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“Seriously, it’s not a big deal,” Mike groaned, walking into their bedroom.
Will angrily followed him, crossing his arms. “Not a big-?” Will’s eyes widened. “You’re shitting me, right?”
“I don’t think it’s a big deal,” Mike shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re freaking out.”
Will was beside himself. He had no idea how he was going to get Mike to understand, when he simply couldn’t. “Mike, you let a bunch of cheerleaders basically give you lap dances!”
“It didn’t mean anything,” Mike defended. “That’s just what happens at frat parties!”
“If you wanted that kind of attention, you could have just come to me,” Will said. “You know, your boyfriend?”
Mike rolled his eyes. “I didn’t want anything from them! God, you’re overreacting.”
Will started to cry. “Sometimes, I can’t stand you.”
Mike nodded. “Cool. Then, I’ll leave.”
“What?” Will cried.
“You don’t want me here, so I’ll get out of your hair,” Mike said, packing a bag.
“Mike, come on,” Will tried. “You can’t just leave when we’re having an argument.”
Mike sighed. “I think we’re done talking.”
The door slams behind Mike, leaving Will a sobbing mess. His worst fears were finally coming true. Mike wanted things that Will couldn’t provide. He was just going to have to live with not being enough for him.
-
Sure, Mike Wheeler isn’t known for having the brightest ideas. But, showing up unannounced at Jonathan and Nancy’s Boston apartment at 11 p.m. might be one of his worst.
“Mike, what are you doing here?” Jonathan asked, opening the door. His face was completely neutral.
Mike shrugged. “I needed to see you,” he said. “And, I needed space from Will.”
“If you hurt him again, you’re in the wrong place,” Jonathan said.
“We got into a really huge fight,” Mike informed him. “I don’t know what to do.”
Jonathan stepped aside to allow Mike entry. He followed his brother-in-law to the living room and sat down across from him on the couch.
“Where’s my sister?” Mike asked, curiously.
“She wanted to see a movie by herself,” Jonathan said. “We don’t spend every minute together like some people I know,” he raised a brow at Mike. “So, why don’t you tell me what you did to him?”
Mike gasped. “Why do you always assume I did something?”
Jonathan chuckled. “We both know that Will couldn’t hurt a fly, and he would suppress his own feelings to keep you happy as naturally as breathing. So, fess up.”
Mike took a deep breath before answering. “So, we were at a frat party earlier. And, we were drinking and smoking and what not. And, a bunch of cheerleaders were kind of all over me. I didn’t think to shut it down, because they meant nothing to me. But, Will got really upset.”
Jonathan didn’t give away if he was angry or not. He just nodded. “Guys hit on you too, sometimes, right?”
Mike nodded. That was an understatement. He got hit on by guys at least once a week.
“And, what will Will usually do when that happens?” Jonathan quizzed him.
“He tells them to back the fuck off,” Mike said, not missing a beat.
“What will Will do when girls hit on you?” Jonathan wondered.
Mike thought about it for a moment. He was always curious why Will let girls hang on to Mike. “He doesn’t do anything. I just get screamed at later.”
“Why do you think that is?” Jonathan continued.
Mike shrugged. “Because, I don’t stop it myself?”
Jonathan shook his head. “He still gets really insecure about you being bisexual. He knows he can’t provide what a girl could provide, and he’s worried that you’ll want to fuck girls eventually.”
Mike’s eyes widened. “But, I don’t want to fuck girls!”
“I know that,” Jonathan reassured him. “Everyone knows that, but him. He’s used to carrots being dangled in front of his face until they get snatched from him. He doesn’t want to lose you, and he doesn’t think he’s enough for you. Which is ridiculous considering he’s a perfect angel and you’re an annoying little shit.”
“How do I show him that I only want him?” Mike asked.
Jonathan held back a grossed out smirk. “I mean, I think you know the answer to that.”
“You, his older brother, are really suggesting I have sex with him?” Mike squinted.
Jonathan rolled his eyes. “Mike, I know you and Will have sex. I’m not stupid.”
“Yeah, I know you know,” Mike nodded. “But, I never thought you’d be encouraging it.”
Jonathan chuckled. “I’m not thrilled about it. But, I’m not gonna act like Hopper and try to shoot you for it. And, it’s obvious he thinks you’re missing something in that part of your relationship.”
“I’m not,” Mike defended. “Everything with him is perfect.”
“You can also take into account that there are other ways of showing physical affection. Not just sex. When was the last time you just held him? Or kissed him? How long has it been since you’ve taken him on a date or helped him out when he was busy?”
Mike shrugged. “I would say I just hold him more than anything else, but college is stressful. I’ve really only thought about my sexual needs this past year, not my romantic needs. Clearly, I haven’t been thinking about Will’s needs at all.”
“Start with that,” Jonathan said. “Make sure he knows how much you love him. Ask him how you can meet his needs. And for the love of Vecna, stop letting girls near you. I know you’re not interested in any of them, but Jesus Mike. Is it that hard to say no?”
“No,” Mike groaned. “I only have a hard time saying no to Will. I swear.”
Jonathan laughed. “I know. I remember that time the five of us had to cram into a motel room on the way back from Hop’s mom’s house and he insisted on laying on top of you, and Hopper almost got his revolver out.”
“Is he ever gonna be normal around me?” Mike asked.
Jonathan shrugged. “He just cares a lot. And, he doesn’t want to see Will get hurt.”
“I’m literally going to marry him,” Mike informed him. “I don’t plan on hurting him.”
“I know,” Jonathan smiled. “He calls me sometimes to ask if I have any information about when you’re proposing.”
Mike laughed out loud. “I want to graduate first,” Mike informed his brother-in-law. “But, it’ll happen. I’ve been dreaming of marrying Will since I was five.”
“Tell him that,” Jonathan said. “Mike, I’ve seen your love for Will, all of these years. I’ve seen how much it’s changed and evolved. You just have to let him know. He never thought you’d feel the same way. He sometimes doesn’t believe you do. Like, right now.”
Mike sighed. “God, I’m an awful boyfriend.”
Jonathan shook his head. “That’s definitely not true. No one in the entire world loves him more than you. You just need to talk to him. I can’t give you all the answers. Only Will can tell you exactly what he needs. But, I can tell you he needs reassurance. Show him that he’s enough.”
Mike nodded. He was really glad he went to Jonathan.
“Does Will even know you’re here?” Jonathan asked.
Mike shook his head. “I wanted to call him when I got here. Can I?”
“Please, call your boyfriend,” Jonathan basically demanded.
Mike went into the kitchen and dialed his apartment. He only had to wait one ring before Will answered.
“Jon, I can’t talk. I’m waiting for Mike to call,” he said.
“Baby, it’s me,” Mike announced.
“Mike?” Will cried. “Why are you in Boston?”
Mike sighed. “I don’t know. I just needed to see Jonathan. I’m so sorry. For everything.”
“We can talk about it later,” Will told him. “It’s been a long night.”
That was an understatement.
“I’ll be home tomorrow,” Mike said.
“Okay,” Will responded. “Do you need me to pick you up from the airport?”
“No,” Mike said. “I’ll get a cab.”
There was a long pause. Neither one of them knew what to say.
“I love you,” Mike breathed.
Will waited a few seconds before saying it back. “I love you, too.”
“I miss you,” Mike continued.
But, Will didn’t want to hear it. “I’m gonna go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He hung up after that. Mike wasn’t sure how to take it. He almost wished Will screamed at him, so he could at least have some frame of reference.
“What did he say?” Jon asked.
“I couldn’t get a read,” Mike said, honestly. “I miss him.”
Jonathan understood. “I can get the couch ready for you. You should get some sleep.”
Mike nodded.
-
Will was still worried sick when Mike opened their apartment door. He slowly closed it and made his way to his boyfriend, who was sitting on the couch.
“Hi,” Mike breathed. He didn’t dare get close to Will when he sat down.
Will let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and wrapped Mike in a hug. “You scared me. I thought something happened to you.”
Mike immediately returned the affection, happy to be breathing in Will’s scent again. “I’m sorry I left. I just needed to get away.”
“I know I can be too much, sometimes,” Will frowned, letting go. “And, you needed to get away from me. I know you don’t love me as much as I love you.”
Mike’s heart broke in half. He pulled Will into his lap, kissing him softly. “You are never too much. I only needed to get away so I didn’t say something to upset you more. I never want to be away from you. I was being completely irrational and impulsive. I don’t ever want you to feel like you’re too much for me. You’re perfect. And, I love you so much. Don’t ever think that I don’t. I love you so much it hurts.”
Will shrugged. “If I was so perfect you wouldn’t have let those girls shake their asses all over you.”
Mike shook his head. “Please, believe me when I say I only want that kind of attention from you. It was stupid of me to enable that kind of behavior. I didn’t think about your feelings. I only thought about how it meant nothing to me. That was unfair of me to do, but it’s never going to happen again.”
Will nodded. “I trust you. It’s just-,” he didn’t have the heart to finish his sentence.
“I know you get insecure about me being bi,” Mike finished for him. “Yes, at the end of the day I still find women attractive. But, there’s nobody in this world I want more than you. So, you don’t have to worry about me not being satisfied or wanting to be with girls. I only want to be with you. I’m only ever gonna want to be with you.”
“Even though I don’t have boobs or-,” but before he could finish, Mike cut him off.
“I don’t want boobs,” Mike assured him. “You give me everything I want. I don’t even think a woman could satisfy me after being with you for six years. Nobody makes me feel the way you do, okay?”
“I’m sorry, I overreacted,” Will breathed.
Mike cupped his cheeks. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re allowed to feel things, especially when I’ve been a jerk. Baby, you have nothing to apologize for. I’m glad you brought it up, because now I can work on making sure you know what you mean to me. Which is everything, in case you were curious.”
Will wrapped his arms around Mike’s neck and rested his face on his shoulder. “Please, just don’t leave like that again. I can handle everything else, but I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you and I had no idea.”
“I promise, baby,” Mike kissed his head. “Now, are you gonna let me make it up to you?”
Will sat up, curious. “Make it up to me?”
Mike smirked. “I can show you how much I don’t want boobs.”
Will laughed. “Oh? What do you want?”
Smirking, Mike squeezed Will’s ass. “I think you can put the pieces together yourself.”
“Michael Wheeler, are you coming on to me?” Will teased him.
Mike nodded. “Yeah, I am. So, can I take you to bed now?”
Will blushed, allowing Mike to pick him up. He wrapped his legs around Mike’s waist, as he carried him to their room.
That night, Mike took his time appreciating Will’s body. He kissed every inch of him. He whispered words of love and praise every 10 seconds. Will had never felt sexier or more loved in his life.
After that night, he never questioned Mike’s attraction for him again.
“I told you, I don’t want girls,” Mike joked, pulling Will to his side. “And if I need something, I’ll ask you. Only you can provide me with what I want.”
“I believe you,” Will giggled. “But, what exactly do you want?”
“You,” Mike said. “William Byers. Nobody in the world is you. The fact that you’re insanely hot is just a bonus.”
Will climbed on top of him, kissing him hard. “I love you,” he breathed against his lips.
“I love you, too,” Mike smiled.