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“I know about the painting, Will.”
It was as though his heart stopped. No one can imagine the pain of heart failure, let alone a broken heart. If he had to imagine, Will Byers would say the pain he felt in that moment could compare. Time stopped altogether; he didn’t even bother to look at his watch for confirmation. Mike’s words sounded like they were underwater.
The two boys stood under the dark overcast of clouds, a dramatic setting for their eventual argument. Will wanted to just move on from all this, but he knew Mike. He was too stubborn to let something like this go, so Will cursed himself as he crossed his arms against his chest.
“What?”
That was the only word Will could muster without bursting into tears. He hoped the boy across from him couldn’t tell, but Mike wasn’t naïve. Will dropped his eyes to the ground. He found it almost pathetic that he couldn’t even look at Mike, considering they hadn’t even started fighting yet.
“Don’t play dumb, Will, you’re not stupid. I told El about the painting, and she didn’t even know what it was!”
Mike threw his hand up dramatically towards Will, something the Wheelers often did whenever they were frustrated. His face didn’t look angry per se, but it wasn’t one Will had the guts to face for too long. He’d only look up at Mike’s eyes for seconds at a time.
“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, I promise.”
He turned his head away, hearing Mike scoff as he got closer. Lightning cracked across the sky, and it started to rain.
“That’s bullshit! If you really meant that, why would you lie to me?”
Mike spoke from his heart, like always. Will hated and loved him for that. The rain picked up quickly, similarly to Will’s heart in that current moment. He steadied his breathing, he was not going to cry, not now, not in front of him. Will thought about biting back, but he was never good enough at arguing.
“I didn’t! It’s not that easy to explain, Mike. But you need to know- “
Will’s breath hitched as Mike cut him off. He instinctively stepped back as Mike kept getting closer, which Will was starting to get nervous about. Thunder boomed while Mike spoke, but Will could hear every word.
“Know what? How can I believe anything you have to say right now?!”
The rain soaked the two of them and the environment around them. Will’s feet squished under the ground as he shifted. He knew it would go down like this.
Will blinked as raindrops landed on his face. He bit his lip and attempted to hold back tears. Why did he always have to cry? He swore he wouldn’t. He gripped his arms tight and hoped the rain would clear.
“Mike, please. I swear if I could just tell you, I would! I just-I can’t! I’m sorry.”
He really was sorry, even though he knew he wasn’t the one that needed to apologize. Tears started to fall down Will’s face as he closed his eyes, turning his head to the side as a stupid failsafe. But he swore he saw Mike’s face sink once he noticed Will cry.
“I just don’t understand why you would lie. I mean, I looked like a complete idiot telling El about your painting!”
“It’s not my painting; I made it for you.”
Will faced Mike as he spoke, whipping around and catching Mike’s regret. He honestly didn’t mean to say that as loud as he did, and his eyes widened as he finished. The rain fell harder on the boys as the moonlight reflected off the lake.
Mike’s face dropped, and Will saw him take a tiny step back. Will couldn’t tell if his face was wet from the rain or tears, but he shunned himself away all the same. His throat was tight, and he just hoped to God that Mike wouldn’t comment. The two stood in silence for what felt like ages.
“So it really was about you.”
Will could have collapsed from anxiety right then and there, but for once he just stood still. He hadn’t frozen up like this since Halloween. But unlike then, he couldn’t bring himself to look up.
“I mean, I knew you painted it, I just didn’t think….”
Mike trailed off, almost as though he cut himself off from saying anything else. The silence between them returned, and only the sounds of heavy rain could be heard. Mike furrowed his brows, resting his hands next to his side in perpetual hesitation. Will only looked up when he realized how close Mike had gotten.
“Did you really mean it?”
Will nodded almost immediately, attempting to break the sudden tension between them. They made eye contact for the first time in hours, and the two stared for way too long, though they didn’t mind. Will felt something within him stir, and he nervously ran his fingers through his wet hair.
“I didn’t lie about that. I meant everything I said…”
Will caught himself and paused, but he saw the look in Mike’s eyes and continued softly.
“About you.”
Mike’s eyes widened, and Will could’ve sworn he saw his pupils dilate a bit. The two smiled, but Will’s knees almost buckled as Mike pulled him in close. They embraced, Mike pulling his hands around Will first. Will almost rested his arms around Mike’s waist but blushed at the thought and settled around Mike’s shoulders. The two held each other for as long as they could, as if time would start again the second they let go.
“I do need you, Mike.”
Will wasn’t thinking, wasn’t breathing, wasn’t moving. He barely registered that he even said that aloud, and he fought the urge to run away. He was convinced he was on autopilot; the Will he knew would never have said anything that risky. He begged his subconscious to leave it alone, to just forget about everything he said. Don’t regret it, he told himself. But he was only convinced when he felt Mike start to hug him tighter.
Mike’s neck aligned against Will’s shoulder while they embraced. He knew it was dramatic to enjoy a hug this much, but he couldn’t remember the last time he was this close to Mike. His cheeks were red, and he didn’t care. He didn’t even care when they eventually pulled away from each other and Mike could so obviously see the color change in his face. And he tried very hard not to care when Mike’s face got closer to his.
Mike stood deathly still, trying to think of anything coherent. He held his hands tight on Will’s biceps as the two of them stood drenched on the grass. Will froze like a deer in headlights, noticing that he was able to hold eye contact this time. Tensions rose, rain poured, moonlight brightened, and there stood two boys, alone together.
The last thing Will Byers remembered before his mind went blank was Mike Wheeler kissing him.
Everything flowed so naturally, Will almost convinced himself he was dreaming. How could he predict that the end of the world would bring him closer to the boy he loved? Obviously, he would never say that aloud, maybe when the right time came. This whole time he thought that everything he did with Mike was too much. No matter what it was, Will stopped himself. Prevented himself, did anything he could to keep their friendship something “normal.” But why did he have to pretend? Being normal was overrated.
It was only a minute or so, but the two of them held their kiss for what felt like years. Mike’s hands cupped, then gripped, clutched Will’s face. He didn’t let go, even after Will pulled away.
He didn’t mean to, but part of him was still trying to believe this was all real. Mike’s face dropped a little, partly because he hoped Will wasn’t going to tell him to stop. He waited for a response, standing idly in the heavy rain. Will’s voice barely cut through the white noise of the water.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pull away, I just…”
Will compulsively looked away again but forgot that Mike’s hands were still holding his cheeks. He paused as Mike barely moved Will’s head back over to him. He felt his face warm up again, which honestly felt great within the cold.
“Will, look at me. It’s okay. Look, I’m sorry, I should have asked-”
“No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
They both looked at each other, something they seemed to share often. Will was attempting not to seem like he was panicking, and Mike was smiling as he looked at Will’s eyes in the moonlight. Mike was going to speak first but was stopped by another kiss. Wills’ lips met Mike’s, and he was still surprised he had gained the courage to initiate first. Mike quickly reciprocated, both closing their eyes. They were soaking wet, they were freezing, but they didn’t care. Will drifted his hands through Mike’s wet hair, one of Mike’s hands held onto the back of Will’s neck. Will flinched from the familiar action, but opened his eyes and remembered where he was, who he was with. The danger, for once, had left him alone. Mike held on tightly, and it felt different. Better.
The rain had reached its peak, but the storm had calmed. The lake lit up from the moon, the birds were quiet, the two boys were holding each other. Hours could have gone by and neither of them would have noticed. But eventually a rogue lightning strike hit, which caused Will to jump. Mike pulled back, immediately concerned if Will had flinched from something else.
“Are you okay?”
Mike asked this frequently, ever since Will returned to Hawkins. Will used to find it annoying, the number of times he asked after Will did anything that caused concern. But this time, he appreciated it, despite the fact nothing terrible had even happened. It also helped that Mike’s hand was all over Will’s cheek while they stood.
“Yeah, sorry. The lightning just scared me.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Will.”
Will dropped his eyes to the ground out of slight embarrassment, even though he had no reason to be. He looked up after he noticed Mike grasp the back of his neck tighter. Surprising how a simple action can make someone feel so grounded.
Mike had a way of making Will feel appreciated, or at the very least, better. Even though he was freezing in the rain, he would never admit it. Not to Mike, not in this moment. He never wanted this to end, even if it meant the two of them would catch a cold after standing in the rain for so long. Mike felt the same, but he couldn’t think of the exact words to say. Every thought would appear in his head all at once, he had no idea what to start saying. He preferred it, though, the silence. He loved looking at Will, and he loved it even more when the two of them could just stare into each other’s eyes. Mike often found his eyes drifting down to Will’s lips, though. Especially now after they’ve kissed for the first time. It was still mind-blowing to Will that he was even still standing in front of Mike.
Mike laughed a little to himself, mainly because he was so happy. He had honestly forgotten that he was still holding on to Will’s face, and he squeezed his hands tighter. Will’s face twitched out of instinct, and Mike made a face. Not a worried one, just cautious considering how new this was to them.
“You okay?”
Will caught this expression after Mike spoke and panned his eyes down again. He didn’t like being embarrassed, but it didn’t help that he was cold and the boy in front of him was always staring at him. Will was always cold, but he hated that the weather still bothered him. Maybe getting closer to Mike would help.
“Yeah. Sorry, just a habit.”
“You apologize a lot, Will. It’s cute.”
Will was blushing, which helped him warm up. Mike rubbed his thumb across Will’s cheek, and his hands were even warmer. Will’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but he didn’t mind. Mike just loved the way the moonlight reflected off Will’s face, which let him see all the features he liked so much.
“I’m glad that you kissed me.”
Mike smiled while he spoke, still staring. Will felt like his world was shifting. He was warm and cold at the same time, he was fuzzy on the inside, and he couldn’t look anywhere else but Mike’s face. How could he be so in love with this boy?
“I am too. I’m really glad you wanted to.”
“Of course I wanted to. I’m sorry I didn’t make it clear, you know, that I like you. I wasn’t really sure what you would say, and I had no idea what to do in the first place, and I- “
Will interrupted him, knowing that Mike would’ve kept going on and on about his feelings. He found it endearing, to be honest, but he wanted to stay in the moment. He really was happy Mike felt this way, though. Took him long enough.
“It’s okay, Mike. I understand. And I like you too. I’m…I’m just...”
Will had a hard time trying to put his thoughts into words. He had felt this way for a long time, and only now did everything happen at once. They both felt the same, but maybe they didn’t need to say anything. He hesitated but resorted to kissing Mike again. If he couldn’t explain how he felt, or how Mike felt, then he could show it.
His cold lips felt warm against Mike’s, which almost made him flinch again. Mike closed his eyes almost instantly and pulled Will tighter. Will had started to get warmer and warmer, without really knowing why. He only realized it wasn’t from his cheeks when he noticed Mike’s hands weren’t there anymore. Mike’s hands were traveling down until they reached Will’s waist. It felt natural, the way his hands rested there. Will began to blush again, obviously, and he blinked a few times out of surprise. This surprise was amazing, to say the least, but it still caught him off guard. The two of them deepened their kiss, with Will pushing one of his hands through Mike’s hair. The two of them were still soaking, but it was the least of their concern. Will’s mind went blank again as Mike’s hands moved around, shifted against Will’s wet shirt, until they drifted underneath.
Will’s face was on fire, as was the rest of his body. He held onto Mike’s face like his life depended on it. They both wanted the same thing as they stood in the dreary weather. Time felt slower like before, but in this case that was a blessing. Mike kept his hands under Will’s shirt while they kissed. He had moved out of pure impulse, or rather what he felt was right at that moment. Will felt as though his brain was foggy the longer that they embraced. Their kisses were rough but affectionate after so much time spent yearning. Will was finally warm enough up against Mike. He wanted to make a move of some sort, just to match Mike’s level. But he was much too caught up in their kiss to try anything. And if he was being honest with himself, he was still too nervous to move much further. But the two of them were unanimous, whether they knew it or not.
The two boys held each other for ages. Every second was a lasting experience for both; one they never wanted to let go of. It was only after Will felt the heat was too much for him that the two pulled apart. Will was recovering, if that was even the appropriate word for it. He had never in a million years expected to kiss the boy he loved, let alone get this far. He barely even thought he would gain the courage to confess to Mike. But in just one night, the stars had aligned. The universe had answered his prayers. This dream boy really was the right one for him.
Mike stared into Will’s eyes under the moonlight, and Will looked at the shadows of the water cast onto Mike’s face. The world was silent once again as the rain finally stopped, leaving the two boys completely drenched. But they were warm despite it all, and they had each other. Their hearts were beating together as one. No one outside of the lakeside would know what happened between the two boys that night. Everything had changed for Will Byers and Mike Wheeler.
And to them, it was perfect that way.