𝘿𝙍𝙄𝙁𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 - Max Mayfield

28. The Missing Lifeguard

The sky was grey as the four made their way to Max's house. As much as he loved gray skies and rainy days, Aiden was freaking out in multiple ways at the moment and he'd much rather be in the warmth and safety of El's room.

"Calm down,I can feel your heartbeat. It feels like you're about to explode" came Kakashi's voice.

'I don't know what to expect anymore,okay?!' Aiden let out a shaky breath. 'it might be even worse than what I'm already expecting to see'

'Overthinking will only give you more anxiety and thus make you weaker. You need to calm down'

'Easy for you to say,' Aiden retorted. 'You've always been calm since childhood'

'True...'

Aiden's internal conversation with Kakashi tuned out most of El, Max and Mel's conversation till he heard one question.

"So,do you and Aiden make happy screams?"

Aiden immediately tripped over his own feet,only to get caught by Max. "Excuse me?"

"Mel said people who love each other a lot make happy screams,so..." El looked at him innocently.

'oh,this should be interesting...'

"Well, she's right but..." Aiden tried to shake off the awkwardness in his system and explain to his sister figure. "Okay, okay... Y'know that stuff Hopper usually drinks, right?"

El nodded.

"Have you asked him to let you drink some?"

"Yes"

"And what'd he say?"

"Not for kids" El repeated what Hopper had told her.

"Exactly," Aiden said. "We can't make happy screams till we're old enough"

"How old is old enough?" Eleven pressed on. Despite the awkwardness of the conversation, her curiosity made Aiden smile.

"Sixteen I think" Aiden thought it over. "yeah I'm pretty sure it's sixteen or seventeen"

"Oh" Eleven nodded in understanding. "So,no happy screams till then?"

"Exactly" Aiden nodded. Eleven smiled, seemingly satisfied by the answers she got.

Aiden pulled Melanie and Max closer to himself as they walked. "You both owe me big time for putting me through that awkwardness"

As they arrived at Max's house,they found that his car wasn't there.

"You really sure we have to do this?" Max asked.

"I'm pretty sure we have to" Aiden said. "If we know one thing about Eleven's mental link, it's always accurate"

The group walked into Max's house and headed to Billy's room.

"We're gonna find all kinds of wrong in here" Mel shuddered.

"Mhmm" Aiden hummed in agreement.

"Ugh" Max said as they came across some... interesting posters on Billy's wall. "Gag me with a spoon"

"Don't have spoon,but I can gag you with something else" Aiden said as he looked around. Max and Mel's heads immediately turned to the boy in absolute shock.

"What?" Aiden shrugged.

"Guys," El called.

The three walked to the bathroom where they saw the tub filled with water and ice packs.