Vincent

Catch the breeze and the winter chills | Chapter three

It was Saturday night, Mike had been living with the Hopper-Byers for around 2 days now and it's like everything barely changed.

They were all sat at the dinner table, Jonathan, Nancy and Argyle were over as well. They were discussing topics like life was normal, like there wasn't a chance they could be called into the final battle at any moment.

Mike sat on the left from Will and El sat on the right of him, Jonathan, Nancy and Argyle all sat across from them and then either end of the table sat Hopper and Joyce. Hopper and Jonathan had worked together to cook up some rice and other pieces that sat all around the table.

"I am telling you," El said to Jonathan, her eyes wide as she pointed her spoon at him, "You should let me cut your hair, you look like a rat."

Jonathan rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Oh yeah, I'm sure it would be muchhhh better once you cut it."

Argyle leaned in, smiling docile, "Oh come on man, super girls' right. You should get like a mullet or something man. You know, business in the front, party in the back."

Nancy giggled at the thought, "He makes a very stylish rat."

Jonathan went pink at this "Okay my hair is fine! next conversation now."

Joyce barked a laugh but changed the topic for him anyway "So, kids"

Will looked at her, unsure of where this was going.

"Will," Joyce repeated, "You said Dustin was picking you up for a party tonight?"

Will's smile tiredly before he nodded, "Yeah, at some girl from his drama clubs' house."

"Oh," Joyce said, her voice trailing off. "Well, you have fun."

"No kissing boys." Hopper grumbled pointing at Will, then turned to El and said "And no kissing girls either." El poked her tongue at him and Will hurried his face in his hands with a laugh.

Nancy and Jonathan laughed at their antics while Argyle just nodded in agreement, his eyes just barely staying open.

Hopper grinned at the banter, "Well, you all have fun. Don't forget to be home by eleven." He said, only half jokingly.

"12, just call if you want to stay later." Joyce corrected and Hopper just sighed in acceptance.

The dinner continued with more sass and laughter, Nancy teasing Mike about his love for corny romcoms while Mike teased her back about her awful taste in movies. Argyle would occasionally mumble something incoherent, only to have someone ask him what he had said, causing him to smile dopeily and say something completely different.

Mike noticed Wills absence for the dinner, not psychically but mentally. He smiled but they didn't reach his eyes, he laughed but they were mostly empty, he'd even make digs and comments throughout the conversation but something was off, Mike made a mental note to ask him about it later.