Chapter Text
It was a late August night, school had just started back up that week and the Party seemed to be separated. Besides lunch they maybe had one or two classes with each other. They all missed messing around in class all the time but that’s just what happened, all they can do is hope they will get in the same classes next semester.
Will was in his room, his desk light on as he sat there drawing. The drawing was nothing special just like all the others he made. Another boring drawing for another boring night.
Tap. Tap.
Will perks up at the noise but instead of it coming from his door it comes from his window? No that can’t be right, can it?
Either way Will gets up leaving his sketchbook open as he moves towards the window. Will unlocks the window then opens it. The cool air from the night floods in and there is Mike.
“Hey, Byers,” Mike says, beginning to grab the inside ledge of the window.
Will takes a step back giving Mike space to climb in, “What in the world are you doing here Mike? And why are you climbing through my window? And why at this hour?”
Mike can’t help but chuckle at Will’s questions as he finally enters, closing the window behind him to stop the cool breeze.
“Well? Are you going to answer me, Wheeler?” Will asks, crossing his arms trying to look stern but his expression falters to something softer.
Mike shrugs, “Just thought I’d come visit my best friend.”
Will shakes his head disappointed but a smile creeps onto his face, “Mike,” He lets out a breath of air, “Why didn’t you go to the front door or call or something?”
“Thought this would be more fun,” Mike carelessly plops down on Will's bed.
“You’re impossible,” Will walks back over to his desk taking his seat but still looking at Mike.
Mike smiles, “You’ve mentioned that before,” Mike looks around the room that he’s been in a hundred times before and will be in a hundred times again.
After a moment Will just goes back to his drawing. For a moment the two just coexist together. The silence is anything but awkward; it's comforting a silence they could stay in forever.
Mike finally gets up off Will’s bed, Will doesn’t move his eyes off his sketchbook enough to realize Mike is walking over to him until he feels Mike's right hand slightly touch his left shoulder as he places his hand on the back of the chair. Mike leans down slightly, staring at Will’s drawing occasionally glancing at Will.
Will’s breath hitches in his throat but he tries to act normal about it, normal about how close Mike is, normal about how the spot Mike’s hand lightly touches is burning, normal about the lump in his throat. Just act normal.
“Neat drawing,” Mike speaks out finally breaking the silence
“Oh it’s nothing but, thanks,” Will says with a slight exhale of a breath he didn’t mean to hold in.
Mike lets out a disbelief breath of air, “Nothing is an understatement I can’t even draw a stick figure, Will. A stick figure.”
Will chuckles slightly at Mike and his emphasis, “Thanks, Mike.”
But Mike keeps going knowing that Will doesn’t believe that it’s that good, to him it’s just another drawing to keep his mind and hands busy, “You don’t understand how cool it looks from my point of view, Byers. You just make the things on the page come to life in a way I could never.”
Will smiles. That big childish smile that reaches his eyes. The second Mike sees it he can’t help but smile too, “Okay suck up,” Will’s words are meant to be rude but they just come off like he wouldn’t have told Mike to stop, because he wouldn’t have. You can hear Will’s smile as he speaks.
“Anytime, Will,” Mike says as if he knows what Will means, digging deeper than staying at the surface of what Will says.
The comfortable silence falls over the two of them as Will continues drawing and Mike watches. The mug Will drew is finally finished, the shading so well done and the attention to detail. It’s more than just a mug drawing. It is a mug. The little chips from wear on the lip of it. The slightly faded design on the mug from being worn down. And Mike’s eyes look over every small detail. His eyes notice how even a worthless drawing to Will is just another masterpiece to him. Mike notices how even though Will didn’t care for the drawing he still took time and put effort into it making it more than just any other mug drawing. Making it a real mug, a mug you could touch and hold, a mug with personality. As the words echo through Mike's head he can’t help but laugh at himself for saying this about a mug drawing. But it’s just another reason why it’s a masterpiece to him, maybe not to Will, but to Mike it's perfect.
“How was the first few days of school?” Mike asks, taking his hand off the back of Will’s chair.
Will takes a deep breath after piecing together some puzzle in his head, “Mike, is that why you’re here?”
Mike suppresses a laugh with a smile, “Just possibly.”
“Mike freaking Wheeler,” Will says, trying to sound threatening but being threatening to Mike is almost impossible to Will, “Just because we don’t have classes together doesn’t mean you sneak through my window at 10:30 at night. And now it's almost midnight Mike.”
Mike nods knowing he shouldn’t have done this knowing that Will would scold him in his own way. But yet that didn’t stop him. He’d rather be scolded by Will than not talk with him. Really talk with him. Mike's smile grows slightly bigger though he tries to suppress it as he talks, “So I do know that this isn’t a good reason but, sadly, I don’t care. But if you do want I can leave now like you said it’s late and it was dumb to come here,” Even though Mike doesn’t want to leave he would, for Will.
Will shakes his head, “You’re not leaving.”
“Wait, back up, what?” Mike questions in pure confusion.
“Like I said and like you said it’s too late and I’m not letting you just go back out there especially for,” Will pauses he doesn’t give a reason but Mike and Will both know why, Will doesn’t want to take the risk of Mike being taken like he was, “Reasons so you are gonna stay here.”
Mike nods, getting Will’s point now, “I guess you are right,” Mike shrugs, taking a step back from the window, “But I didn’t quite bring a change of clothes.”
Will walks past Mike to his closet, he throws a long sleeve shirt and some sweatpants at Mike, “There. We’re about the same size anyways,” Will tries to do this casually even though his heart is racing in his ears. He just gave Mike Wheeler his clothes for an unplanned sleep over.
“Oh uh, thanks,” Mike looks down at the clothes thinking about Will in them then realizing he is gonna wear them. Mike swallows the feelings that aren’t platonic and cringe thoughts. Suppressing it is better than ruining their friendship.
Will nods, “Yeah no problem,” Will walks to the door peering out, “The hallway seems clear so you can go change in the bathroom.”
“Okay,” Mike walks to the door past Will into the dark hallway.
Will quietly shuts the door as Mike leaves. He sits on his bed as his face burns. Will can’t help it, Mike came all the way here late at night just to see him. Even though they saw each other today. Mike wanted to truly just talk with Will, just be with Will.
Will tries to suppress the feelings hiding them because suppressing them is better than ruining their friendship.
Moments later Mike enters holding his clothes now wearing Will’s. Will ignores his heart rate going up and gives Mike a small wave. Mike returns it with a smile.
“Where should I put my clothes?” Mike asks, looking around the room.
Will does the same, “Wanna just put them in the corner near the window?”
Mike nods at Will’s suggestion, putting them right where he said.
Will looks at the digital clock on his desk; 12:02pm. It’s officially the next day. Will looks back to Mike, “We should go to bed.”
“Do you want me to sleep on the floor?” Mike asks even though he really wants to ask; can I sleep in your bed? But he doesn’t dare utter those words.
Will looks caught not wanting him to sleep on the floor and also unsure of how it would work out if he offered Mike to sleep with him. All at the same time he doesn’t have the spare mattress in his room and grabbing that would be really loud. Finally Will makes up his mind, “Wanna just sleep in my bed?” while he asks he tries to sound casual, well as casual as a boy who is in love with his best friend can be.
Mike tries not to show how his insides feel; warm and fuzzy, like he just won the lottery, “Yeah, but only if you’re okay with that,” he’s cautious, Mike doesn’t want to get ahead of himself.
“Would I suggest it if I wasn’t?” Will asks with a small smile creeping onto his face.
Mike gives Will a smile back, “I guess not,” Mike walks over sitting on Will's bed as Will moves the blanket.
Soon enough Mike and Will are under the blanket the only thing giving them light is the moon barely showing them much. The two boys are facing each other, they aren’t close, but they aren’t far.
Will stares at Mike. His features are dimmed and hard to see under the moonlight but he squints to see every detail he can on Mike's face. A face, he won't admit, but knows better than his own. A face he’s drawn hundreds of times trying to get it right. A face he watched grow up and maybe one day he will watch grow old. Will subconsciously scoots closer trying to see Mike better. Will would never admit it but he knows every way that Mike's face has changed, the curves that turned sharp, and the places that lengthened. After yet another subconscious scoot, Will finally looks up at Mike's eyes. They are open. From what Will is able to decipher between his look at Mike’s eyes and the jolt back it almost looked like Mike was staring right back at him. Studying Will's face while he studied Mike's. But that part was probably in his head, “Sorry, I-I didn’t mean to get that close.”
Mike smiles warmly like this has happened a hundred times over, “It’s okay I didn’t really notice anyways,” But Mike did notice, he noticed every little movement Will made. He watched Will’s eyes look over his face while he looked over Will’s. Mike wouldn't trade that moment for the world unless the world was Will.
Will’s heart beats pound in his ears as he tries to keep his breathing steady, “Sorry.”
“It’s okay Will I already told you this,” Mike is stern with his words but his tone is soft. He doesn’t want Will to apologize again knowing that he was most definitely nowhere near mad or even the slightest bit upset.
Will nods but he’s not sure if Mike can see him.
Mike gives a smile that he’s not sure if Will can see it.
The comforting silence falls back over the two boys as they slowly rest not quite falling asleep but resting on Will’s bed. Not close enough to touch, yet close enough to feel each other's presence. Even though they are just laying down it’s comforting. Will focuses on Mike's breathing even trying to match it; it is slow and heavy. He’s tired but probably still awake. Mike lies in Will’s bed staring at the ceiling trying to stop his eyes from glancing at Will. Which fails he glances at Will whose body is facing towards the ceiling but his head is facing Mike. Mike tries to ignore the way Will is staring at him but he can’t hide his heart beat and his ears turning slightly red.
Finally their eyes grow heavy as they slowly fall asleep.
The morning sun floods through the windows of the Byers house and Will slowly wakes up rubbing his eyes.
Mike is closer than when they fell asleep. It makes Will’s breath hitch in his throat.
Will scoots back trying not to wake Mike as he moves his heart racing in his ears.
Tap. Tap.
But this time it’s from his bedroom door. Will gets up slowly trying not to wake Mike, “Hello?” Will says close to the door his voice low to not disturb Mike.
“Will I was just about to head off to work, just wanted to make sure you were all good,” Joyce says through the door.
Will can see Mike move slightly. He'll probably wake up soon, “Yeah I’m all good see you later.”
“See you kiddo,” Joyce says before her footsteps begin to fade.
Will looks back at Mike who begins to rub his eyes and sit up, “Was someone at the door?” He asks half awake.
“Oh uh yeah just my mom,” Will walks back over near Mike, “Sorry did I wake you?”
Mike rubs his eyes again trying to get them to focus, “I was probably going to wake up, anyways what did she need?”
“Just wanted to let me know she was leaving for work,” Will sits on his desk chair.
Mike nods with a yawn.
Will opens up his sketchbook, “You hungry?”
“Not really but if you are, that's fine,” Mike says, putting Will first.
“No I’m not, we can just chill in here,” Will looks at Mike, comparing his face to last night in the dim lighting. His features are much more noticeable now.
Mike stands up stretching. Mike can’t help but stare at Will staring at him, quickly he averts his eyes realizing he’s been looking for too long.
Will averts his gaze too focusing on his paper. Mike sits back on Will’s bed.
“There’s some comics on the right hand side of my closet if you want to read them,” Will offers even though he knows Mike has read every single one of the comics he owns.
Mike gets up to head to the closet, “Okay.”
While Mike sits on Will’s bed reading Will tries to draw but all he can think of is Mike. Despite his better judgement he decides to give into temptation and draw Mike. As Will draws he glances back at Mike every few minutes or so, for two reasons; 1. To make sure Mike isn’t going to see him drawing him and 2. To double check he’s drawing Mike correctly.
Even after reading these comics multiple times before Mike reads it like it’s the first time. Enjoying every turn of the page. The story that never quite left comes flooding back the joy and nostalgia with it too.
Will watches as Mike's face lights up with every page and can’t help but smile. He keeps drawing Mike until he hears a rumble in his stomach. It’s been a little while since he asked Mike if he wanted to go eat so he tries again, “Do you, uh, want to go eat now?”
Mike sets the comic down, “Sure,” He shrugs, beginning to get up.
Will instantly shoots up, shutting his sketchbook. Mike pretends to ignore his quick movements but definitely is now curious to what made him do that.
Will opens the door stepping out first, Mike trails behind even though Joyce is gone and not there to yell at him he still is nervous that she will.
“So what were you drawing?” Mike asks politely.
Will doesn’t want to lie and as he tries to think of an answer Jonathan interrupts his thoughts, “Will who’s voice is that?”
“It’s just me, Jonathan, Mike,” the two boys round the corner from the hallway, finally seeing Jonathan sitting down eating cereal.
Jonathan looks confused, “When did you get here?” Jonathan questions, “You weren’t here last night and definitely didn’t come that early in the morning.”
Mike breath hitches in his throat, will Jonathan be okay with knowing he snuck in last night?
“This brainless bimbo snuck through my window last night,” Will complains without actually complaining as he grabs cereal out of the cupboard.
Jonathan and Mike both chuckle at it, Jonathan a little more than Mike.
Will brings the cereal and two bowls over to the table where Mike still hasn’t sat down.
“Sit down Mike you know better than anyone you’re always welcome here,” Jonathan gestures to a chair.
Mike takes a seat with a slight chuckle, “Yeah I guess so.”
“You guess?” Will says in disbelief but a smile still creeps on his face as he tries to hold it back, “We’ve been friends for how long and you only guess that you’re welcome.”
Mike can’t help but laugh at Will’s tone. Jonathan soon joins in then Will. Soon the whole table is laughing and the air is warm.
Conversation over breakfast, Jonathan does most of the asking and Mike does most of the answering. Will doesn’t mind though it’s nice to hear two of his favorite people talk. He adds in a little but not enough for him to fully be a voice in the conversation.
Jonathan gets up leaving to go out and get groceries that Joyce asked him to grab. This left Mike and Will alone.
Will began cleaning their dishes even though Mike insisted on helping.
“So, Will, what do you want to do today?” Mike asks just as Will finishes cleaning up the reminisce of their breakfast.
“Uh, I don’t know I was planning on just having a chill day but I’m good with whatever,” Will admits with a shrug staring a bit too intently at Mike’s facial features.
“I’m fine with just chilling with you,” Mike admits and it’s true, just being near Will makes his heart beat and his chest fuzzy in the best way possible. Just being near Will is like a dream come true.
The two boys slowly go back to Will’s room, caustically Will continues his drawing while Mike goes and grabs another comic from Will’s collection.
That same silence falls back over them. The silence that leaves their insides feeling warm. The silence that with anyone else would feel off but to them it’s nice, it’s calming. They just coexist in the room, something they have gotten so used to. Will’s pencil gently drags along the paper adding that little bit to the silence and the occasional turning of a page from Mike. Either way it doesn’t make it weird, just makes the moment all the more real.
Static begins to come through Will’s walkie talkie. Getting up Will is sure to shut his sketchbook. He grabs the walkie talkie off his dresser pulling out the antenna for a better signal.
Dustin’s voice can be heard through the walkie talkie, “Will? You there? Over.”
“Yeah I’m here, what do you need?” Will replies holding the button to talk.
Mike puts down the comic sitting up at the edge of Will’s bed. Will goes over to sit next to Mike.
“I can’t get a hold of Mike, do you know where he could be? Over,” Dustin’s question makes Will want to laugh.
“I can tell you why he’s not answering,” Will starts but the slight pause makes Dustin cut in.
“Then why, Lucas says he doesn’t know. Over,” Dustin asks, his voice more urgent.
“Because he’s right next to me,” Will says, suppressing a laugh.
Dustin is silent on the other side for a moment, “What in the world? Over.”
Finally Mike takes the walkie talkie from Will. They both ignore the way their hands brush as the walkie switches holders, “Hey Dustin.”
“Mike I swear to god,” Dustin sounds defeated while Mike and Will finally start to laugh, “I’m going to your house, Will. Over.”
“See you soon, Henderson,” Mike replies, a snicker in his voice.
“Guess it’s a party at my house now,” Will says with an eye roll.
Mike nods with a chuckle, “So, Will, you never answered me earlier, what are you drawing?”
Will’s breath halts in his throat, “Uh nothing,” he tries to make it sound casual but he fails.
“You always say nothing but then it’s a masterpiece,” Mike looks towards Will’s desk at his closed sketchbook.
“Oh, no this one isn’t anything at all, really it’s nothing interesting. In fact the mug was better than this,” Will spits out a little too quickly.
Mike chuckles at Will’s nervousness, “Okay if it’s nothing I guess I won’t ask to see it.”
Will let’s out a breath of relief along with a nod, “How long do you think it will be before Dustin gets here?” Will asks changing the subject.
“Knowing him he already was on his way before he messaged you,” Mike jokes.
Will nods in agreement, “Wonder what he wants?”
“Me too,” Mike starts to come up with ideas in his head on why Dustin would need him.
Will does the same, “Did you borrow something?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“Did he borrow something?”
“Nope.”
“Have you two been planning something?”
“Definitely not.”
“Is he-”
Will gets cut off by a banging at the door. Will stands up heading over to his front door Mike trailing behind but not by much. Dustin is standing there hat and headset on while his bike now lays in the Byers lawn.
“Hey Dustin,” Mike waves.
Dustin rolls his eyes, “Yeah yeah congrats you’re hiding at Will’s house.”
Will chuckles slightly, “So what do you need Mike for?” Will steps out of the way of the door letting Dustin in.
“Well, Mike, here is apparently the thorn in my side for the day,” Dustin gives Mike a scowl.
“And why is that?” Mike questions.
“Because apparently you loose shit like a mother fucker so now I’ve gotta find it,” Dustin vaguely replies.
“Wait back up, he lost something?” Will attempt to clarify.
“This dumbass lost so much I don’t even know where to start,” Dustin pushes Mike’s shoulder.
Mike gives Dustin a disgusted look, “Well how about you start with what I lost, mouth breather.”
Will watched this trying to figure out what’s happening.
“I’ll tell you what you lost brainless, you lost the notes I had from Dart!” Dustin seems a little too upset about this.
Mike rolls his eyes, “You and Dart oh my lord Dustin, just drop it. It’s been forever since Dart and you’re still so focused on those stupid notes,” Mike’s voice begins to raise.
“Maybe we can use Dart to-“ Dustin gets cut off by Mike.
“Dustin no,” Mike says sternly before his voice begins to raise again, “If you stay so focused on Dart after all this time we aren’t going anywhere, Dustin!”
Dustin rolls his eyes, “Just tell me where the notebook is Mike!”
“Dustin you can’t keep dwelling over this it-“ Mike gets cut off by Dustin almost as if to get back at Mike for earlier.
“I just need the notebook Mike!” Dustin spits out.
Mike glances over at Will, subconsciously, making himself smaller with his shoulders slightly higher. Mike notices the small difference and instantly recognizes it’s from the yelling, “I’ll get it to you tomorrow deal?” Mike’s voice is still aggressive but a little quieter than before.
“Fine, Wheeler,” Dustin replies with a head nod, “Bye Will, sorry for the uh, chaos,” Dustin heads out the Byers front door getting back on his bike and riding off.
Will lets out a breath he didn’t mean to hold in while he closes the front door.
Mike places a hand on Will’s shoulder, “Sorry about the yelling.”
Will’s breath hitches in his throat at the contact, “No it’s fine, really,” Will even himself is unsure if his words are true.
“Yeah, okay,” Mike takes his hand off Will’s shoulder, “Wanna head back to your room?”
“Sure,” Will shrugs. This time Mike leads the way as they walk back, Will can’t help but let his mind wander. Was it really that obvious that he was uncomfortable?
Mike sits back on Will’s bed facing his desk not picking up a comic. Will sits at his desk chair not opening his sketch book due to Mike looking at Will.
“So, uh, got any of the group in your classes,” Mike asks, breaking the silence.
“I have Dustin in my second hour and Lucas in my fifth hour,” Will responds, “What classes do you have with the Party?”
“First hour with Lucas then both fourth and fifth hour with Dustin,” Mike answers.
Will nods, trying not to focus on the way Mike's face moved. The way each line shifts as he speaks. The way the sun hits him in such a way that makes his eyes sparkle. Will tries to ignore it but can’t help but notice it, but he wouldn’t dare say a thing because suppressing it is better than ruining their friendship.
Mike nods back to Will before continuing the conversation, “Do you think we’ll have classes together next semester?”
“I hope so,” Will answers with a slight laugh.
Mike smiles but not because of Will’s joke, because of his laugh. Will’s laugh sends chills down Mike’s spine, the kind that hits your heart and makes you realize how lucky you are to be in the same room as this person.
“Do you want to do anything rather than just sit around?” Will asks putting Mike above himself.
Mike shrugs, “I’m fine with anything.”
Will thinks for a moment trying to come up with anything for the two of them to do, “Got any ideas I’m kind of out.”
“You could show me the drawing you were working on earlier,” Mike suggests.
Will hesitates to answer, “Well- I mean, it’s nothing, like at all.”
Mike sighs lightly, “Will, you know I could never hate your art.”
Will tries not to smile at the compliment if it even is one. Hearing those words was like a rush of joy from Mike’s mouth. But Will suppresses it because it’s better than ruining their friendship, “It’s not that I think you’d hate it I just- I mean it’s- Well,” Will sighs giving up, he has no clue on how to make this better or sound right.
“Will, why are you so adamant on not showing me this drawing?” Mike asks, not in an aggressive way, his tone is normal, almost to normal. Mike looks at Will trying to decipher what is going through his head but can’t.
The question lingers in the air. Why is it weird? Will can’t help but wonder. If this was any of his other friends drawing them wouldn’t be such a big deal but this is Mike. A face he knows like the back of his hand. A person he could trust with his life. So why can’t he trust him with a drawing? Is it because he sees Mike as something more, something other than just a friend. The idea comes up but Will suppresses it down. It’s just a drawing. An unfinished drawing of the boy he loves, who happens to be sitting right in front of him. Finally Will makes up his mind, he’ll show Mike the drawing and play it casual, yeah casual, “I mean I guess you can see, but it’s nothing.”
Mike's face lights up at the idea of seeing Will’s art but he tries to hide it, “Sure like always it’s ‘nothing’ but of course your nothing is really a masterpiece,” Mike gets up and walks over to Will standing by his desk.
Hesitantly Will grabs his sketchbook. He takes a pause. Mike is supposed to be just like every other friend, just another friend. He glances back at Mike who is too close for Will to focus, his heart racing. Will opens his sketchbook and shows Mike the unfinished drawing of himself, “There it is,” Will tries to sound casual but his voice betrays him slightly.
Mike looks at the drawing trying to hide how shocked he is and how happy he is. Suppress it, is all he can tell himself. Mike finally speaks up trying to hide the joy in his voice, “This is insane, Will!”
Will nods trying to hide the lump in his throat, “Thanks,” Will manages to spit out his heart racing faster than he can think.
Mike can’t help but smile at the drawing because Will drew him. Out of all the other things Will could have drawn he chose Mike, “This reminds me of that one time back in sixth grade when you drew me for my birthday.”
Will almost forgot about that, “Oh yeah I did,” Will tries to hide the smile that wants to escape because what if it makes it weird.
“I thought that drawing was insane but this one, it’s not even finished and it already looks amazing,” Mike looks over Will’s drawing of him again and again.
“Guess I should finish it to see if it looks insane,” Will teases a slight smile escaping.
“I guess you should,” Mike looks at Will this time.
Will ignores Mike’s shift in perspective from the paper to him as much as he can, “Anyways what do you wanna do?” Will asks, bringing it back to the original question.
“I mean we could go bike around, maybe see what’s cheap at the convenience store?” Mike stands up straighter, no longer focused on the drawing.
“Yeah I’d be fine with that,” Will closes his sketchbook again.
Mike nods, walking back towards the door of Will’s room.
“Mike, your clothes are still in the corner and you’re still wearing mine,” Will points out as Mike comes to a halt.
Mike looks to the corner where his clothes are and takes a glance down at him in Will’s clothes, “Oh yeah I forgot about that,” Mike grabs his clothes from the corner, “I’ll go change in your bathroom again.”
“Okay I’ll be out in a moment,” Will walks over to his closet.
Mike closes Will’s door behind him heading to the bathroom just down the hall.
Will pulls out some clothes of his own to get changed into. Will opens the door to his room and almost runs into Mike with how close he was to Will’s door, “Sorry.”
Mike takes a step back, “No that was my bad I should have knocked faster,” Mike takes the blame trying to ignore his heart rate picking up.
“Either way it’s fine,” Will shrugs it off even though his mind is going crazy, “Ready to go?”
Mike puts his arms out more, still holding the clothes Will let him borrow, “Here are these.”
“Oh yeah,” Will takes the clothes ignoring the way the boy's hands touched as they were traded. Will walked over to the basket with the rest of his dirty clothes and tossed them in.
Mike waits at Will’s door watching him ignoring the non-platonic and cringe thoughts in his mind after their hands touch. Suppressing them is better than ruining their friendship.
Will walks back to his door, “Now we ready?”
“Only if you are,” Mike replies but starts walking anyway.
Will follows Mike just barely a step behind him as the two walk side by side, “Did you even ride your bike over here?”
“Oh,” Mike pauses, he only walked here, “No, I didn’t.”
Will shakes his head disappointed but can’t help but let a small smile meet his lips, “You really are brilliant.”
Mike can’t help but let out a little laugh at Will’s sarcasm, “I might just be.”
Will grabs his bike, “Hop on Wheeler,” Will pats the back of his bike.
“Really?” Mike asks, with a laugh that comes out more like a cough, “This is what we’re doing?” Mike walks over to Will and his bike anyways.
“I’m not the one who forgot their bike,” Will reminds with a cheeky grin on his face.
“Okay, Byers, suck it up all you want, the brilliant Micheal Wheeler forgot his bike,” Mike jokes, hopping on the back of Will’s bike trying not to touch Will, “Happy?”
“Hold on brilliant Wheeler next stop your own house,” Will takes his feet off the ground giving the bike a slight push before pedaling.
Mike grabs onto part of Will’s jacket trying to ignore everything, ignoring the thoughts in his head, ignoring his heart racing, ignoring his ears burning slightly, ignoring the way he’s holding onto Will, just ignoring it.
Will’s breath hitches slightly but he ignores it and focuses on getting to Mike’s house, “Wait, Mike.”
“Yeah?” Mike questions trying not to let his voice sound abnormal.
“Did you sneak out of your house two or does your mom or dad know you left?” Will asks not stopping his bike.
Mike pauses for a moment, “Well I mean I told Nancy, does that count?”
Will sighs aggressively, “Mike freaking Wheeler, how stupid can you be,” Will turns into the Wheelers driveway.
“Not all my ideas are the brightest, I will admit that,” Mike says. not taking any of this seriously.
Will shakes his head putting his foot down letting Mike get off first. Will sets his bike in the Wheelers lawn, “Mike you’re gonna be in so much trouble one day and I can only help you so much.”
“You saying you already help me, Byers?” Mike teases.
“More than I’d like to admit,” Will smirks.
Mike grabs his bike coming back over to Will, “Good thing I don’t mind,” Mike hops on his own bike as Will does the same.
“You’re impossible Wheeler,” Will shakes his head again, beginning to bike off as Mike quickly catches up.
“Yeah you’ve mentioned that before,” Mike’s smile is a little too big for just friendly banter but right now he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care if he looks stupid, or if he sounds like an idiot. The only person that matters right now is Will. Even though Will is making fun of him, picking on him for his mistakes Mike can’t help but smile, because Will noticed. Will pays attention and maybe that’s why Mike likes Will so much because he notices everything others would glance over. He notices Mike, a weird frog face boy who doesn’t seem all too special, but with Will he feels like the luckiest guy alive.