Cherry Wine| Max Mayfield

.twenty| 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐅𝐅'𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞

"No, i'm serious. Be quick, Ankle Bitter." Steve spoke as they pulled up at Cloves house.

"She shouldn't go alone. Just incase." Nancy looked up. Just incase was her way of saying just incase Cloves time came, incase her trauma from being flayed last year, dealing with undiagnosed depression for fifteen years, and loosing El was enough for Vecna to come after her next. Clove considered it, but she wasn't going to let it consume her until she knew Max was okay.

"I'll go with her." Max spoke up, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"No, no." Lucas shook his head. "I'll go."

"Better idea." Robin agreed.

"I will also go." Dustin opened the door as the trio crowded together. "You don't think Vecna is, like, in your house or anything?"

"I'd hope not." Clove wrapped her arms around both their waist as they tossed arms around her shoulders. "Only one way to find out."

"There's the spirit." Lucas took a breath as they walked up to the house. Clove took the key off her neck and twisted it until pushing the door open. They all looked around. "Where are your parents?"

"I don't know." Clove gave an odd look. "Dad!"

"Mom!" Dustin called, getting a dumb look. "Stel?"

Buttercup came running from Levens office, Clove smiled. "Buttercup."

"Hey." Lucas held up a note from the counter. "I think I know where your parents are."

Clove frowned her eyebrows, taking it from him as she stared down at it. "Dear Baby, be safe with your friends. Joyce really needed our help and we couldn't turn her away. It was last minute, we wish we could have said goodbye. We love you and will be home soon. Do you father a favor and don't stay home alone, see if it'll be okay to stay with the Sinclairs for the break. If not, Nonny and Pawpaw are just a few towns over. We'll explain everything soon. -Mom"

"At least we know why the Byers aren't answering now." Dustin pointed out.

"And that if Mike, Will, El, and Jonathan are with them, they're safe." Lucas nodded his head as Clove stuck the note in her pocket.

"I wish they were here. Mike and Will." Clove admitted with a tiny grin. "El too, of course, but the five of us-"

"We have a deeper bond." Dustin nodded. "I mean, we knew each other longer then Max and El."

"A lot longer." Lucas agreed. "Do you remember how Mike and Will made me go up to you because they were scared?"

"And you pulled my hair?" Clove gave a small snort. "How can I forget? My Mom had a serious talking with yours."

"And I gave you my bike as an apology." Lucas nodded his head. "But then Mike said-"

" 'Only way you get the bike is if you become our first woman friend' " Clove laughed as they said it on sync, Dustin grinned, despite not moving to Hawkins by then. She shook her head. "And Will just sat there, looking terrified."