Adult Content Warning

This work could have adult content. If you continue, you have agreed that you are willing to see such content.

• Yes, Continue
• No, Go Back

If you accept cookies from our site and you choose "Yes, Continue", you will not be asked again during this session (that is, until you close your browser). If you log in you can store your preference and never be asked again.

1. Hold My Life (Until I'm Ready To Use It) by velvet_shiver

   Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)  

   • Mature
   • Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
   • M/M
   • Work in Progress

   10 Feb 2026

   Tags

   • Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
   • Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
   • Mike Wheeler/Original Character(s)
   • Mike Wheeler
   • Will Byers
   • Nancy Wheeler
   • Jonathan Byers
   • Dustin Henderson
   • Lucas Sinclair
   • Steve Harrington
   • Maxine "Max" Mayfield
   • Wheeler Family (Stranger Things)
   • Byers Family (Stranger Things)
   • Original Characters
   • Drug Use
   • intravenous drug use
   • Chronic Pain
   • HIV/AIDS mentioned
   • Closet case
   • Angst
   • Hurt/Comfort
   • Hurt No Comfort
   • Mike Wheeler in Denial
   • Internalized Homophobia
   • Mike Wheeler Has a Breakdown
   • Dom/sub
   • Will Byers Is So Smart
   • Will Byers Tops
   • BDSM
   • Period Accurate Attitudes
   • 90s
   • Post Epilogue
   • Substance Use Disorder
   • Mike Wheeler is a Musician
   • Mike Wheeler is a Rocker
   • Mike wheeler is freaky
   • Will Byers is So Confident
   • Will Byers is So Strong
   • Everything Has Changed Yet Everything Is The Same
   • First Times
   • Afraid To Talk About It
   • morally gray
   • Lawless byler
   • byler
   • Jealousy
   • Soul Bond
   • Canon Divergence
   • Amazing Sex With My Troubled and Problematic Lover (This Goes Both Ways)
   • Sluts in Love

   Summary

   Mike thought again about that night, how Will had looked at him like he was taking a visual inventory, trying to memorize it all in case it never happened again. Having that intense, yearning effect over Will was amazing. What would he do if Will didn’t want him that way anymore? And what if it wasn’t really about that at all?
   For a second, a terrifying thought occurred to Mike — what if it’s just different with him?
   ---
   In December of 1995, Mike Wheeler and his band, The Swinging Party, are on their first big headlining tour of North America. At their sold out show in New York City, Mike nurses his pained shoulder and receives a surprise visit from his estranged best friend (call it that if you want), Will Byers. Mike spends the following day in the city, killing time and partaking in his habits before he "catches up" with Will in the evening.
   Memories return. Mistakes and misdoings haunt the narrative. Potential for new beginnings arise.
   

   Language:

   English

   Words:

   55,215

   Chapters:

   5/?

   Comments:

   30

   Kudos:

   47

   Bookmarks:

   19

   Hits:

   1,638