Chapter Text
Mike plopped himself down into the kitchen chair, rubbing his sleep-warm face. His eyes flick up to Will, who sits down right in front of him. Mike’s lips tug into a bright smile at the sight of his best friend. Who too had mused hair on his head.
Karen sets down a glass of orange juice beside Mike.
“Will, honey, what would you like to drink?” She asks with a polite smile, but a little hesitant.
Will glances up to Karen blankly, looking away to look down at his hands. After a moment, he glances up to Mike, his eyes sad and guilty that he couldn’t even answer a simple question.
Mike, regardless, beamed with a smile.
“He wants apple juice, Mom,” he says looking up to her like it was obvious.
Will straightens up and smiles at Mike.
Karen’s eyebrows lift in quiet surprise that Mike somehow knew what Will wanted without him even saying anything. Her lips part to say something but it just falls into a small smile.
As breakfast goes on, Mike happily kicks his feet under the table as he eats. Shoveling eggs and bacon into his mouth until he sat up like he’d just had an idea.
“Will, when we’re done eating let’s test our walkies,” Mike says, his mouth still full.
Will smiled and nodded, taking a bite of his food.
“Micheal, don't talk with your mouth full. That’s disgusting.” Ted says a little loud from across the table.
Will flinched, his body going stiff as he set down his fork with a trembling hand.
“Sorry Dad,” Mike said, still chewing. Ted sighed and went back to his newspaper.
Mike’s eyes moved back to Will, his grin faltering as soon as he saw his face.
He stared for a second before nudging Will’s leg under the table. “Hey. It’s okay.” Mike says, smiling softly.
Will hesitated, then blinked a few times and nodded. Slowly reaching for his fork to continue eating.
Mike ate the rest of his breakfast faster than usual. Leaving a piece of untouched toast on his plate. Mike watches as Will hesitates to take his last bite.
“I’m so full.” Mike says, grabbing his toast and putting it on Will’s plate. “You can have it,”
Mike’s fingers drum on the side of his chair in a soft rhythm as he waits for Will to finish his toast.
Finally, Will hums in satisfaction brushing some of the crumbs off his lips. Mike beams immediately jumping out of his chair.
“Okay. Let’s go!” He says happily hopping off of his chair. Mike grabs Will's hand and races off to the basement.
“My mom put new batteries in them.” Mike says plopping down onto the couch, their hands slipping apart. “They should work way better now.”
Will grinned, pulling his legs up to criss-cross beside him.
Mike picks up one of the walkies, turning the dial to channel three, and handing it to Will.
“I’ll go into the bathroom.” Mike says already standing, with his walkie. “Remember how to use them?”
Will nods eagerly, looking down at the walkie in joy. His thumb brushed along the speaker. Will holds up his walkie and presses the side button.
Mike smiled from the bathroom doorway. “Yeah,” he said. “I can hear you.”
Mike shut the bathroom and slid down till he was sitting on the floor, his back against it.
“Will?” Mike asked into the walkie.
Will stares at the walkie before clicking it on.
Mike listened to Will breathing for a moment before gigging. “Good it works.”
Mike’s grin tugs bigger, as he hears Will giggling on the other end too.
“Do you think my mom will let you stay another night?” Mike hums into his walkie, letting his head fall back against the door.
The other end crackled in response.
“I hope so too,” Mike says softly. After a moment he continues. “If you ever need me,” he says more seriously than before, “just use it.”
Will nodded hard, even though Mike couldn’t see him, clutching the walkie-talkie to his chest.
After a couple of hours, the basement door creaked open.
“Will, your mom is here.” Karen says with a soft voice at the top of the stairs.
Will stared, his shoulders slumped a little.
The boys made their ways up the stairs, Will trailing a step behind Mike.
When Joyce saw him, she smiled gently. “Hey sweetheart.” She reached up to fix the collar of his shirt.
Mike stepped forward immediately. “He can stay longer,” he offered, hopeful.
Joyce smiled at him. “I know honey. But there’s school tomorrow.”
She knelt to tie Will’s shoes, tying his laces into a knot.
Mike pressed the walkie-talkie into Will’s hand. “Channel three.” He reminded.
Will nodded as he clutched the walkie close.
Joyce didn’t ask. She just smiled, and took Will’s hand, leading him out to her car.