Chapter Text
February 13, 1989
“Will,” Mike said softly.
“Will,” now waving his hand in Will’s face.
"WILL!" Mike shouted, concerned.
Will’s eyes flicker, his eyes leave his sketchbook and meet Mike’s.
“What?” Will questioned.
“Are you okay?” asked Mike.
It took a moment for Will to answer, his eyes going from Mike to his sketchbook. Back and forth until he finally found the words to say anything.
"Yeah, why?" Will asked.
"I don't know, you just seemed out of it," Mike said.
"No, I'm okay," Will says and continues drawing in his sketchbook.
Will wasn't used to having much company down in the basement since Jonathan left for New York. He has gotten very used to the quiet. The quiet of the trees swaying outside hitting the windows. Quiet with nothing but him and his thoughts. Although he didn't have a lot on his mind, just one thing...
Mike.
The only thoughts Will ever had, were about the curly-haired boy who slept two floors above him. He has been living in the Wheelers' basement for about 3 years since the Byers' came back to Hawkins from California in the spring of 86'.
One of the only people to understand him or really know him for who he really is. Will thought he was completely invisible to the world until Mike asked him to be friends, when they were little kids sitting on the playground swings together.
He felt like a ghost, floating outside his body until Mike looked or talked in his direction. He was his best friend. He obviously had his other friends, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and his sister, Eleven. Mike just wasn't like them. Will finds everything about Mike so special, and can never look at anyone else the same way.
His sister, Eleven, has been dating Mike for about 6 years since Will went missing in the woods in November 1983. He'd never been more jealous of anyone in his life, but there's nothing he can do about it. He could never let his sister know that he was in love with her boyfriend. Mike is all she's ever known.
He wanted Mike in a way he'd never wanted anyone else before. He came out about a year and a half ago, and everyone was surprisingly supportive. All his friends and family surrounded him with open arms. He had informed them about the "crush" he had on someone, but they were all oblivious to whom. They only knew it was somebody associated with a woman's name.
Tammy.
He has slowly come to terms that him and Mike just weren't meant to be. He thought that if they were supposed to be together, they would've been already. Sometimes he can't stand being in the same room as him, knowing he'll never feel the same way and it hurts.
He sits beside Mike on the couch, drawing. While Mike was playing the Atari on their tiny box tv. Will can see Mike in his peripheral vision, slowly trying to peek at what he's drawing. He moves closer to the arm of the couch, so he can't see anything.
"What are you drawing?" Mike asked.
"Nothing," Will replied, irritated.
"What?" He sighed.
"Nothing, just dragons."
"Oh! That's cool, can I see?" Mike meets Will's eyes, invested.
"Not now, maybe when I'm finished."
Mike turns back to play his game. "Oh yeah, okay."
A couple of minutes went by, and he couldn't help but ask again.
"Are you sure everything is okay? You seem like you're somewhere else." He touches Will's hand.
He swatted his hand away.
"Yes, I'm fine!!" Will snapped.
Mike jumped, somewhat shocked because he'd never really heard Will yell, let alone at him.
"Okay, sorry." he said.
Will sighed and his voice strained. "No, no. It's not your fault, I'm sorry. I just need some air."
He walks upstairs, his eyes now streaming with tears. Praying to god that Mike didn't notice.
He went riding on his bike around Hawkins, by the quarry, and his old house. He ended up out there for a couple of hours and decided it was time to head home.
He drops his bike outside the front door and turns the knob. He walks in, and he’s greeted by the entire Wheeler family sitting at the dining table. His eyes immediately met Mike’s. He turns and heads for the basement door.
“Will?” said Karen.
He stopped dead in his tracks, and slowly backed up to face them again.
“Are you going to come eat? Where have you been?” she asked.
He had his eyes down, trying to avoid looking at Mike. “No. I’m not hungry. I think I'll just head down to bed. Thank you though, really,” he said.
“Okay, sweetie. Hope you sleep well,” Karen said, almost concerned.
He wasn’t lying, he headed back to the basement door, and went down to bed.
Mike noticed something off with Will ever since they came back from Lenora. He's not the same person he was a couple of years ago before he moved away. They were and had been best friends since they were five, but he seemed so different this past year.
Mike didn't want to pry because they'd both been through a lot, but Will's trauma was something else. He'd been kidnapped when he was a kid, and Henry tormented him for years. So he decided never to say anything unless Will came to him.
Will always knew Mike treated him differently than all their other friends. He knew that it was because he was the weakest link in the party. Although it wasn't just Mike, it was everybody. Everybody just assumed that Will couldn't take care of himself, like he was a fragile being that could break at any moment.
He wasn’t like that anymore, he was one of the strongest in the party. Not necessarily physically, but he was stronger in terms of being able to hide his emotions. Never letting anyone, not even his closest friends, know what he's really feeling.
It’s not that he “hated” Mike, but it pulled on his heart when he cared for Will so deeply at all times.
He attempted to paint his growth as a healthy habit, but had a tendency to seek comfort in a familiar, yet damaging, attachment to his trauma. As well as his longing for Mike. Continuing to fall back into these feelings, no matter how hard he tried to stay away. There will never be anyone as important to him as Mike. He’s his best friend.
"Best friends," he thought.
Will thought back to November 6, 1987 talking with Mike, right after he came out.
“What matters is that you’re still here, and you still think we can be friends.” Will smiled.
“Friends?” Mike said, shaking his head, smiling.
“No, thanks.”
“Best friends.”
He knew, no matter his feelings, they would always be best friends. He never wanted to do anything to change that, he could never lose Mike.
They’ll always have a special connection between them.
With Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow, Will's love for Mike is dragging him down. Knowing Mike will be spending yet another Valentine's Day with someone that isn't him.