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Will hoisted himself over the last couple of rungs onto the radio tower platform, grateful that whoever designed it included rest stops along the way.
Panting, he heaved himself onto the platform, slumping onto the railing.
“Hey.”
Will glanced over, having barely noticed Mike up here too. He looked just as tired as Will was, taking a generous swig of his water bottle.
“...Hey,” Will replied. He stared over the railing at the ground below, the sheer height giving him a sense of vertigo. That was at least preferable to making eye contact, because this was not a conversation he wanted to have right now.
“Want some?” Mike offered his water bottle to Will, the cap left open.
“Thanks.” Will took the bottle, hoping that whatever was left in it would help him finish the climb.
“So… Um- About earlier…”
Will nearly choked on the water, punctuated by a bolt of red lightning striking in the distance.
He glanced over at Mike, watching as he stared out into the Upside Down. He’d tried getting a read on him when he was coming out, but didn’t want to make anything too obvious to anyone by staring at him for too long.
Not that it would’ve mattered anyways, as he’d kept his signature blank stare on for the whole ordeal.
“It’s fine, Mike. We don’t have to talk about it.” Will handed the bottle back. Mike grabbed it, not breaking his line of sight from whatever point he’d chosen to fixate on in the distance.
“No, no! I… I do want to talk about it,” he clarified quickly. “I’ve… It’s just been on my mind.”
Mike fell silent, his posture tensing slightly. Will wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to say, instead electing to just let Mike continue the conversation himself.
“I… Will, who is Tammy?”
Will bolted upright, his grip tightening so firmly on the railing that for a moment he was afraid he might accidentally pry the rusted metal apart.
Had he really said that part? Out loud? Oh, no…
Robin had been right there, in front of him as he’d said it. Did anyone else know? Had he accidentally outed her, after she’d helped him so much? She probably-
“Woah, hey! What’s wrong?” Mike broke Will from his spiraling thoughts, stepping a little closer in a way that was starting to give Will a very different kind of panic. “Sorry, your breathing just got really funny there for a second.”
Will took a breath, trying to gather his thoughts.
“”Tammy” is a kind of placeholder name. Like, a crush that you get over eventually,” Will explained, trying his absolute hardest to keep his voice steady.
“Oh…” Mike looked down before grinning slightly, “I thought you were talking about that girl with the terrible singing voice.”
If Will still had that water, he probably would’ve actually choked this time. He let out a nervous laugh, mostly to just put the burden of replying back onto Mike.
“...And the person you liked… was just a “Tammy?”” Mike asked, adjusting his grip on the railing.
“Yeah,” Will strained, his chest tightening involuntarily.
Mike sighed, leaning further onto the railing as he shifted his gaze to the ground beneath the radio tower. He began to slowly nod, seemingly to himself.
“Alright,” he said, his voice cracking just slightly, “Got it.”
Will glanced up, trying once again to try to read Mike. Was he… actually showing emotion? Will couldn’t help but feel a little mean for thinking that way, but the truth was that Mike had been oddly apathetic since California.
This felt strange, though. Why now?
“Will?” Mike asked, looking up at him for the first time. He clung tightly to the railing, taking slow, even breaths. “I… I-”
Will was incredibly thankful for his carefully controlled poker face, being able to keep an otherwise inevitable look of disbelief at bay, brought on by the fact that Mike “Resting Bored Face” Wheeler was suddenly stuttering in front of him. Why in the world would he-
Oh.
Oh.
Ohhh.
Will took in a sharp breath.
“I don’t want to be your Tammy, Will.”
Will was left stunned, dozens of thoughts racing through his head. This was everything he’d dreamed of. What if it was a joke? Mike would never do something that cruel, right? What if this was a vision, instead? Oh God- what if it was a vision, and-
“I-I… I was the crush, right? With… you know, everything?” Mike paused, pure fear crossing over his face, “No… I wasn’t was I? Oh God, oh no… I- I’m…”
“You were!” Will interrupted, stepping just a little closer, despite the way his full body was shaking. “You were, Mike. Ever since we were kids.”
That seemed to calm him a little.
“Do you really mean that?” he asked, his voice uncharacteristically quiet.
“I do,” Will stepped closer, reaching for Mike’s hand on the railing. He pushed down another surprised look after feeling Mike’s pulse throttling. Glancing up to his face, he looked like a deer in headlights.
To be honest with himself, Will had pictured their roles being reversed whenever this happened, but found that he didn’t mind all that much. Come to think of it, Mike probably didn’t have anyone in his life he could actually be vulnerable with. Maybe El, but they were so rocky that it was hard to say.
Wait, where did El fit into all of this? He’d intentionally stopped paying attention to whatever she and Mike were up to, but also didn’t want to end up in an awkward conversation with his sister.
He could probably ask Mike later. Will wanted to enjoy this moment for what it was.
“I mean it, Mike. I… I love you.”
Mike’s face reddened.
“I love you too,” he whispered. For the first time in his life, the words seemed to come easy.