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Mike sipped his hot chocolate as he gazed out the blurry window of his old home. The party was back at the Wheeler house. The sounds of reunions and laughter surrounded him, but he dissociated, waiting for a certain friend to return.
“It’s hard to believe we only have one semester left of college,” Dustin said. “I’ll miss Princeton, but I can’t wait to do some actual, real world stuff. I’ll get out in the field.”
“Stop bragging, nerd,” Lucas teased. Max rolled her eyes playfully, hiding a bashful smile.
“You dork.”
“You love me.”
“Geez, get a room!” Dustin laughed.
Mike smiled. It was good to be back with them. His friends would be bonded like this for life.
It was then he saw the car- a worn-out Ford LTD- he immediately got up, pushing his glasses up his nose. Dustin, Lucas, and Max looked at each other- then at Mike- and grinned, like they knew an inside joke.
Mike anxiously stood by the door, counting down the seconds.
Knock, knock.
His best friend going on 16 years perched there on his porch like it was natural. Like he had been coming here since they were in kindergarten, when they first met.
It was the best thing I’d ever done.
For years, Mike was confused about his feelings for Will. They were best friends, but not in the way they were best friends with Lucas or Dustin. Their relationship was always stronger, more special. He had always assumed it was because they were premium best friends , or something stupid like that. So much happened in their adolescence at Hawkins that it made Mike even more bewildered about the whole situation. That’s why, at some moments, it felt weird to touch Will.
But now it didn’t matter. He missed him.
“Will,” Mike breathed. He beamed and embraced him.
Yes. You said yes.
The hug was an apology in its own way- for times Mike wasn’t there for him. Will sniffled into Mike's shoulder as he squeezed him back.
They broke apart, but Mike still grasped Will’s biceps. They stood there- staring and smiling giddily like two excited, lovestruck teenagers.
“Hi,” Mike said brightly.
“Hi,” Will chuckled.
“Sorry.” Mike dropped his arms from where they held Will’s as if he was still ashamed of physical contact. He made it awkward while simultaneously trying to make it not awkward.
“It’s okay!” Will smiled again. “Mike, I-”
“Byers!!” Lucas screeched. Dustin cackled and Max whooped as they all jumped on Will to give him a huge bear hug.
The tension broke as the group made their way to the kitchen, where Karen and Joyce, now reconciled, were cooking dinner.
“Will, baby!” Joyce exclaimed, and went to embrace her son, who she was rightfully overprotective of. Hopper’s turn was next, as he was a father figure to Will and Jonathan now.
Mike was stiff through his interactions with other members of the party, as Will was the only thought on his mind. He didn’t get another chance to talk to him. Eventually, a group settled down in the living room. Will, Mike, Lucas, Max, Dustin, Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan.
“Yep, the kids are great!” Steve exclaimed as he took a sip from his glass. “Four little nuggets.” He beamed unapologetically. It was good to see the closure between him, Nancy, and Jonathan.
Jonathan talked about his movie coming out soon. The Consumer. It was sure to be a thought-provoking hit. Nancy talked about the intern job she had at an independent news station.
“Well, the Wheelers tend to be great writers,” Jonathan said, gently encouraging Mike, who was oddly quiet, to talk.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I love the program I’m in," he said. Stories had always been his passion, so he was majoring in English, hoping to release his first novel in the middle of next year. “I’m all for the arts.”
“That’s wicked, man. Will, speaking of, how's art school?” Dustin asked, genuinely curious.
“It’s great, really. I love it. I just get to paint all day. It’s perfect and I love living in the city. Great people watching,” he laughed. “It makes for good inspiration.”
“Max is my inspiration,” Lucas smirked. He and Max were the spitting image of a perfect couple. Max acted annoyed, but it was obvious she secretly loved it.
“Awww, the lovebirds.” Robin admired.
“You got a name yet?” Steve asked, gesturing to Max’s stomach. They had made their ecstatic announcement three months ago.
Lucas and Max peered at each other, and he nodded.
“We were thinking Jane.”
Mike couldn’t stifle the sound of surprise. The group was too touched to notice. But Will noticed, also seeing the way Mike quickly recovered with a smile. Always hiding how he truly felt.
“I think that’s perfect,” Nancy said softly.
“Yeah. I-I agree,” Mike stated, trying to sound neutral. He loved Eleven. But why could he never say it? Words never came easily when he said them aloud, only with-
It’s Hawkins, it’s not the same without you.
Mike stared at Will’s lips like he has done so many times before. His best friend. He was his best friend. He is his best friend. That mole near his nose is really cute. And his hair’s grown out, it’s shaggier. Why is he so pretty? Why do I-
“Mike? Mi-ike. Mike!” Nancy said, clearly agitated.
“Wheeler’s just in his own little world,” Max smirked.
“Oh, shut up, Max. Nancy, was there a question?”
His older sister rolled her eyes. “Yes. How are the ladies? Your dating life?”
“Oh, it’s bad,” he said with no hesitation, then immediately got flustered realizing what he said. “Shit- no, I mean. Nothing. It’s pretty bleak,” he joked.
“I could, uh, say the same,” Will added lightly. “I’ve dated, I’m out to close friends, but no one really- how do I say it? Clicks, I guess.”
Why is my heart beating so fast? He just said he’s single.
Butterflies were having a dance party in Mike’s stomach. Here came the confusion again.
The group conversation continued lightheartedly. The moms then called them for dinner and it went by in a blur, Mike thought.
He had a drink on the stairs, after the dinner, where there was chatter in the living room. He just needed a little break. And he needed time to think.
“Hey.”
Mike looked up. Will stood there, smiling almost bashfully. Mike grinned back and scooted over on the stairs where he sat, making a space for Will.
This time, the silence wasn’t awkward; it was comfortable. Natural. They were two best friends. Friends. At least that’s what Mike was telling himself all these years.
“Hey- what were you going to say, at the door? Before they all pounced on you,” Mike joked. He felt pride when that made Will smile.
“Oh, just that I missed you Mike. God, I missed this. Being at your house, all our friends,” Will’s suddenly compelling green eyes bore into Mike’s for a moment and it seems they both lost their train of thought. “Well- I definitely didn’t miss fighting interdimensional monsters and racing to make sure the goddamn world doesn’t end and being a part of the fucked up hive mind of those said monsters- damn, what was I saying? Whatever- main point is I missed you. A lot.”
“I missed you too. A lot. And I completely agree with you about all that interdimensional shit. Ha.”
Robin walked past the stairs right at the moment Mike and Will were staring at each other with practically hearts in their gaze. She clocked them out of the corner of her vision but kept moving.
They talked for what seemed like hours. About life, their studies, everything. Mike was telling Will about the novel he was working on, saying it like one of the bedtime stories he used to whisper in his ear when they were kids having a sleepover.
“I love writing. It sounds corny, but it’s magical. It’s like I have powers, like-”
El.
“Oh, god. Mike, I’m sorry,” Will said selflessly, as he always put others first.
“No, Will, it’s okay. I’m- I’m okay.” Mike looked up hopefully. “I just- I- man, I was so confused. And I still am.
“You know, she told me she loved me, in her mind, when I was in her mind, before she…” Mike bit his lip, then redirected his train of thought. “When we fought, in Lenora, she was mad that I couldn’t say I love you back. After all this, I still couldn’t say it. I didn’t say it back to her.” He peered at Will. “I’m sorry. It’s weird I’m telling you this.”
“No, no, it’s not. I swear it’s okay, you don’t have to stop.”
“Thank you, Will. I-I, I don’t know if I ever loved her. I know that’s a huge thing to say, because, Christ, she was my girlfriend! And I still liked her, of course. But I don’t think I liked her in that way. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah. Believe me, it does.”
“I just feel like a screw-up. I wasn’t there for her. I said all the wrong things. I didn’t even romantically like her, I’m realizing. God, what am I doing? I screwed up with you, too!” The words just kept pouring out of Mike. Regrets that’ve been building up for far too long.
“I still think of what you said, at the Squawk. You’re so brave. Braver than I’ll ever be. And I was oblivious. I owe you a bigger apology than what I said at the tower. All these years, I’ve been so goddamn confused. And that’s not an excuse, I just don’t know how else to say it.
“Will, I’m so sorry. Words can’t even express how sorry I am because I’m so sorry and this is a bad apology. I was a jerk. An oblivious asshole. You deserve so much better because you’re amazing, you’re-”
Mike stopped, catching his breath. Without meaning to, his thumb brushed over Will’s knuckles. Will looked down at their hands.
“Mike!! Where are you? Get down here and do the dishes!” Karen yelled from the kitchen.
Still looking at Will’s shocked face, Mike scrambled down stairs without a word, flustered.
***
Being in love with your best friend for the greater half of your childhood was tough, but Will was strong. He could take it.
He was there to witness Mike get with El. He wanted to keep them together, if it meant sealing their happiness. But now, talking to Mike, apparently he didn’t even really love her? And he was just confused.
Will was confused too.
He had tried to get over Mike fast. After all, he was dating El, his sister, of all people. So he told himself he didn’t love Mike anymore, with a snap of his fingers.
It worked, for a while. Will dated others. But it was never the same.
He wondered if he was truly over his first love.
All these years, he was sure Mike was straight. So goddamn sure.
Now, he wasn’t so sure.
He was hopeful about this, for the first time since he talked to Robin about her experience five years ago.
***
When he was done practically cleaning the whole kitchen, Mike returned to the stairs, only to find Will gone. Along with Joyce, Hopper, and Jonathan.
“Shit,” he breathed aloud.
“Something wrong?” Robin asked, seeming to magically appear from behind.
“No,” he said, but then sighed and gave in. “Yes, goddamn it. Something's very wrong.”
“Go on.”
He bit his lip. “What would you do if you realized you’re in love with someone but it took you, say, a couple years to realize?”
“Depends. How many years?”
“Uhhh… about… ten.”
“Ten? God, Wheeler, you royally fucked up.” Robin exclaimed, hiding her face with her hands almost as if she was embarrassed for him.
“I know, I know! It’s bad and I’m stupid. I’m STUPID!!” he yelled.
“Michael!” Karen entered with an agitated look. “Volume! What are you doing?”
“Nothing, Mom. I just- nothing! Robin, help.”
“Sorry Mrs. Wheeler!” she said, annoyed, then dragged Mike to the front door. “Mike, tell Will- I mean whoever this is, exactly how you feel. Be real. Confess. Be a babbling mess. Cry. Use the words from your heart. You’re supposed to be a master storyteller, remember? Bye!”
“Robin, what? Wait-”
She left in the same quizzical manner she acted.
“Fuck!”
***
Mike lay in his old room, where the ONE WAY sign pointing to the closet yielded a whole new meaning.
I’m in love with Will. I’m- gay?
He never liked labels, so he certainly wasn’t going to settle on one now. And he didn’t really care about what he was, he just knew who he loved.
He replayed Will’s coming out five years ago.
I had this crush, even though I know they’re not like me.
Mike cringed, feeling a stabbing, familiar pain in his chest, because that was the moment when he realized that the crush was him. He felt like shit for not realizing sooner. I mean, this was his best friend! His premium best friend, for Christ’s sake! This was stupid. So stupid. And, surprise! Mike turned out to be just like Will after all.
He watched the snow softly pile outside his bedroom window and on the bare branches outside. It was quiet. Peaceful, as if nothing bad had ever happened here.
He didn’t sleep. And when he did, he dreamt of spring green, iridescent eyes.
***
“Mike! How the hell are you still sleeping? We were gonna get lunch in town today!” Nancy’s assertive voice called at Mike from the doorway.
“Huh? Shit-” Mike grabbed his alarm clock which read 11am. “I guess I forgot to set an alarm.”
“Oh my god. Hurry up.” She mumbled something under her breath about childishness and left.
Mike opened his suitcase, trying to find something sophisticated to wear. He never cared about clothes, but now he felt the need to impress a certain someone. He settled on a navy blue sweater with yellow accents and khakis.
He made his way down the very stairs where he poured his heart out to Will the previous night. Nancy stood by the front door, waiting.
“You actually look nice.”
“Shut up.” He took that defensively, worrying that somehow she discovered his new realized feelings.
“Okay…” She side-eyed him. “Let’s go.”
They drove to the middle of town, where it was all decorated with ornaments and bright lights for Christmas. Main street was bustling. Hawkins was trying to be normal again.
Mike and Nancy spotted the others outside a shop. “Hey guys!” Steve exclaimed. Will smiled and held up a shy wave. Mike reciprocated, his heart skipping a beat.
“You have got to try this hot chocolate, it’s the one thing I miss about this place.” Steve handed them both cups.
“Thanks!” Nancy said.
“Yeah, thanks, man,” Mike said, his gaze affixed on Will. He made his way over to him while the rest of the group fell into a natural conversation.
“Hey. Good morning. I mean, night. Afternoon. Good afternoon. It’s the afternoon. Good afternoon, Will,” blushed Mike.
“Yeah. Afternoon, Mike,” Will said as he laughed.
They all started to walk down the street, but Mike and Will lagged behind, falling into step together as they had done so many times before.
As they conversed, Will paused and then Mike did the same. He lingered at a mural painted over ugly damage that was no doubt a gift from the military’s old occupation of their town.
“Huh.”
“What is it?”
“It’s just that art, it helps people heal. You can still see the old wounds, it’s not hiding. It’s not ashamed.”
Mike smiled and laced his fingers through Will’s gloved hand. “You always see things others miss. That’s what’s so cool about- that’s what I love about you.”
Will was blushing hard now, his face a mess of happy shock. He leaned to rest his head on Mike’s shoulder as they stood in front of the mural.
Mike felt adventurous. These feelings weren’t making him feel small or trapped, they made him feel like he could fly. He just needed to stop being so goddamn scared.
“Do you want to get out of here?”
Will nodded as he smiled. The others had gotten so far ahead.
“Hey, Nance!” Mike shouted ahead. His sister turned around.
“Me and Will are gonna go, but you guys have fun!” The two laughed and shared a look, then turned around, and ran. Lucas said something to Dustin about paying up. They could also hear Robin cackling.
“Mike, where are we even going?” Will teased.
“You’ll see.”
After a while, a familiar building came into view. Then, a familiar blue and yellow swing set.
“Holy shit,” Will breathed. “Mike.”
“Isn’t it great?” Mike laughed as he stepped backwards with his hands in the air. “You remember?”
“It’d be hard to forget,” he said as he took a spot next to Mike on the swings.
“I asked you to be my friend,” Mike said, with those hopeful puppy-dog eyes. “It was seriously the best thing I’ve ever done.”
He got off the swing and stood so he was in front of Will, who then followed and also stood. “Robin told me how to do this. I-” he paused. “I’m bad at this. I always have been. I don’t want to mess this up, but, point is,” he looked him dead in the eye.
“I love you. And I think I’ve loved you for a very long time and I didn’t know what it was or I was too scared to accept it or look at it or I didn’t have the words, but I do now, and I love you.”
He took his hands in his own. “I don’t expect anything from you. I'd do anything for you. Will, I need you to know I'd burn everything for you,” he added quickly. “I just really wanted you to know that- that you’re my person and I never stopped choosing you, even when I was a self-absorbed dickhead.”
Will laughed and squeezed Mike’s hand. “I- I always thought I was crazy for hoping, you know.”
“You weren’t,” Mike moved in closer. “Remember what I said to you when we were thirteen? Crazy together, right?”
“Yeah,” he smiled. “Always. And I love you, too. I never really stopped, I just learnt to carry it better. I told myself to get over you. I thought if I said it so much, it would make it come true. But it didn’t. So I love you, Mike.”
Mike’s face bent down so they were now inches apart, their foreheads pressed against each other.
“Is this okay?”
“Yeah.”
Mike sealed the empty space by kissing him.
It was gentle and careful at the start. They then remembered: they’re not afraid anymore. They wouldn’t hide their feelings. The kiss became more intense and warm, as they showed each other how much they wanted each other. Will’s arms wrapped around Mike’s shoulders as one of Mike’s hands cupped his face, the other at his waist, pulling him closer. They broke apart, breathing heavily.
“I love you so much,” Will murmured.
“I love you more,” Mike whispered. He had no trouble saying it back.
***
“Now just where have you two been?” Robin smirked, tilting her head to the side and crossing her arms.
Mike and Will playfully glanced at each other and smiled. “Just… seeing old places. Very nostalgic,” Mike remarked as he led a chuckling Will up to his room.
“You know, I’m sorry, Will, I-” Mike began, sitting on his bed.
“Mike. If you apologize one more time for being an oblivious idiot I swear I’m going to…” Will got on top of him and tickled Mike just like when they were kids. “Okay! Okay!” Mike giggled between happy screams.
For a moment, they paused there, then Will kissed him there on the bed. Mike grabbed his waist as Will grabbed his face. They both smiled into this kiss.
“Do you think I can come here tonight?” Will asked.
“Of course, I mean, I would want you to, but you know my dad’s a piece of shit.”
Will scoffed. “I can go through the window.”
“Ooh, William, a criminal!” Mike sighed dramatically.
Will rolled his eyes, hiding a bashful smile. “You’re such a
fucking dork.”
“But you love it.”
“Yes, I do.” He leaned in for another kiss goodbye.
***
It was 12:17am when Will Byers crawled through Mike Wheeler’s window.
“Hi.”
Mike grinned like an idiot. “Hiii.”
“I’m dead tired,” Will remarked as he crawled into bed. He snuggled close to Mike, his back facing Mike’s front. Mike wrapped his arms around Will, his face settling into Will’s shoulder, naturally.
“I’m not going anywhere, Mike,” Will laughed.
“I know,” he mumbled. “It’s just good to know you’re mine.
***
“Mike, wake up.”
“Mmph.”
“I gotta go.”
“Nooouuhhh.”
Will laughed. Mike loved the sound; he tried to memorize it.
“I’ll literally see you in an hour.”
“That’s too long.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Will playfully smirked as he untangled himself from Mike. “How will you ever live?”
Mike smiled into Will’s shoulder. “See you later. And Merry Christmas, too.”
***
Mike stumbled downstairs to where Ted, Karen, Nancy, and Holly were opening each other’s gifts. “What took you so long?” Karen remarked.
“Sorry, I just couldn’t sleep.” He had a long night of trying to memorize the scent of his best friend’s shirt in front of him.
He gave Nancy a book, The Art of War. He found it funny. His mom, cheesy house decorations that she ended up loving. Holly, some DnD figurines as she still played it with her friends. His dad, a new shirt.
Mike guessed the default gift for men above 20 was shirts, because he received four shirts that day.
“Welp, Merry Christmas, guys,” he said, putting on his coat and reaching for the door knob.
“Where are you going now, Mike?” Karen asked.
“Breakfast at the Byers’. Remember? It’s what I always do.”
She sighed and crossed her arms. “Go.”
He smiled and grabbed his car keys. He was nervous yet giddy on the drive there, with his gift for Will burning anxiously in the passenger seat next to him.
Hopper was the one to answer the door. “Wheeler,” he said with disgust. “What are y-”
“Hop. He’s here for breakfast. Mike, come in, hon,” Joyce said gently.
He waved to Jonathan at the kitchen counter, then took his place next to Will.
“Hey. Here,” he handed him his gift, meticulously wrapped.
“Thanks,” Will said, looking at Mike with a gleam in his eye. He ripped the wrapping paper to find a book.
“Mike, is this…” His look of confusion turned to happy shock. “Your novel?”
“Yeah,” he smiled. “I know I lied, but I wanted to keep it a surprise. This all turned out pretty goddamn well on my part, because I wrote it before my whole grand realization.” He made a gesture with his hands.
Will held up the book to the light. On the purple cover with gold binding red the words, Sorcerer.
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Mike.”
Will smiled then pulled him in for a hug. Then they ate breakfast together, just like how they used to when they were little, with Joyce and Jonathan, and now Hopper.
This time, Mike never let go of Will’s hand from under the table.
“You’re getting eggs all over your arm.”
“Worth it.”
Blushing, Will scoffed. When they finished, Mike said, “You ready?”
“Where are you boys going?” Joyce asked.
“Wherever the wind takes us,” Mike said dreamily.
“What a dork,” Hopper remarked.
***
“Shit, Mike, I never got a gift for you,” Will said as he drove the car downtown.
“You know you’re the best gift I could ever ask for, right?”
“Oh, shut up.”
Mike giggled again.
“This is a dream.”
“Nope. I’m real, and I’m never leaving you, Will.”
Will pulled over like the responsible adult he was so they could make out.
***
Monday, you could fall apart.
Tuesday, Wednesday, break my heart.
“God, I love this song. Turn it up,” said Will. They were in the country now, snow falling over the cornfields, not caring where they went, as long as they were together.
Oh, Thursday doesn’t even start.
It’s Friday, I’m in love.