will one day accidentally calls hop 'pop', like totally by accident. not even in the way of calling ur teacher dad, but because hop sounds like pop and will got his words mixed around.
and hopper just. pauses mid sip of his coffee. will is frozen in his spot because it does not escape him what he basically just did and he kind of wants to cry cause he does see hopper as a father figure but didn't want to, like, make things awkward.
but it's all okay. because hopper just shrugs and says: "i mean, i'd prefer something like dad. or old man. but whatever works for you, kid." and he has to hide his smile behind his mug, and will has to cover his with his hand after he recovers from the shock. (neither works)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HIM 🎂🎉💛 for his birthday Mike organized a picnic date on a hill and then they're going to the arcade and then they're having a movie date where they're gonna rewatch star wars movies while cuddling on the couch under a blanket
for Will's birthday Mike wrote his boyfriend a dnd campaign and a love song with his guitar and made him a mixtape of his favorite songs and songs that reminded him of Will and signed it "love, Mike 💙"
I'M SORRY OK. It's just- The theory where Vecna made everyone forget about Will's birthday but Will is by far my favorite Birthdaygate version. OBVIOUSLY I want, NEED Will to be happy, buuuut lets have the angst for a bit. Just a little while.
Anyways, I've been thinking about this for a long time and thought that if I was forced to live with this idea, y'all would be forced to see it too