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“I’m going to say something,” Lucas says, “and I want you to know it comes from a place of love.”
Mike raises both eyebrows and looks at Lucas over the top of his book, “Uh…ok?”
They’re in the library, doing research for the history assignment due at the end of the week. The place is pretty empty. There’s a few other patrons around, including Will, who just got up to look for more books.
Lucas is still careful, looking around and making sure no one is nearby before saying, quietly, “You and Will need to be more careful.”
He expects Mike to be mad, or defensive, but he just furrows his brows like he’s confused.
“Uh, what do you mean?”
“Come on Mike, you don’t have to pretend with me. I don’t care, I just want to make sure you two are safe.”
“I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lucas groans. Is Mike really going to play dumb with him?
“Fine, whatever. But you should know that you’re not being subtle, like, at all. Obviously it doesn’t matter when we’re just with the party, but if you keep this up in public? I’m worried the wrong asshole is going to notice and beat the crap out of you.”
Mike looks full on bewildered now, “Dude, what the hell are you talking about?”
Lucas wonders if maybe Mike really doesn’t know, but how could he not?
“I’m talking about you and Will.”
“What about me and Will?”
Lucas looks around, feeling crazy, and leans in, “That you’re dating.”
“WHAT?”
Mike’s outburst earns a harsh SHHH from both librarians in the room. Lucas makes hasty apologies for him before turning back to Mike, whose face is red and blotchy.
“What the fuck Lucas?” Mike says harshly, “Will and I aren’t dating.” This time Mike looks around to make sure they aren’t being overheard, now clued into the sensitive nature of the conversation. “Why would you even think that?”
“Seriously?” Lucas asks, incredulous.
“Yeah seriously. Christ, you're crazy.”
“Mike how can you not realize- you always sit right next to each other-”
“We like sitting next to each other that’s not weird-”
“No, I mean right next to each other. Fully empty couch and you’re practically on top of each other.”
Mike scoffs and says, “Will and I have always been close. Is that all? Jeez you make it sound-”
“No,” Lucas says, “that’s not all. Not even close. I’m talking about you two always sneaking off to be alone-”
“We’re best friends, we like hanging out-’
“And giving each other heart eyes-”
“We do not-”
“Yes you do, especially you. And when Jessica asked him out last week you looked like you wanted to personally feed her to a demagorgon-”
“Jessica Hill is a shallow bitch who’s been making fun of us with the rest of her friends since elementary school-”
“Ok, but you weren’t being defensive, you were jealous.”
“I was not.”
“You were. And that’s not the only time. Dustin sat next to Will for movie night last week and you literally made him get up and move.”
“That was my spot, I always sit there, Dustin knows that.”
“You don’t always sit there. If Will sits somewhere else you sit next to him and never complain.”
Mike rolls his eyes and starts to open his mouth to retort, but Lucas isn’t done.
“You stare at him in English, and Max says you stare at him in pre-calc-”
“Oh my god I do not.”
“You do.”
Mike's face is still red but he rolls his eyes and says, “Jesus, whatever man. Hate to dissolve your little illusion but you’re wrong. Will and I aren’t dating.”
Will chooses that moment to return to the table. He sits down with a large stack of books and says, “Alright I found some more stuff on the Gilded age but-” Will cuts himself off as he senses the tension at the table, “Is everything ok?”
Mike snatches his own book back off the table and hides his face behind it, “Yup.”
Will looks at Lucas with a raised brow. Lucas just shrugs his shoulders. Will still looks suspicious, but he goes back to his own research.
Lucas considers the possibility that he was, indeed, wrong about Mike and Will dating. He’s known Mike a long time though, and he’s absolutely sure of one thing- Mike has a crush on Will. A massive, obvious crush that he apparently thought he was doing a good job at hiding.
Lucas wants to bury his head in his hands. He’s definitely going to regret involving himself in this.
~~~~~
The next day Will catches Lucas by his locker before lunch.
“Hey Lucas.”
“Hey man, what’s up?” Usually Will and Lucas meet with everyone else in the cafeteria.
Will bites his lip and glances around before saying, “Is something going on with Mike? He’s been acting weird since yesterday.”
Lucas knew he was going to regret that conversation.
He decides playing dumb is his best move: “He seemed normal to me?”
The thing is, 99% of the time Will is Lucas’s sweetest friend. He’s never one to start conflict. However Will does not appreciate being bullshitted to, and he grew up with a man totally full of shit, so he can sniff it out in an instant.
Will’s eyes narrow, a look Lucas recognizes from when he tries to get one by Max (or used to, he’s learned his lesson by now).
“Really?” Will asks, “Because you guys were having some weird whispered conversation in the library yesterday- except for when Mike literally shouted out loud- and when I got back his face was bright red and he’s been acting weird ever since.”
Lucas sighs and gives up playing dumb in the face of Will’s blunt no bull shit attitude, “Weird how?” he asks.
Will huffs and says, “He’s being stand-offish, won’t make eye contact with me, flaky about making plans this weekend… it’s just his general attitude, I don’t know.”
“Oh…” Mike you fucking asshole.
Will bites his lip and looks down at the hallway floor, “Did I… do something wrong?”
“No! No, no, no. You didn’t do anything. Mike’s just an idiot.”
Lucas is really unsure if he should tell him. Since his conversation with Mike yesterday, he has been reconsidering the evidence he and Max have gathered. The evidence is actually mostly based on Mike’s behavior. Yeah, Will gives him those soft heart eyes and smiles at him more than anyone else, but Will is just a sweet and soft person in general. Mike is the one trying to get Will to laugh all the time. It’s Mike who’s always fighting for a seat next to Will, always leaning in to whisper in his ear and staring at him in class.
On the other hand it would be shitty to let Will think he did something wrong when Mike is the one acting crazy.
Lucas groans, “I so regret saying anything,” he mutters. Will stares at him, expectant. Lucas looks around to make sure they aren’t being overheard. Thankfully most kids are at lunch by now, but he still keeps his voice low.
“All right, I’ll tell you, but please be chill. I sorta… asked Mike if you guys are together.”
“Together like-”
“Dating.”
Will’s face turns red, which is a feat. He doesn’t blush nearly as easily as Mike. He doesn’t say anything, just stares at Lucas, dumfounded.
“Uh, so he got a little defensive,” a little is an understatement but whatever, “and said I was wrong. That’s… pretty much it.”
Will finally finds his voice and says, “Oh god why- why would you ask him that.”
“I’m worried if you keep being so obvious you two are going to get the crap beat out of you.”
Will, to his credit, isn’t confused like Mike I keep my head firmly up my ass Wheeler. He just looks down and mutters a soft, “Oh.”
“It’s ok if you are together,” Lucas says, because he still hasn’t totally dropped his theory that they’re secretly dating, “I just think you should be more discreet with the pda before the wrong asshole notices-”
“We’re not-” Will’s voice comes out slightly strangled and he clears his throat, “we’re not together.”
Lucas nods, “Ok, but you know what I’m talking about?”
Will looks at his feet, cheeks flushed, and says, “I uh, didn’t think I was that obvious.”
“You’re not that bad, but Mike is.”
Will looks at him, bewildered by the conversation for the first time, “What do you mean?”
“What do you mean, what do I mean?”
“Mike isn’t- he hasn’t acted any different. And Mike isn’t- he’s not-”
“Will have you really not noticedt?” Will continues to stare at him, uncomprehending, so Lucas continues, “He’s always touching you? He’s all possessive? He stares at you during class-”
“He does not-”
“He does.” Lucas is really starting to wonder who the weak link in this situation is. “You really haven’t noticed?”
Will just stares at him like Lucas has upended his whole world.
“Honestly, after we talked yesterday, I thought he was either really determined to keep it a secret, or that I accidentally called him out on having a huge crush on you.”
Will’s face flushes redder and he gapes at Lucas, which he thinks is weird. Will didn’t seem confused by Lucas bringing up the borderline pda, largely initiated by Mike. Why is he so shocked at the idea of Mike liking him? Unless…
A new theory starts rapidly forming in his head.
Before he can say anything else, a group of freshman girls enter the hallway.
“Come on,” Lucas says, “We should get to lunch.”
Will nods and they walk to lunch together. Max, Mike, and Dustin are already at their table.
“There you guys are, we thought you were playing hookey without us,” Dustin says with a grin.
“Nah,” Lucas says, trying to feign casual, “we were just talking and lost track of time.”
The flush in Will’s cheeks has gone down to a normal level. Mike was already sitting at the end of the table, next to Dustin, instead of keeping one open for Will like he usually does, so Will sits on Dustin’s other side and starts in on his packed lunch, not saying anything.
Mike is looking between Lucas and Will with a slightly panicked expression. He locks eyes with Lucas and glares before staring down at his own lunch- poking at his egg salad but not eating it.
Max observes all of this and looks at Lucas, clearly wanting an explanation. He gives her a subtle shake of his head and mouths later.
Dustin, oblivious to all of this, talks about the colleges and acceptance letters that they’re all hoping to receive soon.
Lucas really does regret involving himself in this.
~~~~~~
“Oh my god,” Max is cackling, “are you telling me they’re so obviously into each other that we thought they were dating, but they both think it’s unrequited?”
“Apparently,” Lucas says with a sigh, “We should not have gotten involved.”
“Who’s we? I didn’t do shit.”
“You’re the one who brought it up-”
“To gossip with you about, not to meddle.”
“Yeah, well I was worried, sue me.”
“Well, I don’t think you need to worry about them getting found out now. It seems like Mike is determined to keep him at literal arms length.”
“God he’s such an ass sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
Lucas laughs and shakes his head, “Whatever, they’ll figure it out… probably.”
As if on cue Lucas’s mom yells from the front of the house, “Lucas! Mike is here!”
Max rolls her eyes and sits up on the couch, “How much you wanna bet he wants to talk about-”
Mike enters the family room, takes one look at Max, and groans, “Of course you’re here.”
“Uh, yeah asshole, I live here.”
Lucas decides to try to break in before they can start to argue, “What’s up Mike?”
Mike’s eyes dart around the room, nervous and flighty, “Nothing, I just uh…”
Max rolls her eyes again, “Did you maybe come here to talk about Will?”
Mike glances nervously behind him, making sure no one is in the hallway, before turning around and hissing, “Christ Max, could you be any louder?”
“Christ Mike, could you be any more suspicious?”
Mike groans and flops on the floor and covers his face with his hands, “Is it really that bad?”
“Worse,” Max says, voice dripping in false sympathy, “do you want me to mercy kill you?”
Mike glares some more but his face is red and he comes off more miserable and pathetic than terrifying.
“What did you and Will talk about before lunch?” Mike asks Lucas.
Max replies, “Why don’t you just ask Will?”
“I wasn’t talking to you-”
“Will was worried because you were acting weird.” Lucas says.
Mike glares at him again (it’s really losing effectiveness, the more he does it), “If I was acting weird it’s because you thought we were in a secret relationship-”
“Actually,” Max interjects, “we thought you were in a really obvious relationship-”
“I wasn’t talking to you- ugh, just, please tell me you didn’t say any of that to Will.”
Lucas winces, “Well…”
Mike groans and flops down so he’s fully lying on the floor. God he’s so dramatic, Lucas thinks.
“God, you’re so dramatic,” Max says. Lucas loves her so much.
“I can’t believe you,” Mike mutters, “god you made things weird.”
“You do that on your own,” Max says. Lucas nudges her and gives her and mouths lighten up. She sighs and says, “Alright Wheeler, since you have your head shoved too far up your ass, I will deliver the delightful news. You and Will like each other. It’s very obvious. You should go talk to him about it instead of crying about it in the Sinclair family room.” She looks at Lucas for approval and he shrugs. Good enough.
Mike removes his hand from his face and looks over at them, then immediately looks away again, gaze darting around the room, “What makes you think Will likes me?”
Lucas and Max groan in unison. At least he didn’t deny his obvious crush on Will. Lucas is counting it as a minor improvement.
“Dude,” Lucas shakes his head, “you might actually be the most oblivious person on the planet. Right after Will, actually.”
“But what if he doesn’t, I mean-”
“Mike,” Max says, voice no longer teasing or mocking, “are you really worried that he doesn’t like you back, or are you worried about what happens if he does?”
Mike’s face flushes red and he mutters, “I uh, I don’t know what you mean.”
“Come on Mike,” Lucas says, “this town is full of ignorant assholes. You think I don’t know? Max and I get comments all the time-”
Mike sits up suddenly, “Wait you do? I thought after Billy-”
“Billy was the worst,” Max says, squeezing Lucas’s hand tight, “but yeah, people talk. The other day Jane Dorris asked me if I felt safe living with Lucas.”
Mike’s jaw drops open, “What? That’s- that’s horrible.”
Lucas sighs. Mike being oblivious to this isn’t surprising. Lucas doesn’t talk about the racism he and his family face with his friends much. Trying to explain the subtle (and often not at all subtle) differences in how people treat him, and the few other black families in town, is hard. He trusts his friends, but he doesn’t feel like they really get it.
Lucas probably doesn’t really get what this is like for Mike and Will either.
“This was kinda my point the other day man,” Lucas says gently, “I know how dangerous it could be for you guys, if people found out. But that doesn’t mean you have to hide it from your friends. You definitely shouldn’t hide it from Will.”
Mike digs his hands into the carpet, brows furrowed. After a long moment of contemplative quiet he says, “I didn’t mean to be… dishonest with him. I think maybe… I haven’t been totally honest with myself about all of this.”
Oh, Lucas thinks. That would explain the obliviousness.
“Do you really think that’s what I’m doing?” Mike asks, “Letting a bunch of close minded assholes make decisions for me?”
Lucas shrugs, feeling increasingly out of his depth, “I don’t know man. Maybe.”
Mike chews his lip nervously. “What if Will doesn’t like me though? What if I tell him and it totally ruins the party and-”
“Stop being pathetic,” Max cuts in, “Aren’t you supposed to be “Mike the Brave” or whatever?”
Lucas waits for Mike to snap back at her, but he just stares at her for a long several moments. Then he nods, mutters, “ok… yeah ok,” to himself and stands up.
“I gotta go,” he says, “thanks guys.”
Lucas barely gets out a goodbye before Mike is gone.
“Honestly?” Max says, “That was easier than I thought it would be.”
“Well, we’ll see if he actually gets his shit together,” Lucas says.
“He better, or I’m going to have to hit him with some tough love.”
“That wasn’t tough love?”
“Hardly.”
Lucas laughs, then smiles softly at her, pulling her against his side, “You’re a really good friend,” he mumbles into her hair.
She turns to him with a smile and kisses the corner of his mouth, “So are you.”
God Lucas loves her. He’s so damn lucky.
~~~~~
Mike quickly works up a plan. It’s simple, but he only had the short walk home to work it out.
- Go home and change into something nice (maybe that dark blue shirt that his mom and Ms. Byers are always saying looks good on him).
- Beg his parents to let him borrow the car (he could bike over but driving over in the car would be cooler and he won’t get all sweaty and out of breath).
- Go to the Byers and talk to Will.
He knows he should probably plan what he’s going to say to Will, but his mind keeps coming up blank on that one, so he decides he just has to trust his ability to wing it.
He’s so screwed.
Mike’s so busy thinking through his short plan that he doesn’t notice Will until he’s half way down the pathway to his house.
“Hey Mike,” Will says.
Mike looks up from the pavement, surprised to see the subject of his turbulent thoughts sitting on his porch.
“I-uh, hey. Hey Will.” Not smooth at all. He’s so screwed. “What are you doing here?” He cringes, certain that it came out rude, “I mean, not that you’re not welcome, you always are, you lived here, you can always come over when you want. Have you been waiting long? I was just over at-”
“I’ve just been here a few minutes,” Will, thankfully, interrupts, “I was just talking with El at the cabin and, uh, I wanted to talk with you. Your mom said you were out. I decided to wait.”
Mike nods, jerky from nerves, and opens the door. Whelp, plan ruined. He doesn’t even get to change out of his ratty old t-shirt before having… whatever conversation Will wants to have with him. Hopefully the same conversation that Mike wants to have, but he doesn’t actually trust Max and Lucas on this at all.
Be brave anyway, he thinks to himself.
If nothing else, he really can’t face Mac’s mocking if he doesn’t at least try.
After a moment’s consideration, he leads Will to his room. They usually hang out in the basement, but he really wants Will in the privacy of his bedroom. He decides not to overthink it.
They’re almost to the stairs when Mike’s mom calls from the kitchen, “Mike is that you?”
He sighs and calls back, “Yeah.”
She pops out of the kitchen, “Oh Will, how are you darling?”
Will gives her his smile that moms always adore, “I’m good Mrs. Wheeler, how are you?”
“Just fine. Are you staying for dinner?”
“Oh, uhm,” Will glances at Mike, uncertain, “I’m not sure.”
“Well you should, I’m making a lasagna, I know it’s one of your favorites.”
Mike, inpatient, grabs Will’s arm and pulls him upstairs, saying, “Ok, thanks mom. We have some homework to do so we’ll be busy for a while.”
Will lets himself be led to Mike’s bedroom. Mike wonders if pulling Will around by his arm is the type of thing that Lucas has declared, “Not subtle”. The thought makes his cheeks flush.
He closes the door firmly behind him and pulls Will to his bed, not letting go until they’re both sitting. He wants to keep holding on to Will’s arm, or maybe take his hand-
He needs to stay focused.
“I’m sorry to show up unannounced,” Will says.
“You can always show up unannounced,” Mike says, then winces. God he really is so obvious. “So… what did you want to talk about?”
Will is clearly nervous. His hands are tightly clasped together and he’s chewing his cheek, his leg is bouncing with the kind of hyper energy that usually has Mike bouncing all over the place.
Something about Will being so outwardly nervous actually calms Mike down. He feels a little bit the way he does when shit is going down, like his flight or fight response has kicked in. He knows he should be feeling scared, but instead he just focuses on the problem at hand.
“It’s ok Will,” he says gently, “just talk to me.”
Mike doesn’t really know where this conversation is going to go, but suddenly he’s certain that he’s right. Will is his best friend for a reason- he’s the kindest person Mike’s ever met. If he’s here to shoot Mike down, he’s certainly not going to be cruel about it.
Will stares down at his hands and says, just loud enough to be heard, “I- I need to know if it’s just me. I need to know if I’m the only one who feels this.”
Hope blooms in Mike’s chest. He reaches out, placing his hand on top of Will’s shaking ones, desperately wanting to soothe his anxiety. Slowly, gently, he turns Will’s hand over and slides their fingers together. They haven’t held hands in years, and Mike suddenly thinks that’s so stupid. Electricity passes between their bodies where their palms are pressed together.
“Lucas is an idiot,” Mike declares, “but, I will admit he is, occasionally, right about some things.”
Will is still staring at their hands. Mike watches as he swallows, then slowly, slowly, drags his eyes up to Mike’s face. Mike realizes that they might be sitting a lot closer than he realized (fuck, do they really always sit practically on top of each other? It might be a small miracle that they haven’t already gotten beaten up. It’s so annoying when Lucas is right).
They lock eyes- Mike melts. Warm, late day light shines through Mike’s window, hitting Will’s hazel eyes so they glow gold. His skin is tan, despite it still being winter, and the shadows curve around his cheekbones and jaw line, making them look strong and soft at the same time. He looks like a god, Mike thinks faintly.
Honestly, it doesn’t even matter if Will likes him back or not, he’s so screwed either way.
Mike feels himself sway forward until their foreheads are pressed together. The air buzzes between them and Mike can feel Will's breath against his lips.
“I know how I feel,” Mike whispers, and it’s so clearly true, so undeniable, even if he’s only recently been able to admit it to himself, “and apparently it’s really obvious to everyone else so, I guess it’s pretty dumb to keep denying it.”
Mike feels Will’s shuddering breath against his mouth, and then Will’s lips, pressed against his.
Suddenly it’s so obvious. Of course Will likes him back. Of course they aren’t just friends. They never were. Mike knew, deep down. It’s so annoying that Lucas and Max figured it out first but whatever, right now Mike doesn’t care.
He just grabs both sides of Will’s face and kisses him back.