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Everyone was ready to destroy Vecna for good and they were going follow Steves beanstalk plan which a part of it was to climb a 500 foot tower.
"Sounds fun"
Robin said sarcastically to the climbing part.
"Seriously?"
Steve said offended. He had thought he was finally useful and then Rockin' Robin destroyed all of his confidence in two words.
"It's a great plan actually"
Dustin said defensively.
"Thank you man"
Steve said grabbing Dustin's shoulder.
Now they were at the bottom of the tower that they would all have to climb and the sky that the tower was reaching out to was dark and from time to time litten up with red streaks of light followed by a loud deep rumbling sound.
"No sign lf an evil moving planet"
Lucas said searching the sky with his binoculars.
"Well that's good, Cause this is going to take some time."
Jonathan said at the front of the group.
"All right, We should split up. Use both ladders"
Jonathan pointed at the long metallic ladders on both sides of the towers as if we didn't already see them.
"Don't rush. Pace yourselves. There are platforms along the way, so use them to rest"
That's when Mike created a plan to finally talk to Will. He had been with Robin all the time and Mike hadn't had the opportunity to confront hom about, things.
"All right, Let's do this"
Everyone took that as a sign to start approaching the tower and start climbing.
There were 9 people climbing so Mike could easily sneak onto the side where Will was, and somehow make Will to go last and Mike second last.
It was easier then expected and they had all started climbing already.
Mike tried to make eye contact with Will but he just looked away everytime he caught him staring. Eventually Mike gave up and started to climb too.
He watched up and hope no one would stop at the platform above and by some miracle, no one did. That was all Mike needed to talk to Will, some space.
When Mike got to the platform he waited for Will to pass and signalled him to come on to the metallic floor. He did which was a relief, since Mike wasn't sure if he hated him.
Mike stared at Will who was breathing heavily when he hopped onto the platform.
"You want some?"
Mike asked trying to keep it cool by offering him water from his water bottle that he had just drank from. It stayed cool easily since it really wasn't that warm in the upside down.
"Yeah."
Will took the bottle from Mike's hand gratefully and drank as Mike stared at him once again.
They were both silent for a while as Mike stared down trying to find the courage to talk to him. Like he used to, before he understood himself.
Since him and Eleven broke up Mike had had more time to think about everything and finally understood what he felt for Will. He was just too much of a coward to speak up.
"Hey uhm"
He finally spoke up his words still shaky as he noticed Will was staring at him.
"What you said earlier at the Squawk, I'm sorry"
No, that sounded wrong. He wasn't sure what to say.
"I mean, not sorry about what you said. That came out wrong"
How was he able to fuck this up so bad.
"Or not came out wrong. Jesus Christ"
He was so embarrassed. Was he even able to talk to him again? Then Will chuckled, it was a relief that he hadn't fucked this up entirely. Mike couldn't help but let out a small laugh in relief too.
"It's okay"
Will said reassuringly to Mike who was still looking down only looking at Will when he spoke as if someone was giving him answers from the bottom of the tall tower.
"No it's not."
Mike said feeling guilty about everything and all the things he had said to Will.
"I should've been there for you, and I wasn't."
He has felt guilty for all his life about being such an asshole to Will who was already struggling.
"And I guess I was just so self-absorbed that I couldn't see it."
That was the truth Mike knew. He had been too selfish and feeling too hurt himself that he didn't see Will's pain.
"I just feel like... An idiot and I'm sorry."
Those words Mike felt like had to be said way sooner but they weren't and that's why they're impact was much stronger now.
"You don't have to be sorry. And you're not an idiot, you're not."
Mike knew that can't be true. He was and idiot. And he can't understand why or how Will can forgive him.
"It's just... I didn't even understand it myself for the longest time"
Mike couldn't believe he hadn't known either. They we're both so confused for so long and hurting from that. They were both in the same ship.
"I just think it needed to happen the way it happened. I needed to find my own way."
Mike knew Will had done it and he was so proud, but if Will had done it, why couldn't Mike. What could possibly be that he could've done it. Mike wanted to find his own way too but he felt like he was being tied into the bottom of a basement with chains that were just too tight. He couldn't breathe in there. He needed to get out from the basement.
"I have something I need to talk to you about."
Mike said trying to keep his voice steady while he felt like he was drowning.
"Yeah?"
Will said confused and looking into Mike's dark eyes that lit up when he stared at Will .
"I.. I think I'm in love with you."
The silence felt worse than dying. Mike couldn't believe he just said that. That was so unfair to just drop a bomb like that on Will's head, but he needed to do it. He was about to suffocate in the basement and wither away. He felt so bad for Will and scared if he would hate him but he knew that He did, he did love him. Oh god he has loved him for so long and has realized it just know. He just hoped Will would feel the same way or he was afraid the bomb would be sent back to Mike and blow him up.
"Oh my god. Holy shit."
Will clearly was so confused and dumbfounded but Mike needed to know if he felt the same or if he was already dead.
"Mike..."
Will reached out to Mike and for a second he thought Will was about to throw him off the tower for toying with his feelings. He fortunately didn't and Mike saw Wills body hugging him so tightly he thought they were bound into one.
"I love you too."
Will said his voice muffled by Mikes jacket and Mike felt tears forming in his eyes as his vision got blurry with tears. He was pretty sure Will was crying too when he cupped his face and pulled him in for a kiss they had both needed for years.
The kiss was hungry and desperate, as if they thought the other would run out of time too soon or they would fade away. Mike tasted their tears mixed into the kiss but he didn't care. He needed Will and for the first time he knew he was right. It felt so wrong but he knew it was right. All this time it could have been right, if he hadn't been such an asshole.
When they both pulled out to catch air they stared at eachother for a second before bursting in laughter. They were still crying but it didn't matter anymore. They had both been hungry for years and Mike felt like he had just floated out the basement into a field of fresh air. Will was the key, he was the key to his chains and he had saved him.
Mike hugged Will so tightly and didn't let go. He just sobbed in his arms and when he could speak again he just whispered that he loved him over and over again.
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you"
Mike didn't want him to forget that.
Will laughed at it but still kissed his curly hair.
"I love you too Mike"
Will said reassuringly.
When Mike stood up again after a while he wiped his tears and sniffled a few times. He couldn't help but stare at Will's face, the very one he had just kissed a few minutes ago. It felt surreal.
"I hat to do this but we need to climb up"
Will broke the spell Mike was in just like that and Mike snapped out of it.
"Oh yeah right, I almost forgot"
Mike said quickly and packed his backpack again and began climbing. Everyone else was up in the top platform already so Mike could talk easily with about being disturbed.
"So what do we do know"
Mike tried to ask Will. He didn't know anything about this or who to tell and when and how.
"I don't know really. We can be boyfriends if you want to. That sounds stupid forget that."
Will said blushing on the ladder behind Mike.
"No, I think I'd like that"
Mike said happily. He hadn't felt this free and happy in a while. He was a little bit too happy to be climbing a tower in a dark version of the world trying to kill the big bad evil guy who had killed his friends.
"Really? Okay well, we are officially boyfriends then"
Will stated and couldn't help but smile. Mike was smiling too, maybe the hardest he had in awhile.
Mike had to wash his big smile away before he climbed the last steps onto the chaotic platform where Dustin was shouting to the walkie talkie.
"Where were you two?"
Joyce asked worryingly when Will and Mike had both stepped onto the top platform.
"We just had a break halfway"
Will said winking at Mike who blushed at this. Will had never winked at Mike and he liked that, a bit too much.
"Are you okay?"
Robin said pretty quietly to not throw any attention on them.
"Uhh yeah, why are you asking?"
Mike replied way to quickly and defensively. He wasn't trying to sound mean.
"You do know I saw everything you and little Byers did down there"
Robin said smirking at Micheal. Mike got embarrassed and tried to hide it but gave up pretty quickly.
"Okay, well can you not tell anyone yet? We just figured stuff out and personally I don't want to rush it."
Mike said trying to sound serious and he was, but he hadn't know Robin was cool with it.
"Yeah for sure!"
Robin said and Mike sighed of relief.
"You two make a good couple though.."
Robin said sneeringly. Mike got flustered at this and just stayed quiet and nodded at her. He couldn't help but gaze at Will from across the tower who was getting attacked by Joyce's overly protective questions. Mike smiled and soon covered his face with his hand as he blushed again.
He thought about what happened over and over again and couldn't stop himself. I love you too Mike. He was so whipped for him and he knew it.