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“I don’t like girls.” These words struck Mike like a million knives all stabbing him at once. He thinks back to that day in the rain. He knew he messed up right at that moment but now? Now, Mike wonders how Will was even able to look at him after that. Mike relives their argument a lot, wondering what could’ve even possessed him to say that. He didn’t just say it anyone, he said it to Will, Will Byers, his best friend, the person he-
“I had this crush on someone, even though I know they’re not like me.” Will’s eyes meet Mike’s. Mike noticed Will fidgeting with his sleeves. Mike tenses and a feeling creeps into his mind. A feeling he can’t ignore. He’s barely listening to Will now, which just makes him feel worse.
Angry. Mike is angry. He doesn’t know why he’s angry which is making him dissociate until Lucas and Dustin both stand up to hug Will. Mike follows and hugs with them, but his chest is burning.
They’re all in Murray’s truck now, everyone is focused on ending this, killing Vecna, of course Mike is too but he has a sub concern that is beginning to grow way too much. The group. has decided to split into teams, Mike is on a team with Lucas, Robin, and of course Will. Their job is to essentially make sure nothing happens to Will when he tries to tap into Vecna again. They decide they are going to camp out in Mike’s house, but in the Upside Down, that way they have supplies as well as giving will a close connection to the hive mind. Mike feels awful, he wants to be able to put all his attention on the mission but he can’t. When they finally get to Mike’s house, everyone separates to gather potential weapons and other essentials. Mike takes a detour into his room, he knows he’s not going to find anything helpful in here he just needed the comfort of his own room, even if it’s in another dimension.
Mike walks through his door and he lets out a breath. He takes a long glance around his room, he wonders how bad the damage is in his actual home. Mike looks at his walls, they are filled with posters of movies and drawings. Will’s drawings to be specific, although one is missing since it doesn’t exist yet. The painting Will gave to Mike back when they were trying to find El the dessert. He remembers how excited he was to receive it, how he listened to everything that Will told him about it. That’s when he remembers something, something more recent. A few months ago, Mike and El had a conversation.
“Mike. Can we talk?” El asked, Mike remembers her looking timid but at the same time hopeful.
“Sure come in.” Mike says and El walks into his room. They both sit on his bed and El is quiet for a while. Mike has a feeling that he knows what’s coming.
“Mike, I’ve been training a lot, I’ve spent a lot of time with myself. I figured something out.” She says very slowly, very much like when Mike first met her and she barely knew any words. Mike just looks at her, waiting for her to meet his gaze.
“I think I’m distracted, distracted by our relationship. You are a great friend to me, Mike. You always have been and I think that is the way things should always be.” El finally lets her eyes meet Mike’s. Mike gives her a small smile in return, he feels relieved, he just got broken up with and yet he feels fine.
“That’s okay El, I actually sort of agree.” El cups his cheek and she smiles.
“Thanks for finding me and giving me a chance at a normal life.” She replies softly. Again Mike just smiles, a genuine smile. They both hear Joyce call for El from downstairs. El lets go and they finally break eye contact.
“Oh El!” Mike says to stop her from leaving.
“I never thanked you for the painting back in California.” El looks at him with utter confusion.
“What painting?” Right as she finished those words Joyce knocks on the door and El waves before leaving the room.
Mike never actually thought about those words, not until right now, in his room, in the Upside Down, months later. His eyes widen, then his anger from earlier returns but that's when Will walks into the room.
“Oh Mike, I didn’t know you were already looking in here.” Will says blankly.
“Why did you lie to me?” Mike blurts out, he had no control.
“What are you talking about?”. Will asks, and he seems genuinely confused. Mike finally realizes what he asked and starts to panic.
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.” Mike mumbles and quickly leaves the room, brushing past Will. Mike almost runs out of his, he stands outside in the same spot he and Will fought a few years ago. Mike’s angry, he's been angry and he’s never known why, but now he does. Everything is hitting him all at once. He’s angry he didn’t realize what Will was going through, he’s angry he never finished his conversation with El, he’s angry that Will didn’t tell him sooner. He’s angry that he ever had those arguments with Will, everything Mike has ever done to wrong Will comes rushing back. Everything Will has ever done for him comes rushing back, Mike begins to cry, not sob, but a few tears just fall from his eyes. This just makes Mike even more angry, he thinks about how recently he just hasn’t been able to express any emotion. He’s angry at himself and it finally hits him. Mike realizes he's never been honest with himself, or anyone else. Everything finally makes sense to him. Mike is not going to let himself get in the way again. He’s about to walk back into the house when Will walks out.
“Mike what’s wrong? What’s bothering you?” Will worriedly asks. They are now standing in the same place as that night in the rain and that night back in 1983. Mike just looks at Will, he’s admiring everything he’s ever tried so hard to ignore. Will’s eyes are the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, the mole above Will’s lip is gorgeous, Will’s lips are stunning Mike wants to just-
“Mike what’s going on?” Will’s voice snaps him back into reality.
“You lied to me about the painting.” Mike stated and Will’s eyes grew wide in return.
“No. I didn’t.” Will added.
“El and I broke up.” Mike declared, the words left his mouth so easily.
“I- I’m sorry Mike.” Will whispered.
“No it's fine, actually this was months ago.” Mike adds. Will tries to get a word, but Mike is not done.
“The painting wasn’t from El, was it?” Mike asks softly.
Will hesitates but eventually he speaks, “No, I-“ Will never gets to finish his thought because Mike has more to say.
“Because I never realized that all this time it meant more to me if it came from you. Everything means more to me if it's you.” Mike confessed. Will doesn’t say anything. Mike notices how Will began fidgeting, the same way he was fidgeting earlier when he told everyone. Mike thinks back to 8th grade, when Will was first possessed by the Mind Flayer. He remembers when he grabbed Will’s hand to calm him down. Mike didn’t realize then but he also grabbed Will’s hand to calm himself down.
Mike grabs Will’s hands tightly. “I wanted it to be from you Will. It was always you, but I’ve been an idiot and too out of touch to handle anything correctly. I messed up so many times with you and yet you’re still standing here with me. So please Will, tell me the truth.”
Will sighs then looks down, Mike still has not let go of Will’s hands. “It wasn’t from El.” Will muttered, still looking down. Mike begins to rub Will’s hand with his thumb.
“So was everything you said just…. bullshit?” Mike asks, still not taking his eyes off of Will.
“No! Of course not!” Will quickly answered, locking his eyes with Mike’s.
Mike swallows, “Then what did it mean?”
”Mike, everything I said is true, it just…didn’t come from El. It was about me and how I feel.” Will finally says. Hearing this makes Mike freeze and internally panic of course but he refuses to let his gaze go anywhere else but Will.
“I’m sorry Mike.I should of-“ Will is cut off, but not by words. Mike finally lets go of Will’s hands and moves his hands to Will’s face.
“Will, I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize but I am like you.” Will’s eyes twitch, like he’s remembering his words from earlier.
“Mike you don’t have to say this if you don’t mean it.” Will is refusing to make eye contact with Mike. So Mike, who is tired of lying to himself, does something he never thought he’d do, but at the same time always longed for it. Mike closes the space between him and Will and he connects their lips.
“It was a seven. The demogorgon, it got me.” A young Will Byers says to a young Mike Wheeler.
“See you tomorrow!” Will says and bikes away as the lights flicker behind him. The Young Mike brushes it off as just faulty electricity but the real electricity was happening at the same time in the Upside Down.
Mike pulls away first from the kiss, now realizing what he did.
“Will, I’m so sorry. I- I don’t know why I-“ Mike’s cut off by Will crashing their lips back together, pulling his face in. This kiss is deep, messy, and beautiful.
Mike moves his hands to Will’s waist and pulls him closer. Will smiles and the kiss ends.
“What?” Mike laughs.
“Nothing, this is perfect.” Will responds as he wipes a tear from Mike’s eye.
“I’m sorry I took so long.” Mike choked.
“No, you’re right on time.” Will says before initiating another kiss.
Will’s hands on Mike's face and Mike’s hands exploring Will’s back. For the first time in his life, Mike finally understood himself. He doesn’t know how he’s going to deal with this later but he now knows that it was Will that he needed this entire time.