Chapter Text
Mike huffed as he picked through the litter that his sister and her friends had left in his basement. It was still his basement. He hadn’t left for college yet. So these kids really shouldn’t leave it in such a state –
He grimaced as he recognised his mom’s voice in those thoughts and the tart little tut that escaped from his mouth when he squinted down at the quarter of a KitKat bar crushed into the carpet. He swept the popcorn husks into the trashcan and lifted Holly’s character sheet from where it had fallen under the table and slid it into her binder.
He glanced over at the Party’s set on the shelf and bit his lip.
He hoped he was right about El. She deserved to be happy somewhere, even if that meant she couldn’t be with them. Maybe one day they’d be able to find her. Everyone involved in all the stupid government projects would be dead, and it’d be safe again. Maybe she’d find them. She was good at doing that.
As he took a deep breath and turned away, back to the table, there was a hurried tapping on the outside door. Clearing his nose with a big sniff, he strode over, past the table, and opened it.
Will stood on the other side.
As soon as the door opened, he stretched up on his toes to kiss Mike. As they kissed, Mike slid his hands across his shoulders and down the sleeves of his t-shirt to grip his upper arms.
Will dropped back onto his heels, and looked up at Mike, his expression bright. “You think they bought it?”
Mike flicked his eyebrows up and down. “I think so.” He kissed Will on the forehead.
“I can’t decide if it was a nice touch you making that guy look like you, or if you were sailing a bit close to the wind...”
Mike laughed and pulled Will inside. “I thought that was pretty subtle, actually.”
“You thought those teeth were subtle,” snorted Will, pulling the door shut behind him. “I don’t think you’re a very good judge of these things.”
Mike shrugged. “Maybe. But shall we also talk about the way you were fucking staring at me all night.” He licked his lips. “Like you were going to climb over the table.”
“I was also trying to play footsie with you during dinner, but I think I just kept kicking Lucas.”
“I wondered why he kept choking on his food. I thought Max was pinching him or something.”
“I mean, she probably was.”
“Poor Lucas.” Mike sighed. He ran his thumbs over Will’s biceps, smiled at him, and leaned down for another kiss.
Will pressed into it. He was surprisingly noisy when they kissed, unable to hold in happy little hums and grunts and slurps. It had been different with El. Even in their most annoying phase.
Even as he thought about it and tried to bring himself back into the moment, Mike felt his attention to the kiss slacken. Will noticed after a few seconds, and pulled back. He frowned. “You OK?”
Mike smiled sadly. “Just thinking about El. Sorry.” He dropped his hands to his sides. “I don’t mean to – I’m not –” He wrung his hands. “You know what I mean.”
Will brought his hands around Mike’s wrists. “You know you can talk to me about it, right? I know it’s hard. And you have to remember that she was important to all of us, Mike.”
Mike nodded. “I know. I know she was.” He looked into Will’s eyes. “And I – I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t want you to ever think that this is anything other than something I genuinely want. That I’m not all-in on this. On us.” He sucked in a breath. “We were never the best boyfriend and girlfriend. I know that. But I’ve thought about it a lot, both during all that time we were together, and since then, and I did love her, Will. I know I did, and I know she loved me.” Mike chewed on his lip. “And that’s never going to go away. It’s always going to be in there.”
Will lifted up his hand to cup Mike’s cheek. “Thank you for being honest with me, Mike. And I want you to talk about her. I don’t feel like you’re comparing us, or that I’m replacing her, or that I’m your second choice. It’s like Mom and Hopper, right? Mom loved Bob. They got on really well together. Some of the happiest times in my life were in those months when he lived with us. That she’s marrying Hop doesn’t mean that wasn’t really important to her. And that she married Lonnie, and went out with Bob, that doesn’t mean that she’s settling for Hopper.” Will guided the pair of them down onto the sofa, and put his hand gently on Mike’s leg. “It’s all just different choices, at different times, in different circumstances. Maybe choices you never knew you had at the time.”
Mike nodded. “Yeah. I get that.” He stroked the back of Will’s hand. “That makes sense to me.”
Will pursed his lips thoughtfully. “And our relationship will be different. Not just – not just the, uh, obvious,” he said, cheeks colouring, “but in other ways, too. I think a big difference, maybe the most important, is that you never really got to know her as a friend, while that was all you’d ever thought of me as. So the transition was…” He shrugged. “Unexpected?”
Mike’s lips quirked up. “You can say that again.” His brow furrowed. “But, also, no: it wasn’t. There was part of it that felt like there’d been signs for years.”
Will chuckled, low in his throat. “Now you can say that again…” He shifted on the seat so that he and Mike were angled towards each other. “Maybe if El hadn’t had to disappear, we would never have got together. And if you were both happy, that’s OK. I could have moved on. We’d have had to talk about it a bit more, I’m sure – we really rushed things in those few hours round my coming-out – but we’d have worked it out. Or, maybe, you and her would have broken up eventually and we’d still be right where we are now. Only she’d be being super annoying about it. Tattling to Hopper every time we were in the same room.”
Mike laughed softly. “She absolutely would.” He laced his fingers through Will’s. “I like that idea.”
“I’ve been playing DnD just as long as you. I can tell stories, too.”
Mike nodded. His eyes went distant again. “It’s Hop I feel worst for. He’ll probably always think she’s dead.”
“Then we need to find a way to prove that she isn’t. Even if we can’t get to her again. If anyone can do it, we can.” Will squeezed Mike’s hands. “I believe in us. I believe in you. I believe in her.”
Mike sucked his cheek. He squeezed Will’s hands back. “Yeah. I know. Never give up, right?”
Will bobbed his head. “Absolutely.”
Mike disentangled his hands and patted his thighs, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat. “OK, I think we’ve been sad enough for today.”
“More tomorrow?” asked Will, cocking an eyebrow.
Mike shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to see.” He twisted to put one of his knees between Will’s, then ran a hand through Will’s hair. “What did you think about me giving you a different haircut?”
“I didn’t hate it,” said Will. “But I think I’d suit an earring, too.”
Mike’s eyes flashed. “Now that’s some world-building we can work with.” He pulled Will’s right ear out from his head. “You thinking like a stud, or some kind of hoop thing?”
Will wrinkled up his nose. “I want to try some options.”
“Can’t wait...” said Mike, leaning forward and tilting his head to kiss him on the lips.
“Hey, hey – Mike! Have you seen my wallet lying around down here – ?”
They sprang apart at the sound of feet crashing down the basement staircase, and they turned to see Dustin staring at them, eyes like saucers.
Mike’s tongue stuck in his mouth. Marginally better than stuck in Will’s.
“Hi, uh, Dustin…” said Will, eventually.
“Hey, Will.”
Will’s gaze flicked rapidly between him and Dustin. Mike was aware that they were still way too close together.
Will stood up with a sudden jerk. “You, uh, leave something, too, haha?” he said, his voice treacherously high pitched. “I lost my keys...”
“Down Mike’s throat?” asked Dustin, before immediately clapping a hand across his mouth. “Sorry!”
Mike barked out a strangled laugh and buried his head in his hands.
Between his fingers, he could see Will standing rooted to the spot, absolutely tomato-like. He could also see Dustin’s wallet at his feet. Wrenching his hands from his face, he ducked forward and grabbed it. Without looking at Dustin, he held it out. “Here.”
He felt Dustin take it. There were a few more moments of awkward silence, then Dustin stepped forwards and leaned in to Will. “Told you.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re always right...” muttered Will, a grin forcing its way through his mortification.
Dustin sniggered, slapping him on the shoulder with the wallet as he stepped away, turning towards Mike, who was still bent over. He knocked Mike’s shoulder with his knee, and Mike straightened up to look at him, aware that his own face was also bright red and shiny with sweat.
Dustin grinned down at him. “Nice catch.”
Mike opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. He blinked.
Suddenly, Dustin seized him under the armpits and dragged him up, then grabbed Will with one arm, and pilled them into a hug, squidging them together so hard that all the air was punched out of Mike’s lungs.
“I love you guys!” said Dustin, squeezing them hard.
Will made a few hoarse and breathless squawks with each squeeze. When Dustin let them go, he rubbed his chest, and took a few breaths. “Glad to have your support, Dustin…” he wheezed.
“Lucas owes me so much money. He thought Mike would never realise.”
“You can’t tell him!” burst out Mike. “Not – not ‘til we’re ready, OK?”
“Absolutely. I was never here,” said Dustin, putting a finger to his lips, and stepping towards the stairs. He turned with one foot on the lowest step and winked. “Be safe, boys...”
“Dustin!”
But he was already racing up the stairs, cackling wildly, and bursting through the top door: “– oh, sorry Mr W! Yes, I was just going...”
As the door closed on the rest of Dustin’s excuses to Ted, Mike dropped onto the stool, his head in his hands again. Will dropped next to him, rolling into his side and putting his arm around him. He was laughing uncontrollably.
Mike groaned. “How long before he accidentally tells Lucas?”
Will bit his knuckle to stop his hysterics. Wiping his eyes, he looked across at Mike. “We have less than forty-eight hours, if we’re lucky. Twenty-four if we’re not.”
Mike rolled his head back against the cushion. “Ten dollars says we’re not.”
Will snorted. “Not taking that bet.” He squeezed Mike’s hand and softened his voice. “It’s OK. They’ll be OK with it. You know they will. And you’ve got me right here.”
Mike nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. You’re right.” He swallowed, and looked dead into Will’s eyes. “I love you.”
Pink and smiling, Will pulled his arms tighter around Mike’s chest and kissed his cheek. “I know.”