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When Mike wakes up, it’s just like any other morning. He gets up, and stares at his dead eyes in the mirror. He puts on a plain white t-shirt and jeans, and doesn’t bother to brush his hair. He just ties it back and heads downstairs.
He burns his toast, but eats it anyway. He spends fifteen minutes trying to find his keys. He drives Holly to school, and then heads to work. Friends used to visit him at the arcade, but they’ve all left. He’s still stuck. Same old town, same old routine.
It’s a slow day, so Mike mostly does maintenance and cleans up the accumulating messes. He sighs as he looks at the Dig Dug high scores. Will’s is going to be off the board soon enough. That thought is enough to make him feel a bit sick to his stomach.
He eats leftovers at the desk for lunch. He has the afternoon off, so he wanders around the town until it gets too sad. The monument weighs heavy as he looks at all the names. Friends, faces that he knew. He goes home. Unbeknownst to him, a green Ford Pinto pulls up and parks half an hour after he wanders away.
His father is working, and Holly is at school for basketball practice until seven. Mike is looking forward to her game a week from today, next friday. If nothing else, it’s a distraction. And it’s not like Ted is gonna show up, so he has to support her.
He reminds himself to apologize to Lucas next time they chat.
Which none of them do enough. He misses Dustin and Lucas, they used to call pretty often. He even misses Robin and Steve.
He tries not to think about him , but it doesn’t work. Mike lies down on the basement couch and lets himself think about Will. It has been a while, and he might as well cry when he’s alone.
Because, after the dust settled on stopping the apocalypse, Will left. Mike didn’t even know it, Will kept it to himself. He graduated early, and just went away. He told Lucas and Dustin, but-
“Mike, I need to tell you something.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
Will wrung his hands. “Tomorrow I’m leaving.”
“What?” Mike’s heart stopped.
“I’m going to art school in Indianapolis. I just… I’ve been putting off telling you.”
“Are you serious? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” In hindsight, Mike was too aggressive. But at the time he felt like the ground was liquid beneath him.
“I didn’t know how! You’ve been so distracted lately.”
“But you told Lucas and Dustin,” Mike gathered.
Will nodded, looking away. “I’m sorry, Mike.”
Mike walked away so Will couldn’t see him cry. The next day, when Will was sent off, he didn’t dare speak. Will looked at Mike, and Mike looked back at him. No hug, no goodbye. And then the green car left Mike in its dust yet again.
Mike looks up at the painting, hanging above the couch in a thin, grey frame, and sits up. He curls his knees into his chest and buries his face in his hands. He should get rid of it. It was a lie. El didn’t commission it; Will just made things up.
“Why did you leave me?” he whispers to nobody. “What did I do wrong?”
But he’ll never know. He’ll never call, no matter how many times he picks up the phone ready to. He finds himself longing for El. She would know what to say, she always did. He’s so sorry for what happened between them.
He thinks it loudly, as if she can hear. I’m sorry I tried to be something I wasn’t. I love you, even if it isn’t the way I thought.
But he told her tombstone that already. He told Joyce’s tombstone he misses her, and he told his mom’s tombstone that he’s trying.
Lifting his head up, he looks around the room. Holly’s done a lot of redecorating, which is her prerogative, but most of Will’s drawings are still there. If Mike ever manages to get out of here, he’ll leave a couple for her. The rest will go on his new walls, another reminder. Another talisman.
He walks back upstairs, and turns on the TV. So much for a productive afternoon off, but he’ll be back to work tomorrow morning. It’s a rerun of Ghostbusters. Of course it is, just another memory. Just another memory with Will.
Mike audibly laughs as he remembers their promise. “Crazy together.” And then they both went crazy alone, and Will left. Will left him. Hello, tears. You’re late , he thinks bitterly, wiping his eyes. There is a knock at the door.
Switching off the TV, Mike stands up. He has no idea who it could be. He hurries to the door, and opens it. Maybe his jaw drops, he isn’t sure. Maybe he’s dead.
“Hi, Mike,” Will says nervously, hands shoved in his pockets. “Can I come in?”
By some miracle, Mike regains enough control of his body to nod, and he watches Will as he walks past him. This is just another dream, right?
He barely remembers to shut and lock the door, and he follows Will down the stairs to the basement, where they always used to go. He can lead; he knows that Mike will always follow. And Mike will always follow.
When he gets down the stairs, Will is standing in front of the couch, looking at the painting. Mike moves to stand by him, and just stares. He looks at Will’s eyes, his lips, his clothes. His hair is a bit longer, and a strand is loose in front of his face. He looks just as tired as Mike feels.
Mike’s breathing is shaky, as he tries to process what’s happening right now.
“It’s been two years since I left,” Will murmurs.
He nods. “I know.”
“And you never left?” He turns around, meeting Mike’s eyes. “You’ve been here? The whole time?” Mike nods.
Will turns fully to face him. Mike waits. Then he looks behind him.
“You kept the painting. Even though-”
Mike turns and looks at it. “I know El didn’t commission it,” Mike admits. “I know you lied. But I still… I still kept it, yeah. I didn’t have much else left of you.”
Will nods, looking away. Mike swallows, trying to stay strong. His hand moves forward just slightly, involuntarily. He intertwines his fingers behind his back.
“Can we… sit down and talk?” Will offers. Mike nods immediately, and they sit on the couch.
Will takes a deep breath. “I feel like I owe you an explanation. If… if that’s okay.”
Mike looks over at him. “You don’t owe me anything, but…” he just nods. He still feels a bit unsteady.
Will looks forward, clasping his hands in front of him. “After Vecna was gone, my… My family was, too. You know that. And I just needed to get out. I couldn’t stay here. But I didn’t- I really had no idea how to tell you. Because I didn’t want to say goodbye to you.
“And honestly, I didn’t think you’d care enough. I wasn’t ready for an apathetic shrug. But I was wrong, Mike. I was really wrong, and I’m sorry that we fought. I left with a stomach ache because of it, staring at you in the rearview mirror. And I thought it would go away.”
He pauses, and Mike tries to process. “The stomach ache didn’t go away, Mike. I’ve been gone for two years and I wake up every day feeling like some part of me is still here. And I can’t take it. I can’t take it anymore. So I’m here… But I don’t know what to say.”
He hesitates. “Does… does any of that make sense? I didn’t even know if you were still here, I haven’t had the strength to reach out. And, Mike, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I woke up this morning and I just got in my car. And I just hoped you were here for four hours straight.”
Will looks over at Mike, and Mike has to sit on his hands so he doesn’t reach to move Will’s hairs out of his face. Will does it for him, and heat creeps up Mike’s neck. Mike swallows tears down.
“I couldn’t leave,” he admits. “I’ve tried to, but I just can’t. Because I can’t leave until I’m me, and part of me is-”
In you. He stops himself. Maybe this can work, maybe they can be friends again. He won’t jeopardize it. He won’t ruin it by going too far. “Nevermind.”
“You’ve really been here. In this house, in this town. You never left?”
Mike shook his head. “I was waiting for you. Even though I knew you wouldn’t come back again. But-”
Will looks away. “Wow, Mike, I- I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t be. I wasn’t just waiting because of you, and this isn’t your fault. You had to go, I know it. I always knew it, I just still couldn’t face it. I never can, Will. I’m always losing you, I’ll adjust eventually. Maybe this is the time I won’t even-” his voice cracks, and he looks away. I won’t even survive.
“This time?” Will asks tentatively.
“When you leave.”
The silence is heavy, crushing. Mike looks down at his hands in his lap, pressed onto his pant legs.
“Mike, no matter what I do, no matter where I go, I look for your face in every crowd. I don’t think anything could erase you from my mind, so… what if I stayed?”
Mike looks over at him. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t mean here, specifically, but… what if I dropped out? Came back here? Or, or you could come with me to Indianapolis. You could… I… I don’t know. But I don’t want to leave you again, Mike.”
Mike’s throat is tight, he might sob if he speaks. Silence echoes for a while, and then he manages to control himself. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You deserve to go off on your own. I’ll just… be burdensome.”
“What?”
“I appreciate it, Will. I really do. But our feelings are… different. It would be weird.” I’m in love with you. It’s really sinking in now, but I’ve always known deep down. And you don’t feel the same.
Will stands up, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”
Mike swallows. I still want to be your friend, I can’t be direct. Please just infer and be cool, Will. “There are feelings that aren’t… reciprocated. And I think if we- it would be too painful. But please, we can stay in touch. I don’t want to keep you here, if you don’t want to stay.”
Will swallows, and looks like he might cry. “Well, then. I’m sorry that I’m such a problem.”
“What?” Mike asks, standing up to face him. “It’s not your fault that-”
“Well we already know it isn’t your fault, Mike,” Will shoots back. “I’m going home, this was a mistake.”
“What? Will! Will, wait!” Mike follows him.
Not my fault, what does that mean? Mike runs through memories of all the fucked up things he’s said to Will. The long list is already enough to make him feel guilty, but then he arrives on the problem.
It’s like walking into a brick wall. It’s not my fault you don’t like girls. Bile rises in Mike’s throat, and he stops moving halfway up the stairs. “Will,” he breathes. Coming back to his senses, he runs, and makes it to the garage just in time to see Will’s car drive away.
Mike grabs his bike. He has to catch him, even though he knows he isn’t going to.
His legs burn with the effort of trying to keep up with Will’s car. He watches it start to disappear, and then turn around the corner. Mike just hopes he knows where he’s going. He turns onto Mirkwood. He skids to a stop and nearly falls when he sees it parked on the side of the road.
He leaves his bike, and runs into the woods where he hopes Will is. His lungs are on fire, but he doesn’t care. He catches Will, but hangs back a couple feet. He struggles to catch his breath. Will doesn’t move, but his shoulders tighten. Mike waits. Will either has to say something or go back to his car.
“You built it again, didn’t you? Castle Byers.” He gestures to it. “I destroyed it after our fight. But you… you rebuilt it.”
“I thought- I thought the storm wrecked it,” Mike replies, confused, taking a tentative step forward. “You- you did that?”
Will nods. “We weren’t kids anymore, right?” He chuckles, and his voice cracks.
Mike sighs. “I rebuilt it. I went and curled up in there when I missed you. Or I just sat in the basement playing games. It’s like you said. I wanted to play games in my basement forever, I just… couldn’t say it. I was…” I was trying so hard to be normal, but it didn’t matter because I lost you.
“It doesn’t matter. Nothing excuses what I said, that’s why I dragged Lucas over to apologize. But… you didn’t hear what I shouted at the door, and I’m so sorry I didn’t apologize again. I’m sorry a million times over.”
Will turns to look at him, and he’s on the verge of tears, too. “Well, if you weren’t… what did you mean, back there, then? About different feelings?”
Mike takes in a shaky breath. “I can’t screw this up any more, I guess. Will Byers, I love you. I am in love with you. I didn’t want to say it, but I… that’s why I don’t want to come with you. I’d always want something more and it’s just not fair to you, even if you didn’t know.”
“I love you, too.”
“You… you do?” Tears well in Mike’s eyes.
“Mike, I love you so much. I have for so long, I just…” Will lets out a small sob, and a tear traces a path down his cheek. “I just never thought that you would feel the same.”
Mike puts a hand on Will’s cheek as he shifts to stand in front of him. “I don’t know how to do anything but love you. No matter how many times you leave, I just feel you all the time. I need you more than anything, Will. Forever.”
Will’s hand covers Mike, and he leans into Mike’s palm. “I need you, too.”
Mike pulls him carefully into a hug, and Will wraps his arms around Mike’s torso, clinging to him.
They just stand there, in front of Castle Byers, holding each other. Mike takes in the scent of Will’s hair, trying to figure out how he got this lucky. He rubs Will’s back slowly, and he lets the tears fall. The whole thing is sappy, and romantic movie coded. He couldn’t want anything else.
His watch buzzes, and they pull apart. Mike looks at the time. 6:50.
“Oh, shit,” he whispers.
“What is it?” Will asks, hands still on Mike’s chest.
Mike looks at him. He looks so beautiful, but-
“Could I get a ride to the middle school? I need to pick Holly up from school, she’s on the volleyball team.”
“Yeah!” Will nods. “Yeah, of course, let’s go!”
They hurry back to the car, and Mike slides into the passenger seat. He taps his knee quickly, worried that they’ll be late. Will looks over at him.
“Mike, it’s over.”
“What?”
“She’s safe. It’s over.”
Mike nods slowly. “Yeah, I know. I just… want her to be okay.”
Will smiles softly, starting the car. “You got it, love.”
Mike goes bright red at the pet name as Will turns the car around and starts for the school. He stares out the window for a while before turning over to Will.
“Thanks. You didn’t have to do this.”
“It’s okay. And I’ll drive out here with you to get your bike back, too. It’s kind of my fault.”
“No! No, it isn’t. I shouldn’t have said that, I didn’t realize how you would take it. I didn’t… didn’t know you feel that way.”
“I know you didn’t, Mike. I see that. You were kind of oblivious when I gave you the painting, at least.”
Mike turns and stares at him. “Wait, what?”
“The painting. When I… y’know, told you about my feelings for you with El’s name.”
Mike’s brain short circuits. “That was… you were… even back then?”
“Yeah? I mean, I’ve loved you as long as I can remember.”
Will glances over at him, and Mike’s jaw is hanging open. “Why?” he exclaims.
He laughs. “Seriously? You’re kind and caring. You don’t treat me like a victim, and you actually listen when I talk to you. You’re creative, smart, and funny. You can be a bit… rash sometimes, but you care. You’re brave, and you put everyone else before yourself. I don’t know… I just love you.”
“You… really think all that of me? You do?”
“Yeah.”
“Will, I mean… wow. I don’t… you’re everything. You’re so kind, dedicated, and sensitive. I just love getting to be near you. I’ve always wanted that. I mean it when I say that going up to you that day on the swings was the best thing I’ve ever done. It took me way too long to realize it, but I’m so in love with you. It would disgust anyone else.”
Will laughs. “I can’t believe you never realized I liked you.”
“I was the one grabbing your hand and chasing you across town to apologize for when I projected my own insecurities onto you like an asshole.”
“We could list all the ways we’ve hurt each other all day,” Will replies. “Or we could start fresh?”
Mike looks over at him. “Really? You mean it?”
“Yeah. Of course. If you want to, I mean. And if you wanted to come with me, the offer still stands.”
“Yes, I would like that.” Mike hesitates. “So, would you be like my… my boyfriend?”
Will turns his head to stare at Mike, before directing it quickly back to the road. “If you want, yes.”
“Will you be my boyfriend, Will Byers? Please?”
“Yes, Mike Wheeler. It would be an honor.”
Mike grins, resting his head across the car on Will’s shoulder. They drive in comfortable silence until they reach Hawkins Middle School.
“Home sweet home,” Will jokes. Mike hurries out of the car, running to the front. He checks his watch. 6:59. Phew.
Holly wanders over to him with her bag tossed over her shoulder, grinning. Mike waves.
“How was practice?” He asks as they walk back to the car.
“Fun! This isn’t our car.”
“I had to get a ride. It’s Will’s car.”
“Will is back?”
“For the day.”
Mike opens the back door for her.
“Hi, Will!” Holly chirps. Mike doesn’t hear his reply as he walks around to the passenger seat.
He slides into the front seat, and Will grins at him. Mike’s face warms significantly.
Holly discusses the practice, and how someone named Kathy isn't pulling her weight. Mike nods along, even though he doesn't understand volleyball.
He asks how the rest of school was, trying to get a sense of her mood.
“Is Dad going to be home for dinner?”
Mike hesitates. No. He'll be drinking. “I don’t know, Holls. We’ll see.”
“But it's already an hour after we usually have dinner.”
“I know. I'm sorry, he's… working late.”
Holly sighs, and Mike glances back and looks at her cheek pressed up against the window. The glass fogs up, and she draws a smiley face in it. Then she wipes it off.
He sighs, and Will squeezes his knee.
“Can I stay for dinner?” He asks, excited.
Holly squeals. “Can he, Mikey? Can he?”
Mike pretends to deliberate over it. “I think so.”
“Please?”
“Okay! Will, you're invited for dinner.” He leans forward, and whispers, “And to crash in the basement, too.”
Will winks at him.
Unsurprisingly, Ted isn't home. Mike helps Holly with her stuff, and pretends to unlock the garage door so it isn't obvious how desperate he was to follow Will when he left.
Holly hurries inside, and turns on the TV. Will joins Mike in the kitchen while he pulls three frozen dinners out of the freezer and puts them in the microwave.
“Is this what it's always like?” Will asks.
Mike sighs, and nods. “Her father is essentially an alcoholic. He comes home drunk at midnight. Losing mom hit all of us hard. Nancy’s gone so… I take care of her.”
Will nods. “That's really kind.”
He shrugs. “It's what family does. Nancy took so much care of me, especially directly following… everything. I'm just passing along the kindness.”
“She seems happy.”
“I don’t know how much she really remembers, at this point. She has nightmares sometimes, crawls into my bed.”
Will leans back on his hands. The microwave beeps, and Mike swaps in the next meal, taking a nervous breath. He stays turned away .
“That's another reason I haven't left yet. She’d be stuck with him, and I… I honestly don't know if he'd remember to feed her.”
“You can't come with me to Indianapolis,” Will finishes.
Mike stops, looking over at him. The microwave fills the silence. He sighs, looking away. “She… I don't want to leave her.”
Will nods. “I know, Mike. Where do you work?”
“Arcade. Pretty much every day. Honestly, we're really lucky this is my afternoon off.”
“And Mr. Wheeler?”
“Same old job. He's managed to keep it, I think he lives partially in complete delusions. I just use my mom's old credit card for groceries and stuff. It hasn't declined yet.”
“You buy groceries?”
“I wash dishes and do laundry. Holly helps out, too.” Mike swallows, thinking he might cry. He turns away, putting in the final meal.
“You have to stay here,” Will remarks, hurt in his voice.
Mike clenches his fists on the counter, staring at the backsplash. “And you have to go,” he finishes.
Will doesn't reply.
“I'm so sorry, Will,” he cries out, turning around to face him. “I wanted to go with you, to be someone you could love, but…” he takes a steadying breath.
“I can't. I have to stay in Hawkins. I don’t want to, but… I have to. And I can't ask you to stay here, where everything… happened. It's hard enough, I can't imagine how-”
Will places a hand on his shoulder. “I know, Mike,” he murmurs. “It's okay.”
Tears sting in Mike’s eyes again. “Are you sure?”
Will sighs shakily. “I don't want to leave you again, but…”
“But you aren't leaving, this time! You're just going further away. But you'll still be with me, because the calls will go through.”
Will tilts his head.
Mike blushes. “Y’know, when you went to California. I tried to call but the line was always busy.”
Will's eyes widen. “You were trying to call me?”
Mike nods. Was that not obvious? Will’s brows are furrowing, however.
After a few moments, he exclaims, “I was such an asshole when you visited! I tried to guilt you about not calling, but you'd been- And you didn't tell me?”
“What? No, you weren't,” Mike replies incredulously. “I was being the biggest asshole there is. I was awful to you without realizing it and then got pissy about you not paying attention to me. How were you supposed to know how I felt? El said the painting was for a girl!”
Mike clamps a hand over his mouth.
Will lets out a soft laugh. “What?”
Mike blushes. “I got a letter from El the day before my visit. She said that… that you liked a girl. That was who the painting was for. So I was kind of upset, though I didn't know why. That's why I got so… sad. And made an ass of myself.”
Will giggles. He giggles , and Mike isn't even mad about it. He just looks beautiful. “Mike, that's so cute.”
“You didn't even laugh at my joke about socks.”
“You didn't get me a drink!”
Mike nods, ashamed. “Yeah. I know. And it was your birthday, shit , I felt so bad. But my internal monologue when I was getting the drinks was essentially ‘you are a normal guy on a date with his normal girlfriend who he cares about.’”
Will chuckles. “And mine was ‘why did you fall in love with the straightest guy ever?’”
Mike raises his eyebrows. “Wearing ugly airport clothes, too. I thought you were going to give the painting to Angela.” He pulls the other meal out, and sets it to cool.
Will’s jaw has dropped when he turns back around. “Angela!”
“El said she was her friend! But when she said her name you got all weird, so I… then the painting was for me. And I figured it was just a different one.”
“I was ripping off the bandaid, however clandestinely.”
Mike leans down and rests his head on Will’s shoulder. “I'm such an idiot.”
Will grins, patting his back. Mike stands up again, and Will leans in and presses his head to his chest. Mike wraps an arm around him.
“Mike, you know I'm not really leaving you, right? Really? I swear I'll call, and right, and all of it. And it's only temporary, guaranteed.”
Mike swallows his anxieties, and takes stock of the situation. Will’s forehead is resting against his collarbone. “I know. But can I ask you to do one thing with me tonight, before you leave tomorrow?”
“Yes. Anything.”
“After Holly is in bed, come to the basement and dance with me.”
Will pulls back, looking at him. “What?” His eyes are sparkling as he tilts his face up.
“Dance with me.”
“I'd love to.”
Mike beams at him. “Well, I should get Holly for dinner.”
He moves to the base of the stairs and calls up to her. She hurries down and Mike sets the table quickly while she chats with Will.
He smiles over at them. Will is listening attentively to Holly’s story, and Mie passes them their trays. Holly tells her story louder for Mike’s benefit.
After dinner Mike and Will struggle to help Holly with homework.
“How do you divide fractions?” Will exclaims.
“Keep change flip!” Holly exclaims.
“But what does that mean ?” Mike presses. Holly hesitates.
They skip that one.
“Okay, you have to have a common denominator to add and subtract,” Will reasons.
Mike nods. “But how do you get that?”
“Multiply by the GCF!”
“What does that mean?”
Will hesitates, and Holly groans and pulls out her notebook. “I'll look it up in my notes.”
Mike and Will essentially just watch Holly teach herself fractions. Afterwards, they all watch cartoons, and Holly smiles at Mike when Will rests his head on his shoulder.
Before she runs up to bed, she whispers something in Will’s ear, and Will grins and whispers a response. She walks over to hug Mike.
“What did you say?” He asks, ruffling her hair.
“I told him I hope he visits again soon.”
“And why is that?”
“Because you look happier,” Holly replies, very matter of fact.
Mike just nods. “Don't tell anyone,” he whispers secretively, and she runs off to bed. After microwaving a meal for his dad, Mike turns to Will, who walks over to him.
“Mike Wheeler, will you go to your basement and dance with me?”
Mike nods, accepting the hand offered to him by Will. It's silly, the whole thing is silly. But, at the same time, it feels meaningful. It's not like they went to a prom, or anything like that. This is what they can do.
Mike grabs a random old record of his mom’s, and classical music fills the room.
He wraps an arm around Will’s waist, and they clasp hands. Will rests his ear on Mike’s chest, and Mike rests his chin on Will’s head. He looks at the painting hanging above the couch as they sway, gently.
The music is slow, at first, but picks up. They initially don’t move with it, still trying to find their feet, but eventually the rhythm is infectious, and they move faster to it, spinning around and around. It’s wonderful. Mike is beaming at Will, and Will is beaming back at him.
It's more than he had ever expected just that morning. And he's not scared of it. He's just scared it might end. The music slows again, and they come back together. Mike closes his eyes.
“No one in the world could love anyone else as much as I love you, I think,” he murmurs. “I love you the most.”
Will just pulls their intertwined hands closer to him, and kisses Mike’s thumb lightly with a soft smile. They continue to move, as the music plays on.
Mike rouses the next morning to the sun in his eyes. Holly had plans to go to Mabel’s for the morning, so he hadn't set an alarm.
Even if he had, he realizes, it wouldn't have woken him.
Everything comes back to him in waves, and just as he fears it was a dream, he recognizes the feeling on his waist. He clasps Will’s hand, lazily tosses over his waist as they both lie on the couch, and Mike just lies there. Drinking in the feeling.
Eventually, Will stirs beside him.
“Good morning,” Mike whispers.
Will hums. “Have you been up long?”
“No. Just woke up.”
They sit next to each other. “Can I get you breakfast? Ted doesn't get up on Saturdays, and Holly is at her friend’s place.”
Will nods. “Sure.”
They walk upstairs hand in hand. Mike clears the plastic plate and silently excuses himself, and confirms that his dad made it to bed.
He comes back downstairs. He and Will each have toast with jam, and ignore the elephant in the room.
But Will still has to leave. They visit the memorial, first. Then the graveyard. And then back to Mike’s house. And they stop in the garage.
The mood is already somber, but it gets worse. Because Mike knows what comes next. Will looks so beautiful, wearing Mike’s old shirt and jacket.
“Well,” he sighs. “I guess this is it.”
Mike swallows. “Yeah. I guess it is.”
Will turns around, the paper bag with his old clothes in hand, and starts towards his car. Mike groans. What is he doing wrong?
Then Will stops. And turns around to him. There are tears in his eyes, and Mike walks forward and closes all space between them.
Their lips meet like fireworks. Mike cups Will’s cheeks, and Will’s hands meet Mike’s shoulders.
They pull apart, breathless. Will beams at him. Mike wraps his arms around him, and the hug isn't sad. Because they still love each other.
As if reading his mind, Will breathes “I love you.”
“I love you,” Mike replies.
He smiles, albeit sadly, as Will gets in his car and drives away. It hurts, of course it does. But it will end. And Will calls that night when he gets home.
Ted doesn’t get himself together, but eventually he starts trying. Mike doesn't forgive him, but he tries to let him in anyway. At least a bit.
Holly decides to quit volleyball, and Lucas comes back in town to help her restart the DnD club, which fell apart after the Sinclairs moved.
Mike cheers the loudest at Holly’s graduation, brushing knees with Will, who is back in town for the occasion. And then he leaves one last time.
This time, Mike is with him.
Indianapolis Times: October 15, 2014
Gay Marriage Now Legal! First couple married at the Indiana State House!
Micheal Wheeler and William Byers (both 43 years old) tied the knot at the Indiana State House yesterday, just one day after gay marriage was legalized! They are the first gay couple married in the state of Indiana, but many others followed suit and said “I do.”
“We've been wanting to do this for years,” Byers tells a reporter. “I already knew I was going to spend my life with him, but now it's official!”
Wheeler shared a similar sentiment, adding that “It's very nice to see times changing. When we were in high school, neither of us dared to imagine something like this. But here it is.”