American Heroes: A Stranger Things 3 Fic

Blueprints

Will sits at the table in the back of Scoops Ahoy with Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. Max and El are out in front with Steve, sampling ice cream flavors.

"Why were you with Max and El?" Mike asks Will.

Will watches Mike's expression closely, wondering why his tone felt accusatory. "I needed to tell them about the Mind Flayer."

"No, I mean, why didn't you tell us first? Why'd you just disappear?"

"Yeah," Lucas says. "We woke up, and you were gone. We didn't know what to think."

Will shrugs his shoulders. "I know, I'm sorry. I woke up at four in the morning, and I guess I just didn't want to disturb you."

"That's bullshit, Will." Mike crosses his arms. "You disappeared on us, and you didn't even take your Supercom! What did you expect us to think when we woke up?"

"I was going to go back before you woke up and tell you," Will explains. "I just overslept."

"You overslept? Why did you go to El and Max without us?"

"I thought it would be easier to go alone." He puts a hand up before Mike can protest. "Look, I was tired, I wasn't thinking straight, and after everything that happened last night, I didn't want to bother you anymore."

Dustin looks between Will, Mike, and Lucas. "Everything that happened? What happened?"

A sigh escapes Will's lips. "We just had another fight."

"Seriously?" Dustin shakes his head. "Why are you guys fighting so much?"

"It's fine, Dustin," Mike says. "We made up."

"That reminds me." Will perks up, looking to Mike. "Did you apologize to him?"

Mike furrows his eyebrows, but Will eyes him, motioning to Dustin. "Oh, right." Turning to Dustin, Mike sticks out a hand. "Dustin, I'm sorry for running off with El when you got back from camp. It was shitty, and I should've stayed to help build Cerebro."

Dustin glances at Mike's hand before shaking it. "It's all good, Mike. I'm glad you're here now."

Lucas nudges Dustin, sticking his hand out to him as well. "I'm sorry, too, Dustin. For leaving you guys. I knew how important getting in contact with Suzie was to you. I should've stayed longer and helped out."

"It's fine, Lucas." Dustin shakes his hand. "I know it was a lot to ask you guys to stay out so late there.

"So," Dustin says after a beat, "did something happen with Max and El?"

Will, Mike, and Lucas exchange confused expressions.

Dustin looks to Mike, then Lucas, and back to Mike. "You and El sort of looked like you were avoiding each other, and Max looked angry at both of you. Not that she isn't most of the time, but still."

"We're taking a break," Mike says.

"A break?" Will scoffs. "Sounded like more than a break to me."

Mike narrows his eyes at Will and taking this as a challenge, Will stares unblinkingly at him, pretending like he hadn't just insulted his friend's relationship.

Dustin clears his throat, drawing Mike's and Will's eyes away from each other. "So, what happened?"

"El dumped his ass," Will tells him.

Mike shoots daggers at Will's head. "That's because Max is corrupting her. She's trying to turn El against me."

"Seriously, Mike?"

"Yeah, I am serious, Will. What do you think they're doing right now? They're conspiring against me!"

"That's bullshit!"

"Yeah, it is!" Max shouts through the window from the front of the store. "We can hear everything you're saying, you know!"

The boys hear El and Max burst into giggles. Mike frowns. "See? Conspiring against me."

Will shakes his head. "You're insane."

Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas all jump in their seats when the door slams open, Robin sailing in with a large paper in her hand. She tilts her head upon seeing Mike and Lucas, but shrugs it off, nodding to Will and Dustin. Steve, Max, and El follow through the door.

"It is fascinating what twenty bucks will get you at the County Recorder's office," Robins says, opening up the paper and displaying it on the table. "Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints."

Dustin raises his eyebrows. "Not bad."

Robin points to a section on the blueprint. "So, this is us, Scoops-" she moves her finger to another section of the blueprint "-and this is where we want to get."

Steve leans over the table. "I mean, I don't really see a way in."

"There's not," Robin says, "if you're talking exclusively about doors."

Dustin and Will meet eyes as they have the same thought. "Air ducts."

Robin grins. "Exactly." She dashes across the room to the dry erase board, grabs a marker, and dashes back to the blueprint. "Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room. And these air ducts -" she circles the secret room then draws a line through the blueprints "-lead all the way..." she circles Scoops Ahoy "-here."