Archive of Our Own

It was one of those days where the whole world seemed to be against Will. 

He’d woken up that morning and discovered they had run out of coffee grounds, so he had to leave earlier than expected to stop by a coffee shop before his lecture. The barista that usually served him and knew his order wasn’t there, so he had to brave the line and speak to the new trainee working the register, rather than simply picking up his drink and leaving money on the counter like he usually did – no social interaction required. 

There were no seats available on the bus, so Will had to stand, gripping his coffee tight. The bus had more people on it than usual. Strangers were pushing up against him and breathing too close. He was glad he’d remembered his noise-cancelling headphones, The Clash blaring loudly in his ears to drown out the noise. 

He had arrived at his lecture with only a few minutes spare, and found all the seats in the front row, where he usually sat because it was closest to the board and easiest to hear the professor, were taken. He had to settle for the second row and constantly fight to not get distracted by the movement of the pens and pencils of the students ahead of him. A random guy also sat right next to him, even though there were still plenty of seats in the rest of the row. He had apparently drowned himself in cheap cologne that morning, the smell assaulting Will’s nostrils.

The usual place he went to get lunch (a delicious deli-sandwich that he had every day he was on campus) had unexpectedly closed for maintenance. He ended up getting a sandwich from another place, but it didn’t taste right. Too much bread. Not enough sauce. Meat slightly bland. 

In his afternoon workshop, the girl that had been hassling Will to go on a date with her since the start of the semester wouldn’t leave him alone, constantly circling back to Will’s easel to have another crack at wooing him. No matter how firm Will declined her advances, she wouldn’t stop.

When he left to start his journey home, he found it was warmer outside than expected, so he was starting to sweat in his pullover. But he couldn’t take it off – then he would be too cold: all he had on underneath was a white t-shirt. So he tried to ignore the itching press of the sweater against his clammy skin and focused on making it home.

The bus ride back had been even more packed than the first one. People were shoved in the aisle like sardines. A lady had been pushed and fell against Will, her sharp elbow jutting into his side. He was certain it would leave a bruise. He was starting to wish he could brave the subway system instead of the bus as his main means of transport. The thought of breathing that stale air and the feeling of confinement from being stuck underground quickly reminded him that this was still, unfortunately, the better choice.

Then, as if to add insult to injury to his already horrible day, the elevator in their apartment building had broken down, leaving Will to take the stairs five floors up to his home.

Will turned his key in the lock after struggling to fish the keys out of his pocket and pushed the door open. He stepped inside and swung the door shut a second later. Immediately, Will dropped his bag by his feet and flung his shoes off, aiming for the shoe rack under the coat hooks in the entryway. He missed, and the shoes laid on their sides just in front of the rack. Will sighed, then dipped down to pick them up and properly put them away.

The apartment was quiet, as far as he could tell through his headphones, but that didn’t mean he was home alone. He dragged his bag across the floor with a single finger as he moved further down the hall and into the main space of the apartment. None of his roommates were in the open plan kitchen, dining and living room, though the curtains over the large windows facing the street down below had been opened, filling the space with bright light. Will squinted and turned away.

Hung on the wall beside the door to the main bathroom was a whiteboard with this month’s schedule written into the perfectly aligned boxes. Will’s eyes fell to the current date. Dustin and Lucas both had late classes and wouldn’t be home until after 8pm. Max had a morning class which would have already finished, but she often hung out with some of her college friends afterwards. Mike was the only person who had no classes today. 

Will hadn’t seen him that morning. Mike had a late class the night before and didn’t get home until 9pm. Usually, he’d sleep the entire morning the day after. Will guessed that he was most likely still home, as Mike was a bit of a hermit and hated going outside unless he really had too. Will glanced back towards the shoe rack in the entry and sure enough, there were Mike’s favourite blue converse. He was home.

Will breathed a sigh of relief. Even if he didn’t see or talk to Mike, knowing someone else was home and nearby was reassuring. 

Will moved past Mike’s bedroom door until he reached his room. It was meticulously clean – at least in Will’s mind. Sure, there were things on the floor up against his dresser and bookshelf, but everything was perfectly organised and sat in its place, exactly where they were meant to be. His bed was unmade though. Will usually made it after he had his coffee and got dressed, but his normal routine had been completely thrown out the window. He dropped his bag by his desk, where it always sat, and went back out into the hall so he could wash his hands in the bathroom before making his bed. 

Will didn’t turn the light on as he entered – he knew where everything was. He didn’t lift his head to look at himself in the mirror either. He already knew he’d look like shit, and he wasn’t really eager to confirm that. The feeling of dirt and the outside being washed away from his hands and the scent of soft lavender filling his nose made his shoulders loosen slightly.

He made his bed quickly. Folded the covers neatly over the top, pillows thrown back against the headboard, and stretched the large wrinkle in the middle out until it was neat and smooth. 

His jeans were starting to press uncomfortably against his legs, and the tag had escaped and was scratching against his lower back. He pulled them off and threw them into his hamper before searching his closet for one of his comfortable pairs of sweatpants. His favourite, the deep navy pair, were clean. He pulled them on quickly and decided to switch out of his pullover and into a soft baby-blue cardigan while he was at it.

Just as he finished, the album he had been listening to all day restarted for the fourth time. He lowered the volume slightly before returning to the main area of the apartment.

Will moved towards the large window and closed the blinds, drastically reducing the light in the room. His eyes weren’t pulsing in his head anymore. 

He wasn’t exactly hungry, but he needed something safe and tasty, so he went to the pantry and pulled out his favourite potato chips that they always kept stocked in the house – Sour Cream & Onion Lays. 

His socked feet made little noise as he moved toward the couch, sitting in the corner near the lamp and basket of blankets they kept for when it got cold. His spot. 

Will curled his legs up and pulled the softest blanket out of the basket to throw over his shoulders. He tucked it around himself before finally releasing his muscles and relaxing into the warm couch.

He ate with his eyes closed, just reaching for the bag every few seconds to grab a single chip and bring it to his mouth before chewing slowly. The crunch was satisfying, and the tasty flavour pleased his stomach after the disappointing meal it had to endure for lunch.

Will didn’t know how long he sat there, but it must have been a while, because he completely finished the packet. He scolded himself – he wasn’t supposed to eat so much in a single sitting. Mike would be upset with him.

As though summoned by Will’s thoughts, the sound of footsteps managed to cut through the music in his headphones. The scent of woodsy pine and fresh laundry hit Will’s nose, and he didn’t need to open his eyes to check who it was.

He felt the couch dip by his feet. 

Mike didn’t speak. He was waiting for Will to give him a sign – whether he was up for talking and physical touch, or if Mike should go back to his room and give Will his space. 

Mike was the person who knew how to deal with Will best in moments like this. He’d had years of practice. He made looking after his best friend an art, one that he had mastered. The others all tried their best to help, and Will knew they meant well, but it always felt like he was being coddled or babied when they tried. But he didn’t feel that way with Mike.

He raised the hand that wasn’t covered in chip residue and pulled his headphones off his ears, leaving it to hang around his neck. He could still hear the music, but it was quieter now. Distantly he could hear the cars on the street below, but it wasn’t as loud as he had been expecting, which was good. He kept his eyes closed.

Mike shuffled closer, moving slowly, and reached out to take Will’s socked feet and place them on his lap. Mike began to gently press and massage the soreness out of them. The pressure and warmth from Mike’s hands was heavenly. Will melted into the couch.

“Bad day?” Mike said after a few minutes.

“You have no idea,” Will answered, his own voice sounding slightly too loud in his ears.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

Mike hummed and moved his hands to work over Will’s left ankle. One moved a moment later, and the chip packet was removed from Will’s hands. Will waited to hear Mike’s disappointed sigh or gentle admonishment, but he heard neither. Instead, he felt Mike lean forward as he placed the packet on the coffee table before he returned his hand to his lap and resumed massaging.

“That bad, huh?” Mike observed. “Was it people related or outside related?”

“Both.”

“Yikes.”

When Mike finished with Will’s feet he scooched further up the couch, his leg now pressing against the back of Will’s thighs and his knees resting on Mike’s lap. He felt Mike lean forward again.

“Hand,” Mike requested.

Will figured Mike meant his dirty hand. He held it out and felt a soft press against the pulse on his wrist and a tissue being moved across his fingers, cleaning them.

“Thanks, Mike.”

“Anytime,” Mike warmly replied.

Finally, Will opened his eyes. The light in the room had dimmed further as the sun was beginning its descent. Mike was sitting barely two feet from him, resting his hands on Will’s knees and rubbing his thumb in slow circles. He was wearing his reading glasses, the ones that made Will want to stare at Mike’s beautiful face for hours uninterrupted. He wasn’t in his pajamas like Will had been expecting though, instead wearing a pair of black sweatpants and his blue and mauve striped sweater with a white collar sticking out from underneath. 

“Did you go out?”

Mike turned his head and smiled softly as he met Will’s eyes. “Yeah, I did a grocery run after I woke up. Got back a couple hours ago.”

“Did you get coffee?”

“I did.”

“Good.”

Mike chuckled lightly. “Sorry that you didn’t have any this morning. I should have gone yesterday before class or something.”

“It’s okay,” Will said. “Not your fault.”

“Well, Lucas is usually the one in charge of groceries, so I guess it’s not totally my fault.”

Will laughed for the first time all day. Mike’s lip twitched, eyes dancing over Will’s expression.

“Are you feeling any better?”

Will nodded and pulled his headphones off completely, pressing the button on the side to stop the music before he placed them on the coffee table. “Loads. Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

Will rolled his eyes. It felt like him and Mike were forever having this same argument. Will just wanted to show Mike that he was grateful for him putting up with all of Will’s moods and needs. Mike always insisted that it wasn’t a big deal and that Will didn’t need to thank him. 

A never ending cycle that had been going on for years, ever since they were little kids. Though, it had definitely increased after Will and his family returned to Hawkins before junior year and stayed with the Wheelers. 

With eight people living under one roof, being unable to have a place truly to himself and draw in peace, sharing a bathroom, never really being alone, having to eat whatever Karen prepared regardless of whether he liked it or not, it was safe to say that Will got overwhelmed frequently during their stay. Too many people, too much noise, no safe space to retreat to.

That was until Mike offered Will his bedroom to stay in – somewhere smaller, closed off, and most importantly, familiar. 

Will loved Mike’s basement. Of course he did. They spent the better part of their childhoods down there. But the thing about the basement was that was where they always went to play. To watch movies or play D&D or video games or snack and talk for hours and hours. That space was too active, and it could never truly be somewhere that Will could go to completely zone out and recharge. 

But he could do that in Mike’s bedroom. 

While the lack of proper personal space was still an issue, Will felt significantly better staying in Mike’s room than he did in the basement. The room smelt like Mike. It was more private – less likelihood of other Wheelers or Byers bursting in at random hours of the day. And most importantly, it felt safe. 

And a large part of that was because Mike was always there with him.

Again, sometimes he wished he could be properly alone, but Mike had become his safe person. One of the few people he could bare to be around even when he was overstimulated. 

His mom, his brother, and Mike. Those were his safe people. 

And, had he spent more time with her and lived with her longer, El would have been too. But El also needed support and help – in different ways than Will did – so sometimes he got overwhelmed and didn’t know how to deal with it all. He tried his best – of course he did – but El was hard to read at times and kept a lot to herself.

He loved her deeply, and he was so, so glad that she came into his life. Through her, Will gained a sister. Someone he would die for and who would die for him. 

And she did. He missed her every day. El will forever be one of Will’s favourite people that he’s ever known. 

But Mike is his favourite. His special person.

His soulmate – even if it was destined to only be platonic.

Will had held out hope for years that Mike might feel the same way about him – especially after he became so attentive of Will after he started staying with him – but it just wasn’t meant to be. 

He ached for Mike to love him, but he had accepted his fate. 

Best friends.

He’d take what he can get.

~

Will wasn’t sure when, but he must have fallen asleep. He woke up to the sound of the front door opening, followed by loud, stomping footsteps that he instantly recognised to be Max, returning home from wherever she had been for the afternoon.

The first thing Will saw when he opened his eyes was Mike sleeping next to him, still holding Will’s knees in his lap. But he was stirring, also being awoken by Max’s loud return.

The noise didn’t bother him as much as it would have a couple hours ago. He’d calmed down and regulated himself back to normal. The nap had probably helped a lot too.

Max appeared from the hallway and her eyes immediately fell on the two figures on the couch. She spotted the closed blinds along with the empty chip packet and Will’s headphones on the coffee table. Her brows pinched in concern.

“Will, you okay?”

“Bad day,” Will answered. His voice was lighter than it had been when he got home.

She shot him a sympathetic smile. “Well, I’d offer to come over and give you a tight hug, but it looks like Wheeler’s got you trapped.”

“Shut up, Max.” Mike flipped her off. “You just got home. Leave me alone.”

“Nah,” Max said with a grin. She then turned and headed towards the second hallway where her and Lucas’ bedroom sat, along with Dustin’s. 

Will yawned, raising a hand to cover his mouth. “What time is it?”

Mike lifted his hand close to his face so he could read his watch. “7:40pm. You want dinner?”

Will’s stomach growled, answering Mike’s question for him. 

Mike chuckled. “Want your usual from the Chinese takeout down the street?”

Will stared at Mike with big, pleading eyes. “Really?”

Mike’s smile widened. “‘Course. You’ve had a shit day. Least I can do is get you your beloved fried rice.” 

Mike gently lifted Will’s legs off him so he could rise to his feet. Will tucked his legs back under himself and the blanket and watched as Mike stretched his arms high above his head. The bottom of his shirt lifted, revealing his pale stomach and cute bellybutton. Will looked away sheepishly before Mike caught his staring.

Mike yawned and cracked his neck, then shot Will a soft smile. “Be back soon.” 

He then picked up the empty chip packet and disposed of it in the kitchen before heading towards where Max had disappeared to. A second later Will could hear him quietly asking Max if she wanted anything. Lucas and Dustin usually ate together after their classes, so they didn’t have to worry about getting anything for them.

Will took the opportunity of Mike heading out to go and properly unpack his bag, now that he was feeling better. He freed himself of the blanket and took his headphones back to his room. He heard the sound of Mike putting his shoes on and his keys jangling as he left the apartment.

Once Will finished with his bag he returned to the living room, this time turning the TV on so he could watch something. He flicked through the channels, hoping to find one of his comfort shows, but yet again it seemed the world was against him. He frowned at the screen and picked at the skin around his thumbnail.

“We could watch a movie?”

Max had changed into her pajamas and came to sit on the loveseat under the large window. That was hers and Lucas’ spot. Will and Mike shared the long sofa, while Dustin usually preferred to sprawl out on the floor or wrestle the beanbag he had in his bedroom out to the living room.

“Yeah,” Will replied. “What movies did we rent for this week?”

Max stretched over to the coffee table to grab the pile of VHS tapes. “Uh, Back to the Future I and II. Rocky III. Jaws. And, uh, The Princess Bride.”

“Hmm…” Will thought.

“You pick for tonight,” Max said. “What do you feel like?”

“Well… we haven’t seen Back to the Future II since it came out last year, but if we are watching part two then we need to watch part one first, and it’s a weeknight, so we can’t do that. Rocky III was Lucas’ pick, so it’d be unfair to watch that without him. I feel like something light and fun, which rules out Jaws. So, The Princess Bride it is.”

Max snorted. “‘Course you’d choose Wheeler's pick for the week.”

Will ignored the flush on his cheeks at her implication. “It’s a good movie!”

“Fine. We’ll watch the Back to the Futures on the weekend when everyone’s home.” She glanced at her watch. “How long does it usually take to get the Chinese?”

“About 20 minutes.”

“Ugh.” She threw herself back against the couch, her legs stretching out in front of her. “Guess I have to wait.”

While they waited, the two spoke quietly about their days. Well, Max did most of the talking, whilst Will mostly listened. It wasn’t too often that it was just him and Max hanging out by themselves, but he always enjoyed her company. She didn’t beat around the bush or baby him like the others sometimes did. It made talking with her easier somehow, but she was still at times rather direct.

“So, what happened to upset you today?”

Will should have guessed that she’d ask eventually. But she didn’t do it with any malice or judgement. Just light curiosity and gentle concern. Her eyes were open and encouraging.

“Just… a whole bunch of little things, really. It all just kept building until I felt like I wanted to rip my hair out.”

Max hummed. “I get days like that too. Makes me want to scream.”

Will laughed dryly. “Yeah.”

“I thought you were gonna say that girl kept hitting on you again.”

“She did.” Will sighed. “That was one of the things.”

“Seriously? What is wrong with that chick? Just take no for an answer, my God.”

“Well, I can’t very well tell her the real reason I’m not interested.”

“I know.” Then, a smirk crossed Max’s face. “Hey, you could always just tell her that you have a girlfriend and say that it’s me, if that’d make it easier.”

Will hadn’t thought of that. “Huh. Maybe.”

“You have that group photo of us at Lovers Lake last summer in your wallet, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, show her that, point to me, and tell her to back off.”

Will couldn’t imagine he’d ever be so brash as to tell someone to back off, but Max’s idea wasn’t a bad one. If the girl thought that he was taken, she might finally stop pursuing him. 

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then I’ll come to one of your classes and growl at her until she gets it.”

“Growl? Like a dog?”

Max giggled. “Yeah. Y’know, like, marking my territory?”

“Ew. Gross, Max.”

Max started laughing loudly and Will couldn’t help to join in, wishing that he could capture the sound of  her laugh in a painting. The more he thought about it, the better her idea sounded. He wasn’t offended by the idea of fake-dating Max – she was, in many ways, rather similar to Mike. Obviously Max didn’t meet his biological preference, but the girl in his class didn’t know that. And she wouldn’t know that Max was already in a relationship.

The front door opened and Mike’s voice called out, “I’m back!”

Max rose from the couch to go and help Mike with the food. “Oh, thank God, I’m starving. And, lucky you Wheeler, we’ve decided to watch The Princess Bride tonight.”

“Hell yeah,” Mike’s excited reply came.

Will smiled softly to himself and tipped his head back against the couch. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of them getting the food ready in the kitchen. The smell of fried rice, crispy chicken and spring rolls filled the apartment. 

A wave of gratitude rolled over him. He was glad he had such good, supportive people in his life.

~

“You going to bed?” Mike asked. He bent down to pick up the last scraps of their takeaway dinner from the coffee table and took it to the kitchen to throw it away.

It was almost 10pm. Lucas and Dustin arrived home halfway through the movie and joined them for the rest. It had finished a few minutes ago, and the three of them – Lucas, Dustin and Max – all immediately said goodnight and retreated to their rooms. Will could hear the sound of the shower in Lucas and Max’s en suite bathroom running. Since they were sharing a room, and Max didn’t want to share a bathroom with the rest of them, she and Lucas naturally took the master bedroom, and the only one with an en suite. 

Will rubbed tiredly at his eyes and sat up from where he had reclined comfortably on the couch. “Yeah, probably.”

“You gonna sleep okay?”

After rough days, sleeping was often difficult for Will. It was as though his mind took the opportunity of finally being safe and in a quiet place to replay every event that had disturbed Will recently. It made sleeping rather difficult and, quite frankly, just pissed Will off. He hated not being able to sleep.

“Dunno,” Will answered honestly.

“Well, you know you’re always welcome to come stay with me if you need.”

Will watched as Mike moved about in the kitchen, tidying the place so no one would have to deal with a mess in the morning. He tried to see if Mike’s cheeks were sporting a blush like Will’s were at his casual offer. His cheeks were their normal fair, cool-toned complexion dotted with gorgeous freckles. Though, the tips of his ears were a little pink.

“Thanks, Mike,” Will settled on saying as he finally rose to his feet. He hadn’t moved from the couch since he got home, and his knees cracked loudly at the release of pressure.

Mike heard and snorted. “Sleep tight, old man.”

“I’m only two weeks older than you, Mike.”

“Still makes you the oldest. You sure you don’t need help getting to your bedroom? Maybe you want a cane?”

Will debated throwing one of the cushions from the couch at Mike’s head, but figured the damage he might cause in the kitchen – let alone the noise – should he miss wasn’t worth the risk.

So, Will turned around the bend and walked towards his room, throwing a quiet, “Night, Mike,” over his shoulder.

“Night, Will,” Mike replied.

Will closed his bedroom door and locked it with a quiet click, a sense of security and control settling in place in his chest. He walked towards his closet and changed into one of his comfortable long-sleeve sleep shirts. He switched his short white socks for a long, colourful pair that would add slight compression to his legs that always made falling asleep a bit easier. 

Once changed into his sleepwear, he unlocked his door and emerged to head to the bathroom so he could wash his face and brush his teeth. Mike wasn’t in the kitchen anymore. Will spotted his bedroom door cracked open with warm light seeping through, but he didn’t look to see if Mike was in there. The lights had been turned off in the main area, and Will was only able to get around because of the lamp they always left on beside the TV. Last thing they needed in a house of five people was for someone to stub their toe in the dark or bump into something and wake everyone up.

Will turned out the bathroom light after he finished and quickly went back to his room, tip-toeing to try and be quiet, before he again shut and locked his door. 

There was a string of warm yellow lights hung above Will’s bed. It lit up the room enough for Will to see and created a cosy atmosphere that made his eyes feel heavy. He unscrewed the unopened bottle of water he had on his bedside and took a long drink before finally crawling under the covers of his freshly made bed and getting comfortable. He rubbed his feet together and against the sheets, and grabbed one of the pillows so he could hug it against his chest. Then, he reached out a hand and pressed play on the small record player he had on his nightstand. A soft, instrumental melody filled the room, quiet enough that you wouldn’t be able to hear it even if you had your ear pressed against his bedroom door. He focused on the familiar notes and tried to will his mind into nothingness so he could sleep.

But his mind had the stronger will tonight. After forty minutes of tossing and turning, it was clear that Will wasn’t going to be able to sleep. He groaned, frustrated, kicking his feet under the covers.

“Damn it.”

Hope Mike’s still awake.

Will lifted the covers off his body, flinching slightly as the cool air hit his skin. He kept one arm tight around the pillow against his chest as he rose to his feet. He turned off his music and walked to his door.

The apartment was still and quiet as he tip-toed to Mike’s room. There wasn’t any light poking out from under his door, but as Will got closer he realised it was still cracked open. He rapped his knuckles twice against the wood and waited.

Will heard a heavy inhale come from within the room, followed by the sound of sheets rustling a second later. Mike had always been a light sleeper, and it didn’t take much to wake him.

“Come in,” Mike’s groggy voice reached Will’s ears.

Will opened the door and stepped inside. He shut it behind him and turned the lock, just like he’d done in his room. It was dark – the only light coming from the gaps in Mike’s window blinds. It took a second for Will’s eyes to adjust. He knew the layout of Mike’s room, but Mike was a lot messier than Will, and a lot less organised, so if Will tried to traverse his room in the dark he’d probably end up kicking or tripping over something.

The room smelt like Mike. Of course it did, but every time he stepped in here it still surprised him. Pine and linen. 

He loved Mike’s scent. Even as they grew up, Mike’s scent barely changed. The only difference was that Mike had since lost the constant teenage musk that he carried throughout high school. Now he smelt clean and fresh and warm and like home.

Will heard the sound of Mike rolling over in his bed. 

“Can’t sleep?” 

“No,” Will whispered, trying not to disturb Mike more than he already was.

Mike hummed. “Come here.”

Will blinked a few more times until he could just make out all the objects in the room. Thankfully, it seemed that Mike’s room wasn’t too messy this time. He wondered if Mike had tidied up on the off chance that Will would come to stay with him. 

Will ignored how his heart fluttered at the thought.

He shuffled over to the bed until his shin made contact with the soft mattress. He reached down with a hand and felt that Mike had already lifted the covers for him to climb in. Mike had moved to the side of his bed that pressed against the wall, leaving plenty of space between them when Will climbed under the covers, facing the door. They weren’t touching, but Will could feel Mike’s warmth, both from where he had just been laying and from his presence behind him.

Will tried to get comfortable. He rubbed his feet together and against the sheets. He pulled the pillow even closer to his chest and rested his chin on it. He nuzzled himself further into Mike’s pillow, smelling his faint lemon scented shampoo. Will smiled. It was only when they hugged or when he stayed with Mike that he could smell his shampoo – a secret, hidden third scent that made him Mike. 

“Comfy?” Mike asked after Will stopped moving.

“Mm.” Will replied.

Will felt Mike move slightly behind him. They still weren’t touching, but he could feel Mike’s breath brush against the back of his neck.

“Do you want me to hold you?”

“Yes, please,” Will whispered.

Slowly, so as not to startle him, Mike moved closer until his legs touched and then tangled with Will’s. The warmth pressing at Will’s back intensified before he felt the solid press of Mike’s chest make contact. One of Mike’s arms circled around Will’s waist and pulled him backwards slightly. As Will adjusted, Mike snuck his other arm underneath Will until he was firmly in Mike’s embrace. 

Mike spooned Will tight from behind, and Will curled his legs closer to himself and leaned into Mike’s touch. Will squeezed the pillow still clasped in his arms, and finally, finally, released a contented sigh as his body relaxed and his mind went numb. Will’s heart fluttered for only a few minutes in Mike’s hold before it gave into the feeling of Mike completely encompassing him in a safe cocoon of his warmth and presence. 

The first time they did this, Will had struggled to get his heart to calm down at all. His mind had raced and his cheeks burned at the feeling of Mike holding him so close like this. He felt safe, yes, beyond safe, but he couldn’t ignore the intimacy of the position. Mike’s body was literally pressed completely against Will’s and he could feel his heartbeat, his breaths, the way his muscles flexed as they held him. But when exhaustion eventually took him, he had the most peaceful sleep he’d had in years.

Each time they did this it got easier and easier for Will to fall into Mike’s protective embrace, until it became so normal that it was honestly harder now to sleep without Mike than it was to sleep with him. 

Mike had never questioned it. Never said that it was weird for them to do this – for them to still be doing this even after they’d entered college. He had simply learnt that being held tight and protected made Will feel safe and eased his body into sleep, and whenever Will needed that, he was there.

“Better?” Mike whispered into Will’s ear, barely louder than a breath. It wasn’t exactly intentional. He had his head resting against and slightly on Will’s, putting his mouth right next to his ear. 

Will felt a small shiver spread across his skin at the contact, but he pushed that aside. “Yeah. Better.”

“Good,” Mike hummed. He nuzzled further into Will’s neck. “If you want me to hold tighter or looser just let me know. And if I’m sleeping just nudge me until I move.”

“No, this is good,” Will reassured. “Thanks, Mike.”

“Don’t need to thank,” Mike said sleepily. “Just doing my job.”

Will chuckled. “Your job? And what is that?”

“Taking care of you,” Mike said, like it was obvious.

Will’s heart kicked back into gear and started to beat faster, blood rushing to his cheeks in reaction to Mike’s words. Mike’s hands tensed slightly in Will’s shirt.

How am I not supposed to thank you when you say heartmelting shit like that?

But really, was Will surprised? 

No. Mike had been taking care of him since they were five. Since that very first day on the swingset, Mike had made it his personal mission to look after Will. Whether it was keeping him company, shielding him from bullies, making him smile, saving him from monsters, calming him down or helping him sleep, Mike was always there for him.

Even during the brief period of time that Mike had been dating El – before that disastrous relationship ended only six months after it began – Mike still never wavered in his dedication to keeping Will happy and safe. 

El had even confided in Will, after they’d moved to California, that it had been one (of many) reasons why they had broken up.

Hope had swelled in Will’s chest for months after that. It had been difficult to get it back under control. 

Everything intensified when Will moved in with Mike, though. Especially after he started staying in Mike’s room. Even though the world was ending and the military was after El and Will was having nightmares practically every night, that was still one of the happiest times of his life so far. 

Waking up and falling asleep with Mike everyday was like a dream.

Still, since they moved into this apartment with the rest of the party for college, Will has tried to not rely on Mike as much as he used to. But bad days, like today, made that especially difficult. Will always tried to deal with it himself, of course, but he knew he’d inevitably end up right here at the end, curled up in Mike’s protective embrace.

“You take such good care of me,” Will said quietly after a long moment. He wasn’t sure if Mike had fallen asleep again, but when he felt Mike’s breath hitch slightly, he knew he was awake and listening. 

Will laughed softly. “It’s gonna make it hard for me in the future. You’re setting the bar too high.”

“What do you mean?” Mike asked. The vibrations of his voice sent a warm shiver down Will’s back.

“For whatever guy I end up with,” Will explained. “If that ever happens. I mean, you take such good care of me, everyone else is going to feel mediocre by comparison.”

Mike’s arms tensed around Will’s stomach with every word that fell from Will’s mouth. His heart was beating fast, Will could feel it, and he was pretty sure Mike was breathing faster too.

“What do you mean ‘if’?” Mike said after a moment, his tone slightly incredulous. “You’re literally the best person I know. Every guy in the world is stupid if they can’t see how amazing you are.”

Will’s cheeks burned at the praise. “I-I’ve got a lot of baggage Mike. I know I’m not always… easy to be around.”

“That’s bullshit.” Mike raised his voice slightly. “It’s bullshit. Even if you do have baggage, it’s all worth it to be in your life.”

Will felt his eyes burning, and he prayed that he wasn’t about to start crying right there, in Mike’s bed, in Mike’s arms.

“Besides…” Mike lowered his voice back to a whisper, like he was revealing a deep secret. “I like taking care of you. So…” He sucked in a breath. “So someone else will, too.”

It sounded like it physically hurt Mike to say those words. Will tried (and failed) to not get his hopes up.

He was completely awake at this point. How the hell was he supposed to sleep after a conversation like this? He could still feel Mike’s heart racing against his back, just as fast as Will’s was beating.

The silence between them had dragged on too long, and Will knew he had to say something.

“If you say so,” he whispered.

Will stared at the chinked gap in the blinds. He could just make out the lights of the building across from them, and a small sliver of the night sky. 

As the seconds ticked by and Mike said nothing else, Will started to think that was the end of their conversation. He tried to focus on falling back asleep. He focused on the feeling of Mike holding him, rather than remembering his heart-fluttering words.

Will felt it the moment Mike’s arms tightened around him. Just a little, like Mike was trying to pull him impossibly closer.

Then, barely indistinguishable from a breath, in the dark of Mike’s bedroom, Will heard, “I would do it.”

…

“What?” Will breathed.

Slightly louder, Mike repeated, “I would do it.”

Will’s heart stuttered. “Do… Do what?”

“You know.”

“Um…” 

Will most certainly did not know what Mike meant. He had a guess, but that had to be wrong, because there was no way that Mike– 

“Do you mean look after me? Cause you kind of do that already, Mike.”

“No.” Mike’s voice was soft but sure. 

“Then… Then, what do you mean?”

Mike breathed in. Silence. And then, “I mean that I’d… I would be that guy for you… if you wanted.”

…

What? What did he–

Oh.

Oh.

But he– There’s no way that– He can’t possibly mean–

Slowly, afraid that if he made the wrong move he’d ruin whatever the hell this was between him and Mike, Will started to turn around. Mike loosened his grip, just enough, so that Will could move whilst he still held onto him. Will dropped his pillow, letting it fall to the ground so that he could face Mike, uninterrupted, face-to-face.

The light cascading into the room from the blinds lit Mike’s face up just enough for Will to see his wide, slightly-terrified eyes. Endless pools of inky midnight that he could fall into and never want to resurface.

“M-Mike,” Will stuttered, unable to stop the shake in his voice. “Mike, I-I need you to tell me what you’re saying, b-because I’m… I’m not sure I’m reading this right.”

Mike’s eyes flicked back and forth between Will’s. There was barely a breath between them. If Will leant forward even slightly, their noses would touch. He could see Mike’s mouth trying to move, trying to say something, but failing, over and over.

Finally, Mike sucked in a breath. “If… If you wanted, I would… I’d like to be with you.” He swallowed. “As in… like… um… like, with you with you.”

For a long moment, Will was certain this had to be a dream. It had to. Because there was no way that Mike, real Mike, was saying that he wanted to be with Will. As in a relationship. But when he pinched his arm and flinched at the pain, he realised that it wasn’t a dream. This was real. The Mike in front of him was really saying what Will had always hoped – always dreamed – but never believed he would ever actually say. 

Will had been quiet too long as he tried desperately to process what was happening. Mike fidgeted nervously with the hem of Will’s shirt and worried his bottom lip.

“Will… please say something.”

“Um…” 

Work brain, come on. Say something! 

Will blinked. “Y-You… Do you– A-Are you saying that you… you like me?”

Mike stared at Will, barely breathing. “Yes.”

“I-I… I–” 

Will tried to process all the emotions exploding in his chest. Relief. Wonder. Disbelief. Joy. Terror. Vulnerability. Longing. Gratitude. Hope. Love. So much love it hurt.

Then, all in one breath, the words rushed out of him, escaping the prison of being kept hidden and secret for so, so long. “I want that too. I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember.”

Mike’s breath caught. Sharp and disbelieving. 

The hand resting on Will’s waist lifted to gently cup his cheek. Will leaned into the caress and closed his eyes, but only for a moment. He couldn’t bear to look away from Mike’s eyes for more than a second.

“Do– Do you mean that?”

“Yes,” Will nodded. “I’ve… I’ve always loved you.”

An elated laugh fell from Mike’s lips.

“I love you too, Will.”

Will’s eyes widened. He started to open his mouth to say something, he didn’t know what, but he never got the chance to, as suddenly Mike closed the distance between them and gently, ever so gently, pressed his lips against Will’s.

Will gasped. Mike kissed him. Mike was kissing him.

Will had never been kissed before. He’d imagined it, of course. Dreamed about it. But none of those dreams were even close to the real thing.

For a long time, Will had worried that he wouldn’t like it – the feeling of someone so close to him, touching him where his skin was sensitive, breathing on him. But he liked it. No, he loved it. Because it was Mike.

He had no idea what he was doing, but what he did know was how much he loved Mike, so he poured every ounce of that love into the kiss as he pressed back. He must have done something right, as a contented sigh left Mike barely a second after Will finally returned the kiss.

Their lips separated with a soft click. Will’s eyes had fluttered closed the second Mike had kissed him, but he wasn’t quite ready to open them yet. He fisted his hand in Mike’s shirt, right over his heart, feeling the racing beat under his skin. Will was catching his breath, or trying to at least, but then Mike was kissing him again, and who cared about breathing?

The kiss was soft. Sweet. Mike’s mouth gently caressing Will’s. Even as Mike pulled Will closer, he could feel the caution in Mike’s movements. Mike held him close, but not as tight as before, so that if Will wanted to, he could back away. He didn’t want to scare Will – always wanting to make sure he was safe and comfortable.

But Will would never back away from a moment like this. Not when he’s spent his entire life pining after the one person he thought he could never have, only to find out that they felt the same. 

As they parted for air, Will finally opened his eyes, only to be met with the unrelenting force of Mike Wheeler’s love and adoration staring back at him, and he couldn’t help but let out a shy giggle. Mike beamed at him.

It seemed that sometimes the world was on Will’s side after all.