Work Text:
‘Fresh air will do you some good’ his mother had told him as she wiped his eyes, holding his face as if he was a delicate flower that threatened to crumble if she held it too tight. Will had stopped crying by now but the intense emotional experience still left him feeling rather numb, a good numb but numb regardless. It spread to his chest leaving his body heaving and heavy. The plan was that they were going to leave within the hour so Will took the opportunity to listen to his mother and go for a quick walk, maybe his last, before they head off to clear his head- his brain, what have you.
“Can I come with?” Asked a familiar voice, Mike’s, right as Will had begun to put his jacket on to walk out the door. Mike looked at Will pleadingly, as if he was a puppy watching his owner about to leave him before work. Will’s smile couldn’t help but peak through his lips while his heart fluttered looking at his love, no, his Tammy. He was going to have to start calling Mike that more for him to start believing it.
“Sure”
The November breeze was nice. Will usually hated this time of year as it got dark too quick and the air always made him think of ‘83. It left him feeling lonesome and afraid. The worst November was when he was in Lenora and couldn’t actually tell anyone about it, not only due to general unspeakability of his trauma but he didn’t want the name zombie boy to follow him, the only person he had was Jane and he didn’t want to bother her as she’d been through far worse than him. But today was nice, abnormally nice, maybe it was the weight off his shoulders, maybe it was the knowledge that his death may be approaching this evening. But he felt calm. Yellow hues painted the sky as the sun began to set, reflecting off the clouds and shining the last remaining rays into Will’s face. He’d paint skies like this if he could…
There was a silence between the two boys as they walked down the hill, the squawk getting further and further behind them as their feet mounded in the dirt. An awkward silence. Will didn’t want to be the first one to talk, or talk at all, Mike seemingly had a thousand thoughts flying about his mind but not coherent enough to finally speak. He had this tell-tale face whenever he was like this, his eyes would glaze over and stare into the distance as his face would scrunch. It was always quite cute, Will thought, the way his face scrunched- no. No no. Stop that.
‘It’s not my fault you don’t like girls!’ Rang in his head, ‘why would I want to be friends a disgusting little fag!’ The Mike in his head spat, looking at him with visible disgust, as if Will was the worst of the worst, the bottom of the barrel. He knew it wasn’t real, a vision made by Vecna purely to torture him but it worked, it got under his skin. Will thought that if he was going to die he’d rather get that vision out of the way now.
Will was glad that didn’t come true.
It’s not that Will was actively going to search for his own death, but he had this feeling, a creeping dread feeling that the night was not going to be smooth sailing.
Mike was, well, less attentive than usual. There was no blabbering, no bumping of the arms or brisk shared looks. Will had just assumed he was trying to figure out what to say, how to say it, he wasn’t used to people like Will.
So they walked in comfortable silence down the hill. Will took deep long breaths to commemorate the feeling of fresh air in his lungs for the last time in a while, maybe ever. Relishing the feeling of the sun on his face and-
“So I was thinking-“ Mike began, his sudden mumble startled Will slightly, got him out of his own mind and turned his head to look at Mike. Those big brown eyes, so busy and yet so patient, hiding a million secrets. He’d do anything to learn all of them, “when we get back, maybe we could-“ it wasn’t like Mike to stutter over his words this much, “start a new party, a new campaign I mean-“
“A new one? Mike we’ve only just gotten to the main bit you said!” Will laughed softly as Mike bit his thumb, Mike had this habit of getting so excited to start entirely new story there were moments he’d ditch campaigns all together sometimes. But Will was quite enjoying this one currently. Mike had built this fantasy world where the party helped a small girl find her missing cat that turned out to be an eldritch being that was haunting the town and kidnapping the villagers. Will’s character was a cleric Elf who had travelled to the village to further his teachings and understanding of the magic he wished to pursue and got caught up on the adventure due to needing a little extra money. Will painfully remembers how Mike decided to end the session on a cliffhanger and promised to get back to it… that was five months ago…
“Yes! Yes I know, but I’ve had a few new ideas and it’s been so long, I thought maybe we could run two?” He nervously asked, eyes flashing at Will before nervously looking away.
“We can barely run one!” Will laughed, feeling his face flush as Mike bumped into his shoulder playfully. God, he was bad at this whole ‘Tammy’ thing!
“Yes well, you always make the best characters-“
“We barely have time for one campaign, Mike”
“Well, Dustin never really is into playing anymore because of, you know,” Will’s lips pressed together thinly, Dustin still liked DnD but they knew it was hard for him to play after Eddie’s death, “and Lucas was always busy with Max and I’m sure he’ll wanna spend even more time with her so-“
“So you wanna what? Run away and start our own party, just me and you?” A chuckle escaped Will’s lips as he teased, he thought it was sweet really as he trotted down the hill. The grass crunched between his feet as he pondered on how that would even work, a party just between them two, a campaign with one player and a DM, he was about to question Mike more when he realised Mike was no longer walking beside him.
With a furrow of his brows he turned his head to see that Mike had stopped walking and instead was standing still, there was an initial confusion as to why he had. Mike Wheeler, in all his beauty, stood a few feet away uphill, his chest heaving up and down as he was catching his breath, black curls framed his face, his absolute gorgeous face that was highlighted by the setting sun. But his eyes… those big brown eyes screamed at Will. Even from a few feet away Will could read them clearly. No, Will thought as his smile began to falter. He knew what was coming, Mike smiled as he let out a breathy exhale, opening his mouth as if to say something but only air came out as Will began to slowly shake his head. Mike’s eyes looked at him pleadingly, beggingly, his boyish smile shooting Will straight through the heart.
“No-“ Will shook his head, he can’t be doing this to him.
“Will, Will-“ Mike called as Will turned away in anger, “we gotta have it out!”
“No Mike!” Will called back as he stormed down the hill, approaching the forest on the edge of it. Will wanted it to swallow him whole at this very moment.
“I have loved you ever since I’ve known you, Will! I couldn’t help it! And now I know you feel the same way-“
“Mike no,”
“And I’m not afraid anymore!”
“Mike we aren’t doing this!”
“And I’m sorry- I’m sorry for how I acted before-”
“Stop this!”
“I was going to say something earlier but everyone was there and-!”
“No! Mike!” Will snapped, turning around and seeing that Mike had followed him down this hill, Will flew up to Mike in frustration- maybe even anger, and put a finger in his face. No, he was mad, Will had just accepted Mike would never love him, he was ready to move on from that- from him! But Mike had to ruin it. “You aren’t like me-“
“I’m not afraid-“
“You can hide this still! You-“
“-anymore-“
“You can be normal, I’ve seen-“
“Will, no-“
“-You! You can be with girls”
“Will I’m-“
“You can move on from this! Boys-“
“-tired, I don’t want to-“
“Like me don’t get this!”
“Anymore. Will. Please”
Mike’s eyes looked at Will pleadingly, full of hearts even as Will chewed him out. He didn’t want to yell, he didn’t want to attract the attention of others but he had to tell Mike the truth, he couldn’t have Mike ruining his life for Will. Will knew what it was like, to be called a fag, to be spat at simply for walking, for the aggression that came from even making eyes with the wrong boy. The fear, the anxiety, Will couldn’t repress, it took him so long to say it but everyone knew, no one knew about Mike- he didn’t even know about Mike. And if that’s the case then Mike could hide it. No one would spit at Mike, call him names, Mike didn’t understand what he was trying to become.
And Vecna… What was Mike thinking? Will felt the tears prick in his eyes, he thought that he was being selfish, where was this when he was fourteen and dreaming of Mike every night? Holding his hand, his face, laying next to him and staring into his heart through his eyes. Vecna would use this, Will didn’t care what Vecna did to him- he was willing to die for this- for him, but Mike? No, he cared about what he did to Mike.
Will shook his head, holding his breath as the tears threatened to fall again. Fuck not again, he looked like a pussy, like a baby, it was pathetic but it was times like this he remembered how all consuming his emotions truly were. There was no hiding from this feeling as it groped him all over.
“Please Mike, you don’t have to do this-“ did Mike feel bad for him? Is that what this was? A pitiful sorry now he knew Will loved him and wanting to make Will feel less shit, and for what? Was he worried Will was going to kill himself?
“Will, stop, listen to me-“
“No! Mike! You listen to me!” Will begged, pleased even, he felt a hot tear fall down his cheek, “you don’t feel this way, not about me” he felt the heat of the humiliation rise on his chest and face, he felt his breath tighten in his throat as his voice threatened to choke out a sob.
“I do-“
“No I am, awkward, and shy-“
“Will, I love you”
“And I’m boring!”
“Will, I love you”
“And I’m not good enough for you-“
“I love you, will”
“And one day you will meet a lovely girl-“
“I don’t want some lovely girl-“
“Who will, respect you and listen to you and give you the dream you’ve always wanted with those fucking waterfalls”
“I just want you”
“No- no mike-“
“I love you, Will” Mike pleaded, holding Will firmly by his shoulders, Will squirmed but did not dare to move. Mike’s voice was calm, as if he was defusing a bomb, yet poetic and powerful enough Will felt them all under his skin. He wanted this rejection to be on Mike’s terms, he could never really reject Mike, but he knew he had to. It was unfair to expect this of him.
“Please, Mike, you don’t mean this…” he sobbed, his bottom lip quivering as he looked up at that beauty, “I mean, look at me”
“I do”
“I’m a freak”
“You’re so-“
“I’m a zombie, I’m a queer, I’m-“
“Beautiful.”
Will stopped.
“You’re so beautiful” Mike repeated, softer than before, looking at Will’s lips then back into his eyes.
Those breathy words hit Will like bricks. It shook the breath in his chest as he sobbed out a little. Mike thought he was beautiful, he saw the words but he didn’t hear them, Mike’s hands moved to his face and cupped it gently as he wiped away Will’s tears. Will tried so hard, so hard to push this away, and right as he thought he did Mike had to pull him back. He’d never be his Tammy no matter how hard he tried.
“I think you’re… beautiful.” Mike whispered, Will noticed how his voice shook, “I’m sorry, Will, I was scared, but you-“
“Please…”
“You were so brave and it just made me think, about.. everything and I realised that if we’re going to die tonight I want to be brave-“
“Mike…”
“Brave like you. You deserve so much more than me.”
“Mike, I'm scared,” was all he could say, he was so scared of Mike being hurt, of hurting Mike, of making Mike the laughing stock of the town with his little boyfriend. But god he wanted this, he wanted this so badly, but he was so scared. But Mike always knew what he wanted to say without him needing to say it.
“Then we can be scared together” Will met Mike’s eyes, soft and full of tears, memories of the little boy who took Will’s hand and promised they’d go crazy together flooded Will’s head. Will choked out a little sob and he felt Mike instinctively hold him tighter, closer, Will tried to shake his head, he didn’t believe him, not in the slightest, this was Mike acting on guilt and- “let me show you, please, if you’d let me” Mike spoke so quick it sounded more like a word vomit than anything.
“What?”
“Let me show you… how much I love you” he felt Mike’s hands shake a little, as if Mike could read his mind, read what his eyes were telling him, they never did really have to say much. “How beautiful I think you are, let me make up for all the times I made you feel the opposite” Will's breath caught in his throat, this time his face was hot with flush, he had never really experienced romance before as his mouth hung open in shock. And yet here Mike was, pleading and begging, “let me show you… please.”
-
“A little to the left!” Max ordered as Lucas lined up the M&M, he was hoping his new basketball skills had trained him for this moment, tossing the M&M straight into Max’s mouth. They shared a cheer before Max chewed the sweet, Lucas felt his heart flutter as he used the same tricks on her he did when they were thirteen and he wanted to desperately impress her. He went up to her and handed her the bag of chocolates.
“You’re gonna be okay yeah?” He spoke to her dotingly, fixing her hair in case she was ever uncomfortable.
“I’ll be fine, seriously, you don’t need to treat me like I’m-“
“Hey, I’m not, I’m just saying I don’t know how many more times I can listen to Bush” Lucas laughed a little and Max laughed with him, kissing her gently on her forehead, he turned his head to look outside, everyone was there waiting. He was scared, scared he had just gotten Max back and yet he might lose her all over again. But she didn’t need to know that, he’d burn the world if it meant he got to see her again. It felt as if everyone was ready to do this but him… well, almost everyone. Scanning outside he realised something was missing, “where the fuck are Mike and Will?”
“They came back like twenty minutes ago” Max was looking up at him, “I saw them come in in a rush, maybe they’re talking about…”
“Maybe” Lucas sighed, he never had an issue with that sorta stuff, hell, he always suspected Will was a bit gay, when they would pick movies to watch together he’d always try to make sure there was at least one shirtless man just for Will! But he knew Mike was… well, he was different. He was always cagey about the subject. Lucas had tried to knock some sense into him a few times and he’d willingly do it all again. Will was his boy, he wouldn’t have Mike starting shit again. “I’ll go find them”
Peppering a soft kiss on her cheek he went off to find the two. A part of him was worried that maybe Will was trying to educate him on something or another, or maybe Mike took offence. When Will mentioned liking someone Lucas knew who he meant, he just hoped Mike wouldn’t be offended that Will liked someone in the friend group. Lucas wasn’t offended to know Will had a crush on him, he was actually quite flattered, he didn’t swing that way but it was a compliment none the less. Lucas was just aware that Mike had a habit to be… well… expressive!
Briskly he checked around the squawk, he checked around every corner, even through windows to see if they were still outside. And yet nothing. He was starting to worry something was wrong until he heard a noise coming from the bathroom, a thud. Confusion hit him, then panic, his heart began to race at the vision of a demodog and/or gorgan coming through the pipes having found Max and ready to get the group before they had even begun. It could also, however, just be a bird. Whatever it was, he was ready for a fight.
Bracing for the worst, he grabbed the handle and threw the door open.
Inside was not a demodog, or even Vecna, or even someone taking a shit.
Inside was Will and Mike.
Will was sitting on the sink, held up by Mike whose hands were placed so firmly on Will’s waist as if Mike was scared Will was about to be snatched away, Will's leg had hiked up a little to hold Mike in place firmly. Will had his hands wrapped around Mike’s shoulders, one held onto the opposite shoulder as if he was about to fall and the other gripped onto Mike’s hair. All the while Mike was leaning into Will and eating his face.
Oh!
“Oh!” Lucas gasped instinctively, they clearly hadn’t heard the door open but heard his gasp as they practically threw off of each other. Will kicked Mike off him so fast Mike hit the other wall but proceeded to look at it as if he was searching for something. “Oh! Hey- hey guys!” Lucas laughed awkwardly, embarrassment creeping in as he clearly interrupted a very intimate moment, the two were clearly equally if not more embarrassed, red faced and fixing themselves. “So- just wanted to let you know we’re uh- ha ha. We’re leaving soon. Sooo… haha! Yep!” Lucas turned on his heels before quickly walking away.
Shit! Shit!
He felt so stupid, what could he do? Should he tell someone? Should he tell El? No! That wasn’t very ally of him but he didn’t want to be an accomplice to an affair!
“Lucas!” He heard the voice of Mike, stern and panicked as footsteps ran towards him, before he could even turn around he felt Mike’s hand on his shoulder turn him around- “don’t-“
“Dude no!” Lucas interrupted him, “no man, it’s chill, really. Just” he looked around, seeing if anyone was around, “what about-“
“We broke up like a year ago!”
Lucas felt so much weight lift off his chest, he audibly laughed and let out a ‘phew’ at the relief he was no longer an accomplice in this affair.
“Ah man, you had me worried”
“No- no, just-“
“Hey it’s chill,” Lucas reassured him. What confused him was why Mike? If Will liked Lucas then why was he… ohhh! His realisation played clear of his face, he saw Mike’s face twist and scrunch.
“What?”
“Nothing it’s just-“
“What?” He felt Mike’s defence growing, fear and shame maybe? Mike was a bit like a guard dog when it came to Will, not a very scary one but-
“Nothing! No nothing like, bad, I’m happy for you, swear! it’s just.” Lucas bit his lip, nervous to say the next bit but thought the thought of the reaction would make it worth it. “Well I thought it was Me”
“Huh?” Mike sounded like a broken record, confusion written on his face.
“Like, you know, the guy Will liked. I mean I’m not sad I’m not like that-“ he caught himself as Mike's brows furrowed, “not that there’s anything wrong with that! You know, being you,” Jesus Christ Lucas…. He cursed himself in his head, “it just, well I’m better looking than you”
Mike paused for a moment, staring at Lucas in pure confusion. Then audacity. Then he laughed, full belly laughed as he shoved Lucas playfully.
“Fuck you!”
“Hey it’s true!”
“I’m so much better looking than you!”
“Nah, I’m like, you know, better, you’re like a niche kinda attractive”
“Fuck you mean a niche kinda attractive?” Mike laughed, it felt relieving to see the panic empty his face at Lucas’ attempts to make him laugh.
“Yeah, you know, you’re like a loser emo, like the emo girls like you or.. well..” Lucas’ head jerked towards the bathroom as Mike rolled his eyes with another laugh.
“Fuck you!”
“Mike I’m flattered but…”
“I had a girlfriend before you, fucker”
“Well Mike I don’t think that’s a fair track to look at considering your… well, situation” Mike laughed and Lucas laughed with him, Mike shoved him and then pulled him into a hug, a tight one, something reassuring that said ‘thank you’ without really saying it. “I’m proud of you, dude.”
“Thanks man”
From the window Lucas watched as Will went up to Max, they were talking about something inaudible but from the way they began to giggle and Will hugged her he guessed.
Mike and Lucas had always been similar in many regards, and the more he thought about Mike and Will as, well, Mike and Will the more he realised it made sense. Lucas always knew he’d burn the world to keep Max warm, and he always thought he was a better boyfriend than Mike as Mike never really seemed to passionately care for El in that way- not to say he didn’t care for her but he could tell there was something missing. But ever since they were kids he knew Mike would burn the world to keep Will warm.
And now he understood why.