Chapter Text
Hawkins, February 1985
It's Friday night, and Mike, Lucas, Dustin and the others are arguing after finishing one of Eddie's campaigns
despite winning, they think the campaign of this week was a bit...off, Mike avoids using the word 'boring' since he could never say anything like that about Eddie's campaigns, in his opinion, he could even make one of Holly's boring cartoons interesting with his narration skills alone if he wanted to.
"I'm telling you, dude! Eddie has been weird ALL week! I don't know what's gotten into him" Garret replies
"oh i think i know what's gotten into him" Lucas replies with a smirk on his face
"like...what?" Dustin looks at Lucas with question marks written all over his expression
"dude...are you serious? it's painfully obvious! Eddie is clearly in love, i could recognize that look anywhere, my man is smitten!"
Dustin stops walking, looking like he's actively connecting the dots in his head and he finally snaps back
"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE RIGHT"
"so...who do we think is the lucky lady?"
Lucas asks, looking around
Mike has been quiet this entire time
he shrugs, ugh, he honestly has no interest in finding out who is this mystery girl Eddie is supposedly infatuated with, but if it affects hellfire campaigns, he supposes they're going to have to talk to him about it
"wait guys before we leave i have to take a piss" Dustin turns to Lucas and Mike
"dude" Lucas says in a slightly annoyed tone
"seriously? can't you like, go when we get back? i have to...do something I can't be late!"
"it'll take just a minute i promise!" and with that, Dustin sprints away
Lucas sighs and Mike can tell something is on his mind, maybe someone, he puts an empathetic hand on his shoulder
"so is the 'something' Max related?"
Lucas gives him a small smile
"yeah...since she broke up with me again she's been getting kind of distant, not just to me but to everyone around her and, I don't know I've been so worried about her lately" he sighs
"tonight, after begging her for weeks she finally gave in and told me to come over after hellfire, that's good...right?"
Mike considers his answer before giving it to Lucas, he'd like to tell him that sure, how could it be a bad thing, but then again it's Max Mayfield they're talking about, she's as stubborn and hard to get through as...well Mike
though he'd rather eat the slice of pizza that's been sitting in Lucas's desk for a month than admit him and Max are alike, so he gives Lucas the simple answer
"i guess so" he says, then punches Lucas's shoulder lightly
Lucas's watch beeps and he abruptly gets up on his feet
"oh shit! I'm late"
"it's fine, go ahead, I'll explain to Dustin when he gets back"
"thanks man, see you tomorrow"
and with that, Lucas gets on his bike and Mike is left alone outside the school
he gets bored quickly.
He settles on going to the bathroom to get Dustin, to his surprise, he's not there, so he starts looking for him in and outside the school
"Dustin!" he yells out, annoyed he gets to the corner before the parking lot
"Dustin i swear to god I'm going to leave without you" he mutters under his breath
he peeks at the parking lot and oh, Eddie's car is still here, and sure enough Eddie emerges from him car with what looks like a blunt in his hand, Mike is about to go towards him when a guy he's never seen before emerges from the passenger seat
he doesn't know why, but something in his gut is telling him to stay hidden
the two older guys are talking and passing the blunt to each other, Mike is too far away to tell what they're talking about
when suddenly, the guy pushes Eddie against the school wall and kisses him
...
Mike is stunned, he should probably run, scream, he doesn't know, but still there's something in him that's keeping him from doing either, so he just stands here, looking.
...what?
is Eddie...no, no way, he must've misunderstood the situation, maybe this guy is...italian or something, he heard somewhere italians kiss people to greet them, yes, that's it
the pair walk back to the car and then leave
Mike stares as the car gets smaller in his field of vision
he still hasn't moved, still processing what he just witnessed when a hand is placed on his shoulder, it's Dustin
he jolts
"Dude! where the hell were you?? I've been looking all over the school for you i actually thought you left without me but then i saw your bike so-"
Mike is not listening, not really
"yeah, sorry dude, let's go"
Dustin gives him a questioning look but doesn't press
"finally, i am EXHAUSTED"
when he got home, Mike didn't sleep
images of what he saw in the parking lot flashing before his eyes
a strange feeling is settling in his stomach.