Chapter Text
Will’s hair waved as a breeze flew through the alley, and Mike watched as his brown eyes looked gently away from him. Will shifted and turned his body towards the door leading back to the theater. “Well. I think I’m um… gonna go head back inside. But it was really nice to see you again, Mike.”
Shit.
It was fucking freezing outside. He didn’t mean to keep Will out for very long— Shit.
“Uh,” Mike took a step forward. “I’ll walk you back to the front doors—”
“No, it’s fine.” Will started to walk away and opened the door. “I’m just gonna go get Jonathan.”
“Are you sure? Because–”
“It’s fine Mike. It was nice seeing you.”
“You too–”
Will moved his arm and Mike stared at the former as he shut the door in front of him. He stood alone in the empty alleyway as the muffled sound of Ace of Spades began to play from inside of the building. Oh God.
Fuck.
Mike backed up and put his hands over his head.
“Fuck,“ he whispered softly, and then “FUCK,” he screamed, upwards at the sky. He stumbled slightly backwards as he raised his arms out and waited for God to smite him into the dead of night.
What the hell was wrong with him!? Dragging Will Byers into a deserted alleyway after who knows how long and then talking about God knows what and fuck– FUCK. He probably scared the shit out of him!
What if Will didn’t even want to see him? He just dragged him outside without thinking, oh God. The latter was probably evident as Mike was now standing outside alone, while Will most likely went and talked with Jonathan and the band about how much of a fucking loser Michael Wheeler was.
“Shit…” he mumbled to himself, softly. ”Shit.” Wrapping his arms around himself, he stood outside in the cold wondering what to do. Maybe he could go back inside and find Eddie. He needed a ride to the after party anyway.
Hauling himself to the door, Mike cracked out his hand to try and reach the door knob. He kept attempting to turn it, only to find that the knob wasn’t rotating the full 360 degrees it was guaranteed to turn.
Shit.
Now he was locked. Outside. In an alleyway. With no coat, freezing his ass off, and completely alone. At least Will didn’t have to see him like this. But even that was a pathetic silver lining.
He distanced himself from the door and turned around. Maybe he could find a nearby payphone. He started to walk out of the alleyway and towards the backside of the theater venue in hopes of getting away from the frigid, December air as quickly as possible.
The theater, slightly outside of Hawkins and located near Fort Wayne, wasn’t old, but wasn’t entirely new either. When Eddie had suggested booking the venue, Mike had thought he was kidding. Their band was fairly new, residing in Eddie Munson’s garage, practices taking place only on Saturday nights. It was a way for Mike to escape the overwhelming stress of college and deciding what he wanted to do with his life. He hadn’t even picked a major for college yet, focusing solely on general education classes and getting out of school as quickly as possible. At least he still had Max and Lucas, but even they were busy with their own extracurriculars.
Speaking of Lucas… Mike rummaged through the pockets of his jeans. One paper clip, a hair tie, his guitar pick– two quarters. Perfect. The pay phone rang as Mike stopped walking and stood in a booth on a deserted street just outside the theater venue. Pick up pick up pick up.
The phone stopped ringing and Mike could hear the sound of his friend’s voice reaching through from the other end. “Hi this is Lucas Sinclair speaking–”
Mike clutched the phone and leaned into the microphone. “LUCAS.”
“...Mike.”
Mike could hear some vague background noise behind the call. Lucas’s voice was muffled as (Mike presumed) he briefly turned away from the phone.
“Is that Max? Put her on the phone.”
“No. Why are you calling? Shouldn’t you be headed to the after party?” More muffled background noise. “We’re supposed to meet you there in, like, an hour–”
“That is Max,” Mike said. “And listen, I need a ride there–”
A sigh escaped through the mic from the other end of the call, loud, long, and exhausted.
Mike pursed his lips. “I’m not that far, I can pay you back for gas,” he said.
“I thought Eddie was supposed to take you?”
“He was, but–” ugh. Mike could feel himself visibly cringing… “–I sort of got. Locked out.”
“Locked out? By who–?”
Mike could hear more muffled noise coming from the other end of the line as Lucas attempted to cover the phone’s mic with his hand.
(Max, not right now—)
(What was that? What did he say?)
(He got locked out.)
(Locked out?)
(Yeah.)
(Of where!?)
(The theater venue.)
(The VENUE!?)
MIke rolled his eyes as Max’s muffled laughing barely made its way through the other end of the call. Her comments flew by as Mike could hear Lucas trying to distance the speaker away from her.
(Can’t he just–... 40 degrees…– …What a fucking moron–)
“Lucas,” he said.
“Yeah– sorry.”
Mike could hear rustling as Lucas adjusted the phone once more. “We can make our way there.” Lucas said. “Just– stay put. Alright?”
“Okay.”
“Do you need a jacket?”
“Uh…” Mike looked down at his naked arms and shivered. “Yes please.”
“Cool.” More muffled laughing in the background sang through the speaker and Mike waited patiently for Lucas to get back on the phone.
“I’ll pick you up in 15 minutes okay? Think you can wait that long?”
“Yeah! Yes, I can.”
“Okay. See you then.”
“Okay. And Lucas–”
“What?”
Mike hunched down closer to the phone as a gust of wind came by and rattled the walls of the telephone booth.
“Thank you. Seriously.”
“Yeah man no problem—“
“And tell Max I hate her. Seriously.”
This time he heard Lucas chuckle. “Will do.”
The phone line rang dead as Lucas hung up, and the empty sound echoed across the booth’s compacted walls. Michael put the phone back on its rack and banged his head backwards against the cool glass. This was gonna be a long, long night.
____________________________________________________________________________
“Hey! Wheeler!!”
The honking of a loud, obnoxious car horn, accompanied by Lucas’s voice, snapped Mike out of his brooding episode as he turned to look in the distance towards a parked car on the other side of the road.
“Oh thank God,” he breathed out loud and watched his breath dissipate into the air as he ran out into the cold winter night and threw himself in the backseats of the car. Landing ass first as he opened the door, Mike stumbled onto the beat up leather seats and worked to sit himself up right and close the door behind him. Sitting from the passenger seat beside Lucas, Max turned around to face him and give Mike a shit-eating grin.
“Having a fun time freezing to death?” She held out her hand like a fake microphone and thrust it towards Mike’s face. “Hey, Michael, on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate being a human refrigerator?”
Mike shivered and moved to find a seatbelt. “Hey Maxine, on a scale of one to ten, how does it feel being a walking clown nose?”
Max’s face morphed into a frown as she lunged out her arm and attacked Mike’s face.
“OW!” Mike recoiled and held up his hands to protect himself (poorly). “Watch the hair!”
The two fought as Lucas adjusted his seatbelt and looked at Mike through the rearview mirror. “You have been spending way too much time with Steve Harrington,” he lamented.
As a final attack, Max recoiled back into her seat and grabbed a jacket, which she then proceeded to throw at Mike’s face.
“Christ!”
“There’s the jacket you asked for.”
“I think the zipper hit my eye.”
She smiled at him and then turned back towards the front of the car. Lucas rolled his eyes fondly and started the car engine as Mike struggled to pull the jacket over his head without bumping his arms against the top of the car. The car started, and the trio drove off into the night.
Radio static came in and out as Max turned the channel dial back and forth, struggling to find something to listen to.
Madonna—static—Billy Joel—static—christmas music—static—hip-hop—
“Wait wait wait—“ Lucas looked briefly at Max and put his hand out above the wheel. “—Go back to that last channel. Yeah, a couple more.”
Max looked at him and continued to turn the dial backwards.
“Right there. Yes!” Lucas pumped his fist in a small gesture of celebration. “I love this song.”
On the radio played a rhythmic stream of guitar next to the steady beat of accompanied drums. Lucas moved his head back and forth and smiled as he attempted to dance while driving.
This here’s a jam for all the fellas
Tryin’ to do what those ladies tell us
“Get shot down ‘cause you’re overzealous,” Lucas sang. “Play hard to get, females get jealous.”
Max smiled and joined in. “Ok, smarty, go to a party.”
“Girls are scantily clad and showin’ body–”
“Y’know, this song is super sexist,” she said.
Lucas grinned and yelled out the last line. “BUT YOUR STANDIN’ ON THE WALL LIKE YOU WAS POINDEXTER.” Max burst out laughing as Lucas tried to keep his eyes on the road while grinning. Mike rolled his eyes in the backseat.
Says she wanna dance ‘cause she likes the groove
So come on, fatso, and just a bust a move
Max turned around in her seat to face Mike, still grinning from ear to ear. “Michael. Come on, sing with us.”
“No thanks.”
Lucas glanced back at Mike through the rear view mirror. “He thinks he’s too good for karaoke.”
Max playfully furrowed her brows. “Boooooo.”
“Not true.” Mike crossed his arms and slouched in his seat. “I just don’t feel like singing right now.”
“You are literally in a band,” Max said.
“Except I play bass. And that’s it.”
“Sure…” Max gave him a look and then turned away from him to sit forward and back down in her seat.
“It’s the truth,” he continued. “You don’t wanna hear me sing, I sound like a velociraptor getting waxed.”
“Uh, weird visual, but okay,” Lucas said. “Anyways we have five more minutes until we reach the bar.”
“Good to know.” “Yes, thank you Lucas.” Mike and Max said at the same time. The two locked eyes with playful hatred and then looked away from each other.
Mike watched as the streetlamps flew by on the side of the road. Too good for karaoke… Yeah right, Mike thought. It’s not like Will would bother singing to karaoke either, and Will was as nice and considerate as they came. Mike watched as the trees lined the road and then turned to buildings. The car bumped on the road as Lucas drove further downtown. He flipped on his blinker and turned right into an empty parking lot. The car stopped and parked behind what, from the outside, looked to be an old office building.
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it,
(Just bust a move!)
He turned the key to switch off the ignition and one by one the three of them filed out of the car. As Max shut the door, she looked upwards at some of the building's windows, which glowed changing hues of orange to pink. Muffled party music could be heard from inside.
“You think that’s coming from upstairs?” She asked Lucas.
“Maybe.”
Mike closed the door to the backseat and put his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “I thought we were going to a bar. This is an office building.”
Max turned her head to look at him. “Way to state the obvious genius…” She turned again back towards Lucas. “Maybe Eddie gave you the wrong address?”
“No… I’m pretty sure this is the right one…”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. The handwriting on it was scratchy, long, and quick.
“Here, let me look at it.” Max grabbed the parchment and the two boys huddled to look at it over her shoulder.
“One thousand eighty Gittsburgh Avenue.” She looked at Lucas. “You turned right on Artsman to get here right?”
He nodded.
“Okay then, yeah. This is the right place.”
The three of them looked back up at the windows, which were now glowing rainbow hues from a light source inside. Muffled music could still be heard from where they were standing, and if Mike had to guess, the song was some sort of remix between Michael Jackson and Soft Cell.
Mike stepped forward and spread out his arms nonchalantly. “Whatever,” he said, turning around to look at Lucas and Max. “We can just check it out for a little bit and see if it’s worth staying.”
The couple smiled at him and then at each other. Grinning, Max took Lucas’s hand, and the two of them together ran up towards the front of the building, with Michael walking close behind them.
____________________________________________________________________________
Hidden up on the 6th floor of the building was what his mom would probably refer to as a “temporary living space.” The Kinks blasted loudly over home-speakers as Mike walked into the tiny, cramped apartment. Not an office, he noted.
Lucas clapped Mike on the shoulder as Max started to drive him away towards what looked like a living room area. “Hey– we’ll be over on the couch if you need us.”
“Lucas c’mon, there’s people I want to introduce you to–”
“--I know, I know, I’m coming.”
He looked back at Mike for a final confirmation. Mike nodded and watched as Max dragged his friend off and away, into the crowd. “Yeah man– I’ll see you later.” He was left standing in the middle of the room by himself, wishing he had invited Will. Or– who was he kidding? Will hated parties. Will probably hated him.
Whatever. Mike did a 360 turn to see who else was there in the room. Eddie was nowhere to be found, but in the corner of the area was a tiny kitchenette and bar. Steve was cleaning some glasses while he stood behind the counter and chatted with Robin, who was laughing and leaning against the fridge.
Mike walked up to the bar and sat down on one of the open stools. He put his head in his hands and watched as Steve slowly filtered out his conversation and paused with what he was doing. Without turning directly towards Mike, he rolled his head in annoyance.
“What do you want, kid?”
“I’d like your finest vodka and coke, please.”
Robin raised her eyebrows in amusement but didn’t say anything. Steve continued to polish his glass. “That’s not even a real drink.”
Mike paused. “...Isn’t vodka and soda–?”
“Yeah, soda as in sparkling water you dumbass. Coke goes with whiskey.”
“Okay fine, I’ll have a vodka and soda then.”
“There’s not an ‘and’ in the middle, it’s just vodka soda.” Steve finally looked up at him and placed the glass he was cleaning down on the table. “And you’re too young to drink.”
Mike threw his head back and slouched. “What? C’mon, it’s a party.”
“No.”
Mike opened his mouth in protest just as Eddie came walking over to the bar. He straddled backwards on the remaining bar seat and leaned his arms on top of the table. He gave Steve a huge grin and tilted his head. “Hello Steve Harrington.”
Steve looked down at his glass and continued to polish without making eye contact. “Munson.”
Eddie looked at Steve for a second longer and then turned briefly to the side. “And also Robin.”
Robin smiled and raised her hand. “Hi Eddie.”
“Hello. What seems to be the problem boys?”
“Steve is being an asshole,” Mike said.
“I’m not giving alcohol to a minor!”
“Ah, I see,” Eddie chuckled. “’Well c'mon now King Steve,” Eddie titled his head and grinned, “just give the poor kid a drink, he saved your ass on that set earlier, remember?”
Steve got up from the counter and crossed his arms. “Oh– God, seriously?”
“Yeah–” said Mike. “I saved your ass on that set earlier!”
Robin smiled and leaned back into the conversation. “What’s this I hear about your ass being covered, Steve?”
Steve rolled his eyes and set his rag down. “I wasn’t feeling well, my voice was weird, and Mike took over on our last song.” He turned to Eddie. “But I’m fine now, obviously”
“Obviously,” Eddie said.
“And I made a lot of stupid decisions when I was younger–”
“Sure.”
“That doesn’t mean that Mike–”
Eddie attempted to put his hand in front of his budding, shit-eating grin. “Mm-hm.”
Steve rolled his eyes and turned back to Robin. “Can you just do me a favor and tell the kid that he’s still too young?”
Robin shrugged and smiled at Steve. She then began to turn around and open the fridge behind them.
Steve groaned and rolled his head back as Mike sighed in relief.
“Yes! Thank you, Robin.” He held out his hand and gestured to her as she raided through the fridge. “Honestly! I mean it’s not like I was asking for very much Steve–”
Robin extended out her arm and placed an orange flavored capri-sun in the palm of Mike’s hand.
“Here’s a straw,” she said, as she turned around and dug one out of her pockets.
“What–” Mike gaped at her in anger, as she sat the straw down on the counter in front of him. “Are you fucking kidding me?!”
Eddie burst out laughing. Robin grinned from ear to ear, and Mike’s face turned bright red as he angrily squeezed the drink.
“Fuck you guys, honestly.” He started to unwrap the straw and attempted to poke the plastic through the hole– but he failed to no benefit.
“You want me to help you put it in?” said Robin.
Eddie’s eyebrows raised and he slammed his hands down as he pushed himself off of the counter, “THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!”
“OH! Ew, gross,” Robin cringed as she turned away from Eddie towards Steve, who started to smile. The older trio made eye contact and continued to break out together in laughter.
Mike watched as they made fun of his pain and resigned himself to the new task of getting his bastard drink open. He continued (and struggled) to try and get the straw inside of the packet, but after several attempts, he forcefully stabbed the plastic wide open, all while making eye contact with Steve, whose eyes widened as the capri-sun broke loose.
Mike turned and hopped off of the bar stool, sipping his straw as he walked away from the older adults and towards where he hoped Max and Lucas were. This was fucking ridiculous. What a nightmare. First he gets locked out of his own venue by Will fucking Byers and now his band mates were belittling him at his own god damn after party. What was he anyway? Cheap liver? Dead meat? What a bunch of assholes. Could this night get any fucking worse–.
“Hey!” Eddie controlled his laughter and attempted to get up from the bar. “Mike, wait– wait up.”
Mike continued to walk and sip on his capri-sun as Eddie got up off his chair and followed close behind Mike.
“Hey Miiiike. I wanted to ask you somethiiing,” Eddie sang.
“What.”
“It’s about Will Byeeerss.”
Mike stopped walking. Eddie caught up with him and lazily put his arm around Mike’s shoulder. Mike drank his capri-sun as Eddie leaned into him to talk.
“Do you know him?”
“What?”
“Do you know him? Will Byers. Jonathan brought him out to our set and he said that he knew you, or that Will knew you or whatever, and that you two went to middle school together, and also Jonathan knew your sister or something–.”
“They’re dating.”
“Not the point– he said that Will and you knew each other, but it was sort of weird because Will looked uncomfortable, and you weren’t even there at all talking to them, and there was that stretch of time where you just sort of disappeared–”
“Lucas offered me a ride to the party. Shit, sorry, I guess I should’ve told you that earlier–”
“Again, not the point. Will looked super uncomfortable whenever we brought you up and put two and two together with you leaving every single time Will entered the room–”
“Okay– what… the fuck is this?”
“I wanted to ask if there was any tension between you two.”
“Who?!”
“You and Will.”
“What kind of tension?!”
“...Okay you look pretty razzled so I’m just going to assume that there is.”
“What?! NO– There isn't.”
Eddie leaned over Mike and looked down at him as Mike hunched his shoulders and lowered his capri-sun.
“There isn't!”
“Okay Wheeler, then it should be perfectly normal and okay then that Will Byers will be coming to our band practices for the next few weeks.”
Wait… What? Mike turned his body slightly and made eye contact with Eddie.
“What?”
“I said that he‘s coming to our band practices now. Starting tomorrow.”
“Oh– Uh…” What. The. Fuck. “Yeah, no, totally–” Holy fucking shit what the fuck. “Why would that be an issue?”
“Exactly.” Eddie squeezed him closer into a side hug and then let Mike go. “There should be no problem whatsoever.”
Eddie began to walk away and an electrifying beat flooded the apartment as a new song circled over the speakers. No tension? What was Eddie even talking about of course there wasn’t any tension. Well– Mike supposed, technically there was. But only a little bit. And how would Eddie even know that? What gave him the right to invite Will over without warning and tell Mike to essentially behave himself, as if MIke wasn’t already going to be overly conscious about every single fucking thing he was doing. Will already thought he was the most overtly pathetic loser on the planet, and his opinion was not going to change after watching Mike play on his poorly tuned bass guitar.
As Mike continued in his panic, he could hear Eddie mutter under his breath. “Oh, I love this song.” Thie synth bass bubbled up and down as Eddie moved to take the center of the room. He turned to Steve and cuffed his hands together, framing his mouth. “Hey Harrington!” he shouted. Eddie’s smile grew into a grin as Steve looked up from the bar in surprise. “Get out from under the covers Steve, I wanna see you dance.”
People from around the apartment were now looking at the oncoming scene. Mike could see Max lift her head up from Lucas’ shoulder from over on the couch. Robin started to free Steve’s hands of his dishware and push him out from behind the bar. Steve rolled his eyes and smiled, infectiously grinning in tandem with Eddie. The two men started to walk towards each other, and as they got increasingly closer Robin hurried to turn up the music.
Eddie took his hand and began to wrap his arm around Steve’s waste. The lyrics to the song began and Eddie sang as he walked around Steve in a tight circle.
Here’s looking at you
What do you think the chances
Are we’re gonna make it together?
Mike heard Robin woop over the music as Eddie stretched out the last note. Eddie continued to sing and grab Steve’s hands as he twirled him around, and the two began to dance.
Here’s callin’ your name
‘Cause I have to do
The things I have to do
Eddie crouched down and hugged Steve’s knees while looking up at him.
What’s a poor boy to do
When he’s fallen in love with you?
Steve laughed and pulled Eddie upwards. Eddie grinned wider and continued to sing.
Help me make it through the night
Everything’s gonna be all right
Yeah
Eddie softly sang the last two words and lowered his gaze down to Steve’s lips. He leaned in as he finished the lyric, and both men began to passionately make out.
“WOOOOOO,” Robin yelled, grinning like a maniac. Mike covered his eyes, and from over on the couch, Max and Lucas looked over at the scene in amusement.
Steve blushed and looked down at Eddie while still holding him close. “You’re a total dork,” Steve said, trying to hide his smile but still grinning. “You know that right?”
Eddie looked up at him with big brown eyes. The two stared softly at each other and swayed on beat with the music. “Yeah,” Eddie answered. “But you love it.”
“Ew, gross,” Mike said, raising his voice so he could be heard over the music. “Get a room.”
Steve turned his head away from Eddie. “Shut the fuck up and drink your capri-sun Wheeler.”
“I know what you are Michael,” Eddie smiled. “Don’t try and hide it buddy, being gay is okay–”
Steve chuckled and Eddie continued to grin. Mike gave them both the finger, and then he smiled and laughed too. It was all he could really do at this point anyway. So what if Will didn’t like him? He had cool bandmates and friends who did.
Sort of.
And god be damned if he didn’t get absolutely wasted at his party.
Mike threw his (now empty) capri-sun to the side and walked over the couch where Max and Lucas were sitting. He held out his hand to Lucas with purpose. “Give me your cup.”
“Sorry dude, but this is just coke.”
Mike turned from Lucas to Max. “Give me your cup then.”
Max smiled and quirked her eyebrow as she handed him her red solo cup, which Mike grabbed and proceeded to down in one gulp. Lucas raised his eyebrows and Max gaped upwards at Mike. The couple stared at him as he gulped down whatever substance Max had been previously drinking. Whatever it was, it tasted horrible, but Mike knew that the burning sensation down his throat was going to do exactly what he needed it to.
“Holy shit,” said Max, as Mike threw his hands up in victory and finished the drink.
He tilted his head back and gave a victory cheer to the ceiling. Other people in the room caught on, and the energy in the atmosphere shifted as everyone else started to circle towards the middle of the apartment. The music got louder and louder, and as the night continued on, everyone started to dance… and get ridiculously plastered.