30. talk too much

TALK TOO MUCH

✧･ﾟ: * Nora has come out to her parents.

It did not go well.

This, Nora finds ridiculous. I mean, it's the 80's for God's sake! Boys like boys, girls like girls, move on!

After some yelling, a dash of crying, and a pinch of "you're just confused," safe to say, Nora is pissed.

She's spent a lot of her time at the arcade (Steve's new job since. . . y'know), and she tries not to go home until the last possible second.

Most of the time, it works. But the rest of the time. . .

Anyways, this is all to lead up to current events: Nora and Steve have rented a house together.

It's just down Old Cherry Road (*wink wink*), and it's perfect for two kids who are running away from their parents for being homophobic assholes.

Nora has packed just one suitcase and a backpack (she was crying a lot while packing, so it was difficult to get everything), and she rushes into the house as soon as Steve has unlocked the front door.

"We have a TV," she announces, dropping everything into the fully furnished living room before running to a connected kitchen.

"Oh, thank God," Steve sighs, dropping his belongings by Nora's.

"I call this room!" She yells, now in one of the two bedrooms. She spins around in circles looking at the blue walls and white, twin-sized bed.

"You okay with a small bed?" Steve follows in, already trying to mom the shit out of Nora.

"It's perfect," she replies.

And it is.

—

✧･ﾟ: * "Turn around, look at what you see!"

Nora, Max, Lucas laugh together as they throw stuff into boxes.

"In her face, the mirror of her dreams!"

Dustin gives the trio an annoyed sigh.

"Rhymes that keep their secrets, will unfold behind the clouds!"

"Wait, did we get the verse right?" Max laughs. "It's unfold behind the clouds?"

"Yeah," Dustin huffs. "But you're butchering it, so could you please stop?"

"So, then join us, Dusty-bun," Lucas winks, as Nora and Max fall over each other laughing.

"Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun!" Max grins. "Join us!"

"Dusty-bun, no one can resist us," Nora composes herself a little. "We just need your rendition."

Max bursts out laughing and Nora loses it again.

"You guys are so funny," Dustin states monotonously. "And no," he looks to Nora.

"Please," she tries. "Just one verse?"

"No! No way. It's reserved for Suzie's ears and Suzie's ears alone."

Nora, Max, and Lucas share a cheesy grin before turning to Dustin.

"Turn around! Look at what you see!"

Dustin just continues to flip them off.

"In their face! The mirror of your dreams!"

Max and Nora throw their arms around each other and sway together.

"Rhymes that keep their secrets!"

"Stop! You guys, please, just, shut up!" Dustin pleads and Nora laughs harder.

"Just 'cause you said please," Nora smiles and picks up a box and takes it to another room. She can hear Max and Lucas continue to sing and she has has to suppress a smile.

She's about to go take the box to the van outside, but Nora stops when she sees Will sitting on his bed, looking at a picture frame.

She goes into his almost empty room and sits next to him, but Will doesn't look up.

"Hey, loser," she puts her elbow on his shoulder. Nora almost frowns as she looks at the photo of the original party, arms around each other. "Ew. We were such babies."

Will lets out a laugh, and Nora realizes he's crying as he sniffles a little.

"Oh, shit," she stutters. "I mean, not 'shit.' I-"

"I'm fine," he laughs again. "I'm just- I'm gonna miss you guys."

"Gro-. . . We're gonna miss you too. . . dork."

He wipes his eyes and smiles at her. "Couldn't help yourself?"

"I really couldn't."

"It's okay to have emotions, Nora."

Nora pauses. "Nah."

Will shakes his head in mock disappointment and stands up, holding his hand out to help Nora up too.

"We should get these outside," he motions to the box Nora had brought in and another one on his bed. He puts the photo into his box and picks it up.

Nora copies his actions and follows him out his door. "Don't forget about us for some wannabe geeks."

"I could never," he smiles back and hands his box to Jonathan as Nora hands hers to Nancy.

Everyone else comes out too, all with sad expressions on their face. They hug and say their goodbyes, everyone trying to stay strong for each other.

They wave as Joyce, Will, Jonathan, and El drive away from Hawkins. Away from all the monsters. Away from magic, away from vine caves, away from bats with nails, away from free ice cream. . . away from their frien- their family.

But, it's for the best.

—

✧･ﾟ: * "Steve, can I borrow, like, two dollars?" Nora bursts into her older brothers room.

"Nora. . . c-c-copy?" The radio in her hand lets out a static and she just shuts it off.

"Yeah," Steve pushes a few papers on his desk aside and takes out his wallet, handing Nora a five dollar bill. "Don't buy drugs."

"No promises," Nora takes the money and rushes to the front door. "Thank you!" She calls before slamming the door on her way out, not before grabbing an apple.

She grabs her bike from behind the bushes, tucking the money into pocket and heading down the road.

"Hey!" Max easily starts biking beside her girlfriend, both on their way to the arcade to meet the boys. "Remind me to teach you a skateboarding trick I learned."

"Ugh, will I break another bone?" Nora tosses her apple core into a passing trash can and grins when she makes it in.

"It was a scratch," Max rolls her eyes playfully, turning into Nora as if she were going to hit her.

"Blood was involved," Nora replies in the same voice, turning into Max similarly.

The girls laugh as they nearly miss each other's bike wheels, pulling up beside Dustin, Lucas, and Mike's bikes outside the arcade.

The three boys stand at the door, arms crossed, unamused looks on their faces.

"Trying to delay losing to me in Dig Dug?" Dustin uncrosses his arms first, leading the rest of the group inside.

"Dustin, you're in fifth place now," Mike says in response.

"Not for long!"

"Yeah, we'll see."

"We will ind- Aw shit!"

"You're in sixth now!"

"Yes, I saw, Nora."

"That's embarrassing for you."

"Shut up, Max."

"Who took your spot?"

". . . KEITH?"

a/n:

hello! first things first, i got some of this chapter idea from "voyager" by sxnshineharryx which is the first max mayfield fanfic i read and i definitely recommend.

second, thank you guys for reading this mediocre, basic fanfic. i know idk any of you irl (i've made sure of it), but i still love you all endlessy <333