softer [elmax]

prologue.

maxine stormed over to mike, pushing him over into the grass. they were at the top of the hill, they had been all day, as it was saturday. mike had been talking to eleven about her new school, and how much he missed her, and how much he loved her, and how much he wanted her to come home. 

max was sick of it. her and lucas had just broken up and she needed to tell el everything, but mike had been talking to el for like, forever.

"ow!" mike yelped, pushing max back. "what was that for?!"

max rolled her eyes. "i want to talk to my best friend. you dragged my ass all the way up this stupid hill, and you haven't let me talk to el once!"

mike crossed his arms, "go home then! just like lucas and dustin!"

"no, mike, why don't you go home?!" max yelled, "i want to talk to my girlfriend!" max immediately realised her mistake, cursing herself.

mike's eyebrows shot up. "your what?!" 

max rolled her eyes again, trying to play things off, "i didn't mean it like that..."

mike pushed her shoulders a little, "how exactly did you mean it then? 'cause last time i checked, el is my girlfriend."

"i just meant it like," max stumbled on her words, stammering a little, "like, like, el is my only friend that's a girl. all my friends at home are boys."

mike wrinkled his nose is disbelief. "oh yeah? what happened to robin? has she just suddenly disappeared?" he shoved the girls shoulders again, "maybe you should go call robin your girlfriend, i bet she'd love that!"

max had had enough. she pushed mike back, harder than she meant to, and he fell back onto the muddy grass. the sun was beginning to set now, making it harder for the teens to see what they were doing. "fuck you, mike wheeler, go fuck a cow, you fucking dickhead!"

mike laughed to himself, "i should take a shot every time you say 'fuck'."

 "fuck off," max hissed, her voice cracking a little.

"and there you go again!"

"mike!" max screamed, grabbing a tuft of her fiery, red hair, "i said fuck off!"

mike raised his hands up and teasingly rolled his eyes, "alright, alright. i'm going home. you don't have to ask me again. have fun with my girlfriend." he turned around and started slowly walking off down the hill into the night, shaking his head a little.

max collapsed into the damp grass, hugging her knees into her chest. a slow trickle of tears ran down her cheeks as she watched mike get smaller and smaller, until he eventually disappeared over the edge of the hill. finally, when he was out of sight, and out of earshot, max whispered a soft, "i miss you, el."

a few moments passed before max heard a gentle, "i miss you too, max, more than you know."

max's ears perked up. "shit, el! you heard all of that?!"

eleven giggled a little, "yup. including the part where you called me your girlfriend. that's new."

"oh piss off, it just slipped out." she rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the small smirk that was growing on her lips.