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"DO YOU WANT ANYTHING TO DRINK? WE HAVE OJ, skim milk...what else?"  Mike listed as he leads Eleven and Twelve upstairs. Mike had waited until his mom left with Holly for the grocery store before riding his bike back home, skipping school.

Twelve and Eleven glanced around, Eleven walked away, but Twelve followed Mike into the kitchen with a look that resembled a confused puppy. "...OJ?"

Mike stopped, looking at the boy, smiling slightly. "Orange juice! You want to try some?"

Twelve looked at the boy blankly, staring down at the plushie in his arms, before nodding. Mike laughed softly and went to the cupboard and pouring some of the liquid into the cup and handing it to Twelve.

The boy takes a cautious sip and scrunches his face at the slight sourness, putting the cup on the counter he sticks his tongue out slightly shaking his head, before heading to the living room where Mike had followed Eleven.

Twelve heard them talking...well Mike talking as the boy walked around.

Twelve sat on the living room couch wincing at the pain that coursed his body but smiled, bouncing on the furniture slightly, before his smile dropped and got off the couch, already bored.

Twelve sighed, looking around once more he joins Eleven and Mike by some pictures.

Twelve looked at one picture, in particular, a girl, a teen. The boy scanned the photo, taking in the girl's chestnut-colored hair, her smile that showed the dimples on her cheeks, her big blue-grey eyes. This girl was pretty in his eyes.

"Pretty," Eleven whispered looking at the same picture as Twelve nodded cuddling Ben closer to his body as he imagined Three, this girl in the picture looked about Three's age maybe a little older.

Mike's face scrunched up, "I guess. That's my sister Nancy. And that's baby Holly." Mike trailed off as the two continued looking at the pictures.

Twelve cracked a smile at the sight of the little blonde girl named Holly in the picture, before turning to Eleven as she walks towards a comfortable-looking chair. But shakes his head and looks around not interested.

You're taking a liking to these people... The voice echoed, their voice soft like always...so caring and sweet. Protective.

Wrong? Twelve furrowed his brows, glancing at the other two in the room, making sure Mike doesn't see how distressed he looks. Eleven just looks towards him slightly and nods discreetly a small smile ghosting her face.

Not wrong just...dangerous. You need to be careful. And if you bring these people into it...you have to protect them.

Like I protect others? Twelve squeezed Ben's tentacle three times thinking of how he left Five, Four, and Three behind. How he could maybe have saved them.

Twelve it wasn't your choice to leave them behind, you know that...A-

The voice grew quieter as Twelve snapped out of his daze and Mike turns to him. "Do you want to try?" Mike asked, gesturing towards the recliner.

Twelve furrowed his brows, confused with what the two were doing while he was having a conversation, and shook his head.

"Oh...okay...I could show you guys my room come on!" Mike exclaimed, getting off the ground walking up the stairs with Eleven and Twelve behind, Mike leads the two into his room and started showing El his Yoda toys.

Twelve looks around the dark blue room filled with action figures in amazement, his blue eyes sparkling with curiosity and awe taking in the posters on the walls of something called 'Star Wars' which confused the boy greatly but he didn't question it.

Twelve looked towards a small table by the door with a picture frame on it, and Eleven must have seen it too as they both walked over to it, both kneeling on the ground and looking straight at the picture.

Twelve was looking at the photo with glossy eyes as he takes in the four smiling faces of Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and...Twelve hadn't met the other boy yet causing him to frown, he looked towards El and saw a gloomy, fearful gaze in her brown eyes as she connected hers with the boys and Twelve suddenly knew what happened to the unknown boy, he could feel the dread fill his body.

Mike looked between the two confused, throwing a look of concern towards the boy who sat on his bed with a fearful look in his eyes, then Mike looked at Eleven who was still looking at the picture with a panicked look on her face.

Mike started rapidly asking questions about this boy who was named Will, but Twelve only caught the name of the boy and started spacing out.

All three of their heads snap towards Mike's window as they hear a vehicle approach the home. Mike quickly runs towards it and looks out seeing his mother driving home and panics. Twelve quickly walks over to El and grabs her hand as his other squeezes Ben repeatedly.

Mike turns to the two frantically, "We gotta go!" he grabbed El's wrist dragging the girl as she pulled along Twelve and they followed Mike out of the room they get halfway down the stairs before the front door opens revealing Karen, Mike's mom, holding Holly.

All their eyes widen and Mike pushes Eleven and Twelve up the stairs back up to his room and they all hear the woman downstairs call out confused.

"Ted? Is that you?"

"Just me mom!" Mike shouted, and he slammed the door behind them, "One second!"

Mike turned to El and Levi, grabbing their shoulder, steering them towards his closet, he opens the door and looks at the two expectedly. "Hide in here. I'll be right back, okay?"

Eleven and Twelve look into the small black room in fear.

"Please, you have to get in or my mom, she'll find you. Do you understand?"

Twelve sighed hearing those words.

You have to get in there, Twelve. It's okay...I'll be here with you.

"I won't tell her about you two, I promise," Mike stated.

Eleven and Twelve share a confused look, in sync they ask, "Promise?"

Mike sighed, "It means something you can't break. Ever."

"Michael!?" Karen's voice echoed downstairs causing them all to look at the door.

"Please, Levi? El?"

Twelve grabbed Eleven's hand and walked into the small black room together, before Mike closes the door, trapping them.

Twelve squeezed Ben and Eleven gripped the boy's hand tightly as they both feel panic flow through their veins, their breathing becomes heavy and they both cower into the back of the closet behind Mike's clothes and drop to the floor.

You're okay, Twelve...Everything is okay...shh...shh... the voice soothes the boy, Twelve relaxes but looks towards the girl next to him. Twelve puts Ben in Eleven's hands letting the girl squeeze the plush tightly as Twelve wraps his arms around the girl letting her sob in his chest.

Twelve rubbed the girl's shaved head, knowing the girl is having a horrible flashback from the lab. Knowing he can't stop the flashbacks from happening.

She's gonna be okay, Twelve... The voice in his head reassured him as he held the crying girl.

Twelve shuffled awkwardly, trying to get comfy on the hard ground. He was never the person who comforted people. He was always the weak one in his eyes, always having to be comforted by the others. He always got babied by Eleven, Five, Four, and Three, it felt awkward for him to comfort El.

He hoped he was doing an okay job and by how Eleven's cries silences and was just a few sniffles and hiccups help him think he did well.

After a few minutes, They heard Mike's door open and close before hearing the raven-haired boy's voice whisper.

"El, Levi? Everything okay?" The footsteps got closer and the closet door opened revealing Mike, who kneeled on the ground looking at the two concerned as he takes in the girls shaking figure and the boy's lost look.

"Mike..." Eleven sobbed.

"Is everything okay?"

Eleven nodded, inhaling and handing Ben back to Twelve who hugged him tightly. The boy had already missed the plushie, El smiled slightly at the boy before turning back to Mike as he asks.

"Are you sure?... Levi You okay?"

Twelve and Eleven nodded. "Promise."

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A/N) saw a caring side to the voice in this one! I hope you guys liked it!