NOTE: This is basically an AU of Season 3's, Episode Two, "The Mall Rat"

Max was tempted to throw her skateboard across the pavement or break it in half. She couldn't land for shit today. She felt Hawkins was changing her. Her skin was no longer warm from the California sun and her friends stopped writing letters. She found that she didn't even miss much of her old friends. She had a new group or party, as they liked to call themselves. She had Lucas and she fought the smile threatening to come across her face as she was still pissed at him for pointing out her new zit.

There was Will, who loved drawing portraits of her flaming red hair and always had a mixtape of new music for her to listen to. Dustin was still trying to beat all her high scores at the arcade.

She was still struggling to find common ground with Mike and El, especially El. She wasn't exactly sure how to breach a friendship. There was tension between them. Jensen stated it could be that she was another girl in the group. It almost felt like she was new to Hawkins again.

Still, it was hard to even try to get to know El as she was constantly sucking face with Mike. So it was easy getting close to Will, Dustin, and Lucas due to Mike and El either bailing early or not showing up at all for group outings.

She frowned because she knew Mike and El "loved" each other, but considering the examples of relationships Max had in her life neither her Mom and Derek didn't act like that nor Eddie and Jensen, and they could be disgusting at times.

Max growled when she couldn't land a basic Ollie. She watched the skateboard roll down the street until a foot stepped on the edge and brought it up.

Max's eyes widened at the sight of El. This was the first time El had ever been in her neighborhood. She didn't even think El knew where she lived.

El holding her skateboard approached her cautiously. "Can we talk?"

Max accepted the weight of her skateboard. "Yeah, sure."

She led El into the house. It was only her and Jensen at the house.

El looked at their house, which was filled with plants and vibrant colors. Max was aware the interior of her house was way different than most in Hawkins. "Is your sister home?"

Max nodded. "She's in her room. Probably painting her nails."

"Painting her nails?" El repeated.

It wasn't as if Max forgot, but it was times like these when she was reminded that El didn't grow up in a traditional upbringing until Hooper adopted her.

"Yeah, if you want, we can ask her to paint yours. She is good at doing designs. Eddie lets her paint his nails."

El's nose scrunched up. "But he's a boy."

Max shrugged as she led her into her room. Max thought Eddie was from another planet most days. Besides she was sure there were incentives for Eddie when Jensen needed to try a new design out. El took a seat on her bed.

Max folded her arms across her chest. "So what's going on?"

"It's Mike…" El looked nervous as her hands balled into fists at her knees. Max couldn't recall El ever being nervous, especially when it came to her relationship with Mike. "He said his Nana was sick, but his mom was the on the phone and seemed to not know. I don't know…he was very rushed and said he missed me and hung up."

Max looked confused by the fact Mike would lie to El considering they were attached at the hip. Maybe the seas were parting as Mike had finally gotten the dumb boy gene. Plus, she knew Mike didn't have anything to do today. He never did and if there was something planned he would have been bitching to all of them that it took away time from El.

"He's a piece of shit," Max muttered as she shook her head.

"What?"

"Mike doesn't have jack shit to do today, and his Nana obviously isn't sick," Max informed her. Max didn't really know why Mike would lie to El. Yet, boys were stupid, so it wasn't something she was going to waste too much time thinking about. "I guarantee you, him and Lucas are playing Atari right now."

El frowned. "But friends don't lie."

Max snorted. "Yeah, well, boyfriends lie."

El's eyebrows furrow. "Eddie lies to Jensen?"

Max shrugged her shoulders. Eddie was of the male species, so he had to tell some white lies to Jensen at some point. And he wasn't stupid enough to get caught yet. "Probably."

The redhead took a seat next to El on her bed. Max saw this as an opportunity to get to know El. Max turned serious. "You're going to stop calling him. You're going to ignore his calls. As far as you're concerned, he doesn't exist."

"Doesn't exist?"

"He treated you like garbage. You're gonna treat him like garbage. Give him a taste of his own medicine."

"Give him the medicine."

"Mm-hmm. And if he doesn't fix this, if he doesn't explain himself, dump his ass."

"Who's ass are we dumping?"

Max and El jump at the sound of Jensen's voice. She's leaning against the doorway. Her nails were neon pink and green. Her hair was in its curly afro, which Max could admit made her jealous most days.

Max looked at El, who in return looked at Jensen. "Does Eddie lie?"

A black eyebrow raised as Jensen stood up straighter. "To me?"

El nodded her head.

Jensen stepped into the room and eyed the young teenagers. She wasn't going to answer that. "What's going on?"

Jensen did her best not to butt too much into Max's life. She didn't want to come across as pushy or nosey. It wasn't as if she really had to worry about Max much. She was confident her sister had a good head on her shoulder. Besides, Max always let her know who her friends were and where she was going. She always let Max come to her on her own terms.

So she knew that Max was having a hard time connecting with El. Jensen had a basic picture that she thought El was just coming to terms with that she wasn't the only girl in the friend group anymore. Max came in and was like a shiny new toy.

She could understand El's resistance to someone new joining their "party" as they called themselves.

"Mike's being a shitty boyfriend," Max stated smugly.

"Max!" Jensen scolded gently.

Max shrugged her shoulders. "Well, he is."

Jensen shook her head at her sister. She turned towards El, who was looking at her curiously. Jensen was more used to being around Lucas and Dustin. Lucas trailed after Max and Dustin most days was Eddie's shadow. There were a lot of times Dustin would claim a "code red" emergency over their radios. There had been plenty of times Eddie threatened to break the thing.

She knew El and Mike were together. There were times she overheard Max, Lucas, Dustin, and Will grumble about them being too busy sucking faces than hanging out altogether.

She guessed the honeymoon stage is finally over.

"I was just about to tell El that there is more to life than stupid boys."

Jensen could see where this was going. "Oh and I assume you are going to need a ride to show her this?"

Eddie never remembered his uncle's trailer being this small. Sure, he has accumulated a lot of shit from his love of music and books. Yet, it all seemed to fit perfectly. The raggedy trailer felt like a home. It was his and his uncle's castle. However, Eddie was coming to the realization that it was time to find a place of his own. One he could share with Jensen and make it their safe haven. Besides, it would be nice not having to censor themselves behind closed doors.

He got a steady job at the comic book store. He was still selling to supplement, but he had money and could help out his uncle more. He could buy Jensen more little gifts like flowers. She said she didn't like the flowers he bought, but she loved them. Max had told him Jensen had taken to pressing the flowers he bought her to preserve them.

She got a job at the tattoo shop working the front desk. They both had steady incomes and maybe it was time for them to think about finally getting a place of their own.

They were adults and it was time to begin doing adult things. After all, Jensen was it for him. He wanted to spend the rest of his days with her. At this point, it was rare for them to not be with each other like today.

Eddie checked the time and thought that maybe he would call Jensen and see if she wanted to go to the movies or if he could treat her to an ice cream date. His lips tugged up as maybe he could convince her for a trip to Lover's Lake. Rick mentioned he would be gone for a couple of weeks and his house would be empty. Maybe it was time for a place of their own so they could get some privacy.

Eddie stood up from his bed and was making his way toward the phone when a timid knock came on his door. He assumed it was one of the trailer park kids going to ask him something from either playing a game of soccer, trying to bribe him into selling them weed, or buying them a pack of beer.

Eddie scratched his head and opened his door. He was surprised to see Will Byers on his small porch. His brown eyes were peering up at him anxiously.

"Now what do I owe the pleasure of having Will the Wise on my doorstep?"

Will rewarded him with a timid smile. The boy rolled on his heels. "I was just riding around. I got some NPC to paint."

Eddie nodded his head. There was probably more to the story especially if not one of the other party members was trailing behind Will. Will was the quiet one of the new members of the Hellfire club. Quiet, but deadly in Eddie's opinion. Eddie knew Will the Wise had made him up his strategies as Dungeon Master. He knew Will was going to make a great Dungeon Master. Will had that passion and deep-rooted love for the game that never wavered.

Eddie moved to the side as he let the youngest member of the Byler family pass through.

Eddie had quickly learned the dynamic of the group amongst the little sheep and the Shepards. Dustin was the one that was constantly underfoot. Mike was a little shit and never asked for help with anything. Lucas mainly went to Jensen for things since all his dilemmas were Max-related. With Will, the kid never divulged personal things. He kept things close to his chest and Eddie thought if there were issues Will spoke with Jonathon. So for the kid to come to his place unannounced alone, the metalhead knew there was something else bothering the kid.

Steve was the so-called Dad of the group. He had the disproving looks and that tone all parents seemed to inherit. He made sure the kids didn't get into too much trouble. Tried to pass off fatherly advice, which always made Eddie snort. So of course when Steve wasn't being a helicopter parent Eddie would let them sip on a beer. He may or may not have, under strict supervision, shown the kids how to roll a joint. It was a rite of passage.

Yet, for some reason, when it came to the rules of attraction, they all soaked up Steve's dating advice as if it was the Holy Grail despite the fact he hadn't been able to land a girl since Nancy.

Jonathon fits in the same category as Nancy. They were just siblings. Nothing too spectacular. They were kept in the loop and filtered in and out.

Eddie didn't know how to describe Robin. Half the time, she was as bad as the kids.

He thought of himself as the cool uncle. Although the thought made him scrunch his nose as Jensen would teasingly infer that he and Steve were the daddies of the group. Because of all the people to co-parent with it was Steve "The Hair" Harrington and who knew he was such a tight ass.

But that was neither here nor there.

So he entertained Will's tentative ideas for a D&D campaign. They talked about new music, movies (Will was still obsessed with Labyrinth since they saw it a couple of months ago), and some new comics that he would hold for Will.

Easy conversation, but he could see as their conversation dried as the paint on their figurines did something was eating at the boy.

"So where are the rest of the Goonies?" Eddie inquired.

Will snorted. "Mike's basement."

Eddie cracked his knuckles. "Something happen?"

Will eyed him through his growing bangs. It seemed he had finally convinced his mom to let go of the bowl cut.

"All they talk about is girls now. It's annoying," Will stated matter of fact. There was a tone in the boy's voice he never heard before. However, Will's cheeks turned red. "I mean I like Jensen and Nancy, but you and Jonathon don't constantly talk about them as if they are some object and don't bail on friends to swap spit!"

Eddie pursed his lips in thought. He had a pretty good idea of where this was going. Eddie was aware of the slightly obsessive relationship that Mike and El had with each other.

He didn't know much about their relationship or El really outside of the few bits Jensen or Max would share. Or the occasional groans of annoyance from Lucas and Dustin about the two skipping out early to make out somewhere.

Eddie knew all about hormones and he thought it was very bold of Mike to act that way with the Sheriff's daughter especially when they were barely 15.

"Did you and Mike get in a fight?"

Will sagged back in his seat. "No. Not really, but it's…"

"It's what?" Eddie probed.

"It's just different. I mean…I knew that things would change. I just thought the party would remain constant. Now it's about girls, clothes, and whatever the hell else is supposed to make people popular." Will chewed on his lip. He opened his mouth a couple of times before clamping them shut. He took a shaky breath. "I don't know…I feel different. I don't share those interests. I just was to draw, play D&D, and hang with them. But they don't want to anymore. I'm like the odd man out."

Eddie didn't know what to say. The purpose of Hellfire was for people like Will to feel as if they had a sense of belonging. Throughout the year he had always made grand speeches about going against conformity. Yet, the reality of it all was life was different from the brick walls of high school. The trial and tribulations of school were only a small piece of how the adult world chews and spits people out. And Hellfire couldn't help Will when it was just a fact of life people change and grow.

Also, Eddie knew Will was saying more between the lines. All the other boys had an interest in girls and were open about them. Will preferred to talk about the new paints his mom and Jonathan got him. How Hopper had taken him to the art museum. He shied away from conversations around girls and the physical aspects of affection. Eddie didn't know if Will even had a crush on anyone.

Eddie had thoughts. He suspected as he felt Will and Robin acted similarly as they danced around topics regarding dating. He only knew about Robin as he caught her admiring Jensen in her bikini in the summer. Not that he could blame her. Jensen was smoking in a bikini, especially with her growing collection of tattoos.

So he didn't want to give Will some generic speech. Sure the town may believe he was the right hand of the devil, but for Will, it was more serious. Eddie knew what a small town like Hawkins would do to a boy like Will and Robin.

Eddie moved his chair next to Will. He gripped the boy's shoulder. If anything he could relate to being scared and not feeling as if he had anyone to turn to.

"I wish I could say something to make it better or for that fear to go away, but I don't. All I can say is I'm here for you. I'll protect you the best I can."

Will gave him a small smile. "I know."

Eddie rubbed the kid's head and made the hair go haywire.

Will laughed as he moved away. "Stop! You're worse than Hopper."

Eddie snorted. "How's that going?"

Will shrugged his shoulders. "It's nice seeing Mom happy…and I guess it's cool sort of having a stepdad."

"I mean I think it would be pretty nice having the police department in my pocket."

"It's actually worse."

"Seriously?"

"Hopper has a 6th sense when El and Jonathan try to do something. He is worse than Mom when it comes to safety."

"Well just think he is worried about El and Jon, it takes away from him worrying about you, ya?"

"I mean sure…but it's not like there is much to do in this town."

"You are right about that, my friend."

"Do you and Jensen plan to stay here?"

"What makes you ask that?"

"Max is always saying she misses California. I think she plans to go to college there."

Eddie shrugged his shoulders. "Jensen and I never talked about it. It would be nice to leave though. Don't know if I could leave my uncle. Are you thinking about leaving?"

"California or New York sounds nice. But I don't know."

"Well, you got a couple of years to think it over. Don't try to grow up too fast." Eddie advised.

Will nodded his head before they both were startled by loud knocks coming from the front door. Eddie frowned at the loud smacks accompanied by his name. He rolled his eyes dramatically.

He moved from the table and swung the door open to reveal Mike and Lucas.

"What do you little knuckleheads want?"

"We need your help?" Mike stated.

"With what?"

Mike shot a look of annoyance at Lucas before turning to him.

"Relationship advice."

Will snorted in the background as he folded his arms across his chest. That was new, he was surprised they didn't ride to the mall to bug Steve. "Really?"

"You are the one that has been in a relationship the longest." Mike pointed out.

"And the smooth talker over here couldn't give you advice?" Eddie said, nodding his head towards Lucas.

"I tried, but he wasn't taking my advice."

Eddie snorted. "Which was what? To buy her something?"

Lucas scowled and looked a bit wounded. Eddie rolled his eyes but opened his screen door to allow the two teens in.

He closed the door and he noticed Mike paused at the sight of Will, who was in the middle of cleaning up the paint and placing their figurines on a wooden stand he had to dry.

The tension was clear.

"I should get going," Will said.

"Nonsense, I imagine this isn't going to take long and I'll take you home," Eddie said as he directed Mike to the couch.

Lucas had wandered over to the figurines. He watched Lucas throw Will an impressed look.

"So what's the problem?" Eddie asked directly to Mike.

"I lied to El."

Eddie raised an eyebrow.

"And she knows," Mike elaborated.

"Okay?" Eddie said as he scratched his head. He didn't know what to do with that. Seemed like Mike dug his own grave. "Did she break up with you?"

"She's going to!"

"What did you lie about?"

"I told her my Nana was sick, but she's not. But I told her that because we can't see each other today!" Mike exclaimed as he sagged into the couch.

Eddie was confused. "You lied to your girlfriend because you didn't want to see her?"

"Because of Hopper. He went all psycho Dad when he dropped me off at home. Said I couldn't see El for a bit."

"Well no shit. You make out with El more than Jensen and I do in a week. You were practically asking for it."

Mike glared."Not helping."

"Just call her and tell her the truth," Eddie suggested.

"That's your advice?" Mike looked offended.

"Yeah, you're the dumbass that lied. And Hopper has a point. There is more to life than girls."

Lucas and Mike snorted. "You did not just say that," Lucas added.

Eddie stared at him. "Don't get me wrong. Jensen is my girl, but I also have my own life and interests outside of our relationship. It's not healthy to be obsessed. Jensen is a part of my world, not my whole world."

Eddie also wanted to point out that they were only 14. He was scared to think they were throwing the L word around.

Mike huffed. Lucas frowned. Will sighed.

Teenagers.

Eddie clapped his hands. "Now, let me drop you boys off at home. I got things to do."

"You going to the mall by any chance?" Mike asked.

Eddie groaned.

It was very clear that El was very much living in a man's world. As Jensen followed her sister and friend around the mall, it was clear El didn't have her own interest or likes. Jensen knew the girl didn't have the most traditional upbringing until Hopper adopted her, but it was sort of sad to see the girl didn't really know what she liked when it came to fashion, music, movies, and other sorts of hobbies or interests.

She followed the girls as they ran in and out of almost every store. She even took a couple of photos with them as they had a mini photoshoot. Jensen even splurged and bought El a Walkman along with a Teena Marie cassette.

Now, as the day was winding down and coaxing her into a sleepover, they were making their way into Scoops Ahoy before heading back home.

It did not surprise Jensen to find Steve behind the counter.

"Ladies," he greeted with a smile. "I'm surprised the whole crew isn't with you."

"Just a day for us girls," Jensen replied as she eyed the ice cream selection.

"Sounds like there is more to the story there," Steve probed.

Max rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Lucas will tell you all about it. I want Rocky Road, two scoops."

Jensen snorted at Max's tone. "What about you El?"

El looked pensive at all the flavors. "Just vanilla for now. One scoop."

"And will it be a mint chocolate chip for you, Jen?" Steve asked.

Jensen nodded her head as she dug in her pocket for money.

"Oi, none of that, Jen, it's on the house," Steve said as he began scooping the ice cream. "You guys don't try to abuse your privileges like the boys."

Jensen threw him a knowing look. "And who allows them to abuse those privileges?"

Steve glared at her while he handed over her cone. Jensen smiled and gave him a hefty tip before she followed the two hyperactive teens out of the store. They decided to eat their ice cream by the fountain. She even donated two pennies so they could make a wish.

Jensen was off to the side and enjoyed her ice cream until she froze as arms slid around her and a very familiar voice whispered in her ear, "Of all the malls in the world, she walks into mine."

"Jesus, Eddie," Jensen scolded, as he almost got himself a black eye.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Sorry, babe, I couldn't resist." Eddie wasn't going to say aloud that he knew the shape of her ass from a mile away.

"Sure."

Eddie smiled and he couldn't resist getting a taste of her ice cream before tucking her into his side.

"What brings you to StarCourt?" Jensen asked.

"The knuckleheads needed relationship advice. They weren't happy with what I gave and asked for a ride to the mall. You?"

Jensen towards where Max and El were laughing by the fountain.

"Ah…so the infamous, there is more to life than boys."

"I guess it's a good thing that you are a man, then."

A wolfish grin took over Eddie's face before he dipped and placed a kiss on her lips. "So I take it I won't see you until tomorrow."

Before Jensen could answer, Max replied for her.

"This is a girls-only day, Eddie. Paws off my sister."

Jensen bit back her giggle as Eddie slowly detangled himself from her with his hands up in mock surrender.

"What are you even doing here? You hate the mall?" Max asked as she scrunched her nose in irritation.

"El? What are you doing here?"

All heads turned towards Mike, who was slowly approaching with an apprehensive Lucas and clearly annoyed Will.

"Shopping," El answered with a clipped tone.

Max crossed her arms over her chest. "This is her new style," she proclaimed smugly. El had bought a black jumpsuit with some colorful shapes decorating it. "What do you think?"

Mike frowned at Max. "What's wrong with you? Did you even ask Hopper if she could be here?"

Max scoffed. "What is she, your little pet?"

Jensen looked up at Eddie, who was watching the scene with amusement.

El narrowed her eyes. She seemed to have confidence, with Max backing her. "Yeah. Am I your pet?"

Mike looked affronted by the suggestion. "What? No!"

"Then why do you treat me like garbage?"

Mike's brows furrowed. "What?"

"You said Nana was sick."

Jensen knew just from Mike's face alone that they caught him in the lie. "She is."

Jensen and Eddie both snort as Mike looked at Lucas for backup. "She is. She is sick."

"Yeah, sick— she's sick. She's sick," Lucas added weakly.

"She's super sick. That's why we're here, actually." Mike stated.

"Yeah, we're shopping," Lucas boasted.

"Not for us, but for her, for Nana," Mike clarified. "Also, we're here to get a gift for you."

Jensen tuned out the kids as she looked at her boyfriend. "Should we stop this trainwreck?"

"Nah, how will they live and learn?" Eddie replied.

"You lie." El proclaimed plainly as she looked at Mike. "Why do you lie?"

Mike didn't seem to have an answer for her. El huffed and Jensen found her arm being looped by the young girl as she grabbed Maxie's as well. Jensen barely had time to pass over her ice cream cone to Eddie.

El looked Mike straight in the eyes and stated proudly before she walked away. "I dump your ass."

After painting fingernails and toes, Max and El retreated to the sanctuary of Max's room. Jensen was left alone in hers. She was in the middle of her nighttime routine when a knock came on her window. Jensen rolled her eyes as she saw her boyfriend.

Jensen unlocked her window and opened it. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I was scared to come through the front door in fear of Max slamming it in my face," Eddie told her as he climbed through.

Jensen shook her head and closed her window, locking it. She closed her blinds and curtain. "No mending of young boys' hearts?"

Eddie plumped down onto her bed. "Naw, Dr. Munson prescribed them to wallow in their misery. Promised Will a game of Dungeon and Dragons if he can get Dustin to join."

Jensen followed Eddie onto her bed and crawled into his lap. "Sounds exciting."

"How was your day?" Eddie asked.

"I think El is successfully navigating her first breakup. Seemed like she and Max finally found some common ground."

"Breaking hearts and taking names."

Jensen rolled her eyes. As she and Eddie both knew a reconciliation was coming probably within a week.

"Can you imagine if we were like that?" Eddie asked.

"No. I am kind of glad we didn't date at 14."

"I know growing out that shaved head was horrible. The angst from that alone." Eddie muttered.

"You're such an idiot."

Eddie's eyes lit up. "I'm your idiot, but I have the perfect antidote to combat that."

"Oh, you do now, Dr. Munson?"

"Mmm," Eddie replied, as he eyed her in her short sleeping shorts and a tight-cropped cami. He tapped a finger to his lips.

Jensen smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Love you."

"Love you too," Eddie replied.