Archive of Our Own

"Okay. Operation Losers in Love is now in motion," said Dustin, deadly serious.

"What?! How is that the name of the operation?" protested Mike.

"Shut up, Loser number 01," said Dustin. "You don't make the calls. Leave it to the pros. El, Max, where do we stand?"

"I brought all of Will's favorite snacks!" Eleven said with a bright smile.

"The camera is good to go," Max said, showing the Polaroid in her hands.

"Camera? Why do we need a camera?" asked Mike nervously.

"For capturing your stupid lovesick eyes when you see Will walk through the door," she answered.

"I won't have lovesick eyes!" Mike protested again, sinking into the sofa.

"Okay, and what about that shirt? Are you going to change it or what?" Dustin asked, eyeing him.

"What's wrong with my shirt??" Mike said, patting it defensively.

"I mean, it can't be your best choice…" said Dustin.

"Agreed," said Max, joining Dustin in staring at Mike.

"Maybe something blue?" suggested El, standing with the others. The three of them looked down at a very embarrassed Mike. He wanted to disappear.

"Oh my god!" Mike covered his face with his hands. "Why on earth did I ever tell you…"

"You know you couldn't do this without us," Dustin said, full of himself.

Mike sighed. They'd been planning this for two weeks now. Will was coming to Hawkins for Christmas break—it would be the first group reunion since they parted ways for college. It was a big deal by itself, but it became a bigger deal when Eleven called everyone to ask for their help with a very special mission. Mike was finally ready to confess to Will.

"Finally, for fuck's sake," she recalled those had been Dustin's exact words. Max was really excited too: "I mean, of course Wheeler is going to ruin it, and I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Mike was very surprised by everyone's reactions. He expected them to be shocked, or at the very least a little bit surprised. He knew he was.

Ever since Will had come out two years earlier, he had been struggling with this feeling of… adrenaline? But they were trying to save the world, so of course his adrenaline was spiking. But then it was over—they won, the world was saved or whatever—and he just felt more agitated than before.

The thing was, he knew it was him. The moment Will said he had a crush on someone, they looked at each other briefly, and he had known. His heart filled with this strange substance that made it beat twice as fast, and it had felt this way ever since. He didn't know how to interpret it.

The last year of school, the whole group tried to regain some normality. Max was with them again, which was wonderful, of course. Mike spent a lot of time watching her and Lucas interact—how it was easy, caring, and also fun.

"Stop staring, you pervert," Max said sometimes when she caught him. Oh yes, it was nice to have her back.

He and Eleven had broken up soon after they defeated Vecna. It was her choice.

"I love you, Mike, and I know you love me. We will always love each other, but we are not in love anymore, and I think that's fine."

He was surprised. "What do you mean?"

"You like someone else," she said simply.

"No, I don't," he answered quickly.

"Yes, you do. And it's okay. I know I will find someone one day too. We will always have each other—you don't need to be afraid."

He had spent two whole weeks in his room after they broke up. Will was very worried and visited him often. He always brought a movie that they watched together, eating pizza. It was the best part of Mike's week, and even when he started to feel better after the breakup, Will continued to come, and they made it a tradition.

In these afternoons, Mike spent more time looking at Will than at the film and started to notice a lot of things he hadn't seen before—like how long Will's lashes were, how he always laughed at stupid, basic jokes in films like The Naked Gun or Spaceballs, and how his eyes got a little green in certain light.

They sat separately on the couch, but once in a while Will fell asleep, and Mike couldn't help sliding a little closer. Once he even had the courage to softly stroke Will's hair. Will had made a small sound and shifted a little in his sleep, getting comfortable. Mike could hear the sound replay in his brain until it left a mark.

The year was over, and they had college to start. Will would study art in New York. Mike was attending a school near Hawkins, so he stayed, living with his parents. The day Will left, as Mike hugged him goodbye and saw him turn, the realization dropped in his stomach like a cartoon piano. Will was the person he liked. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out, so Will departed without knowing.

That had been a year ago, and Mike had been struggling with what to do, thinking about Will all the time. He thought it was too much to bear alone, so he confided in Eleven. "You need to tell him," was El's advice.

Yet it didn't seem like something he should do by phone. The next time I see him, he promised himself. He knew Will would be back for Christmas, so it was a chance. But as the date approached, the simple thought of verbalizing it made Mike think he would turn to ashes in an instant. He talked to El, and she convinced him to accept his friends' help.

He regretted it the moment everyone gathered in the basement and assumed those strategic roles they used to take when facing the greatest challenges.

The plan was settled: they would gather in Mike's basement, as always, talk, relax, recover some familiarity. Then they would do a Secret Santa, rigged so Mike would take Will's name. Mike would give Will two tickets to ice skating at the new ice-skating rink in the city. Will loved ice skating and was very good at it. It was going to be a secret date. They would go together, and after a romantic night under the lights, Mike would confess his love.

And of course, the whole gang would be monitoring everything the entire time. Simple. Effective. Nothing could go wrong.

The walkie-talkie buzzed.

"Du—Dustin… do you copy?" It was Lucas's voice.

"Coming in," answered Dustin. "I hear you, Lucas. What's happening?"

"Bzzzzz—the lovebird—bzzzzz—has—bzz—left the nest—bzzzz!"

"What? The signal is awful!"

"Will's bus just arrived! Bzzzzz—do you copy?"

Mike's heart started racing, and he held his breath.

"I copy," answered Dustin.

"Bzzzz—I'll get him—bzzzzz—we will be there in twenty minutes—bzzzz—be ready."

"Understood. Copy and out." Dustin turned to the others. Mike looked like he was about to throw up. "Okay, Mike, you have the gift?"

Mike nodded. "Yeah… yes, it's here," he said, pressing his fingers against the green envelope with the tickets.

"So go change that horrifying shirt. El, help him. Max, check the napkins are placed right."

"Wow, chill, dude. You're getting ahead of yourself."

Dustin grabbed Max by the collar of her shirt, dramatically.

"Maxine, we can't leave anything to chance. This is too important. We all waited too long for this! I'll make sure we have enough drinks. We meet here in ten."

Everyone left the basement with their instructions.

Nobody heard the walkie-talkie buzzing again.

"Bzzz—Dustin—bzzz—Dustin—pick up—bzzz—we have a problem—bzzzz."

*

"What do you think about these?"

El asked, showing a green and a blue shirt.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Mike was sitting on his bed, looking out the window and rubbing his hands.

El came to his side. "Are you okay?" she asked gently.

"Yeah, I… I don't know… you guys seem so sure it will work out, that he will… you know… like me back..."

Mike let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. Eleven took his hands.

"Mike, we are sure because we've been watching how he looks at you for years now."

"Maybe we're just over-interpreting," he said, twitching his fingers.

"But you know it's true, Mike. You know you were the one he was talking about when he said he had a crush."

"Yeah… yes, I know…"

"And the drawing he made for you…"

"Yes..."

Thinking about the drawing always made Mike's heart ache. He had been so stupid not to realize right then and there that Will was the one who meant those words. He had later confirmed it with El—she had never commissioned any painting. It was all Will.

"Come on, Mike, he should be arriving now," El said.

"Okay, okay." Mike stood up and got himself together. "The blue one."

*

They could hear the car parking outside.

"Everyone! On your spots, now!" shouted Dustin.

The group gathered by the door and watched as it opened. In a second, Will appeared in the doorframe with a big smile and bright eyes.

"Hey, guys," he said in an emotional voice.

Dustin, Eleven, and Max jumped into a group hug. Mike followed a second later. His fingers touched Will's arm, and it was enough for Mike's heart to decide it was a good time to stop.

"Oh my god, I missed you guys so much," Will said, his voice muffled.

They stayed like that for a little while. When they parted, Mike's fingers slid down Will's arm and found Will's hand, holding it. Will held it back, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"I have a surprise," Will said, and then turned to the door.

Behind him, another boy was standing beside Lucas.

He was tall, had green eyes, and a polite smile on his face.

Will was still holding Mike's hand when he said:

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Ryan, my boyfriend."

The deep silence that followed was only broken by Max's Polaroid, taking a photo of Mike at the exact moment when his soul left his body.

***

Mike wondered how long until he woke up. He looked at the wooden ceiling—it was his basement for sure. He could feel the texture of his old sofa and recognized the voices of his friends. Max and Lucas were frozen with strange, forced smiles on their faces. Dustin had been speaking for a while, but Mike couldn't understand the words. At his side, Eleven was holding his hand, a soft, assuring presence—the only thing keeping him from falling. In front of him, Will was sitting with a puzzled expression, trying to follow Dustin's story, his hand softly resting on the leg of another boy who had his arm stretched around him.

This could only be a nightmare, and he was about to wake up any time now.

"So, this is what you have to do if you want your hamster to produce enough energy to heat the water for your tea…" Dustin finished saying.

"I don't have a hamster," Will answered with a frown.

"Oh… well, maybe you should get one," Dustin replied.

Ryan let out a laugh. "You're funny, man."

Max laughed as well, loud and shrill, like a hyena. An awkward silence followed.

"Why are you so weird?" Will asked, impatience clear in his voice.

"We are not!" they all said at the same time.

"So, how did you two meet?" asked Eleven nervously, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, that is a sweet story. Tell them, babe," Ryan said easily.

Babe? BABE? What's going on? Mike's brain screamed. He opened his mouth and then closed it again.

"Sure…" Will blushed. "We met in figure drawing class…"

"You are in art school as well?" asked Eleven politely.

"No, no. I study theater," said Ryan. "I was the model in the drawing class."

"YOU WERE NAKED?" Max shouted, and then covered her mouth with her hands.

I'm dead. It's not a nightmare, I just died, Mike thought.

"NO!" Will shouted back. "It wasn't a nude class. Ryan was wearing clothes!"

"Yeah, the nude thing came later," Ryan said jokingly, squeezing Will's thigh.

Mike was up in a split second. Everybody turned to him as he froze.

"I… I am just…" he tried.

"Are you okay, Mike?" Will asked with concerned eyes.

"Yes, I'll just grab us some drinks," he said, and ran up the stairs.

"I can help you," said Dustin, following him.

"Me too," said Eleven.

"Ice!" shouted Max. "We need ice!"

"Yeah! You're so right!" responded Lucas. "Let me show you where the fridge is."

In a second, they all vanished, leaving Will and Ryan looking at each other with puzzled faces.

*

"So, here is what we are going to do…" Dustin started.

"Shut up, Dustin!" growled Mike, his face buried in his hands. "Just leave it."

"Come on, man, don't give up this easily…" Lucas started.

"It's over, okay? Just drop it. He's clearly over me!" Mike shouted. "I knew this was a terrible idea…"

"What's a terrible idea?" Will asked, appearing in the kitchen.

Mike blinked. They all stared at Will, thinking of something to say.

"Mike, are you okay?" Will asked again, approaching gently. "Your eyes are red. Were you just crying?"

The concern in Will's face made Mike's heart skip a beat.

"He's stoned!" Dustin yelled.

"What?" Will asked, confused.

"Yeah!" Max jumped in to support. "Mike found Nancy's secret stash, and oh my god, he went for it. He's so high!"

"We tried to tell him it was a bad idea. You know how he can't even handle a light beer," Lucas added.

"I am not stoned! Shut up! Shut up, all of you!" Mike yelled.

They all went silent.

"I know what's going on, guys…" Will started with a small voice. "You don't have to lie to me…"

"Wha—what do you mean?" Eleven asked slowly.

"Mike is not high… You are all just freaked out because I brought Ryan with me."

Silence once again.

"I thought…" Will continued. His voice started to tremble. "You said that you were okay with me being gay. I… I thought you were going to be happy for me…"

The hurt in Will's voice was like a knife cutting Mike's body in half.

"Oh no, Will, it's not that…" Eleven started. The others gathered around Will, who now had tears in his eyes.

"We love you. We think it's great that you brought your boyfriend," said Max.

"Yeah, man," confirmed Dustin.

"Totally," added Lucas.

"So, so why are you guys acting so weird? What is going on?"

"I'm stoned!" Mike shouted.

Everyone looked at him.

"They are right," Mike continued. "I'm so stoned that I can't even see colors."

Will approached Mike and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Really?" he said.

"Uh-huh," Mike confirmed, looking the other way. "I was just embarrassed because, you know, I don't know Ryan…"

Will's eyes softened.

"Don't worry about that. Ryan is chill. He will love you like I do," he said.

"Okay…" said Mike slowly.

"Come on, let's go back. We have the Secret Santa thing, right?" said Will in a happier tone, trying to lighten the mood.

They all agreed quickly and went back to the basement.

*

"So, my Secret Santa is a pain in the ass and never can shut the fuck up," said Lucas.

"Dustin!" screamed Max and Eleven at the same time!

"Hey!" protested Dustin. "I'm just trying to elevate the level of my dear friends with irrefutable knowledge!"

"Exactly," said Lucas, passing him his present. It was a book: The Physics of Star Wars.

"Wow! Man! This is so great!" shouted Dustin. "Thank you so much!" He embraced his friend.

They passed the book around and joked about loving Star Wars.

"I never saw it," said Ryan.

"What?" asked all of them at the same time.

"Ryan doesn't care about movies…" said Will with a forced smile.

"What? Aren't you studying to be an actor?" asked Max.

"Yeah, but a real one, like in theater," Ryan answered simply.

Everyone stared at him like he'd grown a second head.

"I think it's awesome," said Will, giving Ryan a quick kiss on the lips.

Mike closed his eyes, grabbed Eleven's glass, and drank it in one gulp. He opened his eyes in shock.

"What is this?" he asked her urgently.

"It's vodka and Fanta," she answered calmly.

"Since when do you drink alcohol?" he asked, startled.

"I've been trying things. Now you will have to make me another one," she answered.

"Well, it's my time now," started Dustin. "My Secret Santa is a lovely, nice person who would be a hell of a boyfriend."

"Are you talking about yourself?" asked Will, mocking.

"No!" Dustin protested. "He's really great. He's handsome, clever, funny… you know… all the things you want in a relationship...." Dustin continued.

Nobody said a thing.

"It's Mike!" Dustin shouted. "My good friend Mike, over here! For Christ's sake…"

Dustin passed his gift to Mike, who opened it in silence. It was a pair of gray socks.

"Thanks… I guess…"

"Sure. Now it's your turn!" said Dustin with expectation.

Mike moved uncomfortably in his seat.

"Okay... let me think… my Secret Santa… what can I say?" Mike struggled to find the words. "My Secret Santa seems shy at first… but he really isn't, actually… He just waits a little to see if he can trust you. And man, when he trusts you… it's like you've won the lottery. He will show you how to see the world like he sees it, like it's full of these little great things that you wouldn't pay attention to normally… I mean, if you are like me, always too eager and too nervous, you would pass right by it… so it's so incredible when he shows you… He has this enthusiasm, like this really, really big soul, and when you are close to him, it's like everything feels more alive…" Mike drifted for a second, and then became aware of everybody paying attention to him. Will had this look—this earnest, raw look—and Mike was hypnotized. El's voice brought him back.

"It's Will!" she said.

"Yeah," Mike said, turning really shy, and passed his gift. Will swallowed nervously and opened the green envelope. There were the two tickets to the ice skating rink. He looked at them, then at Mike.

"Tha—thank you…"

They looked at each other, really looked. Mike tried to communicate everything with his eyes. For a second, he thought Will had understood.

Ryan took the tickets from Will's hands.

"Sweet! We can go tomorrow, babe," he said, kissing Will's cheek, and then turned to Mike. "Thank you, man."

Dustin just shouted.

"No!"

Ryan looked at him, startled.

"No, I mean, yes! We are all going! Surprise!"

"What?" asked Will.

"Yeah," Dustin kept going. "We will all go! It's a surprise group activity!"

"But there are only two tickets," said Ryan.

"Oh, that's because…" Dustin tried to think. "We actually bought them for everyone, but Mike forgot Will's gift, so we said he could use the tickets… Surprise!"

"Oh," said Will, looking from Dustin to Mike. "Okay…"

Mike didn't see it. His eyes were shut and his head was hidden on Eleven's shoulder.

Just kill me now.

***

Later, Mike was lying down in his bed, an arm above his eyes, his head spinning. Was it possible that this night had gone more wrong? Could there ever be a worse scenario? He kept seeing Will kissing Ryan, Ryan's hand squeezing Will's leg. It only made him more sure of his love. What a time to be sure he was in love with his best friend. After years and years of having all the opportunities in the world, hundreds of moments together. No, he was Mike, so he had to realize he loved Will just when Will got this fucking good-looking boyfriend who was also an actor, who moved through the world with confidence and charm.

He would dig a hole. That was his plan for tomorrow. He would dig a hole for himself, get into it, and never get out again.

The walkie-talkie on his nightstand buzzed.

"Bzzzz–Mike? Mike, are you there? Are you awake?" It was Will's voice.

Mike jumped for the walkie-talkie.

"Yes, yes, I'm here–bzzzz–Will? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can. Hi. Hi, Mike."

"Hi."

"Sorry to call so late. Were you sleeping?"

"No, no. I wasn't."

"Me neither," said Will.

Mike swallowed and tried to focus.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"I don't know… I guess I'm just too excited, you know, from meeting everyone. Ryan is sleeping, but I just can't relax."

"I get it," said Mike cautiously.

"What about you? Why can't you sleep?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Mike said, and then, laughing, added, "I guess I'm still high."

Will laughed as well.

"It was nice to see you all," Will said warmly.

"Yeah… It was nice to see you too," Mike answered.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." Mike felt a tiny, familiar pain, like a needle in his heart.

There was a small silence.

"I... I was really happy," Will started, "with what you said about me… you know, when you described your Secret Santa."

"Oh…" Mike's chest tightened. "Well, it was all true."

"It made me feel special…" Will added.

"You are special, Will. You're special to me," Mike said.

They let that sink in for a moment.

"Can I ask you something?" said Will.

"Anything," Mike answered, his heart racing.

"Are you and El back together?" he asked.

Mike's stomach dropped. "What? No. What makes you say that?"

"Oh, it's just that you were holding hands all night…" Will said slowly.

"No… no, we are not… She is just really important to me... She is a good friend."

Will kept silent for a second. "Like us," Will said.

Mike's breath was shortening. He tried his best to remain calm. "No, not like us…"

"What do you mean?" Will asked.

"I mean, I love Eleven like a friend," Mike said, his fingers gripping the walkie-talkie.

"And that's not how you love me…?" Will asked slowly.

"No," Mike shut his eyes.

There was a long pause.

"Mike… What is it that you're trying to say?"

"I…" Mike began, and then heard a groan coming from the walkie-talkie.

"Shit, sorry, I have to go," Will said, and the line went out.

*

"Okay, I talked to Loser number 2 and I have new information," said Dustin, looking at Max, Lucas, and Eleven as they put on their ice skates. "The boyfriend is gonna spend Christmas with his family. He leaves tomorrow morning."

"Is Will going with him?" asked Eleven.

"He said he'll join Ryan the day after. He'll spend Christmas Eve here with Joyce. So we have a no-boyfriend window. It's tight, but we can manage."

"What are you thinking?" asked Lucas.

"I think big declaration, romantic gesture. Maybe we can wrap Mike in a big present box and leave it under the tree…"

"Shut up, I'm serious," protested Lucas.

"Well, do you have a better idea?"

"I don't know… wait, what about this… Mike shows up at Will's door, he puts on some choir Christmas music, as if it was a real chorus group, but then he holds these cards where he confesses his love—"

"Oh my god, you're so ridiculous!" Max said.

"Yeah, nothing like that is going to work…" Eleven said, thinking.

"Do you have any ideas, El?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know… I think Mike just has to tell him," she said simply.

"Oh god Eleven, sometimes you're so basic," scoffed Dustin. "Mike's too nervous, he won't manage."

They all looked at Mike on the other side of the room, standing up and realizing he had put his ice skates on the wrong feet.

"Oh man, this is gonna suck," Max said.

*

Will's movements were fluid and elegant. He ice-skated with his hands resting behind his back, smooth and carefree, like it was second nature. Sometimes he did a little trick—a turn, skating backward—smiling peacefully, looking genuinely happy. Mike couldn't take his eyes off him, his chest filling with warmth.

Mike was a proficient ice skater as well, not as gifted as Will, but they used to do this together when they were younger. He wondered why they'd ever stopped. Oh right—when you're facing interdimensional monsters and the apocalypse, it leaves little room for hobbies.

To Mike's shameful delight, Ryan was terrible at ice skating. He moved jerkily across the ice, clinging to the barrier like his life depended on it. He'd already fallen twice. Will was being patient and caring, trying to teach him—holding Ryan's hands, demonstrating how to bend his knees, guiding him gently.

Mike watched as Ryan started to slip again, this time taking Will down with him. Without thinking, Mike skated over and caught Will's waist from behind just as he lost his balance, steadying them both.

"Thanks," Will said, his eyes widening as he looked at Mike.

Their faces were really close, and Mike could feel the movement of Will's lashes when he blinked.

"Yeah, thank you, man," said Ryan, trying to stand up again.

Mike let go of Will's waist and stepped back. "Yeah, sure. No problem."

"Will, I think I'm done. This is too hard, and I really don't want to fall on my butt again," said Ryan.

"Oh, okay, we can leave," Will said.

"No, no, you keep going. I'll wait for you. I love to see you skating—you're a real pro, don't you think?" Ryan asked, looking at Mike.

Mike took a second to respond, his hands burning since he'd let go of Will.

"Yeah. Yes, he really is."

Will smiled softly.

"Okay, I'll help you get out."

Will left, carrying Ryan with him. Mike closed his eyes. He'd been thinking about how to continue their conversation from the night before. Will didn't seem troubled by it—he just acted like always when they met at the ice rink. Cheerful and sweet. And holding hands with fucking Ryan. Maybe it wasn't a big deal to him. Maybe he didn't even remember it that well. For Mike, it was all he could think about—again and again, repeating the dialogue and trying new words, as if he could change the past.

A gust of wind made him open his eyes.

"Race!" Will shouted as he passed ahead of Mike.

Mike grinned.

"Byers, you cheater!" he shouted, gaining speed, trying to keep up with Will.

He almost could, but Will reached the end of the rink a second before him.

"That doesn't count—you started ahead," Mike said, catching his breath.

"Don't be a sore loser, Wheeler," Will laughed, looking at him warmly.

"I want a rematch," said Mike, smiling too.

"Sure, we can do this later," Will said, starting to skate at a nice rhythm. Mike joined him.

*

"Are you seeing this?" Dustin asked the group from the other side of the rink.

"Oh, they look so cute together!" said Eleven.

"We need to buy him some time," said Dustin. "Lucas, Max—distract the boyfriend."

Ryan was taking off his ice skates outside the rink.

"Okay, let's buy naked Ryan a hot chocolate," suggested Max.

"Yeah, and educate him a little on Star Wars," Lucas added.

"Right. El, see if you can convince the DJ to put on some romantic music. This Christmas carol thing is driving me crazy. I'll see if I can do anything about the lights."

"What do you mean?" asked Eleven.

"Too much light. We need some atmosphere."

They all parted.

*

"So this was always planned to be a group thing?" asked Will casually, looking at Mike from the side.

"Uh... yes... yes, sure," Mike responded, feeling his cheeks getting red.

"So you actually forgot to buy me a present," Will said.

"Oh." Mike felt his chest tighten. "Yeah… I guess I did…"

"That's kind of shitty," said Will, but he was smiling.

Mike felt nervous anyway. "I'm sorry…"

"It's alright," Will answered, his eyes narrowed. "About last night… when we were talking…" he started.

Mike swallowed hard. "Yeah?"

"You didn't finish what you were saying…"

"I didn't?" Mike held his breath.

"No," Will said seriously.

Words, words, words, Mike repeated in his head. He was sure he knew the English language just seconds ago.

"Is there anything you want to say to me?" Will asked, looking Mike straight in the eye.

"I… I…"

Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" suddenly filled the rink, replacing the cheerful Christmas carols. Mike's skates nearly stopped. He turned confused, and spotted Eleven giving him a thumbs up from across the rink.

"Jesus Christ," Mike muttered under his breath.

"I love this song," Will said simply. "You were saying something…" Will looked expectantly at Mike.

"Yes… I…" Mike tried to begin.

Suddenly there was a blackout: the lights went out and the music cut off.

"What the f…" Will said, startled, and automatically grabbed Mike's hand.

"EVERYONE, EVACUATE THE RINK. MOVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY. EVERYONE EVACUATE THE RINK NOW," the staff announced.

Mike and Will started to make their way out in silence.

"Can I say something?" Will asked.

"Yeah, sure," Mike said, his heart racing.

"If you want to tell me something, Mike, you just have to do it. I won't understand it by myself."

Will released Mike's hand and left the rink.

***

"Okay, so we had a small setback..." said Dustin on the walkie-talkie.

"You mean how you idiotically took half of the city's power off," said Lucas aggressively on the other side.

"Okay, okay. I'll admit, it was my mistake," conceded Dustin.

"A mistake was when you wore mismatched socks on graduation day," intervened Max. "This was a catastrophe."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" said Dustin frantically. "We lost a battle, but we can still win the war! Do we have confirmation that the boyfriend is gone?"

"Yes, he left this morning," said Eleven.

"So what is the plan for tonight?" asked Lucas.

"We need to keep it simple," Dustin began. "Just create an opportunity for Loser number one and Loser number two to be alone by themselves."

"I don't know…" Eleven said. "I think Mike won't gather the courage to confess to Will by tonight…"

"We still have to try," said Dustin definitively. "Joyce's pre-dinner party starts at 4pm. We can't be late. Does everybody copy?"

"Copy," the rest of them said.

*

By 4pm, Dustin, Max, and Lucas were all smiling at Joyce's door, apple pie in hands. Mike was a few steps behind them, tapping his feet, looking worried.

"Welcome, guys! I'm so glad you could make it!" Joyce embraced all of them. "Come in, come in. El and Will are inside."

The group entered the house. The dinner table was set with light sandwiches and fruits. Hopper was sitting reading the paper. El and Will were setting the last glasses and forks. Will raised his eyes to Mike the second he walked in and smiled softly. Mike looked away and held his own arm, trying to make it stop trembling.

"Hey, kiddos," said Hopper, putting his paper down and getting up to hug them. Everyone exchanged greetings and hugs. Will hugged Mike and let his hand rest on his shoulder a little too long, awakening all Mike's senses. They sat beside each other in silence.

"You have to pass my gratitude to your parents for letting me steal you a bit on Christmas Eve."

"Of course, Mrs. Byers," said Dustin. "We wouldn't miss it for the world. Right, Mike?"

Mike lifted his eyes from his plate. "Oh, yeah, yes, thank you so much for the invitation."

"Don't mention it, love. You're always welcome in this house," Joyce said, and added, "You all are."

Then she continued, "It's just a shame that you missed Ryan. He had to leave this morning. But you met him, didn't you?"

"Yes, we did," said Lucas politely.

"Didn't you just love him? He is so good to Will. I'm so happy for them."

"Thanks, Mom," Will said, embarrassed, looking down.

"Isn't he a dear, Hop?"

"I don't like actors," said Hopper. "They give me the creeps."

Max laughed and almost spit water from her mouth. "Sorry, I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Joyce scolded him. "He's a sweet boy, and we can see how happy Will is."

"So," said Will quickly, "what good movies have you seen lately?"

This opened up a long conversation about who was the best Batman, and they fell back into their comfortable group dynamic, eating their sandwiches, making jokes and laughing easily. Mike's nervousness dissolved. He jumped in, giving opinions, making fun of Dustin and Will's choices, and trying to explain to Eleven what a fourth wall meant. He looked at Will without any awkwardness. They joked and teased each other, and Mike felt like Will was back—the one he knew, the one who didn't make him nauseous all the time. Before he realized it, dinner was finished.

"Will, dear, could you take the plates to the kitchen?" Joyce asked.

"Sure," Will said and started to collect the dishes.

"Mike, why don't you give him a hand?" Dustin said, nudging him.

"What?"

"You know, be a good guest. Here, take mine." He put his own dirty dish in Mike's hands.

"Why don't you take it yourself?" Mike said, annoyed.

"Because you do it so much better than me," Dustin said, blinking like a puppy.

"Jesus, what's wrong with you?" Mike said, getting up and going to the kitchen.

Will was organizing everything by the sink. Mike set his dishes beside him, putting Dustin's plate down.

"Thank you," said Will.

"Of course," Mike said and looked down, feeling nervous again.

"That was nice," Will said.

"Yes, it was," Mike agreed, and they stayed in silence for a moment.

"How about I bring them and you wash?" suggested Will.

"Yes, sure," Mike answered warmly.

Will went back to the dining room, and Mike began to wash the dishes. He felt calm, he felt secure. He was going to tell Will when he got back. He was going to tell him that he liked him. No, that he loved him. That he had loved him for so long, he didn't even remember not loving him. That what they had was the best part of Mike's life.

Joyce entered the kitchen with more dishes.

"Oh honey, you don't have to do that," she said gently, squeezing his shoulders.

"No problem, Mrs. Byers. I like to help."

"You're such a good friend to us," she said warmly.

"I'm the one who is lucky to have you," he answered with a smile.

"I'm so happy, Mike! Everything feels right now. I never saw Will like this. This new boyfriend is the best thing that could have happened. Ryan is such a great guy. He makes Will so happy, and so confident in himself. I mean, after everything we went through, you know… and especially Will… I was really worried he wouldn't be able to find this kind of love. But I saw them, and they really care about each other. Will is the best, he's just the best… he deserves it so much. I'm so happy." She smiled, then looked at Mike. "Oh dear, are you okay? What happened?"

Mike ran his wet hand over his eyes, wiping the tears.

"Nothing, just something in my eye. I'm sorry, Mrs. Byers, I have to go. My mom asked me to help her with the dinner. Please tell the others I said goodbye."

Mike dried his hands and walked through the back door.

*

Mike was lying on his bed, holding a comic book against his chest. He didn't know how his Aquaman comic had suddenly started to weigh six hundred pounds. But it was okay—if he was going to be crushed forever, it was a good thing it was with a comic book.

A small sound got his attention. First he thought he was imagining it, but the sound repeated itself.

With some difficulty, he managed to set his comic aside and got up. When he looked down, he saw Will standing in his backyard, throwing little rocks at his window. Will spotted him and gestured for him to come down. Mike went down the stairs in a heartbeat.

"Will, what are you doing here?" he asked in a low voice as he closed the door behind him.

"I needed to talk to you," Will said, as he sat down on the doorstep and made space for Mike, who followed.

"What's… what's up?" asked Mike nervously.

Will went straight to the point. "Why did you leave like that? Earlier?"

Mike felt like his tongue had been covered with mud, it cost him so much to speak.

"I felt nervous," he said sincerely. "I wanted to tell you something, but I couldn't."

"Can you tell me now?" Will asked with intense focus. All his attention was on Mike.

"I will try…" Mike began. "The thing is… I've been meaning to tell you this since you went away…"

"Yes?" Will was slowly leaning into Mike. Their shoulders were touching.

"It's… it's difficult for me…" Mike continued.

"I can see that…" Will said. "Can you tell me anyway?"

Mike turned his head to Will, and their faces were so close together, their noses almost brushing.

"I can't find the right words…" Mike said. His hand instinctively slid to rest on Will's leg. Will's hand squeezed Mike's shoulder, turning Mike toward him.

"Maybe you can show me," Will suggested, his voice low and raw.

"Show you how?" Mike said, resting his forehead against Will's.

"Here… let me help you," Will said, and closed the gap, kissing Mike on the lips.

Mike thought maybe there was an earthquake, the way he felt his body moving, only to realize it was his heart, shaking so badly as if it was trying to escape his ribs. Will's hand traveled to his chest, pressing slightly, soothing his heartbeats, slowly helping them find a calm pace. When his heart slowed down, he was suddenly able to feel everything. Will's solid presence, soft and stable touch, grounding him.

Mike's hand went up to Will's face, caressing his cheek. Will's lips parted, his tongue tracing Mike's lower lip. Mike tangled his fingers into Will's hair, tugging gently. Will let out a strangled sound against Mike's mouth.

Mike broke the kiss just slightly and said, "Make that sound again."

Will's touch changed. He grabbed Mike's shirt and pulled him in with ferocity. Mike moved to kneel between Will's legs, wrapping his arms around his waist, pressing him closer. They leaned into each other with a hundred years' worth of hunger, their hands moving as they went, trying to memorize the texture of Mike's hair, the line of Will's jaw, the miles of Mike's neck.

They drowned, and rescued themselves, and drowned again. And then they held each other, trembling, like they'd just survived a thousand storms.

They stayed like that for a long time.

They were still hugging when Mike found his voice.

"Will… are you happy?"

Will laughed softly. "What?" he asked.

"Does Ryan make you happy?" Mike asked quietly.

A cold shiver washed away all the warmth as Will leaned back and looked at Mike with a horrified face.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"I just…" Mike said. "I just want you to be happy…"

"And you think Ryan makes me happy?"

"I don't know… does he?" Mike asked again.

Will stood up as if it cost him a lot of effort. "What difference does it make?" He faced Mike, anger in his voice.

"I don't want to… ruin anything good… I just want you to be happy."

"And you can't make me happy?"

"I don't know…" tears filled Mike's eyes.

"You don't know?" Will said with disbelief.

"I want to. But I don't know if I can…" Mike tried to explain.

"You know what, Mike? Fuck you!" Will said, angry. "You can't kiss me like that and say you don't know!"

"Will…"

"I was in love with you for so long. I felt so nervous, so insecure, you can't even begin to understand! And I moved on! I moved on! Do you want me to say I need you? I don't fucking need you anymore. I will never need you again! Do you want to know about Ryan? I'll tell you about Ryan! I like him! I really like him. I know I could get to love him! I'll be just fine without you! You want me to make you feel better, to make you feel safe? Fuck you! If you want me, then take a fucking risk for a change! Ask me. Ask me, Mike, without knowing what the answer is gonna be. Tell me how you feel without knowing if I will reciprocate. Don't be a fucking coward!"

Will's breath was erratic, tears running down his face. He waited.

“Please, Mike…” Will whispered almost to himself.

Mike tried to speak, but his mouth was full of ashes. All he could do was watch as Will walked away.

***

"Come on, Mike, get up. We have to go."

El's voice entered Mike's room. He was lying in his bed, covered up to his head with his sheet.

"Leave me alone, El," Mike groaned.

El moved her eyes, and the sheet came flying off.

"Get up!" she said.

"Argh! Why do you hate me?" Mike said, burying his face in his pillow.

El planted her feet beside Mike's bed, hands on her waist.

"Will's bus is about to leave. We have to go now."

Mike lowered the pillow and looked at her, stricken.

"I screwed things up, El. He won't want to see me."

"That doesn't matter. You have to try."

"Humfff," he groaned.

El sat by his side.

"Mike, you're forgetting yourself. This is not who you are."

"What do you mean?"

"You fight things. You lead us, you move forward, even when you're afraid, even when the odds are all against us. You taught me that."

She paused. Mike sat up and looked at her intently.

El continued, "We saved the world, didn't we? You did it, remember? What was the point of fighting for the future if not to be happy? To try to be happy with everything you have? This is it, Mike. You got to this point. You have to keep going."

Mike blinked. His memories flashed before his eyes.

Will and him playing in kindergarten.

Will's sweet smile as he opened his birthday present.

Mike being sure that wasn't Will's body in the lake, no matter what the adults were saying.

Will shaking as the Mind Flayer left his body.

Will trying not to cry as Mike yelled at him.

Will's voice telling him he was the heart, injecting him with courage.

Will's impossible strength finishing off a Demogorgon on his own, saving Mike.

Will's vulnerable and determined eyes, admitting the truth about himself.

Will lying on the couch beside Mike, sleeping peacefully.

Will kissing him as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

"Okay," he said finally.

"Okay?" El said, standing up, energized. Mike copied her.

"Okay, let's go get him."

"Great! Lucas has the engine running. Let's go!"

*

Mike slid into the passenger seat with conviction. El sat in the back. Dustin, Lucas, and Max looked at him in silence, with undisguised apprehension.

"Let's ruin Will's happiness!" he said firmly.

"Yeah!" Max shouted. "I knew Wheeler was the best at ruining things!"

"OKAY!" Dustin shouted. "Operation Losers in Love is BACK! Lucas, hit it!"

The car made a loud noise as they disappeared down the road.

*

They were all clinging to the car's windows as Mike came back running from the bus station. He entered the car again, breathing heavily.

"Okay, the bus already left, but I think we can catch it if we hurry!" he said.

"GO, GO, GO!" Dustin shouted as Lucas pressed the accelerator.

It wasn't long before they saw Will's bus on the horizon.

"I see it, I see it!" Max screamed.

"We're going to make it!" Eleven shouted.

The car made a loud noise and shuddered.

"Oh no!" Lucas said, distressed.

"What's happening?" Eleven asked nervously.

"I think we're running out of gas."

The car started to slow down.

"YOU IDIOT!" Dustin screamed. "Didn't you check the gas?"

"Shut up, Dustin! I didn't have the time!" Lucas shouted back

"COME ON!" Max yelled as the distance to the bus grew larger.

"Somebody pass me a walkie!" Mike urged.

"You think Will has his?" Eleven asked.

"He always has it," Mike answered. "NOW!"

Dustin threw him a walkie-talkie and hit him right in the middle of his face.

"Watch out, you shithead!" Mike yelled, rubbing his nose.

"JUST DO IT!" was Dustin's answer.

Mike clicked the button.

"Will, Will, do you copy?" they heard through the static.

bzzzz… bzzzz…

"Will, please pick up, pick up!"

bzzzz… bzzzz…

Mike's heart was louder than the noises the car was making.

"bzzz… bzzzz… What, Mike?" they heard.

"WILL!" Mike shouted. "Will, listen to me! Are you listening?"

"bzzz… bzzz… Yes, I hear you."

"Will, I'm right behind you. We're right behind you!"

"Just drop it Mike," Will responded.

"No, I'm not dropping it! I'm sorry. You're right, I was a coward yesterday. I'm so sorry. I just needed a minute."

Mike shut his eyes.

"Will, I love you. I love you so much. I always have. Don't go, please. I'm sure. I'm so sure. I don't know if I can make you happy, but I will try. I will try every single day. I know you don't need me, but choose me anyway. I will fight. I won't be scared anymore. Just give me a chance. Choose me, Will. Choose me."

The walkie-talkie died as the car finally stopped.

Mike pressed it against his chest, his eyes shut.

"Do you think he heard it?" Eleven asked quietly.

The bus kept moving away.

Then it stopped.

"LOOK!" Dustin shouted.

Mike opened his eyes. They all raised their heads and saw Will's small silhouette getting off the bus.

Mike opened his door and just ran.

Will waited in the distance, his expression undecipherable.

Mike reached him.

And then he had to stop, grabbing his knees, struggling for air.

"Wil—" Mike started, his lungs failing. "I'm sorry. I'm—I'm so sorry."

Will placed his hands on Mike's shoulders.

"You can be a real jerk sometimes, you know," he said.

When Mike raised his eyes, Will was smiling.

"Shut up," Mike said, and pulled him into a kiss.

It was sweet and sour, and full of promises.

Mike felt a strong push from behind and lost his balance, taking Will to the ground with him.

"You guys!" Dustin said cheerfully from Mike's back, as the others jumped on top of them.

"You're so cute!" Eleven said.

"You are the best couple!" Max added.

"Hey!" Lucas protested.

"After us, of course," she corrected herself.

"We have the worst friends," Mike smiled, pressed against Will's lips.

"That's a fact," Will answered, laughing.

They rolled onto their backs and started helping each other up.

"I knew it! Operation Losers in Love is a success!"

"What? Who are the losers?" Will asked, standing up and holding Mike's hand.

"I'll explain it to you later," Mike said.

"We need to cover our bases better next time," Dustin said thoughtfully.

"There won't be a next time!" Mike protested.

"Well, I still need a girlfriend," Dustin said simply.

"I have an idea for what you can get her for Secret Santa," Mike said.

"Come on! Let's go, we have a car to push!" Lucas said as they walked away.

***

"Race!" yelled Will as he passed Mike skating.

"Oh, you asshole!" Mike screamed as he tried to skate faster.

"You have to stop doing that!" complained Mike as he reached Will at the end of the rink.

"I'm just faster, Wheeler, deal with it," Will said laughing.

Mike turned and trapped Will on the bar, between his open arms.

"Yet I always get you," said Mike, giving him little kisses on his face.

"Just because I let you," answered Will, framing Mike's face and kissing him properly.

Mike rested his head on the crook of Will's neck. "You make me crazy, you know that, right?"

"That's the idea," Will said, grinning. Mike released him and they started skating slowly, holding hands.

"So…" Will began. "The other time was never a group thing, was it?"

"No, it wasn't," confirmed Mike.

"So, you didn't forget to buy me a Secret Santa present."

"No, I didn't."

"I knew it!"

"And yet you didn't make it easy for me, did you?"

"What? I made it so easy! I practically threw myself at you!"

Mike grinned. "Yeah, now that I think about it, you kind of did…"

"Don't get full of yourself, I can still leave you anytime."

Mike squeezed Will's hand.

"I would just chase you again."

Will stopped his skates, and hugged Mike. "I think right now I´m the happiest person in the world."

"Great, so I need you to remember that in the next seconds…" said Mike kissing the top of Will´s head.

"What? Why?"

"RACE!" yelled Mike as he pushed Will back and ran to the other side of the rink.

"Wheeler, you bastard!" Will shouted and followed him.