The Life You Deserve

Chapter 27: The Jopper Wedding

AN: So much fluff you might actually explode!

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Early September, 1986.

"Okay so I'm just checking...there's definitely the promise of pizza in exchange for moving all this furniture, right?" Dustin called breathlessly to El as he tried to push a white wardrobe down the Byer's hall way with the help of Lucas, Steve and Jonathan.

"Yes I promise, and I'm paying!" El shouted from the bedroom where she was currently painting the walls yellow with the help of Max and Will.

"You don't have to pay for us all to have pizza El." Mike said with reproach as he walked into the bedroom with a new pot of paint.

"Speak for yourself, I'm broke." Lucas mumbled wiping his brow.

"Is trying to beat my ass in the arcade affecting you financially?" Max teased from where she was painting just above the skirting boards.

Lucas rolled his eyes at his girlfriend and crossed his arms as he walked into the bedroom, "no. I'm saving for a car remember?"

El smiled to herself and carried on rolling sunshine yellow paint on the wall as Max and Lucas bickered with each other about who was going to have a nicer car. The radio was on in the room and the window was open, the smell of early fall in the air making the paint work even more relaxing.

"Well dad's buying me a mustang. You'll be begging for a ride." Max teased her boyfriend.

"Isn't it you who always begs for a ride?" Lucas whispered deviously but not quiet enough for Will, El and Mike not to hear.

"Gross!" Will shuddered as he continued to paint around the window sill.

Lucas just laughed and winked at Max who had gone almost as red as her hair. She huffed in response and flicked paint at him. He gasped in shock and then reached for a spare paint brush and blobbed paint on her nose.

"Hey! Stop it! We've only got so much paint!" Mike shouted annoyed, grabbing the paint brush off Lucas.

"Geez Wheeler calm down, we were only playing." Max said in amusement as she went back to her paint job.

Mike sighed and shook his head disapprovingly at his friends. "Well keep it out of my girlfriend's bedroom." He grumbled.

"Oh sorry, I forgot only you and El can play in her bedroom..." Max teased whilst Lucas boomed with laughter and Mike, El and Will cringed.

"Ew! El's almost my sister Max." Will said shuddering before pouring more paint into his tray. "I really don't need to hear about their sex life."

"Oh, you'll be hearing everything once she's moved in." Lucas snorted as Max high fived him for his wit.

Before a bright red Mike could retort, El sighed heavily and spoke over him. "Guys can we drop this? What me and Mike do is none of your business. Just like what you two get up to is no one else's business." She said giving them her best glare.

El knew her words had been successful when Max gave her a small smile and just shrugged. She would never divulge to Will or anyone else about what Max and Lucas got up to in the tent, but she hoped they realised that there was only so much teasing she would allow before she started making them uncomfortable too.

Just to make the situation that more awkward, the song on the radio ended and 'Like a Virgin' by Madonna started playing. The room went completely quiet, Will had frozen in place, Max was desperately trying not to laugh, Lucas was smirking and El and Mike were going red trying not to look at each other. Eventually when Will snorted they all lost it and started to laugh too.