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Will paced back and forth in his living room, this was absolutely nerve-wracking for him. All his friends from Hawkins would be there in less than 20 minutes, that would mean that Lucas would be there, that Dustin would be there, that Max would be there, that Mike would be there. oh god
You'd think that only being able to see your childhood crush twice a year or so would mean that your feelings would eventually fade away. Nope not for Will, while Will and Mike can't see each other they still talk, a lot. Nights are usually filled with hushed whispers on the phone or walkie-talkie, talking about anything and everything just for the sake of talking to each other. Thus Wills feelings never gave out, if anything they just got stronger. Conversations would melt into Mike just rambling about how much he missed hanging out with Will. Hushed whispers, so he wouldn't wake anyone, Mike would ramble about how he missed seeing Wills face, being by him, being able to hug and touch him, because Will was there and not in Illinois. One time Mike went on a ramble about Will's eyes, saying that he missed being able to look into his eyes, his big and 'pretty eyes.' That absolutely wrecked will. But still, Will would respond with a 'you think they're pretty?’ and he could practically hear Mike's heart beating. At least he hoped that Mike's heart beats for him, he would have to shake off that illusion. Mike liked El. In turn, though, Will would be talking about Mike's freckles, saying how much loved them and how much more appeared when they were growing up. Will would say he couldn't wait to see them and he could tell Mike was smiling. Will and Mike didn't see each other at all last year, and with every call, every conversation, every hushed whisper, they were more eager to see each other. Those conversations hurt Will though, a lot. Mike was unknowingly giving Will false hope, Will loved mike, like he would kiss Mike if he had the courage type of love. Like he wanted Mike to hold him and love him as well type love. No one could know though, they would hate him, he knew what people thought of people like him, queers, fags, gays.
Will wondered if Mike and he would talk like that to each other in person. They never did before he moved, not like how they did now. Maybe due to the distance Will didn't have to hold back as much. Maybe it was better if the conversations weren't in person, maybe those soft compliments, adrenaline-induced sentences, and cheek reddening words weren't meant to be in person. Though Will hopes not, he wants to feel his cheeks heat up and he wants mike there with him to see it. He wants to know if Mike gets the adrenaline that makes his heartbeat as well. He wants to know that if Mike looked him in the face, would he be able to tell Will those soft compliments. Guess he would find out because oh god an RV just pulled into Will's driveway, and oh god it's parked, and, oh, god, Mike was walking out. Will didn't have a coat on but he genuinely couldn't care. He ran outside and quickly met eyes with him, him him him, he was there, and oh my god he had the biggest smile Will has ever seen. Soon enough Will collided into the arms of Mike and everything was perfect, it seemed so perfect he didn't want to let go but he didn't want to be weird. Though Mike wasn't letting him go, he just hugged him tighter with every second, Will was too happy.
"Okay you two, we can have the reunion inside, not outside in twenty-degree weather" Steve shouted hurry, everyone, inside. Oh, that's right, cold, Will didn't even notice how cold he was starting to get. He felt Mike's hands grip his shirt...
"You aren't wearing a jacket" Mike pointed out.
"oh yeah shit, I forgot," Will explained, looking up at Mike, god he was good-looking.
"c'mon let's get inside!" Mike quickly grabbed Wills wrist and they quickly made it inside. By now everyone was in the living room, reuniting, talking hugging kissing (Looking at you Nancy, and John) It was sort of chaos, Will quickly got separated from Mike. He was practically tackled by Dusting and Lucas, soon he was having full-on conversations with everyone around him and getting filled in on stuff he may not have known. Lucas and Max broke up again, though this time it may have been permanent, Suzie was able to go to Hawkins and meet everyone, Robin got a girlfriend, there was so much more but Will was so overwhelmed he couldn't concentrate. Though something caught his eye, Mike wasn't hugging and kissing and getting all over El like Will thought he would be doing. Mike was next to El but facing opposite of her, talking to his mom, and El was talking to Max. Immediately he felt something, something wasn't right...
Eventually, things calmed down, people started to settle down and crammed onto or around the couch, and a movie was playing that everyone was pretty focused on. It had been about an hour since everyone had gotten here but Will and Mike haven't talked since they were outside. It wasn't like Mike was only paying attention to El though, they weren't interacting that much. For the whole time that they have been there so far, Will only saw them talking once, and it was quite short, though it was very friendly and didn't seem awkward... Why wasn't Mike talking to him though? Did he do something wrong, He could feel his throat go dry. Will was so confused and the movie was so loud, blaring since when was it so hot, Why was everything so loud, he couldn't focus, has the carpet always felt this awful to touch, he had to get away from this stuffiness. Will abruptly stood up, eyes were on him.
"Uh- I uhm- pajamas- I need to get pajamas on" Will some people nodded but everyone pretty much went back to the movie. The young boy quickly shuffled into the hallway to get to his room. As soon as he was in, he opened his window, letting out a content sigh. The cold air hitting his face grounding him a bit.
"Hey, you okay?" Mike, Will quickly turned around it was indeed, Mike.
“Uh- yeah- I just started to get super overwhelmed...” Mike nodded, slowly making his way over to the other boy. Will felt a pair of arms wrap around him. Oh.
“I missed you so much, you have no idea” Mike murmured. Will quickly reciprocated the hug.
“I missed you too... So much...” They stayed there for a bit, just hugging, like a hug that was supposed to make up for the ones they’ve missed out on.
“Are you sure you’re okay” Mike pulled away, hands still on Will's shoulders, looking at him. The taller boy's eyes were darting around as if he was trying to read the other. Will smiled and nodded.
“I’m okay right now, don't worry” Mike nodded pulling his hands away, he started looking around.
“Your rooms super cool-”
“What's going with you and El?” Oh, Will did not mean to say that out loud. Mike was definitely was caught off guard, he was looking at Will with a shocked look on his face.
“Oh Uhm, did you notice that...”
“Yes, yes I did, You haven't been talking to me for the past hour ya know, and I sort of expected that seeing as you were able to see El again, but you haven't even really talked to her, you aren't all over her like you used to be, what happened?” Mike seemed to freeze up, yep something was up and Will knew it. Mike let out a nervous sigh and sat down on Will’s bed, he looked sad.
“We broke up, about two weeks ago” Oh, okay, so Will never recalled El being sad or upset, did she break up with him again? Will quickly shuffled over to Mike, sitting down on his bed.
“Oh shit, I’m so sor-” Mike was quick to cut off Will.
“Don’t be, I broke up with her, it was my choice”
“Oh shit really?”
“Yep”
“Why? I thought you were head over heels for her” Mike smiled.
“I was but I guess I just lost feelings, I dunno I just wasn't feeling anything anymore...” Will nodded. So Mike didn't like El anymore, that was great well, no not really, but for him, it was, Will now knew that Mike wasn’t dating anyone. Mike was still straight though, just because him and El aren't a thing anymore doesn't mean he's suddenly queer.
“That makes sense” Mike nodded and looked at Will, the smile on Mike's face only grew.
"Remember when I called your eyes pretty" Oh shit, of course, he remembered that conversation it replayed on his head on loop practically 24/7.
“Mhm, yeah, of course, I do” Will smiled, he focused on Mikes's freckles they were so pretty, he wanted to bring his hand up to Mikes's cheeks he wanted to be able to feel them, though he knew it would just feel smooth. Maybe he just wanted to touch Mike's face.
“Well, that hasn't changed, at all, your eyes are still very pretty...” Will could feel the heat rise to his cheeks, his heart was speeding, Mike looked so pretty right now. The orange light from Wills lamp was illuminating Mike's face, and it was beautiful.
“I could say the same for your freckles” Will couldn't stop smiling he knew he had his stupid-looking smile just plastered on his face and so did Mike.
"You have no idea how much I missed just being able to see you in person" Will mumbled out, Mike's smile could not get bigger, and once again the brunette was being hugged by his childhood crush. Still hugging him, Mike spoke up.
"We should play dnd with the party sometime during the trip" Will smiled, he liked the thought of that.
"Yeah, we should" Will was content just being here, hugging Mike, his childhood crush, Will wasn't worrying about what others would think at the moment, he wasn't worried about what Mike might've thought of him, all that mattered was right here and now. Then it got interrupted.
"Hey, you two, what's up? Christmas story is halfway done c'mon!" Steve had oh so rudely barged in, causing both boys to get startled. Mike quickly stood and soon followed Will.
"C'mon! Wouldn't wanna miss the movie" Mike smiled and started to walk out of the room, Will, with still quite a big smile, nodded and followed.
The movie had finished long ago, Will was absolutely knocked out, so was Mike. Though soon Will was awoken by the gentle shake from his mother urging him to go to bed. Will soon noticed that position he was in, he was leaning against mike, oh jeez did he really fall asleep on Mike. Will slowly moved, fully turning to Mike, groggily shaking him awake.
"Mike, Mike, Mike you can't sleep on the floor dude" Mike slowly woke up, at first he seemed confused, in his sleepy state but eventually he nodded and started standing up once Will did. Soon enough Will was in his room, closing his window and plopping down onto his bed, extremely exhausted. Will felt a weight fall down next to him. Wait what. Will quickly turned around to see a very sleepy Mike.
"Mike are you not gonna sleep on a cot?" Will questioned Mik just mumbled out a simple.
"Too tired" Yeah they probably should've set up a cot earlier... Despite his rapidly beating heart Will quickly got the blankets situated and tried to sleep, but knowing Mike was right there, he was nerve-wracked. Mike had shuffled into a position where he was facing towards will but had his head shoved into a pillow. So Will was stuck between a wall and Mike. Will studied the boy's face, his freckles, he wanted to touch them, play with his hair, he wanted to cuddle up to the boy and stay there.
"Will?" Will jumped, Mike was still awake.
"Yeah?" Mike slowly turned his face out of the pillow to look at Will.
"Ya know you were my first choice" The freckled boy spout sleepily. Wills brows furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that before El, it was you, If El never entered my life, I would've chosen you." What Will chuckled nervously.
"Okay Mike, I think your delirious off no sleep I-"
"No I'm not Will I broke up with El because I like you" The audible gasp from Will was not expected from both of them. Wills mind was racing, his face was red, his heart was rapidly beating and he was smiling his eyes were filled with shock and near fear but he was smiling.
"You like me?" Will watched as a sleepy smile formed on Mike before he buried his face into that stupid pillow again. Will snatched the pillow away, leaving a stunned, red-faced Mike.
"You like me?!?" Will repeated, Mike slowly and sleepily sat up.
"Yes, I do" Will was staring right at Mike, Will slowly brought his hand up to those freckled cheeks. He couldn't hide his smile, he was beaming. Will noticed that the distance between the two was getting smaller and smaller until finally, after years of repressed crushing... Will was kissing Mike wheeler. Mike had brought his hands up to Will's hair, while Will was overly happy, Mike was ecstatic. So this was what it was like kissing a boy, this was what it was like kissing Will. The kissing didn't last long though, both boys couldn't stop smiling.
"I like you too Mike Wheeler" Will smiled, rubbing Mike's freckled cheeks. Mike was so fucking happy, Will wasn't disgusted, Will didn't care, Will liked him back. Eventually, Will slumped back down, bringing Mike with him. The room was filled with this hazy giddiness, both boys were extremely tired but both extremely happy. Will smiled, looking at Mike.
"You are my first choice Mike"
Both boys quickly fell asleep, the next morning Max would go to wake them up seeing two sleeping boys holding each other, for the rest of the trip she teased them about the two finding themselves cuddle buddies.