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[beyourzoomer]

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Max! <3

[wonafight]

Jesus Christ. [ It's one thing to have his suspicions, but a whole different thing entirely to have them confirmed. How long has Max been doing this all on her own? She looks like she might cry and somehow that hurts the most, if only because Max never cries.

Steve nods, clenching his jaw and looking around the triler. ] Okay, pack up your stuff. You're going to stay with me until we can find her, okay? Get your clothes, school stuff, prescriptions, anything you might need in the next couple of days. We can come back for the rest later.

[ He pauses.] Do you want me to help?

Steve! <3

[beyourzoomer]

[And now the metaphorical cat is out of the bag. There's no getting out of this now. She's not sure if she's relieved or stressed.]

I don't think she's coming back.

[There's resignation in her voice, but she shrugs like it's no big deal, like her life hasn't continued crashing down around her. She shakes her head and then walks toward the hallway to grab her bookbag, stuffing a couple changes of clothes in them, and her medications from the bathroom mirror. It's not much, but she doesn't need much, as it turns out. She's done without air conditioning and lights, without a fridge full of food, without her mom.

The idea of foster care is beyond horrifying but it's not like there's going to be a choice.]

I just want to be part of fixing things and then --

[She hefts the bag onto her shoulder, tightening her fingers around the backpack strap so tight her knuckles turn white.]

I guess we call family services to figure out what happens next.

Re: Steve! <3

[wonafight]

[ Max says that she doesn't think her mom is coming back so easily that Steve feels his chest ache. How could she desert Max when she needed her the most? He can't even remember the last time he saw Max's mom.

Steve watches her grab her things, his mind spinning. He shakes his head when she mentions family services.] Don't worry about that right now. We'll figure it out, okay? I'll talk to Hopper and see what our options are.

[ At the very least, at least they have Hopper on their side. Steve looks around the trailer one more time. ] You sure you have everything you need?

[beyourzoomer]

Yeah. Clothes and pills.

[There's really not much to figure out. She knows how this story goes. She's only fifteen, but she knows enough to know what happens when a kid gets abandoned by their parent. And it's not like her dad would want her back in California. He's started a new life of his own and it doesn't include her.

She exhales, trying to get her shoulders to relax, knowing the more tense she is, the worse her headache will end up being once it hits full force.

She wraps her arms around herself unconsciously.]

You didn't really need to use the bathroom at all, did you?

[wonafight]

No. Sorry. [ He feels bad for lying to her, though he's glad he didn't just drop her off and leave her on her own without following his gut.

He moves towards the door, holding it open for her. ] Does anyone else know? Your dad? Lucas?

Um. The latest backtag you've probably ever had...?

[beyourzoomer]

[She's not mad. Not really. Not after everything. How could she be? Mostly she's just...tired. And less in a physical way than a mental way.]

No. I haven't talked to my dad since I moved here. He's - got a new life. [One that definitely doesn't involve Max.]

And definitely not, no. There's been too much going on and it's been fine. I've been fine, Steve.

[Really. Aren't you convinced? She heads out the door, clutching onto her bag.]

[wonafight]

Fine isn't good enough, Max. [ She deserves to have everything she needs and wants, especially after she basically sacrificed herself for their plan. He thinks that the Sinclairs would take her under their wing in a heartbeat. He knows Joyce and Hopper would if they actually had a place of their own.]

Listen, I've got a big empty house and I could use the company. You can stay with me as long as you want to. Even after we track down your mom.

[beyourzoomer]

[She probably should have seen that coming, but she hadn't. She figured she'd maybe be couch surfing at everyone's for a few nights at a time. She opens her mouth to respond, staring at him even as her hand freezes at the door that she'd started trying to lock but she keeps missing the keyhole. Her hands are shaking just enough to make locking up difficult.]

But --

[But what if his parents come back at some point? She's not sure how likely that is given she's never met them and she's spent a lot of time with the others at Steve's in the last couple years.]

Steve, are you sure?

[wonafight]

Positive. [ He's never seen that look on Max's face and it throws him a little off guard. Like he's doing her some big favor. Like every word he just said isn't the sad truth.

He licks his lips, tossing his keys up and catching them before pointing a finger at her.] But don't make me regret it, okay? No parties. And no Lucas after curfew. [ He can't even keep a straight face for more than a few seconds after that. ] Kidding.

But seriously, don't do anything your lawyer wouldn't approve of.

[beyourzoomer]

[She stares at him for a moment, holding her breath and then nodding, turning so she can lock the damned door. And if her eyes are suddenly a little wet, she hopes he doesn't make a bit deal of it. It's not like he's not seen her in much, much worse conditions. She sinks her teeth into her lower lip before she tucked her keys into her jeans pocket and turns to look at him again.

Max's mouth curves up into a tiny smirk at the Lucas comment followed by the kidding. Like she'd have taken that seriously for two seconds. The lawyer comment, though --

She ducks her head a little.]

In retrospect being an asshole to someone who was trying to help me was -- not my finest moment. [It's...not quite an apology but the sentiment is there, even if she's pretty sure he hadn't taken that comment to heart.]

[wonafight]

[ He huffs and shakes his head. ] I get it. I wouldn't want to be stuck in Mike Wheeler's basement either if I thought I only had 24 hours left to live.

[ Thank God she got more time than that. Even if he was pretty sure he was having a heart attack the moment he saw her eyes and she started rising up into the air. Even the thought of it now sends a chill down his spine and he rolls his shoulders to get rid of it. ] Come on, let's get out of here. I'm starving.

[beyourzoomer]

[There's relief in her expression at his easy forgiveness. That's one of the things she liked about Steve -- he was quick to blow off offenses that weren't really meant to cause harm. But at the mention of his being hungry, she raises her eyebrows, skeptical.]

We ate breakfast like an hour ago.

[wonafight]

[ He pauses, looking at her doubtfully. ] Did we?

[ He'd really just said it as a way to get out of the trailer park before someone asked what was going on, but a quick glance around indicated that no one was paying attention. He shrugs. ] I'm a growing boy.

[beyourzoomer]

[That earns him an eyeroll, though with the amount of boys she's friends with, she doesn't doubt it. They all seem to be bottomless pits.]

More mac and cheese when we get back to your place then? [Since she knows there are leftovers from last night.]

[wonafight]

Our place. [ He gives her a grin and slaps the top of his car. He knows better than to make her any promises he can't keep, but he means it when he says she can stay for as long as she likes. It's not like his parents are coming home anytime soon. And he does have plenty of room. Besides, at least he can make sure he's getting her to school every morning. There's no way they're getting through all of this and then Max Mayfield doesn't graduate. ]

[beyourzoomer]

[It's another moment where she has to swallow down an unexpected swell of emotion because -- God. Just like that he's considered her as part of his family and his house hers too.

And so if her smile is just a little brighter as she climbs into the passenger seat, if her cheeks are a little warmer than usual, well. Words aren't her strong suit but it's not like she's trying to hide her response, either.]