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limerent response
/ˈlɪm.ə.rənt rɪˈspɒns/
noun
A psychological and emotional reaction associated with limerence, characterized by an intense, involuntary surge of affection, longing, and emotional dependence toward a specific person.
It may include heightened sensitivity to reciprocation, euphoria when closeness is perceived, anxiety when distance or rejection is feared, and a persistent focus on the loved individual.
A limerent response is not a conscious choice, but a reaction—often triggered by proximity, touch, or emotional validation—revealing feelings that were previously unacknowledged or repressed.
Nothing in that place truly made sense; the “Upside Down” literally left you upside down. No matter how hard he tried, Will could barely understand the movements of his own body, or what he was thinking, it felt as if each of the two was being commanded by a different leader. But the only certainty he had was this: he could die. Right there, at that moment, or in five minutes, but he could die. He would die young, far too young, full of words left unsaid, meant for so many people he loved. Gratitude never properly expressed, kind words, compliments. So much, for so many, but what hurt the most was knowing he would die and Mike would never know how he felt, would never have touched him, would never get the chance to hear how beautiful he was and how much he deserved the world.
There, amid that horrific, putrid, and macabre environment that was the Upside Down, Will decided not to waste another second. After all, he would be dead soon, so what was sanity worth? Anxiety? Anger? Love? And so, thinking of Mike, who was experiencing that world for the first time, somewhat far from him, Will allowed himself to be who he truly was. Once again, Robin’s words invaded his mind; once again, the affection, care, and dedication of everyone trying to save him encouraged him to take action.
He pulled the walkie-talkie strapped to his leg, far too euphoric to think about how many people might be listening, but he had come out earlier that morning, so what harm could one more confession do? And so, with eyes already filled with tears and a broken voice, he spoke all at once:
“Mike, can you hear me? I need to tell you something.”
He waited for confirmation, receiving a “I’m listening” and continued.
“I don’t want your answer. I don’t need it. I won’t last much longer here, so I won’t get another chance. Just listen to me, and please, don’t forget. It was you, Michael. All this time, it was you. You never left my mind. It took me years to understand that all the affection, the way I always put you first, how I always fought for you, how it felt like my entire life revolved around our friendship it was actually love. I love you, Mike. I always have. Not like I love Dustin or Lucas, but as something more. Y-you… you don’t know-”
At that moment, his voice was nothing but a fragile thread amid tears that poured like a waterfall.
“You don’t know how hard it was to watch up close, to follow, to cheer for and advise the couple that was the symbol of my pain. And even after you two broke up, that tiny spark of hope that everything could change, that it would finally be my turn, only hurt more. Because before, I could believe you hadn’t chosen me because she existed, and not because of what I am. But without her… what stopped you from getting close to me? I think it was exactly what I am. Mike, everything I suffered, everything I felt, led to this moment, now, you and me here, whether because of our friendship or my love. When all of this is over, please don’t forget me. Don’t hate me or feel disgusted by me. I saved my heart for you, and with it, my most beautiful feelings. I love you, Mike.”
After the monologue, heard by everyone listening to the radio, Will breathed unevenly, trying to contain his emotions, to control his breath and stop the persistent tears. He didn’t even notice when Mike ran from where he was to reach him. His breathing was ragged too, maybe from emotion, maybe from running, but there he was, standing in front of him, sweaty, dirty, and lost-eyed.
Will looked at his eyes, then at his lips, barely able to see through the sobbing tears. The noise around them was unbearable, and he wasn’t even sure Wheeler had heard him. So he turned his back and took long, hurried steps away from everything, but was startled when he felt his wrist grabbed tightly, forcing him to turn back with his eyes squeezed shut, bracing for a kick, a punch, a cruel laugh, or a look of disgust, but Mike only moved closer, calmly, tenderly. His expression was warm, lips slightly parted, eyebrows drawn upward in concern. There was understanding there, but also something more, something shining in front of his dark pupils.
Mike stepped so close that Will could feel his breath collide with his own, making Byers’ eyes widen automatically, unable to understand what his body was doing or what kind of reaction that was. His chest felt like it was exploding with rapid beats; tears welled up again as Mike leaned down, tilting his body until their lips met in a sweet but firm and powerful kiss. He brought one hand to Will’s nape, and Will noticed the long, slender fingers trembling, but not faltering, as he pressed their soot-covered faces together, soot that might very well have been toxic.
“We’re going to end this chaos. You’re going to put an end to everything that happened to you. And out there, at home, our home, we’ll talk about everything you said. You have to come back to hear my answer, Will. Please come back. Or we’ll have to find you again, zombie boy.”
Another kiss, this time on his forehead, ended the conversation.
His lips burned like embers, maybe only rivaled by how flushed his face was. He was so hot that if the Mind Flayer tried to possess him again, it wouldn’t survive, his own body heat would be the weapon. As unbelievable as it felt, Will nodded, as if sealing a promise that he would return to him.
His first kiss, right there, with the man he loved, in that rotten, evil world, even if it was just a brief, gentle touch. It was ironic, but now, if he died, he would die in peace, happy, complete.
The only problem was: Will didn’t die.
He almost did, but he came out of the Abyss practically unscathed. He came back to Mike, back to those stupidly bright, dark eyes, but that wasn’t the right time to talk about it, not while all the survivors were celebrating. That victory wasn’t about them, about him. Will was tired of being the center of everything all the time.
He received a few looks from his friends, some smiling almost proudly, others amused, and he was sure it was about the earlier revelation. But proving it wasn’t the right time, no one commented or joked, not even Robin. So after waiting fifteen minutes just to see if his love would come to him, he left when he realized he wouldn’t.
Better to leave it for another time.
Another day. Another week.
And then, a month had passed.
Many people left the “cursed town,” but those who stayed did so to rebuild it after the military evacuation, to keep Hawkins from turning to dust. The bases were being dismantled and organized to ensure a return to normal as quickly as possible. The injured were recovering well; the dead were honored in front of the church. Everything was chaos with the sudden return of the kids. The old main portal and military base were completely wrecked. Businesses would remain closed for a long time, maybe years, and many people had nowhere to go, so abandoning Hawkins wasn’t always a choice.
The point was: Will Byers was there, helping clean up the old MAC-Z alongside his friends Dustin, Lucas, Max, and… Mike.
He didn’t understand why, but there was a consensus, a near-unspoken agreement, not to bring up the confession. Maybe they’d waited too long and lost the timing, or maybe Mike had only done that in a desperate attempt to give his best friend a final shred of hope.
In the end, that was all Will was, and that would never change.
He had spent years hiding, clinging to a foolish hope that stopped him from even trying to move on. But now, he would pretend until it became real, until his heart finally expelled Mike Wheeler once and for all.
…Except it was so hard to believe that, standing there, watching how graceful Mike was, almost unfairly so to the rest of the world. His naturally grumpy or expressionless face, where smiles used to open only for Will. Only for him.
He kept sweeping, tossing debris aside while Wheeler sorted broken tables and chairs from usable ones. Of all people, did his friends really have to leave him alone with the infernal Michael Wheeler?! All he could do was accept it and do his part.
Every now and then, the taller boy made little jokes, monologues, as if Will weren’t there, but the back of Will’s neck burned, goosebumps rising. And it wasn’t Vecna, it was Mike’s audacious gaze scorching his skin.
He didn’t seem to react badly, at least as much as possible. Their friendship continued, but there were no longer the openings they’d had before the battle. No more laughter, no more light moments alone, no more subtle flirting Will used to throw that always made Mike smile and get flustered without ever giving himself away. Whether he understood and got embarrassed or was just an idiot, Will would never know.
At least now he didn’t have to worry about Eleven.
After the battle, she said goodbye to everyone, even Mike, saying she was going to see the world and discover herself, to be free for the first time and the owner of her own purpose, ambitions, and destiny. Mike didn’t seem sad. He smiled briefly, guilt maybe mixed with pride, but there was no sadness, of that, Will was certain. No one on the planet could read that boy like he could.
She left, and Mike was fine with it.
It really was an ending.
But that story, his story, wasn’t over. It felt like it never would be.
He swept harder. Faster. More intensely. His eyes squeezed shut, holding back liquid emotions. How could he have helped save the world and still be in the same place he’d been when he was nobody? Mike always said El was a superhero, but Will was too! He had powers. He killed monsters. He saved the world. And he was still nothing?
That idiot. That asshole. That unbearable Mike Wheeler.
“Will!” he heard the owner of his thoughts shout, making him jump and look up in alarm. “It’s lunch time. Let’s go before you break the floor.”
The shorter of the two just lowered his head and nodded. It was easier to pretend everything was fine when the group was together, but just the two of them bordered on the most cruel torture imaginable. It was too much.
With a sigh, he left the broom in the corner and followed Mike out. The boy glanced over his shoulder occasionally, sneaking looks at Will. They were best friends, of course he cared about his health and well-being, but that wasn’t what Will needed right then.
So he sped up, eager to reach the improvised kitchen, and found… nothing. No one was there.
Confused, he looked back at the brunette.
“What time is it, Mike?” he asked, voice low and unsure the tone he’d adopted with him since everything happened.
“Oh, I-” Mike checked his watch but didn’t give the time, just shrugged, lips curving downward as if something didn’t add up. “I could’ve sworn I heard Robin calling. Well, since we’re here… want to eat something?”
“It would’ve been easier to say you were hungry and needed a break, Mike,” Will rolled his eyes, turning back toward where he’d come from.
“That’s not why. I just thought you might be hungry.”
Will glanced back at him over his shoulder but kept walking until he heard the rest.
“You’ve got that sour look… figured you might hit me. Better eat something.”
Will stopped abruptly, spinning around to face the idiot behind him. His mouth opened and closed three times, eyes narrowed in indignation. Just as he was about to step toward Mike, who now had wide eyes and a smug smile quickly collapsing into regret, he heard his friends’ voices approaching the room.
He held himself back. Took a deep breath. Shook his head and walked out. He wasn’t hungry anyway.
What had Mike thought? That he’d actually hit him? Or that his powers would magically return and he’d break those bony limbs? The thought made him slightly sad. Was Mike afraid of him? He wasn’t afraid of El…
Not the time for these thoughts. He should let it go. Shouldn’t care. Shouldn’t feel that dull ache in his chest. Should go back and finish up, then go home, but hearing a distant “Hey, Will” made him lose control of his body.
He turned, staring at the floor.
“I was kidding. I just got worried. They told me you haven’t been eating right, so… come eat something, please.”
Will didn’t need anything beyond that “hey.” That alone was enough to make him give in. But seeing that worried face asking him to come back was the lowest blow of all.
With a sigh, he returned, leaving the hallway where it had just been the two of them and rejoining the group in the kitchen, pretending nothing had happened. Deep down, he knew all that care came from the friendship they’d built over the years, but if it never went beyond that, why had Mike kissed him?
He’d already opened his heart, already stepped forward and given up. That should’ve been enough. But that kiss came from Mike, from that stupid boy, not from him.
Why was nothing else said?
Why?
“It looks like things are still awful between you two…” Dustin commented, opening his backpack and handing out snacks to the five of them. “Are you ever gonna tell us what happened?”
Will blushed up to his ears, looking down at the snack that suddenly seemed extremely appealing. He knew what it was. Everyone did. They just didn’t know what happened afterward, and likely assumed he’d been massively rejected.
“The day I find out, I’ll tell you, Henderson,” Mike said seriously, almost disinterested, but his eyes never left Will’s hands holding the snack. Then he raised both eyebrows, nodding slightly a few times to encourage him. “Go on, Will. Eat.”
Timidly, Will took a bite, trying to ignore the gaze on him. After the third bite, Mike focused on his own food.
Lunch went well. Casual conversation, jokes, gossip about classmates, what they were doing, where they were going, what paths they might take. Will forced himself to eat the whole sandwich, not because he’d been eating badly, he just hadn’t felt very hungry lately. And who had told Mike that anyway?
He decided to think about it later, like so many other things. He stood up, chuckling softly at a joke Dustin made about Lucas, and slipped out unnoticed.
“Will, today we’re going to my place, junk food and games. You in?”
Mike again. Always him.
“Maybe I will.”
“Maybe I’ll pick you up at your place.”
“Maybe I’ll be home.”
“May-”
“Okay, that’s enough!” Lucas cut in, eyes wide. “Just sort it out already, because no one can stand you two acting like strangers when you clearly understand each other better than anyone. You’re both unbearable!”
“Will, come over. I need someone to talk to while those three idiots fight over the controller,” Max added, smiling that knowing smile of hers.
“I’ll go, but to save you, Max.”
Will finished, smiling conspiratorially at her. He knew things were hard for her without Eleven, in a wheelchair and focused on physical therapy. If he could help, why not?
He headed back toward the classroom, hearing Mike’s dramatic voice behind him:
“He’s only going because of Max? What the fu-”
________________________________________________________________________
He changed clothes several times; nothing seemed good enough. He didn’t even know who he was trying to impress, in reality, he did, but he ignored that fact. This was already the fifth flannel shirt he’d pulled from the hangers, and still it wasn’t what he expected. He expected to look in the mirror and see Mike’s dream girl, but unfortunately that wasn’t included in the powers package. He decided to forget the shirt and just throw on a random band T-shirt with the first pair of jeans he found, light-wash, ripped at the knees. Looking closer, he remembered when he’d bought them for the last birthday of… guess who? Mike. He hadn’t said anything about the jeans, obviously. What was he supposed to expect? What male friend compliments another with “hey, those jeans really show off your curves”? It was pathetic to wait for something like that, but the truth was, the jeans looked good on him. Because of the wind, he put on a red vest, which ended up matching the red Black Sabbath logo on his T-shirt, even if unintentionally.
Ready, he left his room and, when he reached the living room, he recognized the voice outside, talking to Joyce.
“I came to pick him up, do you know if he’s ready already?”
He didn’t hear his mother’s voice. What was Mike doing there? He gnawed at himself with irritation but went to the door anyway. He knew his mother would find it strange if he brushed the boy off, so he just walked over to him.
“Let’s go,” he said shortly, firmly.
Wheeler ignored his tone and simply walked to the car, getting in on the driver’s side, waiting for Will to sit beside him in the passenger seat, which happened quickly enough. Soon they were heading toward the Wheelers’ house, where Will had spent a long eighteen months as a tenant with his family. Luckily, with so many people leaving Hawkins, many houses had gone up for sale at very low prices. He wouldn’t have been able to stand living under the same roof as Mike after everything, it would have been humiliating and painful. Before, he hadn’t known the taste of those lips, but after tasting his kiss, even without understanding why it had happened, he couldn’t forget them, or the sensation they caused in his body. Being with him, side by side, alone, so close and yet so far, always made him sweat. Even when he tried to keep his mind elsewhere, his eyes on other things, his lips would tingle in that same pleasant way. Everything in him begged for more of Mike Wheeler.
He thought they’d spend the entire drive in silence, but he never really got any peace.
“So you really only accepted because Max asked?”
“What are you talking about, man?” he replied slowly, taking a deep breath right after.
“No, I just want to know if I really mean nothing to you anymore.”
“Sorry if me being tired after cleaning all day and wanting to sleep personally offends you, but you’re not making any sense.”
Mike adjusted his posture, shifting gears with those beautiful hands that always caught Will’s attention. As soon as he noticed he was staring, he turned his gaze completely toward the window, almost twisting his body away.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“What question, Mike?” His voice rose slightly and, realizing it, he sulked into the seat, covering his eyes with one hand while the other arm crossed his waist. Of all the places in the world, he’d rather be anywhere else than dealing with this strange, unfamiliar Mike. “What do you want from me? For God’s sake, why are you doing this to me?”
“Okay, sorry.” His tone was low, sounding genuinely regretful and even a bit confused, which sent a stab of guilt through Will’s chest. Still, they continued in silence, not even glancing sideways. It didn’t take long to reach their destination. Jonathan’s car was parked there, he was probably with Nancy. As soon as Mike parked, Will barely waited for the engine to turn off before jumping out and heading straight for the door, entering the house as if it were his own. In truth, he’d practically lived there his whole life, not counting the time he literally lived there. He didn’t want to seem rude, but his legs were shaking from the conversation in the car. He knew he was running away more than anything else. He wasn’t truly angry; what hurt most was the fear of losing Mike completely. He preferred ignorance over having a blunt “no” thrown in his face, even if it meant their friendship might never be the same.
Both of them were trying to restore that bond, but Byers couldn’t avoid the looks, sometimes hurt, sometimes in love, and Mike kept bringing up strange topics that Will knew could easily lead elsewhere and end in the cheesy, desperate confession of a teenager marked for death. Why couldn’t he just erase it? He wanted to go back to that day and give up on that stupid idea, or at least hand himself over to Vecna, maybe just let the world end. Yes, he was just a dramatic kid who didn’t yet know how to measure his emotions, and he knew it. And it seemed like Mike knew it too, and did everything on purpose, ever since that day on the scale, to make his life this hard.
As soon as he stepped through the door, he saw Jonathan standing at the kitchen entrance, laughing about something with Nancy. The laughter stopped when they turned, curious at the sound of the door. The two locked eyes for a moment, and Will saw Jonathan’s gaze lift above his head. He turned around and found Mike’s chest right behind him, his serious face looming. The closeness, combined with their height difference, Will’s head barely reaching Mike’s pale, defined chin, sent a strong shiver through his body. He moved quickly, head down, letting the taller boy pass. Jonathan watched the whole scene, brows furrowed in a serious expression.
“Everything okay?” he asked. Will nodded in response.
“You still haven’t talked?” Another silent answer.
“Well, I’m not getting involved.”
Will thanked him mentally. He wouldn’t be able to answer anything without his voice breaking. He took a shaky breath and headed toward the basement, where he knew he’d find his friends in another mess of snacks, games, and comic books. He went down the familiar basement stairs, once again confirming his assumptions: Dustin was focused on the video game, Lucas was fooling around with the snacks, and Max had a mischievous smile on her lips, pretending not to notice her boyfriend while holding a magazine at eye level. She put it aside to greet Will with a not-too-tight hug.
“Thanks for coming,” she whispered in his ear, pulling him toward the couch beside her chair, not with much strength due to her physical condition. “I was getting bored down here.”
They started talking about random things, movies, how everyone’s day had been cleaning up the old military base. At some point, Will grabbed a bag of candy, laughing at something Max had said, and noticed Mike’s gaze fall on him for a moment. His friend seemed to notice too, because she stared back at Mike with raised eyebrows.
“So how’s the new house?” she asked, turning her attention back to Will. “Did you manage to set up your room? I’ve got some posters saved. If you want, some of them are totally your vibe.”
“I think I’ll want them, yeah… Actually, I think I’m going to start painting again. The first one will be for you! Then you can hang it in your room, or in your house, o-or not hang it at all, it’ll be yours, you can do whatever you want with it, you decide!”
The blush on his face showed how flustered he was. He didn’t even know exactly why, but midway through his rambling he started to feel nervous. He was offering a painting without even knowing if she liked that kind of thing or would actually want it. He relaxed a bit when he saw her smiling at him, amused, just watching him trip over his own words.
“I already know exactly where I’d hang one of your paintings in my room, Will. Don’t be an idiot,” she laughed softly, resting a hand on his shoulder in support.
“Since when are you two so close?” Mike muttered, feigning disinterest as he stared at the TV.
“And why do you care, Wheeler?” Max shot back immediately. “Funny how when it comes to what you should be worried about, you-”
“Funny how whenever someone gets close to me, you’re the one who shows up to get in the way,” he interrupted, still not taking his eyes off the screen.
“Lucky for you I still can’t stand up properly, asshole!”
“Please, stop it!” Will demanded, making Mike finally look away from the game. His brows were drawn together, forming a crease between them, his lips trembling.
The teenage standoff was interrupted by the basement door slamming open, hitting the wall. Jonathan stood at the top of the stairs, panting, wiping sweat from his forehead, looking more exhausted than Will had ever seen him.
“Will, can you come here? We need help with some boxes.” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Go up to Nancy’s room, she’ll explain what to do.”
To escape that uncomfortable environment, Will would’ve gone to the Upside Down itself. He didn’t hesitate even a millisecond before running to the stairs, taking them two at a time until he disappeared from sight.
In the basement, Jonathan looked at Mike and raised one hand, wagging his index finger once, beckoning him over. Wheeler stared back, half startled, half curious, half confused, until his expression hardened again when he passed Max’s wheelchair and saw her smiling with one eyebrow raised, clearly mocking him.
Jonathan waited until the boy came up, then closed the door and spoke in a lower tone.
“You’re helping too.”
“Why me? You don’t even have that much stuff here. You don’t need four people for two boxes of clothes.”
“Mike, don’t argue. We need help, period, okay?” Jonathan huffed, hands resting on his waist as he looked at him, bored.
“Yeah, but I still don’t see the point. I doubt th-”
“Michael.” The older one cut him off, stepping forward as if trying to intimidate the teenager who was several centimeters taller. “My brother is up there waiting for you. Not just now, I don’t even know how long he’s been waiting. Everyone’s tired of the patience he has, especially since you don’t even deserve it. You know better than anyone here that you have a conversation pending, but it looks like neither of you is going to take the initiative. So I think you’d better go up to your sister’s room and talk to him, and settle this once and for all. You’re keeping someone trapped who has every right and everything he needs to move on and be happy, and I don’t know why, but you don’t owe me an explanation. You’re going to go up those stairs and free Will once and for all, got it? Reject him already, Mike. Let my brother be happy, far away from you. Stop being selfish and dragging out his suffering. I don’t know what happened between you after what he told you, but he doesn’t deserve this. And you don’t deserve him. So go fix this shit.”
All the boy could do was swallow hard, eyes slightly widened as he headed for the stairs. He started up slowly, but after an audible sigh from Jonathan, he quickened his pace. His thoughts were clearly chaos, but Jonathan didn’t care, he just wanted his little brother away from that jerk as soon as possible.
Will watched Mike enter Nancy’s pink bedroom. The hair on his neck stood on end as he pretended the box in front of him was the most interesting thing in the world. He nearly panicked when Nancy dropped the box she was holding and left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone. He could only think of reasons to be punished like this. Since the confession incident, he hadn’t spent so much time alone with Mike, and now, all in one day, here they were again, the older boy’s gaze burning into his back.
His hands worked fast, sealing the box so he could leave as soon as possible. But when he reached the door and tried to open it, all he heard was the metallic click of the lock trapping them inside.
“W-what…?” His sweaty hands let the box slip, hitting the floor with a dull thud. He tried the handle three more times before leaning forward, resting his forehead against the doorframe, trying to hide how his breathing was becoming increasingly labored. He didn’t have the courage to turn around, to face that beautiful face he knew was fixed on his back. “Mike, let me out.”
“Hey, calm down, Will. Sit down. We need to talk.”
“We don’t have anything to talk about. Please, open the door.”
“I’m not in control of the situation, but I’m asking you to sit. Please.”
Will stayed silent. Mike stood up, crossed the distance between them, and gently took his hand. A new shiver ran through Will’s body as Mike guided him to the bed, leaving him no option but to sit on the mattress, which he did, eyes downcast.
“If you don’t want to talk, I get it. But at least listen to me. We- I mean, I took too long. I don’t know what’s going through your head anymore, I don’t know what you want or think, but we have to talk about that day. I imagine you’ve been confused all this time, and you have no idea how much I know I’m an asshole for not having the courage before, to explain myself, to open my heart. And even now, I still don’t have that courage, but someone took the initiative for me, and I can’t let this go on for even one more second.”
Will listened to every word, still looking down, still unable to meet the dark eyes with his own clouded by the shallow tears forming from the anxiety crushing his heart. Was this it? Was he finally going to be rejected by the boy he loved so much? Was he ready to put an end to years of calm, gentle, beautiful love? He didn’t know. So he stayed silent, hands gripping the fabric of his jeans over his thighs so hard his knuckles turned white.
“I’ve never felt as good about anything as I did listening to every word you said on that radio. You sounded desperate, but completely in love. It was something I’d never felt and never imagined anyone could feel for me. You know I came out of a complicated relationship, Will, but in that moment it felt like nothing else mattered. When it was all over, all I could think was that you’d come talk to me, that we’d talk about everything and clear things up. But you didn’t come, and neither did I. I talked to Lucas, trying to figure out what to do, and he said maybe you were so shaken by almost dying in that battle that you confused your feelings. And that once the fear passed and you saw everything was okay, you changed your mind and were embarrassed to talk about it…”
“Are you insane?” Will finally turned to him, brows furrowed in anger. “I would never make something like that up just because I was about to die, you idiot! You kissed me because you felt sorry for me, ‘the poor gay kid who was going to die without ever being kissed.’”
“Will-”
“I said everything that was stuck in my heart for all these years, and all you did was brush me off! Do you have any idea how that felt, Mike? Do you know how awful it is to wait so long for nothing? Admit it, you only kissed me because you thought I was going to die. You probably were even disappointed that I didn’t, right?”
By then, Byers couldn’t hold back the tears burning in his eyes, spilling desperately in search of relief. His face was red, partly from crying, partly from shame, partly from the pain of that imagined rejection. Deep down, he didn’t want to hear the answers. He didn’t want to leave that room and never look Mike in the eyes again. He didn’t want to lose that special friendship, even if his feelings had ruined everything they’d built. His raised, angry voice didn’t bother him; he didn’t care if someone downstairs heard them. But Wheeler’s devastated look made him falter. Even his crying stopped as concern took over at the crushing sadness in those dark irises.
“I thought… I really thought you’d just confused your feelings because of fear. But I never lied to you, Will. I’d be incapable of that. I expected that after everything, you’d come back safe so we could talk and clear it all up, because I wasn’t sure. There, in that moment of danger, I did what my heart told me to do. And I admit that at the time, I didn’t know why I kissed you. I was completely lost. I was so worried about you, and about everyone else, but after things calmed down, after we went back home, I tried to understand.”
Mike reached for Will’s hand again, holding it firmly yet gently, and pulled it into his lap. Will flushed, confused, their eyes finally meeting with an intensity neither had ever felt before. Tears still slid down Will’s face, but silently now, and he let himself stay still, absorbing every word, etching into his memory the image of a blushing Mike Wheeler with trembling lips.
“I-I saw how I denied it all these years… how my chest raced around you. The care I felt, and still feel. The moments during campaigns when all I wanted was for them to end so everyone would leave and I could ask you to sleep over, j-just so it could be us, talking, eating, laughing about anything. I remembered how every time I kissed her with my eyes open, it was because… if I closed them, I’d see you. Every time I couldn’t say I loved her was because it felt wrong, because I knew my words of love were meant for someone else. I just wouldn’t let myself see that it was you. I didn’t know this side of myself back then. I didn’t understand what these feelings meant. I never imagined I could fall in love with a boy, until you spent all those months living in my basement. Until I found out that that beautiful painting hadn’t been commissioned by just anyone, but by your heart. Eleven told me. I denied it for so long. I was an idiot to you for so long. And only when you were so close, under the same roof, did I let myself feel without naming it. And when everything exploded inside me that day, I finally understood.”
Mike pulled Will’s hand and pressed it flat against his chest, showing how fast his heart was beating, how warm his body was. His eyes didn’t overflow like Will’s, but the puppy-dog expression emphasized the tenderness in his words. For so long, Will had believed he was suffering alone, when there was another boy just as lost, confused, and gentle, waiting to understand his own feelings.
It was too much to take in, so Will stayed silent through the whole monologue, which Mike ended with:
“My heart has never beaten like this for anyone. I asked you to come back so I could give you an answer I didn’t even have that day, but now, here with you, it’s never been clearer. I am completely in love with you, William Byers.”
By then, both of them were crying silently. There was no shame, fear, or embarrassment left, just two best friends who could no longer accept being only friends. The tears no longer tasted bitter. The pounding in Will’s chest no longer meant exhaustion, but renewal, beginnings, possibility. Everything he had needed to say had already been said in the Upside Down. Now Mike had opened his heart completely. Will had heard every word, absorbed it, processed it, but how was it possible? The love of his life loved him back? It wasn’t platonic anymore? Mike Wheeler liked boys? Michael Wheeler loved William Byers?
So many questions flooded his mind that he could practically smell smoke coming out of his ears. He stared at Mike’s face, probably making so many expressions that he scared him, because Mike’s wet face creased in confusion and he stopped crying, letting go of the hand still pressed to his chest.
“Mike…”
“Yes?”
Will took a shaky breath, wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans.
“If I feel this for you, and you feel this for me… what now?”
Mike scratched the back of his neck, looking down at the floor, then straightened up and crossed his arms, a telltale nervous habit Will recognized better than anyone. But he couldn’t do anything. Wheeler was the one with experience in these things. He was supposed to know what to do next. What step would they take now? They’d opened their hearts, and then what? Did they go their separate ways? Was that it? He wished he could call Robin and ask what to do…
Then he remembered the kiss he’d seen her give Vickie at the hospital. She’d talked to him about many things after that, but that kiss, it seemed to answer everything. They’d looked like they understood each other completely, lips pressed together. And that was all Will wanted: understanding. Pff, who said he wanted to kiss Mike? He desperately wanted to kiss Mike. Ever since he was twelve. He’d always dreamed of that kiss, saved that moment for him, even believing it would never happen and that he’d have to give himself to any decent guy who could fill the void Mike’s lack of love left behind.
He didn’t know what it would be like or how he’d feel, but everyone said it was something magical. He’d started to believe that after feeling like he was in paradise with just that gentle, innocent press of lips. Imagine a real kiss, with those big hands holding him? The brunette had mentioned answers coming through kisses, said that when he kissed El he felt strange. So something was supposed to happen with contact, with saliva exchange, right? Just out of curiosity. For science. Not because of a vivid, palpable love.
With the reddest face of his life, Will took a risk.
“Mike… w-will you kiss me?”
He watched the onyx eyes shine like obsidian as Mike’s widened, a heavy, mixed glow of emotion that made Will slightly nervous, but nothing could make him doubt the owner of those beautiful eyes looking at him with so much… desire?
There was no verbal answer. Mike lifted his hands to Will’s face, gently caressing his cheeks, wiping away the tears, then slowly leaned in, eyes locked on his, occasionally flicking down to his lips. Boldly, he brushed Will’s lower lip with his damp thumb and swallowed hard. Their faces were so close their scents mingled.
Will’s heart had never raced so fast, so loud. This was it, his first kiss, in Nancy’s pink bedroom, with the guy he’d always dreamed of. He didn’t even know how to do this, so he clung to the memory of Han Solo and Leia’s kiss in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, while they’re fixing the circuits, and that’s what they were doing too, trying to fix things. And it was Mike’s favorite movie.
They finally closed their eyes and their lips touched, calm and gentle like before. Fireworks exploded in Will’s chest again, that unmatched feeling of belonging, of wanting to be Mike’s forever, to live on those lips. And then it changed.
Mike slid one hand to the back of his neck. The path of that touch sent shivers through him, electric and overwhelming. With his left hand, he tilted Will’s chin, gently parting his lips, which he did immediately, even though he didn’t fully understand what was happening. Were they really going to kiss like Han Solo and Leia?!
His mind raced. His trembling hands still clutched his jeans. The beautiful hand at his neck made his whole body shiver. But nothing, nothing in his life, compared to the feeling of Mike’s curious tongue slowly, passionately, entering his mouth, almost devotional, moving gently against Will’s. Instinctively, Will began to mimic the movements, shy and uncertain.
The hand on his chin slid boldly down to his waist. Mike gripped him there and pulled him closer, practically pressing their bodies together as the kiss deepened. Will gasped softly into the kiss, surprised, bringing both hands up to Mike’s neck, wrapping him in an embrace that pulled them even closer.
The kiss that was supposed to bring answers only brought more confusion. He felt wrecked, angry, furious that it had taken so long. Butterflies exploded throughout his body. The brief moments they pulled apart just to breathe, only to crash back together, their teeth brushing lightly, made it all even more real. He felt like he was melting in those arms, in that moment, in that place. It was a feeling, an eternity.
He had been born to kiss Mike Wheeler. To touch him. To belong to him. All he needed was to kiss him endlessly.
Things only got worse when Mike nipped at his lower lip without breaking the kiss, then slowly sucked on it, drawing a breathy reaction from Will. Everything was so new and different, but it was so good. He didn’t know what was happening to his body, but he never wanted it to end.
They pulled away, staring at each other, foreheads pressed together, noses softly brushing, their smiles perfectly in sync, as if they had just left a gigantic weight behind. The kiss hadn’t brought answers, the way Will had imagined it would, but it felt as though it had finally snapped the missing pieces of a puzzle into place, a puzzle with 3,650 pieces, 3,650 days, each one forming every single moment of ten years together.
It was like finally reaching paradise after climbing all the way there. There were no words that could express that sensation, that moment, that feeling. He only knew how to feel it, to smile, and to touch Mike everywhere his hands could find skin. It had taken so long, but they were finally there, together and complete.
Mike was the first to pull away, keeping contact only through their knees brushing against each other. His hand returned to the smaller boy’s face, caressing him gently, as if trying to memorize every detail of his features. His gaze was so intense that Will couldn’t hold it, turning his eyes away as his entire face burned in a blush.
They were still breathless, their lips still red and a little swollen from the kiss. Byers’ hair was messy, his emotions completely tangled, but none of that mattered now, because Michael Wheeler had kissed him and looked just as undone. And it was the most beautiful sight Will had ever had the pleasure of seeing.
“Your brother made me come up here to reject you… I don’t think he’s gonna be very happy about this now.”
Mike commented with a quiet laugh, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of the shorter boy’s lips before standing up. He walked over to the bedroom door, crouching down to the level of the lock just to check it, only to confirm that it was already open. He laughed under his breath at that realization, looking back at Will, who could only think about the entire operation that had been necessary for the two of them to finally work things out.
“I can’t believe this was all Jonathan’s idea!” Will covered his eyes with one hand, clearly indignant, though the smile refused to leave his face.
Mike crossed the room again, grabbing the two larger boxes from the corner of the wall, the ones Will had been sealing earlier, and said:
“Well, let’s do what Jonathan asked, and after everyone leaves, we’ll figure out how things are gonna be from now on, okay?”
Will nodded like a child, his green eyes shining. Mike wanted to see him alone later. He would probably finally find out the answer to his earlier question, they would talk about the "what now?" and, best of all, they would kiss more. He could barely wait for it. Eager, he stood up and picked up the small box Nancy had left on the floor.
“Do you think they heard our conversation downstairs?” Will asked suddenly, worried about the moments when both of them had raised their voices. “What if they think we fought?”
“I doubt it. The walls are thick. I don’t think they heard anything from downstairs.”
The two boxes almost hid Mike because of their size and weight, and since both his hands were full, he simply gestured toward the door. Will immediately went to it and opened it.
Then came the most ridiculously comical scene possible: a pile of teenagers, with the added bonus of Jonathan and Nancy, all wide-eyed. Dustin and Max wore knowing smiles, Nancy looked completely shocked, and Lucas and Jonathan seemed utterly disbelieving. They nearly fell over like bowling pins as the door was pulled inward.
The result: a Will Byers red as a strawberry, eyes wide, and an exasperated shout from Mike Wheeler as he dropped the boxes.
“What the hell is this?!”