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If you where to ask Micheal wheeler how the holidays have felt as a fresh adult, he’d say terrible.. if you where to ask William Byers the same question, he’d say they have never been better.. until now.
It’s been 2 years since the party had graduated. Lucas and Max are In college together at the university of Chicago, Max needed a reset and Lucas does what max wants.. they got their very own apartment as of last month. Dustin to attends the university of Chicago, though him and the couple didn’t see each other as much as they like too, they still make a point to meet atleast twice a month..
Will moved far away all the way to Montauk, New York. This is unsurprising of course, As he needed to start a new life.. a life without Hawkins, which truly is the only place he’s ever known, and it would be a lie for will to say it was not home.. because home is wherever the heart it, and his heart.. eh, forget about it.
Mike. You could only assume the worse for this poor soul, Micheal unavoidably settled in Hawkins.. just recently had he gotten a dorm in the community college and moved out of his parents house.. his life was.. it wasn’t how he wants it to be.
Something feels like it’s missing, it feels as if he has one huge hole in the center of his heart that can only be filled by the presence of his best friends, or maybe.. maybe he just needs his Best friend.
He feels stuck, all he does is attend class.. and write. He writes his heart out, Literally. Whatever he is thinking, it spills onto the paper.. sometimes he writes poems, sometimes he journals, sometimes he writes notes, sometimes he writes dialogue for comics he can’t finish without a little extra help.. he doesn’t have his artist anymore.
Will was so happy to be free of Hawkins, but he thinks about it often. He thinks about Mike often..
Don’t get him wrong, he’s moved on! Totally!..
I mean, he has a boyfriend now, he is an aspiring artist, he’s a party animal! He keeps busy to avoid the thoughts that somehow still manage to seep out the cracks of his fucked up brain he is trying so hard to fix by simply slapping a bandage on it, but we all know band-Aids just keep the wounds moist.
ꔛꔛꔛꔛ
「December 5th 1991」
Things have been tough for Will Byers lately.. his boyfriend, Carlton, has been acting strange and Will can’t figure out what’s wrong. And Will being.. well.. Will, his mind instantly shifts to ‘what did I do wrong?’
“Will, I’m serious.. just drop it, I’m not acting weird you are just overbearing!” Carl would roll his eyes, thrashing his hand dramatically as he spoke with a raised voice..
Will follows Carlton across his dorm where the curly hair was rushing to grab his keys, eager to be on his way.. apparently he had somewhere to be.
“Carl! Please, d-did I do something wrong?? I d-don’t understand!” Will would grab Carlton’s sleeve, tugging it slightly.. he stares up at the taller with glossy eyes and knitted brows, desperation is clear in his expression
Carl would pause, taking a deep breath and rubbing his temples before slowly turning to look down as will with a softer expression, he’d cup his face on one hand and furrow his own brows
“Look, Will.. please, can we talk about this later? I seriously don’t have time for you right now..” Carl was not trying to be a jerk, but he definitely was. Will could feel his heart shatter, that wasn’t even an ‘I don’t have time for this’ it was a ‘I don’t have time for you’ and he isn’t sure he’s ever heard the other say it like that, which makes him want to cry right there and then..
Will tries to open his mouth to speak, but it closes quickly as he can’t find the words.. he sniffles and lets go of carls arm, looking at the man’s chest as a sudden tear falls down his cheek that he quickly wipes away.
Carl sighs and tilts Wills face towards him, placing a small kiss to the corner of his mouth before giving a dissatisfied shake of the head and leaving the dorm as quickly as possible to go buttfuckin who knows where..
Will watches the door shut with crossed arms, he wants to curl up into himself and disappear.. but he never gets what he wants, we know that don’t we?
It’s familiar, but it hurts Will no less. He has always been a sensitive boy.. just when he thinks he has the love he wants, the love he had been promised he’d deserved, it fades like a shooting star.
After a moment of staring at the ground, Will wipes the tears he hadn’t notice that have fallen and turns around, walking towards his bed, but his fingers reach to caress the unopened letter that sat on his desk named ‘Micheal Wheeler Hawkins, Indiana’
His fingers linger on the letter before he sighs and finally finishes his trip to his bed, sitting down and leaning over with his elbows on his knees, he wants to loose himself in thought but it only lasts for about two minutes before he hears a knock upon the door and he states “it’s open!” With an unreadable tone.
The door opens and Will looks towards the doorway that reveals one of his clubbing friends, Eleanor.
She carried herself with long red poofy hair, sharp green eyes accompanied by a pointy face, and pale freckled skin. She looks ready to party.
“Hey!- oh-“ her once eager tone fades as she notices her friends pitiful face, quickly making her way to sit down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and turning his face towards her.
“Hey, hey.. what’s wrong? What happened?..” Will goes quiet, leaning into her hand subtly before gently pushing it away and looking towards the ground with a tiny shrug to which she sighs, thin plucked brows furrowing.. “it was him?.. god, he’s such an ass lately.. I’m sorry baby, look, I was gonna see if you had any paper I could borrow, but we are going to Josh’s house tonight instead, he just got the good stuff.”
Will looks towards her, considering it for a moment before giving a small nod “yeah- yeah okay..” She gives him a warm smile, wiping a dry tear from his cheek before standing up with an exaggerated bounce and grabbing Will’s arm, dragging him with her.
〰︎
Will exhales a large cloud of smoke into some strangers face sitting next to him, holding onto his arm and giggling, rambling about something to the person on wills other side.
Surrounded by all these people, and Will still feels so alone. Sometimes he wonders if this is what he really wants, I mean, he loves his friends and he loves partying! But if you asked 8 year old Will what he thought about alcohol and drugs he’d say he’s never touching that stuff cause his dad gets super angry when he does substances.. He doesn’t want to be like his father,
But I mean, here he is, in some random persons basement he got dragged from one house to another.. High out his mind and 3 shots in, this isn’t what he wants. But he never learned how to cope, his friends were party people.. but Will always got carried away, he doesn’t even know where his is right now.. from Josh’s house, to Gabe’s house, then to some randoms house, he doesn’t even know what happened, just that some acquaintances dragged him along with them, he was going to feel horrible in the morning.
His mind is only in one thing right now, he wishes it wasn’t.. but his heart.. it.. “-ill?..” hurts.. Mike.. Mike wouldn’t.. “-Will!”
Will suddenly snaps back, eyes widening as he looks ahead of him at some guy holding a small paper cup and a bottle of tequila “are you good? You need another one of these..”
ꔛ
Will has a raging headache, he had no idea how he got back to his dorm last night but good thing he did.
It’s 2 in the afternoon, and Will had done everything he could to try and kill his headache but nothing was working..
He was sat at his desk, slouched in his chair with one foot up on his seat.. he stares at the ceiling for a while.
When he finally looks ahead, his gaze lingers on the pile of unopened letters.. he bites his lip and sits up, resting his cheek in his palm as he stares intensely at the letters, not daring to pick one up..
Suddenly, as if on cue, Will hears his phone ring and he perks up, reaching over to bring the handset to his ear, clicking a button on the keypad and twirling the cord between his fingers inattentively
“Will speaking, hello?” he would question into the speaker, listening for a voice on the other end..
It’s quiet for a moment but Will can hear small pants on the other line, finally.. a voice.
“Will?..”
That voice instantly makes Will sit up, his eyes widening a little.. his mouth goes dry and he can’t find any words.. he’d been avoiding this voice for too long, now he has to face it.
“Mike?..” he would speak up
“Hey! I uh, yea I’m sorry for calling you and stuff uh.. Max gave me your telephone number, I just wanted to uh.. to check in, have you got my letters?” Will would listen to the almost eager sounding voice on the other line with a pit in his stomach
“Yea, hey. Uh, I’ve gotten your letters. Sorry for not responding I guess, I’ve just been busy?..” he would say with an uncertainty in his voice
The call would go quiet for a moment..
“Mike, why are you calling me..” Will says this as more of a statement then anything.. but he sounds tired, stuff has clearly happened between them and it couldn’t have been great..
“I uh.. I dunno I guess I just.. I just wanted to hear your voice? Just to hear your voice.” The voice on the other line sounds shaky, he can hear the nervousness exerting from the other man
…
“Mike, don’t do that..” Will would shake his head, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes.. he wants to cry again, this is too much, everything is too much for him.
“Will, come home..” Mike would pause on the other line, “..please come home for the holidays.. I-.. we’ll all be here, I’ll be here..”
Wills voice cracks a little and he sighs, “stop, stop it.. that’s not fair, Mike. I’m not.. you can’t do this. I’m trying to forget, I really am.. I can’t do this, you know why. I’m not some.. experiment.. you can’t just stay stuff like that, KNOWING how I feel..”
For the third time, the line goes silent.. Will can hear keys jingling from the hallway, his head turning towards the door
“I have to go. Bye, Mike..” he would say suddenly
“Wait- will-“ Will quickly puts the phone back down on the receiver, just in time for the door to open
With a sigh, Carl enters the room, taking his coat off and tossing his keys on his own desk
“Hey, stranger.” The taller would say, not even looking at Will as he sets a plastic shopping bag down on Wills desk infront of him, walking over and plopping down on his bed. “For you..”
Will would swallow thickly, looking towards the bag and shuffling through it, achieving 2 bottles of wine with a sigh “thanks. Where’ve you been?..”
Will grabs a pocket knife, struggling to pop the top off of the bottle before finally getting it off and taking a large, well needed, swig.
“It doesn’t really matter, I need a nap..” Carlton would say, laying back and tucking up arms beneath his head.. Will would stare for a moment before standing up and walking over to sit beside Carlton on his bed with one leg up and the bottle rested in his lap, a hand firmly around the nozzle
“Carl..” Will says with exhaustion, that seems to be all he is lately.. exhausted
Carl opens one eye for a moment before closing it and wrapping an arm around Wills waist, gently tugging him down to lay next to him, carefully so the other doesn’t spill his wine..
Will complies, curling up against carls arm, eyes partly open as he takes large sips of his wine.. staring at his own, empty bed, across the room.
Wills eyes eventually close, and he drifts to sleep.. He could’ve sworn for just a moment, this wasn’t the distant and neglectful Manipulator’s arms he was falling asleep up.. But the passionate and loving sworn protector’s arms..
And just for a moment, this feels right. But it’s not. This isn’t Mike..
This isn’t Will’s happily ever after.
〰︎
Micheal stares out the window of his bedroom, sat at his desk with his cheek in his palm.. he had blank paper infront of him.
He is unsure if it is even worth it anymore, he knows Will has time, Max said they call atleast once a week for hours at a time.. Will has made it clear he wants nothing to do with Mike..
That’s what we could assume.
Rain pours down outside, and Mike is lost in thought.
He thinks back to the summer of 85’ and his visit to Lenora in 86’, is this how Will felt? Helplessly reaching out to people that didn’t bother making time for him.. grasping at crumbs, telling himself they still cared, but people who care don’t treat you that way.
Honestly, Mike is pretty sure he deserves it..
-
⏪
-
The year would have been 89’ and Mike asked Will to stay a little longer then he normally would’ve. Will could only assume, as it was the week before leaving for collage, Mike just wants as much time together as the can get.. and while that is true, Mike fucked it up..
The two would be sitting on the couch in mikes basement in silence, a comfortable one at that, until Mike broke it..
“Hey uh, will?” The taller hesitated, biting his lip before looking over at Will who was occupying himself with a comic book beside him, letting out a small ‘hm’ in response, not looking up
“I uh.. I have a question, i just don’t wanna be weird about it..” This is what catches Will’s attention, causing the boy to look towards the other
“what?” He questions adjusting in his seat a little
“How.. how did you know you uh.. how did you know you liked.. like, guys?..” Mike rubs his neck, clearing his throat, this completely catches Will off guard
“I.. I don’t know..” Will quickly recovers, looking at the black screen on the thick tv infront of them with a shrug “I guess I just.. I never felt things when I saw woman, like, how a guy was supposed to feel? I used to think I was just late developed, but it just never came.. And I dunno, I didn’t want it to be true cause I wanted to prove everyone wrong, and I guess that goes to show it’s not really a choice?” He’d let out a small chuckle, thinking for a moment
“But then, one day.. it came, just.. not for who it should’ve, it was never a girl. and..” Will swallows, gesturing towards the other, addressing the elephant “..Yknow.”
Mike gives a small attentive nod, looking off in thought. It is silent for a moment.
“Mike?.. are you.. are you having thoughts?..” Will swallowed thickly and Mike doesn’t know how to ask this..
“I don’t know, uhm, I guess.. could.. could I uhm, try?..” Mike asks nervously, he doesn’t know how to say.. he doesn’t just want to experiment.. he wants to experiment with the person infront of him, and only that person..
But Will misreads this.
Will freezes.. but.. he doesn’t feel the way he hoped he would in this situation.. he almost feels sick.. Mike, who KNOWS how Will feels about him, is asking him to experiment?.. is Will some kind of.. Practice?
Will couldn’t do that ‘knowing’ it won’t mean anything to Mike, and quite frankly, it feels terrible.. he feels taken advantage of and nothing has even happened yet, it’s like a stab in the heart from your favorite person in the world..
“Mike.. what?” Will says quietly, disbelief and hurt evident in his voice.. he is already standing up
“I.. I have to go, I can’t..” He is in a state of shock and he grabs his keys and jacket, heading for the stairs
Mike hops up quickly, eyes wide.. he knows he fucked up but he still chases after Will to no avail..
“Will! Hey- hey wait! Woah-“ Will shoves Mike back as he grabs his arm, instantly making his way for the front door..
“WILL!” Mike calls, but Will is already at his car door..
-
⏩
-
From there on, nothing was the same. Summer break ended terribly, Mike felt ashamed.. so ashamed, so terrible.
This is why Will refuses to reach out, avoids Mikes voice, his letters, his name.. it doesn’t work, but he tries. He’s scared, scared he will give in the next time they get together. That’s why he can’t, it hurts to much. He doesn’t want to be some experiment he wants to be the discovery, the final draft!.. so if he were to wake up one day to the disgusted face of Micheal wheeler, he would break.
But this isn’t much better, is it?
ꔛ
「December 3rd, 2006」
William Byers is busy grading some art assignments for his collage class, when one of his students enters the class..
“Mister Byers!” One of his short tan skinned
Hippie children hollers, rushing up to his desk.. and since Will is a very beloved professor, she hands him this book she thought he’d enjoy.. “I got you this for Christmas, I’ve been like.. supes into reading lately and there is this like.. some kind of Mage or something? I dunno, but he reminds me so much of you! Soooo, merry Christmas!!”
Will giggles at the girl and gently takes the book with curiosity, a mage, ay?
He examined the book, titled ‘A Paladins muse’ and at the bottom of the cover reads ‘- By Micheal F. Wheeler’
Wills eyes widen and his mouth goes dry.. He turns the book over, swallowing thickly as he reads the back.
Later that night..
Will sits in his recliner, listening to the radio as he emerges himself into his brand new book, his heart was beating so fast and butterflies had invaded his stomach..
‘..We’ll have the life we knew we would..’
‘..it’s what you do to me..’
‘.. by time we get through, the world will never be the same..’
‘..it’s all because of you..’
‘this one’s for you,..’
By the end of the night, he was sobbing in his boyfriend’s arms barely able to speak.. he is so sensitive, he’d barely thought about Mike in all this time.. but the tears that spill are now uncontrollable, and he buries his face in the other chest..
This would be hard to explain..
And I never said this would be a happy ending.