#and that tape in the back of the pizza van when mike grabs his glasses

[gayofthefae]

It’s just so neat to me how they’ve subtly worked favorite songs into the show throughout. Will’s is Should I Stay or Should I Go. Hopper’s is You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. We had no reason to need to know that.

Which then makes me think of other information we had no reason to know. Like rainbow ship. and that Will’s birthday is March 22. In that shed scene, the DnD campaign Mike talks about is a reference to the tunnels and the song helps him in his possession and the castle byers story sets up it’s destruction in the following season.

#the shed scene #rainbowshipgate #birthdaygate #jim hopper #will byers #and then there's all the season 4 plants of course like boys don't cry by the cure and running up that hill in the first episode #stranger things #and that tape in the back of the pizza van when mike grabs his glasses #st details

[serendipitousrambles]

One Summer Can Change Everything

Chapter Two: Boyfriends don’t lie...they spy

(AO3)

"Can we please change the tape?" Max called from the back of the van.

They'd only been driving for an hour but there's only so much Billy Joel she could take.

"Fine." Lucas signalled for Dustin to take the cassette out.

"What now?" Dustin looked over his shoulder to the rest of the van.

Mike and El were in their own little world talking to each other in the back, while Max and Will sat in the middle seats.

"I have a mix tape from Jonathan?" Will suggested, and he handed it over to Dustin. "It's not just three hours of The Clash don't worry."

David Bowie started playing instead.

"Where are we going?" Max sighed, leaning against the window.

"Chicago." Lucas said, not taking his eyes away from the highway. "And then we're going to go camp somewhere."

Groans were heard throughout the van.

"You guys suggested a road trip so that's what we're doing."

When they finally made it to Chicago a few hours later, Lucas parked the camper van on the outskirts of town and they got the train further into the heart of the city.

"We have to try Chicago deep dish pizza." Dustin said, pointing to a restaurant sign.

"I could eat." Max agreed, grabbing Lucas' hand. "Come on."

They all bought a slice of pizza, taking it to go. They took it to the park and sat on the grass together.

"This is the best pizza I've ever tasted." Dustin said through a mouthful.

There was a chorus of agreement, everyone busy stuffing their faces. Will took out Jonathan's camera, snapping a shot of everyone.

They'd stayed in the park for a few hours, the other people around starting to leave until it was just them. Dustin had spread out the map across the grass, Will helping him map out a route.

El and Mike lay down, her head on his chest and his arms around her as they looked up at the pink and orange clouds. They looked so peaceful, you wouldn't think that just a few minutes away was a bustling city.

Max and Lucas were quietly talking to each other, his arm draped loosely over her.

"I've been here before." El suddenly said sitting up, and everyone looked up confused. They didn't think El had been outside Hawkins before.

"When?"

Mike looked at El as if to say "are you sure about telling them?" , his hand gently resting on her thigh reassuringly. But she nodded, placing her hand over his and squeezing it.

She had told Mike about her time with Kali a few years ago. Keeping secrets just wasn't something they ever wanted to do, so he knew pretty much everything about her. Even parts of her past she hadn't even opened up to Hopper about fully, she had started to tell Mike. She knew he would listen, and that's why she loves him.

"I met a sister." She said.

"Sister?!" They all repeated, mouths dropping open.

"Number 8." El held up her wrist pulling back the blue hair tie that usually hid the faded 011 tattoo. "Like me."

"Cool." Dustin said, "What powers did she have?"

"She made you see things. Things that weren't there."

"Creepy." Lucas muttered. "I wouldn't like not knowing what's real and what's not."

El continued, looking down and playing with her and Mike's interlocked hands. "She...she wanted to kill the bad men. And I almost did too…"

She looked up, her eyes red. "I stopped her. But..but I don't want to kill anyone. Not on purpose."

Mike squeezed her hand, knowing it was tough for her to talk about it sometimes. But she wanted to tell them. She didn't want to keep secrets anymore, not if this was their last summer together before going their separate ways.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to think I was a monster."

"We'd never think that El." Dustin smiled. "You've saved our asses more times than we can count."

Mike put his arm around her and held her close, her face squishing against his chest.

They'd been friends for years, but something about this trip had already brought them together. She felt like if she didn't tell them now, she never would. And they'd go off to college but she'd be keeping this secret. It felt good to get it off her chest.

"Thank you for sharing that, El." Max reached over and hugged her.

They all sat in silence for a moment, the sky getting darker. It had been an interesting day, but they were all starting to yawn.

"Shall we set up camp for the night?" Lucas stood up, stretching.

"Where?" Max looked up at him.

"We'll get a motel for the night."

///

They drove just outside of Chicago to a little motel. Will and Dustin had fallen asleep with their heads together, Max up front with Lucas.

"Tomorrow, I'll drive." She said and he raised an eyebrow.

"You drive? No thanks Zoomer." He laughed.

"You don't think I can drive?" She folded her arms.

"I know you can't drive. Three times to pass?"

"The guy was a coward. I wasn't even driving that fast."

"Yeah, right." He laughed.

They parked outside a motel. The "M" was flickering so it read "otel". It was cheap, but that would do for one night.

Sleepily, they stumbled up to the main office with an old lady at the desk. She was reading a magazine, only glancing up when Mike rang the bell.

"Yes?"

"We'd uh, like rooms please." Mike said and the lady looked over her glasses at them.

"Aren't you a little young?"

"We're all 18 ma'am."

She scanned all their faces then looked back at Mike. "Do you want single rooms or double rooms?"

"Uh…" he felt his face warming.

"We'll take double rooms." Max stepped forward, and the lady went to go get the keys. "I thought El and I could share a room. Have a sleepover like the old days? Is that ok, Mike?"

His face grew even redder and El and Max laughed. "Why, why wouldn't it? We don't...it's not like... we're not-" he started stuttering like an idiot but Max and El had grabbed their room key and started to walk away.

Lucas came up behind Mike and put an arm around him. "Smooth."

"Shut up Lucas." He shoved his arm off and grabbed the key.

"Looks like it's you and me, Will." Dustin said and Will sighed.

"Are you going to snore all night?"

"I don't snore."

///

El and Max were laughing, it was a sleepover just like old times. Boyfriends were great, but they still needed to have some girl time.

"I'm gonna miss this." Max sighed, "California is so far away from Hawkins."

"You'll come back at Christmas?" El smiled hopefully. She wasn't ready to say goodbye forever.

Max smiled, but it wasn't a promise. She suddenly got serious for a moment.

"How are you and Mike going to handle the separation?"

El blushed, looking down at her hands. Even after almost 5 years she still felt all gooey whenever anyone mentioned Mike.

"We've been through worse." She said, finally looking up. And Max understood. They had been through worse and come out the other side stronger.

Max always secretly envied their relationship. They seemed so genuinely in love with each other, never bored or angry with each other. Any time they argued (which was rare nowadays) it was never serious. They would talk through it. They couldn't stand to lose each other again so no fight ever lasted too long. Max couldn't say the same about her and Lucas. They liked each other...but they weren't as comfortable with affection as Mike and El. They weren't always holding hands, they weren't that bothered about having alone time. It just...it felt different. If she was being honest with herself...she didn't think they'd survive a long distance like Mike and El.

"What about you and Lucas?"

Max sighed, that really was the question. What about them?

"We...if I'm being honest? I don't know."

"But... you're going to stay together?"

Max shrugged. "I don't know how we'll handle long distance. I don't... I don't know if I even want that." She almost whispered the last part.

"What does that mean?"

"How do you and Mike cope?"

"We love each other." The way El had said it, so certain and so sure as if there had never been any doubt in her mind. It was as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Max wondered what it felt like. To be so certain about someone. To know that they loved you and you loved them without ever second guessing anything. You could just be yourself and be with that person.

"I like Lucas. A lot." Max almost felt like she was trying to convince herself. "And he's a really great guy."

"But?"

"But I don't know where we're going. You and Mike, you've got it all figured out. You have for years. I don't think I've ever been so sure of anything as you and Mike seem to be of each other."

"You still have the summer to figure it out." El tried to reassure Max.

"I used to tell myself don't be the girl who goes to college with a boyfriend. Long distance just seems so hard. I don't know if we can make it work. I think…" Max sighed. "I don't know what to do."

El hugged her, rubbing her back. "I'll help you figure it out."

What they didn't know was how thin the walls were in such a cheap motel.

Lucas was on the other side, mouth agape like a goldfish.

"Is she...is she going to dump me? For good?"

Mike shrugged. "I don't know…"

#mileven #lumax #el hopper #mike wheeler #lucas sinclair #max mayfield #dustin henderson #will byers #oscce