Chapter Text
The road twisted and turned as they were on their way to find El. The van was cruising down the winding California roads as Johnathan and Argyle are living in their own world, oblivious to the backseat. Mike and Will are sitting next to each other.
God… why was it so awkward? Will thought to himself.
Mike was looking out the window into the vast plains that expanded to the horizon. Teal blue shirt and collar wrinkled from the long day dealing with the agents and Suzie’s chaotic household. They had been talking about El for a while, and now they were taking a quick pause. Will remembered his painting and realized this was possibly the only chance to show Mike the heartfelt painting he made for his…friend.
“Can i…show you something?” Will suddenly asked. There's no way out now. Mike quickly turned to face Will, a surprised flush on his cheeks. He gave him a nod. Will pulled out a brown roll of paper and handed it to Mike. It happened to be the same roll he was holding at the airport. Will had said “it’s nothing really” but now it felt different, Intimate. He slowly unraveled it. As if he was afraid it might crumble in his hands if he wasn’t careful.
He marveled at it. It was gorgeous and it perfectly encapsulated Will’s personality in physical form. It was him as his dnd character leading the other members of the party to fight a 3 headed dragon.“This is amazing!” Mike couldn’t help the big dorky smile that plastered his face as he said it. Will was honestly surprised he didn’t crumble it up and toss it out the window like he did with most of El’s letters. “Did you make this?” He said, genuinely impressed. He turned to Will, who gave off a nervous laugh “yea- i mean..yeah El she asked me to commission it-basically she told me what to draw-”
Mike’s smile faltered. It wasn’t Will’s idea.
Why was that so disappointing?
Will couldn’t look Mike in the eye, but he turned to him anyway. “The point is” he pointed at Mike on the painting. A noble paladin with a big heart on the shield. “You lead our party and inspire us. You’re the heart, Mike. Without the heart we all fall apart. Even El–especially El.”Internally Will was screaming at himself to stop. To just punch Mike in the face or something to make him forget everything. Jonathan notices in the rearview mirror and he knows what was going on, but Will can have that talk with him on his own about his internal struggles.
Will turned away. “These past few months she’s been so lost without you…it’s just she’s so different from other people” Will felt a lump rising in his throat like someone was squeezing him.
He wasn’t talking about Eleven.
He couldn’t look at Mike anymore or he would cry. God why did he always have to cry? He’s such a crybaby. Will just knew that’s what Mike would say if he was even paying attention, which he wasn’t. He was just staring at the painting like some…lovesick weirdo. Those big brown eyes wide as Tears bubbled up into Will’s. It was almost comforting. “Sometimes when you’re…different, you feel like a mistake.”
Will was mad. Mad because none of this has anything to do with El. It was all him, How he felt, But Mike wouldn’t care.
He turned back to Mike. “But you make her feel like she’s not a mistake-you make her feel good about it! And that gives her the courage to keep going, and sometimes when you feel that way you just have to admit to what you’re feeling. Rip off the bandaid.” Will wouldn’t last much longer if he stayed looking into those soft brown eyes that Mike always seems to look at him with Because he couldn’t ever tell Mike the truth about this whole thing.
Will couldn’t help it. He turned away and cupped his mouth with his hand to muffle his stupid girlish sobs that threatened to spill from his throat. Mike looked over once but couldn’t tell he was crying because he was turned and due to the loud sound of the road. So he just looked at the painting again.
Did El really commision this?
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
driving back to Hawkins with El
It was way too quiet in the van. Mike and El sat in the very back together. The sound of the road filled everyone’s ears. Obviously Will didn’t want to talk right now for… some reason. Mike couldn’t sit still.
He couldn’t focus on anything other than Will and his whole monologue.
“Hey El?”
She looks over at him confused. “Thanks for the painting by the way.”
“What painting? What are you talking about?”
Mike looked confused. “The one you asked Will to paint for me?” Mike turned and looked at Will– or the top of Will’s head, for he couldn’t fully see him. Will was sitting in the middle-right seat of the van. He is scared to get brought into this conversation. His breathing is heavy, eyes wide and his forehead was slick and sticky with sweat. He just listens while he pretends to be asleep against the window.
“I never asked for a painting. Was that painting for you? I– I didn’t know. I thought it was for a girl since he was acting so…weird.”
Mike blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“He always kept the painting a secret. He said it was ‘for someone special’. I assumed it was for a girl he liked because he was so focused on it all the time.”
A wave of subtle nausea hit Mike. Will had never lied to him. Even thinking about it made him feel sick.
Mike didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know? What did she mean he was acting weird? He turned away to process that. The van was silent. Jonathan was trying to focus on the road, He looked over to see Will laying against the window with his eyes widely staring into space. Will was panicking inside. The van felt hot. He fiddled his thumbs in the meantime as he leaned on the glass as he “slept” . If Mike asks me something about this right now– I don't think I could lie to him, and that scares me.
Mike looks back at El. “Are you serious?” He looked betrayed. “Yes. I’m serious Mike, Friends don’t lie.”
Then why did Will?
“Will is that true?” Mike tried to get a good look at Will but couldn’t. Will immediately shut his eyes and pretended to sleep.
“Brochachos out cold, man.” Argyle said as he looked into the mirror.
Mike looked out the window at the night sky over the desert-scape. He fidgeted with his teal collar unintentionally. “Wake me when we get home then.” Mike said as he leaned against the window, he had a very somber look on his face.
El didn’t really understand why Will was acting so weird until now. Why wouldn't he bring up the painting? Why was it for Mike? If it was for a girl he liked but gave it to Mike, that meant…
He was in love with Mike and El was stuck in the middle of it.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The reunion was great. Nancy and Johnathan hugged and kissed, Steve was there and the whole gang's back together at Hopper’s old cabin. Argyle went foraging in the woods for something and Mike and Will headed into the cabin to clean up a little.
There was an orange couch upside down on the floor. No one bothered to pick it up, but there was a small green and yellow blanket on the floor that Will picked it up and neatly folded it over the back of the couch—or in this case the bottom. As Mike was picking up old leaves and trash, El walked past them. She looked annoyed about something as she looked at Mike. Was it about the painting? Or the fact that they hadn’t talked about the monologue from the pizza place?
“Did she talk to you much?” Will turned to Mike, already having heard everything but asking anyway because he wanted to see if Mike would ask him about it. He fiddled with his yellow sleeve anxiously.
That's stupid. You shouldn’t WANT him to ask you about it, you already know how he probably feels.
“A little bit” there was an awkward pause between them. As if there was more to be said, but neither were brave enough to.
They sat down on the couch. The sun shining in through the cabin window, Casting a warm and rosy hue to the room. The light trickled perfectly onto where Will was, making him glow slightly.
He looked pretty.
“I can feel him.”
Mike was awakened from his reverie. “Who? the Mind Flayer?”
Will rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Sweat beading on his skin
“No it’s…something else, and he’s hurt. He won’t stop until everyone is dead and I don't know how much time we have left. We have to kill him, Mike”
Mike gripped Will’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him
“ We will. I promise We will.”
A comforting silence followed. Mike kept his grip firm on Will’s shoulder, slightly rubbing his shoulder with his thumb. Will never wanted him to stop. Mike decided to ask about something, his voice is a little softer. As if Will would get scared and run away. Will seemed to relax in his touch a bit.
“El…said something to me in the van earlier.” Will’s hairs on the back of his neck immediately stood up. He needed to prepare himself for the worst. A wave of dread washed over him. He quickly turned away, but Mike tugged his arm. Forcing to look at him. “Will look at me.”
“She said she didn’t know about the painting.”
Will looked guilty, His voice quiet. “ I know, She didn’t commission me, Mike.”
Mike let go of Will’s shoulder. He looked slightly betrayed. How many times had Will lied to him!?
“What do you mean ‘I know’!? Were you awake? Why wouldn’t you talk to me?” Mike stood up.
Will looked up “No! I mean- technically yes but you don’t understand–” Mike looked annoyed.
“What the hell are you talking about? So what you’re saying is that you ignored me when I tried to talk to you? That the entire monologue in the van about ‘oh El she loves you and feels lost without you and you’re the heart and ripping off the bandaid’ was all bullshit?”
“No- Mike, just let me explain!” His cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
Mike took a deep breath. “Ok, lay it on me then.” He leaned further into the couch. He wanted to make Will the truth but he didn’t know how. He always thought Will was so pure, so much more mature with expressing his emotions compared to him, but if he lied to him, how many other times had he lied? He looked at Will expectantly. Will didn’t know what to say. His mind blanked—a deer in the headlights.
“Well–well all the stuff about how El needed you and feeling lost without you and stuff, I was talking about myself.” Mike’s heart skipped a beat, His eyebrows raised as a warm blush climbed up his neck.
“You…feel lost without me?”
Will subconsciously moved closer to Mike. “You don’t understand how lonely I've been since moving to Lenora. So you can imagine how shitty I felt when I third wheeled the entire time El was with you.” Will had a snappy tone. Mike looked surprised he brought that up again. “I told you I was sorry and I was being an idiot, Will. I promise I missed you too, But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re lying to me right now.”
“What?”
“You just confirmed you were ignoring me in the van, and I'm not done with that. Why were you hiding? Why did you lie about the painting?”
Will was upset because Mike couldn’t just drop the question. He really didn’t want to tell him the truth because he was ashamed. Ashamed of himself. He never understood love–or sexual stuff. He was immature, weak and powerless compared to Mike. He did know one thing though, he liked Mike.
Mike involuntarily grabbed Will’s hand, intertwining their fingers slowly. He didn’t even realize he did it until he felt Will squeeze back. He looked down, but said nothing.
Why don’t I want to pull away?
“Will, friends don’t lie. You can tell me anything…tell me the truth.”
Will let go of his hand and threw his arms up. “That's the problem! Mike! You’re so oblivious that you can’t even tell that I don't want to be your friend!”
Mike’s chest tightened. Will didn’t want to be his friend? After all these years? He’s insane.
“What!?” Mike yelled, genuinely flabberghasted.
“I want to be more than that Mike!” Will couldn’t stop his tears from welling in his eyes. “I want to be more than friends…i don’t understand what i want to be, but Best Friends just doesn’t feel right anymore!” Even after all that, he still didn’t have the courage to outright tell Mike he was in love with him.
Just then, Hopper came through the door. He was going to surprise El. He would talk to Will later about what he was seeing. Mike looked over confused because…wasn’t he dead? Will wasn’t paying attention when Hopper went into El’s room.
Mike turned back to Will. Placing his hand over Will’s. He knew no one there was going to call him out. “Will, you know you can tell me anything. Crazy together, right? Tell me what’s going on.”
Will felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He was so overwhelmed with emotions as he tried to stop sniffling. “Mike…I like boys” His voice was barely a whisper.
Mike looked a bit surprised but didn’t take his hand away. “That’s ok Will. You know I wouldn't judge you for that.”
Actually he was surprised Mike WASN’T judging him for that. Given his track record.
“I just told you I didn’t want to be your friend, Mike.”
Mike still looked confused and now he was getting angry that Will kept dodging the question. “I don’t know what the hell that means!”
“I’m in love with you!” Will squeaked out in a cry-like voice. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He was for sure done for. Will tensed up, expecting some sort of vulgar reaction, but was surprised to be only met with affection. Mike never let go of Will’s hand. If anything, his grip got tighter. “You-”
“Mike, I have to go–”
“Nuh uh. Not today Will” Mike kept a firm grip on Will’s hand. He was still confused on why he didn’t want to let go. Will’s cheeks flushed pink.
“Tell me why.”
“..What?” Will looked at Mike, who was staring at him with utmost curiosity.
“Tell me why you love me.”
Will gazed into his eyes, trying to seek any sign of hatred or deception, to which there was none. He felt Mike gently rub his thumb on his hand as they interlocked, it made his stomach flutter.
“Well for one…I–I love your eyes. In a way, when I got lost in the upside down it may have just been in your iris’ because they are such a chocolatey brown that I love. You always look so caring. another thing would be your hair. Your curls are so perfectly shaped, which makes them so much easier to draw. And your nose is so proportionate to your face it's just perfect. Not to mention your amazing personality—apart from when you ignore me.”
“Oh please. You ignored me in the van, so I guess that makes us even.” Mike chuckled as he grabbed Will’s other hand on his own, fully facing him now.
They both had a reddish tint to their cheeks. Mike was starting to give Will some hope with how flirty he was being.
“Your hands are warm, Mike”
“No, yours are just cold” The way Mike looked at him Stirred something inside of Will. Did he actually like him?
“Right now you look so pretty in the sun.”
Will blushed, then Mike saw, and couldn't help but look away. “Ok–Mike, I need to get something straight…is this some kind of joke? Do you actually love me?”
Mike glanced at his lips.
Wow, really trying to be discreet there.
shit– Will actually noticed that time, play it off cool Mike.
“ That uhh– depends…do you want me to?” Mike knew it was a strange question, but he just wanted to know if Will accepted him.
“What the- YES!? Mike, what the hell kind of question is that!”
“Sorry! I’m bad with romance, you know that!” Mike felt embarrassed. Will didn’t know what to feel. This could be the best day of his life.
“Will, I know I love El, but i don’t know if its love , you know?” Mike’s gaze softened. “I get it, i mean I couldn’t tell if I loved you or I just liked being around you all the way through middle school.”
They still held each other's hands.
Mike leaned closer to Will. “How long have you…loved me?”
“Around 6 years I think, it started around 5th grade. I just didn’t know it yet.”
Mike’s jaw dropped as his cheeks reddened. “6 YEARS!?” Will chuckled. “Again, i didn’t know it yet…i only realized it was love last summer.”
Mike grabbed Will’s shoulders. “You’re telling me…you have been in love with me for like 6 years and YOU DIDN’T THINK TO TELL ME!?”
“Mike you can’t just ‘tell’ someone you’re gay!” Mike sighed, “it’s ok, i get it. Just…if i would have known , maybe I could have done this sooner.”
Mike placed a quick peck to Will’s lips. Short and sweet so that no one saw. Little did he know, the boards on the windows weren’t exactly perfectly aligned, And Johnathan and Nancy were peeking in on them because they cared about their siblings.
“I knew it.” Jonathan chuckled.
Will went quiet, utterly shocked and flustered. A small smile crept up both their faces as the awkward silence faded into a contempt acceptance.
Mike swallowed. “That was ok…right”
Will let out a small chuckle. “It was more than ok, idiot.” Will decided to do it back, it had been a dream to kiss his lips for a while now, and Mike must be trying to draw a crowd with the way he’s looking at him. He decides to go for it.
As the light trickled through the window onto them, Will smiled into a tender kiss on Mike’s lips. Their grips tightened in each other's hands as the moment dragged on.
“You don’t understand how long I've wanted to do that.” Will said against Mike’s lips.
Just then Hopper and El came out of her room.
Shit! Forgot El was still in here…she won’t think i’m stealing Mike from her…right?
“What the hell are you doing?”
Hopper was looking at them. They immediately let go of each other's hands. “It’s not what you think!-” Will tried to cover it up. “Relax, kid. I’m not judging you…it’s just…why’d it have to be Mike?”
Will was shocked, they both were.
“Hey!” Mike said annoyed but not really, Hopper walked out the cabin, El turned to Mike.
“I’m not mad.”
“I’m sorry El, I should have told you the truth instead of being some shitty asshole as always.”
El headed outside with the rest of them. Where the sky was turning red and the ground was splitting open and shit– But Mike and Will stayed inside. As much as Will wanted to see the commotion this opportunity was too special.
“You're perfect, You know that?” Will could listen to Mike say those words all day long. “I think not! Will the wise isn’t perfect! For no one is, even a paladin like you.”
Mike laughed. “I missed that. I missed us.” Will rolled his eyes. “At least you get it now,” he said, salty.
They seemed to relax in each other's presence. They stood up and headed out of the cabin to check on Hawkins. The others that waited outside were walking towards a field to get a good look at Hawkins…it looked bad. Joyce and Hopper stood looking out, So did Nancy and Johnathan. They all held hands with their partners. Mike and Will approached the group and saw the chaos as El went ahead to check it out. Will looked scared…terrified even of what was to come next for Hawkins, for Himself, or even the world.
Mike took his hand on his own. Not caring if anyone saw anymore, he was sure there was larger priorities than to judge them right now.
“It’s going to be Ok. I promise. Don’t worry, we’ll kill him. We will.”
go follow my Tumblr for byler theories, analogies, and proofs!