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Tuesday, February 14th, 1989.
Mike Wheeler shouldn’t be surprised to find his locker empty on Valentine’s Day. He shouldn’t be at least. Somehow, receiving a whole three Valentine’s in the span of three years can drastically change a man. All of those had been from El when she was alive.
Mike slams his locker shut with a frustrated sigh. No cards, no notes. Nothing.
Meanwhile, he turns to see Lucas standing by the front entrance, dressed in a neat white shirt and a suave maroon jacket. He’s holding a small bouquet of bright orange chrysanthemums and a bar of Max’s favourite chocolate, frantically fixing his hair in the reflective glass of the doors.
Mike watches on sourly as Max walks in, cane clacking lightly against the linoleum flooring. Lucas straightens up. He bows and says something before handing her the flowers and chocolate. She rolls her eyes, but it means nothing when compared to the way her smile burns her cheeks and she leans in to kiss him. Mike’s own eye roll isn’t nearly as sweet.
Mike turns his heel to get to homeroom early. Maybe then he could avoid all this saccharine bullshit.
He passes by at least 14 other couples on his way.
Some were exchanging cheap, mass produced cards that a million others would be receiving at that very moment. Mike noted to himself how lazy they were, and that a handmade one would be significantly more romantic.
Some were just flirting, or discussing plans for later in the day. He even heard one boy start singing to his girlfriend. He sounded god awful but the girlfriend blushed profusely. You remembered my favourite song! She said bashfully before kissing him. Mike cringed at the display, though mostly out of a sense of Déjà vu. Music is romantic. Blaring it at the top of your lungs to your partner in the middle of a make out session? Not so much.
Some pulled each other into bathrooms, presumably to swap spit as if they were tactless rabbits. Mike gags as he walks by. Isn’t the point of intimacy to be intimate? No one wants to see that. Besides, the pipes are so faulty that there’s bound to be a puddle of who knows what to slip on. Very appealing.
Upon arrival to his homeroom class, Dustin immediately starts gushing about the singular Valentine he received. It was in his mailbox rather than his locker. There was no name and no return address. Just a page with cut up magazine letters spelling out “Happy Valentine Day!” (Yes, “Valentine” not “Valentine’s”) with a drawing of a heart in purple marker. It was reminiscent of the ones Holly used to colour with when she was younger, before she’d saved up her pocket money to buy nice pencils like Will’s.
“It must be a secret admirer,” Dustin preens, “I’m telling you, Mike!”
“Or a stalker.” Mike mutters as he sits. Dustin doesn’t hear him, too engrossed in rereading the paper once more, reciting it as if it was a Shakespearean love poem. This only annoys Mike even more. What a drama king, he thinks.
After homeroom, Mike heads to his next class, speedwalking to avoid as many couples as possible. Will is in this class, so maybe he’ll finally catch a break from all this obnoxious romance.
When Mike walks in, he sighs in relief and smiles to himself when he sees Will already at their shared desk, quietly doodling in his workbook. He walks over and sits down with a loud huff. Will looks up at him, smiling kindly and dropping his pen on the page.
“It’s been a long day.” Mike grumbles.
Will snorts, “At nine in the morning?”
Mike groans loudly, running his hands through his hair, “It’s all these stupid couples!” He cries, “With all their love, and their- their kissing…it’s annoying the shit out of me!”
Will chuckles warmly, “Really?” He teases, “Couples? Love? Kissing? On Valentine’s Day?”
“That’s another thing!” Mike continues, “I didn’t get any Valentines at all!”
Will stares at him, his cheeky smile faltering slightly, “What? None at all?”
“No!” Mike sighs and rests his head on the desk, arms hanging limp at his sides, “I know it’s stupid…but it just makes me feel a bit, I don’t know, lonely?”
Will chuckles softly, “Yeah, I get what you mean,” He picks up his pen and goes back to doodling, “I mean, I hadn’t gotten any valentines for years. I was sort of used to it.”
Mike hums sombrely and watches as Will’s hand guides his pen across the page, forming the planes of a girl's face. It’s only when he starts adding her facial features that he realises it’s El.
“She’d like that,” Mike states matter of factly.
Will smiles sadly, “Thanks,” he mutters, “I miss her a lot. I remember how excited she was to give us our Valentines a couple years ago. Feels like forever ago now.”
Mike jolted up, “Us? You mean she gave you a Valentine?”
Will looks up at Mike again, “Yeah? Me, Jon, Mom, Hop…I think she gave some to the rest of the party as well,” Will smiles at Mike's confused face, “Valentines don’t always have to be romantic. Sometimes it’s just about showing your love and appreciation for the people around you. And well, she loved us all.” Will added that last part quietly.
Mike goes quiet for a moment, “Sorry, I uh-“ He blinks, “Didn’t know that.”
After another short moment of quiet between them filled only by Will’s pen scratching against the paper, Mike speaks again, “She would’ve made sure we didn’t go without valentines.”
Will drops his pen, “Uh…”
Mike stares at him with concern, “What? What’s wrong?”
Will looks up at him guiltily, “N-nothing it’s just…” he stammers, trailing off.
Then, Mike’s eyes widen, “You got one, too?!”
Will chews his lip and looks away, “Well,” He mumbles, “I got…a few.”
“A few?”
Will winces, “Yeah,” He sighs, “Although most of them are from…you know…” He leans in closer and lowers his voice, “Girls.”
Mike is taken aback, “Seriously?”
Will nods, “And one guy.” He whispers with an almost triumphant smile. Almost triumphant.
Mike scoffs and flops back in his chair dramatically, “So I really am the only one without a valentine?”
Will shrugs awkwardly. Mike groans loudly again. Will was awesome, and without a doubt handsome too. Mike shouldn’t be surprised that Will would receive Valentines, and he’s not.
But if anything, knowing that him and Will weren’t both the only ones without Valentines, left a sour taste in his mouth.
—
When Mike gets home, he locks himself in his room and sulks. Last year wasn't this frustrating. El’s death was still fresh in everyone’s minds, and while it initially hurt Mike knowing he wouldn’t be able to spend the day with her ever again, it hurt less knowing that at least he wasn’t alone. Last year, Will, Dustin went with him to the arcade where they spent the afternoon playing games and filling their stomachs with junk food. This was a little before Will had moved out of the Wheeler’s basement, so Mike slept down there with him that night and they rewatched the Star Wars trilogy together.
Mike wouldn’t mind doing that again, but Dustin was dedicating his evening to “decoding” his mystery valentine and Will…Mike assumed he might’ve gone on a date with that one boy he mentioned. Some guy from the basketball team, who had snuck a simple paper card into Will’s locker. Mike thought — no, he was a major jerk. But whatever makes Will happy he thinks. He thinks that over and over again before deciding he’s too pissed off to be in his room anymore.
Mike opens his door and crosses the hall to see Nancy sitting at her vanity through her open door. Mike steps in the doorway and leans against it. She’s wearing a nice, velvet dress and her hair is done up in a freshly-permed up-do.
Nancy notices him standing there, “Hi..?” She says as she turns to face him, “Do you…need something?”
Mike partially ignores her, “Did you get any valentines today?”
She furrows her brows and darts her eyes to the side, “…Yeah?” She turns around to face her mirror and picks up a tube of lipstick, “Yeah I did. Why?”
Mike rolls his eyes and frowns, “Where are you going?”
Nancy side-eyes him, “Out.”
“Out where?”
“Why do you need to know?” She begins applying her lipstick.
“Well,” Mike feigns a concerned tone, “What if there’s an emergency? I can’t reach you if I don’t know where you are.”
Nancy sighs sharply, “Fine,” Mike smirks, “I’m going to Enzo’s.”
“On a date?” Mike teases.
“No.” She mutters, unconvincingly.
“Right,” Mike grins, “So you’re going to Enzo’s, on Valentine’s Day-” He pauses briefly, "And it’s what, just a totally platonic dinner with a friend?”
Nancy glares at him, “Yes.”
“Oh yeah?” Mike cocks an eyebrow smugly, “You wear bright red lipstick to hang out with all your friends?”
Nancy freezes and looks down at the little red tube in her hands. She looks back at Mike, “Uh that’s…”
“So who is he?”
Nancy turns back to the vanity, placing the lipstick down, “No one.”
Mike gasps, “Is it Jonathan?!”
“No!” Nancy sighs, “It’s someone else. And who they are isn’t any of your business.”
Mike hums, “Okay,” he throws his hands up and walks back out into the hall, “Fine.”
“I need you to stay here and watch Holly. Mom and Dad aren’t gonna be home ‘til late.” Nancy calls out.
Mike rushes back to the door, “What?! That’s not fair!” He sputters, “What if I already had plans, Nance?!”
“Do you have plans?”
Mike looks at the carpet, “I mean, no, but-!“
“Then it’s no big deal,” Nancy grabs her purse and moves past him into the hall, “Just watch her and Mary. Mom left some money in the kitchen for pizza so-“
“Wait, wait,” Mike interjected, following Nancy as she descends the stairs, “Mary’s gonna be here, too?”
“Yes, Mike!” Nancy huffs, her hand on the front doorknob, “They planned a movie night, like, weeks ago.”
Mike is about to say something but Nancy continues, “Mary should be here soon, so keep an ear out. They should be fine down there, but stick around in case they need anything.”
And with that, she shuts the door behind her before Mike has any further chance to object. Mike reluctantly takes a seat on the couch in the den and waits for the doorbell to ring.
“Great,” he murmurs out loud, “Lonely and stuck on babysitting duty.”
After a few minutes, it begins to rain. Mike listens to the way the droplets drum against the windows, and how the thunder rumbles every now and then. It’s oddly relaxing. Mike notices Holly walk into the den from the basement. She sighs and falls backwards onto the couch next to Mike, nestling into his side.
“Sorry that you have to look after us,” she murmurs, seemingly as frustrated as Mike is, “I mean, I’m old enough to be home by myself, it's not a big deal! Now you’ve had to bail on your plans.”
Mike smiles at her, “It’s not your fault. And truth be told-“ He sighs, “-I didn’t have plans at all. I didn’t even get any valentines.”
Holly frowns at him, “What?” She says, “But you’re so cool! You mean no one gave you one? No one at all?!”
Mike laughs, flattered by how simply impossible it was for Holly to believe no one wanted to be his valentine, “Not one person.”
Holly looks down and hums, disheartened. The sound of the rain cuts through the silence before Holly stands up and walks back towards the basement.
“Maybe next year you’ll have a bunch of girls lining up to be your valentine!” Holly says with a perky smile, “I’m gonna wait down here and finish setting up. When Mary gets here can you tell her to come down?”
Mike nods and Holly thanks him before heading down. Now Mike is on his own again
Ding-dong
Mike hears the doorbell ring. He pulls himself off the couch and makes his way to the foyer. The doorbell rings again only seconds later.
“Coming!” He places a hand on the doorknob and twists, “Jeez…”
Mike expects to see Mary standing on the front step…but she’s not there.
“Will?”
Will smiles sheepishly. He’s drenched from head to toe, hair sticking to his forehead and water dripping from his jacket. He’s clutching his backpack to his chest.
“Hi,” he says, shivering from the rain which continues to pour against the dark evening sky, “I-I just wanted to…I…uh…sorry can I come in?”
“Yeah!” Mike says and ushers him inside, water dripping onto the floorboards which he knew his mother would yell at him for, “Yeah of course…jeez you’re soaked…”
Will chuckles quietly as he removes his jacket and shoes. He leaves his backpack next to them in the foyer.
“Come on,” Mike places a hand on Will’s shoulder and leads him upstairs, “Let’s get you dried off.”
“Thanks.” Will breathes as he’s led to the linen closet.
Mike opens it and hands Will a soft, blue towel, “Here,” He says with a kind smile.
Mike watches as Will dries himself off with the towel. Running it over his face, through his hair, down his neck…Mike looks away quickly when Will brings the towel back to his face before he starts to feel like a common creep. Which in reality makes him feel a bit silly, because what's creepy about watching your best friend dry themself off after being drenched in the rain?
Will lets out a relieved sigh and bundles up the towel in his arms, “Thank you,” he laughs, “I didn’t realise it was gonna rain when I left.”
Mike smiles and takes the towel, “It’s no problem,” he dips into the bathroom to throw the towel into the hamper before coming back out and meeting Will’s eyes, “What’re you doing here?”
“I-“
“Wait! Sorry I didn’t mean like what are you doing here,” Mike rambles, “I meant like what’s brought you here…not that you’re not always welcome it’s just-“
“Mike!” Will places a hand on Mike's shoulder. It feels warm through Mike’s sweater.
“S-sorry,” Mike mutters and looks down for a second before looking back up at Will, “I guess I’m just surprised. I thought you would’ve had a date or something.”
Will snorts, “A date?”
“Yeah?” Mike leans against the linen closet door, “You had all those valentines. Surely you’d have asked one of them on a date.”
“Mike, I told you,” he lowers his voice, “Most of them were girls!”
“What about the guy?” Mike asks.
“Who, Chance?” Will laughs incredulously, “Yeah, I can respect the guts it must’ve taken to give me a valentine, but he’s a dick! There’s no way I’d go on a date with him!”
Mike just stands there, “Oh,” he clears his throat, “Yeah I…I guess that makes sense.”
Will smiles, “Oh!” He swiftly walks over to the stairs, “That’s…sort of why I’m here.”
Mike follows him back downstairs curiously. Will picks up his backpack and stands to face Mike.
“I-I knew how upset you were about not receiving a valentine so…” He pulls out a thick envelope from the bag and hands it to Mike, smiling shyly, “I…made sure you didn’t come through empty handed.”
Mike's mouth hangs open slightly as he tentatively takes the envelope and opens it. Inside is a handmade card from Will. Blue cardstock with a yellow heart on the cover. Inside is a glued-in drawing of Mike the Brave, his sharp features and wavy hair making him look significantly more handsome than he was in reality. Mike turns his attention to the other side of the card, reading the text Will had written inside.
To The Paladin,
A heart as big as yours should never be without love.
Will the Wise ☆
Mike can feel himself grinning, wide and authentic. He looks up from the card.
“I know,” Will says bashfully. He’s smiling too but he keeps his eyes on the ground, shuffling his feet and fidgeting with his fingers nervously, “It’s really dorky but I just thought you could use a pick me up,” He pauses, “Uh…sorry I-I’m not trying be weird or anything I-“
Will doesn’t get a chance to finish what he’s saying before Mike lunges towards him, wrapping his arms around Will’s back and resting his chin on his shoulder.
“Thank you,” He whispers, voice cracking, “Sorry, I feel like I might cry.” Mike laughs.
Will slowly brings his arms up to reciprocate the hug. It’s tight but comforting, because it’s them. They hold each other close enough where Mike can feel Will’s heartbeat against his chest. It makes him wonder if Will can feel his heartbeat too. When they finally pull away, Mike is beaming at him.
“Oh!” Will gestures toward the envelope in Mike’s hand, “There’s something else in there too…a gift.”
Mike looks down at the envelope and pulls the bulky object out. It was a cassette tape. Written on the front in blue sharpie was For Mike x.
“I put some songs on there,” Will pauses, realising how obvious that statement was, “I-I mean songs you like. Your favourites.”
Mike flipped the tape around and there was more writing, this time is regular pen ink.
1. Smalltown Boy - Bronski Beat
2. Are ‘friends’ electric? - Tubeway Army
3. Love is a stranger - Eurythmics
4. Like a prayer - Madonna
5. Human Cannonball - Butthole surfers (Gross! Haha)
6. Chain - Fleetwood Mac
7. Heroes - David Bowie
“Madonna?” Mike laughs.
“Oh come on,” Will smirks, “I know you listen to her.”
“How?!”
This time Will’s laughing and looking straight at him, “I lived here for like, two years, and you really think that the headphones on your Walkman can hide what you’re listening to?”
“You heard me listening to Madonna?!”
“All the time, Mike!” Will rolls his eyes playfully, “Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.”
They both startle when the doorbell rings again. Oh right. Mary. Mike moves past will to open the door. Mary stands there with an umbrella and a canvas tote bag.
She smiles politely, “Hi, Mike,” She turns to Will, “…Will? Is that right?” Will nods, smiling back at her with a shy wave.
“Hey, yeah, Holly’s just downstairs,” Mike says, pointing behind himself as he holds the door open for her. She thanks him briefly and goes to meet Holly in the basement.
Will turns around as Mike shuts the door. He smiles awkwardly as he steps backwards towards the entrance, “I…hope you like your gift…uh…I-I should be going now-“
Will slips on the water he’d trekked inside earlier, falling face first onto the ground.
“Will!” Mike kneels down instantly, placing the card and cassette to the side, “Are you okay?!”
Will rolls over with a pained groan, a hand over his face, “Ow…”
Mike, without even thinking, gently grabs Will's wrist and pulls it away from his face. There is a bruise forming on Will's forehead and blood trickling from his nose. His eyes watered from the impact, a tear rolling down his cheek.
“Shit,” Mike breathes. He stands, helping Will up, “Are you okay? Come on.”
“Yeah,” Will grunts as he follows Mike to the bathroom, “Yeah m’okay…”
When they’re in the bathroom, Mike turns the tap on to wet a rag. He makes Will sit on the closed toilet lid.
Mike turns to him, “Uh, here let me…” He slowly reaches out to hold Will's face with his free hand. Will’s cheek burns hot in Mike’s palm. He can’t help but stare for a moment and lean in…lean in closer…
Will visibly gulps. Mike flinches and pulls back slightly, clearing his throat and bringing the wet rag to Will’s nose. What was that?
Will tilts his head backwards slightly as Mike cleans the blood from his face. Mike glances down as some of it trickles onto his lips.
“Do you think it’s broken?” Will jokes.
Mike can’t help but smile, “I wouldn’t jinx it,” He hums, “Does it feel broken?”
Will thinks for a second before shaking his head. It causes Mike's hand to falter slightly, but he decides to return it to its place on Will’s cheek.
“Just sore.”
“What, do you want me to kiss it better?” Mike blurts out.
He immediately freezes when he realises what he’s said. Will’s eyes widen and his lips part slightly.
“Uh-“
It was a joke. A joke.
“Sorry, I don’t-“ Mike looks down to hide his face, knowing that his pale complexion would be an embarrassing shade of pink, “I don’t know why I said that…”
“No, no,” Will shakes his head, “it’s-it’s fine…I-I mean what you said is fine! No-no wait, that's not what I…”
They’re both quiet. Both still, both averting eyes. Mike’s hand is still on Will's cheek. Mike chews the inside of his cheek, slowly lifting his head…and Will’s as well with his hand. They both make eye contact. They both take a breath, and it’s Mike who speaks first.
“This might be stupid question but…” Mike leans in slightly, “The card, the tape, was that you…asking me to be your Valentine?”
Will grimaces, squeezing his eyes shut and pursing his lips as if he was trying to stop himself from crying, “I’m sorry…” He whispers shakily, “I didn’t…I don’t want to make things weird-”
Mike drops the rag and immediately brings his other hand to Will’s other cheek, “Hey, no, Will,” he smiles warmly, “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
He gently presses his forehead against Will’s, “I will.”
Will looks directly into Mike's eyes, unable to look anywhere else, even if he wanted to, “W-what?”
“I’ll be your valentine…” Mike whispers, pulling back enough to look at him properly, but still cradling Will’s face in his palms, “If…if you’ll be mine?”
Will shudders as his eyes gloss over with tears that threaten to fall. He nods with a tight lipped smile.
Mike lets out a breathy laugh, smiling uncontrollably to the point where his cheeks felt sore. With his own hands still cupping Will’s face, he feels Will’s hands slowly find their way to his wrists. Suddenly, he is aware of just how close to Will he is. He can feel his breath against his face. Against his lips.
Do you want me to kiss it better? begins to feel less like a teasing remark, blurted out in a moment of sarcasm. It begins to feel like…wishful thinking. A desperate plea, a hopeful desire.
So Mike takes a chance, an extremely bold chance, and kisses Will on the nose.
Both boys freeze. After a few seconds Mike decides he should say something. However, he doesn’t get a chance, because suddenly Will’s hands are on the back of his neck, brushing against his curls…
And their lips meet.
And they meet again.
And again.
And they meet again a few dozen more times before they simply stare at each other, red faced with dopey grins and all.
Will laughs breathlessly, “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”
Mike leans in and kisses his cheek, “Don’t be sorry. I…I liked it,” He licks his lips, “Although, I think I can taste your blood.”
They both can’t help but laugh with each other, too overcome with raw, unfiltered joy. They hug once more, tightly, and when they pull away, Mike leads them back out of the bathroom to the foyer. He kneels down and grabs the card and the tape.
“I’ll keep this forever,” he states as he stands to face Will, “Thank you, Sorcerer.”
“Oh my god,” Will snorts, “You’re actually a loser.”
“Really?” Mike teases, “Me?”
Will lightly punches Mike's shoulder. Mike grins like an idiot. He grabs Will’s hand and holds up the tape with the other.
“Wanna listen to this with me?” He asks, nodding his head towards the stairs and bumping against his shoulder, “Maybe we could read some comics or something, too?” He adds with a grin.
Will smiles, laughing softly, “Sure.”
As they walk up the stairs, hand in hand, Will leans in, “Hey Mike?”
“Yes?”
Will plants a kiss on his cheek, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Mike squeezes Will’s hand and turns to face him, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Will.”
They kiss once more and giggle childishly before they reach the top of the stairs. Mike wants to ask Will what all of this means. Mike has lots of questions and thoughts and concerns but for now…For now he just enjoys what he always had…
Being with Will.