you're my safe place ~ MILEVEN ONE SHOTS~

Jealous

Over the course of the last few weeks, with El back and a smile constantly plastered on Mike's face, Max and Mike had grown closer. They had accepted each others differences and Mike apologised for taking his anger out on her. It had started with Mike overhearing a conversation between Lucas and Max just days after the Snowball.

"So he didn't say anything?" Lucas asked, crossing his arms over his chest, unaware of Mike listening by the door, bored out of his mind while he waited for El to come over and watch some movies.

"No. You know he is scared of me now" Max chuckled but her voice was slightly off making Mike frown slightly.

"He isn't going to be scared forever..." Lucas sighed, grabbing her hand.

"I know, Stalker. But I have you, to protect me. And the others" Max said the last line with hesitation, thinking back to Mike's coldness during the time when El wasn't around.

"You have all of us. Even Mike has taken a liking to you recently" Lucas grinned and her head snapped up.

"He has?"

"Yeah. I can tell" he insisted and Mike rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I told my mum I would be back to babysit my stupid sister, I'll see you later. Tell Mike I said goodbye."

Max nodded and they shared a tight hug before he departed. As soon as he left, Max walked to the door and quickly opened it, unaware of who had been behind it the entire time.

Mike fell forward when she opened the door, stumbling into the room making Max gasp.

"Wheeler? Were you listening in on us?" She asked angrily and Mike shuffled on his feet awkwardly.

"N-No... I-"

"Whatever, look...I need to get home now. Thanks for letting me come round and watch the campaign."

Mike nodded but grabbed her arm when she went to leave the room. "Max, wait!"

She raised an eyebrow in reply.

"Look..I'm sorry about your brother."

Her face hardened slightly before she shook it off, glancing away. "Whatever. He just takes his anger out on me. But whatever, I can take it."

"And I took my anger out on you" Mike stated quietly.

Max nodded and Mike looked down shamefully.

"I'm sorry."

"I get it. You thought I was replacing El. But I would never do that, I hope you know that now" she said to which he nodded quickly. "Besides, don't compare yourself to my brother. Even I don't think that low of you."

Mike grinned. "So we good?"

"Yep. We're all good, Wheeler."

El however, was not so fond of their closeness, getting up and leaving whenever Max and Mike sat together or when they had a conversation alone. It reminded her of when she saw them together, in the gym.

But Mike had begun to notice her coldness over time. He knew that it secretly upset Max, no matter how tough she acted and he knew she was hurt underneath it all. Mike couldn't think of anything that Max had done wrong, he figured at first El was just uncomfortable around someone that she didn't know. But she could hardly stand being in the room with her.

So one day, he decided to ask her.

"El?" He whispered from where they sat, on the couch in his basement, both too big to fit in the fort together anymore.