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Mike Wheeler and Will Byers were sitting in the Wheeler's basement in silence. It was completely silent except for the radio quietly playing beside them. It was awkward and the tension was clear. Mike clears his throat awkwardly.
"So um.. how has California been..?" Mike hadn't really talked to Will on the trip back to Hawkins. He was talking to El, that was at least until she dropped the bomb.
"Alright I guess." Will responded dryly. Will didn't want to talk to Mike, but he couldn't help but talk to him.
"The painting you gave me was nice." Mike had always enjoyed Will's art. He found it gorgeous and when Will gave him the painting in the van he was astonished. Will stated El had commissioned it but she hadn't known anything about D&D so he was a bit confused.
"Thanks.." Will was clearly nervous and tensed up more at the topic.
"You been uh..busy? I know you wrote letters to El but she never told me what they said and you never really..called."
Mike cringed at the mention of El. He was of course upset about their breakup and didn't expect it but he couldn't help but feel something had felt wrong.
"Yea, ive uh- been busy with campaigns."
Will knew he meant hellfire. He was upset at the thought that Mike joined a new party without him, especially after Will had said he could never.
"Yea..that's..that's cool."
They both sat in silence tensely until Mike blurted out- "El broke up with me!"
Will was shocked, his eyes widened. "She-she did?" He wasn't happy that they had broken up but he knew it would mean progress. Will had loved Mike since they first met, but thought there was no chance when Mike and El got together.
"Yeah...'It isn't working out and it seems you have eyes for someone else.'- whatever that means." Mike stated bluntly.
Will knew what it meant. He knew El knew and he hated that. He hated that El would let herself get hurt just for Will to be happy with someone she loved. He was at least happy he had seen her trying to move on a couple days before she broke up with him.
"I think she means I liked someone else even before we were dating." Mikes eyes moved to look at the floor. "Honestly, I hate thinking about it like that, but I think it's true."
Wills heart rate increased nervously. "Oh, really? Wh-who?" He tried to state calmly, masking his nervousness.
Mike looked up at Will, unsure of what to say. But they both knew there was nothing more to say. They both studied each other for a moment before El opened the door, running down the steps. "Geez can you two just kiss already! You take forever! I didn't break up with the person I love to wait this long!"
Mike and Wills eyes dart to El. "Eleven!" Will yelled, embarrassed.
Mike laughed softly, hesitatingly but hastily grabbing Wills chin and connecting their lips.