Chapter Text
In the forest, things were quiet. It was just like Max remembered it should be when they first relocated there. Although she now realizes that the way she perceived silence has changed overtime quite drastically. Back in California, she saw silence as the sounds of the city pushed to the background. The honking of cars and rumbling of engines, muffled music of bars and chattering of people, clicking of heels and yells of drunken party-goers. In her old house in Hawkins, silence was when Billy wasn’t home to babysit her and kids were playing in the neighboring backyard, or when she sat with her friends, cuddled up close and safe while waiting for impending doom in the form of some kind of monster. In the trailer park, silence was when her mother was asleep and only the occasional yell or clattering of metal echoed through the park.
Now, silence is just… impossibly empty. There’s no background sound, no white noise to keep her calm. She sits in the cabin, by the window watching as ash rains down on their world, burying all the things she once called greenery. She feels a little glad, they are, after all, dead already.
She watches as Will walks outside, squinting up at the sky, he’s been doing it more and more frequently, never wearing a mask to prevent the ridiculous coughing fits you could get. He never did get them, anyway. They’re all weird, but Will is the weirdest amongst them, and she’s come to accept it. He’s delightfully mysterious, stranger than any of the things she’s seen before on their journey through this paranormal hellhole. He stands in the rain of death for a few excruciating moments, drawing little shapes into the ground with the tip of his shoe. She watches but doesn’t move to get him out.
Eventually, Mike runs out, tucking a handkerchief made of navy blue fabric around his face, covering his nose and mouth. He grabs Will’s shoulders and scolds him for going outside again. Will apologizes and smiles, turning back to the cabin before Mike can say anything else. The door shuts behind them, leaving the boring, dead silence to return. She hasn’t heard any of their words, she just knows what they said. It was not the first and wouldn’t be the last time they had the conversation in front of her window.
She hears as they enter, loud arguments thrown between the two as Mike pockets the handkerchief once more. Will says something along the lines of You know I’m fine, I’ve always been fine and Mike retorts with That’s not true!
She listens to their worried ranting until El stirs in the bed next to her, her chocolate brown eyes fluttering open. She meets her eyes, and swipes a hand over her face to get the hair out of them, groaning as she sits up.
“How long have I been asleep?” She asks, rubbing at her eyes and yawning. Max cradles her fingers together under the checked blanket thrown over her knees and looks at the clock.
“Not long enough. Go back to sleep.” She retorts and goes back to watching the trees outside decay slowly. She ignores the shifting of the mattress as El moves closer, blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She settles behind the red-head, wrapping her arms around the girl’s waist and placing her head on her back. Max sighs and relaxes into the warmth. She appreciates it, seeing how the climate has changed since the Tear. (That’s what Dustin calls it, so that’s what they all call it. The day Hawkins was practically split in four by the gates, rather than the day most of them became orphaned and or lost everything they lived and cared for.) It should be late May or perhaps June, by now, but it’s still as if March barely passed. Sometimes, it drops so low it’s actually freezing. They think that’s only at night, though. The problem is, you can’t tell when it is and isn’t night, unless the temperature changes, which doesn’t happen a lot. El slips her hands under Max’s sweater and it makes her flinch, trying to get away.
“Your fingers are freezing! My God!” She exclaims, leaning forward to get away. El giggles, retreating her hands into her lab as Max leans back into her. It is now her turn to lean her head on El’s chest as the other girl leans her back on the wall, looking at the ceiling as if it held the secrets of the universe. Max plays with a loose string on the sleeve of her sweater.
They fall into silence. Right now, though, silence is the sound of Will and Mike bickering, throwing insults at each other and Dustin and Lucas trying and failing to resolve whatever dispute they’re having this time.
“Why do you think they fight like that?” El asks after a moment, the frown apparent in her voice. Sometimes, Max finds it humorous how El still can’t read between the lines of social situations, even after almost 4 years. Although, to be fair, it took Max about 12 to get to her level. Most of the time though, it’s just endearing when El asks a question with such an obvious answer. It makes her feel smarter than she is.
Max smiles and then her amusement bubbles up into a laugh, she tilts her head back further, feeling the way El’s scratchy sweater moves with her scalp. El looks down at her with the confused expression of a four year old child which only makes her laugh louder and more stomachy.
“What?” El asks, locking her arms around Max’s middle once more, this time making sure to cover her cold fingers in the sweater paws she created.
Max shakes her head, punching El’s arm lightly. “Nothing.” She retorts between chuckles.
Just then, Will storms into the room and plops down on the bed next to them, curling into himself. Max is hit with an overwhelming sense of hotness , like a heatwave just ran through the room and the forecast says they don’t know when it’ll be over. Will is that heatwave. Ever since the Upside Down started to invade their world, it’s like both El’s and Will’s (but mainly Will’s) powers and just energies in general, intensified. They both now have this very apparent aura that follows them wherever they go, alerting everyone in the room with their presence.
For El, it’s like static electricity. She’s what air is like before a lighting storm and the lighting itself at the same time. Her presence makes you think every touch or close proximity to her will sting in that characteristic way static electricity does, but it never happens. She’s like a spider-web, stronger than she looks and everyone knows it.
For Will, it’s just warmth. Incredible, scorching heat that comes from who-knows-where but works in the same way that El’s electricity does - you think you’ll get burned, but you never do. He is like a piece of wood or coal from the bottom of the fire pit, it looks so shiny and yet you know you can’t touch it, no matter how much you want to. He’s like a hot spring, comforting but once you discover the magma that runs through his veins, you realize how much power is bubbling under his surface. He’s like a volcano - a force of nature that can be silently sleeping for thousands of years only to destroy everything in its path once it awakens.
It’s probably worth it to mention that Will’s connection to the Upside Down is now way more apparent than ever. It’s like the energy he uses in his powers comes straight from that world and into his fingertips and you can see how every-time he does something major with his telekinesis the glow from the ravines dims and all the otherworldly creatures seem to weaken.
It’s like that’s the reason El screams when using her powers sometimes - she uses her own energy. Will, on the other hand… the whole world seems to scream every time he tries to go too far.
On the other hand he doesn’t pass out anymore. So… that’s good at least.
“Are you okay?” El asks as he hugs the only pillow on the bed to his chest. The bed has been their space since they got to the cabin. Max hadn’t really realized before this how close and similar the two were. She guesses it’s mainly because they never really spent much time together before but El once told her how in California everyone thought they were actually twins and now she can’t unsee it.
“Fine.” Will muttered into the fabric, groaning in frustration. “Mike is just being difficult.”
El adjusted her hold on Max to be able to reach out one hand to her brother as well. “He’s always difficult.” She ends up saying, which makes Max burst out laughing again. The way El said it and her expression once she realizes Max is laughing tells her she didn’t even mean for it to be a snarky remark, which makes it all the more funny. Will snickers too, sitting up and leaning on El’s shoulder.
“He just doesn’t get it . Upside Down isn’t a threat to me.” Will states, making Max frown. It’s the truth, yet it makes him sound like he’s one of the demogorgons and demodogs and demobats and like Vecna . Which he isn’t. He can’t be. Weirdly, she understands why Mike argues with him about this, even though she could never admit that there’s anything she and Wheeler agree on. Not even after the apocalypse and a few near-death experiences.
El hums and Max feels her chest vibrate under her head.
“Sometimes it is, though.” El says carefully, lacing her and her brother's hands together.
“But only if there’s a demogorgon or something! I mean, it’s the same as if it was a bear. And we used to go to the woods all the time before…” He waved his hand around, gesturing vaguely. “... all this.”
That’s another thing that changed since the Tear. Will changed. He’s more confident, his personality clashing with Mike’s more often than not. Before, Max remembers, they complimented each other. Sometimes, Will would even get lost in the background in their friend group, quiet and alone. Now he’s up front and argues about what he wants. Don’t get her wrong, Max is very proud of him for finally standing up to Mike, but it feels odd to watch him purposefully push the kindness in himself back in favor of putting up defenses. She knows he does that, not sure how but she does. He’s never lost his gentleness with the rest of them, just gained a certain cockyness when it came to Mike.
“He is just worried.” El counteracts.
They talk like Max isn’t there, have been for some time now. Not just this conversation but many others - it’s like she’s invisible. She’s not sure if it’s a good or a bad thing.
“Yeah, I know.” Will admits, his sassy front slipping back to his usual self. “I just wish it didn’t take him a literal apocalypse to start worrying.”
Max checked off another day on her so-called “callendar” in their room. All she had was a piece of chalk and a wall, which made it feel even more like a prison cell, especially with the markings she drew every day. Today marks day 83 since they got to the cabin, which should make it around 87 days since the Tear. She sighs, putting the chalk back into the drawer on the bedside table and scans the rest of the wall, planning on where she’ll put the next mark. She wonders if they’ll be able to stop this hell before she covers the entire back wall with the small, white checks and goes crazy.
“Still goin’, huh, red?” Eddie asks from his designated place by the bookshelf it has now been moved to block the window, so Max can’t even entertain herself by watching Mike and Will run outside and have their typical lover’s quarrel about twice a day. Between her and Eddie, they have a single candle in the room for light and each other as they’re the only ones still recovering from their injuries. Other than Dustin, but he likes to spend his time in the main room, chatting. Eddie spends most of his own time reading. Some time ago, probably at around day 20 or so, he found a graphite pencil in the back of the drawer and started writing little notes on corners of pages he liked. Max would sometimes read them - turns out Eddie is quite the poet. She supposes it shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise as he is a DM as well as a musician. Or was . Understandably, that creativity has to go somewhere else nowadays.
“Yeah.” Max says, groaning. Her hair has been in the same, greasy ponytail for around 30 days now, since there isn’t an ounce of water they can spare and it’s starting to bother her. Eddie’s own hair is in a messy bun that Robin made a few days ago as an attempt to lighten up their spirits. He hasn’t taken it off, says it’s practical.
“Hey you two, food’s ready!” Erica’s voice echoes through the cabin. They stopped differentiating between breakfast, lunch and dinner on day 19, when they realized they don’t even know what time it is, as the clocks are going crazy and the sun is long gone.
Max slides off the bed and scratches her scalp a bit before extending her healthy hand to help Eddie up. He accepts it and walks behind her, carefully hunched over as most of his injuries are located on his abdomen and, unfortunately, they have no medical professionals to tell them what the hell they should do about the stitches that are most likely a part of him at this point.
Out in the main room, Steve, Dustin, Erica and Holly are getting ready for the meal. Steve and Erica usually cook, since they’re the only two people constantly stuck at the house that aren’t injured. Well, other than Holly, but she can’t even reach the counter yet. Dustin helps sometimes, too, but most of the time he’s the one to entertain their youngest to keep her away from knives and candles when Steve can’t.
Steve’s role as the babysitter has stood strong even after the apocalypse. At first, he’d only stayed home because he was injured as well and didn’t want to be a burden, but by the time his injuries were gone, an unbreakable routine was set in place.
Eddie and Max sit at the small table, which only has two chairs, mumbling a silent thanks as they begin eating the heated canned soup. It’s honestly one of the good meals available and since both of them have spent some time of their lives living with 1 adult in a trailer, they’re not fussy. Dustin might’ve been a picky eater back before Max knew him, but he sure isn’t anymore. Erica has also learned to appreciate whatever food she’s given after the whole fiasco, so they’re only unhappy customer is Holly.
Max feels a chill run down her body every time she sees the youngest of their group, knowing she shouldn’t be anywhere near this chaos. Looking at Erica and seeing her so broken at 11 years old, she can’t help but wonder what will become of Holly, who is only barely 6. Max swallows another bite of her luke-warm soup and adds the steaming hot tea on top as she watches Steve sit on the floor while Holly is on the couch in front of him, refusing to accept any of the food she’s offered. Steve’s good at this and would probably succeed if there wasn’t for the Wheeler-characteristic anger and stubbornness in that girl. He struggles for a few more minutes before giving up and handing her off to Erica, once she finishes eating, going to eat his own portion.
He stands with the bowl in his hands leaning against the counter and watching as Erica slowly but with a little more threats of huger, coaxes Holly to take at least a few bites before the girl starts fussing again, at which point Steve’s done eating and collects the dishes, sighing as he pours the leftovers down the drain. He washes the few bowls and spoons while Erica and Dustin play with Holly and Eddie and Max sit there quietly keeping each other company. Eventually, Eddie leans back and props his hands up as if he was holding a guitar, moving his fingers like he was actually practicing a song. Max watches him with childish fascination as he moves his hand on where the neck of the guitar would be, playing invisible cords. He hums the tune the song would be if he had his guitar, but it most likely is somewhere in the depths of another dimension right now. Tough luck.
Padding of small feet interrupts her in her daze and she watches as Holly comes running up to them. She tilts her head at Eddie curiously. He continues to play, giving her a small, uncertain smile.
“Can I play?” She asks, quietly. Eddie seems surprised at the request but nods, waiting to see what she’ll do.
She props up her hands in front of her face, one after the other and moves her fingers, blowing into the imaginary instrument. Max guesses it’s either a flute or a trumpet, smiling at the childish freedom of imagination and make-belief games. Eddie lets out an amused laugh and continues his own song, pretending to harmonize with whatever tune Holly has going on.
Erica raises an eyebrow and makes eye-contact with Max, amusement evident in both of their faces. Dustin outright laughs.
Steve turns around as he puts the last bowl down on the dryer, wiping his hand with a towel. He snorts upon noticing Eddie and Holly engaging in an intense imaginary musical performance.
Max can’t help but laugh, too, when Holly opens her eyes and asks if they want to start a band with them. She gets appointed to be the drummer by the youngest, who also recruits Erica as a singer. Dustin does special effects.
They pull out pots and pants, using ladles as drum-sticks and a spatula as a microphone. Steve warns them not to make too much noise but only once, slipping into the fun as soon as Holly asks him to be the audience. Erica only sings a few tunes and Holly abandoned her flute/trumpet quick enough in favor of the drums but it’s still fun . Dusting flashes the flashlight on and off, blinding her and wasting energy but, hey, there’s so many batteries in the world and so little time, happiness, moments like these , so who cares about a stupid flashlight.
Max laughs and plays, despite knowing that her friends are out there, getting supplies and fighting for their survival and for a moment she forgets that they’re fighting a losing battle and dares to hope her mother was at work when the Tear happened, so that they can find each other again one day.
Holly does a cute little bow next to her, signaling the end of their performance. Steve stands from the couch and claps, laughing with a ring that Max doesn’t think she’s ever heard before. Eddie smiles a cheeky smile when he walks over and hoists Holly up into his arms, lifting her above his head with ease as she giggles, spreading her arms.
It’s homey and domestic, even from her place on the floor in the dark kitchen. She’s cold and knows she’ll have to clean up her pretend drum-set soon enough but right now, she feels strangely at home, even though she never had siblings to play make-believe with.
Steve sets Holly down and she immediately reaches for Eddie instead, babbling the way kids tend to. Eddie praises her for her performance as he helps her climb up into his lab and listens to her future plans for their band, doing his best to bury his mourning of Corroded coffin down and deep.
“You okay?” Steve asks, crouching down next to her.
Max looks at him, tears burning in her eyes and his face softens, offering a hug. She accepts shakily, gasping for breath as she lets go of her tough front for just a moment. Dustin and Erica join soon after, trying to joke their way through the situation with feisty remarks and sarcasm. Steve ends up lecturing them while still holding Max in his arms and Eddie instructs them to continue. She listens to the two men bicker, smiling to herself as she blinks her tears away.
Who needs Mike and Will, she’s entertained enough as it is.