Chapter Text
Mike watched as his two kids sat on his couch in his old, dimly lit apartment as they waited for Will to come pick them up.
The sound of the tap in the kitchen dripped every second which filled the silence of the apartment as there was no tv to cancel out the awkwardness the three felt within the room.
The walls were covered in chipped paint, as if they hadn't been painted in over twenty years but Mike didn't care. This was his life now.
He was lucky his kids got to stay with him once a week anyway.
He looked over at his youngest daughter Amelia, she was 4 years old and dressed in the most perfect pink handcrafted dress you'd ever seen, she shivered slightly and Mike frowned.
"Are you cold Amelia? Do you want daddy to get your blanket from your bag?" He asked, reaching for her bag anyway and pulling it out before wrapping it around his daughter securely.
She smiled sweetly and hugged the blanket tighter, "Thank you daddy!" She swung her legs back and forth as she was too little to reach the floor from the sofa.
Mike looked over at his son Eric and ruffled his hair, it was dark and curly just like Mike's, only brushed properly with no tangles.
"Are you okay Eric? You've been quiet all day buddy." Mike spoke, trying to break the ice with his son who sat there with his arms crossed.
Eric nodded and sighed, "Yeah, just wanna go home." He spoke quietly before yawning a little.
He was only eleven, Mike knew that, but he couldn't help but be hurt at the fact that his son doesn't consider his apartment as 'home' or even a second home.
Mike nodded and looked at both of his children, "Yeah, Papa will be over very soon, it's almost time for him to get you both." He smiled sadly before lifting Amelia and taking her spot on the couch, cuddling her in his arms.
Amelia resembled Will a lot. Her brown hair, her hazel eyes. Even if him and Will were divorced his name was still on the birth certificate, even if Will was her biological father.
And even though Eric was Mike's biological son, the court seemed to think that Mike wasn't fit enough to look after him. Again, Will was also on Eric's birth certificate.
Mike blinked away the tears in his eyes, it had been a year of this, a year of only seeing his kids once a week, a year of Will collecting them and taking them back to their 'Home'
But it had been two years since they had been divorced.
And three years of Mike's addiction to alcohol.
The addiction that ruined his marriage, his life.
The door knocked and startled Mike out of his trance. He stood up, keeping Amelia in his arms and turned to Eric, "Grab your bag and Amelia's bag, your Papa is here."
Mike approached the door and swung it open to reveal his ex husband Will Byers. He looked good, he always did.
"Papa!" Amelia squealed as she basically wriggled her way from Mike's arms into Will's and gripped onto him tightly.
"Hi my baby." Will cooed as he kissed her cheek, "Why do you have your blanket on?" He questioned as Eric slide out the door past Mike.
"Because dad has no heating again." Eric spoke bluntly as he stood beside Will and rolled his eyes.
Will looked at Eric and sighed, "Please be kind, especially in-front of your parents." He warned his son.
Eric looked up at Will and sighed, "What?! I'm telling the truth! It's freezing in there, it's not my fault he'd rather buy beer than provide warmth for his children!" Eric yelled slightly.
Will set Amelia on the ground and began putting her blanket into her bag before handing it back to Eric, "We are having a talk once we get home young man!" He whisper shouted, "Take Amelia to the car please." He sighed, handing Eric the keys.
"Whatever." Eric scoffed as he took Amelia's hand and walked towards the elevator.
Will turned to face Mike who just stood watching the floor in embarrassment.
It was hard for Will to watch the man he once loved turn into this, he couldn't help but worry all the time even when Jane told him he shouldn't have too.
Will let out a small, awkward laugh which made Mike lift his head.
"Sorry about him, he's been acting out a lot more recently." Will apologised.
Mike shrugged and leaned against the doorframe, "I don't blame him, that's something I would've said when I was his age."
Will nodded and looked at Mike, "Well, he is your son." He joked, "He's bound to have your attitude."
Mike chewed on the inside of his mouth and looked at Will, "He's right though, I chose beer over keeping my kids warm." He sighed, defeatedly.
Will fidgeted with his hands and looked at Mike, "Um, I can buy you some heating if you'd like?" He offered. Jane would kill him if she knew he was doing this.
Mike looked at him and his eyes softened, "If you give me the cash I can get it myself, I don't want to leave the kids waiting too long to get home." Mike offered, although Will felt uneasy with just giving him cash.
Will shook his head, "No Mike, either I get it or you get nothing." He sighed.
Mike stood up from leaning on the doorframe and rolled his eyes, "You know what? It's fine." He sighed, grabbing the door and looking at Will, "You clearly don't trust me enough."
"No Mike! I-." Will was met with a door in his face followed by Mike's footsteps becoming fainter as he walked away from the door.
Will made his way to the car where Eric and Amelia were waiting for him patiently.
Will got into the car and started the ignition, "So, how was daddy's house this week?" He asked, a slight tremble in his voice as he couldn't help but feel guilty for the mood Mike was in.
"It was okay." Amelia smiled, "He needs a tv! I ran out of ideas for playing with my dolls!"
Will bit his lip and began to drive the car.
———
"You stupid fucking bastard." Mike slurred as he looked at himself in the mirror.
He was on his last bottle on his 12 pack.
It was supposed to last him three days.
"You can even keep your kids warm, stupid i-idiot." He hiccuped before lifting a razor blade out of his cabinet.
"It would be better if you just left them for good." He whispered as his eyes brimmed with tears.