Chapter Text
Mike - Sunday, May 28th, 1989
The balloons are still there when Mike wakes up.
They hover above him, floating to corners of the room, teasing him with the broken memories of last night. The banner Joyce hung up – ‘Congrats Class of ‘89’ – is already peeling away in one corner, but for now it hangs proud, the silver catching in the light and reflecting dancing rainbows across the walls.
It’s a pretty sight, but as he lifts his head, he feels the familiar pounding, and snapshots of last night come flooding back to him.
Mike doesn’t remember falling asleep on the floor of the Byers' living room, but he supposed that was to be expected when you drink too much at a party and then more at your best friend’s later.
Stacey had originally planned a party the night of graduation, but due to not many people showing – too busy having their own celebrations, Mike supposed, as he and the other had eaten lasagne themselves much later than intended and had missed the start of the party, not bothering to go, instead taking their time reminiscing together quietly – she had rescheduled to last night, decidedly going even more overboard than the party that they had missed.
And – from what Mike could remember – boy, had it been something. Flashing lights that made his head hurt, booming music that pulsed through his veins like a living, breathing part of him, the buzz of people having the time of their lives around him–
In theory, it would have been unforgettable, but unfortunately, Mike had a little too much to drink – which he very much regretted now – and the night was, instead, a vibrant blur. Bits and pieces came to him, but not much; the group had gone to Stacey's for a little while, enough to prove that they had been, and then crashed home at the Byers', having their own mini party.
He looked around – nobody seems to have thrown up, thank goodness – but there were empty cans everywhere and Uno cards strewn across the place. If Mike focused hard enough, he could vaguely remember Max accusing him very loudly of cheating and Lucas shutting her up with a kiss, to which they all cheered.
Ah, yes; it had been a good night.
Mike got up onto his elbows. His neck ached, but that was probably because he had slept on the Byer’s couch in a very uncomfortable position. His shirt was imprinted into his arm and his hair was messy. Mike presumed he looked quite a sight.
As Mike got up and started walking around, he felt that slightly overwhelming sense of timelessness. Like he was fully aware of everything, like he was all at once experiencing this moment, like he had only ever been here, half-asleep, in the Byer’s living room. It was an awfully humbling feeling; Mike was reminded of the knowledge that he was incredibly insignificant in the grand scheme of life on earth, and he would eventually be forgotten, along with moments he had experienced that once felt important. This moment too would be lost to time eventually, but right now, it felt like it could last for eternity – the faint ache under his eyes, the gentle morning light warm on his skin. Mike was also hit with a wave of nostalgia: life wasn’t what it had once been, and since the graduation, that had become increasingly clear. They would never again be those giddy, innocent kids playing D&D in Mike’s basement, and he missed those versions of the party dearly.
He heard a shuffling behind him, waking him from his thoughts that were, quite frankly, way too deep for a Sunday morning. Mike turned to be face to face with Will.
“Oh, hey.”
Will’s eyes were wide, as if he hadn’t expected Mike to be up, but they quickly calmed. He ran a slightly tanned hand – how on earth was Will already tanned? – through his hair, which was fluffed up on one side and it was evident which side he slept on. His shirt was loose around his collar and almost hung off his shoulder, exposing a collarbone.
Mike just stared dumbly as his eyes flitted over Will’s sleep-softened features. Mike found he couldn’t look away.
The alcohol must still be in my system, he thought.
Mike was suddenly aware of how rough he probably looked, now that he was in the presence of Will, who looked unnaturally good. Or maybe he always looked this way, and Mike’s morning grogginess was just exaggerating his features so they looked more appealing.
“Sleep well?” Mike asked. His voice was more hoarse than he had expected it to be, and he regretted saying anything at all. He cleared his throat self-consciously.
Will didn’t seem to notice though, and he smiled, “Yeah, you?”
Mike lifted a hand to his neck. “Yeah, alright. I was pretty knocked out last night, huh?”
Mike wouldn’t have noticed it normally if it hadn’t been for his newly-magnified gaze over Will. He thought he saw a flicker of confusion, or hurt – why would Will be upset? – before it disappeared, as though Mike had imagined the whole thing.
Huh.
“You, uh… you remember much of last night?” Will asked, his voice light.
Mike shrugged. “Uh… not really, no. I mean, there’s the lasagne, and then some of the party, then snippets of after, but… yeah, not much.” He winced. “Sorry, guess I should have eased up on the alcohol, huh?” Mike added lightly.
Will's lips quirked again, but it wasn’t the same as before. It didn’t seem as genuine. “It’s okay. I didn’t really drink much, so I remember a lot.”
Awkward.
This was not how Mike wanted his morning to start. Things between them had been so good just a moment ago; what had he done since then? Had he said something?
“Lucky. It felt like a good night,” Mike suggested, desperately wanting to ease the tension.
Will smiled a little more, “Yeah. It was.”
They were left alone just for a moment.
It was an interesting moment, in which Mike noticed several things; first, while Will’s eyes did meet his, there was something missing in his gaze; second, his lip looked a little raw, as if Will had been biting on it lately, a habit Mike knew all too well; and third, Mike noticed he had just spent a moment staring at Will’s eyes and lips.
They were very nice eyes and lips, though. The morning sunlight filtering through the lacy undercurtains and spilling onto Will's now golden skin didn’t help.
The moment was interrupted by Dustin’s loud yawn.
“Morning, guys. How’d you sleep?” He stretched from where he had entered the room in the doorway and made his way over to the table near to where Mike and Will were standing.
Dustin, for one, didn’t look like he had been up until two in the morning drinking and playing games. His smile was bright and clear and his hair wasn’t too bad either. One coffee, and Mike suspected Dustin would be good as new.
Coffee would probably do himself some good, as well. Maybe it would get him out of whatever dream-like state he was currently in.
“I’m gonna make some coffee.” He announced, and Dustin gave him a thumbs up; “I’ll have some too.”
Will answered Dustin’s previous question for the both of them. “We slept alright. I think Mike might still be a little… y’know, from last night.” Will and Dustin shared a knowing look.
“Oh,” Dustin said, his brows furrowing slightly as if he was considering the implications behind this statement. Quieter, directed towards Will, he added, “So he doesn’t…”
“...Remember anything? No,” Will finished for him.
“Ah.”
Mike thought this conversation between the two of them might have been private, but he was only standing a couple metres away. Could they really have thought he wouldn’t hear? Also, what the hell happened last night that was so pivotal and he didn’t remember? Everyone got blackout drunk sometimes, so why was he the only one being goggled at because of it?
With a sigh, Mike continued to add water to the Pure Drip Coffee maker. It was new; Joyce must have bought it recently.
It was now quiet in the kitchen where they had all wandered into to collect round the table, so Dustin cleared his throat and spoke up again.
“So, um… Mike, did you, uh, have fun at the party last night?” Mike turned around to see two faces studying him. It was a little off-putting.
“Oh, uh…” He glanced between Dustin and Will.
“It was alright. I mean, for the time we stayed.” He added this in hopes to prove to his friends he hadn’t forgotten everything.
The group had left the party early after only two hours; the only people really there were exactly the type of kids that used to bully them all, and while Dustin had made it sound appealing in theory, Mike just felt weird hanging out with them. Some girls – a blonde with short hair, Mike could vaguely remember, in particular – had tried to show an interest in him, but he couldn’t get past the feeling of it being fake or forced if he reciprocated, so there wasn’t much for him to do except stand around and watch other socialise. Luckily, everyone else pretty much felt the same, and, still not out of the fun mood, the party went back to the Byers to celebrate instead.
Things got a little fuzzy after that.
“Anything, uh… stand out for you at all last night?” Dustin asked again.
Mike waved his hands in the air vaguely. “Jeez, I don’t know. Why? What happened? Either tell me what was so important that I forgot, or get off my back, okay?”
Mike wanted to take the words back as soon as he said them. They weren’t exactly phrased nicely, and it wasn’t their fault he drank so much. He supposed he got it from his mother, but then again it wasn't her fault, either. There was nobody to blame but himself.
Mike sucked air in through his teeth.
“Ah… sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Dustin got up in his chair to put a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “It’s okay, man. Sorry about the questions. Right, I’ll pour the coffee then.” Dustin’s tone changed for the last part to signify a change in topic, which Mike was both thankful for and annoyed at. They completely avoided talking about this thing, but still wouldn’t tell him what it was.
How was that fair?
“I’m going to tidy up,” Will mumbled. Mike watched him leave and took a seat at the small table. He ran his hand through rough grooves, likely where Will had pressed too hard when he was drawing when they were younger. It was a miracle they managed to keep it with them all this time, and Mike marvelled at it having withstood the Upside Down year as well as many before it, and likely many to come. It was funny to think that something so ordinary like a table might have witnessed the most important parts of someone's life.
“Hey, uh… you should probably follow him,” Dustin offered from behind him. Mike frowned. “Did I do something?” He asked.
Mike heard Dustin sigh as he brought two cups of coffee over to him. “Dustin, just tell me what happened, and I’ll try fix it.” Dustin sat down at the table next to him. “Mike, I… I’m sorry, but I can’t exactly…” He sighed, again. “Look, just forget it. If Will really wants you to remember it, he’ll tell you.”
Mike looked down at the two steaming cups of coffee in front of him. He took a long sip from a blue mug, the one he always had at the Byers' – it was practically his own at this point. The coffee helped clear his mind a little. “Thanks anyways, Dustin.”
“Anytime.”
Picking up the two mugs, one in each hand, Mike followed after Will into the lounge/sleeping/party area. Now he had woken up a bit, he could really see the state of the room. Empty cans and cups were littered all over the place, as well as several pizza boxes and plates. The cushions were all displaced and a lamp had somehow been knocked over. Mike felt guilty over the fact that he couldn’t remember making this mess.
Will was in one corner, picking up cans and putting a cushion back in place. Mike’s throat felt suddenly dry, and he had the familiar knot of guilt in his stomach.
“Hey, Will. I, uh… this is for you.” Mike held out the yellow striped mug – Will’s favourite – and when he didn’t take it, Mike set it down on a side table beside where Will was standing.
“Will, look, I–”
“Mike, it’s okay.” This time Will acknowledged him. “You seriously don’t remember anything happening last night?” His hazel eyes searched Mike's own.
Wow, they really were nice eyes.
He quickly gulped down some more coffee.
“Will, I’m sorry, but I don’t–”
Will sighed and looked down at the crushed cans in his hands. “Well then it doesn’t matter, Mike. I appreciate you trying to get to the bottom of this, but it’s in the past. Just forget it.”
He already had, but that didn't mean he wanted to.
Mike heard himself scoff. His defence was up. “Will, how am I supposed to forget something I already forgot that I don’t remember forgetting but everyone else remembers that I shouldn’t have forgotten?” He paused. “Sorry, that probably didn't make sense– I mean, this… thing is obviously bothering you. How can I forget that I’m the cause of this, and I can’t fix it?”
Will shrugged and turned around. “You managed to forget last night. It shouldn’t be so hard.”
Oof.
He probably deserved that. Exasperated, Mike ran a hand through his hair. “Well… okay, if that’s what you really want.” It came out more like a question than a statement, and Mike found he was waiting Will’s answer.
There was a pause. “Yeah, it’s what I want.”
Something in Mike dropped subtly. He realised then that it wasn't what Mike wanted. He wanted them to talk about it, solve the issue, and go back to being best friends like they always had been. Mike didn't want to be tiptoeing around a topic he wasn't even sure what it was, let alone forget about the whole thing. It was obviously important to Will; what if it was important to Mike, too? But if that was what Will wanted, then he could live with it.
“So… are we good?” Mike asked, his voice softer now.
“Yeah. We’re good.”
It didn’t feel that way, but Mike wasn’t about to spark a new argument between them.
“Okay, then…” Mike looked around the room. He hadn’t noticed it when he first woke up, but there were only two blankets in here; Will and Mike’s.
“Hey, where did everyone else sleep?” He asked.
“Max and Lucas slept in my room, and Dustin and El slept in hers.”
Mike paused for a moment to process this. “Wait, hold on – Dustin and El…?”
Will quickly corrected himself. “No! No, not – not like that. She… felt lonely in there, or whatever, and Dustin offered to keep her company. They’re not…” Will trailed off.
“Huh,” Mike said.
It was perfectly reasonable for El to have nightmares about being alone, and needing company, or whatever. It was just Mike thought that she would have come to him first out of everyone, but that was obviously not the case.
It wasn’t as if they were dating anymore, either; after they managed to successfully defeat Vecna, it was clear that they had separate paths to go down. The breakup should have happened a while ago, really; it wasn’t as if Mike wasn’t fond of her, but they were just too different now they had grown into their own people, and being together was restricting that. When they were together, Mike now realised it wasn’t really like a relationship at all. They were just two vulnerable kids, finding solace in each other. He wasn’t sure now he had even fancied her that way – it just felt nice to Mike to be needed, to have someone to care for. Obviously, that’s not what El needed at all; she needed to be independent and to find herself, not be coddled by some boy.
Either way, they were better off as friends, and it was a mutual decision. Since Vecna's defeat, Hopper had luckily convinced El to stay behind and have another go at living the life she deserved. Hopper had somehow managed to strike a deal with the government; El could stay, as long as she was monitored every couple of months. They also found a way to remove her powers, which was at first odd for El and the group, but ultimately saved her from being kept in a lab. The military trusted her enough without her powers to let her live the majority of her life unmonitored. Now, she could have a chance at a real, teenage life like she always wanted.
Mike thought for a minute, and then started putting pizza crusts all into one box. With the two of them tidying up – and soon after, Dustin as well – they managed to clear the room in no time. It looked almost exactly like before.
“Perfect,” Dustin said, clapping his hands together. El came in then, looking equally tired but also cheery. “Wow! The room looks so clean.” She noted. “Well done, guys.”
Dustin smiled proudly and the group looked around to admire their work.
“Do you think we should wake up Max and Lucas?” Mike asked around.
Will shrugged, “It’s not as if we have anything planned.”
Dustin sunk into a couch. “If we had a job, we’d be busy.”
“Are you suggesting we get jobs, Henderson?”
Max and Lucas appeared in the corner of the room, Lucas with one arm around Max, who was wearing his shirt. Mike's eyes found Will's for a fraction of a second in a shared look before Will pulled away.
Dustin raised his hands in the air; “Hey, I don’t know. I was just joking, but now I think about it, Steve and Robin had jobs when they were our age. It wouldn’t be too bad.”
The party groaned collectively.
“Seriously, Dustin?” Lucas whined. “We literally just graduated. At least give us a couple months rest.”
“What?!” He said, defensive. “Other people already have jobs. That girl at Stacey's yesterday had a whole ass internship. All I’m saying is, a summer job wouldn’t hurt. Good for resumes, and money, whatnot.”
“We don’t need money,” Lucas noted. “You just want to buy more Cerebro parts.”
“That’s not–” Dustin paused. “Okay, that may be part of it, but still.”
El spoke first. “I’d quite like to do a job.” Dustin smiled amicably and pointed his finger guns at her. “Great!”
Will – who had still only had a sip of his coffee, Mike noticed – leaned forwards. “El, are you sure that’s a good idea?” He was genuinely cautious for her.
El nodded vigorously; she had the determined pout to her that Mike knew all too well. There was no going back once El set her mind to something. “Yes, I’m sure.”
Will exhaled slowly. “I mean… if you really want to, El, I guess it’s fine. I’ll work with you, just in case.” El smiled brighter, and got up to hug Will. Her smile was infectious, and Mike saw Will give in and smile with her. He hoped to one day make Will happy like that again.
"Okay, options," Dustin said, scrambling around for a pad of paper and pen. El pointed to a nearby drawer, and Dustin scrawled something down.
"Scoops Ahoy is hiring. Family Video is hiring–"
Max groans from where she was sprawled across Lucas' lap, her hair dangling down one side of the armchair. "Absolutely not."
"–and Surfer Boy Pizza," Dustin finished, ignoring her.
El perked up. "Surfer Boy Pizza sounds nice."
Dustin grinned, fiddling with the pen. "Yeah? A new one's opened up at the mall since it got redone."
Glancing at his sister, Will spoke as well. "Me and El will do that, then."
Mike couldn't quite picture Will and El, flour on their fingers, kneading pizza dough. "Pizza? Seriously?" Mike muttered, but apparently not quiet enough.
Will shot him a look. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Mike sat upright, aware of what he'd just said. "What? I– nothing, it means nothing."
Will was still staring at him, confused, and now Max was also smirking. "Yeah, Wheeler? What does it mean?"
"It means nothing! Pizza is cool. Pizza– you like pizza. So, it's a good choice. Yeah," Mike blurted out, glaring at Max. His eyes, as always, once again found Will's. Will looked away coolly, and Max's gaze flitted between the two of them.
"Okay," she cut in. "Scoops Ahoy. Ice cream. I could do that." Dustin shrugged to himself and jotted her name down on the paper under where it says 'Scoops Ahoy'.
Max nudged Mike's foot with hers. "You're coming with me."
He looked up from where he had been staring into his now almost empty coffee mug. "What? Why?"
"Because," Max stated, like it was obvious, "you would be such an ass at customer service, and I would love to watch that." Mike thought she looked evil, grinning at him like that. He groaned and put his hands to his face.
"I would not–"
"Yeah, you would," Lucas interrupted.
"You would argue with everyone," Dustin added, sharing a grin with Lucas.
"I would not argue–" Mike began to protest.
Max sat upright and leant forward in the chair. "Oh, spare me. You even argued with a vending machine once. The hospital? Remember? 'You piece of sh–'" Lucas nudged her before she could finish.
Mike opened his mouth to retort, but five pairs of expectant eyes were all focused on him. "Fine. Whatever." Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to bond with her; and they could have some good fun while working, Mike was sure of it. Max might not be his favourite, but she sure wasn't boring.
"Okay, so that leaves–" Lucas peered over Dustin's shoulder at the paper, "Family Video."
"Me and you, pal." Dustin said cheerily as he wrote their names down. Lucas grimaced.
"Never call me pal again, and we're good."
With a wide grin matching El’s, Dustin folded the paper and slipped it into his pocket. “Oh, you guys, this is gonna be great, just wait.”
As he gazed upon his group of beloved, soon-to-be-employed friends, Mike couldn’t help but have an odd feeling that whilst he might not regret agreeing to Dustin’s master plan to get them all employed, things were going to change, be it for the better or for worse. This could be the best decision of his life; or, equally, it could very well be the worst.