Work Text:
Mike and Will laid together in their bed, wrapped up in their love for one another. Many nights since Lauren got pregnant have been spent like this; just soaking it all in. They knew they would have less alone time once the baby was born, so they wanted to take advantage of the time they had together.
Will hummed as Mike scratched his back. He was able to convince Dustin to close the store by himself, so he could have a date night with his love. Mike took him to a nice Italian restaurant, and then to a movie. The pair settled on the new Robert Rodriguez movie, Sin City. It was quite a disappointment.
Their fun night quickly got heated when they returned home. Mike had a bubble bath waiting for them, and definitely couldn’t keep his hands off of Will… Not that he minded. So, that’s where things are now… Snuggling in bed after their rendezvous.
“Whatcha thinking about?” Mike moved his hand into Will’s hair.
Will took a deep breath. “Freshman year.”
Mike understood. “Baby, you don’t need to think about that. I’m here now.”
Will shrugged. “It’s hard. I didn’t like being away from you.”
“Hey,” Mike cupped Will’s cheek, pulling it to face him. “I never want to upset you. But, it was a great opportunity to go. You know I still freelance for that publisher.”
Their freshman year of college, Mike got an early admission to study abroad in Ireland. He found out the day after graduation that he would be leaving a week after that. He never told Will he applied, because he didn’t expect to get it. But, it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He was able to do school in another country and apprentice for a publisher.
“I know,” Will sighed. “It was just the worst year of my life.”
“That can’t be true,” Mike frowned. “You’ve had a hard life.”
Will shrugged. “Well, after two years together, being without you hurt more than before.”
“I’m sorry, angel,” Mike breathed. “I never wanted to hurt you. I guess I keep fucking things up.”
“You haven’t fucked up in like 15 years,” Will assured him. “I promise, I’d tell you if you did.”
Mike laughed. “I really fucked up that time, baby. I should have told you about the application.”
“It’s okay,” Will breathed. “It all worked out, in the end.”
“Yeah, but that year was a nightmare,” Mike reminded him.
-
The day after graduation, Mike and Will were watching a movie in the basement when Karen entered with a letter for Mike.
“Michael,” she called from the top of the stairs. “Is everyone decent? I have a letter for you.”
“Yeah,” he called to her.
She was grinning from ear to ear as she handed him the letter. “I hope it’s good news.”
Mike unhooked his arm from around Will’s shoulder, and took the letter from her. As soon as she left the room, he ripped the envelope in half.
Mike’s first reaction was a smile. But, it fell quickly.
“Babe, what is it?” Will asked, leaning over to look.
Mike took a deep breath. “It’s an early acceptance letter to Boston University. They want me to spend my freshman year in Ireland doing a writing apprenticeship.”
Will’s heart dropped. “So, we won’t be roommates anymore? Why didn’t you tell me you applied for early admission?”
“I didn’t think I would get it,” Mike explained. “I really thought they would have passed on me. I listed Owens as a reference. Maybe, he pulled some strings.”
Will started to cry. “You said we would be going to school together.”
Mike grabbed both of Will’s hands. “We will. I’ll only be gone for a year. Then, I’ll be back.”
“That’s too long,” Will cried. “I don’t want to be away from you.”
“I can’t pass this up,” Mike sighed. “You know I can’t. It could lead to something really good for me.”
“You’re choosing Ireland over me?” Will frowned. “After everything?”
Mike shook his head. “I’m not choosing anything over you. We’re still gonna be together.”
“I don’t know if I can do long distance,” Will admitted.
Mike started to cry, now. “What? Will, you’re kidding?”
“No,” Will wailed. “I mean, you not telling me about this pretty much says how you feel about us.”
“I didn’t think I was going to get it,” Mike repeated. “I didn’t want to make you anxious over something that might not happen.”
“Well, it’s happening,” Will spat. “So, I think we should just break up.”
“Baby, no,” Mike wailed. “I don’t want to lose you. Please?”
Will shrugged. “I would just be holding you back. You don’t need anything keeping you from doing your best.”
“I won’t go,” Mike said. “I’m not losing you. You’re way more important than an internship.”
Will sighed. “You wouldn't have signed up for it if it wasn’t something you wanted. I can’t let you throw it away. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I told you you had to stay here for me?”
“So, you want to break up? Is that what I’m hearing?” Mike asked.
“Of course not,” Will assured him. “I want you to have your best foot forward in your future career. Unfortunately, our relationship just falls apart with it.”
There was a long pause. Both of them knew that Mike staying would just be for Will’s sake. It would cause so many issues if he gave up this opportunity for a boy. And, it would be too hard to stay together while Mike was gone. Neither one of them would be able to focus on their lives.
“When do you leave?” Will asked.
“Next Saturday,” Mike told him. “If I decide to go.”
“You’re going,” Will squeezed his hands. “You are not giving this up for me. I’m not letting you.”
“Are you sure?” Mike asked. “Because, you’re my everything.”
Will shook his head. “You’re going. We’ll spend every second together until you get on the plane.”
“Like we don’t already spend every second together,” Mike chuckled.
“We had to make up for lost time,” Will pointed out. “And, now we’re making up for all the time we’ll lose.”
“Still best friends?” Mike asked.
Will nodded. “That will never change.”
They spent the rest of that night wrapped up in each other’s arms.
But once Mike moved, it was like California all over again. Mike called, but Will didn’t. It was just too painful to hear his voice.
When Mike came home for Christmas break, the pair barely spoke to each other. When they did, it was because the Wheelers were having a Christmas party for everyone who fought in the war. The two were game partners that night after drawing from a hat. Neither one of them wanted to be.
Mike cried himself to sleep every night in Ireland. It wasn’t the same without Will by his side.
Three more months had gone by since the party, and Mike decided to call the Byers-Hopper house. Will and El were home for spring break. The party was actually going to be spending a few of those days with Mike in Ireland. And, Mike really wanted to invite Will.
“Hello?” It was Joyce who answered.
“Hey, Joyce,” Mike breathed. “It’s Mike.”
“Hey, Mike,” Joyce said. “How are things overseas?”
“Okay, I guess,” he answered. “How’s Hawkins?”
“Pretty good,” she said. “Do you want to talk to El?”
“No,” Mike said. “Actually, is Will there?”
Joyce hesitated before responding. “Honey, he’s not feeling too well right now. But, I can tell him you called.”
“He doesn't want to talk to me, does he?” Mike guessed.
Joyce sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Does he hate me?” Mike asked, hopeful. “Do you hate me?”
“Of course I don’t hate you,” she assured him. “And, I don’t think he could ever hate you.”
“So, I can talk to him?”
“Mike,” Joyce sighed. “I know you have a hard time leaving him alone, but I promise he’s fine. I have to go now.”
-
The first thing Mike did when he got back to Hawkins for the summer was make a trip to the Byers-Hoppers’.
Hopper opened the door, shocked to see Mike. But, he let him in. “It’s good to see you, kid.”
“Is Will home?” Mike asked.
Just then, the sound of Will’s laugh could be heard coming from the kitchen door.
Mike turned to see the boy he loved more than life itself holding hands with someone else. The wind was knocked out of him at the notion that Will was no longer his.
“Mike,” Will faked a smile. He wasn’t expecting to see him.
Hopper left the room. Things were going to get bad and he didn’t want to be in the middle of it.
“This is Alex,” Will said. “Alex, this is Mike.”
“The Mike?”
Will nodded. “That’s the one.”
“It’s really nice to meet you,” Alex smiled. “Will’s said nothing but great things about you.”
Mike said nothing. It took everything in him not to strangle the boy. He stormed off to his car.
Will ran after him, getting into the passenger seat. “You have no right to be upset. We’re not together anymore.”
“No right?” Mike screamed “I didn't want to break up.”
“I didn’t want you to leave the country,” Will fought back.
“Are you two fucking?” Mike demanded.
“What the hell?” Will couldn’t believe the audacity. “It’s honestly none of your business. But, we haven’t gone past first base yet. We’ve only been together for three months.”
“Do you plan on it?” Mike continued.
“I don’t know,” Will crossed his arms. “But, you don’t own me. I’m not your property.”
“I never said you were,” Mike shook his head.
“Then why do you need to know who I have sex with?”
“Because, I’m fucking in love with you,” Mike shouted. “Because, you should be with me.”
“Don’t,” Will spat. “Don’t even go there.”
“Is this why everyone’s been walking on eggshells with me?” Mike asked. “Because, everyone’s been weird way longer than three months.”
“Okay, maybe we’ve been talking since November,” Will breathed.
“So, I came home for Christmas break and you had a fucking boyfriend I didn’t know about?”
“I don’t have to report everything I do back to you,” Will yelled.
“So, you thought it would be better to let me find out?” Mike asked.
Will again said nothing. He could feel Mike’s glare as he stared at the floor.
“Do you love him?” Mike wanted to know.
“Of course not,” Will said.
“Do you think you will?”
Will sighed. “I don’t know.”
“Will you ever love me again?”
“Mike, stop,” Will choked out a sob.
“I literally died for you,” Mike reminded him.
That cut deep. Mike literally died in Will’s arms and Will’s love for him brought him back.
“I didn’t ask you to,” Will couldn’t hold back the tears. “You’re being really unfair to me.”
“You’re being unfair to me!” He rebutted.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Will said, exiting the car.
He slammed the door behind him and Mike punched the steering wheel.
-
“You know I never slept while we were apart,” Will breathed, fingers tracing patterns on Mike’s arm. “I had nightmares all the time.”
“Me either,” Mike admitted. “But, I wasn’t the one who wanted to break up.”
Will sat up and turned to completely face Mike. “Mike, you know that if we didn’t break up before you left, we would have gotten into so many arguments.”
“That’s what you said about me staying,” Mike sighed.
“We would have,” Will said. “If you stayed for me you would have been really unhappy and regretted your choice.”
Mike squeezed Will’s hand. “I have never regretted being with you. I don’t regret going to Ireland, but I wouldn’t have regretted staying either.”
Will said nothing. He was trying to hold back tears.
“I wish we were together that year,” Mike continued. “You could have come with the party to visit me that spring break.”
Will rested a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “I wish you could have just taken me with you.”
“You regret dating Alex and Garrett?” Mike wondered.
After six months with Alex, Will dated Garrett for two months. They were both much more conventionally attractive than Mike. They both played sports and had muscles. They both made Mike incredibly jealous.
-
The party decided to hang out at the quarry one day in June. It was 95 degrees out, and everyone was miserable. But, not as miserable as Mike.
Will just had to go and bring his new boyfriend to their party hangout.
“Mike, this is Garrett,” Will introduced them.
“I thought you were dating Alex?” Mike blurted.
Will shrugged. “Now, I’m dating Garrett.”
“You could be dating me,” Mike said, not caring that Garrett was there.
“You could have stayed in America,” Will quipped, and pulled Garrett in the opposite direction.
-
Will shook his head. “No. But, I would have rather been with you.”
Mike pulled Will into his lap, and rested his forehead on his. “You want to take a vacation to Ireland before the baby’s born?”
Will nodded, blushing like crazy.
“Okay,” Mike smiled. “I’ll take you anywhere. You know that, right?”
Will smiled. “Well, you can take me wherever you want. I’m home as long as I’m with you.”