summary: georgie confesses his feelings on the swingset
author's note: if he needs a dog i can bark. (takes place in early season five ish + doesn't follow the plot cause i can't be bothered to rewrite this)
knock. knock. knock.
you waited outside of the cooper house, hands in your pockets. a few moments later, a young boy opened the door. he looked you up and down.
"um, hi! is georgie cooper here?" you asked, smiling at the boy.
he stared at you, before turning his head to the side. "georgie, theres a girl at the door looking for you," he called.
"a girl?" you heard a woman gasp.
georgie rushed into view, shoving the boy behind him. "hey, let's go!" he said quickly. the second he stepped a foot onto the porch, a woman came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. he groaned.
"georgie," the woman smiled warningly, staring at him.
george shrugged her hand off and moved to stand next to you. "mom, this is y/n," he mumbled. "y/n, this is my mother."
"hi," you smiled, reaching out a hand to shake.
"well hello there," she replied. "you, uh, one of georgie's friends from school?"
"yes ma'am." you nodded. "we have math together."
the young boy poked his head out from behind his mother. "i'm in that class too."
"shut up, sheldon," georgie snapped. you swatted his arm.
"georgie, be nice," you scolded. he rubbed his arm, mockingly repeating your words.
"where are y'all off to?" mrs. cooper asked. she raised an eyebrow at her son.
georgie huffed. "mom. i'm seventeen, i dont nee—"
he was cut off by a piercing glare from his mother.
he groaned. "the park, now can we go?" he grabbed your hand, turning to leave. it felt like a swarm of butterflies were just released in your stomach. mrs. cooper cleared her throat.
you laughed and pulled georgie back. "the park just down the road from the elementary school, mrs. cooper."
she beamed at your politeness. "i like her," she told georgie, who's face flushed. "right, now, georgie, you make sure to walk this nice young lady home, alright?"
"i know, mom," georgie whined. "can we go?"
"fine," she said, huffing.
georgie grinned and started dragging you away, yelling out a "bye" over his shoulder.
you looked back and called, "bye, mrs. cooper! it was nice meeting you!"
᭝☆
as you and georgie walked to the park, he made it a point to always walk on the road side of the sidewalk. the two of you talked and talked, about school and work and movies and more, until you couldn't think of anything else to talk about. usually, you would've called into a comfortable silence, but today was different. it was too quiet, too tense. it was obvious there was something lingering between the two of you. as you walked, your hands kept brushing against each other, and you had to stop yourself from intertwining your hands.
the sun was setting as the two of you made it to the park, a slight chill settling into the air.
he sat down on the swing next to you, turning his head. light from the fading sun caught his eyes, turning their brown hue into a shimmering gold.
"so..." georgie started.
"so..." you replied, turning to look at him. your gaze flicked down to his lips and you looked away quickly. "that test in math was so hard. i definitely bombed it."
"right? i just put a/c/d/c for all the answer choices," georgie complained.
"like the band?" you laughed, toeing your shoe in the dirt under the swing.
"yeah, like the band," he chuckled. "either i put acdc or i just straight up didn't answer the questions."
you snorted. "im not surprised."
he put his hands up in defense. "hey, we already have a sheldon. don't need another smartass."
you rolled you eyes at your friend. "you could at least try," you said.
he hummed noncommittally in response. you could feel his gaze on you as he pushed his swing back and forth.
"i broke up with jana," he said suddenly.
"what?" you turned to look at him. he was still staring at you, the last of the sun's light casting shadows across the ground. "oh, georgie.. thats— i'm sorry," you offered as an attempt at comfort. you couldn't help the flutter in your heart.
"eh. 's alright. i'd been meaning to do it for a while, just... never found the opportunity."
"well..." the two of you spent a few moments in silence, trying to find the words to say. "i'm always here if you want to talk."
"thats... um, actually why i wanted to come here."
"oh?" you said, tearing your gaze away from him to push yourself on the swings. "why?"
"well, um. the reason i broke up with her is.." he paused, seemingly trying to gather his thoughts.
"you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," you said.
"no, i want to." he kissed his teeth, staring off into the distance.
"y'know how sometimes, you're with one person but you're thinking about someone else?" he asked.
"mhm..?" you said, an inkling of an idea seeping into your mind.
"everytime i was with jana, i was thinking of someone else," he admitted quietly.
"really?" you glanced at him out of the corner of your eye and saw him nod. "who?"
he fell completely silent, digging the toe of his scuffed up sneakers into the dirt below him.
"you."
your heart stopped. you? you? this couldn't be happening. you had dreamed about this moment since the day you realized you had feelings for the brunette, but you had never thought he might feel the same.
"me?" you managed.
"you," he repeated. "y/n, you're the nicest girl i've ever met. you're funny, and sweet, and you're my best friend."
"you're also really damn pretty," he added.
"georgie.." the words you wanted to say were right on the tip of your tongue, but you couldn't seem to push them out. "i- i don't-"
he stood up from the swing, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops. "i get it if you don't feel the same. i just thought you should know," he mumbled, starting to walk away.
"georgie, wait," you said, quickly getting up from the swing. you tripped over a rock and stumbled forward, slamming into his chest. georgie's arms instinctively wrapped around you to keep you from falling.
"yeah?" he breathed out.
"i- i lo-"
your words were cut off when his lips found their way onto yours. the world seemed to stop spinning as georgie kissed you. it was just you and him under a vast expanse of stars and sky. he kissed you like he had been waiting for it his whole life, like you were some goddess he was worshipping.
when you finally pulled away, panting slightly, he was smiling down at you. "i knew it," he grinned.
"oh, shut up," you groaned, swatting his arm.
he laughed, kissing you again.
"i've loved you since the day i met you, y/n," he said when he pulled away. "i just didn't know how to tell you."
mike’s humming something low and distorted, a song from some band he’s been obsessed with lately, and he doesn’t stop even when he leans in. he presses his lips to your forehead first, then your temple, the vibration of the hum buzzing against your skin. his eyes a little tired, hair a complete disaster, but he’s focused entirely on you.
he kisses your cheek. then the corner of your mouth. then your chin. it’s constant and a little overwhelming in the best way, just mike being kind of a loser about you. you start to break, a laugh bubbling up in your throat because the humming is making your face itch. you’re giggling now, hands coming up to his chest to push him back, but you’re not trying that hard.
“mike, move,” you’re saying through your teeth, still laughing. “enough!”
his hands just slide down, gripping your hips to keep you right where you are. he’s grinning, looking way too proud of himself for making you lose it. he tilts his head, messy curls falling over his forehead, and gives you this look that’s half teasing, half serious.
“what?” he says, pulling you a little closer. “can’t i kiss my baby?”
you roll your eyes, but your hands are already tangled in the mess of hair at the back of his neck because you’re a hypocrite. he doesn’t wait for an answer, just huffs a laugh and buries his face in the crook of your neck, his nose cold against your skin.
he starts that humming thing again. he’s heavy, leaning his weight into you until you’re backed up against the edge of your desk, and he just stays there. he’s like a giant, clingy dog that doesn't realize how big he is.
"you're annoying," you mutter, but you're pulling him closer anyway.
"yeah, whatever," he mumbles against your pulse, his breath hot. his grip on your hips tightens just a little, not enough to hurt, just enough to make sure you aren't going anywhere. "you're the one who let me in."
he pulls back just enough to look at you. he reaches up, thumb brushing over your bottom lip, dragging it down just a bit. he looks like he’s trying to memorize your face or something equally stupid and personal.
"one more," he says, sounding way too smug. "just one."
but it’s never just one with him. he kisses you again, slow and deep this time, tasting like the coffee he’s been drinking all day. and when he pulls away, he’s got a dumb, lopsided grin that makes him look like a total jerk, and you know you’re definitely not getting any work done now.
synopsis: you and mike had never been apart. he’d grown up 3 houses down from you, and you’d made a second home in his basement, along with the rest of the party. when your acceptance letters come in, you’re both faced with the imminent separation, and promise to make the most of one last summer in hawkins.
warnings: sad, mild angst, it feels so scary getting old-core, friends to lovers, fluff
“honey!” your moms voice echoed down the hallway, startling you from your book, “your letter came in!”
you slammed the book closed immediately, abandoning it on the edge of your bed, racing down the stairs to the dining room and practically snatching it from her hands.
“are you gonna open it now?” she asked, eyeing it curiously.
“no,” you shook your head immediately, “i’m going to mike’s, okay? but i promise i’ll call you from their house and let you know what it says.”
“okay,” she sighed, “don’t be too late.”
“mom,” you groaned in protest.
“i know, i know. you’re 18 now,” she raised her hands in surrender.
you flashed her a smile before you headed out the door, your letter clutched in one hand, the other shaky with nerves. 3 doors down, mike had just picked up his own letter from the mail slot, pupils dilating as he read over the envelope. you didn’t even knock before entering, calling out for him as the door swung open. he appeared seconds later, slightly disheveled, looking almost queasy.
“you got it?” he asked, eyeing the paper in your hand. you nodded, holding it up. “basement,” he said simply, and you followed behind him down the familiar staircase, buzzing with excitement. moments later, you were both tearing into the envelopes, the sound of paper ripping filling the room. as your eyes scanned the paper inside, your heart raced, pounding against your chest. ‘we are pleased to invite you…’
“oh my god,” you exhaled, your eyes welling with tears as you met his across the sofa, “did you get in?”
he hesitated, and your heart stuttered, excitement being replaced by fear, “mike?”
“no, i, uh- no,” he swallowed, throat bobbing, blinking rapidly, “my, uhm, my community college letter already came in, though, so.”
“oh,” you blinked, a stray tear escaping your eyes, “that’s okay, though, i mean, did you get waitlisted? maybe something will open up.”
“no,” he shook his head, looking down, “just rejected.”
“oh,” you repeated, feeling dumb, and incredibly small, in that moment, “i- i don’t know what to say. i thought for sure you’d get in.” his grades were always high, though they had admittedly taken a nosedive senior year, with the world nearly ending.
“it’s fine,” he stood, discarding the letter, wiping his face roughly, “i just, uhm. it’s fine.”
“oh, mikey,” you said softly, beckoning him over to you.
that broke him. you stood to reach out for him as he all burn collapsed into your arms, tears wetting a patch into your top, his face buried in your neck.
“there will be other schools,” you whispered, running your hands up and down his back, “you had safetys, didn’t you? it’s gonna be okay.”
“no, it’s-“ his voice was hoarse, thick, “i wanted to go with you. i was supposed to go with you.”
“i know,” you sniffled slightly, “i’ll come see you so much, though. i promise.”
he pulled away enough to look down at you, his eyes dark and shiny, “i’m just not ready to let you go. i don’t think i ever will be.”
“you won’t have to,” you murmured, hating how sad he looked, “it’s just temporary. you can transfer after a year, right? i’m sure you’d get in that way. it’s just a year.”
“just a year,” he repeated, “i just can’t imagine not seeing you everyday. i- you’re my best friend.”
“i know,” you frowned, “i can’t imagine it either. but we have to make the most of it, okay? our last summer.” the very idea of it nearly broke you; the realization that this really was your last summer with him, at least like this, both home, both young and free.
“right,” he said softly, “we should make a list, shouldn’t we? of things to do before we go?”
“that’s a good idea,” you nodded in agreement, and from there you got to work, scrounging for paper and a permanent marker, both of you scrawling a list of must-do’s before college. by the end, you felt slightly better, more excited for the month to come than dreading it. when you walked home that night, the list folded safely in your pocket, you tried to keep yourself focused on that positivity. you just couldn’t think about august, about moving trucks and teary goodbyes and heartbreak. you could do that, for mike.
the first stop on your list was the arcade. you met mike there after your last shift at the library, having already turned in your resignation. he was waiting outside for you, leaned against the wall, gazing absentmindedly out at the sunset, and you were struck by his beauty, as you often were. it felt fleeting, this time, like something you had to hold on to.
“hey, mikey!” you called as you approached, snapping him from his daydream, “you haven’t been waiting long, have you?”
“no, just a few minutes,” he leaned off the wall and met you by the door, smiling down at you, “you look great. uhm, cool, i mean.”
“thanks,” you beamed, “you look great and cool, too.”
in the arcade, you could pretend you weren’t about to be miles away from each other. you could pretend it was a normal day, that summers end wasn’t uncomfortably quickly approaching, that you’d never have to part. you loved to pretend with mike; you always had. after a couple hours and 2 shared sodas, you were both worn out, your arm looped through his as you pushed open the door into the cool night air.
“well i’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, rocking on his heels, his gaze everywhere but your eyes.
“yeah,” you nodded, biting the inside of your cheek, wondering if every see you later would feel like a goodbye, “tomorrow.”
“y/n, i-“ he hesitated, finally meeting your eyes, “you just look really nice tonight. that’s all.”
you flushed, “you look really nice too, mikey. i don’t look any different from usual, though.”
“you always look nice,” he shrugged, looking down, one foot kicking at the gravel of the parking lot, “can i ask you something?”
“anything,” you nodded without skipping a beat.
“do you ever think about, like, us? like what would happen if we’d ever… i don’t know. been not just friends.”
“oh,” you blinked, taken aback. you had, of course, maybe more often than you liked, but you couldn’t tell him that, could you? “sometimes,” you finally said, “i mean, of course, yeah. do you?”
“of course,” he repeated, “it’s you, yknow? of course i did.”
“you never said,” your voice faltered slightly, “i figured you didn’t ever think of me that way.”
“how do you tell your best friend you’re in love with her?” the words came out in an anxious rush, and then he was staggering back, as if he’d been slapped, “shit- i need to go home. i’m so sorry, y/n.”
you didn’t have time to stop him, to ask him to stay, because he was already gone, disappearing down the road on his bike before you’d even properly processed his words.
the next day, you were knocking on his door briskly at 8am, haphazardly dressed in a sweater that may have been his and a pair of cutoff shorts, your hair tied messily into a bun. he answered moments later, rubbing his eyes groggily, his pajama pants hanging low on his hips, his face red from sleep.
“oh,” he straightened as soon as he saw you, “you’re here! early- it’s early, sorry, not that it’s weird- jesus. hi.”
“hi,” you laughed, nose scrunched, “you okay?”
“fine!” he said, a beat too quickly, “i’m fine. so good, actually. are you?”
“i’m great,” you nodded, “soooo, can i come in?”
“right, right, yeah,” he stepped out of the way quickly, “my parents aren’t here, they took holly to some children’s museum or something, so it’s just us.”
you walked inside behind him, more nervous than you’d ever been in his presence, anticipation humming through your veins like fire. finally, you reached his bedroom, warm and familiar, nearly enough to soothe your racing thoughts.
“we should talk about what you said,” you finally said, swallowing.
“i’m sorry,” he said immediately, “i don’t know what came over me, okay? i was a complete idiot, i shouldn’t have ever said that.”
“so you didn’t mean it?” you asked, fearing his response.
“i-“ his throat bobbed as he swallowed, hesitating, “i meant it, of course i did. i’m sorry.”
“don’t apologize,” you took in a deep breath of relief, “i’ve had feelings for you for so long, mikey. i thought i had it all wrong, though. you have no idea how good this is to hear.”
he met your eyes, shiny and hopeful, “you’re serious?”
“of course i’m serious,” you laughed breathlessly, “i’m so in love with you, mike.”
with that, he surged forward, throwing his arms around you and pulling you into his chest, which shook with shocked laughter.
“all this time,” he murmured, “we could’ve been together. now we just have a few months.”
“shh,” you mumbled, “we have all the time in the world.”
you didn’t, in truth. a short three weeks later, weeks filled with daily hangouts and sneaky kisses, staying up way too late, waking up at dawn just to see each other again, your inevitable departure was upon you. you’d never felt more lost; you loved mike, loved him more than anything, wanted a future with him desperately. on the other hand, you needed to pursue school, to make a proper life for yourself, not revolving around anyone, even him. you’d fully packed up your things, loaded down the sedan your parents bought you as a going away gift. all that was left was goodbye. mike got to your house early that morning, his hair ruffled from sleep still, his eyes bleary and distant.
“so, this is it, huh?” he said when you stepped out onto the porch beside him, your bottom lip bitten raw from worrying, your hands stuffed into your pockets.
“this is it,” you nodded, looking at him carefully, “i’ll be home for thanksgiving, that’s only three months. plus, it’s only a four hour drive. i can come home for other stuff, too, once i’m all settled with my classes and my schedule. it’s gonna be okay.”
“i can’t imagine not seeing you everyday,” he said, sounding endlessly tired, resting his forehead against yours.
“you can apply to transfer after a year,” you murmured, “we talked about it, remember? hey, it’s okay, look at me. i love you. a few hours won’t change that, alright? it’s you and me, mikey. we’ll be just fine.”
“you’re right,” he pressed a slow kiss to your cheek, “i just hate being away from you.”
“me too,” you nodded, “so much.”
he wrapped his arms around your shoulders, just holding you, swaying lightly, kissing you lazily, soaking in every moment you could before you had to drive to orientation, to your new life.
“kiss me hard before you go,” he whispered, lips brushing yours lightly.
you stood on your tiptoes and crushed your lips to his, your arms winding around his neck, your chest flush against his. his hands grasped your hips, a low groan in his throat, warming you.
“i love you so much,” he panted, pulling away, cheeks red.
“i love you more,” you whispered, “i’ll see you so soon, okay? i promise.”
“see you soon, baby,” he followed you to your car, leaning down to press another quick kiss to your lips through your open window, “be safe for me.”
“always,” you beamed, trying not to let yourself cry, “call you when i get to my dorm?”
“i’ll be waiting,” he promised, and you got the distinct feeling that he meant for more than just a call.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who goes from making fun of you to respecting you more than his mother.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who matures and comes tot he realization that you are a real woman, and he should be nervous in front of you.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who offers to bike with you home cause your scared to go alone.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who bike striaght into a trash bin due to staring at you.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who day dreams about you in class.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who yells at any of the losers who make a rude joke to you, even though your all friends he doesn’t think anyone should talk to you like that.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who writes you’re ship name on a lock and clicks it to an old bridge.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who is alway asking for help with school, just so he can spend more time with you.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who purposely fails specific classes just so you can scold him.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who takes the time to stalk and learn about your interests and pretends he’s into them too. “Yeah I really like Madonna” “really? Richie last year you said you hated her.” “Well things change.”
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who acts like a total feminist in-front of you cause he heard you say guys who respect woman are hot.
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐙𝐈𝐄𝐑 who puts flowers in your locker every Friday just so when he goes over your house to study you can tell him how much you love the flowers from your secret admirer.
you and mike try to hide your relationship from your friends. unfortunately for the two of you, you remain the most obvious people on the planet.
mike wheeler x fem!reader - part two of everything she wants
word count: 9.0k (oops)
tags: kind of suggestive, secret relationship, guyliner (😛🤭), angst perhaps ?, but of course comfort after, teasing, kissing, making out, hand holding, they are overthinkers, they also care a lot about their friends (my babies 🙁), lucas is the dexter meme, kind of chaotic near the end, background lumax, mike is a lovesick mess (and so is reader), puppy dogs eyes mike, reader calls him mikey because yes, sharing clothes, fluffy fluff fluff, cuddling, cursing, friendsgiving
Three weeks ago, you changed Mike Wheeler’s life forever.
And no, it wasn’t just because he finally realized how good he looked in eyeliner.
It was because the two of you had finally put your years of yearning to use, and you had been quietly dating ever since.
You had both agreed that night to not make a big deal out of it, as neither of you really wanted or needed it to be known. You’d figured it would come in its own time, that eventually maybe Dustin would pick up on your incessant stolen glances and ask the million-dollar question. But now, it’s Thanksgiving break, and none of your friends have said a word.
You and Mike had been hanging out constantly since the party, sneaking over to one another’s houses after school and evading the watchful eyes of your friends whenever you had been spending time together.
Two weeks ago, the Party had gathered in Mike’s basement for a post-halloween horror movie night. And yes, Mike had made sure you were next to each other on the couch, and yes, he did use each of the jumpscares as an excuse to lean into you just a little more. It was easy to stay hidden then, with everyone occupied enough by the movie to not feel the urge to do a double take whenever your head found its place on Mike’s shoulder.
Mike had to swallow his gasp when your hand found his underneath your shared blanket, and he had to fight the urge to pull you close enough that you would be laying on him. God, staying a secret was hard.
Mike wasn’t quite sure how it had gone unnoticed. There were moments where he had thought you two were about to be caught red-handed like a kid trying to take candy, but your friends had dismissed it quickly enough to leave you confused but nonetheless grateful.
Just like last week, where Mike was reminded of the words that had been stuck in his throat before you had, unknowingly to Lucas, coaxed them out of his throat.
“Mike,” Lucas had started, sitting across from him at the lunch table as he pushed his sandwich to the side, deciding whatever this was going to be was more important than nutrition. “Remember what you said you’d do a few weeks ago? At the party?”
Mike froze mid-chew, body going stiff as he stared down at the lunch table. Shit. What was he supposed to say to that? This wasn’t how he wanted his best friends to find out about that night, about you and all that you had said to each other–
“What did you do at the party?” Dustin perked up, clearly intrigued by the sudden conversation topic. Mike groaned as he swallowed his food, trying to ignore how all his friends had just leaned in closer to him like he had a secret to share. This was going to be hell.
“You really didn’t forget, did you?” Mike sighed, watching Lucas shake his head in response. He had to hold back a second groan. “Look, I– I just didn’t say it in time. The drive was super awkward, I guess.” At least he wasn’t completely lying.
Lucas threw his head back and let out a frustrated breath, to which Dustin and Will leaned in even more, curious to know what they were even talking about.
“Didn’t say what?” Will asked before Dustin could, and as Mike was forming the words to speak, Lucas said them for him.
“He was supposed to tell her that she looked beautiful,” he spoke, pitching his voice up in a way that made Mike want to roll his eyes. Dustin and Will immediately gasped, shooting quick glances at each other before staring into Mike’s head like he had just committed a federal crime.
“Mike. Respectfully, what the hell are you doing?” Dustin shook his head, running a hand over the face like he was the one who should be stressed out right now. Mike could slip up at any second, and he wasn’t exactly ready to tell you that a stupid lie had led to your secret getting out.
“Exactly, Dustin,” Lucas said, shaking his head again as he pulled his sandwich back in place, giving up on trying to get a good answer out of Mike. “I mean, dude, it’s like you're actively trying to not date the girl you love.”
Mike swallowed, somewhat out of relief that at least they believed him but mostly to try and keep the words that were at the tip of his tongue from spilling out. Actually, I did tell her, and we’ve been secretly dating because we don’t want you guys to make a big deal out of it. He swallowed again for safe measure.
“Wait, but you said the ride back was awkward. That just doesn’t make sense,” Will turned back to Mike, and he could feel his heart speeding up once again. Mike watched from the corner of his eye as Will brought a finger to the bridge of his temple, as if trying to smooth it out could help his thought process. “I mean, you guys have been getting along great for the past few weeks. Like, really good. Wouldn’t you like, I don’t know, still be awkward?”
Will was, unfortunately, right. This little statement made the other two boys lean back in, looking at Mike expectantly. He contemplated just telling them to ease the pressure on his heart, but when he pictured you and what you might think of it, he couldn’t.
“Look, I said the wrong thing. We were just really tired from the party. I didn’t want to say it and then be up the rest of the night because she thought that me thinking that was weird,” He spoke, eyes flicking between all three of them. He had to clear his throat, realizing his tone probably sounded a little too defensive.
“Okay, but Will’s still right. You guys have been hanging out a lot lately. More than normal,” Lucas said while raising an eyebrow.
“Oh my god, am I not allowed to hang out with her?” Mike scoffed, praying his nervousness wasn’t showing and that they wouldn’t notice the fact that his leg was now bouncing up and down rather aggressively.
“I think what Lucas is saying,” Dustin interjected, turning to Mike and talking in a tone of voice that said I have all the answers if you’ll just listen. And Mike did not feel like listening right now; he really had no need to. But his friends didn’t know that, so he was subject to advice that he no longer needed. “Is that now would be as good a time as any time to tell her. We just don’t want you to not and be wallowing in self-pity for the rest of your life.” The smile the curly-haired boy gave Mike comforted him for a moment, but it was soon shattered when someone added something extremely unnecessary.
“Yeah. Unless like, you’re lying and you guys are secretly screwing or some shit,” Lucas smirked, clearly trying to get a rise out of Mike. And a rise he got.
“What– That’s not–” Mike suddenly said, voice a little too loud and laugh a little too forced. He didn’t even want to know what color his face was right now. “I wouldn’t– We wouldn’t do that,” he cleared his throat, “I’ll say it– um, soon, don’t worry! I’ve got this.”
Mike laughed awkwardly while his friends stared at him with faces of utter bewilderment. They all let out their own various sighs, sinking back down into their seats out of defeat. Lucas had an eyebrow raised and was still looking at Mike from across the table, and just when Mike thought he was about to get interrogated further, he was given a break.
“You are confusing as shit, Mike Wheeler,” Lucas rolled his eyes and let out a huff, eyes looking back down to his lunch as he once again gave up on trying to help Mike.
Mike could only sigh in that moment, silently grateful that he had lived another day, though he wasn’t too sure his excuses would hold up for much longer. He was convinced in the moment that Lucas had known and was choosing to not speak about it, no matter how obvious Mike had been in that moment.
That wasn’t the only close call. And for once, it hadn’t been Mike’s slip up.
Just a few days ago, the two of you had been hanging out on a school night at his house, cooped up in his room under the guise of “studying together.” Karen believed it with no problem, and it gave the two of you the perfect space to just spend time in the presence of one another. You had lost track of time in each other’s arms, and when you finally realized how late and how cold it was, Mike offered you one of his sweaters to take home. How was he supposed to know you were going to wear it to school the next day?
He immediately cursed himself upon seeing you in the hallway, because dammit, you looked good, and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t wanted to kiss you right there. But also, why were you so stupid?
“Hey,” you greeted, all smiley and unfortunately for Mike’s case, very pretty. You leaned close, making the tips of his ears go red from the sudden proximity. “Sweater fits nice, don’t you think?”
“Yes, but, are you crazy?” He sighed out, unable to stop the smile from rising on his face. If he was irrational, he’d ask you to wear it every day. “They’re gonna know it’s mine.”
“No they won’t,” you laughed, shaking your head as you walked alongside him. “I’ve seen you wear it, like once.”
“Someone will know. Mark my words,” he sighed, shaking his head as he pushed down the nerves that were starting to bubble in his gut. You picked up in his sudden shift and nudged his arm with your elbow, shooting him a look of concern that made Mike want to leap into your arms. He sighed, offering you a small smile that reassured you enough to ease whatever worries were plaguing into your mind. Mike felt his heart flutter as he watched the smile he loved to creep back up on your face. You two were walking down the school hallway for a few more moments before Max suddenly appeared next to you, already rambling about an assignment for a class you shared. Mike zoned out as you talked with the red-head, eventually turning to open his locker.
“Hey,” Lucas came out of nowhere, placing his hand onto Mike’s shoulder and startling the taller boy so much that he jumped. He rolled his eyes when he heard Lucas laugh.
“Good morning,” Mike huffed out, moving a book from out of his locker and into his backpack. He turned to face Lucas and was met with a shit-eating smirk, and Mike knew he was already in trouble. Shit.
“Good morning indeed. So, uh, just wanted to ask,” Lucas said, voice low as he started to lean closer to his friend. Mike watched in silent horror as his friend pointed his finger at you, eyes flicking from your frame then back to his. Mike held back the groan that had lodged itself in his throat.
“That sweater. It looks familiar, does it not?” Lucas grinned, voice teasing as he got closer. Mike wanted to shove him away so bad.
“Hm, I don’t really think so,” Mike lied through his teeth, trying to fight off the flush growing on his cheeks as he gazed at you. “What makes you say that?”
Lucas looked back at Mike, disbelief consuming his features and eyes squinting as if he was trying to see into Mike’s mind. The taller boy swallowed as he was being studied, praying his friend didn’t pick up on the obvious nervousness that had taken hold of Mike’s entire body. Get it together, he told himself.
“I could’ve sworn that you’ve worn that sweater before. It looks like it came straight from your closet,” Lucas hummed, slowly turning his head to you as he glanced at Mike from the corner of his eye. You were blissfully unaware of Mike’s turmoil, still chatting with Max about whatever trivial topic you guys had picked as your point of discussion. Mike wished he was talking with you, safe from the interrogation Lucas had started against him.
“What– Are you trying to insinuate something here? I’ve never seen that sweater in my life,” Mike shook his head aggressively, voice growing defensive as he continued to lie in his friend’s face. Lucas was smirking now, and Mike knew he had walked right into whatever trap this was.
“I’m not insinuating anything,” Lucas threw his arms up in mock defense, clearly aware of what he was putting Mike through as he continued to grin at him. He leaned closer to Mike, his voice dropping like he was about to share some kind of secret with him. “Your sweater is doing all of the work for me.”
“It is not m–”
“Hey, losers, what’re you arguing about?” Max chimed in as she walked over to where the two boys had been starting to make quite the scene, and Mike felt relief until he saw you standing right next to her. He could already hear Lucas’s voice in his head, spilling out the truth about you and Mike for all who could hear. He had to beat him to it, he had to speak before his friend could cause disaster.
“We were just talking about the pattern of our wonderful friend’s sweater,” Mike interjected quickly, not willing to let Lucas get even a single word in. The curly-haired boy turned to face you, and he immediately had to hold back the instinctual sigh of relaxation that threatened to escape him at just the sight of you. “I like the pattern. It really suits you.”
You smiled, thankfully seeing the pleading look of ‘please help’ in Mike’s eyes as you nodded in recognition. He could feel Lucas’s eyes piercing into the side of his head as he interacted with you, trying to will a slip-up on Mike’s end. Unfortunately for Lucas, it never came.
“Aw, thanks, Mike,” you tilted your head, beaming at him so, so sweetly as you acted your part perfectly. “It was in the back of my closet. Figured I should give it a spin.”
You held back a laugh at the dumbfounded expression that had taken over Lucas’s face, his eyes shifting rapidly between you and Mike like he was waiting for something else to occur. Max seemed just as confused as he was, staring at the group of you while she analyzed the situation in her head. She quickly gave up, not able to make sense of anything that had just happened and moving to pull Lucas out of his trance.
“Why were you guys arguing over a sweater?” Mike had heard Max whispering as she tugged her boyfriend away, shaking her head in disbelief.
“That’s not–” Lucas tried with a sigh, glancing back at Mike one last time and shooting a glare his way before he moved to follow Max, probably ranting to her about the truth of their conversation. Mike was praying she would turn a blind eye if he did end up saying anything.
That ordeal was just two days ago, and Mike was already having to prepare for more of Lucas as he sat on your desk chair. Somewhere in between Halloween and now, the Party had come to the collective decision that they would have a little get-together at the local diner, as they wanted to get out of their houses but couldn’t really afford much else. It was friendsgiving, or something.
You two were getting ready together, because now that was your thing, and Mike, wanting to capitalize off of your makeup skills, had kindly asked if you could do his eyeliner again. Not that he hadn’t learned how to do it himself, but because you just did it better. You both knew what that really meant, and you were sweet enough to not ask about it and fluster Mike out of his mind. He had been trying to incorporate it into his every day look for the past couple of weeks, so you knew none of your friends would be suspicious if he wore it tonight. Plus, Mike had used those stupid, big eyes of his that got all soft on purpose, and you couldn’t say no to him even if you wanted to.
So now, Mike was sitting in front of you patiently, rambling to you about how irritating Lucas had been the past couple of weeks.
“He’s onto me, I know it,” Mike grumbled, eyes shut as you moved the pencil across his eyelid. His hands held onto either side of your waist, thumb teasing at the hem of your shirt as he sought after the skin underneath.
“Well, they are gonna have to find out one day,” You sighed, breath moving over Mike’s face and making him shudder in his seat. “I’m honestly surprised he’s the only one that’s at least suspicious. I figured Max would’ve picked up on something by now.”
“It’s been three weeks!” Mike wailed, fighting the urge to move his head around dramatically as to not mess up your work. “That’s like, barely any time! I thought we’d make it to Christmas before someone noticed–”
“Mike–” You sighed out, backing away from your boyfriend as he began to go off frustratedly.
“And the worst part is, he doesn’t even think we’re dating. He thinks that we’re just screwing, or that it’s some casual–” Mike’s lips were pressed closed by yours, and he melted immediately against you. A soft hum left him as he leaned into the kiss, hands on your waist tightening their grip as he gently tugged you closer. To his dismay, you pulled away, but the flush on your face did more than enough to make up for the sudden lack of contact.
“You are getting too worked up about this,” you breathed out, shaking your head at him as you readjusted your hold on his face. “That’s probably why he figured it out so soon. You make it obvious something is happening.”
“I do n–” You pressed your finger to his lips, silencing him once again while you tilted your head and gave him a look that told him to not push it.
“Close your eyes. ‘M not done,” you murmured, finger slowly pulling away from his mouth as you raised the eyeliner back up to his eye level. Mike huffed, faking irritation as he closed his eyes like you’d asked him to. He quickly relaxed again as he felt you lean in, the warmth of your body washing over him and soothing his tensed shoulders.
Mike appreciated how easy it was to love you. It was almost strange how effortless you had shifted from friends to partners, but Mike was grateful that it didn’t require much. He didn’t have to ask to hold your hand, and you could stand inches away from him like you were now without a problem. It was all natural for both of you, with your years of friendship serving as a guide for how you operated in your relationship.
Mike would’ve never imagined that a party he didn’t even want to be at would be the match that lit the flame of your love, but here you both were, weeks later, hands on each other as you did his eyeliner. That was just how you two functioned now, and Mike couldn’t ask for anything better.
He was pulled from his thoughts when you slightly leaned back, the pencil leaving his face as your warmth still lingered in front of him. His fingers gently dug into your waist, a silent request for you to step closer. You hummed softly, both hands reaching up to cup either side of his face while your thumbs carefully smudged at the eyeliner, creating the look you knew Mike liked. Your movements ceased after a moment, and Mike was already starting to open his eyes in anticipation.
“Done now, Mikey,” you grinned down at him, your hands sliding slowly off of his face as his eyes fully opened. His gaze was excited, and before you could process what was happening, his hand was reaching for your cheek and he was pulling you in. Your lips met his sweetly, a smile on your face as he kept you close and titled his head up.
You kissed him back gingerly, your hand already reaching back for his face when he began to stand. You followed him as much as you could, standing on your tippy toes and giggling when his lips disconnected from yours. Just when you thought he was done, his hand was reaching for your wrist and guiding you onto your bed. He fell backwards, draping himself lazily across your pillows with you not far behind, an eager smile on your face as he brought you closer.
“C’mere,” he murmured, a lazy grin on his lips as he tugged you forward and into him, his lips colliding with yours almost messily. You situated yourself in between his legs, leaning on his frame as his hand found your waist with ease. He sighed against you, his lips moving fervently over your own and making you absolutely breathless in the process. You reached for the back of his head, leaving practically no space between the two of you as your hand weaved into his hair and grasped carefully at his curls.
Time stopped moving while his lips were on yours, any and every worry leaving your mind as your thoughts were flooded by him. He quickly picked up his pace when he noticed that you were reciprocating his energy, his mouth starting to move more passionately with each second that passed. You were going more mindless with each kiss he gave to you, almost entirely forgetting the obligation the two of you had in just a short time.
Wait. Shit.
You let out a hum and your eyebrows furrowed as you realized that you probably should’ve left for the diner already, temporary panic shooting through your nerves. You had both been so lost in one another that the entire purpose of Mike coming over had slipped your mind, and you couldn’t even blame it on him and his stupid doe eyes. You had wanted it just as much, and now your friends were likely to be more suspicious than ever when you walked in late with your makeup just smudged enough to bring questions to the table. Great.
“Mike,” you tried to pull away, but your boyfriend quickly swallowed whatever words you had, his mouth swiftly coming back into contact with your own. Your fingers only tugged on his curls harder, praying it might get him to stop, but his movements only got more intense from there. A noise slipped out of you before you could stop it, and you felt a smirk press against your lips as Mike continued to kiss you.
You caught yourself relaxing into his touch as his hand slid underneath your shirt, fingers now grasping to your skin like he was afraid you would disappear if he didn’t hold you close enough. You cursed at yourself and pulled away as fast as you could, remembering what you were supposed to be doing. Your hand moved swiftly to cover your mouth just seconds before Mike’s lips did, and the boy let out a groan when he realized what you were doing.
“Mike,” you forced out, voice weak and breaths scattered as you tried to catch up with the marathon your heart had just done. Mike hummed in reply, big brown eyes gazing into yours as his lips pressed into your fingers, trying to will your hand away by teasing you. It was, unfortunately, kind of working.
“We need,” you started, pushing your hand out and his face away from yours, a soft giggle falling off your lips as he looked at you like a wounded puppy. Typical. “To leave. Like, now.”
“Wanna stay here with you,” he grumbled sadly, and god, his eyes were nearly making you say yes. You took a deep breath, your rationality forcing you to resist the pull he had on you as your hand moved to cup the side of his face. He leaned into your palm, lidded eyes begging you to give into his request. You hated how your heart stammered at the sight of his eyeliner, and you knew he saw the momentary look of want that crossed over your features when the corners of his lips twitched upward. You pressed on, not letting yourself give in no matter how good he looked.
“You know we can’t,” you whispered gently, a smile on your face as your thumb moved up and down over his cheek. “It’ll look bad if we’re both not there.”
Mike was irritated at how right you were, and he let out a dramatic groan in an attempt to get you to let up, even though he knew deep down that you weren’t going to. He frowned as you leaned back in, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before you pulled away again, already sliding off of your bed and unruffling your clothes.
He followed you, albeit with reluctance in his step, as you put your shoes on and grabbed your jacket and bag, seemingly trying to leave as fast as you could. You looked at Mike impatiently as he fumbled with his shoelaces, already knowing that he was trying to drag out his alone time with you as long as he could. Like you didn’t have a whole car ride to be alone with him.
As soon as he was done lollygagging you rushed him out of your house and into your car, not even listening for his seatbelt to click into place when you shifted gears and pressed your foot onto the gas pedal.
You let out a sigh as you began driving, thumbs moving in circles nervously over your steering wheel. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t a little anxious to see your friends, especially after Mike had made clear the length of some of their suspicions. You didn't want tonight to be the night they found out; it was friendsgiving, definitely not show-off-your-brand-new-boyfriend-giving. But then again, Max and Lucas had started dating years ago, so why would you and Mike be an issue? You were losing it, your thoughts a mess as you thought about every single scenario that could play out when you arrived at the diner.
Mike, watching as you silently dug yourself into a pit of overthinking, let out a breath and reached across the console, his hand finding yours and bringing it to his lap. His fingers intertwined with yours and his thumb ran back and forth across your skin, soothing you in mere seconds.
“I thought you said I was too worked up,” Mike joked with a soft voice that made your heart flutter, and you couldn’t stop the small, stifled laugh that escaped you. His head tilted as he looked in your direction, thumb still moving slowly as he gazed at you with gentle eyes.
“It’ll be okay, you know. We’re always late anyways,” he reassured you with a serious tone, observing you carefully.
“I just– it’s hard, I guess,” you breathed, hand clinging onto his a little tighter. “I want to not be secret, for us, but I just–” You stopped yourself, the words you were trying to say caught in your throat. Luckily for you, Mike could tell what you wanted to say.
“You don’t want it to take away from the actual Party,” Mike finished for you, his voice still low. You swallowed and nodded, forcing your eyes onto the road as you tried to distract yourself from the thoughts nagging at your mind. “I get it completely.”
Silence filled the space between the two of you for a few moments, the weight of what had just been spoken hanging over you like a heavy cloud. Mike took the first step, inhaling deeply as he turned to fully face you, his other hand coming to clasp over yours.
“I– this is easy to say, but…I feel like we shouldn’t worry as much as we are,” he spoke gently, his words clearly thought out. The longer he spoke, the more you realized that the words weren’t just for you to hear, and that Mike was giving himself the advice he’d been bedding all along. “I mean, the guys are constantly bugging me about not saying how I feel to you. Surely they’d be at least, I don’t know, relieved?”
You smiled at that, your hand tightening its grip on his while you nodded. “You’re right. I guess I just don’t want it to throw the dynamic off once they find out.”
“If,” Mike corrected you, a wide grin plastered to his lips. “If they find out.”
“It sounds like Lucas already has,” you turned your head and murmured, but your voice was still just loud enough for Mike to hear. The gasp he let out brought the smile back to your face, and in moments the two of you were back to your normal banter again. You were yourself again, the presence of Mike bringing a comfort to you that was stronger than anything else. His hand remained on yours the rest of the ride, keeping you stable as you approached your destination.
The diner appeared in your line of sight before you knew it, and you took a deep breath as you finally put your car into park. Mike brought your hand to his lips, giving you the soft kiss of reassurance you needed before you stepped inside.
“It’s okay. Just be yourself,” he murmured as he gently pulled away from your hand, the soft look on his face nearly making you melt. A grin appeared on his lips as he looked at you, the black lines around his eyes bringing out their mischievous glimmer even more. “As long as you don’t act suspicious, you’ll be fine.”
“That’s rich coming from you, Michael,” you smirked back, leaning away from your seat to be closer to him. He rolled his eyes, and as soon as you sensed that he was about to protest, you leaned up and pressed a quick kiss onto his lips, smiling as you felt him relax into your touch. You separated not long after, reluctantly untangling your hand from his and shooting one last glance at him before muttering “let’s go.”
The two of you stepped out of the car, the cool air of dusk washing over you as you quickly walked up the parking lot and into the diner. Mike opened the door for you, and you were both immediately greeted by the warmth of the building. The diner was cozy, and something about the combination of the low lighting and the smell of fried food sent a wave of comfort through you that you didn’t know you needed. The rest of the Party was already seated at a table in the back corner, and you and Mike hastily made your way over so as to not keep them waiting any longer.
“Took you two long enough,” Dustin mused as the two of you sat down. Mike was grumbling something about having to sit at the head of the table, as there was really only enough space for six people. You kicked him underneath the table, causing his frame to stiffen immediately while you cleared your throat.
“Sorry. Mike took too long to find his jacket,” you replied with a smile, rolling your eyes playfully as you crossed your arms over your chest. Dustin shook his head and Mike shrugged, not willing to give any more fake details.
Lucas sat across from you, and you could already feel his eyes piercing into your head, like he had already picked up on the truth. You pushed past it, only offering him a small glance before you turned to talk to Max and Jane. Conversations quickly began between everyone at the table, bonding just as you had intended to when you all had formed the plan weeks ago. You were having fun, talking to the girls about some sort of class drama and catching up with the details of your lives. Max was in the middle of something when you felt a knee nudge against yours, and you knew who it was without having to look.
“Hey,” Mike poked your shoulder, prompting you to swivel your head in his direction with a small sigh. You raised a brow to the grin on his face, but nonetheless leaned closer.
“What?”
“You wanna get a milkshake?” He asked in a low voice, smirking at you as you tuned the rest of the Party out. Your head tilted, a soft giggle falling from your lips.
“Yeah, but why are we making it a secret?” You whispered back, one eyebrow quirked up as you inched closer to him. You really wished you had realized how close you actually were to his face.
“Well, I was hoping we could share it,” He continued to murmur, his grin never once leaving his face. You only tilted your head further, resisting the urge to let your eyes fall to his lips. You instead trained your gaze to his eyeliner, knowing that it would distract you just as much as thought of kissing him would.
“Really? What flavor were you thinking?” You asked, unable to contain your laughter as you looked at him, silently admiring his features.
“I was gonna let y–”
“Hey.” Lucas’s voice broke through your little moment, and the two of you snapped your heads in his direction so fast that it startled him momentarily. He raised a brow, voice serious as he spoke. “You two have something you wanna share?”
You shot a quick glance at Mike, who looked too flustered to get a single word out. You held back a laugh and sighed, leaning away from your boyfriend and trying to keep your composure as best as you could.
“I mean, not particularly. Is there something you want to know?” You asked calmly, clasping your hands together on top of the table. You could hear the panic on Mike’s face, already knowing what Lucas was likely to ask.
“I just don’t understand why any conversation would require you to be that close,” he hummed, looking away for a moment before letting his gaze land back on you. “Unless you’re sharing a secret, of course.”
“Why does it matter? If it was a secret, it’d probably be for a good reason,” you replied, voice getting a little more defensive with each word you spoke. Lucas seemed to only perk up at this, now starting to lean across the table as you to had what appeared to be a face-off.
“Oh, so it’s not a secret?”
“It’s none of your business, is what it is,” Mike chimed in, finally having regained his composure enough to help you.
“If it’s not a secret, why don’t you just say it–”
“LUCAS! Oh my god!” Max yelled from beside you, causing the rest of the table to jolt back at the sudden sound. She let out a tired sigh, shaking her head as she turned back to Jane, who looked as if she were holding in laughter. “Just leave it alone.”
Lucas groaned and relaxed back into his seat, clearly unsatisfied by the fact that he was again unsuccessful at getting you to admit anything. God, Mike was right about him. You wished you could tell Max thank you, but you weren’t ready for the conversation that would follow. You zoned out momentarily, trying to calm yourself down after what had just happened before Mike leaned in your ear again, a grin evident in his tone of voice.
“So, what flavor were you thinking?”
Eventually, the waitress came over and took everyone’s orders, and all was well in the world. Everyone was interacting like normal, mainly because you and Mike were now scared to get a little too close to each other, and laughter rang through the diner as you all talked about whatever came to mind. You loved time with your friends so much, and a part of you became emotional at the thought of you all only having so many moments together left before you graduated.
Before you knew it, the waitress was back with your food, and the milkshake Mike had ordered had two straws, per his request. You could feel Lucas eyeing the two of you when the waitress placed the drink directly in between you, but whatever suspicions he had stayed quiet as he ate his food. You couldn’t stop giggling whenever you leaned in for a sip, something about the milkshake also being Mike’s making you feel extra giddy.
At some point not long after you all had begun eating, Dustin started to share one of his many stories that somehow always led into another after another, and everyone would accept their fate of silence until he finally found an endpoint. He was currently on what felt like his millionth minute of speaking, and you could feel your focus slipping away with every passing second. You still had yet to zone out completely, though, as Mike was nudging your knee every time your eyes looked slightly out of focus.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys!” Dustin said with a toothy grin, a last-minute lightbulb having gone off in his head when you had just started to think he was done. You suppressed a groan as your friend began to ramble, and Mike, as if picking up on your silent restlessness, leaned over and started whispering to you.
“What do you think this one will be?” He asked, voice clearly indicating that he was amused by your subtle irritation.
“I don’t know, but hopefully someone can add something that pivots into a new conversation. I don’t have the energy for all of this science stuff right now,” you whispered back, leaning into him as a small smile rose on your lips. Mike giggled, leaning closer as he took a breath before speaking again.
“What, you don’t like it when your nerd friends talk about nerd things?” Mike hummed, earning a small laugh from you. Neither of you knew, but at the muffled sound of your voices beneath Dustin’s, someone’s ears had perked up, and he was now staring at both of you from the corner of his eye.
“That is not what I said, Michael,” you grinned with a low voice, eyes stuck on his as you shook your head. He giggled quietly, raising an eyebrow as he leaned even closer.
“Stop calling me that, we both know you prefer Mikey,” he teased, drawing out the last word as the tips of your ears grew red. Unfortunately, he was right. But you weren’t going to let him know that. Not now, at least.
“Stop it. I’m not saying that here,” you laughed lightly again, and just as Mike was ready to respond, a loud groan exited the boy across from you as his hands dragged down his face. Oh shit.
“Oh my god, can we address the elephant in the room, please?” Lucas interrupted suddenly, the irritation in his voice strikingly obvious. You and Mike froze, eyes going wide as you prayed this wasn’t going to be what you thought it was. Everyone gazed at each other for a few moments, silence and tension filling up the air of the once lively table.
“What elephant?” Mike asked, voice very obviously nervous as he turned to face Lucas. You’d thought Lucas was about to explode right there. You kicked Mike harshly, resisting the urge to shoot him a glare. Your heart was pounding, already anticipating what was coming.
“What– What elephant?” Lucas scoffed, pure shock crossing over his features. At that moment, you knew you were screwed. “You two! Both of you?”
“What? How are we–” You tried to defend yourself, but Lucas wouldn’t allow it.
“No, no, no, don’t play dumb. You two have been acting weird all night. I mean, come on! Fucking sharing a milkshake? Getting all close and whispering like no one else is here? You might as well scream it at this point!” Lucas threw his hands in the air, gaze flicking between you and Mike expectantly.
“Scream what?” You asked, a laugh that sounded more like an offended scoff following your words.
“That you’re screwing!”
The silence that followed Lucas’s words were heavy. Your lips had fallen agape, your heart still pounding against your chest as his words echoed through your mind. What were you supposed to do now? Do you lie and say it’s literally nothing or just come forward with the truth? Both choices seemed like bad options to you, and since Mike was just as stunned as you were, you knew you would probably have to come to a choice on your own. Loud silence continued for a few more moments before Dustin cleared his throat, adding exactly what you didn’t want to hear.
“That’s not a no,” the curly-haired boy murmured almost to himself, something that sounded like excitement filling his tone. You watched as Will let out a restrained sigh and slumped in his seat, mumbling something you couldn’t hear.
“No, Jesus, it’s not like that!” Mike finally spoke up, his voice so angry and restrained that you knew there would be follow-up questions. You shut your eyes and dug your fingernails into your legs, praying you would wake up from whatever nightmare your mind was currently putting you through.
“Then what is it like, Michael?” Lucas practically screamed back, forcing your eyes open as your fight or flight kicked in. In a split second, your mind made a choice on what to say, and the words spilled out before you could put much thought behind them
“Holy shit, we’re dating!” You breathed out, staring at Lucas with furrowed eyebrows as you gave up on trying to hide your agitation. “I’m sorry it’s such an issue for you!”
Another moment of stillness swept across the table, everyone–including you–processing what you had just spoken into the air. Oh god. Oh god. Why did you say that? Your heart was flying as you got in your head about your own words, heavy panic and anxiety filling your body as you prepared for the worst. You were convincing yourself that your friends were about to turn on you, that they would be angry at you for what had been revealed. You could feel tears welling in your eyes, on the brink of losing it right there when someone finally spoke up, freeing you from your harmful thoughts.
“W- What? Wait, so you’re actually–” Max started, breaking the silence that had filled the air of your table. Her voice seemed full of disbelief, and you were starting to panic even more until she started to laugh. Her laughter kept getting louder and louder with each second, and she looked like she might fall out of her chair. What the hell is happening? “Oh my god, give me my money, Lucas.”
Your eyes widened instantly as you turned back to Mike, who was looking at you with the same stunned expression that had settled onto your face. You both watched as Lucas let out a low curse, groaning and reaching underneath the table to grab his wallet. Dustin groaned with him, his head falling dramatically onto the table out of frustration. When Lucas’s hand emerged with three ten dollar bills, it finally clicked for you.
“Wait, you guys placed bets on us?” Mike asked, his voice cracking as he watched Lucas nod, handing the money over to a very eager Max. You and Mike exchanged another look before you shifted back to the rest of the table, rubbing the bridge of your nose as you tried to piece everything together.
“Okay, hold on– you guys knew?” Your voice was full of shock, still confused on why no one had had a single bad reaction to what you had said.
“Oh my god, yes, you’re so obvious,” Will laughed, shaking his head and holding his hand out. Max placed one of the bills onto the boy’s palm and then turned to Jane, handing her the other as flush overtook your features.
“Mike was always so hard to believe,” Jane said, shaking her head with a small laugh. “He’d start stuttering and get all red, and we knew he had to be lying about something.” You turned to the boy in question, who was averting your gaze at all costs while nervously sipping on your shared milkshake. You shook your head and smiled, your body starting to feel buzzy as your nerves finally began to settle. You took a deep breath, running a hand down the side of your face as you calmed yourself down.
“Speaking of Mike,” Lucas spoke abruptly, turning to face his friend as a grin spread across his face. “Does this mean you actually said it?” You raised a brow, confusion crossing over your features until you noticed everyone else suddenly looking at Mike as they awaited his answer.
“Yes,” Mike sighed out, smiling while his eyes flicked in your direction. He sat up a little straighter at the sight of you, like a new kind of confidence had found its way into his body. “I said it.”
All three of the other boys let out a cheer at that, and a small laugh found its way to your lips as you shook your head at their ridiculousness.
“Ugh, finally!” Dustin exclaimed dramatically, slumping into his seat out of what appeared to be relief. “You two were stressing everyone out. Thanks for finally getting over yourselves.”
Everyone quickly sprang into conversation, with you and Mike at the center of every topic, and, unfortunately, the butt of every joke. You remained mostly quiet during this time, brain still frazzled with the emotions you had just felt and still shocked by the whole ordeal. You were zoning out when you felt a light tap on your shoulder, and you turned to meet Max.
“Hey. You good?” She asked you softly, a warm smile on her face. You breathed out a small sigh, gathering your words in your head while Max patiently waited for your response.
“I think I’m kind of surprised,” you spoke lightly, a small smile on your face as your eyes flicked down to the table before returning to the girl next to you. “I mean, you guys seriously knew? We were literally panicking the whole way over because of what you might think.”
Max tilted her head after you spoke, picking up the underlying current of worry in your voice. She leaned closer, her words getting quieter as she reassured you.
“We were never going to be upset. Like, in a million years,” She smiled, her eyes locked onto yours. Her voice was genuine, and her words gave you the final bit of comfort you needed to finally, finally be put at ease about this. “I’m happy for you. I know how long you were stuck with your feelings. Even if it’s Mike, of all people.”
You laughed at her words, appreciating that she could make light out of the moment while still giving you the advice you needed. Max was always there for you in that way, finding you when you needed help the most and always having the right thing to say. You cherished the comfortable silence between the two of you, letting your heart and mind settle for a few more moments before a sudden look of remembrance flashed over your friend’s face.
“Wait, so why were you late? Mike’s stupid, but he definitely remembers where he puts his shit,” Max tilted her head, voice purposefully innocent like her smirk didn’t tell you that she already knew the answer.
“Uh…”
Relief coursed through you as the night went on, the sky around the dinner eventually growing dark as you all got caught up in your regular banter. At some point in the chaos, Mike’s hand had found yours again underneath the table, a soft smile on his face as he effortlessly intertwined his fingers with yours. You squeezed his hand out of recognition, relishing in the comfort that came from contact with him. Your heart fluttered as he leaned over to you, no longer afraid of getting closer than normal.
“I told you we’d be okay,” he whispered to you, a gentle smile on his face as he gazed at you with soft eyes that made you melt.
“Weren’t you the one panicking hours ago?” You teased, nudging him gently with your shoulder. He hummed, acting like he was pondering his words before he leaned closer, speaking in that same low tone.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t matter anymore. We don’t have to worry anymore,” he spoke quietly as he squeezed your hand. His words sent butterflies through you, his genuineness striking a chord deep within you that filled you with more love than you thought was possible. Unable to find words to respond with, you simply shook your head and laughed, dumbfounded and utterly enamored with the boy in front of you. God, you loved him.
Before you knew it, everyone had paid for their food, and the group of you finally stood to walk out of the diner. The cold air hit you hard once you stepped outside, but Mike quickly placed a hand on your shoulder and pulled you into him, sending warmth straight to your heart. You all said your goodbyes, telling each other to drive home safely before you parted and walked to your own vehicles.
“Don’t have too much fun, idiots!” Lucas screamed from across the parking lot, prompting you and Mike to shake your heads simultaneously. You waved goodbye to your friends one last time before climbing into your car and slumping into your seat. Mike’s hand reached for yours as you drove off, fingers locking together while the car was filled with the comfortable silence you shared. You adored quiet moments with Mike, when neither of you had anything to say but could still feel relaxed around each other. Neither of you said a word the entire way back, letting the gentle silence speak for you.
Eventually, your driveway came into view, and a quiet breath left you as you laid eyes on your sleeping home. You knew your parents were bound to be asleep with how late it was, and you nearly laughed when you thought about how cliché it was for you to be sneaking your boyfriend into your house.
You parked and quickly made your way out of the car, fiddling with your keys as you tried to be as quiet as possible. Mike was making it insanely difficult, following you around like a lost puppy and looking at you expectantly when the door finally opened. You shook your head and let out a quiet giggle, taking hold of his hand and very carefully tip-toeing your way upstairs and into your room.
Once you were both safely inside, you shut the door and flopped onto your bed, a long sigh leaving you as Mike found his place next to you. He grinned and threw his arm over your waist, pulling you against him so quickly you nearly yelped. You giggled as he peppered kisses across your face, his hold on you tight as you got increasingly more comfortable with each second you spent in his arms. His movements eventually slowed and he pulled away, allowing himself room to admire you with soft eyes.
“You know something?” He hummed gently, his head leaning into the pillows as his hand began to run up and down your side mindlessly. You took a deep breath, relaxing into his touch as a warm smile rose on your lips.
“What?” You asked, your voice quiet as you brought yourself closer, your eyes not once straying from his. The eyeliner that had earlier been so prominent was starting to fade, but it still left you breathless as you gazed up at him now.
“I love you. A lot,” he grinned, the tiniest bit of pink dusting over his cheeks while he looked at you with eyes that were full of pure admiration. You giggled and leaned up, pressing a quick kiss to the side of his face, making him even more flustered in the process.
“I love you too, Mikey,” you said gently, the sweetest smile on your lips. Mike’s arm pulled you even closer, snuggling his head into the crook of your neck while your arms slid around his frame.
With Mike pressed so close to you and his hand still moving so, so gently, it didn’t take long for you to start drifting off. Dinner had worn both of you out, and being in the arms of your lover was just what you needed to ease your mind after a long night of being on edge. Your eyes started to close as your breath slowed down, giving in to the sleepiness that had started to weigh on your body.
Both of you knew Mike needed to go back home, but neither of you cared as you both began to fall asleep, surrounded by the warmth of one another. Mike would always, always, be happy to get in trouble with his parents if it meant he could spend more time with you.
author's note: omg hi!!! it’s part two!! this is very very exciting to me and i’m so happy i’m done with it :) if you guys like these characters and want more, feel free to shoot me with a request!!! i will HAPPILY write more guyliner fics. i hope you enjoyed my writing; thank you for all of the love on the first part!!! this is all so unreal to me and i can’t wait to write more in the future. love you guys <333
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