ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
sitting in one seat for 4 hours wasn't all that fun, river had fallen asleep right beside nancy who who was also asleep. it was only them two who had drove to the airport today, mainly because it was 6 am, and because they both wanted to see the byers brothers more than anyone else.
the last few minutes was when river woke up, and she fixed mike's jacket that was on her before standing up, grabbing her sign that read 'BYERS FAMILY'
she wore converse, and once her eyes were fully open, she widened them, first making eye contact with will.
he was with jonathan, and jonathan only. joyce and el were coming in tomorrow, it was the cheaper way of coming to visit in hawkins for thanksgiving.
nancy had first ran up to jonathan, and river had pushed mike off, dropping her sign and rushing towards will with a smile across her face.
she'd like to say every single one of the boys were as special as will was to her, but they all held their different meanings to her. lucas and dustin being her best friends ever, mike of course being the boy of her dreams and will being like her brother.
the first thing he said was, "your hair!" it was dyed a little differently and river laughed before she pulled him into a tight hug, smiling into it. he towered over her even more now, and it felt weird to them both considered they spent mostly their whole life the same height.
"your hair." river giggled once she pulled away, pointing to it. "you growing it out?"
"i'm gonna keep it short." he touched his hair nervously, and she had nodded in response.
"well, i like it like that. i think you'll get lots of props here in hawkins for it." she fixed her bracelets, grabbing one of will's bag in which he took back, carrying it himself.
"props? you say props now?" he tilted his head while asking this and river gave a look of embarrassment, shrugging.
"i guess?"
"no its cool. it's cool." will smiled, and it faded when he opened his mouth every few seconds to say something but couldn't.
the one time he might've said anything at all is when jonathan greeted river, and they walked out as a group.
river took back the bag of will's and as they walked to nancy's car she smiled as if it was an instinct, and it was. it was what she was supposed to be doing right now.
"we're the guys too-too tired?" will frowned a bit as he asked this dragging his suitcase and fixing his sweater.
"oh- the guys, yeah. they're all asleep i haven't talked to them yet today." river lied, glancing to will and watching his face fall.
"oh, okay."
"yeah, they'll be with us later. also i have a soccer game this friday, i really wanted you to come. i've been waiting all season for you and el to make it to one of my games." river added in as she stuffed the bag into the back, helping nancy with a few as she still gushed over jonathan.
"really?" will's face lightened up again as he looked over to river who nodded eagerly.
"you guys are the reason i brought myself to even play, so yeah." she didn't elaborate but the many letters from el, and phone calls with will was what helped the most out of anything.
"well, yeah we'll definitely go."
"very cool." river gave a thumbs up, closing the trunk and making her way to the backseat along with will.
the car ride was full of will filling her in on school, and her filling him in too. from their hairstyles to grades is what they covered, and will smiled every second of the way even though he was bummed out at the fact that she said the boys were still asleep.
once they made it to the wheeler house, river helped will with his bags again, smiling greatly at the fact that he didn't know all three boys plus max were inside right now.
she hasn't stressed anything more than the fact that will visits today for the first time, and that they needed to go all out.
so in reality, mike, lucas, max, and dustin all stood inside bickering as they waited for the awaited open of the door which finally came.
river insisted will went first, and she gave a look of excitement to nancy who smiled back, and to jonathan who furrowed his eyebrows along with a nervous laugh.
will was immediately greeted with air horns, dustin held silly string in which he reluctantly sprayed, running to will along with the rest.
"byers!" lucas smiled being first, and will had dropped all of his bags to hug all three of them.
"i thought you guys were asleep?" he glanced around, and max gave a weak shrug.
"i mean i wish i was." though she did mean it, seeing will meant a lot too, and she now rushed over to hug him, pushing dustin out of the way.
"no way you guys did all of this." jonathan's eyes searched the room, earning a nod from nancy.
"yeah, last night was long."
river was bombarded with as much silly string mike could pile onto her while his sister and jonathan walked by, causing the rest to spray it as well.
though, river found herself harshly pushing away and cursing his name. "ow, you jerk." mike chuckled, holding the arm she had now been hitting. "i'm sorry, i'm sorry."
will though, was at his happiest, months of waiting to see his best friends again had very much been paid off in this short moment. max continued to spray lucas and dustin who happened to be complaining from beside will who only laughed.
and once he glanced to river and mike bickering, her pushing him away as he attempted to kiss and spray her every few seconds it was confirmed he made it back home.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
A/N
no playing w river when it comes to will
also i love happy max and she will be happy here
