Chapter Text
Will is finally happy. Or at least, he keeps telling himself he is. He finally has the life he deserves. He moved on from Mike, learned to accept himself, and connected with someone new. He met his boyfriend Chance at a bar. He has dark curly hair, defined cheekbones, and a low soft voice. Will likes the way he looks at him, the way he kisses like he means it, the way he makes Will feel seen for once. He's perfect in everyway. Perfect enough that Will tried to believe it's enough.
There’s only one problem. Chance isn’t Mike. He isn’t Mike when he smiles. He isn’t Mike when he kisses Will. He doesn’t know anything about the part of Will that still aches for Mike. The part of Will that still needs him.
Will didn't realize this would be a problem until he saw Mike six months after their last DnD game together.
-
Will is pushed up against a wall, Chance's lips against his neck and Will makes a sound at the back of his throat. He tilts his head back against the wall so Chance has better access, then closes his eyes. Suddenly an image of Mike flashes across his mind and he freezes. Mike's soft curly hair, his perfect eyes, the way he used to look at him. Will feels Mike's hand on his waist, the other threaded through his hair, tugging slightly—no. Those are Chance's hands. Get it together, Will. Chance doesn’t notice Will's conflicted thoughts; he just keeps kissing him, lost in the moment.
Will tries to forget, to pretend he didn't just want it to be Mike kissing him instead of Chance but now he can't get it out of his mind. He groans, frustrated, but Chance just thinks he enjoys being kissed on the neck and continues.
A noise startles both of them, a ringing coming from the kitchen. Will sighs, thankful for the distraction and tells Chance he'll be right back.
He walks into the kitchen of his apartment and grabs the phone, his heartbeat still uneven.
"Hello?" he mumbles.
"Will?" he hears on the other end of the phone, and he recognizes the voice immediately.
Mike.
"Mike?" Will whispers hesitantly. It's been a while since he's called.
"Hey, Will." Mike laughs, breathlessly, slurring his speech slightly. "It's been tooo long, whatcha doing?"
Will freezes. "Are you drunk?"
Mike laughs, a little too loudly. "Maybe."
"Mike," Will says, his voice scolding.
"Will," Mike says in the same tone, then laughs.
There's a pause as each of them waits for the other to say something. Finally Mike breaks the silence.
"I still can't believe she's gone."
Will immediately knows who he's talking about. El. Eleven. Will's sister. And Mike's girlfriend.
"I miss her so much," Mike whispers.
"Me too." Will's voice cracks. Eleven was the most amazing person Will has ever met. She was the best sister to Will.
"I wish she was still here," Mike says.
Will's heart tightens. Will automatically curses himself. He shouldn't be jealous of his sister. Especially not when she's gone. And not when Mike never liked him back.
"Fuck," Mike says, and Will hears a thud as Mike leans against a wall and sits down.
"I can't do this... I never told her." Mike’s voice trembles, filled with tears. "I didn't even say I love you when she left." Will's heart clenches for Mike. He feels so bad for feeling jealous of Eleven. He never stood a chance with Mike. Especially not with him being completely broken with El gone.
"She'll never know... She'll never know how I felt about her. She's gone."
Will can hear Mike crying softly through the phone, each breath shaky and uneven.
"Mike..." he says, his voice soft and filled with concern. "I'm sure she knew how much you loved her."
Mike sniffles and doesn't reply, the silence stretching long and heavy between them.