Chapter Text
Will had always thought that he knew himself well. His favorite color is yellow. His favorite milkshake is vanilla. He loves to paint and read comics. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his friends and his family.
Looking back, there was nothing particularly special about that afternoon. But at the time, he didn’t know that this unremarkable day would become the catalyst for something that would fundamentally challenge his sense of self. Something that spread faster and faster, more and more intensely. Like a fire in the woods. Quiet at first, then quicker. And before he knew it, he was trapped in the flames. Surrounded, with no hope of escape.
Will’s face is burning hot. Like a fever. Even though it’s night and darkness has long since fallen, the flames of the campfire feel as if he’s staring directly into the midday sun. He’s sure that if he moved just a few inches closer, his facial hair would singe off.
But back to the beginning. The day that changed everything.
⚡︎ ⚡︎ ⚡︎
Mike and Will are sitting in the kitchen, snacking on the fresh strawberries Mrs. Wheeler brought back from her morning shopping. It’s summer break—the last one before their lives begin at college.
“Do you want some too?” Will asks, sliding the bowl toward Holly, who is resting her chin on her hand while reading a magazine.
“No, thanks,” she says, completely absorbed, flipping the page.
Will glances at Mike, who just shrugs casually and pops another strawberry into his mouth.
The last two weeks have been strange. Almost their entire youth had been an endless rollercoaster of danger, nightmares that felt far too real, fears that sank deep into their bones. And after they finally destroyed the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down, everyone had focused on school. It was easy to lose themselves in assignments, exams, and college applications.
But now?
For the first time, Will and his friends were… free. Truly free. No worries haunting them at night. No deadlines to meet. It’s just summer, Will and Mike and their friends.
“Don’t you guys want to go outside? The weather’s so nice,” Mrs. Wheeler says as she enters the kitchen, her gaze moving between them.
“No,” Mike groans. “It’s way too hot.”
A brutal heatwave has settled over Hawkins. So far, it’s been the hottest week of the summer, and it threatens to get even worse. Mike’s hair is already sticking to his temples, and his cheeks are slightly redder than usual. Will feels the heat most intensely at the back of his neck and along his throat.
Mrs. Wheeler looks over at Holly, who must not have heard the question. Her eyes land on the magazine, and she takes a sharp step forward.
“Holly, what are you reading?”
Holly startles, her eyes widening. “Nothing!” She leans over the open pages with both arms, trying to cover the magazine. In vain.
Mrs. Wheeler steps closer, reaches for it, and pulls it out from under her arms.
“That’s so unfair!” A crease forms between her eyebrows as she looks up at her.
Mrs. Wheeler examines the magazine more closely. “I bought this for Nancy years ago. Where did you even get it?”
“I found it in her room. I didn’t have anything else to read and—”
“You’re much too young for magazines like this, Holly.”
“But—”
“No buts. When you’re a few years older, you can have them. Right now, it’s too soon.”
Holly pouts and crosses her arms defiantly. But she doesn’t protest further. Instead, she jumps off her chair, stomps loudly up the stairs, and slams the door.
For a moment, silence fills the kitchen as the sound echoes. Mrs. Wheeler sighs to herself.
“What’s so bad about that magazine?” Mike finally asks.
Will would like to know that too. It doesn’t look different from any other random girls’ magazine. Pink, lots of pictures, playful fonts.
“Nothing really. It’s just for people your age. It covers… sex education topics, parties, first relationships… you know. It’s just too early for her.”
Mike doesn’t respond. He's never been the kind of brother who would have scolded his sisters. Will remembers how Mike used to talk about Nancy sneaking out to go to parties or meet up with boys. Even though Mike didn't think much of it, he never ratted her out. He only began to fight back when they tried to provoke him.
The sharp ringing of the house phone cuts through the air. Mrs. Wheeler sets the magazine down on the kitchen counter and leaves the room.
Will bites his lip. The colorful cover design has caught his attention. Without thinking much— almost instinctively—he reaches for it and pulls it toward himself.
His eyes lock onto the title.
“Fever Flash.” Will emphasizes the words theatrically.
He glances up at Mike, their eyes meeting.
There was complete silence in the room for a moment before the two of them burst into hysterical laughter. The name was so silly, so typically girly, that they couldn’t help but laugh. It takes them a good minute to even remotely compose themselves.
“What a name,” Will laughs, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.
“No wonder women are … the way they are,” Mike replies.
They both lean over the cover and read the headlines.
The magazine is from the summer of 1983. Back when the world was still intact, Will thinks. The last summer before his life became a sequence of pain and torment.
“Look. Top 5 Hairdos That Make Guys Stop and Stare.” Mike leans closer and emphasizes the last words, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.
Will can’t help but giggle at Mike’s exaggerated impression. Do girls really think about stuff like that? Isn’t that kind of silly?
But then it hits him—when he likes someone, he does certain things to get their attention too. He thinks back to when he bought a perfume a few years ago that smelled sweet and woody. He remembers how it suddenly mattered even more than usual to smell good, to look put together, to tame his hair as best as he could.
And when he met up with Mike, he always caught himself adding an extra spray.
Will’s gaze drops back to the cover. “Wait a second.” His finger snaps up. “Isn’t that the exact same hairstyle Nancy had in high school?”
Mike leans in closer. His expression changes—almost disturbed by the realization that Nancy must have actually taken these tips seriously.
“Oh my God,” he mutters.
Will presses his lips together, trying to suppress another fit of laughter. But when their eyes meet again, they both break down laughing once more.
After a while, Mike shakes his head in judgment, massaging the bridge of his nose, unable to hide his grin.
Will covers his mouth with his hand to muffle the sound. “This is so funny.”
Just as Mike’s grin starts to fade and the knot in his stomach begins to loosen, Will continues. He straightens up and puts on his best host impression.
“Should you call him or wait? The 3-day rule explained!”
“Wow,” Mike says, more flatly this time. “That’s… pathetic.”
“Yeah,” Will replies, only half-listening. He’s completely absorbed in reading the rest of the cover articles.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Mike toss another strawberry into his mouth. He props his chin on his hand and watches Will read.
“Hey, look. A friendship test.” Will points to a corner of the cover.
Mike frowns.
“‘Will your friendship survive beyond high school?’” Will inhales dramatically and raises his eyebrows.
Mike rolls his eyes. “What nonsense.”
Will ignores him and flips through the magazine until he finds the page. There are ten questions listed that you’re supposed to ask each other. At the end, there’s a result with an evaluation.
“It says we have to count our points individually and then add them up at the end,” Will explains.
Mike scoffs. “We don’t have to do shit.”
Will rolls his eyes. Mike Wheeler might just be the most passive person he’s ever met. His default answer is always 'no' or 'later'.
“Don’t be such a buzzkill.”
“I’m not a buzzkill.”
“You’re literally the fun police,” Will shoots back.
“The fun police? That’s not even true!”
“Okay, good. You’re ready to take the test, then.” A wide grin spreads across Will’s face.
“No.”
Will sits up straighter. “Okay. Question number one.”
1. How often do you make each other laugh until it hurts?
A) All the time—laughter is the best glue. (3 pts)
B) Sometimes—funny moments happen occasionally. (2 pts)
C) Rarely—most of the time it’s serious or awkward. (1 pt)
After Will reads out all the possible answers, he looks at Mike expectantly.
“We were practically dying of laughter just five minutes ago,” Mike remarks.
“True,” Will says. “We’re always laughing together. So...”
“So?”
Will skims the rules again. “So that would be answer A. We both agree that we always laugh together. That means 3 points for each of us.” Will jumps up from his chair and walks over to the drawer. He digs out a pen and a small notepad. There were definitely advantages to Will having lived with his family at the Wheelers’ house for 18 months. He knows practically every inch of this house inside and out, as if it were his own.
He places the pen and paper in front of Mike on the wooden table, who looks at him questioningly.
“What am I supposed to do with that?”
“You need to record our score. So we can calculate the result.”
Mike shakes his head in disbelief. “Are you serious? The question is whether our friendship will survive beyond high school. I don’t need to write anything down to know the answer to that.”
“Okay, fun police.”
“Fu—?" Mike pauses. "Whatever.” He reluctantly takes the pen while Will reads out the next question.
2. When you imagine life after graduation, you and your best friend…
A) Have already planned how to stay close (3 pts)
B) Hope to keep in touch but aren’t sure how (2 pts)
C) Assume you’ll drift apart (1 pt)
Mike and Will exchange a look. Only two weeks have passed since they graduated from high school. Of course, Will already knew where and what he’d be studying, when he’d be moving, and what his classes would be. However, they haven’t made any concrete plans about how they’ll stay in touch. And now that the question has come up, it’s almost weird that they haven’t talked about it yet.
Will will be studying in New York, and Mike will be studying in Pennsylvania. The distance between them is only about one to two hours. It’s not much—but it’s not nothing either.
Mike also seems caught off guard by the question, offering no immediate reaction.
“We haven’t really made plans for how we’ll keep in touch,” Will begins carefully. “So… B?”
Mike glances down at the answers. His scent hits Will immediately.
Will doesn’t move an inch. There aren't many moments when Mike is close enough for Will to smell him. When he is, though, Will savors every second of it. There’s something about Mike's scent that is so appealing to Will that he subtly takes deeper breaths, just to fully take it in.
Mike snorts.
“Hope to keep in touch?” He looks at Will, incredulous. His voice is full of mockery, even if it’s playful. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
The corners of Will’s mouth twitch upward as he giggles at his reaction. “No, of course not.”
“Okay, well, we will stay close,” Mike decides.
Hearing that staying in touch matters to Mike eases a tightness in Will’s chest that he hadn’t even noticed before. Of course they’re best friends, but college can be intimidating. It’s a whole new chapter. They’ll leave Hawkins and their families behind, and for the first time in their lives, they’ll be on their own.
In a way, Mike has always been Will’s anchor. He's the person who gives Will a sense of security. The thought of not seeing each other every day in a few months scares him more than he’d like to admit.
“But we don’t have any concrete plans on how,” Will says.
“We’ll figure it out once we get there.”
“But it says ‘have already planned.’ We literally don’t.”
Will’s concern was genuine, but at the same time, he loved to deliberately annoy Mike by being nitpicky. Nothing gave him more pleasure than getting Mike to let his guard down. Mike has also changed a lot over the years. There were moments when he was funny, cheerful, and spontaneous. But in the blink of an eye, his mood could change completely. Like flipping a light switch. Suddenly, he would become quiet and distant, as if only his body were present while his soul had left this world.
They never talk about it—but it doesn’t go unnoticed. Which makes Will appreciate the moments when Mike is fully present even more.
“Jeez, Will. There are trains. There are cars. There are phones. We’ll stay close. It’s A. Next question,” Mike declares, leaving no room for argument. He crosses his arms and leans back. “This is already off to a great start,” he mutters under his breath.
Will doesn’t miss that Mike is slowly but surely getting invested in the quiz. Mike has always been brimming with ambition. Sometimes he doesn't even realize how he automatically falls into the mindset of wanting to win at all costs. The thought of it makes Will smile.
He reads the next question.
3. How well do you support each other’s goals?
A) Fully—cheering each other on no matter what (3 pts)
B) Sometimes, but with a little jealousy (2 pts)
C) Not much—you’re on different paths (1 pt)
“Fully,” Mike says immediately, as if he doesn’t even have to think about it.
Their friendship is fundamental—has been since they were kids. All the pain and horror they’ve been through together has made their bond unbreakable.
“Yeah, fully, that’s easy,” Will agrees. “Okay, next question. Are you even writing this down?”
Mike rolls his eyes. “I don’t need to take notes, Will. We’re going to get the best result anyway.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, okay, maybe we will. But I still want to keep track of the score.” He tugs lightly at Mike’s shirt. “Just do it, please!”
“Fine,” says Mike, grabbing the notepad and pulling it toward him. Will can’t help but smile triumphantly. He waits patiently until Mike has written down their scores before reading out the next question.
4. When your best friend is bullied or in danger, you…
A) Stand up for them and fight without hesitation. (3 pts)
B) Step in to help, but try to resolve things calmly first. (2 pts)
C) Stay out of it unless absolutely necessary. (1 pt)
“Stand up for them, obviously,” Mike shoots back instantly.
Will keeps his gaze on the magazine. “Hmm.”
Mike drops his hand loudly onto the table. “What do you mean, hmm?”
The question makes Will unexpectedly nervous. He loves his friends and family more than anything. But fighting—defending himself—has never been his strength. He craves harmony. He‘s sensitive, not aggressive or destructive. Self-defense—or in this case, defending the people he loves—is something he definitely needs to work on.
A brief stab of pain hits his chest as he thinks back to Lenora. How El was bullied in school—and how paralyzed he felt, unable to protect her. After all these years, the guilt hasn’t faded. It probably never will.
“I don’t know—I don’t like confrontation,” Will finally admits.
Mike’s jaw drops. “Are you fucking serious?”
The sharp tone in Mike’s voice pulls Will right out of his thoughts.
“I can barely defend myself, Mike. I’m just… not as impulsive as you, I guess.”
“I am not impulsive.”
“You are more impulsive than me.”
Mike shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you wouldn’t defend me.”
“If it really came down to it, I would,” Will counters.
“If it really came down to it?” Mike repeats mockingly. “So I literally have to be on the verge of dying for you to go all Sorcerer for me?”
Will’s cheeks flush. It’s like his heart suddenly skips.
To go all Sorcerer for me.
Will had to tense every muscle in his face to keep from grinning. He loved it when Mike called him ‘Sorcerer’. There was something about it that made him feel stronger than he actually felt. Sometimes he just forgets everything he’s accomplished in the past.
But Mike would never let him forget.
And hearing those words from him in particular sent a thousand little electric shocks through his body every time. For some reason, when Mike called him that, it had a deeper meaning. He felt special.
"No, I just—I don't know." Will realizes his persuasiveness has taken a turn for the worse.
“Wow.”
“Mike—”
"No, no, it's fine," Mike says dryly as he leans back in his chair. "It's good to know. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea to take that stupid test after all. So we can find out who here is a fake friend.”
Will starts to giggle. There's just something about Mike when he's sulking that Will finds funny. The way Mike talks sometimes, you’d think the world was about to end every five minutes.
“What’s so funny?” Mike snaps.
“Nothing—you’re just being dramatic again.”
“I’m not dramatic, you—”
“Hey, boys.” Mrs. Wheeler wanders back into the kitchen.
Mike and Will quickly pull away from each other. Only now does he realize how close they were, hovering over that crazy magazine.
“Where’s the magaz—ah, great, you kept an eye on it. Thanks, boys.” She snatches it right from under Will’s nose. He’s about to protest, but then realizes how weird that would look.
His eyes follow her every movement until she sets the magazine down on the counter and opens the fridge.
“What do you guys want for dinner tonight? I was thinking spaghetti or—”
Will shoots Mike a panicked look and nudges him urgently. “Get the magazine back,” he hisses quietly while Mrs. Wheeler starts listing different dishes.
Mike grimaces. “What? No!”
“We have to finish the quiz!”
“Are you insane?”
“Please, Mike! I’m bored and we’ve got nothing better to do. I want to finish it!”
“No way.”
Will bites his lower lip. Mike is stubborn as hell, and it’s incredibly frustrating. He thinks for a moment. What could trigger Mike enough to make him get the magazine back? A bet? A favor in return? Maybe offering to buy him ice cream sometime?
No. None of that would be convincing enough.
The fascinating thing about Mike is how carefree he is. Topics that don’t interest him simply have no place in his daily life. So Will needs something that actually matters to him—something that sparks his motivation to prove someone wrong.
“Ohh, now I get it,” Will says playfully, still keeping his voice low so Mrs. Wheeler won’t hear, as she pulls vegetables out of the fridge. “You’re scared we won’t pass the ultimate friendship test.”
Mike frowns. “Bullshit.”
Will nudges his shoulder. “Is it? Or are you afraid we won’t score well.”
“The test is stupid. We’re obviously going to get the best result.”
“You think? I bet we’ll barely make second place.” Will exaggerates on purpose—he believes they’ll ace it too. He's aware that the challenge will push Mike to ponder things.
“Why would you think that?”
Will shrugs and leans back. “Just a feeling.” He looks far more relaxed than he actually feels, but he has to sell it.
Mike exhales. “Your feeling is wrong.” He grabs a strawberry, slower than usual, and Will can tell by his expression that he’s thinking.
Will has to suppress a grin. He's almost got him.
“My instincts are never wrong, Mike,” Will says, almost surprised at how convincing he sounds.
Now Mike looks at him. Something in his expression shifts. Will can’t quite tell if he’s offended or if his competitive streak has been triggered. Maybe both.
“What are we betting?” Mike finally asks.
“Whatever you want.” Will keeps his voice as neutral as possible, even though he feels like jumping with excitement over how easily he’s wrapped Mike around his finger.
“Okay. We do this stupid test, and if we get the best result, I get to make a wish. Anything.”
Something in the air changes. Mike’s gaze suddenly feels so intense, so deep, that a warm shiver runs down Will’s spine. The condition feels… close. Too close.
Will lets out a nervous laugh. “Anything? Forget it.”
Mike raises an amused eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Okay, then let's just drop it—”
Shit. How did he manage to turn things around so quickly? Did he see right through Will? Does he realize how badly Will wants to continue with this stupid quiz?
There’s nothing serious about the quiz, obviously. Will doesn't understand why he wants to finish so desperately. Maybe because he’s never done anything like this before. And on this dull, way-too-hot afternoon, there aren’t many alternatives.
At the same time, he enjoyed asking Mike questions just to see how he would respond. Of course, one could argue that you can figure out the answers to most questions on your own. However, hearing Mike's answers straight from his mouth felt different and more intimate.
It was as if he were getting a direct glimpse into Mike's inner world—a place that usually remains hidden.
Maybe that’s why Mike doesn’t want to play this quiz. He’s used to keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself—even about ordinary things. Whatever the reason, Will is determined to keep playing the quiz.
Mike is just getting up when Will grabs his arm to stop him.
“Fine,” he says. “But if I win, you owe me three more quizzes.”
Mike furrows his brow in surprise. “One.”
“Two.”
Mike pauses for a moment. Then he holds out his hand. Will’s gaze follows it. His hand was bigger than Will’s. In the summer, just a few freckles would appear on his skin. There were so few that Will could easily count them. He liked Mike’s freckles. They had the perfect brownish-reddish hue against his pale, flawless skin. Sometimes Will was jealous of them. Not of Mike, or because he wanted freckles too. But because of how beautiful they looked on him.
Will carefully takes his hand. Mike's skin is soft, his grip is neither too firm nor too gentle. Will lifts his gaze—their eyes meet.
After all these years, Will could still feel it. Those fleeting moments with Mike that feel so intense. As if the world suddenly stopped spinning, and the only moment that truly exists is the one between them.
“Deal,” Mike says, one corner of his mouth lifting.
“Deal.”
Will is about to let go of his hand when Mike suddenly tightens his grip and pulls him closer with a quick tug.
Their faces are suddenly so close that Will’s heartbeat doubles. He can smell Mike’s sweet, fresh scent. And he has to summon every ounce of self-control he has to keep his eyes from closing in sheer delight.
“But don’t be cranky when you lose,” Mike murmurs playfully.
Will is completely transfixed by Mike’s wide grin. All he can see are Mike’s chocolate-brown eyes. The strands of hair falling softly into Mike’s face and his long, dark eyelashes fanning out in a perfect semicircle around his eyes.
Will can’t get a single word out.
And luckily, Mike doesn’t expect one. Instead, he pulls back again, lets go of his hand, and looks over at Mrs. Wheeler.
With a snap, the tension in the air disappears.
Mike stays seated for a moment, then stands up. He walks over to Mrs. Wheeler and peers over her shoulder into the fridge. “Spaghetti sounds great. Right, Will?”
Hearing his name, Will breaks out of his daze. “Uh—yeah, it does!”
Mike presses a kiss to her cheek. His gaze flicks to the counter, and he pauses briefly. He looks back at Will, who silently urges him to reclaim the magazine.
Without hesitation, Mike grabs it. “Uh… I’ll take care of the magazine. You know, because of Holly.”
Mrs. Wheeler exhales in relief. “Great, thanks, honey. Put it somewhere she won’t find it.”
“Yep, will do.” Mike turns on his heel and nods toward the basement. Will jumps up eagerly, grabs the pen and notepad from Mike’s spot, and hurries after him.
As they close the basement door behind them and head down the stairs, Mike holds the magazine over his shoulder. “I can’t believe I just stole this stupid magazine. Other kids our age are stealing alcohol, and what are we doing?”
“You did great,” Will grins.
Mike glances at him, a small spark lighting up in his eyes before it disappears again.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
They sit down at the table. Will flips to the page—he still roughly remembers where the quiz was—and reads while Mike keeps score.
5. Do you share inside jokes or nicknames?
A) Constantly—your bond is unique. (3 pts)
B) Occasionally—fun but not essential. (2 pts)
C) Hardly ever—you’re not that close. (1 pts)
“Do we have inside jokes?” Will asks.
Mike props his head up and stares into space, blowing air through his vibrating lips. “No idea. Nothing’s coming to mind.”
“Me neither. Nicknames?”
He scribbles endless circles while thinking. “Do our DnD character names count?”
Will raises an eyebrow. “I think so?”
“Then A.” Mike writes down the points.
After putting down his pen, Will continues reading aloud.
6. How often do you share your dreams or fears with each other?
A) Frequently—your friend really knows you. (3 pts)
B) Occasionally—just when something’s big. (2 pts)
C) Rarely—you keep things to yourself. (1 pts)
This question felt strangely intimate.
Of course, their friendship is unique on many levels. They’ve experienced so much together, been through so much. But that time has also left its marks. Maybe it’s also because they’ve gotten older. Will suspects that the older you get, the more you try to deal with your problems on your own.
It used to be different. They could talk to each other more openly. Now it’s harder. Those moments—when they do happen—feel heavy right away. And sometimes Will worries that Mike might misunderstand that kind of closeness and intimacy.
Even though he’s never said anything or hinted at it, it matters to Will not to cross that line.
He glances at Mike, who swallows hard. He’s probably thinking the exact same thing.
“I’d go with B,” Mike says. His voice sounds dry, like he’s pushing something down.
“Really?” The response slips out of Will before he can stop himself.
Mike looks at him, slightly surprised. “You wouldn’t?”
Will rubs his hands against his jeans under the table. “For me, yeah. I mean—I do think I bring up the big stuff, at least.”
“What, and I don’t?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
Mike frowns, so subtly that Will almost misses it. Almost.
Will looks away, but can’t help watching him from the corner of his eye. Mike looks down at the notepad in front of him. He writes two points under Will’s name. Then he moves the pen over to his own side of the table and pauses there for a few seconds. The ink bleeds through the paper, darkening. The knuckles in his hand turn white, and Will can clearly see the tension as he writes down the number one.
Rarely—you keep things to yourself.
The answer echoes in Will’s mind for a moment. It’s nothing new that Mike has become more closed off over the years. But seeing him admit it himself hits harder than expected.
What kind of things does Mike keep to himself?
Will catches himself wishing, just for a moment, that he could step into Mike’s thoughts. To hear what he thinks. To know what he feels. It’s just all a mystery.
“Next question?”
Will reads on.
7. Do you enjoy spending time apart?
A) Yes, and you always keep in touch—it strengthens the bond. (3 pts)
B) Sometimes—it’s okay, but you miss each other. (2 pts)
C) Not really—you drift apart easily. (1 pts)
Mike shifts in his chair for a moment. “I don’t know if it strengthens the bond.”
After they destroyed the Upside Down, after they lost El, a lot changed. It was strange. The joy of defeating evil never fully set in because of the loss they had suffered.
After a while, normal life forced its way back in. School, college applications, getting a driver’s license, first jobs. But no matter how busy they all were, maintaining their friendships stayed equally important to everyone.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t necessarily say that either. I do feel like we, as a party, miss each other pretty quickly.”
Will emphasizes the group as a whole on purpose. Anything else would feel too much like a confession.
“Yeah.”
“So B?”
“Yeah,” Mike mutters, writing it down.
Mike seems noticeably annoyed. His answers have gotten shorter, his gaze emptier, which makes Will wonder—has Mike gotten tired of spending so much time with the group?
But then he remembers why.
The bet.
Will completely forgot about that.
If Will wins the bet, Mike will have to take two more quizzes with him.
He tries to recall their current score, but he can't remember everything. He feels Mike’s gaze on him, waiting for him to read the next question, so he quickly proceeds.
8. If one of you moves far away…
A) You’d schedule calls and visits regularly (3 pts)
B) You’d call occasionally (2 pts)
C) You’d probably lose touch (1 pt)
Silence falls between them. Will thinks back to when he and El moved to Lenora. Almost automatically, an unpleasant ache spreads through his chest. He can still feel the wind making his tears feel ice-cold as he watched the streets of Hawkins through the car window. Knowing he wouldn’t see the town again for a long time. That day was probably one of the most depressing days of his entire life. The sadness felt endless, as if he were losing the ground beneath his feet.
Jonathan tried to cheer him up. He argued that the weather in California was much nicer. That the people were more open and friendly.
But Will didn’t care. He would have preferred constant rain and people giving him dirty looks to having to leave Hawkins and his friends.
“I don’t know… I feel like we would probably lose touch,” Will murmurs.
Mike straightens up, offended. “What? No. What makes you say that?”
The heavy air in the room is cut sharply by Mike’s reaction.
“Lenora? That was when we drifted apart the most.”
Mike leans over the magazine and points at the answers. “But A says ‘schedule calls and visits.’ I did call you guys!”
“Yeah, but it says ‘regularly.’ You only called a couple of times.”
“Right.” Mike leans back, annoyed, crossing his arms. "And you didn't even call once."
“El called, and I was on the phone sometimes,” Will replies.
“Yeah, but you never called on your own,” Mike says. “Besides—I also visited you guys for spring break. Forgot about that? When we almost died like 500 times.”
It had been a strange time for them both. For Will, it was uncomfortable to talk about that period — when he had to admit certain things to himself.
“No, of course not.” He doesn’t know what else to say.
Mike senses the tension.
“Okay, whatever. Let’s just say B. We gotta work on that, though.”
Will doesn't press the issue and waits until Mike has written down the answer before moving on to the next question.
9. If one of you starts dating someone new, you…
A) Support the relationship and include your friend. (3 pts)
B) Are cautiously supportive but miss them sometimes. (2 pts)
C) Feel left out or jealous. (1 pts)
Is this quiz a fucking joke?
Will doesn’t even dare look at Mike. He’d rather sink into the floor.
He knows the answer all too well—and Mike should too.
When Mike was with El, Will might as well have been invisible to him. That—and the fact that they moved across the country—was exactly why they drifted apart. The only thing that mattered to Mike was being a good boyfriend. Everything else came second.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Mike starts.
Will raises his eyebrows, surprised.
“It was a different time back then. I was an idiot—and we were kids,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think it would be different now. More like A.”
Mike looks at Will. Their eyes meet. But there’s something hanging between them—something Will can’t quite grasp. And the fact that Mike holds the eye contact makes it so much worse.
The mere thought that either of them could have a partner someday feels bizarre. It’s not something Will likes to think about. If anything, it caused a tightness in his chest, as though his stomach were turning inside out.
“I agree,” he says instead. He just wants to get past the question.
Mike nods slowly and adds the points. Just one more question left.
Will straightens up, only now realizing how much he had sunk into his chair.
10. When one of you is upset, the other…
A) Immediately notices and offers comfort. (3 pts)
B) Notices sometimes, depending on the situation. (2 pts)
C) Often doesn’t notice or can’t help. (1 pts)
Will exhales quietly. He’s relieved that the last question isn’t as emotionally loaded as the others.
One special thing about their friendship was that they could immediately tell when the other wasn’t feeling well. They could detect the slightest change in facial expressions, gestures, or tone of voice. These changes were subtle, but they could both see them in each other. It was almost like an instinct. As if they could sense when the other needed them.
“I don’t think we need to discuss this one,” Will finally says.
“Yeah.”
Mike scribbles the final points on the paper.
Will leans over the table and glances at the notepad. “What’s the result?”
“Shh, let me add it up.” A crease forms between Mike’s brows as he calculates the total.
Suddenly, the seconds felt like an eternity. The only sounds to be heard were the ticking of the wall clock and the sound of Mike’s pen scratching across the paper.
When he’s done, Mike leans back in his chair and looks at Will.
“And?” Will can barely hide the excitement in his voice. “How many points did we get?”
“What’s first place?”
It’s obvious they didn’t get a perfect score—but there’s still some margin for the best result. Will picks up the magazine and presses it against his chest.
“You tell me first.”
“51 points.”
Will looks at the result, his entire face hidden behind the magazine.
“Oh my God.”
“What?” Mike grabs Will’s wrist to pull the magazine down from in front of his face. “What is it?”
A mischievous grin spreads across Will's face. Mike’s jaw drops as he snatches the magazine.
"You're messing with me." His eyes dart across the page. For a moment, everything is silent. “No way! Because of one point?”
Will bites his lower lip. He actually won. He never wins. And now, he gets to make Mike take two more quizzes. This is going to be so much fun.
Mike, however, looks completely horrified — almost like he’s reading something traumatic in the newspaper.
“Did you read that? ‘Fading but fixable?’” He scoffs. “'A solid base?' They have no idea.”
He drops the magazine back onto the table and shakes his head in disbelief. Arms crossed, he leans back, his expression still tense as he looks at Will.
“Why are you grinning like that?” he snaps.
“I won,” Will says simply.
The words hang in the air for a moment. Will sees exactly when Mike realizes he’s lost the bet.
Mike exhales sharply. “Wow. That’s all you care about? You don’t even care that we literally didn’t get first place?
“Why do you suddenly care so much? I thought you didn’t believe in these quizzes anyway.”
“I don’t.”
Will shrugs. "You look pretty upset to me."
Mike scrunches his face. "Yeah, because the point distribution based on the results is bullshit. They should have distributed the points in different intervals. Something more realistic, at least."
"Mhmm." Will says, feeling the amusement in the muscles around his eyes.
Mike notices Will's evil joy and shakes his head. "Whatever, man."
Will can tell—No matter how casual Mike tries to sound, it's clear that he's annoyed by the situation. By the outcome. By the fact that he lost the bet.
He can’t help himself. He slowly leans forward. Their faces are closer than usual.
Mike’s expression shifts—Will can’t quite read it. But he can tell Mike is aware of every inch between them. His eyes are completely locked on Will.
Will’s breath catches as he picks up Mike’s scent again. He’s so close he can see the freckles across his nose. A warm tingling spreads through his stomach.
And then he hears it—Mike’s heartbeat. Strong. Loud. Almost aggressive.
Mike’s lips part as a faint smile plays on Will’s.
“Don’t be cranky when you lose.”