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Will wakes up the way he’s woken up for the past week. All six feet of Mike Wheeler’s gangly limbs encompassing him like he’s trying to trap him with his body. A careful disentanglement so Mike doesn’t wake up and realize their positions and avoid him for a month. A sleeping Mike heavily disagreeing with disentanglement of any sort, often pushing back, sometimes grunting or whining in his sleep. Will forcing down a blush even though no one’s there to see it. This morning, he managed a morning pee after a successful extraction, only to be swallowed whole by Mike the second he returned to the bed. Usually, Will wakes up first, carefully removes himself, and then comes up with any excuse not to get back in bed so when Mike wakes up, he’s already gone and so is their awkward predicament. But today, Will got up to pee earlier than usual, and figured he’d probably still wake up before Mike anyways if he allowed himself to sink into his embrace and fall into a peaceful sleep. Neither of them acknowledges how they haven’t felt as well rested as they have recently in years.
When Will finally wakes back up, Mike is on the other side of the bed, sitting up and bright red in the face. Will tries to quell any visible symptoms of his panic as he turns to face him. “Hey. Good morning Will, how… how’d you sleep?” Will could read between the lines. What Mike really meant was, “Did you notice me sleep smothering you?” Will played nonchalant, “I slept really well actually. I even slept longer than you for once!” Mike’s blush deepened which Will really hadn’t thought was possible. Recently he’s become increasingly used to seeing Mike completely red in the face. Will briefly wonders if his blood pressure is acting up. Or maybe he’d gotten too much sun in the desert? “Y-yep! We should… probably go eat breakfast before the team meeting.” Will nodded in agreement and flung the covers off himself. To his surprise, he’d thrown off the shirt he borrowed from Mike amidst his sleep. Probably another nightmare. Mike’s face that was finally returning to its normal shade of porcelain quickly returned to a concerning shade of scarlet. Will guessed it’s because he spent the morning cuddling a shirtless Will while probably dreaming about El or Phoebe Cates or something. Will got up and stretched, arms above his head, and rolled his neck, oblivious to Mike’s wandering eyes and dropped jaw. “Did you happen to see where your shirt ended up? I should probably get redressed.” Mike was not a fan of this idea, if his response was any indication, a shouted, “No!” Will raised his eyebrow at him only to find Mike’s own eyes elsewhere. These shared living situations were making it increasingly hard to stop playing Will’s favorite game, “What’s Mike Wheeler’s Sexuality?” like he promised himself he would. It only ever led to obvious explanations and disappointment. “Just… go downstairs shirtless?” he teased he the top of Mike’s head. To his surprise that head nods. “Y-yeah. Or… you know… I can uh… bring the food up here.” Mike steps impossibly closer, until they are close enough for Will’s chest to brush his if he inhaled deeply enough. His eyes were still traversing all over Will’s exposed form. “You look hot. I mean, like it’s hot.” Mike gulps. “Downstairs.” In a burst of courage amidst Mike’s obviously flustered state, Will lifts him by his bright red chin with a finger, forcing Mike to make eye contact. “I thought heat rises?” he teased. Mike’s dark eyes looked even darker than usual, as they widened in the shock of being caught making no sense. “I don’t- um. Not in the Wheeler house?” the end rose like a question, causing Will to stifle his laugh. “Mm.” He nodded like this made sense, and neither of them made a move to step out of the electric field clouding them both in Will’s personal space. Mike swallowed again, his eyes flitting from Will’s mouth, to his broad shoulders, his biceps, to his tan stomach that suddenly had abs. Mike felt his hands twitch at his sides with the effort to not grab onto Will’s hips. He could feel his heart thrashing wildly against his chest, and the warmth on his cheeks that he prayed wasn’t as obvious as it felt. Without his consent, Mike felt himself move even closer, practically on top of Will by this point. He brushed a stray golden-brown bang out of his face, trying and failing to tuck it gently behind his ear, eyes still trained on his impeccably soft looking lips.
This seemed to break Will from his trance, as he abruptly stepped back and cleared his throat, going to Mike’s closet and picking a shirt at random, aggressively avoiding eye contact. They sat through a tense breakfast consisting of stale cereal, Will pointedly ignoring Mike’s burning gaze on the side of his face. At this point, Will is nearly positive that Mike is messing with him. What the hell was that hair behind the ear move? It’s starting to piss him off. Making fun of Will because he figured out long ago that he doesn’t like girls, while he’s been dating his sister, mind you? Will never expected Mike to have this cruelty in him. Did he figure out which boy in particular that Will wanted? Did he just like the attention? After putting his clean bowl in the sink, he stormed down to Jonathan’s makeshift room in the basement, not ready to face Mike. Only allowing himself a brief moment of shock when he heard Mike’s socked feet trailing after him. He continued walking down the stairs anyways, not sparing a backwards glance. Mike rushed down after him, nearly collapsing into Will after picking up momentum on the last few steps, breathing raggedly. “Will, are you okay?” He sounded genuinely worried, like Will coming to the basement instead of Mike’s room signaled the end of the world (that was already happening all around them). Will stepped back a few inches before replying, “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Mike noted with a sinking stomach that he still wouldn’t make eye contact with him. Mike stepped towards him again, closing the distance Will had purposely implemented. Mike Wheeler, ignoring social cues since 1971. “Are you sure?” he asked again, in that soft voice that Max had pointed out before he left for California, sending him down another “What is Mike Wheeler’s Sexuality?” spiral. Will just nodded and swallowed, walking into the basement bathroom for some reprieve. He splashed some water on his face, no real need to relieve himself from anything but Mike’s constant presence. The best gift and the worst curse. When he came back out Mike was practically on top of the bathroom door, causing Will to bump into him, bodies flush together. He looked up at Mike, once again a newly familiar shade of crimson, hands flat on his chest and allowed himself exactly three seconds to indulge before pushing himself back into the safety of the bathroom. Mike somehow still didn’t get the message, and followed him in. “Why’d you come all the way down here to use the bathroom?” He questioned, voice soft but a little scratchy in a way Will could find himself addicted to. “This bathroom was closer; we were in the kitchen, Mike.” Will shrugged, but he still felt the heat radiating through his entire being from the exiting-the-bathroom fiasco. Will saw Mike’s delicately arched brows furrow, and realized he probably noticed the lack of a toilet flush, standing as close to the door as he was. Will approached him for once, causing Mike’s breath to audibly hitch, only to put his hands on Mike’s shoulders and move him out of his way, using the basement stairs as an escape route once more.
Mike resisted the urge to follow him, which felt impossible, like trying to force yourself not to breathe. His body gave in and he trailed after him, there was no other reason for him to be in the basement, anyways. By the time he got upstairs everyone was crowding by the front door, preparing for the drive to Hopper’s cabin for the team meeting. He met Jonathan’s skeptical look with a quick aversion of eye contact. Will was way too far away from Mike for comfort, but how was Mike supposed to get to him through this sea of adults without arousing further suspicion? He opted for an intense stare instead, bouncing on his feet in preparation to chase after him and get in whatever car Will chose today. He chose Steve’s car, the smallest of the bunch, and by the time Mike trailed after him, much to his chagrin, the car was full. He let out a huff of annoyance causing Steve to notice him. “Just sit on his lap, Wheeler, we got places to be.” Steve mentioned this (miraculously without noticing the violent change in face shade on both teenage boys). Nancy rolled her eyes next to Will. “Come on, Mike. Seriously? You’re such a baby sometimes.” She tugged his arm until he was fully seated on Will, ducking his neck uncomfortably because of his unnatural height. Will looked out the window and tried to focus on anything but the heat of Mike, as in Mike, Mike sitting on top of him like it was something pulled out of his fantasies. Mike craned his neck even more impossibly trying to get Will to look at him. When he realized that wasn’t going to work, he whispered in his ear, breath warm, (and in that tone of voice again). “Am I hurting you?” Will just shook his head, not trusting himself to speak, and pressed even further into the safety of the window. After an agonizingly perfect ride to Hopper’s cabin Mike remained perched on Will’s lap despite everyone else emptying out of the car. Will tapped him lightly, “Mike? Wanna get off of me?” he tried to joke but worried his voice revealed how much he didn’t want him to do that. “Not necessarily. You’re kind of a good seat. But I will if I must,” Mike sighed dramatically like getting off of Will was the hardest task he’s ever faced, making Will’s giggles intensify when he hit his head on the roof of the car trying to get out. Will stood much more gracefully, adjusting his pants casually to hide the evidence of his enjoyment. Mike hadn’t taken his eyes off of him, though, and met his eyes with a teasing glint, eyebrow raised in a way that had Will’s heart speeding up moments after finally calming down. Will needed to get back to his plan of avoiding Mike, stat. He averted eye contact and walked in before Mike, not checking to see if he was following behind. He was pretty sure he was.
Mike did indeed trail after him and proceeded to sit way closer than necessary. Will chalked it up to his anxieties about losing Will to the Upside Down, but it was getting a little excessive in his humble opinion. He was lost in his mind, replaying the tantalizing events of this morning on a loop, both loving and hating it. Mike squeezed his leg, just above his knee, to get his attention and then nodded towards the rest of the team all staring at him. “Um... sorry I zoned out a little. What was the question?” Will felt caught, like somehow everyone knew what he’d been thinking about. “I was asking if you’ve felt anything different from Vecna since the last meeting, kid,” Hopper’s gruff voice echoed and boomed through the cabin. “Oh… Um, no, nothing new. I can just tell he’s weak and he’s hurting. So, I think we should make our attack fast.” Will tried to keep his nerves out of his voice, but he felt Mike’s concerned eyes on him anyways. “What do ya think about coming with me? You know more about all this stuff than any of us, and you have a connection that could help tip us off to any changes,” Hopper asked, voice a little softer than before. Before Will could contemplate his answer and open his mouth, Mike was shouting. “No! No way Will’s going back down there, are you crazy?!” Will watched in embarrassment as he approached Hopper angrily. “I didn’t ask you.” Mike narrowed his eyes and Hopper crossed his arms, turning to look at Will expectantly. “Well, kid?” Will was terrified, of course he was, but he was getting so tired of everyone treating him like some delicate little baby. That’s what pushed him to say, “Yeah. I’ll go. It makes sense,” he shrugged but saw Mike and Joyce whip their heads toward him in unison, matching looks of shock and terror. “Will, what the hell?! You’re not going back down there. Someone else go and he can tell you about Vecna through a fucking walkie. This is ridiculous,” Mike was still yelling, now crossing the room from Hopper to Will. “Mike, calm down. Will can handle himself,” Nancy stage whispered as he passed her, earning a middle finger devoid of eye contact in response. “I want to go, Mike. It’s not really your choice,” Will’s annoyance was building towards the overprotectiveness everyone had towards him all the time. “Bullshit. There’s no way you want to go back down there. You’re not going.” Will almost wanted to laugh, faced with the stern expression on Mike’s face. “Yes, I am. When do you want to go, Hop?” Will turned to find the group looking at him and Mike with confusion, like they were trying to solve a puzzle that didn’t have all the pieces. Welcome to Will’s world. “Would you be ready by tomorrow night? I think the sooner the better.” “I want to come too. I’m a great shot, I can take care of myself and you guys,” Nancy stated calmly, determination stained on her face. Will smiled at her in thanks, “Tomorrow night,” he confirmed.
After a painfully awkward and silent car ride home, with Nancy sitting on Jonathan’s lap this time to avoid further tension, Will did not want to go back to Mike’s room. Mike, who has been glaring at him angrily since Will’s choice to help. Does he really think Will is so weak that he can’t protect himself? Mike probably didn’t even know Will could shoot a gun. So, Will snuck down to the basement, hoping for some solace. For once, Mike didn’t follow him, evidently too pissed. Will found a journal with a few empty pages at the back and grabbed the colored pencils Mike kept for him here, smiling to himself when they were in the exact same spot he always remembered them in. Will spent most of the evening drawing everything that came to mind, and if some of that included portraits of one Mike Wheeler that he'd have to thoroughly crumble, that was nobody’s business but his own. Around midnight, Jonathan kicked Will out, gently explaining that he was already sharing his “room” with Argyle and they needed to go to sleep. Will just nodded, anxiety furling around his stomach with every step. He secretly hoped Mike would already be asleep by the time he got to his room. While Will was debating knocking, the door swung open, revealing a disheveled looking Mike. Bags under his puffy eyes like he’d been crying. What had he been up to while Will was having his drawing marathon? He handed some of his folded clean clothes to Will, and said “You can shower first,” gently but laced with heavy exhaustion.
Once they were both showered and in bed, Mike’s lamp the only source of light in the room, the awkward silence hovered over them like a thick fog. “Will-” Mike started. Will turned to look at him, trying not to revel in the way his curls looked when wet. “Yeah?” he answered, matching Mike’s soft tone. “Can you please not go tomorrow?” He pleaded with wide eyes, fear etched deep into his face. “Please?” And if anything could make Will cave it would be a freshly showered Mike Wheeler saying please to him in that tone of voice and looking at him like that. He never thought he’d be comparing Mike Wheeler to a puppy, but he guesses there’s a first time for everything. Still, he held his ground, knowing the solemnity of the situation. “Mike, I have to. I can help. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.” Will watched Mike’s hopeful expression crumble and felt like the worst person in the world. “I’m sorry,” he added in a whisper. “Don’t be sorry. You’re the bravest person I know. I just-” Mike’s beautiful eyes were brimming with tears, hitting Will directly in the heart. “I really don’t want to lose you again. I can’t. I can’t,” as he started crying harder Will took him into his arms, letting Mike cry into his shoulder while he rubbed his back comfortingly. “You’re not going to lose me, Mike. Everything’s gonna be okay. It’s almost over,” Will whispered, trying to console him. Mike pulled back and looked up at him, tears clinging to his lashes. “If you’re going, I’m coming too.” And the way Mike’s jaw set when he said it made Will know he’d already made up his mind on this. He nodded and said, “Together.” Mike wiped at his eyes. And if Mike fell asleep in Will’s arms tonight instead of the other way around, neither boy mentioned it the next morning. Mike slept as soundly as he can remember ever sleeping, tomorrow night’s plans be damned.
Now, after a tedious day of preparation and a hilarious exchange between Mike and Hopper at his insistence upon coming despite his total lack of coordination or any self defense skills, Mike and Will stood in Mike’s room, about to leave with Nancy to meet Hopper and execute their plan. Will rifled through Mike’s closet, looking for one more bandana. “Will?” Will felt his eyes soften at Mike’s tone of voice and internally scolded himself. He discarded his bandana hunt for the time being, opting instead to look at his beautiful best friend. “Yeah?” Will looked at how Mike wrung his hands, an anxious habit he’d picked up over the years and absentmindedly offer him his own. Mike started playing with his fingers instead, neither boy acknowledging the physical contact. “Can you… Can you promise not to leave my sight down there?” Mike’s voice was impossibly small, and he was steadfastly refusing to make eye contact. Will understood that his trauma had also traumatized others, the fears of losing him or him dying overtaking those closest to him. “I’ll do my best,” he squeezed Mike’s hand. “Why not promise?” Mike looked up at him with a pout gracing his features, lower lip jutted out in defiance. “I can’t entirely promise that. What if I have to run? Or… I don’t know, he takes me or something. I don’t want to lie to you,” Will felt bad even mentioning these things, not wanting Mike’s worries to worsen, but he didn’t know how else to explain. Mike’s eyes pierced Will’s with a determination, “I won’t let him.” Will tried not to laugh or recall the conversation with Hopper where they’d deducted that Mike has absolutely no fighting capabilities, and instead offered a polite smile. Despite Mike’s lack of physical strength, he was the smartest person Will knew, and he knew he would do anything to keep him safe, so he still felt extremely comforted by his presence regardless.
After a lingering hug with their moms and promises to be careful, they got in Nancy’s car to be driven to Hopper’s cabin, Mike opting to sit in the back with Will instead of in the front seat, earning a curious stare from Nancy, who got a glare in return. The ride was mostly silent, everyone thinking too much about the looming future to make conversation. Hopper met them outside with three guns, making Mike scoff. “Will doesn’t know how to shoot a gun either, why does he get one?” Will and Hopper shared a glance before Will grabbed the gun from Hopper. As he walked back towards Mike, he replied, “Actually, I’m a pretty good shot. Guess there’s still some things you don’t know about me, Mike.” Mike blushed furiously and Nancy looked at them funnily again, starting to freak Mike out a little. Was he being too obvious? Probably.
Hopper drove to the nearest gate that was big enough, ironically at Lover’s Lake. Will tried to ignore Mike’s stare as he stripped off his shirt to jump in, missing the way Hopper glared at Mike, clearing his throat to break his trance. Mike followed immediately after Will, practically jumping on top of him once Hopper interrupted his longing. Nancy went first, not showing any hesitation despite the tense way her shoulders sat, and Hopper jumped in last, making sure his gun and ammo came with him. Mike immediately felt sick as he looked around the Upside Down, picturing young Will here, alone and afraid, shivering and hungry and terrified for an entire week. He tapped him to check in, finding Will probably having similar memories. Mike leaned down to whisper in his ear, “I’m sorry,” and Will gave him a small smile in return. The moment was broken as Nancy started firing her gun at an influx of bats right near the seam, calling to Will for a little help. Mike was embarrassed to find his jaw dropping open and his heart hammering against his chest at the determined stare Will got as he positioned his arms and perfectly shot down a bat on the first try. Hopper looked at him pointedly again as he joined them. “You better stay focused down here, kid.” He said it gruffly but Mike could hear the underlying worry in his tone. “I will,” Mike said defensively, using a lot of his effort to not go back to staring at Will shooting a gun. Why was this so hot to him? Hopper rolled his eyes and went to finish off the last few bats circling them, leaving Mike to gape a little longer in awe of his best friend that had suddenly become a man. Mike wondered if he stayed up at night thinking about things like he did. He shivered at the thought, as Will settled back next to him. “Are you cold?” He asked with a frown. Mike considered lying on the off-chance Will would discard his shirt again but opted for a shrug instead.
The boys walked close enough that their hands would brush, shooting electricity up both of their arms each time, allowing themselves to trail slightly behind Nancy and Hopper, but not enough that they couldn’t see them. Mike suddenly hit Will’s side to get his attention, “Hey, you really are a good shot.” He wondered if Will could detect the admiration dripping from his tone. “I don’t like doing it, but I am weirdly good,” Will shrugged, but Mike noticed the way his jaw tensed at the thought. Mike realized with a burning in his stomach that it was probably Lonnie who had taught him or caused him to need to teach himself. “You’re just good at everything. So annoying,” Mike joked in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood. Will just rolled his eyes. “No, seriously, you are. You’re the best artist ever, the best brother, the best friend, you do everything so well,” Mike was more serious this time, not realizing how his words cut to Will’s core. Because he didn’t feel like a good brother, to be this in love with his sister’s ex-boyfriend, and he wasn’t a good best friend, considering his best friend was the one he was in love with. “I’m not… as good as you think.” Mike gasped like the thought of Will not seeing himself as perfectly as he saw him was unheard of. “Will, why would you say that?” He sounded almost personally offended. Will struggled for what to say, not wanting to lie. “Like I said… you don’t know everything about me,” he mimicked his flirty sentence from earlier, this time in a much more somber way. Mike just scoffed, “Bullshit.” Will almost laughed, thinking about just how much Mike didn’t know, but he wanted to change the subject as quick as possible.
Only when he looked back up from his feet, he realized Hopper and Nancy were no longer in their view. “Fuck, Mike. We lost Hop and Nancy,” Will was already starting to panic. Mike grabbed his arm gently, grounding him. “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll just walk a little faster. I’m sure they’re just up there.” His voice was still so impossibly sweet, making Will want to scream a little or maybe light something on fire. But before they could even try to catch up, a demo dog jumped out in front of them, making both boys recoil in surprise. Will reached for his gun behind his back, watching in pure terror as Mike jumped in front of him out of pure instinct, with nothing to defend himself but Steve’s spiked bat. “Mike! What the hell?!” He shoved him out of the way, just as the demo dog launched, earning himself a bite in the leg before he could shoot it. “Fuck,” he gritted out, and Mike turned in utter despair to see he’d gotten Will hurt. Will shot the dog till it was beyond dead, and they started to run (as much as Will could manage to) in the other direction, worried there were more were that one came from. “I’m so sorry Will, so fucking sorry. That was all my fault,” Mike called out desperately, feeling miserable. “Mike, it’s fine, just don’t do stupid stuff like that,” Will replied, only mildly agitated by his friend’s antics. “I just freaked out. I just. Really need you to be okay,” Mike was panting by now, and his eyes were begging Will to understand something that for once he didn’t. Their disconnect had grown to the point they couldn’t read each other easily anymore, and something about that made Will feel hollow inside before he answered.
“Really Mike, it’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to; it was my fault for not having the gun in my hands already anyway,” Will did his best to reassure despite the throbbing in his leg. “Bullshit, that was definitely not your fault.” Mike sounded so sure, Will couldn’t help but tease, “Michael. New topic.” They dodged branches in vines, still making their way through the forest in the path they guessed Nancy and Hopper were on, but now at more of a speed walking pace. “Okay, William. How was California?” And oh. Will hadn’t expected this. How does he explain that he felt every mile between them? That he missed Mike like he was a vital part of him that he’d left behind. “It was…fine. Nothing like Hawkins.” Will had met some people that seemed more like him. More open to being themselves in a bigger city. “Just fine? El said in a letter that you… that you met a girl you liked.” At this, Will promptly tripped over a vine, earning a few scrapes around his forehead and cheek, and a seething pain in his leg from the bite. “Holy shit, Will are you okay?” Mike was squatting next to him in a matter of seconds. He huffed out a laugh, “Yes, I just… tripped.” He tried not to think about how he’d gotten more outward injuries in the first 20 minutes here than he’d gotten in a whole week that fateful fall. “Let’s try to find one of our houses, so I can clean you up.” Mike suggested, offering a hand to help Will up. Will took it, secretly grateful for the lapse in what was going to be a very awkward conversation. Where the hell had El gotten that from? He was going to have a talk with her when all of this was over. Will winced as he put more pressure on his leg. “Does it really hurt?” Mike asked, and the way his eyes widened like Will’s pain was his pain had Will shaking his head, “It’s not that bad.” Mike hit his chest playfully, weird airport hug truly a thing of the past. “Friends don’t lie, William.” Will rolled his eyes teasingly. “Oh, is that so?” He looked at Mike in a way that told him he knew he lied too. “Used to be. So hey, tell me about the California girl. We were interrupted by your lack of ability to walk, something toddlers all across America do successfully every day.” Will felt his stomach sink, he should’ve known stubborn Mike Wheeler would bring this back up. He couldn’t help but snort at his last comment though, “Only America? No foreign toddlers can walk?” Mike laughed, eyes crinkling adorably and making Will forget what a horrible place they were in. Maybe he wouldn’t be nearly as traumatized had Mike been down here with him. But he would never wish that on anyone, especially not Mike. “Stop deflecting. What’s her name?” Will briefly wondered back to their fight in the rain, so long ago but as fresh in his mind as the bite on his leg. “It’s not my fault you don’t like girls!” Why would he ask this? Didn’t he already know? “Mike.” He leveled him with a stare. Apparently Mike’s ability to read him was just as off as his to read Mike, because he just furrowed his brow in confusion with a, “What?” Will felt dread in his stomach at the implications of explaining that he didn’t like a girl. But he would feel just as dreadful to lie. “I… There wasn’t a girl. I don’t know where El got that from,” Will tried to keep his voice light and casual. Mike chuckled in a way that sounded awfully close to relief, but Will knew his ears loved Mike just as much as the rest of him did.
“And here I was, thinking Will Byers had left and grown all up. All manly and muscular, with his first girlfriend that he didn’t even tell me about.” Mike joked, while Will felt himself blush at the description of him as muscular and manly. “I still did all the other things. Just no… no girlfriend.” His voice trailed off a little at the last word, it felt foreign and weird on his tongue. “Well, was there someone you were interested in over there?” Someone? No specific gender. Did this mean something? Will was really not enjoying this game of grill your closeted best friend on his romantic life. “Nope. I was mainly focusing on getting El through the days, and painting.” He hoped he sounded casual. Mike’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of the painting. “My painting?” He asked, sounding way too pleased with himself. “No, the painting I did for the foreign babies. You know, since they can’t walk and all,” Will joked, avoiding the question. “So charitable. Who knew?” Will met his eyes with a teasing glint, because everyone in Hawkins knew of Will’s generosity. As much of a fact as the sky being blue (when they weren’t in the Upside Down, that is).
“I think if we turn here, Hopper’s cabin shouldn’t be too far away.” Will knew Mike was right, but let him lead anyhow, knowing how he liked to feel useful. “I’ll follow you, just guide us there, Paladin,” Will would have been embarrassed bringing up D&D after everything, but Dustin told him about the new club they’d joined. After a mild temper tantrum and narrowly avoiding ripping up Mike’s stupid painting, he decided to add it to the growing list of things he’d have to forgive Mike Wheeler for. Mike’s cheeks seemed to tint with pink at the nickname, but again, Will knew he was an unreliable narrator. They arrived at the darkened, ghoulish version of Hopper’s cabin faster than Will expected, too busy watching Mike to notice his surroundings too well. Mike led him into Hopper’s bathroom, and Will decided not to ask how he knew where that was. He rifled through the cabinets for a first aid kit like he owned the place, something akin to affection clawing through Will’s chest. It almost hurt more than his leg. “Aha!” Mike waved the white kit around victoriously, seeming genuinely ecstatic to find it. He grabbed Will’s waist firmly and moved him so his back was facing the counter, Will pretended he wasn’t melting at the touch. “Here, sit up here.” Will knew he could patch himself up, but he kind of wanted to relish in Mike’s touch. He’s selfish like that. Not as good as Mike thinks. Not as good as anyone thinks.
Mike suddenly blushed furiously, and Will wondered what was causing it this time. Had he had a dirty thought about El? “Um… you might have to… like… take off your pants?” Oh. Will’s jaw dropped open. “Um yeah, okay I’m just gonna do it myself, I can reach.” Will moved to get off the counter, but Mike stepped between his legs and held him in place. “Please let me. It’s my fault you got hurt, I wanna help you feel better. Please?” He pleaded to him with those eyes again and Will was sighing and unbuttoning his pants before he’d consciously made a decision. He realized with a start that he was wearing a borrowed pair of Mike’s boxers, something that almost made him explode the first time he thought of the implications. They were blue and white checkered, and comfy enough to make Will consider stealing them. Mike just stared at him, seemingly lost in thought as Will returned to his space on the counter, feeling extremely awkward. At least Mike didn’t like boys, this probably wasn’t weird for him at all. Mike was, in fact, having extreme brain malfunctions as he looked at Will, wearing his boxers. As in the boxers he has worn before. And now Will is wearing them. Mike’s brain felt like it was sizzling. Will cleared his throat awkwardly, “Seriously Mike, I can just do it myself, it’s fine.” He moved to grab the first aid kit that hung loosely at Mike’s side. “No!” Mike clutched it to his chest defiantly, and Will decided against arguing. It was already awkward enough. Mike finally trailed his eyes down from below Will’s hips to his leg, inhaling sharply through his nose at the bite. “Does it look really bad?” Will winced, too scared to look yet. “No, not too bad. I’ll fix you up in no time,” Mike smiled up at him and Will tried to memorize it to sketch later.
He grabbed a washcloth from under Hopper’s sink and wet it, heading back towards Will. “Here you can squeeze my hand, this might sting a little,” Mike set his hand palm up on Will’s thigh, sparking electricity through both boys. Will put his hand in Mike’s wordlessly, gulping. “Okay, you ready?” He nodded. Already tensing in expectation. Mike wiped as gently as he could, but Will was squeezing his hand like it was a lifeline, making Mike flinch in empathetic pain. “Almost done,” he reassured, though they both knew the disinfectant would hurt worse, and that was next. He paused, giving Will a break between the pain. “You okay?” he asked in the tone of voice that he uses way too often Will realizes, now that he’d had it pointed out to him. “Yeah, you can keep going.” He tried to keep the fear out of his voice, but he knows Mike caught on anyways by the way his eyes flicked between Will’s. “Okay,” Mike poured the disinfectant over Will’s large bite, making him hiss in pain. As soon as Mike set down the bottle, he offered his hand back to Will. He rubbed his thumb along the back of Will’s hand soothingly, “That was the worst part, and now it's over.” He offered him a smile and Will was feeling much too exposed, both emotionally and outwardly. Mike gently put some ointment on it, and then bandaged it, and then wrapped it in gauze and medical tape. He worked meticulously, as gently as Will’s ever seen him do anything, regarding him like he was something precious. It broke a small piece of Will, knowing that could never really be true.
When he finished, he stood up and slapped his hands on his legs awkwardly, and Will wondered if it would be weird for him to immediately pull his pants back up, would it emphasize that he’d been thinking about it since they came off? Before he could ponder this for too long, Mike stepped in between his legs again, face way too close to Will’s for comfort. Will looked at him in confusion and Mike gestured to his forehead, and Will remembered the tripping and scraping with a sigh. Having Mike that close to his face would definitely be an issue. “I can do my face.” Mike slumped his shoulders and whined, “Will, would you stop being difficult for five minutes? Just let me help you.” Mike stepped closer again and Will tensed, sliding to the side of him and hopping off the counter, landing only on his uninjured leg. He reached for the kit, which Mike held above his stupidly tall head. “You won’t even be able to see where the cuts are. You’re being ridiculous.” Will tried to hop and grab it without getting too close to Mike, it was not working. He always felt like he was too close to Mike. “I can guess. Come on, Mike give it.” Mike frowned, box still above his head. “Why don’t you want me to do it?” And Will was not prepared to answer that question, the truth being “When you get too close to me I get flustered and I’m afraid I’ll do something stupid like kiss you because I’m so in love with you it’s embarrassing,” he decided on a shrug.
Mike stepped forward, Will stepped backward. Mike frowned, stepping forward again. Will stepped back until his back met the wall. “Why are you afraid to be close to me?” Mike sounded genuinely devastated at this conclusion, making Will’s guilt triple, a feat he didn’t think possible. “I- I’m…” Will struggled for any words, wondering where Nancy and Hopper were, and if they could please save him. Who knew the scariest part of the Upside Down would be Mike Wheeler and his relentless questions? Mike searched Will’s eyes, then stepped back and nodded, seeming to have come to a conclusion of his own. “You figured it out,” he said, so quietly it was almost to himself. “F-figured what out?” Will’s voice was raspy with fear. “I’m sorry. I tried to stop. I never want to make you uncomfortable. I’m so sorry Will. I understand if you don’t want to be friends anymore,” Mike had tears slipping down his face now and Will couldn’t help but feel he missed something of grand importance. He walked toward Mike, the need to comfort stronger than the need to flee. “Mike, what are you talking about?” Mike looked up at him, confused and teary eyed. “You- you did figure it out, right? That’s what this is about?” He gestured between them. “I didn’t figure anything out, Mike. Can you please tell me what’s going on? Why would I want to stop being your friend? Why are you crying?” Will rubbed his arm encouragingly. “Oh my God, I’m such an idiot.” Mike buried his face in his hands, and Will could tell he was still crying by the way his shoulders bobbed up and down rhythmically. “Don’t call yourself that,” he said with a frown. “We don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to. But it might help? I’m always here if you want to talk, you know that, right Mike?” Will tried his best to soothe, unsure of the right move when he didn’t know what problem he was trying to solve.
“Not always. You never called from California,” Mike said from behind his hands, crying steadying out a little bit. Will winced. “I’m sorry. But to be fair, neither did you,” Will wasn’t letting him forget that just because of a few tears. “Yes, I did.” Mike removed his hands from his face, looking at Will with a serious look, like he was telling the truth. “I called you almost every day for the first few months, then when you never called back, I kind of got the message.” Will’s heart sped up at the new information, wondering how he’d missed all those calls. “Oh, shit. Joyce’s telemarketing job. She’s always hogging the phone line,” Will said in understanding. “Yeah,” Mike sniffed, “So I figured you’d call me when she was off the phone. But you never did,” Will felt more guilt flood him. “Is that why you’re upset? Because I didn’t call?” Will asks, using the tone of voice Mike uses with him but for basic things like what cereal he wants. Mike quickly looks away. “Promise you won’t hate me?” Will almost laughed. He couldn’t hate Mike if he tried. He knows, because he has tried before. “Mike, I could never hate you.” He said, trying to keep his praises short lest he confess his undying love. Mike nodded and swallowed nervously. “I… I thought you didn’t want to be around me because… because you figured out…” Mike was fully crying again, words coming out in between deep heaves of his chest. “Figured out what?” Will prompted softly. “Figured out that I… that I like boys. The way I’m supposed to like girls. Figured out that I…” He finally turned to look at Will, who’s mouth was dropped open in shock. “That I’m in love with you.” He swallowed and Will felt his world tilt on its axis, as if it wasn’t already upside down. “I thought you figured it out and you were uncomfortable. I know it’s not normal, it’s weird, really weird, and I’m sorry. I tried to stop but I can’t,” He broke off into another sob.
Will rushed forward to capture him in a hug, Mike craning his neck to lean onto his shoulder. Will rubbed his back soothingly, “Oh, Mike.” Will pulled back to look him in the eyes for this. “I was acting weird because I’m in love with you. I was scared if you got too close I’d make it obvious, or do something stupid like try to…” Will trailed off, suddenly sheepish. Mike was beaming brighter than Will had ever seen him smile, fresh tears still wet on his face, and it tugged at his heart. “Try to what?” Mike said with a teasing glint once his mind caught up. Will shoved him playfully. “Try to kiss you. I’ve been dying to kiss you.” Mike’s breath hitched and he stepped impossibly closer, cradling Will’s face in his hands. “Please do. Kiss me,” He practically breathed. And Will got on his tip toes to kiss Mike, lips connecting and sending shocks throughout his entire body. When they pulled apart for air, Mike gestured for him to sit back on the counter. He returned to that spot between his legs, placing his hands on Will’s thighs and squeezing gently. “Still want to kiss me?” He asks teasingly, but with a bit of worry to it. “So bad,” Will replied as he grabbed his face and pulled him towards him. Will threaded his fingers through Mike’s gorgeous hair, like he’s always dreamed of doing, and when Mike licked the seam of his lips he accidentally tugged, hard. Mike let out a groan that made Will’s body light up with want. “Sorry,” he whispered. Mike’s eyes were dark and large, like black holes. “It’s okay. I… obviously liked it,” Mike whispered back, blush crowding his entire face and neck.
Mike dove back in, kissing Will hungrily liked he’d been waiting his whole life. Maybe he had. He used his hand to pull Will’s mouth open more by the chin, letting his tongue explore Will’s mouth. When their tongues brushed together a similar noise escaped from Will’s throat, but he was too far gone to be embarrassed about it, especially when Mike’s hand on his thigh gripped him more tightly at the sound. He slid his hand under the boxers, feeling Will’s soft thigh and making him shiver. “God,” he exhaled shakily, want consuming him whole. Mike kissed him deeply one more time, then pulled away only to attack his neck with kisses, sucking harshly and coaxing more noises out of Will. Will tapped him repeatedly after a particularly loud whine. “Mike,” he gasped. “Yeah?” Mike’s voice was rough and scratchy, deeper than Will had ever heard it. It went straight below the equator. “You gotta, you gotta stop. I can’t…” Will struggled to explain himself. “You don’t want to go any further in the Upside Down?” Mike faked a pout, but Will just tensed at the thought of going further. He loved this boy so much it hurt. Mike could read his mind again, because he shared a grin that made Will feel like he had warm bath water running over him. He moved to put his pants back on, acutely embarrassed of the bulge in Mike’s underwear. Mike eyed him thirstily, mouth agape, and then looked back up at Will. “You’re…” he gestured toward Will’s lower half, making his blush deepen, “in my boxers.” Will wriggled uncomfortably, “Yeah, sorry,” he chuckled lightly. “Don’t be sorry, that’s so fucking hot. Oh my God, I think you’re killing me. I’m gonna die. Cause of death: Not the Upside Down, but William Byers.” Will rolled his eyes affectionately, but his heart felt lighter than it had in ages. “Can I fix up your forehead now? Please?” Mike asked sweetly, and Will sighed. “I guess. But then you have to stop touching me before we go hangout with my Dad and your sister,” Will argued. Mike scrunched up his nose in disgust at the mention of the other two, but nodded, “Deal.” Mike stole at least thirty kisses throughout his cleaning of about 5 minor cuts. Will feigned annoyance, but he felt so happy he could float in midair.
And if Will and Mike finally figured everything out amidst demodog bites and Upside Down emergency first care, they might blur the story a bit to the others. But they both knew. Neither could ever forget, their love story etched in their brains, in Mike’s journals, on Will’s canvases, forever.