Chapter Text
Nobody knows why Mike Wheeler and Max Mayfield stopped hating each other. They all know when—The Ladder Incident of Second Quarter is still a banned topic in the Party, and mentions are punishable by death from the combined power of Mike and Max's glares—but nobody knows why.
They only know that after that day, the two of them are actually friends. Friends that kind of bully each other most of the time, but they're actually friends.
It's incredibly strange, yet somehow it works.
During The (one and only) Ladder Incident of Second Quarter, (It's a long story. They refuse to talk about it. They also refuse to use ladders, or play Monopoly, or even look in the direction of a can of paint, for at least a year and a half afterwards.) Michael Wheeler confesses to Maxine Mayfield that he has been in love with William Byers for as long as he's known what love is. Max tells him about the girl she kissed under the bleachers in California in fall of her seventh grade year and the time she threw up after trying to smoke a cigarette in the passenger seat of her mom's car.
After that, they're friends.
(A lot of texting ensues.)
hot wheels:
holy shit
do wheelers just have a thing for byers children
zoomer:
mike are u just going to text me every time ur being gay now
hot wheels:
yes
zoomer:
i have so many regrets
hot wheels:
no regerts max
zoomer:
i fucking hate u
hot wheels:
i hate u too!!
-----------------
hot wheels:
i love this boy but his starbucks order is draining my bank account
why does his order have such a long name
i just wanted to try a cake pop
zoomer:
what does he even get
hot wheels:
give me a second
---
hot wheels:
brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso
thats a fucking mouthful
zoomer:
u should tell him
hot wheels:
wtf no
not really max im joking its not that expensive
he would never let me buy him anything ever again
zoomer:
michael i stg
not that
hot wheels:
???
OH
NO
no way
im not gonna ruin our friendship wtf
zoomer:
yea right
---
hot wheels:
..,. its actually pretty good
zoomer:
LMAO UR DUMB
-----------------
hot wheels:
holy shit
he brought me redbull
mayfield u dont understand i am so in love
zoomer:
wtf why are you awake
hot wheels:
math midterm
zoomer:
go study or smth
hot wheels:
fuck that shit
-----------------
zoomer:
hey
is will ok
hasnt texted in the gc all day
hot wheels:
bad day
zoomer:
like failed a vocab quiz
or
like
hot wheels:
or like
zoomer:
fuck
hot wheels:
ik
u know how to help better than i do tbh
zoomer:
idk
he always looks a little better when ur there
u do that thing where hes kinda like tucked into u
im omw
i have princess bride
hot wheels:
i love u
zoomer:
sappy mf
u love him more
grab that blanket from the couch
the soft one
hot wheels:
shut up
already did
and he has my hoodie
the purple one
zoomer:
has he eaten
im guessing no
hot wheels:
u guessed right
unfortunately
zoomer:
ok
ill make pasta???? idfk
lucas makes me the kids cartoon mac n cheese on the bad days sometimes which is kinda stupid but idk
i cant explain why but it helps
im outside
hot wheels:
dont u dare touch the stove u will burn the house down
doors unlocked
were kind of just on the floor in the living room
dont come in too loud but dont sneak up on us either
-----------------
hot wheels:
thoughts on pineapple on pizza?
zoomer:
idk
i dont care
hot wheels:
BULLSHIT
SINCE WHEN R U INDIFFERENT ABOUT ANYTHING
FRIENDS DONT LIE MAX
zoomer:
WTF
IM NOT ANSWERING
WHY DO U EVEN WANT TO KNOW
hot wheels:
[steve&dustin&nancy&jonathanarguingaboutpizza.mov]
-----------------
hot wheels:
help
he was like oh i thought u would like this and sent me TONGUE TIED BY GROUPLOVE
zoomer:
ur down bad
song hits though
hot wheels:
TAKE ME TO UR BEST FRIENDS HOUSE
zoomer:
GOING ROUND THIS ROUNDABOUT
hot wheels:
OHHH YEAHHHH
zoomer:
TAKE ME TO UR BEST FRIENDS HOUSE
hot wheels:
I LOVED U THEN AND I LOVE U NOW
-----------------
zoomer:
u do know i can see ur spotify activity
its been like 3 days
ur still listening to tongue tied
hot wheels:
its a good song!!
zoomer:
mhm
thats it
no other reason
hot wheels:
shut up
-----------------
zoomer:
LMAOO UR BRIGHT RED
hot wheels:
shut up shut up shut up
zoomer:
hes not even doing anything
hot wheels:
HE JUST HAD ART CLASS
AND NOW HIS HANDS ARE COVERED IN PAINT
AND HE HAS PRETTY HANDS
CAN U BLAME ME
zoomer:
stop being gay and eat ur school lunch
hot wheels:
hypocrite stop laughing at me and eat urs
zoomer:
ur lucky im texting u and not embarassing u out loud