Archive of Our Own

Will had been in a perpetual state of confusion for about a month now. After everything that had happened in the Upside Down, Will and Mike had moved out together to live in Chicago, both of them skipping out on college life and barreling headfirst into adulthood. Full time jobs, bills, dating and failing at said dating. It was everything that Will had always wanted. 

Or at least… Most of what he wanted. In the mornings, Mike would always wake up after him, and Will would prepare his coffee just how he had liked it. By that point, they had been living with one another for a year, and they were both creatures of habit. Mornings were for Coffee and Contemplation, a note they had taken from Hopper. They would prop themselves against their chipped kitchen counters and sip in silence. 

On this particular day, Mike had spoken to him. 

“I don’t think dating is for me.”

Will had turned to him then, taking another sip of his brew to think of a response.

“No?” He asks him quietly, licking the remnants off of his lips. Mike shakes his head, finishing his cup and rinsing it in the sink. Which would have been perfectly normal, if he hadn’t basically pinned Will against it. Will stills in place, clutching his cup tight to his chest so it didn’t spill over the both of them, holding his breath. He could feel the heat of him, smell the coffee and toothpaste on his breath, his shirt barely brushing over his knuckles.

Mike pulls away slightly, looking down at Will with a boyish grin and a tilt of his head. To Will’s surprise, he gives him a lingering kiss on the forehead, before pulling away, turning and making his way into the bathroom for his morning shower.

Will sat stunned, finishing the rest of his coffee in silence, rinsing his cup and setting it on the strainer.

What was that?

///

It had been around a week since the incident, and Mike hadn’t done anything of the sort since. Will had been stewing in his own panic, dripping in it as they now sat upon their living room couch with Gremlins playing on their tv. They sat on opposite ends, both curled in their own blankets to guard themselves from the harsh Chicago winters that always found its way through their windowpanes. 

A bowl of popcorn between them, the falling snow outside, the warmth of their knitted blankets when Mike had stirred the metaphorical pot again. 

“What does it feel like to be gay?”

Will looks over to him, eyebrows furrowed, complete confusion cementing him to his place on the couch. Mike looked over to him lazily, his head titled over the back of the couch as he pops a piece of their favorite movie snack into his mouth. Will swallows, pulling his knees farther into his chest before shrugging. 

“I-I guess… It’s the same way it feels to be straight just… with guys.” 

With a guy, is what he would have said if he were braver.

Mike’s face pinches in deep thought before he nods. 

“Would you ever kiss a girl?” Mike sits up now, his hands hidden under his blanket, but Will could tell he was fidgeting. Will swallows with a subtle shake of his head, his eyes glancing over Mike once more.

“Why not? Don’t you wanna like… know if you like it?” Mike asks him.

Will pulls his bottom lip into his mouth, glancing over to the tv, then down to his hands and then back over to the ever curious Micheal Wheeler. 

“I- I don’t- I mean… I just.. I know I wouldn't like it.” Will bites the inside of his lips, stewing over whatever had made Mike think things like this. 

“I don’t think I know.” Mike lets his head roll until he’s peering at the tv over his cheekbones.

“Know what?” Will asks him.

“If I wouldn't like it. Don’t people say try it before you say you don’t like it?” Mike looks at him again; his eyebrows raised with a small grin on his face.

“Um… Yeah, I guess. Where is this coming from?” Will asks, turning his body to fully face Mike. 

He shrugs. 

“Just been thinking about it.”

“About kissing guys?” Will fires the question quickly, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

“No.” 

Will tilts his head.

“Okay, then what were you thinking about?” Will laughs dryly, Mike pulling his lips into his mouth.

“Well… about trying it, but not like… guys.” Mikes face starts to flush. 

“Okay, then what? A specific guy?” Will laughs, letting one leg stretch over the couch cushions, his other still held to his chest.

“You could say that.” Mike whispers, his eyes darting over Will’s face.

“I mean, there’s no harm in trying.” Will feels his heart crack a little bit, but he hides it under the mask of a supportive friend.

“Maybe.”

And then they finish the movie.

///

It had been two days since the incident watching Gremlins and Mike had been acting strange. Morning coffee had been strained, Mike standing a bit further off. The first day after, he had walking into Will’s room, looking bound and determined until he looked at him. He watched his cheeks flare, and he had left again. Will didn’t ask about it, not sure if he would like the answer or not. But it hadn’t happened only once. It happened again, while Will was in the living room sketching the cities snow capped skyline in their rocking chair. Mike had walked in then, that same look before he heaved a sigh, and went to work instead.

The next morning, same thing and Will was on day three of mostly silence from Mike. That night, when Mike had brought in their nightly bowl of popcorn with extra butter and milk duds on top, Will reached his breaking point.

“Are you okay?” Mike had stilled in place, looking at Will shocked. He relaxes his shoulders before giving Will a gently shrug, walking over to his place on the couch. 

“Why do you ask?” Mike shoved a large handful into his mouth chewing with his mouth mostly closed. Will stares at him a moment, eating a piece before answering. 

“You look like you’re in pain.” Will tells him, rubbing the greasy butter between his thumb and pointer finger before grabbing a milk dud and popping it into his mouth. 

“I’m fine. Promise.” Mike smiles at him. It seemed unsure, but Will wasn’t one to question him. Will nods his head, and they turn on cable finding a random show to watch. 

“Fuck-” Will hears the trickle of a liquid hitting the soft plush carpet of their living room carpet. Will quickly puts the bowl of popcorn on the table, knowing that when Mike makes a mess, you get anything away that could make an even bigger one. 

“Just- just use the blanket to soak it up, its already dirty anyway.” Will stands, walking into the kitchen to grab some paper towels and cleaner.

They clean the mess quietly, and throw the blanket into their laundry room to be dealt with the next morning. Will see’s Mike, embarrassed, curl into a ball on the opposite end of the couch.

“We can share?” Will asks, holding the edge of the blanket up. Mike looks over unsure before he scoots over the length of the cushions.

Now, Will expected him to sit next to him, flush from shoulder to ankle like they had always done. But Mike had been unpredictable as of late, and he took to fully laying his body into Will’s side, his head tucked under his chin, his legs over Will’s own, and his arms wrapped around his middle. 

Mike nuzzles his head in farther, sighing in contentment, watching the show as if they cuddled like this on a regular basis. He felt Mike’s thumbs tracing circles into his sides, his breath warm on his sternum, his legs heavy over his own. 

They stayed like that until they were too tired to keep their eyes open. Will had nudged Mike, who had supposedly fallen asleep.

When his head popped up, his forehead knocked into Will’s open jaw.

“Sh-”

“Oh shit, sorry!” Mike pulled away, gentler this time, his hand cupping Will’s jaw, his thumb brushing over Will’s bottom lip. Will forgets about the pain immediately, his breath hitching. Mike sighs, glancing up at Will’s eyes before his eyebrows furrow. 

Mike leans forward, pressing a gentle kiss to the underside of Will’s chin, his thumb brushing over the mole near his mouth. It was quick, mindless in a sleepy haze, but it sent Will’s stomach down the highest point of a roller coaster.

“Sorry… I kissed it better.” Mike mumbles, before untangling himself and retreating to his own room.

Will sat on the couch for awhile after that, bruises on his arms from how hard he had been pinching himself. No matter how hard his fingers squeezed, he still felt the warmth of Mike’s mouth just below his own.

///

Days passed, winter barrels closer to its chilling end, but it was still cold out. They never got around to cleaning that blanket, though Will could have sworn that he had washed it that next morning. It had disappeared. So, now they cuddled during their nightly tv time. It had been going on for about a week. Mike settled onto his chest, but it had changed again that day.

Mike came in with their bowl, Will not even paying attention to the channels flipping because this had already been his favorite time of day, but now, it was even more so. Will was taking in every bit of attention he could get from him. He opened Mike’s side of the blanket, expecting him to curl into his side, but he laid back, hugging Will’s waist with one arm, his head resting in Will’s lap, the other hand tucked under his chin.

Will looked down at him for a moment, shocked in place, but let his eyes find the tv again.

“Play with my hair.” Mike asked him.

Will let his fingers run through, not tainted with salt or butter quite yet. Mike moved to lay on his back, his hands splayed over his chest, before he took the popcorn bowl from the table, digging into the bowl and taking a few pieces for himself, before lifting his hand to Will’s mouth. 

Will felt the tips of Mike’s fingers press into his lips before he opened them, the salty treat sucking the moisture from his tongue. Will continued to play with Mike’s hair, Mike continued to feed him. 

Will tells himself that Mike’s not letting his fingers press firmly against his lips for any other reason than he didn’t want to look away from the tv.

///

So that was what they did, for another few days. Mike changed the script again. 

“I’m gonna head to bed.” Will taps at his shoulder, Mike looking up at him from his lap with his doe eyes.

“Can I come sleep with you tonight?” 

Will looks at him a moment, eyebrows furrowing. Mike pulls his bottom lip into his mouth, his hands fiddling together over his chest. Will expects him to take it back, to tell him he was just tired but Mike doesn’t. Will twirls a piece of his hair between his fingers with a small nod. 

“Of course.” Will whispers with a ghost of a smile. Mike smiles in return, standing up with a stretch and walking straight into Will’s room. Will sits on the couch a moment, before standing and cleaning up their mess. Two cups of watered down soda, a bowl of empty popcorn into the sink and the blanket folded neatly and draped over the back of the couch. He turns off the tv, setting the remote on his- well, he guesses now their side of the couch as Will always picked what to watch.

Will walks into his room seeing Mike curled up and facing him, his back to the wall the bed was pressed against. Will debates taking off his clothes as he always slept in only his boxers but decides against it. He didn’t want to freak him out. 

Will crawls into the bed, back facing Mike before he settles into his sheets. He hears a shuffle from behind him before a chilled hand slips under his arm, settling on the center of his chest, a warm back pressed against his own. Will lays still, but pliant, Mike slipping one of his legs between Will’s, his other stretched over the length of the bed behind him.

Then, a nose, a cold one, tickling the back of his neck. Will’s breath hitches once, and then again when he feels a warm set of lips kissing that same spot. 

“Sorry… my nose is cold.” Mike furrows in further, pressing one more sleep dazed and lazy kiss before the warmth of his content sigh seeps into Will’s shirt, the spot on his back seemingly alight with electricity.

Mike falls asleep instantly, and Will holds onto consciousness, knowing that in the morning he won’t want to forget what this feels like.

///

Mike had asked him for two days after that if he could sleep with Will. Will doesn’t ask him why, he just tells him ‘of course’, and they share a bed. Will is always little spoon. On the third day, Mike doesn’t ask, and just follows Will in after they clean up. On the fourth day, Will sleeps without his shirt, and on the fifth, Mike doesn’t either.

On every one of those days, Mike would press a silent kiss between his shoulder blades, ones that made Will tense up in surprise, even if he knew it was coming. 

On the 6th day, Will decides he wants to change things up on his own. Mike follows him into his room and falls into bed. This time, Will faces him. Both of their arms are curled between them, barely brushing, not quite touching, but there. Still and warm and hesitant. They stare at one another for a long moment, not a word exchanged before Mike leans forward, pressing his lips against Will’s forehead, turning over in the bed once he’s done so.

Will bites at his bottom lip before shuffling closer to Mike. His shoulders were broad, toned in a way that suggested he was born with it instead of working for it. Mike did a lot of heavy lifting at his corner store job that gave him the edge over it, however. Will lets his arm glide around Mike’s middle, nervous and almost jittery. Perhaps his palms were sweating, but he didn’t care.

Mike lifts his arm to help, grabbing Will’s wrist and pulling it to his chest, a brief kiss to his fingers before he heaves a deep sigh of satisfaction. Will had not pressed his lips to Mike’s skin yet. That had all been Mike. Will stares at the space between his shoulder blades as he tucks his leg between Mike’s long and lanky ones. He looks at the freckles, mapping the constellation. 

The hand that Mike was holding itched to touch them. Grab a pencil or a pen to map them out, draw by number, anything. Will presses his cheek there instead, testing the waters with a shaky breath. Mike tenses for a moment, relaxing in place. Will feels the steady ebb and flow of the air in his lungs, the warmth and damp feeling of their sweaty hands clenched together. 

Will turns his face, his lips barely brushing. Mike tightens his grip on his fingers, pulling them closer. Will looks at the back of his head, seeing the tangled strands from Will's fingers had twisted most of the curl out of them.

Will stares at the freckles peppering his shoulders once more, before placing one firm and gently kiss there. Mike gets ridged in front of him, but he doesn’t move. Will decides to be brave again, pressing another. Mike relaxes, falling asleep soon after, a soft snore leaving his lips. 

Will lays awake again, pressing his lips against the plane of back and keeping them there, never wanting the moment to end.

///

It’s never talked about, the way they slowly started to touch one another. Hugs before work, ruffling Will’s hair before a shower, cuddling during their tv time. What Will didn’t understand was why any of this was happening. Perhaps Mike had become comfortable around Will in a different way? Maybe being away from his family allowed him to let loose on physical affection.

This had been going on for a month, the month of confusion. Mike acted like this is just something they had always done, and Will was entirely certain that it wasn’t.

Mike was currently at work, and Will knew he would be getting off relatively soon and would probably want a hot meal. They had taken turns cooking, finding recipes out of Karen’s old cookbooks she had gifted them. They day they had left Hawkins, she made them promise that they wouldn’t live off of takeout. It was a slow process, but they eventually learned how to cook a couple of things, and the budget for takeout was steadily becoming untouched as they did. 

Will was preparing fried rice from the leftovers the night prior. Mike and Will had tried their hand at making chicken breasts with rice and peas, and they always somehow made too much. He diced the chicken, ate the peas reheated with butter and salt because Mike didn’t like them. He opted for the slightly wilted green beans instead as Mike liked those better, adding garlic to the melted butter in the pan. 

Dinner was nearly finished, the green beans done. He was just waiting on the main course when he heard the distinct sound of Mike unlocking their front door. Will smiles to himself a bit, happy he was home. 

“Hey, how was work? I’m using yesterday's dinner to-”

Will’s sentence stops in its tracks as he feels arms wrap around his waist from behind, Mike’s chin hooking over his shoulder. Will gently taps his stirring spoon against the side of the pan before setting it down on the counter, Mike slowly swaying them in place. Will feels his cheeks turn pink, his heart rattling within the confines of his ribcage.

“Smells good.” Mike mumbles, pulling Will closer. Will swallows, turning off the burner to the stove and chuckling to dispel the nerves he was feeling. 

“Yeah, um. I hope it’s good. This wasn’t in the recipe book.” Will reaches forward but Mike grabs his outstretched arm, pulling it to Will’s chest and presses a gentle kiss against the side of his neck.

“I missed you.” Mike mumbles, playing with Will’s fingers. Will feels his heart start to race, his face flushing a deep undeniable scarlet before he clears his throat.

“I missed you too.” He replies lowly, relaxing into Mike’s hold. He was never going to get used to this.

“Wanna eat in the living room?” Will asks him, letting his other hand find Mike’s arm that was draped over his waist. He places his palm over Mike’s wrist, gently caressing it, his thumb catching on the delicate bone jutting out. Mike hums, swaying slightly.

“In a minute… You’re warm.” He tells him. Will bites his bottom lip, joining Mike in the sway trying to stamp the butterflies swarming in his gut. He wasn’t sure what any of it meant and honestly didn't really care. Mike was holding him like this. That was all he needed. Those innocent kisses had been something that became a lifeline, something to look forward to. Even if this was simply Mike being touch starved, Will was going to keep feeding into it, no questions asked.

When the embrace finally ends, Will finds himself wishing that they could just stand there for longer, feel his lips upon his neck again. But Mike’s stomach had started to grumble. 

“I’m gonna run through the shower really quick.” Mike gently grabs Will's waist to turn him around, placing a kiss on his forehead before ruffling his hair and making his way to the bathroom.

It was almost everything that Will had ever wanted. 

///

It was another month later, two months since Mike had started this random bout of affection and Will couldn’t be happier. Mike had started to move some of his things into Will’s room. An extra pillow, an extra blanket. As the icy tundra outside of their little sanctuary began to melt, Will felt himself doing the same. 

It was January now, nearly the end of, and Mike and Will were laying on the couch. Only this time, Will had decided to switch things up. Mike was sprawled on the couch, one leg slung over the back of it, the other stretched and acting as a wall between Will and the floor. Will was between his legs, his head on Mike’s stomach and Mike was running his fingers through his hair. Soft and lazy strokes, gentle tugging the odd braid or two. Will felt himself getting tired.

The affection, the warmth the smell of him. It was all lulling him into a peaceful sleep. 

“We both need haircuts.” Will mutters, wrapping his arms around Mike, burying his nose further into the fabric of his t-shirt.

“Should I grab a bowl?” Mike snorts. 

Will pops his head up, feigning a look of offense before he laughs too. 

“No, but maybe we could give each other the cuts? Save some money? I don’t wanna go to a barber.” Will lets his chin rest against his stomach, his head tilted in questioning. He feels the vibration of Mike humming as he ruffles his hair again. 

“C’mon.” Mike taps his shoulder, the both of them sitting up.

They make their way into the bathroom and Will decides to let Mike do his first. He drapes a towel over his shoulders, Mike standing behind him as he starts to cut off random bits of hair, angling the scissors to ease the blunt edge. It takes him about ten minutes before he has Will turn around. He pulls Will’s ear down, creating a soft arch of hair over his ears, grabbing the nearby comb to fix up the fringe of his bangs. 

When Will looks, he decides that Mike had done a pretty good job. He grabs the scissors from Mike, cutting a few bits that needed it before shaking the hair on the towel into the trash, trying to avoid getting any on the floor. 

Mike grabs his own towel, wrapping it around his shoulders and Will gets to work. In the end, the haircuts looked decent. Considering that the both of them had only ever had their hair cut by their mothers, they both considered it a success. Mike turns towards him, his hands finding Will’s waist as Will fixes up a piece of hair that Mike had pointed out, gently snipping, focused on the work. 

“Have I ever told you how cute you look when you’re concentrating?” Mike mumbles, a small smile on his lips. Will’s hands freeze as he looks at Mike, into his eyes. He swallows, heart fluttering as a shy smile finds his lips.

“I don’t think you have.” Will mutters, tugging at another piece to cut.

“You look cute like this too… shy.” Mike smiles into the last word, wrapping his arms around Will’s waist fully, pulling him snug against him. Mike nuzzles into his cheek with a wet kiss. Will laughs, holding the scissors out and to the side. 

“Micheal, I almost poked your eye out.” Will giggles, setting the scissors onto the counter. Mike shrugs in response, kissing his cheek again. When Mike pulls back, Will is sure that he can see the blush on his face. Mike’s hand finds its way to his jaw.

“Such a pretty pink.” He mumbles, his thumb gently caressing the flush of Will’s face.

Mike pushes off of the counter, turning around to look at Will’s work. His soft smile only brightens as he picks at it, ruffling other parts. 

“I’m gonna rinse off. Chinese tonight?”

Right. Chinese.

“Sure.” Will waits in the hall, ordering the food and once he’s done, he rinses off as well.

///

A week since the compliment in the bathroom and they hadn’t stopped. Mike sung praises of his cooking skills to Karen, telling Will he loved the color of his eyes, telling him the haircut looked good. Telling him he liked seeing him wear yellow, that it was as sunny as his personality. 

It was a bit overwhelming, but Will was drinking every bit of praise and storing it in his mind to age like a fine wine. Should this ever end, Will had a plethora of memories of the only time in his life that he got what he truly wanted.

Mike was busy doing something in his room and Will was on the middle cushion, a throw pillow in his lap doing a sketch when Mike entered the room.

“Watcha' doin'?” Mike collapses beside him, peering over the book. Will's heart skips a beat, feeling his back so close to him. He narrows his eyes on the bird he had been trying to draw, one that had made a nest just outside their window.

“Drawing.” Will mumbles, quickly glancing at the boy beside him. Mike hums before reaching around and grabbing Will’s shoulders, nudging him to move. Will pulls away a bit and Mike does it again.

“What are you doing?” Will asks him with a chuckle, turning toward him a bit.

“I wanna cuddle.” Mike deflates, a huff leaving his lips. Will stares at him for a moment, chewing on the inside of his lips as he ponders this. No shame in teasing a little.

“I’m drawing.” Will chuckles. Mike huffs, before twisting Will completely until he was between his legs, his back pressed against Mike's chest, their legs tangled in front of them. Mike fluffs the pillow, and Will sets it atop, now drawing with Mike’s nose in his hair.

“There. Compromise.” Mike kisses him there, soft and quick before hooking his chin over his shoulder to watch him.

“I wish I could draw like you.” Mike runs his nose over the side of Will’s neck, and he flinches at the tickling sensation. It felt good to be touched like this, but it was also distracting and it was also, new and a bit overwhelming. Will had never been touched like this in his life.

“That tickles Mike,” Will shrugs, fighting a smile and gripping his pencil tighter.

“Sorry.” Mike runs his lips in soft little pecks along his shoulder.

“There. All better.” Mike adjusts, hugging Will tightly against him, and Will abandons the drawing for a moment to lean his head back. They stay like that for a moment, before Mike kisses just under Will’s ear, a gasp leaving Will’s mouth.

“I like kissing you here.” Mike lowers his mouth again, a soft hum, the warmth of his breath warming Will’s shoulder. Will obviously knew that Mike liked doing this, because Will had never asked him to. It was a shocking realization regardless. Will wanted this to last forever.

“I like it too.” Will closes his eyes, letting his hands find Mike’s arms, hugging them closer to him. Mike continues, lazy kisses leaving wet spots along his shoulder until Will becomes so relaxed and wound up at the same time, that he falls asleep.

He could have sworn that Mike had mumbled something, but he didn’t hear it.

///

Will walks into his apartment, seeing that the lights weren’t on, the tv was playing and Mike was passed out on the couch. Will walks over, tucking the throw blanket over him and cleaning his mess from the coffee table before walking into the kitchen and setting down the groceries he had gotten on his way home from work. It was now February, and the affection hadn’t stopped, but it hadn’t changed. Will figured that they had reached the top of whatever mountain they were climbing and this is just where they resided now.

Mike still kissed his shoulders, his cheek here and there. Still ruffled his hair before his shower, still did all of those things. Cuddling had to be Will’s favorite, as being close to the person he had loved for as long as he could remember couldn’t have been a better feeling. 

He couldn’t lie and tell himself that he didn’t wish that one day, Mike would find that he liked to kiss his lips. It was a feeling he tried to ignore, because at this moment in time, Mike was giving him more than he would have ever actually asked for. 

He couldn’t help but think to himself though, that this wasn’t something that best friends did. 

“Will?” He hears from the living room. Will turns his head, seeing Mike standing from the couch, wrapping the throw over his shoulders and walking over to him. 

“Hey.” Will says with a soft tone, Mike smiles sleepily wrapping his arms around Will’s shoulders, placing a kiss on his forehead before pulling him in. Will melts into his warmth, breathing in the scent of Mike. It had changed since they had been living together. It smelled like them. Not the Wheelers. Not the Byers. It smelled like Mike and Will. And it was addicting. 

“Did you have to work over today?” Mike mumbles into his hair. Will nods, humming in response.

“I missed you.” Mike whines a bit, pulling him closer.

“I know.” Will replies. As much as he didn’t want this to end, he was feeling a bit off, and he needed to shower.

“I’m gonna shower. I smell like a french-fry.”

“Don’t care. Stay for a minute.” Mike hugs him tighter.

“Mike,” Will giggles.

“Fine. Go shower, leave me here allllll by myself.” Mike pulls back, his eyebrows raised.

“It won’t take long. I think I might skip tv time tonight though, I'm pretty tired.” Will mumbles with a grimace, already feeling bad for wanting to skip their nightly plans. Maybe he would feel better after the shower.

Mike’s mouth drops dramatically as he clenches his chest.

“My dearest sorcerer, you wound me.” He keels over a bit and Will nudges his shoulder with a laugh. 

“You’re acting like I’m moving out or something, I’m just tired and gross.” 

Mike stands up, crossing his arms.

“You’re never gross.” Mike pokes his forehead with a boyish grin.

Will rolls his eyes making his way into the bathroom and shutting the door.

///

Will was sick. He knew he had felt off the night prior but thought that a shower and bed would help. It didn't. When Will awoke, half of his nose was clogged, his throat was scratchy and his limbs felt like they were filled with sand.

Mike had apparently left early for his shift before he could figure that out. He was slightly grateful, but a larger part of him longed to be babied a bit. He couldn't help it.

Will had stayed in his bed all day, barely moving as the weight of his limbs didn’t allow him to. He slept far too much, his shoulders aching without his usual movement. He longed for a walk, or fresh air or water but he was far too tired to do anything but suffer amongst his sheets.

He was sprawled on his bed for hours before Mike got home and when he did, he could hear the panic in his voice as he called his name.

“Will?!” He hears footsteps coming down the hall before his door bursts open.

“Hey, are you okay?” Mike walks over to the bed and Will holds a hand up. 

“I’m sick.” His voice comes out hoarse and Mike stops in his tracks.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have stayed home- I could have taken care of you.” Mike takes one step closer, his voice tight with emotion.

“You don’t need to do that.” Will mumbles, curling further into the blankets.

“I want too though.” Mike leaves the room promptly.

Mike made him soup that was a bit too salty, fished out medicine and fed him the water and the soup over a half an hour. He stayed by his bedside through the night, nursing him to health. He even got a cool rag to place over his forehead.

It was the next morning when Will woke up again.

“Hey, time for the next dose.” Mike gently shakes Will awake as he sits up with a groan, taking the pills and chugging down some water. Will takes a moment to look at Mike. His hair was messy, his eyes were decorated with bags, and he was still wearing his work uniform.

“Mike… Have you even slept yet?” Will hands him back the glass with a shaky hand, his voice already sounding better. Mike gives him a sheepish smile. 

“No…” He mumbles, setting Will’s water back onto his nightstand. Will sighs heavily, his head tilted in sympathy.

“We can’t have you getting sick too. You need sleep, Mike.” Will tries to reason.

Mike’s cheeks flush as he sits on the edge of the bed, touching Will’s knee through the fabric of his blanket.

“I can’t…” Mike whispers. Will furrows his eyebrows.

“You can’t sleep? Why?” He asks in soft confusion.

Mike looks into his eyes.

“I can’t sleep without you.” 

Will feels those familiar butterflies in his stomach come to life, swirling and gliding around before they settle. Will doesn’t try to crush them this time.

“You need to try.” Will tells him, wanting to reach out and touch him, but he doesn’t. His cheeks flush and his hands itch to find his skin, but he cannot get him sick. He hated being sick even more now.

“I did.” Mike said, his thumb caressing his knee. Will gives him a small smile.

“At least go freshen up. You’re still wearing your work clothes.” Will tells him. Mike looked like he wanted to argue, but he doesn’t.

“Okay. Get some more sleep, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Will wished that he could kiss him.

///

Will was fully recovered two days later and Mike wastes no time. He called them both out of work, despite Will arguing with him that they couldn’t afford it. Mike didn’t care.

“I want to spend time with you. I’ll get fired if I go, I won’t be able to concentrate.”

Will reluctantly agreed.

Mike was sitting at their shared desk in front of the window, sipping a coffee and deciding on music to play. Will was cooking breakfast, eggs toast and bacon. Just as Will starts to dish up their plates, Mike starts the music ‘Every Breath You Take’ by The Police flowing through the speakers. 

Mike starts to sing along, stepping towards Will slowly as he mouths the words. Will laughs, letting the plates clatter onto the kitchen counter before walking towards him. Just as the chorus starts, Mike throws his head back. 

“Oh, can’t you see! You belong to me, how my poor heart aches with every step you take!” Mike nods his head before he grabs Will by the wrists and pulls him flush against him, his hands tightly gripped on his hips.

Will feels his stomach do a flip as he remembers the last time he had truly heard this song play. The Snow Ball. The time where Mike had coaxed him into dancing with a girl when in all reality, he wanted to dance with Mike. He wanted to tell him that, more than anything. But he didn't want to ruin the mood. So, he goes along instead, getting the dance he had longed for without prying eyes. He liked it better this way.

Mike keeps humming to himself, grabbing Will’s hand and threading their fingers together. He wraps his free other arm around him, Will’s other hand on his shoulder. Mike sways them back and forth, Will pressing his forehead against Mike’s shoulder. His hand slowly trails the underside of Will’s arm, before he wraps his arms around his middle. Will wraps his arms around Mike’s neck, letting his head rest below Mike’s chin as the music continues to play, another song coming on at some point, but Will doesn’t care what it is. He’s dancing with Mike and that was all that mattered. 

A small part of something that had broken within him during that dance healed with every sway, every kiss pressed onto the crown of his head and the feeling of Mike enveloping him.

Will feels Mike press a kiss to his head, his lips moving as if he were saying something, but Will couldn’t hear it over the distant music and the sound of Mike’s heartbeat.

///

“How long do you think you’ll be gone?” Will mumbles sadly. Mike was currently packing his suitcase, and Will was standing at his doorframe, leaning against it with his arms crossed. Mike turns to him, holding a pair of socks and a t-shirt with a grim expression. 

“Nana is sick. Mom wants me there… y’know… just in case. I’m not really sure.” Mike mumbles. Will nods, though Mike has turned away. He finished packing his bags, zipping them up and throwing his shoes on. 

Will stays standing at the door, and when Mike stands, he walks over, wrapping his arms tightly around him. 

“I’m gonna miss you.” He mumbles into the crown of his head. Will’s arms uncross before he pulls him in, one hand on his back the other playing with the strands on the back of his head. 

“I know… But your family needs you.” Will tells him, pressing a kiss onto his clothed jacket, knowing that Mike probably wouldn’t be able to feel it. Mike sighs deeply before pulling back some, looking at Will with his head tilted into the door frame. Their faces are close, their breath mingling. 

“You’re my family too, y’know.” Mike brushes a stray hair behind Will’s ear. Will closes his eyes and leans into his palm, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth before sighing softly.

“I know.” He opens his eyes, looking into Mike’s. He leans down, placing a soft kiss to his cheek before pulling him into another hug. 

He wasn’t gone yet, but Will missed him already.

///

It had been three days since Mike had left, and Will was going through the motions, lonely and sad. The apartment was cold without him, his bed was cold without him. Will knew that he needed to stay, he needed to make rent. But as the days went on, the only warmth he felt was during Mike’s nightly phone call. He had called him when he arrived, then the day after and Will was waiting for his call today.

He tried to clean, he cooked food, he did laundry and dusted the tops of the doorframes. When he finished doing all of that, he washed both of their bedding sets, making the beds. There almost wasn’t a point in washing Mike’s as they had been sharing a bed for going on three months at that point, but he does it anyways. 

He rearranges the spice cupboard; he makes a meal plan for the week and prepares the vegetables he had bought the day prior. After he does that, he tries to sketch, tries to listen to music but Mike’s absence was palpable. His morning coffee was bitter, his breakfast almost too cold when he would try to eat it. 

He didn’t even make their favorite movie snack because he knew he wouldn’t have been able to finish Mike’s portion. 

It was around 8pm on the third day with Mike away that Will hears the phone. 

He leaps from the couch and behind to grab the phone, answering on the 4th ring.

“Hello?” Will speaks timidly into the phone. 

“Hey.” Mike says quietly.

“How’s Nana?” Will asks him. 

He hears a sniffle on the other end of the phone. 

“Not good.” Mike’s voice cracks into the phone, the sound of his breath hitching sending a painful pang into his heart.

“Oh Mike…” Will whispers. 

“Doctor-doctor says that… it’s just a m-matter of time now.” The sound of Mike’s choked sob brings tears to Will’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry…” Will tells him, tears streaming his own face.

“I wish- I wish you were here.” Mike chokes into the phone. Will closes his eyes, a lump forming in his throat.

“I know… I do too.” Will tells him, trying to keep it together.

Will can hear rustling on the other end of the phone before he hears another sniffle. When Mike speaks again, his voice is muffled from his nose stuffing up.

“Can you… can you just talk? I just… I need to hear your voice right now.” Mike pleads

“Of course.” Will tells him. Will grabs the entire phone set, stretching it over the back of the couch and settling in. 

“Remember that one customer I told you about? The one who asks for like, an entire jar of mayonnaise on this double burgers?"

“Yeah, you call him Hellman's.” Mike says quietly.

“Yeah, he usually complains there's not enough and you won’t believe it Mike. Yesterday he came in and said there was too much.” Mike chuckles lightly from the other end of the phone, and Will smiles to himself.

“I couldn’t believe it.” Will adds softly.

“I can’t either.” Mike mumbles. He can hear the small smile in his voice.

“Tell me more. What have you been up to?”

“Well, everything is spotless at home. I cleaned from top to bottom, super bored without you.” Will jokes. 

“I wish I was there with you.” Mike whispers. Will bites his lip, staying quiet. He could tell that Mike wanted to say more.

“I don’t… I don’t want to like… waste the time I have left with her by not being here. But I also… I don't want to watch her waste away. I don’t- I don’t want to remember her like this… But if I leave and she's gone I- I know I'll regret not staying.” Mike sniffles, his voice still quiet, broken and conflicted.

“Because it's… it's not a matter of if anymore.” Mike takes a deep shaking breath before he whispers into the phone. 

“It’s when…” His voice chokes, almost squeaking into the phone. He hears a clatter, assuming that Mike had dropped the phone as the sobs filtering through the line sounded farther away in a tin can. Will feels his own lip tremble, wanting nothing more to go to him, to be with him and hold him through this. But bills didn’t care about a death in the family. Well, an imminent one.

“Mike?” Will gathers his bearings, clearing his throat. He hears shuffling again, before he can hear the sniffling and the uneven breathing again.

Bills be damned. 

Will was going to him. He couldn’t sit here hearing him sad like that, hearing him beg for his presence and sitting there waiting for- for what? It was a stupid idea. Mike would talk him out of it. He also knew that Mike would tell him he was fine, play it off like it wasn't a big deal. 

“Yeah?” Mike whispers.

“I think you should get some rest… I can call tomorrow?”

“Yeah… okay.”

///

Will’s flight was brief, almost feeling like a waste of Money, but flying and being there quickly was better than driving an entire 10 hours by himself from Chicago to Hawkins. They had transferred her to a hospice in Hawkins so they didn’t have to pay for hotels and could just pile into the Wheeler home between visiting houes. When Will arrived, he grabbed his backpack from the back, paid his fare and approached the front door.

Will knocked gently, just like he used to when they were kids. 

Karen Wheeler opens the door, eyes puffy, her face bare of makeup and her hair twisted haphazardly into a claw clip. 

“Hello Mrs. Wheeler.” He says softly. She gives him a half smile, pulling him into a hug.

“It’s so good to see you sweetheart.” She whispers, giving his back a firm rub.

“I’m sorry to intrude like this-” Will pulls back to tell her but she just closes her eyes with a shake of her head.

“You’re family dear. Thank you for coming… for being there for him.” She nods as fresh tears leave her eyes. Will hugs her again. Will was a bit shocked, but of course she had known that he was there for Mike. Will didn't show up at the Wheeler home for any other reason.

“Of course. I’m so sorry.” He feels her shake a bit holding him tighter before she pulls back, wiping her eyes and wiping her hands on her jeans. 

He didn’t think he had ever seen her in jeans.

“He’s in his room.” She tells him, stepping aside to let him through.

Will walks the familiar route through the living room, Ted reclined in his chair, catching a glimpse of Karen kicking off her house shoes and curling into his lap. He gave her a kiss on the temple, rubbing her back and resting his cheek against her head.

He had never seen them affectionate either.

Will finds himself in front of Mike’s door, knocking out of courtesy though he had never done so before.

“Come in.” His voice croaked from the inside.

Will steps inside of the room, Mike’s lights off, curled up in the center of his bed. Will stands there for a moment before dropping his bag on the floor, walking over to the bed and sitting down. Mike had his back to him, and Will wasn’t sure what to say at this point. 

“Hey,” he decides to say. Mike shoots up in bed turning around, the fastest he had ever seen Mike move. His breathing was quick, his lips slightly parted, his eyebrows furrowed. He scoots closer, his hand reaching up and touching Will’s face.

His face breaks into a tearful smile, his caressing his cheek.

“You’re here.” Mike whispers. 

Will grabs his wrist pulling his hand from his face, clenching his hand between his own.

“I'm here.” Will assures, squeezing his hand with a nod. Mike moves forward, Will slowly leaning against the pillows, Mike curling into his side. Will lets his hands find his hair, and Mike just presses his face into his chest, silent cries leaving his lips.

“I got you, okay? I’ve got you.” Will tells him.

///

Will had to head back before the funeral. Mike had insisted that he was okay, though he held on extra tight when Will was leaving. He had stayed the two days, heading back that night. She died the night that Will got there. He held Mike, he cried with him, and Will trusted him to his family once he had to make his way back to Chicago. 

Mike hadn’t called and Will had been home for two days. He wasn’t worried about it. He knew that he was busy, he knew that he was devastated, and he knew that Mike probably needed a bit of space.

On the third day, Mike had called telling Will that he would be coming home that night. It was short, brief, and Will didn’t mind. Mike had told him sorry, had told him he missed his voice but he was focusing on his mother and his sisters.

Will understood. He would have done the same. 

Will got home on the third day, Mike’s favorite takeout in hand and got to work. He grabbed their extra pillows and blankets and piled them all in the living room and got them some drinks and snacks that he put on the coffee table. He set them all up, got Star Wars lined up to play before he started to second guess himself. 

What if this was all too much? What if he just wanted to go to sleep? 

He didn’t have long to think about it before he heard Mike coming inside. Will clasped his hands behind his back, watching the door. 

He wanted nothing more than to rush into his arms and have this evening he planned. But Will had been far too excited. He hoped he didn’t take things too far.

Mike walks into the house, his expression sullen. When his eyes find Will, they dart around the room for a moment before settling back on him.

“Welcome home.” Will says with a shy smile. Mike drops his bag and takes another step forward. He looks around the room, his expression blank, devoid of emotion. Will feels himself tear up a bit. 

It was too much. It had to have been. If this was something Mike had wanted him to do, he wouldn't have been looking at him like that. It was a stupid idea. 

Fuck.

“I-I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have… I should have asked you.” Will wrings his hands together, feeling his heart begin to weep, tears pricking at his eyes because he was being insensitive. Of course this wasn’t what he wanted. But he couldn't cry like this. It was dumb. It was fine. 

“Um... I’m just... I’m gonna clean up.” Will turns away, fighting the tears that want to leave his eyes because this was ridiculous, this entire thing was ridiculous. His grandma just died, of course he didn’t want to cuddle up and watch a stupid fucking movie. 

“You did all of this?” Mike whispers. Will freezes, his hand about to reach for one of the blankets. He looks over to Mike, his eyes darting over him with a quick nod before turning away. 

“It was… it was stupid you probably aren’t in the mood for this.” Will bites his bottom lip hard after he says it.

“Will…”

“No, no it's… it’s fine. You’re probably tired.” Will laughs it off, but his heart was breaking a bit, embarrassed.

He feels Mike’s hand on his arm and stands up, looking to the side a bit, avoiding his eyes.

“Hey,” Mike whispers. Will turns his head, glancing up at him and doing a double take.

“It’s perfect.” He smiles, a tear rolling down his cheek. Mike’s eyebrows furrow, another tear slipping down his face before he presses his forehead against Will’s.

“I don’t know what I would do without you.” Mike whispers. 

So... He liked it then? Relief floods through him like a tidal wave, bringing his hand up to the back of Mike's head, tucking his fingers between the strands.

“I don’t know either.” Will tells him.

Mike presses a tear-stained kiss to Will’s forehead; they both strip down to their boxers and cuddle up on the floor for the night.

///

“Shit!” Will hears from the kitchen. He stands from his bed, walking into the kitchen seeing Mike trying and failing to use the new French press they had bought.

“What are you doing?” Will mumbles, walking over and pulling himself up to sit on the counter next to the stove. Mike looks over, before flipping the tap on cold, and running his hand under it. 

“This thing is a piece of shit.” Mike mumbles, vaguely gesturing at it. Will tilts his head and rolls his eyes. 

“It’s not, it’s just a little more difficult than a regular coffee maker.” Mike flips the tap off, before taking his wet hand and rustling it through Will’s hair. 

“Then you do it.” Mike pulls his hand back, leaning against the counter.

Mike was shirtless, with only his sweatpants on. At first, it was odd to see him without one and it would make Will’s cheeks burn, but it had been almost 5 months since Mike had started with his affections and Will wasn’t complaining. He liked the new rhythm they had found.

“Eh.” Will teases. Mike throws his head back, a dramatic roll of his eyes. 

“Pretty please?” He juts his lip, batting his eyelashes.

“Mm… I don’t know, what’s my prize?” 

Mike ponders this a moment, a gentle tilt of his head, left than right, before he looks at Will again. 

“A kiss.” He says simply. Will keeps his face even, knowing he was joking. Rolling his eyes, Will finishes brewing their coffee, pouring Mike and himself a cup. Will pulls himself back onto the counter, leaning on the cupboard and Mike settles between his legs with his back to him. They sip in silence, the both of them looking out the window at the vast skyline of Chicago.

Will finishes and Mike does too after a moment. Mike sets his cup to the side, letting his head fall back onto Will’s shoulder and Will wraps his arm around his middle, pressing a kiss to his temple. Mike sighs, hugging his arms. 

“Ready for the prize?” Mike tilts his head to look at him and Will rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah yeah, I know you were just fucking with me.” Mike slowly turns around, tilting his head with a grin. 

“You wanna bet?”

Will squints his eyes at him. 

“What’s the real prize then?” Will crosses his arms. Mike’s arms bracket in either side of Will’s legs, effectively caging him in. Mike looks at him for a long moment. 

“You don’t like that one?” 

Will swallows, looking into Mike’s eyes to catch the humor. Waiting for him to pull back, to say he was joking. Mike doesn’t move.

“No.” Will says before he can think about it. Mike’s eyebrows twitch a bit before he glances between Will’s eyes and his lips. Will licks them, the remainder of the coffee leaving the bitter taste in his mouth. 

Mike looks into Will’s eyes again before caressing his cheek and leaning in, leaving a soft and tender kiss upon his lips. It lasts only a few seconds, and Will fights the urge to kiss him farther. Mike pulls back, leaning in for one more peck, before he ruffles Will’s hair and goes to take his morning shower.

Never in Will’s life did he think he could say that Mike Wheeler kissed him.

///

“Hey,” Will wakes with a bit of a start, Mike already adorned in his work clothes, leaning over the bed. It was the next morning, and Will was wondering why the hell he was being awoken at this godforsaken hour.

“Hey sleepyhead… I got called in early, but I’ll be back before you head in.” Will leans into the touch of Mike’s hand in his hair, nodding and still half asleep.

“See you later, okay?” 

Now Will knew that he was tired, he could have imagined it. But he could have sworn he felt the soft press of Mike’s lips against his own.

Will sat with the knowledge all day, that Mike had kissed him goodbye. Well, he thought Mike kissed him goodbye.

///

It was an hour before Will’s shift that Mike had come home, walking over to Will who stood in the kitchen, making a quick lunch for the both of them.

“Hey,” Will says just as Mike comes up behind him and doing his usual routine of wrapping his arms around him, placing a kiss at the base of his neck and hugging him tightly. 

“I made turkey and cheese. Yours' has lettuce. You need to eat more greens.”

“Blegh.” Mike says from the crook of his neck. 

“C’mon, let's eat before I have to get ready.” Will pushes back against him and Mike lets him go. As Will turns Mike wraps his arms around him again, kisses his lips for two whole seconds and grabs his plate. 

“Thanks baby.”

Will stands frozen in the kitchen for a moment, watching Mike walk back to the couch. 

So, is kissing becoming a regular thing now? Something they just did?

Calling him.... calling him baby?

He must have been hearing things. Seeing things. There was no way.

Will ate his sandwich as normally as he could before getting ready.

“Alright, I’m off.” Will heads for the door before Mike is calling for him. 

“Hey!” He stands from his spot on the couch. Will stops, looking at him curiously before Mike walks up to him and pulls him in by the waist.

“You were forgetting something.” He taps his lips with his pointer finger, a quirk of his eyebrow.

Will looks at him bewildered and before he can thing, he presses forward himself, pressing their lips together. Mike moves his lips just slightly before pulling away entirely and rocking on his heels with a smile on his face.

“Bye.” Mike smiles.

“Bye...” Will trails off and leaves the house.

///

Will’s shift was absolutely horrible. They were slammed, he had burned himself on the grill there were at least three people who had yelled at him, and he had made a mess of the buffalo sauce all over the floor. He was sore, he was tired and he wanted nothing more than to just curl up in bed and sleep it off. 

When Will enters his home, it was cleaned, smelling of vanilla candles, dimly lit by the flames. Mike was sat on the couch, curled up with a blanket. 

“Hey,” Mike smiles. Will just vaguely waves and walks past him. 

“Hey!” Mike shoots up from the couch walking over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Will sighs turning towards him. 

“Bad day?” Mike cups his jaw , and Will lets his head fall into his hands, Mike holding up his entire body with his cheeks. 

“Yes.” Will mumbles, his face smushed.

“Okay, go take a shower. I’ll get your clothes and we can do a sip and watch okay?”

Will tilts his head up to look at Mike with his eyebrows furrowed.

“Sip and watch?” He barely manages to get out. Mike hums, pecking Will’s lips. Will blinks, his cheeks warming from the contact. He can't have imagined that. It was... it was real.

“Shower. I’ll take care of the rest.” Will’s cheeks flush but he nods, walking past Mike and into the bathroom.

When Will is freshly showered, he sees that his dirty clothes are off of the bathroom floor and his clean ones are set up, his deodorant and his perfume he liked were set along the counter. Will puts it all on, roughly drying his hair. He walks into the living room where he sees that Mike had gotten a new movie set up, two glasses of wine perched on the coffee table with different cheese and meat on a tray.

“Mike?” Will asks, a small giggle leaving his lips.

“C’mere.” Mike gestures. Will walks over to the couch and Mike holds his arms out, his legs stretched over the couch. There was low music playing, and Will settles into Mike’s warmth, pressing his back into Mike's chest. Mike grabs him a glass, handing it over before grabbing his own. They 'cheers' and Will takes a small sip, moving it around in his mouth. It was fruity and on the edge of being dry and a bit tart; it was delicious and exactly what he needed. 

“Thankyou.” Will lets his head fall back onto Mike’s shoulder. Mike hums, taking a sip and kissing Will’s temple.

“Anything for you baby.” He sips again. Will sits up a bit, turning in Mikes lap and draping his leg over Mikes and over the couch. 

“You… You keep calling me that.” Will says, cupping the wine glass between his palms, chewing at his lips and tapping his thumbs gently against the glass.

“Yes.” Mike says, setting his glass down and putting his hand on Will’s knee.

“And you kissed me. And we… we sleep together every night and…” Will gathers the courage to look over to Mike. He’s looking at him with a neutral expression his thumb soothing a spot against his leg.

“Yeah. I have. We have.” Mike whispers. Will swallows, taking another sip of his drink and nodding.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Mike asks him. Will looks over to him again, his lips slightly parted before he gives him a small nod.

“I don’t wanna date. I told you that.” Mike tells him swirling his drink. Will feels his heart twist but nods. 

“Right. Yeah, of-of course.” Will musters the best smile he can manage. He would deal with the heartbreak later. Maybe after finishing off the bottle.

“It was getting… annoying.” Mike sighs, taking another sip, looking over to the title screen on the tv.

“Well, every time I went out with a girl… I was just bored, I guess. I didn’t want to be with them; I didn’t want to kiss them or cuddle with them and- I don’t know. It took a while before I started asking myself why.” Will leans his back into Mike’s other leg stretched behind him with a nod. He looks at Mike intently now. 

“And when I started asking myself why, it started to make sense. If I was… to get with a girl, then I would probably have to get a new place. At first, I told myself that it was because it was inconvenient I mean… lugging all of that shit out of here? No thanks.” Mike chuckles a bit, and Will smiles at him softly.

“But then, I thought well, no. Because if you wanted to move out of here and find a new place, I would do it.” Mike looks at him now, a tilt of his head. 

“I started thinking about our morning coffee, how I need to have that in the morning to function. And I thought to myself, wow. I wouldn’t want to do this with this girl or that girl or that potential girl I think I'm looking for.”

Mike bites his lip, his gaze dropping back to the drink in his hand. 

“So, I thought… Well, maybe I wasn’t looking for a girl then.”

Will feels himself go still and he takes to sipping his drink to try and remain normal.

“I started looking at guys and… nothing. I felt nothing.” Mike sighs.

“Instead of asking myself if I would enjoy it with the people I went out with, I started asking myself what made it enjoyable.”

Mike looks at him, his expression soft and serious. 

“And every single thing led back to you.”

Will holds the stem of his wine glass in a vice grip, his heart thundering in his ribcage.

“I like my morning coffee with you. I like to come home to you. I asked myself why then too. Why I wanted to be around you so much and I told myself for a really really long time that it was because you were my best friend but…” Mike sets his and Will’s glass down, leaning forward and grabbing Will’s hands in his own.

“I don’t want this with Max. Or Lucas. Or Dustin.”

“I want it with you. All of it.” Mike presses his forehead against Will’s shoulder.

"I don't want... anyone else to do these things with. It seemed... silly to look for it when I... when I don't want that."

“So, what did you figure out?” Will whispers. Mike pulls his head away and Will turns to face him.

“Why do you want those things with me?” He asks him quietly, hoping it's the answer he so desperately wanted to hear.

“I think I’m in love with you.” Mike whispers, tears brimming his eyes. Will feels himself welling up right behind him.

Mike grabs his arms and Will follows his lead until he’s straddling Mike.

“I want you. I realized through all of it that it didn’t matter what I was doing if it was with you.” Mike lets a few tears slip, and Will wipes them away. Will rests his forehead against Mike’s before he speaks again. 

“I wasn’t lying when I said that you were the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“I believe you…” Will whispers through his own tears.

Will presses forward and their lips meet the both of them holding the other tightly, too scared to let go.

Will pulls back and Mike lets out a shaky sigh. 

“I want to be with you, Will.”

Will pulls back.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

They kiss again.

Mike grabs his wrist and Will hisses at the contact.

“What happened?” Mike asks as Will pulls his arm out for Mike to inspect.

“Burnt myself on the fryer.” Will grumbles. Mike presses his lips there.

“There, I kissed it better.” Will smiles, kissing Mike’s lips. 

“Wanna watch a movie?” Will asks.

"Only with you." Mike replies.