Work Text:
The Byers are back in Hawkins, which means a lot of things, the most urgent one being that Joyce sold the house, which would in turn make them homeless.
There’s an easy solution to this, no one’s too happy about it, especially not the wheelers.
With Dustin’s mom being a nervous wreck, and Erica’s very effective protests against anyone staying at her house, the Wheelers offered their place.
Now naturally, Jonathan and Will would sleep in the same room right? Wrong.
Will finds he’s been betrayed by his older brother, who somehow (god knows how) managed to convince both his mother and Mrs Wheeler to let him share a room with Nancy.
Joyce is taking Holly’s room, Holly will be sleeping with her parents, Eleven isn’t even staying with them, she’s hiding out at Hopper’s place, and that only leaves Mike and Will…who will be sharing the basement.
It’s not like he can say no, Mike’s his best friend, they’re not even on bad terms or anything, it would make no sense if he refused to share a room with him. He figures he can just sleep on the floor or something.
He walks into the Wheeler’s basement for the first time in around a year or so, Mike follows closely behind him, and he notices a couple of things. First, his painting, framed on the wall, not taped, not rolled up and collecting dust in a random corner, framed. He feels proud for a second, then remembers that Mike thinks the painting came from El, the feeling fades quicker than he’d like to admit. Second thing he notices is the photos, there’s photos of the party and next to them is photos of strangers, who he assumes are the members of the Hellfire Club, his analysis of the room comes to an end when Mike interrupts.
“So…it’s been a while, since we’ve been down here I mean.” Will looks up at Mike, he’s got that awkward look on his face that he always has when talking to Will nowadays “yeah, I’ve missed this place, it’s barely changed”
“I mean, the only thing that ever changes is the stuff on the wall, but yeah, it’s the same old basement”
Will doesn’t reply, he just chuckles awkwardly, god is this awkward, and they’re gonna have to sleep here for who knows how long…
Safe to say, he is not excited, or at least he wishes he wasn’t.
Night rolls ‘round, Mike’s set up a makeshift bed presumably for him, but to his surprise, it’s not.
“I thought I’d be sleeping on the floor”
Mike looks at him dumbfounded “of course not, I’d be an asshole if I were to take the bed”
Will laughs “I suppose so, but if you change your mind I really wouldn’t mind the floor, I’m serious”
Mike sorta brushes him off before they both head to bed.
But the night is cold, and Will can hear Mike toss and turn.
He’s not sure how long it’s been, probably a little over an hour, when he hears Mike get up.
He initially decides to ignore it, it’s his house, he’s allowed to get up in the middle of the night and do whatever it is he’s doing, but he’s feeling slightly guilty about the bed thing, and he wonders if maybe that’s why Mike can’t sleep.
So he doesn’t ignore it.
“Mike?” He asks, it’s too dark for him to see anything but Mike replies “What’s up? Did I wake you?”
He kinda regrets speaking, he should’ve just pretended to sleep.
“No, no you didn’t wake me, what’re you doing awake?”
“Couldn’t sleep, what about you?”
“Same excuse”
Mike laughs, “you can’t sleep? Even on such a comfortable and luxurious bed?” He jokes, Will laughs.
“Oh shut up, you’re the one who was willing to give it up and take the floor”
They fall into silence after that, it’s a little uncomfortable but Will pays no mind to it, the house is quiet, Mike’s voice tears right through the stillness of the night.
“Do you wanna do something?”
His tone is no longer playful, Will hadn’t seen this side of Mike in a while, but that’s how they were as kids, there wasn’t any need for that fake cheery tone, or for stupid jokes to fill the awkwardness between them.
“Like what?”
“I dunno, like, go outside or plan a campaign or something, I’m bored”
“I am not going outside in this cold Micheal, and we haven’t planned a campaign in ages, is the party even still willing to play? Do we have time for that?”
He feels like he might’ve been a tad harsh, he’s still salty over their last campaign, which is valid, but he feels bad for letting it get to him.
“C’mon, we’ll plan something, we can play when this is all over.”
He doesn’t wait for Will’s reply, instead he gets up and turns the light on.
His eyes take a second to adjust but when they do, he can’t help but look at Mike.
His best friend, wearing cute plaid pyjamas and messy hair, god he looks…Will curses himself for thinking this way.
“Can you get me that notebook that’s in the drawer?”
Will abides, but when he opens the drawer he sees more than just a notebook.
Letters, lots of them, he can’t help but notice who they’re addressed to.
Mike seems to have noticed his silence, since as quickly as Will opened that drawer, the other boy took the notebook and closed it.
“So, shall we get to it?” He says, chuckling awkwardly as he does.
He’s not letting this slide.
“Mike, what was that?”
He’s clearly nervous, he stutters in an attempt to make up an excuse.
“Just uh, some old stuff, nothing important.”
Will opens the drawer again, he pulls out a letter, Mike reaches out to take it but he gives up halfway through.
“Why didn’t you send these? I thought you just didn’t care, you could’ve at least told me you tried to write, back at Rink O’ Mania you know?”
Mike sits down next to Will before replying.
“I don’t know, I guess I was scared”
Silence falls between them for a minute or two whilst Will gets his thoughts together.
“Scared of what? How I’d reply? I would’ve been overjoyed to receive as many letters as El did.”
Mike looks guilty, Will isn’t sure what to feel, “It’s not just that, it’s not really anything I can talk to you about.”
“You’ve been acting really strange, Mike. I’d like to know why. You know there’s nothing you can’t tell me right? I’m your best friend.”
He looks away from Will, silence once again filling the room.
“That’s the problem Will, that you’re my best friend and I can’t lose you!” He says, a little too loud, which he seems to notice considering his next words are said in a gentler tone.
“I’m just really scared of losing you, that’s all.”
Will looks at him, perplexed.
“Then why push me away? You not sending these letters is what created this distance between us.
You’re not going to lose me, I’m your best friend, there is nothing in this world that could make me hate you.”
Mike doesn’t reply, instead he takes the letter from Will. He’s certain he’s about to tear it to shreds or put it back into the drawer or something, but instead he opens the envelope and reads it.
His voice trembling as he does.
“Dear Will,
I’m sorry I haven’t written, my mind’s been a mess as of lately and it’s been hard to put my feelings into words. It’s easier to write to El since I can just talk to her about what I’ve been doing rather than how I’ve been doing, but it feels superficial to send you a letter like that.
I hear you’ve been painting, El says it might be for a girl you like, I miss seeing your art.
I’ve tried calling but Joyce’s job makes it impossible to reach you, next time I see her I’ll be begging her to get a different job, It’s been horrible to go this long without talking to my best friend.
But on a brighter note, I joined a dnd campaign, the dungeon master’s some dude named Eddie, I can’t wait for you to meet him, he’s such an interesting person, you’ll love him, anyways, I’ve gotta go eat dinner so I’m gonna end the letter here.
From, Mike.”
Will is confused, what’s so terrible about this that he couldn’t send it? It’s just a letter, he makes his thoughts known.
“I don’t see the issue Mike, I would’ve loved to read this back then.”
He doesn’t reply, instead he takes another letter.
“Dear Will,
I really miss you, I miss our campaigns and our sleepovers, I talk to El often and I see Dustin and Lucas pretty much daily, but that doesn’t compare to you.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I miss my best friend.
And it’s kind of on me that I haven’t sent you any letters or anything, and I didn’t reply to the one you sent me, but my mind’s kind of a mess right now.
Anyways, I’m not sure what else to write, so I’ll end it here.
Love, Mike.”
Love? The word loops in Will’s mind, but it’s probably nothing, I mean, everyone loves their friends. It does feel reassuring to know Mike missed him this much, but he can’t let this get his hopes up.
Mike takes another letter, his hands shake this time.
“Dear Will,
I’m not planning on ever sending this letter, I just figured that writing it as if I were telling you would help get it off my chest.
I’ve been having conflicting thoughts recently, I don’t think I really love El, and that’s a terrible thing to put on paper or feel or even think, because she does so much for me, but I really don’t think I feel that way towards her.
I only realised this because I fell in love with someone.”
Mike pauses, Will’s heart sinks, who could he possibly be in love with?
He doesn’t finish reading, instead he sits in silence, Will looks at him, he’s looking away from him.
“Mike, what’s wrong?”
He takes a second to reply, shame echoing in his voice “I’m in love with a boy, Will, and I know that it might seem gross to you but It’s how I feel.”
Will laughs, Mike looks confused, what could he possibly be laughing at?
“It’s not gross Mike.”
“Don’t just say that, I know you think it is.”
Will can’t believe Mike is seriously this clueless, but I guess he was just as clueless a few minutes ago so it checks out.
“Well by that logic then I’m gross too.”
Mike perks up to look at Will, glassy eyes glimmering with hope.
Will keeps talking. “Look, I’m about to do something and if you don’t want it you have every right to push me away and never speak to me ever again, okay?”
“Yeah, alright” his voice cracking as he says it.
Will inches closer to Mike, his breath heavy as he cups the boy’s face with one hand and holds him with the other, closing the gap between them.
Mike doesn’t push away, instead he leans deeper into the kiss, Will must be dreaming.
They pull away from each other, heartbeats synced, beating so loud they can practically both hear them.
This feels unreal, like any second now Will is gonna wake up and face the reality that none of this ever actually happened. But he doesn’t, and when he finally lets himself take in the scene in front of him, Mike is crying, not full on crying, just tearing up, but Will’s not seen him cry in a while so it comes as a surprise to him.
“How long have you felt this way?”
He can’t believe he’s being asked this.
“God, since forever, Mike, you have no idea.” He laughs, resting his head on Mike’s chest.
“I uh, on that topic, you know that painting you gave me?”
Will nods, I mean, he painted it.
“Did El actually commission it?”
A couple of hours ago that question would’ve sent him into cardiac arrest, it’s easier to admit now.
“She doesn’t even like dungeons and dragons, of course she didn’t”
All this talking fills in a bit of the silence that lingers around the house, it reminds Will of all the sleepovers they had as kids.
“You know you didn’t have to lie about that right? I wouldn’t have minded if you’d given it to me like normal, I would’ve framed it anyways.”
Will smiles, instead of replying he leans in for another kiss, this is still so new to him, to both of them, but Mike’s lips are soft and he smells nice and he loves him, so it doesn’t matter if they’re awkward.
They fall asleep eventually, cuddled up on Mike’s bed, just like when they were kids.