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Mike knew he needed to apologise.
He was going to make it his biggest goal. No matter what.
This is why he’s now climbing up a radio tower not focusing on his steps, oh no, instead, he’s planning on how to say sorry to Will.
The metal ladder rattles beneath their sneakers as they climb, the wind up this high sharp and restless, whipping at their jackets and tugging at loose strands of hair. Hawkins stretches out beneath them—quiet streets, dark rooftops, the skeletal remains of everything Vecna tore through. The sky is bruised purple, the kind of twilight that makes everything feel suspended between before and after.
Will pulls himself up onto the platform first, boots scraping against rusted metal. Mike follows a second later, breath puffing out in uneven clouds as he swings his backpack off one shoulder.
For a second, neither of them says anything.
The air feels charged. Not just because of Vecna. Not just because of the Upside Down bleeding into their world.
Because Will came out an hour ago.
Because Mike hasn’t stopped thinking about it. How could he?
Mike clears his throat and unzips his bag. He pulls out a reusable water bottle and holds it out awkwardly. “Hydration,” he mutters, like that explains anything.
Will huffs a small laugh anyway and takes it. Mike counts that as a win. Their fingers brush, and it sends something electric straight down Mike’s spine.
Will tilts his head back and takes a sip. His throat moves when he swallows. Mike tries very hard not to stare. He fails a little.
Will hands it back. Mike quickly shoves it into the holder on the side of his backpack before he can overthink the moment.
“Hey,” Mike starts.
Will looks up at him immediately. He always does. Like Mike’s voice is something magnetic.
Mike rubs the back of his neck. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.”
Will blinks. “Not sorry about you. Um. More about me.”
Will’s confusion deepens. He leans his forearms against the railing, fingers lacing together. “What?” he breathes.
Mike shakes his head awkwardly, staring at the metal floor like it personally offended him. “What I said to you a few years ago? I’m sorry. I– I didn’t mean it that way.”
There’s a flicker of recognition in Will’s eyes as he remembers what Mike said to him. It hurt, sure but Mike wasn't to have known what he was feeling at that time.
“Oh!” Will waves a hand quickly. “No, no. Mike, it’s fine.”
Mike shakes his head harder, almost aggressive. “It’s really not. Even though I didn’t mean it like that, you... probably still took it that way and I’m sorry for that. You didn’t deserve me saying that to you. Especially since people already gave you shit for it. I just... added to it.”
Will nods slowly. His hands tighten on the railing.
“Yeah,” he exhales, shaky. “Thank you, Mike.”
He smiles softly and meets Mike’s eyes before looking away, because eye contact feels too big right now.
“You weren’t really wrong anyway,” Will adds with a dry little chuckle.
Mike frowns for a split second and then it clicks.
“Oh.”
His face goes bright red.
Will nods at his reaction, thinking that Mike’s finally realised that Will loves likes him. That it is his fault he doesn't like girls.
“Because you’re, uh–” Mike swallows. “Gay.” He whispers the last word like it’s fragile.
Will nods sheepishly. He didn’t get it. Of course he didn’t. “Yeah. Something like that.”
Mike’s brain stumbles for half a second, caught on the something like that, is Will not gay? He literally just came out to them. How is he not— Will breaks off his thoughts and speaks again before he can untangle any of it.
“Uh… Mike?”
“Hm?” Mike murmurs, staring into Will’s eyes. They’re really pretty. He’s always known that. He’s just never let himself sit with it like this.
“I’m sorry too.”
Mike straightens instantly, a little angry if he’s being honest. What does Will have to be sorry for? He hasn’t done anything wrong. “What.. What do you mean? What do you have to be sorry for?”
Will looks down at his shaking hands knowing that there's no way to escape this now.
“I–I lied to you. In California.”
Mike’s eyebrows pull together. “When?”
Will’s breath stutters. “In the van. The painting. El—Jane… she never commissioned it. She didn’t even know about it. Or at least… I don’t think she did.”
Mike's not even focused on the fact that El definitely did know about it, he could tell Will now that she did. That she wrote to him about it and said that Will drew it for someone he liked. His... crush in Lenora. But he doesn’t.
“So everything you said in the van was a lie too?” His voice cracks in a way he doesn’t like.
Will’s head snaps up. “No! Of course not! I—it’s just… they weren’t from Jane.”
Mike makes a small noise for him to continue.
“I– I thought I could help you guys,” Will rushes out. “Your relationship wasn’t going well and… you weren’t happy without her, Mike! I just… wanted to help.”
Mike looks at Will's pained face and he feels a little guilty but he still carries on, he doesn't understand how Will could lie to him like this.
“You… you still lied to me, Will,” Mike says, softer than he intends. “You never lie to me. Ever. Those words you said to me mean nothing now. She never needed me!” He blinks fast, trying to shove back the sting in his eyes. He didn’t like raising his voice at Will. He hated it in fact.
He didn’t have a chance to apologise, Will cutting him off by yelling at him too. Giving him a taste of his own medicine if you must.
“But I do!”
It tears out of Will.
Mike freezes. He lets out a breathless, “What?”
Will’s face crumples, tears streaming down fast and unstoppable.
“I need you, Mike. And I… always will.”
Everything in Mike’s brain starts working in overdrive as he realises this whole time... Will was talking about himself. Holy shit.
The van.
The speech.
The way Will’s voice shook and he was almost crying. How did Mike not notice? How did he not realise?
Holy shit!
He wasn’t talking about El.
He never was. He was talking about himself.
Silence falls between them—not awkward. Just heavy.
Mike’s voice, when he finally speaks, drops softer without him meaning to. It always does that. “Why didn’t you tell me that? In the van?”
Will sniffs, wiping his cheeks. “I–I don’t know.” He shrugs helplessly. He does know, he just… doesn’t want to admit it.
Mike steps forward without thinking. He reaches out to him, not liking how much distance Will has put between them, it feels unbearable to be so far away from him. Mike gently takes Will’s hands in his own.
Will startles—but doesn’t pull away.
“Did you not think I would want to hear those words from you?” Mike asks. “You said I wasn’t happy without El. But… I was. And I think she was too.”
Will blinks. “What?”
“We never really got back together after everything in Lenora,” Mike explains quietly. “We just… figured we were better as friends, you know?”
Will processes that slowly, nodding along to Mike’s words.
“When you showed me the painting,” Mike continues, “I got so fucking excited, Will! I was so happy.”
Will can’t stop the tiny smile forming.
“And then…” Mike huffs, realising what he was about to say. “God, I sound like a dick.”
“You don’t,” Will whispers.
“You said El commissioned it and I felt… disappointed, I guess.” Mike shrugs, cheeks burning. “I kinda… wanted it to be from you.”
Will’s eyes go wide. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Mike mumbles, staring at their joined hands. “I need you too, by the way,” he adds, quieter. “Always.”
Will’s breath catches.
Before Mike can overthink it, Will steps forward and pulls him into a tight hug.
Mike freezes for exactly one second.
Then he melts.
His arms wrap around Will’s waist and he pulls him closer, burying his face against Will’s shoulder. He lets out the smallest, softest groan of relief.
Will flushes, heart pounding wildly as he gains some confidence.
“You’re not my Tammy,” he whispers.
Mike pulls back slightly, confused and then it hits him.
Oh.
Oh.
It registers in his brain. He was Will's crush. He didn't want to be this... Tammy, shit name anyway. He wants to be his Mike. Will's Mike. Yeah... that sounds right. He smiles at Will, "Good. I want to be your Mike."
Will laughs, tears spilling again—happy this time.
“You do get what I mean, right?” Will asks.
“Yeah,” Mike says softly. “I was your crush. The one you said didn’t feel the same. He’s not… like you?”
Will nods, looking at his feet.
“Did you ask him though?” Mike asks.
Will looks up and realises that Mike's a lot closer than even after the hug.
"No.. I-"
Mike cuts him off, grabbing Will's hand in his own. "Ask him."
Their foreheads are almost touching now. Will blinks slowly, staring into Mike's eyes as if to see if he's being serious or not.
He is.
“Are you… like me?” Will whispers, a little scared of his own voice.
Mike’s eyes fill instantly. He nods, once, twice, then he’s pulling Will back into him, tighter than before. Will holds him, hands rubbing soothing circles over Mike’s back. “It’s okay,” he murmurs. “I’m proud of you, Mike.”
After a few seconds of holding one another comfortably, Mike pulls away slightly and apologises. Will brushes it off saying Mike has nothing to be sorry for.
Mike’s hand settles on Will’s hip almost unconsciously after they pull away further.
“Can I be your Mike?” he asks.
Will bursts into laughter almost instantaneously.
Mike’s taken aback and looks mildly offended. “What?!”
“I’m sorry!” Will gasps. “That just… sounded really funny. It was kind of—”
“Corny?” Mike supplies.
“Yeah. Corny.”
Will hides his face against Mike’s chest, laughing. Mike laughs too, unable not to when Will’s like this. This is his favourite version of Will. The one he…
They calm down eventually.
Will lifts his head, serious now. His eyes are full of something warm and steady.
“Yes,” he says quietly. “You can… be my Mike.”
Mike nods, flushing. "Cool." He whispers, leaning closer toward Will's face, looking up and down from his lips to his eyes but planting his gaze firmly on Will's lips as they utter, "Cool." in a lighter tone.
Mike gets an inch away from meeting Will's lips with his own and whispers out against them, "Is this okay?"
“Yes,” Will breathes, the word almost practically non-existent.
Their lips meet quickly.
It’s soft at first—hesitant and almost shy.
And then it isn’t.
Mike’s hands slide up, gripping Will’s waist firmly. Will’s fingers tangle into Mike’s hair, and oh—this is real. This is real and warm and solid and not a dream. This is what he’s always wanted. What they’ve both always wanted. For years. And now… they’ve finally got it.
He tugs Mike’s beanie off and tosses it aside without thinking. It slaps loudly on the ground, then slips off the edge of the platform.
Neither of them notice.
Mike makes a small sound when Will pulls gently at his hair and pulls him in even closer (if that’s possible) and kisses him even harder. He needs to feel every part of him.
This is better than any daydream Will ever had.
They break apart only when distant shouting echoes from above.
“Get up here!”
Mike laughs breathlessly, forehead resting against Will’s.
“Mike?” Will asks softly.
“Yeah?” He pants out, looking directly in Will’s hazel eyes.
“Are we…?”
“Best friends?” Mike teases.
“No thanks.”
“Boyfriends,” Mike corrects, grinning like the goddamn cheshire cat.
Will shoves him lightly before kissing his cheek. “Boyfriends.”
Mike presses a quick peck to his lips. “Come on,” he says, turning toward the ladder. “We’ve got a planet to catch.”
Will grabs the backpack Mike left and follows him up, heart genuinely happy for the first time in years.
They climb up toward their friends.
Toward the fight.
Toward Vecna.
But this time, Mike doesn’t feel like something is missing. When Will glances up at him halfway up the ladder and smiles, Mike smiles back. This is right. He was always meant to be with Will Byers. He knows that now.
Finally, he’s truly happy. They both are.
Now it’s time to end this.
Together.