#lucas sinclair

[judasofsuburbia]

something something kindergarten teacher! steve who is so tired of going on bad dates. kindergarten teacher! robin who doesn't want him to give up.

“Really? The date went that bad?” Robin asks again. 

“Yes,” Steve drones. “I swear she looked like she’d rather be at the dentist than on a date with me.”

Robin makes a sad face at him. Steve continues to sort the paint jugs and throw out any that have been mixed with other colors. Robin finishes putting toys back into cubbies and sanitizing the fake food. 

“Okay so,” Robin starts. 

Steve immediately holds up a hand. “Don’t say ‘maybe she’s not the one but someone is’. I’m sick of this, Rob. I feel like I’m just better off alone.”

“Not true,” Robin argues. “You’re a catch. You’re attractive and good with kids. You make me laugh so hard my ribs shake. You’re a great listener and you make amazing cocktails. Great helmet of hair. Who wouldn’t want to date that?” 

Steve’s heard it all before. He loves Robin, he does, but it doesn’t seem to matter what she thinks of him because no one in this town wants to make it to date two with him.

He used to be so good at this. Always had a girl on his arm at football games in high school. Always had a date to prom. Always had some girl to make out with at parties. Even when he realized later on in his twenties that he liked boys too, he still couldn’t find one that took his attraction seriously.

Steve Harrington? Like both? Unheard of, apparently. 

Still, Steve didn’t want to start the first day of school on a bad note. “Thanks, Rob. I might need to lick my wounds for a second but I’ll get back on the horse I promise.”

“Good because our marriage pact could be closing soon,” Robin mumbles with a sly smile. 

Steve’s head whips around. “Are you‒”

“I have a ring picked out,” Robin practically squeals. 

Steve does his best to gently set down the paint jugs and rip off his latex gloves before darting across the room to pick Robin up in a twirling hug. He kisses her head repeatedly until she’s groaning, giggling, and shoving him off. 

“Rob, that’s amazing,” Steve breathes. He squeezes her tightly again. 

“You better keep your mouth shut,” Robin warns with a pointed finger. “It’s so hard to surprise Nancy Wheeler but I think I’m finally going to be able to.” 

Steve’s grinning from ear to ear as he mimes zipping his mouth closed. “Secret’s safe with me.”

The alarm on Steve’s phone breaks them out of their little love fest and suddenly the halls are filled with parents, children, and teachers gabbing to high heaven. Robin gives him a salute before crossing over onto her side of the classroom. Technically, there is a foldable partition between the two rooms but it will be a cold day in Hell if Robin and Steve ever actually separate their classrooms. 

Steve goes to stand by his door and greet his new gaggle of students. He high-fives each of them as they walk through the door and points to their assigned cubby and seat.

Fifteen minutes later, he’s looking around the room and sees that two seats are still empty. Dustin and Max Munson. He didn’t see them at parent-teacher night last week but he knows from their file that they’re fraternal twins from a single, widowed dad. He tries to keep an eye out for them but he knows the other kids are getting restless. 

Then he hears, “Oh, Mr. Munson, you’re actually in Steve’s‒sorry, Mr. Harrington’s class. He’s just right across the way.” 

Steve glances across the room and does a double-take. Across the room is the alleged Mr. Munson, this tall, lanky man with curly brown hair that hits his shoulders with a blank bandana tying down the top of his head, big brown eyes, a leather jacket with pins, a white tank top, and coverall sleeves tied at his waist. He’s positively breathtaking. 

Holding either hand are Max and Dustin. A little redhead with a baseball cap, overalls, and a striped shirt. A little brunette curly head with green khaki shorts and a shirt with a dragon on it. Mr. Munson smiles apologetically at Robin and walks across the room to Steve’s. Dustin bolts to his assigned seat and starts talking animatedly to Will Byers who looks a little scared out of his mind but is quickly rescued by Mike Wheeler who is just as excited. Max stays glued to Mr. Munson’s side as he walks up to Steve.

If Steve’s not mistaken, Mr. Munson looks him up and down before speaking. 

“Sorry we’re late,” Mr. Munson says and of course, his voice is pretty too. “This one is a little nervous about being away from her dad.”

Steve draws his eyes away from the strong neck and pale collarbones that poke out from underneath his jacket to the scared girl. He bends down to her level and gives her a soft smile. 

“Are you Max? I’m Mr. Harrington,” Steve says.

Max blinks, inching more and more behind Mr. Munson’s pant leg. 

“School’s kinda scary, huh?” Steve asks. 

Max nods.

“I know I get a little nervous on the first day and I’m the teacher,” Steve admits in a small, dramatic voice. He sees the tiniest sliver of a smile on Max’s face. “I’ve sat you next to Lucas Sinclair,” Steve points to the smiling kid on the other side of the room. Lucas gives a small wave. “He’s a very nice boy and I think he even likes the Bulls,” Steve gestures to Max’s hat. “So, I think you guys will have loads to talk about. We’re gonna have a really fun day, okay? And then you’ll get to tell your dad all about it.”

Max glances timidly around the room again and slowly lets go of her dad’s pant leg. Dustin rushes over and shows Max where her cubby is which detaches her completely. Max sits next to Lucas who does get very excited over her hat. Steve and Mr. Munson watch her relax little by little. 

“Holy sh‒shirt," Mr. Munson coughs and smiles sheepishly. "Wow, uh, you really know how to talk to them. Literally made her a friend within five seconds."

Steve stands and tries to regain composure now that the irresistible dad’s attention is on him. 

“Thanks,” Steve says quietly. “The first day is always a little tricky.”

Mr. Munson holds out his hand and says, “Eddie.”

Steve takes it, feeling a little dizzy over how firm his grip is and the callouses on his hands. “S-Steve. Harrington.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t make it last week. Last-minute towing emergency for Chief Hopper,” Eddie says, finally dropping Steve’s hand. 

Steve playfully rolls his eyes. “I’ve been telling him for years that he needs to dump that old hunk of junk already. I’m guessing you work for Munson Mechanics?”

Eddie smiles boldly and glances down at his attire. “Yeah, that’s where I get this sick uniform. Very exclusive.”

“I’m jealous,” Steve laughs nervously, trying desperately to keep his eyes on Eddie’s face. But even then, his eyes are so pretty and his smile is so radiant. There’s faint stubble on his upper lip and jaw. Steve wants to run his fingers over it amongst other things.

“Well, I won’t keep you much longer,” Eddie smiles, clapping Steve on his back. “Maybe I’ll get you a free oil change for your trouble.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble‒”

Eddie leans forward a little and squeezes Steve’s shoulder. He whispers, “Or maybe I just want to see you when there are not twenty five-year-olds staring at me.”

From this proximity, Steve can smell his cologne and lingering car oil. He can feel his brain cells dying every second he inhales the intoxicating aroma. Steve breathes shallowly, too aware of the growing blush on his cheeks, and says, “S-sure. I’d like that.”

Eddie smirks and has the audacity to wink before going to each of his kids, ruffling their hair, and kissing them goodbye with a big wet smack on their cheeks. He passes by Steve again and murmurs, “I won’t say goodbye to you like that. Not yet, at least. Good luck with my little gremlins” before walking out the door. 

Steve hears the clunk of his boots echoing down the hall and each step makes his heart beat louder against his ribs.

He dares to look at Robin across the room who is staring at him with a smug grin on her face. She mimics getting on a horse and does a little lasso with her hand. 

Steve adjusts his glasses, clears his throat, and says in his best teacher voice, “Alright friends, who’s ready to start kindergarten?” 

[bandgeekrobin]

Stranger Things + Reductress Headlines pt 4

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

[machine-slays-dragons]

the pure chaos and anxiety of this scene 🤌🏻

[mayahawkins]

CALEB MCLAUGHLIN as LUCAS SINCLAIR Stranger Things 2 | Chapter Six: The Spy ↳ for @astrobei

[navnae]

I think an important conversation could’ve happened if Steve found out that the reason why Dustin and Mike (even Erica) didn’t come to Lucas’s basketball game was because of the hellfire club and that Eddie was being a little unreasonable. Steve wouldn’t have been so easy on any of them and he would’ve made it a point that Lucas’s feelings should’ve been taken into account before doing something this mean even if they didn’t see it in this way. Overall Lucas deserved an apology especially since all he wanted was for his friends to not get bullied and not only that but do something that he genuinely loved. I’m very disappointed that Lucas was treated so poorly for no reason this season and everyone just kind of ignores it, everyone was wrong in the way they treated him.

Edit: keep in mind Lucas is fifteen in this season and I can’t stop thinking about how this is a kid!!! Who only asked for one thing and was met with this kind of treatment? It’s unfair and I’m not afraid to say that because it was.

[sinclairsmayfield]

-runaway max

[theonebyler]

I'm right

[existingonthisplane]

Happy black history month to the siblings ever

[artiststarme]

What If Steve Were To Leave Hawkins? Part 11

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

I'm glad so many people liked the happy part in Chicago! Now, back to the angst. Hope you guys like it, what do you think I should do for the next part?

~*~*~*~

When all of the younger teens of the Party reached the Wheeler’s basement, the space exploded into vengeful bickering. Each of the kids, bar El and Will who were watching the display with gazes of concerned worry, had their own opinion and placed the blame of Eddie and Steve leaving on someone else. Lucas and Max placed the blame on Mike and Dustin, the two that decided Steve needed space in the first place. Mike placed full accountability on Steve, as per usual, for leaving and causing such a fuss. Taking Eddie was just a bonus that exposed Steve further to Mike’s contempt. Meanwhile, Dustin blamed Eddie for driving Steve away and himself for not doing more to keep them both in town. 

He had never felt more panicked and guilt-ridden than he did at this very moment, a feat in itself because he’d been through a lot of shit. But he had now caused both of his older male friends to flee Hawkins and he couldn’t really imagine anything worse. What, was Robin going to leave next? Perhaps Nancy or Jonathon? He thought that this summer would be the best ever. The Upside Down was gone for good, the town had begrudgingly accepted Eddie’s innocence, and the Byerses were back from California. However, this summer sucked and he felt naive for thinking something in his life could go right for once. 

“Shut up, Max! You don’t even know what you’re talking about. You didn’t notice Steve’s car outside your trailer all night, how can we trust you to tell us if Eddie was coerced to get in or not?” Dustin tuned back into the conversation around him when Mike brazenly questioned Max’s credibility. 

Lucas quickly jumped to her defense and pointed a finger in Mike’s face, “Don’t talk to her like that! Why wouldn’t we trust her? She’s the one that saw them in the first place. And Eddie knows Steve, he wouldn’t have to be coerced into his car. They’re friends!”

“Don’t talk for me, Lucas! I can speak for myself,” Max said before turning to Mike. “Listen mouthbreather, I know you have a weird crush slash stalker obsession with him but Eddie chose to leave with Steve. Probably because Toothless over there hurt his feelings by telling him everything he’s ever been afraid of. Nice going, now we lost another friend.”

Will jumped in then with a hand on Mike’s shoulder when he saw the fury ignite in his eyes. “Ok but why are we all freaking out? I thought we were worried about whether Steve was alright or not. We know that he’s fine and Eddie’s with him. Can’t we just wait for them to come back?”

All he received were matching looks of disappointment before Dustin turned to Eleven. “El! Can you go look for them in the void to make sure they’re okay?”

She looked at Will for confirmation and raised an eyebrow, did they actually want her to look for Steve and Eddie? He sighed and nodded in resignation. It seemed that the others were going to keep hunting them down regardless of what they did. They might as well use El’s powers to take a look for safety purposes. She turned back to Dustin and nodded resolutely, “Yes, I can find them.”

Max and Lucas quickly turned the downstairs radio onto static while Mike hunted down an old blindfold. Dustin gently pushed her onto the couch and urged her to rush the process. After a moment of static and mind numbing darkness, El entered the void. She imagined Steve with his mother hen personality and sunflower yellow sweatshirt with Eddie in his black outfits and bitchin’ hair. A picture started to grow in front of her. 

She saw Steve and Eddie in a restaurant, a sports bar or pub it seemed. There was a long bar running along the left side of the building that faced a brick wall lined with booth seating and high top tables. 

“I see them.”

Mike squeezed her hand, “Are they hurt? Is Eddie okay?”

The man in question was scarfing down a Reuben with extra sauerkraut. His jaw practically unhinged as he shoved the huge sandwich, dripping with thousand island dressing and sauerkraut, into his mouth. Steve was watching him in disgusted fondness, pushing him away when he tried to lean closer into Steve’s personal space in an effort to escape the smell of vinegar on Eddie’s breath.

“He is eating a large sandwich.”

Max asked, “Is Steve okay?”

Steve placed his right hand on Eddie’s thigh out of view of the other patrons at the bar. He said something that made Eddie laugh so loudly, a few heads turned to look at the pair. When one woman’s eyes lingered longer than Eddie appreciated, he hissed at her and bared his teeth. The display was less intimidating than he expected due to the pieces of sauerkraut stuck between his teeth but it only made Steve look at him more fondly. 

“They are both happy. Eddie is laughing and Steve is looking at him like Dad looks at Joyce.” Unbeknownst to her, the kids glanced at each other in bewilderment. They would focus on that comparison later.

Moving on, Dustin asked her, “do you see any identifying information? Street signs, landmarks, anything?”

El did in fact see several things. She saw a Blackhawks jersey pinned above Eddie’s head, a team she recognized from watching Hockey with Hopper. And if that didn’t clue her into their location, she also noticed the Chicago flag situated on the wall behind the bar. However, she couldn’t bring herself to tell the others what she had found. Not when she noticed the way Steve was looking at Eddie, like he had finally discovered what happiness was.

“I will not say. They are happy, they do not need us to find them.”

Dustin almost screamed in indignance, “El! They need us and we need them back home! Tell us where they are!”

El took one last glance at the happy couple, Steve’s eyes were full of love while Eddie licked thousand island dressing off of his fingers and stole french fries off of Steve’s plate. They looked happier than she had ever seen them in Hawkins and she knew she could not disturb that. She removed the blindfold with blood dripping from her nose and a soft smile on her face. “They are home, we can not ruin that.” 

Dustin shook his head and jumped up from his spot on the armchair, “I can’t believe you’d be so unhelpful! But fine, I’ll find them without your help.”

He didn’t wait to hear El’s response or the defenses of the other kids made on her behalf. He made his way outside of Mike’s house and turned his bike to the trailer park. Without much of a plan and no idea which words he wanted to say, he knocked on the door of the Munson’s trailer. Dustin wasn’t sure what he was expecting but an annoyed Wayne probably came close. 

“What can I help ya with, kid?” The older man breathed out with irritation coating each syllable. 

“Hi Mr. Munson, I was wondering if you’d heard from Eddie? Max said she saw him leave this morning and I’m worried about him. Is he missing too?”

Wayne just released a bone weary sigh and ran a hand over his face as if Dustin’s questions themselves were aging him. “Look, Eddie went off for a while with that boy Steve. Y’all don’t need to worry about ‘im, there’s no one I would trust more with my boy. Alright? I think they both just need some distance from all of this. You kids, the town. They just want to be left alone for now.”

Dustin’s eyes started to prick as tears began to build. “But please, Mr. Munson-”

“Just go home, kid. They’ll be back when they’re ready. You need a ride back?”

Dustin just shook his head and clambered back onto his bike. He heard Wayne close the door close behind him and let out an angered sound of frustration. He started pedaling as hard as he could with tears now streaming readily down his face. Dustin didn’t know what else he could do. Hopper couldn't find them using police resources, El refused to tell them what she saw, Steve hadn’t called him back since he had missed his first call, and now Wayne was gatekeeping information about their whereabouts. 

The unfairness of it all pushed Dustin to pedal harder. The tears in his eyes clouded his vision but he just pedaled faster. Until his front tire hit a rock and threw him over the handlebars. His palms skid along the harsh cement and his shin split open upon contact with the dingy pedal of his bike. For a moment, Dustin just sat on the ground and sobbed. Usually in this situation, he would go to Steve who would patch him up and feed him dinner, typically in the form of a cheese pizza and Coke. Or Eddie would pick him up on his way home from Family Video visiting Robin and Steve. But, he drove them all away and now all he’s left with is his miserable self and torn skin. 

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

Taglist: @nickavalens @conversesweetheart @themostunoriginalpersonever @swimmingbirdrunningrock @eddiethegreatteddybear @harrumphingtons @call-me-big-eyes @moonshadows-13 @glittergluekintsugi @cpidcupk @doubleb11 @mentalcyborg @amoris-no-smut-allowed @purple-lemonade @labels-are-for-the-weak @thebrazilianatheist @rajumat @livelaughlexa @5ammi90 @colorful565 @marvelousforlife @chaoticcoffeequeen @gregre369 @suddenlyinlove @thegreatmistake @stillfullofshit @nburkhardt @batxsignalsx @newunknowns @thosemessyvibes @tailsfromthecrypt @luciana-rowan @bird-with-pencils @adaed5 @lolawon @flustratedcas @iwillfindmyneverland @messrs-weasley @skoomy-doompy @yearningagain @forest-fogg @bitchysunflower @stardust-era @newtstabber @bobatrash-queen @notjasontxdd @ohlook-afrog @00biscuit @grtwdsmwhr @oxidantdreamboat @the-witch-forever-lives @estrellami-1 @whatthemeepever @a-simple-gaywitch @imzadidragonfly @freddykicksasses @krimsonsimp @whatthefuccck @delta-piscium @anaibis @tinynebula @darkwitchoferie @evix-syne666 @tawghasa @pyrohonk @lillys-weird-world

If anyone else wants to be added to the tag list, let me know!

[doriandrifting]

ST characters playing DnD Pt.2

Pt.1

[stuff-st]

Mike's Insecurity.

Okay, so many posts have explained that Mike’s insecurities of not being good enough have stemmed from El (who obviously doesn’t realise, she’s so innocent), but they (i think, i may be wrong) haven’t mentioned other factors, like how Mike’s friends and El herself have helped his insecurities grow.

1. For example, we see Mike and Dustin having a debate about who has the better girlfriend.

“You know El saved the world twice, right?”

“Yet you still have a C in Spanish?”

Without realising, Dustin has accidentally, and indirectly, called Mike inferior to his girlfriend. He’s indirectly stating “El saved the world and you can’t even do Spanish?”. I don’t think he realises, but these comments add onto Mike’s growing feeling of inferiority towards El, because everyone around him makes him feel like she’s better than him.

2. is El lying through her letters, would probably add onto his growing insecurity, because Mike doesn’t know he’s lying, and he believes her. He believes her when she says that she has friends. Mike has been bullied all his life. “Frog face.” Troy making him jump if a cliff. This is even supported by Dustin saying “Eddie was the only person who was nice to us!” Us, meaning him and Mike. So, if Mike looks at his own high school experience, compared to El’s, his feeling of inferiority would only grow.

El has never been to school before, but she keeps writing about how all her experiences are good. (Even if she’s lying, Mike doesn’t know). This is so important, because Mike has been bullied all his life for no reason. El starts school, and fits in immediately? Already adding into the feeling that she will always be better than him.

3. This is very indirect. Lucas would add onto this by being part of the basketball team.

Hawkins high has different categories for different people. Lucas is a Jock. Mike and Dustin are freaks and nerds, as they say so themselves. Lucas is someone that Mike has known for a very long time. In Season One, Dustin calls him “Mike’s best friend.” and says that Lucas was ‘Jealous’ because Mike wasn’t hanging around him as much as he was Eleven. This immediately shows us that Mike and Lucas are also extremely close, and they’ve known each other a long while. Lucas used to be jealous that Mike wasn’t talking to him as much. Now, he just wants Mike to come to his game, because he “outgrew” the things that Mike likes.

Both El lying through her teeth and Lucas (although El impacts him significantly more), would create this feeling if insecurity that he isn’t good enough for either of them. They don’t share his common interests. They don’t even hang out/talk as much as they used too. They’re both getting better high school experiences than Mike.

Throughout the season, they’re both subconsciously pushing that onto him, Lucas until Mike leaves Hawkins, El until Angela exposes her lie. They’re watering his growing seed of inferiority and insecurity, that he’ll never be good enough for anyone.

Will tries to tell him that he is good enough. He has this whole monologue in the fan to help Mike with his insecurity. He’s the only one Mike actually talks too about it. It’s just sad that Mike even has this insecurity in the first place.

Also, I don’t mean that Dustin, Lucas or El are trying to make him feel bad. They’re not. They just don’t understand what they’re doing because Mike doesn’t open up to them.

So, thanks for listening to my rant! What do you think?

[finalgirlbyers]

okay but feel free to explain why in the tags 😌👍

[mrhalloween2ficpage]

because theres too much angst with the party rn how about some mike love

what about mike getting deaged or time traveled from back in That Hell Week (the week without will... :< ) so its like. so i did die ?? where the hell am i ??? so i guess thats what happens when u step of a quarry -- WILL?????? (oh my god how did he get even more attractive)

otoh like... pre-upside down mike is also so cute... minus like 3/4 of The Trauma. even max is reluctantly charmed. everyone is charmed. he was so sweet (he still is so sweet, its just more hidden nowadays)

anyway i just. baby mike.... !!!!

im torn if i want older mike to be there, or after getting aged up he remembers everything

Thank you for the fluff, ngl was in my feelings with the angst 🍪

I love the idea of him aging up and remembering everything. Will come back to that in reblog

————————

“Oh my god he’s so small” Eddie gasped, hands cupped around his face.

“He got tinier, I met him before he shot up and he got tinier?” Robin asked, shaking Steve.

“Yeah thats how being twelve works-you two are too enamored, he’s still able to verbally destroy people he’s just adorable again” Steve groaned.

Smaller Mike, as they’ve all taken to calling the twelve year old version of their friend who’d replaced the fifteen one, blinked. Eyes widening.

“You know he can hear you, right?” Jonathan laughed, stepping past them to ruffle Mikes bowl of hair. Him and Will sort of matched back then. “Hey buddy”

“Jonathan help im in a hallucination, Steve Harrington is hanging out with a band geek and a metal head and he called me adorable” Mike whispered, hiding behind Jonathan’s leg. Jonathan let him, holding back a wobbling laugh. That was too fucking cute.

“Band geek?” Robin huffed. He was right but how’d he clock her so fast.

“Im okay with my descriptor” Eddie cackled.

“God I hope he doesn’t remember this” Steve laughed nervously. He will never live it down.

“I got you buddy, you’re not hallucinating Steve just learned how to make real friends” Jonathan smiled.

Wide black eyes blinked up at him.

“……Good friends? He’s not the asshole dating my sister anymore?” Mike peeked back at the trio.

“Well still an asshole but a lovable one now” Robin joked, poking Steve. He squeaked and she smiled.

“And also not dating your sister now” Eddie added.

Mike’s eyes lit up-

“Jonathan is” Steve smiled.

They quickly lost light as Mike whirled behind him.

“JONATHAN?!”

“Oh fuck you Harrington” Jonathan whined.

“My sister?” Mike looked to tears. “Jonathan no”

“Look ok im sorry Mikey but we love-“

“You can do so much better!”

Steve howled as Eddie and Robin started screaming.

——————————————————————

When the rest of the party came back and saw Mike tiny……..

“Why do I want to squish his cheeks?” Max whispered, as Will and Lucas and Dustin lost their minds. Tiny Mike was pin balling between the three as they circled him like gophers.

“They’re squishier then I remember” El blinked.

“Hes so small!” Lucas was beaming, his hands went out to lift automatically.

“No im not-PUT ME DOWN!” Mike yelped, kicking his feet as Lucas lifted him. “YOU ASSHOLE, IM GONNA KICK YOU IN THE FACE!”

“Oh god he’s like a grumpy cat” Dustin awwwed, ruffling Mike’s hair. Mikes face was going ruddy in embarrassment. “You’re so cute”

“Stop calling me that, why is everyone calling me that!” Mike whined, and turned his head to plead. “Will help me”

“Give me tiny Mike” Will held his arms out, Lucas gasped and Dustin laughed.

Strangely Mike did not make that much of a fuss when it was Will lifting him.

“You got tall” Mike blinked, Dustin snickered at how he stopped prickling when Will had him at arms lengths.

Mike’s s ears went pink when Will gave him a lopsided smile.

He got cuter too, how is that possible?

“Nah, you’re still ahead of me in that. You just got small Mike” Will chuckled, letting him down. Lucas booed him. “I’ve missed the bowl cut”

“Youre the only one!” Nancy called from across the room.

Mike flipped her off, at least she hasn’t changed much.

A hand ruffled his hair and Mike stared up through his bangs.

Will laughed, a dimple popping up.

How does present him not die flustered everyday of his life?!

——————————————————————

“…….Oh god thats the version of him that wanted me dead” Hopper whined as Joyce approached tiny Mike happily.

“Mikey” Joyce smiled, oh goodness he hadn’t been short in a long time.

“Hi Mrs.Byers” Mike smiled at her, and laughed happily when she swooped down and hugged him. “You haven’t changed a bit”

She hasn’t, seriously does she age?

“Oh you little charmer” She snickered, pulling back and pressing a kiss against his hair. “Look at you, im gonna cry”

Immediately Mike went worried, hands shooting out to hold her arms by the sweater.

“Wait no dont cry!”

Max put her hand over her heart and looked shocked when she realized she’d done it.

——————————————————————

“So we’re friends?” Mike asked the red haired girl he didn’t recognize. She nodded. “Okay, have I shown you my action figures yet?”

He showed El them, and she was a new friend.

“…..No but id like to see them” Max coughed, and Mike shot up. He grabbed her by the hand for fucks sake and dragged her up the stairs.

“I probably haven’t shown you them yet, because by the time I met you I probably thought I was too old to play with them” Mike commented, opening his door and blinking. “….When did I become a rat?!”

Max laughed as tiny Mike panicked a bit at his messy room.

He found the box of action fugues after ten minutes of searching he volunteered her to help with.

“Okay so after I show you the gang, we clean” Mike nodded, and then brought out each action figure carefully. “Have you watched Star Wars?”

He thinks if they’re friends the answer will be a yes.

“Yeah I have” Max nodded and picked up Han Solo. “Han is my favorite”

“Good choice! I like him too but Luke is my favorite” Mike brought out the protagonist.

“He looks like Will” Max smiled a bit mischievously, not expecting Mike to beam.

“I know, I told Will that! But he doesn’t see it” Mike looked excited. “He’s brave like Will too and smart so he’s basically already Will. Finally someone agrees with me!”

Max had to bite her cheek hard to not hug-

“Here you be Yoda, since you’re wise”

Okay fuck it she hugged him, and she was shocked when he didn’t bite her but look up at her curiously.

He found something on her face.

Cause he hugged back.

——————————————————————

“What…am I looking at?” Hopper rubbed an eye and Jonathan blinked.

“Thanks Axe” Mike nodded, as she followed him with her own basket of laundry. “I don’t know how I walked in there, hit me when im bigger if I do it again”

“I don’t think I’ll have the heart to do that anymore” Max sighed whistfully. And when Hopper and Jonathan looked at her she just shook her head.

Tiny Mike was a god damn sweetheart, what the hell happened between the time Will got taken and when she met him?

“Oh my god he’s doing laundry” Nancy whispered as they tracked to the laundry room.

“You need help?” Steve asked, not waiting for an answer and taking the laundry basket form Mike. “Here, Max you give me yours too”

Mike stared at him.

And stared.

And stared until Steve had to tilt his head.

“…..I don’t like how the niceness has made you look like Prince Charming now” Mike grumbled, a frustrated blush going to his face.

He stomped off as Steve gaped and Max quietly screamed.

Nearby Lucas and Will spat out their sodas, Dustin was currently in shock.

“Not another Wheeler” Robin cackled, bending at her stomach. “Steve, what’s with your track record?!”

Steve’s mouth dropped open. And Eddie was falling off the couch.

“Oh goodness” Joyce giggled, but stopped when Mike wound up next to her and Hopper and Jonathan. “Hey sweetheart”

“You done giving Steve a heart attack kid?” Hopper asked, raising an eyebrow.

Mike glared.

“What’s he doing here?” Mike pouted at Joyce. “Did….did he find Will?”

The air around the trio went a bit cold at the memory of that week, which had just been a day ago for this Mike.

But….

But Joyce smiled, and crouched a bit.

“We did, he helped me fight some monsters and we got him back Mike. We all did” Joyce palmed his cheek. “He’s okay”

Mikes posture relaxed, he knew realistically that if older Will was here then Will came out okay. Came back home, but…

But he was glad to hear it from someone he trusted the most, from Mrs.Byers.

Mike turned to look at Hopper, genuine gratitude across his whole face.

Hopper’s eyes narrowed a bit in defense of the brightness.

Wha-

“Thank you” Mike said quietly. “Thank you for saving my best friend Mr.Hopper”

Oh.

Oh.

Oh Mike Wheeler has charmed him, again. The last time had been when the kid had been so happy to see him back from Russia…..

It is a hundred times worse when Mike is tiny, tiny and honest. Hopper had forgotten how frank the kid was at this age.

“No problem kid, I’ll do it anytime” Hopper smiled.

Joyce shot him a warm look and leaned down to kiss his head.

Mike’s eyes widened.

Oh fuck the kid didn’t know he was dating Joy this twelve year old is gonna kill him-

“…..You’re dating?” Mike smiled small, and Jonathan’s eyes widened at the starch difference in reaction. “Thats good! For you, I mean Mrs.Byers is great. She’s really nice and talks to you a lot if you feel upset. And she’s fun too, once she let us all make a fort in her kitchen-”

Mike went on to wax the virtues of Joyce to her boyfriend. Who found himself actively resisting ruffling his hair.

Joyce’s lips wobbled.

Mike has always been the sweetest kid when he felt safe enough to show you it.

[booksandpaperss]

Ayo shout-out to Lucas Sinclair for being literally the only member of the party to not have massive boulder sized daddy issues, and therefore is the only one out of all six of them that is capable of consistently owning up to his own actions with more than just one specific person if anyone at all 🫡