Yikes, this is definitely over a month late XD. I'm sooo sorry! I haven't really been inspired for this story, cus, ya know, writer's block is a bitch, and all my inspiration has gone to Collision and the sequel to EA, and also, school. I'm definitely not quitting with this story, but there might be a time skip after this chapter because I've dragged Christmas on wayyyy too long. Of course, what's happened in the time skip will be mentioned, but I'm not sure when it'll be yet. Hopefully it won't take a full month and a week to update, but I'm not promising anything this time lmao.
Also, smartass Mike appears and there's a bit of Max/Mike bonding.
"Michael! I swear, if you give yourself another concussion, I will beat your ass!" Karen called as he chased Holly down the hall. Mike laughed, finally catching a giggling Holly and carrying her back in the living room, where everyone was waiting on him.
"Jesus, Holly, you're getting heavy."
"No, it's just your noodle arms, Noodle." Dustin told him. Mike glared at him, putting Holly on the floor and promptly grabbing a pillow and whacking him in the face with it.
"Shut your face, Dusty." Mike mocked, dancing away from Dustin's hands as he tried to smack him. He grabbed his guitar and sat on the other side of Lucas, who rolled his eyes at the two.
"Okay, shitheads, do your thing." Steve told them. The four teens glared at him and he snickered.
"Uh, okay." Mike strummed a little as Lucas said,
"We're singing this one, because it's Holly's favorite song." Holly clapped, giggling. They sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town but Mike played the guitar instead of singing with them. Then came Go Tell It On The Mountain, which El had shockingly sang along with, albeit quietly. They sang a couple of them mixed together, getting applause after each song, when Karen asked Mike,
"Will you sing Blue Christmas?"
"Mom!" He whined. "Why?"
"Yeah, I wanna see your Elvis impression." Nancy said, snorting at the look he gave her.
"Impression my ass." He mumbled, making a face at how weird it sounded. He sighed, giving in and strumming the guitar again. "This is the last one too, because I'm ready for presents." He said, giving his mom a look. She chuckled and nodded.
"I'll have a Blue Christmas without you, I'll be so blue just thinking about you..." He sang, trying not to focus on the lyrics, as he was the definition of the song last Christmas. The parents swayed slightly along with the song, Dustin and Lucas jokingly singing backup. Afterwards, he leaned his guitar up against the wall and blushed as they clapped for him.
"That was good music." El told him firmly, panting a kiss on his lips. Dustin snickered at the face Mike made when she pulled away, his face redder than ever.
"So, presents now, yeah?" Mrs. Sinclair asked. The teens nodded, eager to open and give presents.
Everyone swapped presents, mainly just clothes from the parents, and the kids had done secret Santa for the most part, but made an exception for El and Mike. Will got new crayons from Max, Max got stickers to put on her skateboard from Dustin, as well as a couple wristbands from Lucas that had various quotes or sayings on them, Dustin got candy from Lucas, and Lucas got a new action figure from Will. Mike decided to wait and give El her necklace later, before she leaves, but she did give him hers, along with the beanie from Hopper.
"You do know she's probably gonna steal it right back at some point?" Jonathan asked him, nudging him. "Nancy does the same thing."
"That explains a lot." He muttered, but grinned at El in thanks. "I don't care, I like it." He put the beanie on, hardly taming his curls, and thanked Hopper.
"So, this was Hoppers idea, but, us older teenagers, me, Nancy, and Jonathan, pitched in and helped with the costs." Steve said, handing each of them a small box. They opened them and revealed dog tags. "One has your name and birthday, and the other has your saying, friends don't lie and your D and D name. Like, Mike's says Paladin, El is Mage, Max is Zoomer, and so on." He explained. The boys grinned and put theirs on automatically, before thanking them. Meanwhile, El hugged the four while Max just high fived or fist bumped them, and then put their on.
There was a knock on the door, so Dustin, being the closest, went to open it.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He just about yelled, pulling everyone's attention away from ripping the wrapping paper off everything they could.
"Here to pick up my little sister, dumbass." Billy retorted. Steve stiffened and looked at Max, who just shook her head a bit. Mike stood up and stood next to Dustin, crossing his arms over his chest.
"She's not going anywhere, ya mullet wearing asshole." Billy glared at him. Mike stared at him expectantly.
"Steve brought her here, and he'll be bringing her back." Lucas had joined the two, and if (Billy's) looks could kill, Lucas would be on the floor.
"I didn't ask you, Sinclair."
"I didn't ask you either, Hargrove." Billy took a step forward and Mike side stepped in front of Lucas.
"Nope, I'm gonna tell you one time. Get the hell out of my house." Billy stared at him, obviously surprised by the forcefulness coming from Mike.
"Don't act like you're the boss and man of the house, Wheeler."
"I kinda am, Hargrove. Last I checked, I'm the only one who lives here that's got a dick, so..." Mike shrugged and he heard someone snort from the living room. "And," He drawled it out, "The Chief's here, and I don't think your dad would be too happy if you got arrested for harassing a bunch of kids and their parents, huh? Also, your presence in my house is disturbing Christmas Eve and family time, so if you'd so kindly shut the hell up and get out." Billy made the most ridiculous sound, a half growl, half snort, and turned on his heel. Mike, Lucas and Dustin flipped him off and slammed the door. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Mike!" Lucas shrieked, nearly falling over from laughing so hard. Mike, giggling, stepped back into the living room and looked at Steve dead in the face, sobering quickly.
"Steve?" Everyone stared at him, still a little surprised.
"Uh, yeah?"
"Do you still have that bat?"
"It's in my car, yeah."
"I might need to borrow it for a couple weeks." He started laughing again at the look on Steve's face.
"Christ, kid, I think you might've gotten a little brain damage yesterday." Hopper chuckled.
"Michael." Karen sighed, a small smile playing at her lips.
"What?" He asked, innocently as he sat next to El, who grinned at him.
"I'm afraid that you," She paused for a second, "Are becoming a little badass like I used to be when I was your age. Mullet wearing asshole? Quality insult right there." Mike snorted, throwing his head back.
"You were a badass, mom? I highly doubt that." Nancy shook her head.
"You'd be surprised, actually." Karen winked at her.
"Oh jeez, okay, my God Mike, what in the ever loving hell was that?" Dustin cackled, he and Lucas finally rejoining them in the living room. Mike shrugged.
"I have no idea, but I think my life flashed before my eyes." That sent almost everyone into a fit of giggles, all except for Max, who looked worried. She stood up and nudged Mike, silently asking for him to follow her. He raised an eyebrow but did anyways. She lead him to the complete opposite end of the house.
"What's wro-"
"Please never do that again." She interrupted. He looked at her.
"What do you mean? I'm not about to just let him waltz up into my house like that and demand to know where you are."
"Do you not remember how he messed Steve up? Imagine what he'd do to you." She glared at him. "I understand you wanted to stand up to him, but don't. He doesn't scare me anymore."
"I'm gonna say it again, he's not gonna come in my house and act like he owns the place. He doesn't scare me either. Well I mean, he kinda does, but I know he won't mess with me as long as I threaten him with the chief." Mike shrugged at that.
"That's not the point."
"No, I know, but it's bullshit, Max. You're a party member and it's not like I was gonna just sit there and let him take you home or something. I mean, he tried to run us over before you were even friends with us!" She sighed and looked at him. "Besides, I technically am the man of the house now so I gotta show my authority around here." She snorted at that.
"Whatever, Nerd, just be careful? And good Lord you've been spending too much time with me. You're catching an attitude." He snorted.
"I've always had an attitude. I mean, have you met my sister?" The two walked back to the living room, stopping dead in their tracks when they saw Hopper and Joyce kissing in front of the front door.
"It's about damn time!" Max hollered, whooping and running into the living room. Mike stared, wide eyed for a second as the two adults looked at him sheepishly. He pointed at them accusingly.
"Not in front of the children!" And joined everyone else in the living room.
A couple hours later, once wrapping paper that had once covered the entire floor was cleaned up, and as was the kitchen, to-go plates made and ready to go, everyone left, Hopper and El being the last to leave as usual. Mike pulled El up to his room while Hopper talked to Karen.
"You put my picture up!" She said excitedly, sitting on his bed. He smiled and nodded, opening the top of his drawer and pulling out the wrapped box. He sat across from her and handed it to her.
"I wanted to wait until everyone else left." She smiled at him and nodded, tearing the paper off it as he fiddled his thumbs and bit his lip nervously. She fumbled with the box a little and opened it, her eyes widening immediately. "Um, my mom helped me pick it out but I bought it." He said. "It's one of the first things I taught you and it means a lot to me. I understand if you don't like it, I can take it back or-" She interrupted him with a quick kiss and holding the unclasped chain to him.
"Put it on for me?" She asked sweetly. He blushed and nodded, taking it from her. He made sure the word was facing the right way and put it on. She turned back around and scooted closer to him, hugging him. "It means a lot to me too. Love it. Love you too, Beans." He chuckled and hugged her back.
"I love you too. I'm gonna figure out a nickname, other than El, for you soon. I promise." She let him go and he winked at her. She giggled.
"El! Let's go before the snow starts again!" Hopper yelled. She rolled her eyes and stood, pulling Mike with her.
"Oh! First I want to take a picture of the three of you! El, I love the necklace on you! It's so pretty." Karen said, grabbing her camera. Mike noticed Hopper's barely there eye roll at the mention of pictures and he nudged him.
"I feel ya, Hop. I hate pictures too." Hopper snorted and nodded.
"Same, kid. Nice choice of necklace, I don't think she'll ever take it off." Mike smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist as Hopper put his hands on each of their shoulders and smiled for the camera.
