Chapter Text
The party had finally set off on their mission to kill Vecna, once and for all, to end the hive mind, the mind flayer, and to end the upside down the day that it made itself known…November 6th.
It felt sort of full circle that, hopefully, this would all be put to rest on the 5th anniversary of it all starting. Will was always sort of antsy this time of year, because of his trauma. Ever since Halloween of 1984, when it resurfaced annually like this for the first time.
Will hadn’t really had time to sit with his feelings, after all, it had only been a few hours since he told everyone his biggest secret. The one that had been eating away at his psyche for years. And admitting he didn’t like girls wasn’t the hardest part. Of course it was difficult, but he had come to terms with it, after the speech that Robin had given him a week ago. The hardest part was wanting what he couldn’t have. Having to say, out loud, that he was “over” Mike Wheeler. Because he wasn't. Deep down, he wasn’t. And, maybe, he thought he was. Maybe he thought that saying the words out loud would make them go away. That making the comparison to Tammy was enough to shove those feelings so far down they would no longer sit on the back of his tongue, waiting to be let out. Clawing at his throat, choking him every time he thought about the fact that Mike was never his to begin with. Stabbing him in the heart and leaving a pit in his stomach that filled with butterflies every time he saw Mike smile. Every time their snowball got a little bit bigger, one step closer to the avalanche Will had been dreaming about for years. The day he could let his walls down, and tell Mike how he really felt.
Everyone began climbing the radio tower in pairs, slowly making their way to the top. Mike and Will went first, (which gave them some time) then Lucas and Dustin, Robin and Steve, Jonathan and Nancy, and then Joyce. When they got to the platform, halfway to the top, they stopped to breathe. Mike offered Will his water, and he took a sip. But before they could continue, Mike stopped him.
“Hey, Will?”
“Yeah?” Will replied, wiping the water from his mouth with his sleeve.
“Look, I know this is like really, really bad timing, but, what you said today, at The Squawk…”
Will’s eyes widened, and he looked away. His breath hitched as he looked back up at Mike, who was already looking at him. He thought:
He knows. Shit. He knows. He knows I was talking about him.
M-Maybe it’s not about that…Oh, who am I kidding?
Will figured Mike would never know who he was talking about, considering how dense he was. He was so dense he never even picked up on a single hint that Will had given him out of the hundreds–-no…thousands of them. He fully expected Mike to tell Will he never wanted to be friends again, that it grossed him out, to tell him he never felt that way about him. But, Will knew that. He knew it would never work, but I guess he had a little hope. A small, small, small, sliver of hope. Hope that he wasn’t making it up, that Mike had picked up on his hints. That they could end up together, regardless of what people would think. But that would never happen. Not the way Will sees it.
Will’s head was reeling. He thought he might pass out. His pulse was speeding up faster and faster and faster an-
“Will?”
Mike said, concerningly. He placed his hand on Will’s shoulder, shaking him softly, as if trying to wake him up from something. Will was so lost in thought, he forgot who he was talking to.
“Will? Are you okay?”
“Huh-? O-Oh, sorry. What were you trying to say?” Said will, snapping back into reality.
“Oh, uhm, nothing, I just-I-I don’t really know how to explain it.”
“It’s okay, take your time.”
Will replied, knowing that they didn’t exactly have much time, considering they were trying to save the world…but still, he wanted to comfort Mike.
“It’s just that- When you were- When you said-”
Mike kept tripping over his words, nervous.
“W-When you gave that speech, you um, you brought up this crush…and I-”
Will’s heart sank.
Oh God, it’s happening. He thought.
Right here, right now. Gosh Mike, you were right, this timing is really bad.
But truly, was there ever a good time to say such a thing?
—-------------------------
Mike's POV
Mike had never been good with emotions. Even with being the heart of the group, he was better at giving others strength. Pouring his heart out to people made him feel…weak. Made him feel vulnerable. And the only person he had ever truly done that with was Will. Even with El, he never shared his true feelings. He just kept pushing them down, down, down. He could never tell her the real reason he never said he loved her. And he did, he really did, just…not in the way he loves Will. Mike knew he needed to just spit it out. He already knew how Will felt, and considering all that was going on, and the fact that they might die, he might as well just do it. Right? And so he tried, until he mustered up enough courage to say something.
“It’s just that…” Mike held a long pause. “The painting?”
Will's eyes widened again.
“I asked El about it, before we broke up. She had no clue what I was talking about. And in her letter, she said that y-you were painting it for someone, someone you liked. A girl. And I was furious. Jealous. That’s why I acted like that at the airport. I felt so guilty for being mad about that, and I didn’t know how to act towards you and…and when you said what you said, in your speech, it all made sense. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…” Mike continued. He cut himself off, abruptly, as if wanting to say something else.
“Mike, what are you saying?” Will added, tears forming in his eyes.
“That…I knew you were talking about me during your speech. And it all clicked, and I just…I don’t want to be your Tammy, Will. I want to be your Mike.”
Silence. Mike's words lingered thick in the air, and Mike searched Will's eyes frantically for any sort of response.
"Y'know, it would be great if you could say someth-"
"So you don't hate me? You don't think I'm disgusting and you never want to talk to me again?" Will cut him off.
"What? No. I could never hate you." Mike replied, in that soft voice he only uses for Will.
"Seriously? So...does this mean we can still be friends?"
"Friends? No thanks."
Mike gulped before finishing the sentence.
“Not…friends.”
And then, Mike’s pinky brushed against Will’s where they were hanging onto the rail, ever so slightly, and Will looked down as he felt the touch, and a grin appeared on his face. And when Will looked back up, Mike was smiling too.
They had no idea what this meant for them, but right now, they had bigger things to worry about.