Work Text:
(A deleted scene from Vol. 2, following on from the van scene)
Meet me at midnight.
Argyle had promised them that they could stay at a motel for the night and rest up, he had some money and was willing to use it on motel rooms for them and fuel money. Despite being a weirdo Argyle could actually be pretty cool and he always meant well, that’s what Will thought at least.
Will had managed to bottle up his emotions for a while, he had got good at going numb. Turning off his emotions when things got too difficult. An off switch. Was it healthy, probably not, but what was healthy about him anyway.
A while ago Will had realised a few things. He didn’t like girls. Not in a bad way though. The girls at his school were lovely, well most of them at least. He loved his mom dearly. El was his sister and he loved her. Max was one of his best friends and he loved her, but he didn’t really love them. The platonic kind of love, or the mother-son kind of love, or the sibling kind of love. Somehow though, Will knew what real love felt like, the romantic kind. And looking at someone you love makes you feel a certain haze.
Will glanced across the car. A boy with unruly brown hair sat adjacent to him. He gazed out the window, his brown eyes scanning over the barren desert that stretched for miles around them. Will followed his eyes out to the horizon. A beautiful mixture of colour that appeared to make a kind of lavender colour which coated the stretches of sand and dirt. Will wanted to paint the view through the window of the van, the ever so brilliant reds, and oranges, yellows, the light dust of baby blue, and the fine shine of a purple coming through it all. In front of it all the stunning mop of dark hair and pale skin that had been captured in all his drawings since he was 6 years old in kindergarten and sitting next to that same brown mop on a swing set.
Another thing Will realised is that jealousy is real. His incredibly powerful sister had been showered in kisses and attention ever since she first showed her face around here and especially when he was here to witness it in the summer of 85’. Will loved his sister and right now more than ever missed her so much but if there was anything right now he missed more than her it was her boyfriend. Sure Mike Wheeler was sitting next to Will but he couldn’t be further away if he tried.
And the last thing Will realised is how very deeply gay he is. It really took Jonathan pointing it out to him years ago that girls would throw themselves at Will and he simply just did not care. If you combine the first 2 things Will realised with his last realisation… Will Byers loves Mike Wheeler. Makes sense now doesn’t it.
I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me.
Mike tore his eyes away from the sandy dunes. Hazel eyes met brown ones. That haze started taking over Will’s body again. Mike’s gaze softened, tracing Will’s face with his eye’s.
“You were crying,” he said so softly you could have just missed it. He turned his whole body to face Will’s, placing his over over Will’s so it was resting on his knee. We’ve been here before haven’t we.
I find it dizzying.
Will’s brain came to complete halt the minute Mike’s hand came in contact with his own hand and his knee. He locked eyes with Mike.
He couldn’t feel emotion, just Mike.
Mike his best friend.
Mike who sat in a hospital bed at his side.
Mike who asked him to be his best friend on a swing set.
Mike who was dating his sister.
Mike who had hurt him multiple times.
Mike who was putting him in the fucking haze again.
Time was probably pasting way faster outside the haze but Will wasn’t. Will was stuck here starting into the brown swirls that were Mike’s eyes.
“Will we’re here,” Mike said softly, staring into his eyes. It hadn’t even occurred to Will that the van had stopped and Argyle and Jonathan were both gone. Fucking haze. Will opened the roller door, Mike’s hand on his back guiding him outside. “Will please talk to me, what happened? what's wrong? Why were you crying?”
“Mike!” Will suddenly turned around, he took a deep breath and continued, “can we please talk about this later.” Mike looked disappointed, Will avoided eye contact. They stumbled inside the lobby of the hotel, Mike trailing behind Will.
“Finally we were waiting for you two to finish your lovers quarrel-”
“Argyle shut up, Mike’s dating El.”
“Dude what the hell I thought these two were together the whole time, I mean except at the airport but I thought the awkward greeting was just pent up sexual te-”
“Dude shut up!” Jonathan finally cut Argyle off sending Will one of his sympathetic big brother looks. “OK, we have two rooms, who wants to go where?”
“I dibs with Jonathan!-”
“Will and I can go together-”
“Stop!” Jonathan interrupted both of them, “Will what do you want to do?”
Will was glad Jonathan was always looking out for him like this but he hated that he had to put him on the spot, “umm,” Will hesitated he knew he kind of had to room with Mike instead of Jonathan because there is no way Mike would survive the night in a room with Argyle. “Mike and I will go together.” Will saw out of the corner of his eye Mike look in his direction with a smile on his face, not that Will met his eye but it made him happy to know Mike still wanted to room with him.
Jonathan held out his hand with the key in it for Will to take with yet another sympathetic big brother look painted across his face. Will sent him a look back letting him know he was ok. Even stoned Jonathan was still a great brother.
Argyle slung his arm around Jonathan before another word could be exchanged, “night bro-ca-chos.”
Mike and Will simply shared a knowing look. And once again Will was getting lost in those brown eyes. Who knew brown could be such an interesting colour. Even when he was painting he always overlooked brown, it was such a basic colour but it could be found everywhere, even in the places you love, and the people you love.
Mike gently took the keys out of Will’s hand, holding it in front of his face so he could see the room number dangling off the little key chain the key was attached to. No more words were exchanged, just looks that communicated everything they needed to know. The comfort of simply just being able to communicate with Mike made these moments in between so peaceful. No nosy questions. Even if it is just for a little while.
The motel was massive, and it took them a while to find their room. Even if they may have already passed their room multiple times but they were too busy running up and down the hallways to notice, they wouldn’t know though. They arrived at room 7 a giggling and sweating mess, finally getting a laugh out of these dark times. Mike pressed the room key into the silver door knob flinging the door open and launching himself into the room Will not far behind.
Mike stopped. Will slammed into his back not expecting him to stop. The door slowly closed behind them with a slow click. A singular double bed in the middle of the room lay in front of them. Both boy’s dropped their backpacks with what was left of their belongings, without speaking they decided not to address the bed situation.
“I dibs first shower!” Will shouted pushing the taller boy out of the way and running into the
bathroom before Mike could get in another word. Will was starting to feel a bit more like his old self.
Will walked out of the bathroom fully dressed a few minutes later to quite a sight. Mike lay on their bed holding Will’s painting above his head, just simply staring at it. He turned his head when Will emerged from the bathroom, “took you long enough,” he spoke with a joking smile on his face. Mike stood up from the bed walking past Will into the bathroom.
Will walked over to their bed where Mike left the painting, his painting. Had Mike worked out what he really meant in the van yet? Knowing Mike probably not but you could never be sure, in the time they hadn’t seen each other he might have grown a few more brain cells.
Will went about the room, closing blinds, turning off the main lights and climbing into bed. Not that Will really could sleep, his brain was too busy thinking.
Mike came out of the bathroom shortly after and took his time going about his business before standing at the foot of their bed staring down at Will. “Umm Will?” Mike was talking to him but he was awkwardly staring down at his own feet, “can I sleep in the bed with you instead of on the floor?” he gazed up at Will with a hopeful kicked puppy sort of expression that made Will’s heart just melt.
“Mike there is no way I expected you to sleep on the floor,” a small sweet smile painted Will’s face, he pulled the covers back on the other side of the bed and patted the spot. Mike’s entire face lit up which made Will’s heart melt more if that was even possible.
Instead of walking around the bed to climb in the side Mike decided to crawl from the foot of the bed to the spot next to Will which causes the two of them to start giggling. He flopped down on his back and placed his hands on his chest but not before poking Will in the side.
Staring at the ceiling with you.
The pair lay in a peaceful silence. The dirty white roof of the motel became a piece of art the two of them gazed at. Will felt Mike shuffle next to him. He reached over and grabbed Will’s painting, which Will had moved onto the bedside table, and replaced staring at the roof with staring at Will’s painting. Will’s heart stuttered.
“I’m just going to talk for a while if that’s ok,” Mike said, not making eye contact with the brunette. Will murmured an ok back, and moved his eyes so he was viewing Mike’s side profile.
Get it off your chest.
“I think I understood what you were trying to say earlier today when you gave me this masterpiece,” Will could see Mike’s gaze soften as he spoke but he was still strictly looking at the painting. “And I really need to have a conversation with El because even if what you said in the van is what you actually meant-”
“Of course, I said exactly what I-”
“Will!” Mike placed the painting back on the bedside table and moved back so he was propped up on one arm positioned slightly above Will. “El knows nothing about D and D.”
Will didn’t think Mike would catch on to this lie. He only meant the best and just wanted to help Mike with his relationship. “I…” Will trailed off, he was at a loss for words. Will shifted positions so he was propped up on his elbows.
“I’m breaking up with El,” Mike said quite forcefully and very suddenly. Will noticed a pink tint coat Mike's cheeks. Both of them could feel a lot of tension surrounding the room “can I try something?” He spoke so quietly that you might have just missed it. Will could swear the room got warmer.
That lavender haze.
Will was entranced by Mike’s longing gaze. Endless brown swirls stared down at him with the softest possible look. It was only then that Will realised just how close they were, just 10 cm's between their noses. Will gave a small nod in response to Mike’s question. The haze came over Will again. That lavender haze. Mike’s eyes flicked down to glance at Will’s lips before he closed the gap between them.
Will froze. The kiss was over before he had time to process it. Mike’s eyes showed a look of pure terror but he didn’t back down waiting for Will to say or do something first. Even though Will wasn’t thinking he still thought to pull Mike back down into a real kiss.
Mike’s lips were slightly chapped but still held a beautiful delicacy, something Will would happily devour for the rest of his life, it was everything and more than he imagined. Lips moving softly but quickly against one another, wanting, needing each other.
Mike was so thrilled that his plan had worked, he was ever so scared that Will would push him away, unwanting of him, but he should have known better.
Will moved so one hand cupped Mike’s cheek and the other so it was resting on the side of his neck. He slowly laid back down so he was flat on the bed with Mike following his every move. Mike stayed balanced above Will resting on one arm the other hand trailing up and down his side.
The kiss got more desperate, lips moving faster, hands roaming. Will let out a soft moan which Mike captured with his lips. Will dragged his hands down Mike’s chest allowing his fingertips to touch every part of Mike he could.
That thing that old people feel. That thing that makes you crazy. Mike definitely felt it. Especially when Will made noises like that. Mike felt butterflies in his stomach. In the past Mike had always found kissing boring, it felt ok but it wasn’t that incredible feeling they describe in movies. Now, Mike definitely knew what that meant and he never wanted to stop. He never wanted to stop kissing Will.
Mike pulled away first. He didn’t go far away, hovering just above Will.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted you to do that for,” Will whispered, moving one of his hands back to cup Mike’s cheek.
Mike leaned in to his touch. “I love you,” Mike whispered back, taking a leap.
Will felt tears slip down his cheek. Mike rolled over onto his side pulling Will into his chest, wrapping him in warmth “I love you too Mike.”
I just wanna stay,
In that lavender haze.