Archive of Our Own

Of course they were going to Stacey’s party. Who were they kidding?

They’d be a few hours late once they were done with one of the most emotional D&D games they’d ever play, followed by Karen’s wonderful, albeit slightly tough after being frozen and reheated, lasagna. (Mike would never complain, of course, and everyone else had followed with Thank you, Mrs. Wheeler.)

Once they got there, the party would already be in full swing. No awkward small talk while a bunch of teenagers waited for alcohol to kick in. They could skip all that and get straight to the fun, something they all needed after the whirl of emotions the day had been. The day may have been long, but the night was still young. It was only 11pm, after all.

“Holy shit,” Dustin spoke first once they pulled up, dozens of other cars covering the lawn. “There are so many people. We got invited to a party at Stacey’s house. We got invited. Are we finally cool or what?!”

Mike switched the engine off. “Shut up. Anyone hears you, and we’ll be turned away before we even get to the door.”

“Actually,” Will piped up from the passenger seat. “You got invited, Dustin. You’re the cool one.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright. Are we going in or what??” Max was getting fed up, crushed in the backseat between Dustin and Lucas. She was entirely all over Lucas, yes, but the Wheeler car was surprisingly small for a family of five.

They all shared a look, Mike and Will turned over their shoulders to see into the backseat. Any anxiety that had followed them here tonight suddenly dissipated as the five of them shared a smile, a silent agreement.

Lucas read their minds, “Let’s get fucked up.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Will was already unbuckling his seatbelt and opening his door.

The rest of them followed, the twitch of Mike’s hand imperceptible as he opened the door. It was almost comedic, them shuffling out clown-car style. But that didn’t matter. They were here, at Stacey’s house, music and alcohol flowing before they had even stepped through the door.

Lucas took Max’s hand, running to the front door, with Dustin following shortly behind them. Will started after them before noticing someone was missing from his side.

“Mike?” Will turned back. “You coming or what?”

Mike snapped back into reality from wherever he was. “Yeah, uh, just… nervous, I guess.”

Will walked back to Mike. “What are you nervous for?”

“I don’t know.” The admission sounded embarrassing in Mike’s mouth. “I mean, when was the last time we were invited to a party? This isn’t really our style.”

“Yeah,” Will agreed. “But we just graduated high school. The world isn’t ending anymore. You’re allowed to have fun, Mike.”

That made Mike feel a bit better, but there was a feeling he couldn’t shake. “I guess you’re right.”

“I’ll be with you the whole time. Come on!” With that, Will grabbed Mike’s hand, and they were rushing through the door.

⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚

The atmosphere at Stacey’s was a lot. It was loud, Mike was skin-to-skin with people he’s never spoken to before, but somehow, Will’s smile at his side made that all go away.

They’d had a drink, or two, or three, the numbers were getting blurry. Lucas, Dustin, and Max were only flashes in the distance through countless bodies. Mike caught the three of them dancing at times, and at other times, Lucas and Max were making out and Dustin was trying to pull moves on some random girls. It felt surreal, seeing them have so much fun from afar. And Will was—

Here. Will was here. Mike was back in his own body again. Will was here, and they were dancing. Having fun. Right.

“Are you okay?” Mike could barely hear Will over Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

It was hard for Mike to find Will’s eyes, already hazy. “Yeah, just, look at them.”

Will looked over to where Mike’s gaze was, seeing their friends dance like nobody was watching across the house. He looked back at Mike, waiting for him to say more.

“They’re having so much fun.” Mike was stating the obvious, but it felt important to say.

“They are.” Will leaned into Mike, ever so slightly. “You should be, too.”

Mike sighed, “I think I need another drink.”

Will’s eyes lit up. “I thought you’d never ask!”

The two snaked through the crowd to get back to the kitchen, Mike holding onto Will’s shirt as to not get lost. He couldn’t place exactly why he just couldn’t seem to have fun. Well, he knew why. The world almost ended. His girlfriend was gone. Everyone seemed to move on with their lives, but when Mike closed his eyes, he was still there, being held back by military in front of that portal to the Upside Down.

It was hard, living. Way harder than Mike expected. But, still, he was eighteen, and he’d just graduated college. The future had so much for him, he just couldn’t see it. Couldn’t let himself see it. Couldn’t even begin to understand it until he’d downed several more cups of vodka mixed with whatever.

Mike’s vision started to blur, but Will was still here with him, so it was alright. The dancefloor had found them again, emptier than before as the hours started to drift into early morning, but still crowded enough to make the house shake to Everything She Wants by Wham!

Will and Mike danced to the beat, maybe too close, not that either of them were in the state to notice.

“I can barely see you!” Will yelled over the music, but the sound was still fairly quiet compared to everything else, drunk selective hearing and all.

At this point, Will had also become a blur of brown hair, flashes of teeth, striking eyes that always seemed to see right through Mike. Mike woo!-ed in agreement with Will to let him know they were at the same level of alcohol impairment, and he was finally having fun. Something Mike so desperately deserved after all this time. Something Will knew better than anyone.

They danced until the time, music, and the linger hand on Mike’s arm turned into one, at least that’s what it felt like. Only a stray hand on Mike’s shoulder brought him back to anywhere near this planet. He turned around to see bright ginger hair and two stray bodies.

Max had found them. “Another round, Wheeler? What do you say?”

“I don’t know, Max.” Mike struggled to find her eyes. “I’ve already had a lot.”

“Screw that, man!” Lucas piped up. “This is a once in a lifetime night! Come on!”

Mike looked back at Will for any trace of distaste. If anyone was going to be responsible tonight, it would be Will.

Instead, Will leaned into Mike, whispering in his ear, “I’ll have another if you have another.”

Will’s breath lingered on Mike’s ear, warm with vodka, a slew of mixers, and Will. Will. Will—

Will was already dragging Mike back to the kitchen, accompanied by all their friends this time.

Dustin scrounged up five shot glasses, pouring each of them a shaky shot of vodka, spilling a bit here and there, which of course Max chastised him for, you’re wasting our fun!

After that struggle, they raised their glasses and cheered. To the end of high school! To the future! To El, everything she did for us, and the fact that she could still be out there somewhere!

With a deep breath, Mike downed his shot. He was drunk to the point that it didn’t even taste like torture anymore. Lucas, Dustin, and Will all stuck their tongues out, faces twisting in disgust.

Only Max had no reaction. “You’re all pussies.”

“How do you do it, Max?!” Lucas dramatically shook her by the shoulders, making Max stumble despite how good she was at holding her liquor. Lucas steadied her and kissed her on the cheek. “Sorry, Ms. Perfect.”

Dustin looped his arms around both of them. “Enough of that, lovebirds. We have dancing to do!”

For the first time tonight, all five of them danced together. It was really nice, to spend time like this with everyone, young, drunk, and free. Mike tried to not be in his head about it, but as he always was, he did notice that the rest of the party had been leaving him alone with Will more often than not recently. It was probably nothing, he shook the thought away.

Mike danced until he couldn’t feel his feet anymore. Until there was no more floor. Until he became one with his friends, the music, this feeling. He danced until his insides suddenly started turning and he got that terrible taste in his mouth, the one you get when you’re about to be sick.

“Guys.” It took great effort for Mike to steady himself. “I’m gonna go take a breather.”

His friends may have been doing their best at being bad influences tonight, but they understood when it was time to give Mike his space, being his best friends and all. They understood him, gave their well wishes, and let him escape out onto the front lawn while they kept dancing the night away.

Mike sat down in the green blur that he knew was grass and forced himself to take a few deep breaths. He was not going to throw up. Not on what was supposed to be the greatest night of his life.

After a few labored attempts, he was starting to feel a little better. He looked up at the moon and couldn’t help but feel a little reminiscent, the way everyone gets when they’re in love and alone and looking at the moon.

Was Mike Wheeler in love? That was as good a question as any. He thought that he had spent the last few years growing to understand his feelings, but some nights, he felt like he didn’t even know himself. Of course, tonight had to be one of those nights. Unfortunately for him, feelings have been and were always going to be complicated. He tried to not let it get in the way of his life too often, but every now and then, it was inevitable.

It was nice to sit by himself for a bit. He loved his friends, really, but there were things even they didn’t understand. Yes, even if they knew him better than anyone in the world, there were things Mike could never articulate in a way they could understand.

Breathing steadily on the slightly damp lawn, it had rained yesterday, Mike really started to feel like he was coming back to himself. He’d be okay, he knew this. Both right now and in general. It was just a lot, and it always would be. All of it would never go away, but it would get easier with time, something his mother had told him. 

Grief was a terrible thing, and sometimes Mike felt like his friends had gone through it at a much quicker rate than he was. That was okay, too, everyone heals differently, his mother said. That didn’t mean it had to feel like it was fair, because it wasn’t, not to Mike.

It was hard to shake that empty feeling that seemed to always follow him these days, some days heavier than the rest. And, truthfully, being around his friends did help with that. They loved him. He loved them. It just wasn’t the same, and it wasn’t something Mike could explain.

“Hey,” A soft voice suddenly appeared next to him. “You okay?”

It was Lucas, of course it was. All of Mike’s friends were wonderful, but there were times when Lucas just understood him a little bit easier than the rest of them did, even if Mike didn’t say anything.

Like now, Mike didn’t respond. Still, Lucas knew what it was about.

“I miss her too.” His voice filled the empty space, but that didn’t make up for who wasn’t here tonight.

“She should’ve been here tonight.” Mike sighed.

Now, it was Lucas’s time to stay silent. There just wasn’t anything to say. This was a conversation they’d had hundreds of times by now, and every time, Lucas was there to comfort Mike. Even now, when he’d already exhausted all of his options in words of comfort. Instead, he put an arm around Mike’s shoulder. Mike leaned into him and the two sat in silence for a while, breathing together, feeling El’s absence.

This exact scene had already played many times before, both with the whole party and each of them individually. They all knew Mike was struggling, and they were here for him, in any way they could be.

Then, Lucas squeezed Mike’s shoulder and retracted his arm. “I’m gonna make sure Dustin isn’t destroying the place.”

Mike laughed, “Our valedictorian? Never.”

“Right,” Lucas laughed too and got up, giving Mike one more meaningful tap on the shoulder. “We’re here for you.”

“I know. Thank you.” It was hard for Mike to get his words out sometimes, but his appreciation was felt.

“And,” Lucas added. “I’d love to see you back in there sometime soon. You have excellent moves. Never seen before!”

Mike laughed again, harder this time, nudging Lucas’s leg with his arm before Lucas went back inside. That’s right, he had people here who were here for him. People that loved him. People he knew that they knew he loved them too, even if it was hard for him to say. He was actively working towards getting better at it, though.

They had all been through so much. They all deserved a night of careless fun, including Mike. The consequences would be paid for tomorrow.

After some debate, Mike made up his mind to go back inside. He stood up, immediately feeling that he was still drunk out of his mind, no matter how much he believed this time outside would sober him up, even a bit. Blinking hard to steady his vision, he went back inside.

The party was starting to quiet down a bit. Some were still dancing, but others peeled off to have their own conversations (or make out) around the couch, on the floor, the kitchen counters. It took some scanning and guiding through now-smaller crowds to find his friends, as they too were no longer on the dance floor.

That’s when Mike saw it. Will, his best friend, talking to some guy by the staircase. Will Byers, eyes low, smile wide, hand on some guy’s chest, playfully pushing him away. Some guy. Some guy who wasn’t Mike.

Mike’s insides twisted in a way he didn’t understand. He knew the kind of drunk Will got, flirty and touchy, from the nights they’d spent in his basement with the bottles he’d stolen from his parents. And whenever Will got like this, Mike was always his target, meaningless words that on some nights would prompt Dustin to tell them to get a room. They’d laugh, knowing it meant nothing.

It meant nothing?

Then why was Mike stopped dead in his track, mouth agape, eyes wide watching the scene unfold in front of him? Will valued his personal space, so it couldn’t have just meant nothing with this stranger.

Mike should have been proud of his best friend, now out and making moves when he used to be so scared. Instead, he felt anything but that, suddenly sick again after all the time he spent cooling off outside.

When Mike saw this guy whisper something in Will’s ear, and Will laughed, laughed in that soft way he would only after Mike would say something overly sappy about their friendship, something in him shifted.

Before he knew it, he was walking across the floor, nudging everyone else out of his way, eyes locked on Will.

Will hadn’t even seen Mike approaching, so focused on what he was doing, that it was a complete shock when Mike grabbed him by the hand and pulled him upstairs and into a room, quick like he was on a mission.

“Mike, what the hell?” Will blurted out once they were alone. He’d never make a scene, especially not if his best friend was involved.

They’d fought before, of course, they’ve spent almost their entire lives together. It was inevitable at some points. But whatever this was felt different in the air. Softer. Scarier. Sacred in a way that goes unsaid.

Still, Will was upset. Very upset. “I was in the middle of flirting with that guy! Finally, someone’s interested in me, and you had to ruin that?!”

“That guy,” Mike started. “What’s his name?”

Will’s face went blank for a moment. “Does it matter? We were—”

“You don’t even know his name.” Mike repeated the fact. “And you were flirting with him.”

His words hung in the air, not really a statement, not really a question. Just stated in a way that Will had no idea what Mike wanted.

“Mike,” Will took a deep breath. “You’re drunk.”

Mike furrowed his brows. “So? You are too. You’re doing things you don’t mean.”

Will sighed, an exasperated sound. He began to pace around the room. “And you’re saying things you mean? Why did you even bring me here?!”

Mike watched him. “Because…” The words died in his throat.

“Because what?” Mike knew that tone in Will’s voice, when he got annoyed with him in a way that really made him think over his next words. But, because alcohol is the key to unlocking everything you’d ever want to say and more, he went on. “Because you miss El, and you’re not having fun, so no one else can have fun either? Is that it?”

The words hit Mike hard. “What?”

Will swallowed the lump in his throat, there was no going back know. “You heard me.”

“Of course I miss El!” Mike raised his voice and immediately lowered it, there were still other people in this house. “But, this isn’t about her.”

“Yeah, it is.” Will’s face was unreadable. “It always is with you.”

“Will—”

“I miss her too, Mike!” It almost sounded like the words were painful in Will’s mouth. “I miss her so much, I don’t even know what to do with myself! But, I just wanted to have fun tonight and not think about everything that’s happened! For once in my life I don’t want something I have turn into being about her!”

Now, Mike was confused. “What do you mean? You love El. She practically became your sister, and you say this about her?!”

“Yeah.” Will sounded defeated. “Yeah, she did. And that’s what makes this all worse. That I loved her so much, took her in, never questioned anything, and just let everything become about her.”

Mike looked at him, eyes soft, unlike before. Will stopped, saw that look, and said something he probably shouldn’t have.

“You look like you miss her.”

He was really pacing now, unsteady on his turns, knowing he’d gone too far. Mike couldn’t do anything but watch. His brain barely worked. Today had already been a lot. This year had been a lot. Hell, the last four years had been so much, and he never heard Will say anything like this before.

Mike loved El more than anything, that was true. But, at the same time, he loved Will more than anything. In different ways, of course. It hurt to see his best friend hurting, and now he was saying this, which sounded like it was something Will was holding in for far too long.

“Will,” Mike’s voice was soft now, too. He tried to understand. “Have you always thought this about her?”

Will took a deep breath, realizing the implications of this all, having this conversation now of all times. Drunk words are sober thoughts, as they say. “Kind of… yeah.”

Stunned, Mike sat on the couch in the corner of this room. He tried to think. Yes, when El was here so much naturally became about her, but that was because… because…

Why was it? Just because her and Mike were dating? Had Mike really been so involved in his relationship, the world ending, and his relationship while the world was ending, that he had forgotten about his best friend?

Will was still pacing. Mike was usually so good at reading him, but not now. After far too long of an uncomfortable silence filling this room, Will continued.

“And you know what’s the worst part of it all, Mike?”

Mike leaned forward in his seat. “What?”

Will hesitated as if he was about to say something he didn’t mean. That was the thing about this circumstance. Everything he said, he meant it. They both knew that. Maybe it wasn’t so much that he didn’t mean it, but it was about to be something he knew he wouldn’t be able to take back. Mike understood that much about Will, but as he was learning now, there were in fact things he didn’t understand. And he had been so blind to it. It was even more to add onto just how much everything already was.

Finally, Will looked like he made a decision. He sat down next to Mike with a heavy breath. Mike never took his eyes off him, studying his every move, trying to see what he could learn without Will having to say it. But, of course, his brain was in no state to work overtime right now.

Will fiddled with his sleeve. “She got everything she wanted…” His words were slow, deliberate, thought through. “She got everything I wanted. Including you.”

The last part was said so quietly, but it was deafening in this room. Mike heard every syllable, every breath.

This day was going to go down as top ten Mike Wheeler days of being too much.

The fact that Will wanted him wasn’t entirely unknown. It seems like Mike had missed many things about Will, more than he’d willingly admit, but it was always there. The way Will looked at him. The words he’d share in the Wheeler basement after far too many glasses of wine. The shared looks. The lingering touches. The way they were dancing, only an hour ago.

Mike thought if it was never acknowledged, it would just go away. More importantly, he thought if they never spoke it into words, how he felt would go away.

The last four years had been the most confusing time of Mike’s life. Having a girlfiend who was both the cause of the world ending and the reason it didn’t, having her taken away from him so many times, the feelings that would overtake his heart so strongly that all he could do was sit alone in his room at night with his hands over his heart and feel it beat.

The fact that there was all that… and Will.

Will Byers, who his best friend since he was five years old. Will Byers, who was different. Will Byers, who Mike understood like no one did.

Who Mike had also had feelings for, deep down, keeping it locked up in his heart. Because he had only realized it after he met El. On a late night after El had disappeared the first time, when Mike was thirteen years old and analyzing everything that had ever happened in his life, he knew. He knew that he probably liked Will, maybe. But he loved El. And nothing could change that.

It was all so very confusing. So much so that Mike had spent countless nights of his life mulling over it. But, at the end of the day, El was there, and he loved, loved, loved her.

But now, El had been gone for over a year. Now, Mike Wheeler was eighteen years old, and he was so drunk, sitting in a random room of Stacey Albright’s house with his best friend who just admitted something that Mike never in a million years thought would be spoken into words.

To say it was a lot would be an understatement.

Several minutes had passed, or it felt like it. Both of the boys were staring at the floor, and Will’s leg was bouncing nonstop.

“Mike, I’m sorry,” Will started to apologize. “It’s… been a long night. What I said, just forget it. I didn’t mean it.”

An obvious lie. Mike could tell, the way Will’s leg was bouncing faster than before. Mike placed a hand on his thigh in efforts to steady him. Will’s breath caught, and Mike noticed. He was always so good at noticing things about Will, or at least, he thought he was. More than anything, he was upset he didn’t know Will was hurting for so long.

Mike stroked Will’s thigh with his thumb. His body was acting on it’s own tonight, he didn’t know what he was doing. Which, of course, was a complete lie. He knew what he was doing, he just never thought he’d be in a situation where it was actually happening, where he had to admit it.

It had been far too long that no one had spoken.

“Mike… will you say something? Please?”

The air was suddenly quiet as whatever song was playing ended. More people must have left, or gone onto other activities than dancing, or both. Mike exhaled a shakey breath as I’m on Fire by Bruce Springsteen started playing, the next song on the mix.

Finally, he looked up to meet Will’s eyes. Will’s face was red, and there were hints of tears in his eyes.

Mike wasn’t thinking. He wished he was.

The next thing he knew, his lips were on Will’s, pressing into him softly, hand still on his thigh. Will did not kiss back. And Mike felt nothing.

It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds before he pulled back. Admittedly, this was a moment Mike had thought over countless times, but he never imagined anything like this.

He still didn’t have the words. Mike took a deep breath and looked Will in the eyes again. This time, he was met with a look he’d never seen before, like something shifted in Will’s eyes.

After a moment of brief hesitation, Will brought a hand to the back of Mike’s neck, and pulled him in for another kiss. And another. And another. Their lips met, soft and uncertain at first, before coming undone, mouths messy and a little too open, a hint of tongue that came a bit too early.

Without breaking the contact of their lips, Will shifted, looping a leg over Mike so he was now sitting in Mike’s lap. He guided Mike’s hands to his waist, then returned his hands to Mike’s hair, soft fistfuls of black curls.

There was nothing in Mike’s mind for a bit, until it hit him. Euphoria. Guilt, too, but mostly euphoria. It’s like the wanting part of his brain finally switched on, and he could feel everything, his whole body was on fire. Will’s weight on him felt so right. The way their lips interlocked, messy yet somehow calculated, moving in rhythm with each other as they maneuvered between top lip and bottom lip, right side and left side. His hands on Will’s waist, which snaked under his shirt maybe a bit too soon, tracing over the expanse of his back. The soft sound Will made in Mike’s mouth in response made both of them laugh.

And then, before he even knew it, Mike was crying.

Immediately, Will stopped, feeling the warmth of Mike’s tears on his own face and the way he choked on his breath.

“Mike?” Will held his face, wiping his tears. “Is this too much?”

“No! No. I want this. I want you. Really, I do.” Mike wanted will to be sure of that. “It’s just—”

“It’s a lot?” Will smiled down at him.

Mike laughed, which also made his tears fall faster. “Yeah. It’s a lot to explain. It’s a lot for right now and all… this.”

“I know.” Will brushed the hair out of his face. “We’re not in any kind of state to be having serious conversations right now.”

The boys laughed, both at the words they were sharing and the situation they were in. Mike and Will were practically allergic to not getting into situations.

“We can talk about this in the morning,” Will continued. “Tonight, we can do whatever you want to do.”

Mike rested a hand on Will’s thigh as Will rubbed his cheeks, reassuring him. “Can we… keep doing this?”

Will placed a soft kiss on his lips, “Yes.”

“And… will you stay with me tonight?” Mike felt like he was ripping his heart out of his chest, leaving it exactly where will could see. “At my house, I mean. So you’ll be there in the morning, and we can talk.”

“Yes.” Will placed another kiss on Mike’s lips.

Mike chased him, kissing his back, with intention, before pulling away. “I’m sorry it took so long.”

Will just smiled at him, that kind smile Mike had always known. “You don’t need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing. I should have said something sooner… and not in such an angry way.”

Mike shook his head, “I never gave you the chance. I’m sorry.”

“Hey,” Will kissed Mike’s cheek, still damp with tears. “It’s okay, really. No more sorries.”

“I’m going to keep being sorry.” Mike rested his head on Will’s chest. “For a long time. Forever, maybe.”

“Hey, hey,” Will pet Mike’s hair. “Forever’s a big word. Big words are for tomorrow. You’re drunk, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

Mike half-laughed against Will’s shirt. “I know what I’m saying.”

“Not from the way you’re slurring your words.” Will always had some retort for Mike, something Mike loved so dearly about him.

“No, I know what I’m saying.” Mike looked back up at Will and stroked his cheek. “And I know I want you to keep kissing me.”

They both smiled, no more words had to be said. Mike moved his hand slowly, tracing a path from Will’s cheek to the back of his neck, up into his hair, and pulled him back down so their lips could meet, now tasting the sweetness of the countless mixers they’d consumed tonight. Will was always sweet, even without cheap sodas and vodka on his lips.

Mike traced his tongue on Will’s upper lip, as if to ask for permission, learning from earlier. Will responded by doing the same to Mike, and they both opened their mouths just a bit more, turning their heads ever so slightly more to deepen the kiss. Mike wasn’t overly experienced in kissing with tongue, but whatever Will was doing to him was making his head spin.

Will moved to kiss Mike’s neck right when Mike thought he couldn’t possibly feel better. Simultaneously, he was having far too many thoughts and none at all, but Will was making his mind go completely blank. So much had happened to him, but that didn’t matter right now. Not when Will was carelessly sucking on his skin as if they didn’t have incredibly nosey friends.

Mike grabbed Will’s sides, a bit too hard, body acting on his own, to wordlessly say Hey, stop that, you know if you leave a mark on me we’ll never hear the end of it. Mike swore Will could read his mind, because he stopped, replacing the action with soft kisses from Mike’s jaw to the collar of his shirt.

“Where’d you learn to get so good at this?” Mike was breathless.

Between kisses, “I didn’t.” Kiss. “Just kinda went for it.” Kiss. “This is what you do to me.” Kiss.

Mike couldn’t believe it. If only he was this naturally gifted in the world of kissing. So many hours spent essentially making out with his hand for nothing.

Will’s hand reached down to the hem of Mike’s shirt and tugged, trying to bring it upwards. A bit too harsh, Mike caught his wrist, causing Will to pull back and look Mike in the eye.

“Can we, um,” Mike didn’t know exactly what to say, suddenly shy. “Just stick to… this?”

He gestured between them, vague as ever, but Will understood him, of course.

He nodded, “Just kissing. Got it.”

“Yeah.” Mike was glad Will bared with him through his strange dancing around words. “Until… I’m ready.”

Will smiled, cocking his head to the side at the implication. Still, he was ever-so-sweet Will. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, Mike, is more than okay with me. You’re in charge.”

In response, Mike just kissed him, and kept kissing him. And Will kissed him back. And kept kissing him. They kissed until the stars started to disappear from the sky, until Mike didn’t know where he ended and Will started, until there was nothing else but Will, Will, Will.

⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚

After who knows how long, there was banging on the door.

“Shit!” Will snapped back into reality. “Probably Stacey making sure everyone left. Let’s get out of here!”

Before they knew it, before Will could even get off of Mike, the door was opening.

“Hey, dipshits, some guy said you were up here and I don’t know what’s taking so long but we need rides home, and Mike you BETTER be sober enough by now—” Once Max realized what she was seeing, her jaw dropped entirely to the floor.

Will jumped up off of Mike as if that changed anything about the scene. Their disheveled hair, swollen lips, and red faces couldn’t be hidden.

“Dude.” Dustin turned to Lucas. “You owe me ten dollars.”

Mike hit Dustin on the back of the head as he left the room, taking Will by the hand and going downstairs. 

All the way to the car, and even on the ride to drop everyone off (yes, Mike had sobered up by now, far too much time had passed before their friends found them), Mike and Will were tormented by overexaggerated kissing noises from the other three. 

But that didn’t matter, not when Mike had already dropped them all off. Not when he could drive home, take Will with him, their hands interlocked, and kiss him at every red light.

⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚

That night (or, morning at this point), they slept on the floor of the Wheeler basement, not caring how uncomfortable it was, not when they had each other, limbs interwoven.