Work Text:
Mike should’ve known something like this would happen.
He’s been having a good life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, great friends, he was tall; what more could he ask for?
And that’s when his mother dropped the bomb on him, Nancy and Holly during dinner.
“Your cousins Miles and Flora are coming for a visit this weekend!”
Mike was definitely going to die.
"I don't understand, what's wrong with Miles?" Max asked skeptically as she watched Lucas try his hand at Dig Dug. She and the others were playing at the arcade.
"He's scared of him." Dustin smirked.
Mike scowled, giving Dustin a shove before turning his attention back to Max. "No, I'm not scared of him. He's just...intense."
“Oh come on Mike, he’s not that bad.” Will reasoned with a fond smile.
“Of course you would say that. He actually likes you.” Mike complained.
El frowned. “He doesn’t like you?” She questioned.
“We just…come from very different worlds.” Mike sighed heavily. “Miles grew up in a frickin’ mansion, the guy is spoiled to hell and back.”
“Mansion?” Max sputtered. “You’re joking.”
Lucas laughed. “He’s not. We’ve seen pictures.” He scowled when he died. “Stupid arcade game…”
Dustin went next, slipping a coin into the machine. “Anyways, Mike’s just being a little bitch because he thinks Miles has it out for him.”
“He does have it out for me!” Mike fumed. “Last time I visited him he made me pet his tarantula.”
“I’m sorry what?” Max did a double take.
El tilted her head. “Tar-ant-ula?”
“A really big spider.” Dustin summarized, making El cringe.
Max chuckled. “Okay? So a pet tarantula and a mansion. Both cool. Still not really seeing what makes him so creepy?”
Mike scoffed. “Just wait. Once you meet him…you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
“Mike he is not that bad!” Will insisted again with another chuckle.
“I don’t want to hear that from you. You’re practically royalty in his eyes.” Mike snapped. “Look, all you need to do is spend a day with him and then he and Flora can go home. Alright?”
Max rolled her eyes. “I think you’re making this into a way bigger deal than it needs to be, but fine.”
It didn’t take long for the weekend to arrive. And it was clear when the Fairchilds arrived, after all their fancy car stuck out like a sore thumb in Hawkins.
Karen made her children step outside to greet the two kids as they stepped out of the car.
“Miles, Flora!” Karen gushed.
“Aunt Karen!” Flora squealed, running up and hugging her tightly.
Mike grimaced when Nancy shoved him forward to go greet Miles who was getting out of the car as the driver set his and Flora’s suitcases down.
“Hey…” Mike greeted warily.
Miles stared at Mike with a blank expression. He still had that stupid red sweater with a hole in the shoulder.
Realizing he wasn’t going to speak, Nancy broke the ice with an awkward smile. “Miles, its been so long, you’re all grown up now.” She giggled.
“Where’s the maid?” Miles frowned, looking around.
Mike felt his eye twitch. “We don’t have one.” He said through gritted teeth.
Miles looked genuinely confused. “I guess that’s why you two look like that, huh?” He looked them both up and down.
Nancy sputtered. “Uh, excuse-“
“Take our bags in, will you? Flora come on, let’s go inside.” Miles insisted, not giving them anymore attention as he walked up to his little sister and Karen.
Karen beamed at him. “Miles, oh you’ve grown so much. Please, come inside you two. Flora you’ll be staying in Holly’s room and Miles you’re with Mike-“ She rambled as she lead the two inside.
The moment they were out of earshot, Mike glanced at Nancy fumingly. “Is the weekend over yet?”
Nancy just sighed and grabbed one of the suitcases.
It’s times like this where Mike really wishes he was Holly.
It was so easy for her. She got the normal cousin. She and Flora could instantly start playing together and talk about…whatever it is girls liked to talk about, and it would be fine.
And Nancy was lucky, she was practically an adult and was only expected to converse with the two during dinner.
But Mike? Of course he had to be the same age as Miles, which meant he was stuck spending time with him.
It’s not like he didn’t try to get along with Miles, but the guy made it difficult.
“I was thinking I could introduce you to my friends.” Mike started as he biked the two of them towards town.
Miles frowned. “I know your friends.”
“No. You know Will, and blatantly ignored Dustin and Lucas when I introduced them the first time.” Mike snapped.
“Your other friends don’t interest me.”
“Well I have another friend now and also a girlfriend, and she’s very easily startled so I need you to not be…you when you meet her.” Mike told him irritably.
Miles hummed a little behind him, contemplating his words. “But if I’m not myself how will I be able to control them with my powers of manipulation?”
Mike scoffed.
“That was a joke, Michael.” He added after a moment.
“Yeah I know. I know that, because unfortunately I know you, but my friends don’t, so that’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about. People can’t tell when you’re being serious or not and it creeps the hell out of them.” Mike snapped.
“You flatter me, Michael.” If Mike didn’t know any better he’d think Miles was teasing him.
And that just pissed him off even more.
When they got to the mall, they found the Party waiting outside by the bikes. El beamed when she saw Mike and Miles ride up.
“Mike.” She was instantly there to greet him with their daily kiss.
The two got off the bike and Max instantly approached Miles with a smirk. “You must be Miles, I’ve heard some interesting things about you.”
Miles raised a curious eyebrow at her, unsure of whether or not she interested him yet. “Have you?”
“I’m Max.” She held out her hand for him to shake. “Nice to meet you.”
For a second, Mike thought Miles might actually shake her hand and actually care about another human being for once.
But then Miles’ eyes snapped to something behind her, instantly lighting up with more life than they had since he got there.
He walked passed Max, leaving her a bit stunned and confused, and approached Will. “Byers.” He greeted rather pleasantly.
Will grinned. “Hey Miles, it’s been a long time.” To the other’s surprise, and Mike’s mild disgust, Will hugged him, and Miles actually returned the gesture.
“Tragic.” Miles suddenly took Will’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, leaving Will flustered and the others in disbelief.
Max sputtered. “What is- Why- What?”
“Told you.” Mike grunted.
“He’s queer?” Max whispered curiously.
Lucas hesitated. “Miles is…Miles.” Was the only way he could put it.
“He’s interested in very little. Once you have his attention it’s pretty much impossible to get him to care about anything else.” Mike sighed.
El smiled. “He looks like you.”
“Yeah I know. Our family is always gushing about how we could be twins.” He rolled his eyes. “But my little cousin Flora looks way different from us.”
“Uh, did he just take out a knife?” Dustin spoke up suddenly.
Mike’s eyes snapped over to see Miles had indeed taken out a knife from his pocket.
“Miles!” He hissed, running over in an instantly and pushing Miles hand down, hopefully out of sight. “We’re at a mall!” He protested in horror.
“Thanks for the update.” Miles said simply. “I was just showing it to William. It’s new.”
Mike pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly.
Thankfully, Will took pity on him and spoke up. “Miles, there’s a new horror movie out. We were all thinking of seeing it today. You wanna do that? Or if you want to go sightseeing that’s fine too.” Will offered shyly.
And just like that, Miles was smiling again. “We can see a movie. Lead the way, Byers.”
Will’s cheeks heated up as he gave a small nod and hurried into the mall with the others following. Miles and Mike hung back slightly.
“You and him aren’t…involved, correct?” Miles questioned simply, face neutral.
Mike made a face. “Of course not.” He couldn’t even imagine being with anyone besides El, much less Will.
“That’s good.” Miles nodded.
“Oh is it?” Mike raised an eyebrow.
“For your sake more than mine.” Miles stated casually, as if he wasn’t making Mike all that more aware of the knife he knew was still in his pocket.
This was going to be the longest weekend of his life.