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“You all packed?” Mitchell asked Will as he walked back into Will’s small bedroom.
Mitchell was Will’s best friend in Chicago. They had met on the first day of the new school year, having been put in the same Biology class, and became friends almost instantly. Mitchell had really helped Will grow into his new school and new life. They did nearly everything together: going to the movies, the mall, or the arcade. It wasn’t a coincidence how similar Mitchell was to Mike; they had similar hair, similar senses of humor, even similar names. Although Will still hadn’t taken notice of this fact, El sure had, giving him a small smile and knowing eyes whenever he was with him.
Much to his (and Joyce’s too if she was honest) surprise, Will had adapted pretty quickly to their new life. In the three months since the Byers moved, Will had become much more confident in himself. He was more outgoing, talkative, and involved in school. He wasn’t really into things like D&D anymore, and much preferred going to see popular movies or hanging out at the mall with his new friends. El had also helped him with a new style she had picked up from Max, cleaning him up from sweater vests and a bowl cut to cool t-shirts and a sleeker haircut that made the girls at school swoon (not that Will was interested in any of them). Gone was the soft-spoken boy who seemed plagued by his past from the summer before, and in his place stood someone who could hold himself in just about any situation. It was undeniable, Will Byers was actually cool.
“Yeah, I just need to grab… this,” Will said, picking up a small book off his dresser, “for the drive there. It’s nearly three hours, and usually within the first hour Jonathan wants us to hear his latest mixtape.”
They were going back to Hawkins for a week during the kids’ Christmas break. Will and El were both so excited to see their friends again; it felt like too far too long since they had left, even if it was just a few months prior.
Mitchell laughed at Will’s comment.
“You’ll call me when you get there, right?” he asked, taking hold of Will’s other hand, the one not holding the book.
They were always touchy like this. Will figured people in Chicago were just more comfortable with stuff like that than those in Hawkins, and learned not to think twice about it.
“Of course, there will probably be a phone at our motel, but if not, I’m sure I can borrow Mike’s phone tomorrow,” Will assured him.
He tried to ignore the annoyed look that crossed Mitchell’s face for a moment. He knew that Mitchell got jealous whenever Will mentioned one of his friends from Hawkins (especially Mike), but he always did his best to understand. Will figured that if anyone from the Party had made a new friend while he was gone, he would probably be jealous too. He remembered feeling jealous of both El and Max when they first joined the Party, and knew that if Mitchell actually met any of them, he would like them, despite how lame they usually seemed to outsiders.
Will grabbed his bags and let Mitchell help carry them to the car sitting in their driveway. He gave Mitchell a long hug before climbing into the backseat beside Eleven. Jonathan started the car as Will looked out of the backseat window, watching his friend ride away on his bike.
The car ride felt way longer than three hours. The inevitable silence from the other Byers came faster than Will was hoping, and despite Jonathan's great new tape, he finished the short book he brought with another hour left in the trip. He tried to calm his anxious thoughts as he stared out the window, memorizing every tree and road sign they passed.
Will didn’t know why he was so nervous to see the Party again. Everyone had talked on the phone plenty of times since they had left, and Will knew his friends back in Hawkins were excited to see him and El. He tried to pinpoint exactly what he was worried about, a tip he had learned from one of his doctors after he recovered from the Mind Flayer’s possession. Will decided it must be because of his new look. He hadn’t told anyone in the Party that he was going to look completely different than he had three months ago, and he was nervous about how they would react. That, along with his new interests, had him feeling like the Party might not like him anymore. He knew how silly that would sound if he told anyone else, but it was still making his cheeks flush with anxiety.
He was nearly asleep by the time they finally reached Hawkins, and Joyce had to turn around from the passenger seat to gently shake both him and El to let them know they had arrived. They were staying at a small motel on the edge of town, and checked in without trouble. Will did as he said he would, calling Mitchell from the payphone outside the motel’s office. He relayed once again how excited he was to get to see his friends tomorrow, and could tell that Mitchell was making a real effort to feign a shared excitement with him. Not wanting to annoy his friend further, Will assured that he would call him again tomorrow, and wished him a good rest of the night. He walked back into their room, and sat down on the bed that he and Jonathan would be sharing for the next few nights. Joyce was unpacking some of her clothes from the suitcase sitting on the bed opposite his, which she and El would be sharing.
“I’m not feeling up to going back out tonight,” Joyce said, “How about we just order some pizza?”
They didn’t have pizza often, usually only when Joyce and Jonathan both had to work late enough that no one wanted to cook dinner. Both Will and El were ecstatic for the special meal, and excitedly told Joyce what toppings they wanted. The pizza arrived nearly half an hour later, and the four ate while sitting on the floor of their motel room together. Joyce questioned the kids on what they were going to do tomorrow once they met up again with the rest of the Party. El told her that they were all going to go to Mike’s house just to have a quiet hang out. They had plenty of time to do more exciting things, and wanted to relax the first day and just catch up. The Byers all went to bed shortly after that, both Will and El eager for tomorrow.
Jonathan had to stop Will and El from nearly jumping from the car before he had fully parked on the street in front of Mike’s house. They were both more than ready to see their friends again, and could barely stay in their seats. He informed them that he would be back in a few hours to pick them up, and warned them not to get into any trouble. They promised they wouldn’t do anything stupid with wide grins that suggested otherwise, and made their way up to the Wheeler house.
Nancy was the one who answered the door, and let them know that Mike and the others were down in the basement. El walked down first, with Will following close behind him. They were immediately greeted with shouts of delight, and hugs from all their friends. Well, all except one. Will pulled away from the group hug and locked eyes with Mike, who was standing a few feet away, staring at him with wide eyes.
“Hey, Mike!” Will said, moving forward to hug his friend.
The hug he received in return was stiff at best, which confused Will. Was Mike not happy to see him? He tried not to feel hurt by his friend’s odd actions, and immediately jumped into a conversation with the rest of The Party. They all sat together on the basement’s large couch and chairs they pulled up around it, talking loudly about what each other had missed since the Byers left just a few short months ago. It was like they had never left, jumping back into the same inside jokes and banter they had always had. Everyone except Mike, at least. Will couldn’t shake the thought that Mike must be mad at him. They had been down in the basement talking for over an hour, and Will didn’t think Mike had spoken more than a few words. And he wouldn’t stop staring at him. Will wasn’t sure if he was glaring, or what, but Mike didn’t really seem happy that he and El were back in Hawkins. He resolved to bring it up when they inevitably found themselves alone together later.
Mike knew it must seem like he was being a jerk, but he just couldn’t get over Will. He just looked so different. Not only had he grown a few more inches, standing almost as tall as Mike now (but not quite, which Mike relished in), but he also had a completely different style. He looked, well, he looked really good. Mike was completely taken aback when he saw Will walking down the basement steps. He was still in a daze as Will hugged him, unable to give more than a stiff hug back. He could barely contribute to the Party’s conversation after that, unable to pull his eyes from Will. He didn’t know how to react. Mike didn’t want to be dramatic, but he thought he could get down on one knee and propose to Will right then and there.
In the three months the Byers were gone, Mike had really come to terms with how he felt about Will. He had always had this nagging thought in the back of his head that he might like Will as more than a friend, but he had never had to confront that thought. For two years he had been able to push those feelings down, lock them in a box and put them away. But once he and El broke up last summer, he had to face them again. He had snapped at Will that summer, taking out his own feelings with a stupid comment about Will not liking girls. He didn’t even think that Will was gay, not really. But that’s what the bullies at school called them, and in the heat of the moment it’s the first thing that came to mind. He had immediately regretted it when he saw the look that crossed Will’s face.
It was one thing to know you had a crush on your friend that lived 200 miles away, but it was another to face him, especially when he looked like this. It got to a point that he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Hey, I’m gonna go get a drink,” he interrupted the Party’s conversation, “Will, do you want to come with me?”
Will looked up at him from his place on the couch, looking almost offended.
“Yeah, sure.”
They walked up the stairs together to the kitchen. Mike grabbed a glass bottle of Coke from the fridge, and handed it to Will before grabbing one for himself as well.
He stood in front of the closed fridge as Will leaned against the kitchen island. They stared at each other for a moment before Will spoke.
“Are you mad at me or something?”
Mike couldn't his mouth from gaping open as he stared at Will in shock for a moment.
“No, of course not! Why would you think that?” he said, finally collecting himself.
“You’ve barely said anything for the last hour, and you haven’t stopped glaring at me since I got here. Clearly, you’re mad about something. I just can’t figure out what it is.”
“What? I haven’t been glaring at you.”
Will gave him an incredulous look and didn’t say anything else.
Mike continued, “I promise I’m not mad at you, Will. I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Then what is it?”
“I was just surprised by your… new look, is all.”
Will’s eyes fell to the floor. He looked upset, and Mike was worried he had said something wrong.
“No, I like it! It’s a good look for you. I was good surprised.”
He and Will shared a small smile, before Will scratched the back of his neck.
“Thanks, I was kind of nervous what everyone would think. When I first cut my hair, Mitchell was so shocked, he wouldn’t talk to me until lunch that day.”
Mike bit the inside of his cheek. Honestly, he didn’t like when Will talked about Mitchell. It was obvious he had a crush on Will, and Will was just too blind to see it. It made Mike feel really jealous, though he would never tell Will that.
They made awkward small talk for a few minutes before Mike’s face grew more serious.
“Can I tell you something?” he asked Will, avoiding eye contact in a way he hoped didn’t look deliberate.
“Yeah dude, of course. What’s up?”
Mike swallowed, and took a shallow breath.
“I really missed you when you guys were gone.”
“I missed you too, Mike. You know I did.”
“I mean I missed you- I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a dick. I missed you more than I thought I would,” Mike attempted before Will looked at him with a furrowed brow.
“See, no, I promise I don’t mean it like that. I just thought about you a lot over the last few months.”
Will seemed confused. Mike didn’t really know where exactly he was going with this either, but he continued nonetheless.
“I like you a lot, Will.”
“I like you too. You’re my best friend.”
“No, I-” Mike tried to say, but stopped.
Was he really about to do this? He hated lying to Will (and he saw withholding this information as lying), but did it even matter if Will was leaving in a few days? Mike already knew that Mitchell had a crush on Will, so it only seemed like a matter of time until Will figured out that he returned those feelings. Mike would be done for when that happened. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to see Will again without crying. It fucking sucked having your best friend (and now crush) living a million miles away. Plus, it’s not like there was anything they would even be able to do. Long-distance relationships sucked, no matter how much you cared about the other person. He and El had learned that the hard way when the Byers had first left. Well, Mike figured it didn’t help that while he and El were trying to work out their relationship, Mike was also discovering his feelings for Will. God, Mike didn’t even think that Will would feel the same way. He felt stupid for even starting this ridiculous conversation. Will would probably make fun of him if he came clean about his feelings. He just felt so stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Mike? Did you OD over there?” Will asked, putting a hand on Mike’s shoulder.
Mike nearly flinched at the contact, being pulled from his daze.
“Uh, no, I’m okay.”
“Are you sure? It seemed like I could have shaved both your eyebrows off without you noticing.”
He smiled and looked up at Mike with that big-eyed look that he couldn’t resist.
"C'mon Mike, you know you can tell me anything."
“I have a secret,” Mike blurted out quietly.
Will gave him a small nod.
“Okay? I've told you plenty of secrets about me.”
Mike just stared at Will, mouth parted slightly.
“I… don’t think I can tell you.”
“What? Why not?”
“It’s embarrassing. You’re gonna make fun of me,” Mike said.
“Come on, I wouldn’t do that. Could it really be any more embarrassing than anything else we’ve done together? D&D isn't exactly considered cool.”
“Yeah,” Mike breathed out without hesitation, “it could be.”
“Look, I promise I won’t make fun of you, honestly. And friends don’t lie, remember? Tell me.”
Mike was torn, but he knew if he didn’t do something now, he never would. So he gathered up every bit of courage he had, and leaned forward, pressing his lips against Will’s.
He pulled away, and stared into Will’s eyes. He wasn’t sure which one of them looked more shocked. Mike felt like he was going to throw up. He was about to launch into an apology, before he felt Will’s lips on his again. Will was actually kissing Mike. He thought he might pass out.
Will smiled at him.
“You know, you could have just asked,” Will said with a laugh.
Mike was dumbfounded.
“Wait, what? You like me?” Mike couldn’t help but smile as a blush crept onto his cheeks.
“Only for like the last four years, you idiot.”
Even after that, Mike still had to clarify his remaining doubts, and asked, “What about Mitchell?”
“What about him? He’s just my friend, Mike, nothing else.”
Mike didn’t think he had ever felt more relieved than in that moment. He held a soft smile as Will continued to gaze up at him, looking expectant.
Mike raised an eyebrow at him, “What?”
Will rolled his eyes, “Do I have to do everything?”
His mouth turned down into a frown, was he already doing something wrong?
“What do you mean?”
“Mike,” Will started, drawing out the ‘i’ vowel, “I want you to kiss me again.”
Mike couldn’t help but be surprised. Will had changed a lot over the last few months, and Mike had never seen this level of confidence from him before. But he wasn’t mad about it, quite the contrary, actually. He put his hands on either side of Will’s face, and leaned in once again, pressing a long, sweet kiss to Will’s lips. They stayed like that for a few moments until they heard a cough from the kitchen’s doorway.
They pulled apart sharply, turning toward the sound with wide eyes. It was Max.
“Oh, uh, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said, looking between them.
Both Will and Mike gawked at her with wide eyes.
“Hey, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone if you guys don’t want me to. But, if you’re gonna keep whatever this is a secret,” she said, gesturing to the two of them, “you might want to ease up on the heart-eyes, Mike. You haven’t stopped staring at Will since he got here, and I’m honestly surprised no one else noticed.”
She walked past them, grabbing a can of Coke from the fridge.
“Also, you should probably come back down soon before someone else comes up here and catches you.”
She winked before walking back in the direction of the basement, not bothering to hide her low fist pump and a whispered “I knew it!”
“She’s probably right, we should head back down there,” Will said.
“Wait, before we do, what are we going to do about, uh, this?”
“We can talk about it tomorrow, maybe over some root beer floats? There’s a nice diner near my motel.”
“Will Byers, are you asking me on a date?”
“I guess I am, Mike Wheeler,” Will said with a grin, before leaning in to kiss Mike again.
They went back down into the basement, trying their best to hide the blushes and smiles they shared the rest of the afternoon. If the Party did notice, they didn’t say anything. Mike finally felt like he could breathe again looking at Will.