Major Malfunction (Sequel to American Heroes)

New Friends

The moment Will, El, and Mike stepped inside Family Video and looked around, Steve Harrington – tapping his fingers on the check-out counter while Robin talked to a customer – threw his arms in the air. "Hey, is that who I think it is?"

Robin turned and spotted the three of them by the entrance. Her face lit up. "Oh my god, it's Will and El!"

Will, El, and Mike weaved past the other customers and up to the counter. Steve gave them fist bumps. "Long time, no see. What brings you two here?"

Smiling, El said, "Visiting for Christmas."

"How long are you here for?"

"A few days," Will said. "We leave on the twenty-sixth."

"How are things in the new place?" Robin asked. "Enjoying city life?"

El nodded. "I like the city."

Steve gestured to Will's face. "What's with the black eye?"

"Oh." Lifting a hand to cover his eye, Will shrugged and looked away. "It's nothing."

"Mouthbreathers," El muttered.

Mouth set in a straight line, Mike shook his head. "These jerks have been after El since she moved there, and now they're after Will too."

Robin frowned. "There are assholes here and there, I guess."

"Our friends are here," El said.

"If they keep coming after you," Steve said, "I'll just come over there and teach them a lesson."

Everyone let out laughs, Robin rolling her eyes. "Good luck with that, dingus."

"So," Mike said, leaning against the counter, "what movies do you recommend?"

"Depends on what you're looking for."

"I like sci-fi." Mike jerked his thumb in Will's direction. "He likes horror. El, what about you? What kinds of movies do you like?"

El took a moment to ponder. "Love stories. And a happy ending."

Robin nudged Steve. "Let's see what we can find."

While Robin and Steve walked out from behind the counter and looked over a rack of tapes nearby, Will's gaze wandered around the store until it fell on a familiar red-haired girl standing in one of the aisles. Will tapped El on the shoulder and gestured to the girl. When El realized who was standing there, she met Will's eyes before hurrying down the aisle. Will turned to Mike. "I'll be back in a second."

Mike furrowed his brows, but Will lifted a finger, telling him to wait, and hurried after El. He and El stopped in front of Max whose skateboard was tucked under her arm and who had headphones over her ears. "Max," El said.

Looking up from the VHS tape in her hands, Max's eyes lit up. "El? Will?" She took her headphones off and pulled them both into a hug. "Oh my god. When did you guys get here?"

"Last night," El said.

When they pulled apart, Will's eyebrows were furrowed. "You didn't know we were coming?"

Max shook her head. "I knew you might be coming, but no one mentioned when exactly."

"Mike didn't tell you?"

Pausing her Walkman, she let out a huff. "He hasn't been coherent enough for that."

"Coherent?" El asked.

Max shook her head, putting the VHS tape back on the shelf. "It's nothing. Anyways, how have you been? How's the new place?" She motioned to Will's black eye. "Get into a fight?"