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“Well, what about us?” Will asked as he ran after Mike.
“What?” Mike looked back at Will, slightly shocked.
“Were you mad that I didn’t talk to you?” He frowned, looking at Mike for an answer.
“Seems like you made it super clear that you're not interested in anything I have to say.” Will furrowed his brows slightly.
“Wha- That’s just not true!” Mike quickly said.
“You called maybe... A couple times!” Will stepped forward, getting slightly annoyed at Mike’s behavior.
“It’s been a year, Mike.”
Will stopped for a moment but continued. “Meanwhile. El has a book of letters from you!” Will would be lying if he didn’t say he was jealous. He was so, so jealous. But he couldn’t just say that to Mike.
Mike stood in front of him, shocked. Eyebrows raised, mouth agape.
“That’s because she’s my girlfriend, Will!” Mike angrily said.
…
“And us?”
“We’re friends!... We are friends.”
“Well, we used to be best friends!”
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Will still remembered those three words. Even after he gave Mike the painting he made for him, passing it off as Eleven commissioning it. When, it was actually to show his love for Mike. Not that he ever needed to know that, and he never would.
Mike wasn’t a faggot like Will.
Well, that’s what everyone else would call him. And Will hated it. Why couldn’t he be normal? Why couldn’t he be like the other boys, who find girls in tiny skirts attractive, or why couldn’t he kiss a girl?
He felt disgusted even thinking of kissing a girl, yet. He was supposed to like the idea of it.
But he didn’t.
He found the idea of kissing Mike more pleasant than ever kissing some random girl. But could you blame him? Mike was always there for him, the one he could rely upon. The one who saved him.
The one who showed him he was loved.
The one Will wanted to kiss... The one he wanted to spend his life with, till death do them part.
But, of course, that wouldn’t work. Will was a boy; he wasn’t a petite girl like El. He didn’t have long beautiful brown hair like El, or a sweet high-pitched voice like hers.
He was... just Will. Yet somehow. Girls liked him, his broad shoulders, even his dumb bowl-cut that he liked too much to cut it differently...
Will knew he was different, he always got bullied for being gay. For being a stupid fairy.
It hurt.
It hurt, because Will knew he would never have what he wanted, nor would he ever be normal. And he hated it.
Hated how he liked his best friend, or how he wanted to kiss him so badly. Or how he wanted to run his fingers through his dark curls. How he wanted to be around him all the time.
He hated it, and he was miserable.
Will couldn’t even touch Mike. He wouldn’t even think of it. And even when he tried, Mike pushed him away...
Why did he have to be so messed up? He shouldn’t think this way, yet he did. He couldn’t stop himself. A crush that he’s had for years now, and Mike never knew.
God, what would Mike just think of him now? Would he hate him, and call him a fag like the rest, or would he give Will a chance to still be his friend? Or maybe even, give him a chance to show him that he could be just as good of a partner as El.
Will groaned.
“I hate this... I hate myself.” He said, tears prickling at the side of his eyes. It stung, but he didn’t mind. He flopped down onto his bed, looking up at the ceiling, not knowing what to do. Does he let the tears flow freely?
But boys don’t cry, his father always told him. But how could he not cry?
After everything, he just wanted to cry. To disappear and never come back, he liked his sister's boyfriend, he liked his best friend.
He felt something warm running down the side of his face. A small tear drop. But he could care less. He knew that he should just tell Mike and get this over with. Even if Mike hated him, Will would still love him, he couldn’t not love him, after everything Mikes done for him. He could never hate him.
But before he could even get up, he heard a knock at his door. Fuck.
How could he forget? He had asked Mike if he wanted to come over and play some games or at least talk.
“Hey Will, sorry for being late-”
Will jolted up from his bed, trying best to dry his tears. But they wouldn’t stop, god, was he fucked.
“Oh- uh, hey Mike! I’ll go grab us something to drink yeah, don’t apologize...” Will quickly tried to walk past Mike, but Mike grabbed his wrist.
“Will, are you okay?” Mike asked, his voice gentle, soothing.
Will stopped, frozen. He was caught, and now he had to tell Mike what he had been thinking. He couldn’t get out of this one.
“I...”
He gulped, afraid to look back at Mike, he couldn’t. He just couldn’t.
Yet, he did.
He did even if he started sobbing like a fool.
“I’m fine- Mike. Just sit down, and I’ll go grab us some orange juice or something, just let me go please.” Will felt the tears starting to form again, but he couldn’t. He needed to get away quick.
“Bullshit, come over here what’s wrong? You know I’m... I’m always here to talk to... you. You’re my.. Best friend.” Mike was looking at him, so he did care.
But hearing Mike say that hurt him even more. He didn’t want to be his best friend. He wanted to be more than that, he wanted to be his boyfriend.
“Mike... I- I'm sorry.” He quickly said, he wanted to say so much more, but his throat tightened. He couldn’t say anymore, or it would just come out as pathetic sobs.
“Huh? For what Will? You haven’t done anything!”
Will shook his head. “Mike, I- I love you!” He cried out, loud sobs filling out his room.
He felt the grip on his wrist loosen.
“Will...” Mike said, voice a mere whisper.
Will did it. He told Mike, and Mike probably hated him now, found him disgusting. Someone he doesn’t even want to touch, doesn’t even want to be near.
“I’m so- s-sorry! I just- I can’t.” Will couldn’t get his words out, big, fat dears dripping down his face.
Will wanted to hug Mike, even if it was one last time.
Wanted to feel his touch one last time.
“...” Mike looked at him, and his expression turned sad, frowning. “You know we can’t...”
“This is probably just phase Will, believe me.”
Will knew it. Mike didn’t love him. He was an idiot huh? How could he even think someone as amazing as Mike would like him, someone as perfect as Mike would love him.
The dumb fag, he was disgusting. And now Mike knew, and he hated him. He rejected him.
But this is what Will was expecting so why... why did it hurt so much? It shouldn’t he knew Mike was straight, he wasn’t like him. Mike was normal, he was perfect.
“I’m sorry...” Will sobbed. “So sorry.”
He clutched onto Mike shirt; he couldn’t help himself. He pulled Mike towards him and pulled him into a gentle hug.
Mike stood there motionless, not even trying to move. To at least put his arms around Will.
But Will expected that, who would want to touch someone as disgusting as him anyway?
“Will, just. Shut up and cry don’t apologize.” Mike answered finally, he pulled Will closer. Rubbing his back gently, “Will, you don’t get it.” Mike said, still holding him. As if Mike had let him go, Will would have ran away. And Mike didn’t want that.
“I do Mike! I do- y-you hate me! I got It!” Will answered he let his head fall onto Mike’s shoulder, his shirt getting wet.
It felt hard to breathe, he wanted to calm down, but he couldn’t, he wanted to understand what Mike meant, but Will had an ugly feeling he knew what Mike was going to say...
“I... I love you too, Will. But I just don’t want anyone to. Hurt you, hurt us. You know people don’t like gay relationships..” Mike said, sighing deeply.
“Huh?” Will said, he slowly lifted his head, to try and look at Mike. “You what?” he asked, voice small, ready to break into another fit of ugly sobs any second.
Mike smiled slightly; his eyes full of... love. “I love you too, Will. For a long time now. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner.”
Will looked at him, he didn’t know what to say. “But- But El!”
“I know, but I feel like it isn’t the same as it was before. And I think she’s starting to see it too.” Mike quickly said, to calm Will down.
“Not to say I didn’t love her, but I feel that. It just wasn’t the right time for us to date. But with you...” Mike stopped and looked at Will straight in the eyes.
“I feel that- that you’re special. I couldn’t stop thinking about you even if I tried. And believe it or not, I cried so much. I liked a boy... But to say I don’t regret it, would be a lie. I don’t regret It one bit. Especially when it’s you.”
Will sniffled and looked at Mike expression. Full of adoration, like Will was gold, like Will was the most precious thing in the world. He lifted his hand slowly, and gently cupped Mike’s cheek. Smiling.
“You, you mean it?”
He asked hopefully.
“Yes.”
Will chuckled. He couldn’t believe it. Mike liked him back. Mike loved him.
Mike wanted him.
Mike wanted to be a part of Will, just as much as Will wanted to be a part of Mike.
But Will couldn’t relax. What would the other think? What would El think? She’d be heartbroken, he knew how her emotions could get out of control. What if she hated Will so much, to the point she would accidentally hurt herself or the other or even Mike...
“But the others Mike...”
“And most of all, El.”
Mike furrowed his brows and sighed. “I don’t care what they will think!” He spoke.
“She... I don’t know, I don’t know how she will react, but I can’t keep lying to her, or to myself anymore. I can’t lead her on anymore.”
Will felt the arms around his waist tighten. Mike was right. They didn’t know how El would react. Or even how the other would react. Let alone their parents.
Their friends, alright. But, what about Will's mom or his brother? God, what about Mike’s whole family?
This wouldn’t work at all; it would be dangerous. Especially with the way a big portion of the people hated gay people, let alone a gay couple.
“We could keep it a secret?” Mike suggested.
“I mean, I could try and make something up as to why I want to break up with El. But she might notice something is off.”
Will pulled away from the hug. He needed to think. This wasn’t some movie or TV show. This was real life, where no one would save them, and no one could help them but themselves.
“We should tell them, I know it’s probably a bad idea, but. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll try to figure something out.”
Will said and looked at Mike to see his reaction.
Mike stayed silent. But quickly spoke.
“Even if we get kicked out? And everyone hates us? What then?”
“We run away, like in one of those romantic movies.” Will joked. But Mike took him quite literally.
“Hm, well I wouldn’t mind. But we can’t just live in the woods either. Oh, maybe we could try and find a hotel somewhere out of town and stay there. But we’d need money...”
Will snorted. “Mike I was joking; didn’t know you’d take it so literally!” He giggled.
“Oh!” Mike blushed, slightly embarrassed.
“I mean... It doesn’t sound bad. But I think at least one of our friends wouldn’t hate us.” Will said and placed both hands on Mike’s face.
“Maybe even our parents would understand.”
Mike looked at him and smiled slightly.
“Maybe...”
Will looked at Mike, and then his lips.
“Can we-”
He stopped himself.
“Yeah.. Sure.” Mike answered quickly.
Will smiled up at him.
Taking a deep breath, before closing the space between them.
Will didn’t know much about kissing, but Mike was there to guide him along. Their lips fit perfectly against each other. Will couldn’t help but smile into kiss. He’s waited so long, so long for this. For Mike to love him. For Mike to hold him close.
He didn’t have to worry anymore.
He didn’t need to hate himself anymore, not when Mike was there to push his worries away right? He could finally hold Mike’s hand, and he could finally tell Mike he loves him.
Not as his friend though.
But, as his boyfriend.
Mike pulled away. And looked at Will.
“Crazy together?”
“Crazy together.”