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“And remember, guys—take breaks as needed. We don’t need anyone getting hurt,” Jonathan reminded everyone, his gaze sweeping over the group one more time. One by one, they nodded, quiet murmurs of agreement drifting through the air.
With that, everyone headed toward the ladders. Mike and Will hung back a bit, watching as the others began to ascend the tall metal structure of the quarry tower. The moment Mike stepped onto the first rung, the metal let out a low, groaning creak that echoed upward, sending a sharp wave of unease through him.
Mike shot a glance back at Will, a small glimpse of unspoken fear flickering in his eyes. Without hesitation, Will nodded, silently reassuring him, even though his own chest felt tight. Mike followed the rest of the group, and after a brief pause, Will followed close behind, his hand shaking slightly as he wrapped his fingers around the cold metal rung.
Higher and higher they climbed. The rungs creaked louder the farther up they went, each step sounding more unstable than the last. The air grew colder with every platform they passed, the wind cutting through their clothes. By the time they were halfway up, goosebumps had risen on their arms, the chill settling deep beneath their skin.
Neither of them dared to look down. By the time they reached the platform closest to the top, neither boy could breathe properly. Exhaustion hit them all at once as they stopped. Mike bent forward, hands braced on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, lungs burning. Will stood near the railing, leaning over slightly, his hands gripping the metal so tightly his knuckles turned white.
For a moment, the only sounds were their uneven breathing and the wind whistling past the tower. After a minute, Mike straightened and swung his backpack off his shoulders. He unzipped it and pulled out the large canister of water, unscrewing the lid before lifting it to his mouth.
He chugged nearly half of it, cold water spilling past his lips and dripping down his chin as he pulled away. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he glanced over at Will, who was watching him, cheeks flushed red.
“Here,” Mike said, holding the canister out. “Do you want some?” Will hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yeah… thanks,” he murmured politely as he took the canister. He took a few careful sips of the cold liquid, exhaling slowly afterward as it settled in his chest, grounding him just a little.
“Hey, Will… can I ask you something?” Mike asked, breaking the peaceful moment of silence between them as he took the canister back from Will.
Will nodded hesitantly, his fingers going to the back of his neck to scratch as his eyes flicked to Mike’s face and then back down over the edge of the platform. “Yeah,” he said softly. “What’s up?”
Mike hesitated for a moment, his fingers gripping the water canister like a vise as he stared straight ahead, searching for the right words—afraid that saying the wrong thing might push the two of them farther apart.
“I just wanted to tell you that what you did back at the tower was really cool,” he started, his eyes drifting toward Will as his cheeks turned a light crimson. “I mean, I don’t think I could do that—be so honest. Especially in front of everyone.”
Will blinked, looking at Mike in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting that much honesty—at least not from Mike, the one who would rather eat glass than admit his feelings. And yet, here they were, Mike fidgeting with his fingers, an old nervous habit he’d never quite outgrown.
“Oh… um, thank you,” Will said. “I didn’t really feel brave in the moment.” He let out a quiet breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “I had a bit of help—a push to be honest with myself, and with you guys.” His head bowed as he spoke, his gaze falling to his beat-up Converse.
“But,” Will added, his voice softening, “if I’m being honest, I’m really glad I did it. It was better to get it out the way I wanted to, rather than you finding out from Henry.” He swallowed. “It felt worse keeping it inside.”
Mike watched him closely, something unreadable in his expression. He nodded slowly, like he understood more than he was saying. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I get that.” And when Will looked up to meet his eyes, he could see it too.
“I guess I’m just confused about one thing,” Mike continued, looking at Will. “You said something about your Tammy…” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “What do you mean?”
Blushing, Will looked back out at the vast land of Hawkins, the space filled with only darkness, making them unable to see the town they called home—yet this wasn’t really home at all.
“I… um,” Will started, hesitating slightly. “I had this friend, and they had this crush on a girl. And, well… I guess they knew she would never like them back. Hell, she didn’t even know they existed.” His fingers gripped the railing tighter as he tried to find the words.
“My friend… they tried everything to get her attention. They changed for her, tried to be cooler, funnier, tried to fit in. But nothing worked. She may have changed, but nothing around her did,” Will continued.
“I guess I did the same with my crush, but I also did it with everyone else. I tried to fit in so much, but nothing changed. I tried to fit in everywhere I went, kept my head down and stayed out of the way,” he paused, glaring over at Mike. “I thought if I was normal, then you guys would like me more.”
“Is that why you lied to me about the painting?” Mike asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.
Will felt like his heart stopped. His eyes widened as he looked at his best friend, the words hitting harder than he expected.
Instead of answering right away, Mike shifted on his feet, discomfort evident in the way his jaw tightened. He looked like he was scared to say anything—scared of ruining what they still had, scared of pushing Will even farther away.
“You said it was from El,” Mike began quietly. “That day in the car.” His eyes lifted to meet his best friend’s. “But when I asked her about it… she had no idea what I was talking about.”
Will swallowed. “I—I just didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” he said. “Between everything that was happening with you and El, and Vecna possessing and killing people, and everything in between… it felt small.”
Mike shook his head slightly. “But it did matter,” he said. “We used to never lie to each other.” His voice softened. “I miss that. I miss when we knew everything about each other.”
Will stayed quiet as Mike continued, the words spilling out now.
“I miss when we’d talk for hours, or read comics together,” Mike said. “When we’d watch stupid TV while eating overly sugary cereal. I miss bike rides just to get melted milkshakes, and D&D games that lasted for hours.”
He let out a slow breath. “I miss us.”
The wind swept across the platform, the squake tower creaking beneath them, and for a moment neither of them spoke—both holding onto memories that felt closer than the ground below and farther away than ever.
“Can I ask you one more thing?” Mike murmured, looking at Will.
Will nodded, this time not breaking eye contact, waiting.
“Who was your Tammy?” Mike blurted out, his eyes widening almost immediately. “Shit—sorry. That was probably rude. You don’t have to tell me that. I was just—” He kept going, words tumbling over each other, not giving Will a chance to speak.
“Mike, it’s okay,” Will told him, grinning when Mike finally stopped staring at him, shocked and confused. “It’s okay,” he repeated, this time with a worried smile.
“It’s… yeah, okay. I just… I didn’t want you to think I’m a jackass,” Mike said, scratching the back of his neck with an awkward chuckle.
Will looked down and chuckled too. “It’s kind of stupid, really,” he mumbled. “Honestly, I was just as shocked that I liked him.”
He hesitated, then went on, cheeks flushing. “I mean… he was so much more confident than me. He always knew what he wanted and just… went for it. He was stubborn and hard-headed, but also… really sweet when he wanted to be. He cared about other people, too. Always willing to help, even when it wasn’t easy for him.”
Will’s voice grew quieter, softer, as if he were talking more to himself than to Mike. “I don’t know… it just made me notice him more, you know? Even when he was being annoying or impossible, I… I liked him anyway.”
Mike stood there awkwardly, shifting slightly as he licked his lips in nervous anticipation, waiting for Will to go on—to give him some kind of hint about who it was.
“I remember when I came back to school,” Will said quietly. “It felt like the world had ended. Everything felt wrong.” He paused. “And then I got a smile from him, and my whole day was bright again.”
Will chuckled softly to himself, shaking his head as he looked away from Mike, replaying the memory. “One day some kid called me Zombie Boy, and I thought he was going to punch the kid. Mr. Clarke was so mad,” he added with a small laugh. “But he was even more mad that no one did anything to help me.”
When Will looked back at Mike, he saw him watching closely, brows furrowed in confusion as he listened, clearly trying to piece it together.
“But—wait,” Mike said slowly, realization starting to creep into his voice. “I almost beat that kid up. Mr. Clarke had to stop me before I could even get a good swing.”
The words hung between them.
“Mike…” Will whispered, his voice barely more than the wind around them. His eyes softened, fixed on Mike, waiting patiently as if every second mattered, giving him the space to realize what he was being told.
“Oh…” Mike murmured, his hand going to his hair, pulling off his beanie and running his fingers through his messy curls. “Oh… shit.”
“Mike, hey, it’s okay,” Will said, taking a step closer—then hesitating, knowing he needed to give Mike space. His chest tightened, but he stayed steady.
Mike ran a shaky hand through his hair again, finally lifting his gaze to Will. The night stretched out around them, the wind whipping past, the squake creaking beneath their feet—and in that moment, neither boy cared about anything except the other.
“I’m sorry,” Will said, his voice breaking. “I shouldn’t have told you. I don’t want anything to change. You’re my best friend.” The words came out rushed, desperate, a lump forming painfully in his throat.
“From that day on the swings,” Will continued, his voice trembling, “I knew you were one of the best things that ever happened to me. Please—please don’t let that change because of this.” His eyes burned as tears welled up, threatening to spill over.
Mike ran a shaky hand through his hair again, staring down at the platform beneath his feet. The wind whipped around them, tugging at his jacket, the cold biting through every layer. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might shake loose from his chest. Will’s words echoed in his mind. Brightened his whole day… noticed him anyway… even when I was impossible.
Will’s voice was soft now, almost lost to the wind. “I… I never said anything because I didn’t want to ruin what we had. I didn’t think—” He swallowed hard. “I didn’t think you’d ever notice. Or… or feel the same way.” His hands fidgeted against the railing, fingers tapping lightly against the metal as if he needed something solid to hold onto.
Mike blinked and finally lifted his gaze to Will. For a moment, he just stared, trying to make sense of everything—the words, the memories, the weight of standing here together on top of the squake tower, the world spread out beneath them, dark and distant, yet somehow completely theirs.
“I—I’m sorry,” Will sobbed, a single tear slipping down his cheek too fast for him to wipe away. His voice cracked completely now. “I’m so sorry. If I had known this would ruin our friendship—ruin us—I would have never said anything.”
He shook his head, shoulders trembling. “I never meant to put this on you. I just… I couldn’t keep it inside anymore.”
The wind roared around them, the tower creaking softly beneath their feet, but Mike didn’t look away this time. His chest ached as he took in Will’s tears, the fear written all over his face—the fear of losing the one person who had always been there.
For the first time since Will had spoken, Mike took a small step closer, the weight of the world still pressing around them as they existed in each other’s space, hearts pounding, breaths uneven. Slowly, Mike lifted a hand to cup Will’s cheek, his thumb brushing lightly over the other’s skin, grounding them both.
Mike hesitated for a heartbeat, eyes searching Will’s for any sign of doubt or fear, before leaning in. Then, finally, he pressed his lips to Will’s. The motion was sudden, and for a moment, Will froze, startled—but then he sank into it, gripping Mike’s jacket and pulling him closer as if holding on might make the world stop spinning.
The wind whipped past them, tugging at their clothes and hair, but they hardly noticed. All that existed was the warmth and steady weight of each other, the unspoken words between them finally given form.
“I’m sorry! I should have asked!” Mike exclaimed, pulling back and running his hands over his face, only to peek through his fingers when Will’s sweet laugh rang out through the space.
“Mike,” Will said softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. He motioned for Mike to come closer. Without hesitation, Mike stepped back into Will’s space, pressing his lips to Will’s again. This time, he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face as they kissed, warm and easy, a little reckless in the best way.
When they pulled away again, neither of them could stop smiling. Will shook his head gently before resting it against Mike’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he murmured, voice soft but full of relief and affection.
Mike tightened his arm around him, letting the wind whip around them, the tower creaking beneath their feet, and for the first time, everything felt… right.
“Hey, lovebirds,” Robin called down from above them. “I hate to ruin the moment, but do you mind coming up here and helping us?”
Both boys looked up at the same time. Robin and Steve were leaning over the edge of the platform, Nancy and Jonathan right behind them, elbows casually resting on the railing, expressions far too amused for people who claimed to be “working.”
“Oh my god,” Mike groaned, letting his forehead drop against Will’s shoulder. The metal beneath them creaked softly as he slumped. “I think they saw us,” Will murmured, one hand instinctively coming up to steady Mike. “Yeah… I’m pretty sure the whole quarry saw us,” he added, laughter bubbling out despite himself.
Mike groaned again, muffling it into Will’s jacket.
“Yeah, no shit,” Mike muttered, then lifted his head and called up, “Could you not have called, like, two seconds later?” His tone was annoyed, but the smile tugging at his mouth ruined the effect completely.
Robin gasped dramatically, clutching at her chest. “Wow. Hostile. And here I was thinking young love would make you nicer.”
Steve just shook his head, lips pressed together like he was trying very hard not to laugh.
“Come on,” Robin continued, grinning. “You two have been all lovey-dovey since getting back from California.”
She winked exaggeratedly at Will. Will groaned this time, rolling his eyes so hard his neck hurt. “We have not.”
“No,” Steve cut in, pointing casually down at them. “They’ve been like this for as long as I’ve known them.” He tilted his head, clearly counting in his head. “Which reminds me—Henderson, you owe me twenty bucks.”
“Trust me, this was a long time coming. Didn’t you sleep over at Will’s house every night when he came home to ‘protect’ him, Mike?” Nancy teased, Jonathan laughing along beside her.
Mike’s head snapped up. “You know what? It’s better than practically hopping into Jonathan’s pants after going on an ‘important trip’ together,” he shot back.
“Also, you’ve been betting on us?” he practically screeched, arms flying up like he’d just been personally betrayed.
Steve shrugged, entirely unapologetic. “First of all, it wasn’t betting, it was a very reasonable prediction. Second—” He leaned farther over the railing, tone slipping immediately into something stern but familiar. “—I have spent the last five years keeping you idiots alive.”
Nancy nodded solemnly. “Truly a full-time job.”
Jonathan smirked, crossing his arms. “And I’ve been documenting your pathetic pining for a year now. Some of it makes great stories for future therapy sessions, by the way.”
On top of that, Steve continued, warming up now, “I’ve had to watch you two mope around, stare at each other like sad puppies, almost talk about your feelings, then not do it. Over and over again.” He pointed at them. “That does emotional damage, okay? I deserve compensation.”
Mike sputtered. “That’s not— that’s not how—”
Will leaned in slightly, whispering, “He kind of has a point.”
Robin grinned. “You know, Steve, you really do give off protective big-brother-slash-mom energy with these kids.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Oh my god. Is this why you keep saying you want, like, six kids someday?”
Steve scoffed, immediately defensive. “I never said six.”
“You definitely did, six little nuggets to be exact” Nancy counters
“Because someone has to make sure children survive into adulthood,” Steve shot back, then looked down at Mike and Will again, expression softening despite himself. “Clearly.”
Nancy rolled her eyes dramatically. “You’re such a dad about everything.”
Jonathan laughed. “Yeah, but to be fair, they kind of need it. You’ve all been idiots enough to make your parents cry before you were teenagers.”
Steve straightened, voice turning firm in that way that brooked zero argument. “Now hurry up and get up here before one of you freezes, falls, or does something else incredibly stupid. I am not explaining any of that to your parents.”
Will smiled as Mike reached for his hand again, fingers threading together like it was the most natural thing in the world. Mike squeezed once, grounding himself, before nodding up at Steve. “Yes, Dad.”
Steve grimaced. “Don’t call me that.”
Robin leaned over the railing and stage-whispered loudly, “Dad Steve approves.”
Steve rolled his eyes—but he was smiling as he turned away, already muttering about safety harnesses and “kids these days.”
Nancy and Jonathan exchanged a look, both laughing quietly. “They’re ridiculous,” Nancy muttered, smiling fondly.
“Yeah, but worth it,” Jonathan added, shrugging.
Hand in hand, Mike and Will headed for the ladder, hearts still racing, the wind cold but bearable now that they weren’t facing it alone. Nancy and Jonathan followed behind, teasing Steve and Robin as they went, all five of them a strange, chaotic little family up on the tower
.
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