⇥✰⇤
Debate Team

"Those things will kill you, you know?" Will's voice rang through Mavis's ears as she stood in the back of the school, hanging out an abandoned classroom window. She quickly put the cigarette out and jumped off the desk she was standing on.

"Sorry, I didn't know you'd be back here. Everything okay?" she asked while adjusting the bright pink leather jacket around her shoulder. Will nodded quickly.

"Just looking for you, Carrie mentioned El got brought up last night. Are you okay?" he asked her worried as Mavis cracked a forced smile.

"I'm an all-good little man. Are you okay? After what happened last night?" she questioned while leaning against the desk.

"Y-yeah, I think I'm okay now" he nodded as Mavis smiled, a real one this time before nodding.

"Cmon, Mr.Clarke threatened to not let me audition for the debate team if I skip another one of his classes" Mavis laughed as he threw an arm around Will and pulled him down the busy hallway.

"Debate team?" he asked with wondering eyes, Mavis nodded before her eyes widened in realization.

"We should do it together! I need a way to get my anger out and you're working on not being so shy right? It could be fun" she said with a wide grin, Will almost said yes to her wide smile but sighed in return.

"I don't know Mav..." he trailed off as she gave a pout but nodded knowingly.

"Just think about it, okay? There's a meeting after Mr.Clarkes to decide if I'm worthy enough. If you decide you wanna try something new... meet me there" Mavis said to him with a wink as they walked into Mr. Clarke's classroom and fell into two chairs next to each other.

"The case of Phineas Gage is one of the great medical curiosities of all time. Phineas was a railroad worker in eighteen forty-eight. A large iron rod was driven completely through his head, Phineas miraculously survived. He seemed fine and physically yes he was, but his injury resulted in a complete change to his personality. So much so that friends that knew him started to refer to him as No Longer Gage" Mr. Clarke spoke loudly to the class as Mavis looked down at the last sentence, feeling Lucas's eyes burning into her. She knew she wasn't the same, but it wasn't as if her friends would call her out by it and start using a whole new name for her. At least she hoped not.

"At the time it was called the crowbar case-" Mr.Clarke began just as the door swung open. Dustin began to spit out apologies as he fell into the seat in front of Will, making the two shortest friends share an odd look.

"We have to meet, all of us, at lunch" Dustin whispered as he looked back at his friends.

"But it's taco Tuesday" Mavis pouted as Dustin gave her a look.

"Why?" Mike spoke up in a whisper to stop an argument.

"I found something that you won't believe" Dustin explained with wide, blue eyes before Mr. Clarke's voice cut in.

"Dustin," he said as the curly-haired boy turned to him quickly.

"Yes my lord?" he asked their teacher, earning himself a small smile.

"Would you like to join the class now?"

"Yes please"

"Phineas Gage"

"Phineas Gage"

"Page 104"

"Page 104"

"Focus"

"Focusing"

Knocking softly on the door, the chains on her wrist made a loud noise. People her age all looked her way with wondering eyes as she slowly walked into the classroom with an awkward smile.

"Ugh hey I'm-" she began but was cut off by a red-headed boy in glasses.

"Mavis, we know. Come on in" he said with a hint of annoyance, making her drop her bag on the table and frown her eyebrows.

"We should probably get this started," a taller girl said as she popped her bubble gum.

"Wait my friends might be-" Mavis began as she looked to the door in hopes of Will walking in.

"So can we start or would you rather waste more of our time?" the redhead boy asked as Mavis scoffed.

"Excuse me-" she began but was cut off by the door opening. Mavis let her eyes soften as she saw Will walk in with a slightly scared expression.

"I um... I'm here for the debate team" he said awkwardly while meeting eyes with Mavis.

"Come on in, we were just about to ask questions" the curly-haired girl waved him in as Will quickly sat down next to Mavis with a worried smile.

"Wow, what's up with you guys?" Carrie asked as she saw the two friends walking toward to AV room a few periods later.

"Say hello to the two newest members of the debate team" Mavis teased as she swung an arm around Will.

"Debate? Will, that's your thing?" Lucas asked as Will shrugged.

"Didn't want Mav to do it alone" He admits as Carrie smiled at her adoptive brother.

"So no more cheerleading?" Mike asked as Mavis cringed and shook her head.

"Not me enough, besides, I don't think they liked me much anymore" she explained as the two shared a look before Dustin came running down the hallway, dragging Max by her wrist. Pushing everyone into the AV room, he slammed the small box on the table.

"This is D'artagnan, cute right?" Dustin grinned as he slowly took the slimy creature out of the box.

"Kinda" Carrie answered honestly from next to Mavis.

"D'Artagnan?" Mike asked with a confused look on his face.

"Dart for short" Dustin added in with a shrug causing Mavis to smile slightly.

"He is kinda cute, weirdly, and creepily" Mavis shrugged as Dustin looked over at her.

"Kinda like you?" he questioned with a joking look as she flipped him off.

"And he was in your trash?" Max asked again for clarification.

"Gorging for food, wanna hold him?" Dustin asked with bright eyes as Max quickly backed up.

"No" she shook her head quickly but was past the creature anyway.

"Oh god he's slimy" Max gagged before passing it to Lucas, who also cringed.

"He's like a living booger," he said before giving it to Will, who made a disgusted look and handed him to Carrie.

"I'm gonna puke," Carrie said quickly while forcefully shoving him into Mavis's hands.

"Cmon guys, look at him" she shrugged as she and Mike leaned down to his eye level with a curious look.

"What is he?" Mike questioned as the creature made small noises in Mavis's hand.

"My question exactly. At first, I thought it was some type of polliwog" Dustin told them while slapping his books onto the table.

"Polliwog?" Max asked confused while Dustin looked over at her.

"It's another word for tadpole. A tadpole is a-" Dustin began to explain before Max cut him off.

"I know what a tadpole is" she corrected him quickly ,Mavis sent her a proud yet sarcastically look.

"Alright then you know that most tadpoles are aquatic, well Dart... he isn't. He doesn't need water" Dustin said with a shake of his head before Lucas quickly spoke up.

"Yeah, but isn't their non-aquatic polliwogs?" The boy asked as he crossed his arms.

"Yup, two to be exact. Ones from India and ones from South Africa" Dustin said as Mavis looked his way.

"So he got all the way from Hawkins how? On a garbage truck?" she asked him with a hint of annoyance, yet intrigued.

"Maybe some scientists brought it here and it escaped" Max added in with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Do you guys see that? Looks like something is moving inside of him" Mike said as they all looked down at the slimy created before Mike shined a light for a better look. Dart let out a shriek as he tried to hurry away from the light. Mavis jumped with a yell as she stumbled into Carrie, causing the two to knock down some supplies in the corner and knock heads somehow.

"Woah, it's okay. I got you little guy" Dustin cooed as he caught him before falling off the table, Will and Lucas (get it?) quickly helped Mavis and Carrie up from the ground as they joined the group once again.

"Reptiles, they're cold-blooded. They love heat, the sun. But Dart hates it, it hurts him" Dustin said as he shook his head at them, causing his curls to bounce as he did so.

"Clearly" Carrie mumbled while sending Mavis a small glare and straightening out her pastel blue sweater.

"So if he's not a polliwog...or a reptile?" Lucas went on as a grin spread across Dustin's face.

"Then I've discovered a new species" Dustin gushed ad the bell rung, making them all jump and pack up quickly.

••••

are will and mavis being soft for each other? yes.