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EXT. SIGNAL TOWER — UPSIDE DOWN
The signal tower shudders as another wave of red lighting cracks across the sky. The air hums—low, constant, alive.
Mike and Will climb in silence, hands numb from cold metal, lungs burning. The others are already distant silhouettes above them. Mike reaches a ledge and stops. Will follows, nearly colliding with him before catching himself. They stand there, side by side in silence. For a moment, all that exists is the wind, the storm, and the way neither of them quite knows where to put their hands.
Mike finally twists the cap of his water bottle. He hesitates—then offers it. “You want some?” Will nodded and took it, their fingers brushing for just a second. It was accidental, barely anything at all — and yet both of them felt it. Will drank too quickly, water spilling down his chin. He didn’t notice. Mike did.
“Hey,” Mike said quietly, then stopped. He tried again. “Can I ask you something?” Will stiffened, his chest tightening, but he nods anyway. Mike leans against the railing, staring out at the churning red clouds like the answer might be written out there. He fiddles searching for words. “I just… I think it was really cool, what you did back at the WSQK. I know that couldn’t have been easy.” Will exhales shakily. “God I thought I was gonna puke,” he admits, and they laugh softly. “No, really. It was brave,” Mike says , voice softening. Will looks at him, admiration flickering in his eyes. Mike smiles back gently. “But I guess I’m just confused about something,” Mike continues. Will’s heart sinks. “What… what do you mean?” He asks cautiously. Mike glances away, then back. “ I guess… I just wonder.. what you meant when you said your crush was your “Tammy.”
Will looks down, trying to brush it off. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just a friend of mine… She liked a girl who didn’t like her back. Once she accepted herself, she moved on.” Mike frowns slightly but nods. “Oh. Okay… yeah, I guess that makes sense.” A pause stretches. “But if you don’t mind me asking… who is he? Your Tammy?” Will tilts his head, lips twitching. “Mike…” he whispers. Mike immediately feels embarrassed.”Sorry, if you’re not ready… I was just curious.”
They look out over the storm, avoiding each other’s eyes for a moment. Then Mike says quietly, “You know, for a little while, I thought maybe you and Robin—“ “Robin? No!” Will interrupts, flustered. “She was just the first person to know… she encouraged me to…” He falters, afraid to say the words. Mike nods slowly, hiding a grin. Mike tries again, a little too loudly: “I don’t know! You too were spending a lot of time together… and getting along… and maybe I got jealous. That she was helping you with all this stuff lately.” Will’s breath catches. “Jealous?” He thinks. “I just… I missed being the one to do it,” Mike admits. “But that’s not to say I’m not happy that you found someone else to talk to. I guess I just… liked it when it was just us. You know what I mean?” Will nods, smiling softly. Mike grins back.
”There’s one more thing I’m confused about,” Mike says. Will stiffens. “El… in her letters… said you liked someone. A girl,” Mike says. “And she said the painting you made might have been for them…” Will shifts uncomfortably. “Shit, the painting…” “She didn’t really know about it though,” Mike continues, calmer now. “So when you gave it to me, and you said that she told you what to paint…” His voice falters. “I just want to know the truth. Did the painting come from you… or El?” Will swallows hard. “I shouldn’t have lied I’m sorry. It didn’t come from El. It was from me. El had nothing to do with it”. His voice cracks. “ I guess I was embarrassed… after the airport, after Rink-o-mania… I thought you’d like it better if it came from El…” Mike’s chest tightens. “Why lie to me? Why say El told you to make it? And what you said about her… those were lies too?” “No! Those were true… just not about El,” Will blurts out. Silence.
“I haven’t been honest with you… about everything—” Will starts, but Mike cuts him off. “It’s me, isn’t it? Your ‘Tammy’?” Will’s eyes widen. “Mike—I—“ Mike interrupts again. “I’m sorry I was harsh before. I wish I could take it back. I didn’t mean it. I should’ve been there for you. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk to me, your… best friend…” Will opens his mouth, then closes it. Mike continues, almost mumbling: “I think it’s the only way I can hide what I’m feeling… I don’t always know what I’m feeling. When you moved to California, I thought you wouldn’t want to hear from me… And then with El… I thought if I pretended everything was okay, it would be but it’s not. And after everything you said, I realized it’s okay that it’s not how it used to be.” Mike takes a shaky breath. “I hate what happened between us the past couple years. I hate that we drifted apart. I hate that I didn’t call. I hate that I put El before you. And I hate that I still can’t say—I—” He falters. “What I feel…”
Will freezes. Mike steps closer. “I don’t want to be your Tammy. I want to be your Mike. I… I want you. I always have. And I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner…” Will’s doesn’t respond. Mike reaches out, hesitates, then retracts his hand. “Will?” “I… I’m trying to make sure I heard that right” Will whispers. “You did” Mike says, laughing softly. Will’s chest races. “How… when… did you…? How do you know?” “I think part of me has always known. I just didn’t want to believe it… I was afraid. But now… I’m not afraid anymore.” “But… what about El?” Will says. Mike shakes his head softly. “El is great. It’s just… it’s not the same. What we have… it’s never been like that with her.” They laugh softly and nervously. “How long have you… known?” Mike asks. “For as long as I can remember… You kind of made it clear I didn’t…like girls,” Will says, laughing awkwardly. Mike swallows. “Wow. Some crush, huh?” “You do know it’s not actually just a crush, right?” Will’s face burns. “Mike… I love you. I’ve been in love with you…”
The words fall between them, fragile and terrifying. Mike stares at him, eyes glassy. “Will.” He reaches out, stopping just short—giving Will time to pull away. He doesn’t. Mike’s hands settle on Will’s arms, grounding, warm. They’re close now. Too close to ignore the pull between them. Will’s gaze drops, lingering on Mike’s lips before he can stop himself. Mike notices. They hesitate. Then Will leans in. The kiss is soft. Careful. Like a question asked under his breath. Mike answers it—tentatively at first—his lips moving against Will’s in a way that’s almost reverent. For a second, it’s perfect. Then reality crashes back in. Will pulls away suddenly, breath hitching. His heart is racing too fast, too loud. His eyes dart away, panic flashing across his face. Did he misread it? Did he push too far? “I— I’m sorry, I—” He takes a step back already bracing himself. Mike doesn’t let him. Without thinking, Mike grabs a fistful of Will’s shirt, yanking him forward before the doubt can settle. Will barely has time to inhale before Mikes kisses him again—harder this time. Certain. Unmistakable.
There’s no hesitation now. This kiss is deeper, desperate, like Mike is making up for lost time, like he’s afraid if he lets go, Will might disappear. Will melts into it instantly, fingers clutching Mikes jacket as the storm rages around them. When they finally break apart, they’re both breathless. They rest their foreheads together, noses brushing, still close enough that neither of them has to question what that meant. Mike cups Will’s face, thumbs warm against his cheeks. “I love you too.” For a heartbeat, there’s silence—just them, the wind, and the hum of electricity in the air. Will lets himself exhale, letting the tension finally slip away. He leans slightly into Mike, letting himself feel it all: relief, awe, the steady thrum of his own heartbeat now in sync with Mike’s. A sharp, teasing, voice cuts through the quiet. “Well, well, well…” Robin leans over the railing from the spot above them, arms crossed, a grin spreading across her face. “Decided to take the scenic route to confess, huh?”
Will and Mike jump apart, cheeks burning, but Will can’t help laughing. Mike rolls his eyes, but it’s soft, fond, and the tension that had gripped him for so long melts a little. “Come on lovebirds,” Robin continues, stepping back. “Portal’s waiting.” Will nudges Mike, still smiling, and Mike shakes his head, letting a laugh escape. Together, they step back side by side, hearts still pounding—but lighter, freer. Will glances at Mike, catching his eye, and for a moment, they share a look—quiet, unspoken, full of all the things they couldn’t put into words before. Robin claps her hands. “Alright you two, that’s enough staring—let’s move.” Mike groans, but Will laughs. Robin smiles. “Come on, don’t make me drag you up the ladder myself.” Will squeezes Mike’s hand. Their hearts are still racing, but in a good way. They glanced at each other again, sharing a quiet unspoken smile—everything that needed to be said, finally understood.