Work Text:
"Hey, Mike?" Will had asked him uncertainly, causing the raven haired boy to turn to look at him. School had just let out and they were at their bikes. Dustin had already left, planning to go to the library and Lucas had basketball practice.
"Yeah?" Mike asked him, one eyebrow raised.
Will kept his eyes downcast as he fiddled with his hands. "I- I was wondering if maybe- maybe you'd come over for a bit? I mean I've- I've been working on this new piece and I needed help with the whole- uh, torso part of it. I'm really sorry to ask-" He spilled out, managing a few glances at Mike in-between words.
Mike smiled his megawatt smile that always made Will melt inside, "Yeah Will, I'll follow you there." He told him turning his bike to follow Will.
"Yeah, race ya' there?" Will grinned.
Mike was propelling himself forward on his bike as he tossed his head back in a carefree laugh. "Okay but when I win, you have to show me what you're working on beforehand."
"No way, you know the rules, MICHAEL!" Will called after him speeding up.
"What? I can't hear you..." Mike cackled.
This is what I missed. Will couldn't help but release a sigh in contentment. He was housing a soft smile as things felt like they should, like it was just he and Mike in the world, going crazy together.
Will looked at Mike and the small smile morphed into an even smaller frown. Things felt normal, but they weren't, things had changed with him and Mike. Their whole dynamic changed. There was an odd air surrounding almost all of their interactions now. Eyes lingered on one another and contact from brushing hands seemed to last longer. It was almost as if thousands of unspoken words were being shared through those small moments, only the true meaning of the words were lost, but they both knew they wanted each other.Things never got said and the two became familiar with the tension. They never talked about it but it was definitely there and they both knew it.
Will shook his thoughts away and forced himself to smile again as he pushed past Mike. He turned around and stuck his tongue out at the boy behind him.
It was Will's turn to cackle as Mike called out a classy "Fuck you!" in outrage.
Will grinned, yeah, things were weird, but he can handle weird when he gets to be like this.
A short while later the two boys burst into the Byers living-room. "Holy shit, Will, when did you get so fast?" Mike was panting heavily. He had tried his hardest to surpass Will because just once he wanted to see what Will was working on, but Will had been adamant on keeping him from doing so and won their little race.
Will smirked and looked at him as he walked farther into his home, Mike not much farther behind, "Probably while you were off moping over the time I called Eddie cool." He teased, remembering the memory. He had just moved back from California and Mike introduced the two, Will and Eddie hit it off immediately and when Will thanked Mike for introducing him because as he had put it 'Eddie was so cool' Mike didn't talk to him or Eddie much for about three days. That was until Will showed up at his doorstep with Star Wars and a pack of Coca-Cola for them to share. "Hey, Mom." He acknowledged Joyce in the kitchen.
"Come on, it was one time!" Mike whined, he paused, "Hey, Mrs. Byers."
Joyce smiled as she heard them banter back and forth throughout the house. Will had gone into his bedroom only to step out a second later as he pulled his door shut. "Yeah, okay, tell it to the jury, Wheeler." He quipped back as he sat on the sofa in the living-room. Mike copied his movements and they sat there poking fun at each other.
Mike raised his legs to rest on Will's lap. "Huh, is this what you wanted? Is this what you wanted, William? Look at what you've done to yourself now." Mike prodded.
"Michael Wheeler, get your feet out of my face right fucking now- Mike!" Will had grabbed onto his arm and was about to fight back against the taller boy but his mother had other plans.
"Will, honey, I'm leaving for work, so it's just gonna be you guys for tonight okay? I had fixed pizza shortly before you guys got here so there's still plenty left. Also don't stay up too late, you know the drill. I love you, see you tomorrow."
"I love you, too, Mom. Bye!" Will called to his mother as she left the house. He looked down suddenly hyper-aware that he was still holding Mike's arm and that they were alone in his house. He let go of Mike's now limp hand, and recoiled his own. "Sorry, I didn't realize." He told him sheepishly.
Mike shook his head rapidly. "No no no, it's completely fine, I didn't mind."
Will smiled at him warmly and leapt up. "You want a Coke?" Will was already making his way to the fridge.
Mike nodded, "Yeah, sure, wanna watch a movie for a bit?"
Will brought back two Cokes, handing one to Mike, he paused, "Hmm, I don't know... I was kinda hoping I could show you this song I've been listening to a lot recently."
"No biggie, we still have other plans so it's probably smarter, yeah go ahead, you have me interested now." Mike told him, finishing his statement with the satisfying pop of the opening of a Coke can.
Will nodded and said nothing only reaching over to his cassette deck and put in the right cassette, waiting patiently for the song to pick up.
Mike knew Will had mostly adopted a lot of Jonathan's music taste so he was surprised when a love song came on. 'Is This Love' by Whitesnake started blaring through the speakers and they closed their eyes, both getting lost in the song. Mike had never heard it before but something about it pulled at him. The song lyrics left nothing in their wake as they passed through the air.
Is this love, t hat I'm feeling?
Is this the love, that I've been searching for?
Is this love, or am I dreaming?
This must be love.
Cause its really got a hold on me.
Mike and Will sat there both lost in the song, and both thinking of each other. Eventually the song ended, and they opened their eyes.
"Woah," Mike breathed, "I liked it, I liked it a lot actually." He was staring at Will earnestly, a wide smile adorning his features as he found himself getting lost in Will's hazel eyes. They were always shimmering and morphing into greens and browns and Mike loved it. It was something so distinctly Will.
They sat there for a moment as Will too, found himself drowning in Mike's coffee irises. Something about Mike's eyes had always called home to him. He'd loved them since he was little and something told him he always would.
They both seemed to notice that they had been staring at each other at near the same time. Will jolted, "Hey, it's about 3:30, wanna go work on the painting for a bit? I don't know how long I'll need you..." Will asked him, breaking eye-contact as he scratched his neck.
Mike shook his head with a start, "No, no, yeah, that's completely fine." Will nodded and stood back up, beckoning Mike to follow him to his room. "Let us begin then."
Will took his spot behind his easel. "Okay, can you sit on the bed? I'm gonna need you to sit on the edge so that I can get shading right...and just like that, prop your elbow against the side, and lean against my bed-frame. And uh..."
"What else is it, Will, you know I'll do anything you ask."
Will bit his lip but gave in. "I'm painting an anatomy piece and I- I kind of... need you to... take...your shirt off? If not, its really okay-" Will's face was growing increasingly red, both as he thought about Mike without his shirt and simply because of the sheer embarrassment of asking such a thing.
Mike stopped him, "No, Will, it's really okay, I don't mind." Mike told him reassuringly. He looked back down almost as if checking with himself about what he was really about to do, but with a small, curt nod he reached down and pried his t-shirt off of his body. He felt blood rush to his cheeks as he realized how exposed he was to Will. Will wasn't exactly much better off seeing as he wasn't actually expecting Mike to oblige. As Mike got back into position Will forced himself to focus on his painting.
Suddenly the air was thick again. Both knew what it meant but it was there, only this time it was suffocating, and it was growing increasingly harder to be alone in the room together without acknowledging each others presence.
Will started with Mike's face shape as he wasn't ready to look anywhere else. As soon as he finished that, he paused. Looking at the painting so far he realized the posture and position seemed a bit unnatural, causing Will to frown. Mike's voice pierced the comfortable silence they had created. "What happened? You were looking so content as you worked." Mike asked him.
Will looked at the boy on his bed, "Oh, I didn't realize you were so fascinated with watching me paint?" Will teased, but he wore a soft smile because if he was honest he liked the idea of Mike watching him work.
Mike spluttered, "I- No, no, that's not what- that's not what I meant. I just- I was watching you paint and you seemed so in your element and you looked so at peace and content, and I thought you looked...nice." Mike had a few other thoughts too, mostly asking himself why he was feeling so envious of the canvas Will was working with. Don't get him wrong, he loved modeling for Will, and he loved getting to see Will like this. But a selfish part of him wanted all of Will's attention, wanted to be the art he was working on.
"I wish I knew what it was like to be your canvas, like I wish I could be the thing you're painting." Mike thought aloud. The words caught Will off guard, making him drop his paintbrush, rolling to rest a little ways in front of Mike. Will didn't register the loss for a second as he felt his brain short-circuit. Will felt his mind temporarily stop as Mike's words ran through his head. The statement 'I wish I knew what it was like to be your canvas' made Will's brain go foggy as he sat there frozen in time, even if it was purely for only about two seconds. Will was completely and utterly lost.
"Oh shit, did I say that out loud?" Mike realized. Will's mouth was dry as he got up out of his seat to retrieve his paintbrush. Mike had moved from his modeling position to hand it to Will and as they both reached down for it the distance between them had decreased to almost none. Mike picked up the paintbrush as he was still seated on the bed. He handed it over to Will, who after standing back up, was staring down at the Wheeler boy. His eyes were a dark forest green and he cleared his throat. Mike felt his heartbeat quicken as he and Will were trapped in each others gazes, both still holding onto the paintbrush.
If the tension in the air was suffocating before, at this rate they were gasping for air. Tension heightened in the room as Mike abandoned the paintbrush and grabbed Will's wrist.
Will's breathing caught and he licked his lips in anticipation. Mike pulled Will's wrist down as he met Will with wide eyes, the action caught Will by surprise and he yet again dropped his paintbrush as he flexed his fingers outward, barely dragging down Mike's chest.
"Will?"
"Yeah?" He let out a shaky breath.
"Treat me like your canvas, make me your masterpiece." Mike wrapped his hand around Will's neck as he rested his head against the other boys chest. He whispered his final plea into Will's shirt, "Please."
Will's eyes fluttered shut as he felt Mike's shallow breathing fan his chest. "Mike, are you absolutely sure about this?"
Mike nodded into Will's chest as he responded, "More than anything, Will. We both know exactly what we want."
Will nodded and dragged his hands back up Mike's torso, choosing to cradle his head as he leaned down to place a small, but lingering kiss against the crest of Mike's head. His hands began to thread themselves through Mike's hair, pulling at a few curls here and there. Mike's breathing grew ragged as he felt Will's hands playing with his hair. Will moved his head back down to face Mike and pulled him into a kiss.
Will pried one of his hands away from the raven curls and patted the bed, motioning for Mike to completely get back on the bed. Will then climbed onto the bed, placing his knees on either side of Mike and pushed them to the end where Mike was able to rest his back against the frame of the bed as they continued on. The kiss had deepened but they tore away because of a lack of air.
Mike began to pull Will back in but Will placed a finger against the other boys lips. "You wanted to become my canvas, right?" Will asked him. Mike had lost all use of his vocabulary or ability to form words so he was only able to murmur a small confirmation against Will's finger. Will continued, "Then you should know I always map out what I'm gonna put, where." He took a shallow breath as he opened his eyes once again, "And if we're creating a portrait, I always start with the body outline." He added, using his hands to trace Mike's face, then dropping them to his neck and shoulders, before finally finding his way to Mike's sides and stomach.
Mike inhaled sharply as he felt Will's hands explore his bare torso, as Will's featherlight fingers grazed over every inch of his skin. Will leaned in once more, "After I know what I'm making, I sketch it out..." Will whispered, as he again put his hands to use by outlining Mike's more prominent features.
He pulled Mike into another kiss as he outlined his collarbones before trailing downward and outlining Mike's barely-there abs. Mike's entire body burned because of the sensations Will ignited within him. It felt like everywhere Will touched, he left a small trail of fire in his wake, and all of it was heightened as he and Will kissed. Mike swiped his tongue across Will's lips as he pushed farther into the boy above him. Will gasped and eagerly accepted as he continued outlining the features of the young Wheeler boy. His hands were itching to burrow themselves in Mike's hair yet again and within less than a second Will found himself pulling at the curls of Mike's raven hair, eliciting a moan from him.
Will broke apart and began leaving a trail of kisses down Mike's jaw as he made his way to his neck, leaving Mike panting and craning his neck. Will murmured into the other boys neck, "You know what I do next?" He punctuated his question with a small kiss to Mike's collarbone.
If Will was making it hard for Mike to speak earlier, he was making it impossible to do so now. Will felt Mike's Adam's apple bob up and down in an attempt to respond, only for no words to fill the air, instead just a hum. The reaction made him smile into his kisses before responding. "I apply detail to the necessary areas." He told him, before moving back down and starting to nibble at a particular spot of skin. Mike groaned and his hands fumbled. He wanted more than anything to be able to reciprocate the touch Will was blessing him with. He tugged at the hem of Will's shirt, desperately wanting to be able to feel Will too.
Will didn't push away Mike's hands and in fact welcomed them as Will continued to "apply detail" to Mike's neck and other specific places along his torso. Mike hands left their place at Will's hips and instead found a home in his hair, threading through the locks as Will continued creating his masterpiece, leaving small, seemingly random, marks on Mike in his wake.
Mike reached down to cup Will's face, shaking his head rapidly as he brought the boy in for another kiss. Mike's hands were still playing with the boys hair and Will understood the reaction he had gotten earlier as he let out a slightly muffled sound of surprise. Mike's impulse control had finally broken as he tore himself away from Will's lips, fleeing to attack his neck. Will craned his neck back as Mike did so, letting him get a better angle. Will burrowed his head in Mike's hair and murmured into it,"M-Mike, wait. There's still one- one more thing to be done."
Mike just shook his head, insistent on finishing his own task, "In a minute." he mumbled against Will's skin. Will stayed nuzzled into Mike's hair, panting slightly, waiting for Mike to finish what he wanted. Mike reluctantly pulled away seconds later. "You said there was one final step?" He asked, looking up at the boy above him.
Will grinned, "Coloring and surveying the work." He flashed a mischievous smile as Mike's eyes widened.
"Will- what are you-" Will started peppering him in small kisses, not leaving a single spot to be missed. "Will! Will- no! Wi-William!" Mike shrieked, and began laughing. Mike grabbed Will's wrists to hold him up but the youngest Byers boy couldn't be stopped. Will still managed to be able to kiss Mike, making him writhe and giggle as Will did so.
"Mike, you can't leave white spots in art!" Will chastised the boy in a joking matter. Eventually letting go of Will's wrists as he shielded his face from Will's attack, giggling uncontrollably. Will stopped his onslaught of kisses and pried Mike's arms away from his face. He said nothing as he pulled Mike into a short but sweet kiss, smiling into it as he wrapped his arms around the coffee-eyed boys neck. Mike easily reciprocated and they broke apart, nothing was said as they stared into each others eyes. Will laid his head to rest on Mike's chest as they looked at one another, goofy but sweet, soft smiles gracing their faces.
Mike ran his fingers up and down Will's back in a light, soothing manor. His other hand often kept moving strands of hair that blocked Will's face out of the way, but it never really left his hair. Mike enjoyed doing it because Will closed his eyes and began humming a slow tune, sighing in contentment as the two just sat there, existing together. Will opened his eyes, which now took on a golden brown shade with flecks of green that played peekaboo, never really appearing in the same spot twice. "Feels nice." He hummed.
Mike only grinned, "I bet, I try so hard to please Your Highness." He quipped back.
"Oh, Fuck you." Will rolled his eyes.
"You almost did-"
"Mike!" Will exclaimed, hitting the boys chest lightly. He burrowed his head, "Not funny, you wanted it." He grumbled.
Mike smiled softly yet again. "I did," he pressed a light kiss to the top of Will's head, prompting him to look back up at him, "Y'know..." Will looked back up to be met with Mike's now honey eyes, "I love you, Will Byers. I love you so much."
Will smiled so wide it immediately made Mike's insides melt, made him feel like the world had suddenly gotten ten times brighter than it had ever been before.
"I love you too, Mike Wheeler, I always have, probably always will." Will admitted.
And for a second, everything was quiet and all was right in the world. Both boys were perfectly content with just existing with each other.
Will looked down and saw a hickey on Mike's shoulder, at first shock ran through him as he realized he was the one who had done it, but then he giggled.
"What's so funny?" Mike asked him almost incredulously, his confusion only making Will snort in his laughter. "Will?" Mike prompted again.
Will continued laughing, taking a second only to respond, "Give...me a second." He forced out between giggles. After a minute, Will had finally gotten his laughing fit under control. Mike raised his eyebrows in question, causing Will to bite back another laugh and grin, he looked at Mike with dead seriousness, "I think I have a new favorite artwork." He told him as he burst out laughing yet again. Mike furrowed his eyebrows before realizing what Will meant and he started laughing too.
As their laughter drowned out, Mike replied, "Yeah, I think it's your best work so far." And the youngest Wheeler boy pulled the other boy into another kiss.