belief in romantic clichés (holiday byler)
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"I heard that at midnight you have to kiss someone," El announces and in quick succession, Mike's eyes go wide, Will lets out a shaky little breath, and Dustin starts laughing.
"Not necessarily, but it's tradition," Lucas explains through a smile at his friends' individual panics.
"And I guess you would be kissing Max?"
Lucas nods proudly while Max hums an affirmative. El turns to look at the other three people in the room. She narrows her eyes.
"What should we do with them?"
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New Year's Eve, 1986, Will hopes that next year will be at least a bit more normal than the past ones. Something else tells him it will be one of the best years yet.
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"I will be with Will, it's just not a date."
Max hums, and Mike knows that means she doesn't believe him. "You should make it one," she says, and Mike's forehead once again makes contact with the chilled science table.
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Valentine's Day, 1987; Mike is putting in far more than the "normal" amount of effort needed for a totally casual movie night that just happens to be falling on the love holiday. And even if he keeps insisting upon how casual it is (ignoring the tension), everyone can see right through him.
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"I'm not here to disclose any information," Mike says, still wearing a crooked grin. "Just had to make sure you didn't miss Jonathan."
"You scared me, you know that?" Will responds, with a playful glint he tries to hide. It fails. Jonathan has that knowing smile on his face.
Mike steps up and wraps him in a quick hug, not an important 'I've got you' hug Will has become well-acquainted with, but just a different way of saying goodbye. "And I'm very sorry for scaring you. But I would have had like three bounties on my head if I said anything and you know I hate lying to you and keeping secrets. So, that's why I'll be off now. Enjoy your day!"
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March 22nd, 1987; Will's becoming worried that everyone has forgotten his birthday for the second year in a row. That is, until his brother shows up out of the blue and makes the day a lot better-even if he's being incredibly ominous about whatever everyone else is doing right then.
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"Talk to him!" El shouts back from somewhere else in the house. "We aren't unlocking it until you do! We will be back in an hour!"
"Unlock it!" Will yells, louder than Mike has ever heard him speak. And Will has yelled at him before. It's the same tone as he's heard before, not just angry but brimming over an explosive cocktail of emotions. He's surprised there's no red pooling on Will's cheeks. "El! Max!" Will tries, to no avail. "Fuck!"
Mike looks down at the tile floor. God, he must've really fucked up if Will can't even stand being in a room with him for five seconds.
"I think they left," he pipes up, crossing his arms and resting them over his knees.
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April Fool's 1987; For the past five days, Mike has gotten the cold shoulder from Will. He's on the verge of giving up and leaving Will alone when El and Max decide to lock them in a bathroom together.
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"So are we just gonna watch them have fun or something?"
"You invited me," Will remarks, glancing out into the forest past the egg hunt field. He vaguely remembers a year when they didn't participate at all.
"Yeah, well, if I didn't I'd be standing here awkwardly alone, instead we can be awkward together."
Will trades his sketchbook into his other hand so he can grab Mike's hand again. "I have another idea."
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Easter, 1987; Will is feeling the happiest he has been in ages, thanks to a new immeasurable amount of hope. When he and Mike go off alone, he tries to find the courage to say what he's wanted for years.
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"Jonathan is right about spending lots of time at our house though. I think I only woke up once this week without you snoring in my ear."
Mike shrugs. "It's summer, of course I'm gonna be with you. We've seen the party basically every day or two too and he's not complaining about that. It's easier if we're just already together."
"Yeah, totally practical. No other reason," Will says with mock seriousness.
"We don't talk about that," Mike whispers, waving dismissively.
Or,
July 4th, 1987; Mike continues to be head over heels for Will with the new security of being able to express that. But when the group of upside-down survivors go up to a small cabin together, he comes closer to telling them, especially since Will found the courage to.
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"No better time to face our issues than the best night of the year."
"After we were banned from trick or treating it stopped being the best night of the year."
"Then what's the best night of the year now?"
"Any night I'm with you," Mike says, looking down at him adoringly.
Will smiles, feeling his cheeks go warm. "What a coincidence, that's tonight."
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Halloween, 1987; Will encourages Mike to finally tell the last member of the party that he's gay. When they get around the party for a fun little night, Will holds back from telling them himself as Mike makes his own decision.
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