Chapter Text
it happened on a tuesday — the kind of day where everything just felt stuck in slow motion. lockers slamming. teachers grumbling. max arguing with the vending machine.
when they all walked out of school together, lucas had promised them with a “surprise.”
max was sure it was a prank, while el clapped excitedly.
“it’s not a prank,” lucas said, clearly trying not to grin.
“if it involves something exploding, i swear to god—” max started.
“it’s not gonna explode,” lucas laughed. “just— wait here.”
he jogged ahead, disappearing into the student lot. mike leaned against the bike rack, watching him go with narrowed eyes. “he’s being suspicious,” he muttered.
“i think he’s being cute,” el said. “i like surprises.”
“you liked the fake cake he gave you last year,” max pointed out. “that was a prank.”
“i still liked it,” el replied simply.
and then lucas pulled in front of them the sound of an engine was loud. sputtering slightly, but strong. turning the corner came a rusted little sedan, sun-bleached red and surprisingly shiny.
lucas in the driver’s seat. one arm hanging out the window.
in his car. it wasn’t brand new or anything — shiny, a little beat-up, — but his.
“holy shit,” dustin said, already at his window. “when were you gonna tell us about this?”
mike blinked at him from the sidewalk. “is that your car?”
lucas tossed the keys up and caught them. “damn right it is.”
max jogged over, eyes wide. “wait. like— it’s yours-yours?”
“fully mine,” lucas grinned. “mom signed the paperwork last night. said I earned it.”
dustin let out a low whistle, a sound of excitement. “dude, this changes everything. you know that, right?”
“lucas,” will called out, smiling. he came up on the other side of dustin, hands tucked into the pocket of his hoodie. “you driving us now?”
mike didn’t even realize he’d been holding his breath until he saw him — hoodie sleeves tugged over his hands, hair a little messy, that soft sleepy look still stuck to his face.
lucas gave him a lop-sided smile. “depends. you wanna ride?”
“obviously,” will said.
slowly, all piled toward the car, excited — crowding the doors like it was some kind of spaceship.
mike opened his mouth — he was gonna ask for shotgun. he always did.
but will beat him to it.
“shotgun?”
and when max opened her mouth to protest, lucas didn’t even hesitate. “let him have it,” then, he turned to will. “i owe you like a million rides anyway.”
and just like that, the front passenger door opened. will climbed in, casually tossing his backpack into the footwell, humming along to whatever song was playing through the weak car speakers.
max just sighed. “whatever. you owe me next time. but i’m coming with,” she said as she quickly piled into the backseat, dustin following behind her.
mike walked over to his bike slowly, watching through the windshield as will said something to lucas that made him laugh — easy, familiar.
“mike! el!” lucas exclaimed from his window. “you guys aren’t coming?”
mike just shook his head. “nah. i don’t wanna crowd your car. gotta take my bike home anyway,” he mumbled… clearly wanting to go too.
el just stood next to him with a smile. “next time, yeah?”
lucas just nodded, putting the car and driving away as the party waved at them from the car.
he stared at the car as he pulled out of the school parking lot and into the street. he watched until it faded out of his vision — but one thing didn’t disappear — the pit in his stomach.
el tugged gently at his sleeve. “are we biking?”
mike blinked, startled. “huh? oh— yeah. yeah, let’s go.”
she just nodded and let mike take off the bike lock.
two weeks later.
around a week after lucas had first gotten his car… it became a pattern.
no one really talked about it. no one had to. it just… happened.
at first it was small. lucas would walk out of the school like he didn’t have anywhere specific to be, tossing his keys into the air and catching them with one hand. he’d lean against the hood, the sun catching the edges of his curls, and wait.
not for long.
because then will would show up — sometimes from the opposite end of the lot, sometimes from the art wing — always with that same soft little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. the kind of smile mike didn’t realize he’d missed until he saw it again, aimed at someone else.
lucas would nod.
will would slide into the passenger seat like it was automatic.
sometimes they'd say they were going to the arcade. sometimes it was “just driving.” most days, they didn’t say anything at all. they’d just… leave.
mike noticed every single time.
he started lingering by the front doors after the final bell, casually hanging around with dustin and el, pretending he wasn’t watching.
but he was.
his eyes always flicked up when he heard the sound of keys spinning, tires rolling over gravel, will’s laugh — that specific kind, the one that was quieter and real.
he’d glance up like he wasn’t trying to, and there they were again. side by side.
sometimes will wore his hoodie with the sleeves pulled over his hands, slurping the end of a drink from the vending machine. sometimes lucas would shove him lightly, grinning as they crossed the lot over to his car.
it wasn’t anything big. but it kept happening. and it didn’t stop.
mike lay on his bed one night, arms folded behind his head, staring at the ceiling like it might answer something.
mike didn’t ask. he could’ve. he should’ve.
but what would he say? he told himself it was dumb. he told himself it didn’t matter.
it’s not like he was jealous. right? that would be ridiculous. will could do whatever he wanted.
it’s not like will wasn’t allowed to have other friends. it’s not like lucas was doing anything wrong. they were all friends!
but still — that weird feeling from the first day?
it hadn’t gone away. it had just… settled in.
mike grabbed his walkie and stared at it for a second.
but he didn’t turn it on.
instead, he set it down. rolled over. pulled the covers over his head. and tried to sleep.