"You know you don't have to do this, right?" Lucas asked, standing on the other side of the locker.

Peter shut it, locking El's letter to him inside. His brown eyes stared over at Lucas', a little wider then usual. "Sorry?"

"This is, like, a really bad idea." Lucas had a look of fear in his eyes. "Don't let these guys push you around."

"I promise you, i'm not." he shook his head, waving his arms around, that had gotten a lot bigger since the summer, trying to hype himself up. "It's just...a freshman thing. They think i'm worthy, Lucas."

"I just don't understand why you're the only one who's about to do this." he said in return as the two walked rather slowly through the locker room.

"Because he's the best freshman we've ever had." Bradly, the captain of the soccer team, came up behind them and squeezed Peters shoulders. "We have to welcome him into the brother hood before the big game tomorrow. The big game that college scouts will be at. It's not too early, Clarke."

"Yeah." he took a breath. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm ready. Sooo ready."

A roar of boyish cheers roared through the locker room, the soccer and basketball team in there for the initiation. Lucas looked over at Peter again with a hesitant look, seeing the slight panic in his eyes. Peter pulled the green shirt off, passing it to Lucas as he walked a little bit closer, through the boys.

Right to the front of the large ice bath.

"You know the rules." Bradly spoke up, standing on the other side of the bath. He held the stop watch up. "Last year Jameson Wells made it to five minutes before having to get. As long as you make it past the five minute mark, you're officially apart of the family, Peter."

"Yeah." he smiled. It was scary, but he was happy, excited. "Just five minutes and one second?"

"Five minutes and one second." Bradly confirmed with a wink. "We've got blankets, towels, heated socks, all of it waiting for you when you're done."

"Yeah." Peter mumbled, nodding his head. He looked back at Lucas one more time, getting a little nod as he gave one back. He took another breath, lifting one leg over the side of the bath. He yanked his foot back when one toe hit the ice, a few of the boys laughed. "That's, like, polar bear cold."

"Easier if you hold your breath at first." Landyn, a junior, winked his way.

Peter knew he couldn't flinch again, they'd think he was weak. If he was gonna do this, he needed to do it now. Holding his breath, he pressed his foot down and pulled the other leg over before his flight skills could kick in, nearly throwing himself down and gripping the sides. The boys all cheered, Bradly smiled. "I knew you could do it."

Maybe it was because he always lacked his Dads pride, but every time Bradly was proud of him, it pushed him to do whatever he needed to in order to get that fatherly feelings from an older senior. Peter leaned his head against the tub as the clock started, Lucas moved to keep sight of his face. His lips were turning purple, he looked to Patrick. "So, what happens if this goes completely south."

"One minute mark!" Bradly called.

"South how?" Patrick frowned his eyebrows.

Lucas took sight of Peter one more time. His hands tightened on the tub, chills running through his entire body at an uncomfortable rate. Squeezed his eyes sorta helped, he didn't know exactly why.

"Two minutes!"

"South like he's turning purple." Lucas whispered in panic at the sight of Peters cheeks started to go from red to a deeper shade.

"Come on, Peter!" was all Patrick could think to do, making the entire locker room start to cheer. The Clarke boy smiled through chattered lips and shut eyes, his lower body numb. It was shockingly a lot better that way, it wasn't so cold then.

"We hit three!"

"Two more." Lucas kneeled done next to him. "You good? You need to die or anything?"

"I think i'm g-g-good." he nodded, giving a dry laugh at his stutter from the cold. "Steve only made it to two minutes. Pret-t-t-ty cool, right?"

Lucas smiled. "You've got more meat on your bones then Steve does."

"Four minutes!"

"Your fault." Peter opened his eyes this time, giving a comical smile. "After you said my arms were noodles, I hit the gym."

Lucas laughed, because he knew Peter was just joking. He hit the weight room after the year started, seeing how most of the soccer team was filled with muscles with strong thighs and able to avoid getting too badly hurt. So, now, when the season came around, he was one of the first freshman to make the team. "Hey, not to remind you, because I know it's a bad time-"

"Thirty one more seconds, Peter!"

"But, weren't you suppose to bring Wesley his new mouth piece for his band thing?" Lucas rose an eyebrow. Peter didn't answer, he didn't hear him as he blinked.

"Five minutes and one second! You did it man! You did it!" Bradly cheered after the rest of the locker room did. As two of the boys patted his shoulders, Peters eyes went heavy and he slipped under the water. "Woah, woah, woah!"

"Peter!" Lucas reached down, Patrick and Bradly helping as they pulled him out of the tub. "This is what I meant by going south!"

"It okay, this happens a lot." Bradly patted Peters face as the remaining boys places towels and blankets on him. "Hey, little man. You're good, you're good, just a little cold. Come on, wake it on up."

Peters eyes opened, taking a deep breath. Lucas laughed. "There he is!"

"He's good!" Patrick called as the locker room cheered for him.

Peter smiled, flattening against the floor as he let the warmth start to sink in. Bradly stood up, holding his hand out. "Welcome to the family, brother."

Peters face lit up from his laying position, shaking his hand.

"This is the literal last time i'll ever rely on your ever again." Wesley sassed in disbelief as he caught sight of his brother hurrying through the gym. "You received zero responsibility genes and it makes me feel bad for you."

"I know, i'm the worst." Peter hurried to pass him the new mouth piece for his instrument. "I made it just on time."

"After I was scolded for like, eight years, by Mr.Stoval." the shorter boy rolled his eyes as he fixed his instrument near the bleachers.

"So, you can scold me for the next eight years to make up for it?" Peter suggested, walking backwards with a grin, pointing both index fingers at Wesley. "You're the man, Wes. The main man!"

He shook his head, cracking a grin as Peter turned his back. He said hi to a few people he knew from classes, a couple of the soccer teammates high fiving him as he headed up the stairs. Max did give a little grin when he walked over. Despite the past few months before absolute hell for her, Max still did have one person that she didn't resent and want to shy away from. She still had one person who didn't push her to talk but still provided the friendship and company she needed to get through high school.

The one and only, Peter Clarke. If you'd told you that he'd be her best friend a year ago, she'd had laughed in your face.

"Jesus, did you eat something blue?" Max frowned her eyebrows at the sight of his lips.

"Very, very long story." he shook his head, reaching across her to fist pump Dustin. "But, to sum it up, my body went into minor shock and now I might be recovering from hypothermia."

Mike gave a look of disbelief. "So, the average day for you?"

"Yeah, about that." Peter nodded his head with a minor shrug to his shoulders.

The band began to play, the cheerleaders cheering on beat for them. Peter gave his best cheer toward Max as she held back a grin, rolling her eyes. "Let's hear it for your Tigers!"

Peter cheered for Lucas as he broke through the paper, the rest of the basketball team running with him as they smiled widely. Lucas met Max's eye when he got to his spot, giving a little wave as she pulled her eyes away.

"Ugh, seeing him is so difficult sometimes." Wesley spoke to Robin as Jason walked toward the mic. "Why's he have to be so tan and blonde and beautiful? Why did I use to love tan and blonde and beautiful?"

"Better yet, why'd you use to love jocky straight boys?" Robin whispered back with a raised eyebrow.

"I know, how embarrassing." he shook his head. "I'm embarrassed to even be living as myself."

"Good morning, Hawkins high!" Jason called with a bright smile over the mic. "First off...hey. First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here. Give yourselves a big hand!"

The crowd cheered for themselves, the boys on drums providing a little rumble. Peter gave a small peace sign to Lucas to mend his feelings after Max refused to wave.

"Of course I have to give a special shout-out to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad!" Jason announced as they cheered for the, genuinely, impressive cheer squad. "Chrissy...Chrissy, I love you, baby."

Wesley rolled his eyes, shifting around. Peter put a hand on his heart. "Aww."

"Gag me." Max rolled her eyes.

"Leave me alone, I'm in a very sensitive spot right now." Peter defended himself. "I'm El-less."

"Not for long." Max gave a knowingly eyebrow raise in return.

"You know... I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's been a rough year for Hawkins." Jason went on with his speech as the gym got quiet. "So much loss. And sometimes I wonder "How much loss can one community take?" In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team, and I said, "Think of Jack." "Think of Melissa." "Think of Heather." "Think of Billy." "Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper." "Think about each and every one of our friends who perished in that fire." What did they die for? For us to lose to some...some crap school? No! For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? No! Lets win this game! Let's win this game for them, and that's exactly what we did!"

Peter wrapped an arm around Max. "Promise not all of us use dead people to hype up a game."

"How comforting." Max crossed her arms.

"We embarrassed those candy-assess in their own house, and now tonight, tonight, we're gonna bring home the championship trophy!" Jason yelled as the crowd cheered.

"Did he say tonight?" Wesley's eyes widened, looking back at a panicked Mike and Dustin.

"Tonight?" Mike asked in disbelief.

"How is that possible?" Dustin tossed his hands up.

"They call it a tournament. You win one game, you go on until there's only one team left." Max informed them.

"What's happening tonight?" Peter gave a questionable look in their direction.

"Wesley, i'm sorry, but I really can't." Peter spoke to his brother as they walked through the lunch room together. "The bus leaves right before the game starts. You get to hop on a plane in the morning, I don't."

"Only because they won't let me ride on the stupid bus." Wesley followed. "Okay, what if we toss Mike off the plane, you take his ticket, and we still make it to California before your game?"

"I thought Mike was one of your best friends now?" Peter gave an odd look, walking with him toward the table he always sat at.

"He is, he is." Wesley nodded his head. "But, if it means you take my spot at Hellfire tonight since I have to be in the band...."

"You don't think you can just sneak away?" Peter suggested, hoisting his backpack up on his shoulder. "I don't even know how to play Hellfire."

"Oh my god, yeah, you're hopeless." Wesley huffed a he set his lunch down. "Eating with us today?"

"Ah, Little Clarke." Eddie high fived him.

"I have to study, Coach isn't gonna let me go tonight if I fail my history test." Peter shook his head, grinning to Eddie as a hello.

"With Mr.Banks?" Mike looked up at him, getting a nod. "It's easy, literally just word for word like our notes."

"Seriously?" Peter smiled.

"Yeah, seriously." Mike agreed.

"See you!" Peter called, running through the cafeteria.

"Every time I see him, he's running." Dustin shook his head.

"He's a moron." Wesley pulled the lid of his chocolate pudding off.

"You sure don't want me to try and stuff you into one of the bags? I can say you're my emotional support tag along." Peter spoke to Max that night when she met him at the bus station, the rest of the soccer team already loading up and tossing their bags around.

"I'll be fine." Max gave a faint laugh, holding up the mix tape. "Thanks for making me another one before you head out."

"Max." Peter gave her a serious look. "If you need me here...just say the word and i'll hang back. I'll get a last minute flight tomorrow and just be a little late to the game."

"Peter, i'm fine." she shook her head at him. "I know you wanna get there to see El and impress all those scouts. I want you to go."

"If you need me, you have the Byers house phone number." he nodded at her as the bus horn blew. "I can still sneak you on."

"Oh my god, get out of here." she laughed, pushing his arm. "I'm starting to regret telling off your dad at the Gap last summer."

"Psh, best day of my life." he smiled, looking back as the horn blew again. "Okay, gotta go see the lover."

"Tell El I said hey." Max nodded as Peter hugged her quickly, tighter then usual. "Maybe try not to turn blue again."

"Peter, we're gonna leave you!" Bradly called.

"You too." Peter smiled at her, hurrying to get on the bus as the doors shut and it rode off into the night.

El, i'm on my way to you.

•

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