Chapter Text
Mike absolutely was in love with Will Byers.
Mike didn't know when he fell or how he even did, but he definitely was in love.
He was hopelessly in love with his mole that sat right about his lip.
In love with his ridiculous, totally out of style bowl cut– He’d been disappointed when the other decided to get rid of it.
In love with how kind he was, despite everything that had happened to him and how everyone in Hawkins had treated him.
Mike didn't know how he was so oblivious to this, seeing it from a clearer view, it was so obvious; How his heart sped up whenever Will sat next to him, how his name would catch his attention whenever it was mentioned.
God, he was an idiot.
He felt like he needed someone to slap him silly, if it was since it took him this long to realize or because he felt something for another guy– Mike didn't know.
What he did know was that, no one can ever know.
Not even Will himself, especially not him.
Mike can not let this get out, no matter if he feels like he's going to die because he can't have Will, he can't deal with losing him. Can't possibly deal with how the boy would look at him, and how the others would stare at him. If they ever found out, they would only think one thing about him– Freak.
Mike thought back on how often his father spoke about males liking the same species, how wrongful it was. How he would tick his tongue whenever the paper would mention it, how he would switch the channel on the tv if he even heard the word ‘homosexual’. Ted would go on and on about it at the dinner table, ranting on about how God only created men and women to fall in love and start a family with each other– do what the homosexuals couldn't possibly do with one another.
He remembered back on how the man switched from being indifferent towards Will when they were merely small children, to almost banning him from their house after rumors of how the nine year old was a fairy. Mike had begged and cried from overhearing their parents arguing the subject, Ted only scolded him of how he shouldn't spy on the adults and to stop crying because ‘he was a boy’ and boys don't cry. Karen, seeing her baby boy’s tears, had completely blocked out Ted after that, stating that Will will continue to be allowed over to the house and that was that.
After that, the man would send muttered insults and obvious glares the child’s way. Mike had to, repeatedly, remind Will he was allowed over, that he was wanted in the Wheeler residence. It made Mike mad for the longest time, before Ted grew out of his life and just seeing him whenever they ate dinner.
His father would always have his necktie too tight when they went out to one of his parents’ fancy events, enforcing again and again how boys should act– what they should like, how emotional they should be, nitpicking Mike any and every chance he got. Those were the only words Ted spoke to Mike, outside of their arguments.
Mike got nauseous when he thought about how his father would react, what he would do, if he ever found out he liked a boy like that. He didn't even want to think about what he would do if he found out the boy he likes was Will, Mike was pretty sure Hell would actually arrive on Earth. He kind of hoped it would too, at least then he didn't have to face this as he would be dead– God, he was such a coward.
After Will found his powers on the battlegrounds at the MAC-Z, when a demogorgon was less than a foot away from slicing him in half, all Mike could think about was– how ethereal Will looked.
How his silhouette was outlined by flames, the stream of blood slowly dripping down his structured face, the muscles in his biceps relaxing. God, Mike could've died happily then and there, did he even remember how to breathe?
He didn't know why his breath was caught in his chest, the demogorgon who almost killed him or the boy he's been protecting his whole life now saving him.
Getting to hold Will after getting knocked out and seeing Vecna have him in his grasp, almost dying himself only moments before– was perfect. Hearing the other gasp out his name has him weak in the knees, having to think about something else or else his face would burn once more.
Mike knows he should've been thinking about the kids, about Holly, how they failed them. How they're gone, disappearing to wherever and whatever Vecna has planned for them.
But, all of the thoughts occupying Mike's mind were about Will. Will. Will.
His Will, his Cleric turned Sorcerer, his best friend since childhood turned crush. Mike was so far gone, he was hopeless.
Every part about the boy was so breathtaking, it was borderline ridiculous how perfect Will was.
Mike wanted to kiss every part of him, and maybe lay a bitemark or two but he would never admit it, how deeply he wanted to worship the ground he walked on.
He could get lost in his eyes and looking at his lips thinking about kis-
“Hey!” A familiar voice knocked him out of his lovely daydream, but something about the tone was able to make Mike not get annoyed, like he’d usually get.
Mike looked around, seeing the surroundings of the inside of the radio station, before settling on the person who called out. Will, the very person he had been daydreaming about seconds beforehand, trying to hide the dreamy sigh he let out.
“Hm?” He said in a soft tone, the one their other friends have jokingly deemed his ‘Will voice’, “What, Will?”
A flicker of controlled annoyance flashed across Will’s face, the flight of the butterflies started in his stomach, seeing the other roll his eyes at his stupid question. “I was trying to get your attention for, like, a minute.”
Oh.
Yeah, his question was definitely stupid, Mike mentally slapped himself. He didn't want the other boy to worry, to catch on that he was hiding things from him. Two very big secrets that would change everyone's perception of him.
‘Okay, Mike, just play it off.. be cool..’
“Oh, um..” Be cool, Mike. “Sorry, there's just a lot going on, y’know..” That wasn't cool! He mentally shrieked at himself as he trailed off, wanting to actually punch himself in the face.
“Yeah..” Will awkwardly replied, leaving them to sit in silence again, this time was Mike consciously there.
God, why couldn't he be normal around Will!?
Ever since Will turned into a sorcerer, Mike couldn't touch him, he couldn't corrupt Will with his feelings. Or, with his connection to the hive mind, somehow possibly learn how Vecna was after him. Either one could cause the other distress, not wanting Will to feel that way even more because of Mike.
He had to somehow distance himself while still being there for him, it was fine if Mike hurt himself in the process. Will was more important than his idiotic feelings– not that having feelings for Will was stupid! It was easy to feel things for him, but it was wrongful for Mike to, somehow, push his onto the boy.
There was no way Will would ever feel the same for Mike, for how terribly he’s treated him before, all the words he’s thrown his way. Through all of that, he still talked to Mike, and he wouldn't do anything to change that.
Sitting there, across from Will, thinking about how the boy sitting right there could never know the feelings he was trying to bury; the feeling of liquid dropped from his nose.
Quickly and sneakily, Mike touched the feeling– red.
‘Shit, really? Right now?’ He heard Will start to speak again, but he couldn't let him see the nose bleed that had started. Couldn't bring Will to get suspicious or, worse, find out about him being prey.
“Sorry Will! I just, um,” Excuse. He needed an excuse. “Realized how badly I have to piss, I'll be right back!” Smooth Mike, real smooth.
He was out of the room before he knew it, traversing the halls while wiping the underneath of his nose. The blood hadn't stopped yet, a steady stream flowing into his hand. He had to wipe a hand on his pants since it had blood on it, and he couldn't afford to get blood on the door then having someone see it.
Mike went straight to the sink, turning the faucet to allow the water to pool into the porcelain. He leaned his head over it, seeing red droplets turn pink before disappearing and started washing his hands.
He looked up into the mirror, seeing his wide eyes, only for them to widen more and for a pit to form in his stomach when he heard an all too familiar sound– clock chimes.
Looking over in the mirror, into an open stall, stood the damned thing. The clock just kept chiming, the sound grating in his ears, only growing louder every passing second. The lights flickered once, the taste of blood having Mike realize his mouth was agaped slightly.
Glancing over once more, the clock was gone from its place, disappearing with the flicker– Mike just sighed, there was nothing for him to do now, his time was soon. That was all he knew.
The blood flow slowed, with him just grabbing some toilet paper to blow his nose into, it helps get all the blood out quicker; he started doing this hack after his fourth nosebleed, since Nancy was knocking, more like banging, on the bathroom door since she was going to be late if he didn't get out.
Wiping the skin outside his nose, Mike went to a toilet, threw the paper in and flushed. All the evidence of the curse disappearing into the sewer system, hopefully there to stay.
He cupped water in his hands, washing his face a few times before lifting his head once more.
God, he looked tired. Who was he kidding? He was tired, they all were. But they couldn't stop now, even if they wanted to, it was only a matter of time before they run out of time. Before he runs out of time.
Mike just leaned against the counter, thinking over all of the events that had led them up to this point. Were they out of their minds for trying to attempt to avoid the end of the world? This was bigger than them, bigger than their small groups of outcasts– they were just kids for God’s sake!
Max couldn't walk for the foreseeable future and her vision was all screwed up, he might've had a frenemy type of relationship with the redhead but even he knew she didn't deserve any of what has happened to her.
Lucas didn't deserve the grief of having to wait for his girlfriend, having to sit and replay a song over and over again for just a sprinkle of hope.
Dustin didn't deserve having to have his friend die in his arms without hope of him coming back, having to see his name dragged through the mud just because of a club they used to have fun in.
Nancy didn't deserve to have her best friend die, not being able to save her or her friend in the newspaper club. The friend who died the same way he, her little brother, will die as well.
Jonathan didn't deserve having to throw away his life for his family, having to search for his little brother day and night, and to look out for him every second of every day.
Ms. Byers didn't deserve to lose her son unexpectedly, clinging onto hope that everyone called her crazy and insane for then having to watch him hurt and burn because a monster decided to possess him.
El didn't deserve a lot of things in her life– she didn't deserve to be experimented on, be named a number, having her adoptive father die, watching her best friend die, and now having to fight a battle she was a weapon in.
Will didn't deserve being kidnapped when he was just trying to get home, stuck in an alternate world for a week then getting possessed and having to be burned to get it out of him. Having his friends be dicks to him, then moving away to California and not having his best friend call or write to him. Only for Mike to still be a douchebag to him, and push him off once more. Having to be connected to the hive mind, feeling their pain and having to suffer himself more and more.
All of them went through that, are still going through that but Mike was the one with Vecna’s curse currently and all he could think of was– Why him?
Not in a ‘I don't want to die, choose them over me’ way but in a ‘out of everyone’s suffering you choose from, you chose me’ type of way.
Since out of everyone, Mike was the one who suffered the least, always an outsider to the pain, an overlooker.
Mike had his best friend kidnapped, having to see him suffer, but that was about it. The closest thing he had to suffering was at the Quarry when they were twelve, but he only fell a meter and a half before getting caught by El. He wasn't the one who forever lost a brother, who forever lost a friend, he wasn't experimented on or taken away. Mike was simply just there, seeing all of this happening and trying to keep up and help them. Mike didn't suffer enough to attract a monster’s hungry gaze into him, but somehow he did.
Mike just didn't want to add onto anyone's grief, to try and prevent the inevitable like how the others did with Max. He knew he couldn't run, couldn't hide from this– he was ready, prepared in a slightly morbid way. It felt weird writing those letters that were getting ready to be put to use, whether it was in a day, ten days or two minutes, he had no clue.
He just hoped that the bastard responsible for all of this just did it when no one was around, Mike didn't mind dying alone if it meant that no one had to get any more trauma from seeing him get disfigured– though, that doesn't fix the problem of the person finding his disfigured dead body, but that was kind of out of his hands for obvious reasons.
The sound of the door opening drew Mike's attention out of his thoughts, looking at the reflection of the mirror to see Will standing there. He must've followed him.
The two of them just stood there, much like how they were on the couch; Will was just staring at the floor, something clearly on his mind and he's trying to transfer them into words, and Mike was still just against the counter while praying that he got rid of all the blood.
It felt like minutes with them just standing near each other, Mike could almost still hear the clock ticking each second down. The sounds of them breathing were the only thing filling the air, the sounds of the water dripping happening occasionally. He started to pick at the cracked porcelain, seeing specks of dust falling to the ground, creating a small pile.
He heard an intake of breath at his side before he heard, “You can just say it..”
This caused Mike to look up at Will through the mirror, seeing the older boy tugging the end of his shirt while looking at one of the corners of the room.
“I know what you're thinking, you're not really good at hiding it..” He chuckled emptily, bringing his arms to hug himself when he brought his eyes to look up at Mike.
To say Mike was lost to say the least, Will knew what he was thinking? He thought he hid the curse and his crush well enough, didn't let anything get out– he left no blood and he wasn't being touchy. There was absolutely no way for Will to know.
Unless, Will could still read him like a book.
They could just read each other like that, ever since they were kids, there were always jokes that they were telepathic with each other. But, ever since they grew apart (mostly because of himself), they really haven't done that– it was like a string was cut.
But, maybe that was only lost on Mike's side. Did he lose it and Will didn't? Did Mike even lose it?
Whatever.. that didn't matter now, not with the panic starting to swirl in his chest. Either way, Will knew something was up with him, and it compelled him enough to actually confront Mike about it. Usually, the other would soothe in the conversation, having them both sit down. This, however, Will was just coming out with it, it must be bad.
How did Will even find out!? Mike was doing so, so well at hiding, he’s been hiding it for months, he’s had other secrets for years that haven't even been outed.
The look Will was giving him wasn't helping the panic, only making it surge more until there were wasps in his stomach– stinging him from the inside. If Mike was hungry, which he really wasn't as he hasn't had an appetite for a while now, that hungrier would have been six feet in the ground.
Mike brought himself together, ‘it’s okay, it was impossible for Will to know, I’ve hidden it well enough it just isn't possible..’, working up the courage to give Will’s confrontation a response.
Sucking in a breath and looking up into the mirror once more, seeing Will’s reflection had barely moved but his eyes were now closed, “.. Hiding what?”
Yes, it was another dumb question, but he wasn't going to give away his biggest secrets willy nilly even if it was Will who was asking. The boy was literally the center of one of those secrets, after all.
His question though caused Will to look at him, eyebrows furrowed as the frown on his face only grew.
“C’mon Mike,” Running a hand through his hair, “I know.. I know that you're scared of me.” This caught his full attention.
Mike whipped his face towards him, bringing his arms to his sides, “What.”
“There’s no need to cover it up, I know you are.” Tilting his head to the side, shaking it a bit.
Confusion washed across Mike, those words were not what he was expecting to come out of his mouth.
“Will, I am not scared of you.” He put his hands on his hips, chest puffing out a bit in defensiveness, “What in the world made you think that?”
A bark of laughter came out of Will, a smile of disbelief crossing his face, “Oh, I don't know Mike, maybe it's because you go out of your way to not touch me. You can't bring yourself to look in my eyes half the time, you're literally reverting back to how you were in Lenora!”
“That's not true, I'm looking at you in the eyes right now! I was totally different back in California, that was just because of me and El, it had nothing to do with you!”
Will just shook his head, “Yeah, Mike, you're looking at me because I'm calling you out. You've been acting differently since the MAC-Z, since I've connected to the hive mind. Just say you're scared, I'll understand!”
Mike just stood his ground, “Will, it has nothing to do with you, being scared of you. Just..” How can he make Will believe without revealing anything.. “Just believe me.” Looking at Will with what the others call his puppy dog eyes.
The other just looked at him with skepticism, “Mike..” Will looked like he was doubting himself once more, oh how he wished he could comfort him but.. he just couldn't.
“Then,” Will having found his words again, “Why have you been acting so off?”
Mike just scoffed, it coming out automatically without him being able to stop it, causing Will to narrow his eyes at him. “I- I..” Why can't Will just let him off already!? “Why are you asking? It has nothing to do with you.” Getting defensive.
“Well, if you're not scared of me according to you, then why are you distancing yourself?” He kept pushing.
“Will, it's not anything.”
“It's definitely something, Mike.”
“Well, it's not, so just leave it alone.”
“No. God, Mike, it's close to the final battle. This is where we have to be honest with each other, to have each other's backs.”
“I do have your back, Will. I can't come out with something when there's nothing to come out with!” Throwing his arms, shrugging his shoulders.
“I'll have your back with anything, Mike! If something’s wrong, if- if he showed you something like he did with Nancy you can tell me!”
“It's not anything like that!”
“Mike, please.”
“Really, it's seriously not a thing!”
“There's something up with you-”
“There's nothing up with me-”
“You can tell me things-”
“There's nothing to tell-”
“Like how you used to-”
“I still do-”
“Just spill it-”
“Will, stop come on-”
“I won't judge-”
“Seriously Will-”
“You'll still be Mike either way to me-”
“You won't like it-”
“I’ll always be your friend-”
“Fine! I am scared of you!” Mike finally shouted out, stunning the both of them into silence. The sounds of them breathing filling the space, instead of the words toppling over one another like seconds before.
Mike saw as the realization and impact of his words hit Will, his face falling with shocked sadness, his open hanging open as his eyes widened.
“Will.. I- I have to tell yo-”
“No, Mike.. it's fine.” Will let out a wet sigh, trying to hide as his eyes became more shiny.
Mike felt even worse than when Will said he knew what was going on with him, ready to confess to get Will off his back but he realized it came out the wrong way.
Instead of getting Will to stop and calm down so Mike could tell him why, it had only ingrained the fear Will was trying to confirm when he followed Mike in here.
‘Shit.. shit. Shit. Shit.’
“Wait, Will” Mike reaching his arm out to the boy, “It's not like that.”
Will just dodged his hand, shrugging it off as he half turned to the door, “No, Mike.. it's fine, I pushed you and you just said what you felt..” He said brokenly, trying to hide the pain in his voice, “It's my fault..”
“No, Will, wait!” Mike followed and closed the distance between them, grabbing Will's shoulder but getting pushed off of him.
Will shoved him into the wall, or at least– where the wall should've been.
Mike tripped, hitting open space instead of solid concrete, looking over his shoulder to see blue light.
He jumped, stumbling back near Will’s side, staring at the portal that had hoped suddenly. He looked at the other, finding Will just as dumbfounded as he was as he stared at the light.
“Do you..” Mike started, “Do you feel him?”
Will looked over at him with wide eyes, shaking his head slightly, “No.. no, this isn't him.. it's something else.” He admitted, shocking the both of them.
If it's not Vecna, then what could it have been? It wasn't the Upside Down, and the portal was blue, admitting some yellow swirls.
Will grabbed his arm and pulled Mike away from the door– well what also should've been the door, because where it stood was now gone, another identical portal opening up.
They were now trapped.
“What the fuck is happening!?” Mike looked frantically between the two portals, before staring at Will, “Are you sure it's not?”
“Yes Mike!” Will barked, “I'm sure, this isn't the hive mind, I'm not getting anything right now.”
Another two new portals ripped open where the mirror and stalls were a few seconds ago, casting blue and yellow light onto Mike and Will. Even as they were surrounded by mysterious portals, not knowing what was going to happen– Mike still couldn't bring himself to touch Will, not after causing him pain once again a minute ago. But the hurt look Will glanced his way with hurt just as much, Mike just made things worse.
Suddenly, something sounding like metal knocking together came from the portal that was supposed to be the wall. The two of them had nothing to protect themselves with, the only thing being Will's powers that Mike had just, mistakenly, seemingly said he was afraid of. It was actually the complete opposite, but that wasn't important right now.
A fraction of an armored leg poked through the portal, the person coming through being fully covered in shiny silver armor, their face looking like– Mike!? He still had his hand in the portal, like he was leading someone.
The stranger looked at them, seeing their shell shocked looks, “Oh! Dear, you shall would to see this.” He talked into the portal, causing a piece of a purple cape with gold stars to come through the portal.
The figure who held onto the armored Mike had long purple robes on, his free hand gripping his pointy hat that sat on his head. When Mike took in his face, he looked identical to Will. “Oh!” The fake Will said, looking between them and his partner, “We seem to have found ourselves in quite a situation, haven't we?”
‘What the fuck was happening!?’
The sounds of pencils being placed down came from the portal that had been the mirror, this time two left feet came out, the figures stepping out together. One wore a white button up with a simple pair of black work pants, the other wore a knitted vest with light blue jeans– both looking like Mike and Will.. again!
The both of them looked at them before looking at the pair that just came from the other portal, clearly taken aback like they were.
“What in the world..?” The second fake Mike muttered, looking at the second fake Will, who just stared back at him and gave a helpless shrug.
All of a sudden, the place where the door, now portal, had a string coming out of it. It looked like.. a spiderweb?
A person fell in through it, swinging from the string, wearing a tight costume that looked like a knock off of Spiderman but wearing jeans to cover his legs. The person pulled off the mask that covered their face, revealing– another Will!?
“Woah! What the-?” The third fake Will looked between the three pairs of people, when taking in Mike he saw that Will suddenly had a look of sadness, almost grief, over his face for a second before it disappeared.
Two people came through the stalls’ portal, already standing in the station’s bathroom. They were, yet again, Mike. And. Will. The fourth(!) fake Mike wore strange looking walkerman headphones around his neck, along with a hoodie and baggy black jeans. While the fourth(!) fake Will wore a black shirt with a light green jacket, wearing dark blue jeans that were ripped at the knees. He was holding a weird rectangular box in his hand, with the back of it being a light yellow. The new pair looked at the other four with wide astonished eyes, mouths opened, wordless.
Mike and Will glanced all around them, at all of the versions of them that had suddenly appeared in the bathroom, then looked at each other. Speaking with their eyes and trying to make sense of all of this, Mike raised an eyebrow ‘Vecna?’ with Will answering with his eyes narrowing and furrowing his eyebrows ‘No. Not Vecna.’
The four portals then closed, putting back the stalls, mirror, wall and door, leaving the five versions of Mike and Will in the bathroom with one another. Each of them being shell shocked.
The fourth fake Mike then suddenly found his words, shrieking very helpfully–
“What the fuck!?”