The Scholar & The Bard [Sequel to Bookworm & Toothless] (Stranger Things AU)

[36]

Jess, Mike, and Max were rummaging through the kitchen, gathering supplies.

"I get why El was your mage now."

Jess and Mike looked up from where they were looking, turning to her.

"What?"

"Lucas. He told me all about her."

Jess softened her glance, looking down.

"Well, he shouldn't have," Mike says, Jess, glaring at him.

"And just because you know the truth, it doesn't mean you're in our party. You do know that, right?"

"Michael..." Jess warns, staring pointedly at him.

"Yeah, I know," Max says, looking down.

Jess glared at Mike again before searching for more supplies.

"I mean, why would you want a stupid Zoomer in your party anyway?"

Mike glanced at her before going back to rummaging for the supplies.

"I'm just saying, El? She sounds like she was really awesome."

Max hears Jess chuckle, though it also sounded like she was crying as well.

"Yeah, She was." Mike agreed.

"The best of the best," Jess added, sniffling.

"Until that thing took her. Just like it took Bob and ALMOST took Jess."

Jess glanced at Mike worriedly as he got up and stormed off.

"Was he..."

Jess turned to Max and nodded.

"He and El were really close...I can't say how close because that's Mike's business but, yeah, they were close."

Max nodded.

"And were you two close because of the-"

"Oh, no. No, we weren't close because we both had powers...that was something I figured out I had a few hours before...it took her."

Max frowned.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine. You're just curious." Jess reassured her, giving her a pained smile.

Max looked down.

"Honestly? We got close because...at the time...I was the only girl in the group and...I like to think she saw me as this older-sister figure...even though there's technically more to the story than that."

"What do you mean?"

Jess shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't trust you enough to tell you THAT much about us...just the basics."