Archive of Our Own ^beta

Mike Wheeler knew he wasn’t destined to live a long or happy life. Since the age of twelve he had been swooped up in a world of chaos: running from the government, finding a superhero girlfriend, and fighting fantastical creatures in real life.

With every turn he attempted to make in this maze of life, somebody or something had to throw more obstacles in his path. So at some point, Mike became accustomed to the chaos and the disappointment that he came with it, because it was stupid to expect anything more.

When demons rose from the ground, he just stood at the ready instead of screaming like he used to. When he heard another person he loved was hurt, he accepted that it was to be expected. When his girlfriend broke up with him, he knew it was coming.

And when he broke into the MAC-Z with his group, he knew deep down that something would go wrong, despite what his brain was hoping for. 

At first Mike thought it was the pipe bursting in the bathroom. He thought about how it was bullshit that they happened to hit the pipe, forcing them to try and cover it up. 

Then Alice, stupid Alice Kline, ratted them out to the guards and caught him, Will, and Dipshit Delightful Derek. As they were forced out of the tent, Mike cursed under his breath as they ordered and pushed him around. Then he started arguing with the guards about how they needed to save the kids, letting his pent up anger and frustration take the front of his argument.

But when  Will almost passed out, Mike was sure this was what everything was leading up to. Because when Will sensed trouble, it was bound to find him. Right on cue, demogorgons found their way to them, ripping new gates around them and attacking anything and everything in their way. 

Mike watched as the red appeared out of thin air, the demogorgon's long, slimy hands forcing the gate open before shoving their way through and clambering out. He looked around frantically, noticing the sheer amount of them. As his instincts finally kicked in, he focused and got to work.

The kids behind him were frightened at the scene in front of him, and Mike couldn't blame them. He felt the same way when he was just about their age. He gave them a confident look. 

“We’re getting out of here!” Mike reassured the kids. “Eyes on me! Stay close!” 

He ran towards Joyce, who was attempting to carry a now nearly conscious Will, and helped him up. Will, his best friend of many years, helpless once more to the monsters who have been tormenting him for years upon years. 

As he slipped an arm around Will, he called to him. “Will! Come on, come on!” He urged him, trying his best to get him to safety. 

Joyce and him managed to get him up before another demogorgon swooped over them, narrowly missing them. And with that, they booked it. They got to a safe spot, but as soon as they did Mike looked at the kids.

“Is everyone okay?” He asked before being met with a few fearful nods. Mike looked back at the chaos in front of him, analyzing what to do about the situation.

“The radio shack. I think we can make it.” He said confidently. “We can go into the tunnels and get the hell out of here, okay? Just follow my lead.” 

And as they ran past the bullets and otherworldly beings, they met face to face with a demogorgon. But before it could attack, the soldiers used fire on it. And as soon as they did, Mike heard the most horrid noise ever. 

He turned to his left to see Will thrashing around on the floor, screaming his lungs out as he grabbed at the air, attempting to ground himself to reality. Fighting every fiber in his body begging him to check on Will, he drew his attention to the biggest gate, where a dark figure emerged. 

That’s when he realized it didn’t matter what they fucked up that day. The real villain had finally arrived. 

As he watched the soldier attempt to use fire on Vecna, he blocked them and exploded the oxygen tank, sending Mike and the kids flying back. 

And that’s when the world went dark. 

When Mike opened his eyes for the first time, he saw the kids being dragged away by the monsters. He tried to get up, reach for them, even call for them, but his body wouldn’t move.

The second time, he was able to get up, just enough to see a new gate open only a few meters in front of him as a new demogorgon climbed its way out towards him. It broke into a sprint as Mike managed to get up before jumping towards him, its arm stretched back ready to strike. 

And that’s when time stopped. 

When a person dies, their heart stops functioning instantaneously, but their brain goes on. For seven minutes the brain remains active and exists in a dream-like state, replaying the happiest memories of a person’s life. It’s a form of closure as the neurons whizzing through the nervous system come to their final stop. 

All Mike could think was that he was going to die. He knew that his life was over and his seven minutes would begin any moment now. And as his mind ran a thousand miles an hour, all he could hope was that these minutes would be worth it.

Mike’s life was nothing short of unfortunate thanks to getting involved with the government at the age of twelve. He had never felt a moment of peace since then, and he hoped that at least in death he could finally get to satisfy that craving. So, as he instinctively raised his hand in front of his face in a desperate effort to save himself, he accepted his unfortunate fate one last time.

One.

He found himself in a playground . Mike felt alone, like a part of his heart and soul was hollow. He looked around frantically, unsure of what he was looking for until he found it-rather him. A small boy on the swings alone, with the most recognizable bowlcut Mike had ever laid eyes on. 

He was alone too, sadly kicking at the ground to push the swing further back. As all the other kids ignored him, Mike felt himself walking towards him until he reached the swings and instinctively sat on the empty one next to the boy.

The young boy finally looked up at him, taking note of his presence. His bowlcut was much more choppier up close, and his clothes were rather large for his small frame. But he also had big hazel eyes, and the most innocent look plastered on his face. Mike stared for a moment before he spoke.

“Do you wanna be friends?”

Shellshocked for a moment, the boy recollected himself before his mouth broke into the biggest and cutest smile Mike had ever seen.

“Yes.”

Two. 

Mike and Will ran into the basement carrying a large snakes and ladders set in their hands. There was a local garage sale, and they had offered to give the set to them for free. 

Mike set it down on the table as Will peered from over his shoulder. Mike, as graceful as he was, dumped everything out on the table, watching pieces fall to the floor. He turned to Will, standing beside him and the two of them just giggled. 

As they set up and began playing, Mike quickly realized how boring this game was. It was an endless loop of moving spaces just to be sent back, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop.

Will was giggling with every space Mike was sent back, laughing and displaying his slightly crooked baby teeth with his smile. And Mike, Mike couldn't resist it. If Will was with him, he couldn't bring himself to care about anything else around him.

And suddenly, Mike’s mom was in the basement, holding a huge camera to their faces. Mike groaned and complained as she called them cute and asked him to stay still for one moment. 

But as he turned to Will, he saw that same crooked smile beaming towards the camera. And with that, Mike couldn’t argue as he slung an arm carelessly around his best as a natural smile crept onto his face. 

Three. 

“The demogorgon is sick of your bickering!” 

Four boys found themselves locked in the familiarity of Mike’s basement for around 10 hours. It was Mike’s ultimate campaign that he had planned for weeks, and they were finally reaching the climax as Dustin, Lucas, and Will finally came face to face with the demogorgon. 

Dustin and Lucas had been new additions to their small party when they moved into the neighborhood. Lucas moved first and was in Mike and Will’s science class, and Dustin moved later into the neighborhood. 

All four of them realized how much they had in common, because they were all nerds. Hawkins wasn’t known for its diversity in cliques, so the few of them stuck together, joining the Hawkins radio club and spending hours on D&D campaigns. 

When they joined, Mike was scared that Will would find greater comfort in the other two, leaving him third or fourth wheeling at times. But Mike should've known better. Will and Mike still stuck together at the hip because they were special, and Mike knew it. 

“Fireball!” 

Will called after Dustin and Lucas had argued over what to do. And with that, the dice fell off the table, sending everyone into a frenzy over where it went and what number it was.

“Mike! Time’s up!”

Mike groaned and went upstairs to argue with his mother for a few minutes, before ultimately accepting defeat and walking the boys out to the garage. As Dustin and Lucas rode away, Will held back for a moment. 

“It was a seven.” 

“Huh?”

Mike quipped towards him. Will was sitting on his bike with his bright yellow jacket that he was sure was a hand me down from Johnathon. The flickering lights behind them illuminated Will’s innocent face and large hazel eyes. For a moment, Mike forgot that Will had even spoken. 

“The roll. It was a seven. The demogorgon, it got me.” 

And Mike just stared, because of course Will would. Mike knew that if it came to it, Dustin and Lucas would lie-granted white ones-if they needed something. But Will? No, that was unheard of. Will would never do that, and Mike couldn't even imagine him doing so.

From the moment they met, Will was always honest with Mike, and Mike felt it was because of how comfortable they were with another. Because at the end of the day, they were the only ones that the other trusted. And Will was so precious and honest, so how could he even bring himself to be annoyed by the sad attempt? 

It seemed that Mike had stayed silent for too long, as Will propped himself up. “Well, see you tomorrow!” Will said as he finally rolled away into the distance to catch up with Dustin and Lucas.

Will couldn't have known, but Mike was smiling the entire time he was in view as he rode away.  

Four.  

Losing Will had felt like he had lost a limb. Everyday was a reminder of what he no longer had, and it physically hurt to be away from him. Mike went to bed with his chest aching, and the sadness overwhelming him at every step of the way. 

When he went missing, Mike refused to believe he wasn’t okay, because he knew Will. Will, although he seemed weak to others, was the strongest person he knew. And, if anything had happened to him, Mike knew Will would be the most resourceful amongst them all. 

So when they found his body, Mike broke. He knew deep down that it wasn’t Will, that it couldn’t be Will. But the signs pointed to one place, and it was Will’s body. And he felt so stupid, so stupid that he felt the pain triple in his body when his eyes set on Will. 

He couldn't bring himself to do anything but scream at his friends as he rode away from the scene, wiping tears away as he rode to his house. And when entered, he hugged his mother for the first time in maybe years.

Mike didn’t know what to do. The pain was eating him alive, clawing at his skin and suffocating his heart. His breaths were short and his vision was blurred, and he couldn’t feel anything. Mike didn’t know what he wanted or what he needed.

All he needed was Will. 

So when they heard Will was found, it was like the beating in Mike’s heart had finally resumed. Like the air that his lungs were robbed of had finally returned and he could finally breathe. 

So, he waited for hours in the hospital waiting room. With every moment he knew Will was fighting to get up, and he couldn’t feel anything short of pure ecstasy. Even when Dustin and Lucas fell asleep in wait, Mike couldn't bring himself to from sheer excitement. 

Will was home. Not stuck in some alternate dimension, not running from monsters, not being stuck in some weird goop, home.

And when they finally announced that he was awake, Mike jumped. He shook the other two boys awake before sprinting towards the hospital room, not even bothering to wait for them in their daze. 

Slamming the door open, Mike truly felt the breath return to his lungs, because Will was on the hospital bed, looking at him with that familiar crooked smile. 

“Byers!” Mike yelled. 

Mike ran towards him as Joyce moved out of the way, pulling Will into a deep hug. Unconsciously, he felt himself lay his head right where his heart was, listening to the beating of his heart against his ear, as if his mind could barely accept it, checking to make sure it wasn’t a cruel dream.

And when he heard that familiar heartbeat, he knew it would be all right. Even when the other kids piled on top of their hug, he listened intently and grabbed on deadly, before finally pulling away when the others did too much to his dislike.

Will smiled at Mike when he pulled away, just for a fraction of a second before smiling at the others, but Mike knew. He could tell just how happy Will was to see him too, maybe just as much as he was. 

Dustin started rambling about the crazy things they had done since his disappearance, and Will listened intently with utmost curiosity. And it was then Mike realized that it would be okay. Because as long as Will was here, they would all be fine. 

Five. 

Mike had been the first one to notice Will had disappeared on Halloween. He was already unhappy with the day with ‘Madmax’ joining them, but Will going missing pushed him over the edge because no one seemed to notice but him. Nobody cared for Will like he did, and maybe he preferred it that way, but he wanted some excuse to be mad at Lucas and Dustin. 

As Mike looked for Will, all he could think about was how annoying it was that Dustin and Lucas were all over a girl. They had so many other things to be worrying about, but they were so concerned about bringing a new girl into the party, especially when Will needed them and they had El. 

Part of his anger was misdirected, because in all honesty Mike didn’t understand how they could be so worked up over a girl. He didn’t feel that way, and even though he wouldn't admit it, he knew it deep down. 

When he kissed Eleven that night, it just felt like the right thing to do with the talk of the Snow Ball, but it didn’t feel right. Perhaps it was the mood, with the seriousness of the situation, but he knew that he loved her. But the way that Dustin and Lucas acted? It was different, nothing like how Mike had felt and it made him feel crazy. 

But before Mike could continue thinking, he finally found Will crouched up beside some stairs. He was in a trance, and Mike violently shook him until Will finally looked up at him. 

It seemed like Mike had snapped him out of a nightmare by the look of horror on Will’s face. Will instinctively grabbed for Mike’s arm, which Mike didn’t shy away from as he helped him get up, slipping an arm around his back. 

When Dustin, Lucas, and Max finally caught up, Mike was beyond sick of them, and told them that he and Will were leaving.

Mike’s house finally came into view after a few minutes of walking, all during which Mike refused to remove his hand from Will’s back. Feeling like if he let go, he’d somehow lose will again, and Mike wanted to ensure it would never happen again. 

The door to the basement flung open and Mike led Will downstairs to sit on the sofa. Mike asked Will about what happened, hoping he’d let him into his thoughts. 

“You know how on a View-Master you can get…” Will struggled to find the words, playing with his hands on his lap as if he was looking for the answer in the lines on his palm. 

Mike knew that Will was nervous, as he rarely talked about his problems since coming back. He had been more shut off, trying to make it seem like he was okay when he really wasn’t, putting on that same brave face he always did in adversity. 

But Mike knew him better than that. 

“Caught between two sides?” Mike completed his thought, to which Will nodded.

“It’s like that. One side’s our world and the other side is the upside down.” 

Mike swallowed unconsciously, as he let Will gain more confidence to keep talking. “And there was this noise that was coming from everywhere.” 

At that, Will became visibly frightened. His eyes were wide and his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared intently into the distance. Mike looked at him, hoping his eyes were comforting him into talking. 

“And then I saw something.”

“The demogorgon?” Mike asked softly.

Will shook his head, “No. It was like this huge shadow in the sky. Only, it was alive. And it was coming for me.” 

Mike noticed Will’s voice waver on that last word, cracking with fear. When Will said something, he believed it wholeheartedly. So if Will said it was something was coming for him, he felt every fiber of his being scared for him. 

“Is it all real?” Mike asked to make sure. “Or is it like the doctors say, all in your head?”

Will looked at him and then looked away. “I don’t know… Just… don’t tell the others, okay? They won’t understand.” 

Mike nodded. And for a moment, he thought of Eleven. She had always had an understanding of the upside down, and as much as he wanted to support and understand Will he knew he couldn't. 

“Eleven would’ve. She-” Mike stopped for a moment. In a way to relate to Will, he continued speaking. “Somtimes I feel like she’s still here. Sometimes I still see her. Like she’s around, but she isn’t.” 

Mike realized that maybe it wasn’t helping and adjusted himself. “I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy.” 

He expected to be met with silence, but Will finally spoke up. “Me, too.” 

Mike looked back at Will, his eyes deep with sadness as he stared at Mike. Mike attempted to make him smile. 

“Hey, well, if we’re going crazy, then we’ll go crazy together, right?” 

Will finally cracked a sad smile at him before a small chuckle just barely escaped his mouth. “Yeah, crazy together.” 

Six. 

Not seeing Will for months certainly put Mike on edge. So much so, that when Mike saw him, he gave Will the most pathetic greeting and hug on the planet. And in his defense, he was royally pissed.

El had talked about this painting Will had made for a girl he liked. That had already sent a sick feeling down Mike’s stomach, but to arrive at the airport and for Will to have the gall to bring said painting there. Mike couldn’t believe him. 

And he knew that he had no right to be upset. Will could like whoever he wanted to, but deep down Mike couldn't help it. The idea of Will liking someone made him so sick that he felt like throwing up. 

But Mike was better than that. So, instead of introducing himself and saying hello to Johnathon and ‘Random Dude #1’, he turned to Will.

“Uh, what’s that?”

He noticed Will freeze for a moment as he played with the rolling up painting in his hand. “Um, it’s nothing. Just this painting I’ve been working on.” 

And that sent Mike’s blood into a simmer. He could tell Will was lying, even if it was a small one. Mike knew it was for a girl, and he couldn't believe that Will had lied about it to him. But he didn't want the day to be ruined, so he plastered on a smile and said “cool.” 

Perhaps that was the first red flag. 

So after Eleven got sent to be a superhero again, and Mike et al. were sent on a chase to find Project Nina, Will and him spent some time together. 

After apologizing for his terrible behavior, Mike felt he was finally getting somewhere with Will. So, when Will joked about using El’s powers to get rich at Vegas, he couldn’t bring himself to laugh. 

Instead he told Will what he was feeling. How he felt like superman just happened to end up on his doorstep, and that it was sheer luck that he and El were brought together. And as he ranted, Will listened like he always did with that understanding face of his.

“Can I show you something?” He asked, and Mike nodded. 

Will reached behind him and brought out that painting. And as much as Mike wanted to say something, he didn’t because he knew Will had a reason for it. 

As he slowly unraveled the painting, he laid his eyes upon the colors spread all over the paper. It was a thesselhydra from D&D, with their party fighting it. The details were so beautiful, with each character fleshed out like how they imagined them as kids. The colors blended together beautifully and Mike stared in awe. 

But as he looked, the gears began to turn. If the painting was for a girl he liked, and it was meant for Mike…

“Did you make this?” Of course, he did Micheal. What kind of fuckass-

“Yeah. Well, El- she basically commissioned it.” But before he could question it, Will pointed at the painting. “Anyways, point is, see how you’re leading us here? You’re guiding the party, inspiring us. That’s what you do. And on your coat of arms, it’s a heart. And I know it’s a bit on the nose, but that’s what holds this party together-heart. And we need the heart- El needs the heart. El needs you.”

And Mike, for the first time in a long time, had no idea what to say. El needing him was the last thing he expected. When they first met, El needed Mike, and Mike wanted to be needed. So, he gave her what he wanted: shelter, friends, love. But things changed since that summer of ‘85, El proved to both of them that she didn't need him. And besides that, Mike had nothing to offer her. 

Will turned his head away as he continued to speak. “I mean, these past few months, she’s been lost without you. S-She’s so different from other people, and when you’re different… sometimes you feel like a mistake.”

And then he turned back to Mike, his eyes glossy. “But you make her feel like she’s not a mistake at all. Like she’s better for being different. And that gives her the courage to fight on.” 

Mike suddenly felt confidence stirring within him. He felt as though he was the worst boyfriend imaginable for the past year, with him being unable to give El what she wants. They didn’t really talk about this sort of stuff often, pretending that they both had the best lives ever with one another, but it gave Mike a bit of hope knowing that she did feel better, that she needed him. 

“If she was mean to you or she seemed like she was pushing you away, it’s because she’s scared of losing you, like you’re scared of losing her. So, yeah, El needs you Mike.” Will said certainly. “She always will.” 

Need. It was Mike’s equivalent of love. To be needed, to be wanted, and to be yearned for was what Mike needed. It was his way of showing love. When El showed up, she needed him, and he gave her as much of himself as he could. And since then, he’s done his best to continue giving, because that’s what he does. So, if Eleven needed him once more, he would do so as many times as needed. Because to him, to be needed was to be loved. 

Mike’s voice breaks as he speaks, “yeah?” 

Will nods and smiles at him with his dewy eyes, “yeah.” 

Seven. 

For his final minute, Mike finds himself in Hopper’s cabin. It was the same day they found El after Project Nina, and the couple had been silent the entire way back. Mike knew what was wrong. The speech he had given El was meant to bolster her strength and give her the power to fight, but the two of them knew the falsities that were laced throughout it. And if Mike had to lie in order for him to tell Eleven that he loved her, did he ever really? 

So, when they got to Hopper’s cabin, Mike and El found themselves alone in one of the rooms. And when Eleven started with “we need to talk”, Mike knew what was happening before it even started. 

The two of them sat down on that worn out couch, completely toppled over in the center of the cabin. El faced him, her face beaming in the indirect sunlight. Her brown eyes and hair glowing, and her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked at him, wondering where to begin. She looked beautiful, and for a moment Mike could look past her long hair and her soft lips and see the young kid he met so many years ago. 

El struggled for a moment before Mike spoke up. “You’re dumping my ass, aren’t you?”

She looks at him solemnly before nodding. “I am glad that you were my boyfriend, but I do not think we should be boyfriend and girlfriend now. Just- I love you, and you love me… but you are not in love with me.” 

The Mike from before, the one from when they first reunited, would’ve argued with El, saying that he did love her without ever saying it once, but the Mike Wheeler from today knew better. Through his thin veil of lies in his speech to El, not once did he feel like the feelings he spoke of resided within him. For a moment, when Will spoke to him, Mike felt like perhaps he could bring himself to say it, to bring himself to love her. 

And he did, but it didn’t feel right, and perhaps the both of them knew it. He had played to a romantic trope that didn’t even apply to them, talking about love at first sight knowing well that it was the complete opposite. But he had no choice, with the pressure of the situation, he needed to say something-anything. 

“I’m sorry.” That’s all he could muster up, because what else can you tell your now ex-girlfriend of years that you couldn’t give her the love she needed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you that.” 

El smiled at him sadly and nodded. “It’s okay. We can com-promise.” She held her hand up to Mike, “friends?” 

He smiled back at her before shaking her hand. “Friends.” 

She giggled a bit, and he let out a small laugh before they quieted down. They both got off the couch, and before El could leave, Mike stopped her. “I did want to say, though. Thank you for the painting. It was really thoughtful of you and if you want it, you can have it back. I know it’s sort of a gift, but you are the one that commissioned it.” 

Mike expected a “you’re welcome” or a “you can keep it”, but he was met with the most confused look he had ever seen on El’s face. Her eyebrows were knitted into a tight frown and her lips pursed as she stared at him. 

“What painting?” 

Mike paused for a moment, confused on what to say. “The painting? The one you comiss- asked Will to paint for you? For me?” 

She shook her head. “I did not ask him to make you a painting. Will does not let me look at them.” And with that, she turned away from him and walked away, leaving a stunned Mike alone in the living room. 

That’s when the gears began to turn in Mike’s head. What did El even know about D&D besides the fact that Mike played it? Gun to her head, she probably couldn’t even name Mike’s character. In fact, he wasn’t so sure how he was spoonfed these lies when the answer was in front of him the entire time: Will lied to him. 

On the bike ride home, Mike’s thoughts were completely jumbled. Because if El did not commission the painting, why did Will feed him complete and utter bullshit. Why did he lie to him about El needing him when she clearly didn’t. Why would he play with Mike’s feelings and finally convince him that he could bring himself to love El. Why would Will, Will of all people, lie to him.

Mike found Will in the basement, the makeshift temporary bedroom for the Byers in the house. Will was alone, with Joyce out with Hopper as per usual and Johnathon sneaking off with Nancy. He was drawing in some new sketchbook he brought with him, only noticing Mike once he made it down the steps. Will came into view with his yellow flannel on, his bangs hanging over his eyes, just barely covering them from the angle Mike was at. He was sitting criss-crossed on his unmade bed, if you could call a mattress on a floor, with pencils scattered all over it as one dimly lit lamp illuminated that area of the basement.

It was a sight, but Mike brushed the thought away. “Hey.” He said as he went to go sit on the couch directly beside Will’s bed, with Will following him with his eyes as he paused from his sketching.

“Hey.” He responded, with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. 

“I just came back from El’s place.” 

Will resumed his sketching. “Did you?” He was sketching some random scenery, one that he probably saw back in Lenora from the looks of it. The light hit the painting at the right angle for Will to continue drawing, and the glow from the light hit Will’s face as well, illuminating the room by himself. 

“Yeah. Yeah, it was really funny, actually. I was just thanking her for that painting she commissioned. I mean that’s what you said, right?” And as soon as the painting was mentioned, Will froze like a deer in headlights, before immediately resuming his sketching as if he had been caught. 

“Y-Yeah?” The stutter was so subtle, something nobody but Mike would’ve picked up on. When Will spoke now, there was an underlying nervousness weaved into his tone, and Mike knew he had been caught.

“Yeah. I was just wondering, what did she ask you to draw exactly?” 

Will toyed with the pencil in his hand as he hung his head low, out of Mike’s view. “Oh, she just asked me to draw something you would like, something to do with D&D. She gave me a lot of freedom with it, so it might not fit what she told you.” 

Liar. “Oh, okay.” Mike responded, and he immediately noticed Will relax, assuming that he was in the clear with this interaction. “One more thing.” Will met his gaze this time. “When did you start lying to me?”

And that’s when Will’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, pencil falling out of his hand and mouth slightly ajar. “I-” 

“No.” Mike caught him off. “No, I’m talking. You lied to me. You made me think that El was still in love with me- that she needed me, when she clearly didn’t. Why are you trying to sabotage my relationship? I mean for Christ’s sake she broke up with me!” 

Will jumped to speak. “You guys broke up?”

Mike wanted to roll his eyes, like he knew that was what Will would be hung up on. “Yeah, we did Will.Thanks for trying to save my completely terrible relationship with your countless lies.” 

And that’s when Will started to get riled up as well. “Look, Mike.” He stressed out. “I only told you what you needed to hear at the time. I just said what I thought El felt. How was I supposed to know she didn’t feel that? I mean you two have been pretending everything’s fine for a year now, how was I supposed to know you gave that facade up?”

“Oh, so that gives you the right to lie?” 

“I didn’t even-” 

“I didn’t know you were my personal therapist working on the side. Thanks, by the way.” Mike said sarcastically, throwing his hands up in an exaggerated motion. 

Will sighed, putting the sketchbook away and looking back at Mike. “Look, I’m sorry that the two of you broke up. I am, but-”

“That’s not what I’m upset about!” 

The two of them went silent for a moment, letting that last sentence hang in the tense air. Mike had said it before he thought about it. Without realizing it, Mike had let the truth bubble to the surface, because it was true. He didn’t care that his doomed relationship had failed, because he had seen it for two years now. The two of them, El and Mike, had put up a facade like Will had said, and pretended like everything was fine when it wasn’t. 

So, who cares about that. But Will lying? That was something else. 

“Why did you lie to me?” Mike asked, in a much softer tone than they were speaking before. “I mean, that’s not what we do.” He paused before speaking. “I mean, did you even mean anything you said?”

Will stayed silent for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts as he looked down at his hands, fiddling with them in thought. “Look, I didn’t mean to hurt you, Mike, I really didn’t. I just wanted you to believe in yourself again. I mean- I could tell how lost you’ve been, even if we didn’t talk that much.” 

Mike cut him off before he could speak again. “But did you mean it?” 

Will looked back up at Mike with those dewy eyes of his once more. He gave Mike a vulnerable look before slowly nodding at him. “Every word.” He said quietly, as if the words he said were taboo. 

Mike and Will left it there, apologizing for the things they said and did, and they moved on. But deep down, Mike knew something was still amiss. He caught himself doing the same thing with El, pretending that everything was fine when it really wasn’t. He should’ve pressed Will for more, asked what he meant by that, begged him for answers, but he didn’t. Mike swept it under the rug for the hundredth time in his life. And now that he’s dying, he has never felt so frustrated with himself. 

Mike Wheeler knew his life was doomed with chaos, misery, and the unfortunate. But he didn’t have to doom himself with the favor and doom himself with never seeking closure from his best friend. 

For the next eighteen months after that conversation, Mike realized so many things about himself.  He realized that his love for El was true in some ways. Her soft brown hair, her cute smile, her hazel eyes, her small giggle after cracking a joke, her consideration, and her need for Mike. 

He never understood why until later, on a random Tuesday in Hawkins High. The day was completely insignificant, nothing special whatsoever. They had no crawl planned anytime soon, nor did they have any difficult tests coming up. Mike, Will, Dustin, and Lucas were eating lunch together, and Mike was quietly listening to Will and Lucas chatting. 

Moving his attention from the plate to the boys in front of him, Mike slowly looked up until he looked directly at Will. He wasn’t sure what it was. His laughter, the way the sun hit his face, the way his face crinkled up when he smiled, his voice, the confidence he had, or the stupid mannerisms only Mike seemed to pick up on. Something-everything-about Will in that moment just seemed so beautiful to him, and it all came tumbling down. 

Because everything he had ever loved in Eleven had been reminiscent of what he loved in Will. Because the only reason Mike could’ve ever brought himself to love Elven was the way she reminded him of Will. 

The truth that he had kept tucked away for so many years, finally bubbling to the surface in a way Mike couldn’t prevent. He dropped his fork immediately, and Will asked him if he was okay, softly placing a hand on his shoulder before Mike swatted it away, swearing that he was okay. 

But to be honest, everything was not okay. 

For the next eighteen months, nothing was okay. Food tasted bland, the weather was gloomy, school was boring, everyone annoyed him, and Mike felt like he had forgotten how to live. Because the only time he felt things were even close to okay was when he was with Will. Being with Will made life okay, and Mike didn’t feel like his world was collapsing 24/7. 

And he was about to lose it all. Once time resumed and the demogorgon finished swinging at him, Mike would be dead and he would live with the fact that he lived his life unhappy, the lived a life where he never got to love Will openly, and that he lived a life without ever knowing if Will could ever do him the honor of loving him back.  

Mike was about to die and all he could think of was how much he wanted to live, for maybe the first time in years. Mike didn’t want to survive and scrape by every day with mediocracy, but he wanted to live and enjoy his life back how it was when he was twelve years old in his basement playing nerdy games with his friends. Except maybe this time, he wouldn’t be a coward and have his hand interlocked with Will’s when he did so. Because if he could do it all over again, he would, but it would always be better with Will. 

If Mike was given another chance, a moment even, he would run to Will and tell him everything. How Mike loved him and that he needed him to understand that, and ask him how he felt. Because if there was even a sliver of a chance Will reciprocated, Mike would take it and show him what it means to be truly loved. Show him what he could never give Eleven and show Will how much Mike needed Will.

I don’t want to die. That was Mike’s thought. If there’s a God, if there’s anyone out there, don’t let me die. I want to live. I want to live out my life and finish everything I haven’t done. Give me one last chance. 

And as he braced for impact, Mike accepted his fate.

That’s when Mike realized nothing had happened. His arm was still covering his face, yet he could see the demogorgon through the part of his vision that wasn’t blocked. As Mike slowly lowered his hand, he realized the monster was stuck in mid-air twitching, as if it was being held back.

That’s when he drew his eyes away from it, and noticed a figure in the background. Those deep hazel eyes had disappeared, but it was the same Will Mike knew, holding his hand up towards the demogorgon, somehow holding it back. 

Mike wanted to say he was shocked. That he was so surprised that Will had powers and saved his life, but he couldn't bring himself to believe that. Mike knew Will, and he believed in him. If anyone had powers and if anyone was going to save him, it was going to be their party’s sorcerer, his sorcerer. 

What did surprise him was how he looked. Mike had always remembered Will’s smile since they were kids, crooked until his baby teeth finally fell out. He also remembered his boyish hair, that same bowl cut that Joyce cut since it was the only haircut she knew how to do, and he was so happy with that. Will also had a much leaner frame, more lanky than he was buff.

But this, this was new. Will’s hair was much more messy, falling into a haircut more similar to Mike’s with the bags out of the way. And his pose was so confident, something so different to what he was typically like slouching in large groups of people. And his face was otherworldly, with his eyes in the back of his head and a concentrated look on his face. 

Mike had known Will throughout his life, and he remembered all his signature looks like the back of his hand. With every awkward phase and every attempt to hide it, Mike knew that the Will he knew was in there somewhere, hiding from fear around other people.

But this? No, this was new. Something had changed because Will had never looked more like himself than in that moment. The way he carried himself with the confidence that everyone else overlooked, the focus that Mike recognized any time there was a problem at hand, and his hand shaking from the sheer effort of the feat.

Will just looked like him. Like the Will he was underneath his nervousness and the shyness. The Will he knew when they were in kindergarten, unfazed by the cruel world they lived in. Like the Will that faced danger when he needed to. Like the Will he loved. It was just so raw and it was Will. 

Mike couldn’t find a word to describe it, because any word would not be doing William Byers the justice he deserved. Because in all honesty, he was nothing short of divine.

As the demogorgon’s limbs snapped in front of him, Vecna-style, Will fell to his knees with blood dripping down his nose as he nonchalantly wiped it away. Mike broke into a sprint as he watched Will tumble to the ground. He slid next to the boy before putting a hand firmly on his shoulder while the other cradled his head right where it met his neck.

“Will! That was awesome!” Mike exclaimed, and he wanted to punch himself for saying that. Awesome was not even nearly a strong enough word to describe the feat he had just seen in front him. Will Byers, his Will Byers, had awakened powers and saved him. 

Will looked up at him and almost stole the air out of Mike’s lungs. Blood was still dripping down his nose, and his head and forehead slick with sweat, glistening in the light of the fire off in the distance. And despite how completely tired and groggy he looked, Mike thought he was so beautiful. 

 “You showed him who’s boss!” Mike continued. “Snapped his limbs and everything!”

Weakly, Will looked up at him, slowly slipping into an unconscious state. “You think?” He asked, his voice croaking.

“Yeah, yeah.” Mike said, almost whispering. “You were amazing.” 

Will attempted to raise an eyebrow, as  his eyes attempted to force themselves shut. “You don’t seem that surprised, you know.” 

Mike chuckled, “Oh, please. I knew you could do it. You’re like an X-men!” Will stared. “Like Jean Grey!” 

At that, Will gave him a confused look with his half-opened eyes  before chuckling softly. “Yeah, you’ve gone crazy.”

“Crazy together, right?.” Mike said without even thinking.

Will’s eyes slightly widened at that one, before slowly closing. “Yeah.” He mumbled. “Crazy together.”