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AFTER YESTERDAY's TALK with Lucas, you met up with him— somewhere where there was a lot of ruined cars, stuff that was abandoned. Max was already there— you had waved and caught Dustin's attention, he waves back at you with a smile on his face.

"Who are they?" Steve asks dustin, Dustin doesn't reply as he saw how close you were with max, he wasn't entirely sure what you two had going on but he could feel it.

You immediately got to work and started helping max to set things up, max kneeled down as he helped you knock some nails into a board.

The silence between you two was comfortable, he had remembered Lucas's words to him, just to ask at the right time when he needed to.

Max was self conscious, asking you to the dance— he was nervous about it and he wasn't sure how to do it, but eventually...he knew he'd have to do it soon.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ཐིཋྀ.ᐟ

Later that time of night, you climbed up the ladder on the top of the bus, Lucas was there and then snapped his fingers towards max, signaling for him to also come onto the rooftop of the bus.

Max sighs nervously before climbing up top the ladder and making his way on top of the bus, "hey." he spoke softly, you whirl around to see max sitting next to you.

You send him a nod as you look at the fog, knees pressed against your chest.

"It's kinda awesome." Max spoke.

"Hm?" You hummed in reply, tilting your head— curious as to what he meant.

"The fog, I meant." Max repeats. "Looks like the ocean..you remember the ocean?"

You nod slowly, a soft smile on your lips. "Yeah..I remember you would ask your mother if you could take me out so we both could admire the ocean."

"Do you ever miss it?" You asked while glancing at him, "Cali? the oceans? you know..the water? Hawkins, seems lame huh?"

"No, no, no, it's not that. It's just..." Max trails off before sighing. My dad's still there. So...you know this legal term called 'divorced'. See, when two married people don't love each other anymore— they go their separate ways. My mom and stepdad, they wanted a fresh start away from him. As if...As if he was the problem, which is total bull. And things..are just worse now. My stepbrother's always been a dick, but now he's just angry– all the time and— well, he can't take it out on my mom, so...he takes it out on me. I know I'm annoying you by telling you this but, I just want to get it off my chest."

You listen to him explain, you knew this was what he was bottling up for years, months probably— that was understandable, fustration couldn't be controlled all the time.

"It's just...I know that I can be a jerk like him sometimes," Max continued. "And I do not want to be like him. ever." he then reaches forward and scoots closer to you, you lean your head on his shoulder.

"I guess I'm angry, too, and...I'm sorry." Max apologies, taking you by surprise.

You look up at him, "why? why are you sorry?" you asked.

"The way he treats you cause of the color of your skin.." max trails off, "the way he talks about you when you're not around— the discrimination there when Lucas was around me— I'm so sorry."

He was never this emotional, you see him holding back tears. You lift your head up from his shoulder and placed a hand on his shoulder, "you will never, ever be like him, okay? I appreciate you for being you. you are nothing like him."

Max looks into your eyes, "forgive me?"

"You don't need to ask that. It's not your fault, max." You say softly. "No matter what universe you're in, I'm pretty sure we'll find each other there every time."

"Do people actually say that?" Max asks as he lets out an airy chuckle, watching as you lowered your head and laughed.

You then lift your head up again and locked eyes with max, you realized how close the two of you were now.

He starts leaning in slowly, you begin to do the same. you were close, your noses touching as you began to lean in much closer.

Your lips ghost over one another as you were this close, this—

"[Y/n].." Max whispers as he gazed into your eyes, you also looked into his eyes, nodding slowly.

But before the two of you could lock lips, loud growling and screeching was heard.

"I've got eyes! Ten o'clock! Ten o'clock!" Lucas shouted from inside the bus.

You hurried back inside the bus with max as Steve had made his way outside, holding his spiked bat in hand.

"Steve! Abort! Abort!" Dustin shouts to him as he opened the bus door. Steve hurried inside the door as everyone clamored over each other.

"Are they rabid or something?" Max shouts with confusion.

"Can they get in?!" You shout this time.

"They can't get in! They can't!" Lucas adds.

Screeching was heard and you flinched, max pushed you behind him protectively as he looked around for any oncoming danger.

You looked above you as you heard loud stomps, your eyes widened as you shrieked. "Max!" that was the first name you called out, max grabbed your wrist and pulled you back.

Steve rushed forward and began hitting the thing, you were shaking from shock, neither you nor max realize you were both holding hands— neither one of you let go either.

Dustin and Lucas look at each other with a knowing look, Lucas walks towards one of the windows as he looks into the fog, "what happened?" he asks.

"I don't know." Dustin spoke. "steve scared 'em off?"

Steve shakes his head. "No, no way. They're going somewhere."

This was getting even weirder.