ain't it weird || stranger things x female reader (season 3)

ten - interests

Wednesday, July 3, 1985

Being in charge wasn't all that fun. Maybe it would have been had the situation been different, but there was a limit to what you could do in a hospital waiting room when the world was in danger. No playing board games or roller skating to the arcade. But thinking about all the activities he couldn't do, Kazuo had concluded he would be a great babysitter. Maybe even better than you with Erica, as your typical babysitting experience was staying at the Sinclair's and try to keep the unhinged girl under control.

Of course, had he known you and Erica were currently trapped in a Russian bunker a hundred of feet underground, he would have agreed that no amount of trips to the arcade could top your babysitting skills.

So he just sat on a chair, pretending to be very interested in the magazine he had found on the ground, while Max and Lucas tossed M&Ms at each other. He couldn't tell them off about this, he loved to do this with Mona before she got a boyfriend and stopped coming over to your house as often.

It upset you, that he could easily see. He knew how being in love with a clueless person felt. And also what losing a best friend was like. But luckily, he was there! The both of you had grown so much closer these past few months, and this for a simple reason; you perfectly understood each other. The time you spent together was always peaceful and judgment-free, it was just Kazuo being Kazuo and you being you. And it was full of laughter.

He missed you here.

He looks up from the magazine to see Mike sitting next to Eleven in the row of seats at the opposite end of the room. The boy sends a quick glance at Will, silently asking he leaves them alone. He gets up, looking around for something to occupy himself with while Mike tries to make things better with his girlfriend, and locks eyes with Kazuo.

Kazuo nods towards the empty seat at his side, and Will gives him a faint smile before walking over to sit next to him.

"Magazine?"

Will takes a quick glance at the article on agricultural development Kazuo was pretending to read before shaking his head. "No thanks."

"Understandable," Kazuo chugs the magazine aside. There is a small silence, during which they both sit still, staring straight ahead at Mike and Eleven talking. Kazuo hears Will sigh next to him, and the spark of doubt he had been feeling about the young boy lights up again.

There was something in Will's eyes anytime he looked at Mike. Something he found in your gaze whenever Mona was mentioned, or felt in the heaviness of his eyelids each time he remembered his life beyond the sea. Certain actions, too. He had told you about it, and you had theorized for hours on what it could be.

But in the end, it was Will's mind, and nobody could tell what he was thinking exactly. However, if he felt the need to confide, then it was important he had someone to go to. Someone safe.

"Rocky relationship, eh?" Kazuo awkwardly nudges Will, nodding towards the couple before them.

He makes one of these sad smiles he often does, shrugging. "I guess. It's been girl problems all summer. I just wanted to play D&D," he adds as a joke, but there's a slight complaint in his tone.

"Must be boring being the only single guy in your friend group."

"I know! It used to be Dustin and I, but now he's out there inventing girlfriends. Or maybe Suzie's real, but it doesn't matter. I'm just... Not interested."

"Yeah," Kazuo shrugs. "I'm not interested in girls either."

That was risky. Kazuo panics for a second and sits straighter, tensing up. But surely if he was wrong and Will was not into Mike, then he wouldn't pick this up.