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Will clutched tighter to the handlebars of the Bradley’s Big Buy truck, letting out an involuntary gasp as they jostled over a bump.
They were all headed into the Upside Down so they could defeat Vecna once and for all with the power of rejection and sisterly suicide.
Will had just come out to only his closest friends because one could never be too careful in the 1980s. This meant he only revealed the truth about his sexuality to a select few: Joyce, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Robin, Steve, Jonathan, Nancy, Murray, Vickie, Max, Kali, and Jane.
An intimate gathering.
But he was feeling much better now that he had gotten over his tiny crush on Mike. Like ew. It’s not like he was in love with him for going on ten years. Honestly, fuck that guy. Will can’t wait to meet someone better in a bar in a few years. Someone to share looks and bump elbows with. Someone who showers.
He can see the future, and it is bright.
“Hey, Will?” said a familiar voice, slicing through his pleasant fantasizing. Ugh, bro.
Will lifted his head to see Mike’s blank expression, a single eyebrow spasming, halfway obscured by his fuckass beanie. Instead of verbalizing a response, Will merely grunted at the taller boy, who took that as permission to speak.
“I just wanted to say that it’s totally fine that you don’t like girls,” he said, teetering sideways as the truck rolled over another bump. “And I don’t think you’re weird for having a crush on me,” he continued, pursing his lips. “But, like, you know I’m 100% straight, right?”
Will stared unblinking. Unmoved.
“Right?” he repeated dumbly. Will narrowed his eyes. “Will?”
“You stupid slut!” Will shouted, backhanding him, the slap echoing like the sound of wet ham dropping to the floor. Mike let out a hiss through clenched teeth, staggering back. “Did you listen to a single thing I said just earlier, dumbass?”
Mike stared constipatedly.
“Disgusting!” Will spat. “You are the single most oblivious, useless, stupidest, suddenly homophobic for no reason in season 3, horrendous boyfriend, and an even shitter friend!” he screamed in vitriolic disgust. “Why don’t you show a single emotion for once in your goddamn life, huh, Mike?”
“Yeah, you dumb fuck,” chimed in Jane, materializing beside Mike and slapping him across the other cheek.
Mike staggered back again, his eyebrows fighting for dominance.
“From Mike, from Mike, from Mike,” she roared, lifting her hands and shoving him against the wall with her powers. “If you’re not gay, then why are you gay?” she asked, yanking off his fugly beanie. She momentarily paused to wince as grease poured onto the floor with a slow squelching noise.
Will heard a disgusted noise from over his shoulder.
“How do you like me now, bruh!?” Jane taunted, delivering two swift kicks to Mike’s shin. Will smiled as Mike toppled to the floor, groaning in pain.
“Will!” Jane called, beckoning him over. He ran over to them, and Jane grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers.
“You don’t want me? You don’t want him? Fine,” she said to Mike. She then turned to Will and leaned in.
“Whoa there!” he yelped, sticking up a hand, effectively stopping her from kissing him.
“Millie—I mean El—I mean Jane, I’m ga—I mean, I don’t like girls.” Perfect. Can’t say it outright.
“I was going in for a hug,” she said slowly, confusion lining her face.
“Oh,” Will said. “My bad.”
“It’s all cool, bro,” Jane assured, before leaning back in and drawing him into a warm embrace. Will wrapped his arms around her waist, peaking over her shoulder to where Mike still lay on the ground.
He had taken his DnD figurines out, because he still had them in his pocket for whatever reason, and was playing with them. Will shifted Jane to the left and stomped on the figurines, shattering them.
Mike’s eyebrow twitched again.
“I’m proud to help you defeat Vecna with the power of queerbait,” Jane said, slightly muffled into his shoulder. Before Will could respond, he heard Lucas’ voice.
“Me too,” Lucas said, before joining the hug.
“Me too,” Dustin added, wrapping his arms around them.
“And me,” said a voice from the floor, and Will looked down to see Mike attempting to wrap his arms around their ankles.
“Who invited this man?” Kali chimed in.
They all glared down at Mike, faces scrunched in annoyance as they waddled away from him, still in a group hug.
But even as the floor squeaked as they stepped through the puddle of grease from Mike’s hair, and they almost fell over as the truck bounced over yet another bump, Will knew all was well.
Because this was a realistic representation of a queer kid in the 80s.
#foahisreal