California Dreamers (elxteddy)

Conflict

The Byers' and Teddy and El sat around the dinner table. Mike was supposed to fly in in two days. El had written about Teddy a few times and all she got out of it was questions from Mike. Boys were so complicated. 

"Soo are you guys excited about Mike visiting?" Joyce asked. El nodded and continued eating. 

"Very I'm hoping he'll end up staying longer." Will said.

"I'm hoping Nancy shows too." Jonathan said. Teddy and him exchanged glances and Teddy put a finger over his mouth trying to tell Jonathan you could tell he was high. Argyle sat smiling like an idiot. Teddy shook his head at them trying not to laugh.

"Well thanks for dinner Ms. Byers. I best head back home." Teddy said. He scraped his dishes and set them in the sink and rinsed them.

"Of course sweetie, you don't have to wash those I've got it." Joyce came over and bumped him away from the sink and he laughed. The boys all said bye and El got up to walk him out.

El followed him out and closed the door.

"You okay?" Teddy asked. 

"I don't know." El sighed.

"Hey, you have nothing to stress about. Do you want me to come with you when he flies in? Just for moral support? I wanna meet him he's your boyfriend after all." Teddy said.

"Yeah that would be nice." El said. She leaned her head on him and he hugged her.

"Try to get some sleep El, don't overstress yourself." Teddy said.

"Get home safe okay?" El said looking up at him.

"I will. I'll see you tomorrow, I love you." Teddy said. He bit his tongue as it slipped out of his mouth. El felt herself turn red. The way he said it made her stomach drop.

"I love you too." El said and ran inside as he headed off. Her mind was spinning. She laid in bed that night contemplating everything. Sure, she and Mike had been through alot but he didn't treat her like this. He didn't make an effort with her family the way Teddy did. Nor did he stick up for her the way Teddy did from day one. She liked the talks with Ted better he always got to know her and wanted to hear about her past not just sneak off to be alone. 

El woke up the next morning and could hear talking and laughing. She got up and found Teddy and Will in Will's room. Will was making another attempt to teach him how to play dnd. He was terrible at it and it brought Will joy watching him try. El went to grab breakfast downstairs.

"Mike is going to hate you." Will giggled.

"Let me try to make friends with him at least for El's sake." Teddy laughed.

He and Will burst out laughing over it.

"Can I tell you something you can't tell anyone?" Will asked.

"Shoot Will the Wise." Teddy grinned.

"Well... It's like I-" Will began stammering and Teddy took his hand.

"You don't have to say it Will. I know. And there isn't anything wrong with it. You're a great person Will." Teddy cut him off. He hugged Will as he cried a little. "We'll find you someone. I'm making it my personal quest!" Teddy laughed as he rolled the dice.

"Hey good roll!" Will grinned. El came in and sat on the bed.

"Good morning" Teddy said. El groaned.

"Did you sleep alright?" Will asked. El shrugged. She went back to her room.

Will and Teddy exchanged glances and he got up to go check on her. He knocked on El's door and heard a small 'come in'. 

"You okay?" Teddy asked.

"I don't know I've never felt... like this and I just don't know." El sighed and rubbed her head.

"Maybe it's because Mike's visiting...?" Teddy said as he sat. 

"Is it weird that I want to get that over with?" El asked.

"Not at all. I'd be anxious too it's been however long I mean... you've grown you're not the same as you were y'know." Teddy said.

El leaned onto the boy. 

"I have an idea!" Teddy smiled. He got up and grabbed something off of El's counter. He sat with a bottle of nail polish.

"I don't know how to-" El began but he gently took her hand and began doing her nails a pastel color. El smiled as he did each nail a different color then her other hand to match it. "Can I do yours?" El asked. She watched him turn red and grab black nail polish and hand it to her.

"It's easy to do just don't rush." Teddy said as El began painting his nails. Suddenly they heard someone knock on the door and Joyce peaked in.

"Hey guys! Dinner will be ready in an hour. Are you staying Teddy? I was grabbing a head count." Joyce said.

"If it's okay with you." Teddy said.

"Of course! El don't bite your lip focus less intensely." Joyce smiled before heading downstairs.

"Yeah El don't bite your lip." Teddy teased.

"Oh shush." El said as she continued to do his nails. Teddy taught her how to blow on them and the pair waited for them to dry. El grabbed her polaroid camera and they set their hands down and she snapped a photo. "I wanna remember this." El smiled. Teddy smiled as she snapped a photo of him with his nails. El set the camera down then looked at him. "Are you wearing eyeliner?" El said with a grin.

"What about it?" Teddy teased and gently pushed her. El giggled and pushed him back. Teddy grabbed a pillow and hit her and El gasped. He froze before she suddenly burst into laughter and grabbed a pillow. He took off running and she chased after him.

The two bolted down the hall and down the stairs.

"What is all that noise?!" Joyce called but quickly smiled seeing the pair running after each other. Teddy ran outside and El went after him. She caught up and hit him good with the pillow. He fell down and one of his long legs hit El's and she ate it too. She landed on him and rolled, and the pair laughed in the grass as the sun went down.