Work Text:
Everyone was clapping half-heartedly. They had just ended a far too long table read for the finale and it was easy to pretend like they wrapped everything up nicely after so many unearned emotional beats in that stupidly long finale, but Noah was still in shock.
Will had been telling the truth anout Mike being his Tammy and it was never addressed again? He was with Joyce the entire time? (Don’t get him wrong, he loved Winona, but hadn’t it been that way for too long?) And what, there’s not a single mention about Will’s grief for El, his SISTER??? Hell, he basically had no scenes with Millie! And he really thought they were going somewhere with Will’s powers but APPARENTLY not.
Thoughts were whirling around in his head and he looked up at the rest of the cast. Poor Millie looked pissed but was clearly trying to hide it. She poured so much soul into El just for her to get an ambiguous ending where either option was terrible. All of them had grown up with these characters and Noah would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little heart-broken by the outcome of the show. This was worse than that god-awful coming out scene for fuck’s sake.
…
After the table read Noah decided to talk to Millie and god was it cathartic to rant about their issues. Millie encouraged him to speak up about adding another scene between Will and Mike in, but Noah was nervous. The Duffers were a bit intimidating. Millie and him exchanged goodbye kisses on each cheek before she left to go to the parking garage.
Before he himself left, Noah decided to stop in the bathroom just to clear his head. He needed to splash some water on his face or wash his hands or something before he could finally come to terms with everything. His head spun as he thought anout the impact this could have on the little Wills of the world out there, of not having a romantic interest beyond some one-off mention. God, his agent will probably freak when she reads the ending. He wasn’t a writer by any means, but he thought even he could do better at making an ending.
As he dried off his hands with a rough paper towel, the door creaked open. Finn walked in. Noah exhaled a bit, he was curious to what his reaction to the script would be considering Mike’s lackluster ending, and he really didn’t have the stomach to make small talk with any of the directors right now.
“Hey.” Finn said akwardly, but that was his default so… Finn said normally. He guessed.
“Hey.” Noah responded. It was easy and casual, like most of their interactions. It was the default after growing up on set together. He wanted to keep it short and good-natured but GOD he was curious so he couldn’t help asking. “So… what did you think of the ending?”
“Oh my god.” Finn rubbed his eyes with both of his hands, sliding them down his face exasperatedly. His eyes fluttered open and he looked up to the ceiling as if to say ‘God please help me’. “Okay I’m sorry but—“ Finn leaned over to look at the stalls ”is there anyone else in here?” he whispered.
“No you’re good.” Noah said, smiling. Jesus he was SO glad to know Finn was also heated over this. It was like collecting allies.
“What on earth did they do to Mike?? And El?? And like, Vecna barely did anything!” He threw his hands out while he was talking. “I mean— I acted in love with you for like the past two— hell even the past four seasons and now they just scrap it like that?!!?” Finn stopped and his face fell, seeming to realize something. “Oh my god. Oh. my god.” His hand came up to his face again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“???? What????” Noah asked, tilting his head, amused by his antics. Why couldn’t this guy just spit it out.
“Everyone’s gonna think I’m so gay for you.” Oh. Oh yeah. God, he almost forgot about fan reception.
“Damn. I mean… damn.” He REALLY didn’t know what to say, so he landed on a joke. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” He hoped Finn knew he was joking, he knew that he had been through something like this before and was VERY uneager to do it again.
Luckily, Finn laughed and removed his hand from his face, putting his hands on his hips. You— you know what we’re gonna have to do, right?” Noah shook his head. “We gotta like, turn it up a notch. Make everything super romantic? I think it’d be funny.” He said lamely, obviously trying to pitch the idea.
Noah sighed. “Fineee” He rolled his eyes. “I thought last season was really the most I could do to be honest. I don’t know how I’m going to turn it up any more.” He said playfully.
“Oh I know I can. 100% no doubt about it. You haven’t seen, like, a fraction of my full potential for acting in love.”
“I’m sure I haven’t. We gotta make this good because…” He flushed, looking away “I-I’ll be honest I don’t really think this last season is like… the best they’ve ever done.” He fidgteted with his hands, pulling on his fingers.
“Oh, understatement of the century. Or— well— I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on it. I dunno.” Finn said, laughing.
Noah laughed. It was like a breath of fresh air to speak his mind. “Alright, well I’m heading out. See you when filming starts.”
“See ya!” Finn returned. Noah swung the door open and walked out. God, it was gonna be a tough year.