always forever, stranger things¹

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 ; you won't

"STAIRS!" The group dashed to the floor Jonathan and Nancy were on, with Carol and Mike leading the way. Will was scared because Amelia was very enraged. The hospital was bitterly cold, and there was blood on the floor.

"She's in there?" Amelia questioned. Jonathan simply nodded his head and she turned to face El. Amelia extended her hands and raised her head. The door flew off its hinges.

El tossed the monster to the left, while Amelia tossed it to the right. The group watched as Amelia hands erupted in flames and she yelled, hurling a fireball into the monster's mouth. It screeched in agony before El screamed and flung it out the window.

Will grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the hospital to pursue the monster. They stood there watching as the monster melted and dripped into the sewers, leaving only a bone. Will hugged Amelia from the side, and she tried to catch her breath.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

El was inside the room, searching for Billy. She could hear faint arguing from Max and Mike but tried to ignore it. "Okay, can you guys settle an argument for us? Who do you think should decide El's limits? Mike or Eleven?"

"The way you frame that is such bullshit," Mike said as he walked into the kitchen. Carol looked annoyed as Amelia rolled her eyes. She continued to observe the interaction. "It's not bullshit, Mike. This is your whole problem. It's also precisely the reason why she dumped your ass."

"El dumped you?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, because she's conspiring against me. She's corrupting her. Amelia too." Mike said, sending the last sentence to Will. Amelia scoffed in disbelief. 

"No, enlightening her," Max argued.

"Mike, she isn't yours. She's her own person and is fully capable of making her own decisions." Amelia joined. 

"She's risking her life for no reason!"

"For no reason? Mike, the flayed are out there doing god-knows-what." Nancy snapped. 

"Killing," Lucas spoke.

"Flaying," Carol added. "Transforming into monsters." Will finished.

"And El's not stupid. She knows her abilities better than any of us. She's her own person, with her own free will." Nancy interjected.

"Exactly," Max agreed. "El has saved the world twice and Mike still doesn't trust her." 

Mike was quick to fire back. "You wanna talk about trust, really? After you and Mel made Eleven spy on us?" 

Amelia's jaw dropped, Will sitting up and looking at her in disbelief.

"Wait, what?" Lucas questioned.

"Oh, they didn't tell you this? They used El's powers to spy on us."

"No, no, no. We did not make her. It was her idea!" Amelia exclaimed. 

"Yeah, and why are we even talking about this?" Max yelled.

"Yeah, who cares?" Will asked, shaking his head. "I care! I guess girlfriends don't lie, they spy."

"Mike, we were just joking around!" Amelia spoke.

"Wouldn't it have been so funny if I was taking a massive shit or something?" Mike questioned. Carol scrunched her face up and scoffed. "You weren't though!" she shouted. 

"But what if I was?" he asked.

"Then, gross!" Max yelled.

"Seriously, Mike?" Nancy crossed her arms over her chest.