Work Text:
Mike wished he could stay out here forever.
The rising sun shot vivid hues over the flat lake- violent pinks, soft oranges, and blinding golds were spread out in front of Mike like a painter’s palette, waiting to be dipped in.
It was like heaven- or, as close to heaven as someone could get. Mike wasn’t a religious person, but this view made him feel downright holy.
So, yeah, if it were up to him, he’d spend forever out here.
“Wheeler, let’s go!” Dustin’s megaphoned voice bellowed from the pier.
Just not today.
“Coming!” he called back, dropping the buoy and checking the anchor. Once he knew it was secured, he paddled back to dock, where Dustin was standing, hands on his hips. “You look like a mini-Steve.”
Instead of the biting insult he’d aimed for, Dustin just puffed out his chest, looking annoying smug. “I’ve been trying. Do you like the stance?”
Mike took his offered hand, pulling himself up onto the dock. “No.” He yawned and checked his watch. Six twenty three. Two hours until the campers had to be up and ready for the day.
Mike wasn’t totally sure what made him accept this summer camp job- definitely not his father, who told him he was wasting good internship time on friendship bracelets. Maybe it was his girlfriend of about a year sitting him down and telling him this just wasn’t working anymore, that it wasn’t him except it kind of was because he didn’t love her. And though he told her he did, he always had, even he couldn’t put up too much of a fight, not when he knew she wasn’t exactly lying.
So now El was off backpacking in Sweden and Mike was here, spending his days trying to teach little brats how to swim, not thinking about El and certainly not thinking about-
“Will!” Dustin called over his megaphone. “The banners look great. You’re doing a terrific job.”
Will Byers was teetering on a high beam off the porch, tying off the banners he’d wrangled Mike into helping him paint last night- if you asked Mike, sure, Will’s Yellow Team banners were more ‘impressive’ from an ‘artistic standpoint’ but Mike’s Blue Team ones had heart. Or maybe just delirium from staying up until three am all because a pretty boy stuck out his lip and said please.
Will smiled at them. “Thanks!” he called back, hopping down from the ledge he’d been standing on. “It was all Mike! Hey Mike!”
“Hey Will!” Mike ignored Dustin’s snort of glee as he waved at the crafts counselor, and he definitely ignored the embarrassing little flip his stomach did when Will waved back.
Okay, so maybe that was the reason he was working at camp.
Well, definitely not the only reason, but it was certainly a plus.
Will ran down the pathway to the waterfront, his hands still visibly yellow from the paint job last night. “I love Camp Wars!” Will cheered as he approached. “Happy Camp Wars, Mike!”
They slapped palms and Mike laughed at Will’s energy, like a little kid. Will was always bursting with energy, in fact, it was the first thing Mike noticed about him when he’d arrived at camp for orientation week- the bright-eyed guy on the porch, hanging paper chains from the trees. The second thing he’d noticed was that the guy had lost his footing and was careening towards the ground. And the third thing was just how insanely pretty his hazel eyes were.
“Happy Camp Wars, Will.”
Their hands sat between them, still linked, and Mike was suddenly feeling a little sweaty.
But then Will pulled his hand away, cheeks pink. “Just you wait, this is gonna be the best day ever.”
Nine hours later, “best day ever” certainly wasn’t the phrase Mike would use to describe it, but what did he know?
He’d spent the last several hours wrangling kids, from the youngins who were sad they lost duck duck goose to the bitchy tweens from Bunk 4G who were mad they had to be on the same team as 6G. He had sweat through his blue tie-dyed shirt, and the blue zinc he’d let Lucas smudge on his face was definitely trailing down his neck. He’d done an obstacle course and served volleys and pulled one sputtering boy from the lake, giving him a few hard smacks on the back until he coughed up the seaweed he’d swallowed, and he’d given Will a few too many goals in soccer that Blue Team was actually dragging a little behind, and-
And literally none of that mattered because Will was flirting with Eliot.
Eliot, the head of tennis, Eliot.
“Hey, man, you good?” Lucas asked, flicking Mike with his wet t-shirt. He was definitely carrying himself better, zinc outlining his abs and pecs, hair held back with a blue bandana. He sat down next to Mike at the picnic table, ignoring protests from a CIT who wandered off to the other side of the porch, probably to go vape.
“Isn’t your girlfriend blind, man? What’s the point of the zinc?”
Lucas laughed. “Oh, nah, this is just for me.” He bodyrolled, and Mike zeroed back in on Will and Eliot, who were sitting with their Yellow Team campers, Eliot leaning way into Will’s personal space. “What are you staring at?”
“Do you think they’re together? We’d know, right? If they were together?”
Lucas huffed out a laugh. “Jesus.”
Will stuck something behind Eliot’s ear, and Eliot laughed. Mike’s fist tightened.
“Seriously, dude, you need to get your shit together and make a move,” Lucas said, grabbing Mike by the hair and forcing him to look at him. “Or get over this crush. Both options.”
“It’s not a- I don’t have a-”
“It is, and you do. Go wipe your face, you look insane.”
Mike trudged into the lodge, through the kitchen where Vickie and Robin were making potato salad and into the staff room. He grabbed a few tissues and looked in the cracked mirror- yep, he looked as bad as he assumed. Pale blue lines ran down his face and neck, under his collar. His hair seemed to have given up along with him, and half sat flat against his head while the other stuck up straight.
He smeared at his face, and the zinc spread but didn’t come off on the tissue. Great. Now he just looked like a smurf.
“Need some help?”
Will was standing in the doorway, an orange hydroflask hanging at his side. His cheeks were pink, and in the mirror, Mike could see sweat sitting on his nose.
He turned, smiling sheepishly. “I tried.”
Will laughed, crossing the room and taking the tissues from him. “You’re helpless.” He grabbed Mike’s jaw with one hand, and oh, wow, okay, keep working legs. “The things I do for you.”
“Hey, you offered.”
“I did, didn’t I?” He dropped a blue tissue into Mike’s hand. “I guess you’re just so sweet I have the urge.”
“I’m not sweet.”
“I think you are.”
“I’m rugged.”
“I have hiking boots more rugged than you.”
“Will!” a new voice said, and Jesus fucking Christ, what did he want?
Eliot was standing in the doorway. “Where’d you go? I thought you were just filling your water.”
They both looked at the hydroflask, abandoned on the coffee table.
“I found Wheeler here looking a bit blue. Had to help.” He swiped at Mike’s nose with a tissue.
“Well your campers are asking where you went. Shouldn’t you be getting back too, Wheeler? Bit unfair to leave Lucas all alone- I know you’re new to this whole camp thing, but you’re kind of supposed to have your co-counselors’ backs.”
“And I think you should mind your own-”
“Lay off him, Eliot, I was the one who distracted him,” Will said. “I’ll be right there.” He turned back to Mike, ignoring Eliot’s sneer before he turned and stormed out.
Three, two, one, and-
“I think he likes you.”
Will’s flush deepened. “Eliot? No. No he doesn’t. We’re friends.”
“Yeah, friends don’t really flip out like that.”
“You two and your whole… rivalry or whatever is actually so ridiculous. What are you even fighting over?”
You.
“He’s just a dick. A dick who likes you. I’m dumb, not blind, man.” He tried to gauge Will’s reaction. He was blushing, sure, but his jaw had tightened, drawing attention to extremely kissable neck.
“I don’t know. Anyway, you are all cleaned up!” He dropped the rest of the tissues in Mike’s waiting hand. “You’re coming to the campfire tonight, right?”
“Well, I was promised free booze, so…”
“You’ll get your booze. So you’re coming?”
“Yes, I’m coming. Well, depending on if this last activity doesn’t take me out first.”
Will laughed. “Right, I keep forgetting this is your first year. I’m warning you, capture the flag gets pretty intense.”
“Especially since Blue Team is gonna destroy you guys.”
Will smirked, leaning back against the wall. “Oh ya? I don’t think so.”
“You’ll see.” And maybe it was the heat delirium, but Mike leaned forward, caging Will in between his arms. Will’s mouth dropped open, tongue darting out to wet his lips, and if Mike just tilted his head a little-
“Will, let’s go!”
Mike sprung backwards, and Will shot off the wall, turning positively crimson. Eliot was back in the doorway, and was Mike going crazy or was he glaring at him?
“Right!” Will chirped. “You’re going down, Wheeler!” The threat felt empty as Will scampered out of the room.
“Right, Wheeler,” Eliot echoed, turning and following Will.
Okay, seriously, fuck Eliot.
They were so screwed.
About eighty percent of Blue Team, including Lucas, were sitting in the Yellow Team jail, screaming for someone to come give them a jailbreak. Little Dipshit Derek was screaming profanities at anyone who got too close to the Blue Flag, and Mike seriously needed to talk to him about how you can’t tell six year olds to ‘suck my fat one’.
Will was guarding the jail, hackles raised, and Mike’s team groaned when Will tagged Tina, sending her slinking over to jail. Eliot was guarding the Yellow Flag, looking entirely too smug, his eyes constantly darting over to Will, and-
Oh, Mike had a plan.
See, before about an hour ago, he hadn’t given half a shit about the outcome of this game. But after the staff room, how Eliot had looked at him like that, like he wanted him dead?
This was personal.
He made a few random hand motions at Derek, who nodded like he knew exactly what he was talking about, then cracked his neck, cracked his knuckles, and shot off.
He cleared the campers easily, diving into the safe zone. Eliot grunted, rolling his eyes. “Just give up now, Wheeler. You’re not winning.”
Mike just looked around- Will was talking to Lucas, his back to Mike. Lucas caught Mike’s eye, and Mike smirked at him. Get ready, he mouthed, and Lucas’ face twisted in confusion. Mike looked back- Eliot was picking at his nails. Will followed Lucas’ eyes up to Mike and-
“Hey, Byers!” He shot Will what he hoped was his most seductive wink, and Eliot’s face twisted, his head whipped to look for Will’s reaction, and Mike scooped up the flag, taking off.
There were screams, and he ran faster than he ever knew possible, narrowly avoiding little hands reaching for him.
Thirty yards, twenty, five, ten feet-
Someone caught him by the ankle, sending them both tumbling, and-
His hand was over the line.
“Safe!” Steve announced, and the camp erupted in cheers.
“Ha! Eat shit!” Mike screamed at a shell-shocked Eliot, who was still gripping his ankle like he wanted to sever it, and ignoring Steve’s “Language, asshole!”
Will appeared over him, pinning his wrist to the ground. “You suck,” he laughed as Mike squirmed. “We had you.”
“Told you we were gonna destroy you.” He shook Eliot off, who stood up haughty, marching over to Steve.
“You’re the worst.”
“You love me.”
Will’s mouth quirked, and he didn’t move, and-
“Come on, lovebirds!” Lucas pushed Will over before picking Mike up, shaking him. “Let’s fucking go, Wheeler, that’s what I’m talking about!”
His campers nearly crushed him in a hug, sending him toppling to the ground all over again, and as the chant rose over the crowd, honestly, Will was right- this really was just about the best day ever.
Later, Mike was sprawled out on a blanket, leaning up against a log and watching the bonfire crackle. To his left sat Lucas and his girlfriend Max, cuddled up as he recounted the day to her, braiding her wavy red hair. It was so funny- for the whole tough guy, cool counselor bravado he put on during the day, the second he had his girlfriend in his arms, he turned seriously whipped.
To his right was Dustin and Steve, trying to see who could shove more marshmallows in their mouth. Deeply concerning behavior for head and assistant-head counselors.
Everyone was drinking cheap beer or hard seltzers, and Steve’s guitar was being passed around- Mike was pretty sure he heard Landslide from somewhere across the flames. Mike felt flushed, muscles stretched and sore, but the good sore that came after the steamy shower he’d taken. He accepted the joint Lucas handed him, taking a long drag before passing it to Chrissy, who was wandering by. She giggled and blew him a kiss.
Honestly, he could fall asleep right now, basking in the waves of heat the bonfire was rolling out, in his soft Camp Knowere hoodie. In fact, if he just flicked his sunglasses down, maybe he could just shut his eyes and…
“Mike! Are you asleep?”
He flipped his sunglasses back up to find a red-eyed Will holding two smores.
“Nope.” He scooted over, and Will sat down on the blanket with him and handed him a smore. It was all melty and golden, and maybe he was just a little stoned, but this seriously might have been the best thing he’d ever had. “Jesus Christ,” he groaned, licking the sticky marshmallow off his fingers, chocolate smeared under his nails.
Will’s own smore was sitting tightly in his hand, the marshmallow and chocolate oozing out the side. He was watching Mike with rapt attention.
“You gonna eat that or…?”
Will blinked. “Right.” He shoved the smore in his mouth, cheeks puffing like a chipmunk. He looked so adorable, all soft and shit in his orange zip up and vest.
“You look so adorable like this.”
He caught Will’s blush in the campfire light, and a warm pride spread through his chest. He made Will blush. He made Will blush. He made Will blush.
“You’re high.”
“And drunk.” He held up his beer. “No, I’m really not. Just loose.”
“Same.”
Mike spread back out, and if his leg just happened to cross over Will’s, so be it.
“So,” Will said, rolling over to face him. “Earlier. During capture the flag.”
“Ya?”
“You’re such a shit, flirting with me to distract me.”
“Oh no, no, no, I wasn’t trying to distract you. I was trying to distract Eliot- wait, did I distract you?”
“You know you did. Chance tagged your entire team out of jail because I couldn’t stop staring at you.”
Mike laughed, but it came out softer than he intended. “Guess I should apologize.”
“Don’t,” Will said immediately. “I didn’t mind.”
There were about ten million stars out here under the Pennsylvania sky, but not a single one was brighter than Will Byers’s eyes.
“Will. Will! Look!” He grabbed Will’s hand, pointing it up. “It’s a shooting star.” He looked over at Will only to find Will already looking at him, eyes thick with… something. His throat felt dry and tight, and he had to swallow a few times. “Hi.” His voice had gone softer.
“Hi,” Will whispered back. A sweet smile was spread across his handsome face. “Did I ever tell you how happy I am you’re here?”
“No.”
“Well I am. Really, really happy.” He held Mike’s hand tighter, and pulled his leg further between his own.
Mike’s lips tingled with want. His chest felt tight, like his heart was trying to burst out of his chest. He. Was. On. Fire.
“I’m really happy I’m here too. With you.” Did Will know what he meant? He was trying to say it, but the words were caught in his throat, and all he could do was open his mouth and shut it again.
They stayed like that, just looking at each other, for minutes or maybe hours, until people started getting up, folding blankets and dropping bottles into trash bags.
Mike blinked blearily as he followed Will up, accepting his hand and swaying a little when he landed on his feet.
“Easy there,” Will laughed, helping Mike steady, holding his arms, and, “Wanna walk me back to my bunk?”
“What about Eliot?” Mike teased, and Will’s nose crinkled.
“I think he’s still sulking about losing. Besides.” He took Mike’s hand in his own, linking their fingers. “I want you to walk me.”
Well when he asked so sweetly.
The walk back was quiet, save for the distant conversation floating around them. How, how, how the hell did he ever get so lucky? Seriously, thank you El for sending him this job application, for sending him to Will.
They stopped in front of Will’s bunk, the overhead lantern flicking, casting shadows across Will’s face. Will turned, his hand still linked with Mike’s.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
God, he wanted to kiss him.
So he did.
He swooped down before he could doubt himself, capturing Will’s lips with his own. Will wasted no time kissing back, bending to Mike’s will and throwing an arm around his neck. He tasted like chocolate and marshmallow and weed.
Mike gripped at his vest, pulling him closer, licking at Will’s lips, biting at anything he could get, and Will giggled, throwing his head back, giving Mike the chance to kiss down his neck. Will groaned, a low, guttural sound and-
“Hey! Lovebirds!” Steve barked from somewhere on the hill. “Go to bed!”
They broke apart, giggling. Will’s hair was mussed and his lips were kissed red.
“Hey, how do you feel about getting up early tomorrow?” he whispered, not loosening his grip.
“Why?”
“Well, as waterfront counselor, I happen to get special canoeing privileges.”
“Are you trying to ask me on a date?”
“If you-”
“I’m serious!” Steve’s voice rang out. “Come on, Byers, get in there!”
“Shut up!” Will called back, voice thick with laughter. “Yes, I’d love to go on a canoeing date with you.”
“Meet me at the waterfront at six?”
Will squeezed his hand. “Don’t be late.”
Mike smiled, warm and dizzy and stupidly happy. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Will kissed him one more time, quickly, before disappearing into the bunk, the door clicking shut softly behind him.
Mike waited until he knew Will was gone before turning away and punching the air.
He wanted to stay here forever.