─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
LOVE REALLY HURTS WITHOUT YOU!

CHAPTER FOUR: GHOST.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

⠀⠀It had been a week since FIVE moved in with the Byers. Still, they had done him no harm. In fact, they had done nothing but treat him with kindness. It gave him an unknown feeling; a fuzzy feeling. He couldn't describe it. He'd never tried something like it before. Unlike in the lab, these people a s k e d him if he wanted to do something, if he was okay with it, rather than forcing him and giving him no choice.

⠀⠀Each of the kids — except Will, who was kept busy by his own problems, — had been granted a task to help FIVE, while the adults were at work. Dustin was teaching him about 1984's teenage culture, what people liked, how they acted, how they talked. Lucas was assigned with teaching him how to write and read and Mike, much to his displeasure, had to help him expand his limited vocabulary.

⠀⠀It was exciting to learn about the normal life. It was something he'd always dreamt of; something he thought would always be too far out of reach, as he shivered in his cell. It was exciting to be taught how to spell his own name, it was exciting to be informed of how people his age would use terms such as "bag your face", "take a chill pill", "wicked" and so on, no matter how strange it seemed to him.

⠀⠀It felt like a fresh start for him.

⠀⠀Despite that, he couldn't help the bone-chilling anxiety that would always be creeping up on him, whispering in his ear and sending chills down his spine. Because even though he was free, he was living with a normal family in a normal house and slowly leaning into the normal life — or at least somewhat normal, you could say —, it could still be snatched away from him so quickly, just like it had been when he was nothing but a year old. It was so easy to destroy what had been built so far, to crush his hopes of finally being an actual teenager in the 1980s. He despised that thought and always tried to distract himself from it, but it was always there, resting in the back of his mind.

⠀⠀"-for instance, if you're with some friends, you say you're "hanging out with them"," Mike's oddly calming voice snapped him out of his little daze. The two boys were seated on the couch in the Byers' house, the house filled with nothing but their voices. Joyce was at work, Jonathan was doing God knows what and the rest of the boys were at the arcade — Joyce hadn't been pleased with having to drive Will down there during her break but she had done it nonetheless, as the caring mother she was. Mike also had not been happy with having to stay home with FIVE, while the others were down playing games without him, but what choice did he really have? FIVE could easily tell he was mildly irritated though.

⠀⠀"Hanging out with friends," repeated the other, as if it would help it get through his brain. He nodded, signaling to Mike that he had understood it and they could move on.

⠀⠀Over the many years he'd been stuck in the lab, he'd picked up on some basics of the language. He'd taken his time to carefully listen to the staff as they talked and then he'd sit and ponder over it after being thrown back into the room he'd been in 70% of his life basically.

⠀⠀Words like "friend" and "love", he hadn't learnt till he came here though. It had been some of the first words Mike had gone over with him. He'd been unable to ignore the hurt that had briefly flashed in the eyes of the raven-haired boy.

⠀⠀"Do you think I can go with you for Halloween next week?" FIVE had chimed in, his words slow and unsure. Mike had told him about the excitement there was around Halloween a few days prior and how him and the others were going "trick or treat'ing". The way Mike practically gushed about it made him yearn to try it, as well.

⠀⠀The Wheeler looked surprised for a second, not having expected the question to fill the air. Then he shook his head, both because going out there could be dangerous and also because it was supposed to just be him, Lucas, Dustin and Will. He didn't want anyone else barging into their friend-group. Especially not after they'd finally been reunited with Will again.

⠀⠀"It's too risky."

⠀⠀FIVE slid off the sofa, fingers latching onto the big, plain white sheet that laid curled up in a laundry basket beside them. He unfolded it before throwing it over himself, shielding his identity from view. After a second, he proceeded to lift the fabric back up, revealing his face again that only expressed excitement, "Ghost. See?"

⠀⠀Mike sucked in a deep breath, uncertain of how he was supposed to reply. FIVE was right; if he dressed in a costume that hid his face, it technically couldn't be so dangerous, could it?

⠀⠀He still didn't want the boy in his party, though.

⠀⠀After a few seconds, he peered away and no matter how right he thought FIVE was, he stood by his prior statement, "That's not smart, FIVE. The lab doesn't hold subjects anymore but that can still change. We can risk someone recognizing you."

⠀⠀FIVE's expression faltered, the excitement dripping off and disappointment taking its place instead. He let the sheet slide off of him completely as he jutted his lower lip out in a small pout, "I am going to ask Joyce later."

⠀⠀Surely Joyce would be kind enough to let him, right? He hoped so.

⠀⠀Mike couldn't help the instinct of rolling his cocoa brown eyes, leaning back into the soft cushion, "Why? It's not going to change anything. It's a waste of time."

⠀⠀"You're a waste of time," FIVE fired back at him, the words being half playful and half him being stubborn and unwilling to let Mike win. His green eyes were narrowed into a glare, his nose scrunched up and lower lip still in a pout.

⠀⠀Mike didn't seem to like him very much and he couldn't figure out why, but judging by the heartache that rested deep within his eyes and actions, it was trauma. He liked Mike though; the boy was protective and kind towards the people he cared about and no matter how much he didn't want to be here, stuck with FIVE, he still was.

⠀⠀The Wheeler blinked at the brunet for a moment before his face morphed into a small glare, seemingly not finding it very funny. He then rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time during the few hours he'd spent with FIVE. He didn't reply, he just dove head first back into teaching the boy new words and sayings. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

⠀⠀Joyce was the first one to come stumbling inside the house, groceries filling her arms. Her appearance made the two boys' heads snap up, eyes widening slightly in surprise of the sudden noise it made. She simply smiled at them, shooting them a "hey, boys" before disappearing into the kitchen.

⠀⠀This was FIVE's chance at asking.

⠀⠀Not picking up on Mike continuing his explanation, the green-eyed male shot up from his seat on the sofa and accompanied his new guardian in the kitchen. She was placing things in the fridge, when he leaned back against the counter and sucked in a deep breath, "Mrs. Byers?"

⠀⠀"Yes?" She averted her gaze away from the fridge and towards him for a brief second, smile adorning her pale features as usual.

⠀⠀"Can I go with Mike for Halloween?"

⠀⠀The woman's smile seemed to falter a bit for a second, before an apologetic expression made its way onto her aging features, "Five, sweetheart, I don't think that's a good idea."

⠀⠀Having expected that exact response, since it's the same one he'd received from Mike — who had found his way into the kitchen, too, with irritation written across his face —, he pulled out the same plain white sheet and performed the same stunt he'd done before, "Ghost. You can not see my face."

⠀⠀"I can take him. I'll be watching Will anyways, right?" Jonathan appeared as if on cue, his shoulder propped against the doorframe and teeth then latching onto an apple.

⠀⠀Joyce hesitated, her expression uncertain, "Hopper won't agree with this."

⠀⠀"So Hopper will not find out," FIVE lifted his shoulders in a shrug, as if to say "no big deal". He radiated exhilaration and knowing he might actually get to be a part of this, he couldn't keep the smile off his young face.

⠀⠀"Is this seriously happening?" Mike gaped at the three of them, eyes darting between all of them, his disagreement loud and clear without him even having to utter another word. His party had no room for anyone else. It was just him, Will, Lucas, Dustin and ELEVEN. Always would be.

⠀⠀"That part of the lab is down, Mike, what's the worst that can happen?" Jonathan shrugged his shoulders carelessly, because it was the truth and they all knew it, Mike too, so what was the big deal?

⠀⠀"What if someone recognizes him?"

⠀⠀FIVE stared him down as he protested, and you could practically hear the wheels turning in his head while he tried to figure out what was actually bothering him so much. He could just ask, sure, but that would probably just result in him lashing out and his walls going right back up. Something had happened though.

⠀⠀"Costume, Mike," FIVE repeated what he'd been told at the beginning of the week. He was told that, that part of the lab had been shut down and none of the subjects were left. It had made him wonder what had happened to them; the teenagers he'd crossed paths with a few times while they were both being dragged down the halls, some screaming and crying and others with empty eyes and a numb heart.

⠀⠀Mike's cocoa eyes still darted between them drastically, his thoughts on the situation remaining the same. He just didn't give the real reason why, and he wasn't intending to.  Then he rolled his eyes — something he did quite a lot, FIVE had noticed — and stormed out and seconds later, the door was heard being shut.

⠀⠀A silence hung in the air for a second before Joyce sternly pointed her index finger at her eldest son, "You keep an eye on both of them, okay? If anyone asks, FIVE is your cousin."

⠀⠀Jonathan had muttered a "yeah, yeah" and then pushed himself off the frame and disappeared into his room moments later.

⠀⠀"Thank you," beamed FIVE up at Joyce ( a phrase he'd used as much as he could, since he'd learned it ), unable to contain his excitement and joy. He was finally going to participate in something outside of the house, something normal teens did. It felt good to be on the path away from what used to be his life.

⠀⠀He felt euphoric.

IDA'S NOTE!
okso idk if this makes
sense but yea mike is
just sour because he
doesn't want anyone
new in his friend-group
and he doesn't really
like five that much
because every situation
with him reminds him
so much  if eleven ):
he's just hurting
meanwhile five is just
so happy to be on the
path to a somewhat
normal life and also
kinda trying to figure
mike out and stuff

also YES i got the idea
of him being a ghost
from eleven because im
##UNORIGINAL lmao
im sorry):