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Will is stuck patrolling the upside down with Mike, because of course he is. Mike seems upset about god knows what, grumbling something about Will under his breath every few minutes, assuming Will can’t hear him.
“Mike, can you please, for the love of god, pick up the pace?” Will groans, his hand firmly holding the gun slung around his waist, his head rotating to look at Mike. Mike, who is obviously pissed at him, mutters something but starts jogging so he can catch up to Will.
They eventually arrive to the Wheeler household. It felt like a million years with how slow Mike was going, but they made it anyway. Something inside Will’s stomach twists when he realizes the way Mike is looking at him, and he snaps.
“Jesus Mike, what’s your problem?” he drops the bike he was earlier holding out of his hands, it making a loud clattering sound as it meets the ground. Mike is not happy with this callout, he can tell, as he stands up from the wall he was leaning against.
“What's my problem? No, Will, what's your problem?” Mike spits back, slowly moving closer to Will. Will gapes at him, making a sound something of confusion and offense.
“I don’t have a problem , Mike.” anger bubbles inside him as Mike tries to shout as loud as he can without disturbing anything in the upside down. Will almost wants to laugh, quite shocked that Mike wants to start this here. “My problem is you not being straightforward with me! You’ve been grumbling shit under your breath, and I don't know what you want from me.”
This doesn’t seem to change Mike’s expression whatsoever. He still looks annoyed, like at any moment he’ll roll his eyes, snap, yell, or all of the above. He sighs, his face falling into his hands as Mike starts up again.
“You’ve been ignoring me since we returned from California!” he spits, his arms flailing around in the air. He just doesn’t understand why Will is acting the way he is. “I — I feel like I keep..keep losing you. Like I have you back and then you manage to just- slip right through my fingers again.”
Mike’s voice turns more soft this time, choking out the words like it pains him to let them out. WIll’s face lifts from his hands to look at Mike, but he’s not looking back. “Mike..” is all he can mutter, wanting to make a move towards Mike.
He wants to put his hands on his cheeks and hold his face, giving him a gentle kiss on the- okay. Mike’s mouth opens, then closes, opens once more — yet no sound comes out. He looks defeated.
Will wants to understand. He wants to know why Mike is being so vague, why he won’t just- talk. To Will. It feels like forever until Mike speaks up again, his voice wavering like tears are threatening to spill right over.
“I miss you.” he whispers, finally turned to look at Will. He looks scared, almost, like he’s worried about what Will is gonna say to him.
He just doesn’t seem to understand. “But.. I'm right here, Mike.” He stares right at him, trying to study Mike’s face. For any sense of worry, confusion, or just emotion in-
“I love you.” He blurts, and Will freezes. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.. what?” he looks so confused, so lost, and Mike wants to cry. Just a little bit. “I don’t understand. You..you love El.” he whispers, so unsure of what he’s doing.
“No..no. Me- me and El broke up weeks ago, Will. Please, why won’t you believe me?” Mike makes a move closer to Will, moving to take Will’s hands in his own. He hesitates as Mike squeezes his hands, but decides to gently squeeze back in response.
He looks up at Mike, and next thing he knows, Mike’s lips are crashing into his own. He’s suddenly heavily aware of Mike’s hands on his cheeks, and he kisses him back instinctively. He’s never kissed anyone before, but it feels so easy with Mike.
He feels like he doesn’t even need to try. Next, his hands are tangled in Mike’s hair, Mike’s own now moved to Will’s waist, and he can’t even describe how much love he feels for Mike, but apparently the lights can.
The light above the garage glows bright, before exploding. Mike and Will jump off eachother, Will’s hand instinctively moving to the gun slung around his waist. He swears he heard a few others explode inside the house.
Will feels something trickle over his upper lip, wiping it away quickly. Blood. Did he do that? He turns to Mike in horror, who looks just about as shocked. Next, he hears the echo of a voice. He recognizes it from somewhere.
It was a seven.
Hm?
The roll. It was a seven. The demogorgan, it got me.
Well, see you tomorrow!
He hears the sound of the bike rolling away, and now Mike’s crying. He didn’t even realize at first, until he heard the distant sniffles from across him. “I’m sorry.” His eyes are full of tears, and Will feels horrible.
“Wh- why?” yet he knows why. He moves close to Mike, putting his hands on his cheeks. He kisses the tears off Mike’s face, then kissing the bridge of his nose. “Don’t apologize for that. Ever. ”
Mike lets out a wet laugh at that, melting into Will’s touch oh so easily. Mike’s hands on top of Will’s, and now he’s suddenly aware that they need to go.
“Mike, c’mon, we need to get back to the gate.” Will mutters, and Mike lets go easily. He pulls the bike up from when he earlier pushed it to the ground, slinging his leg over it sitting down. He gets ready to bike off when he hears someone call him.
“Will.” when he turns around, Mike is smiling at him.
“Yes, Mike?” he gives mike a small smile back, which turns Mike’s smile into a full-on grin.
“I love you.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Say it back!” Mike grumbles, crossing his arms. Will turns away, giving him a dry laugh.
“I love you, Mike.” he says, and Mike feels like his entire life is complete. Will starts biking off, a little suddenly, so Mike puts his hands on the handlebars and his feet on the pedals, before biking away behind Will.