Chapter Text
June 28, 1995
El was in her room reading her letter from Mike, he was currently in Las Vegas. She had missed him all spring, he left in January, a whole six months without her boyfriend. Hopper was just happy he didn’t have to deal with the two being all lovey dovey.
“From Mike” is the last thing written on the letter. Every letter has been like this since he started sending them in January. He couldn’t say I love you once in any of his letters. She was angry but also just sad that he couldn’t say it at least one time.
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Meanwhile, the rest of the party was at the movie theaters, it was only the three of them though. El wasn’t allowed to go out yet, Dustin was still away at summer camp, and Mike was in Las Vegas with his uncle. The three of them have been using Steve as a way to get into the theaters for free because Steve lets them in through the backdoor of his job.
During the movies the lights suddenly go out and Will gets goosebumps, it makes him tighten his hand around the letter Mike had sent him from Las Vegas. That letter meant a lot to him as well as almost every other letter Mike sent him, they all ended with “Love Mike” obviously Will knew Mike meant it platonically but it was still nice to see. Just clutching it in his hands made him feel slightly better even with the chills still up his neck. Soon after the lights came back on and the movie continued.
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June 29, 1985
The next morning in the Byers household, Nancy and Jonathan were racing to get out of the house otherwise they would be late for their new job. Will was eating breakfast while his mom wiped Jonthan’s cheek of lipstick probably Nancy’s before he left. “Ugh Gross” Will commented, “You won’t think it gross when you fall in love”. “I’m not going to fall in love” except he knew he already was. He was in love with Mike, but he would never feel the same way, he’s dating El and he wasn’t gross like Will.
Joyce fixed the magnets that had somehow fallen off the fridge brushing it off as just an accident.
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“This is Gold Leader reporting to base, do you copy? Over.” Dustin repeated in his car for someone to respond, he’s been gone for a month, the least they could do is at least respond. His mom tried to reassure him, it did the very opposite.
As soon as he got home Dustin was left in disappointment, his friends forgot him. But he soon forgot that as his toys came to life?! It was shocking but he knew he had to follow them, so he grabbed his hair spray and walked to the living room “Surprise!” Dustin sprayed his hairspray with all his might.
Lucas took the brunt of the blow and was washing his eyes out in the sink. Max was helping her boyfriend since he was in pain but the first thing he said to her was “Is that a new zit?” she was disgusted by his behavior “What is wrong with you?!” and shoved his head back into the sink.
Dustin was showing Eleven and Will the inventions he made at Science camp, he was very excited to show them off. “I like you guys to meet, Cerebro!” they just looked at him confused. “It's an unassembled, one of a kind, radio tower!”
“So it's a ham radio” Will said bluntly.
“The cadillac of ham radios” Dustin then continued to explain the range of his radio to Will and El. “I can talk to my girlfriend whenever and wherever I choose” That pulled the two off guard as they yelled in unison “Girlfriend!?”
Dustin then talks all about his new girlfriend he made at summer camp, Will takes a look at his watch though and remembers they have to go get Mike “Shit we're going to be late!”. They all rush out of Dustin’s house to bike to the Wheelers.
The five of them were getting closer to the Wheelers house and they needed to get there before Mike. They shoved all their bikes behind the bushes and were going to go through the back door but before they did they saw Mike coming out of his car. He looked way different then he usually did though. His hair wasn’t straightened for once and he was wearing all black which was unlike him.
“Someone got a make-over” Max giggled but covered it up with her hand.
A man was yelling some different language at Mike, they assumed it was his uncle because they have never seen him before. What confused them though, was that Mike seemed to understand the language the man spoke because he soon flipped off the man in response.
“Mike knows another language?” Will was in shock; he thought he knew everything about Mike.
“I’m not an expert but that sounds like a slavic language” Dustin was trying his hardest to think what language it could be.
“Do you guys think it could be Russian?” Lucas was suspicious especially with how the USSR was America’s main enemy at the moment.
“Could be.” Dustin commented. El was still learning about the world and didn't really know what they were talking about but pretended to understand anyway. All she knew was that Mike was speaking words she didn’t know.
They always thought that Mike was monolingual but it seemed they knew less about him then they thought. They saw Mike start to head inside the house and they knew they had to hurry up so they went through the back door and waited till he went upstairs into his room to start preparing for the surprise.
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“Я радий позбутися тебе, сподіваюся, ти це знаєш.”
“Відсунути” Mike said to his father while in the car, couldn’t this car ride be any shorter. He was hoping to ride with Nancy or his mom but they were both busy so he rode with his father instead or his “uncle” as he said to his friends.
He was excited to see his friends again after so long. Although he did miss Theo he hoped he was doing okay in NYC, he knew he would’ve gone with him if he didn’t know that he was already coming back to Hawkins soon.
He wondered if his friends would remember when he said when he would get back. He wouldn’t be too surprised if they didn’t, considering he has been gone for six months and from what he heard from the letters his friends sent him Dustin came back from summer camp today as well so they are probably busy.
It was somewhat of a relief if they didn’t remember because then he could put off what he knew he needed to do for longer. He was going to break up with El, while in Las Vegas he realized some “things” and by things he meant his sexuality.
When he kissed Theo he realized he liked it more than when he kissed El and realized he couldn't even say I love you to her in stupid letter. He knew he had to break it off and to stop using her but he was worried. He still wanted to be friends with her and he didn't want to break her heart but he didn’t know how.
Finally he was home. He hopped out of the car while flipping his father off while walking into the house as his father yelled “Ти помиляєшся!”
He dropped his stuff down on his bed before looking in the mirror, his hair wasn’t straightened for once and he had his natural curls. He hopes he can convince his mom not to force him to straighten it because he likes it better this way and it was more comfortable for him.
He was wearing all black with his favorite cat shirt because Theo had worn it; it still had his scent.
He laid in his bed debating whether he wanted to get high right now or to just sleep. He shot out of bed when he noticed the paper in his room started flying out and down the stairs and then he thought he was already high and just forgot that he was.
He followed the flying paper downstairs, “Surprise!” his friends popped up from behind his couch and he screamed. He didn’t spray them with hairspray though which was a plus for Lucas.
He was happy that his friends decided to throw a surprise for him until he saw El and knew what he had to do but she was so happy right now. He could do it later, yea later, he assured himself.
“Come on guys hurry up, I want to be able to talk to my girlfriend!” Dustin was bursting with excitement. Mike was shocked. Dustin got a girlfriend? Good for him.
“You got a girlfriend?” He wanted to know more about this mystery girl.
“More like a fake girlfriend” Lucas didn’t seem to believe Dustin but whatever, it doesn't matter that much to Mike if she was real or not.
“She is very real! And her name is Suzie. And yes Mike I got a girlfriend. I’ll tell you more about her on the way” Dustin started to push them all out of the house.
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They were trenching up Weather Top hill because apparently the Cerebro needed to be high up or it wouldn’t work. Dustin talks about how his girlfriend is Mormon so he can’t telephone her. So he has to use the radio to get in contact with her.
Towards the back of the group El whispers to Mike “Do you want to leave and hang out together, we can tell the group I have a curfew” she giggles slightly. Mike was a little upset at what she was insinuating, she was thinking about lying just so they could leave the rest of their friends, the thought of that irks him. He also didn’t want to hang out with her because it would be awkward with himself knowing he doesn’t feel the same way.
He just declined in the nicest way possible, still seeing El’s slightly disappointed face in the corner of his vision.
They continue up the hill but Will pauses for a moment. It was just him and Mike left behind from the group because Will turned around looking as though he saw someone or something.
“Hey Will, are you okay?” Mike asked from next to him. “Yea I just thought I felt something” He rubbed the back of his neck and the two of them quickly caught up to the rest of the group.
“We made it” Dustin triumphantly stood at the top of the hill. The rest of the group just complained. “Why can’t we just play D&D?” Will contemplated.
“Don’t worry Will, while I was at my uncle’s I made a bunch of new campaigns we can do this summer” Mike was excited to tell this to Will. Whenever the drugs just didn’t hit or when he wasn't hanging with Theo he would work on the campaigns. He hid them from his Dad so he would be able to bring them to Hawkins and he has made so many with how much extra time he had and has been waiting to use them.
El stood a little ways off from the group staring at Mike in a bit of anger from how he has been ignoring her. Lucas drank the rest of the water which also made Max angry as well. But they both held it inside because today was about Dustin and his Cerebro.
The party got straight to assembling the thing and they soon finished it with all the party helping.
“Suzie, this is Dustin, do you copy? Over.” The five of them stood watching as Dustin repetitively said this with no response. Lucas and Max now genuinely thought he didn’t have a girlfriend and was lying, El wanted to hang out with Mike alone, Will wanted to play one of Mike’s new campaigns, and Mike just wanted to get high.
After a while the sun had gone down and the group started to speak their thoughts.
“Dustin come on she’s not there” Max was tired and wanted to go home, El nodded in agreement to Max knowing that Hop might get mad if she is out this late.
“She’s there okay! She’ll pick up” Dustin defended himself and his girlfriend. “Maybe the Cerebro doesn’t work” Will was tired as well and wanted to get home. Mike believed the Cerebro does work knowing Dustin's abilities but he honestly thought that Suzie was just busy and that they picked a bad day to do this. So, he decided not to say anything because he didn't have anything better to do anyway.
“Or maybe Suzie doesn’t exist” Lucas has been suspicious this whole time and finally decided to voice his thoughts. “She exists,” Dusin blurts out. “She’s a genius and she’s hotter than Phoebe Cates? No girl is that perfect”
Max listening in to this conversation was now offended as well “Is that so?” Lucas realized what he had just said and started to defend himself against his girlfriend “I mean… You're perfect. I mean, like, per-perfect in your own way. In your special… Your own special way” Max snickered "Relax, I was just teasing. I’m obviously perfect and Dustin’s obviously lying”
Dustin took a step back in hurt, while Max and Lucas started to get up to leave. “Where are you going?” Dustin followed a bit after them but stopped when Max yelled “Home!” and continued on with Lucas.
Dustin was now left with Will, Mike, and El. “Well I guess it's just us now” Dusitn said, defeated but it went even more downhill when Will said he was going home too because it was getting late “Maybe tomorrow we can play D&D or something fun. Like we used to?” Dustin’s face was filled with sadness and defeat but all Will could say before leaving was "Welcome Home” taking one last glance at both Mike and Dustin before walking away.
El was also worried she would be yelled at by Hopper if she didn’t go home so she also solemnly told Dusin she was leaving asking Mike to come with her but he softly declined.
“I guess it's just the two of us now, Wheeler” Dustin was sad that all his other friends left but was happy to at least see Mike stay. Mike just nodded, laying back down on the ground.
He would like to sleep but he doubted he would be able to if he went home right now and he had nothing to do except get high anyway so there really wasn't a point. The night air was also nice. It reminded him of Las Vegas after a hot day, laying by the pool at night with Theo.
Soon after almost everyone left, Dustin’s radio went off and Mike thought it wasn't so bad of a decision to stay after all. “Shit- Shit” Dustin repeatedly said, trying to get to the radio so he could talk to his Suzie.
What came out of the radio wasn't a girl’s voice though, it was Russian. Mike’s ears perked up knowing what they were saying. He whispered it in English to himself making sure he wasn’t getting rusty or growing crazy because of the weird code that was being said “The silver cat feeds, when blue meets yellow in the west. A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly. The week is long.”
Dustin looked over to Mike, reminded by what happened earlier today and asked the burning question “Mike, Do you know what they are saying?”