𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝; byler

-¢нαρтєя 16 -

MIKE WOKE UP and hurried to turn the alarm clock off. He looked at his watch: 7:20.
He got up, stretching his aching muscles. He looked at Will, who still looked fast asleep. He had been sleeping for so many hours, Mike was getting worried. 

Mike glanced at Will once more, making sure his eyes were closed, and then went over to the floor board where Will used to hide his alcohol. He looked inside, sticking his hand and searching around. Nothing. Then, he looked in the closet. Then the dresser, and afterwards the desk. He felt a weight lift off his shoulder; no hidden bottles.

Mike looked at Will again, and sighed. He didn't believe he had gone a full 2 years without knowing about Will's problem. That entire week Mike had looked for clues in Will's behavior that he was drinking again, anything out of the usual. Will had looked so happy, so like his old self, Mike never found any. But this was the first time he managed to actually search Will's room. 

Mike couldn't believe what the beautiful boy in the bed had gone through. He couldn't even begin to understand. But at least now he was there, and he wouldn't let Will go back to where he had been. He wanted to hold Will and protect him forever and ever. He knew it was too soon, way too soon, but Mike suddenly knew... He loved Will Byers. He loved him more than he ever loved El, and that was saying something. It killed him to see Will like this.

Mike stepped towards the bed and put his hand on Will's head, trying to see if he still had a fever. Mike was no expert in these things, but he just tried to copy what his mother used to do anytime him or one of his sisters got sick. He was pretty sure Will was still a little hot, but before he could be sure Will's eyes opened.

"Good morning," Mike said, kissing Will. He tasted like toothpaste. Now Mike saw he was also wearing a different set of pajamas: He wondered when Will had gotten up.

"How are you feeling?" Mike asked, flopping down on the bed besides him, "Do you want to spend another day in bed?"
"No, I feel fine. Probably just a 24 hours virus thing. I want to go to school!" Will exclaimed, almost jumping out of bed. He stumbled a little bit, but seemed mostly okay. How did he manage to still have bags under his eyes? 

Mike got up and went to stand by Will. The boy had an almost chaotic energy to him, An energy Mike couldn't quite understand. Maybe it was just because he spent a whole day in bed?
"You sure? you were pretty sick yesterday..." Mike added.
"Yeah, I'm totally good!" Will did seem much better, his skin wasn't quite as pale.
"If you're sure..." Mike said. He wished Will would stay in bed for a little bit more, but he knew there was no use trying to convince why. How was he so energetic? his eyes were glittering with a weird light, but that was probably just the fever.

"Okay, so you get dressed and I'll go make us some breakfast. DON'T OBJECT! You haven't eaten anything in a whole day!" Mike hurried to say when he saw Will's mouth open. He gave Will a quick kiss and left towards the kitchen, yawning.

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Mike was standing in the kitchen putting cereal in two bowls (that was about as far as his cooking skills went) When he heard steps behind him. He turned around and there, standing hand in hand, were Max and El. 

For a minute they just stood there awkwardly. 
"I'm going to take a quick shower," Max finally said, leaving the room.

El and Mike continued standing there until they heard the bathroom door closing. 

"Hi," Eleven finally said. These were basically the first words she had said to him after their breakup. 
"Hey," Mike replied, "Should I cook you guys some of my signature cereal?" ugh. He couldn't believe the words that left his mouth sometimes.
To his surprise, El just smiled and nodded. "Thank you," she said.

And her smile seemed to make the air a little less tense between them.

Mike pulled out two additional bowls and started to pour cereal into them. A different kind, the kind he knew El liked.

"Mike?" He heard her voice from behind him.
"Huh?" he turned around.

"Can I ask you something?" Eleven asked, and her brown eyes were serious.
"Yeah, of course!" Mike quickly said, pulling out a chair and sitting next to her. After all, even though they weren't dating anymore El was still one of his best friends. And he did miss her, just not in that sense.

"What is gay?" Eleven asked, the question throwing Mike off guard.

"I- I- Well, a gay person is a boy that likes boys." Mike wasn't sure how else to explain it, "Why?"
"Are you and Will gay?" Eleven said, tasting the last word in her mouth.
Mike was so shocked he almost fell off his chair.
"What- who-?" he tried, but to no use. Her serious brown eyes were still fixated on him, and he knew she understood. Like her adoptive brother, you couldn't hide anything from her.
"Yeah, I guess we are. At least, Will is. I think I'm bi- which means I like both girls and boys. Buy yeah, we are dating. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

For a moment, El didn't speak. She didn't look mad, however: She was just thoughtful. 
"Can girls be gay?" she asked, and Mike still didn't understand what she was going towards.
"Yeah, sure they can." He replied. 

"Max is gay," El said, saying it like it was just the weather or something.

"I think I am- like you. Boys and girls." El continued matter of factly. 
"So it's okay that we are dating,right? Max and me?" She looked at him with big pleading eyes.
And suddenly Max came back from the bathroom, having definitely not showered, and looked at Mike with the same wondering eyes. And Mike looked at them, sitting in the kitchen of his boyfriend with his ex girlfriend and her girlfriend, and he couldn't help a smile.

And then that smile turned into a chuckle, and the chuckle into a laugh, so hard he couldn't stop himself. Because life was so ridiculous and so perfect at the same time, and it was a situation he never ever ever thought in a million years he would be in and it was so amazing.

In the beginning Max and Eleven looked at him like he was a crazy person, but then, slowly, they understood.

So in 8:00 am in the morning on Monday, the three of them stood in the kitchen and laughed until tears were coming out of their eyes. And it was perfect.

That is, until they heard a strong, menacing "thump" from Will's room. 

[AUTHOR SAYS]

Sorry for the cliffhanger, and also I'm going on a school trip for 2 days so no new part until Friday.... SORRY.