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Will knew that Mike just saw them as friends… Well best friends. It really hurt how he said these words on the tower. Will still remembers how they shared a water bottle before asking him if they still could be friends after his confession. He remembers that stupid hopeful tingle in his chest after Mike said that they're not friends. How they looked in each other's eyes, how Mike's eyes drifted to his lips. Will must've imagined it, because there is no way someone would look at you like that before telling you that you're his best friend. He wanted to hear that they weren't friends, feel Mike's hand against his own as a reassurance of being more than just friends, but of course it would never happen. At least they could still be best friends... right?
Now they were here, in Mike Wheeler's basement. The party was playing D&D like they used to when they were kids. Except Max was there, and to be honest, she was good at this game despite playing for the first time.
"So after all of that, Strahd von Douchebag just wins? This game is bullshit!" She got up from her chair after hearing they're losing the campaign.
"I agree" Will rolled his eyes with resignation while Max was still complaining.
Mike, being the DM, put on plastic fangs mimicking Dracula.
"Strahd takes great pleasure in your anger" He started laughing evilly, which made everyone roll their eyes. "Time to join your friends, sorcerer." Mike slurred the last word with emphasis. Will noticed it before. How he made it his life mission to call him sorcerer at every opportunity, which was odd, but also weirdly cute and funny.
"Just get it over with a roll" Will lifted his hand up being so done with his friend's corny behavior. Even though it might be somehow cute to Will... Damn, he really thought he did get over him, but now all he could think about was this dumbass sitting across the table with those idiotic plastic fangs in his mouth. He wanted to-
Will took the dice to his hand in order to distract himself from these weird thoughts, because he shouldn't think about Mike like this. Especially not now, when they finally became comfortable around each other again. He wouldn't want them to fight like they had in Lenora again.
Suddenly, Dustin put his hand on Will's wrist not letting him let go of dice and reminded the party about the mage they have befriended with earlier during the campaign. It made everyone lock back into the story. They had to find the incantation to summon her and after Will had finally read it, Mike was looking at them while shaking his head.
"Nothing happens." Which caused even more frustrated groans and eyerolls from the party.
Then he looked up. He described how the mage stepped in through the portal saving the day. Everyone got excited. Mike even stood up fully immersed in the story explaining how the mage defeated the vampire with her powers. The party was jumping and cheering enthusiastically. They finally won!
When the emotions slightly settled down, Mike announced that the party will live out the rest of their lives in comfort and happiness.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on. That's it? Comfort and happiness?" Max asked unsatisfied and Will huffed. "I thought you were some kind of master storyteller or something."
Lucas smirked, Dustin snickered and Will looked up at Mike, putting his fingers over his mouth.
And it wasn't his reaction to Max roasting Mike. It was his reaction to what was happening under the table. Mike's foot brushed against Will's ankle, which was a simple, probably accidental action, but caused Will's heart to beat faster. Oh he missed his touch so much. After his confession, Will noticed that Mike was avoiding physical touch with him. Like he was afraid, or grossed out. Like the brushes of their knees and bumps of their elbows they've shared before disappeared the moment Mike realized they could mean more than casual touch between two friends. Yes, Will used to think it meant something, that Mike might feel the same way and now felt like an idiot for making all of this shit up in his head. Overanalizing Mike's stares, these soft spoken words and accidental touches, like the one he was experiencing right now.
Mike's feet quickly backed out, with the realization of what he was doing and moved his gaze down. Yeah... it must've been just an accident.
"Well, it is true, the comfort and happiness part. But happiness can be found in many places." He spoke up looking up at Will again with a hint of yearning in his eyes, like he wanted to say something only the two of them could understand. Ugh... Will stop over analyzing. He made it clear they weren't anything more than just friends.
Mike shifted his attention to Lucas and Max, describing their happy ending.
"The knight and the zoomer, they retire from battle and they settle down in a small village. With each passing day, their love grows stronger."
He turned his head towards Dustin. "The bard, craving knowledge, makes his way to the Mage's Guild of Enclave, where he spends his days in their vast library. Though deeply devoted to his studies, he still makes time for the occasional adventure."
Mike's eyes locked with Will's making it impossible to look away. "As for Will the Wise... He travels far and long to the busting city of Vallaki. It's overwhelming at first. So very different from the village where he spent his youth. But it isn't long before he finds his place there. And with that, deep happiness and acceptance..."
Will knew Mike wasn't talking just about the game. He meant all these things in real life. Will told him he wanted to get out of Hawkins, have a new start in New York after everything that happened here.
His eyes were already getting wet, mirroring the longing of Mike's gaze. Oh he's going to miss him. Of course the whole party already promised they'll meet up every once in a while. It's not that easy to find other people who would believe or understand what they've been dealing with for years.
"And the storyteller? What about him?" Will asked with slight hope in his eyes, because maybe the storyteller was going to be the one who made Will the Wise feel true happiness in the future.
"The storyteller keeps telling stories, stories inspired by his friends. One day, he hopes their tales of grand adventure will spread far and wide across the land so all can know of their great bravery." Mike's gaze turned back to Will and he gently shifted his feet against Will, like he wanted to give him a secret code nobody else would understand. "But there is a story that he can never tell..."
Will bit inside his cheek trying to stop himself from crying. Mike was acting like this again. Like when they were flirting on that meadow a few months ago. Did Mike really mean it? Was Will over interpreting his words? He has made it clear they were only friends, but the way he could feel his touch under the table, how he just mentioned a story he could never tell. Was the story about them? About Will the Wise and the storyteller living their lives together in the busting city of Vallaki? About their love for each other that grows stronger everyday, like knight's and zoomer's?
"...The story of the mage... Or at least not the real story" Will suddenly felt like a bucket of cold water was spilled on him. Of course it was about the mage. He was so stupid for expecting something else from Mike Wheeler again... The mage was supposed to be El in that metaphor. Will was still mourning her death, she was his sister and he loved her. He missed her so much, even after all these months, but wanted to move on. He knew that's what El would want. She'd want them to be happy. Will had to brush off a tear that made its way on his cheek.
Mike explained how the mage and her sister devised a plan to trick everyone, making them believe she's dead to hide from the people who wanted to steal her powers. "The mage we saw die, was not real... She was an illusion."
"Where did she go?"
"No one knows. No one will ever know. But I'd like to imagine that she's in a beautiful land, somewhere far away. She finds a small town to call a home. Safe from danger of the Black Hand. And it is here, at last, that she finds peace. That she finally finds happiness."
"But this is just a theory, right?" Max spoke up with tears on her face.
"How do we know that it's truth?" Will asked as moved as Max was.
"We don't. Not for sure. But I chose to believe that it is... I believe" Mike admitted. And the whole party agreed. They all believed that El found her place and finally could live a normal, happy life.
Suddenly they heard doors cracking open and the voice of Mrs Wheeler. "Guys! What's going on? There's lasagna's getting cold!"
"Yeah, we... We just finished. We'll be right up."
Everyone got up with tears in their eyes to put their binders on the shelf. One next to another. It felt like a significant, symbolic moment, meaning the end of something big.
Max, Lucas, Dustin and then Will, walked upstairs, leaving Mike alone in the basement. He glanced at the binders. It was really the end, huh?...
He put his binder next to Will's and staring at it with misty eyes, brushed it with his thumb. Like it was the last goodbye. He knew they promised they would meet a lot after that, but will it ever feel the same? He stared at his binder right next to Will's knowing that he already made his decision. Best friends... And is there anything he could do to change it now? He wanted to not be afraid anymore, but at the end he was. Sometimes Mike felt like his younger self was more brave than him. He was ready to literally jump off the cliff in order to save Dustin. Now he was afraid of just saying the right thing. He wasn't able to tell El he loved her back right before she disappeared, he couldn't tell Will what he truly feels.
Mike loved El, but not in a way he thought he was supposed to, not in a way he loved... Will.
When he finally realized, it was too late and Mike felt like a total jerk who had been lying to his girlfriend and his best friend for years. His chest tightened and tears fell down his cheeks.
Even after Will’s confession, he couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth. “I don’t like girls.” echoed in his mind. Well… He wanted to scream “Me too”, to stop himself from drowning in lies, but when he got his chance to actually talk to him on the tower, he panicked. He chose the safer option, “best friends". How stupid of him. Mike hated himself for all these times he’d say the wrong thing, hurt El or acted oblivious to Will’s pain. He wasted so much time pretending to love a girl he never loved this way, making shitty excuses why he’s so avoidant, ignoring his best friend and acting oblivious to basically everything. How could he not realize it before? That Will liked him. Back then when they were in California he gave him a painting, telling him it was from El. But then when he asked her about it she said she never commissioned any painting. Does it mean that what Will said about the painting, that El needs him, was a lie? Why would he lie about it? He thought about it for such a long time and after Will came out, it somehow started to make more sense. “It’s just, she’s so different from other people, and when you’re different, sometimes you feel like a mistake” He replayed Will’s words in his head. Maybe it was about El, but he had a feeling Will also felt different. What if what he said in the van wasn’t about her, what if these were Will’s feelings he was talking about? It would make sense now. Did Mike lose his chance?
Maybe if he reacted earlier Will wouldn’t say that he had a stupid crush. Maybe he’d say he has a boyfriend…
How could he not hate me? Why after all of that, he’s still putting up with me? The guilt and regret filled his mind. Now he won’t be able to change anything, because Will is going to leave Howkins in a few days.
"Hey, Mike, did I leave my jacket on my... chair?" Will walked down the stairs and quickly trailed off when he noticed Mike's teary face. "Hey... what's wrong?" He came up closer and Mike quickly brushed his tears off trying to appear normal, but they both knew it was already too late, so another tear rolled down his cheek. "Mike, it doesn't mean we're never going to meet again." He pointed at the binders. "The party will stick together forever, you know that right?" He gave him a reassuring smile.
"It's... not, not that" Mike finally spoke up, hiding his wet face in his hands. Maybe he was brave enough to tell him now. Even though his face looked like a tsunami and he was shaking slightly. "I uh... I'm going to miss you" He said quietly, still crying into his hands.
"Oh... Mike" He closed the distance between them and suddenly Mike wrapped his hands around him, his face now hiding in the other boy's shoulder, wetting up his sleeve. Will felt his hands wrapping around Mike's waist, pulling him closer. He was just comforting his crying friend, nothing weird. Mike didn't even dare to touch him for months and now he was suddenly clingy. It was messing with his head.
"I'm going to miss you, Will" Mike repeated in a broken voice emphasizing the importance of his words. "I can't lose you, like I lost everyone... Like I lost El, like I lost you when you went missing... Why do people I care about the most always disappear from my life?"
Will creased gentle patterns on Mike's back. "You're not gonna lose me, I won't disappear, Mike..." He had to take a deep breath to not start crying even uglier than Mike. Will felt so many emotions at once. Worry, longing, confusion and love. He did not get over Mike.
"Promise?" He mumbled against his shirt.
"Promise" Will replied and then smirked faintly wanting to tease Mike, to make him smile a little. "My shirt is-"
"Super gross... Sorry." Mike quickly pulled his head out from his shoulder, finally not hiding his wet face from Will.
"I wanted to say completely soaked... I should've worn that jacket before hugging you." They both chuckled.
After a moment their eyes locked again, like they did during the campaign. Despite Mike being an ugly crier, Will wasn't grossed out, he was worried, and glad he was the one to comfort him.
"Will... I know that I've been acting like a jerk and that I already said sorry, but I think that it wasn't right, how I said it and I was... I didn't mean those words."
Will smiled teasingly. "You didn't mean to apologize?"
"NO! No I definitely did, but I... oh god... I really was sorry, still am." He took a deep breath. Maybe Mike was good with words in D&D, but in real life, during serious conversations he had a problem with finding the right words. "What I was trying to say is that I didn't... Really mean that I want us to be friends... I mean I do... You are my best friend, but we could... Be something else too... I mean that we... That... I can't really, I don't know how to say this, but you know what I mean?" He looked at Will's face trying to search for any kind of reaction.
Will opened his mouth like he considered saying something, but didn't. Was Mike... confessing to him, or was he just imagining things again? The hot feeling from his chest filled his whole body.
"Will...?" Mike insisted. "Please talk to me..."
"I'm... not really sure what you mean" He finally spoke up with a shaky voice.
Mike looked into his eyes like he was about to start crying again. He wanted to say these words so badly, he really did, but he was paralyzed with fear of rejection from Will, of what people would think about him. Once he says these words outloud they'll become real. He knew he had been acting like a jerk, that he was giving Will mixed signals he used to not even notice himself, until Will came out. Maybe people wouldn't judge him if he confessed his true feelings too, everyone accepted Will. He looked down, maybe it'll be easier to say if he pretended nobody was listening. Mike was afraid to even admit it to himself, but Will was just like him and they were best friends, and there was no way he wouldn't understand.
"Do you remember your coming out...?" Will gave him a small nod. "I... back then I was too scared, I still am, but I need you to know that... When I heard you saying that...uh... you don't like girls, I realized that, I remembered about the painting you gave me and I know... it wasn't from El..."
Oh my god. Did Mike Wheeler just say he realized what the painting was about? That it was Will's almost confession of love.
"Mike..." He hesitantly slid his hand up from his back to his slightly wet cheek. "I'm sorry I lied back then... But what I said, I really meant it... I still do."
Mike smiled and his gaze dropped to Will's lips. "Really?"
"Really" Will's eyes drifted down as well.
"Will..."
"Yeah?"
"It took me too long to realize but... I like you... not in a best friends way" Mike wanted to say more, but couldn't. Maybe he will in the future, but for now it was just enough to make both of their hearts beat faster.
Will looked at him with a grin. "I like you too" He inched towards him.
Will brushed gently against Mike's lips with his own, his hand still on his cheek. Mike felt like he had never before, like the kiss really meant something. When Will pulled out Mike looked at Will's mouth. He knew he was teasing him on purpose, making him feel like he was about to lose his mind... Or maybe Will was so hesitant, because he has never kissed before? His mind told him to panic, to take a step back and stop before anyone notices, but his heart was beating too fast to do anything reasonable right now. His hands wrapped around Will's waist pulling him closer, causing their lips to meet again. At first Will wasn't sure how he was supposed to do that, and Mike noticed that. He decided to dominate the kiss, teaching him. He slowly pulled out and looked in Will's eyes then lips and eyes again.
"You really are a sorcerer..." Mike said quietly.
"What?"
"...Because you cast a spell on me"
Will laugh with a hint of cringe and surprise. How could someone so stupidly dorky be so charming? "You did not just say that." He grinned and messed Mike's hair up with his hands.
"Hey!" Mike was laughing as well trying to push his hand away.
"I like your hair better like that. You look stupid with that perfectly brushed hair." Will let him push away his hands with a playful surrender. "You look more like you with these curls, paladin" He teased and bit inside of his cheek trying not to laugh at him again.
Mike gave him an annoyed look. He wasn't annoyed at Will, more at himself. He did that hairstyle to fit in more, maybe because his dad's hair looked similar and he wanted to be normal like everyone else. But was it really worth not being himself? Pretending he's someone he's not? Acting like he didn't have feelings for Will? No... No it wasn't.
So he just smirked and teased back. "Said the guy with a bowlcut."
"Shut up, Mike." He rolled his eyes playfully and shoved him flirtatiously. Mike had to take a step back in order to not lose his balance, while Will took the jacket from his chair.
"I'm shutting up." He smiled like a lovesick dumbass putting his hands up in mock surrender.
"Good." When Will put on his jacket, he stepped closer towards Mike again, still not quite believing what just happened. “By the way… you weren’t really subtle while we were playing.”
“Huh?”
"Earlier when you said there's a story you could never tell you touched me under the table, I thought it was an accident, but now i don’t think it was… Was it really just about the mage?" Will asked looking in his eyes.
"I… it was about her, but… It wasn’t the whole story." Mike replied and fidgeted with Will's warm hands. "Well... you see, the storyteller figured out that the mage was his best friend at the end… He still loves her, but not in a way he had always thought he did. Because the sorcerer was his true soulmate, from the start. So when he finally realized that, the storyteller and the sorcerer found happiness and acceptance, as they wrote their own story together... One day, when it's possible for them to not hide anymore, they share their story with the world. They marry and live happily ever after." Maybe Mike was a bit dramatic and over the top with the story, but it moved Will. Mike definitely was braver as the paladin, or the storyteller, but he really meant these words.
Will looked at him with a big smile. "Is that your way of proposing?" He teased despite feeling his eyes watering up again with tears of joy.
"Hypothetically... If it was, would you say yes?" Mike grinned, teasing him back.
"Maybe if you gave me a nice ring." Will replied with a smirk and they ended up kissing again, this time Will took the lead.
"Will Wheeler" He chuckled. "Sounds-"
"Idiotic, why can't you be Mike Byers?"
"Because it would sound like Michael Myers too much and I would be mistaken with a serial killer from the movie" They both couldn't stop laughing.
"We'll have to discuss it later Michael..." Will said with mock seriousness. "For now we can be Mike the Wise and Will the Brave" He joked which caused them to bark out of laughter again.
As the storyteller has said, Mike and Will moved together to New York, where they studied literature and art. They were working on their project, a comic book about the story of sorcerer and paladin. They could finally live happily ever after.