Chapter Text
~One week later~
“Hurry up, Mike!” Max barked, laughing as she tugged Lucas along into the auditorium. “It’s open seating, and we’re already late, and if your slow ass keeps lagging behind, we’re gonna get stuck all the way in the back.”
“I’m coming!” he replied, glancing back at Will, who was tying his shoe. “It’s Will that’s holding us back, not me!”
“Hey!”
‘Sorry’ , Mike mouthed back, grinning widely.
Will stood up, jogging ahead to catch up with the rest of the group.
They ran into the auditorium as a pack, dodging and weaving through the clumps of chit-chatting parents and excitable students to find a row near the front with four open seats.
“See, Max?” Mike said. “Plenty of room left, and we’ve got good seats.”
Max wordlessly stuck her tongue out in response.
“Lucas, d’you have the flowers?” Will asked, sticking his head out to nod past Max at Lucas.
Lucas held up two bouquets; one with daffodils and lavender; the other with bluebells and springs of baby’s breath.
“Yeah, I’ve got them.”
They all settled back into their seats, talking quietly amongst themselves as they waited for the dark green curtains to open.
“Hey, you okay?” Will whispered into Mike’s ear.
MIke gave him an odd look.
“Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Just wanted to make sure. Hey.” He poked Mike in the ear. “See? Improving already. You didn’t even have to lie!”
Mike snorted.
“Sure,” he said drily. “Because that’s the marker of improvement.”
Will shrugged.
“Seems like an improvement to me.”
Abruptly, the overhead lights dimmed, and the spotlights turned on, focusing on a single figure walking onto the stage with a microphone in hand—
El!
Max and Will both cheered loudly, raising their arms up high, and up on stage, it was easy to see that El was barely containing her excitement.
“Hello, Hawkins High!” El called out, loud cheers following as a lopsided smile spread wide across her face. “Thank you for coming out to our production of Macbeth! ” She held out her arms. “Our show tonight will be ninety minutes, with a short ten minute intermission halfway through. At intermission, feel free to ravage the snacks table —as long as you pay— that you’ll find outside auditorium door A, or use the restrooms, which are located out the main school entrance door in the hallway on your right. Overall, enjoy the show—and the sets—” She winked. “And have a nice night!”
She walked off stage, scattered claps marking her way.
The lights dimmed fully, the sound of thunder and lighting coming from the big speakers up by the stage.
Mike glanced over at Will, who was staring happily up at the stage.
In the darkness, it was hard to see anything. Even facial features were difficult to make out. And everyone would be paying attention to the show. And besides, no one could see them anyways.
He hesitantly slid his fingers over to Will’s side of the armrest, intertwining their fingers together.
Will jerked slightly, snapping his head to look at Mike.
‘Are you sure?’ he mouthed, glancing over at Max, sitting next to him.
Mike nodded.
‘Yeah. Definitely.’
Will gave him a small smile, and he twisted his fingers confidently into the hand hold.
‘Okay.’
They both turned back to the stage, where three actors were walking out, each draped in dramatic robes in dark jewel-toned colors.
A grizzled voice came from the speakers: “When shall we three meet again, in thun—”
~
“That,” Lucas proclaimed loudly as they walked out to the school hallway. “Was so. Cool.”
“When Macduff killed Macbeth, and they did the stuff with the lights so that Macbeth could run off stage and they’d have a fake, bloody body instead?!” Max said excitedly. “That shit rocked!”
“Totally tubular ,” Will teased. “But seriously, can we talk about the sets?”
“The castle!” Mike burst out. “I swear, El modeled it off of that one from our campaign.”
Will nodded enthusiastically.
“Guys!” Dustin yelled as he burst out of the stage door, still in his Banquo costume. He tackled Lucas into a huge, full-bodied hug. “Wasn’t that awesome?!”
“Hell yeah!” Lucas said, staggering backwards with Dustin still latched on around his shoulders. “You did great, man!”
The others gathered around Dustin, each loudly interrupting each other with their own favorite parts.
“Hey, guys,” El said playfully, waving her hand as she, too, walked out of the stage door. “Set design would love some love too.”
“El!” Mike said. “Oh my god, your sets were so cool, you did such a good job!”
She smiled widely.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah!” Max interjected. “El, they were awesome.”
Lucas pushed his way to the front of the group, holding the two bouquets up above his head.
“Hey! I think you’re all forgetting something, here!” He handed the daffodils to El, and the bluebells to Dustin. “You guys did great.”
El curtseyed dramatically with her flowers, blowing kisses to the group.
“Thank you, thank you.”
Will glanced back at Mike, gesturing for him to come further in with the rest of the group.
He relented, pushing his way through his friends.
“So, Dustin, what ar—“
~
Mike wheeled his bike out from the stand outside the auditorium, hopping on and pedaling out into the night with a wide grin on his face.
No one had noticed him and Will holding hands in the dark theater, and he couldn’t help it—it felt good to sneak past all the stupid societal guidelines so that he could spend time with his boyfriend.
He smiled wider at the word.
Boyfriend. Will was his boyfriend.
Not his boy friend.
Boyfriend!
He pedaled faster, swerving into a curve and heading into town on his way back home.
The cool night wind of the transition from summer to fall felt good whipping through his hair, his clothes waving out behind him as he built up speed.
As he pedaled through the downtown area, two shadowy figures sitting together on the front steps of the library caught his eye. They were giggling, exchanging sporadic kisses, with their hands clasped tightly together.
And Robin was one of them.
As he registered who she was, she looked up.
He raised his arm in greeting as he slowly wheeled by, and in response she waved at him to stop.
He did.
‘Did you tell him ?’ she mouthed at him.
He nodded.
‘And ?’
‘Him too,’ Mike mouthed back, fighting back a wide smile. ‘ Thank you .’
Robin grinned, gesturing with her head at the red-headed girl next to her.
‘I told you. We’re everywhere. And we always will be .’
Mike nodded again.
Yeah.
Always will be.
The End