Chapter Text
Mike woke up with a groan, burying his face in his pillow. He has never really been a morning person, but the night before he had an... eventful night with Will. Not that he's complaining, because in no universe would he ever complain about having sex with Will. He reached over sleepily, but instead of finding his boyfriend sleeping next to him, the sheets beside him were cold and smoothed out. He blinked his eyes open slowly, feeling around the sheets frustratedly.
"Will..?" he grumbled, rolling onto his back. He could smell bacon and hear music playing faintly from the kitchen. Glancing at the alarm clock he realized it was already 10:30 in the morning. He really needed to get out of bed.
He rolled off of the mattress and halfheartedly threw on a shirt and some sweatpants. He padded out into the kitchen and found Will cooking breakfast. He slumped over onto him, pressing his chest to Will's back. Will jumped, startled, but melted into it as he flipped a pancake.
"Good morning Mike," he giggled, doing his best to manuever with his boyfriend draped over his back.
"Mmm. Morning. What's all this?" Mike asked groggily, inhaling the scent of Will's apple shampoo.
Will laughed softly. "Breakfast."
"I mean," Mike stood up straight, moving a few inches from his boyfriend to gesture at the food. "Why all this?"
On the stove there was bacon sizzling in one pan, pancakes cooking in another, and eggs being cracked and whisked as they spoke.
"Uhhh... Mike seriously?" Will asked, very amused. "Did you forget?"
"Forget what?" Mike asked, suddenly panicking. Shit. Was today important?
"It's your birthday idiot!" Will practically cackled at his boyfriends stupidity, hand landing on Mike's shoulder for stability as he leaned forward.
Mike blinked a few times and then groaned. "Shit. Yeah."
"I can't-" Will wheezed, catching his breath before kissing Mike. Mike kissed back, feeling Will giggle against his lips. "I can't fucking believe you forgot!"
Mike smiled and shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I guess I had other things on my mind when I woke up this morning."
Will rolled his eyes and the two of them kissed again.
----
Mike helped Will plate up the food and made the coffee as Will sets the table. The two of them sat down and ate while the radio played Friday I'm in Love by The Cure.
"That's so gross Mike," Will said through a laugh as Mike poured syrup over his eggs.
"Try before you deny," Mike responded in a California stoner voice.
"Never," Will giggled through a bite of pancake.
After the two finished their food and coffee, they curled back up in bed together. Will sat up against the headboard, Mike's head rested in his lap. Will propped his sketchbook against the back of Mike's scalp as Mike lazily played with the strings of Will's sweatpants.
Sun streamed in through the blinds, making the room look glowy and soft and warm like an old photograph.
"Mike?"
"Mmhm?"
"Don't forget you have to go meet Nancy in bit."
Mike groaned and rolled off of Will. He buried his face into the bedsheets and kicked his legs like a frustrated kid. Will laughed at this, nudging Mike in the ribs with his foot.
"C'mon Mike," he said, glancing over at their alarm clock. "It's already noon."
"Don't make meee," Mike whined, muffled by their bed. Will nudged him again and he rolls off the bed with a thump.
Will giggled and rolled his eyes. "Mike you already told Nance you'd see her today, like, 2 weeks ago. C'mon you can't bail."
----
Mike reluctantly got dressed. Nancy was in New York for a story she was working on. She was a journalist now. Mike had agreed to meet her for a little birthday sibling bonding. They were gonna go to a couple book and record stores.
As he was fixing his hair in the mirror, the phone rang. Will grabbed from the bedside table.
"Hello? ... Hi Mrs. Wheeler! ... Oh yeah Mike's here, one sec." Will nodded his head at Mike in the mirror and then at the phone. Mike gave an exaggerated eyeroll before strolling over and taking the phone.
"Hi mom... thank you... it's been good... Will's good... I'm going out to meet Nance in a few... mhm... okay, love you, bye."
"Wishing you a happy birthday?" Will asked with a smile.
"Yep." Mike leaned down to kiss Will. "I'm gonna head out. I'll be back around 3:00ish."
"Okay, I love you," Will said with a stupid smile. Despite being together for years, kissing Mike still made him blush.
"I love you too," Mike said, kissing his forehead before heading out of their room.
----
As soon as Will heard the front door close, he bolted up. He grabbed the supplies box he'd curated a week ago out from where he hid it in the closet. Inside were party decorations galore. He set it on the coffee table before yanking on his shoes and practically sprinting down to campus. He didn't have class, butt he had to pick up his gift he made for Mike from the studio, a gorgeous portrait of the two of them in a meadow.
When he arrived at the studio, someone was using the space. His face was red and he was a bit out of breath considering he ran to get there.
"Sorry, just grabbing my painting," he said quietly, not wanting to disturb the person.
"You're good. Take your time," she replied casually.
He grabbed his painting and wrapped it delicately. He carried it carefully back to the house, not daring to go even half the speed he ran to get to the studio.
As Will was walking past a second hand store, something in the display window caught his eye. He stopped and looked at it. Inside a green velvet box was a silver ring. It was shiny and beautiful and it had a sort of blue tint to it. He looked down at his own ring, the gold one Mike had gotten him for his birthday, and smiled.
He walked into the store, bell jingling as he opened the door. He propped the wrapped painting up carefully against the wall.
"Uh... hello," he said shyly to the woman behind the counter.
"Hi," she replied with a kind smile. "How can I help you?"
"Could I take a look at that ring in the window?"
The woman nodded and walked out from behind the counter with a key. She unlocked the window and took out the ring, handing it to Will.
He took it out of the box delicately, not wanting to damage it, and inspected it. It was a bit smaller than his ring, but Mike had thinner fingers. Just then he noticed something. Something was engraved on the inside of the ring. He softly blew the dust away from it, revealing that it had a heart carved onto the inside of the band.
"How much?"
----
Will walked home clutching the green velvet box and his painting for dear life. When he got back, he set them both down in the bedroom. He then grabbed the blue streamers from the party supplies box and hung them, mounted the big "Happy Birthday Mike!" banner he crafted up on the wall, blew up the blue balloons, and set the confetti poppers on the table.
He slid the empty box back into the closet and started working on the cake. He had committed to the idea a while ago of baking Mike a cake. He didn't have time to whip one up from scratch, but he would make the best goddamn box cake to ever grace the planet. He wiped his forehead after sliding the pans into the oven and glanced at the clock. It was 2:00. He had time to take the cake out, frost and decorate it, and put it in the fridge before Mike got home.
He did exactly that, frosting the chocolate cake blue and topping it with rainbow sprinkles before sliding it into the fridge. He collapsed on the couch with a huff.
He looked up at the clock. It was 3:07, meaning Mike would probably walk in any second. He fidgeted with his ring, sliding it off and smiling as he read the engraving.
Crazy together.
The front door opened and Will slid his ring back on, turning his head to watch as Mike set his shoes on the rack.
Mike looked over and smiled. He walked over and slumped down on the couch next to Will, pulling him into a kiss.
"How was it?" Will asked when they parted.
"Good. Nance bought me these," he said, holding open a bag with a couple books and a vinyl. It was the album Synchronicity, by The Police. Will smiled.
Mike told WIll all about his day with Nancy, how they browsed and window shopped around town before hitting the jackpot at this used book and record store.
The two had gone from talking, to fully making out on the couch. They would've never stopped, had it not been for the sound of cackling. Will jumped, startled. He looked over his shoulder to see Max and Lucas standing in the doorway.
"Damn Mike, having a good birthday?" Max asked, smiling wide. Lucas was shaking his head, a playfully judgemental look on his face.
"Fuck off Max," Mike retorted, though there was no heat to it. Will climbed off of Mike, a bit embarrassed to have been caught.
----
Dustin and El arrived around 30 minutes later and they all settled in. It had been decided a week prior that they would just have a chill night in for Mike's birthday. They ordered Chinese food and exchanged gifts while they waited for it to arrive.
Dustin went first, handing over a huge, heavy, black box. Inside was a new record player, shiny and sleek.
"Holy shit dude! Thank you this is awesome!"
"Yeah, Will said something about you getting into record collecting! Thought you might like it!"
The two hugged and then it was El's turn.
She gave Mike a blue gift bag with yellow gift paper flowers blooming from the top. He took the flowers out carefully, not wanting to damage them. Inside the bag was a Stephen King book, and a blue knt sweater.
Mike smiled, feeling the sweater between his fingers. The yarn wasn't at all scratchy, just plush and cozy. He was beyond happy, knowing some sweater messed with his sensory issues.
"El you are so talented," he complimented her, knowing she made it. El had been getting more into knitting and crocheting. She was crafty, just like Will. "Thank you so much! And I love horror novels!"
"Will told me," she responded with a smile. "I saw it in a book store and thought you might like it."
"Psychotic," Lucas joked. He was not a horror lover.
Lucas gave his gift next. Mike ripped away the silver wrapping paper to reveal an envelope and a carboard box. He opened the envelope first, revealing a card that said "World's Best Dad," with dad crossed out and replaced with "MIKE" in sharpie. Inside it read "Happy Birthday to the best father I could ask for," with father crossed out and replaced with "MIKE" once again.
Mike snorted and put the card back into the envelope before opening the box. Inside was a writers dream organization kit. It had pens, a journal, a day planner, a writing planner, a checklist, sticky notes, a pocket calendar, and a set of bookmarks.
"This is fucking insane," he said in disbelief, setting the box aside to hug Lucas. "Thank you man!"
"No problem. The card was Max's idea."
Max gave Mike a heavy cardboard box, not wrapped.
Mike opened it to find a new typewriter inside, sleek and gorgeous. It had buttons that made a clacky noise he loved and it was much better quality then the one he currently had.
"Oh my God MAX!" He yelled. Mike was in awe. He and Max were like siblings in a way. They always bullied each other, but it was moments like this that showed them just how much the other cared.
After they hugged, Will disappeared into the bedroom to grab his presents. First he gave Mike the painting.
Mike unwrapped it and paused. He was in shock. The painting was utterly breathtaking, a portrait of him and Will sitting in a meadow as the sun sets, blue and yellow flowers blooming all around them.
He felt himself tearing up. "Will... this is beautiful. Thank you so much." He looked up, prepared to kiss his boyfriend, but was instead met with Will holding out a green velvet box in his hands, blushing.
Mike smiled and set the painting down gently before taking the box. He opened it to find a shiny silver ring.
"You uh... you got me a ring for my birthday... so I though we could match. It has a heart on the inside, like how mine says crazy together."
Mike slipped on the ring before lunging forward to kiss Will.
Dustin laughed, Lucas whistled, El fake gagged, and Max rolled her eyes.
----
The rest of the evening was perfect. They ate their Chinese food and played board games, ate some delicious cake, drank a few beers, and then parted ways.
Mike and Will cleaned up and climbed into bed. Mike curled up into his boyfriends chest.
"Thank you," he said softly, wrapping his arms around him.
"For what?" Will replied, playing with Mike's curly black hair.
"The best birthday ever."
Will giggled, pressing a kiss to Mike's temple.
"Your welcome."
The two fell asleep holding hands, just like how they were holding hands in the painting hung above their bed.