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It was nine o’clock on a Saturday. The party had settled down in the familiar air of Mike Wheeler’s basement. They were about to watch Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, after popular demand from Lucas. The party had actually agreed to watch it earlier, but it had been delayed by many months. The reason being that it wasn’t really anyone’s specific taste, except Lucas’s, of course. However, they had promised him nonetheless to give it a chance.
«This is gonna be awesome!» Lucas exclaimed from his comfortable position between Dustin and Max on the cushioned floor.
«Definitely,» Dustin agreed, not wanting to deflate Lucas’s excitement.
Max nodded along, slightly leaning her head against Lucas’s shoulder, already planning on falling asleep if the movie ended up being boring.
On the couch above them, a comfortable three sat silently, simply waiting for the movie to begin. El and Will had both taken their preferred corners, leaving Mike to sit in the dead middle. Outside, heavy rain poured, flooding multiple drains around Hawkins. The old table in front of them displayed a large variety of snacks. There were chips, sodas, candy in every color imaginable, chocolate, and homemade cookies that El baked earlier that day.
With their bodies dressed in soft pyjamas and mouths full of candy muffling their words, the movie finally started.
The opening credits flickered past. By the time the movie reached its midpoint, the party decided to refill their snacks and discuss the plot of the movie so far. They always did that—analyzing every single detail and discovering new material.
«The stunt scenes are good,» Max said, a lack of interest evident in her voice.
«I agree!» El exclaimed happily, not understanding the irony of Max’s comment.
«The guy who’s playing Indiana Jones is kinda fine.» Max said, raising her eyebrows and looking over at Lucas to tease him.
«Right, Harrison Ford is so hot,»
Everyone turned their heads slowly towards Will. The words escaping his mouth, creating a wave of shock across his friend’s faces. Mike looked rather concerned instead.
«What?» Will questioned, staring back at them, confused and kind of scared of what would come next.
«Ooo, Will has a type,» Lucas said in a teasing voice, a smile stretching from ear to ear.
Will turned red.
«So?» he responded, looking embarrassed. His voice managed to crack on a single syllable.
Mike gritted his teeth, his muscles stiffening and knuckles turning white from the tight grip he held on his pillow.
«Why don’t we continue watching the movie?» Mike asked, the tone of his voice harsh enough to make everyone turn his way instead.
«Are you okay, Mike?» Will asked, looking worried now rather than embarrassed. The redness never really disappeared from his face. God, he was beautiful.
Mike had seen his face a million times. Locked eyes with him, stared at his lips, his face, but with every glance Mike stole from Will, he always seemed to become more beautiful. Almost breathtaking.
Yes, breathtaking indeed.
Mike inhaled a bit too fast. The damp air hit his dry throat like a punch. He started coughing—a lot. He couldn’t bring himself to stop, tears slowly threatening to escape his eyes.
«Shit, Mike!» Will squealed.
«Dustin, could you grab Mike some water?» Will asked, inching closer to him.
Mike felt Will shift towards him. His breathing was steady, and some of his hair had fallen in his face. He was so close. One tiny move and Will’s lips would connect with his own.
Mike forced himself to look down. He tried to hold his breath, even though it was useless. Dustin rushed into the room from the bathroom, trying not to spill the water on his way back.
When he finally approached the two of them, Will grabbed the cup out of his hands.
«Here, Mike, drink this.»
The water was lukewarm. Disgusting, he thought, but he drank it anyway. Will held the cup high, making sure Mike didn’t spill and had easy access.
Mike had easy access to something else too.
Mike swallowed, his throat wasn’t burning anymore. He leaned back, creating space between them. His eyes locked onto Will’s lips for a quick second. They were pink, plump, and probably soft. What would Will do if he kissed him right now. Reject him?
«Are you alright, Mike?» El asked curiously, her eyebrows frowned with worry.
«Yeah, I think I’m good,» Mike answered, breaking eye contact with Will’s lips.
«Overdramatic much, Wheeler?» Max said in her monochrome tone.
Mike rolled his eyes. «Let’s just continue.»
They started watching the movie again. All eyes on screen except for Mike’s, his eyes were on Will, taking notice of every move he made—how his eyes sparkled when the light hit them, the specific way his eyebrows creased, the way his eyelashes fluttered, and how he licked his lips whenever Indiana Jones appeared on the flatscreen.
Wait, What! Was this Harrison guy really Will’s type? Was this the kind of man he was into?
He was the complete opposite of Mike. Mike wasn’t some hot archaeologist, and he definitely wasn’t some advanced adventurer who went scavenger hunting and saw death in the eyes for fun.
If this really was Will’s type, then Mike didn’t stand a chance. He wasn’t even sure he’d make Will’s top one hundred list of people he’d date. Even worse, Lucas probably made the list.
What was he supposed to do? Should he start working out, maybe take up weightlifting? Dustin had been talking about that. Up his protein intake? He had recently tried a protein shake, but it had just upset his stomach.
Would he ever love Mike the way Mike loved him?
«That was a great movie, Lucas!» El said excitedly.
The movie had finished, and Mike hadn’t paid attention to anything.
«Yeah, the part where he pushed the statue was awesome,» Dustin said.
«What did you think about it, Mike?»
Shit.
«It was so cool,» he said, trying to make his voice sound convincing.
Max raised an eyebrow.
«Really, Wheeler, Then what was so cool about it?»
«Uhh, everything. Especially the part where he… uhh…»
«Can we stop discussing this? I wanna go home and sleep,» Dustin said, packing his bag.
«So early?» Will asked.
«Yeah, I have to prepare for this massive Spanish test.»
«You should also study, Mike.»
«Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it later.»
«If you say so.» Dustin said, reaching for his backpack and standing up straight.
«Are you coming, El?»
«Sure, let me just say goodbye to the others.»
Then they were four.
«So, Wheeler, the movie?»
«I zoned out, alright!»
«Woah, not cool dude.» Lucas said disappointed.
«I waited months to see that,» he said, pretending to be offended.
«I thought it was good,» Will said, a smile forming on his face.
«Thank you. At least one person appreciates my suggestions,» Lucas said jokingly.
They all laughed.
«Anyways, Max and I need to leave. I have a big game tomorrow.»
«Great, see you later.» Mike replied.
«Do you wanna join us, Will?» Max asked.
«I think I’ll stay a little longer,» Will responded, sneaking Mike a warm smile.
«I see.»
«Let the bedbugs bite, Wheeler!»
«Likewise, Mayfield!»
And then they were two, leaving Mike and Will by themselves.
Mike felt his hands sweat. Will was staring out the window, zoned out. Mike shifted, trying to ease the tension in his body.
«So,» Mike said.
«So?» Will responded absentmindedly, still not giving Mike the attention he craved.
«What should we do?»
«I don’t know,» Will said, now deep in thought.
«Do you wanna read a comic?» Mike asked.
«Sure, why not.»
Mike stood up, walking over to grab a fresh comic to read. Will positioned himself against the couch cushions, lying down comfortably.
«Could you read for me?» Will asked.
«Why? I thought you could read.» Mike said with a teasing tone.
«I do, but I don’t feel like reading right now. And anyway, I like listening to your voice.»
Mike screamed internally. A sudden rush of blood reached his head, and made his ears red.
«Then I’ll read for you, my highness.»
«Don’t call me that,» Will said amused.
«Fine, princess.» Mike corrected himself, watching Will get slightly flustered at that.
Mike sat down beside Will’s feet, making himself comfortable before turning to Will lying position on the couch. He started reading, the words slipping easily off his tongue. He could almost taste them.
He glanced up sometimes to see if Will was still paying attention, but whenever he did, hazel eyes stared back at him. Mike’s heart beat faster, an unstable rhythm playing behind bones and flesh.
But there was something hidden in Will’s eyes.
Want.
Will wasn’t paying attention to the comic, especially not anymore. The only thing he was focusing on was how Mike’s lips moved when he spoke, the way the words danced of his tongue and the slight curve of his mouth when he pronounced certain letters. Lovely letters, he thought. Will secretly thanked the author for writing them in such a way.
Will wanted to lean forward and taste Mike’s lips on his. Kiss him, hug him, feel the warmth radiating from his skin. Hold him close, closer than he held him in his heart.
Mike noticed a shift of energy in the room. The once cold and soothing basement was now filled with a certain heat. The comic burned against his fingertips, the words tasting sweeter than before.
He looked down at Will. Staring back at him were a set of hazel orbs keeping eye contact. Not wanting to look away, he put down the comic.
Will didn’t move nor speak. The only thing he did was he lie there. He was beautiful—a kind of beauty that was so rare to find amongst normal people. An angel who had gotten lost on his way up to heaven and had somehow landed right in Mike’s arms.
And he sure wasn’t complaining.
Mike straightened his posture. It felt like gravity was pulling him towards Will. He leaned slightly forward, closing the gap between them. Will returned the gesture, leaning in and making the space smaller.
They stopped moving right before their lips touched, their noses brushing against each other. Hot air blew across their faces. Mike could feel Will’s hair tickling his face. He reached out for Will’s hand, grabbing it and stroking over his knuckles to feel the soft skin beneath. Will raised his other hand to Mike’s hair, his fingers tangling in the loose curls, he tugged lightly. Wanting to savour the moment Mike raised Will’s hand and kissed it gently.
Their eyes finally met, not wanting to wait any longer. Neither of them managing to look away now.
Mike leaned in further, their lips finally touching. A feeling of euphoria washed over them.
Their mouths moved effortlessly, seeming to have already mapped out the shape of each other’s lips.
They locked eyes again, breaking the kiss. Will opened his mouth, seeming like he wanted to say something before changing his mind. He licked his lips before leaning back in to reconnect with Mike’s.
They moved in unison, crashing against each other, exploring what needed to be explored. Will’s lips were just as soft as Mike imagined, maybe even better.
Will groaned.
The sound made Mike’s bones weak, but it also boosted his confidence. He moved down to Will’s neck, trailing kisses from his neck to his collarbones, making sure to take his time.
Mike found an empty spot on Will’s skin where the sun hadn’t reached yet. He leaned in closer, sucking lightly at the soft skin.
Will made another noise. This time it was more high-pitched, triggering goosebumps to trail up Mike’s spine.
Will’s grip on Mike’s hair tightened, and Mike let out a slight moan.
Will suddenly tensed up. Mike backed away wanting to check if anything had happened.
Will crawled back and sat down in the corner again.
Mike was confused. Why did Will move away?
«Sorry, Mike. But are you sure this is okay?»
«I mean, are you sure you want to do this with, me?» Will asked disbelief streaming from his voice.
With him? Of course Mike wanted this. He had dreamed of this exact scenario a thousand times, and now that he finally got what he wanted, Will wasn’t sure it was okay.
«Don’t you want to kiss me?» a heartbroken Mike asked, his throat burning.
Will looked up, locking eyes with Mike again.
«I do,»
«Then why won’t you kiss me?»
«Because it’s wrong.»
«Wrong?» Mike questioned.
Tears started swelling in Will’s eyes, making his eyes wet and glistening in the light. Even though Mike was confused and hurt, he still found beauty in every moment he shared with Will. He had to be the most beautiful person on earth.
He cupped Will’s cheek, wiping away the tears.
«Why is it wrong for me to want to kiss you?»
«Because you’re not like me, Mike.»
«Like what?
«You don’t like boys.» Will stuttered.
Mike’s heart sank, and suddenly he remembered that day in the rain. That dreadful day in the summer 85, where Mike had made the biggest mistake of his life.
It’s not my fault you don’t like girls.
«Will, I—»
«It’s okay, Mike. You’ve already apologized.»
«And I can’t force you to like me when you don’t even like boys.» Will wept.
«But I do like you,» Mike replied, his eyes now also wet with tears.
«You don’t mean it, you’re just being nice, for my sake.»
Will stood up, grabbing his things and making his way towards the door.
«Will, please don’t leave!» Mike begged. Following Will up the stairs until the door was slammed in his face.
This is just like that day.
Mike sat down on one of the steps. He just sat there, shocked, confused, helpless.
Oh, Will, you should have known, he thought.
You should have known about all those times he had wished El was him when they kissed. All the times he had defended Will when others talked crap about him behind his back. He should have known that Mike had called him every day when he lived in Cali, but that the line always was busy for some reason.
Mike missed him.
He remembered the long nights during sleepovers where they would stay up late and talk to each other about everything. He remembered how jealous he got when Will first got introduced to Dustin and Lucas. Besides, Will was his friend first. Matter of fact Will was his best friend, and he wouldn’t change that for the world. But, now he didn’t know what to do. These feelings were not new to him, they had been there as long as he could remember.
You’re the only one I want, Will.
Mike rushed to his feet and made his way towards the door. He ran up the stairs, his body ignoring his horrible stamina. He ran past his mom and sister gossiping about the neighbors, cutting corners to reach Will before he could leave. He stopped in front of the garage. Heavy rain still poured outside.
Will was standing there with his bike in hand and a frustrated and sad expression on his face.
«What do you want?» he questioned, looking rather upset now. Fresh tears had newly ran down his cheeks, creating uneven streaks.
Mike reached out, grabbing Will by the arm and pulling him in. He embraced him fully, wrapping his arms around the boy and placing his head in the crook of his neck.
«Thank god you didn’t leave yet,» Mike whispered.
Will felt shivers run down his spine.
Mike held him. Held him so close he could feel the other’s heartbeat and his own, beating uneven and desperate against each other’s chests. Like if either of them let go both of their hearts would stop.
«Mike,»
«Yeah?»
«…»
The silence was deafening.
But not empty. Never empty. It was filled with every unsaid thing between them. Every glance that lasted too long. Every breath stolen from each other. Every year they had spent in silence orbiting around each other without ever daring to say something.
Mike pulled back just enough to properly look at Will, his hands still firmly placed around him, like he was scared Will might disappear if he loosened his grip.
They locked eyes once again.
«What do you want, Mike?» Will’s voice broke when he said Mike’s name.
The tears burned marks into Will’s cheeks. His chest rose too fast, breaths uneven and shaky. He grabbed fistfuls of Mike’s shirt, wrinkling the thin fabric beneath his fingers, before lowering his head beneath Mike’s chin.
«What do you want?» he repeated, not wanting to let go.
Mike’s arms tightened around him instantly, and for a second, Will hated how safe he felt. Hated that Mike made him feel that way.
Mike rested his chin on the top of Will’s head. He closed his eyes like the answer was physically hard to say.
«I want you.»
Will froze, the words echoed through him so fast it almost hurt.
Mike wanted him.
Mike gently lifted Will’s head, forcing him to look at him. His eyes were as glossy as Will’s now.
«I want you, Will, and only you,» Mike said a faint smile appearing on his lips.
Will stared at him like he couldn’t understand the words coming out of his mouth.
Mike gave a quick laugh, the kind people make when they’re trying to brighten the mood. He leaned in again, just beside Will’s ear.
«You’re everything I’ve ever wanted,» he whispered.
«Everything I’ve ever wished for,»
Will’s breath caught.
«I love you,»
The words awakened something inside him.
Will looked up at Mike.
Mike loved him. Mike Wheeler loved him.
Will’s face twisted into shock and confusion, like his heart didn’t know whether to break or heal.
«But you… you don’t—»
«I do.»
Mike said it immediately. Firm. Certain.
Like there had never been another answer.
And before Will could speak again, Mike kissed him.
Years of want and need finally spilling out between them all at once. The weak garage light flickered above them, buzzing softly in the dark. Will kissed him back like he was terrified he might never get another chance.
When they pulled apart, Mike was still smiling.
That stupid, soft smile he always got right before saying something ridiculous. His forehead rested against Will’s.
«So,» he murmured, breathless,
«Is Harrison Ford really your type?»
Will let out a genuine laugh. The same laugh Mike had spent years secretly wishing was reserved for his ears only.
«No, Mike,» Will whispered.
He reached up, twirling Mike’s hair around his fingers.
«I think my type is way hotter,»
Mike sighed dramatically. «Wow. That was smooth,»
Will laughed again, and this time Mike thought it might genuinely be his favourite sound in the world.
They leaned in for another kiss, softer now, slower, like they finally had time.
When they pulled apart, Mike brushed his thumb over Will’s lips, felling the soft skin. His brain going quiet and agony disappearing.
«I love you, Will.»
Will smiled so hard that his face might fall off.
«I love you too, Mike.»
The end.