stranger things imagines {slow updates}

𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

YOU SETTLED INTO THE BEANBAG CHAIR IN MIKE'S BASEMENT AS HE PUT ON YOUR FAVORITE FLEETWOOD MAC RECORD. you were unsure if mike's house was the best place for you to be right now, considering he had basically been the grounds for your breakup, but regardless, he was your best friend.

"so," mike started, sitting on the couch. "wanna tell me about it?"

you glanced up at him and almost smiled at his obliviousness as to how to deal with the situation. you had been able to help mike when he broke up with eleven, just because you always knew what to say. mike, on the other hand, struggled with finding the right words for almost every sentence.

"under normal circumstances, sure. but this will become sorta a sensitive topic for us both if i do," you finally admitted, trying to be as vague as possible. mike cocked his head to the side and pushed the bowl of snack mix toward you, offering it.

you woke up knowing you were going to break up with him.

it wasn't a last minute decision, it was premeditated, like a murder. it would be hard, but you knew it was the right thing. it was wrong for you to keep leading your boyfriend on when you really in love with someone else.

you loved mike, and you had for a few months now. it was weird to think about - you'd been best friends with him ever since you were 4, and now that you were old enough, you were realizing your feelings for him.

"what's that supposed to mean?" mike asked suspiciously. you didn't reply, and instead tried to focus on the music and not the pounding beat of your heart.

 i've been dreaming

thought it was in vain

ah, but now you're here

can't believe that you're back again

"you're acting kinda weird," mike continued, standing. he gave you a lopsided grin and offered his hand so that he could pull you up. you took it, and soon you were standing and dancing around the basement with your best friend. dancing like this, so close, had been a regular occurrence with you two, but now it felt different.

"i could never do stuff like this with him," you suddenly confessed, your voice unintentionally soft. mike eyed you sideways as the two of you swayed to the music.

"is that why you broke up with him? because he couldn't dance?" you laughed at mike's idiocy and shook your head slowly, trying to think of the right words to say. you, in all honesty, didn't really want to tell mike how you felt, but you did want him to know, if that made sense.

now i know i can't lose

as long as you follow

i'm gonna win

"sorta. i broke up with him because stuff that you and i do together was hard to do with him," you explained, in the most confusing terms you could think up. you grinned at mike's furrowed eyebrows, awaiting his questions.

"like what?"

you sighed, reaching into your mind for a situation that could perfectly explain your predicament. you didn't have to go too far.

"you remember when you saw us 'having a conversation' at the mall? well, it turns out you were right, we were arguing," you admitted, gaining a playful shoulder slap from your best friend.

"i knew it! what about?"

"well, i wanted to go see that new zombie movie that came out. and he said 'no! that's rated r, and i'll get nightmares."

mike couldn't contain himself - he burst out laughing, and you followed suit. the two of you fell onto the couch, clutching your stomachs. "what a pussy!" mike shouted, in between fits of giggles.

"exactly! and he got mad at me for laughing!"

i'm gonna beg, steal, or borrow

as long as you follow

mike slapped his knee and tilted his head back as he let out a final laugh. the two of you leaned against the couch once again and you were still smiling at him.

"so, yeah. that's sort of why. cause you'd never say something like that. you'd love to go to the movie. you're like my standard for boyfriends," you confessed. you could've sworn you saw mike's cheeks flush a bit, and it became a bit awkward, so you did something spur of the moment. you hoped you wouldn't regret it.

you scooted closer to him and leaned onto his shoulder. your heart felt like it was going to pop out of your chest as you awaited mike's next movements. you heard him clear his throat a bit, but slowly, you felt his arm inching closer to you until it was wrapped around your waist.

you couldn't control your grin.

i've been wandering

gone away too far

but the road was rough

to get back where you are

"hey, y/n?" mike asked, timidly. you placed your hand on his chest, subtly trying to feel how fast his heartbeat was beating. it shocked you to find how quickly it was palpitating.

"yeah?"

he swallowed hard. "i've been meaning to tell you this, and it might not be the right time, but i figure that i've waited so long that the right time could be any time... so, uh, here goes," mike paused, pulling away from you a bit so that he could see your face. he was extremely pink, which you found adorable. you figured that rather than let him stammer and stumble around his words, you'd say it for him. a leap of faith.

"i'm in love with you," you blurted. you felt mike tense underneath you and you thought you ran rigid. could you have been wrong? was mike going to tell you something else?

and the sun went down

never seem to rise

"really? for how long?" he was in disbelief, you could see. you felt embarrassed. you had just outed yourself to the person who would care most about it. your confidence went down the drain.

"maybe two months. look, mike, i'm sorry i said it. can we just forget about it?" from the look in your eyes, mike could tell you'd gotten the wrong idea. he'd been so caught up in the fact that you - his best friend and love of his life - loved him back that he'd forgotten to even tell you how he felt.

so, rather than say it, mike decided he'd show you. he'd already blanked on his whole speech anyhow. after a short, internal motivational speech, mike did it. he finally kissed you, after dreaming about it for years.

and it was just as magical as he'd imagined. his fingers tingled as he raised a hand to your cheek, and you could swear his touch left little traces of sparks on your face.

ah, but now you're here

with the light shining in your eyes

after a few seconds, you pulled away. your heart soared as you admired the return of mike's lopsided grin. it was your favorite physical quality of his - his smile was always crooked, but endearingly so.

"can i ask how long you've loved me now?"

"if i told you, you'd feel bad about not noticing."

yes, i can live today

if you give me tomorrow

as long as you follow