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After miraculously surviving his closest encounter with a demogorgon, Mike limped behind Will and Joyce back to the tunnels. It felt like a hilariously boring close to the night, but what else could he do?
His best friend’s back glowed orange then brown from the flickering fires of the destroyed scene behind them. Will’s body swayed and he lost his footing as his mom pulled him closer, hugging his head to her chest.
“Mom,” Will whined.
He almost seemed to chuckle a little, falling back into his typical pattern with his mom as if they weren't walking away from their most odds-defying battle yet. He acted as if his eyes hadn't rolled back in his head while he used his super powers (since when did he have super powers?) and frozen three demogorgons in the air.
Mike still hadn't wrapped his head around everything that had happened about ten minutes ago. He also couldn't help but grin as Will untangled himself from his mom’s smothering arms. They followed a path that a demogorgon had carved into the earth when it drug a soldier to his death.
Maybe the wreckage should have affected Mike, knowing his town would never be the same again, but he'd gotten used to leaving the ruins of his home in his wake to protect those close to him.
He'd never come this close to dying, though.
After successfully detaching himself from his mom, Will turned back to his friend. “Mike, you coming?” he said with a halfhearted grin.
Something bubbled up in Mike's chest at the sight of Will’s smile amidst the disaster that surrounded them.
“You saved my life.”
It came out a little breathier than it should have. Will scrunched his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, like he knew this was coming.
“Mike, don't do this.”
“I could have died-”
“I know, but I don't want this to be-”
Mike didn't press his best friend any further. At least not from the same angle.
He took a breath and a second to rethink his words. He should have known it was stupid to treat Will like he was different, but Mike couldn't help it. The awe seemed to leap out of his dumbstruck mouth before he could think.
Will sighed and continued.
“You never treated me differently after I disappeared or when I was possessed by the Mind Flayer,” he said.
“And I won't now,” Mike said as he grabbed Will’s hand in what he hoped was a reassuring way.
A tingle raced up Mike’s arm from every nerve where they touched. His eyes dropped to their hands clasped together. He noticed Will staring down at their hands with alarm and pulled away fast enough to make it awkward.
He didn't know how he had made Will uncomfortable yet again. Their fingers weren't even laced.
Mike had to make this right. He met Will’s eyes again.
“Let's go,” he braved a smile. “We've got a lot to tell everyone.”
Walking through the tunnels, Mike replayed the events of the past few hours over and over in his head. Everything felt different than it had when they'd walked here earlier in the day. Will had powers now, sure, but that wasn't what snagged at Mike’s mind.
He had told Will that he wasn't the wizard, but the party’s sorcerer. He’d easily praised Will and his talents earlier but he couldn't fathom telling his best friend that all again now.
They'd always told each other everything until about an hour ago when Mike screwed it all up. His jumbled words had felt like someone else's in his mouth.
He felt stupid all over again for approaching Will like he was some superhero back at the wreckage. He hadn't meant it, so why did he say it? It was all too confusing. Mike pushed the thoughts out of his head.
When they made it to the Squawk, Joyce and the boys sat down for possibly the first time that day and told their posse another unbelievable story in the strange life they'd grown so used to.
Robin was impressed.
“You took out that demo with your mind?” she asked Will with a smile.
“I mean-”
“Three,” Mike held up three fingers, “to be exact.”
He kept interrupting his friends to correct the facts and add details to the recounting of Will’s feat.
Joyce laid out the groundwork for the story, and though she might have been playing it cool, Mike knew there was no way she wasn't at least a little amazed by what her son did tonight.
Once everyone's perspectives from the night were shared and everyone's initial amazement had been exhausted, the room full of people became quiet.
“Well, if that's everything…” Hop began, “Is there anything else we can do tonight?”
Nobody rushed to respond. Mike knew everyone was exhausted, but aside from that, the immediate threat was neutralized. They had no lead from Vecna imminent enough to follow into the night.
“We'd fight him better with a full night’s sleep,” Joyce pointed out, seeming to read everyone's mind.
The group dispersed from the Squawk with a plan to reconvene the next morning.
Joyce and Will talked about the night ahead as Mike rode silently in the back seat to the Wheeler’s (and the de facto Byers’) house.
“It's been a big day honey, there's no shame in a little company,” Joyce reasoned.
“No, Mom. Remember what we talked about? I'm okay. And I'll be okay tonight. I sleep in the basement every night and tonight won't be any different,” Will decided.
“But Johnathon won't be there-”
“Mom,” Will said, exasperated.
“Alright, alright. I'm your mom, I'm always gonna worry. You know I'll be right up in the guest room if you need me,” Joyce reminded him.
“Thanks,” Will had won.
The door creaked open and the trio entered the dark house. Everyone seemed to relax as soon as the lights were steadily on. The three moved around each other in a new sort of routine born from the absence of Karen, Ted, and Holly.
Once everyone had washed the day off of themselves, Will hugged his mom good night and she headed up the stairs, turning back at the top to blow her son a kiss. Will laughed and waved her off.
For the first time all day, Will and Mike were alone. Mike had so much he wanted to say.
“I guess, good night,” he rushed out.
When Will didn't react, Mike knew he couldn't dodge his friend for the night. They'd never been able to hide from one another.
“What is it?” Mike asked.
“I-” Will seemed to struggle against what he wanted to say, before deciding he was too tired to fight it.
“I don't want to be alone.”
Mike studied Will’s frown for a little too long before he realized he should probably say something.
“Oh,” he replied eloquently.
He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to rewind time, just a few seconds.
“Of course not. I can sleep on the couch, I just have to go get my pillow. I'll meet you down there, promise.”
Mike darted up the stairs, counting every step to try and slow himself down so his movements looked and sounded normal. He was overthinking it. He was overthinking everything.
Will obviously needed his company, or anyone's company (why did it have to be Mike?) after Vecna had just possessed him or shared his powers with him. Mike actually wasn't completely sure what had happened.
Will had become the sorcerer, a little more literally than Mike had predicted. He obviously had powers now, but that wasn't what has transformed Will Byers. He'd trusted himself. He was incredible.
After Mike had raided his bed he dragged his blanket down the stairs of his rarely quiet house. He felt guilty for enjoying the privacy. He hadn't thought of his parents or Holly since this morning. He still didn't know where his sister was and he didn't know where to begin looking for Vecna.
He sighed as the tail of his blanket padded down the stairs behind him, his head wrapped up in thoughts of his family.
When his bare feet hit the hallway floor he snapped back into the present. His hands felt sweaty.
Will could have asked Joyce to stay on the couch and keep him company through the night, but he was just beyond the basement door, waiting for Mike.
He faltered for a moment, resisting a magnetic pull back to the safety of his own bedroom, two floors away from Will Byers.
He kicked himself for being afraid. As a last ditch effort, he turned to Mike the Brave. That was the friend Will deserved. Not Mike Wheeler who gawked at him or talked over him, who had almost just left his best friend alone in the basement after the most intense night of Will’s life. Mike the Brave devoted all of his loyalty to his party and now, he must be there for his sorcerer.
And he wasn't afraid of Will, not if he was being honest with himself. Yet his heart wouldn't stop pounding as he turned the knob of the basement door, releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding.
Mike padded down the stairs to find Will wringing his hands and staring up from the couch. His stomach dropped when he saw his best friend waiting for him. Will looked so afraid that Mike wouldn't come back, so afraid of what he’d done tonight with Vecna’s power, and Mike couldn't stand it.
He wanted to grab his best friend by the shoulders and hug him so tightly. He wanted to hold Mike until he knew how much Mike believed in him, how incredible he had always thought Will was. He needed his best friend to understand how capable he was of wielding these powers and how Mike could never, in any universe, be afraid of Will Byers.
Mike tripped on his blanket running down the stairs, too lanky arms and legs catching himself at the bottom, the carpet burning his knees.
It stung a little, but managed to lighten the mood. Will cracked a smile.
“What's gotten into you?” he asked.
Mike picked himself up and came to Will on the couch, standing in front of his best friend. Mike suddenly had everything in the world to say to Will.
He opened his mouth without any idea of where to begin, and for the first time in his life, he couldn't find the words.
He looked down at Will, whose eyes darted between Mike’s eyes and then across his face. He seemed to find what he was looking for.
Will grabbed Mike’s hand for leverage and pulled himself up off the couch, squeezing himself between Mike and the couch. Their feet had almost been touching before and now their faces were so close, Mike could feel Will’s breath on his face.
Before Mike could stumble backwards for air, Will met his eyes one more time, then looked down to his lips. He realized what was happening only when Will caught Mike’s gasp in his mouth.
Their lips crashed together with a hunger that had been growing through all of the formative years of their lives.
The blanket he'd been fiercely clutching fell to their feet and the pillow tucked beneath his arm flopped on the ground.
When their lips separated with a wet sound, Will’s hand flew over his mouth. He stumbled backward onto the couch.
“I'm- I'm so sorry. I can't believe I did that. I can't believe-”
Mike noticed that tears had welled up in his friend’s eyes. They looked so green and terrified. He turned to escape the moment, but Mike’s hand flew to Will’s shoulder.
“No, I was- I think I was going to do the same thing,” Mike confessed.
He let out a little laugh and ran his hand through his hair.
Will’s brow unknit itself and he cracked a grin. He didn't look scared anymore.
Mike sat down next to Will Byers, his best friend since the first day of kindergarten. The same Will who had super powers and had saved his life a few hours ago. Will the Wise, the party's sorcerer. The same one who had just kissed him.
Mike nudged Will with his elbow.
“How do you always know what I'm going to say before I say it? Or before I even know it?” Mike sputtered in disbelief.
“I don't know, do I?” Will replied with a sniffle. He finally met Mike’s eyes again and couldn't hold back a smile.
“Well, you at least know what I'm thinking. You can't read my mind, can you?” Mike smiled.
“Mike,” Will laughed as he shoved his best friend.
Mike never knew when to stop talking, but he knew Will didn't mind. Maybe he even liked it.