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Jason's Valentine's Day was going perfectly. He had gotten Chrissy a pink heart-shaped box of chocolates and a bouquet of pink dahlias. Chrissy, in turn, had gotten him a few red roses and, coincidentally, a similar box of chocolates, but this one was red. And she had also written him a gorgeous poem.
Dear God, he loves her so much.
As they were Hawkins High's 'it' couple, everyone thought it was adorable. Except for those nerds from the Hellfire Club.
Well, minus Will.
"You guys are so cute together," He commented as Jason greeted him at Will's locker after the lunch bell.
Jason grinned and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Aww, thank you." His grin widened as his cousin tried to duck away with a small noise of protest. Will batted his arm away with a laugh and input his locker combo. "So… you have a Valentine in mind? And don't say Mike."
Will quirked a brow at him as he opened his locker. "'Cause he won't say 'yes'?"
"Because he doesn't deserve it."
Will rolled his eyes, but his small smile dropped when he looked in his locker. Jason almost gasped as Will pulled out a piece of pink stationery paper. His eyebrows furrowed as he mouthed out the words on the note. And then he turned bright red, and Jason just got all the more curious about it.
"What is that? Who's it from?"
Will hesitated before handing him the note wordlessly, and then attempted to put his books away with shaky hands. Jason worried if he'd need to beat someone up for flirting inappropriately with his little cousin. He read through the messy handwritten note.
Dear Will,
This is my attempt at being a romantic, but im kinda a coward when it comes to you. i just wanna tell you that i think youre really cute and pretty and actually fucking breathtaking and you also have a nice ass and i might be kinda obsessed with you in a normal way and i usually take the longer way out of school just to pass by the art room to see your artwork displayed in that hallway. Its beautiful (just like you).
You're the first boy ive ever thought about like this, and its exhilerating exhelerating like ive done ten lines of coke.
Happy valentines day,
Your secret admirer
PS. I'm a boy too btw
Also PS. I really hope youre not dating that loser Mitch or whatever you deserve better
Also PS. Heres a hint: Im on the basketball team (dont tell jason plz)
"Huh." Jason was conflicted. On one hand, this guy shared Jason's view of Mike and was kind of sweet with his words. On the other hand, this guy had commented on Will's body like a heathen, was on the basketball team, and didn't want Jason to know. "Interesting…"
Will shut his locker and plucked the letter out of Jason's hand. "Jay—"
"I'll help you find out who it is," He offered.
Will shook his head while carefully folding the letter and placing it in his bag. "It's probably just some prank," he mumbled.
Jason shrugged. "Then I'll find out who it is and handle them."
Will shot him a look, but there was a hint of a smile there. "Don't do anything drastic, please."
—
Jason sat at the jocks lunch table, hands clenched together and pressed to his mouth as his eyes swept over his unsuspecting teammates.
One of these absolute morons was into his sweet, innocent, and kindhearted cousin.
Okay, first, he should decide who would be most preferable. Then he'll decide on if and how to kill him.
Sinclair was first up as one of Will's best friends, but Jason dismissed that idea quickly—he's dating Mayfield and wouldn't be as disrespectful as the Secret Admirer was.
Patrick is a decent enough guy, but he's too old for Will, so probably not him.
Andy? Fuck no. If it's him, then Jason's definitely killing him.
He didn't bother considering any other seniors after those two. Any senior is too old for Will, and he'll be dealt with regardless of who he is.
He went through his mental list of the sophomores and freshmen who probably knew Jason and Will were cousins.
Tyler was like a mini Andy. He's obviously not allowed anywhere near Will.
Jake was hardworking, but also pretty quiet. Jason doesn't have much of a grasp on his personality.
Ross had a girlfriend, but he had cheated before, so Jason wouldn't put it past him to do it again.
Chance was kind of a loudmouth, but he doesn't seem so bad from what Jason has seen of him, aside from being a little overconfident at times.
Jason narrowed his eyes and scanned the boys around him once more. Which one of you cretins is it?
He wouldn't find out then, but he had a plan for later. He pulled out his phone and texted Will.
Meanwhile, at the Hellfire table, Will's so-called "friends" were begging him to show them the letter. God, why did I mention it?
He sighed deeply and reluctantly pulled the pink note out of his bag. He pursed his lips before deciding to hand it to Max to read out loud. As she did, Will hid his red face behind his hands while some guys snickered and others cooed. Mike was oddly quiet, but his head snapped up at one certain line.
"'—I hope you're not dating that loser Mitch' —I think he means Mike—' You deserve better.' Damn." Everyone erupted into laughter, including Jane, who at least tried to hide it.
Mike scowled. "It doesn't say that!"
Max grinned and turned the letter to face him. "Uh, yeah, it does."
Mike read it with a deep frown, and then the line below it. "…' Here's a hint: I'm on the basketball team'?!"
"What!?" Came a chorus of people at the table. Will sighed into his hands.
Max turned the letter back around to see for herself. "Holy shit."
"No way!" Dustin cried, grabbing at the letter.
Eddie grinned. "This is fascinating." He nudged Lucas, who was craning his neck to catch a glimpse of the love note. "Did'ya know about this?"
"No… But maybe we can ask Jason?"
"It says don't tell Jason," Dustin said. He glanced up at Will with a chuckle. "He's way too protective of you, dude."
Will sighed again and reiterated, "It's probably just a prank, guys." He pulled out his buzzing phone, hoping that someone would change the topic while he was busy.
Jason:
>>> Stay back late after art class, okay?
Will:
>>>??? Why?
Jason:
>>> We're gonna find out who this guy is. He said he walks through the art hall after school, so we're gonna scout it out.
>>> I'll try to get out of class early.
Will:
>>>Jay, seriously?
Jason:
>>>Yes, seriously. Aren't you curious?
Will:
>>>…
>>>…Okay, maybe
a little…
Jason:
>>>😊
"Is there someone you hope it is from?" Jane asked softly. Everyone else at the table quieted and stared at Will expectantly.
Will looked up. "No," he said, almost too quickly. There were some cute guys on the team, and maybe Will made eye contact with a certain one of them more often than would be normal, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. He hadn't even spoken with him.
Jane gave him a look that said she didn't believe him. Will fidgeted with his hands, and then relented. "…Fine. Yes."
Her face split into an elated grin, and she grasped Will's arm. "Really? Who?"
"Yeah, c'mon, tell us!"
Will ignored the rest of his friends demanding to know and whispered it to Jane. She whispered back, saying she didn't know who that was, while the others booed them for keeping it a secret. Will described him, and she immediately snuck a peek at the jock table.
Out loud, just to tease the others, she said, "He is handsome."
"Oh my god, tell us!" Max exclaimed.
"At least tell me, man! I can help you!" Lucas said, leaning over the table.
Mike muttered, thinking no one would hear, "He can't be that handsome."
Will and Jane shared a look before collapsing into a fit of giggles, leaning against each other as Mike narrowed his eyes at them.
—
Shit, shit, fuck!
Jason definitely knew. Something about the way he was glaring at everyone during lunch told Chance all he needed to know.
Dangit, Will, why would you tell him?
He had to get out of this school before Jason figures out it's Chance and kills him. Unfortunately, he already had a gross amount of absences and tardies, and his parents were close to losing their shit with him. Death by Jason or his parents? Oh, decisions, decisions.
Maybe his chances of living would have been improved if he hadn't written that part about Will's ass. Dammit. He plunked his head onto his desk, ignoring the teacher's boring ass lecture. I shouldn't have given him that hint! Fuckkkkk.
He had thought that borrowing his sister's stationery set to confess his feelings would have been worth the teasing he got from her. But dying is not worth it. He almost regretted it, but the sight of Will blushing profusely in the hallway earlier…
Well. If Chance must be killed for that, then so be it.
(Except not really. He'd like to go on at least one date with Will Byers before he kicks it.)
There was no practice that day, thank the Lord above. So all Chance had to do at the final bell was make a run for it without being suspicious. Piece of cake.
Luckily, the halls got empty pretty quickly on Fridays, so sprinting is absolutely on the table.
Unluckily, Chance had forgotten that he'd told Will his usual route.
—
Will sighed as he debated muting his phone. Mike kept texting his complaints about Will's secret admirer, saying stuff like "He's just some braindead jock" and "they're probably just messing with you!"
Will thought he'd shut up when he responded with, "Yeah, 'cus I'm not likable enough for a secret admirer."
Mike
>>> im not trying to be a jerk ok?
Yeah, he's powering it off.
Jason scoffed from his left and muttered something like 'Michael fucking Wheeler.'
The two of them had been standing in the art hall after the final bell for ten minutes now. The halls were mostly deserted now. They were both getting antsy. Just as Will was about to ask Jason to give this up, Chance Perez rounded the corner, mid-sprint.
Will's heart stuttered. It is him.
Chance froze, eyes caught on Will for a moment, a blush creeping onto both their faces. But then his eyes drifted to Jason, and all his colour drained.
"Uh, Jason—" Both Will and Chance started at the same time, Will with caution, and Chance about to shit bricks.
Jason put on a sickly sweet smile. "Chance!" He moved swiftly, grabbing him by the arm before he could make a break for it.
Alarm bells sounded in Chance's head. Maybe something like a tornado warning. Or maybe it was his own mental screeching.
"Why don't you join me and Will in the art room for a chat."
Chance had no choice. He let the captain drag him into the art room, sweating more than he would during practice. Will shot him an apologetic look as the door closed behind the three boys. Jason pulled a chair out and sat with his arms over the back. He motioned for Chance to take a seat, too. Will sat somewhere behind Jason and pulled his sketchbook out.
"Will," Jason called without looking at him, reaching his hand back and making a grabby motion. "The letter, please."
Chance gulped.
Will handed it to Jason, but scoffed quietly and mouthed 'this guy' to Chance, his lips quirked upwards. He relaxed a little.
"Just know," Jason started as he unfolded the note, "that Will's faster than either of us. If you make a run for it, he can and will catch you."
That's hot. "Yes, sir."
Will breathed a small laugh at that. Chance's stomach flipped.
God, he's so fucking cute.
Jason gestured at him with the note. "Now, did you write this?"
Chance could lie, he realized. He could pretend he has no idea what Jason is talking about. He's a pretty decent liar—he could get away with it. But then he glanced back at Will, who was looking at him with a sliver of hope in those eyes, and Chance decided that he'd never want to lie around him.
"Yeah. It's from me."
Will let out a relieved breath. He bit his lip in a failed attempt to keep a smile off his face, and Chance's world narrowed down to the sight of it.
He gets some points for honesty, Jason thought, oblivious to Chance's distraction. Those points got added to the ones Chance already had for not being Mike Wheeler.
"Is this," he said, "an attempt to humiliate my dear cousin?"
Chance straightened in his seat, startled at this accusation. "What? No!" When Jason raised an eyebrow, he insisted, "Seriously! I—" He took a breath. "I really like him."
Will smiled down at his sketchbook as he continued his drawing with an unsteady hand. His heart was going a million miles per hour.
"Good. Good! That's great news!" Jason remarked. "But." His face fell theatrically. "What if you start denying your feelings?"
"Uh… what?"
"See, Perez, there's this guy named Mike." Jason couldn't help the contempt that dripped from his voice when he said the boy's name.
Will rolled his eyes. Here he goes.
Chance felt a panic creep up. "What? Who's Mike? Is he—"
Jason held out a hand. "Calm down. He's not a problem." He paused for a second to reconsider. "Okay, he is. But not to you."
Will snickered before he could stop himself.
"Mike… he's got some sort of problem with Will. He definitely likes him."
Chance clenched his jaw.
"But here's the thing, man… Mike is a coward. He doesn't want to navigate his own feelings and admit them to anyone, yet he expects everyone to be understanding of it anyway! He gets jealous when Will talks to other guys, but he won't admit why and just expects Will to do as he says—as if Will can't have a life outside of him!" His frustration flared up. "He's such a little—"
"Jay," Will interrupted.
Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Sorry. The point is, if you're not gonna be like Mike, then I say you're perfect for Will!" He leaned in before Chance could celebrate. "But, listen to me, Perez. He's been through a lot of shit," he spoke lowly. Will looked up and furrowed his brows, unable to hear, and curious about what his cousin was doing now. "If you hurt him in any way…you're gonna wish that I had killed you. Yeah?"
Chance nodded confidently—he had no plans of harming Will in any way. "You better."
Jason's eyebrows shot up. And then he grinned and leaned back. "Now that's what I wanna hear." He stood and turned his head back to his cousin, who was finishing up his sketch. "I'll wait outside while you talk to him." He walked out the door, giving Will a reassuring nod as he passed him.
A small moment of tense silence passed. Chance fumbled for anything to say, but Will managed to speak first.
"I actually…" Will trailed off while ripping out the page from his sketchbook. He stood up. "I have to head home now. We have a campaign planned." Lies. He was positive that Jason was eavesdropping at that moment. He sighed inwardly.
Chance's heart dropped. So he's not interested…? "Oh…okay." He stood and made to grab his bag when Will held out the sketchbook paper to him. Chance took it gingerly, breath hitching when their fingers brushed.
Will seemed to hesitate for a moment before he stepped in close to Chance and tilted his head up at him. Chance's eyes went wide as he felt a soft kiss placed on the corner of his mouth.
Both boys were red as Will pulled away. He murmured a goodbye as he swiftly exited the art room, leaving Chance close to melting onto the floor from how warm his whole body felt. His varsity jacket suddenly felt way too thick.
He looked down at the paper Will gave him. It was a rough but gorgeous drawing of Chance with little hearts around it.
Underneath it was Will's number.
Chance's Valentine's Day was better than perfect.