Kissing Habits.

15. He Likes It Cold

Chapter Fifteen
He Likes It Cold

HOPPER AND MIKE HAD RETREATED TO ONE OF THE ROOMS IN THE HOUSE. Despite their muffled argument ringing through the halls, everybody tried their best to ignore. Eleven was back; in any other circumstances, this would call for celebration.

Lucas and Dustin were smiling, trying to bring up the ashen atmosphere, although not many others in the room could match them. "We missed you," Lucas had piped up, bringing Eleven in for a chaste hug. She only managed a small curve of the lip.

"We talked about you pretty much every day," Dustin chucked as he pulled her in for a quick hug, too, giving her a soft squeeze. "Can't believe you're back."

When they pulled away, Eleven's eyebrows knitted together as she looked on at him. Her hand pulled up, tapping his front two teeth. New teeth.

"You have teeth," she mustered, voice lilting with curiosity, to which Dustin just grinned wider.

Stepping through the people, Max approached, trying to hide her cautiousness. "Eleven?" She hummed, causing eyes to draw to her. "Hey. I'm Max. I've heard a lot about you." And she held out a hand.

But Eleven redirected her stare, and stepped past.

Now on the couch, Theodora's eyes widened, and she elbowed her friend lightly in the rib. "Trouble in paradise, much?" She whispered as Camila bent down to her height, and the two bubbled with silent giggles.

Whoever this Eleven girl was, wherever she had been, she had guts.

Losing a few more people - Jonathan, Joyce, and newcomer Eleven - the front room grew quieter, the remnants of the previous encounter lingering in the air.

"So, who's she?" Theo hummed after a moment.

Dustin and Lucas shared a glance, before the former stepped forward, joining the babysitter on the sofa.

"You're gonna flip when we tell you this, so be prepared," the kid began softly, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. At this, Theodora sat back into the cushions, eyes wide.

A scoff brushed past her lips. "Trust me, Henderson, I'll believe anything after this week."

"Just wait till you hear this," Steve chuckled, shaking his head, as he stepped away from the wall, bat falling to his side.

Theodora's eyes followed Steve Harrington for a moment, before looking back at Dustin beside her, awaiting his explanation.

"Basically," he began. "When Will disappeared, Eleven escaped from the lab in Hawkins, where we were earlier. In that lab, she was used as an experiment of sorts. She's got powers, basically."

"Powers?" Camila hummed, eyes narrowing as her eyebrows knitted together. Her arms crossed over her chest, and she nudged Theo to budge up some space on the couch. Maybe she was going to need to sit down for this one. "There's no such thing as powers."

"What about aliens?" Lucas retorted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You would've said the same thing until today."

He was right, and Camila kept quiet.