sleep shorts when Max came into the tent, her cheeks flushed. El looked at her in amusement, "You okay?" she asked as she brushed her frizzy hair and put it into a high messy bun.

Max nodded and bit her lip taking a deep breath. El frowned, understanding her best friend enough by now to know she was about to confess something.

"I kind of need you to leave the tent El. Like for the night."

"What?" El laughed in surprise, assuming Max was joking with her. But her best friend crossed her arms and rubbed at her skin nervously for a second.

"You're serious? Why?" El whispered.

Max exhaled deeply and then smiled slightly. "Lucas is coming into this tent to spend the night with me. So can you sleep in Mike's tent?" She asked bravely, surprising El.

Whilst spending the night in the same tent with her extremely handsome boyfriend was very appealing, El needed a few questions answered first. "Are you and Lucas…"

"We might do. But we're going to see where the night takes us." Max answered honestly, picking up immediately on what El wanted to ask.

El couldn't help but smile warmly at her best friend. She understood Max's feelings more than most and she was happy for her, whatever happened, because El knew Lucas would always treat Max the way she deserved.

"Okay then. Well I guess I best…" El said indicating that she should leave.

"If you don't mind." Max grinned.

El stood up and was about to leave when she turned to her best friend and engulfed her in a hug. "Be safe and have a good time. And don't do anything you don't want to." She whispered to Max, not realising until that moment how protective she felt over her.

Max chuckled and nodded against her embrace. "Don't worry El. And I could say the same to you too."

El laughed and shook her head as they pulled out of their hug. "Oh, don't worry I don't think we'll be doing that tonight. Mike told my dad we'd behave." She said rolling her eyes in exasperation at her boyfriend.

Max scoffed, "yeah right. We'll see how long that lasts." El giggled and gave her best friend one more hug before leaving the tent. Unsurprisingly, she passed Lucas who was sneaking out of his tent.

They caught each other's eyes and both smiled awkwardly at the situation. "Er…thanks for swapping tents El." He whispered sheepishly.

"That's fine. Just…treat her good. Okay?" She told him, smiling honestly.

Lucas grinned and nodded, "always." He sighed happily. El gave his shoulder a quick squeeze and then they parted ways.

El checked that the camp was indeed quiet and empty before sneaking over to Mike and Lucas' tent and slowly unzipping it with her powers. She snuck in and then zipped it back up quietly.

She turned in the darkness of the room and grinned when she saw Mike laying on his front, snoring softly with his face in the pillow. He had unzipped his sleeping bag and used it instead as a cover that barely covered his sprawled-out body. El bit her lip as she noticed he was just in his boxers and took a moment to appraise his body. Yum.

El tiptoed over to him and knelt down on her knees, watching the rise and fall of his toned back for a moment, marvelling in the muscles there. She instantly felt that fire deepen in her stomach, begging for something to happen.

She leaned closer to him and slowly pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He didn't wake up but his breath did halt for a moment before he went back to his snoring. El pressed another kiss in between his shoulder blades and Mike's eyes started to open in confusion. Her lips pressed another kiss just slightly lower and Mike completely froze terrified.

He turned abruptly, his eyes wide before he realised it was her and exhaled a very relieved breath. "What?" she asked him, chuckling quietly at his strange behaviour.

"I thought it had to be Lucas seeing as he's meant to be in the tent!" Mike said rubbing at his sleepy eyes.

El snorted, "sorry. I can go get him if you want?" she teased.

Mike huffed and stared at her deadpan for a moment, not even bothering to tease back. He blinked and then seemed to realise that she was actually there. They were alone.

"Where is Lucas?" Mike asked nervously looking over to the side of the tent where their friend should have been sleeping.

El smiled slowly, "well it seems I've been chucked out of my tent in exchange for Lucas."

Mike's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Wait…so Max and Lucas are…"

El nodded and Mike's eyes widened in shock. "He could have told me! I wouldn't have been so surprised when you came in."

She shrugged and gave him a playful grin. "So you don't mind me sleeping in here?" she whispered.

"Are you kidding me?! There's no one else I'd rather sleep with." He said quickly with an eager smile before realising what he said and bypassing pink blush and going straight to red.

"I mean sleep as in sleep! Not that I don't want to sleep with you. Like I really want to sleep with you. But I'm not pressuring you and I – "

El silenced his nervous ramblings by grabbing his face and kissing him firmly to which he immediately relaxed in her hold, his hands moving up to her waist. She finally broke the kiss and lay her forehead against his. El felt like it was only fair that they talked about what they both wanted to happen, she didn't want to push him and she knew he didn't want to push her.

"Mike I'm not ready to…you know, have sex. But I was kind of wanting to explore some more." She whispered, her eyes not leaving his, making her heart pound as the recognition of her words hit his dark gaze. "How would you feel about that? Is that okay?" she added nervously.

Mike gulped and nodded his head gently so the action didn't push her forehead away. "Yeah…that's more than okay." He said breathlessly, his eyes falling to her lips. El couldn't stand the tension building between them a moment longer. She crashed her lips to Mike's and they both moaned in unison at the hot contact.

Mike pulled El down to him onto his make shift bed and he engulfed her in his arms, his palms flat and expansive on her back. They breathed heavily as they shared passionate kisses, their tongues stroking and fighting for dominance as they became completely consumed by their desire for one another.

Mike's hands were sneaking under El's tank top, the material riding up whilst her fingers dug into his dark curls, tugging him even closer and wrapping her leg around his waist, wanting no distance between them. Mike's fingers moved to her upper back and he gasped against her mouth when he realised she wasn't wearing a bra.

He rolled them over so El was flat on her back and Mike pinned her, his body just off hers by leaning onto his hands as he continued to kiss her desperately. El pulled his lower lip between her teeth and bit down making him gasp with pleasure as his left hand left the floor and moved up her now exposed stomach and under the tank top, cupping her breast and making them both moan.

"You're so beautiful," Mike said in between breathless kisses, his eyes dark and heavy. El panted, staring at him with love and with want. He was so perfect and she wanted to feel everything with him. She wanted to explore every possibility only with him.

"Mike," El whimpered, clutching his hair and pulling him down for another mind spinning kiss. Their breath mingling, their tongues furious, their lips swollen. Mike's mouth left hers and trailed down to her jaw and then moved to her neck. She gasped as he nibbled and licked at her skin, his breath hot and causing goose bumps as she let go off his hair, letting him explore her body.

Mike's hands found the bunched-up tank top and he started to pull it from El's body. She leaned up slightly to help him and then flung the top off. He stared at her exposed upper body, his eyes dark and animalistic, making El's chest heave with anticipation about what was going to happen.

Her eyes fell down to his body and she bit her lip. Damn he's so fine! She could see how excited he was, how much he wanted her too and it was thrilling. Seeing as Mike was only in his boxers, El decided to join him in the underwear department. Without leaving his lust filled eyes, she hooked her fingers into her sleep shorts and shimmied out of them so she was only left in her white cotton panties. Mike's heavy eyes had followed her actions and his mouth was gaped open as if he couldn't believe what was happening.

"Beautiful," he breathed out, his eyes still staring at her body.

El felt her self-esteem tingling confidently and she slowly leaned up, moving her hands to Mike's muscular back and pulling him back down on the bed with her, this time he was on his elbows and even closer. The moment their hips joined and his erection brushed her heated core through their thin underwear they both gasped in delight. It was euphoric.

"Oh fuck, El that feels so good." Mike whispered, his eyes squeezed shut as he slowly moved his hips against hers to feel the friction again, making them both moan in return.

El wrapped her legs around his lower back and pushed her hips up to meet his. Both of them frantically rubbing against each other, whimpering and gasping at each moment of contact. She could feel how turned on she was and she knew Mike was the same, their underwear slightly damp from their joint arousal.

Mike's mouth latched onto her breast and El gasped in delight, shutting her eyes and just feeling what he was doing to her. His mouth was hot, his tongue and teeth getting her closer to ecstasy as they grinded against each other desperately, needing that release that up until recently El had only experienced whilst thinking about Mike. But now he was here and he was pushing her to the edge with his mouth and his frantic hip movements against her core.

She could feel herself getting closer, she was panting and writhing but then –

"Oh shit! El I c-can't - I'm…uh fuck!" Mike groaned against her breast as he thrust his hips one more time and then gasped in ecstasy. He panted and lay motionless for a moment against her chest, his breath warm on her skin.

El wanted to be totally cool about the fact that Mike had reached his climax and she hadn't. After all, she'd read that it's hard for boys to last long, especially at the beginning. She wanted to be understanding and a good girlfriend but – "Mike!" she whined in frustration.

Mike lifted his head up from her chest and there was a guilty expression on his face. He was still panting but coming down from his high. "I'm sorry El." He whispered ashamed. "It just felt so good I couldn't hold it in any longer." He admitted sheepishly.

El sighed not wanting to make him feel bad, he couldn't help his body's natural response. "It's okay." She told him with a warm smile, her hand reaching his hair and stroking it gently out of his face.

Mike shook his head, "no it's not okay." He sighed biting his lip. He looked down at El's almost naked body and his breathing became ragged again. His eyes slowly slide up her stomach, past her breasts and then met her eyes. Mike exhaled with determination, "will you let me try something?" he whispered into the silence of the night.

El could feel her heart tremble and her core tingling at the look in his eyes. She didn't speak but nodded her head in agreement. His lips and hands were back on her in an instance and she shut her eyes moaning as his tongue lapped over her breast greedily whilst one of his hands caressed her other breast, his thumb teasing over her nipple and making her whimper.

She assumed he was going to get her to orgasm this way but then Mike's lips moved lower, making a trail down her stomach and she gasped wondering if he was heading where she hoped he was heading. In fact, she more than hoped, she was desperate to feel him down there. She was tingling and had a burning fire that only he could manage. She needed him.

El trembled in anticipation as Mike's mouth and hot tongue reached her hip bone. His hands moved up her thighs and she was shaking from adrenaline, needing his touch like she needed air.

He looked up from his position, his pupils blown but with a look of determination in the dark eyes still. His thumbs moved to the band of her panties. "Is this okay?" he whispered. Is this okay?! Are you fucking kidding me!

"Yes, yes." El nodded frantically, her voice breathless and eager. She was so turned on that she didn't even worry that this was the first time that Mike would see her completely bare for the first time. He however seemed to realise this and so he nervously and slowly pulled her panties down her hips and off her legs.

He pulled back and admired her body. The look on his face was enough to stop El's heart. She had never had anyone look at her like that and she only ever wanted Mike to look at her like that. It was everything.

"Stunning." Mike whispered in awe, still frozen whilst El squirmed under his gaze desperate for him to just touch her. He seemed to realise this and blinked, remembering what she needed.

He leaned back down and kissed up her inner thigh, getting closer and closer to where she really needed to feel him. El grasped the covers in her fists and lifted her hips up to him, yearning for him, ready for him.

And then he was there and it was unlike anything El had ever experienced. She gasped and her back arched. He kissed her there, his tongue tentatively licking at her clit like he was hesitant about what he should be doing and if he was doing it right. Her answering moans and whimpers told him what he needed to know and his confidence seemed to grow.

El gasped and thrashed on the sheet as Mike experimented even further, his tongue everywhere, nibbling her gently whilst her thighs squeezed his head, wanting him closer. She now understood why he couldn't last very long because she was having the exact same problem.

And when his lips sucked on her clit she absolutely lost it, not just falling off the cliff but being hurtled off. "Mike!" she cried out in shocked delight as her whole body filled with pleasure and her vision almost blacked out.

Mike chuckled against her core which was almost too much to bear because she was incredibly sensitive now. "Damn I hope everyone is a deep sleeper." He teased, his head popping up from in between her thighs with a smug smile on his face.

El reached for him and pulled him up to her lips, kissing him desperately not even caring when she realised the odd taste on his tongue was her. "I don't give a fuck if they heard. That was incredible." She said in between kisses, still panting.

Mike laughed almost shyly at her cursing and her declaration. "So you liked it huh?" He asked her playfully, rolling over onto his side and pulling El to him.

"Oh yeah," She said seductively, the biggest grin on her face caused by endorphins and love. "You are definitely going to be doing that again." She told him with a smirk as she snuggled into his chest.

They both beamed, so in love and so happy as the cuddled and kissed softly. After a while El turned over and Mike spooned her, keeping her tight to his body. "Hey El?" he whispered through the darkness.

"Yeah?" she asked him sleepily, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"I don't think that's what your dad would call behaving."

El snorted and then they were both in hysterics, only calming down when they started kissing again and slowly fell into a content slumber.

The sounds of the birds chirping were what awoke Mike the next morning. He could tell it was still early from the silence of the camp and he smiled to himself, pulling El closer to his chest, her warm naked body making his heart leap. Holy shit my girlfriend is naked! He thought smugly to himself. Yeah, he could totally stay like this forever.

The sound of the tent being unzipped was the next sound Mike heard and he jolted in shock before realising with a slight sigh of relief that it was Lucas sneaking back in. His friend froze when he noticed El, and Mike quickly made sure her bare chest was covered by the sleeping bag.

"Holy shit, are you both naked?" Lucas sniggered averting his eyes as he went over to his sleeping bag.

"No!" Mike scoffed. "Just El." He cringed when he realised that wasn't any better. Lucas gave him a pointed look and then got into his sleeping bag. There was silence in the room for a moment, just the deep breathing El was making as she slept soundly.

"So…" Mike whispered awkwardly. "Did you and Max…?"

"Yeah we did." Lucas said with a big grin on his face, his arms crossed behind his head as he looked at the canopy above him.

"Wow." Mike said oddly impressed. "Was it…good?" he asked, unable to hide his teenage boy curiosity.

Lucas smirked and turned on his side so he was facing Mike. "It was awesome man," he exhaled happily. His friend's eyes then flickered to El and then back to Mike. "Um…did you two…?"

Mike shook his head, "no we didn't." He said not wanting to really go into detail about what they did do. It was pretty obvious by the fact that El was naked and Mike was only in his boxers that something had happened and he hoped his best friend wouldn't pry. Thankfully Lucas didn't, just gave a nod of his head.

"You should probably wake up El though. She needs to get back to hers and Max's tent before everyone starts waking up." Lucas said with a yawn as he settled into his pillow and turned so he was facing away from Mike and El.

Mike sighed knowing this was the inevitable but not wanting to wake up his sleeping beauty. He gently shook her and whispered her name but it didn't rouse her. Mike couldn't help but smirk to himself, she's definitely not a morning person. Making sure Lucas was still turned away, Mike started to pepper kisses on El's face and neck and she began to stir, groaning in annoyance at being woken up. Damn she's so cute.

She blinked and then focused in on Mike. "Morning beautiful," he whispered to her with a big love-struck smile. He couldn't help it, she was everything. El gave him a radiant smile in return that threatened to burst his heart out of his chest. "Morning handsome." She said still sleepy.

"You two are gross." Lucas mumbled from his bed, which alerted his presence to a shocked El who yanked the covers all the way up to her chin.

"Yeah Lucas is back. So you kind of need to go to your tent." Mike said deflated, wanting nothing more than to snuggle with El all day. She sighed and nodded.

El sat up and tucked the sleeping bag under her arms to cover her naked body. But just seeing her exposed neck and collar bones was enough to make Mike have to stifle a groan. She looked around the tent with a frown, "I've just got to find my clothes. I don't know where they ended up."

"I'm pretending I'm not hearing this." Lucas commented and El and Mike tried to act like they hadn't heard him.

Mike got out of the cover and searched around for El's clothes. He handed over her tank top and found her shorts at the foot of the sleeping bag. Mike eventually found her panties just covered over by the end of the sleeping bag and sheepishly gave them to El, feeling his cheeks blush. She grinned at him playfully and thanked him when he handed them over.

El got dressed under the covers much to Mike's disappointment, but he assumed Lucas sleeping only a few feet away was probably the main reason. She finally whipped the cover off her body and stood up.

Mike embraced her immediately. They kissed softly, more intimately than before. "I had a great night El." Mike whispered to her as they placed their foreheads together.

El beamed at him and kissed his lips chastely. "I had a great night too Mike." She said quietly back. He squeezed her hand and gave her another kiss that he hoped was filled with the adoration and love her felt for her, before she snuck out of his tent and rushed back to her own.

Mike sighed heavily, wanting her back in his arms. He ruffled his hair in frustration and launched himself back into his bed, secretly smelling the covers that smelt like her. It made him grin and he finally managed to fall back to sleep.

"Tell me everything." El said to Max the moment they were alone that afternoon. She hadn't got a chance to speak to her best friend when she got back to the tent and then when El woke up, Max was already off in the communal blocks having a shower.

The whole group had spent a fun morning trekking through the woods until Dustin swore he could hear a wasp's nest and they all hurried back to camp. The boys had all walked to the boat house and rented boats off the owner to go fishing whilst the girls were sunbathing at the shore. Finally when Jen, Maggie, Nancy and Robin went for a swim, El took her chance.

Max smiled, she was leaning back on her elbows to prop herself up slightly from her towel as she turned to El. "It was like amazing." She said grinning.

El gasped with excitement and beamed. "That's brilliant! Did it hurt though?"

Max pursed her lips in thought. "At first it did. It's like…I can't explain it, but it was like uncomfortable and like a pinching feeling. But then after a while that went away and it was just really nice."

El shook her head in amazement and wondered to herself what her first time with Mike would be like and when it would happen. She kind of hoped they could last until they were 16, but that was just her personal opinion. It didn't stop her being incredibly happy for her best friend.

"So what did you and Wheeler get up to?" Max asked with a knowing grin that made El chuckle.

"Well we didn't have sex if that's what you mean. But we did stuff. And oh my god Max it was amazing. He's so good at it." El sighed with a dreamy smile, laying back down on her towel and staring up at the blue sky.

"Go Wheeler!" Max teased as the girls both chuckled. They didn't press the topics anymore, both of them wanting a bit of privacy when it came to their intimacy with their boyfriends.

They talked about looking forward to becoming sophomores and getting back to their sports teams before they were joined by Maggie and Jen. The girls all giggled and chatted eagerly about the movie they had all watched back in June called Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and how Maggie, El and Jen thought that Matthew Broderick was cute.

"No, I'm sorry ladies but once you've had the chocolate daddy there's no going back." Max said smirking.

El had been drinking from her water bottle at the time and water burst out of her mouth as she snorted, only to then be in hysterics by the look on her best friend's face after she drenched her in water. One thing led to another and the girls had a full-on water fight which the boys would later complain that they missed.

"You're just moaning because you wanted to see Maggie's see through t-shirt!" Max teased making both Dustin and Maggie go bright red.

That night the group ate the fish that the boys had caught. Well the fish that Jonathan and Lucas had caught because Dustin, Mike, Will and especially Steve proved to be rubbish at fishing.

"You can't fault my cooking skills though." Steve beamed at the group, his pink apron still tied around his body and a spatula in his hand as the ravenous group tucked into their fish.

As it got later, the weather stayed warm and the group all decided it would be a good opportunity to sleep under the stars. No one was more excited than El.

They all ate toasted marshmallows dipped in chocolate and tried to sing along when Jonathan brought out his guitar and played a few songs. Lucas got teased for his out of tune voice and Mike gaped in amazement at El's singing voice.

"I told you he'd go crazy when he heard you sing!" Nancy teased making Mike only go crimson as everyone stared at him in amusement.

He managed to close his jaw and gave El a warm and slightly shy smile. "You sound like an angel." He sighed contently making it El's turn to blush.

Mike and El managed to get their sleeping bags as close together as possible that night and held hands whilst Mike whispered to El the different constellations, pointing out certain ones that he could make out.

El was in awe, looking at the vast number of stars. There seemed to be a thousand more out here compared to home. "Beautiful," she breathed out softly.

"So beautiful," Mike agreed staring at El, his eyes wide and love struck. She was completely captivated by the stars and Mike was completely captivated by her.

El slowly turned to look at Mike and blushed when she realised he was already gazing at her. She snuggled up closer to him and squeezed his hand. "Thank you for suggesting this camping trip. It's been perfect." She told him with a loving smile.

Mike beamed and leaned closer, kissing her lips so softly that it made her giddy. "I'm glad you've had fun. That's a few things to tick off your list." He whispered, nuzzling her nose with his.

El nodded and pressed a kiss to his lips, tender and affectionate. Mike and El continued to stare at each other until they eventually fell asleep, too consumed and wrapped up in each other to care about the stars any longer. El could see them reflected in Mike's eyes and it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen as she felt the connection that had always linked them strengthen.

I love you Mike.

I love you too.

AN: I hope you enjoyed that. Please let me know what you thought! :-)