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Mike has been acting…weird, lately. The changes were subtle, subtle enough that Max didn't even notice it at first. But, when she eventually started picking up on the tiny hints, she couldn't stop seeing them. There were tiny details that stretched back weeks, maybe even months. A missed phone call here when Mike really ought to have been at his house, an awkward moment there with seemingly no reason behind it. It annoyed Max, at first, like much that Mike Wheeler did. But over time, the scope of these weird coincidences narrowed in her mind, forming a more concrete shape.
Don't get her wrong, she still doesn't know what the fuck is going on with that kid, but she can chip down the pieces of his lies, breaking away the excess fat until it seemed, at the very least, more comprehensible. It all came down to one thing, as she had come to realize. That thing was Halloween a couple of months ago.
That was when Mike's weird behavior had started, Max is almost sure of it.
Lucas had promised Max he'd take her somewhere after school, so when the bell finally rings on Ms. Sadwick's geometry bore-fest, Max wastes no time in slinging her backpack over her shoulder and shouldering through the door, only keeping half an ear out for whatever homework details the Sandwich shouts at their backs.
Her locker is on the other side of the school from sixth period geometry, so she lets herself be swept up by the stream of chattering teenagers that pours through the hallways in a thick, fluid mass. She passes by Will's locker first. He's fumbling with his bag, shoving loose papers into the main pocket without any consideration. In fact, he's so concentrated, he doesn't notice Max sneaking up on him until she knocks on the end panel of the locker row. He jumps a little in surprise, and quickly zips up his bag with hasty fingers.
"What are you in such a hurry for? Got a date or something?" Max's voice is light and gently teasing, but her eyebrows are raised in genuine curiosity.
Will lets out a huff of air that might have passed for a laugh if they had just finished climbing Everest. As it stood, however, his version of a laugh sounded more like a suffocating cat gasping for air. She doesn't call him out on it, though, just fixes him with her usual probing stare that makes Lucas crack in exactly T-minus five seconds.
Will clears his throat somewhat painfully, making the next sounds that came out of his mouth resemble something closer to human speech. "Oh, my, my mom just wants me home soon, I promised I'd help her pick something out from Family Video for a family movie night." Will explains quickly, only stuttering slightly around the 'mom' part of the sentence.
Max stares at him for another few seconds, before she spots Lucas over his shoulder, already packing books into his bag. He was chatting to Dustin who was leaned up against the locker next to Lucas', his expressions animated as he jabbers on about some nerd shit or something. A spark of fondness makes her chest feel warm. "Cool." She says casually, turning her attention back to Will. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Will hums in agreement. "Yep, have fun with Lucas." He says knowingly, tracking her gaze over his shoulder.
Her lips twist into a smile and she shoves his shoulder lightly as he slips past her, grinning to himself. Max watches him go for a second before shoving through the crowd once again, elbowing her way towards Lucas and Dustin. They both look over as she approaches, Dustin with a very serious expression on his face. "Max, your boyfriend is an idiot."
Lucas scrunches his nose up, looking offended. "How is this even a debate? Han Solo is objectively cooler than Luke Skywalker in every way." He zips up his bag and slings it over his shoulder.
"Apart from the way that involves moving stuff with your mind." Dustin insists, following Lucas as he begins to walk.
Max follows suit, only half-listening to their conversation. "Who do you think is cooler, Max? Luke Skywalker or Han Solo?" Dustin asks, obviously trying to get her on his side.
She pauses in front of her locker, pulling out her skateboard and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She shuts it with a clang. "Leia, obviously." She says in her duh voice. "Luke and Solo both got kidnapped by freaking Ewoks."
There is a moment where Lucas and Dustin contemplate that answer, clearly having been caught off guard. She walks off, and they both hurry after her quickly, shouldering clumsily through the crowd of teens. "So, what do you have planned for me, stalker?" she asks over her shoulder at them.
"Every time that I think that nickname is beginning to wear off." Lucas laments, catching up to her.
"It'll never wear off." Max says easily.
Dustin laughs and Lucas elbows him in the stomach in retaliation. "I was thinking we could go the arcade together." He says, speaking over the combined sound of an entire student body and Dustin's faux pained yelp. "I have a bunch of quarters saved up. El, Mike, and Dustin agreed to meet us at Mike's house afterwards for like, boardgames and stuff too. Will would also be there but apparently he has something with his family."
Max grins, a little wicked. "That sounds like fun, stalker-boy. I'm so looking forward to beating your ass."
"Mike, El, and I are going to hang out at the Junkyard while we wait for you guys. Flip some cars and shit. Try not to miss us too much." Dustin says as they arrive at their bikes.
"We're going to what?" It was Mike. Max turns to see that him and El had walked up on them while they were talking.
"Uh, hang out after school." Dustin says, his eyes flitting between them. "Don't tell me you forgot, Mike."
"You said that you would do it yesterday." El reminds him.
A flash of realization dawns across his face before quickly being replaced with guilt. "Oh my god guys, I'm so sorry, I can't make it today." He splutters quickly, his fingers fidgeting with his backpack strap.
Dustin spreads his hands, looking disappointed. "Come on man, it was literally yesterday. At least Will had the decency to give us some notice."
"I know, I know, I just promised my dad that…" he trails off, eyes roaming around as if he were literally trying to pluck an excuse out of thin air. "I'd let him show me how to, uh, work on the car." He finally gets out, his eyes landing somewhere to Max's left.
She turns to follow his line of vision and her gaze lands on the car park where one of the senior students had his hood popped and was swearing profusely at the engine. She rolls her eyes. "Sure." She drawls, turning back to him.
Mike grimaces apologetically. "Hey, what do you guys have planned for tonight? I'm sure the, uh, car situation won't take the whole afternoon."
"You agreed to a games night in your basement." Lucas said evenly.
"Oh. Right. Well, just come over…" He checks his watch, "at 5:30. My mom will make dinner. I swear I'll be there. I swear. Will, too."
"Will has a family movie night." Max says. She checks her own watch, the digital clock reading 3:38pm.
"Oh, right. Then not Will, just me." Mike says, his speech stilted. "I've gotta go now, have fun you guys!" He says the last few words while fumbling with his bike lock.
They watch him flounder for a few more embarrassing seconds before he finally gets it off and hops on. Max lets him ride away for a few seconds before she sighs heavily, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Please don't tell me I'm the only one who thinks that Mike has been acting really fucking weird lately." She says finally, sick of entertaining her suspicions in private.
Dustin nods emphatically. "You're not crazy. That was weird as shit."
"I seriously don't understand what is wrong with him." Lucas mutters, squinting after his retreating form.
"There is nothing wrong with him." El says suddenly, looking offended.
Lucas shakes his head, putting his hands up. "No, not like that, I just mean he's been acting odd."
"Oh. Then yes, you are right."
"Yeah, ever since Halloween I reckon." Dustin says. That confirmed Max's theory. She clearly wasn't the only one to notice the change. "Do you guys also think that he seems…happier?" Dustin continues.
That was something that Max definitely hadn't noticed, but she also isn't nearly as close with Mike as Dustin or Lucas who had known him virtually their whole lives. Lucas is nodding along, though, so there seems to be some credibility to Dustin's observation. "Yeah, he seems more excited to participate." Lucas tilts his head. "You know, when he's there. But honestly, Will has also seemed happier lately. And El. Maybe it just finally feels like we're putting all that freaky shit behind us."
"And breaking up with our terrible boyfriends." Max puts in with a sly smile directed at El.
She grins and nudges her back.
Since El had dumped him, her and Mikes relationship had entered a strange phase where, while neither were totally comfortable with one another, neither of them seemed all that upset about the breakup in general. It was weird, but the awkwardness had faded over time and their friendship had grown in its place.
"Right, well." Lucas hops on his bike. "I believe we have an arcade waiting for us, m'lady." He says in a posh voice.
Max snorts and rolls her eyes. "Okay dork face, lets go."
He sets off first and she follows him on her skateboard, waving goodbye to Dustin and El. They wave back, Dustin yelling a reminder after them to be at Mike's by 5:30. Max waves them off.
She has Dig Dug to play and a reputation to uphold.
Mike reclines in his seat, allowing the noises and colors of the movie to wash over him. They're watching Alien. It's a weird pick for a pseudo date-night, maybe, but Mike had watched it so many times by now that actually watching the movie isn't really the point. He lets his eyes wander over to the boy next to him. Their sides are pressed together, and Will's head is tipped back, watching the movie through his bottom eyelashes. The creases in his brow are smoothed out, and Mike has to resist the urge to run his fingers over his skin, cupping Will's face in his hands.
Instead, he opts to give Will's hand a squeeze with his own where they are tangled together against their thighs. Will looks at him, a small smile on his lips. His gaze flicks between the movie and Mike for a few more seconds before settling back on the screen. He shifts against Mike, leaning further onto him.
Mike's mouth goes dry. Unconsciously, his eyes flick towards the closed basement door, butterflies and nerves jumbling together in his stomach. It feels dangerous, doing this. It feels exhilarating.
They had been dating for nearly a month by now. They agreed to keep it a secret, at least for now. Mike knew that his dad would be mad if he finds out. Being together, like this, right underneath his feet feels exciting, a nervous rush that set his mind alight. Will is better at hiding it than he is. He's more organized, has a firmer grip on his lies and misdirections.
Mike, well Mike had always been bad with time. He checks his watch now. The face reads 5:31pm. They still had about 25 minutes until the rest of the Party showed up. Right now, he can just live in this moment.
He loops one arm around Will's shoulders, and in a second Will's head is tilting to accommodate his and their lips are connecting with a gentle force. Mikes breath catches and he presses into the kiss, slow and relentless.
For a moment, that is all they are. The movie fades into the background, and for a brief, glorious beat all Mike can think or feel is Will's lips on his, his hand cupping his jaw, his quiet sighs into the kiss as his mouth opened to accommodate Mike. It sets his nerves on fire, it short-circuits every brain function. He thinks that if he could drown in this moment, then he would.
Mike brings a hand up to Will's hair, tangling in the short, soft strands. Will shifts again, positioning himself over Mike so he can press him into the couch, one hand steadying himself against the sofa cushions and the other wrapping around Mike's back, his hand slipping underneath the fabric of his shirt. The sensation of skin on skin makes sparks shoot through Mike's body, and he shivers with anticipation.
Will pulls away for a second to take a breath, his face flushed in the low light, before he's pressing back in, resting his side against the couch so he's hovering half-over Mike. Mike tilts his head to deepen the kiss, parting his lips a little.
In hindsight, for someone that was paying very close attention to the basement door, the fact that Mike had allowed his focus to slip at that exact second seems less like random chance and more like a cruel twist of fate. God or something, Mike doesn't know. The fact is, whatever is up there clearly hates Mike Wheeler.
A dull thud sounds near them and then; "Holy fucking shit."
The new voice breaks Mike out of his trance like a rubber band snapping back into place. He makes a distinctly unmanly squeak that catches halfway in his throat, causing him to start spluttering and coughing. Will is on the other side of the couch in an instant, face flushed and eyes wide. They lean away from each other as if to make up for their no doubt compromising position of a few seconds ago.
Dustin is standing a couple of stairs up, his jaw dropped. His fist is curled loosely around nothing, and the bag that he was no doubt carrying just a few seconds ago laying on the floor, Monopoly poking out the top. Lucas and Max are standing side by side on the stairs just behind Dustin. Lucas is slightly turned away, his eyes wide and averted. Max's gaze is darting between them, eyes narrowed and calculating, as if she was trying to work something out in her head. El is the last in their little group, and seemed to be looking on with a mostly impassive expression, a little confusion etched into her brow.
There is a horrible silence for a long moment. On the screen, Ash's dismembered head is telling the rest of the crew his special orders. Mike can't help but be a little amused at the contrast. That amusement, however, is easily overrun by the sudden fear that grips his body. The happiness that had jumbled and twisted inside his stomach had solidified, turning hard and heavy. It weighed against him, nausea high in his chest. He didn't move. He didn't speak.
In truth, Mike hadn't really let himself think about how his friends would react to him and Will. It seemed like a far off 'then problem' for future Mike to deal with. He liked to think that they would be okay with it, that it might be awkward at first or irreparably change how they see him, but at the very least they wouldn't tell anyone. Here and now, actually being faced with that possibility, Mike didn't know if he felt so sure anymore.
In the end, Mike is the one that breaks the heavy silence. "What the hell are you guys doing here?" He asks, cringing a little at how breathless he sounds.
He glances over at Will, who looks similarly horrified. His hair is mussed at the back where Mikes fingers have been threading through it. Mike cringes, aware of how similarly he must look. Dustin's mouth is opening and shutting like a fish, so Lucas responds for him, finally mustering the strength to look at the two of them. Mike averts his own eyes, another wave of fear and disgust shooting through him.
"The games night? You invited us over." Lucas says, gesturing helplessly with his hands.
"What, were you two too busy sucking face to check the time?" Max says dryly, but there is a small smirk on her lips.
Lucas elbows her and she scowls at him. "I said six. I said six!" Mike says, fumbling with his watch.
"No dude, you definitely said 5:30."
"Shit." Mike says emphatically.
His words feel heavy on his tongue, and his muscles are stiff with uncertainty. Shame burns through his body. "Will, I thought you were with Jonathan and your mom! And Mike…" Lucas makes another face.
Mikes stomach sinks even lower, somehow. His eyes find El, standing just behind Lucas and Max. That same confused expression is fixed on her face.
"How long?" Dustin asks, finally able to get out coherent words.
"What?" Will asks. He had been completely silent up until that point, his face is pale and drawn.
Dustin shakes his head, as if trying to clear his own thoughts. "How long have you two been…y'know." He trails off.
"Dating." Max puts in, her face impassive.
Will and Mike look at each other quickly. "Um, Halloween." Mike stammers, not bothering to deny it.
Then, a curious light enters Dustin's eyes. His face splits into a hesitant grin at first, which then widens. He grabs Lucas' shoulders, who jolts a bit at the sudden contact. "What did I say, Sinclair? Halloween! It's Halloween!" He makes a little whooping noise and pumps the air with his fist, bouncing on his feet. "I freaking called it!"
"Uh, you weren't the only one to notice something was off, dipshit. I called Halloween too. And Lucas. And El." Max says, her face still annoyingly impossible to read.
Mike stares at them both, his turn to become a little slack-jawed. "I'm sorry, what?"
Dustin ignores him though, shaking his head and pointing at Max. "Nuh-uh, you may have noticed that there was something different around then, but I knew that he was hiding a girlfriend. Or uh, whatever."
Max rolls her eyes. "That's real convenient you say that now, you never voiced that theory earlier."
"Yeah, well, that's because I didn't want to be wrong."
"But if you were as sure as you say, then that wouldn't have been a concern at all. Dusty-buns." Max counters, voice pitching upwards on the nickname.
"Max I swear to god if you bring that up again I'll-"
"Guys, stop." Will cuts in, his voice surprisingly steady. "What are you talking about?"
"Mike has been acting off since Halloween." Lucas blurts. "Like, totally weird."
"Have not."
"Uh, yeah you have, dude. You're always disappearing and stuff." Lucas seems to hesitate before he says his next words. "Also, you seem happier. More present. When you are there, that is. You too, Will." His voice softens, and he offers them both a small, encouraging smile. It feels like support. It feels like acceptance.
Mike blinks, his insides twisting up. "You're not like…mad, or weirded out or anything?" Will asks, his fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of his shirt. "I mean, we have been basically lying to you guys for weeks now."
"No dude." Lucas shakes his head. "I mean, I guess I would have hoped you guys could tell us sooner, but I get it. We're not gonna be like those assholes Troy and James. And we aren't going to tell anyone, either. We've known you since like forever, this isn't going to change that."
Dustin nods emphatically, and something eases in Mike's chest. He glances at Max, and she shrugs. "Don't get me wrong, watching you two kiss was totally gross, but not because of the gay thing. I don't really give a fuck about the gender of whatever poor soul decided that you would make a good boyfriend." Max says, crossing her arms.
Mike rolls his eyes and flips her the bird. Will laughs, a little breathy.
At this point, El is the only one who hasn't said anything. She's still on the stairs, confusion creasing her expression. She glances between Will and Mike for a moment. Mike tenses.
If he was honest with himself, he didn't think that he had ever loved El. At least not romantically, but that didn't change how deeply he cared for her, for how she felt. If she was more in love with Mike than he was with her, then he didn't want to hurt her feelings."Why wouldn't they tell us sooner?" She asks, the question directed at Max.
It's a painfully genuine one, no trace of hurt present in her tone. Max blinks for several seconds, letting those words sink in. It hits Mike at the same time as her. El didn't understand why they would keep it a secret at all. Why a relationship like theirs, between two boys, could be…wrong. Or at least perceived that way.
Mike starts fidgeting again, playing with the hem of his shirt. "There are plenty of idiots who hate people who are different from themselves. Who love different than themselves. Doesn't mean it's wrong." Max supplied, sending a sideways glance at Mike and Will. Mike tries to make his gratitude evident in his expression. She rolls her eyes, so she must have gotten the message.
El nods slowly. "Alright. Is games night still on?"
Mike lets a small grin creep over his features. "Yeah, of course."
He pauses the movie, and they all get themselves situated around the table. They play for hours, and if Will and Mike's hands intertwine on the tabletop, nobody says a word.