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"EL?" MIKE AKSED, SEB'S DEMEANOUR FALLING LIGHTLY. "Mike." El spoke before the two hugged tightly, Seb sighing and climbing in through the window. He was about to stand up straight before Hopper wrapped the boy in a hug, El and Mike talking to each other as Seb hugged Hopper back. "Sorry." The boy whispered, Hopper sighing. "It's alright, Buddy." He spoke, the party looking to Hopper confused. "Are they?" Max asked Lucas, the boy only looking back to the twins. "I wouldn't let her." Hopper interrupted Mike, El looking to him. "Where have you both been?" Hopper asked, Seb standing next to El before they all had a group hug. "You've been hiding her. You've been hiding both of them." Mike spoke in realization. "You've been hiding her this whole time!" Mike yelled, hitting Hopper's back as Seb pulled El back slightly. "Hey!" Hoper spoke, grabbing Mike's collar. "Let's talk. Alone." He spoke, dragging Mike to a room.

El and Seb watched them walk away, the latter cringing. That was before Dustin wrapped the boy in a hug, Lucas hugging El. "We missed you." Lucas spoke, Dustin nodding as Seb hugged Dustin tightly. "We missed you, too." El replied, Dustin and Lucas switching their hugging partners. Seb smiled as he hugged Lucas, El hugging Dustin. "We talked about you both pretty much every day." Dustin informed, Seb snickering in Lucas' arms. The hugs soon broke, the twins facing Lucas and Dustin. "Teeth." El spoke, Seb confused before looking at Dustin. "What-" "You have teeth!" Seb interrupted, Lucas snickering as Seb tried to open Dustin's mouth. "Ow!" The boy let out, Seb surrendering. "Sorry." He spoke quickly as El nodded. "You have teeth." She repeated, Dustin starting to grin proudly. "You like these pearls?" He asked, doing a weird thing that made him purr.

The twins just flinched back, Seb holding onto El. "Never do that again." He spoke, Dustin ignoring him. "Eleven? Seven?" Both twins looked to see a girl coming towards them, a nervous smile on her face. "Hey, um, I'm Max." She introduced herself, Seb cringing as El shoved past her outstretched hand. Max then looked to Seb, him smiling. "You're that guy I bumped into." She spoke, Seb nodding slowly. "What?" Lucas asked, Max turning to him. "At the school, we bumped into each other." She informed, Dustin turning to Seb. "You were at the school?" He asked, Seb going to answer. "I mean, we weren't allowed-" "Seb!" El called, Max yelping as he accidentally hit her shoulder on his way past. He was then caught in another hug by Joyce, El smiling at them. "Hi, sweetie." She spoke, rubbing Seb's back as he smiled. "Hi." He spoke, Joyce smiling as they let go of one another.

"Can we see him?" El asked Joyce, the woman nodding as she led them to Will's room. "He's not doing well." Joyce spoke, the twins crouching ahead of Will's unconscious form. "He's been saying he sees this boy in his episodes and needs to see him again-" "He needs to see me again? Why?" Seb asked, Joyce caught off guard before her face dropped. "You're the boy?" She asked shakily, Seb nodding. "Is that bad-" "Seb, buddy." The three turned to see Hopper in the doorway. "Will you come with me real quick? For a talk?" The man asked, Seb nodding slowly and patting El's shoulder or the way out. "What is this about Will? Why does he need to see me again?" Seb asked as the two walked past the group, ignoring them. "Okay, don't freak out." Hopper spoke, Seb shaking his head. "Now I'm  going to freak out!" Seb whispered harshly, Max leaning out of the window to listen with Dustin and Lucas.

The window was broken anyway so the conversation wasn't that private. "Will's been possessed by the Mind Flayer." Hopper informed, Seb confused. "The what?" He asked, Hopper shrugging it off. "The Mind Flayer is a huge monster that possessed Will. Anyway," Hopper grabbed Seb's shoulders, moving down to his height. "Remember when I told you that Will saw you?" The man asked, Seb nodding slowly. "Did you use any powers against a shadow monster?" Hopper asked, Seb's face dropping. "Of course, I had to run away-" "I need you to stay away from Will and the Mind Flayer." Hopper suddenly ordered, Seb confused. "What? Why?" He asked, Hopper walking inside the house again. "Wait, you can't leave it at that!" Seb shouted in as he walked in, gathering the attention of most of the room. All of the room, really. "Where are you going-" "That monster wants you, okay!" Hopper shouted, everyone falling silent.

"It knows you're powerful and wants to get your powers. That's why it took over Will." Hopper spoke quietly this time, everyone looking to Seb. "Woah, okay." He let out, the man regretting even telling him. "Kid-" "I need fresh air. Again." Seb interrupted, walking out and shutting the door rather loudly behind him. So it was true. The 'Mind Flayer', which they called it, wanted Seb powers. The monster possessed Will for him. All of this was happening because of Seb. "Woah." Max spoke as they watched Hopper sigh in frustration. "That's a lot to lay on someone." She continued, everyone ignoring her.

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"SEV?" MIKE CALLED SOFTLY, WALKING OUTSIDE AND SEEING NO ONE. "Sev!" He shouted, El walking outside quickly. "Where is he?" El spoke before hearing snores. "There he is." Hopper spoke, shaking the boy's shoulder lightly. "He won't like this, Hopper." Joyce spoke, Seb waking up slowly. "I know, but it has to be done." He replied, pulling Seb up slightly. "What won't I like?" He asked, hearing some sort of prepping inside. "We have a plan." Hopper spoke slowly, El hugging Mike's arm. "Why won't I like that?" He spoke, standing up as Joyce sighed. "Me and El are going to the lab." Hopper informed, Seb's eyebrows scrunching up. "What-" "You're staying here with Steve, Dustin, Lucas, Max and Mike." He interrupted, Seb shaking his head quickly. "No!" He let out, Hopper grabbing his shoulders. "Listen to me. El has already agreed. It's for your safety." Hopper spoke, Joyce going to help Jonathan and Nancy carry Will into a car. "Where are they going?" Seb asked.

"They're going to help Will. You're staying here." Hopper spoke sternly, Seb looking past him to El. The girl only nodded, Seb looking back to Hopper. "I swear, if she dies..." Even Hopper was intimidated as Seb's eyes glinted red as he pointed his finger in the man's face. "You die." The boy finished, Mike and Max's eyes widening as Hopper nodded slowly. "Copy that." He spoke slowly, Seb nodding. "Copy that." He repeated, Hopper nodding again as he stood up straight. Seb opened his arms, El running to hug her brother. "Oh God, if you die." Seb spoke, El shaking her head. "I won't. I love you." El spoke softly, Seb smiling as he patted her head. "Love you too." He spoke, Hopper going to get the van ready for them to go to the lab. "We gotta go!" Both siblings turned to Hopper, the man gulping when he met Seb's squint. Giving his sister one last hug, the boy walked inside, leaving Mike and El to bid their goodbyes.

"Looks like you're with us." Dustin grinned, Steve looking up from the couch. "You agreed?" He asked, Seb shrugging. "Not without a death threat." He spoke, sitting next to Steve. "Steve Harrington." The older teen introduced, Seb shaking his hand. "Seb. Or Seven. Or Jacob." He spoke, even himself confused as Lucas' head tilted. "Jacob? Seb?" He asked, Seb nodding. "Jacob's my real name. and Hopper thought Seb sounds more normal then Sev. Like Sebastian." He informed, Dustin smiling. "Cool." He trailed off. "What do you want me to call you then?" Steve asked, Seb turning to him. "Anything's fine." He spoke, Steve nodding before he stood up. "Okay, do you think you can help me and Dustin get this thing into the fridge?" He asked, his hands on his hips as Seb stood up too, meeting Steve's eyes. "Why?" He asked, Steve shrugging. "Research." Was all the older boy replied, Seb sighing. He had to get El off of his mind somehow. "Okay! Dustin, you done?" He asked, the two turning to see Dustin emptying the fridge.

"It should fit now." He replied, Seb nodding as he rolled his sleeves up. Dustin only stood back, Max stepping forward as Seb blinked. The girl and Steve watched in amazement as Seb's eyes flashed red and he held his hand towards the dead Demo-dog. "Left!" Dustin called, Seb nodding as Mike walked in. "What is happening?" The boy asked, Seb ignoring him. "Get the door." He spoke, Dustin nodding and shutting it behind the Demo-dog. "Oh, hi Mike." He spoke, Mike nodding awkwardly. "Can we talk?" He asked, Seb confused before nodding. "Alone?" Mike muttered, Steve telling everyone else to clean up. "Okay..." Seb trailed off, the two sitting around the kitchen table. "So," Seb spoke, Mike nodding. "I like El." Mike spoke quickly, Seb shrugging. "And? Everyone likes El." He spoke, Mike shaking his head. "No, in a romantic way." He corrected nervously, Seb still confused. "Romantic?" He asked, Mike taking a deep breath before nodding again.

"Like, love." Mike spoke, Seb making a face of realisation. "Yeah, I love El too. I don't know why you wanted to sit me down-" "I like your sister but more than a friend!" Mike whispered harshly, immediately regretting it as Seb's eyebrows raised. "Woah." Was all Seb replied with, Mike holding his hands together nervously. "I was telling you because you're her brother and I wanted to know if you'd let me?" Mike trailed off, Seb confused again. "Let you what?" He asked, Mike gulping. "Be her boyfriend?" The boy asked, Seb's eyes widening. "Like on the TV?" He asked, Mike nodding. "Sure." He answered, Seb starting to grimace. "That's disgusting but okay." He spoke, Mike offended before realising. "Yes?" He asked, Seb nodding awkwardly at the boy's excited demeanour. "Oh my God, thank you!" Max looked to see Seb trying to pull Mike off of him, the boy hugging him in joy.

"Okay, okay!" Seb spoke, Mike realising what just happened. "Sorry." Mike uttered, Seb sighing in agreement. "Yep." He muttered himself, Mike watching him walk away. Seb sat on the couch, watching everyone clean for a while before Mike started to pace around, Lucas fed up after five minutes. "Mike, would you stop already?" The boy asked, Mike turning to him. "You weren't in there, okay, Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs." Mike shot back, Seb turning to him quickly. "Well that just made me feel loads better." He spoke, Mike giving him a sympathetic look before Dustin appeared in the doorway. "Demo-dogs!" The boy corrected, Seb turning to him confused. "The chief will take care of her." Lucas spoke, Max scoffing. "Like she needs protection." She replied under her breath, Lucas looking to Seb. "What're you trying to say?" Seb asked, Max looking up at him quickly.

She stuttered for words, Steve stepping forward. "Listen, dude, a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. All right?" Steve asked, Seb very confused. "Okay, first of all, this isn't some stupid sports game. And second, we're not even in the game. We're on the bench." Mike replied, Seb looking to Steve. "So my point is..." The boy stammered, Seb raising an eyebrow at him, awaiting an answer. "Right, yeah, we're on the bench, so, uh, there's nothing we can do." Steve spoke, Seb sighing as Dustin spoke up. "That's not entirely true." He spoke, Seb perking up. "I mean, these Demo-dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus, they were called away." Dustin explained, Steve putting a tea towel over his shoulder as he looked to the boy. "If we draw their attention..." Lucas spoke, Max looking up. "Maybe we can draw them away from the lab." She finished, Mike agreeing. "Clear a path to the gate." He continued, Seb agreeing already.

"Yeah, and then we all die." Steve spoke, Max looking to Seb. "Without him, we will." She grinned, Seb smirking proudly. "That's also one point of view." Dustin told Steve, the boy shaking his head. "No, that's not a point of view, man. That's a fact." Steve spoke, Mike walking past them as Seb followed, the rest following too. "This is where the chief dug his hole. This is our way in-" "Oh no, I climbed out of there." Seb interrupted, Mike turning to him. "What?" He asked, Seb nodding. "Yeah, I lived there for a while." He spoke as if it were nothing, Mike realising something. "Then you can help us!" Mike spoke, Seb nodding slowly. "Okay..." He spoke, Mike going back to the wall where the upside down was drawn. "This will be the hub." Mike spoke, leading the somewhere else as Dustin turned to Seb. "Have you been there?" He spoke, Seb shrugging. "I don't know. I might've slept there a couple nights." He spoke, Steve's eyes widening at him.

"Seb can lead us here and we can maybe set it on fire-" "That's a no." Steve interrupted, no one listening to him as Seb stood next to him, ignoring him too. "The Mind Flayer would call away his army." Dustin spoke, Steve glaring at the boy. "They'd all come to stop us." Lucas spoke, Steve getting annoyed. "We'd circle back to the exit." Mike spoke excitedly, Lucas nodding. "By the time they'd realise we're gone-" "El would be at the gate." Max interrupted, Seb grinning. "I'm in-" "Hey. Hey! Hey! This is not happening." Steve clapped, everyone turning to him. "But-" "No, no, no, no, no. No buts. I promised I'd keep you shitheads safe," Steve spoke, Seb confused at the name. "and that's exactly what I plan on. Also, the chief said he can't go anywhere near the Mind Flayer and you guys think making him lead you through it is safe. Nu-uh." Steve spoke, Mike realising as Steve continued.

"We're waiting on the bench for the team to do their job."

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[2393 words!]

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