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Mike hardly recognised the school gym. The room he actively avoided the most throughout his high school years was now adorned in tacky tinsel, balloons, and lights that were already making his head hurt.
Prom had begun an hour ago but it was ritual for Mike to be late, at this point. It was only 8pm anyway. The dance floor was full of people dancing solo or with their partner. He couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous.
He hated that he had been forced to attend his senior prom. He hated that he didn't feel like himself at all in his deep blue suit, matching cumberbund and bow tie layered neatly over his white lacey shirt. The only sense of normalcy he had were the beat up Converse he had insisted upon wearing. Mike's mother was not exactly pleased with his choice of footwear, stating that he looked silly, but he was eighteen now. She couldn't stop him. He had also decided to go back to how he used to wear his hair after experimenting with a middle part that ended a side part. Not for him.
Mike's heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of his friends gathered around a table with drinks in front of them, an extra cup occupying an empty seat.
His eyes fell upon Will first as 38 Special's Second Chance played out into the room. Something warm and familiar ignited in his chest, burning into his stomach, as he examined Will's attire.
Mike had come to associate this feeling with Will. It was warm, innocent, and hopeful. It reminded him of a simpler time when their biggest problem was whether to cast protection or fireball. He didn't exactly know what it was, only that it made him feel lighter than air.
Will was laughing at something Lucas had said along with the rest of the group. His yellow suit jacket was draped over the back of his chair. Over his white shirt, he wore a glittering, yellow, floral waistcoat which seemed to glow golden. On his bottom half, he wore green-blue trousers with a matching bow tie around his neck. He looked... stunning. Yeah. That felt like the right word. Everyone looked stunning, not just Will. Mike didn't mean it like that. Shut up.
Dustin was in a plain black suit with an orange boutonnière clipped onto the front of his jacket, his hair neat.
Max was in an emerald dress with a large bow on the front, slightly off to the side and a red corsage decorated her wrist. Mike couldn't even try to pretend she didn't look amazing. The color made her eyes sparkle in a way he had never seen them.
Jane was first to see Mike, waving with a large grin. An orange corsage wrapped around her wrist.
"Mike!" She called out, standing and running over to him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. She was in a strapless, purple, velvet dress which cut off just below her knees. The texture made Mike shiver but it suited her. Jane's hair was curled, falling over her shoulders and down to her waist. White kitten heels clicked against the floor as she fell back to her feet.
"You look nice. That dress really suits you," Mike said as they broke away from the hug, making their way to the rest of the group.
"You do, too. And do you really think so?" She smiled back, "I picked it myself."
"That's what makes it suit you."
They reached the table, everyone greeting Mike with bounds of enthusiasm.
"Wow, you actually came!" Lucas said, "Did your mom pay you to come?" He wore a green suit with frills down his chest. A red boutonnière, to match Max’s, was pinned over his heart.
"What? No! I chose to come!" Mike argued with a smirk.
Max looked him up and down, "You actually look presentable for once."
"And you fixed your hair!" Dustin chimed in, "No offence dude, but that part aged you like thirty years."
Mike silently cringed, "Yeah, I know," He turned to Max, "And here I was about to compliment you."
She responded with a stuttering sound, "You? Compliment someone? Let's hear it then. Actually, no. Don't just compliment me. Compliment everyone on this table."
His brain finished her sentence before she did, causing him to laugh prematurely, "Are you trying to make me have a bad time?"
"Okay, okay. Just me then. I don't believe that you can come up with a good compliment."
Despite the drum of his heart, Mike was determined to prove her wrong, "Your dress really brings out your eyes. It's like-- Like a sunset meeting the water on a clear day when the light hits the ripples just right."
"Well look at that." Max smiled.
Lucas watched her, "I couldn't agree more." He agreed with Mike, "Oh, and Will got you a drink earlier. It might be a bit warm now 'cause we weren't sure what time you were coming."
It was at this moment that Mike realised Will hadn't said a word to him yet. Nervously, he turned to face him, scared to see anger or annoyance on his face. Instead, he found a peculiar mix of adoration and... what was it? Jealousy?
Will looked like an angel, his cheeks flushed from the warmth of the room. His eyes were fixed on Mike, which caused his heart to beat so fast it could have been mistaken for a marching band.
"Hey," Mike smiled softly at him, "Thanks for getting me a drink."
Will smiled back, finally looking away, "Honestly didn't think you were gonna come but I got it just in case."
"Well, it makes tonight so much better by not making me go up there for a drink. Socialising. Ew."
Will chuckled, shaking his head.
Mike continued, desperate to hear Will's laugh, "I mean I am not talking to any of these idiots after tonight ever. The likelihood of me seeing them in New York is so slim, right?"
The table fell quiet. Distantly, a different table laughed while Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now blasted into the room.
"New York?" Dustin was first to say.
Mike nodded, "I got into NYU."
"I thought you were going to Purdue to be closer to home?" Will asked, sitting forward.
Mike pressed his lips together, inflating his cheeks, "I was but the more I thought about it, the less I want to stay near Hawkins. Plus there's more opportunities for me as a writer in New York."
Will's eyes thinned from his smile, "You're really going to NYU? Oh my God! We should get an apartment together!"
"I was going to ask you that," Mike agreed, "I still have to tell my parents, Nance and Holly though..."
"Congrats on getting in, man!" Lucas beamed.
Mike grinned at him, "Thanks."
He grabbed his drink, holding the edge of the cup against his lips as he tipped his head back far too quickly. The pink liquid trickled over the sides, down his face and onto his shirt.
"Shit!"
Max burst out laughing, the others quickly following. Mike grabbed a napkin, quickly wiping at his mouth and shirt but it had already soaked in too much.
"Argh– ugh–"
"Mike, that'll need washing out. Come on, I'll help you clean it off in the bathroom." Will explained as he stood, already walking away.
"Er– okay."
Mike stood and followed him out of the room, jogging a little to catch up. They could see the stain properly now in the white lights, both making a similar "eugh" sound at the sight.
"We'll be lucky to get this out, Jesus."
They reached the bathroom, Will immediately taking the napkin and running it under cold water. He turned back to Mike, placing one hand on his waist to keep him steady, pressing the other gently into the stain as he began to wash it out. Lay All Your Love On Me by ABBA could be heard clearly, if a little muffled.
"So, NYU... What made you change your mind?" Will asked, looking up with his eyes so that his gaze went through his eyebrows. Mike swallowed.
"Just– There's so many bad memories here. I want to start fresh. Where better than the Big Apple, am I right?" Mike paused, deciding if he should state his other reason, "...And you."
Will paused, looking up again, "Me?"
"Yeah. You. You're my best friend. You... balance me out."
Will scoffed as he began to scrub at Mike's shirt again, "I don't want you moving all the way to New York just because of me."
"I want to. I'll lose it again without you."
"...Again?"
Mike chewed on his bottom lip, "I've lost you twice. First when you went missing. Second when you were in California. You were only missing for a week but that week felt so long... I just always felt angry and upset. Then when you moved to California, I– I don't know, I just never felt happy. Only really left the house for school or Hellfire. It just felt like I was missing a part of me. I don't want that to happen again."
Will blessed him with a saddened look, "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"Hey, neither of those things were your fault." Mike absentmindedly brushed a stray piece of hair back behind Will's ear.
Will shuddered at the touch but he stayed silent as he continued to work on Mike's shirt. Mike watched him intentively apply different pressures to his shirt. Will's eyes seemed to sparkle, even with his laser focus and the dim, yellow bathroom light. Will's cheeks were tinted pink, his eyebrows creased, and his lips looked so... soft.
Mike felt the heat crawl up his neck as Will's eyelashes fluttered open and shut, a glimmer reflecting off his skin.
Will stood straighter, looking down at where the stain was, "I think that's the best it's gonna get."
"Do you wanna dance?" The words slipped out before Mike could even process what he was saying. They both stared at each other, wide-eyed, as the song switched to Shower Me With Your Love by Surface.
Will breathed a laugh, his cheeks becoming more rosy, "What?" It was barely audible. Mike probably wouldn't have caught it if his attention wasn't solely on Will.
"Do you want to dance?" Mike repeated, a little more sure this time. The butterflies inside him slammed against his innards in protest.
"What, right here? Right now?" Will questioned, smiling but not enough to be noticed if you weren't looking for it.
Mike placed his hands on Will’s waist, pulling him closer. He wasn't sure why he was doing this. His heart was in his throat. Will's breath seemed caught in his, even as he chuckled softly.
"Why not?" Mike replied with a smirk.
Will tilted his head slightly to look up at Mike. His hands carefully found their way behind Mike's neck like this was fragile, his fingers curling through his hair as they began to sway to the music.
Their met gaze didn't falter. Mike couldn't even try to hide his blush anymore. The way Will was looking up at him... It made Mike feel like the only other person in the world. The butterflies in his stomach began fluttering softly, contradicting their earlier anger. This felt right. Why did it feel right?
Will was his best friend. Dancing to a romantic song was something you do with a partner. Someone you're–
Oh.
Oh.
Mike's smile fell, giving his eyes space to open wide. Suddenly, the fuzzy feeling in his chest whenever he was with Will had a name. Every argument with El about feelings before their inevitable, mutual break up made sense, the reason he couldn't say "I love you" to her. He had a reason for his shut down when Will went missing and moved away. The warmth in his chest swelled, burning brighter as every piece fell into place; every word said and every word that didn't need to be.
Everything was simple now. He didn't need a metaphor or someone screaming it at him for him to know what it was.
Mike Wheeler was in love with Will Byers.
When he really thought about it, who wouldn't be?
Perhaps he had always known the fact like one knows their own name. Perhaps he had known from the moment he sat down on a rusty swing asking the quiet boy to be his friend, even if he didn't have words for it yet.
This was the person he would love and adore for his whole life. A Paladin swears an oath to a Cleric. Mike swore an oath to Will that day in kindergarten. Every time it got close to breaking, the world came crashing down around them. They were destined to be and remain together and there was no hiding that anymore.
Truthfully, Mike wasn't sure how he had been oblivious to the feeling for so long. He had known that he was attracted to boys since he was 14 when a brave Dungeon Master welcomed him with open arms. He knew from the moment Eddie had entered his life that what he felt for El wasn't romantic but he couldn't give her up. His chance at being normal. He couldn't submit to his disgusting wants.
"Hey, are you okay?" Will questioned, breaking Mike from his thoughts. Will tucked a black curl behind Mike's ear, the touch shocking him back to life.
Mike's eyebrows scrunched, "Will?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I–" He hesitated, "Can I do something... really selfish? Please?"
Will laughed and Mike felt like melting, "I don't know what it is."
"I– Um..." Mike swallowed hard, glancing down to Will's lips, "I want– You can say no–"
"I can't say no if I don't know what it is." Will repeated, now looking a little bit more serious.
Fuck, Will was going to make him say it, "Can I– Can I kiss you?"
Will swallowed, eyes widening. His cheeks became painted with rosy hues, "W– What?" He was completely serious, well almost. Mike had known him long enough to notice that he was restraining a laugh.
Mike raised his eyebrows in almost a plea, "Can I kiss you? Please?"
Will's jaw went slack, his mouth opening slightly before he closed it, "Yeah," He whispered, breathy and reserved.
Mike didn't waste any time once he had permission and closed the space between them. It was sweet at first, slow, careful in a way that said 'this is new and I don't want to fuck it up.' Then it deepened, more desperate as Will's hands tightened on the hair at the back of Mike's head. Mike didn't expect himself to have a reaction as audible as he did and clearly Will hadn't either from the smile that spread over his lips. Everything about it, everywhere they touched, was needy like they were making up for lifetimes of lost time in a few minutes. Mike's thumb traced idle circles on Will’s waist as they pulled away, breathing heavily.
That was nothing like he had ever felt before. It felt electric. When Lucas would talk about how amazing kissing was, Mike never really understood it. Even when he spent every night with El, he just never felt it. But boy did he feel it with Will. He finally understood it.
Mike looked at Will’s lips, swollen and red. Distantly, Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon played. Mike couldn't help but laugh at how incredibly corny yet fitting it was for this moment. Will must've heard it too as he started laughing, eyes twinkling in a way that made Mike feel stuck.
He leaned forward to place a quick kiss on Will’s lips, leaning their foreheads together when they drew apart once more.
Will licked his lips, sending shivers down Mike's spine, "How long have you known?"
"How long have I known what?" Mike queried, body buzzing, mind floating high in the clouds above him.
"That you like boys? Or... is it safe to assume you like... me?" Will asked. Mike looked up at him, "Sorry, I know those are loaded questions."
Mike shook his head, "No. I can't just kiss you and not answer your questions. I'm not that big of a dick. I've known I was into guys since I was fourteen," Will's eyes widened, "At the time, I thought I must be into boys and girls and I had an absolute crisis over it. You should've seen me, I mean, it was terrible. But now... I think I've only ever liked boys." He smiled at Will.
"That long? What made you realise?"
Mike looked at the floor and laughed, "Eddie Munson."
Will chuckled, "And... the second question?"
Mike looked back up at him, "Of course I like you. I– I think I have for a while." He blushed, trying to hide his face again, "When I went to California. God, Will, that confused me so much because you were so hot and I knew I shouldn't feel that way about you but I did and that scared me so I just shoved it so far down that I forgot it even existed."
Will's grip on Mike's hair loosened as his hand trailed forward, lifting Mike's chin so their eyes met, "When did you... come to terms with liking me?"
"When it came to college applications, I realised how much I didn't want to lose you," Mike swallowed, glancing at Will's lips, "But when I walked into the gym, that made me realise why I don't want to lose you. You're just-- You're really pretty. Your face, your personality, everything about you is beautiful."
Mike had always struggled to find words to compliment someone, especially when he was with El. As a writer and a boyfriend, words are generally supposed to be something you're good with.
With El, he put a lot of thought into his words to try and make them as heartfelt as possible. It was hard. So hard he thought that maybe he wasn't meant to be a boyfriend. He had words that were safe, comfortable for him to say, rolling off his tongue naturally.
"You're a superhero!"
With Will, they came easy. He didn't even have to think, they were already there, instilled within him throughout his entire life. Words created and stored just for Will.
He had called El pretty before, sure, but she wasn't really herself. She was disguised. But without the wig, Mike had to admit, she had looked like a boy.
"Has anyone ever told you that?" Mike asked.
Will seemed to melt, eyes tearing up slightly, "No. No one's ever told me that."
"Well," Mike grinned, "I'm honoured to be the first." Something switched in Mike's brain. He frowned, "Wait– I'm sorry. I don't even know if you like me and I'm going on about all of this and I'm making it weird–"
"Mike," Will chuckled, "I like you. I really like you. I always have." The two of them became encased in a hug, tight and warm, "You don't know how long I've waited to hear any of this."
With Will's head on Mike's shoulder, he could feel his shirt beginning to cling to him as tears soaked the fabric.
Mike opened his mouth, "And I'm sorry for making you wait."
"Hey, It's not your fault–" Will began. He was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
Mike and Will whipped their heads around, putting a decent amount of space between them, both feeling cold at the sudden loss of contact.
Max stood by the door, tearing up with a soft smile. It was the kindest she had ever looked at Mike.
Both of them deflated with relief.
"That was so cute," Max began, "But you've been gone a while and the others are starting to wonder where you are."
Cute. Will was cute.
"This is the boys room! Get out!" Mike said as he remembered where they were, face flushed with embarrassment.
"Hey! Be grateful it's me and not Lucas or Dustin or any other dickwads in our grade." Max spat back.
"How long have you been standing there?" Will asked, shyly.
"Since Wheeler called you pretty. Glad you finally grew a brain. I won't tell. Don't worry. At least try to look a little less proud though." She turned to leave, stopping just as her palm hit the door, "And Wheeler, if you dare hurt Will in any way, shape or form, I swear to hell I will hunt you down and kill you in your sleep." Her gaze was intense, piercing him like a needle. Max smiled again so fast that Mike nearly got emotional whiplash, "Don't be too long."
With that she left.
Mike and Will looked at each other before bursting into laughter. They stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes longer before they finally headed back to the group, Mike trying his hardest to not look so proud.
"Ah, you didn't get the stain out!" Dustin groaned, "No wonder you were gone for so long!"
Mike, Will, and Max chuckled.
"What?" He questioned.
"Nothing." The three of them replied in unison.
Mike was positive that senior prom would be one of the worst experiences of his life. Now, he was fairly sure it would surround a golden memory of a golden boy which would stay with him forever.