Chapter Text
June 1986
It’s been three months since the Byers moved in with the Wheelers, and it’s been interesting to say the least.
The two families are very different. Where the Byers happily talk with each other during dinner, sharing stories of what happened during each of their personal days, the Wheelers prefer to sit in silence, perhaps sharing a sentence or two, focusing on finishing their meals then heading to their own spaces. Having a mix of the two in one household causes quite the chaos with eight people running around the house, the adults getting ready for work and the kids getting ready for school.
Will’s been sleeping in the basement with Jonathan which hasn’t been too bad, it’s been like the sleepovers the two brothers used to have when they were younger, though most nights Jonathan sneaks up to Nancy’s room, leaving Will to sleep alone.
At first he didn’t mind it too much, it’s just like being in his own room, though for the past few weeks he’s been having a different roommate sleeping in the basement with him, and he’s not quite sure how he’s been feeling about it, and why it makes his heart race and stomach fill with a fluttering sensation each time it happens.
——————————-
Will is brushing his teeth in the basement bathroom, getting ready for bed, when he hears that all too familiar voice and distinct steps walking down the basement stairs.
“Will?” Mike’s voice calls from outside, holding his usual pillow and blanket in his hands, ready to have a private sleepover with his best friend again.
“Just coming!” Will’s muffled voice calls back, quickly spitting the toothpaste out his mouth and wiping his face, stepping out the bathroom and gently closing the door so as to not disturb the other household members sleeping upstairs.
“Hey.” Mike says softly as he stands there and simply takes Will in, staring at the way Will looks in his borrowed pyjamas since all his clothes were left in Lenora in California. “Are you ready to sleep?”
“Yeah, you sure you really want to sleep down here again? The mattress isn’t exactly the comfiest and this isn’t the warmest place in the house.”
“Of course I still want to sleep down here, as long as it’s with you I’ll happily sleep anywhere.” Mike says, surprising even himself, causing his cheeks to flush a light pink.
“Oh, okay.” Will’s cheeks turn red as well.
“Well I’m just gonna go to sleep now.” He mumbles awkwardly, laying down on the mattress on the floor and getting under the thin and slightly scratchy blanket.
Mike quickly follows suit, sliding into the other side a bit closer than what normal, totally platonic, no homo friends would do.
“Well… goodnight.” Will whispers, pulling the blanket up to his chin and turning so his back is facing Mike.
“Goodnight Will.” Is the last thing Will hears before he drifts off into a peaceful slumber, the one of many he’s been having during these months, and he hasn’t wanted to confront the reason why he’s been having such comfortable sleeps, bare of any of his usual nightmares he suffered from every night.
——————————-
Will wakes up to the early summer sun streaming through the thin blinds covering the basement’s window and the first thing he notices is something slung over his waist and pressed against his back.
Now here’s the thing, Will and Mike have shared a bed many times across the years of their friendship, from innocent sleepovers when they were children to having to share uncomfortable motel mattresses while on their way to save their friend from the evil men who kidnapped her, but they’ve never cuddled before. They always just stuck to their own sides of the bed and that was that. But this morning, Will can feel the distinct weight of Mike’s arm wrapped around his waist and his chest pressed snugly against his back, spooning him from behind.
Will immediately freezes, unsure of what to do, desperately wanting to get up from this unexpected situation he’s awoken to but also wanting to never get up from this mattress again and savour the feeling of Mike’s touch for as long as he can, afraid this might be the only time this will happen.
As Will slowly tries to pry Mike’s surprisingly strong arm off of him, that somehow makes Mike subconsciously tighten his hold, trapping Will against his warm and comfortable chest.
‘Shit, what do I do? And I didn’t know Mike was this strong…’ Will thinks to himself, trying to come up with a plan to escape his captivity in Mike’s arms without waking him and creating a thoroughly uncomfortable situation for all parties involved, despite the fact that he secretly wishes he could stay here, on this old uncomfortable mattress in Mike’s basement and in his arms forever.
Will decides to just bite the bullet and reaches to lift Mike’s arm off his waist, slowly slides out from underneath it.
Mike whines in his sleep, unconsciously reaching to pull Will back under the covers.
‘Shit, shit, shit…’ Will thinks, holding his breath until he’s able to worm his way off the mattress, sitting down on the grubby carpet with a relieved sigh.
“Thank god.” Will murmurs to himself, standing up and dusting off his pyjama bottoms, quietly sneaking up the basement stairs to not wake Mike and get some much needed coffee.
——————————-
Will sits at the kitchen island, sipping on a mug of bitter black coffee, when he hears the one voice he was dreading of hearing.
“Morning.” Mike grumbles, sleepily walking over to the coffee machine to make his own mug to wake himself up.
“Yeah, morning.” Will greets him awkwardly, clearing his throat. “You, uh, sleep well?”
“Yeah, I slept alright considering the whereabouts, but just having you there with me made it better.” Mike says, absolutely unaware of Will’s inner conflict about the fact that the two best friends cuddled each other during the night like a couple, which still makes Will’s cheeks flush pink at the thought of what that could be like.
“Good, yeah, that’s good.”
Little did the two boys know, that one accidental snuggle session would not be the last.