December 29th, 1986. Benton, Illinois.
It's when Will walks in the house and closes the door that it actually hits him.
Nick broke up with me
Of course he knew that's what had happened, he was one of the parties involved after all. He'd told him that he deserved someone that could be with him one hundred percent- those were his own words. But it hit him.
Nick broke up with me. We broke up. I'm not with Nick anymore. Nick and I, we're not together.
His first boyfriend, the first guy that made him feel like it was truly ok to be who he was. And it was over. He knew it was for the best. For both of them, it wouldn't be fair, especially with his realisation
Stop thinking about it. You can't think about it.
But he hates how it feels. He hated that it had to end. He hates that he had to realise. But he can't hate Nick for it.
He wanders aimlessly into the kitchen, he opens the fridge. He closes the fridge.
He walks to the couch. He sits. He hears music from El's room, The Cure? Maybe? He hears soft laughter.
He turns on the TV.
He's already prepped for El's reaction. He knows what she'll try. So he'll fake a smile, he'll tell her about the film. He'll tell her she would have enjoyed it and he'll avoid the topic of Mike.
His mind betrays him again for a moment. And he allows himself to think. Think once again about the possibility of saying something to Mike. Thinking over once again, Nick's advice of "Talk to him. I think you'll be surprised"
Stop it. He's with El. You can't do this to her. He's. With. El.
But he still thinks and he still analyses and everything is still weird. He still didn't understand the looks. He still didn't understand why they were distant. Mike has been weird since he had arrived in Benton. From that very first hug, Will realises that Mike had been acting more like the Mike he knew before the upside down. But with that, if he thought about it, he had also been acting like a Mike he didn't know yet. And then, the night after their conversation, that phone call he overheard with Max.
"Can I? ... Finally! As I was saying, if you'd told me that night in the basement or after the arcade I could have been feeling an awful lot better an awful lot quicker ..."
What had they been talking about? What had happened at the arcade? What had made Mike want to call Max first thing the night after he'd come out to Will? Why not Lucas? Or Dustin?
Why did he call someone else when Will was right there? When El was right there?
El.
"He has a girlfriend"
"Does he know that?"
Nick's words come back to him, echoing through his mind. Of course he knew he had a girlfriend. Of course he did... ?
And he's thrown back to summer. He's thrown back to the bubble of El and Mike. He's ignoring the fact that something is clearly off, because all he can think about is the fact that Mike is in El's room, they're talking and they're laughing and they're listening to a song by The Cure.
'Smear this man across the walls
Like strawberries and cream
It's the only way, it's the only way'
The conflicting noise from El's bedroom and the TV is starting to overwhelm him, and he finds it worse than the silence. He switches it off again, The Cure now clearer as the beat carries down the hallway. An overwhelming sense of loneliness flows through him and he stands, following the song, walking to El's room. He doesn't remember telling himself to move, but here he is, walking, getting closer and closer to El's room, to Mike.
Mike.
Mike.
Mike.
He's outside of her bedroom door and before he knows it he is raising his fist ready to knock, the music stopping before he can touch the wood.
"You'll have to tell him sometime" He hears El say as the record changes track.
He hears a groan
"El, I told you. I can't- we can't-"
What?
He hates himself for it, but he lowers his fist, listening in.
"Can't it wait? Until I'm home? It'll be easier."
"Mike. It's been nearly two weeks. It's not fair"
Two weeks? What's been two weeks?
"It's not fair to you, it's not fair to me either. Shouldn't I get the chance to move on as well?"
"Look. The rest of The Party know anyway. Let's just wait until I get home, you can tell Will we broke up and I won't visit alone again"
What.
The.
Without knocking, without announcing his presence, without thinking , Will forcefully pushes open the door to his sisters bedroom.
Mike and El both jump, sitting up from where they are led on the bed top and tailing.
"You broke up? This whole time? You've been broken up?"
His emotions come to a head. His break up, his and Mike's talks, the knowing looks glances from El. He can't think because everything is all so there.
There's a flicker in the lights
"How long- how- I don't"
"He has a girlfriend"
"Does he know that?"
And he feels lost. And time feels lost and he can't process that this entire time. This entire time...
"Will calm down for a second okay? How was the date?"
"Really Mike? Really? Calm down? How was the date?! Let's see, I barely paid attention to the movie. Take a guess why, Mike? Oh, because of you . We then stopped for a very interesting chat in the park. Guess why, Mike? That's right, because of you. Oh and let me tell you about the best part of the evening. That would be when Nick broke up with me . And if you're wondering why, yep, because of you"
The lights continue to flicker.
He knows the reaction is over the top. He knows what's influencing everything and ultimately it's more about himself than them, but the words just won't stop flowing. There's a part of him that knows what he's saying isn't going to fix anything, that he should stop. But he can't.
The need to say it outweighs the want to stop.
"How's those emotions feeling El? How's that connection of ours? Our wonderful sibling connection which clearly was meaningless because there's me- oh my god, there's me listening to everything, being there for you- both of you- I'm so stupid . So so stupid."
"Will, please. We didn't do it to hurt you."
"Why didn't you just say then? I don't understand what was actually to be gained from doing this. Why would I care if you had broken up? Just someone explain to me what that actually did?"
Mike and El are silent, he notices El shoot Mike a sharp look
"Will, I can't "
"I wish you'd listened to your own advice then and just said nothing ."
"Will, I know we didn't tell you but I don't understand why you're so upset-"
"Who else knew about this? The Party did, apparently."
"Nancy was no help so I went to talk to Lucas, and Max was there-"
"So everyone knew before me, then?"
Mike is silent
"He didn't mean to hurt you, Will" El reassures him, but her brother ignores her
"And Max? Since when do you ask her for relationship advice? Since when did she become your best friend? I heard you on the phone. What happened at the arcade? Or is that another big secret you can't tell me?"
"Will this is ridiculous-" Mike says, standing from the bed and walking over to face Will.
"No Mike. What's ridiculous is that I was happy before you got here and everything just turned to shit once you arrived. You've said things, and you've got into my head and you just- you've ruined everything ."
"I wasn't trying to ruin anything , Will. The opposite actually. I thought if me and El could keep this relationship thing up, could keep you from knowing, that I could act happy about you and Nick, leave after New Years and keep things normal. I thought I owed you that, at least. I told you I was happy for you and I meant it . You were moving on and I was trying my best to not ruin that"
"Act happy? What do you mean, act happy ?" Will spits out "You haven't acted happy, at all. You're doing everything you did that summer, you're ruining everything "
"Fine, you want to do this? Yeah I had to try to act happy because in reality it was killing me. You want to know what happened at the arcade? Really? I was asked out on a date by this guy. Jesse. And he was nice, and he made me laugh and he gave me his number but guess what, Will? He wasn't you"
Mike freezes.
Will's shaking.
The lightbulb shatters.
"You told Nick."
"Will-"
"That day on the beach-you told him. Didn't you?"
"He guessed but I swear I told him I wasn't going to do anything about it. I swear Will. I never meant for this to hurt you"
"Well congratulations, Mike. You did'
"Will-" It's El tries this time
"No. I'm done. I'm so done. You can sleep in here tonight, I don't want to see you. You shouldn't have too much trouble convincing mom, she probably already knows too, right?"
"Will, please-"
" Fuck you, Mike"
December 30th, 1986. Benton, Illinois.
A knock on El's bedroom door is what wakes them up the next morning. Mike had finally fallen asleep around two, after he and El had had a very long and very awkward conversation, that involved far too many tears from him, about everything. A stark contrast to their conversation not even five hours prior.
Who was the boy at the arcade?
How long has this been going on?
But she'd also asked him if he was okay, and squeezed his hand before she herself fell asleep. Due to the fact that Will wouldn't even let El in his room to get the camp bed, Mike had, again very awkwardly, had to share a bed with El. She'd rolled her eyes when he offered to take the floor and told him it was fine. Still, he kept his distance and insisted they top and tailed.
He could hear the conversation from his family when he got home.
'How was New Years, Mike?'
'Oh well, I shared a bed with my ex-girlfriend because her brother, who I have feelings for, was dumped because his boyfriend found out and now everyone is mad at me.'
"Just a minute!" El's voice calls from next to him. She sits up, swinging her legs over her side of the bed and walks to her bedroom door. Opening it, she is met with her mom and Mike hears
"Good morning, honey. Can I come in?"
"Is everything ok?" El asks, but she opens the door wider for Joyce, and turns walking back into the bedroom.
Joyce follows her in, a smile on her face until she sets her gaze on Mike who is now sat up against the headboard of El's bed, in an attempt to pre-emptively diffuse the situation and the inevitable conversation they were bound to have.
"Mike?" She looks alarmed and Mike realises the diffusion attempt hasn't worked.
"We're not-I mean, nothing happened . Me and El, we're still broken up. It's fine"
"You're broken up. So. You're in her bed?"
Mike feels an overwhelming sense of relief that Hopper wasn't home yet. A part of him did feel bad for having the thought, knowing that El wanted her dad with her, but seeing the look on Mrs Byers' face and knowing that Hop was relatively safe and well, removed any guilt.
"No-well, yes. But that's not why. Me and Will had a fight and he kicked me out"
Joyce's brows furrow
"You and Will fought? Is he ok? Are you ok?"
"He wouldn't even let me go in to get the camp bed, mom" El supplies, joining Mike back on the bed
The frown grows more pronounced. She turns to El
"Is he mad at you, too?"
"He's mad we didn't tell him we broke up" El tells her
"That doesn't seem like enough of an issue for him to kick you out though, Mike"
Ah.
Well.
"There's a lot more that we're working through, that I'm working through and I know you're worried about Will but it wouldn't be fair to him to tell you until we've sorted it, or he's spoken to you. Whichever comes first" Mike tells her, a sheepish smile on his face
"Right" Joyce nods "I care about you both just as much, don't forget that. I won't pry any more than I need to, as long as you know what you're doing and you're able to work it out that's ok with me"
But what if I don't and what if we can't? Mike thinks
He doesn't voice this however, he just gives Joyce a smile instead.
"Why did you want to talk to me, mom?" El asks after a little while
Joyce turns to face her daughter, a huge smile replacing the frown. She sits in front of El at the foot of the bed and takes her hands in her own.
"It's about your dad" she says "He can come home"
The lights flicker again and Mike makes a note to talk about this new development. He hadn't realised El's powers were returning, and it was clear they weren't quite under control yet. Especially when last night, it seemed Will also had some involvement with the unpredictable electrics in the house.
When? Today? Can I see him?" her energy is contagious and Mike finds himself mirroring the huge smile that was now on her face
Joyce smiles too
"Not today" she says "After everyone has gone home. We think it will be better for him to be away when there are lots of people, and also to avoid the noise of New Years. He has a checkup with Doctor Owens on the second and then he'll be home on the third"
Before El can say anything else, the door to her room hits the wall with a bang.
"El" Will's voice rudely interrupts what was a happy conversation "Can you just stop. I can feel all of this from my-"
He stops when he spots his mom
"Oh" he mutters "Sorry" He turns to leave but Joyce's voice calls out
"Where do you think you're going? Apologise to your sister" she tells him, a slight bite in her tone "And to me, for the fact I'm going to have to fix the dent you've put in my wall"
"Sorry"
Mike doesn't think he's ever heard Will talk to his mom like this.
"My dad is coming home " El tells him, her happiness overshadowing, if just for a moment, the negativity of the situation.
"Then I guess everything is just going well for you then isn't it?"
" Hey ! Will, that's enough. What's gotten into you?"
Mike feels like he should interject, but frankly, he doesn't know what he can say. He notices that Will makes a deliberate effort to avoid him, almost as if he is ignoring the fact that he exists.
Fine Will Byers. Two can play at that gam-
"Is that my sweater?-"
Will's eyes widen, and he finally takes a quick glance at Mike. "Bye"
"Hey! Will" Joyce calls, but he ignores her, leaving the room and heading back to what Mike assumes is his own. He hears the door slam.
Joyce lets out an exasperated sigh, running her hand through her hair "I'm going to go and talk with him. Are you guys going to be alright?" she asks, as she stands from the bed
They both nod at her and she gives them one last small smile as she leaves the room.
" Will " he hears his mom call before she's pushing open the door to his room, a stern look on her face
"Could you knock? " he bites, barely looking up from his sketchpad
"I don't think you get that privilege right now, Will" she retorts, sitting on the bed opposite him and taking the sketch book from him
"Hey! I was drawing"
"Nope. Now you're talking" She places the book next to her "What's going on?"
"Give it back"
"Talk first"
"No thanks"
"Mike said that you're upset they didn't tell you they'd broken up" she tries, providing an opening
"Well Mike says a lot of things doesn't he?" He winces. Shit.
"What's happened, honey?" she frowns
Here goes nothing
"Nick broke up with me" he says finally, avoiding her gaze
"Oh, honey" she reaches to lift his face up to meet hers. Once he has her gaze she takes one of his hands in hers "I'm sorry. Can I ask what happened?"
He winces again
"He spoke to Mike"
"I'm sure whatever he's said was just a misunderstanding"
"Well Mike told him he had feelings for me. Was that a misunderstanding?"
His mom is silent
"Well I can see how that would complicate things, and why you'd be angry at Mike"
"Well I don't think he just came out and said it, Mike said Nick guessed, and he told him he wasn't going to do anything about it, anyway"
"Oh?"
"But-" he pauses, thinking over his words. He wasn't sure how he would be able to continue the conversation without mentioning the next part anyway "Nick said he could see I felt the same"
His mom squeezes his hand a little tighter
"And was he right?" she asks gently
"That's not the point-"
" Will "
"The point is, I was happy, mom. I was so happy and Nick was great and I was starting to feel like he was someone I could move on with and have real feelings for"
"Move on from?"
"Mike. Move on from Mike. "
"I'm angry because I've spent so long being in love with him, and I think I'm finally in a place where that could change but he's been here four days and all my progress has been for nothing. I'm angry because he made me feel like there was no chance, and then I find out he's been single and being hit on by boys -"
"Honey, you were still with Nick when they broke up, so it shouldn't have mattered" she says gently, but firm
"I know-it's just. This whole situation is a mess." he sighs "Why didn't they just say something?"
"I think you know the answer to that. Because Mike didn't want to ruin anything for you. It sounds like he tried really hard not to"
"I wouldn't go that far. The snide comments when we were playing Game of Life suggest otherwise" but he smiles a little, and his mom does too.
"I just don't know what to do mom. Nick said talk to him but I can't. Not yet"
"Well, I still do your laundry and I know that sweater is definitely not yours, so maybe think about the fact that even though you spent the night mad at him, you still went to him for some comfort"
He doesn't say anything, but reciprocates the second squeeze she gives his hand. She smiles at him, asking her son the same thing she'd asked her daughter "Are you going to be alright?" and at his nod, she leaves to start on breakfast.
-------------
The doorbell rings at 6pm that evening. After a day of El playing mediator to Mike and Will's constant avoidance of one another, the revelation that Hopper would be coming home on January 3rd and the concept that New Year's Eve was tomorrow, The Party would be arriving in the morning and the Mike and Will situation was very much the elephant in the room, the Byers household was tired.
Mike and El are in the living room when it happens- El laying on the couch whilst Mike draped his legs over the side of the armchair. Will, the entire day, had only retreated from his room for a drink or a snack, making a point of avoiding the pair in the living room- though, occasionally glancing over at them both, immediately looking away whenever Mike happened to catch his eye. The music he'd been blasting from his room echoed throughout the whole house, subjecting Mike, El and Joyce to the dulcet tones of The Smiths.
"He feels like he's conflicted" El had said after one of Will's trips through
"I feel like I don't care" Mike had replied, rolling his eyes, watching as Will walked into his room, shutting his door.
"You've been staring at the hallway a lot for someone who doesn't care"
"You know what, El? I really did prefer it when you and Max weren't friends"
It's Mike that answers the door, expecting it to be Nancy and Jonathan back from their day in Du Quoin, where they had been picking up food and supplies ready for The Party's arrival tomorrow. His hello falls flat on his tongue however, when he comes face to face with Nick.
"Why?"
Nick frowns
"I'm here to give Will back some things he left at my house"
"I don't care about that. Why. Did you. Break up with him ?"
"I think you know the answer to that, Michael"
"No, actually I don't , Nicholas. I told you it was fine, that I was not planning on doing anything to hurt your relationship. I told you that I'd be willing to take myself out of Will's life, if it meant he could stay happy with you"
"What?"
Mike spins around on the spot to face Will, who had come back into the living room after hearing the slightly raised voices.
"I can't believe that you'd think, that you'd even consider , that would be what I wanted"
"Are you kidding me Will? I can't say anything right, can I?"
It's then that Nancy and Jonathan appear behind where Nick is standing in the doorway. At first, they don't fully grasp that something is off, assuming that Nick had just come to visit his boyfriend like usual. Jonathan gives a casual "Oh, hey Nick" and when he receives no reply, they both take in the situation in the room.
Nancy breaks first, when she notices the look on her brothers face
"What's going on?" she frowns
"Well, that's a loaded question" Mike answers at the same time Nick says "Will and I broke up"
"What?" It's Jonathan again, and he almost drops the shopping bags he's holding "Why?"
"Apparently, it's all my fault" Mike tells him "Will's pissed because me and El didn't tell him we'd broken up-"
"You and El broke up?" Nick interrupts
"Oh, guess it wasn't just me who didn't know" Will adds, his tone laced with sarcasm
"Will, stop" It's El this time making her way from the couch to stand next to Mike, arms folded.
"You know what? I can't do this again. Nick, it's been a pleasure. Have a nice life. Oh by the way, I want my sweater back Will." Mike storms off, making a point of choosing a path the furthest away from Will possible, and into El's room slamming the door behind him. Will, looks on, pulling the sleeves down over his hands.
Nancy winces at the sound of the door
"What just happened?" she asks, gesturing to the hallway
"Just Mike being Mike" Will mutters
"Hey, he's clearly upset"
Jonathan turns to face her "Yeah and so is Will, Nancy"
"Ok, hang on a minute, I didn't say he wasn't, but didn't you just see the state Mike was in?"
"We've been having this argument the entire day. I'm tired. Mom is tired. Will and Mike are definitely tired. And I can't wait to see my dad." El adds
"Wait, isn't your dad-" Nick shakes his head "Never mind. Part of the long story I guess"
Will nods.
"Will, did Mike say something to you? About-" Nancy trails off
"About what? What did Mike say?" Jonathan interrupts
"Look, let's just leave it. Can it just stop ." Will says, the lights flickering slightly. He takes a breath, composing himself, but still plays with the sleeves of the sweater, "Can we just stop talking about it now. Please."
Quiet settles over the Byers household for the first time today. Will finds he can hear everything. There is no more static in his brain, no more loud music to drown out his thoughts. He can hear himself breathing, the clock on the wall (still skipping every five seconds), the humming of the fridge from the adjoining kitchen. He feels present in himself for the first time since yesterday, grounded. He feels the way his feet are touching the floor. He feels the comfort of the soft cotton that makes up Mike's sweater. It's not just the thoughts that have spiralled and spiralled around his head that are present now, it's him. Entirely, unequivocally, him.
Nick breaks his peace.
"Well" he says awkwardly "This has been fun. But I'm just here to drop off a box for Will. Get my jacket back. Will, keep the books, it's fine, just the jacket"
"We'll give you two some privacy" El tells them, giving Jonathan and Nancy a look. They clearly don't want to leave, barely having any answers to the questions they had asked, but they both sigh and reluctantly follow El who had started down the hallway.
"Is that really Mike's sweater?" Is the first thing Nick asks once everyone else is out of the room. He places the box of Will's things just inside the Byers' doorway.
"Oh" Will says, looking down "Yeah. He left it in my room yesterday. I kinda kicked him out?"
Nick lets out a short laugh "I told you to talk to him , not kick him out"
"I didn't say anything I was doing was rational" Will mutters
"I just- I don't get you, Will" Nick shakes his head "He's clearly so gone for you. And you are for him, too. Why don't you want to talk to him?"
"You really are such a weird ex-boyfriend, you know that? Aren't we supposed to hate each other forever, instead of you giving me relationship advice?"
"I don't think I could ever hate you, Will" Nick lets out a small laugh again "Especially not forever. This whole thing sucks. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't, and I won't pretend I'm not hurt. And I know you're hurting, too. But what's the point of all that hurt if you're not going to do anything about it?"
"I've ruined it all " Will takes Nick's jacket from the coat rack, pulling it into his chest.
"That's not what I saw"
He passes the jacket over, and if he tightens the grasp a little as Nick takes it from him, neither boy mentions it. Nick gives a small thank you
"I better get going. But Will? Talk to him. "
Will doesn't speak, the finality of the situation hitting him
"I hope it all works out. Truly Will. I mean it. You deserve to be happy" Nick tells him, shrugging the jacket on.
"I was happy with you" Will tells him before Nick steps outside "I was. I did like you. Really really liked you. I just don't want to end this without you knowing that"
Nick smiles
"I know"
And he turns.
It's when Nick walks out of the house and the door closes behind him that Will properly lets himself process the last 24 hours.
Oh my god I'm in love with Mike.
Yes you are boi