epiphany ~ lumax

Episode 7

El- Trailer park

El had gone back to Max's trailer, and the place was a mess. The upside down portal was huge here, and although it was everywhere in Hawkins, it felt more real here. She had heard everything that had happened. Chrissy, Eddie, Fred, Patrick, and so many more.

She walked into Max's trailer, but immediately regretted it, especially now in the middle of the night when all she could see was the huge portal continuing halfway in the trailer.

But she had come here for a reason and she couldn't disappoint Max. She breathed in a gust of air for encouragement before stepping forward. Max's skateboard was in a corner in the kitchen. She could do this. It was just like she was reaching for Max, and she wouldn't hesitate if it were really her friend. Max would appreciate this.

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El had made it to skateboard and had done the route back to Hopper's cabin, which she expected to be as dark and quiet as it was when she left. Unfortunately for her that was not the case.

"El?" Will asked from the porch, and El froze, caught in the act.

"Please don't tell Joyce and Hop," she pleaded.

"Uh... too late?" he hesitated before moving aside, revealing a very relieved Joyce and an angry Hop behind him.

"El!" Hopper barked. "Get in here."

Lumax-Hospital

Max woke up to the sound of Lucas' backpack zip tie. "Where are you going?" She groaned

Lucas, startled by her voice, stopped what he was doing. "I didn't want to wake you up!" he sighed "I need to go home for a little while, my parents will probably kill me if I don't."

"Oh," She sounded disappointed, which made Lucas smile. Maybe she needed him as much as he needed her.

"Don't worry, I'll be back in a little while. You won't be alone for too long," he added, to make her feel better. He knew that he would have liked reassurance that things would be alright when she was... gone.

"Dammnit, I wanted to get rid of you," Max smiled.

"Anyone you want to see? I can tell them to come" Lucas asked.

"I know you were all my friends and all, but for now I really just feel comfortable with you" She added "Do not let that go to your head. I can't see your face, but I'm pretty sure you have a stupid smirk."

Lucas raised his eyebrows when he realized she was right. What she didn't know was that his heart was beating against his chest, so much so that he was shocked it didn't rip out of his ribcage and spill of his sweet nothing to her. "All right then, here you go." He reached his hand to Max's with a walkie talkie. "That way you can communicate."

When he saw Max's hand trying to grab the walkie talkie without seeing, he grabbed with hers his free one, and handed it over to her. Fingers closing around each other, he shut his eyes for a second. He loved that feeling of Max's hand in his warm skin blessing his own like the sun blessed the earth. He didn't just love this feeling, he loved her.

Meanwhile, Max didn't understand how she could have fallen in love so easily. After all, she only met him 3 days prior.

No, she only remembered meeting him 3 days prior, she reminded herself, if only to make herself feel better. But loving Lucas didn't feel wrong... it felt good in fact. Better than anything. It felt... easy, and Max had a feeling that not many things in her life had been easy.

The Hoppers- Hopper's Cabin

"You are in big trouble missy," Hopper grunted, with a half smile of annoyance.