Chapter Text
You could say Mike isn’t the type to keep secrets, but clearly, that would be a lie. He, Dustin, and El kept what happened at the quarry a secret. Of course, El doesn’t even really remember it since life was more hectic at that time. Dustin? Well, his brain blocked it out. Mike? He remembers it. He thinks of it from time to time. He also had dreams about it… well, Nightmares.
The nightmares aren’t about him jumping, they're about Dustin. About Dustin being injured by Troy and James all because of him.
Even Mike’s sexuality is a secret. But that’s okay. People are not very accepting of it. Shit would be terrible if people found out.
It’s no different when he and Lucas share another secret. Well, and Steve too. They would all keep it. It’s not like Mike would want anyone else to know and Lucas and Steve promised to not tell. Though If Mike and Lucas could they would go back in time and stop what happened or just not go to the party where it started.
It started when the basketball team had another party. They invited a bunch of people. This party, like any other party they have had, had alcohol. Lucas decided to invite the party, minus El and Will of course since they were in California. Max, Dustin, and Mike all showed up.
The basketball team had parties often. This party happened a week before Mike left for California.
They were all set on not drinking, well not really Max. Though, since the boys were not going to drink she decided she wouldn't either. Of course, that plan went to shit since all the drinks contained alcohol. Luckily, they had told their parents they’d be sleeping over at one another’s house. They figured they could just head to Steve’s house, knowing his parents weren’t home.
Mike had drunk the least of all of them. Only had like two cups while the rest drank 5 or more cups. They drank from those red solos cups. They realized since they were basically already drinking alcohol they can just drink straight from a beer bottle or can.
The whole party stuck together. They were uncool so they really didn’t have anyone else to talk to. Lucas did, but he wanted to stay with them. Around halfway through the night, Mike got thirsty so he went for a third red solo cup. He told them in incase they wanted anything to drink. Dustin was still drinking from his beer can and so was Lucas. Max was the only one who asked for another can.
Just as Mike was getting another drink he felt someone press up against him. It startled him so he turned around.
Troy . Troy was right there when he turned around.
“Well if it isn’t frogface…” Troy said. He had a beer bottle in hand. He didn’t seem drunk though so that must have still been his first one.
“Go away Troy,” Mike said. He felt anxious in this situation and downed the drink he just served himself.
“You should really drink slower,” Troy said. He knew just how anxious Mike felt at that moment. Knowing very well he can just stand there and Mike would start downing all the drinks he serves himself. “I haven’t seen your little superhero in a while. Guess there’s no one to protect you anymore.”
Just like Troy had thought, Mike served himself another drink and downed it just as quickly. He still had the beer can for Max in hand. “I can protect myself just fine,” Mike refuted as he lightly shoved Troy.
Troy responded to the shove by grabbing Mike by the collar and saying right in front of Mike’s face, “Not when you’re so scrawny. All you have going for you is your height.”
“Shove off, Troy,” Mike said, getting out of his grasp. All the beer he had drank made him want to go to the bathroom. Deciding not to interact with him he headed towards the bathroom. Leaving the can he got for Max on the table.
“What’s taking Mike so long,” Max said, exasperated.
“Relax, he probably just went to the bathroom,” Dustin said.
“Yeah, he probably went there,” Lucas agreed.
“I should’ve just gone to get my own beer,” Max said, rolling her eyes.
Troy was outside the bathroom waiting for Mike to get out. Once Mike finally stepped out he covered Mike’s mouth and dragged him outside. Once they finally got out Troy shoved Mike on to the ground.
“What the actual fuck, Troy,” Mike said, “Leave me alone.”
“You. Me. Right here. Right now. Let’s fight,” Troy said.
“No! I’m going back inside,” Mike said as he lifted himself off the ground.
“Why not? Cause your little freak girlfriend isn’t here to protect you?”
Mike ignored him, still heading back inside.
“Oh! Could it be that it’s because there isn’t a fairy for you to fight for?”
Mike stopped walking but he was still facing away from him.
Troy walked towards him as he said, “What? Do you need Toothless and Midnight here to protect you?”
He stopped walking as soon as he was behind mike. “You really need others to fight your fights, frogface?”
Mike turned around launching a fist at Troy’s face. Troy threw the next punch hitting him on the stomach causing Mike to cower in pain with his hands wrapped around his stomach.
“Your weak little punch barely makes an impact, Wheeler.”
“So what? At least it’ll leave a mark where others can see when yours won’t even be visible.”
“You know what Frogface? I still need to get my payback for what you and your freak friends did,” Troy responded, a smirk appearing on his face, “You wait right here.”
“What makes you think I’ll stay?”
“I’ll make sure you stay,” Troy said as he shoved Mike to the ground and strongly kicked him in the back.
Troy ran back inside and returned with a six-pack of beer cans.
“Drink,” Troy said, handing one to Mike, “quickly.”
Mike quickly grabbed it and drank it. Troy was also drinking.
“Faster freak. There’s still more for you to drink.”
Mike quickly finished it and Troy handed him another one as he mouthed ‘quickly.’
By the time Mike finished the 2nd can, Troy was halfway through his can. He dumped the rest on top of Mike’s head and handed him a third one. He himself got another one.
With how fast Mike was drinking he was getting more and more woozy. He drank the fourth one more slowly but once he finished it Troy dumped the rest of the one he was drinking on top of Mike.
“They're all done…” Mike panted as he tried to catch his breath. He glared at Troy not being able to clearly focus on him. “I’m… leaving.”
“Not so fast, Wheeler,” Troy responded, “I’m still having my fun.”
“I finished the beers like you wanted me to,” Mike said as he tried standing up.
Troy grabbed his arm and pulled him up and said, “So what? You shoved me and your freak girlfriend embarrassed me in front of others and broke my arm.”
Mike was too drunk to think clearly.
“I’m worried,” Dustin said.
“Yeah, me too,” Lucas responded.
“He probably just ditched us,” Max shrugged.
“Mike wouldn’t do that, ” Lucas responded.
“Maybe there’s a line for the bathroom?” Max asked.
“Maybe…” Dustin responded.
“You know what? Let’s just search for him either way,” Lucas said.
Dustin nodded as they both turned to look at Max.
“Fine,” Max responded.
Troy grabbed Mike’s arms and dragged him to the woods. Mike struggled to get out of his grip. As soon as they were deep into the woods to a point where they wouldn’t be heard by others Troy let go of a struggling Mike and Mike fell back.
“OW!” Mike yelled.
“Oh shut up, Wheeler.”
“Why did you even drag me out here?”
Troy stood in front of Mike. Towering over him since Mike was still on the ground.
“What do you mean, why? I told you, I’m still having my fun.”
The last part of the sentence sent a shiver down Mike’s spine.
Troy kneeled in front of Mike in between his legs and shoved his back onto the ground.
“Wh…what are you doing?” Mike said, frankly a bit scared.
“Having my fun ,” Troy responded as he used one hand to hold both of Mike’s hands over his head.
His other hand lifted Mike’s shirt up. Mike was trembling as he squirmed.
“Let go, Troy.”
“No,” he responded as he inched onto Mike’s neck. He bit it and roughly sucked it.
Mike started flailing his legs around but Troy just put his own over the two, stopping the flailing.
He decided to take off Mike's shirt and use it to tie up Mike’s hands behind his back. Mike’s resistance made it a bit tough but it wasn’t that hard since Mike was still drunk out of his mind. The only thing keeping Mike’s body from outright touching the ground was his sweater, which he laid on.
“Untie me!”
Troy just ignored him as he moved his hands all over Mike’s body. His tongue licking and sucking at Mike’s chest. Mike let out a whine at the repetitive motion.
“We searched everywhere!” Dustin said.
“And we still haven't found him, Lucas,” Max said.
“I know Mike, He wouldn’t leave like that…” Lucas said.
“Should we check outside?” Dustin suggested.
“Yeah…” Lucas replied.
After they searched for an hour inside and out they thought Mike had just ditched them. Since it was a bit past midnight they went up to the nearest telephone they could find to call Steve to pick them up.
Mike lost the strength to resist after some time. All he could do was yell at Troy to stop and weakly flail. He was still trembling as Troy’s hands examined every inch of him. Troy left bruises, bites, and hickeys all over Mike. His thighs, abdomen, chest, neck, and back.
With no lube around, Troy stuck his fingers in Mike's mouth telling him to dip them in saliva or else it’ll hurt. Mike bit his fingers but he just struck Mike’s cheek. So Troy whipped his dick out and forcefully shoved it in Mike’s mouth. “Don’t bite or else.”
Troy just faced fucked Mike. He grabbed his head and bobbed it back and forth. Mike couldn’t breathe and the tears that had threatened to fall before were now coming out. Mike was getting more dizzy and close to passing out but Troy finished before that coming into Mike’s mouth. Once Troy took it out Mike was coughing.
He made Mike get up and go against a tree. His back facing him. He roughly shoved two of his fingers up Mike’s ass.
“Wait- Wait! Stop!” Mike whined.
Troy didn’t stop and shoved a third one in. Moving them in and out and stretching them apart.
“It hurts! Stop!” Mike sobbed.
Troy did stop but only to shove his dick in.
“Oh fuck!” Mike screamed out.
Troy thrusted in and out of Mike. Slowly at first. Mike’s voice letting out sounds of pain and pleasure. Troy picked up his pace and started going faster. Mike’s letting moans and groans fall out of his defiled mouth. Troy himself was grunting and groaning in pleasure.
Once Troy came, Mike passed out. He passed out after he had cum. Troy just dropped him onto the ground as he buckled up his belt. He untied Mike’s hands and used Mike’s underwear to clean up all the cum and blood. He laid Mike’s shirt on top of him and ran off.
Mike was left on the ground with his pants and sweater away from him and the only thing covering him was his shirt. He still had his shoes and socks on.
Notes:
I'm basically done writing this. I originally planned for this to be 15 chapters long but by the time I got to 14 chapters, I realized that wouldn't be possible. So then I thought of ending at like 21 (I don't remember what chapter) but I couldn't so then again at 27 and then finally at 31 I finished.
I'll upload the chapters on a weekly basis, so every Sunday, unless I forget. Which might happen when I go back to school in August. and there are a few days when I might be busy Sunday but I sleep late so maybe I'll be able to upload them.
Chapter 2: That would be a secret
Notes:
In some of the chapters I had multiple titles to choose from so maybe I'll start writing alternative titles to those chapters on the notes of the beginning.
For example, this ones alternative title could be: That was the secret
Usually, I would've chosen that as the title but I chose to match the title to this chapter to the 1st chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When Mike woke up in the early morning he was sore all over with dried blood in some places and had a killer headache from the hangover. His first thought was to put on his clothes, minus his underwear. His second thought was to cry. So he did, he had a little breakdown by himself right there as he zipped up his sweater. He also combed out his hair with his hands before stopping and just covering his face with them.
He was bawling his eyes out. Letting out painful sobs and cries. He stuffed his hands in his pockets searching for coins. He found 8 quarters and a dime.
His third thought was to call someone. But who? He first thought of Will but he’s in California with El, Jonathan, and Joyce. So he thought of Calling Dustin or Lucas. They were all at Steve’s so really he wouldn’t know who would answer.
Once he calmed down he got up and walked out of the woods to find the nearest payphone. It was painful to walk and he was walking with a limp. He sped up at times to get there faster so he wouldn’t have to walk anymore. Once he found a payphone he called Steve’s.
“Hello, Harrington residence, who is this?”
Lucas! Lucas answered!
“L-Lucas…” Mike said shakily, “It’s me, Mike.”
“Where were you man? You had us worried, we couldn’t find you anywhere.”
“...”
“Why are you calling so early? It’s like 6 in the morning,” Lucas added.
“I… shit. I…”
“Mike? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine…”
“You don’t sound fine. Where are you?”
“At a payphone near where we were last night.”
“What are you doing there?”
“Who's calling?” Asked Steve. Still a bit tired since it was about six in the morning.
“It’s Mike,” Lucas responded.
“That shithead had me worried sick last night when he wasn’t with you guys. Pass me the phone.”
“Hey Wheeler, where were you last night?”
“...” Mike remained silent. It was tough to stay standing up, his legs were shaky and he was in so much pain. On the way to the payphone, he almost fell down a few times.
“Mike?” Steve asked since he hadn’t received a response.
“I was… You know, just around.”
“You had me worried last night, why weren’t you with the rest of these shitheads?”
“Hey!” Lucas said defensively.
“I was…” Mike trailed off.
Steve felt alert and a bit worried.
“Lucas, where is he?”
“Where you picked the rest of us up yesterday,” Lucas responded.
“Mike, you okay, buddy?”
Mike didn’t respond to that question this time.
“Respond Mike.”
“... Yes… No… I don’t know…”
“Well, you have me worried now, what happened?”
Lucas listened to the conversation.
“Nothing,” Mike said defensively.
“He’s lying. I can tell,” Lucas said.
“Mike.” Steve sternly said.
“I just got hit in the stomach and passed out in the woods…”
Technically it wasn't a lie. He just left some stuff out, that’s it.
“He’s leaving something out, I just know it,” Lucas told Steve.
“Well, that’s not entirely nothing, Buddy. Why didn’t you just go back to the group?”
“I got kicked in the back and couldn’t move much…” Mike responded.
“Who the hell was it, Mike?!” Lucas yelled, infuriated.
“Don’t yell, I got a headache from the hangover,” Mike replied.
“You drank less than the rest of us,” Lucas said.
“I guess I got a low tolerance?”
“That’s it. I’m going to go pick him up,” Steve said.
“Mike stay where you are, Me and Lucas are going,” Steve told him.
“Okay…”Mike said with a trembling voice. He began sobbing again.
“Mike?” Steve said with a worried and terrified expression on his face. The expression on his face worried Lucas.
“Yeah?” Mike said weakly.
“You okay?” Steve asked again.
“I’m fine…” Mike answered.
“You don’t sound fine.”
“shit. Maybe… maybe you shouldn’t come.”
“No. I’m coming, you have me all worried.”
“Don’t. I’m fine.”
“I’m going to call Nancy,” Steve said.
“Wai- Don’t. Don’t call. I’ll wait,” Mike said.
“Okay just promise to wait where you are.”
“I promise…”
After 15 minutes Lucas and Steve arrived. Mike held on to his neck as he saw Lucas approaching him.
“Steve’s in the car. Let’s go,” Lucas said as he approached him.
Mike nodded his head not letting go of his throat. Lucas looked at him weirdly.
“Why do you have your hand on your throat?”
“It hurts… and it hurts less if I have my hand there,” Mike responded with a twinge of pain at the start.
“Well, Steve dropped by to get drinks for our hangovers. He also got some first aid for your injuries.”
Mike nodded.
Steve got out of his car and walked towards them.
“What’s taking so long?” Steve asked.
“I was telling Mike you got stuff for our hangovers.”
Steve looked weirdly at Mike.
“Why are you covering your neck?” Steve questioned.
“He said it hurts and that it hurts less when he has his hand there,” Lucas responded.
Steve looked at Mike skeptically and said, “Mike. move your hand away.”
“What? Why?” Mike defensively asked.
“Wheeler, move your hand away,” Steve repeated.
Mike froze up and slowly moved his hands. The command and his last name being uttered reminded him of Troy. He began trembling.
“You left us to go get laid?” Lucas asked and then realized something, “You cheated on El?!”
Steve could tell something was wrong based on how Mike was acting. The call and now this and not to mention he was trembling. These definitely were red flags that Steve couldn’t ignore.
“No! I-...” Mike said, cutting himself off and going silent.
Steve noticed that Lucas was about to yell something out again and intervened.
“Lucas, be quiet,” Steve said.
“What?! No!” Lucas yelled.
“Calm down, let me talk to him first,” Steve suggested.
“Fine.”
They look over at Mike who was looking at Steve with eyes glistening with tears. He did not know what happened, but one thing for sure, Mike needed a hug.
He leaned closer to Mike and stretched his arms out. Lucas looked confused at this. He noticed as Mike carefully went in for the hug. He noticed some marks on Mike’s wrists, he noticed how awkwardly he was walking, the slight trembling, and how his legs were shaking as if he was using all the force he had left to keep himself up.
His thoughts raced as he tried to figure out what happened.
They let go from the embrace and Mike sees a horrified expression coming from Lucas. He follows his eyes to his wrists and immediately knows what he saw. Lucas looked up at Mike and Mike turned his gaze away.
“So what happened?” Steve asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Mike said.
Steve and Lucas had a rough idea based on the hickeys and avoiding saying it before. Though they weren’t exactly sure. He could just be avoiding it to not admit he cheated on El, though.
“Mike, if you don’t tell us, we’re calling Nancy,” Steve threatened.
“I- Shit… I can’t,” Mike said as his voice began to break trying to explain but…, “I’m trying… but the words won’t come out.”
“You- You said someone hit you… Was it the same person?” Steve asked.
Mike nodded his head.
“Mike…” Lucas’s throat began hurting. He wanted to cry for his friend.
“Who was it?” Steve asked.
Mike shook his head.
“Tell us or atleast give us a hint,” Steve said.
Mike was still feeling sore and some excruciating pain and was losing strength in his legs. He fell to the ground once his legs gave out. Lucas rushed over to help him.
“You okay, Mike?” Steve asked.
“Yeah, just sore all over.” and in pain, it hurts, a lot. Mike can’t find the will to say that other part though, as if he were to acknowledge that pain he would break down again. And if he did Steve might tell Nancy.
Lucas’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I didn’t realize before but you stink of alcohol,” Lucas said. He noticed how some parts of Mike’s hair stuck together, and some looked stale, for lack of a better word.
Of course, his hair would look like that and he would stink of alcohol, Troy dumped alcohol on his head.
“I got some dumped on me.”
“Oh.” Lucas quietly muttered.
“Give us a hint, Mike,” Steve said.
“Fine… but you’re going to hate this.”
Mike still didn’t even get to say the hint before a name came to Lucas’s mind. “Was… was it Troy?” Lucas asked.
Troy is the only person they know who hates them, for some reason, who would possibly do this.
Mike began to tremble at the name. Lucas, who was holding on to Mike, could feel it and immediately knew he was right.
Steve on the other hand had no idea who it was but heard about him before from Dustin. So he knows he is somewhat of a bully but… if what he did to Mike had anything to say it's that he’s not a bully but a damned criminal. Though his first thought was ‘It was a guy?’
“What the fuck… why would he go this far?” Lucas asked.
“Are you just saying or do you want to know?” Mike asked.
“…He actually said why?” Lucas asked in disbelief.
“Yeah…” Mike muttered.
“Why?” Lucas asked.
“Because of that time I had shoved him on the ground and El made him piss himself in front of everyone, and also since she broke his arm…” Mike said.
“I don’t remember El breaking his arm… When did that happen?” Lucas asked.
Mike thought back to when it happened and just shook his head and Lucas just gave him a confused look.
“It doesn’t matter. Can we just leave?” Mike asked as he turned to look at Steve.
“I’m going to beat the shit out of that guy,” muttered Steve.
“Don’t. That’ll just cause more problems,” Mike said, “Let’s just go in the car…”
They silently headed towards the car. Lucas decisively decided to carry Mike there, knowing walking might pain him based on what he saw before. Mike was a bit embarrassed but grateful and muttered a small thank you to him. The only noise they heard was the sounds of the doors opening and shutting and the sound of the engine.
“Can... Can you guys like- not tell anyone?” Mike asked.
He sat in the backseat along with Lucas. Lucas would’ve sat in the front with Steve but he wanted to be there for Mike.
“No way, Mike,” Steve said.
“Mike. Come on we have to tell the party they were worried about you,” Lucas added.
“Please…” Mike pleaded.
Lucas turned to look at him with tears forming in his eyes and said, “What are we supposed to tell them about the marks on your neck?”
“I’ll- I’ll find a way to cover them,” Mike begged.
Steve took a turn opposite where his house was.
“You just turned the wrong way, Steve,” Lucas said.
“You’re… not going to go tell Nancy are you?” Mike said.
A part of Mike wanted Steve to tell Nancy but he also didn’t want Nancy to know.
“No, I’m going to a pharmacy,” Steve told them, “I’ll get some makeup so you can cover the marks.”
“Thank you,” Mike muttered.
When Steve arrived at the pharmacy he told the boys to wait in the car for him. They stayed in silence for a minute after Steve left. Lucas was the first to break the silence.
“I’m a shit friend,” Lucas said.
“No, you’re not,” Mike said.
“No, I am. If we had looked more this wouldn’t have happened.”
“None of this is your guys fault, it’s mine alone.”
“It’s not your fault, Mike.”
“It is… If I wasn’t so weak and skinny this wouldn’t have happened,” Mike uttered.
“You’re not weak… you were just drunk,” Lucas comforted. The tears that previously threatened to come out escaped.
“I fucking stink of alcohol,” Mike said. He tried making it sound like a joke but his voice cracked halfway.
“Yeah, you do,” Lucas slightly smiled.
They were silent again before Lucas muttered, “I’m never going to drink again.”
“Me neither,” said Mike.
When Steve came back again it fell silent again.
Steve sighed and said, “I won’t tell anyone but if I ever feel a need to tell someone, I will.”
“Okay,” Mike muttered.
“I promise not to tell anyone,” Lucas said. His eyebrows were quivering as he furrowed them.
Mike nodded.
That was the secret they would keep.
When they arrived at Steve's place, Max and Dustin were still passed out.
“I’ll get you a towel and a change of clothes if you want to shower,” Steve said as he faced Mike. Mike silently nodded.
Once Mike was in the bathroom taking his clothes off he saw a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He saw all the marks scoured all over his body. It made him want to scream and tear off his skin.
He stepped into the shower and didn’t even care whether the water was freezing or scorching. He scrubbed all over his body, every nook and cranny. He scrubbed so hard leaving him red all over. The only part he couldn’t wash was dirty mouth.
He wished he had asked for a tooth brush. Though, he also decided to force himself to vomit to get any residue of Troy out. After vomiting he gurgled some water and spit out. Then he grabbed some mouthwash and did the same thing. That wasn’t enough, though. He grabbed a bar of soap and decided to wash his mouth with it. He stopped after that. He was left coughing after being so rough with it.
He didn’t even bother drying himself up with the towel after getting out and just put the clothes Steve had given him on. Luckily, Steve gave him a long-sleeve shirt so it covered up the bruises on his wrist. He did dry his neck though so he could apply the foundation on his neck to cover the marks up.
Once he stepped out of the bathroom Max and Dustin were already up. He tried his best to ignore the pain he felt in his ass and not limp. Forcing himself to continue standing up and not fall or let his legs give out. He tried his best to make sure his legs weren’t shaking, as well.
“Mike, where the hell were you last night?” Max asked. She had a look of frustration and annoyance in her face.
Lucas tensed up at the question. It went unnoticed by Max and Dustin.
“Yeah, man. Did you ditch us?” Dustin asked.
Mike crossed his arms across his torso before answering, “Sorry, I didn’t feel so well.”
“Well, you should’ve told us we spent forever trying to find you,” Max said.
“Yeah, sorry,” Mike said.
That struck Max as unusual since Mike didn’t regularly apologize.
“Where did you go?” Max asked.
“I was in the woods, I just fell asleep there,” Mike said.
Lucas saw that lying seemed to be coming naturally to Mike.
“You called Steve to come pick you up in the morning?” Dustin guessed.
Mike nodded.
“You look like you got slapped in the face,” Max said.
“I probably slept wrong,” Mike shrugged.
“Steve’s calling you Mike,” Lucas said.
Mike left to go to where Steve was at.
“We need to take care of where you were kicked and punched,” Steve said.
“I can do it myself, just give me the stuff,” Mike said while reaching his hand out.
“I don’t think you can reach your back, Wheeler.”
“I’ll find a way”
“Fine, here but if you need help you tell me or Lucas,” Steve told him as he gave him a bag with ointment for his injuries, “You can go apply them in the bathroom or the room to the left of this one.”
Mike nodded his head as he left to go to the bathroom to apply it. It was hard to apply it on his back so he left to go call Lucas.
“Lucas, can I talk to you?” Mike said.
“Sure,” Lucas said as he walked towards Mike.
“What do you need?”
“Help applying the ointment on my back,” Mike said in a low voice, “Can you help?”
“Sure,” Lucas said. This time they went to the bedroom to the left of Steve’s. Which was the guest bedroom.
While Lucas applied the ointment on Mike’s back, Mike talked to him to distract Lucas from paying too much attention to his back and all the marks on it, apart from the bruise.
“Hey, Lucas?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I confide in you something?”
“Always man.”
“So it’s… It’s about my relationship with El.”
“You want some dating advice?”
“Not dating as much as…”
“What?”
“Breaking up…?”
“She broke up with you again?”
“No. I don’t think I can continue being in a relationship with her…”
“Why?”
“It wouldn’t be fair to her. I just don’t…”
“Don’t what?” Lucas asked. He finished putting the ointment on Mike so Mike turned to face him.
“Don’t love her like that, ” Mike responded.
“Is there someone else?”
“Lucas… I don’t like any other girls.”
“Maybe it was just the distance. I’m sure when you spend some time with them for spring break you’ll like her again.”
“I don’t think I ever liked her like that.”
“What? You once said you loved her and couldn’t lose her?”
“I’d grown close with her by then and she was the first girl to take interest in me. She was the first girl I liked so I thought I liked her like that .”
“Oh.”
“Yeah… So how do I?”
“I’ve always been the dumpee, not the dumper.”
“I was thinking of breaking up with her when I see her during spring break but…”
“But?”
“What if… What if it ruins her spring break?”
“At least it’ll give you time to make it up to her?”
“What about Will…” Mike said, “and Jonathan? She’s practically their sister now. They’re going to be pissed at me.”
“It’ll be okay, once they see you and El getting along again they won’t be so pissed. And if you talk it out to Will after I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“I don’t think so… He’ll probably think I’m some asshole who led his sister on for a long time…”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t. Now let’s go 'cause it smells like someone’s making breakfast and I’m hungry.”
Notes:
Honestly, in some chapters, I left comments on the doc cause I wanted to write it on the notes here or something but sometimes I forgot to write it down since I'd be like "I'll write it when I finish writing the chapter" I usually forgot though.
Chapter 3: "Lucas, I'm dirty."
Notes:
I skipped over the whole Vecna thing - it still happened just differently
such as Max surviving but Eddie is still deadSome stuff in this chapter is me just trying to move stuff along so it and putting a bit of a layout on how things went but it's only for a short while in this chapter.
I don't have any other potential titles for this chapter
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
On the day Mike left for California all the marks had yet to heal. Though, they weren’t as dark as before. He still applied the makeup to the noticeable spots before leaving for the plane.
Mike was doing good in hiding what happened. He only saw Steve one other time after that. Steve avoided looking at Mike because every time their eyes met he looked guilty. Lucas also hid it well but he was more protective of Mike since then. The others could tell but didn’t think much of it.
When Mike arrived at the airport he kept trying to find the perfect moment to talk to El, but there didn’t seem to be one. While in the van, he asked El if they could talk alone when they get off. She agreed to it so when they arrived at the rink-o-mania she asked Will if he could give them a minute.
“So what did you want to talk about?” El said, with a smile on her face. Her voice sounded as if it were dipped in honey. It was as if she was expecting something like those three words he couldn’t bring himself to say.
Mike felt guilty about wanting to break up with her, she didn’t deserve it. She deserves someone better. Someone who will cherish her as much as she cherishes him. He furrowed his eyebrows and avoided eye contact with her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked with a confused expression. She raised her hands up and cupped his cheeks. Trying to make him look her way.
Mike looked at her and put one of his hands atop one of hers and said in a low voice, “I can’t say it.”
“Say what?” she asked.
“El… I want to break up,” Mike muttered. He had a guilty look on his face and his eyebrows were still furrowed.
She looked at him in shock with a foolish smile on her face and answered back, “…What?”
“I think we work better as friends,” Mike said. He watched as El’s expression changed, her lip started quivering and her eyes got watery.
“Mike…” she said in a low voice. She took her hands off Mike’s face, shaking Mike’s hand of hers.
“I’m sorry,” Mike said, his voice breaking.
“I’m okay,” she said, her voice equally breaking, “Will’s probably worried… we should go now.”
They went into rink-o-mania where Will was waiting for them. None of them uttered a word about their breakup. They regained their composure by the time they saw Will again.
After they skated for a bit they decided to take a break and get something to drink. During the break, Angela and her friends came up to them. While Angela and El exchanged words with one another Mike stared at the boy next to Angela. The boy stared right back at him. Mike looked at him all starstruck with his mouth gaping a little bit. Mike snapped out of it when El elbowed him to try and get her out of the situation. Though, for Mike, Angela was El’s friend, at least that’s what she told him.
El left with Angela leaving Mike and Will alone. Will just blankly stared at Mike. Before realizing, El just left with Angela. “Oh shit,” He whispered.
“What's wrong?” Mike asked, looking concerned.
“El’s been lying to you,” Will said in a hurry, “They’re not her friends.”
“El wouldn’t lie to me,” Mike said with his eyebrows furrowing.
“Well, she has,” Will added, “Not everything’s been going well for her. She hasn’t made any friends.”
Mike seemed to get at what Will was saying and said, “We have to go help her!”
They tried helping her and El got a milkshake thrown at her. When Mike tried skating over to her she got up and started skating away. Mike and Will decided to search for her but they couldn’t find her.
After they got into a bit of an argument and then heard a loud commotion and saw El at the center of it.
After Jonathan and Argyle came to pick them up from the rink-o-mania. When they got home they saw Joyce and Murray. Joyce and Murray told them that they have to go do something for work in Alaska.
[After the whole Vecna thing]
After they defeated Vecna, the Byers moved back to Hawkins. Vecna was gone for good. He’s dead and will never bother them again. Nor will anything upside-down related. Max survived. El rescued her in time and Jason didn’t destroy the Walkman. But, Eddie did die. Mike shunned everyone for a week after hearing about it. Dustin grieved and accepted the support of his friends. Lucas was not as close to Eddie as Dustin and Mike were, but he still grieved a bit.
Owens told those involved he'd give them some money as compensation for all they’ve dealt with. He also said he’d pay for the older and younger kids' colleges when they go to one. Of course, considering some of the people involved are under 18 they were set to receive the money when they turn 18.
At the time being, Jonathan, Will, and El have been staying with the Wheelers. Hopper and Joyce have been rebuilding the cabin and just stayed there to not impose on the Wheelers.
Jonathan stayed in Nancy’s room, Will in Mike’s room, and El stayed with Holly.
It was awkward during that week that Mike was shunning everyone out since Will shared a room with him. Though, at least the marks all over Mike had healed.
The party decided that since they’re all together they should hang out in Mike’s basement like they used to.
“Max and I are officially back together,” Lucas said with a proud smile on his face.
“Is this why you wanted to come over so badly, to announce it?” Max asked.
“Good for you guys,” Dustin said, nodding his head.
“No, but I thought I should tell them,” Lucas answered back, “Thank you, Dustin.”
“Are we making announcements about our relationships?” El asked.
Lucas glanced at Mike as if asking if he ended up breaking up with her. Mike wasn’t sitting next to El. Lucas at first figured it was because El wanted to sit next to Max who she hasn’t seen in a long time.
Mike returned Lucas’s stare and bit his lip as he nodded his head knowing why Lucas glanced at him. Will noticed this exchange between Mike and Lucas, not understanding it.
“Not necessarily, but I guess you can tell us about you and Mike if you want to,” Dustin shrugged at El’s question.
Mike and Lucas turned away from each other and looked back at the party. Mike made subtle eye contact with Will and turned his face away from him in a panic.
“Mike and I are no longer together,” El responded.
Her response had everyone but Lucas and Mike wide-eyed.
“What?! When did you break up?” Will questioned.
“At the rink-o-mania,” Mike said.
“Glad El finally had the common sense to break up with you,” Max snickered.
“As in not getting back together, break up?” Dustin asked.
“Mike dumped me,” El said as her eyebrows were furrowed together for a bit, “and I don’t think we’ll get back together, right Mike?”
“No, we won’t,” Mike said. El was looking at him with earnest yet hopeful eyes but Mike avoided eye contact with her. El looked away from him.
“Wow, Mike. You won’t be able to find someone better than El,” Max sneered. Mike rolled his eyes at Max’s response.
“Mileven’s break up was not something I anticipated,” Dustin said.
“Mileven?” Will said in confusion.
“It’s Mike and Eleven’s names mashed up together, Duh,” Dustin answered as if it were obvious.
“You’ve been very quiet, Lucas,” Max said, turning towards him.
“I’m trying to take in the new information,” Lucas shrugged.
“You didn’t seem shocked when you heard they broke up,” Dustin said.
“I told him,” Mike said.
“Why tell him but not the rest of us?” Will asked.
Mike stayed quiet for a bit, “I mean I told him before El and I broke up.”
Everyone stared at both Mike and Lucas this time.
“I knew you and El weren’t acting as usual but I didn’t know it was because you broke up,” Will said.
“I mean with all that happened it just slipped my mind,” Mike said.
“I heard school’s opening back up in three weeks,” Dusin tried changing the subject.
“Did your mom already go enroll you two?” Lucas asked Will and El.
“I think that’s where Jonathan went today,” Will answered.
“I’m glad to be going to school with friends,” El smiled.
“Well I’ll be able to spend more time with you guys since basketball season is probably canceled for Hawkins,” Lucas said.
“We’ll see the rest of Hellfire Club again,” Dustin grinned.
“I think the whole city hates Hellfire Club,” Mike said.
“I’m glad I’ll get to go to school with El,” Max said as El leaned on her.
“Yeah I think it’d be nice to go to school again with you all,” Will said.
Mike smiled slightly at the thought of that.
“Yeah me- us too,” Mike added, staring at Will, “It’d be cool if you joined Hellfire.”
“You should join, Will! You and Mike can be our dungeon masters,” Dustin beamed.
”Yeah and we can keep Hellfire going in honor of Eddie,” Mike smiled as he furrowed his brows at Eddie’s name. Dustin smiled and nodded.
“I get to play dnd with you guys again, of course, I’m in,” Will said.
“Cool…” Mike quietly said as he lovingly stared at Will.
“It’s nice having the whole party back together,” Lucas said.
“We should have a sleepover,” El suggested.
“That’s a great idea,” Max added.
“I’m sure my mom will agree,” Mike said.
“We’re in,” Dustin responded for him and Lucas.
“Well technically I don’t need to answer since I’m sleeping here still,” Will said.
“I’ll go ask my mom about it,” Mike said, getting up from where he was sitting.
As Mike walked out to ask his mom the group jumped into yet another discussion. When Mike came back and told them his mom said yes, Lucas and Dustin went to inform their parents. Max’s mom didn’t really care what she did so Max didn’t bother getting up and asking.
“Do you think they’re going to make us make up the time we missed?” Mike asked.
“From school? Oh god, I hope not,” Max replied.
“It’s not like we wanted to miss it,” El added.
“We basically would have missed a month when school resumes,” Will continued talking, ”and I do not want to make it up during what’s supposed to be summer.”
“Schools going to be less fun knowing Hellfire will probably be at the center of attention,” Mike said.
Lucas and Dustin came back during this time and heard what Mike said.
“Center of attention for bullying?” Dustin asked.
“Well yeah, they think we’re a satanic cult,” Mike replied.
“Are Troy and James still the same as ever?” Will asked.
Hearing Troy’s name made Mike freeze up and think back to that night. Lucas, who knew about that night, saw Mike freeze up and got near him to try and snap him out.
“Yeah, they are still the same old bullies who call us names and shove us,” Dustin answered.
Lucas leaned into Mike's ear and whispered, “Mike, let’s go get a glass of water.”
“Yeah, yeah. Sure let’s go,” Mike whispered back, clearly still a bit panicky.
They both got up from their sitting positions. Of course, them getting up caught the attention of the others.
“Where are you going?” asked Max.
“For a glass of water,” Lucas answered.
Mike just stood there silently, feeling a great urge to rub at his wrists.
“You okay, Mike?” Will asked, noticing Mike’s expression. Mike seemed to be very distraught. He even looked paler.
Mike closed his lips together tightly in a straight line and nodded his head. He brought his hand up to his throat as if he was hiding something in his neck.
“He’s okay, we’re just going to get a glass of water,” Lucas assured them.
“Okay?” Max said in confusion.
As they both went upstairs Will said, “Mike seemed kind of off…”
When Mike and Lucas got upstairs Lucas got two glasses and filled them with water. He handed one glass to Mike who drank it very quickly.
“I have to go shower,” Miks said, breaking the silence.
Lucas looked at him a bit worried and told him, “There isn’t any reason for you to shower at the moment.”
Mike started rubbing at his wrists before answering, “I'm dirty, I haven’t showered today.”
“You’re not dirty, and I don’t think anyone’s going to mind the fact you didn’t shower today.”
“Lucas, I’m dirty,” Mike’s breath hitched.
At this time they heard a noise by the door to the basement. They saw El step out from there with a confused expression.
“Mike, you don’t look or smell dirty,” El said to Mike’s previous remark.
“I really have to go shower, I’ll be back down in a bit,” Mike said as he exited out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the bathroom. He looked visibly upset.
Lucas had a worried expression as he watched Mike leave. He turned to look at El dissolving his worried expression.
“I’m going back down to the party,” Lucas strained to her.
“What’s wrong with Mike?” El asked. She looked a bit worried.
“Nothing,” Lucas defensively said, “He just wants to shower because he hasn’t showered all day.”
“Oh, okay,” El responded. Part of her didn’t believe what Lucas told her.
Lucas left to join the party as El served herself some water. When Lucas rejoined the party, Will asked where Mike was. Lucas just told him that Mike went to shower.
Notes:
We got the Mileven break up this chapter v-v
I'm so glad I have the chapters finished ahead of time because I have something to work on for my channel and I have to have it done by July 3rd and I just started working on it on July 1st (mostly today actually)
I like posting chapters because sometimes in the notes I just plaster my thoughts at the time
Chapter 4: "You promised."
Notes:
I had no other potential titles for this chapter.
Troy is a warning himself - so let me just say he shows up in this chapter.
Also, there's a mention of throwing up in this chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
By the time school resumed, Hopper and Joyce finished fixing the cabin. Though Will and Jonathan still don’t move to the cabin. Jonathan isn’t planning on staying in the cabin, especially considering it’s small and doesn’t even have room for all of them. He’s just going to stay with the Wheelers. Will decided to stay with the Wheelers as well, but he’ll go to the cabin on a daily basis to see his mom. El, of course, is staying in the cabin. She wants to stay in the cabin because Hopper is there and she wants to make up for lost time.
Hopper resumed his job again as chief police. Joyce is still looking for a job. There aren't many options at the moment because the city is still not entirely done reconstructing.
“Finally, lunchtime,” Max complained as she took a seat in between Lucas and El.
“Have classes always been so long?” Lucas joined in complaining.
“It’s barely our first day back and you’re already complaining,” Dustin said as he rolled his eyes.
“The only good thing that has come of my day is that art will be my last class,” Will mentioned.
“I have my next class with Max!” El beamed.
“Glad to be sharing a class with the one person who doesn’t annoy me,” Max said as she leaned her head on El.
“Hey!” Lucas said jokingly with a hurt expression as he put one hand on his heart.
Mike just snorted at that. Mike was sitting in front of Max and in between Dustin and Will.
“Gasp! Mike, are you snorting at my pain?” Lucas joked again.
Mike just rolled his eyes with a smile on his face in response.
“So how much have people bothered you guys so far for our first day back?” Dustin asked.
“You can feel all their eyes on us right now,” Mike said.
“The most I have found is just one or two notes in my locker,” Lucas replied.
“Considering it’s our first day back they probably won’t bother us much,” Will said.
“Mouth breathers,” El uttered thinking about people like Angela, “It’s okay, I can just break their arms if they bother us.”
“Look at you guys being damsels in distress,” Max joked.
“I’ll help El if people bother us,” Lucas said.
“I am not a damsel in distress,” Dustin retaliated.
“Sure you aren’t,” Max sarcastically said.
“Well there is still time for the day to get worse since school isn’t over yet,” Mike mentioned.
“Why are we being so negative?” Will asked.
“We should stop being so negative,” El answered.
“Yeah we’re probably jinxing ourselves,” Dustin said.
“Well at least no one bothers me,” Max shrugged.
“It’s probably because you scare people,” Lucas mentioned.
“Well at least I’m not a damsel in distress,” Max told Lucas.
“Positive, Max,” El said.
“Fine, fine, I’ll be nice to the damsels,” Max answered as she let a little chuckle out at the end.
“So what are your next classes?” Will asked.
“I have P.E. with Dustin,” Lucas answered.
“El and I have Biology next,” Max replied.
“I have English,” Mike said.
“And I have Math,” Will added.
“Wow, just you two who don’t share a class next period with none of us,” Dustin noticed.
“It’s okay I like my English class and without you guys there I can concentrate,” Mike replied. Usually, when they share a class they always end up goofing off.
“I share second period with Mike,” Will added.
“What’s your second period?” Lucas asked.
“P.E.,” Mike answered.
“I’m also in their P.E. class,” El added.
“Should we start walking to our next class since lunch is almost over?” Asked Dustin.
“Sure,” Max shrugged.
Everyone else just followed along to leave for their next class.
They all got to their next class on time.
About 30 minutes into their classes Mike had to go to the restroom. He asked the teacher to go and left for the restrooms.
“Look who we have here,” a person said as Mike was washing his hands, “It’s frog face.”
Mike felt a chill down his spine as the familiar voice spoke. He turned his face towards the voice and froze up when he saw who it was.
Troy.
“Cats got your tongue, Wheeler?” Troy antagonized.
Mike stayed silent and didn’t move as if he were to do that he wouldn’t be seen. Troy stepped closer and closer to Mike until he was standing right in front of him. One of Troy’s hands traveled to Mike’s waist. When he placed his hand on Mike’s waist, Mike flinched.
Troy eyed Mike up and down and looked at his neck. With his other hand, he used it to pull at Mike’s shirt to inspect his chest and stomach. Mike was still frozen in place. His fight-or-flight response had chosen to freeze.
All he could think about was how dirty he was. He thought about what happened. He remembered as Troy moved his hands all over his body. He remembered how he put his length in Mike’s mouth. He remembered everything and he was reliving everything in his mind. It started with being dragged out of the party, to being punched and kicked, and to being forcefully pinned and fucked.
“I see all those pretty little marks I left healed,” Troy said as he broke the silence, “makes sense it’s been more than a month.”
Mike felt nauseous as he thought about it and as Troy inched forward to his face. He felt tears start to well up in his eyes. Troy took a dive towards Mike’s neck and bit and sucked at it leaving a mark. It snapped Mike out of his thoughts and without thinking about it he threw a punch at Troy’s face as he covered the mark with his other hand.
The punch threw Troy off his balance and he yelled, “You’ll pay for that, Frogface!” at Mike.
Mike ran out of the bathroom as fast as he could, and Troy did not follow him. That didn’t stop Mike from running away as he held a hand to his neck. He ran all the way to where the boys' locker rooms are at.
As he ran he passed Will’s classroom who seemed to have noticed Mike running in the opposite direction of his English class. His teacher was strict so he couldn’t go after him. He figured he could ask during their passing period.
Mike waited until the period was over. He waited outside the locker rooms for Lucas, the only person apart from Steve who knew about what happened before.
As soon as class was over and the bell rang Lucas’s class came out. Lucas and Dustin were talking as they came outside. Mike didn’t know what he’d say if Dustin asked about what was going on. So he quickly left so they wouldn’t notice him.
A minute later he heard a familiar voice yell his name in a heave. It was Will’s voice. Dustin and Lucas were with him.
“What’s wrong?” Mike asked as they walked towards each other. He still had his hand covering up the part of his neck with the mark.
“Will says he saw you run the opposite way of your class during class time,” Dustin answered he looked a bit anxious.
“Oh it’s nothing,” Mike bullshitted, “I was just seeing how fast I can run,”
Lucas noticed Mike’s unmoving hand from his neck and his eyes shrunk in realization.
“Bullshit,” Will said to Mike. Mike turned away from Will’s eyes and locked contact with Lucas.
Lucas had this worried and terrified expression. He was clearly distressed.
“Can I talk to Mike,” Lucas asked as he paused for a bit before adding, “Alone?”
“Okay?” Dustin replied as he exchanged looks with Will.
Mike and Lucas went a few feet across from Will and Dustin before they started talking.
“Show me your neck,” Lucas said to Mike.
Mike pulled his hand away revealing the mark in his neck. Lucas stared at it for what felt like a long time before letting out a loud sigh. Mike winced at the sound.
“Are you okay?” Lucas asked, “What happened?”
“I froze up, he left the mark, and I punched him,” Mike explained as he showed Lucas the hand he used. The hand was a bit bruised from the punch he threw at Troy.
A bell rang. Meaning they were now late to class. Dustin and Will were still waiting, not caring they would be late.
“You punched him?” Lucas asked, amazed.
“Yes and then I ran and waited outside the locker room,” Mike answered.
“You should’ve called me out when I came out then,” Lucas said.
“You were with Dustin and I don’t know how to explain this,” Mike explained.
Lucas nodded before saying, “We have to tell someone like Nancy or Steve.”
“What? No,” Mike replied, “Steve will probably tell Nancy and I don’t want Nancy to know.”
Mike didn’t want Nancy to think he was weak or needed someone to protect him.
“If you don’t tell Steve, I will,” Lucas told him.
Someone came up to them just as Lucas finished his sentence.
“You will what?” The person said.
As soon as Mike heard the voice he quickly slapped a hand on his neck.
“Jonathan?” Mike said in confusion, “What are you doing here?”
“I was running an errand for a teacher when I saw Will and Dustin waiting for you two,” Jonathan replied.
“Don’t worry, we’re leaving now,” Mike said.
Just as Mike was turning around to go to the others, Lucas grabbed his wrist. The constraint on his wrist made him freeze up. Lucas seemed to have noticed because he let go of Mike’s wrist, instantly.
“Mike,” Lucas said and Mike turned to face him.
“What?” Mike replied. Lucas motioned his head towards Jonathan.
“No way,” Mike said to Lucas. Jonathan just stood there confused as to what was going on.
“Come on, Mike,” Lucas said.
“I’d rather tell Steve,” Mike replied in the heat of the moment.
“Tell Steve what?” Jonathan asked.
Mike thought about it some more and realized yet again if he tells Steve, he will tell Nancy this time.
“Nothing,” Mike replied, “I’m not going to tell Steve.”
“What are you guys on about?” Jonathan asked, “If this isn’t important you should be going to class.”
“He’s right Lucas, let’s just go,” Mike said exasperated. By now Jonathan had realized that Mike had never once taken his hand off his neck.
“Mike, Lucas,” Jonathan said, “Wait.‘
Mike and Lucas stood there as Jonathan walked over to Dustin and Will and convinced them to go to class.
He then turned back towards them.
“What?” Mike said as he looked at Jonathan.
“Why is your hand on your neck?” Jonathan asked. Mike tried pushing his hand even closer to his neck.
“It’s not a big deal,” Mike replied, “Frankly, I think we should just go to class.”
“Mike,” Lucas said in a worried and commanding voice.
Jonathan was expecting there to be a wound on Mike’s neck, like some type of deep cut.
“Lucas, no,” Mike said, “You promised.”
“I know but we said if we ever feel like we need to we would,” Lucas said.
Mike had a pained expression as he looked at Lucas. Neither was able to hold contact with another and looked away.
“I can call Nancy, if you want,” Jonathan suggested.
“No!” Mike yelled right away.
They all stayed quiet for a bit and Jonathan broke the silence, “I won’t so what’s up then?”
Mike slid his hand off his neck revealing a bite mark and a hickey.
“You guys have been here being dramatic because Mike slept with someone?” Jonathan said in a judgy tone.
The whole ‘slept with someone’ phrase made Mike nauseous. The nauseousness and the disgusting memories creeping up on Mike made him feel like vomiting. It made him feel sick to his stomach. He felt like taking a bath as he scraped all over his body. He felt like scratching at his skin.
He began to scratch at his wrist as the food he had eaten earlier resurfaced in his mouth. Mike ran over to the nearest trash can and threw up in there.
“Mike!” Lucas yelled. He was obviously worried based on his tone and the expression on his face that Mike couldn't see.
“Jesus! Mike, are you okay?” Jonathan asked, “Do you want to go to the nurse’s office?”
Mike shook his head in response to the second question.
“I didn’t sleep with anyone,” Mike strained. He was still hunched over the trash can and Lucas was just rubbing his back in a comforting manner.
“Okay, you didn’t sleep with anyone,” Jonathan repeated and then asked, “So what happened?”
“I didn’t sleep with anyone,” Mike repeated but continued speaking, “I didn’t want to sleep with anyone.”
The phrasing and the manner Mike said the second phrase sent a shiver down Jonathan’s spine. “Didn’t want to?” Jonathan asked.
“...I mean I don’t want to,” Mike said in a sigh.
Jonathan looked over at Lucas who just silently shook his head. Jonathan’s expression turned frantic.
“Who…. who was it?” Jonathan asked. His voice was like a whisper but Mike and Lucas heard him clearly.
Mike silently cried as he knelt on the floor. Lucas crouched beside him.
Jonathan furrowed his brows. He knew even if Mike didn’t want him to, he had to tell Nancy. Nancy is Mike’s older sister she has a right to know and if she finds out Jonathan knew but didn’t tell her she’ll be infuriated. Mike’s anger or distrust for him he can handle since it’s for Mike’s good.
“…I’m not telling,” Mike whispered.
Lucas bit his lip as he turned to look at Jonathan and said, “...Troy.”
‘What. The. Fuck.’ Jonathan was taken aback.
Mike lightly elbowed Lucas.
“I hope you know, I’m telling Nancy,” Jonathan said in a calm and comforting voice.
Mike sobbed as he nodded. He was still scratching his wrists.
He was a bit glad that someone was telling Nancy though. He has been wanting nothing but Nancy’s comfort and didn’t know of a way to get it that wouldn’t be suspicious.
“I’ll go get her right now,” Jonathan said as he ran off to fetch Nancy from her class.
Notes:
TBH I forgot how old they all were.
Fun fact: I didn't plan for the chapter to turn out like this but I guess I can't make chapters without drama
Chapter 5: Jonathan's sweater
Notes:
I've developed a habit of trying to always write something in the beginning and end notes.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Nancy was a bit confused when Jonathan barged into her class and asked the teacher if he could borrow Nancy real quick, that it was for an emergency. Jonathan looked distressed so the teacher allowed it.
Nancy gathered her stuff and headed out the door where Jonathan was waiting for her.
“What’s wrong?” Nancy asked a bit worried, “It's not the upside down is it?”
“No, it’s Mike,” Jonathan replied.
“What’s wrong with Mike?” Nancy quickly asked as she furrowed her brows.
“Something seemed to have happened to him,” Jonathan replied, not wanting to say what was basically implied when he was with Lucas and Mike.
“He’s not hurt, is he?” Nancy asked, growing anxious by the second.
“No, no,” Jonathan replied, “I don’t think he is.”
“Where is he?” Nancy asked.
“I’ll take you to him,” Jonathan told her.
He ran back to where he had left Mike and Lucas and Nancy followed behind him. When Nancy got there she saw Mike on the ground sobbing.
She got near him and knelt down beside him as she wrapped her hands around him. She had a worried expression on her face, she also looked a bit terrified because Mike never cried so it must be really bad and it scared her.
“What’s wrong, Mike?” She asked.
“It’s my fault,” Mike said in a low and creaky voice.
“What’s your fault?” Nancy asked.
“It’s my fault,” Mike said, “My fault for being weak.”
“You were drunk,” Lucas said in a croaky voice.
Nancy felt goosebumps up and down her arm and frantically asked, “Mike? Mike, what happened?”
“Look at your hand Mike,” Lucas said, “You’re not weak, you punched him and got away.”
Nancy looked at Mike’s hands and she saw as Mike scratched at his wrists. She grabbed one to look it over and then looked at his other one which was bruised along the knuckles.
She was pale in horror as to what possibly could have happened. She then realized this scent she had been smelling since earlier. It smelled like vomit and it seemed to be coming from Mike.
“Lucas, can you let him borrow your basketball jersey?” Nancy asked.
Lucas nodded and searched his backpack for it. Once he handed it to her she told Mike to stand up and go to the restroom to change shirts.
Mike seemed reluctant to go until Lucas said he’d accompanied him. They headed towards the nearest restroom as Nancy and Jonathan waited.
“Do you think…” Nancy said. She didn’t continue the sentence but Jonathan knew what she meant.
“That’s what it hears like,” Jonathan responded, “Mike said he didn’t want to sleep with anyone .”
Jonathan winced as he remembered that.
“Who was it?” Nancy asked.
“Lucas said it was Troy,” Jonathan replied, “The others don’t seem to know.”
“Only Lucas knew?”
“It seems Steve might have known I’m not entirely sure though.”
Nancy sighed loudly, “I don’t know what to do, Jonathan…”
“Just be there for him,” Jonathan told her in a comforting tone.
“What do we do about Troy?” Nancy asked.
“I would feel like killing him if I were you,” Jonathan joked.
“I do feel like doing that,” Nancy kidded, “But I can’t do that.”
Lucas and Mike were now walking back. Mike was carrying his dirty sweater and shirt as he rubbed his arms as if he were cold. Jonathan noticed and gave Mike his sweater. Mike hesitantly took it and put it on.
“How did you cover up the… mark?” Jonathan asked.
“I had some makeup in my locker from last time,” Mike answered.
Nobody questioned this but since this was their first week back after a bit more than a month Nancy couldn’t help but feel disappointed in herself. Because that means she didn’t notice anything off about him when it happened.
“Well, we only have one more period after this, want to skip?” Nancy asked.
Mike silently nodded his head as he stood next to Nancy and held onto her arm with both his hands.
“We can use my car and go out to eat since Mike threw up his food,” Jonathan suggested.
Lucas joined them as they left. Mike went back to his English class where the teacher asked if he was okay since he left the class and never came back. Mike told him he started feeling sick and went to the nurse's office and he’s going home now. Mike had gone in there since his backpack was in there. Jonathan also went for his backpack and apologized to his teacher but that he had to go now. The teacher was very chill and just let him leave.
Lucas and Nancy already had their stuff. After Mike and Jonathan got their stuff they headed towards Jonathan’s car. Jonathan handed Mike a bag where he could put his clothes and handed him a mint.
Until school was over they just went out to eat and get Mike an actual change of clothes. Before they actually went to go eat they went to the Wheeler’s house for Mike to shower and change clothes. Ted was at work and Karen was out of the house.
After going out to eat they just waited and talked until school was over. Jonathan would have to go back to school to pick up Will and El. Lucas would get in trouble if we went home before school was over. So they waited.
Mike asked them all not to tell anyone else about what happened. They all said they wouldn’t. Nancy promised but only after Mike answered her question if Steve knew about it. Mike told her and also told her that he made him swear and promise not to tell her or anyone else.
Nancy was sure to have a talk with Steve later.
Once school was over Jonathan drove over to the school. Jonathan was driving while everyone else sat in the back with Mike in the center. Mike fell asleep on the ride with his head against Nancy’s shoulder. Lucas had promised Max to hang out after school so that’s why he was also going back instead of being driven home.
By the time they got to school, they saw El and Will looking for Jonathan and his car. Max was in front of the school looking exasperated since Lucas was taking a long time to ‘get out of school.’ Lucas quickly got out of the car and ran up to Max just as El and Will noticed Jonathan’s car.
They walked up to it and noticed Nancy sitting in the back instead of the front like usual. Will sat in the back when he noticed Mike was there. So El sat in the front along with Jonathan.
“What happened?” Will asked at the unusual sight.
“Yes, why is Nancy in the back?” El asked.
Will looked over at a sleeping Mike and saw he looked as if he’d been crying. He got worried and asked, “Is Mike okay?”
“He’s fine,” answered Jonathan.
“He didn’t feel so good so I decided to sit with him,” Nancy replied.
“He does seem to be wearing different clothes from earlier,” Will said as he noticed he had different clothes on. Mike still had Jonathan’s sweater with him, which Will seemed to have noticed.
“That looks like Jonathan’s sweater,” El said as she looked over at Mike.
“I think that is Jonathan’s sweater,” Will told El.
“Why does he have your sweater?” asked El as she turned her head to him.
“Wow, you guys sure have a lot of questions,” Jonathan said. He had his eyes in front of him since he was driving.
“Simple curiosity,” El replied.
“I’m just worried since he seemed kind of off last I saw him,” Will said. He was staring at Mike, noticing every small breath the boy let out. While still asleep Mike switched from leaning on Nancy to leaning on Will.
Will’s cheeks turned a bit pink as Mike leaned on him and Nancy apologized about Mike resting on him.
“It’s fine,” Will uttered as he continued staring at Mike. He looked mesmerized by the boy.
They stayed quiet for the rest of the ride as El talked about her class with Max and what they did. She seemed pretty excited talking about her day.
They went to Hopper’s cabin to drop El off and to hang out there a bit so Jonathan and Will can spend time with their mom. When they got to the cabin Nancy shook Mike away.
“mghh… What?” Mike groaned, a bit asleep.
“C’mon we’re going into Hopper’s cabin,” Nancy replied as she unbuckled her belt.
Mike felt he was leaning against a person and sat straight up right away. He turned to look at who he was leaning on and saw Will.
“Sorry about that,” Mike apologized to Will as his cheeks flushed a bit.
“It’s fine, you weren’t bothering me,” Will responded.
All of them minus El left their backpacks in the car. They headed to the house where Joyce greeted them all. The whole time in the cabin, Mike stuck next to Nancy and she let him. Usually, he’d be with El and Will but he wanted to savor the comfort he feels with his sister.
After Nancy found out that stuff early prior she also felt comforted by having her baby brother by her side. Knowing he was safe next to her.
Will just knew something was off. He knows Mike better than the back of his hand and Mike also knows Will better than the back of his hand. He knows how Mike is when he’s feeling sick and this is not how it is.
He couldn’t help but furrow his brows at the situation. If only he had run after Mike when he saw him running the opposite way of his class.
It was then Will realized Mike was running weirdly. He ran with a hand on his neck and when he saw Mike again, he still had his hand on his neck. But right now there is nothing on his neck.
Will wanted to figure out what happened and clearly, Jonathan and Nancy knew. Lucas also seems to know based on the fact he stayed with Mike while he and Dustin went back to class and also because he saw Lucas getting out of Jonathan’s car.
He wasn’t going to ask them about it unless he deems it necessary. He thought of asking Mike instead because it’s only Mike’s thing to share. If the others didn’t want to say the truth in the car before, then he has to ask Mike.
He decided he’d ask later when they go back to the Wheeler’s house.
Notes:
I'm awaiting a call and hopefully, I do get called. They told me it would take 24-48hrs but I feel I also need to take into account another thing. Anyways it's been 46 hours.
Chapter 6: "He's my brother, Steve"
Notes:
Ngl I almost forgot to post this chapter until I realized I hadn't posted the chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As Mike and Will sat on Mike’s bed doing homework, Will noticed Mike’s bruised hand.
“What happened to your hand?” He asked, grabbing the hand and inspecting it.
“Oh. I ughh- must have hit it somewhere,” Mike said, avoiding eye contact with Will.
“Hey, Mike?” Will said as he earnestly looked at Mike who just looked down at his homework.
“Yes, Will?” Mike said, still facing his homework.
“Did something happen?” Will asked, Mike’s bruised hand still in his hand and eyes still looking at Mike.
Mike’s hand twitched and he looked up from his homework, still not looking at Will, and answered, “What do you mean?”
“Well when I saw you running you looked panicked and had a hand against your neck,” Will responded as Mike retracted his hand from Will’s, “Not to mention it looks like you cried earlier and you’ve seemed off since I last saw you.”
Mike fixated on his wrists again, this time he didn’t scratch them, he just rubbed them. Will looked down at this motion.
“Nothing happened,” Mike defensively responded. He turned his gaze to Will this time, he had a look of hopelessness and annoyance. Will returned his gaze with an incredulous look, his eyebrows were furrowed.
“It seems since I moved back to Hawkins you’ve had a habit of fixating on your wrists,” Will said.
Mike looked a bit shocked at this and his expression dimmed, “I didn’t realize,” He responded in a quiet voice.
“What’s wrong?” asked Will, noticing Mike’s displeased expression.
Mike looked at his homework and said, “I’m finished with my homework, I’m going to sleep.”
Will looked at him with a sullen expression. “Mike…” he said.
“Nothing happened, I promise Will,” Mike said, showing Will a faulty smile.
“...Friends don’t lie,” Will murmured the infamous phrase among the party members. He had also finished his homework so he put it away.
Mike turned to look at Will with a frown on his face and Will shot back a bit of an apologetic look. Mike softened his expression as he got up to turn off the light.
He looked at Will with his brows furrowed and whispered to Will, “Someday… Someday I’ll probably tell you.”
That seemed to be enough for Will since he gently smiled at Mike and said, “I’ll wait.”
They drifted off to sleep after.
“I want to put Troy five feet underground for what he did to my baby brother,” Nancy said.
She and Jonathan were laying on the bed with the lights off, facing each other. Jonathan rubbed Nancy’s arm as she spoke, “I’m going to dish it out with Steve tomorrow.”
“I’ll go with you,” Jonathan told her.
“Thanks,” Nancy said with a sigh, “I never even noticed.”
“He was trying to hide it from you,” Jonathan said to comfort her.
“Yeah… but if I think back to before Spring Break I can notice how off he was,” Nancy uttered.
“Hey, at least he had people to comfort him,” comforted Jonathan.
“He’s 15 now,” Nancy added, “But he was 14 at the time.”
“14, Jonathan,” Nancy murmured. Her eyes filled with tears. Both she and Jonathan had a depressing expression.
“I know,” Jonathan’s voice uttered as he pulled her into a hug, “I know, Nance.”
Nancy hugged him back. None of them said a word as they basked in the quietness of the dark.
The next day went by normally. After school, Jonathan dropped off Will, Mike, and El at the Wheeler’s house before driving over to Family Video with Nancy.
Nancy didn’t want to make a scene in the store with the people inside so she waited there standing for the people inside to get out.
“What are you doing here, Nance?” Steve asked.
“Were you just not thinking of telling me?” Nancy said in an angry tone.
“Tell you what?” Steve asked. He genuinely had no idea what she was talking about.
“About what happened to Mike?!” angrily yelled Nancy.
Steve’s eyes widened at the realization of what she was talking about.
“He made me promise not to tell you,” Steve muttered.
“So what?” Nancy asked, narrowing her eyes at Steve., “You were just going to hide something like this from me?”
They heard a bell ring as the door opened and turned to look at it, it was Robin appearing for her shift.
She looked up at everyone in the room and could feel some tension in the air. She also noticed Jonathan’s and Nancy’s annoyed expression, and Steve’s discontented attitude.
“What’s going on?” Robin asked, but no one answered her question. They all turned their gaze from Robin and back to each other.
“Nance, Nancy. That wasn’t my intention,” Steve replied, “I made a promise and if the need arrived I was going to tell you.”
Robin stood there confused as to what was going on.
“When?” Nancy asked, “When would you have told me?”
“If he ever bothered him again,” Steve answered as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Steve’s face paled as he realized something. “Did something happen?” he asked, looking between Nancy and Jonathan.
Nancy bit her lip as she turned her gaze away. Jonathan looked at Nancy and then back at Steve before nodding his head.
“Is he okay?” Steve asked with a worried expression.
“He’s fine, It was just,” Jonathan said, pausing as he glanced over at Robin who still had a confused expression, and then back to Steve, “a mark.”
“Look, Nance, I’m sorry,” Steve said, “I didn’t think anything else would happen.”
“Even if you didn’t, you should’ve told me,” Nancy replied.
“He’s my brother, Steve,” Nancy added, “ My brother .”
“What happened?” Robin asked with concern on her face. Steve looked at Nancy and Steve and Nancy shook her head as if saying not to tell her about what happened.
“I’m leaving,” Nancy said. As she exited Jonathan followed behind her. After they were out the door Robin turned back to Steve.
“What was that about, Dingus?” Robin asked as she assumed her position.
“I can’t say,” Steve answered, “It’s not something for me to share.”
“I would pester you about it but I do not want to make Nancy mad,” Robin replied.
“Robin, can you do me a favor?” Steve asked.
“What is it?” replied Robin.
“If you ever see the kids in trouble, help them out?” Steve requested.
“If I can, I will,” Robin agreed.
“You know who Troy is, right?” Steve questioned.
Robin thought about it for a bit before answering. “I think I’ve heard and seen him around,” she shrugged.
“Don’t let him near any of them, please?” Steve begged.
This was a bit weird for Robin but it seemed Steve was serious.
“I won’t,” she said, giving him an assuring smile.
Notes:
There's something I have to get done that I haven't done. Technically I don't have to but I kind of do. I hope I get it done before the end of the month (remembered it was July when I wrote that and not June)
Chapter 7: "Please stay"
Notes:
This chapter is longer than last chapter
I usually just tend to make sure each chapter is over 1k
Because when I first started writing stories (not fanfictions; not to mentions I never finished those stories and it was when I was younger) someone told me that each chapter should have at least 1k words
At least I'm pretty sure it was 1k
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It had been a month since Nancy found out about what happened. A month since Troy last approached Mike. A month since Troy told him he’d pay for punching him . Mike lived with impending doom. He never asked to go to the restroom during class and would only go during lunch if Lucas, Dustin, or Will were going to. No one seemed to find it odd and Lucas kind of knew why Mike was doing it.
Of course, even if he is accompanied by one of his friends he still feels impending doom.
What if what happened at the quarry happens again? What if one of his friends gets held at knife point or maybe gun point? It’d be all his fault. Or… what if he goes after another one of his friends while they’re alone?
It was early in the morning and Mike and Will were outside waiting for the bell to ring so they could go to their first class.
“I’m so tired,” complained Mike.
“Me too,” Will replied, “Why do we start so early?”
“And the amount of work they give is insatiable,” Mike said as he slouched.
“We should really have El use her powers to make us rich then we wouldn’t have to come here anymore,” Will said with a sly smile.
“At Least then we’d be out of this Hellhole,” Mike replied.
“I shouldn’t have gone to sleep so late last night,” Will groaned.
“I went to sleep earlier than you and I’m still tired,” Mike grumbled. He could feel someone staring at him so he said it quietly as he looked around. He didn’t see anyone staring at him so he thought it was just in his head.
“I just want to sleep some more,” Will said.
“Oh look it’s the fairy and the frogface,” Troy said while snickering with James. He said it how you say ‘the princess and the frog.’
Mike flinched before he stopped breathing. He froze. He realized though, he’s with Will. He can’t freeze. He must stay alert. He must, for what if his- friend needs help.
Will didn’t have much of a reaction to what Troy said. Mike avoided looking at Troy but glared in his direction.
“Fuck off, Troy,” Mike said a bit faultering.
“I see you learned how to talk,” Troy antagonized.
“Let’s just go elsewhere, Mike,” Will suggested.
“Sure,” Mike responded, a bit grateful he wouldn’t have to interact with Troy anymore.
Just as they turned around to walk James obstructed their path. It made Mike nervous and he itched at his wrists.
“What do you want with us, Troy?” Will begrudgingly asked. He had an annoyed expression on his face.
“Wheeler should know,” Troy said, looking at Mike. Will also turned to look at Mike.
“Just leave us alone,” Mike said.
“Why? Afraid?” Troy laughed.
“Why would we be scared?” Mike replied.
“Wouldn’t you know why?” Troy responded as he stared down Mike.
“Sorry to disappoint but, we’re not scared,” Mike said.
“Let’s try going somewhere else again,”Will muttered to Mike to which Mike nodded his head.
Mike and Will tried walking away again. This time James or Troy didn’t try stopping them.
“Need some alcohol to know why?” Troy sneered.
Mike stopped in his tracks with a dark expression. Will was confused by the statement and Mike’s reaction. But it obviously alluded to something he didn’t know about. By the look on James' face, he didn’t know either. Mike started rubbing his wrists instead of scratching them now.
Troy got an amused expression on his face.
“Could it be that your little boyfriend doesn’t know about it?” Troy chucked.
“It seems yours doesn’t either,” Mike mocked.
“He’s not my boyfriend, Wheeler,” Troy defensively blurted.
“Why so defensive?” Mike shot back.
“Need some recalling, Wheeler?” Troy threatened.
“I remember everything, want me to describe it?” Troy mocked.
“Shut up,” Mike quickly replied and Troy laughed in response.
“Mike, let’s just leave,” Will said, moving his head towards the school entrance. Mike nodded and they began to move again.
“I’m still having my fun,” Troy repeated. He remembered that being one of the things he told Mike back then.
Mike stopped walking and turned to face Troy. This time, This time, he looked him in the eyes as he quickly walked over to him and tried throwing a punch at him.
Troy was able to stop the punch this time and pulled Mike’s arm as he raised his knee to knee him in the stomach.
“Mike!” WIll yelled as he rushed over to Mike who was a bit crouched over holding his stomach.
“Should have known it wouldn’t work a third time, frogface,” Troy stated.
Mike tried his best to stand straight before kicking Troy in the shin. Troy yelped in pain. Mike grabbed Will by the hand as they ran away.
“Mike! Will!” They heard someone yell as they stopped running. They looked towards where the voice came from and saw Robin.
“Where are you guys going in such a hurry?” She asked.
“We ran into Troy,” Will replied.
“Are you guys okay?” Robin asked.
“Yeah we’re fine,” Mike replied.
“Actually, Mike got kneed in the stomach,” Will said. Mike still had his arm slung around his stomach to stop himself from crouching forward.
“Let’s go to the nurses office then,” Robin suggested.
“I’m okay, it doesn't hurt that much,” Mike said. He was trying his best to not wince in pain.
“Really because it seemed he did it pretty hard,” Will told him.
“I’m fine,” Mike replied.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Robin added, “So let’s go because if Steve or Nancy find out I knew you got hurt and did nothing they’d get mad at me.”
Mike stood still and silent before saying, “They told you?” He had a sour expression on his face as he said it.
“Told me what?” Robin answered. She was clueless as to what he could be talking about.
“Oh,” Mike responded, “Nothing.”
“Well, let’s go to the nurse’s office,” Robin said to which Mike just nodded.
So now Steve was added to Will’s list of people who knew what happened to Mike.
It’s been a month since Mike told him that he'll tell him what happened someday . He hasn’t told Will but Will has tried figuring out what happened without asking the ones who seem to know. Not that they’d tell him if he asked. They’ll probably just tell him to wait for Mike to tell him or to drop the subject.
He’s noticed the way there are times where Mike would rub or scratch at his wrists. Though it seems like something probably sets him off to do that because he has noticed him do it only under certain conditions.
One of those conditions that make him start rubbing or scratching his wrists is when he’s called “Wheeler.” Another condition is, any mentions of Troy. Also, grabbing him by the wrist seems to set it off.
Speaking of Mike scratching his wrists at times, he seems to have been doing it for some time now. Will doesn’t know since when though. Maybe it was when Robin mentions Steve and Nancy or maybe it was when they ran into Troy. Considering something as mere as Troy’s name sets him off it was probably since they ran into Troy.
He has also noticed there are times Mike will freeze up when someone grabs him by the wrists and that usually after he’d try to casually put a hand on his neck.
Will isn’t sure if the fact he saw Mike flinch one time after Holly called him Mikey counted as another thing. He’s only seen it once and maybe that was because he was present at the time Holly called him ‘Mikey.’ So, who knows if he always flinches when called Mikey .
He has also seen that whenever he, Dustin, or Lucas need to go to the restroom Mike always accompanies them.
They ran into Lucas on their way to the nurse’s office.
“Where are you guys going?” Lucas asked.
“Nurse’s office,” Will replied, “Mike got kneed in the stomach.”
“By who?” Lucas asked as he made a pained expression at the thought of being kneed in the stomach.
“Troy,” Will said.
Lucas got an irritated expression when he heard it was Troy.
“Are you okay, Mike?” Lucas asked.
“I’m fine,” Mike replied.
“I swear one day I’m going to beat the shit out of Troy,” Lucas murmured.
“Everyone sure seems to hate this Troy kid,” Robin said.
“He’s a bully who’s been bothering us for as long as I can remember,” Will said.
“He just seems to get worse and worse as a person,” Lucas added.
“You’re lucky for never having interacted with him,” Mike said.
They all continued walking to the Nurse’s office and just as they got there the bell rang.
“I guess we’ll just walk you in and leave for class,” Robin said.
Mike tensed at the fact that they’ll leave him alone here. Sure, he has classes alone but he’s surrounded by other people and until he catches up to one of his friends there are also people around him.
“What are you kids in here for?” asked the nurse as soon as she saw them.
“Our friend got hurt in the stomach,” Will replied.
“Well tell him to sit over there and you guys go to class,” she said.
“Bye Mike,” Robin said, “I can’t be late to my next class.”
Mike waved bye as Robin made her way out the door. He looked anxiously between Lucas and Will.
“What are you guys waiting for?” The nurse sternly asked.
“Bye Mike, we have to go,” Lucas said, tugging Will’s arm.
Mike looked anxious and a bit scared.
Will knows Mike better than the back of his hand and he knew Mike didn’t want to be left alone.
“I’ll go in a bit,” Will said to Lucas. Lucas left for his class leaving Mike and Will there.
Mike grabbed the hem of Will’s sleeve and quietly muttered, “Please stay.”
“What are you waiting for, you'll be late for class,” the nurse sharply said.
“Umm…” Will muttered looking between the nurse and Mike.
“Please,” Mike begged as his brows furrowed together.
The bell rang again and passing period was now over. The nurse angrily sighed, “Look you’re late to class now, I’ll write you a note. What’s your name?”
Notes:
I usually don't like oc's in stories but I could understand there uses sometimes.
Like writng an OC to switch up the antagonist from time to time.
Basically just used to advance the plot.
Anyways it may seem random but I'm honestly just saying it because I might write a ff with an OC.
Chapter 8: He's not freezing this time
Chapter Text
As the nurse waited for Will’s response, he hesitated in answering her.
Mike shook his head as if telling him no, to not go.
“Kid, hurry up or I’ll have to give you detention,” The nurse sternly said.
Will weighed his options either tell her and leave now or not tell her, get detention, and have to go back to his class either way. He didn’t want to leave Mike. Not when Mike didn’t want to be left alone and not when Mike was asking him to say.
“Sorry…” Will apologized, “I’m Will, William Byers.”
Mike turned his head away in disappointment.
“I’ll take the detention, if I can stay with my friend,” Will lightly said.
Mike turned his face back to Will. His eyes were big and wide, staring at Will. Despite not smiling, the look in his eyes said he was happy.
“Fine,” the nurse complied.
Mike took a seat and Will stood by him.
“Thank you,” Mike said, smiling as he looked at Will. The anxiousness he felt washed away and he relaxed.
“No problem, Mike,” Will smiled as he patted Mike’s shoulder.
They shared a smile as they looked into each other’s eyes.
“Ahem,” the nurse began to speak as she cleared her throat, “So why are you here again?”
“I got kneed in the stomach,” Mike quietly muttered.
“Is it hurting right now?” the nurse asked.
Mike lightly nodded his head.
They heard the sound of the door open and were met with Troy. Mike froze. Will noticed this and comfortingly rubbed his shoulder. Mike unfroze and began scratching his wrists again. Will furrowed his brows at this motion.
“Take a seat while you wait for me to attend you,” the nurse said to Troy.
Troy glared over at Mike’s direction as he took a seat in one of the cushioned chairs by the entrance.
“Almost forgot, what’s your name?” the nurse asked Mike.
“I’m Mike- Michael Wheeler,” Mike replied.
“I’m going to need to see the injury,” the nurse said.
Mike hesitantly said, “Okay…”
“Please lift your shirt to the injury,” the nurse said to Mike.
Mike shakily nodded his head. If it wasn’t for the fact he was sitting down his knees would’ve buckled. Trembling, he used one hand to lift his shirt. He placed his other hand on his neck. He began to lightly scratch it. He was a bit hunched over so the nurse couldn’t see the injury properly.
“Please sit up straight, I can't see it,” the nurse said.
“Okay,” Mike shakily said as he sat up straight.
“It’ll take a few days to heal but it’s not serious enough to go to the hospital,” the nurse informed.
Mike rushed to pull his shirt back down as he nodded his head.
“You take a P.E class, right?” she asked.
“Yes, it’s my 2nd period,” Mike replied.
“It’s best to not do much exercise to not worsen the injury,” the nurse told him.
“I think you can go back to doing P.E in about 2 days,” the nurse added, “I’ll write you a note to get out of P.E for today and tomorrow.”
Mike nodded his.
“Here’s your note,” she said, handing him two notes, “the other note says why you were late to first period.”
“Thank you,” Mike said.
“And you,” she said pointing at Will, “Here’s your detention slip and a note for your first. I’ll see you tomorrow after school in the detention room.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Will said, grabbing the detention slip and note.
“You can both go now,” she said, nodding her head towards the door.
They both made it outside in the hallway before talking.
“Thank You,” Mike quietly muttered as they slowly walked to their classes.
“No problem,” Will reassuringly smiled.
“Are you okay?” Will asked.
“Huh?” Mike responded to the sudden question, “Yeah…”
“I- Are you sure?” Will questioned.
“Why do you ask?” Mike asked as he turned to face Will.
“You’ve been rubbing your wrists for a while…” Will responded, “And before you were scratching your neck.”
“Oh… It’s- It’s become a habit,” Mike replied.
“What happened?” Will suddenly asked.
“...What do you mean what happened?” Mike asked. He knew what Will was referring to but decided to feign ignorance.
“Well everybody but me seems to know what happened,” Will said, crossing his arms as he stopped walking, “Even Troy.”
Mike stopped walking and turned to completely face Will before replying, “No… No, not everybody. From our party only Lucas knows.”
“What about the others? Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve? And what about Troy?” Will mentioned.
“Nancy’s my sister,” Mike answered. He’s really hating the fact that Troy’s name keeps being said. He thinks of it as a bad omen. He sees him in the early morning, he sees him in the nurse's office, and the repetitive mentions of his name.
“And the others?” WIll asked.
“I- Steve was with Lucas that’s why,” Mike answered. His expression just kept getting somber.
“Jonathan? Troy?” Will continued questioning.
“Stop asking me about it, Will,” Mike uttered.
“I told you I’ll tell you someday, not today though, probably not tomorrow,” Mike spoke out, “I don’t know when, but not yet.”
“It’s been a month since you said you will,” Will said with a hint of disappointment.
“I know and I probably will tell you someday,” Mike responded, “Just… Please don’t pressure me to tell you…”
Mike had his eyebrows furrowed as he waited for a response from Will.
“Okay,” Will responded as he avoided eye contact with Mike, “I’m going to class.”
Will said as he quickly left, leaving Mike alone. Mike’s separation anxiety has only gotten a tad bit worse since the second incident.
Being alone made him feel really anxious. He looked around him as he tried to quickly scurry off to class.
Unfortunately for Mike, he seems to just have bad luck that day. That sweet time Will and Him were taking to get to class was enough for Troy to get out of the nurse’s office and catch up to where Mike was on his way to class.
“You must really like that karma you get,” Troy began speaking, “huh, Wheeler?”
Mike turned to face him. Not freezing, nope he’s not freezing this time. But he was panicking, especially considering they’re alone in the hallway.
“Obsessed or something, Troy?” Mike replied.
“Aren’t you the one who keeps hitting me just to get fucked? ” Troy sneered.
“As if a minute-man like you can cause anyone any pleasure,” Mike fired back.
“Says the one who was moaning like a bitch in heat,” Troy replied.
“Says the one who no one would ever willingly sleep with,” Mike said, making a face of disgust.
“Yet here you are, riling me up,” Troy responded.
“ Go fuck yourself, Troy, ” Mike said with disdain.
Mike turned around. He decided to stop interacting with Troy and head to class.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going, Mikey? ” Troy said with a smirk on his face.
Mike flinched before continuing walking, ignoring him.
Mike heard some steps getting louder as they approached him so he ran but those steps also ran after him.
He ran outside of school before he stopped for a bit to catch his breath. He wasn’t the best runner but he wasn’t the worst and with his backpack on it was not any better.. Although, he was the slowest runner among his friends.
“Done running, Wheeler?” Troy asked as he caught up to Mike. He breathed heavily from all that running.
“Don’t come near me,” Mike muttered in between breaths.
“Why would I listen to you?” Troy mocked.
After the last incident Mike and Lucas decided to carry around their supercomms. They usually had it in their backpacks. Mike quickly got it out his backpack while Troy looked at him weirdly.
“Oh no a walkie talkie how scary,” Troy sarcastically said, “How will that stop me?”
He got closer to Mike and Mike just walked backwards.
“Scared, Wheeler?” Troy smiled.
“Of what? Your small dick?” Mike replied.
“If you want to get fucked that much you can just beg instead,” Troy replied with a smirk, “People would actually fuck a slut like you .”
Mike felt nauseous at the sound of those words. He was freaked out and still internally panicking. Maybe if just kept his big mouth shut he wouldn’t be in this position.
Mike used his supercomm to call Lucas, “Lucas, help,” he muttered.
“As I thought you really need others to fight your fights?” Troy said with an amused smile.
“Lucas!” He spoke into the supercomm again.
Lucas didn’t have his supercomm with him. He had left it in his locker since he didn’t expect Mike to be out of class during first or without anyone else. Although he did know Mike was in the nurse’s office he wouldn’t expect Troy to be there.
Mike fell backwards as Troy inched towards him.
“Lucas!” He yelled into the supercomm a bit freaked out.
“Give it up, no one wants to help you,” Troy agitated him.
“If you get closer to me, I’ll kick you in the balls,” Mike said in disgust.
Troy tackled Mike further into the ground before Mike could hurt him where it hurts.
“Drunk or not, you’re weak, Wheeler,” Troy whispered in Mike’s ear.
Mike was freaked out, “Get off me, you fucking asshole.” he said.
“You’re hilarious,” Troy sneered, “Why bother fighting back?”
“You wouldn’t do anything considering we’re outside the school and people actually walk by here,” Mike responded.
“You’re right,” Troy said.
“But you have dinner before dessert,” Troy insinuated as he harshly bit Mike on his jaw.
With that and the fucking creepy smile Troy was giving Mike, Mike mustered all his strengths on pushing Troy of off him. He managed to do that and ran off towards the direction of his house.
Troy didn’t bother running after him, he just laughed.
Mike was right, it was a bad omen.
Notes:
You know how some cartoons have like their prototype character design and then also their finalized design?
Or how some shows air a pilot episode (as a sample epsiode) and then can sometimes actually differ from 1st episode (if it is not already the 1st episode)?The first ever chapter I wrote of this story was different. I scrapped the original chapter and the second one, which I never finished writing, and rewrote it. So honestly this version you're seeing now is a reworked version. Stuff would've gone differently in the original.
Chapter 9: "It's not your responsibility"
Notes:
Ngl I feel like it's better to mention this now than later but I do hint at Elumax at times and it will be brought up in later chapters.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It had been 10 minutes into lunch time and no one had seen Mike. El also mentioned that he did not show up to their p.e class.
“Maybe he didn’t feel good?” Will suggested, “That was a pretty bad hit he took this morning.”
“What? What happened this morning?” Dustin asked.
“Mike and I ran into Troy this morning and it ended with Mike being kneed in the stomach,” Will explained.
Lucas did not have a good feeling about this and the whole Mike probably leaving on his own did not make him feel better.
“I’m so tired of Troy,” Max said, rolling her eyes. She has never really been bothered by others or bullies but she still doesn’t like it when her friends are bothered. That’s right, she thinks of Mike Wheeler as a friend .
“Mike kicked him in the shin, so he also went to the nurse's office,” Will said with a pleasing smile because Mike hurt back their bully.
That did not make Lucas feel better. Mike and Troy were in the nurse's office together? Alone?
Will hasn’t told anyone yet that he stayed with Mike in the nurse’s office or that he got detention.
“Hell yeah,” Dustin cheered.
Lucas had his jaw clench and then he noticed Troy entering the cafeteria. He doesn’t know why Mike isn’t with them right now but he believes it’s because of Troy.
He abruptly got up from his seat calling the attention of those he sat with.
“I’ll be right back,” Lucas said, not looking at them. He kept his eyes on Troy as he quickly made his way over to him.
The party was still looking at him since he had just abruptly left the table like that. They stared wide-eyed as they saw Lucas grab Troy by the collar and drag him out of the cafeteria.
“Wow,” Max said in astonishment, “ That’s MY boyfriend. ”
“Should we be going after him?” El asked.
“This has got to be good,” Dustin said getting up.
“I guess that’s a yes,” Will replied.
They all got up from their seats and quickly made their way out.
Their jaws dropped when they saw the scene before them. Lucas fucking Sinclair was beating the shit out of Troy Walsh . Lucas hadn’t noticed them appear.
“Lucas!” El yelled.
Lucas stopped his fist from hitting Troy Walsh as he turned to face them. His other hand was holding Troy by his collar.
“What are you doing man you’re going to get suspended,” Dustin said.
Lucas unclenched his fist but didn’t let go of Troy’s collar with his other hand. Troy himself just stood still as he tried removing Lucas’s hand from his collar.
“Let go of him,” Max said with a proud smile. Not very convincing if she was smiling like that at him.
He turned to face Troy, “Do that again and I will cripple you, ” Lucas glared as he let go of Troy. As he let go, Troy fell to the ground. He quickly picked himself up and ran away.
“Jesus Christ, man,” Dustin muttered.
“What was that for?” Will asked.
“It was bound to happen at some point if he kept bothering you all,” Max said as she nodded her head.
El just stared at Lucas in awe.
“I’ll be right back,” Lucas said, remembering he has his supercomm in his locker.
“You’re not going to go chase after him, will you?” El asked.
“No, no,” Lucas replied, “I have to get something out of my locker.”
“Are you sure?” Dustin questioned.
“Yes, Dustin,” Lucas responded, “Wait…”
“Yeah?” Max said as she crossed her arms.
“I gotta go somewhere else first,” Lucas said.
“Where?” Will asked.
“I just- what’s with all these questions?” Lucas inquired.
“We’re just making sure you don’t go get into trouble,” Max replied.
“I’m not, I just gotta go talk to Nancy,” Lucas said.
“We’ll come with you,” El replied with a happy demeanor.
Lucas made a sour expression before replying, “Okay.”
They all matched Lucas’s quick pace as they walked.
“Nancy!” Lucas yelled as he spotted her.
She waved over at them as they got closer to her.
“Hey guys,” she said once they were in front of her. She scanned the party for Mike, who she didn’t see.
“Where’s Mike?” She asked, trying not to show her freaked-out expression.
“We think he left home,” Dustin replied.
Nancy stared at Lucas for confirmation. He shrugged.
“Why do you think he left home?” She asked.
“He got hurt so we don’t think he felt good,” El said.
“Troy kneed him in the stomach,” Will added.
“When did this happen?” she asked.
“Before 1st period,” Will replied, “But we went to the nurse’s office so he probably left after that.”
“So he wasn’t there in P.E?” Nancy asked.
“No,” said El.
“Nancy?” Lucas said, trying to get her attention.
“Yeah?” she replied as she looked at him.
He nodded away from the party, signaling he wanted to talk to her alone.
“Can I have a minute to talk alone with Lucas?” Nancy asked the rest of the party.
They all nodded their heads with confused expressions. As Nancy and Lucas stepped farther away from the rest of the party they all looked at each other.
“Is there something Lucas knows that we don’t?” Dustin asked.
Will stayed quiet not knowing what he should say. If Mike hasn’t told him it probably isn’t right to tell the rest.
“I think it’s just me but he’s been different since that party,” Max replied.
“What party?” Will asked with a curious expression. El shared the same expression.
“A week before Mike left for California we went to this party,” Dustin replied.
“Was there alcohol there?” Will asked trying to piece some stuff together,
“Yeah, all the drinks were spiked,” Max replied.
“Spiked?” El asked as she didn’t know what that meant.
“It’s when there’s alcohol in the drinks,” Max told her.
“Was Troy there?” Will asked.
“We never saw him so, I don’t think so,” Dustin shrugged, “How has he been acting differently?” he asked as he turned his attention to Max.
“He seems to be acting a bit more protective over all of us,” Max replied.
“And…” she said trailing off as she turned to look at Lucas who was talking to Nancy.
“And what?” El asked.
“He seems to act carefully around Mike,” she added as she furrowed her brows, “Like when we had that sleepover and he accompanied Mike to get some water or right now when we were talking about him and he got up to beat the shit out of Troy.”
“I ran into Lucas this morning as we made our way to the Nurse’s office,” Will said, “and he said he was going to beat the shit out of Troy one day.”
[With Lucas and Nancy]
“So what did you want to talk about?” she asked.
“It’s about Mike,” Lucas said.
“Do you know where he is?” she frantically asked.
“I think he’s home, I have my supercomm in my locker and I can try contacting him,” Lucas told her.
“Go do that, then,” she quickly said.
“I don’t think he went home because of the wound hurting him,” Lucas muttered.
“Why then?” She asked, hoping it wasn’t because of Troy leaving a mark on him like last time or worse.
“We were at our lunch table like usual and Mike wasn’t there and Will mentioned that Troy was also in the Nurse’s office,” Lucas rambled.
“Okay,” Nancy nodded for him to continue.
“I saw Troy entering after that was mentioned and I just felt like it had something to do with him so I got up and dragged him out of the cafeteria,” Lucas continued.
“And then?” Nancy asked.
“I questioned him where Mike was and he just laughed, I kept asking him but he just kept spouting out all this bullshit so I punched him,” Lucas replied, “Eventually he said he didn’t know and that Mike just ran off when they were outside of school talking.”
“If they were in the nurse’s office, why would they be outside?” Nancy asked.
“I think Mike just ran out and Troy chased him out,” Lucas replied.
“I call bullshit on them just ‘talking’,” Nancy said.
“I think the same thing, I just came here to tell you before I contacted Mike,” Lucas said.
“Okay,” Nancy replied, “I’ll go get Jonathan and tell me to drive me home so I can see Mike.”
Lucas nodded.
“Thanks for telling me, Lucas,” Nancy said with a compassionate smile.
Lucas went to rejoin the party as Nancy went to go get Jonathan.
“What did you guys talk about?” Will asked.
“Oh, I…” Lucas said, trying to come up with something, “I wanted to tell her about my fight with Troy?”
“You could’ve talked about it in front of us?” Max questioned.
“Well yeah but you guys saw it,” Lucas replied.
“So what did you guys talk about,” Lucas asked, changing the subject.
“How you’ve been different,” El said.
“I have?” Lucas questioned. He himself hadn’t realized.
“Where did Nancy go?” Will asked.
“She…,” Lucas said, “wanted to tell Jonathan.”
“Okay?” Dustin questioned.
“Well I have to go to the bathroom, so see you next period,” Lucas said as he left.
He didn’t have to go to the restroom, he just used it as an excuse to leave and go get his supercomm.
“Mike? over,” He said into the supercomm.
“Hey Lucas, Over,” Mike replied.
“Where are you? Over,” Lucas asked.
“Home… over,” he said.
“What happened? Over,” Lucas asked, looking around making sure no one was nearby.
“I was talking with Will on our way to class-” Mike said before Lucas cut him off.
“You were with Will after the nurse's office? over,” Lucas asked.
“Yes, didn’t he tell you he has detention tomorrow? Over,” Mike replied.
“No he did not, over,” Lucas said.
“Okay well we were talking and then he hurried off to class so I was alone, so I walked faster to class but I ran into Troy and we talked for a while before I ran off and I got outside before stopping and catching my breath,” Mike said stopping at that.
“Then? Over,” asked Lucas.
“Well he caught up to me and I tried contacting you but you didn’t answer then he- and I ran home. Over,” Mike quickly said.
“Sorry I forgot my supercomm in my locker,” Lucas said with a hint of guilt, “also he what? Over.”
“No, it’s fine, it’s not your responsibility either way, over,” Mike replied, ignoring the question.
“Nancy is on her way, over,” Lucas told him.
“Oh, thanks for telling me,” Mike replied, “He didn’t do anything, he just… tackled me and bit me on the jaw. Over.”
“I should’ve been there to help you,” Lucas replied, “over.”
“Lucas, it’s fine, over,” Mike said with a smile in his voice.
“I gotta head to class, Over,” Lucas said.
“Bye Lucas, over,” Mike replied.
“Bye,” Lucas muttered.
Notes:
I might be later next week in uploading the chapter since I won't be until the evening.
Chapter 10: Guilty expression
Notes:
I just got home a few hours ago and kept forgetting to upload the chapter
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After school, El and Will got in the car with Jonathan and noticed Nancy wasn’t there. She’s usually the first one there since Jonathan waits for her.
“Where’s Nancy?” asked El as she took a seat in the back.
“She left home earlier,” Jonathan responded.
“Where are we going?” Will asked.
“To the Wheeler’s,” Jonathan responded, “Hoppers will go pick El up when he gets out of work.”
“How’s Mike?” El asked.
“He's doing fine,” Jonathan replied.
El seemed to be lost in her thoughts on the way to the Wheelers.
“I got Mike’s homework for the day,” Will mentioned to Jonathan.
“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it, Buddy,” Jonathan told him.
“I heard Lucas got in a fight with Troy,” Jonathan mentioned.
“Yeah, you should have seen Troy’s face,” Will laughed.
“I would have liked to see your guys’ tormentor be beaten up,” Jonathan said with a smile.
“James was there but he didn’t even try setting a foot near Lucas and Troy,” Will told him.
“Lucas must have scared him pretty bad,” Jonathan said.
“I would have been scared too if I wasn’t Lucas’s friend,” Will scoffed.
“It didn’t scare you?” Jonathan asked.
“It did but I was alright,” Will told him, “Don’t worry.”
“That’s good,” Jonathan smiled.
“Well we’re here,” Jonathan said.
When they got to the house, Nancy opened the door for them. Entering the house El stopped Will from going upstairs. He was going to go upstairs to Mike’s room to leave his backpack. Jonathan headed upstairs with Nancy, presumably to Nancy’s room.
“What’s up?” Will asked El.
“I was thinking about what we talked about at lunch,” El said.
Will looked around and told her, “I think it’s best we talk in the basement.”
“Okay?” El said as she followed Will down to where the party usually hangs out.
“So what were you thinking about?” Will asked, taking a seat on the couch.
“Max mentioned that day the party slept over,” El recapped.
“Yeah?” Will responded as he nodded his head.
“Mike looked panicky and went to get water with Lucas,” she continued, “When I got upstairs I heard Mike and Lucas talking.”
Will was questioning whether he should be hearing this stuff. He feels guilty about wanting to find out and that what she's about to say probably has to do with it.
He still asked about it though, “About what?” Will asked.
“Remember how Mike didn’t go back right away because he went to shower?” El asked before continuing, “It’s probably nothing but…”
“Hey guys,” Mike said, heading down, “I didn’t see you guys upstairs so I guessed you were down here.”
The air around El and Will seemed kind of tense to Mike.
“Hey Mike,” Will said with a smile.
“Hi, Mike!” El said excitedly before she noticed Mike had one of those big bandaids on his jaw, “What happened to your jaw?”
Mike’s eyes faltered before answering, “Oh I tripped and hurt myself on the jaw.”
“Bullshit,” Will quietly muttered. El didn’t hear him.
“So what are you guys talking about?” Mike asked, taking a seat in front of El and Will.
“How Lucas beat the shit out of Troy Walsh,” Will said. El gave him a confused stare. As if saying ‘No we weren’t.’
“He didn’t tell me that when we talked in the super-comm,” Mike muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?” El said. She saw he said something and just didn’t know what.
“Oh- I talked to Lucas in the super-comm and he didn’t tell me about that,” Mike said.
“When did you guys talk?” Will asked, “No way he got home before us.”
“Just earlier,” Mike vaguely responded.
“Can I see your injury?” El asked, talking about the one on his stomach she was curious about how it looked and how bad it was.
Mike quickly put a hand to his jaw, protectively.
“Um, Why?” He asked.
“I mean the one on your stomach,” She said, giving him a weird look.
“Oh…” Mike said before shrugging, “Sure, I don’t think it’s that bad though.”
He lifted his shirt up to the wound.
Will thought about how he was less hesitant to lift his shirt up here when he was shaking and rubbing his wrist and neck at the nurse’s office. ‘ Maybe it’s because the nurse is a stranger’ Will figured.
El traced her fingers on the wound.
“Does it hurt?” She asked.
Mike pulled the shirt back down, “Only a bit, I feel it more when I lean to sit down or when I stand up from sitting but it’s only for a bit.”
“Yet you kept saying it didn’t hurt this morning,” Will joked.
“I just didn’t want to be late to class,” Mike shrugged.
“And you ended up missing all your classes instead,” El said as she lightly shook her head.
“I wouldn’t have missed all my classes if I hadn’t gone to the nurse’s,” Mike said, “but today was just meant to be a bad day.”
“Oh yeah, Mike I got all your work for the day,” Will said as he remembered.
“Thanks, Will,” Mike said as he adoringly smiled at Will.
“You’re Welcome,” Will said, returning his smile.
El saw something between them that she never saw in her and Mike. Something she sees in Max and Lucas . Something she wanted between herself and Mike.
“Oh,” she muttered out loud as her brows furrowed together.
They both turned to look at her.
“You okay, El?” Will asked.
“I- I’m fine,” El asked. She was. She is. Just the sudden realization that Mike is in love with Will shook her. She wasn’t mad or upset. She didn’t hate them. But, she did need time to accept the fact Mike was in love with Will the way Max and Lucas are in love with one another.
If Mike wanted to go out with Will she’d accept it, Mike isn’t hers.
“You sure?” Mike asked.
“Yes, of course,” She replied in a rush. It was as if he was asking if she was sure she’d accept it. Yes, she would . She means it.
She smiled at them.
“So what do you guys want to do?” Mike asked.
“Homework,” El replied, “I need help with all of it.”
“Have you considered staying after school for tutoring?” Will said with a hint of sarcasm.
“I don’t need tutoring when I have a whole group of people willing to help me,” she said.
“So you’re only with us out of convenience?” Will feigned hurt.
“Yes,” El joked back.
“Wait till the others hear about this,” Mike added.
“Wait,” El said, “Not Max, I’m with her because she’s fun to hang out with.”
“Didn’t expect this from my sort of sister,” Will said.
“Maybe we shouldn't help you with your homework,” Mike joked, shaking his head.
“Nooo,” El whined, “I take it back please help me with it.”
“We’ll help you,” Will said with a proud smile.
“I’ll go get us something to drink,” Mike said, “Anything you guys want?”
“Apple juice,” El replied.
“I’ll take some water,” Will answered.
“Alright, I’ll be right back with my homework and your drinks,” Mike said, “Feel free to get started without me.”
As soon as Mike left the room Will decided to continue his earlier conversation with El.
“So what were they talking about?” Will asked.
El hesitated in telling him.
“I don’t know if I should tell you,” El said, “Since you seem to not want Mike to know.”
“Yeah, but you said it might be nothing,” Will replied.
El nervously bit her lip, “I don’t know. I don’t want to invade Mike’s privacy,” she told him.
“You’ve invaded his privacy before, why not just tell me?” Will asked.
“I didn’t know it was wrong then,” El replied.
“I know, sorry,” Will apologized.
“I just want to know what’s been bothering Mike,” Will said, “I want to help him feel better and I think I’d be able to if I knew.”
“Yes, he has seemed a bit jumpy at times,” El said, “Okay I’ll tell you.”
“Thanks, El,” Will said as he reassuringly smiled at her.
“Well, his voice seemed kind of nervous? I think that fits and he just seemed overall panicky,” El explained, “He told Lucas he was dirty, ” she said, putting more focus on the word dirty, “Lucas kept insisting he wasn’t.”
“I even said he wasn’t but he just had this…” El said, trying to figure out what word she was looking for, “this upset expression on his face.”
Will had a guilty expression on his face. He should’ve just waited for Mike to tell him. Maybe he's wrong? Maybe he actually was dirty. Maybe it doesn’t mean that type of dirty .
The word "dirty" people used to describe themselves when they think they’re " impure ."
“What’s wrong Will?” El asked, noticing his facial expression.
“I should’ve just waited for Mike to tell me,” he told El.
“Tell you what?” El asked.
“I should’ve waited for him to tell me what happened,” Will said.
“What do you mean?” She replied. She was clueless as to what he was referring to.
Will just shook his head at her and she realized it’s probably best she doesn’t know or at least know directly from Mike.
“Oh, okay,” she replied.
“I’m back,” Mike said coming down the stairs, “So what did you guys start on?”
He smiled at them. El looked perplexed and Will had this guilty expression and avoided looking at Mike.
“We still haven't begun,” El replied as she feigned a smile.
Notes:
Fun fact: I did not plan for Will to find out yet - I wanted him to find out later on in his life when they were both older and dating; presumably their senior year or in college.
I'm so nervous about tomorrow I have a class tomorrow and I don't know where it is
Chapter 11: Don't be vulnerable
Notes:
Surprisingly, I have nothing to write here today - I usually don't but I still write something anyway
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“I didn’t mean to snoop around,” Will said as he and Mike sat quietly in Mike’s room.
Will was drawing something on his sketchbook and Mike was focused on a comic.
Mike lifted his head up from the comic and looked over at Will who was still drawing, “What are you talking about?” Mike asked.
“I think I know what happened,” Will replied. He stopped drawing but still wasn’t looking at Mike.
“… You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mike nervously replied.
“I’m sorry, I should have waited for you to tell me,” Will apologized. He made direct eye contact with Mike as he apologized.
“Listen, Will, whatever you think you know, you don’t,” Mike said. He didn’t believe it. Will knew? Did everyone know and were just feigning they didn’t? Were they all just going to bring it up at different times just to make him remember it?
Will noticed as Mike started scratching his wrists, “I didn’t mean to, I didn’t know. If I did, I would've waited for you to tell me.”
“Who told you?” Mike said his eyebrows quivering together. He had a frustrated expression on his face.
“I pieced it together,” Will replied, “From what I’ve heard everyone say.”
“So? You’re probably wrong?” Mike said, in denial that Will could possibly know.
“Yes, that’s probable,” Will replied.
“Tell me you’re wrong, Will,” Mike said as he sat in an upright fetal position. He didn’t stop scratching his wrists.
“I don’t know,” Will said. He had this guilty expression and his eyes looked watery.
“You okay?” Mike asked Will. Mike had this painful smile on his face.
“Me? What about you?” Will replied.
“I…” Mike said as he thought about it. All he felt was disgust and the feeling of phantom hands all over him, “I need to shower.”
The showering wasn’t just to get rid of the substances, he woke up dirty that day. He woke up clothless on the dirt. Which makes him feel more dirty when he remembers it.
“You already showered today,” Will told him.
“Nothing wrong with showering twice,” Mike said.
“Mike… I’m sorry,” Will apologized.
“There’s no actual way you actually know, Will,” Mike uttered, “There’s no way.”
“Ask me anything,” Will replied.
Mike thought about it before he responded, “When did it happen?”
“The party that happened the week before you came to California,” Will replied.
“What do you think happened that day?” Mike asked. He was a bit afraid of the answer. He felt like ants were crawling all over him.
“I think Troy did something to you that day,” Will replied.
Mike was trembling a bit, “What?” He asked. He looked to be on the verge of hyperventilating.
“He had some… ’fun’ ,” Will said, not wanting to say the actual word and saying it as Troy called it. Mike felt his heart drop to his stomach as he heard it. Will knew .
“Damn it, Will,” Mike muttered as his vision blurred.
“I’m so sorry that happened, Mike,” Will said with a pained expression.
Mike curled into himself more. His lips began to quiver and he had his head looking down between his legs. A few tears dropped.
“I don’t wanna hear it anymore,” Mike said, “Don’t apologize.”
“Okay,” Will said, getting up and sitting next to Mike on the bed.
“Want me to get anyone?” Will asked.
“No. I’m fine,” Mike replied as he began to sob.
“Do you want me to leave?” Will asked him as he stood up.
“Please, don’t” Mike breathed. Mike reached a hand to hold on to the bottom of Will’s shirt and Will took a seat beside Mike again.
“Okay,” Will muttered.
Mike looked up and looked at Will.
“Yeah?” Will asked. It looked like Mike wanted something.
“Can I hug you?” Mike hesitantly asked as he continued weeping.
Will opened his arms up, “Of course,” he said.
Mike practically jumped into the hug. He wrapped his arms around Will tightly and breathed him in his scent. It has a calming effect on Mike.
Mike’s okay with Will and Nancy the most when he’s in distress because he feels safe with them. He feels more comforted by Will than Nancy though. If he could hold on to Will just a bit more tightly, suffocatingly tightly, he’d feel more relief, more calm. He’ll feel better. If he could breathe him in, all of him, he’d be better.
Will hugged Mike back tightly as if he didn’t want to let him go.
They stayed like that for a while, quietly, as Mike calmed down. However, even after calming down, they stayed like that.
The crying and the feeling of comfort lulled Mike to sleep.
Will tried his best to carefully get Mike’s hands off of him so he could lay him down properly and put the comic on top of the drawer. After he did that he turned the lights off and went to bed so he could sleep.
[In the morning, before school]
“So what actually happened on your jaw?” Will asked as he served himself cereal.
Nancy and Jonathan who sat at the table looked at each other nervously.
Ted had left early for work and Karen went to drop off Holly early to school since she had an errand to run.
“Oh… ughh,” Mike voiced as he lightly scratched his neck, "It’s not a big deal."
Mike shrugged.
“Just a little bite mark,” Mike added.
They heard the noise of clattering spoons and turned their attention to Nancy and Jonathan.
Nancy looked at Mike curiously as if saying ‘he knows?’
“Oh- um, Will found out,” Mike said with a bit of a frown.
He scorns himself, truly. He thinks he should stop being so… so obvious . He’ll change, he’ll stop being so obvious, he’ll bare his teeth so no one bothers him. He’ll act brave, knowing he can never truly be that brave.
Nancy pursed her lips and her eyebrows quivered. She noticed the frown on Mike and how unsatisfied he sounded saying ‘ Will found out. ’
Will had a guilty expression on his face.
“Oh,” Jonathan said, breaking the silence, “When?”
“I pieced it all together yesterday after talking with El,” Will quietly said in a nervous voice.
“El knows?!” Mike said, his voice sounding dry.
“No, no,” Will repeated as he sat to eat his cereal next to Mike, “She didn't, she just told me something that made it all make sense.”
Calm and collected, Mike. CALM AND COLLECTED.
Resist the urge to scratch or rub your wrists.
Don’t think about it. It’s not a big deal just like the cliff. Well, the jumping-off part not the whole Dustin being held by a knife.
BREATHE.
Mike let out a loud sigh, “Great, I don’t really want any more people to know,” Mike said with a smile. He could feel his heartbeat, it beat quickly and nervously.
“You’re not thinking of telling the rest of the party at some point?” Will asked.
Mike flinched a slight bit.
Calm, Mike.
“Not really, there isn’t really a point,” Mike voiced, “I’m okay, and more than enough people know.”
Mike’s fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to scratch his wrists.
He can’t be vulnerable.
“I think they’re getting a bit suspicious,” Will said remembering the conversation from yesterday the party had while Lucas talked to Nancy.
“Why do you think that?” Nancy asked.
“Well Max has noticed how different Lucas has been and how he is around Mike,” Will replied.
Calm and Collected, Mike.
“It’s fine,” Mike responded, “They won’t find out or think something happened.”
“How are you so sure?” Jonathan asked.
“I’ll make sure of it,” Mike replied, “I’ll also talk to Lucas about it.”
Will could sense something off about Mike.
Good gracious, Mike. You couldn’t keep this under wrap like the cliff? No one needs to know. You shouldn’t have ever made that phone call. No one else needs to know.
“We’re here if you need someone to talk to,” Jonathan said, referring to himself and Nancy.
“I’m here too,” Will said.
“And I’m here if any of you do as well,” Mike replied.
No one needs to know. Calm and collected, Mike. Don’t be vulnerable.
Notes:
In two weeks it will be two months since I last uploaded a video on my channel - I really need to upload before then
Also, the work for my classes seems complicated - hope they no longer seem complicated when I look at the lesson
Chapter 12: Calm down, Mike
Notes:
Now this one did have another potential title: "I just don't want to talk anymore"
I went with the other one since it was shorter
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Mike was right about the rest of the party not finding out.
Summer had begun and no one else since Will had found out.
After the fight with Lucas, Troy didn’t bother Mike or anyone else in the party.
Of course, that didn’t stop Mike from feeling anxious. C’mon, Troy has held a knife up to Dustin, why would a fight make him back down? If anything it would fire him up.
He tried his best not to show when he felt nervous or off. He also didn’t scratch or rub at his wrists or neck, often. Whenever he feels like doing that his hands just slightly twitch.
The party had decided to go to Lovers Lake for a swim. It’s summer and they just want to relax and swim. The older kids also went and Robin brought Vickie with her who she was discretely dating. Only Steve knew of their relationship.
The last time the party saw each other Lucas found out Will knew about what happened to Mike.
“How long have you known?” Lucas asked as he and Will fell behind the party as they walked towards Lovers Lake.
“I found out that day you beat Troy up,” Will replied.
“Did he tell you?” Lucas questioned.
Will hesitantly answered, “No, I kind of pieced it all together…”
“Oh,” Lucas said, not knowing how to respond.
“There’s something I’m curious about,” Lucas mentioned.
“What is it?” Will asked.
“Mike mentioned once that El broke Troy’s arm,” Lucas told Will, who had never heard about it so he looked surprised hearing it.
Lucas continued speaking and asked, “Do you know when?”
“No, I’ve never even heard about it,” Will replied, “Thinking about it… I think I remember his arm being broken when I came back from…”
Will left the rest unsaid.
“The upside down,” Lucas quietly muttered.
“Must have happened when I fought with Mike while you were missing,” Lucas said in realization, “Dustin must know!”
“I’m also wondering about it now,” Will said, “Let’s ask both El and Dustin.”
“We’re finally here!” They heard Max tiredly groan.
They all set up their stuff. They each carried their own folding chair. A few didn’t feel like bringing chairs, they just brought their towels, and if they feel like sitting they’ll just use that.
They divided themselves into two groups, older kids on one side and the younger ones on the other.
“Hey, Dustin, El, we have a question,” Lucas said, pointing to himself and Will.
The older kids were all distracted by their own conversations, Steve third-wheeling both couples.
The whole party turned to look at Lucas and Will.
“What is it?” El asked with a smile.
Mike noticed a tint of pink on her face. She looked as if she was blushing.
Will and Lucas looked at each other in contemplation. Thinking they should’ve thought it through more before deciding to just bluntly ask the question.
“When did you break Troy’s arm?” Will asked.
Mike lightly flinched as he looked away from Will and nervously looked at El. Dustin, himself, and El never brought it up. Mike isn’t sure why, but he never questioned it.
Max had an amused look on her face as she looked at El.
“Way to go, El!” Max cheered.
El seemed to be in deep thought about it and so did Dustin.
“I think I remember,” El said, “It was when Will was in the upside down.”
“Why are you guys asking about it?” Mike asked, and it came out sounding rather defensive.
“Because I never knew til you mentioned it a while back,” Lucas replied.
Calm down, Mike. Or you’ll probably slip up and let something out.
Mike nervously bit his lip as he held back on saying something else.
“Wait, why did you say you also had a question for me?” Dustin asked, a bit confused but intrigued at the fact El broke Troy’s arm.
“I figured you probably knew about it or were there,” Lucas replied.
Dustin thought long and hard about it but he just couldn’t remember it.
“No, I think this is my first time hearing about it,” Dustin said with a confused expression, “Maybe it was just El and Mike together at the time?”
Mike looked at him weirdly. Dustin, doesn’t remember?
“No,” El replied, “I think you were there.”
“Really?” Dustin asked, even more confused, “I thought I would remember you breaking Troy’s arm,”
Dustin had an incredulous expression on his face as he tried remembering it.
Max, Lucas, and Will all shared a look.
“Wait- You seriously don’t remember it, Dustin?” Mike asked, a bit shocked.
“No, why?” Dustin replied.
“I just thought you would,” Mike said, “I guess now I know why no one ever brought it up.”
“El why did you break his arm?” Max asked.
“I don’t remember it,” El said, “I just know I did.”
“So Mike is the only one that remembers?” Lucas asked.
“I guess so,” Will said looking over at Mike who seemed to be rethinking his whole life.
“I also would have thought Dustin would remember,” Lucas said, “Why doesn't he?”
“Maybe his brain blocked it out?” Will suggested.
“No, your brain only blocks out traumatic stuff,” Dustin said, “Or when it thinks you can’t handle some stuff.”
“Maybe something happened that you couldn’t handle?” Max rationalized.
“But Mike remembers,” Dustin said. Of course, he knew people handle things differently but they’ve seen all this upside-down stuff, so why not also block that out? Why just the one where El broke Troy’s arm? Though maybe up until that point that could’ve been the worst thing since none of them had come across any upside down monstrosity at that point.
Wow, Mike. You don’t even say anything and stuff already seems to slip out.
Mike's mind replayed what happened at the quarry. He stood up and walked over to the older kids without saying anything. He slumped down next to Nancy. who despite bringing her own chair sat on the ground. He leaned his head on her shoulder. She just let him. He had a sullen look on his face.
The party shared a confused look on their faces as they shared looks with each other. Will didn’t look confused but worried though.
Will bit his lip, “What happened?” Will asked.
“Maybe something bad did happen,” Max shrugged.
“Anything involving Troy might as well be bad,” Lucas said.
The rest of the party nodded.
“We can ask him later,” El told them, “Let’s swim now.”
“She’s right, we came here to swim,” Max agreed.
[Mike and Nancy]
“You okay, Mike?” Nancy asked as she rested her head on top of Mike’s head.
Mike hummed a response, “Mhm.”
“Just tired,” he murmured.
“You sure?” She asked.
“Yeah,” Mike said with an upset expression. He buried his face on Nancy’s shoulder, “I just don’t want to talk anymore,” he quietly murmured.
Nancy looked over at Jonathan who sat on her other side. He rubbed comforting circles on her hand. She gave him a dejected smile.
He gave her a comforting smile and then yelled out for Will.
“What is it?” Will asked as he made his way over.
“What were you guys talking about when Mike came over here?” he asked.
Both Nancy and Jonathan looked at him. Mike seemed tired so he wasn’t paying attention.
Robin and Vickie left to swim, leaving Steve alone so he was also looking. He had no idea what was going on or why they were looking at Will.
“Oh, we were talking about how El broke Troy’s arm when I was…” Will said trailing off then continuing, “And how Mike is the only one who actually remembers that day.”
Steve looked a bit proud at the part of El breaking Troy’s arm.
“Lucas and Dustin don’t remember?” Nancy asked.
“Lucas wasn’t there but Dustin was and he doesn’t,” Will replied.
“What about El?” Steve asked.
“She doesn’t really remember that day, only breaking his arm,” Well said.
“The brain blocks out stuff you can’t handle so maybe something bad happened,” Nancy winced as she suggested, “And that’s why Dustin doesn’t remember.”
“Just what’s this Troy kids deal?” Steve asked, frustrated.
“Mike’s the only one who remembers…” Jonathan said.
Mike had already fallen asleep by then. He dreamed of that day. That day at the quarry. So his brows were furrowed.
Notes:
Hating on life at the moment since I have like a bunch of assignments due each week and it's always before/on Wednesday
Chapter 13: Calm and collected
Notes:
This chapter turned out unintentionally long
Potential title: "Why are you so calm about this?"
I don't have any clue as to how super comms/walkie-talkies work
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Mike!” the supercomm went off.
It was 4 in the morning.
“Mike, answer!” the supercomm sounded again.
It was Dustin’s voice.
Considering it was 4 in the morning and Mike was a light sleeper it woke him up the second time, but it also woke Will up. Mike was groggy since he just woke up and it was still so early in the morning.
“Dustin, it’s 4 in the morning,” they heard from the supercomm. It was Lucas’s voice this time.
“Oh sorry, I just woke up and needed to talk with Mike,” Dustin said.
“Mike go answer,” Will said, slightly shaking him, knowing Mike also woke up.
“Too tired,” Mike mumbled.
“Why do you need to speak to him at 4 in the morning?!” They heard Lucas whisper-yell.
“Because I just woke up from a dream- a nightmare,” Dustin corrected himself, “and I remember!”
Mike jolted awake at that time.
“You’re right I should answer,” Mike said to Will, almost fully awake.
“Remembered what?” Lucas replied.
“What we talked about yesterday,” Dustin said.
That seemed to wake Will up as he tried recalling what they talked about.
“Dustin,” Mike said, “over.”
“Mike you’re so fucking stupid!” Dustin berated, “Over.”
“You wake me up to insult me?” Mike replied, “Over.”
“Why are you insulting him?” Lucas asked, “Over.”
“Dustin, before speaking switch to a private channel just for us two to talk,” Mike calmly said, “Over.”
“You know we’re going to want to hear about this as well, right?” Lucas said, “Over.”
“Yes, but just wait,” Mike said, a bit frustrated, “Over.”
“I’ll switch it then,” Dustin replied, “Over.”
“Fine,” Lucas complied, “I’ll wait, over.”
By saying he’ll wait he meant he’s not going to go back to sleep and wait for them to be done talking.
Will stared at Mike nervously wondering what he’ll do.
“I’m going out to the rooftop,” Mike told Will as he grabbed the nearest sweater.
“Oh, okay,” Will said, a bit disappointed as he watched Mike open his window and step out, closing the window behind him.
“You can talk now, Dustin, “Mike said,” Over.”
“Mike! Michael! ” Dustin spoke, “You’re so stupid!”
“How many times are you going to say that?” Mike frustratedly asked as he sat down on his roof.
“As many times as it takes for you to realize what you did was fucking stupid!” Dustin berated a bit more.
“I get it,” Mike responded, “I know.”
“Baby teeth, Mike,” Dustin said. You could hear a whine in his voice.
“Baby teeth!” Dustin repeated.
“I had no other choice,” Mike calmly told him.
“You didn’t even hesitate, Mike!” Dustin wailed, “ You didn’t even hesitate… ”
“Dustin,” Mike sighed, “I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t even know El would appear,” Dustin sobbed.
“It’s fine, Dustin,” Mike told him, “We’re okay.”
“Mike I kept telling you, ‘don’t do it’ ,” Dustin breathed, “I wasn’t scared of the knife being held against me, I was scared of you, of you standing on that edge getting ready to jump.”
“El saved us and I’m still here,” Mike said.
“I’m sorry that you were the only one to remember,” Dustin continued sobbing, “If I had remembered we could have comforted each other.”
“Hey, it’s not your fault,” Mike comforted.
“I know,” Dustin cried, “Why are you so calm about this?”
“Because we’re okay,” Mike lied.
After a few seconds of silence and some sobbing from Dustin’s side of the supercomm he finally talked.
“I’m going to go back to the previous channel,” Dustin said, “I’m going to cool down a bit first.”
“Don’t tell anyone about me jumping off the cliff,” Mike mumbled.
“I’m sorry, Mike,” Dustin apologized, “I’m telling them.”
“It’s not a big deal, why tell them?” Mike told him.
“if it’s not a big deal why can’t I tell them?” Dustin asked, Mike could hear how he choked back sobs.
Mike sighed before responding, “Just tell them when they’re all together.”
“Okay…” Dustin mumbled.
Mike rested the super comm down beside him as he sat with his knees to his chest looking forward.
He turned to look at a sudden noise he heard, it was Nancy’s window opening. Nancy stepped out and looked at Mike. She left the window open.
“Jonathan and I heard a noise coming from outside the window,” Nancy explained, “I was waiting for you to be done talking.”
Jonathan stepped out as well and took a seat beside her.
Mike sighed as he looked at Nancy. He was calm. He gave her a blank smile.
“I jumped off the quarry three years ago,” Mike told her with a lifeless expression.
Nancy felt her heart drop to her stomach and Jonathan froze.
“...What?” Nancy mumbled.
“Dustin kept yelling at me not to do it,” Mike added.
“He forgot all about it,” Mike continued, “He just remembered and was yelling at me over how stupid I was to jump.”
“Are you… serious?” Nancy said, her eyebrows quivering along with her mouth.
“He said I was stupid and that they were just baby teeth,” Mike said.
“Baby teeth?” Jonathan asked, confused and a bit terrified at hearing that Mike jumped off the quarry. That could very much kill you.
“Troy held a knife to Dustin,” Mike replied, “If I didn’t jump he would’ve used that knife on Dustin’s teeth.”
Nancy and Jonathan looked at him in horror.
“I’m fine, El saved me,” Mike said, he was still expressionless, “I just thought I should tell you before you heard from someone else.”
“I’m heading back in,” Mike said, grabbing his supercomm and opening his window to get back in his room.
He closed the window behind him. Deciding to not go back to sleep since he had no sleep left in him. He was fully awake.
Will was awake waiting for him to come back in. Mike turned the channel back to the one he, Dustin, and Lucas were talking in before.
Will didn’t have his supercomm with him, he’s staying with Mike so he left it with El back at the cabin.
“So…” Will said, expectantly.
“Dustin, he- We decided to tell the party when we all get together again,” Mike said, facing Will.
“Oh, when do you think we will?” Will asked.
“I don’t know, Dustin said he was going to calm down a bit and tell Lucas,” Mike replied, “But I don’t know if he’s said anything yet.”
“Why not ask?” Will replied.
“Sure, okay,” Mike said.
“Lucas, Dustin,” Mike spoke into the supercomm, “Over.”
“Mike! So can I know now?” Lucas asked, “Over.”
“We’re telling the party when we’re all together,” Dustin said his voice sounded groggy, “Over.”
“Should we schedule to meet up later today then?” Lucas asked, “Over.”
“What do you think, Mike?” Dustin asked, “Over.”
“Sure, Over,” Mike replied.
“Great, when and where?” Lucas replied, “Over.”
“What about my place?” They heard someone say, “Over.”
“El?!” Lucas yelped in surprise, “How long have you been listening for?”
“Not long, I just woke up and heard Will’s super-comm,” El replied, “Also, Dad’s awake so I ended up waking up.”
“I forgot you had WIll’s supercomm,” Dustin said, “No wonder I haven’t heard him, Over.”
Will tapped Mike’s shoulder to give him the super-comm so he could say something.
“I’ve been awake since you yelled out for Mike,” Will said.
“Okay, so we’re meeting at Hopper’s cabin then?” Mike asked after WIll passed him back the supercomm, “Over.”
“Sure, Why not?” Dustin said, ”Over.”
“Okay, at what time?” Lucas replied, “Over.”
“How about at 12?” Will suggested, “Over.”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” El replied, “I will call Max and tell her later, over.”
“Okay, well I’m going back to sleep,” Lucas replied, “See you later, over.”
“I’ll try going back to sleep, bye,” Dustin said, “Over.”
“So what exactly are you guys going to tell us, Mike?” El asked, “Over.”
“Oh, about what we talked about yesterday at the lake,” Mike replied, “Over.”
“Ummm… the breaking Troy’s arm thing?” El asked in confirmation, “Over.”
Mike passed Will the supercomm since he didn’t feel like responding anymore.
“Yeah, that’s what they’ll tell us about,” Will replied in Mike’s stead as Mike put some shoes on.
“I gotta go, El,” Will said as he watched Mike open the door to his room and leave, “I’ll talk to you later, bye.”
“Bye, Will,” El replied.
Will put on some slippers and decided to follow after Mike. When he stepped out of his room he saw Jonathan.
“Hey, buddy,” Jonathan greeted, “Good morning.”
“Morning, Jonathan,” Will replied, “Why are you awake so early?”
“Oh Nancy and I woke up when we heard a noise coming from outside,” Jonathan told him, “Nancy went back to sleep, I was thinking of going down and talking to Mike. What about you?”
“I was also going to talk to Mike,” Will replied.
“He told you about it too?” Jonathan asked.
“Told me about what?” Will asked.
“He hasn’t told you about the quarry?” Jonathan asked.
“No? If this is about the thing we talked about yesterday, he and Dustin are telling us later in the day,” Will told him.
“Oh, alright,” Jonathan nodded.
They both headed downstairs together. Mike was drinking a glass of water while changing TV channels trying to find something to watch.
“Hey Mike,” Will said.
Mike turned to look at him and smiled, “Hey Will.”
Jonathan gave Mike a small wave and Mike waved back.
“You okay, Buddy?” Jonathan said furrowing his brow.
“Yeah,” Mike said, nodding his head.
“I’m just fully awake now,” Mike added.
Will sat next to Mike on the couch while Jonathan just stood in front of them.
“Well, I’m also fully awake and Nancy’s asleep,” Jonathan said, trying to make conversation with Mike.
Mike nodded his head as he responded, “Nancy’s a light sleeper but can fall asleep pretty quickly.”
“I’ve noticed,” Jonathan spoke.
Mike could tell Jonathan wasn’t just trying to make conversation. Jonathan probably wanted to talk about what he said upstairs but didn’t want to be blunt about it.
“Just say or ask whatever you want, Jonathan,” Mike said giving a soft glare, “I don’t care.”
Will stayed quiet. He just looked at both of them as the conversation went by. He leaned in a bit closer to Mike and noticed that Mike also leaned in a bit. Mike had a blanket on and his legs were on the couch. He had his shoes off.
The blanket was already there when Mike got downstairs.
Will had his slippers off as well and had his legs on the couch too.
He noticed Mike turn to look at him. He became a bit entranced by him, almost not paying attention to what Mike asked.
“Do you want to share the blanket?” Mike quietly asked.
He must have thought Will got closer so he could also use the blanket.
“Sure,” Will replied, a light blush spreading across his face.
Mike spread the blanket on both of them as he turned to look back at Jonathan.
“So?” Mike asked with a slight attitude to Jonathan.
“I’m sure there were other options,” Jonathan hesitantly said. He tried his best to not make it sound rude.
“There probably was,” Mike replied. Jonathan got a surprise gleam in his eyes.
“James was hesitant,” Mike elaborated, “I could have gotten him to help us out.”
“So why did you do it?” Jonathan asked. He moved to sit on the arm of the couch near Mike.
Mike turned to look at Will after Jonathan asked. Will looked at him a bit puzzled. Mike turned to look back at Jonathan. Mike’s brows were furrowed as if he had just eaten a sour lemon.
“It was the ugh,” Mike began to speak, a bit hesitant, “the um- day after we saw- the fake body.”
“Fake body?” inquired Will. Mike winced a bit at the question.
“Remember how I told you we had a funeral for you?” Jonathan asked.
Will nodded and Jonathan continued speaking, “Well we did that because there was this fake lifeless body that was made.”
“Oh…” Will frowned.
Mike wanted to say something, something like: It was so real. or I thought I- we had lost you.
He wanted to tell him how he felt seeing “his” cold, lifeless body.
I was so scared, Will. I saw as they lifted up your body. It looked so much like you. I felt myself freeze at that instance. All hope I had left of you being alive, almost diminished. I felt angry at El who told us you were alive.
I can’t get this sight out of my eyes. I’m so scared I’ll lose you.
'Mike,' he says in his head.
'Mike, calm and collected. Remember.'
“Must have been hard,” Jonathan said to Mike, “Not being able to talk about it to anyone.”
Mike knew he was talking about the quarry but it felt as if he knew what Mike was just thinking.
Yes, yes it was hard .
“No, I was fine,” Mike contradicted himself, “I knew how to take care of myself.”
“You did, huh?” Jonathan quietly said with a displeased look.
”But do you?” Jonathan asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Hmm,” Mike hummed as he thought if he wanted to.
“I’m not sure I can,” Mike replied. He doesn’t think he can share some of his thoughts from then because he would want to share them all and people might find them concerning.
“Why not?” Jonathan questioned.
Mike pursed his lips as his brows furrowed.
“Just can’t,” Mike said, not wanting to elaborate.
“So that means you do want to talk about it?” Jonathan asked.
“I guess so,” Mike replied with a little nod.
“What’s on your mind?” Jonathan asked.
Mike thought about whether he should answer before he replied.
“That I didn’t even hesitate all that much,” Mike said.
“That I can still hear Dustin yelling at me not to do it when I stand at heights,” Mike added with his brows furrowed even more.
Will didn’t know whether to trust what was being implied. He also didn’t like what he heard being implied. Heights? Dustin yelling at him not to do it? No hesitation? and the fact that it was at the quarry?
He decided to change the subject.
“Will you be driving us later to Hopper’s cabin?” Will asked.
“Sure, are you going to visit mom? She doesn’t get out of work till around 5 in the afternoon,” Jonathan asked.
“No, we decided to hang out at Hopper’s cabin to talk about it,” Will replied.
“Sure, I’ll drive you guys,” Jonathan replied, “I’ll probably pick you guys up late since Nancy’s supposed to take care of Holly today after her playdate.”
“That’s fine,” Will replied.
“Well I’m going to go make myself some coffee,” Jonathan said as he stood up and stretched.
Mike was deep in thought. Thinking about everything again.
[Later at Hoppers]
Will and Mike were the first to arrive. Followed by Max, Lucas, and Dustin who all came together saying Steve gave them a ride.
Joyce was at work but knew they’d be coming by so she had left snacks out on the table.
They went to El’s room to talk.
Max and El sitting on the bed. Will sitting in a chair El had in her room. Lucas sat crisscrossed on the ground while Mike and Dustin stood up. The attention was on both of them.
“So what happened?” Max said with exaggerated arm movements.
“Well we were at the quarry,” Dustin started. He nervously swayed forward and back. “Troy and James were there and me and Mike were too,” he added.
“El wasn’t there, she ended up coming later,” Dustin explained, “Luckily she came in time.”
Everyone was staring at him to continue.
“Um,” Mike interjected, “Troy had a knife.”
Everyone had a terrified look on their face. Unsure as to where the story was going.
Mike also looked equally nervous at the time.
“Did- did you guys get hurt?” Lucas asked. His brows were furrowed together.
“No,” Dustin replied with a wince.
“He held the knife up to Dustin,” Mike said.
“He threatened to take out my teeth unless Mike…” Dustin said trailing off.
“Unless Mike, what?” Will asked. He could feel his heart beating in his chest. He swears in all his life he has never felt so terrified, not even in the upside down.
Mike’s face changed from a nervous one to a detached one.
Calm, Mike.
“Unless I jumped off the quarry,” Mike said in a monotonous voice.
“What- That’s crazy!” Max yelled.
“That would kill someone,” Lucas frowned.
“You- you didn’t…” Will asked, “Right?”
He sounded a bit terrified. Everyone looked at Mike and Dustin in anticipation. They also looked terrified.
“He did,” El gulped.
She had this inexplicable expression on her face, “I- I remember bringing him back up,” she hesitated in saying.
“I kept yelling at him not to do it,” Dustin gravely said, “They were just baby teeth.”
Mike’s facial expression was unchanged, still no expression there.
Will looked shattered, he would have come back to a world without Mike. He almost lost Mike and he never knew about it.
Will could feel a seething hatred for Troy bubble up inside of him.
Lucas had a pained expression. Thinking he should have been there. If only he didn’t have that fight with Mike.
But he was glad he beat Troy up. HE HELD A KNIFE TO DUSTIN. HE MADE MIKE JUMP OFF A CLIFF. Not to mention WHAT HE DID AT THAT PARTY.
Max on the other hand looked shocked and was just horrified at what was said. Nonetheless, she was also glad Lucas beat Troy up.
El for the first time was rethinking that scene. She never thought of how terrifying it actually was.
Dustin looked like he wanted to sob again like he had done early in the morning.
Mike just stood there, eerily calm. But he noticed how Dustin was feeling and gave him a side hug as he comfortably rubbed his shoulder.
Max also noticed this, she got up from the bed and got on Dustin's other side. She also gave him a side hug and leaned her head against his in comfort.
The rest of the party joined in after hearing a sniffle coming from Dustin. Will was next to Mike, he had a hand wrapped around Mike and the other hand on Lucas. El was in between Max and Lucas closing the circle. They all stayed like that for a while as Dustin sobbed. A few sniffles could be heard from the others, but not Mike. Will gulped back tears as he noticed Mike’s withdrawn demeanor.
It only just made him feel worse, about how withdrawn Mike was at the situation. Mike stares at Will with concern noticing Will was trying not to cry. He rubbed Will’s back comfortably, letting him know it was okay. That it’s okay if he cried. Will’s face shows more pain at the action ultimately making him actually choke up sobs.
Mike leaned his head on Will’s.
“You’re so stupid,” Will mumbled as he cried.
Mike made a painful grimace and whispered back, “I know.”
Will let out a small laugh as he silently sobbed.
At that moment Will felt like telling Mike that he loved him. He wanted to say it. To say I love you so so much, Mike .
In that moment, as he cried he wanted to utter those painful words. Painful because it’s not something so generally accepted. Painful because his love for him is so big it hurts. Painful because he knows Mike couldn’t possibly like him that same way. Painful because even if he could, he couldn’t be with him, since he used to be with El.
El, who hadn’t heard a sound out of Mike, looked up at him. His lack of expression cued her in on knowing something was not right. She grimaced.
Mike must have felt her staring because he looked up at her. After meeting her eyes he gave her a reassuring smile. El looked taken aback before furrowing her brows at him in a hint of concern. He dropped the smile and turned his eyes away.
He’s fine. Really… he is.
It’s just that anything concerning him isn’t a big deal for him and it shouldn’t be for anyone. None of it matters anymore.
Mike turned his gaze to Dustin who was just starting to calm down. El followed his gaze.
“You okay, Dustin?” Max asked in a soothing voice.
“I’m fine,” Dustin said, trying to catch his breath.
Once he managed to calm down he gave Max a reassuring smile and Max gave one back. She removed the hand she had on El’s back to properly hug Dustin in a tight embrace.
Mike removed his hand from Dustin so Max could properly hug him. He left his other hand still resting on Will’s back. Lucas removed his arm from Will and El and wrapped his hands around Dustin and Max, joining the hug.
El walked over to join Mike and Will. She stood on Will’s other side. She kept a stern eye on Mike.
She mouthed Mike’s name and Mike shook his head. She lightly nodded her head and Mike shook his head again.
Will was taking deep breaths as he tried to calm down.
“Mike,” El said out loud.
“No,” Mike responded.
“I haven’t even said anything,” El calmly told him.
Mike stayed quiet.
He didn’t say anything until he felt a tug from the arm Will had around him.
He bit his lip before he hesitantly said something back to El.
“Fine, what is it?” Mike asked.
“Let’s go outside to talk,” she said.
He dropped his hand from Will’s back, “Alright,” Mike replied.
Notes:
Something not mentioned in this chapter was that the nearest sweater Mike grabbed, happened to be Will's - I didn't write that in and just kept it to myself
Almost forgot to post the chapter since I was watching YouTube - anyways I should really start focusing on making my videos and doing my assignments
I haven't uploaded in like 2 months and it's bothering me but I'm not stressed about that I'm stressed about my assignments because I didn't finish one on time and now it's labeled as missing meaning I got a 0 and now have an "F" in that class
Chapter 14: Especially Will
Notes:
I haven't written in a while - like I was working on writing some things I was even almost done with one of them but I haven't written in like a month and a half
Potential titles:
Part of the team
Feel better
"Is it weird?"
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Will was hesitant in removing his hand from Mike. He ended up slowly removing it as Mike and El got out of the room.
He sat down on El’s bed and let himself flop down on it. He let out a loud sigh as he covered his face with his hands.
He turned to look at the others who were no longer hugging and just making light conversation with a few chuckles here and there. He got off the bed and headed for the bathroom to wash his face after having just stopped sobbing not that long ago.
Mike and El decided that the best place to speak was outside of the cabin. Since, if they speak outside in the living room the others might hear them.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Mike asked.
“I just want to know why you looked so calm out there,” El replied.
“It happened years ago and we all turned out fine,” Mike answered. He didn’t look her in the face while saying that his expression also betrayed his words.
“That doesn’t seem to be true,” she said back to him.
She was talking about the expression on his face. It didn't make what he said believable.
He turned his gaze to look at her, “I’m just worried how this will affect Dustin, now that he remembers,” Mike spoke.
It wasn’t entirely a lie when he said it. He is concerned if Dustin will be alright.
“Talk to me, Mike,” El replied.
“I am,” he said.
“What’s bothering you?” El asked as she continued speaking, “Why have you been so… so unfeeling? so… expressionless?” she asked, trying to find the right word.
“Apart from the Dustin part, it’s-,” Mike said with a pause, “-it’s not a big deal.”
“Why not? Why is it not a big deal?” she asked.
“It just isn’t,” Mike kept insisting.
“Nobody here seems to think it’s not a big deal,” El responded as she gestured towards the cabin.
“Me jumping off a cliff to save Dustin isn’t a big deal,” Mike replied with a bit of a groan.
“Mike, we all worry about you, like we worry about each other,” El told him, “Even Max is.”
“I don’t want people to worry about me,” Mike said a bit loudly, “Why can’t you understand that?!”
“That’s not possible,” El replied, “Someone will always worry about you, especially Will.”
‘Especially Will’
It rang around his mind as a light blush appeared but he quickly shook it off.
He breathed in and then out to talk more calmly.
“I don’t mean for people to worry about me,” he said, “I don’t mean to be such a nuisance.”
Ted’s right. Mike’s lucky to still even be part of the team. Especially with all those mistakes he’s done. Or with all those “strikes” , as his parents put it, he has.
This time, the team means the party though, not his family.
“You’re- You’re not a nuisance, Mike!” El yelled. She was taken aback by what Mike had said.
‘ Does- does Mike think that about himself? ’ she thought.
“Yes, I am,” Mike replied, “All I do is cause problems, mistakes, or make a mess out of things.”
“That’s okay, Mike,” El tried comforting him, “Everyone has messed up before.”
“It’s all my fault though,” Mike replied.
“It’s my fault Will went missing, it’s my fault Troy’s done all this stuff, it’s my fault for being weak, it’s my fault I made Will cry,” Mike listed.
“Wow,” Mike said in a hint of realization, “I’m… such a terrible person. I’m just an asshole, aren’t I?”
“You’re not a terrible person and how is any of that your fault?” El argued with Mike.
“If I had told Will to stay that day he wouldn’t have gone missing, If I hadn’t shoved Troy he wouldn’t have done all the stuff he’s done to m- us,” Mike explained. He shuddered thinking of what Troy had done. He continued explaining, “If I hadn’t been so weak maybe stuff would be different.”
“And… Will, I’ve caused nothing but misery to him. I made him destroy Castle Byers, he loved Castle Byers. I made him cry in the van on our way to find you,” Mike rambled, “I told him something that everyone has given him a hard time when in reality I was talking about me.”
“It’s me, El!” he yelled in her face with a hint of despair.
“It’s me, El,” he repeated more quietly as his face scrunched up, “I’m the fag, I’m the one who doesn’t like girls.”
El stayed staring at him with a bit of shock.
Oh shit. Mike’s eyes widened. He just outed himself to El.
He frantically put his arms on her shoulder.
“Forget what I just said,” Mike told her, tightening his hold on her, “Forget everything, I didn’t mean to.”
He looked like he was about to cry.
“Don’t tell anyone, please don’t tell anyone,” Mike said, with fear in his voice, “Please, I didn’t mean to say it.”
“It’s okay, Mike,” El calmly said, wincing at the tight hold Mike had on her shoulders.
“I won’t tell anyone,” El added, “I promise.”
He weakened his hold on her shoulders and dropped his hands bringing them back to his head as he took some deep breaths for a bit.
“Thank- Thank you,” Mike quietly uttered.
“Are you feeling calmer?” El asked.
Mike took a few more deep breaths before responding, “Yes, I’m calmer.”
“I kind of guessed you liked boys,” El calmly told him, “Well, at least Will.”
“You don’t have a problem with it?” Mike asked as he squatted down, resting his head on his hands.
“No, I came to terms with you liking Will,” El replied.
“What about the liking boys part?” Mike asked.
“That’s fine, Mike.” El comforted taking a small pause before she started speaking again, “If we’re talking about this, I like girls.”
Mike looked a bit shocked. Mostly because he thought she liked Lucas based on how he saw her act around him. Though, thinking about it she acts like that around Max.
Mike’s eyes widened and he turned to look at El.
“I thought you liked Lucas, but it’s Max isn’t it?” Mike asked.
El gave a small nod, she was blushing a bit.
“Both of them actually,” El replied, “Is that weird? I don’t know much about this topic.”
“No. no,” Mike told her, “It isn’t in other countries there are some people who marry more than one person.”
“Wait- that is what this is, right?” Mike asked, “Like, you want to date both at the same time?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think they’d want to,” El replied with a sad expression.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of a word for it,” Mike quietly muttered, mostly to himself.
“Who knows?” Mike told El, “Maybe they would, if they knew.”
“I don’t think Will would like me, he probably doesn’t even like boys,” Mike said to El, “And if he did, he shouldn’t like me because he deserves better.”
“You’re good enough, Mike,” El reassured him.
“No I’m not, but thanks for saying that,” Mike said, giving her a cheered-up smile.
“We should probably head back in,” Mike told her.
“You’re right,” she said.
She held a hand out for Mike so he could use it to get up.
He grabbed her hand and used it to stand up.
“Thanks,” Mike mumbled. with a bit of blush.
“Anytime,” El replied as she grabbed the knob of the door to enter the cabin.
The rest of the party seemed to have gotten out of El's room. They seemed to be waiting for Mike and El to come in as they scavenged around the snacks Joyce had left out.
“Is everything okay?” Max asked. The question was mostly directed towards El.
“Yeah, we heard you and Mike yelling,” Dustin said looking at El and Mike.
Will noticed a hint of blush on both Mike and El. He felt shaken to his core seeing that.
‘ They couldn’t have possibly gotten back together, right? ’ Will thought to himself.
“Everything is fine. Mike and I were just talking,” El replied.
“What about the yelling?” Will asked.
“It was nothing,” El said with a pleasant smile on her face like a load had been lifted off of her.
He noticed Mike’s expression also looked better, it wasn’t as stoic or withdrawn as before.
Don’t get Will wrong he was happy Mike was feeling better he just wishes he had been the one to have made him feel better.
He noticed as Mike went over to Lucas to talk to him how the two were smiling and laughing and that after a bit they hugged. He saw Mike had a sheepish smile on his face while the one on Lucas was a proud one.
He felt his heart sink as he thought that maybe El and Mike did get back together.
After having talked with Lucas, Mike made his way to Will.
“Feeling better?” Mike asked Will.
“Oh- yeah,” Will responded with a smile.
Will didn’t know what to say to Mike or if he should ask if he was back together with El.
“Congrats,” Will told Mike.
Mike looked at him confused before it turned into one with a bit of fear.
Congrats? Congrats about what?
Oh- Oh shit. Did he hear his conversation with Lucas? They weren’t even talking that loudly…
Notes:
I literally went to sleep around 3:30 a.m. last night and forgot today is the day I have to upload the chapter
Honestly, by the time I was writing this chapter, I was thinking I should be nearing the end soon but realized that's not true since something was amiss
Like even in my notes for this chapter I thought I was almost done - I wrote "Anyways I'm almost done with the story"
Chapter 15: Lovingly and longingly
Notes:
I appreciate the comments I get - I like reading them ^^
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Once El and Mike were done answering questions Mike made his way over to Lucas.
He had previously told Lucas before going to California that he didn’t like any other girls. He was trying to come out to Lucas. Though, he isn’t sure Lucas got what he was trying to say. He wanted to follow up on Lucas about that.
“Lucas?” Mike said, coming to a stop as he stood in front of Lucas.
“What’s up, man?” Lucas asked.
“Remember that conversation we had in Steve’s guest bedroom?” Mike asked, “The one where I talked to you about dumping El?”
Lucas nodded his head, “I remember, why?” he asked.
“There was something I was trying to tell you at the time and I’m not sure you got it,” Mike said, speaking quickly and long-winded, “and I just wanted to know if you did because I just kind of talked to El about it and I wanted to tell someone.”
“The part about you not liking girls?” Lucas asked in a quiet voice, “I also wanted to ask about that because I wasn’t sure if that was what you were saying or not.”
“It was,” Mike replied a bit nervously.
“Okay cool, I didn’t realize till a few days after the conversation,” Lucas said with a chuckle.
“I mean I was trying to tell you but I was also trying to be vague,” Mike laughed a bit.
“Well I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me,” Lucas said.
“Yeah, you were kinda the first person I told,” Mike added, “Though I didn’t say it properly.”
“So you told El?” Lucas asked.
“Yes- Kind of,” Mike shrugged.
“What do you mean kind of?” Lucas questioned.
“Well we were talking- arguing- I don’t know but in a spur of the moment I outed myself,” Mike sheepishly replied.
“So it’s cool with her then?” Lucas asked. He doesn’t think El would be judgemental like that but it’s better safe than sorry.
“Yeah, she says it’s cool,” Mike said with a small smile, “She said she won’t tell anyone.”
“That’s great then,” Lucas replied. He had a proud smile on his face.
“So is there any guy you like?” Lucas teasingly said.
Mike gave him a bashful smile as he turned away.
“No way- really? Who is it?” Lucas said with an even wider smile.
“Not telling,” Mike replied, rolling his eyes.
“You don’t have to tell me now.” Lucas teasingly said, “But I do expect you to tell me at some point.”
“Maybe,” Mike said.
“What do you mean maybe?” Lucas asked, “We got to know if the guy’s good for our Mikey here.”
Mikey . It made Mike’s hand twitch and his heart nearly stop. He just laughed it off, though.
“If you knew who he was you’d be wondering if I am good enough for him,” Mike laughed.
“You’re good enough for anyone, Mike,” Lucas smiled.
He pulled Mike in for a hug.
“Proud of you, really, I am,” Lucas said while hugging Mike.
Mike hugged him back, “Thanks, you’re such a good friend. no wonder you’re one of my best friends.”
Mike gave him a sheepish smile and Lucas gave him a proud one in return.
After talking with Lucas and hugging, Mike made his way over to Will. He had asked Will if he was better and Will said he was. He for some reason also congratulated Mike?
“Congrats,” he told Mike.
Mike gave him a confused expression before it turned into one with a bit of fear.
Congrats? Congrats about what?
Oh- Oh shit. Did he hear his conversation with Lucas? They weren’t even talking that loudly…
“On-on what?” Mike stuttered out.
“Didn’t you get back together with El?” Will asked.
“No, no, no,” Mike repeated, “I did not.”
“I already said before I’m not getting back together with her,” Mike added.
“Oh- I thought since you both came back inside feeling much better and you both were also blushing,” Will explained, “That you got back together.”
“Trust me,” Mike replied, “I’m not planning on dating any girls soon.”
Will blushed in embarrassment.
“Oh-oh, That’s cool,” Will said.
“What about you?” Mike asked, “Is there anyone you like?”
“No- no, there isn’t,” Will replied as he avoided eye contact with Mike.
“I don’t think I’m going to date anyone soon,” Will added.
Mike smiled to himself as his ears reddened.
“So ugh, how is it going with your mom and Hopper on finding a house?” Mike asked. He wasn’t sure if his whole face was red but he could feel a heat spreading on his face.
“They found a house that’s like two blocks away from yours,” Will excitedly replied, “They think it might be the one.”
“If you do end up moving there then we can still see each other often,” Mike said. He reciprocated Will’s excitement.
“We can go to and from school together,” Will said.
He almost forgot that El would be there with them.
“With El too, of course,” Will smiled.
“That’s two fewer people from before,” Mike replied, “Since, Nancy and Jonathan are going to college.”
“I’m glad Mom was able to convince Jonathan to go to the college he wanted since it’s being paid for,” Will said.
“I think most of it is because he also has placed trust in Hopper,” Mike added.
He no longer has to deal with or think that it is all his responsibility to take care of and protect his family. He trusts Hopper and knows Hopper will do that for him. He also knows Mike will always be there to protect both Will and El, especially Will though. Even more, since El can protect herself. They both can.
“So…” Mike said, “Tell me about this house.”
“Well, like the one in California it has 2 floors,” Will replied, “There are 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a pantry closet, a kitchen, a living room, and a dining room.”
“So you’re all getting your own rooms?” Mike asked.
He stared so lovingly and longingly at WIll. He loved hearing him talk, he loved looking at him, and he loved everything about Will. He loved his art, his bowl cut, his voice, and anything about him.
“Yeah, there’s even one for Jonathan for when he comes home during breaks,” Will responded, “Mom and Hopper are sharing a room.”
“Yeah?” Mike says, voice sounding like honey.
“Yeah…” Will cooed. He returned Mike’s stare, staring at him as if he were the most loving thing in the world.
They continued staring at each other like that for a good minute, not realizing neither was talking or how exactly they were staring at each other.
Mike broke away from the eye contact first, he looked away from WIll as a light blush spread across his face and up to his ears.
Will also faced away from Mike. He covered his mouth as he felt a heat spread around his face.
“Well, I ugh- I’m going to the restroom,” Mike spoke.
“Okay- see you in a bit,” Will replied.
They both didn’t turn to look at each other during the course of this dialogue; they were still faced away from each other.
Mike had gone to the restroom to wash off his face, so he could cool off.
He took a few deep breaths to calm down.
As he looked at himself in the mirror after wetting his face he scrunched up his face.
He couldn’t stand it, he couldn’t stand looking at himself. Yet, he stood there for a few minutes.
Sometimes when he’s in a bathroom and there’s a mirror he can’t help but think back to that day he showered at Steve’s house.
Everything’s engraved in his brain. All the hickeys, bite marks, and bruises. He remembers scrubbing so hard all over his body as he showered, he remembers looking at himself in the mirror after showering. He remembers how he washed his mouth out with soap as he looked at himself in the mirror.
And he remembers why he did all that.
But right now the only thing that looking in the mirror reminds him of is washing his mouth out with soap. It reminds him he had Troy’s dick in his mouth. It reminds him that Troy came in his mouth and that while some of it spewed out some didn’t.
It brings a bad taste to his mouth. He could feel his stomach churning and felt like he might just puke. He crouched down and held his face over the toilet as he held his hair up.
He heard a knock at the door as he threw up.
“Mike?” the person on the other side of the door said. It was a guy’s voice.
“Yes?” Mike replied, he could feel he was about to throw up again.
“It’s me, Lucas, you okay?” he asked.
He threw up again before he could respond.
“I’m fine,” Mike said in a voice loud enough for Lucas to hear him.
“Do you mind opening the door?” Lucas asked, he sounded worried.
“In a bit,” Mike replied, as he stood up and flushed the toilet.
He washed his hands and face, as he avoided looking at himself in the mirror.
Lucas knocked again.
“Mike, come on,” Lucas said.
“I’m almost done,” Mike replied, grabbing a bar of soap.
He washed his mouth with it and then rinsed his mouth out. After, he went to open the door as if nothing had happened.
Lucas furrowed his eyebrows as he asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Mike said, smiling.
“It sure didn’t sound like it,” Lucas replied.
“Lucas, I promise, I’m fine,” Mike reassured, “Do you have a mint by chance?”
“Mike seriously, it sounded like you were throwing up,” Lucas blurted out.
“Seriously Lucas, I’m fine,” Mike kept insisting, “I told you it’s not your responsibility to worry about me, so don’t stress yourself out about me.”
“I’ll always worry about my friends,” Lucas said as he raised his voice.
“I get that, but I said I was fine,” Mike said, he also raised his voice.
“You can’t just keep saying that, Mike!” Lucas yelled.
Mike slightly flinched at the yelling.
“Let it go, Lucas!” Mike yelled back, “I’m feeling fine right now!”
The rest of the party heard the yelling and came over to where they were.
“Why are you guys yelling?!” Max asked in a loud voice.
“It’s nothing,” Mike replied as he walked past them all, bumping his shoulder against Max’s.
Max glared at him before turning her attention to Lucas.
El stopped Mike from going any further by grabbing him by the wrist to keep him from walking. That was a bad idea.
“Lucas?” Dustin asked to get an explanation out of him.
Will noticed as Mike froze. He saw Mike’s face go pale. He also noticed El had a hold of Mike by the wrist. His eyes widened at that since he knew that also sets Mike off.
Lucas wasn’t sure whether to tell the others about what just happened. He wasn’t sure why Mike had thrown up. It could have been for various reasons but relatively speaking he’s only ever seen Mike throw up that day at school that Jonathan and Nancy found out. So he wasn’t sure.
“El,” Will said.
“Yes?” El replied.
“Can you let go of Mike?” Will asked.
He noticed as Mike’s breathing quickened and that he seemed to be consumed by his own thoughts.
“Sure,” she said, a bit confused.
“ Lucas! ?” Max asked, crossing her arms as he hadn’t responded yet.
“It was nothing,” Lucas replied, “It was just a stupid argument.”
He looked over at Mike, who seemed to be panicking. Will and El were with him. El seemed a bit confused as to what was going on. Will on the other hand tried his best to not alert the others but still comfort Mike.
“Mike,” Will said in a soothing voice, “it’s me, Will.”
Max and Dustin saw as Lucas' expression changed from a frustrated one to a worried one. They followed his gaze and saw he was looking at Mike, who didn’t seem to be doing so well. They saw how pale he looked.
They walked at a quick pace over to the others, Lucas following after them.
Here you go again, Mike. Causing a problem.
Calm your breathing. You can’t panic here.
Quit thinking about it. Don’t think about it.
Stop thinking about it!
“Is he okay?” Dustin asked.
“What happened?” Max questioned.
They both sounded worried.
“Mike?” Will asked, “Can I touch you?”
Mike nodded. His breathing was getting better as he tried shoving down all his feelings.
Lucas went to get a water bottle and some salted crackers.
Will decided to rub Mike’s back to soothe him.
“‘m...fine…” Mike breathed, “I’m… fine…”
He took a few more deep breaths.
Once he calmed down grabbed the water bottle and salted crackers that Lucas was handing him.
“Thank you,” Mike said to Lucas.
“No problem,” Lucas replied.
“Thank you, as well, Will,” Mike said with a small smile.
“It was nothing,” Will said, returning the smile back.
“So, what just happened?” Max asked.
“Oh, I was just… overthinking,” Mike replied.
Lucas pulled Will to the side to ask him something.
“What happened?” Lucas asked in a low voice.
“El had a tight hold on his wrist,” Will replied.
“What happened before when you two were yelling?” Will asked.
“He threw up in the bathroom and kept saying he was fine,” Lucas replied.
“He didn’t seem to be feeling bad before,” Will said.
“Maybe something set him off before?” Lucas suggested.
Will turned to look at Mike and saw he was scratching his wrists. It stuck with him because he hadn’t seen him do that in a long time.
“I mean apart from El grabbing his wrist, I think so too,” Will replied.
“Let’s rejoin the party or they’ll think we’re suspicious,” Will said.
Lucas nodded his head as they rejoined everyone else.
Notes:
I had some deja vu when I wrote this - I have no idea why
Chapter 16: of- your concern
Chapter Text
They all stayed at Hopper's cabin pretty late. Once Jonathan and Nancy arrived they stayed for a bit so Jonathan could chat and be with his mom for some time and Hopper since he arrived home around the same time as Joyce.
“What’s up with you guys?” Hopper asked, “Looks like some of you have been crying.”
The party looked nervously between each other, unsure if they should tell him. They ultimately left it up to Dustin and Mike to answer.
“Uhm nothing,” Dustin said.
“Too late,” Hopper said.
The party looked a bit confused.
“What? You guys took a long time to answer,” Hopper explained as he saw their faces.
Mike looked over at Nancy who seemed to be having a good time in a conversation with Joyce and Jonathan.
“So are any of you guys going to tell me what’s going on?” Hopper asked.
“We just talked about our time with the upside-down stuff,” Will said.
He kind of was lying through his teeth but hey, it technically happened during that time.
“Right, everyone?” Will said, glancing at everyone.
Dustin and Lucas furiously nodded.
“Right,” Max said.
“He’s saying the truth,” El said as she nodded.
“He’s right,” Mike responded.
“Why do I get the sense you guys aren’t being completely truthful?” Hopper said, raising an eyebrow. It intimidated the kids.
They all gulped. Mike stepped to the back of the group next to Lucas and Will, leaving El, Max, and Dustin at the front.
“Wheeler,” Hopper said. He called out Mike since he moved.
Mike’s hand twitched and he almost reached to scratch his wrist but Will clasped his hand on his to stop him. It was his way of calming Mike down since he knows sometimes being called Wheeler sets him off.
“Yes?” Mike unsurely said.
“Care to comment?” Hopper asked.
Mike nervously glanced at Nancy who seemed to be also looking back. She had heard Hopper say ‘Wheeler’ and turned around at that since it’s also her last name and she is sometimes called by it. She noticed Mike’s nervous stare and went over after saying something to Jonathan.
“What’s going on?” Nancy asked as she stood next to Hopper.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Hopper responded.
“Um- It’s like Will said,” Mike responded, “We just talked about something that happened before, like when the upside-down stuff just happened.”
He said that last part to try and cue Nancy on what they’re talking about.
She understood.
You could tell she understood. She looked pained and felt as yet again her heart sank.
She remembered how that morning when Mike mentioned it, he was completely withdrawn and emotionless.
Yet, here he was nervous to mention it, not like before when he could just say it like it was nothing.
“And what exactly is that?” Hopper questioned.
Nancy paled, she didn’t want to hear it again.
“Jonathan, it’s getting kind of late,” Nancy loudly said.
“Just a few more minutes!” Jonathan said back.
Nancy bit her lip as she looked down.
Mike could tell Nancy didn’t want to hear about it again.
You’re bothering her, Mike.
“It’s not a big deal,” Mike apathetically said.
Will looked at him in concern. Mike’s tone had suddenly changed from a nervous one to an uncaring one. Even his actions seemed nervous before now they seem more reserved.
“Not a big deal?” Hopper asked in an ‘as if’ tone.
“Then why does it seem like at least two of you cried?” Hopper asked.
“We talked about something that happened 3 years ago when Will was missing,” Mike said.
“I’m going back with Jonathan,” Nancy said, not wanting to hear the rest and by the sound of it Mike might just say it.
You’re pathetic, Mike Wheeler. Making people needlessly worry.
“And that was?” Hopper asked.
Will gripped Mike’s hand a little tighter.
“Nothing that is of-” Mike was saying before Dustin cut him off.
“A bully had held me at knifepoint three years ago,” Dustin blurted out knowing Mike was just going to start an argument with Hopper.
Hopper looked a bit rattled at this.
“ Yeah and I jumped off the quarry ,” Mike said in what sounded like a sarcastic tone.
“Kid now is not the time to joke around,” Hopper said to Mike.
Mike just rolled his eyes.
“Why didn’t you say something at the time?” Hopper asked Dustin, “Why didn’t you report it?”
Will was semi-glaring at Hopper. El herself didn’t seem too happy with him.
Lucas just stared sympathetically at Dustin and Mike. Max had a hand on Dustin's shoulder for comfort.
“I didn’t remember till today and El had broken his hand at the time,” Dustin said, being mildly disappointed in him. Sure Mike had said it sarcastically but still, Mike wouldn’t joke about something like during a serious thing.
“Is this by any chance some Troy kid?” Hopper asked.
“It was Troy,” Mike replied.
“Thought so his mom came complaining to the station about how some kid broke her son’s arm and he kept saying the person was…” Hopper said trailing off knowing they would know what he meant.
Mike snorted.
“He needs his mommy to stick up for him?” Mike mockingly asked, “Surprised he was able to force fuck someone without the help of his mommy or James.”
Will squeezed Mike’s hand. Lucas looked at Mike in concern, especially after the last thing he said. The rest of the party looked at him confused.
“I mean come on?” Mike kept going, he just kept talking since he was feeling so on edge, “Even when holding a knife to Dustin, James was there.”
Mike scoffed, “He’s nothing but a pathetic loser,” he continued speaking and yelled, releasing the accumulating tension, “Whose only purpose in life is to be a fucking criminal!”
If he wasn't holding Will's hand he would've stormed off.
“Jesus kid,” Hopper said.
“Force fuck?” El questioned. She had no idea what he meant by that.
“Did he actually fucking do that!?” Max blurted out with a hint of disgust.
“I have never been more glad at one of my friends for beating up Troy,” Dustin said.
Hopper looked a bit surprised as he just thought about how this Troy kid had done such a thing but had never once been reported for anything.
“He did,” Mike replied, “That fucking dipwad got someone wasted and forced himself on them.”
“He’s fucking disgusting,” Max said, feeling repulsed.
Will tugged Mike’s hand.
No one seemed to question how quiet Lucas and Will were.
The house was quiet Joyce and Jonathan had stopped talking once they heard Mike starting to yell.
Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy stood a few feet away from Hopper.
“Do you know who this person is?” Hopper asked, “Maybe they can come back to the station and give a statement.”
“No!” Lucas, Jonathan, and Will simultaneously yelled after Hopper was done talking, not giving Mike the chance to respond.
They knew not to let Mike respond when he’s being so… emotional ?
Everyone but Mike and Nancy looked at them weirdly.
“I don’t,” Mike responded with a slight attitude.
“Jonathan. I think it’s about time we go home,” Nancy inconspicuously said, “My mom said not to be out too late and we still have to take everybody home.”
It was a lie of course, at least the part about her mom not wanting her to stay out too late was.
“You’re right, Nance,” Jonathan said.
After having said their goodbye they all left, leaving Joyce, Hopper, and El as the only ones in the cabin. Joyce had left to her bedroom leaving El and Hopper alone. El was giving Hopper a glare.
“Why are you glaring at me, kid?” Hopper asked.
“I don’t like the way you brushed Mike off,” El replied as she crossed her arms.
‘No wonder he thinks his stuff isn’t a big deal’ El thought to herself.
“He shouldn’t be saying a joke like that after something so serious,” Hopper said.
“He was serious,” El replied.
“No, he wasn't, that's why he said it sarcastically,” Hopper explained.
“No, I was there,” El explained, “Mike jumped, I saved him.”
“Well, he shouldn’t have said it like that,” Hopper expressed.
“If he wasn’t serious the party would have said something,” El replied, “He was the only one to remember until Dustin recalled today.”
“Oh god,” Hopper groaned.
“Why didn’t he report it if he knew and remembered?” Hopper questioned.
“Mike’s smart,” El replied, “Maybe it was because I was involved.”
Hopper sighed, “That’s probably it, kiddo.”
Notes:
I will not be uploading a chapter next week
Chapter 17: Soft and light
Notes:
Sorry for the late upload, I honestly forgot it was the day I upload the chapter
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Mike was tense the whole way home.
Dustin, Max, Lucas, Will, and Mike were all sitting in the back together.
Mike sat uncomfortably on the ground while the other four sat squished together. They dropped off Max first, and Mike sat with the others after.
After dropping off everyone else and arriving at the Wheeler’s house, Mike quietly hurried up the stairs and to his room.
Will quietly knocked on Mike’s door after he entered to get Mike’s attention.
Mike turned to face him. He had a look of dismay on his face as he sat on the edge of his bed.
“I fucked up, Will,” Mike muttered, “I didn’t mean to say all that.”
“It’s okay,” Will comforted, “Today’s been very stressful for you of all people.”
“Is it?” Mike incredulously asked, “What if the others questioned me on what I said?”
“Or what if they catch on that that person was me?” Mike asked with a saddened expression, “I mean you guys were also pretty suspicious about knowing who it was.”
“Hey,” Will said walking closer to Mike and putting a hand on his shoulder, “If they asked we can just make something up or say the person doesn’t want others to know about it.”
“Today’s been a shitty day,” Mike groaned.
“I’m going to shower then sleep,” Mike added.
“You’re not going to have dinner?” Will asked as he sat next to Mike.,
“No, I’m too tired,” Mike responded.
“Hey, Will?” Mike said shortly after.
“Yes?” Will asked.
“Thanks for…,” Mike said trailing off as his face reddened a bit.
He continued talking but a bit quieter, “Holding my hand back there.”
Will also blushed a bit, “No problem,” he replied.
“I just tried the best way to comfort you without everyone knowing,” Will bashfully said, as he looked Mike in the eyes.
Mike looked into his eyes as well, “Well, for the most part… it worked,” Mike replied.
He gave a loving smile to Will and Will smittenly smiled back at him.
“Cool…” Will cooed after a short while of just quietly looking at each other.
“Cool…” Mike quietly said back leaning a bit closer to Will.
Will gave a slight nod as he leaned closer. Their faces but only a few inches apart.
The longer they stared at each other the more they leaned closer til their lips met at the center.
They closed their eyes and kept their hands at their sides not knowing what to do. After a few seconds, they pulled away.
Both of their eyes grew wide.
“Oh, will you look at the time!” Mike nervously and awkwardly exclaimed, “It’s- it’s getting pretty late, I ought to shower and sleep before it gets even later!”
He looked like a tomato with how red his face was.
“And I have to go eat!” Will replied, his face equally red.
Mike quickly gathered some clothes and grabbed his towel then quickly headed out to the bathroom.
Will didn’t allow himself time to think before he headed out of the room and went downstairs to join Nancy and Jonathan for dinner.
When Mike finished showering, Will was still downstairs. He was watching a movie with Nancy and Jonathan.
Mike lay down on his bed as he recalled the kiss with Will. He could feel the heat coming from his face.
The kiss only lasted a short while but it felt like it was much longer than that to Mike.
The kiss was soft and light. It was kind of sweet.
They didn’t bring up the kiss the rest of the day since when Will got upstairs Mike was already asleep.
They still didn’t bring it up the next day and before they knew it a week had passed and neither of them had talked or even mentioned it.
The kiss had at least distracted Mike from his usual thoughts. It distracted him so much that even when anyone said or did anything that would set him off he wouldn’t react since he would be daydreaming of the short-lasting kiss.
Will also thought about the kiss. He liked it but he felt guilty about kissing Mike. Especially, when Mike keeps avoiding eye contact. The more he thinks about that sweet little peck the more he feels guilty. He doesn’t know how to talk to Mike since he seems to be sort of avoiding him.
Will fears that Mike will be uncomfortable if he corners him to talk to him so he doesn’t.
But it’s been a week and he just wants to talk to Mike about it. Mike’s been sleeping in the basement for the past week.
Mike also wants to talk about it, but he doesn’t know how to bring it up, and looking at Will reminds him of it. Also what if Will didn’t want to kiss him?
What if he was the only one that had actually leaned in and kissed him? What if he forced that kiss onto Will?
Will isn’t even gay and if he was Will wouldn’t like him.
But he has to get over his nervousness. He has to continue being calm and collected.
Deep breaths, Mike.
He took a few deep breaths before opening the door to his room. After entering he closed the door without looking back, he leaned his back against the door as he looked over to Will who was sitting down and drawing.
Will looked up at Mike, he looked a bit surprised to see Mike there, despite the fact that it was Mike’s room.
“Can we talk?” Mike asked. He was trying his best to continue making eye contact with Will, he tried not glancing over to his lips.
He was doing a good job of staying calm and not a very good one at not glancing at Will's lips.
“Sure, I think we should,” Will replied. He looked away from Mike before slowly looking back at him whilst also stealing a glance at his lips.
“So… ugh I just want to apologize for kind of avoiding you?” Mike said a bit unsure.
Mike hadn’t realized that he had been avoiding Will until Nancy asked him the night before. Nancy’s a very perceptive person, mostly blind to her little brother's antics though. But she noticed since she had taken it upon herself to pay more attention to him.
“Oh, that’s alright,” Will said, his expression glum, ”It’s my fault.”
Mike gave Will a confused look.
“What’s your fault?” Mike asked.
“I never should have kissed you,” Will replied, turning his face away from Mike.
“Oh…” Mike disappointingly said, thinking Will didn’t even want to kiss him.
“I’m sorry,” Will guilty replied, “I regret kissing you.”
Will still thought Mike didn’t want to kiss him.
“Oh…” Mike quietly said again as his voice cracked.
His voice sounded kind of croaky when he replied, making Will turn to look at him. Mike’s lips were quivering as he pursed them in a straight line, his eyebrows quivered together and he looked dispirited.
Will raised an eyebrow as he locked eyes with Mike.
Mike’s eyes grew wide and in a panic said, “Yeah, I’m sorry for kissing you too.”
Will’s eyes grew wide at the sentence. Of course, he knows Mike also leaned in but he forgot. Mike also kissed him.
After a few more seconds of being in silence, Mike spoke again. “I’m going to sleep in the basement again,” he said to Will.
Will wasn’t sure what to do and before he could tell Mike to wait he had opened the door and left. You could hear the sound of his hurried pace going down the stairs.
Will let out a frustrated groan as he flopped onto the bed.
Mike kissed him. He kissed Mike. Does Mike like guys? If Mike kissed him… he must, right? Does Mike also like Will? Scratch that even if he does Will just told him he regrets kissing him.
Will let out a frustrated sigh as he got up from the bed to turn the light off.
Will saw Mike’s upset expression after he had said he regretted it, so he knows Mike was upset while he left.
He stumbled back to the bed and once he got there he sat down on it and laid his head down, thinking. He had his feet hanging off the bed.
Will hasn't come out to anyone yet unlike Mike who is out to Lucas and El. He isn’t even sure if Mike is gay and if he wants to kiss him or not. He just wants to grab him by the shoulders to make him stay and tell him while looking him in the eyes, “I’m gay.”
But that is not the only thing he wants to tell him. He wants to tell him, “Mike, Michael, I’ve loved you for the longest time… I’m in love with you.”
But it’s so confusing right now. He doesn’t know what to do and he just told Mike he regrets kissing him.
If someone you liked told you that, you wouldn’t think they liked you back and would probably move on, wouldn’t you?
Notes:
I'm honestly surprised that I've uploaded 16 (17 now) and I've only received 3 negative comments but the comments were just about stuff that was properly tagged
When I first uploaded this work I was expecting those comments and thought of disabling the comments but I decided against it and I also hadn't received some til now
Chapter 18: Summer was over
Notes:
Thanks for those comments, they helped :]
and now I'm feeling better
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
By the time summer was over Will had moved out of the Wheeler’s house and moved back with his mom, El, and Hopper. Jonathan had gone to college and Nancy had too. They went to the colleges they both wanted to go to. They made long distance work before, they can do it again. Not to mention they can see eachother every summer or break.
Nancy was a bit anxious leaving Mike but was able to leave feeling relieved after talking to Lucas. She had made Lucas promise to her to call her if something is wrong with Mike or if something happened to him. She still looked worried even after Lucas agreed so he told her he’d protect him.
She said individual goodbyes to the rest of the party. Dustin cried a bit, at the time, she gave him a big hug in comfort. The last person she talked to, besides Jonathan, before leaving, was Mike.
“I’m gonna miss you, Mike,” she spoke standing a few feet in front of him.
“Whatever,” Mike replied, folding his arms in front of him, “I’ll miss you too.”
She warmly smiled at him and he couldn’t help but look away, he didn’t want to cry. The only comfort person he has in his house is leaving. He’ll be left all alone in this house. Not literally alone.
“Nance…” Mike quietly said, still avoiding looking at her.
“Yes?” Nancy replied.
“There’s something I want to tell you before you leave,” Mike mentioned.
“What is it?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Umm, well it’s…” he hesitantly spoke before stepping closer to her and whispering in her ear.
Nancy had a bit of a shocked expression as Mike backed his face away from hers.
“I’m sorry,” Mike said after.
She pulled him in for a tight hug, “You have nothing to be sorry about Mike,” she told him.
“But it’s wrong,” Mike said furrowing his brows.
“It’s perfectly normal and those who say it isn’t are just narrow minded bigots,” Nancy replied, getting a small chuckle out of Mike.
She held him by his shoulders as she backed him away from her and gave him a light punch in the shoulder.
“Mike, you’re my brother, I’ll always love you no matter what,” she said.
“Thanks,” Mike hoarsely said as he looked at her, “I will also- me too.”
His eyes got watery.
He couldn’t help but find it weird to tell her he’ll also always unconditionally love her. He wishes it was different and he could say it to her. He can’t seem to get the actual words out. It’s like anytime he actually wants to say something regarding emotions his mouth stops talking about it. It just shuts down.
He just can’t seem to say the actual stuff, like he’s avoiding it. It seems even thinking about it shuts him down.
As if emotions are a weakness and he can’t let them out. He just can’t show any weaknesses.
“Goodbye, Mike,” Nancy said, giving him one last hug.
“Bye Nancy,” Mike replied, hugging her back, “Stay safe and don’t stay up too late and if you go out to parties… just be safe.”
“I will Mike, I promise,” Nancy replied, taking a step back, “I will also make sure to call often to make sure you aren’t bringing boys I don’t know home.”
Mike got a bit red in the face, “I’m not going to bring strange boys in the house,” he hastily said.
“You never know,” Nancy teased before continuing to speak, “Stay safe Mike and call if you ever need anything.”
“I will,” Mike replied.
“Promise?” Nancy said, holding out a pinky.
“Promise,” Mike replied, locking his pinky around hers.
“You better,” she said, giving Mike a quick hug before ruffling his hair and leaving.
After she was out of hearing distance Mike quietly said, “I’ll try to…”
By the time summer was over Mike was out to three people: Lucas, El, and Nancy.
Jonathan had also said his goodbye’s to the party. Although he wasn’t as close to them as Nancy was, none of them were individual goodbyes but Mike’s, El’s, and Will’s.
But even for his individual goodbye for Mike it wasn’t a long one.
“You can call me if you ever need someone to talk to,” Jonathan told Mike.
“Oh- Well you can also talk to me if you need to,” Mike replied, not really knowing how to answer.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jonathan said with a smile.
“Mike, keep my siblings safe for me,” Jonathan also said.
“I will, I promise,” Mike said, giving Jonathans a reassuring smile.
“I promise I won’t make them cry either or make them upset,” Mike added.
“I know you won’t Mike,” Jonathan said, “I’m trusting you with their safety, I know they’re strong and can protect themselves but sometimes they also need someone to confide in, alright?”
“Don’t worry I’ll always be there for any of you Byers,” Mike smiled.
“Well, I’ll also be here for any of you Wheelers,” Jonathan replied, “Well for you, Nancy, and possibly Holly too.”
“I appreciate that,” Mike said.
“Bye Mike,” Jonathan said, giving Mike a hug.
Mike hugged him back.
“Bye Jonathan,” Mike breathed in.
“Oh I almost forgot,” Jonathan said, getting out of the hug and handing him a sweater.
Mike stared at the sweater before saying, “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Jonathan replied, “I just figured that it might provide some comfort.”
Jonathan gave Mike his sweater that Mike used that day Jonathan found out.
Jonathan was right, the sweater did bring him comfort and he sure it will anytime he uses it.
“I’m sure it will,” Mike replied, “Really, thank you.”
They hugged one last time before Mike walked away so Jonathan could also say his goodbyes to El and Will.
After Mike, El was next.
“I don’t understand,” El said to Jonathan with a confused stare.
“You’re leaving us?” El said as her eyebrows furrowed together.
“I’m going away to college but I’ll be back during christmas, next summer, and any long breaks I have,” Jonathan reassured her.
“Oh- okay,” El said, feeling a bit better.
“Make sure to stay safe when I’m not here,” Jonathan said, “and always stick close to someone from the party or mom or Hopper, okay?”
“Okay,” El nodded, “You better stay safe too.”
“I will,” Jonathan smiled.
“You promise to be back?” El asked.
“Of course,” Jonathan replied, “I can’t stay away from you all that long.”
“Okay, remember that you promised,” El spoke.
El stayed quiet for a second thinking if she should tell Jonathan what only Mike knows.
She decided not to in the end, since she doesn’t know the name of what exactly she is yet.
“Stay safe and keep the others safe too, if anyone bothers you guys you have permission to break their arms or legs,” Jonathan told her.
“I promise I’ll break someone’s arms or legs,” El smiled.
“Only if they bother you guys,” Jonathan told her.
“Only if they bother us,” El repeated.
Jonathan hugged her.
“Bye, Jane,” Jonathan said.
“Bye Jonathan,” El said, hugging him back.
Will was the next person Jonathan gave a farewell to.
“Hey buddy,” Jonathan greeted as Will walked up to him.
“I’m gonna miss you,” Will replied.
“Aw, I’m gonna miss you too,” Jonathan said, hugging Will, “But at least we can call often and I’ll be home for long breaks, christmas, and next summer.”
“It won’t be the same,” Will pouted, “but I’m glad you’re doing what you want to do.”
“I know, bud,” Jonathan replied, “I’m glad I decided to do this.”
“There’s something I want to tell you before you go,” Will said with a nervous smile as he took a step back away from Jonathan..
“Okay, what is it?” Jonathan asked.
“I’m gay,” Will said with a nervous laugh.
Jonathan raised his eyebrows in astonishment that his little brother was able to come out to him. He kind of thought he was gay and that he liked Mike. Like c’mon it’s obvious. Just look at the way he looks at Mike. It’s like he holds him on a pedestal.
“That took a lot of courage,” Jonathan replied with a smile, “I will always support you gay or not.”
Will smiled brightly. He didn’t think Jonathan would be homophobic but he was still nervous.
“You’re the best brother I could’ve had,” Will said.
“I got you something,” Jonathan told Will as he handed him some new high quality colors and a new sketchbook.
“You didn’t have to get me all this,” Will said, “I didn’t even get you anything”
“That’s fine, you can just give me something good for Christmas,” Jonathan replied.
“I’m really going to miss you,” Will said.
“I’m going to miss you too,” Jonathan told him.
“Stay safe, take care of mom, stick together with the rest of the party, always have someone by your side, and have fun because before you know it you’ll be a senior,” Jonathan rambled.
“I’m going into 10th grade,” Will said, rolling his eyes,”And you don’t have to worry about me, I’ll stay safe and take care of mom.”
“I know you are,” Jonathan said, ruffling the top of Will’s head.
“Bye Will,” Jonathan bid farewell.
“Bye Jonathan, have fun you’re in college,” WIll smiled.
They hugged one last time before heading back to the others.
By the time summer was over Will had come out to one person: Jonathan. El was also out to one person, Mike.
Notes:
Forgot that will technically came out to Jonathan in that freezer scene
Maybe I'll post next week's chapter on Halloween instead of sunday
Chapter 19: Don't listen to them
Notes:
I know I said I might post it on the 31st instead but I decided against it
The following chapter does have a slight mention of homophobia
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
On their first day back there were already a few rumors going around.
One of the rumors was about Troy. and how he forced himself on someone. Everyone presumed it was a chick. The girls at school gave him the stink eye and avoided him. The guys, on the other hand, half didn’t associate with him but the other half would congratulate him on it.
How did the rumor even start?
No one in the party had gone around telling anyone about it and neither had the others who knew.
Well, Hopper as a cop, asked his buddies about Troy Walsh. Digging around to see if the kid had some type of previous charge. There was nothing, he had a clean record.
He told them he heard from a few people that he had sexually assaulted someone at a party a few months ago.
The other cops when they went home, talked about it to their wives, and by the end of summer everyone knew and school had started.
El was told what Mike meant by “force fuck” so she was also quite disgusted by him. She’ll break his arms or legs if he dares to get anywhere near her or Max. The boys too if he’s bullying them again.
Troy didn’t really feel bothered by all these girls giving him the stink eye. No one was really harassing him for those rumors going around. However, a bunch of people did keep asking him who the “girl” was. He laughed anytime they asked that.
Girl, Chick, or Slut is the words they’d use to ask. By the second day of school, there were rumors of girls it could possibly be. They were ostracized. Everyone mostly thought it could be this one girl who showed up pregnant on the first day of school. She denied it and told them it was her boyfriend’s. They still didn’t stop saying it was her.
By the end of the week, she had gotten fed up with it and confronted Troy in front of everyone. Telling him to tell the others that she isn’t the chick that slept with him . Phrasing it as if it was willingly.
Mike was on edge the whole week. At any given time people could figure out it was him. With all these rumors going around of different girls it could be and them being shunned it made Mike feel guilty. At Least right now they think it’s a girl.
Troy saying "It was a guy' would have different reactions. One, people would think he’s gay unless he says the guy was gay and he was just teaching him a lesson. Two more than half the girls would side with him again since it was a guy and he was gay and it’s Hawkins a conservative and homophobic place. Three almost all guys will side with him.
And in a week there would be rumors of different guys it could be. All of them would be shunned, be called slurs, bullied, and worse.
Mike was in the cafeteria sitting with the rest of the party as Troy was asked by the pregnant teenage girl to tell everyone who it was or to tell them it wasn’t her. Her boyfriend was right by her side, glaring at him. Troy stood confidently as if no one could hurt him.
Mike stiffened in his seat. Will scooted closer to him to make their shoulders and knees touch, to bring him even a little bit of comfort. Lucas sat across from him and just extended one of his legs so his shoes touched Mike’s, his way of discreetly saying he was there for him. Everyone in the party had their faces turned looking at Troy. All expecting him to say who it was, and everyone in the cafeteria expecting him as well.
He laughed and you could hear a few snickers from some guys in the cafeteria.
“I think everyone here is misunderstanding something!” Troy yelled as he turned to face everyone.
Everyone had a confused look. Except for Mike, Lucas, and Will their faces looked nervous.
“What the fuck do you mean by that Walsh!?” Some guy yelled.
“I didn’t fuck her,” Troy loudly said, as he turned back to face the girl.
“In fact, I didn’t fuck a girl!” he yelled, making slight eye contact with Mike and smirking before looking away to the crowd in the cafeteria, “I fucked a fucking pansy! A faggot!”
“Troy’s gay?” Dustin said confusedly to the party.
Mike was frozen. Fear in his eyes and trying his best to not let any of it show. But he just felt like scratching at his skin, he felt like throwing up.
But mostly, he felt like beating the shit out of Troy Walsh.
“I’m not a fucking fairy!” Troy yelled to everyone, “I was just teaching the guy a little lesson!”
Mostly everyone in the cafeteria just laughed. The pregnant girl was laughing along with her boyfriend.
At this moment no one was looking to find out who the guy was. But any slight movement of a guy crying, throwing up, or leaving the cafeteria would alert them. It would make rumors start about the dude.
In a matter of seconds, Troy was surrounded by girls and guys with their arms around his shoulder. Some high-fiving him or giving him a fist bump or a pat on the back.
You just know everyone is going to be asking him who the guy is.
“Holy shit,” Max said, “It was a guy?”
“Did you guys know this?” Dustin asked, looking at Lucas, Mike, and Will.
Will bit his lip looking at the other two, Mike was hunched over a bit with his arms around his stomach.
“We did,” Will answered.
“So you know who it is?” El asked.
“We do,” Mike whispered so others around them wouldn’t hear and ask him or the other two who it was.
“If this happened at a party and we haven’t been to one since before spring break how does Will know?” Dustin inquired.
“He found out I don’t know how though,” Lucas replied, he knows how but it’s not like he can say it.
“Yeah. I don’t really remember how I know,” Will shrugged.
The party seemed satisfied with that answer.
“To think he did that to someone because of their sexuality though,” Max said.
“Yeah… his sexuality, ” Mike replied in a sarcastic tone, slightly raising his eyebrows.
He made his lips in a straight line.
“I feel bad for the guy,” Dustin quietly said.
None of them were talking out loud for obvious reasons.
“I’m starting to think that this year might stink,” Lucas said.
“This is going to be the worst month this year, isn’t it?” Mike said in a complaining voice.
“Imagine all the guys who will be shunned or something cause they think it’s the dude Troy fucked,” Max replied.
Mike didn’t like the way it was said. As if the dude he fucked wanted too. It’s not ‘ the dude Troy fucked ’ it the ‘ the dude Troy FORCED fuck ’ or ‘ the dude Troy RAPED. ’
Mike tightened his arms around his stomach and quietly groaned in pain.
“It feels like lunch has been going on forever,” El said.
Mike kept feeling a bubbling anger rising up in his stomach. Pure seething hatred for Troy. He kept getting a stronger sense of wanting to fight- No beat the shit out of Troy.
“So are we going to hang out after school today?” Dustin asked.
“Sure,” Max shrugged as everyone else shrugged.
“I vote we go to Will’s and El’s house,” Lucas said.
“That’s fine with me,” Will replied.
“Me too,” El smiled.
The whole party had yet to be at their house. Mike and Max have been there the others have not though. It hasn’t even been long since they moved but they already finished unpacking.
Mike rested his head on the lunch table as he hunched over holding his stomach even tighter. Like the pain just kept increasing.
It drew the attention of the rest of the party.
“You okay Mike?” Lucas asked.
“I’m fine,” Mike replied as he tried his best to sit up straight.
“You don’t look fine,” Will said with a worried expression on his face.
“I’m good,” Mike responded, “It’s nothing I’ll be able to go too.”
“Alright,” Max replied.
The bell rang shortly after. They all headed to their next class. Mike usually walks with Max to math since that’s their next class. He didn't today though, he made a quick turn for the bathroom.
He was late to class by the time he was done. He wasn’t even sure if he should go to class or to the nurses. If he goes to the nurses he might have to go home meaning he wouldn’t be going home with Will. If he doesn’t go, he's going to be stuck wearing those clothes all day.
Which stinks because he vomited not on himself but he still feels like the smell might cling to the clothes.
Maybe he should just go to class. He doesn’t have a change of clothes but he does have another sweater in his locker. It’s the sweater Jonathan gave him. He was unsure of when he might need it so he almost always had it with him.
He walked to his locker through the almost empty hallways only inhabited by those ditching their classes at the moment.
He got the sweater, taking off the one he was wearing at that moment and putting on the one in the locker. He zipped it up.
As he made his way over to class he could hear the others gossiping over ‘ Who the possible queer Troy fucked is ’ It made his stomach churn. Some making pretty terrible comments.
He didn’t feel like paying attention to their conversation but if he started speeding up to go to class it would draw attention to him.
Don’t listen to them. Don’t listen to them.
Don’t listen to them.
A repeated chant in his head got a teensy bit louder each time until he was out of hearing distance.
When Mike got to class and took his seat next to Max the teacher didn’t say anything. School had only been in session for a week and the teacher didn’t feel like giving him detention or a warning so they just let it go.
“What took you so long?” Max whispered to Mike.
“I had to go to the restroom,” Mike replied.
Max stared at him trying to figure out what was different about him.
“Did you change sweaters?” Max asked when she realized the difference.
“Yeah,” Mike whispered.
They tend to talk sometimes during class since they have nothing better to do besides paying attention to class
Notes:
Hope you're all doing well
I have an assignment I did and finished but wasn't able to turn in since it was a minute after the due date and it was worth a lot of my grade so now I have a D - sucks I won't know what my grade would've been for it or the feedback
Chapter 20: Favors, Bandaids, and Cigarattes
Notes:
Potential titles:
Ciggarates and Favors
Some favors
bandaids and cigarettes
He gets it
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It had been less than a week since a few guys started being targeted. Hawkins was a small place and word got out to everyone real quick. Not to mention that their high school didn’t have many students in the first place.
All boys who even showed a hint of sensitivity or “queer” behavior were quickly targeted. Will almost became a victim of this before people realized he was even there before spring break so it couldn’t be him.
Dads were harsher to their sons telling them to man up. Ted was no different.
Mike fears what would happen if people found out he’s the guy.
You can trust that many people were fighting over this. Guys quit acting buddy-buddy with each other. They all tried getting into relationships with almost any girl.
Troy seemed to be enjoying the chaos he caused. He also got himself a girlfriend. Someone 2 grades above him and was known as the slut of Hawkins High. James also had a girlfriend.
Unlike the rest of the people in that group, the girl was sweet and smart with average looks. Who knows why she would associate with them. Although apparently he’s been dating that girl since the summer before freshman year.
There were groups of friends everywhere and all were gossiping. There were still a few groups of guys who remained friends, those were the popular guys or guys known for being douches. No one would target either of those groups for being gay.
The groups of guys generally had disturbing talks about what they’d do to “ the faggot Troy slept with. ” There were only a few groups of guys and girls who also had equally disturbing talks.
Mike hated walking near those groups. He always tried his best not to react. It always made his stomach queasy. If he hated walking alone before he would especially hate it now. He always made sure to walk with someone in the party. At times it’s a difficult thing to do during the passing period. Since they all have different classes and he only shares classes with a few of them.
He has math with Max, science with Dustin, and lastly El in his History class. Unfortunately, he shares a class with Troy this year but luckily it’s the class he has with El. Mike’s least favorite class this year is P.E.
It’s the class where those guys who have been targeted were when they began to be targeted.
Mike doesn’t know what Troy is capable of. No, he does. He’s capable of possibly killing people. He could easily say it’s Mike and everyone’s attention would be on him. There’s not much he could do if a bunch of people start using him as a punching bag or throwing slurs at him. Especially if they do it in groups then he would need help from his friends.
There were a few, very few, sweet girls out there who were popular or unpopular and who broke up with their boyfriends after the whole fiasco happened. They just don’t think they can be with someone like that. They help those guys who are targeted. So those girls would probably do the same to Mike.
Mike’s been wearing Jonathan’s sweater since it comforts him. He calls it his comfort sweater. Anyway, he’s been wearing it for a while now. It’s only Wednesday, not even the end of the week yet.
Every time he comes home he feels like having a breakdown, unfortunately, he can’t. He wishes Nancy was here. They talk almost every other day and he has yet to tell her what’s going on at school.
He would go to WIll usually since he feels more comfortable with him but Mike’s trying to emotionally distance himself from Will. Since Will said he regretted kissing Mike. Neither of them had brought it up. Right now though Mike feels like he really needs a hug. He randomly hugs Holly when he sees her since she also brings him a bit of comfort even if she doesn’t know anything.
Mike’s been feeling more tired nowadays. Most of the time he falls asleep when doing his homework and even when he sleeps earlier than usual he still feels tired.
No one had really targeted anyone in the party yet. They knew Lucas was dating Max and they didn’t target anyone else because they’re Lucas’s friends.
Eventually, a month passed and everyone had yet to figure out who it was.
Troy however has been tauntingly smiling at Mike, as if he was going to tell someone.
Troy ambushed Mike one day though on his way to his P.E. class. He made sure no one paid attention because as amusing and riveting it would be if people found out it was Mike, Troy didn’t want them to know… yet.
“What do you want Troy?” Mike hissed.
“This last month has been pretty fun, don’t you think so?” Troy mocked.
Mike rolled his eyes.
“You see, a few people have offered to pay me some money to tell them who the guy is,” Troy smirked.
“While others have just asked if they could ‘ give it a go ’ with the guy,” Troy added, “In exchange for some money.”
“Okay and?” Mike asked, trying to remain calm and level-headed.
He was scared shitless.
“I’m thinking of telling them,” Troy replied.
Mike stayed quiet for a few just thinking.
“Why exactly are you telling me?” Mike asked, “There has to be a reason.”
“Well I could not tell them in exchange for something,” Troy spoke.
“… in exchange for what?” Mike slowly asked, not liking whatever the fuck was happening. He just had a bad feeling about it.
“Some favors, ” Troy slyly spoke. Just by the tone of his voice, you could tell he meant sexual favors .
“Aren’t you dating someone?” Mike asked, raising a brow.
“I don’t want ‘ favors ’ by someone so loose,” Troy shrugged.
“So what’s your answer?” Troy asked.
Mike stayed quiet.
“I’ll give you a week to answer,” Troy continued, “If you don’t answer by next Tuesday I will be telling people. If it’s a yes just leave a note in my locker.”
Mike glared down at him.
“I’ll assume you’ll make the right choice,” Troy said leaning close to Mike as Mike backed up into a wall.
Mike let his calm expression fall for a second and Troy caught a glimpse of his fearful expression. It caused a Cheshire cat smile to appear on his face. He held Mike’s wrists to the wall and sucked at his neck.
“Bye-bye, Mikey,” mocked Troy as he left the bathroom.
“Fuck…” Mike sighed as he squatted down.
He stayed like that for a few minutes before getting up. He wasn’t sure if he should go to his P.E. class or just skip it. He decided to skip his P.E. class since he didn’t like the class either way. He wasn’t sure what to do til class began.
He decided to leave the school and then come back a few minutes before lunch began.
He walked to the nearest store. As he stepped into the store a bell rang. It just so happened to be where Joyce was working. Mike knew Joyce was working there but he also knew that she wasn’t scheduled to work that day.
He zipped up his comfort sweater, which he was wearing. He fixed the sweater at an angle where the hickey wasn’t visible.
“Mike?” Joyce asked in a confused tone of voice as she stepped closer to him.
“Hi Joyce,” Mike waved.
“What are you doing here?” She asked, knowing that he should be in school.
“Oh ugh I was late to one of my classes and since I don’t like the class I didn’t go,” Mike anxiously replied as Joyce nodded in understanding.
“Are you here to buy something?” She asked.
“Oh just some bandaids,” Mike replied.
He hadn’t gone there to just buy bandaids, he wanted to buy some cigarettes.
He’s never smoked before but lately, he’s been feeling the urge to smoke away his problems. He said he wouldn’t drink again after that day at the party, that was also the first time he drank. If it wasn’t for the fact he said he wouldn’t he probably would have been drinking his problems away. He would have turned to alcohol sooner than he did for cigarettes especially considering how he could easily sneak some of Karen’s wine or Ted's beer.
“Are you hurt anywhere?” Joyce worriedly asked.
Mike shook his head as he lied through his teeth, “No, we ran out of some at home and I keep forgetting to buy some.”
But it wasn’t entirely a lie, he wasn’t hurt and they don’t have bandaids at home.
“I’ll buy them for you,” Joyce said walking towards the register. There were already some bandaid packages near the register.
“You don’t have to,” Mike replied.
“It doesn't cost a lot, it’s fine,” Joyce smiled.
“Alright,” Mike replied.
Joyce rang up the purchase and paid for it. She handed the package to Mike after.
“Is that Jonathan’s sweater?” Joyce asked.
“Oh- yeah,” Mike replied, “He gave it to me the day he left for college.”
“Thought so,” Joyce laughed a bit, “I thought I saw you wearing it once at our house about a month ago.”
“I think I did wear it that time,” Mike said.
“Well I gotta go,” Mike said after to Joyce.
“Bye Mike,” Joyce said.
“Bye Joyce,” Mike replied as he headed out the door.
He walked over to another store nearby. He opened that package of bandaids before that and applied it onto the spot Troy had left a mark on.
He walked into the store and asked for a pack of cigarettes. The cashier sold it to him. He also bought a lighter.
He made his way to the school after that. There were still 20 minutes until class resumed so he waited outside.
He opened the package of cigarettes, took one out, and lit it up. It was difficult since he wasn’t sure how to smoke but he got the hang after a few tries.
He felt a comfort that he couldn’t explain. One he was sure could turn into an addiction. He could understand why his mom, who doesn’t smoke but drinks does, and why those he knows that smoke, like Joyce and Hopper do. He gets it.
Notes:
Procrastinating
Chapter 21: Miserable smile
Notes:
Honestly, Dustin is smart he probably has a hunch it's Mike and is probably just waiting for Mike to be able to tell him
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As soon as the bell for lunch rang, kids were out the doors. Mike made his way toward the cafeteria. He took his time walking there. When he got to his usual lunch table mostly everyone was there. Max and El were the only ones not there yet.
Mike had a bit of a stench from the cigarettes.
“You’re usually here before me,” Dustin said as Mike took a seat next to Will.
Mike just slightly nodded his head in acknowledgment.
“Where’s El and Max?” Mike asked.
“They said they were going to the restroom,” Lucas replied.
“You stink of cigarettes,” Will said.
“I walked by a crowd of kids who were smoking,” Mike lied.
“You okay?” Will asked.
Mike widened his eyes a bit before turning to look down at the table.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Mike replied.
His actions betrayed him a bit since he started scratching his neck making Will frown.
One thing Will has noticed in the past month is Mike zips up the sweater for more reassurance, for more comfort.
He also knows Mike hasn’t scratched at his neck in a while. Will turned to look at Lucas. Who was still staring at Mike, he had an appalled look in his eyes. Will was confused as to why he looked at Mike like that.
“Why can’t he just leave us the fuck alone?” Lucas quietly said in an angry tone. He noticed the bandaid on Mike and immediately assumed it had to do with Troy. It was more than the bandaid that gave it away, it was his actions.
Mike met Lucas’s eyes. Mike had a miserable smile on his face.
Dustin was a bit confused as to what was going on.
“It’s m-” Mike abruptly stopped speaking as he saw Lucas shake his head at him.
“What are you guys on about?” Dustin asked.
“Troy,” Will said in pure hatred.
El and Max had come back at this point.
They sat next to each other.
Lucas signaled Mike to go out and talk. Mike nodded as he stood up.
“We’ll be right back,” Lucas told the rest of the party.
Will also stood up, “I’m coming with,” he said.
They all walked out and tried finding a relatively empty place to speak. They eventually found a place inside the school that didn’t have any other students around.
Lucas seemed to not know what exactly he wanted to say and Will didn’t want to pry too much.
Mike sighed before he began speaking.
“He wants to make a deal with me,” Mike said.
Lucas and Will gave him confused looks.
“The band-aid…” Lucas trailed off, “Is it?”
“Band-aid?” Will asked in shock.
He pulled Mike to face him and examined his neck until he saw the band-aid. He traced a finger over it.
“Is it?” Will asked to confirm if it was or not.
“It is,” Mike replied.
“Troy’s such a miserable asshole,” Lucas snarled.
“The deal…” Will mumbled.
“What was the deal?” Will asked.
“He plans on telling people it was me,” Mike spoke, “unless I do him some favors. ”
“That’s crazy,” Will said.
“What did you tell him?” Lucas asked.
“Nothing, he’s giving me till next Tuesday to answer,” Mike replied.
“Let’s tell Hopper,” Will suggested, “He’s a cop, he can do something.”
“No way, I’m not telling anyone else about this and neither are you guys,” Mike defensively said.
“So what?” Lucas snarkily replied, “Are you planning on sleeping with him?”
“No! I don’t want to,” Mike said in frustration, “I don’t have many options. Either him or a bunch of other guys he pimps me out to.”
“They can’t do anything if we’re with you,” Lucas said.
“What about in between classes?” Mike reminded him.
“C’mon Mike or let’s at least get him to confess what he did to report it,” Will pleaded.
“It won’t work, Will!” Mike lashed out.
“Look no one will accept it and considering that Troy said the other person was a queer; others will side with him,” Mike said, “They also are less likely to take it seriously if no one comes forward as the victim.”
“Hopper will be on our side!” Will refuted.
“I’ll play victim,” Lucas said, “C’mon what else can we do? Make him a mute? He can write.”
“To hell with Troy,” Mike said, “Doesn’t matter what we do to harm him, break his arms, make him mute, he’ll find a way to communicate and tell others.”
“What if we scared him shitless?” Will suggested, “Or blackmail him?”
“Blackmail probably won’t work,” Lucas said.
“But.. If we do make him afraid of us… I bet he’ll stop,” Mike uttered.
They all exchanged looks before nodding.
“Let’s talk about this later,” Will said, “Let’s go back before the others question us.”
“Alright,” Lucas said.
“Thanks,” Mike said, showing yet again another miserable smile.
They walked back over to their table and were immediately greeted by the others.
“What took you guys so long?” Max asked.
“We had stuff to discuss,” Lucas replied.
“About what?” El asked.
“It’s not important,” Will said, nodding.
“You guys would not have left so seriously like that if it wasn’t important, so why are you saying it isn’t?” Dustin questioned.
“Let’s just say we plan on taking care of a small problem we have,” Mike smiled.
“That sounded kind of threatening,” El said.
“No kidding,” Max replied.
“So will you tell us after you take care of the problem?” Max asked.
Will and Lucas turned to look at Mike.
Mike furrowed his brows, “Yeah, maybe.”
“At least let us help,” Dustin said.
“If we end up needing it, we will,” Lucas replied.
They just switched the conversation after that and complained about their classes.
After school Max went home with El, Dustin went to visit Steve and Robin at family video, and the other three, Mike, Will, and Lucas, went over to the Byers’ house.
Max and El also went to the Byers’ home but they took a different route from the guys.
Once the girls got home they went to El’s room while the boys went to Will’s room.
“Those three act so sketchy sometimes,” Max said to El.
“They did seem off during lunch,” El replied.
“I just wish we knew what was going on,” Max grumbled.
“It’s frustrating when your friends don’t tell you stuff,” El said, agreeing.
“You know what?” Max said, sounding fed up.
“What?” El replied.
“I’m going over to Will’s room and making them tell me,” Max told her.
“I don’t think we should pry into their privacy,” El said.
“Sometimes friends have to do that to help each other,” Max told her.
“I guess so… but,” El said as she furrowed her eyebrows together, “I don't think we should.”
“El, I’ll take the responsibility for this,” Max smiled.
“That isn’t it,” El replied, “It just feels like we shouldn’t do that.”
“It’ll be okay,” Max said, extending a hand to help her get up.
“Okay,” El hesitantly said.
They both walked out of her room and into Will’s. Max didn’t bother knocking and El didn’t pay attention to that since she and Max were still holding hands.
The boys stared at the door when they heard it abruptly open. Mike clapped a hand to his neck making him get a confused stare from Max and making El come back to her senses and sliding her hand out of Max’s.
The air around the boys seemed kind of tense and Mike looked a bit nervous and his hand didn’t budge from his neck.
“Jesus, don’t you knock?” Mike asked.
“We just want to know why you all act sketchy at times,” Max shrugged.
El inched closer to Mike and stood over him since he was sitting on the ground.
“You okay?” El asked him, noticing he looked overwhelmed and a bit freaked out.
“I’m fine,” Mike replied, standing up and heading out of the room, bumping shoulders with Max.
“What’s his deal?” Max asked.
“So what do you guys have to say?” Max said, looking at Lucas and Will. She was waiting for a response to what she had said before.
“Wait for Mike,” Lucas said.
Mike came back rather quickly and his hand was no longer on his neck. It did make Max a bit curious since she noticed a band-aid right there.
“So?” Max said.
“Why do you want to know so badly?” Mike asked.
“Wouldn’t you want to know if you were one of us?” Max said, raising an eyebrow.
Mike didn’t want to even imagine another one of his friends in his position.
“I would,” Mike said, grimacing.
“So are you going to tell us?” Max asked.
Mike took a seat on the edge of Will’s bed before he replied.
“We want to scare Troy so bad he won’t think of telling anyone who he ra-,” Mike said with a slight hesitation, “-force fucked is.”
“So what are you planning?” Max asked.
“He’s planning on saying who it is?” El asked.
“Yes, but the other person doesn’t want him to and they don’t want to do the other thing Troy said to them,” Mike explained.
“We still don’t have a plan but we have less than a week to do it,” Lucas said with a slight shrug.
“I could use my powers,” El suggested.
“That could work,” Will said.
Mike was a bit hesitant since her powers were most of the reason this happened.
“What can we even do that’ll stop him from telling people?” Mike asked.
“… putting him in a coma,” Will quietly said.
“I’m down to do that,” Mike remarked.
“Do you think you’re able to do that?” Max asked El.
“I’ve never tried it,” El replied.
“We can make him brain-dead,” Lucas hesitantly said.
“He would be basically dead,” Mike said.
“No one would know it’s us unless they know about El’s powers,” Max said as she nodded her head.
“That’s it!” Mike yelled as an idea popped into his head.
“Killing him?” El asked.
“No but Max was onto something when she mentioned those who know about your powers,” Mike clarified.
“Well, what is it?” Will asked.
“Owen,” Mike said, “He’s like some government guy, right? We can use them and scare Troy with it since he would think he’s getting in trouble with the government.”
“That can possibly work,” Lucas said.
“... Can we at least cripple Troy?” Will said.
“I vote we castrate him,” Max joked.
“... I think we should actually castrate him or cripple him in some way,” Lucas said.
“His hands,” Mike said, “We- we should cripple his hands.”
Mike started trembling a bit but not a noticeable amount. He could also feel his insides shaking.
“We’re definitely making his hand useless…” Will soothingly said as he smiled at Mike.
“Would Owen really help us if the other person isn’t part of the upside-down stuff?” El asked.
“He owes us, he should,” Lucas responded.
“I’ll make sure he agrees,” Will threateningly said.
Notes:
When I wrote this I really thought Troy would stop at nothing to let others know who it is but when I reread it I realized that maybe that was not the case but I still think he would.
Have you ever heard that thing where they say the victim gives their abuser too much power? I think I accidentally made Mike give too much power to Troy and I didn't realize till I reread it when I finished writing this fanfic and was proofreading it
But because I gave Troy too much power I had no viable solution (that didn't contain killing him off) to stop him so that's how I landed on scaring him and using Owens
Chapter 22: A sense of comfort
Notes:
I usually write something but I have nothing to say
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It took Owens two days to get back to Lucas, El, Max, Will, and Mike. It was making them nervous, especially Mike.
Owens personally came to see them as well.
It was Friday by the time they actually asked Owens for the favor giving them only the weekend and 2 days.
Owens rejected the idea even if he owed them he couldn’t because he didn’t want to mess with people not related to it. But, if one of them had been the victim, he would.
“I’ll take the fall,” Lucas said to Mike and Will.
They were at Will’s house while Owens was downstairs waiting. Joyce and Hopper were still at work and they had an hour until they both got home. El was downstairs with Owens and Max.
“Max isn’t going to believe that,” Mike said.
“She won’t but she’ll think I’m doing this for that person,” Lucas spoke.
“They’ll be suspicious as to why we’re going so far for this person,” Will replied.
“What if we talk to him aside?” Mike replied.
“No, then they’ll be suspicious as to why,” Lucas replied.
Mike nervously bit his lip.
“I’ll do it alone, I’ll talk to him apart,” Mike said.
“Are you sure?” Will asked.
“No but it’s this or a coma death,” Mike replied, “Just distract the girls while I talk to him.”
“Okay,” Lucas said, “We will.”
All three of them headed downstairs to the living room. While Lucas and Will distracted Max and El, Mike went to Owen's side. He sat next to him.
“I don’t have much time to say this before Max and El come back here,” Mike said. He didn’t make eye contact with Owens.
“Okay, what is it?” Owens replied.
“It’s not for some stranger it’s…” Mike trailed off, “for me. I-it happened a week before my trip to California and you know the rest.”
Owens grimaced.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Owens told him.
“We only have until Tuesday to do this,” Mike told him.
“If you don’t do this, you leave us no choice but to send him into a coma,” Mike said with a hint of a threat.
“Before Tuesday, got it,” Owens grumbled.
They both stood up from the couch and stood up. The others entered the room at that point and saw the two shake hands.
“Goodbye everyone,” Owens said as he walked out the door.
Mike made eye contact with Will and Lucas and nodded his head at them. They both smiled.
“Why did he leave?” Max asked.
“He’s got stuff to do,” Mike replied.
“But what about the favor?” El asked.
“He said he’ll do it,” Mike told her.
“How did you convince him?” Max asked.
“I left him no choice but that,” Mike said. Per se, it wasn’t a lie.
They heard the door open and saw Hopper entering.
“You’re home early, Dad,” El said with a small smile.
“I got off early today,” Hopper said, “Why was Owens here?”
“We needed a favor,” Will replied.
“Why didn’t you ask me or Joyce?” Hopper said, “Maybe we could’ve helped with the favor.”
“We thought this was the better choice,” Mike said.
“What did you need help with?” Hopper asked.
They all looked at each other wondering if they should say it. Although now that they did that, Hopper would make them spill it.
“To scare Troy into not telling anybody who he slept with ,” Mike said. It felt bitter in his mouth.
‘Slept with.’ So icky.
“You could have just come down to the station, we don't have to make it known to the public who it was,” Hopper said, “I’m the chief police I would’ve made sure.”
“He doesn’t want more people to find out,” Will replied.
“Okay then just me,” Hopper replied, “The other cops wouldn’t have to know.”
“He doesn’t want even one more person to find out,” Mike said, “Especially the chief police.”
“So a government guy can know?” Hopper said, raising an eyebrow.
“Wait, does he even know you’re doing this?” Hopper asked.
“Ye- No, he does not,” Lucas replied.
If he says yes hopper will ask how he knows about their connection to the government and if he says no he’ll just wonder why they’re telling others when he does not want others to know.
“Max, El,” Hopper said, “You guys know who the guy is?”
“No,” El said, shaking her head.
“Why do you guys care so much about this guy?” Hopper asked, “I mean you guys don’t seem to be friends with the guy since you don’t talk to anyone else.”
“Wait, that’s true,” Max said, “I’ve never actually seen all three of you guys talk to the same guy or be friends with anyone outside the party.”
“We don’t have to be close to the guy to care,” Lucas retaliated.
“You don’t, but to care this much? and get Owens involved?” Max refuted, “You would have to.”
“Why are you guys being so pushy on knowing who the guy is?!” Mike loudly said in frustration.
“You don’t have to raise your voice over it,” Max said as she rolled her eyes.
“Mike, you guys are helping this guy so we want to know who,” El calmly said.
“Maybe another day, but not today,” Mike replied, “or any time soon.”
“But we could help this kid out,” said Hopper.
“I’m sure he appreciates your concern,” Lucas said.
“He does,” Mike added.
“I don’t mean to force his name out of you guys,” Max told them.
“We get it,” Will replied, “I didn’t mean to either.”
“You forced them to tell you?” El asked.
“Sort of- I pieced it together and asked about it,” Will responded.
“I don’t recommend you do that, you’ll end up regretting that you didn’t wait to be told,” Will added.
Will didn’t regret finding out and being there for Mike. He regrets not having let Mike tell him on his own when he was ready.
The party stayed at Will’s house for a bit more time before they all left.
Mike was the last one to leave.
Today was one of those days that Mike talked to Nancy on the phone. He had yet to tell Nancy about the last few days. Lucas hasn’t told her yet either, he’s waiting a bit more until Mike tells her.
Although Lucas might end up telling Nancy any day soon since Mike hasn’t told her.
Mike doesn’t think he’d ever actually tell all his friends that he was the rumored guy.
It also wouldn’t be until a few years later when they find out and that’s because he told them on his own accord.
---
It seemed like Owens actually did that favor they asked of him since Troy had avoided Mike on Monday and Tuesday. He also avoided the rest of the party.
It didn’t seem like Troy was going to tell anyone but the party, or at least those who knew, kept an eye on him.
It wasn’t until a month later that they finally stopped being so vigilant around him.
Troy had also switched out of the class he shared with Mike. He made sure he didn’t share any classes with Mike, although he did share some classes with the others in the party. He seemed to be okay with that though.
They don’t exactly know what Owens did but whatever he did worked.
Nancy was yet to be told so Lucas decided to take matters into his own hands and tell her. She’ll probably scold him a bit for telling her a month later after it all happened.
After Lucas called Nancy and told her she immediately called Mike. That day was not one of the days they were supposed to talk so Mike wasn’t home.
Mike was out by the quarry. He was sitting down with his legs dangling from the cliff. He was out there smoking. As much as he doesn’t like heights he feels a sense of comfort in fear.
The smoking drowns out the fear. It also drowns out the little voice telling him not to jump. He’s not going to jump, he isn’t planning on it. But he hates how he can’t stand heights and that all he can hear is Dustin’s voice yelling at him.
But, as previously stated he feels a sense of comfort in it. It’s a familiar feeling he’s gotten used to for years now.
Nancy got worried since Mike wasn’t answering her calls. By the third time she called Karen had picked up.
“Hello, Karen Wheeler speaking,” She greeted.
“Hi Mom, can you pass me, Mike?” Nancy said in a hurry.
“Sure thing, Nancy,” Karen said with a smile.
“Mike! Nancy’s calling!” Karen yelled.
She didn’t hear Mike respond.
“Mike!?” She yelled again and still heard no response.
Karen felt a tug at her shirt and looked down. It was Holly trying to call her attention.
“Mikey isn’t home,” Holly told her.
“Nancy, honey, Mike isn’t home at the moment,” Karen said on the phone.
“Do you know where he’s at?” Nancy asked.
“Holly, Do you know where Mikey is?” Karen asked Holly.
Holly shook her head.
“Sorry honey, I don’t know where he’s at so late at night,” Karen spoke into the phone.
“He’s probably at the Byers,” she added, “Is it urgent? I can always tell him to call you back when he gets home.”
“No, I just really wanted to speak with him,” Nancy said. She furrowed her brows.
“How’s college?” Karen asked.
“It’s fine,” Nancy replied, “More work than high school though.”
“Are you having fun?”
“Yes,” Nancy answered, “I have to go and you don’t have to ask Mike to call me, we’re supposed to call tomorrow either way.”
“Alright, Bye honey,” Karen replied.
Nancy hung up and called the Byers because even if she is going to call Mike tomorrow she can’t rest without talking to him.
She stared down at the phone as she dialed the number. She wishes she was home at the moment, to be there for Mike.
Somehow she has this feeling that Mike isn’t at the Byers’ residence.
Notes:
I won't be uploading a chapter next week but I will the week after
Chapter 23: Stinks of Cigarettes
Notes:
potential titles:
Cigarettes and a sleepover
Cigarettes and a kiss
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Byers answered the phone on the first ring. It was Will who picked the phone up first.
“Byers residence, Will speaking,” Will spoke.
“Hi Will, it’s me, Nancy,” She greeted, “Is Mike there?”
“Hey Nancy and no he isn’t here right now,” Will replied.
“Do you know where he could be right now?” Nancy asked.
“No, but I could try the supercomm?” Will suggested.
“Yes, please, and thank you,” Nancy smiled.
Will came back after a few minutes.
“Well he isn’t with anyone else in the party and he isn’t picking up,” Will said, furrowing his eyebrows.
“Well thanks again for trying,” Nancy said.
“He isn’t home?” Will asked.
“No, I called before and Mom said he wasn’t home,” Nancy replied.
“How long for now?” Will asked.
“I don’t know, my mom didn’t even know he wasn’t home until Holly told her,” Nancy answered.
“I’ll ask the rest of the party or ask El to find him,” Will replied, “Since he seems to have left without a word to anyone.”
“Alright, Thank you,” Nancy said, “Call me back when you find him or he’s home, 'kay?”
“I will,” Will responded.
He hung up and went to ask the rest of the party if they knew where Mike was. None of them seemed to know so they suggested going out and searching for him. El didn’t use her powers since she didn’t want to invade Mike’s privacy and it doesn’t seem he might be in a dire situation.
They all went out riding around on their bikes with their supercomms. After about thirty minutes of searching, they hadn’t found him. They went back to Will’s house so they could call Mike’s home and ask if he was there.
He wasn’t.
Right about the time they rode back to Will’s, Mike had left the quarry. He put out his cigarette and just let it fall all the way down to the bottom where the water was. Mike had his bike but he wasn’t riding it. He was walking with it by his side. He was in no rush to get home.
Once the party was told Mike wasn’t home yet they decided to let El use her powers.
Mike was about halfway home since he was riding his bike when she figured it out
The whole party decided to bike to where he’s at. They managed to catch up to him.
Once Mike saw them from a distance he slowed down and stopped his bike. A panic arose in his eyes.
He stinks of cigarettes and he has nothing to cover it with.
“Where’ve you been Mike?” Dustin asked as they came to a stop in front of him.
“I was just out here riding my bike,” Mike said.
“Really? Cause we were out here searching for you for like 30 minutes,” Max said as she raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I was,” Mike replied, “Did something happen?”
“Nancy was looking for you,” Will answered.
“And then we realized no one knew where you were,” Lucas added.
“Huh? Why?” Mike asked with a confused expression, “We don’t call today?”
“We don’t know,” El replied, “But she said she wants you to call her back.”
“Actually,” Lucas intervened, he got off his bike and stepped closer to Mike.
“What?” Mike asked him.
“I told her about last month,” Lucas said, “You hadn’t told her and I promised her.”
“Oh,” Mike said.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going?” Will asked.
“I didn’t see a need to,” Mike shrugged.
“What happened last month?” Dustin asked all of them. He had a confused expression. It was as if everybody in the party knew about last month, but him.
Which they kind of did.
“We might have gotten Troy in trouble with the government so he wouldn’t reveal the name of the guy he-,” Mike said taking a deep breath, “raped.”
The first time Mike actually said the word out loud. Will looked at him since that was the first time he’d heard Mike say the word.
He could see how Mike seemed to spiral for a bit, he saw him wrap his arms around his stomach, as if it hurt.
“What?” Dustin said, his eyes going wide.
“Why wasn’t I told of this?” He asked.
“It was just going to be me, Mike, and Will at first,” Lucas replied.
“But then we forced them to let us help,” Max added.
“You guys should have told me about it after it happened then,” Dustin told them.
“I’m sorry, Dustin,” El apologized, “We forgot.”
“Yeah, man, we’re sorry,” Lucas apologized.
Will and Max nodded to agree with him. Will lightly shook Mike to get him out of his thoughts. He also nodded his head.
“It’s fine,” Dustin replied, “But if this ever happens again you better tell me.”
“We promise,” Will smiled.
“Now I think we should all go home,” Dustin said.
“I don’t wanna bike all the way home,” Max groaned, “It’s so far.”
“You can stay with me,” El said.
“Thank you El,” Max said as she ruffled El’s hair.
“No problem,” El said, a light blush appearing on her face. Not noticeable because of how dark it is though.
Mike just grinned at El during this interaction. El and Mike haven’t talked about who they liked since Mike accidentally outed himself to her. Although, knowing he had no chance with Will. he might bring it up and he also might tell Lucas who he likes.
“Do you guys wanna have a sleepover too?” Asked Lucas.
“Sure,” Dustin replied, “I just have to call my mom first.”
“Whose house?” Will asked.
“Yours since El and Max are going to be there too,” Lucas answered.
“I’ll go too,” Mike said.
–
A week later while in their history class, Mike and El were passing notes.
<< Can we talk after school? >> Mike wrote.
<< Sure, what about? >> El wrote back.
<< Well, 1. I know the word for what you are now and 2. I wanted to talk to you about Will, sort of >>
<< Really? Tell me the word when we talk after school!! and did something happen with Will? >>
<< I’ll tell you later - we can’t talk about this at school >>
<< where should we meet? >>
<< Considering you live with Will, he'll be there so at my house? >>
<< Alright! >>
On days they don’t hang out Mike, El, and Will go home together since they live in the same street. Lucas usually stays for basketball practice or to hang out with Max, and Dustin gets picked up by Steve and either taken home or hangs out with him for a while.
When they reached El and Will’s house, El and Mike said bye to Will. It left Will feeling confused since El lives there. El explained to him that she had something she had to do with Mike and he didn’t ask any questions.
Once Mike and El got to Mike’s house they went down to the basement.
“So first, what is it called?” El asked as she took a seat next to Mike on the couch.
“It’s polyamory,” Mike replied, “So you’re polyamorous.”
“It has a nice sound to it,” El grinned.
“So what was the other thing you wanted to talk about?” El asked.
“I think it’s time I get over Will,” Mike continued speaking as he held his head, “He doesn’t like me like that .”
“Did you confess to him?” she asked.
“No but uhh- a few months ago, during summer, we kissed,” Mike replied.
“I’m confused,” El said, “Why would you guys kiss if he didn’t like you?”
“I don’t know but some time after the kiss he said he regretted it,” Mike said, muffling his voice at the end.
“We haven’t talked about it since,” Mike added.
“Oh.” El frowned, “But he seems to like you how you like him.”
“I think it just looks like that,” Mike answered, his voice breaking a bit.
“I think it’s better I get over him,” Mike sighed.
“What if he just thought you didn’t like it so he told you he regretted it?” El replied.
She looked over at Mike and saw his eyes glistening with tears.
“I don’t think that’s the case,” Mike muttered.
“So what will you do?” El asked.
“Maybe I will…” Mike trailed off as he thought about it.
“I don’t know…” He said, “Maybe try to find someone else like me in Hawkins.”
“Won’t that be difficult?” El asked.
“At Least it’ll distract me,” Mike replied.
He wiped his eyes so no tears would roll down.
“... I’m thinking of telling Will that I’m polyamorous,” El said.
“Really?” Mike asked.
“Yes and now that I know the word I think I can do it,” El replied.
“I’m sure it will go well,” Mike smiled.
“Mike?” El said.
“Yes?” Mike replied.
“Good luck in getting over him.” El quietly said.
“Yeah…” Mike muttered.
“I’m sure you’ll find someone,” El reassured.
“And I’m sure you can get both Lucas and Max,” Mike responded.
Notes:
Well, this is chapter 23 meaning there are 8 chapters left.
So you might think 8 weeks til the final chapter but no the remaining chapters will be posted this month.
The last chapter of this work will be posted on January 1st
Chapter 24: "Lucas, do you copy?"
Notes:
I don't know the technicalities of some stuff.
For those who thought it was going to get worse... it'll get betterpotential titles:
Cigarettes and a rock
A backpack and a rock
Composure and a rock
An extra sweater
The smell of smoke
Eddie, cigarettes, and a rock
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Will was surprised when El came out to him. He couldn’t believe it. He wondered if there was someone she liked and that’s how she realized. He hadn’t come out to her though.
Another thing that surprised him was when El told him that Mike knew and that Mike was the first to know.
At Least Will knows now that El is more than likely over Mike.
It was Winter break now and Jonathan and Nancy were back from college for the break.
El decided that she should also come out to Jonathan now that she knows the word.
It all went well when she came out to him. She told him of all the people who knew. Which was just Mike, Will, and himself.
She came out to him the day after he arrived to allow him to get some rest first.
A few days before Christmas, Nancy woke up in the early morning. It was unusual for her to wake up so early. When she woke up she heard some noises coming from outside.
She saw Mike outside and how he was dragging his bike out as if he was going somewhere. It was peculiar to her because every time she woke up Mike was just barely awake.
Mike had been waking up in the early morning and sneaking out to the quarry for a quick smoke. He would then sneak back home before Nancy was awake. When he got home he would get rid of the smell of smoke.
Nancy stayed awake after that. She was in the living room watching whatever was on TV until Mike came home. She could hear when he arrived home but she could also tell he wasn’t going to come in through any of the doors.
She went upstairs to his room and just as she got there Mike was about to enter through his room’s window.
“Where were you?” she asked.
Mike panicked a bit and hoped Nancy wouldn’t get near him since he still smelled a bit like smoke.
“… At the library,” he replied.
“Why did you come in through your window?” Nancy questioned.
“To become more stealthy?” Mike replied in the form of a question.
“Why do I not believe anything you’re saying?” Nancy asked.
I was just riding my bike around,” Mike said, “Getting some fresh air to clear my head.”
“How often have you done this?” she asked.
“Every once in a while for 2 months now,” Mike answered.
“Nobody else knows?” Nancy raised an eyebrow.
Mike shook his head in response.
“Why do you still stand so far away?” Nancy questioned.
“My- my clothes are nearby and I ugh plan on changing clothes?” Mike said with uncertainty.
“Alright…” Nancy replied, “I guess I’ll step out.”
Nobody knows about Mike’s smoking. Since he started to smoke he smokes at least once daily although there are days where he smokes twice. The smoking is either in the early morning or late at night.
The spot where he smokes is usually the same. It’s always the quarry. With the exception that on late nights he smokes when everyone else is asleep. On those nights he smokes outside his room’s window on the roof.
Since Nancy is home and she easily wakes up at night, Mike had only been smoking in the early mornings to not be caught.
Sometimes he’d go to school smelling like smoke or be near his parents smelling of it and yet his parents didn’t question it. The party did and Mike would always make some excuses as to why he smelled of smoke.
There’s no way his parents don’t know.
He hates it. He hates the smell of smoke. He hates coming home smelling of it. He hates it.
He especially hates when he’s having dinner with his family while smelling of it and Holly is right there near him.
Or when he gets home smelling of it and Holly runs to hug him.
What he hates the most is exposing Holly to it.
Maybe he’ll lay off the cigarettes, he thinks.
After all, he’s only been smoking for about 3 months, he can’t be that addicted?
If Eddie was here… could he have helped Mike? Would he have gotten an addiction in the first place?
Sure he was a dealer but he wouldn’t have sold some to Mike, right?
‘I wouldn’t have turned to that instead of smoking would I?’ Mike thinks.
“You can’t seriously believe you don’t have an addiction already?” Eddie would ask.
Am I? Am I addicted?
No, no. I’m sure I’m not.
I can quit smoking.
Mike can just picture Eddie sitting right there. It’s just a figment of his imagination but it seems to be helping him.
“Mike, admit you’re addicted,” Eddie says.
Shit.
I am, aren’t I?
What the hell do I do now?
“Get rid of the cigarettes,” Eddie tells him, “it’s not too late.”
Okay, how?
“Burn them, throw them away, give them to someone,” Eddie suggests.
But I need them. I need them. What else am I supposed to do?
“You don’t need them, Wheeler,” Eddie tells him, “What you need is something else.”
Well, what do I do if I don’t have them?
“You’re a writer, you can write instead,” Eddie replies.
Will that even work?
“You won’t know if you don’t try, so get rid of the cigs,” Eddie says.
Mike hears a knock at his door and snaps out of it.
“Mike?” He hears on the other side of the door.
“I’ll be out soon!” Mike yells.
“I’m going over to the Byers’ soon,” Nancy asked, “Do you want to go with me?”
“I have something to do before so I’ll go after that,” Mike replied.
“Alright, see you there then,” She said.
Mike hurried up and changed clothes as well as put on a sweater. He grabbed his unfinished cigarette pack and another unopened pack he had in case he finished the other one. He grabbed an empty backpack and put it inside, along with his supercomm and an extra sweater, since it was cold out due to it being winter.
He ran downstairs and out the door, grabbing his bike and riding off.
He was in a hurry since he wanted to do it before he changed his mind.
He rode off towards where the quarry was, and when he got there he dropped his bike and backpack taking only the cigarettes. After he went towards where all the trees were deeper inside to leave the cigarettes there.
He heard a rustling nearby causing him to drop one of the packets on the ground as he put the other in a hole in the tree.
He looked off in the direction he heard the rustling and saw someone step out and towards him.
“What are you doing here?” Mike asked, trying not to sound spooked.
“I had to take this opportunity when I saw you were going somewhere isolated,” Troy chuckled.
“Weren’t you supposed to be staying away?” Mike asked.
“Be serious Mike, you don’t think I believed those were actual government people, do you?” Troy sneered.
“I mean, I’ll give it to you, I did think so at first,” Troy continued speaking as he took another step towards Mike, “But I started thinking about it and why would they involve themselves like that, can it be because of your freak girlfriend?”
“You keep Jane out of this,” Mike said, at school people know El as Jane.
“Frogface, although the rumors have died down, people still ask me about you,” Troy smiled.
“Even now, if I say who the guy is, everyone will go back to talking about it,” Troy added.
“What the hell do you want, Troy?” Mike asked.
“I want you to do it,” Troy replied in all seriousness, “I want you to jump off the quarry like you did all those years ago and this time don’t come back up.”
“You’re sick, Troy, no way in hell am I doing that,” Mike answered.
“Are you sure?” Troy said, stepping closer and closer to Mike.
Mike took a few steps back before falling because of a tree root.
Troy laughed as Mike got up. Once he did, he shoved Troy on the ground as he ran back towards the quarry, where his bike was, with Troy following behind him.
Troy caught up to him quickly and tackled him on the ground.
“Fuck off Troy!” Mike yelled at him.
“No fucking way, Wheeler!” Troy screamed in his face as he shoved a hand down Mike’s pants and used the other to try and grab Mike’s hands to pin them back.
Mike jolted his hips forward and folded his legs at the knees. He brought his pinned hands closer to his head and put his hips back down. Troy laughed, moving his hand, in Mike’s pants, as Mike squirmed slightly.
“I haven’t even touched you that much and you’re already feeling it?” Troy mocked, and he continued moving his hand.
Mike glared at him as he raised his back forward, hitting Troy’s head with his own.
Troy let go of Mike’s wrists and rubbed his forehead, he took his other hand out of Mike’s pants and grabbed the collar of Mike’s shirt.
“You’ll regret that, Wheeler!” Troy yelled.
With Troy letting down his guard to rub where Mike had hit him, it made Troy not put that much strength on his legs that were holding Mike down.
Mike managed to flip their positions and he was atop of Troy now. He brought both of his hands towards Troy’s neck and was strangling him
Troy tried removing Mike's hands but he wasn’t able to, despite Mike being weaker. It just made Mike glare at him more and the more he thought about all Troy had done, the more strength he put into his hands.
Troy grabbed the nearest thing he could grab, a rock. He tried his hardest to hit Mike on the head with it, putting all the strength he could muster into it.
“Ow!” Mike yelped as he let go of Troy and brought his hands towards where he was hit.
He brought his hand back to his line of view and saw blood.
Troy was coughing as he tried to get his breath back. He harshly pushed Mike off of him.
Troy stayed on the ground as he took deep breaths in and tried to regain his composure.
Mike’s hand was shaking as he saw the blood. He had also hurt his elbow when Troy pushed him off so it was also bleeding. He was sure there were scrapes on his back from when Troy tackled him and his skin moved along the dirt.
CALM DOWN, MIKE.
Mike took a few deep breaths as he stood up. He looked over at Troy who was looking up at him. Mike rubbed the blood from his hand on his shirt and rubbed his head again. He walked towards his backpack pulled out the extra sweater he brought and took off the one he was currently wearing which ripped at the elbow parts where Mike had his injuries. He put the extra one on and put the other in the backpack.
He grabbed a sturdy rock and threw it at Troy.
“Ow!” Troy yelled.
Mike put his backpack on and picked up his bike. He looked back at Troy who didn’t seem like he was going to follow him, so he mounted his bike and rode off.
Once he got to the entrance of the quarry he took out his supercomm.
“Lucas, do you copy?” Mike asked.
Notes:
You hear a lot about hypersexuality and I knew about that but what I didn't know was hyposexuality - I knew there was a counterpart to hypersexuality but I didn't look into it
Well, I looked into it and at first I didn't think anything since I was just doing research and it didn't fit me but then I saw a chart listing the behaviors of hyposexuality in youth
And I was looking at it and I realized that it was befitting
Chapter 25: Breathe Mike
Chapter Text
“Lucas, do you copy?” Mike asked.
“I copy, over,” Lucas replied.
“Are you home at the moment? Over,” Mike asked.
“Yeah, why? Over,” Lucas questioned.
“Ah shit,” Mike muttered as he wiped some blood away from getting closer to his eye.
“Mike?” Lucas said, after not hearing from Mike for a few seconds.
“Is anyone else home or with you? Over,” Mike asked.
“Yeah, my parents are home and so is Erica,” Lucas replied.
“Why? Over,” Lucas added.
“What are you guys talking about? Over,” Dustin asked.
“I’m not sure, I’m waiting for Mike to reply,” Lucas answered, “Over.”
“Didn’t you tell Nancy you were going to come over a bit after her, Mike?” Will questioned, “Over.”
Mike felt a headache and wasn’t able to properly regulate his thoughts with all of them talking.
“I will, I will, just a bit longer,” Mike replied wincing at the beginning, “Lucas, are you able to go out and meet me at the moment? Over.”
“Yeah I am, over,” Lucas replied.
“Are you okay, Mike?” Will asked, “Over.”
“Yeah, man, sounded like you winced in pain a bit ago, over,” Dustin added.
“I’m fine,” Mike replied, “I was going to ask to meet you Lucas but never mind, I got it sorted out now. Over.”
“Okay… what did you need? Over,” Lucas asked.
“I’ll tell you next time we meet, I’m in a bit of a hurry right now,” Mike responded, “Over.”
“Alright, over,” Lucas said.
“Are you coming already, Mike?” Will asked, “Over.”
“Not yet, over and out,” Mike replied as he put the supercomm back in his backpack.
Mike decided to ride off towards the nearest store to buy some bandaids, and alcohol to clean the wound.
Once he got there he was short on money so he only bought bandaids and water. He stepped outside the store and took out the sweater he had put in there. He wet it and cleaned along where he was previously bleeding in his elbows and putting bandaids on them. For the wound on his head, he wasn’t sure what to do. so he put some water in his hands and cleaned where the wound was while drying it with a dry part of the sweater. He put a bandaid near the edge of the wound.
He stood up after, putting the rest of the bandages in his backpack and the sweater too.
He picked his bike back up and biked to the Byers’ house.
He knocked on the door when he got there being let in by Will
“I’ve been outside for so long,” Mike says as steps in, “It’s so nice to be somewhere warm now.”
“Where’ve you been?” Will asked.
“… just outside,” Mike replied.
“Sure took a long time to get here, Mike,” Nancy said, as she walked into the living room with Jonathan.
“Yeah, turns out what I had to do took a bit longer than it should’ve,” Mike replied.
“You look like a mess,” Jonathan commented.
Mike still had his hoodie on so you couldn’t see where he had the bandaid or how messed up his hair was.
“Can I use your restroom?” Mike asked.
“Go ahead,” Will replied.
Mike made his way over to the bathroom with the backpack still on.
Once he got there he took the backpack off and the sweater he was wearing. He poured water on his face and took the bandaid off.
He used a hairbrush in the bathroom to fix how messed up his hair was. He looked around the bathroom for some alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. He found some along with some cotton balls. He put some of the alcohol on the cotton balls and cleaned his head wound.
He wet his face again and dried it off with a towel.
He stared at himself in the mirror as he recalled what happened. He took a few deep breaths and two steps back before slumping on the wall and sinking to the ground. As he slumped in the wall he winced in a bit of pain, forgetting he had scraped his back. He decided to just leave it as is, he wouldn’t be able to tend to it correctly either way.
He stared down at his hands as he thought back to how he strangled Troy. His hands started shaking.
Don’t think about it, Mike.
The thoughts of being chased through the woods to being tackled on the ground by the quarry infiltrated his mind.
Remembering how Troy shoved his hands down his pants made his breaths more shallow.
Troy's hand wrapped around his dick as he moved it up and down until Mike headbutted him.
Breathe Mike.
“Fuck…” Mike quietly muttered, “I shouldn’t have come here.”
He took a few more breaths as he stood back up, put his sweater back, picked up his backpack, and then got out of the restroom. He headed back towards the living room and Will asked if he wanted to go up to his room.
Once they were in Will’s room Mike dropped his backpack down.
“Where did you go out with your backpack,” Will asked.
“I had an errand I had to run so I took an extra sweater in case I got cold,” Mike replied.
“What happened on your forehead? Looks like you got hit there,” Will asked, noticing a bump on the part Mike had used to headbutt Troy.
“Funny story, I head-butted someone on the way here,” Mike responded.
“You okay? You seem to be shaking,” Will said.
“Yeah, no, I’m fine,” Mike said, “Just still cold.”
Will stayed quiet for a bit before talking again.
“Mike?” Will said in an unsure tone.
He often thought back to how he told Mike he regretted the kiss and never told him he didn’t mean it and how he just thought he didn’t like it.
“Yeah?” Mike softly said.
“I don’t know if you feel the same way I do but I told you something a few months ago that I didn’t mean,” Will said.
He regretted telling Mike he regretted the kiss when Mike also kissed him. They kissed each other and it was not just one of them moving to kiss the other.
“What are you talking about?” Mike asked.
“The kiss- I-” Will took a deep breath before continuing on, “I don’t regret it, I just said that because I thought you hated it.”
Just maybe there’s a chance Mike likes him how he likes Mike.
Mike’s eyes widened as he heard, then they softened.
“I didn’t hate it,” Mike said, a light blush spreading across his face.
Will smiled.
“I thought you did,” Will softly replied, a light blush spreading across his face too, “I liked it.”
“Me too,” Mike cooed.
“Mike, I-” Will said as he heard a knocking at his door.
“You can enter,” Well said, slightly frustrated.
“Dustin? Lucas?” Mike said, “What are you guys doing here?”
“Well we heard how you were coming here so we thought why not join them,” Dustin replied.
“That and Max is out with El today,” Lucas added.
“What do you guys want to do?” Will asked.
“Let’s watch a movie,” Dustin replied, “I got one from Steve and Robin.”
“A movie it is,” Will replied, “Let’s go downstairs then.”
“Actually, can I talk to Mike for a second?” Lucas said, “You guys can head downstairs, we'll join you in a bit.”
Will nodded as he and Dustin headed downstairs.
“So why did you call me on the supercomm before?” Lucas asked.
“I was going to ask you to bring me some bandages or bandaids and some alcohol,” Mike replied.
“What for?” Lucas asked with a worried expression.
“You see this bump in my forehead? I headbutted someone and was hit with a rock in the head,” Mike continued speaking as he pointed to the places with the injuries, “I also got injured in one of my elbows while the other just got scraped.”
“Damn, Mike, just who were you fighting with?” Lucas asked.
“Troy fucking Walsh,” Mike grumbled.
“Huh? Wasn’t he avoiding us?” Lucas asked, confused.
“He was but he said he didn’t believe they were actual government guys,” Mike replied.
“Just how did this fight start?” Lucas asked.
“Well I was out, minding my own business, when he came and then ended up tackling me and I headbutted him and changed the positions,” Mike said taking a small pause as he looked down, “and I strangled him.”
“Can’t say he didn’t have it coming,” Lucas said.
“Well while I was strangling him, he tried to move my arms but he couldn’t so he bashed me on the head with a rock and pushed me off,” Mike continued, “I threw a rock at him as I left the- as I left.”
“Is your head alright?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah, it’s no longer bleeding,” Mike answered.
“You’re not going to go get it checked out?” Lucas asked.
“There’s no need to,” Mike replied.
“No way, we’re going after the movie,” Lucas told him, “You better not fall asleep.”
“Fine I get it,” Mike mumbled.
“Hey, Lucas?” Mike said.
“Yeah?” Lucas responded as Mike leaned in and whispered in his ear.
“It’s Will,” Mike whispered, “He’s the one I like.”
“You’re serious?” Lucas asked with an idiotic smile.
“Told you I’d tell you,” Mike replied.
“Mike, I don’t even have to question whether you’re good enough for him or if he is for you,” Lucas replied as he remembered Mike had said he’d question whether Mike was good enough for the guy.
“Sure you don’t,” Mike said in a sarcastic tone.
“I’m serious, I’ve never seen two people more of a better fit than you two,” Lucas replied, “So do you plan on telling him?”
“I don’t know but El knows I like him but I told her I planned on giving up,” Mike responded.
“Don’t,” Lucas told Mike, “I’m sure it will work out.”
“I won’t,” Mike replied, “Now let’s head down.”
Notes:
Next week I'm uploading more often.
I passed all my classes, which is great. I don't like the grades, but at least I passed.
Chapter 26: "Merry Christmas"
Notes:
Fact: I wrote this chapter during the summer
I purposely made it so I would have to upload this chapter today - that's why I skipped uploading a chapter twice since I began posting them
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Mike’s wounds were not yet fully healed by the time Christmas Eve came around. Less than a week has passed since he ran into Troy, and neither has seen each other since.
Mike and Lucas had contacted Owen about the incident.
They’re not sure if Troy’s mom’s getting fired from her job had something to do with Owens but it was one hell of a coincidence.
Although, she did have money to last them till the end of January so she should be fine as long as she can find a job.
Mike and Nancy had been staying over at the Byers’ house since yesterday since their parents and Holly went over to a relative's house for Christmas. Mike and Nancy didn’t want to go so they stayed at the Byers until their parents got back or for Nancy til she had to go back to college.
They’re old enough to stay home alone for the time but they prefer staying with the Byers.
Lucas had gotten permission from his parents to be at the Byers house till 9 at night then he had to go home to spend Christmas with his family. It was the same thing with Dustin.
Max, on the other hand, had permission to stay over. Her mom wasn’t going to be home, saying she would get paid more if she worked on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
The party was inside sitting on the couches in the living room. Mike sat on one couch in between El and Will. On another couch slightly bigger than the one Mike was on sat Jonathan and Nancy cozied up together in a blanket and Max and Lucas. There was a lone couch that was meant for one person, Dustin was in that one.
Steve, Robin, and Vickie were also there. Robin and Vickie were cuddled up on the ground talking while Steve sat on the armrest of the couch Dustin was in.
El leaned towards Mike to tell him something.
“Mike,” she said before repeating his name but the second time she said it for a longer time, “Miiiiike.”
“Yeah?” Mike replied.
“I told Max I was polyamorous and that I like her,” She bashfully whispered.
“What did she say?” Mike quietly asked.
“I told her a week ago and she asked if it was okay to tell Lucas,” El replied.
“A week ago?” Mike said in surprise, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“It slipped my mind,” El giggled, “I’m nervous since she’s staying over today.”
“Do you think she’ll respond today?” Mike asked.
“I hope so,” El smiled.
“I think it’ll go well,” Mike added, “It’ll probably take some time for Lucas to catch up to you and Max but it’ll go well.”
“I’m nervous,” El sighed.
“So how’s it going for you?” El quietly asked, “Were you able to get over him?”
“I actually decided to not give up,” Mike whispered.
“So do you plan on telling him?” She whispered.
“Maybe… I don’t know,” Mike replied.
“Well I still think he likes you,” She reassured Mike.
By the time it was 10 at night Lucas, Dustin, and Vickie had left home. Steve and Robin went to drop them off and then came back.
El still hadn’t had the chance to talk to Max. Frankly, she hadn’t even tried. El made sure to always keep herself busy by doing unnecessary work around the house or making sure everyone had a drink. If they didn’t it gave her an excuse to make them some hot cocoa. It was all an excuse to prolong her conversation with Max.
El knew even if she avoided Max now she was going to have to talk to her later as they were going to sleep since they’d both be sleeping in El’s room.
Max had tried talking to El but she had seemed busy so she started playing card games with Robin, Steve, Jonathan, and Nancy.
Mike had fallen asleep on the couch around the time Steve and Robin went to drop off the others at their homes.
Will sat beside him, not caring if he was sitting in a bit of an uncomfortable position. He didn’t want to move in fear of waking up Mike who was resting his head on his shoulder.
He just sat on the couch hearing Hopper and Joyce talk, before El came and sat on the arm of the couch next to Will.
“I can’t believe the year is almost over,” El said to Will.
“Me neither, it was such a hectic year,” Will breathed.
“At least we no longer have to deal with the upside down,” El replied.
“If it wasn’t for Vecna, we wouldn’t have moved back to Hawkins,” Will said.
He grabbed Mike’s hand and started playing with it to distract himself.
If it wasn’t for Vecna, he wouldn’t have moved back to Hawkins, he wouldn’t have known about what happened to Mike.
El quietly chuckled as she saw Will slowly getting distracted by Mike’s hand.
Will must’ve heard her since he snapped out of it and looked back at her.
“I wonder what life would’ve been like if none of this stuff ever happened,” El spoke, “I don’t think we would’ve met each other.”
“Do you think you would’ve changed anything?” Will asked.
He was still grabbing Mike’s hand.
“I don’t know,” El replied, she looked away and stared at everyone else who was in the kitchen, “I like how things are now and everyone here, I just want to know what life would be like if I grew up normal if I grew up with my mama and instead of the lab.”
She looked back at Will and asked, “Would you have changed anything?”
He looked at El for a bit before glancing at Mike, who was furrowing his eyebrows in his sleep, and then returning his gaze to El, “I think I would have,” he responded.
“What would you have changed?” she asked him.
“Moving to California,” Will answered.
“Not the time you went to the upside down?” El asked.
“I- No,” Will said, “If I did, mom wouldn’t have been with Hopper and Jonathan probably wouldn’t have gone to the college he wanted to go to, plus I got a sister from all this.”
He chuckled at the end.
El rested her head atop of his.
“Have you been avoiding Max?” Will asked.
“You could tell?” El said, a light blush appearing on her face.
Will felt a clench around his hand and remembered he was still grabbing Mike’s hand. He looked back at Mike, still sleeping and brows still furrowing together. He grabbed his hand a bit more firmer.
“Max probably did too,” Will replied, glancing at El.
She was looking at Max, who was still playing with the others.
“I’m kind of nervous and scared to face her,” El said, not breaking her stare on Max.
She looked at Will who looked a bit confused, “I confessed to her,” El mumbled.
Will looked surprised and said, “I should’ve guessed it was her you liked.”
El nervously laughed, “Yeah. her and… Lucas.”
She said Lucas’s name a bit quieter.
Will looked more surprised.
“I guess they’re like a package deal,” Will said.
“Yep,” El smiled.
“You know,” El said pausing a bit and looking at Mike and Will’s hands, “I’m fine with you dating Mike.”
Will followed her gaze to their hand, which he was still holding.
“We’re not…,” Will said, trailing off.
“But you like him,” El said.
“Guess I’m a bit obvious,” Will said as he slightly blushed.
“I’m obvious too,” El replied, “Mike figured out who I liked, as soon as I told him I was polyamorous.”
“You don’t think he knows I like him right?” Will nervously asked.
“Umm,” El said thinking.
‘Mike has to know by now right? I mean if they kissed, he probably does?’ El thought.
“I don’t think he knew before,” El said, “He probably has a hunch that you do now?”
“You’re right,” Will said, his face getting slightly redder.
Joyce, Hopper, Max, and the rest walked into the living room saying it was almost midnight.
“Hey, Will?” Nancy asked, “Can you wake Mike up?”
Will nodded his head.
“Mike,” Will said, lightly shaking him.
“hmm?” Mike hummed.
“Wake up,” Will whispered, “It’s almost midnight.”
Mike lifted his head from Will’s shoulder and sat up straight.
Will loosened his hand from Mike’s making Mike aware that they were holding hands. His face grew slightly red as he fixed his hair with his hands.
Mike walked over to the Christmas tree to look for the gift he got for Will. He wanted it to be either the first or last one Will opens.
He walked back to Will and put the present on the couch.
“Who’s that for?” Will asked.
“Oh ugh,” Mike hesitated, “for you.”
“Did Lucas and Dustin take their presents?” Mike quickly asked.
“They did,” Will replied.
Mike had gotten everyone in their party a present, even Max. He also brought one for Joyce, Hopper, Steve, and of course, Nancy.
He wasn’t sure whether to bring one for Robin, but he did so anyway.
All those who came had come with gifts for everyone.
Erica, who didn’t go, was also brought gifts. Mike also got one for her.
Everyone felt jittery as time got closer to midnight. By the time the clock struck 12, they hugged and exchanged greetings, “Merry Christmas,” they said to one another.
After that, they got something warm to drink and found a comfortable place to sit, be it the couch or the ground. Jonathan had gone to his room to retrieve his camera, to take pictures. Once he came back they decided to open the presents.
El sat on the ground, she was the closest to the tree and Max sat across El. The two grabbed the presents, reading off the names and handing them over to whom they belonged.
Will went over to the tree to specifically retrieve the present he had for Mike.
Once they finished passing out the presents, they all started opening them. They each took a turn in opening a present and then moving on to the next person. They did that for two rounds before everyone just started opening their presents at the same time.
Robin was surprised to have gotten many presents, she didn’t expect a gift from everyone. At most, she expected two presents.
Nancy, Mike, Max, Steve, and Robin were all surprised to have gotten a present from Hopper as well. They didn’t expect Hopper to give them a present, Mike was the most surprised to have received it from him.
Lucas and Dustin must have been surprised to have gotten one from Hopper as well.
Mike hadn’t given Will his present, he didn’t want it to be opened in front of everyone like they were doing when they started opening the presents, so he waited to be the last. Will also waited to give Mike his present, he wanted to be the last person to give Mike a gift.
By the time Mike finished opening his presents, he waited for Will to finish opening his own. He watched Will’s face light up each time he opened a present. Most of his presents were art supplies.
When he finished he looked up and saw Mike smiling at him. Mike quickly sat up straight when Will looked at him. He put a firm grip on the present he got for Will and handed it over saying, “I wanted you to open mine either first or last.”
He softly chuckled and said to him, “Merry Christmas, Will.”
Will grabbed the gift and put it on his lap as he grabbed the present he had for Mike.
“Same thing here,” Will said, handing Mike his present, “Merry Christmas, Mike.”
Notes:
Happy Holidays!!
I'll be uploading a chapter tomorrow ^^
Chapter 27: A painting, a letter, and a secret
Notes:
Hope those who celebrate Christmas had great celebrations & Merry Christmas!!
and to those who don't hope you guys had a good day!
potential titles:
"It's a secret"
A letter and a call
stark difference
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Merry Christmas, Mike,” Will said, as Mike grabbed the present from his hands.
They both seem equally excited to open one another’s present.
Mike opened his first to reveal a book on writing tips and a painting, made by Will. It was a painting of young Mike, dressed as a paladin, and young Will, dressed as a cleric, by a swing set. The swingset, where Mike and Will became friends.
“Will this…” Mike said, blanking.
“This is amazing,” Mike breathed, he stared at the painting with utter awe.
“Thank you, I…” Will said pausing, “I’ve been working on it for a while now.”
Mike looked over at Will, “It’s by far my favorite present,” he said.
“Open yours,” Mike said, excitedly.
It may not be as good as Will’s present but he thought long on what to give him.
As Will opened the present he saw a letter, a makeshift storybook, and a mixtape, labeled ‘Will’s favorite songs.’
The letter was one of Mike’s many unsent letters to Will. The makeshift storybook was a short story made by Mike about their life from the point they met to before Will was taken to the upside down. It had empty spaces for Will to illustrate. The mixtape was full of songs Will liked.
“I know it’s not as good as your present,” Mike gushed, “But I put a lot of thought into it.”
“I like it,” Will smiled.
“I like how you left blank spaces in this book for me to illustrate,” Will continued speaking, “I also like how you remember my favorite songs and put them somewhere I can listen to all of them from.”
“I’m just a tad bit confused about the letter,” Will said.
“It’s one of the unsent letters I had written,” Mike said.
“One of?” Will said, confused.
“I have many letters in your name,” Mike replied, “I just never sent them.”
“You… wrote me letters?” Will asked.
“Sorry,” Mike apologized, “For not sending you any letters.”
“And you still have them?” Will asked.
“I-” Mike cut himself off, “I didn’t think I should throw them out.”
Will smiled, “Your present is by far my favorite, as well.”
Mike smiled back as he watched Will open the letter.
When he finished reading it he kept looking over the sign-off, ‘Love, Mike’ it read. He often heard El being upset over Mike signing off ‘from, Mike’ . So he was captivated by such a simple thing.
He looked over at Mike, “Did you choose this one on purpose?” Will asked.
Mike nodded.
“Seemed like you would,” Will chuckled, “So why this one?”
“It’s the day I met Eddie and heard of Hellfire Club,” Mike answered, “I wanted to tell you about both, specifically Hellfire since I knew you’d love it.”
“It was also the best day I had in my high school experience,” Mike added.
“So why didn’t you send them?” Will asked.
“There was a stark difference between the letters I wrote to you and the ones I had written for El,” Mike replied, “I fe- thought you guys would notice it.”
“What did you guys get?” Nancy asked as she stepped closer to them.
“Will gave me a book on writing tips and a painting by him,” Mike replied.
“Mike gave me a storybook, a mixtape, and a letter,” Will said.
“A letter?” Nancy asked, confused. She looked over at Mike for an answer.
“I never sent Will the letters I wrote to him,” Mike replied.
“Is that what you were writing every day?” Nancy asked.
“You’re exaggerating,” Mike replied, rolling his eyes at her, “It wasn’t every day . ”
“So does that mean you guys barely communicated during that time?” Nancy asked, “Since, you guys barely talked because the line was always busy.”
Will and Mike just nodded.
“Mike would always be complaining about the line being busy,” Nancy added, “If he wasn’t off writing he would try calling for the 100th time.”
Mike’s face got slightly red out of embarrassment and Will listened attentively to what Nancy was saying.
“If it wasn’t for joining Hellfire, Mike would be stuck to the phone like glue,” Nancy said.
Mike nervously laughed, “I think I'll head up to Will’s room to sleep now.”
“Good night,” Nancy said as Mike gathered up all the gifts he received to take them upstairs with him.
“Me too,” Will said, gathering his own stuff.
“Night, Nance,” Mike said as he headed upstairs.
“Good night, Nancy,” Will smiled, following Mike.
“Night, Will,” Nancy replied as she headed back to where Jonathan was.
Once Mike got to Will’s room he put down his stuff next to his backpack and sat down on the floor, where he had been set up to sleep.
Will put his stuff on his desk, where he usually drew, then walked over to the light, “Do you need the light or should I turn it off?” he asked Mike.
“You can turn it off,” Mike replied.
“So you called pretty often?” Will asked as he made his way to his bed and laid down sideways.
“Yeah,” Mike replied, “I prefer hearing your voice than sending you letters.”
That made both of them blush.
I prefer Hearing your voice.
“But the line was always busy because of your mom’s job,” Mike quickly added.
“I should’ve called too,” Will said.
“At least we’re still close despite all that,” Mike stated.
“Mhmm,” Will hummed.
“Mike?” Will called.
“Yes?” Mike answered.
“You don’t want to lay in the bed instead?” Will asked, “It’s more comfortable.”
“If you don’t mind, then sure,” Mike replied.
“I don’t,” Will assured as he moved to the other side of the bed so Mike could lie there.
Mike lay down on the empty spot Will left and faced him.
“So,” Mike said, prolonging the ‘o’ in so.
“New Year’s Day is coming up, huh?” Mike added.
“This year sure went by fast,” Will replied, “Any goals for the new year?”
“No…” Mike replied then he thought about it for a bit more before adding, “Actually, maybe.”
“What is it?” Will asked.
“It’s a secret,” Mike replied, “Do you have any?”
“Yes.”
“How many?” Mike asked.
“Hmm about 3,” Will replied.
“What are they?” Mike asked.
“They’re a secret,” Will teased.
“Still not telling mine,” Mike replied.
“Well then, neither am I,” Will said.
“Hey, Mike?” Will called.
“Hmm?” Mike hummed.
“I just wanted to say…” Will said, trailing off. Stalling since he was a bit nervous.
‘Be brave, Will’ he thought to himself, ‘You can do it.’
He took a deep breath before continuing to talk, “I’m gay.”
“I like boys,” he added.
Mike stayed there silent, a bit speechless, not knowing what to say.
“That’s cool,” Mike replied.
“That’s fine with you?” Will asked.
“Of course, it’s…” Mike said, quickly adding, “It’s more than fine.”
Michael Wheeler, you're being too obvious.
Mike scorned himself for replying like that, “ more than fine. ”
“Cool,” Will cooed.
“Mhm” Mike hummed, he was starting to feel more tired and drifted off into sleep.
In the morning Mike was one of the first people to wake up, a habit he had developed from previously waking up early in the morning to smoke.
It’s been less than a week since he quit. He tries distracting himself from it.
He isn’t the only one awake, Hopper and Max are too. He was heading downstairs and ran into Max, who was just getting out of El’s room.
They made their way downstairs and to the kitchen together.
“How’d you sleep?” Max asked.
“Alright,” Mike replied, “You?”
“Same here,” Max responded.
“What time did you go to sleep?” Mike asked.
“Probably 3 in the morning?” Max guessed since she hadn’t looked at the time when she went to sleep, “You?”
“I’m guessing half an hour before that,” Mike replied.
“Why are you both awake so early?” Hopper asked, he was sitting down drinking coffee at the table.
“Habit,” Mike replied.
“I usually wake up early,” Max shrugged.
“You two wouldn’t happen to know what happened to Troy, right?” Hopper asked.
The day after Mike and Troy fought, Troy’s mom had gone down to the station and told the cop all about her son’s injuries. She demanded answers and kept urging them to open a case and find the one culpable for her son’s injuries.
Troy didn’t talk or tell her who it was. In fact, the day it happened he managed to hide his injuries, but he couldn’t hide them forever, considering his mom found out.
Mike acted as if he didn’t know what he was talking about, “Did something happen?” he asked.
“Whatever it was, I bet he deserved it,” Max scoffed.
“Mike, did your little friend tell you anything about perhaps injuring him?” Hopper asked. He was referring to the friend Mike and the others made up, the one who Troy raped.
“No, he didn’t,” Mike shook his head.
“Well at the moment he’s our prime suspect, so we have to talk to him,” Hopper replied.
“You’re seriously going after whoever did this?” Max asked.
“Kid, we don’t know if it is that boy or someone else who could be dangerous,” Hopper answered.
“I can’t tell you who it is,” Mike said.
“It doesn’t matter if you tell me, I can still ask one of the others,” Hopper replied.
“It's still Christmas day, can’t we just let this go on such a day?” Mike said.
“I hate to say this but Mike’s right,” Max agreed.
“Fine, but I will be asking you again, tomorrow,” Hopper sighed.
Hopper stood up and put his mug in the sink after that and walked away to the living room.
Mike and Max poured themselves some cereal and sat down.
“Do you seriously not know?” Max whispered to Mike.
Mike thought over whether he should tell her or not.
He looked over towards the living room and then back at Max, “Don’t tell anyone else, but I do know,” he whispered back.
“Seriously? What happened?” She asked.
“Can’t say,” Mike shrugged.
“Well at least say how fucked up Troy was,” Max said.
Notes:
Next update: in 2 days
Their New Year goals/resolutions;
Mike's:
1. Confessing to WillWill's:
1. Going on a date with Mike
2. Properly kissing Mike (no doubt in his mind that Mike likes him back and will say yes to going out with him)
3. Coming out to the party
Chapter 28: It's cold out
Notes:
potential titles:
"Not enough"
It reminded him
Please, not here
Man up, Mike
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Well at least say how fucked up Troy was,” Max said.
Just as Mike was about to answer, Jonathan came into the kitchen.
“What are you guys talking about?” Jonathan asked as he poured himself some Milk and got some chocolate chip cookies.
Max and Mike both look at the living room and then back at Jonathan.
“Troy,” Max said, in a low voice so Hopper wouldn’t hear her.
Jonathan looked over at Mike, “Why?” he asked as he turned his gaze back to Max.
“Apparently he’s injured,” Max shrugged.
Jonathan's eyes went wide, “Seriously?” he said in surprise.
“Yeah, but Mike won’t tell me how,” Max rolled her eyes.
Jonathan looked a tad surprised again, “Was it…?” Jonathan asked Mike.
Max looked at Mike.
“Yeah,” Mike said with a nervous chuckle.
“When was this?” Jonathan asked.
“A few days ago,” Mike replied.
“I seriously wonder how fucked up Troy was,” Max said.
“Not enough,” Mike replied.
“Where did it happen?” Jonathan asked.
Mike was a slight bit hesitant in answering, “The quarry,” he sighed.
“The… the quarry?” Jonathan asked in confirmation.
“That’s a pretty dangerous place to fight, what if one of them had fallen off?” Max said.
“Well neither of them did,” Mike responded, for a second there he had forgotten that Troy had told him to jump again, he didn’t think about the words they exchanged, only the actions that occurred.
He took a deep breath, recalling being told to jump but it also mixed up with the memory from years ago at the quarry with Dustin, Troy, and James. Even though he wasn’t standing at a height he could still hear Dustin’s voice yelling at him not to do it.
“I’ll be right back,” Mike said, excusing himself, and heading towards the bathroom.
Once he reached the bathroom he sat slouched on a wall and slid to the ground. He sat on the ground, his hands touching the cold ground.
Deep breaths, Mike.
He inhaled and exhaled after a few seconds.
Why does it have to be winter? It’s cold out.
The ground is cold, the bathroom is cold.
He inhaled again.
and exhaled.
He took his hands off the ground and brought them to his knees.
Deep breaths.
The coldness of the bathroom reminded him of how cold it was when he woke up on the dirt that morning, it reminded him of when he was running through the woods and then tackled just a few days ago.
His breath was shaky as he inhaled.
His eyes were teary as he exhaled.
He looked down at his hands and noticed he was shaking.
Calm down, Mike.
He clenched his mouth shut. He felt a lump in his throat as the tears in his eyes threatened to fall.
His brain wasn’t listening to him as he tried to stop thinking of all that transpired.
Stop thinking about it.
By all, it meant more than just Troy, it’s like his brain decided to suddenly process all the other stuff too, the stuff related to the upside down.
Will’s alive.
He inhaled.
We’re safe.
He exhaled.
Stop thinking.
His tears started pouring out.
Not here, Mike. Please, not here. Not while everyone is still here.
Someone might notice.
He tried his best to stop his crying to not cry there, not at the Byers’ house. Not when there are people awake or will probably need to use the bathroom.
Remember what you were told, Mike; Boys don’t cry.
‘Man up, Mike’
He managed to stop crying, but he had to go, go home, or somewhere. Just somewhere, where he won’t be surrounded by others. He quickly remembered that no one was at his house, so he could go there.
He had to go before he began crying again, before he had another meltdown, is that what it is?
He took a few deep breaths and regulated his breath.
He stood up and washed his face.
He fixed his morning hair while he was there.
He stepped out and walked to the kitchen, avoiding looking at Max and Jonathan in the eyes.
Will was also there.
“I have to go home real quick, I forgot something,” Mike said, as normal as he could.
“I can go with you,” Will smiled.
“No, it’s fine,” Mike said looking in his direction, but not at him.
Will looked at him weirdly then stared at Jonathan in hopes he might know.
“I’ll be back later,” Mike said, exiting the kitchen and heading towards the door.
The door to the front of the house, to leave or enter, was in the living room.
“Where are you going, kid?” Hopper asked.
“I have something I have to do at home,” Mike said, his voice starting to sound shaky.
He opened the door and left, he didn’t wait for Hopper’s response.
As he closed the door and walked down the driveway, after exiting the driveway he ran. He ran home.
When he got home he noticed he was shaking again. He fumbled as he got his copy of the house key out of his pocket and fumbled again as he tried opening the door.
“Come on you stupid idiot, open the door,” he cursed at himself out loud, feeling as that familiar lump in his throat resurfaces.
He locked the door behind him and ran towards his room.
He looked through his things, with a blurry vision, from the tears that formed in his eyes.
“Come on,” he said, continuing to sort through his stuff, “I have to have at least one more left.”
He couldn’t find what he was looking for, a cigarette.
He looked over at his bed, noticing a familiar sweater near it, the comfort sweater. He scurried to it and put it on, he zipped it up all the way and put the hood on.
That didn’t seem to comfort him, it only made his tears start pouring out. He stepped out of his room and into the hallway, seeing family pictures.
He hated the sight of those pictures at that very moment, he sobbed more, wiping his tears with his sleeve.
He hurried down the stairs and to the fridge, opening it,
There he saw his dad’s beer and his mom’s wine. He glanced over to the cabinet where his mom’s unopened wines were at.
What are you thinking?
You can’t drink.
You promised yourself you wouldn’t drink again .
His mind replayed entering the party, having fun, and drinking.
He fell to the ground in front of the open fridge.
It continued replaying, jumping to him going to get a beer for him and Max to Troy behind him. To Troy dragging him out. To punching his stomach and kicking his back, to Troy making him drink and dumping alcohol on him.
He slammed the door to the fridge and cried. He could still remember the stench of the alcohol making him feel slightly nauseous.
He got out of the kitchen before he did something he might regret, drink.
Before he knew it he was standing in front of the door of his room, crying.
His hand landed on his doorknob getting ready to turn it. His eyes fixated on a picture of him and Nancy as little kids, making him cry more.
Nancy.
He headed to Nancy’s room instead, closing the door behind him.
He was sitting down in a corner of Nancy’s room, surrounded by her pillows and stuffed animals, she left behind leaving for college. He also had one of her blankets with him.
He was still sobbing
Stop thinking.
His brain resumed what he was thinking before.
Reminding him about Troy dragging him to the woods as he struggled to get out of his hold. Then Troy was on top of him as Mike failed to get out of his hold still.
Stop thinking.
He looked down at his wrists and started scratching them as he remembered his hand being tied behind his back.
He felt shivers down his spine as he remembered Troy touching him all over. His whole body began to shake remembering all the bites, bruises, and hickeys Troy left. Remembering looking at his naked body in the bathroom at Steve’s house.
Mike shut his mouth, preventing more sound of his crying from coming out, remembering as Troy shoved his fingers in his mouth and Mike biting them.
Then he cried out more remembering Troy shoving his dick in his mouth and not being able to breathe, remembering almost passing out before Troy came in his mouth.
He shut his legs together as tight as he could as he remembered being shoved against the tree and Troy shoving his dick in, remembering all the pain he felt.
Please stop fucking thinking.
He wailed remembering that he woke up in so much pain, without clothes, and with dried-up blood at his bottom and dirt sticking to him.
He was starting to feel very tired from all the crying and the little sleep he got.
Just when his brain stopped seemingly thinking and he started calming down it started replaying other stuff.
He started hyperventilating as he remembered the encounters he had with Troy. When he left a bite mark along with a hickey, when he hit Mike in the stomach once more, and when he left a mark on Mike’s jaw.
And more recently, when he chased him and chased him through the woods before tackling him.
His breath quickened remembering how he fell to the ground as he was tackled, how his hips buckled upward when Troy shoved a hand down his pants.
‘Regulate your breathing, Mike’ he thought to himself as his breath slightly fastened.
He remembered Troy's hand gripping his dick and moving his hand to then him having his hands on Troy’s neck, strangling him.
His breath hitched as he remembered all Troy said, called him, or taunted him with.
“Frogface”
“Wheeler”
“Mikey”
“I want you to jump off the quarry like you did all those years ago.”
“I want you to jump off the quarry”
“Jump off the quarry”
“Jump off”
It brought him back to Dustin having a knife against him, Troy threatening to take out his baby teeth unless he jumped.
“Don’t do it”
He remembers Dustin telling him.
But he did it.
Now he hears Dustin’s voice yelling at him not to jump whenever he stands at heights.
Mike’s breath started to slow down, and regulate itself, as he passed out.
Notes:
I think I'm going to enter the new year sleep-deprived
Chapter 29: "Do you understand?"
Chapter Text
Back at the Byers’ house, Nancy had just walked downstairs after waking up.
“Mike isn’t awake yet?” She asked, knowing Mike was usually already awake by that hour.
“He isn’t back yet,” Will replied.
“Not back yet?” Nancy asked confused, “Where’d he go?”
“Home, he said he forgot something,” Jonathan replied.
“How long has it been?” she asked.
“About more than an hour,” Max estimated.
Will was looking at her with a worried expression.
“I’ll go check on him,” Nancy said.
“I’ll come too,” Will happily replied.
“I’ll go with you two then,” Jonathan said.
“I guess I’ll just go see if El’s awake yet,” Max shrugged.
Nancy headed upstairs for a jacket for her and Jonathan, Will also went upstairs for a jacket.
Once they put on their jackets, they started heading out.
“Where are you guys going?” Hopper asked, he was sitting on the single couch watching some TV.
“My house to check up on Mike since he’s not back yet,” Nancy replied, closing the door behind her.
They started walking down the street to the Wheeler’s house.
“Nance, did you know that Mike was at the quarry a few days ago?” Jonathan asked.
Both Nancy and Will were surprised by that. A bit afraid of why Mike was even there in the first place though.
“No,” she said in a confused tone, “Why was he there?”
“Mike was at the quarry?” Will said in a worried voice.
“You didn’t know either?” Jonathan asked. He thought for sure Will would know, he understands Max not knowing since she doesn’t know what happened but Will does.
“No,” Will said, a bit disappointed he didn’t know.
“I wonder if Lucas knows,” Jonathan said.
“I’m not sure why he was in the quarry in the first place,” Jonathan said, answering Nancy’s prior question, “But I do know that he apparently injured Troy.”
“Why were they both at the quarry…” Nancy muttered in a worried tone.
“When was this?” Will asked.
“They said it was a few days ago,” Jonathan replied.
“Wait so we were already here when this happened?” Nancy asked.
“Seems so,” Jonathan replied.
“And I didn’t even notice,” Nancy said.
“…a few days ago?” Will muttered in a question.
“I wonder if this was that day Mike was calling for Lucas on the supercomm,” Will said.
“When?” Nancy asked.
“That day you came over and said Mike was coming in a bit but ended up coming way later,” Will replied.
Will thought about it a bit more.
“I think Lucas does know about it,” Will uttered.
“What makes you think that?” Jonathan asked.
“Well that same day Dustin and Lucas came over,” Will explained, “On the supercomm, Mike had told Lucas he’d tell him later why he called him,” Will looked up noticing they were almost to the Wheeler’s driveway and continued speaking, “Lucas said he needed to talk to Mike so Dustin and I left.”
“He probably does know,” Nancy sighed.
They walked up to the house and Nancy unlocked the door with her key copy.
“Mike?” She called out upon entering.
“I’ll check the basement,” Will said, making his way over.
He came back after a minute, “He isn’t there,” he told Jonathan and Nancy.
“Let’s go check his room,” Nancy suggested. They headed upstairs and to his room.
“Mike?” Nancy called out again when she opened his door.
“Not here either,” Jonathan said.
“No one in the bathroom either,” Will said.
“Where could he be?” Nancy asked herself.
She saw a picture of little Mike next to her younger self and thought; ‘maybe he was in her room?’
“Mike?” She said opening her room.
She noticed a pile of pillows with her stuffed animals and blankets. She noticed Mike surrounded by the stuff, sleeping peacefully.
“Mike,” she said quietly in relief.
Will made his way over to his side and looked over at Nancy when he was right next to him.
“I think he was crying,” Will said. He noticed the sweater Mike had on and noticed it was zipped up and he had the hoodie on.
“He has the sweater on,” Will added.
“The sweater?” Nancy asked.
“The sweater Jonathan left Mike,” Will replied, “He- he only wears it when he wants to feel comfort.”
“Maybe it has to do with what happened at the quarry?” Jonathan suggested.
“It has to be,” Nancy replied, “Why was Mike even at the quarry and Troy as well?”
“I don’t know,” Jonathan sighed.
“Can you call Lucas over?” Nancy asked Will.
Will nodded and went downstairs to call Lucas.
“So is that all you know?” Nancy asked Jonathan.
“Yes,” Jonathan replied, “We were talking about it this morning.”
“So you just found out today?” Nancy inquired.
“Mike was talking to Max about it and I asked what they were talking about,” Jonathan answered.
“Why would he talk to Max about it?” Nancy questioned, “It doesn’t seem like he’d bring up something like that in the morning.”
“Maybe it has something to do with Hopper,” Jonathan suggested, “They were both talking in low voices and looked over at Hopper making sure he wasn’t hearing them or something.”
“If Troy was injured his mom probably went down to the police station,” Nancy said.
Will came back into the room and to Mike’s side once again, “He’s coming over,” Will informed Nancy.
Will sat down next to the sleeping Mike and leaned his head on him.
“Thank you, Will,” Nancy replied.
They stayed in the room in silence until they heard a knock coming from downstairs.
“I’ll get it,” Jonathan said.
He left and came back upstairs with Lucas.
“What’s up?” Lucas asked.
“A few days ago Mike injured Troy,” Nancy replied, “We think you know more about it than we do.”
“What is it you guys know?” Lucas asked.
“We know it was a few days ago,” Jonathan answered.
“And that it was at the quarry,” Will added.
Lucas was shocked at that, Mike hadn’t told him where it happened.
“He never told me where it happened,” Lucas said.
“That’s all we know, Mike injured Troy at the quarry a few days ago,” Nancy summarized.
“He said he was minding his own business and that Troy ended up showing up and spewing some nonsense about the government guys,” Lucas said.
“Government guys?” Jonathan questioned.
“They enlisted the help from Owens when Troy threatened Mike,” Nancy sourly said.
“Oh,” Jonathan muttered.
“Oh ugh,” Lucas said, he paused figuring out a way to say what he wanted to say, “It was only a few days ago so Mike’s injuries are probably not healed yet, so you can probably still see them.”
The room fell silent.
“Injuries?” Will muttered.
Lucas nodded his head, “There should be one to the side of his head,” Lucas said, Will checked as Lucas mentioned it, “and in one of his elbows while the other one is scraped.”
Will wasn’t sure if to move Mike’s arms to check since it might wake him up. Mike was usually a light sleeper so the fact that he was still asleep must mean he was really tired. He decided not to move them, to not disturb his sleep.
“You’re right,” Will mumbled.
“You can see a scab on Mike’s head on the right side,” Will said looking at Nancy.
“What else happened, Lucas?” Nancy asked, her tone was cold.
“Well, you guys remember the bump on his head?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah, he said he headbutted someone on his way over.”
“He headbutted Troy after Troy had tackled him to the ground,” Lucas said, “He changed the positions and strangled him,” Lucas said ending in a quieter voice.
“That’s when Troy hit him in the head with a rock, and pushed him off,” Lucas added, “Mike threw a rock at him as he left.”
Nancy was out the door in a matter of seconds. She stormed off and slammed the door downstairs as she exited the house. Jonathan followed behind her, to check up on her.
She continued walking down the street as she felt anger bubble up inside her.
“Nancy!” Jonathan yelled for her, “Nancy, wait up!”
Nancy continued walking fast, not slowing down. Jonathan jogged to her side and started walking how she was.
“Where are you going, Nance?” Jonathan soothingly asked.
“Troy’s,” she muttered angrily.
“Nancy, think about it clearly,” Jonathan said.
“I already did,” she replied.
“What if his mom’s home?” Jonathan asked, “You can get in trouble.”
Nancy abruptly stopped.
“What do you expect me to do!?” Nancy yelled, “To let him keep bothering my baby brother?!”
“No, Nance, that's not what I’m getting at,” Jonathan replied.
“You would’ve done the same thing if it was one of your siblings,” Nancy glared.
“You know how his mom is,” Jonathan replied in a caring voice, “If she’s there she’ll call the cops then you’ll probably get kicked out of your college.”
“I told you, I thought about it,” Nancy replied.
“How?” Jonathan asked.
“I know she’s not home at the moment,” Nancy said.
“It’s Christmas, she will be,” Jonathan told her.
“She won’t, she lost her job,” Nancy replied, “Considering how she is, she’ll be out looking for one already.”
“What if she isn’t?” Jonathan replied.
“I’ll deal with it,” Nancy said, “If worse comes to worse, Hopper can help or Owens.”
“Fine,” Jonathan reluctantly replied, “But we’re taking the car.”
When Nancy and Jonathan arrived at the Walsh’s residence, Nancy started banging on the door.
There wasn’t a car in the driveway, meaning Troy’s mom wasn’t home. Though that doesn’t entirely mean Troy’s home either, they could’ve gone to a relative’s home for Christmas.
Troy opened the door, “Who’s banging on the door?” he said annoyed.
Before he even had a chance to take a proper look at who it was, Nancy punched him in the face.
“Ow!” Troy yelped, ”What the fuck?!”
He cups his nose, where Nancy hits him, and locks eyes with Nancy, who’s glaring at him.
“Mike’s sister?” he mutters.
Nancy grabs his shirt by the collar and pins him against a wall. Jonathan stays by her side.
“Listen here, Troy, ” Nancy continues glaring.
“You’ll leave Mike alone or I swear I’ll make your life a living hell,” she threatens.
Troy doesn’t respond and is instead trying to get out of Nancy’s grip.
“Do you understand?” She asks, taking away one of her hands from his collar and grabbing him by the wrist, successfully turning him around. Where he’s being pressured into the wall.
He grunts as he tries to get out.
“I said,” Nancy begins, she moves her free hand and puts it to the back of Troy’s head.
“DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” She yells, pressuring him more into the wall and slamming his head on the wall.
“I understand!” Troy pleads as Nancy twists his wrist, which’s held behind his back.
Notes:
Two more chapters left now
I recently read a fic that reminded me why I made this account so I'll see it through that I write that but after I finish that other stuff I was in the midst of writing and taking a break to finally get some videos done :)
Chapter 30: I ruined Christmas
Chapter Text
When Mike wakes up he’s no longer sitting in the corner he was at. He’s lying on Nancy’s bed, unsure of how he got there.
Will is nearby, doodling on a piece of paper and Lucas is sitting by the bed reading a comic.
Nancy and Jonathan are back at the Byers’ home. After the visit to Troy’s home, they went back to the Wheeler’s house to tell the boys they’d be going back to the Byers’ if they wanted to go too. They chose to stay by Mike’s side.
Mike sat up, garnering the attention from Lucas. He saw movement from the side of his eye.
“What time is it?” Mike asked. The sun seemed to be shining more than it was when he passed out.
“Mike you’re up!” Will smiled as he went to sit on the edge of the bed.
“It’s 3 in the afternoon,” Lucas responded to Mike’s question.
“How did I get here?” Mike asked, referring to being on Nancy’s bed.
“Jonathan moved you to the bed since the ground wouldn’t be comfortable,” Will replied.
“I need to call Owens,” Mike said.
“Why?” Lucas asked.
“Hopper is looking for the one who attacked Troy since his mom went down to the station,” Mike replied, “I have to tell Owens to shut the case.”
“Makes sense,” Lucas nodded.
Mike got off the bed, he still had his shoes on.
“Wait,” Mike said as he got to the door, “What are you two doing here?”
“Why was Jonathan here too?” Mike asked.
“Nancy was worried since you hadn’t been back so she came over with me and Jonathan,” Will replied as he made his way over to Mike’s side to follow him downstairs, “They went back a few hours ago.”
“I came after Will called me over,” Lucas added, “I told them about your fight with Troy.”
“Oh,” Mike said.
“Did something set you off?” Will softly asked, Mike sighed.
“Let me call Owens first then we can talk,” Mike said, resigned.
Owens picked up after Mike called twice. He told Mike he’d do his best to shut it down and told Mike about what he did last time when Mike and Lucas called after the fight with Troy.
Turns out he did have something to do with Troy’s mom being fired. She’s been blacklisted from working anywhere in Hawkins or the cities surrounding it within an hour radius. Troy also has stuff on his permanent record, from what he’s done.
“So what do you guys want to know?” Mike asked, taking a seat on the couch.
Lucas and Will also took a seat on the couch.
“Did something set you off?” Will asked.
Mike thought about it, he hadn’t thought before what had set him off.
“I think so,” Mike replied, “It was probably since Max said that the quarry is a dangerous place to fight since one could fall off.”
“That brings it to my question,” Lucas said, Mike and Will turned their attention to him.
“Why were you guys fighting at the quarry?” Lucas asked.
“After Nancy went to Will's house I went down to the quarry since I had to do something near there,” Mike replied, “I was more or less actually in the woods when I heard a sound, it was Troy.”
“But you said you fought by the quarry, not the woods?” Will questioned.
“I kind of ran off towards the direction of the quarry at some point and Troy tackled me by the time we were near the quarry,” Mike said, a slight bit nervous.
He was avoiding saying why he was there and kind of the “conversation” with Troy,
“That’s all that happened?” Will asked, making sure nothing else had happened that they weren’t aware of.
Will already knew about how the ‘fight’ went since Lucas told him so apart from that he knew mostly everything but a thing or two.
‘No, that’s not all. He told me to jump off the quarry before I ran off and he shoved his hand down my pants after tackling me.’ He wanted to say something along those lines.
Mike was silent for a bit before responding he avoided looking Will in the eyes when he uttered, “Yep, that’s all.”
“Bullshit,” Lucas said.
“C’mon Mike, what else happened?” Will said with a pleading look in his eyes.
Mike sighed, “He told me to jump off the quarry again before I had run off. So before the fight”
“That’s why Max’s word set you off then,” Lucas muttered.
“Is that everything?” Will asked, he had a hunch Mike wasn’t telling them everything.
Mike put his elbows on his thighs and brought his head down to his hands. He closed his eyes and sighed into his hands.
“It wasn’t?” Lucas asked.
Mike lightly shook his head.
Will scooted closer to Mike. Mike outstretched his hands to keep him from getting closer.
“Wait a bit,” Mike mumbled.
Mike inhaled and after a few seconds, he exhaled. He still had his hand stretched out.
“Just stay there,” Mike said, looking at Will from the side of his eyes. His face was still resting in his hands.
Mike doesn’t think he’d be able to breathe at that moment if someone was even slightly touching him.
He took a deep breath before looking up and resting his back against the couch, looking at the ceiling.
“After having run off and Troy tackling me,” Mike paused and took another deep breath, keeping himself calm, he spoke again, “He shoved his hands down my pants, that was all though, I headbutted him after.”
Mike had a small proud smile as he said he headbutted Troy.
“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” Lucas asked.
“You should’ve told someone,” Will said in a soothing voice.
“I know,” Mike replied, “but I didn’t want to say it.”
“Can I get near you now?” Will asked.
Mike took a deep breath before nodding.
Both Will and Lucas got near Mike, Lucas rested a hand on his back and Mike and Will put a hand around Mike.
“Let’s head to Will’s house now,” Mike said.
Once the three got to Will’s house Dustin was also there.
Nancy went up to Mike, stealing him from his party and dragging him with her.
At the moment she wanted Mike by her side, within a distance she could see him. She was in the kitchen chatting with Joyce and Jonathan.
Will was with the rest chatting and laughing before going over to Nancy and whispering something in her ear. He whispered the rest of what Mike had told them that Nancy didn’t know of. Will had gotten Mike’s permission to tell her.
As Will whispered in her ear, Mike knew what it was about, he had a guilty look on his face as Will told Nancy. He looked like a kicked puppy. She had a nauseated look on her face as Will whispered it to her. She glanced at Mike, seeing the knowing look on his face, she furrowed her eyebrows, frowning. Once Will finished he went back to the rest.
She looked over at Jonathan who took his hands in her, giving her some comforting squeezes.
“You okay, Nancy?” Joyce asked, she noticed the nauseated look Nancy had before.
“I’m fine, thank you for asking,” Nancy smiled.
She rested her head on Mike’s shoulder and rested her hand on his other shoulder, rubbing it in a comforting manner.
‘ I ruined Christmas. ’ Mike thought.
Hopper entered the kitchen and noticed Mike, “Oh you’re back, you were gone for quite a while,” Hopper said.
“Oh ugh,” Mike said, looking over at Nancy wondering if she told him something about why she came back without Mike or Will, he continued speaking “It took a long time to do what I had to do.”
“Really?” Hopper asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mike nodded.
“I don’t need you to tell me who the guy is anymore,” Hopper informed Mike, “I got a call saying we couldn’t handle that case.”
“Alright,” Mike replied.
Owens sure went quick to work, on Christmas of all days.
“One of your cases was shut down?” Joyce asked.
“Yeah, apparently Troy Walsh got his ass handed to him and his mom’s trying to find the perp,” Hopper replied.
“Troy Walsh?” Joyce said as she thought the name sounded familiar to her, “Oh, the bully.”
Hopper nodded.
Notes:
One more chapter left
Also just realized that in the chapter before Troy stopped after some violence and the party thought no matter what they did to Troy would continue bothering them/Mike.
So Nancy who had never dealt with this guy didn't have that mindset and got him to stop. Meanwhile, the party who had dealt with him before had that mindset of giving too much power to their bully/abuser.
Just found out that Americans celebrate Christmas on the 25th - So if you ever wonder why in this fic they celebrated the 24th it was because that is what I am accustomed to
Chapter 31: "Happy New Years"
Notes:
Happy New Year everyone!!
This will have to be a good year!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The days leading up to New Year's were peaceful. The party decided to celebrate New Year's together, with the permission of their family.
Nancy and Mike are still staying with the Byers since their parents are still with the other relatives. Their parents planned on spending New Year's and Christmas there, so they’ll most likely be back by the 2nd or third of January.
Nancy has to leave back to college on the 2nd.
Will’s been thinking of a way to confess to Mike. He wants to confess to him before midnight, or maybe midnight. He doesn’t know yet.
He plans on taking him somewhere they could talk alone but the only places he could think of is his room or outside, in the cold.
The outside might be a good idea, he’d have a good reason to cozy up next to Mike. If he does it outside, it might be in the backyard. No way would he do it in the front.
If he did it in the front, people would see, and that would be bad. Especially in a conservative town such as Hawkins.
He’ll have it figured out by that night.
Mike on the other hand, has no intention of telling Will he’s in love with him, at least not until next year since after all his New Year’s resolution will be to confess to Will.
He hasn’t figured it out on when but he knows he wants to try doing it next year. He has a hunch of Will liking him back so then he probably won’t be rejected.
Unless he misses his chance and by some coincidence, Will meets another gay guy in Hawkins and they end up hitting it off and end up dating.
Mike really hopes that doesn’t happen. Not before he has a chance of confessing to Will Byers, the love of his life.
Well… even after he confesses he hopes it doesn’t happen. He is still hesitant on the whole Will probably liking him back, thing. He doesn’t think he’d be able to take it if Will finds some other guy.
Hopefully, it goes well and he can confess before it’s too late.
Will never really thought about the fact Mike might find some other guy, considering he thought Mike was straight. So he was okay, well not entirely okay, with Mike dating girls. When he really thinks about it; he wouldn’t be able to handle Mike dating some other guy.
In Will’s eyes, no guy is good enough for Mike, even girls for that matter. If someone’s going to be with him it has to be someone like him. Someone who deeply loves Mike Wheeler. Someone who can easily read him and pick up on his habits. Knows when he isn’t feeling or doing so well. Someone who deeply cherishes him.
Only idiots or heternormative people or oblivious people wouldn’t be able to notice the love the two have for each other.
Then again the two have also been friends for a long time and particularly close but only those who knew them knew that. It makes sense for those to not notice their non-platonic love for each other.
Later at night as everyone was playing games, talking, or drinking (only the adults were drinking) Will thought of going to talk to Mike to meet him outside. Yes, adults, it wasn’t just Hopper and Joyce, Murray was also there along with Claudia Henderson, Dustin’s mom, Susan Hargrove, Max’s mom, and Lucas’s parents too.
It was past 11:45. So it was almost New Year's Day. He went up to Mike asking if he had a minute to talk, Mike nodded his head in response.
Will asked Mike if he’d like to go outside, in the backyard, to talk. He nodded again and said he’d need to grab a jacket first since it was freezing outside.
After they both grabbed one they headed out.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Mike asked. He could see his breath as he talked.
“Mike,” Will began, he took a pause.
“Yes?” Mike asked.
“Remember what I told you a few days ago?” Will asked, he felt nervous and not as confident as he did before, either way, he continued talking, “About being gay?”
Mike nodded, “Yeah. why?”
“I kind of like this guy,” Will said, prancing around the word ‘you.’
“Oh,” Mike said, a hint of disappointment, thinking he must not be the guy, he continued, “You do?”
“Yes, well not like uh- more like- love,” Will stammered, he blushed in embarrassment.
‘Just get out with it, Will!’ He scorned himself.
“Love?” Mike uttered, Mike has no idea who the guy is but Love is a strong word for it being a guy the party probably doesn’t know, meaning Will probably hasn’t known the guy for long.
“Yes,” Will replied, he regained his composure but his face was still red, “I’m in love with someone.”
“Who?” Mike asked.
At that point, it was clear to Will that he hadn’t said the word “you” yet or even Mike’s name. Making it seem as if he’s just confiding in Mike on who his crush is.
He looked up and looked at Mike, his hands were crossed around his chest and he was slightly shivering, he looked as if he was cold. Mike had this heartbroken expression on his face.
Will wasn’t sure what he was doing by not saying right then and there “you” or “Mike Wheeler.”
“He’s taller than me, his hair is kind of long, it’s black, the prettiest black I’ve ever seen, his hair is soft and it has these curls,” Will described the guy, Mike not catching on, on who he was describing, Will continued speaking looking away from Mike, “His eyes, are dark, and I could get lost in them if I could look at them longer, they draw me in, it’s like they contain all good known to man. He also has these freckles, I sometimes stare at them and try to count every freckle.”
Mike wasn't sure what to feel, he stopped listening to Will talk as he realized he was hopelessly in love with Will Byers and he liked some other guy. He was sure he was close to crying. His shoulders were shaking, maybe it was just the cold though.
He brings a hand to his face as he feels tears starting to well up.
“He’s the bravest, smartest, nicest guy I know,” Will continued, he looked up and paused as he looked up at Mike, noticing the tears in his eyes. Will furrowed his brows and stepped closer to Mike.
“You okay, Mike?” Will cooed, putting his hand on Mike’s cheeks. One of his hands held Mike’s hand, the hand Mike had put in his face previously to cover his expression.
Mike nodded, “I just- I- I don’t know,” Mike stammered.
“Mike,” Will softly said.
“Hmm?” Mike hummed, leaning his head into Will’s hand, the one that wasn’t holding his hand.
“Do you like me?” Will asked.
Mike froze, before he nodded, “Sorry,” Mike apologized.
“No, no, don't apologize,” Will replied.
“I’m sorry, too,” Will added.
Mike stepped back and out of Will's touch, his shoulders shaking a bit more, the welled-up tears being released, because Will said he was sorry after Mike admitted to liking him, so he must be rejecting him.
Will stepped closer to Mike, his hand was still holding Mike’s. He was a bit alarmed because he just made Mike cry.
“Mike,” Will uttered, Mike looked at him.
Will moved his free hand to try and wipe Mike’s tears, Mike allowing him.
“Sorry, Will,” Mike muttered, his voice sounding shaky, “I’m in love with you.”
Will looked up at him in surprise, Mike said he loved him. Mike loves him, him, Will Byers.
“Why are you crying?” Will said, a tad confused but in a comforting voice.
“You like someone else,” Mike muttered, Will was barely able to hear him.
“Mike,” Will said, making Mike look him in the eyes.
“I’m sorry for teasing you,” Will replied, looking very apologetically and guilty.
“Huh?” Mike mumbled.
“Mike,” Will said, looking at Mike earnestly.
“I’m in love with you Mike Wheeler,” Will smiled.
Mike’s face grew red in embarrassment. His tears had stopped.
“Why mess with me like that if you knew how I felt,” Mike mumbled.
“I didn’t know I’d make you cry,” Will said, caressing his cheek.
“I think I might take back my confession,” Mike teased with a pout.
“Too late, you already said it,” Will replied.
Mike stood quietly and realized there was something Will hadn’t asked yet, so he could ask it instead. Something that’d make their relationship official.
He didn’t ask it, instead, he decides to simply wait until he hears cheering from inside, making it New Year's.
“Mike?” Will called.
“Yes?” Mike answered.
“Can I kiss you when it becomes midnight?” Will asked, his face going slightly red.
“S-sure,” Mike stuttered a response.
As soon as they heard cheering coming from inside, Will stepped up to kiss Mike. He put one hand behind Mike’s head, holding his hair and the other holding his waist. Mike leaned into the kiss wrapping his arms around his shoulders.
They heard fireworks as they pulled away from the kiss.
“Wow,” they both muttered, as they looked at each other in awe.
“Felt better than last time,” Mike added.
“Yeah,” Will said, his voice sounding sweet as honey.
They somehow drowned out the sound of the fireworks.
“Will Byers,” Mike breathed,
“Will you be my boyfriend?” Mike asked.
That was what Will forgot to ask.
Will looked at him in shock, “Yes,” he replied.
“So you beat me to saying I love you and asking me out, huh?” Will chuckled, and Mike laughed alongside him.
The others inside seemed to be looking for them so they headed inside and gave their hugs and greetings to the new year.
“Happy New Year, Mike,” Will said before entering.
“Happy New Year, Will,” Mike uttered.
Notes:
And with that, this fic is completed after 31 chapters.
This was actually my first multiple chapter fic that was completed it had some rocky writing but I'm glad I finished it!
I've stated before about having another fic in the works, it's fewer chapters than this one but I'm hoping to post it by March.
𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡.
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Last Edited Sun 03 Sep 2023 01:56PM UTC
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