Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Will felt the grass brush his feet roughly, he didn’t care how much it tickled, how could he? The love of his life was waiting for him at the other end of the field! The wind gushed through his hair, leaving it a tangled mess. He watched as Mike ran towards him across the valley, that same crooked smile he always had painted goofily on his face. By the time they caught up to each other, they were both beyond winded, neither of them cared though. They let out relieved laughs as Mike grabbed Wills shoulders, pulling him in for a tight hug.

“Will! Fuck…I-I’ve missed you so much!” Mike gasps, his hands are clutched firmly on Will.

Will pulls himself back slightly, leaning in to get a better look at Mike, “me too Mike…you have no idea! I-I waited so long and I knew you’d come ba-” his words got caught in his throat as Mikes hands slacked on his shoulders and he began sinking to the floor. “Wha-What are you…doing?”

“Something I should’ve done a long time ago…” Mike grinned as his hands slide over and down the back of Wills thighs, soon retreating to his own back pocket. His face flushed as he rummaged through his pocket, his eyes pleading for Wills attention. That’s when he pulled it out. “Will…I think you know where this is going.”

Will felt the familiar sensation of tears prickle at his eyes as he watched Mike reveal a tiny black box in his hand, “M-Mike…holy shit I-I”

“Don’t!” Mike cut Will off, “please Will…let me ask you… formally.” Mike carefully popped open the box, revealing a sizable diamond ring. Both the boys were choking up with tears as their eyes fell to it. “Will, you are the best thing that ever happened to me…” Mike paused, sniffling as he gazed up at the boy. “Breaking up with Jane was difficult…I won’t lie, but not because I loved her. It was so hard to explain that you’re the one, Will. B-But when I finally did, it felt like freedom. It felt like…like the first time Ive been able to take a breath? Does that make sense?” Mike laughs nervously as his fingers fidget with the ring now clutched between them.

“I guess…what I really want to say here is,” the boys looked at each other, one of Mikes hands was holding the ring, the other delicately grasping Wills hand. Their eyes are both watery with tears now and Will looks like he might die from anticipation.

“William Jacob Byers…Will you-“

“WILL! YOU NEED TO BE OUT THE DOOR IN FIVE MINUTES!” Jonathan, Will’s older brother, bangs on the door.

oh.

Will groans as he sits up in bed, his sheets are hap-hazardously tangled around him. Of course it was a dream, in what universe would Mike Wheeler want to marry Will Byers. The realization that Will has actual responsibilities that exist outside of his fantasy world start to creep in along side that thought. His body still moves at the pace of a snail, but his eyes dart quickly to his alarm clock as the words “YOU NEED TO BE OUT THE DOOR IN FIVE MINUTES” replay in his brain. He blinks quickly at the numbers, hoping maybe one of these times they’ll change and he’ll have an extra two hours to get ready. But they don’t…and he doesn’t. The clock reads ‘7:45AM’ and block one starts at 8:05. Will is usually pulling out of the driveway in five minutes. The banging on his door continues as he jumps off the mattress, practically falling towards his bedroom closet door.

You see, Will has dream like these often, ones that make his head spin with desire and fantasies that won’t ever come to be. Sometimes these dreams of relationships get so strong that Will has to write them down…in paper form, to ground himself. Since seventh grade he’s written five letters. Not all hold the same weight, some are just little crush confessions, others declarations of love. All were so extreme that he once felt he need to write about them. Will likes to read these letters when the feelings come back, he likes to remind himself how strong they can get if he doesn’t take care of them. He carefully pulls Mikes letter out of its fully addressed and signed envelope (sometimes Will likes to believe he’ll actually get the guts to send them one day.) He rereads the note carefully, blinking hard at a paper that is essentially his heart spilled onto a notebook. He stuffs it back into in respected envelope…then back inside the little yellow box which holds them all. He has to jump on his tip toes to get it back to the shelf it belongs on : the top shelf, in the very back…where no one will ever find it. It’s not until he registers the continuous banging on his door that he remembers the situation he’s in. He’s stumbles to his door, opening it abruptly to see Jonathan waiting there for him.

“Will!? Did you just wake up? Mom’s gonna kill you, actually.” Jonathan rambles on as Will shuffles past him, pushing his way into the bathroom. “I mean seriously man…it’s only, what? The second week of school? You’ve been late like-like…three days already!”

Will sighs as he clumsily squirts toothpaste onto his toothbrush, “yeah Jonathan…I-I know alright? I’m doing the best I can. I’ve been…stressed.” That’s one word for it. Will started junior year, as Jonathan said, two weeks ago. Since then, his whole friend group has asked eachother out to the homecoming dance. That’s great, that’s dandy even…Will isn’t mad that they’re going to the dance. Well maybe a little, they did make a pact when they were kids that dances were stupid and for losers but whoopsy daisy that’s out the window. Mainly that’s not it though. Will is the only single person left in the group, and more importantly the only one who isn’t dating another member of said group (other than Dustin but he basically has phone sex over the walkie talkie with Susie every day so he doesn’t count). He doesn’t make it a big deal but it’s really frustrating having your friends basically on each others laps at every hang out. It doesn’t help that he’s hopelessly in love with Mike, yes the same Mike from the dream, who is dating his sister. So yeah, Wills “stressed” because how the fuck is he supposed to look his best friend and sister in the eye every day if his dreams are getting more graphic by the night. Hes lucky Jonathan woke him up when he did today or he would’ve had another issue to deal with before he could’ve left his room.

Will finishes getting ready at a 8:00, clearly he isn’t making it to school on time, so why rush? He strolls downstairs at a casual pace, the house is empty except for him. He checks his hair in the hallway mirror, patting it down softly as he slips out the front door.

His car is old, not ridiculous, but not something you’d see anyone else his age driving. He’s thankful for it though. His mom works extremely hard to get his family what they need, he didn’t need her buying him a car. So yes, he bought it his own, and even though it’s considered a “piece of junk” to his friends, he’s proud he was able to buy it for himself. Considering most his friends flinch at the word “job”, he doesn’t quite care for their opinion on his transportation choices.

When he goes to start it up, it gives him a challenge…as usual. It usually takes about five or six turns of his key for it to get going. He sighs as it makes a strained choking noise with each movement. “Come on girl…give me a few more years,” he sighs, the car sputters quickly and he hears a wet thud come from behind him.

He lets out a frustrated groan as he slams the car door behind him, inspecting the earlier noise. just fucking great. A mysterious black liquid is leaking from his exhaust pipe, “or maybe just one more day?”

Again, this isn’t new for Will. He’s grown up pretty poor his whole life, not quite considered “poverty” but definitely not as privileged as his friends. Even when they’d all dressed up as ghost busters for Halloween, Will had to have his costume hand made. His mom did a great job, it was hardly noticeable to anyone else…but Will was humiliated nonetheless. It’s always been small things like this, things that “happen to everyone” or “you can barely tell” but somehow only ever happen to him and everyone can tell. How come no one else’s cars randomly sputtered black goop from the exhaust?

Suddenly his phone broke out into loud chirps filling the space around him. He quickly fumbled with it in his pocket, “Jane and Dustin. Great,” he sighed as his eyes fell over the FaceTime. What could they possibly be calling him about!? “Ohmigod! Mike and I just decided where our next date is going to be…AHH!” he mocked as he clicked the silence button on his phone.

He didn’t hate Jane…he couldn’t. She was his twin sister and twins are an unbreakable bond, right? He loved how creative she was, he loved her dry humor, her style, how loudly she loves her people. He loves that they can just lay in his bed all day and talk about life. He kind of doesn’t like Jane though…he hates her so much. He hates that she can date whoever she wants, he hates that she can be with straight boys, that she’s with one boy, that she’s with Mike, that she’s dating Mike. He hates that he can’t have Mike and she can. Everything Mike likes about her she stole from him. It’s fine…it’s not her fault. He knows that. Life's a bitch to gay boys.

He lets his face temporarily collapse into his palm for a moment a rest. When he picks it back up, he faces this issue. Hello everyone, and welcome to: Pick the Option that Makes Will want to Blow his Brains Out the Least!(names a work in progress, ok? The boys stressed.)

option 1: call a tow truck. Pros: his car is…fixed? He doesn’t really understand what a tow truck does…he’s seventeen, ok!? Cons: still no way to get to school.

option 2: take his fifth grade bike. Pros: he’ll make it to school (hopefully). Cons: it’s fit for a ten year old, both tires are popped, it’s most definitely infested with some sort of bug family.

option 3: call Mike Wheeler. (THIS OPTION FUCKING SUCKS!) pros: he gets to school, he isn’t sweaty or covered in industrial grease by the time he arrives, he gets to see Mike… cons: he has to see Mike.

Will swears he stands there for about ten minutes deciding his fate, but when he checks the clock it’s only been thirty seconds. He knows what he has to do, he only really has one reasonable option. As he starts to navigate to Mikes contact, Jane and Dustin call him once more. Except this time he accidentally answers. Great.

“Williiiammmm,” they both hum through the speaker, already making Wills head hurt. “Where might you be at this hour!?” Dustin barks, inflicting a small giggle from Jane. Will never understood why Jane couldn’t just date Dustin, their chemistry was perfect. Mike didn’t deserve her anyway.

Will rolls his eyes, “my uh…I’m having car issues.” The words come out uneven and hollow, will heard it himself. Jane understands their families money situation just fine and Dustin has his own shit going on, he really shouldn’t be so scared to say the words. He doesn’t know where this fear of judgement came from, he assumes it’s just something closeted queer boys are hardwired with from the get go. Almost like safety net that keeps him from getting hurt.

“Will, again!?” Jane groans, “I told you we could just share mine and you could ‘can that old fart… at least till you’re ready to get a new one!” Her voice is high and chirpy as it usually is. She’s such a happy person, will understands why. What wouldn’t she have to be happy about? She has great friends, a great family, a fun job, and mostly a Mike Wheeler to call her own.

“Yeah…I know. Listen I’m trying to get there soon I just-“

“Don’t even worry about it, I’m texting Mike right now!” Jane abruptly cuts him off, fumbling with her phone across the line. Dustin yanks the phone out of her hand, “yeah man-listen! On the topic of why we called you, Lucas and Max are mad going at it!”

Will rubs his face, he doesn’t even have the energy to try to stop Jane from contacting Mike. He loves his friends but god are they exhausting. “Ew, what!?”

“No-No…no god ew not like that. Like-like they’re yelling at fighting and shit,” Dustin’s rephrases, “we need you here like now, we think your calming aura will help dissolve the situation.”

“Why are you talking weird?” Will questions as he watches Dustin and Jane across the FaceTime.

Jane yanks the phone back from Dustin, bringing it close to herself. “He’s…trying something new. I don’t know,” she pauses, he face lighting up emotionally and from the light of the screen. “Oh! William, Mike responded!” She squeals, “he said, and I’ll give you the bar for bar here, ‘yeah, I can pick him up baby. See you at school.’”

Will feels his skin crawling. baby. Of course he calls her baby. She doesn’t even appreciate the nickname and she gets it. Life’s fair. “Oh…great. Tell him to text me when he’s here,” he says with little to no interest, when it comes to Jane and Mike he’s getting worse and worse at pretending to be happy for them. So what if it’s selfish, he’s spent the majority of his life being selfless.

“Will are you-“

He cuts her off this time, “gotta go Jane, cya.” The call cuts out, leaving Will to bask in the quiet of his driveway.

Around ten minutes go by before Mike arrives at the house. Will doesn’t get a text like he requested, instead he gets the lovely noise of the car horn being sounded until he opens the front door. It takes a mere four steps down the driveway until his eyes settle on Mike in the drivers seat. God, he’s beautiful.

His skin is still tanned from the summer and his cheeks are painted with freckles. Will would take the time to count each one if he could, he’s tried before. One day back in seventh grade, a little before Mike and Jane started dating and Mike refused to do sleepovers anymore, he tried. It had been like nine when Mike fell asleep, he was always the first between the two of them. Will scooted close to him until their knees were practically touching, it was the only time he could be that close to Mike without it being awkward. He first took in Mikes eyes, it’s a lot less often that you see a persons eyes closed than you’d think. When he felt he could replay the image of them for hours, he moved onto his freckles. He got to about twenty-four before Mike started to stir and Will quickly shuffled his sleeping bag back to its side.

Mike gave him a friendly smile, it made Wills heart ache. “So…the cars busted again, huh?”

“Yeah it’s…I don’t know why it’s…it’s like-fucking leaking shit…I don’t know.” Will sighs as fastens his seatbelt, settling in next to Mike.

Mikes face twists into that familiar, lopsided grin that Will fell for all those years ago. The same grin that he thinks about every night, the same grin that appears in his dreams. “Maybe it’s time to let-er-go,” he laughs as he backs out of the driveway, “you know if it weren’t for me being ungodly late every day, you’d have to walk to school!”

If anyone else were to say this Will would groan and roll his eyes. When Mike says it he feels a blush spread across his face, “yeah-yeah, you’re my savior Mike Wheeler!”

“That’s more like it,” Mike hums as he turns the volume up, blasting “Just like heaven” through the radio.

Mikes car isn’t the nicest either, but it’s definitely better than Wills. His mom gave it to him the day he got his license, sort of a congratulations gift you could say. As old as it is Mike loves it with all his heart, Will thinks it’s the first time he’s seen Mike take care of something he owned.

The engine quietly hums as they make their way down the street, “what’re you gonna do from now on,” Mike questions, his thumb tapping the beat of the song onto the wheel. “I mean like…transportation wise.”

Will laughs that Mike needed to say that, what else did he think Will thought he meant? He’s such a goof sometimes, it makes Will want to bite him…not in a weird way!! In a fun, brotherly, bro way. This is normal, Will is being normal. Will wants to, in a completely normal fashion, bite every inch of Mikes skin until his whining under his mouth.

“Ah I don’t know, I’ll just save for a new bike I guess,” Will sighs, “that’ll have to do for a while.” Will can feel Mikes eyes on him as the words come out. He doesn’t have to look to know it’s that same, sad, sympathetic stare he seems to get too often nowadays.

Will watches as Mikes lips wiggle around his face, occasionally opening to say something before he cuts himself off. “I can…we can like, like all of us, can chip in Will…y’know for like a new car? So you don’t have to wait too long.”

Will feels himself growing red with both embarrassment and anger. Everyone always did this. He didn’t need help. “I’m not…fuck Mike I’m not a charity case,” he says dryly, anger simmering quietly behind each word, “I can get things on my own.”

“No I’m not saying that! It’s just…man it’s about to be winter and you’re planning on riding a bike every day? That’s just not Practical.” Will can see the worry in Mikes eyes, worry that he knows he upset him but won’t drop the topic. “It doesn’t have to be everyone…you and me could save for it. At least it would come a little faster, right?”

Will scoffs as he looks out the window, “I can get things on my own,” he says, quieter than before.

“Are you mad at me?” Mikes not even looking at the road anymore, his eyes are pinned on the side of Wills face, pleading for him to look at him. “I feel like…I feel like you’re never…happy with me anymore!” Mikes voice raised an octave, his hands are gripping the wheel firmly.

Now Will meets mikes stare, “don’t yell at me.” He takes notice in the way Mikes shoulders drop a bit and his eyes widen.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to yell. I want to know why you don’t talk to me anymore…why are we barely friends?” Will can sense the sincerity in his voice, but it only makes him all the more angry. Who was he to ask that, as if it’s not his fault.

“I don’t know Mike…it’s like you apologized to me in California and then went right back to your old ways.”

“Oh, so this is my fault?”

Both the boys voices are raising now, Will can feel his eyes start to well with tears. “Yeah, Mike! It is! Have you ever stopped to think that I don’t want to hear about your and Jane’s relationship every time we’re together!”

“That’s because she’s my girlfriend, Will! I’m going to want to talk about her!” Mike runs a distressed hand through his hair and the car swerves slightly with the raise of his voice.

And oh god, wills getting Déjà vu.

A tear runs down his cheek and he quickly wipes it away, “but why does everything have to be about you guys? It’s like…it’s like there’s no friendship left between us because all we have to talk about is the next date you’re planning!”

“It’s not my fault you aren’t in a relationship! Why does your lack there of mean I have to quiet down my happiness?”

Wow, Mikes really bringing back all the big hitters.

Will sniffles sharply, turning his head back to the window to conceal his disheveled expression. “It’s like you’re not even listening to the words I’m saying,” his throat chokes slightly as he speaks, “it’s not about you guys, it’s about us, Mike. I don’t know why you don’t care about our friendship anymore.”

“I’m literally right here saying that I miss our friendship and you’re choosing not to hear that!” Mikes slams his hand down on the gearstick, dramatically shifting into park. Will hadn’t realized they’d been fighting practically the whole way here.

He quickly unbuckles his seatbelt, letting it snap back and hit the seat. “It’s not…forget it. We don’t need to be best friends anymore, Mike. I’m not sure if I remember the last time we were.” He lets himself out of the car, his face is stained with tears and he’s practically shaking. So much for looking nice today.

Turns out the thing Max and Lucas were fighting over was food, again. He’s really glad that he rushed to get here, if you can’t tell. “Ok..since we’re all good and friends now, what’s the plan for homecoming?” Will loves Dustin..he does, but the tension between him and Mike is palpable, how in the world does he think everyone is good.

“I figured we’d just all meet up there, we can uh…like chill in my basement afterwards if you guys want,” Mike offers, his hand is running over Jane’s back slowly, tracing delicate circles on her skin. Will always thought PDA was gross, this is disgusting.

Max rolls her eyes at Mike. Will loved that she kept him in his place. “Well I think we should maybe take photos together first-“

“I’m not going,” Will interrupted, the whole group collectively whipping their heads towards him. “I-I’m sorry guys…that stuff, it’s just…it really doesn’t interest me.”

Jane sinks away from Mikes touch, leaving his hand hovering in the air, “Willll!! You have to come, I was going to match my dress with your suit!”

“Jane, that’s nice but-“

“That’s really a couple thing, baby,” Mike interjects, making Will want to throw up in his mouth. He shoots Mike a warning look, not wanting to rehash their previous fight in front of the whole group. Mike just raises his eyebrows, blankly staring at Will with a, “what…?”

Will clears his throat as he grabs his backpack, “nothing. It’s never anything,” he shifts his focus to the rest of the party, all of them are sitting awkwardly, their eyes darting between Will and Mike. “I gotta get to class guys,” he checks his phone, “and you all do too, block one started twenty minutes ago!” Everyone collectively groans as they begin to gather their things, Will just laughs, sending max a quick wave in respond to her knowing frown.

Will had been in the closet, completely alone, his whole life. He wanted to tell people, he wanted his friends to know, he wanted to have a boyfriend. Hawkins Indiana isn’t a very welcoming place, however. A few months ago Will had received a message from Max.

July 12th

Max: hey dork, u free?

Will: Maxine it’s four in the morning?

Max: are. You. Free?

Will: always. What’s up?

Max: r u willing to steal ur brothers drugs n get high with me?

Will: I don’t steal and I don’t do drugs. N neither do u what’s happening?

Max: plzzzz im just bored. I’ll be there in ten, meet me on ur roof!

Will: I’m not stealing drugs and im not sitting on my roof??

Will: max?? Hello?

Will folded, they ended up on his roof a mere fifteen minutes later. The sun was just starting to peek through the trees and the temperature was still at its nightly low. The combination of the breeze on his face and the high setting in his system felt lovely. He felt max's intense stare on his face.

“Hmm?” He looked at her, her hair was flowing in the wind and he could see how much color her face had gotten of the past few weeks. She looked ethereal.

She cleared her throat, “this is fucking awesome,” the words came out giggly and light. He was glad he said yes to this, he really fucking needed it. “Do you feel it yet, cause I feel it. Or…I think I do. M’ dunno I’ve never been high so…” she trails off, her eyes glued to the sunrise.

“Yeah,” Will laughs, a real belly laugh. He hadn’t truly laughed since eighth grade. “Yeah, I feel it.”

“We need to do this more often, it’s good…good to forget the shitty stuff, y’know?” She smiles warmly at him, scooting closer so that their fingers are intertwined on top of each other.

Will lets his body fall back on the roof completely, his back hitting it with a thud, “fuck,” he whispers, turning to max as she giggles, lying down next to him. “What’d…what do you have to forget?”

“Ugh…Lucas. Fuck that man, fuck him!” She practically shouts, her eyes widening as Will makes frantic shushing sounds. “Sorry, I’m just pissed at him. He’s spending all his time at the fucking arcade and won’t do shit with anyone else, I mean you know this already but like,” she pauses, holding her face in her hands, “I mean, you know me too! I love the arcade, it’s literally my shit. I can beat all of you guys combined at literally any game…it’s just I dunno, it’s so weird having a boyfriend, I feel like it changes everything.”

Will pauses for a minute just looking at her, trying to come up with the right thing to say. Before he realizes it, he’s bursted into laughter. Max gives him a playful shove, raising her eyebrow. “Sorry…fuck sorry,” he says, trying to compose himself, “I uh…I’d love to know what it’s like, that’s all. I’m just laughing at myself.” Max’s eyes narrow at Will as his drift back to the sky, his playful mood quickly dissolving. He swallows dryly, “I’d love to know what it’s like…”

“To have a girlfriend?”

“To have a boyfriend.”

Will feels a tear run down his cheek as the words come out, he tries to just focus on the sky but he can feel that fucking sympathy stare on him again. “M’ sorry,” he chokes out, wiping a quick tear from his cheek as they start to flow faster. “Fuck I didn’t…I wasn’t gonna tell anyone and I swear it’s these drugs, they make me just want to say all my shit and…and,” Will has to gasp for air, he’s fully sobbing now. Max is just clutching his hand tightly, watching sincerely as he rambles on.

“Will,” she coos as her thumb rubs over his knuckles, “I’m so glad you told me, okay? I love you so much and you can talk to me about anything. I’d never judge you, you know that right?”

Will sniffles sharply, “I-I know…please don’t tell anyone, I don’t need people talking about me.”

“Will. I would never tell anyone, okay?”

Will just nods, grabbing her and pulling her into a tight hug. He feels the most intense sense of relief he’s ever felt. He never dreamed it would be to freeing to tell someone. The lay like that for a few minutes, just crying into each others arms. Wills happy to call Max his best friend, it’s not like Mike was securing the position anymore.

The conversation picks back up between the two, touching on lighter topics as their high fades and the sun rises even higher. “So…” Max says after a few beats of silence, “is it too soon to ask about it?” Will knows the it their referring to.

“Ask away,” Will says, quickly regretting it as he sees a smile spread across the girls face.

She whips towards him, propping her head up on her elbow so they’re face to face. “Who’s the guy?”

“What,” Will scoffs, rolling his eyes, “what guy…there’s no…there’s no guy!”

She scoots closer, her eyes narrowing once more, “there’s always a guy! I’ve read about this shit, William. I know how it works, there’s always a gay awakening. Spill your shit!”

That freeing feeling rushes through Will again, just hearing the word gay out loud makes him hopeful. “You…you need to keep this a secret aswell.”

“Will! I told you I wouldn’t tell anyone anything, who is it?”

Will smiles, rolling back onto his back to look up into the sky, “it’s…it’s Mike,” he hears her gasp beside him and he feels his smile growing wider. “Wheeler, to be exact.”

“You…you can’t be serious? Will are you fucking with me right now?” She jokingly gags after the words, cupping a tight hand over her mouth.

“So serious, and so fucked.” He sighs as replies, “like…I’m fucked, right? He’s fucking dating my sister. He’s fucking straight. I’m a horrible person, he’d hate me if he knew. He’d beat the shit out of me for thinking of him like that.”

Max just laughs, cutting him off from his ramble. “Okay listen, the sister thing, yeah. Maybe that’s a little bad,” she pauses, her face unreadable as she attempts to articulate her next sentence, “but like…if I’m being so honest, like not even trying to get your hopes up, there’s no chance in hell wheeler is straight.”

“Max. He’s straight! I think I’d know!”

She shoves him again, “I dunno man, just pay more attention to him from now on. I feel like there HAS to be more to that rock head,” she laughs a bit, zipping up her bag, “and for the record, Mike would never beat you up. Over anything. He would never hurt you.” With that, she slides down the roof, landing on the ground below with a thud and soft, “shit!”

Will glances down, “well, bye then!” He scoffs as she shoots him a dorky salute, stumbling onto her bike and peddling away.

Wills math class has the potential to be the worst thing he’s ever had to experience. He’s in his junior year and he’s taking academic geometry, which puts him with the “academic kids”. Will doesn’t like to seem stuck up, but the kids who end up in academic classes aren’t the brightest, now he knows he’s one of them but it’s completely different. Like very different. Will is in AP everything, except for math. He just can’t do it, he can’t divide right, he can’t split a fraction in less than five seconds, it just doesn't click. He’s grown to believe that people who are “math smart” were born with a calculator shoved up their ass.

By the magic of the universe, Will ended up in a class full of popular jocks. Will is probably the opposite of that. He’s never been truly bullied, he was teased for a bit in middle school, but he likes to believe that happened to everyone. He likes to stay low profile, if you don’t come for them, they won’t come for you. Sadly, that isn’t always how it goes.

“Well if it isn’t William Byers, how ya doing bud,” Jason Carver, star of the basketball team. The look on his face is humorous, it’s like Will ruined and made his day by just sitting in class. Those brief few weeks Will did get teased, Jason was the culprit. Will felt his hand snake around his shoulder, clutching onto it tightly. “I’m loving the bowl cut, pulling all the ladies, are we?”

Will feels his stomach churn at the question. He doesn’t know, he couldn’t know. If he did it wouldn’t matter cause Will is proud of who he is…he doesn’t know though, right?

Will hears a voice come from behind him, “Jason, your mom called, she needs her daily foot rub!” The whole class trickles into giggles as Jason’s face goes red.

“Fuck off, Richie. You think you’re hot shit because you’re dating Bev Marsh, it doesn’t make you fucking funny though,” Jason spits as he pushes past Richie, purposefully ramming into his shoulder.

Richie. There wasn’t much to say about him, he was Wills usual type: tall, awkward, black, curly hair. He was kind of a dreamboat. Sadly enough, he was straight. You see, these feeling started a long time ago. It was a warm seventh grade night, Will was invited to his first “boy-girl” party, everyone was pumped. Naturally, preparing for this party, the host had put together a game of spin the bottle for everyone to play. When Richie’s turn arose, he landed on Will. Everyone in the circle laughed, it made Will immediately sick. An ordinary straight boy would’ve made a whole big deal and re-spun. Not Richie though, Richie is no ordinary straight boy. Richie is confident and funny enough to not care, so he did it. He kissed Will. That small “joke” to everyone else gave Will a permanent crush for the rest of his school career. Richie, very obviously, earned himself a spot in Wills love-letter file cabinet.

Richie grounds himself in front of Wills desk, his stance firm and wide. It’s like he knows he takes up space and is proud of it. “You know you can just tell him to suck a dick, right Byers?” He has his classic smile on, it’s way different than Mikes. It’s open and toothy, as if he’s trying to show as many teeth as possible. He’s not though, it’s natural. He’s just naturally happy and full of sunshine. “I could always kick his ass, spread a rumor that he takes it up the butt, whatever works for you.”

“N-No you don’t have to…it’s okay. Thank you, Richie,” is all he can seem to get out before his face swells with blush. Richie doesn’t seem to take notice in how much he flustered Will, he never does. Instead he lets his grin fall into a small, tight smirk, drumming his finger on the table before he excuses himself with a quick, “cya round, Byers!”

Just like that Wills day is fixed. Richie Tozier always finds a way to right the messes Mike Wheeler has made. Wills feelings towards Mike are deep, their bundles of longing and yearning he’ll never get to express. Wills feelings for Mike no longer make him feel happy, or give him butterflies…they make him feel like there’s a bottomless pit in his heart he’ll never fill. Richie is so much different, he likes that he doesn’t have to think about it or name it. It just a silly crush he’s had, one that keeps him hopeful that one day he’ll find a lighthearted, loving relationship to call his own.

The rest of the day slogs by like it often does, he sees Dustin and Max at lunch, they discuss the usual: Mike and Jane’s insufferable relationship, the next dnd campaign, and most of all, homecoming. Is it so crazy that Will just doesn’t want to go? Why must everyone make him feel insane for not wanting to stand alone in a corner while he watches a boy who he’s sickly in love with touch up on his sister. Is not fucking crazy, it’s armor. If Will doesn’t subject himself to situations where he has to feel, he won’t feel. It’s as simple as that.

Will is faced with yet another wrench in his day when the final bell rings. His body subconsciously moves its way towards his parking spot when it clicks. He has no car. RIGHT! Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between, welcome back to: Pick the Least Sucky Option!(see, the titles evolving, we’re getting somewhere.)

option 1:Walk home. Pros: he gets home, avoids some confrontation, he doesn't have to talk to Mike. Cons: he’s drenched in sweat, it’s a wee bit embarrassing.

option 2:Call Jonathan to pick him up. Pros: he gets home, he doesn’t have to talk to Mike, the car has AC. Cons: he has to answer Jonathan’s slew of questions, he has to wait at least a half hour for him to get here.

option 3:Ask Mike (oh dear lord Will, please don’t pick this option again.) Pros: he gets home, he isn’t sweaty, he gets to talk to Mike(this is always an ongoing thought, no matter how mad he is.) Cons: he has to talk to Mike.

After a lengthy thirty seconds of consideration, Will lands on Option 2™. He calls Jonathan as he squats down to the curb, he’s going to be here for a bit. It rings three times (to be exact) before Jonathan picks up.

His voice crackles through the phone, “Hey buddy, what-what’s up?” Will can sense the annoyance in his voice, Jonathan didn’t like when Will contacted him unnecessarily during his work hours. He always answered though, and to be fair this was kinda necessary. Wills whole family saw him as a baby, they never thought he could handle himself. This really doesn’t help his “I’m a big boy, guys!” case.

“Uh…Hey Jon, can you pick me up from school, it’s-uh…it’s a long story but I don’t have car,” the story wasn’t that long, Will just didn’t feel like explaining it.

Jonathan sighed, way too dramatically, before answering, “uh…yeah I-…yeah just give me a bit, I’ll be there in like twenty five minutes.”

“Thanks, Jon,” Will mumbled before hanging up the phone. He hates seeing his brother worried about him. He does it all too often, everyone does. His mom does it about his future, his friends about his social/romantic life, his brother with his ability to hold his own. He wishes he could just broadcast on a live TV: “IVE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS!! I KNOW WHAT IM DOING, GOD DAMNIT!” He can’t though, and he’s not the type to do something like that, nor is he the type to say it quietly and politely to assert his feelings. He prefers just letting people think what they want, it’s much easier than talking about it.

About fifteen minutes go by, most of the cars in the lot have dissipated. Will watched as Mike pulled out, his eyes were faced forward and unreadable. He thinks he was purposely ignoring him, but in all honesty, Will wasn’t sure if he even saw him sitting there. His eyes are glued to his phone and his body is as scrunched up as it can get, it’s nearly 3:30 on a September afternoon, if Jonathan doesn’t get here soon Will thinks he may freeze to death (no, that not dramatic!)

He hears a car drive by him just like the rest have. This time though it’s different, the gravel crackles louder than it did previously and before Will knows it, the car has hauled to a stop. His eyes travel up it carefully, he doesn’t want to look too fast in case it’s a dumb coincidence and the person in that car is in fact not looking at him. His eyes flick up to the window and he feels his heart flutter. Inside sits Richie Tozier, oh god look at him and his cute glasses and his curly ha-oh. Oh look there’s his girlfriend, too. How come every guy Will deems boyfriend material is already a boyfriend? Life's a bitch, man.

Will watches as that cheeky, wide toothed grin appears on his face while the window slowly clicks down. “Well if it isn’t Byers himself,” he watches as Bev scoffs with a smile, going back to scrolling on her phone. Will thinks that’s ridiculous. If he had Richie Tozier as his boyfriend he would never pass up an opportunity to see that smile. Will feels his heart beating faster with the use of the nickname. No one else has ever called him Byers, he likes it. It feels sacred, as if it’s only theirs.

He chokes out the best respond he can when he’s this caught off guard, “Oh-uh…hey Richie!” He feels an immediate smile try to fight its way through but he can’t let it win, he won’t. The last thing he needs today is to scare away Richie and loose these very rare interactions they have. Two in one day is a record, usually it’s one for the month. They pass each other in the halls, he taps him on the shoulder, Will becomes a flustered mess. It’s their routine, you don’t have to get it. Wills not sure he even gets it, I mean look at the guy! He’s crazy popular, he’s hilarious, he has a beautiful girlfriend, asshole popular friends. What’s his deal with Will, why does he do this weird limbo friendship with him. They’ve never had a whole conversation, will would almost think he’s being messed with if it were anyone else. Richie doesn’t mess with people though, not like that at least.

Before he realized it, Jonathan has pulled up behind Richie and is giving Will a crooked look. “I gotta-my brother…he’s here. I gotta go, talk to you later, Rich!” Will practically runs to the car, getting in the passenger seat and slamming door. His heart has never pounded this fast. His mind replays what just happened as he watches Richie drive away. why the fuck did he say that!? “talk to you later, Rich!” what!? He’s not on nickname basis with Richie Tozier, and he’s definitely not going to talk to him later? Way to fumble, Will.

The ride home with Jonathan is rather quick, the more you stress the quicker time goes I guess. He doesn’t ask too many questions, just the normal, the stuff Will expected from the given situation. He zones out most the ride, only tuning in when he hears the words, “fall cleaning.” This is exactly what Will needs today, his mother’s frantic rendition of spring cleaning that takes place in the fall. She did it every year, rallied up the family telling them they each have one big donation box that they have to fill to the brim. It used to shake Will up much more, he’d cry to his mom that he doesn’t want to get rid of his things and that he loves them all. When he did though, it was a relief. He had much more room and storage space, he got to unload some old junk he had no business holding onto.

Wills mother greeted them at the door. He got the usual lecture, “Will, honey, I can always pick up an extra shift for a few months and we can get you something new…it’s really no problem!” Will could see the desperation in her eyes, but he knew what lied behind it. Panic, anxiety, and fear. It sounded way more dramatic then it was, but Will knew if his mother bought him a car she’d be struggling to afford necessities for months. He couldn’t make her pay, he wouldn’t.

“Mom, it’s really…it’s okay, I promise,” he sighed as he ventured his way upstairs.

His mother’s voice chirped in once more, “oh-Will, wait sweetheart!” He poked his head down the stairs, being met with her brown, loving eyes. “Don’t forget to clear out ur room, I told Jane this same thing…I-I’m taking the boxes out first thing tomorrow morning!”

He smiled tiredly, nodding his head with quick, “course, mom.” He retreated to his room quietly. it was dark and quiet in there, a sharp contrast to rest of his house. His mom always kept it dusted, the curtains strewn open till sunset each day. He wondered how she found the time to clean so often, even with her tight schedule. All Will did was school, work, and go home. He barely had any free time to himself.

He let his bag fall on the floor with a thud, hopefully nothing broke. As he examines his room he realizes there’s so much he’s been wanting to clear out without even noticing. He throws in some of his t-shirts from last year, his dusty old Lego sets from middle school, a baseball cap his father had gotten him…no use keeping that around.

Wills dad, Lonnie, had been…horrible and disgusting to his family (to say the least.) He had called his mother every name in the book, objectifying and insulting her like a piece of meat. Will had seen the way she looked when they’d “talk privately” in another room, she’d come back, he cheeks slightly rosy and her shoulder slumped. Will found out a few years back that Lonnie as been assaulting her, in more ways than just physical abuse.

He wasn’t the nicest to Will or Jonathon either. Jonathan got most of the physical blows, he’d stick up for Will and end up with a black eye. Will could never express how thankful he was to have a brother like that. Lonnie rarely hit Will, it was mostly verbal. Will thinks the majority of his insecurities within are from Lonnie. As a child Will didn’t talk much, he just wanted to draw…and hang out with Mike. Lonnie didn’t like that, he’d yell at the boy, “Speak god-damnit, speak!!” When Lonnie was really drunk, he’d take personal, hurtful, blows. Will sometimes wondered how Lonnie knew to say the things he said, “you needa start…fuckin’ bein a man. Stop fuckin around with that friend a-yours, he’s not good for you,” when Wills eyes would well and all he wanted to do was leave, Lonnie would push further. “I’m tellin’ ya. No son of mine will grow to be a fuckin’ fairy, ya heard? You’re not wanna them gays, Will.”

Will wipes his eyes quickly, stuffing the hat in the bottom of the box. He never wants to see that thing again. When the box is nearly full, Wills eyes land on a broken, ‘I ❤️ Cali’ magnet. He feels the tears return. fuck this day! A few years ago, during freshman year, Wills mom decided it was best for the family to move to Lenora, California. Will hated it at first, he missed his friends, his teacher, Mike. He hated change, he was tired of having to “get used to it.”

It was around the week three mark of the new school, Jane had been going through it with bullying, Wills situation wasn’t much better. He wasn’t getting nearly the treatment Jane was, but he was definitely getting glared at in the halls. He thought the kids in California were extra mean, but thinking back to his time in Hawkins, it wasn’t much different.

He slipped into his science class quietly, he was always careful not to make himself be too seen. They were reviewing types of rocks, Will felt like he’s been doing this since second grade.

“Okay guys, settle down. Can someone tell me which rock is made up of layers?” His teacher was a nice lady, it was clear that teaching was her passion.

A smaller girl with her hair in double braids raised her hand, “It’s igneous, Mrs K!”

Will rolled his eyes, looking back down to his paper. Some people were really dense, he felt bad saying it, but come on Christine it’s written on the board!

He was halfway through a sketch, one that vaguely resembled Mike Wheeler, when he heard a voice a little ways behind his ear.

“Fuckin’ idiot…”

Will glances around himself for a second…did no one else hear that? He turned around slowly, he wasn’t sure who this kid was and whether or not he was setting himself up to get his ass kicked. The boy behind him was…well…fucking unfairly gorgeous. He was skinny, tall, and had knotted curly hair. Will was starting to notice a pattern in the boys who made his heart flip.

The boy smirked at Will immediately, tilting his head to gesture towards the girl with the braids. Will felt his face redden as they held eye contact, only snapping back into reality when the teacher cold called him for the next question.

He got to know the boy over the next few months. His name was Boris Pavlikovsky, he had a Russian accent, and Will would say that he saved his life. The loneliness he felt in California was unmatched. Jane received letters from Mike weekly, Will didn’t receive one. He was going through it. When he met Boris though, everything felt lighter. He was unlike any friend Will had had before, he spoke his mind. He was the first person that didn’t make Will feel like a child. They’d hung out through all hours of the the night, sleeping at one-another’s house basically every day since they’d met.

Eventually Wills grades dropped, which was ridiculously unlike him. His mother decided it was best for the family to move back to Hawkins, where Will could focus better and Jane wouldn’t come home crying every day. When he told Boris it was the first time he thought he saw tears flood the boys eyes. He quickly stood up from his spot next to Will, “William…I need you to…you have to wait here, I-I bought something for you,” and with that he dashed out the front door, holding a finger behind him quickly as he yelled “wait, don’t leave! Wait for me, I’ll be back in a bit!”

His family was nearly fully packed to leave when Boris returned. In his hand was a small, tissue paper wrapped item. Will smiled at him, taking it from the boys hand and slowly unwrapping it. Inside was a porcelain fridge magnet that read ‘I ❤️ Cali’ Wills face immediately cracked into a humorous smile, looking up at Boris confused. The taller boy struggled his shoulder, also cracking into small giggles, “it was-it was the only decent thing they had at the gas station, okay?” Both the boys flopped down onto Wills bed in their fit of laughter. Will turned to Boris slowly, examining the freckles on his face…just like he used to with Mike.

Boris grabbed the boys jaw, slowly running his thumb over it, “William, don’t forget me, okay? I don’t…I don’t think I’ll forget you.” Will felt his throat do that closing thing it does when you’re about to uncontrollably sob, so he just shook his head quickly. Before he could respond, Boris tightened his grip on his jaw, pulling him into a tight, sloppy, tongue kiss.

The kiss lasted a short 15 seconds before Jonathan began knocking on the door quietly, “Will, cmon…mom said we’re heading out!” Boris gave Will one last tearful smile before he backed towards the window, giving the boy a small wave as he ran away. The was the last time Will saw Boris Pavlikovsky, he wishes he knew that he’ll always have a place in the love-letter box…as-well as Wills heart. Boris was the first…and only boy who wanted Will back. The only guy who ever saw in him what Will saw in them.

Will stuffed the magnet in his drawer, that one wouldn’t be leaving…not yet.

Will finished packing the box in about an hour…so he had some time left in his day. He remembered something max said about a new game at the arcade and he figured it would be a good way to relieve stress after how taxing this day has been. So he went, “Hey…Jane, I-uh…I’m heading out I’ll be home in a few hours, okay?”

Jane’s head perked up to see Will looking at her, halfway in her doorway, “oh…yeah, sure Will,” he turned to walk away before Jane stopped him, “I-uhm…I talked to Mike?”

Will felt his heart stop momentarily, “what…what did he say to you?”

“No, I-I said something to him. I can tell when you’re…off, Will. I can also tell when it’s Mike who caused it,” she pauses for a second, her eyes flicking to the floor, then back up to Will. “I told him that he needs to be a better friend to you…and to…to really listen when you say things to him. Sometimes he stinks at listening.”

Will feels the panic simmer into a swirl of relief and appreciation. He smirks slightly, “he does suck at listening…doesn’t he?” They both laugh quietly, Will tends to forget how much he treasures these moments in his fits of jealousy. He smiles at her once more before disappearing into the hallway.

Twenty or so minutes later, Joyce calls for Jane from down the stairs, “Jane…sweetheart, come here!” Jane jumps from her bed, tossing the book she was reading to the side. Who cared about the great Gatsby anyway?

She stumbled down the hallway urgently, she didn’t like to make her mom wait too long. “Hey, mom…what is it?”

Joyce smiled at Jane warmly, “honey, could you get your brothers donation box from his room, please?” Jane nodded her head quickly before darting into the boys room. It wasn’t often she was in here…mostly because Will knew she liked to snoop, but who could blame a girl? She scanned the room, looking for clues as to what Wills been up to. They don’t talk as much as they used to, she barely knows what’s happening in his life right now. She didn’t like to open drawers, it felt like too much of an invasion…she didn’t mind peeking in the closet though!

It was cluttered unlike Wills room, just by looking at it she could tell he didn’t take anything out of there for the donation box. She almost walked out when her eyes landed on a a small, yellow box that was tucked neatly away in the top shelf. She had to jump a bit to get to it…she realized how invasive she was being, she’ll pinch herself for it later, okay?

Her eyes widen as they land on the envelopes, already adressed and ready to send. She peered at the bedroom door before anxiously looking back at the box…Wills planning on sending these right? Before she could talk herself out of it, she ran downstairs, envelopes in hand.

She knew whatever hid inside these letters was the reason Will has been so off lately, she just had a gut feeling. As she ran down the driveway, the same thought kept playing in her head, “I’m helping him. I’m helping him. I’m…I’m helping him, right?”

While she still felt right about it, she stuffed the letters into the mailbox. It closed with a telling clash. Her heart raced, she hoped this was a good idea…it had to be, right?