Archive of Our Own ^beta

After defeating Vecna, everybody involved was obviously forever changed from their experiences with him and the Upside Down and the demogorgons and supposed wormhole and so on and so forth, but they're all relearning to adjust to a life without having to fear these things. Very slowly, yes, but surely. Not that they'll ever be the same as they were before Will first vanished all those years ago, which by the way was the absolute worst time of Mike's life ever because he can't begin to fathom having to breathe air that Will isn't also breathing, preferably in the same room, for that long (or ever) again.

Mike's parents are evidently still in recovery at the hospital from their encounters with a demogorgon, but they still welcomed the Byers-Hopper family into their home once again, even though they themselves won't be leaving the hospital for a while still. Safe to say, neither Mike nor Nancy had any problem with this arrangement - Nancy with her and Johnathans unofficial and pretty much unspoken relationship, and Mike…

Well, Mike with his overwhelming adoration for Will, which seemed to seep from his every pore and glow around him in a warm, blinding yellow similar to that of morning sunlight. A glow that all his friends and (present) family were painfully aware of, other than the target audience himself - Will.

It wasn't that Mike was going around just ranting on and on about his love for Will - not verbally anyway. But it was clear in his mannerisms, the way he looked at Will like he had hung the sun, moon, and stars, no matter what mundane task he was doing. It was in the way his voice softened and was oh-so gentle whenever speaking to Will in the same way it always had, which everyone around him had teased him for numerous times before catching on to the fact that there was no fun in it if Mike wasn't even going to deny it or get all embarrassed and defensive like he probably would've a year ago. It was in the way he sided with Will on everything, rather it was a silly debate between their friends or when they previously had to make serious decisions regarding the Upside Down. It was in the way his friends (plus Nancy) had all questioned Mike one-on-one on his relationship with Will at some point, and whenever he jokingly got asked if they were dating, he would reply “I wish” with what appeared as full seriousness.

Not many of them questioned much further.

—

Mike muttered seamless curses under his breath as he scrubbed at a pot used for dinner earlier, the food at the bottom stubbornly sticking to the metal.

“Come on you- oh, what the fuck!” Mike whipped his head around and jumped at the hand on his shoulder, having not noticed anybody approached him amidst his determination to wash the pot. Said pot clattered in the sink in his surprise, though was quickly forgotten when Mike realized his ‘attacker’ was just Will, who had been previously dragged to the store with Johnathan after dinner.

“Ah- sorry!” Will apologized sheepishly. Mike instantly smiled at the boy, gaze softening and hand absentmindedly reaching to turn off the sink water as his full attention was diverted to his best friend.

“No no, you're fine. I didn't hear you coming.” Mike chuckled, drying his hands on his pants.

Will let out a breath of laughter, “I could tell… anyway, I was just..” he pointed at the dishes in the sink, which wasn't many since Mike had already done the majority of them, “You know it's my turn to do those, right?” he finished.

Mike blinked before smiling again, “Oh, yeah yeah I know. I was just feeling generous.” He smiled almost cheekily at Will, who subtly quirked a brow but nodded slightly, his trust in Mike never faltering even when he, admittedly, was obviously lying.

…It had been ‘suggested’ to Mike by Hopper that he clean the kitchen before he left for wherever. Hop always seemed to have it out for him but in a weirdly loving way.

Mike didn't quite understand it himself.

“Everyone's still not back yet?” Will's voice brought back Mike's attention, to which Mike's brows furrowed slightly in thought.

“No, I guess not-”

As if the universe had heard them talking, the front door opened and the sound of loud chatter instantly entered the Wheeler home, paired with the sound of keys. Joyce, Hopper, El, and Holly all came in. Where they had gone, Mike hadn't cared to remember. All he knew is Nancy was upstairs and Johnathan had probably joined her as soon as he and Will got home.

“Will? Mike, are Johnathan and Will- oh, hi sweetheart.” Mike watched as Will was, unfortunately, dragged far away (pulled a few inches) from him as Joyce gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, ruffling his hair as she set her keys in the dish on the kitchen island.

Even though it's been months since they defeated Vecna, Will's family, especially Joyce, is still always super paranoid about Will's where-abouts, something Mike knows Will isn't a fan of. It's clear in the way he gives a faint smile and a quiet “hi” back, his gaze dropping to the floor as Hopper also ruffles his hair on his way to the fridge, and he can hear El pointing out that Johnathan's car is in fact home before poking her head in the kitchen and seeing that Joyce had already found her son, smiling and greeting him and Mike before turning her attention back to Holly in the doorway.

Mike bites his lip before hurriedly turning back to the dishes in the sink, not really caring so much about the stubborn pot not being entirely crust-free before sticking everything in the dishwasher and starting it, washing his hands and, once again, drying them on his pants before grabbing Will's hand and pulling slightly.

“Hey, let's go upstairs,” he suggests softly, to which Will, who had been tense and standing between his family as they chatted loudly around him in the kitchen, gave him a small smile and nodded, not bothering to bid anybody goodnight as Mike guided him up the stairs and to his room.

Will sighed, gently closing the door behind them.

“You okay?” Mike frowned softly at the look on Will's face. His best friend quickly nodded, hand rubbing at the side of his neck as he sighed.

“Yeah, just…” he trailed off, lazily gesturing towards the door. It was a very vague gesture, but Mike had spent plenty of years learning and understanding Will.

He let out a quiet laugh, “Yeah, I know. I'm not used to it either… there being so many of us.” he sympathized. Will smiled, moving to Mike's dresser that was really Will's dresser, considering how he had insisted on moving all of his own clothes to his closet and letting Will have his dresser when he had moved in.

“I mean I'm grateful, of course… that we can stay here and that everybody's okay. It's nice to always be surrounded by the people we love. But it's… a lot.” Will quietly admits, glancing back at Mike with a faint smile as he pulls out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt (that's definitely Mikes, he notices, wondering when Will had stolen it- or probably when Mike had lent it to him).

He nods understandingly. He knew Will didn't like being babied- not in the way that his family smothered him even after he had done more than enough to prove he could handle himself during their battle against Vecna. And he was also aware it was chaotic at times, and while Will hated being alone, he wasn't too fond of a bunch of loud noise either. Mike knew that Will's early childhood where his dad was still around was the cause of this. Thank God that Lonnie's name has had no reason to come up in a while, but Mike knew that didn't mean he was entirely forgotten. Not even in the sense of Will thinking about him, but in the long term effects of his treatment of Will.

Mike gave an understanding smile, nodding gently, “No, I get it. I'm used to my house being a lot more tame so it definitely feels a little overwhelming like this.”

He can't imagine how it'll be when his parents are released from the hospital; his dad is going to hate the constant liveliness.

While closing the drawers and draping the articles of clothing on his arm for the meantime, Will seems to read Mike's mind, which isn't an uncommon occurrence, “Your dad's going to have a blast when he comes home.” he says, not even needing the touch of sarcasm in his tone for Mike to know he's being unserious, because Mike doesn't believe there's a universe where that statement would ever be true.

He snorts, shaking his head as he makes his way to his bed, “No kidding.” he says as he picks up the graphic tee and Star Wars pajama pants he wore to bed last night.

Mike is a firm believer that, if all he's doing is sleeping in them, then he can wear the same pajamas for at least a few nights before wearing new ones.

Will never calls him out on this because he's the sweetest most nonjudgmental person in the entire universe.

The two fall into their familiar routine of turning their backs to each other and slipping into their night clothes, their dirty clothes soon being tossed into and mingling together in his hamper in a way that sends a warm feeling through Mike's body despite the simplicity of it.

Maybe that's what makes Mike feel all sentimental- the way it's so natural and small and stupid, but totally in a married couple type of way. Or just a boyfriends type of way. But unfortunately for Mike, it's merely in a best-friends-that-are-temporarily-roomates kind of way, though he likes to think that too is only temporary, and one day the former options will replace the current latter.

As they both settle onto Mike's bed, the soft glow of his lamp representing how his chest feels, Mike watches as Will's head gently falls onto his pillow, his hair laying over it in a way that makes Mike seriously wonder why the boy isn't being desperately sought out by commercial directors or magazine editors. His eyes flicker over his features as Will's gaze stays stuck on the ceiling sort of absentmindedly in a way Mike recognizes as him simply thinking.

He uses this time to trace the slope of his nose, observe the way his eyelashes, dark and long, brush against his cheeks with each blink. He feels a small smile curl onto his lips as he looks at the way his jawline has sharpened over the years, and spends a moment looking at the familiar beauty mark above the boy's lips. God, it drove him crazy for no reason- it always has. Mike wanted nothing more than to press his lips to it in a gentle kiss before slowly moving down and focusing on Will's mouth instead, his hands coming up to gently cupping his face as he-

He cuts off his fantasies as he notices the slight furrow of Will's brow, the way his jaw tightens slightly in a way Mike had long recognized as his simple thinking turning into something a bit more complex.

“Hey, you okay?” He hears his own voice come out soft and sickeningly sweet, shifting to angle his body more towards Will as he props his elbow on his pillow and leans his head against his hand.

Will blinks, snapping out of his thoughts as he turns his head to look at Mike, lips parting slightly in mild surprise.

“Hm? Oh. Yeah, I'm okay.” He replies quietly, and too vague for Mike's liking. Which is dramatic of him considering Will's response was very straightforward and a very normal response used universally by millions of people to reply to the same question Mike had just asked.

“You sure?” He urges gently. Will lets out a soft exhale through his nose, the minimal distance between the two allowing Mike to feel the gentle puff of air against his propped arm.

“Mhm. Just thinking.”

“Enlighten me.”

A huff of laughter escapes Will, much to Mike's pleasure.

“Well… it's stupid.” Will mumbles, looking back up at the ceiling. Mike lets out an amused hum, quirking a brow as he shifts just slightly closer to the love of his life who isn't aware that he's the love of Mike's life.

“Come on,” Mike whines and pokes Will's cheek twice, successfully turning the boy's gaze back onto him with a faux annoyed look on his face at the action before he quickly softens again.

Will sighs, gaze shifting between both of Mike's eyes. He's quiet for a moment before letting out another soft breath.

“Johnathan was talking to me. On the way to the store.” He starts quietly, biting his lip for a moment as he pauses. Mike tilts his head curiously, though doesn't interrupt.

“He… it's dumb, but he mentioned some things that I hadn't ever put any thought into until then.” He continues, the suspense starting to kill Mike at this point.

“Which was..?” He murmurs curiously.

Will simply looks at Mike for a moment before briefly glancing away, his hands that were previously resting loosely over his abdomen moving to fiddle with the hem of his (Mike's) shirt.

“He said something about you… treating me differently?” Mike's breath instantly catches in his throat. He had never been ashamed of his affection towards Will, but actually having the boy get (what he thinks is) close to talking about it catches him off guard a little.

“Like, he said you seemed more careful with me, which I pointed out was sort of hypocritical considering everybody seems to be that way with me…” Will huffs, “but he said it wasn't the same. That you'd always been that way. Which explains why I would've never noticed it if that were the case… but I don't know.” He mumbles, meeting Mike's gaze again.

“I guess what I'm trying to get at is… are you? More… careful with me, I guess?” He finishes, voice so soft that Mike briefly compares it to an April breeze before pondering over Will's question.

Mike knew the answer, obviously. Their friends and even his sister had pointed it out several times to him himself. But at the end of the day, Mike had never really been in control of it. It always just came naturally to him.

Mike bites his lower lip before giving a sluggish shrug, his hand that wasn't supporting his head picking mindlessly at his comforter under him.

“I mean- sure. Yeah, I guess I am, but I've never really put any thought into it. I've been like… interrogated about it before by like, Nancy,” he starts, not going into the details of their own close friends also having done the same thing countless times, “but it's never been intentional. I mean- not that I don't intentionally care about you, cause obviously I do, I just mean that I don't think you're fragile or in desperate need of being taken gentle care of or anything, I just like, care to the natural degree that I always have without really thinking about it and-”

“Mike.”

“...Yes?”

Mike's well aware of the absurd amount of times he had just said “like”, and the absurd amount of nonsense rambling he just did, and he's well aware of the fact that Will is well aware of the same things which is likely why he interrupted him, thank God.

“It's okay, I understand. You're okay.” Will says softly, and Mike almost wants to question the subtle rosy color of the boy's cheeks but decides against it, instead letting himself internally swoon of the gentle tone of Will's voice.

That understanding, sweet tone.

He swallows, “...Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Cool.”

“Cool.”

It's comfortably quiet for a moment before Will speaks again, “For the record, I'm not really like… complaining.”

Mike blinks, lifting his head a little off his hand to straighten up a little as he looks down at where Will is laying flat on his back, head turned to the side and eyes looking up at Mike. Now Mike's positive he wasn't mentally exaggerating the color in Will's face.

“What?” He says dumbly. Impressive.

“Uhm… you being like, careful or however Johnathan wants to put it with me. I mean, it's what I've known for forever but… I don't know, I guess I like having that all to myself now that I'm aware of it.” He elaborates, voice slowly turning into more of a mumble the more he talks, his gaze unable to stay on Mike's for more than a few seconds at a time, Mike notices.

Mike just looks at the boy for a moment, that subtle buzz of warmth that always courses through him when he's with Will becoming more and more prominent as he processes the almost shy words. He can't stop the stupid grin that slowly creeps onto his features, never being one to care about how smitten with Will he looks.

“That's…”

“Dumb, I know.” Will cuts him off, burying his face in his hands so his words come out muffled.

“Sorry, I shouldn't have brought any of this up...”

Mike furrows his brows and shifts towards Will, knee bumping against Will's leg as his hands gently grab hold of his wrists.

“Hey hey, no it's okay. You're okay, don't apologize.” Mike assures gently, carefully tugging Will's hands away from his face and instead holding them between his own. Will looks embarrassed as he looks up at him before averting his eyes to the bed.

“I was saying that that's sweet.” Mike smiles gently as Will glances back up at him, biting his lower lip.

“Sweet..?”

Mike sheepishly smiles, “Yeah. Sweet, endearing, dangerous to my heart. Whatever.” Mike spews without thinking about it, but then again, when has he ever bothered hiding the affect Will has on him? Yes, the circumstance is different with it being more intimate and all, but still.

This seems to catch Will off guard, thankfully easing the concerningly unrhythmatic pattern of his breathing if only temporarily, “...Dangerous to your heart?” He parrots softly to which Mike lets out a breath of laughter.

“Yup,” he says, popping the ‘p’.

They simply look at each other for a moment before Will tries to cover his face again to no avail, Mike's grip tightening slightly on his hands as he leans forward slightly.

“Calm down, it's okay. Calm down.” Mike coos gently. He can already imagine the fake silent gagging Max, Lucas and Dustin would be doing if they were a witness to this scene, followed by endless teasing later on when Will isn't present, but he doesn't find himself bothering to think about it at the moment.

Will closes his eyes, letting out a shaky breath as Mike observes the noticeable redness of his complexion. He wasn't quite sure what had Will so anxious- sure the topic was a little embarrassing, but there had to be something else that was leaving Will a nervous wreck.

“Hey…talk to me. What's up?” He murmurs carefully, not really noticing when his thumbs start rubbing Will’s hands in a soothing up-and-down motion.

Will shakes his head, his shoulders tensing up as he turns his head a little away from Mike's direction, eyes still closed, “Nothin’..” he mumbles, which was the most obvious lie of the century.

“Bull.” Mike huffs. “Was it something I said? Come on, Will..” he urges gently. Will just bites his lower lip, not meeting Mike's eyes right away when he opens his own again.

“No, I just…” Will starts after a second before sighing, letting his shoulders relax a little. “You confuse me, Mike.” He gets out after a minute, an almost disappointed look flickering across his face. This confuses Mike, who tilts his head a little.

“What do you mean..?” He questions naturally, wanting to know what was so confusing about him and why it brought Will to the verge of a panic attack, which maybe was an exaggeration but still.

Will finally meets his eyes again, a little crease between his eyebrows that Mike really wants to smooth away.

“You've just always been so…gentle with me. Which isn't a big deal or anything, but lately you've been saying stuff that I don't think most people say so casually, and you always find some kind of way to make me think a little too long on the things you do and how you mean them and… it's confusing, Mike. It all just seems so natural to you and it makes me wonder if I'm being crazy or if you're just weirdly normal about us spooning and stuff.” He rants a bit, and the familiar mannerisms of him nervously shifting where he lay and his head lolling a bit in Mike's direction against his pillow as his eyes continue to avoid his don't go unseen by Mike.

Mike was quiet for a moment, taking in Will's words. Part of him was a little scared of the fact that Will didn't seem too oblivious to his feelings after all, although he hadn't yet seemed to trace all the things he noticed back to Mike potentially liking him either. He could also tell Will seemed a little scared. Scared of having accidentally looked too much into Mike's intentions and embarrassing himself, maybe. Mike didn't ever want Will to feel scared with him.

“Will,” Mike sighs softly, tilting his head softly as he looks down at his best friend. Best friend. Those words always left him a bittersweet feeling.

God, Will was beautiful. His features seemed even more delicate here, bathed in half-light in the dim hush of Mike’s bedroom. He looks softer somehow, as if the low light has gentled all his edges, and the shadows trace the familiar lines of his face—the curve of his cheek, the smallness of his chin, the way his hair falls forward, catching the faint glow from the lamp. He tilts his head just slightly to look up at Mike with eyes that have seen far too much fear, yet still seem to choose wonder.

“You know.. I get picked on all the time.” Mike says finally, a small smile curving his lips. Will's brows furrow slightly and he turns his body a bit towards Mike.

“By who..?”

Mike chuckles softly as he notes the instant worry and subtle protectiveness in Will's expression, “Our friends. Lucas, Dustin, Max… El sometimes, too.” He pauses, watching the confusion only further etch itself on Will's expression. Though he takes the other boy not saying anything as a sign for him to continue.

“They kind of mention everything you just did, just all the time while being super annoying about it…” he lets out a breathy laugh, the nervousness in his chest slowly building up the more he avoids his point. “Although I don't make much of an effort in hiding it, so I guess that's sort of my fault.”

He watches as Will's eyebrows furrow a bit more, and his lips purse subtly in the way it always did when he was confused, “Hiding what?” he questions, voice barely above a whisper.

Mike's expression softens, and the weak smile on his lips grows a little bit as he simply looks at the boy. He doesn't even bother blinking back the wetness that he feels slowly forming in his eyes. His heart is racing, and his hands tighten slightly around Will's.

Will's eyes widen a bit as he slowly sits up upon Mike's eyes growing teary, “Mike..?”

That's all it takes, pathetically enough, before Mike gives a weak laugh, shoulders shaking as his head drops forward and rests against Will's shoulder. He can feel the warm wetness of his tears slipping down his cheeks as he closes his eyes, but he doesn't care. It hasn't felt like he's cared in a long time, about how obvious he's being or about whether or not Will sees him in such a vulnerable state. Mike doesn't miss it when Will frees one of his hands from Mike's grasp, it coming up and gently resting on his shoulder. His hand still with Mike's intertwines their fingers, letting their hands rest in his lap.

“Mike.” Will tries again, even softer this time. Mike feels his breath catch in his throat, hitching awkwardly as it stifles the quiet sobs shaking his frame,

Mike lets out a shaky breath “I… fuck it,” he chuckles, slowly lifting his head to meet Will's eyes, momentarily losing his train of thought at the mere eye contact, “Right. Okay. So this is going to sound, I dunno… really selfish, and maybe really stupid. Because, you know, our lives are finally normal now and… I don’t want to ruin that. I really don’t.” He pauses, swallowing hard as he looks down at their hands. He doesn't know if he'll be met with confusion or realization when he looks back up at Will, but part of him isn't ready to find out.

“Fuck, I love you. I love you, Will. As more than my best friend. Like…” he trails off for a moment before shaking his head, “I don’t even know when it started. I think I just… woke up one day and it was there. And I’ve been trying not to make it a big deal, or… or mess things up, but I can't even try to hide it.”

When did his voice start to tremble?

He hears Will swallow hard in front of him, “Mike…” he whispers again, unsurely. It's killing Mike how he can't tell what Will's thinking.

Mike takes a shaky breath, looking back up at Will with a teary smile. “I know it’s selfish to say this now. I know, and if you don’t feel the same way I— I get it. You just…deserve to know, y'know?” he pauses as he licks his lips before smiling again, "Friends don't lie, and I guess I technically haven't been lying to you, but it feels like I have. I can't keep anything from you.” A croaked laugh escapes him involuntarily and he nervously fidgets with Will's fingers. It's quiet for a moment, and Mike swears the both of them can hear his heart beating against his ribcage.

He watches the small changes in Will's demeanor, nervousness creeping into every nook of his body. Will's eyes widen slightly, his lips parting a little bit as a shaky breath escapes them. His gentle grip on Mike's shoulder falters, and his fingers twitch around his own.

“Shit, I didn't plan on saying this today, I'm sorry, Will. I–”

“No… no no no, Mike don't apologize. Please don't be sorry." Will interrupts gently, and his tone is laced with… is that relief?

Mike glances back up at Will and his glossy eyes widen as he takes in his expression. He's biting his lower lip and his cheeks and ears are more red in color. His eyes are carefully looking over Mike, but when they make eye contact again, he seems to get a little nervous.

Great. Now you've done it, Mike. He's embarrassed and disgusted, but he's going to let you down easy because that's the kind-hearted, sweet person he is.

That's what Mike thinks, at least, until Will sniffles and his hand that sort of slipped down to Mike's upper arm clutches the fabric of his shirt there. Will is gently shaking his head, his eyes teary and filled with a look Mike recalls seeing a few times before, but never being able to decipher.

“You're not… you're being serious, right?” Will asks for assurance hesitantly, which is so in character for the boy that Mike couldn't help but smile as he nodded.

“So serious, Will.”

Mike watched as Will just laughed, the tears pricking his eyes slipping down his cheeks and wetting his eyelashes. Before he could even realize what was happening, Will's hands had released him, only to find their way to Mike's face. His pinky and ring fingers on both hands slip behind his ears, and his middle and index rest on his cheeks as his thumbs gently brush Mike's own tears before he's leaning in. Mike looks at him dumbly, but before he can even say anything, Will has his lips pressed against his.

Mike swears his heart stops. No– he swears time itself stops when Will kisses him. It's gentle and cautious, like he's scared Mike might push him off. But Mike doesn't. His hands are drawn to Will's waist like magnets, tugging him closer as he kisses him back. His own fingers curl into Will's (Mike's) shirt, and an involuntary hum leaves his throat as Will tilts his head up just a little more for him.

He doesn't want to pull away– Mike would rather die right now with Will's lips on his than pull away and catch his breath. But, alas, his life seems to have finally started, so he complies when Will's hands gently slip off his face and he pulls back.

They both lock eyes, but only after examining the aftermath of their kiss on each other. Will's lips are kiss-swollen and glossy, and Mike's sure his look the same.

He smiles.

Will smiles.

And then he laughs. It's a sound so contagious, so familiar, and so like home that Mike can't help it when he laughs as well. His hands rest low and loose at Will's hips, but the boy doesn't seem to mind. They giggle as they look at each other, one of Will's hands finding its way to the front of Mike's shirt at some point. They gently bump foreheads, looking at each other as their noses brush and their breaths collide.

“I'm sorry, I should've asked-”

“Shut up.” Mike groans playfully at Will's apology, leaning forward to press his lips back against his best friends. Will instantly hums, eyes closing as his hand clutches the fabric of Mike's shirt. Mike's hands on Will's hips find their grip again, sliding up and tugging at his waist with a neediness that wasn't as prominent before. Will almost topples onto the other boy from the force, breaking their kiss temporarily. They look at each other for a moment, Will's hand pressed flat against Mike's chest while the other supports himself on the bed. Mike was still sitting up, but barely since both of his hands were on Will and his elbows were supporting his weight. He licks his lips before pulling Will down fully, the shorter boy letting out a small noise of surprise before smiling at Mike, who would've thought it was ninety degrees in his bedroom based on the color of Will's cheeks if he wasn't in there himself.

It's not long before their lips meet again, and their actions are a bit more feverish. Mike's hands slipped under Will's shirt to carefully, yet almost possessively, steady the boy on top of him, who had his hands in Mike's curly hair as he occasionally pulled back to catch his breath, peppering gentle kisses all over Mike's face before making his way back to his lips.

This carried on for a few moments, with only a few simple whispers of their names being said before Mike found Will's hips and pressed them down against his own. Will startled, pulling back as he looked at Mike with an embarrassed expression but was only met with Mike's own cheeky one.

“Sorry,” Mike apologized in a hushed tone, a hint of sincerity laced in his tone even though he knew fully well he wasn't too sorry. He watched Will give a small huff, but not be able to refrain from smiling.

“I haven't even got to talk yet, silly.” Will said, rolling his eyes with a smile. They had both gotten a little too caught up in each other to say much of anything. While Will kissing Mike said pretty much everything he needed to know, it's true Mike hadn't gotten a proper response from him.

“Mm… alright. Talk.” Mike says in an almost-whisper, eyes flickering down to where his hands rested on Will's hips as his best friend now sat on his lap, his thumbs dipping under his shirt and brushing against his skin gently as his eyes met back with Will's..

Will bit his lower lip, looking down at Mike for a minute before sighing softly.

“Well now I don't know what to say,” he admits with a huff, to which Mike lets out a breath of laughter. Will lets out a soft laugh of his own, shaking his head a little in embarrassment. “I mean… give me a second,” he adds in a murmur, cheeks still pink as he shifts his weight slightly, careful not to knock their limbs together. He lets out a slightly shaky breath, meeting Mike's gaze again shortly only to find him looking at him like he was something to worship. He instantly flushed under the intense look, wondering when Mike started to look so hungry.

Will swallows thickly, trying to regain his train of thought as he takes a moment to study Mike’s face like he’s memorizing it all over again– like he hasn't had every detail of Mike's face engraved in his mind since they were twelve.

“I think,” Will starts slowly after a moment, choosing his words carefully, “I’ve been kinda… confused for a long time. About uhm, your intentions behind everything you did. Rather there were any intentions or if I was looking too far into it…” He trailed off for a moment, thumb absently rubbing the fabric of Mike’s shirt over his chest as he wears at his bottom lip. “I've always had a love for you, Mike. Always. I don't even know when it turned into what it did, but it's always been there in some form.”

Mike’s expression softens immediately. His hands loosen a little on Will’s hips, but don't pull away. His thumbs don't lessen their movement, though, continuing to draw circles into Will's skin. His lips feel dry the longer they aren't against Will's, and he's not sure if he'll ever not crave the feeling of them against his lips now that he's had a taste. But he pushes that thought aside, feeling guilty for being turned on right now. He focuses on the boy's words rather than the way his lips moved while he talked and how he kept nervously shifting on Mike's lap, which really wasn't helping his efforts in keeping his body's reactions in check.

“I thought you were straight.” Will whispers, averting eyes. Mike's own widen, his lips parting slightly in surprise as he tried sitting up a bit straighter.

“Will.” he murmurs softly, a slight furrow in his brows as he takes in the swirl of emotions that fills Will's eyes.

“But then you told me you and El hadn't been dating for a long time and we started going back to the way we were before… and part of me couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was a chance you felt the same way I had.” Will continues, smiling softly as he looks back at Mike.

“I thought about saying something– I really did. I had this whole speech planned out in my head and everything. But now that this is actually happening… I've sort of gone blank.” he laughs, and Mike's smile slowly finds its way back to his face.

“You don't have to have a big speech, Will. Just knowing you feel the same…fuck, this is all I've ever wanted.” Mike murmurs earnestly, looking up at Will. Perfect, precious Will. The same Will who just reciprocated his love, and just so happened to be straddling Mike while he did so.

Mike was a lucky, lucky man.

Will's smile widens and he laughs quietly, his hands slipping up to cup both sides of Mike's jaw. “Yeah?” he whispers. Goosebumps form on Mike's skin, and if he weren't self-aware, he'd be wondering why such a simple touch from Will drove him crazy. But Mike knew they'd always teetered on the line of what was normal for best friends and what was considered something far less platonic–completely hopping over that line on occasion—but with the newfound information that Will loved him romantically the same way he did (he'll never get used to this, he thinks), it's inevitable Will's touch has a different impact on him then before.

It doesn't help that Will seems more confident in touching Mike now, less cautious than he used to be. Mike would be stupid to not take advantage of it.

He nods into Will's hands, biting his lip gently as he looks up at the boy.

“Mhm,” he hums, his hands dipping completely under Will's shirt and splaying across his lower back, tugging the boy a bit closer. Will's breath hitches, that rosy color creeping its way back up his neck. Satisfaction buzzes in Mike's chest at this.

“You're so pretty, Will. So, so pretty.” Mike murmurs, looking up at him before gently pushing his nose into one of Will's palms, closing his eyes as he presses a small kiss there.

He opens his eyes again, only to be met with a red-faced Will. Mike wasn't sure if it was his words or actions that turned his best friend into a flustered mess, but he took pride in it either way.

“I…uhm-” Will stammered, and Mike let out a soft breath of laughter, wrapping his arms around Will's waist and pulling him against him. He buried his face into Will's torso, feeling the boy instinctively relax against him. Will's head ducked against the crown of Mike's head, gently breathing in the scent of his shampoo. They sat contently like that for a moment, holding each other close before Will spoke up again.

“So…what now?” he asked in an almost-whisper. Mike lazily hummed, not bothering to open his eyes.

“Whatever you want.”

“Mike, come on.” Will laughs, pulling back slightly to which Mike whines dramatically and very in character.

“I'm serious, whatever you want Will-”

“You can't just confess your love and then put the fate of our relationship into my hands.”

“I can so do that because it's whatever you-”

“If you say it's whatever I want one more time I'm going to punch you.”

Mike laughs, pulling back slightly to look at Will, “Oh no, please don't hit me. That would be so very unattractive and I wouldn't enjoy it in the slightest.” The stupidest grin adorns Mike's face as he doesn't even attempt to sound convincing. Will laughs loudly, playfully pushing at Mike's chest.

“So you're a masochist now?”

“Whose to say I haven't always been?”

“Who are you and what have you done with Mike?”

Said curly haired boy can only grin up at Will with a mischievous glint in his eye before he manages to roll them over, Will letting out a squeak of surprise. He protests very unconvincingly through a fit of giggles as Mike holds him down, peppering kisses all over his face.

Once again, Mike had little shame in his adoration for Will Byers. Now that the boy himself knew, there was no point Mike should try and be subtle about it, he decided.

“Well I think it's obvious what our only option is.” Mike says in a matter of fact tone between kisses that has Will rolling his eyes despite himself.

“And what would that be?” He might as well indulge him.

“We run away, of course. Off to a far away land where there are no Beholders or Rust Monsters-”

“Shut up-”

“But my beloved cleric-” he's quickly silenced when a soft pair of lips meet his own chapped ones once again, and he doesn't fight it. He instantly melts into it, hands coming up to tangle themselves in Will's hair as Wills do the same to his.

They stay like that for a bit, body's moving gently against one another and teeth occasionally clashing as they deepen the kiss. Mike's hand eventually finds its way to Will's hip, holding it steady as he rolls his own down against him. Will gasps into his mouth, pulling back to look at Mike, whose eyes had widened apologetically.

“Shit, sorry. I'm sorry, too soon-”

“No it's… ‘just caught me off guard. It's fine.” Will assures softly, taking a moment to catch his breath. Mike visibly relaxes, though tilts his head a little, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure.”

Mike smiles, nodding gently before leaning back towards Will.

And of course Mike can never have nice things for too long, so the door opens and both of them snap their heads in its direction, only to find Nancy standing in the doorway.

Her mouth is agape, hand still on the doorknob.

It must be a sight– her little brother pining his best friend down onto his bed, both of them out of breath and in a position that's very obviously not accidental.

It's dead silent for a second before the two quickly move back from each other and Nancy clears her throat, “Uhm, I didn't know you two were..”

“We're not!”
“Surprise..?”

The two look at each other, confusion and embarrassment etched on their features.

“We are..?” Will asks slowly to which Mike shrugs, face beet red.

“I don't know! You'd think since we just-”

“But we haven't even talked about it yet!”

“Yeah but-”

Nancy clears her throat once again, “I'll just… come back later.” She says slowly before closing the door, leaving the two to bask in their embarrassment and figure themselves out.

The two look at each other for a moment before Will groans, covering his face with his hands.

“That was so embarrassing I'm going to go jump out of your window now.”

“I'm right behind you.”