further apart // max mayfield x oc

2: iii (the gate)

"put your hand in mine, you know that i want to be with you all the time"

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hopper burst through the door, startling the party slightly, and grabbed a scrap of paper. "what happened?" dustin asked, rushing to the table. "i think he's talking, just not with words..." he mumbled, scribbling on the paper. "what is that?" steve exclaimed, reading over his shoulder. "morse code." the party chorused. hopper threw down the pen. "h-e-r-e. he's still in there." jonathan, joyce and will sprinted back out to the shed, closely followed by felicity. dustin grabbed her arm as she walked past. "what are you doing?" he shouted, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. she squirmed out of his grasp. "i want to help. i know what i'm doing, promise."

----

taking a shaky breath, felicity sat down in front of will. she couldn't help but notice the terrified expression on his pale face, his dark eyes wide and staring. "hey, will.... d-do you remember when we first became friends? you saw me in the sandbox, and i was crying. you gave me your truck, even though your mom told you she couldn't buy another one? you said i should have it because i was sad. that's how i made friends with mike, you introduced me. you basically formed the whole party! without you it wouldn't exist. and we need you to complete it. we love you so much..." she finished, tears rolling down her face and a wobbly smile on her lips.

joyce pulled her into a tight hug as she stood up. "thank you, sweetie. i think they've got it now."
the silence was broken by a shrill ringing from the house, the will's eyes rolled back in his head. "he knows... he knows where we are!" hopper yelled, sprinting back into the house. "oh shit..." joyce swore, picking up the needle and injecting it into will's scrawny arm. "they're coming!" jonathan called, scooping up his brother and taking him back inside.

----

the group stood, poised towards the west window with various weapons, in somber silence. outside, animalistic growls and screams could be heard. "what are they doing?" nancy panted, as the sounds seemed suddenly to engulf the house. max screamed as a creature broke through the window and landed on the floor with a deafening screech. immediately hopper shot at it, and it lay still. "holy shit..." mike whispered, "what is that?"
felicity flicked the slimy corpse with the toe of her shoe, wincing at the sight.

"guys..." steve hissed, gesturing towards the door handle, which seemed to be turning by itself. all guns were raised towards the wooden door, expecting the worst. however, the frame creaked and instead of a demogorgon, the silhouette of a girl appeared in front of them. everyone stared in disbelief before mike ran forward and enveloped eleven in a fierce embrace. "i never gave up on you. i called you every night for-"
"353 days" she finished, smiling. "i heard."
"why didn't you tell me? why didn't you reply?"
"because i wouldn't let her" hopper interrupted, stepping forward to address her. "the hell is this? where have you been?"
"where have you been?" she retorted, before he too hugged her.
"you've been hiding her!" mike realised. "this whole time! you-"
"let's talk. alone." he scowled, pulling mike into will's room.

eleven stood, slightly overwhelmed, before walking over felicity. "lis... i missed you." she whispered. "i missed you too. it's been tough without you, el." she took a strand of her hair. "it grew back!" she giggled, making a wide grin appear on eleven's face. "eleven? hi, I'm max... i've heard a lot about you." max said, sticking her hand out. el simply glared at her and walked past to where joyce was. felicity cringed, smiling apologetically at the taller girl.