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Mike
Mike and Will are sitting in Mike's basement pretending to watch a movie. Will is leaving in just a few hours to move to New York for art school. Mike isn't surprised. He has been Will's biggest fan since Will had given him his first drawing for their first Christmas after becoming best friends. Mike, unfortunately, is staying in Hawkins. He had wanted to apply to schools in New York for creative writing and live with Will in an apartment that was nearby both of their schools. That isn't happening though because of his father. When Mike had told his parents that he had wanted to go to school in New York they weren't happy it was so far away, when he told them he wanted to live with Will his dad got mad, and once he said he wanted to major in creative writing all hell broke loose. It was a week long fight that ended with the option of Mike agreeing to take a year off to "explore" other majors or getting kicked out. Mike decided to take the year off but instead of "exploring other majors", he is going to take the time to save money to get his own place so he doesn't have to rely on his parents. He can live his own life.
But that means that he can't follow Will to New York and they won't be seeing each other again until Christmas. He is not looking forward to it and it doesn't seem like Will is either. But Mike knows that something else is on Will's mind. He's known him long enough to know something else is going on but not what. They had been talking a lot but had decided to watch Ghostbusters together one last time, though Mike hasn't paid much attention.
Mike can't take it anymore so he says "Will, hey what's going on?"
"What do you mean?"
"Something is on your mind I can tell."
"Mike, I'm literally moving like over 700 miles away in a few hours. Of course something is on my mind." Will replies with such a somber look on his face.
"I know that but there's something else isn't there?" Mike pushes. He knows he's right in the way that Will hesitates to answer and won't look at him.
"I-It's- It's nothing. Can't we just finish the movie."
"Will come one. I thought we agreed to be open with each other after the war. You can tell me what's going on."
"No I don't think I can Mike. It'll change too much." It's the words, Will's soft but sad tone, and the fact that Will still won't look at him that breaks Mike. He feels like they are back in that stupid van, like they aren't on the same page anymore.
"I promise you it won't. Will please just tell me."
Will doesn't answer for a bit and Mike is just giving up when he quietly hears "I lied about the painting."
"Will…" Mike starts but Will continues talking a little louder.
"I said that El commissioned it when she didn't. I made it for you. All those words that I said were from El were from me. She never said those things to me, it was all my thoughts and feelings. Because- because I love you Mike. I have for years now. But I thought you would like them more if they came from her and not me. Ever since that day, I've been trying to decided whether I should tell you the truth or not. I know you're not like me so I don't expect anything to come from this, but you deserve to know and I think I needed to tell you. I'm sorry."
Mike is silent and a bit shocked. He knew about the painting but everything else, Mike had no idea. He thought that Will was over any feelings he may have ever had for him when he told everyone that he liked this Tammy guy. Right now he can't find the right words to say and apparently he takes too long because Will is getting up to leave with tears in his eyes.
"Again Mike I'm so sorry. I get if you need time, you can get my new number from my mom." And before Mike can reply Will is up the stairs and out the door.
Mike doesn't know how long he sat in the basement thinking over everything. Love, Will loves him. Present not past tense. Everything Mike thought that he knew was wrong. He knows the first time he ever felt love for Will and he's known for sometime now. It was the day they finally got Will back from the upside down when they were just 12. He didn't realize it at the time but the joy was mix with affection and love because Will was alive and came back to Mike. He had spent so much of his childhood pushing down any of those feelings for Will and tried to push them onto El. Mike knows it wasn't fair to either of them but that's who he is. He realize that too not long after the war, at the same time he realized that he was in love with Will. Mike has been trying to figure out what to do with these feelings ever since. Especially knowing, well he guesses now thinking, that Will didn't love him back. At the time, it had made sense. How could Will love someone like Mike, when he struggles to accept who he is and pushing everyone away when things to get too hard and ALL the shit Mike has said to him over the years. It made sense that Will would fall for whoever this Tammy person was. But now, now Mike is second guessing everything.
Looking back, it's always been there. The way they would always gravitate towards each other, the way Will felt so safe with him and really only him, their connection that was always different than their connections with Lucas or Dustin, how Will didn't seem to like El that much when they first met, how mad Will was at him in California, and so so so much more. Mike's fucked up real bad and he knows that now. Not only did he convince himself that Will has never and would never liked him, but when Will finally confessed to him he sits there like an idiot not responding and let him walk away.
Mike immediately stands and rushes out the door, ignoring his parents protests. He has to get to Will. He finally makes it to the Byers' new place and there's not a light on or a car in the driveway. That's when Mike remembers that Will was leaving right after their hangout and who knows how long Mike sat in his stupid basement while Will was packing the car and driving away. He's so frustrated that he just screams. Finally letting everything out that he had been keeping inside.
He can't even call Will tomorrow because he won't have a phone set up yet and Mrs. Byers won't be back for a few days so he can't ask for his number until then. He takes his time, driving around town, before heading home. The second that the Byers' are back in town, Mike is getting Will's new number and finding a way to make this up to him.
Will
Will is barely holding in tears in the passenger seat of his brother's car. He doesn't know how much longer Jonathan is going to let him go without talking but he's not going to push his luck by actually crying.
He knew he shouldn't have said anything to Mike. He definitely just ruined 13 years of friendship with the person who truly meant the world to him, in a romantic sense or not. The pure shock on Mike's face and his deafening silence is something that Will thinks he will never forget. He would've rather that Mike yell at him, call him names, and told him to get out and never talk to him again. No instead he got shock, like it was so crazy that Will would ever like Mike.
"So you going to finally tell me what happened and why you're almost crying?" Jonathan finally asks.
"Nothing. Just sad to leave." Will responses sniffling.
"No you aren't. Sure you're gonna miss your friends, but you've been ready to get out of this town for years Will and you've been so excited for this art school. So what is actually going on?"
"Really nothing."
"Don't lie to me. You came back from Mike's way earlier than I thought. I was actually figuring that we would have to pick you up and drag you out of his house, not have you come home 2 hours earlier than you talked about."
"Jon seriously…."
"Don't start Will." Jonathan states firmly.
"You don't even know what I was about to say." Will huffs.
"I know that he probably did something stupid that caused you to leave early and you were about to defend him."
"No I wasn't. If anything I was the one who messed up this time okay." Will turns to look back out the window to watch the Ohio fields pass by.
"I doubt you did, what happened?" Jonathan presses but Will is silent for a while. He knows that Jonathan knows he likes Mike but he's never actually said it out loud and after what just happened, he's scared to.
"I told him I loved him." Will says so quietly that he doesn't even know if Jonathan was able to hear him.
"Oh…um-wow. Okay. What did he say to that?" He seems speechless almost. "What did he say back to you?"
"That's the issue Jonathan." Will exhales out. "He didn't say anything. I told him I loved him and what I've felt for him and so much and he just sat there. Staring at me with these surprised, wide eyes and mouth slightly opened. I know I made him uncomfortable and that nothing is ever going to be the same again."
"Oh Will, I'm sorry. But maybe he was just shocked to hear you say it not that he was uncomfortable."
"No you don't understand, I had to have made him uncomfortable. He's not like me Jonathan and that's not something you tell your straight friend and expect everything to be normal afterwords. And it sucks because I just lost my best friend in the world because I couldn't stop myself from telling him." Will is crying now. It's always been this way with Jonathan, Will's never been able to keep anything from him, emotions included.
"Well why did you?"
"Tell him?" Will asks and Jonathan shakes his head. "Well he could tell something was wrong and wouldn't stop asking. But also because I thought if the reaction was bad, like it was, then I could leave and we'd be 700 miles apart with no need to communicate and I could move on. But it hurts so much more than I thought it would."
"Well then that's what you do. You don't talk to him and you move on. By the time Christmas comes you can see him again, be over him, and go back to being best friends okay?"
"I guess." Will wipes his tears and thanks his brother before turning the music back up and watching the road.
They make it to New York and immediately crash before starting to unpack all of Will's things. He was supposed to have a roommate but they ended up not signing the lease. So right now Will has a 2 bed 1 bath that his mother is helping pay for, as much as he told her he would be fine. Although Will's excited for it, he already has plans to make the second room a little at home studio for him to work in.
It takes them most of the day to unpack everything. They go to grab dinner and Will finally asks his mother what he has been dreading asking. "Hey mom?"
"Yeah honey?" His mother responds, giving him her whole attention.
"When you get back to Hawkins, can you not give Mike my number."
"Ummm sure I can. Why though? Don't you want him to call you?" His mother asks very concerned.
"We just-we um- there was a small fight. Well less like a fight and more of an awkward conversation. Anyway I think we need sometime away from each other so can you not."
"Okay, let me know when you change your mind." Will and his mother share a quick smile.
He's seeing them off the next morning when his brother whispers while hugging him goodbye "You're going to do great here. Don't think about him or us. Live YOUR life Will okay, you deserve it."
"Thank you." Will says into his shoulder.
He's waving goodbye to his family and thinking about Jonathan's words. He's right, it's time for Will to live how he wants to. He will move on from Mike while he is here. It may take some time but it's something Will is going to work on if it means that Mike can become his best friend again.
Mike
It's been over a week since Will left and he still hasn't heard from him. He tried going over to the Byers' house after he had seen Joyce around town but Joyce had said that she hadn't had Will's new number yet. He thought she would call him when Will finally called her but it's been dead silence from them. He decides that it's been long enough that Joyce should have his number and he's going to get it. They need to talk through everything. Will needs to know that Mike feels the same.
Mike drives over to their house and is thankful to see Joyce's car in the driveway. He goes up, knocks on the door, and waits for her to open it. "Oh Mike honey, hello." Joyce says when she finally opens the door.
"Hey Mrs. Byers, I'm sorry to bother but I just really need Will's number."
"Oh-um-well he still hasn't given it to me." Joyce says, clearly lying.
"Come on, I know that's not true. After everything Will went through there's no way you would allow him to go over a week in a whole new city by himself without calling you, no offense."
"Oh well, yeah you're right I have it but Mike I can't give it to you." She says solemnly.
"Why not?" But Mike thinks he knows why.
"Will he, um, he asked me not to. That he thought you two needed some time apart from each other."
"He really said that?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry honey. I don't know what happened between the two of you but I have to respect my sons wishes."
"Oh. I mean of course I understand." Mike turns around to walk away defeated. Will doesn't want to talk to him because of how badly he messed up when he poured his heart out to him. Mike doesn't know how to fix this right now and it's killing him.
"Mike why don't you come in for some lunch okay." Joyce calls out to him before he can leave. Mike turns out to see that kind look that she always seems to have and shakes his head before stepping inside.
They talk for a bit, really avoiding the Will of it all. Though Mike is glad for this. It's been a while since he's been able to talk about everything that's been on his mind, minus his feelings for Will. They mainly talk about Mike's fight with his parents and the decision to wait another year for school. Joyce is the first adult that hasn't told him his dreams of becoming a writer are worthless, pointless, a waste of time, or all of the above. When Mike goes to leave he feels lighter than he has in a long time.
"Thank you for listening to me Mrs. Byers." He says honestly when he is about to walk out.
"Of course. I don't know what's going on with you and Will but I have known you for far too long to not be here for you." She gives him a quick hug and he goes to leave while she turns back to finish the dishes.
As Mike is walking out he notices an piece of paper on a table besides the door. He looks at it for a moment before he realizes what it is. It has an address on it, a New York address. Will's address. He makes a quick decision "Hey do you mind if I use the bathroom before heading out?"
"Yeah of course. You know where it is." Joyce calls from the kitchen.
Mike snatches up the piece of paper, a pen, and another small piece of blank paper. He rushes to the bathroom and locks the door. He is able to copy down the address before heading back out. When he gets back in his car he has a plan already forming.
Mike gets back to his house and his parents are both in the living room. Perfect, he can start his plan. "Hey I had an idea." Mike says to his parents as he walks closer to them.
"What is it Michael?" His dad says with an annoyed tone in his voice, probably because Mike is interrupting his TV time.
"Well Nancy lives in Boston because of Emerson right? There's a lot of different jobs there that Hawkins doesn't really have that I thought I could do some like job shadowing see if I like any of them. I was thinking maybe I could go visit her for a few days and shadow some jobs to see if I like anything." He's hoping he is lying well enough. He figured if he used this as an excuse his parents wouldn't mind him leaving for a few days.
"I think that's a great idea dear, don't you think so Ted?" His mother seems actually happy with the idea.
"What are you thinking of shadowing son?" His father asks, suspiciously. Mike needs to play this right or else his plan is over before it can start.
"Well probably spend some time at the newspaper that Nancy works at. It's still writing but in a more real job sense. Then I found this accounting firm that takes shadows and possibly a local government office." Mike thinks these are the best options. His father works for an accounting firm so he can get some points there .
"Okay, as long as your sister is okay with it sure, you can spend a few days in Boston. But you have to be back in a week max, with notes on what you liked about each place you understand me?" Of course but Mike can figure out what he will do for his little assignment from his father later, once everything with Will has been solved.
"Yeah, I already called and talked with her she's fine with it." Mike lies again, he seems to be getting better at it.
"Alright, well let me make a nice dinner for tonight and then you can leave in the morning okay?" His mother says while standing to head into the kitchen. Mike would like to leave now but he will take the morning. It will give him time to get all his thoughts together and figure out what to say.
He heads upstairs after dinner and packs a few outfits into his backpack. While he's in his closet he sees it. When Will was in California Mike had made the box that contained of all of the most important things from his and Will's friendship, the box where he store all the unsent letters he had written Will. He opens it to find everything still there and decides that he should bring it. If he can't say it then maybe his past words could help show Will how much he loves him. The last thing he packs before going to bed is a mixtape that he has been making for Will for years now. Whenever Mike hears a song he thinks that Will would like or makes him think of Will, he adds it to this mixtape. He started it, again, while Will was in California. Mike falls into a fitful night of sleep, just ready to get on the road to go to find Will.
Mike had left so early this morning but the drive was like 11 hours to Will's and he knew he would have to take multiple stops. It was all worth it when he finally is in the city. He finds a place to park and then decides to walk the rest of the way to Will's building. He regrets that now as it has started to rain and he has no coat or umbrella so he is just getting soaked. He sees the building he believes is Will's apartment not to far in front of him then he sees two figures talking outside right by the door. Not trying to interrupt he's about to move around them when he recognizes one of them as Will. The other one is some guy who's wear khaki shorts and has the most basic fuckboy haircut.
Mike is staring, trying to figure out what to say when Will looks up and notices him. "Mike?" The other guy turns around too.
"Hey" Mike waves slightly, now super awkward because all Mike can think is that Will is on a date with the guy because of the way they were standing a little closer than normal and the nicer outfit that Will has on. He is currently sopping wet while Will looks amazing as always. Mike shakes it off though, he didn't just drive over 700 miles to be put off because this random guy is here.
"What are you doing here?" Will asks slightly stepping forward.
"Well I think we need to talk but your mother wouldn't give me your number."
"Will, are you okay who is this guy?" Random man asks.
"Yeah, he's a friend from back home. I just wasn't expecting him. But um, it looks like your taxi is here so" Will awkwardly says to this guy.
"You sure you're okay with me leaving you alone with him?" And doesn't that just piss him off. Who does this guy think he is. He has only know Will like a week, if that, and Mike's known him for over 10 years. He's more than safe with Mike.
"Yeah of course." Will responds immediately.
"Okay well I'll see you again soon right?" The man says with a suggestive tone in his voice that Mike does not like at all.
"Um I'll let you know okay Carlton." Will responds pushing this Carlton guy into a taxi.
Finally they are alone but it's still raining and now both of them are getting wet and Mike is again at a lost for words. Thankfully Will starts "How did you even find me?"
Well okay maybe not thankfully, he was hoping that Will wouldn't ask that. "Um, well, I went to your moms to ask for your number again and even though she wouldn't give it to me, she still let me in for lunch. We chatted for a bit and when I was leaving I saw a piece of paper that had a New York address on it and I figured it was yours." Mike is done lying to Will.
"So you took my address and what drove here? Mike why would you do that?"
"Your mother said that you asked her not to give me you number." Mike exclaims and Will's eyes widen slightly. "We need to talk and you wouldn't let me call so I figured I had to find you another way."
"Well, I don't think there's anything else to say Mike. I know I messed up and made you uncomfortable but…" Will is saying as he is turning to walking into the building.
"I love you too Will." Mike interrupts him and Will wipes his head around so fast that Mike is a little worried he will get whiplash. Thry stand there for a moment, rain pounding down around them.
"You what"
"I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it back that day I was just a little shocked and it was like my brain…"
This time it's Will that interrupts "No you don't Mike."
"What?" Mike is now the one confused.
"You don't have to lie to me to make me feel better okay. I know you don't like me that way and it's fine okay, I'm trying to move on so we can be best friends again."
"Will I don't want to be best friends again." Mike takes a step closer to Will. "I want to be more if you'll let me.
Will looks up at him with tears just on the edge of his eyes. His hair is completely flatten in the rain but Mike thinks he looks absolutely beautiful. He just opens his mouth to speak everything he has been trying to say for the last almost 2 years since the end of the war.
"It took me so long to realize that what I felt for you was so different from how I felt for anyone else, even El. But when you had moved to California and I missed you so much more than I missed her I knew something was different. I pushed it down thought. I mean you've heard my dad say the shit he does about people like us." Mike hears Will take a sharp breath but he has to continue or else he will never get it out. "So I struggled to write to you because it always came out too real, too vulnerable and it scared me. So I pushed you away and I hated myself for it. Then you gave me that painting in the van and I was so happy, that happiness decreased a little bit when you said it was from El but I still really liked it because YOU had made it. Then after we got back to Hawkins I had thanked El for the painting and that's when she confessed that she had no idea what I was talking about. It all clicked for me. All those times everything had felt different it was because of love, I loved you and after everything you said in the van I had thought you loved me to."
"You knew about…" Will starts but Mike stops him.
"Hold on let me get this out or I won't be able to okay." Now Mike has tears coming to his eyes but he pushes on when Will ultimately gives a little wet laugh and lets him continue. "I didn't know how to tell you so I keep pushing it off and off and then you told us that you were gay that day. I thought this was it, we could talk afterword and I could let you know how I feel. Then you mentioned this Tammy guy and it crushed me. I don't even know who he is but I was guessing he was some guys you met in California and I just thought you had gotten over your feelings for me. So I again pushed everything down. When you told me that you had loved me in my basement I was shocked, thinking you were over me but this whole time you still liked me and I wasted so much time. So I'm here now to tell you that I love you Will. I think I always have, even when I didn't realize that's what it was. I truly believe there's no one for me other than you." Mike finally gets it all out. Will is staring at him with his mouth slightly open but a pleased expression on his face.
"This whole time you've liked me." Will says breathlessly.
"Yes. I've only wanted you for years now." And just like that Will's mouth is on his. He freezes for a moment before his mind finally catches up and he kisses back. Mike is kissing Will, in the middle of New York City, in the rain. It is the best thing Mike has ever done. Will goes to pull away and Mike grabs his face before pulling him in again. Will wraps his arms around Mike's neck and just melts into him. They kiss for some time before they are finally pulling back.
"You really mean it, you love me?" Will asks in a voice that makes him sound so vulnerable.
"Yes. I really love you Will Byers. More than anything in this world." Mike responds in a soft voice and Will is smiling. Then it slightly drops and before Mike can ask what's wrong Will speaks. "I just realized how wet we got from the rain, how about we head up to my place and continue talking okay?"
"Of course." Mike says before leaning in for one last quick peak. It's like once he started kissing Will he never wants to stop.
They make there way upstairs and take turns using the bathroom to dry off and changing into different clothes. Once done they make their way to the living room and sit on the couch. The awkward energy from that night in the basement has returned although it feels less suffocating.
"You mentioned that you didn't say anything about how you felt because you thought that I like someone named Tammy right?" Will asks and that was not what Mike was expecting but he still responds.
"Yeah. I figured you had lost whatever feelings you had for me so I had to as well." After he says that Will starts laughing and even though he is laughing at Mike, Mike can't be happier. He loves Will's laugh. "Why are you laughing at me?"
"Mike. YOU are Tammy!" Will says still while laughing.
"Wait, what? How am I Tammy, I'm Mike." And that comment sends Will into another round of laughter.
"No no you don't understand hold on." Mike waits for a moment while Will's laughter calms down. "Tammy was like a metaphor okay. Robin found out that I was gay before I told anyone but I mean as we know now she's also gay so I think she just felt the vibe. Anyway, she told about this girl she used to have a crush on, Tammy Thompson."
"Wait that like really bad singer that went to school with our siblings."
"Yeah her. Apparently Robin thought she was really cute and had this crush on her. Anyway she realized that Tammy was straight and that she had to move on from her. As much as she wanted to hold on it wasn't doing Robin any good pining after a straight girl. When she told me this I thought of you. You were straight and I had this long standing crush on you, so when I came out to everyone I said you were just my Tammy. I was trying to convince myself as a way to get over you, but well it didn't really work."
"Well I am not your Tammy Will. I mean come on, did Tammy know Robin better than she knew herself, no! Tammy was just some hallway crush it sounds like and we have history so much history. Even if I was straight, which just to let you know again I'm not, there was too much between us for you to just claim I was a Tammy." Mike laughs so Will knows that he is just joking with this next comment and not actually being true. "I'm a little offended."
It works because Will is laughing again but this time there are tears in his eyes too. "Oh I'm sorry, I'm the artists here not the writer. You're the one that's good with words not me."
"I would normally agree with you but when I needed my words the most they failed me."
"Yeah but you just drove over 700 miles for me Mike. You truly aren't my Tammy and I'm sorry I ever tried to think of you that way."
"It's okay. It might've taken us a bit longer but we've figured it out." Mike smiles at him before it hits him. "We have figured this out right Will?"
"Yes Mike, we have." And Will is kissing him again.
"So boyfriends?" Mike asks between kisses.
"Boyfriends!" Will responds with the biggest smile.
It's a while later after they've spent some time talking about everything that Mike gives Will the box and mixtape that he brought. "This contains ever letter I wrote to you while you were in Lenora that I could never send. You don't have to read them now but I want you to have them. And this is a mixtape I've been making you for years now. Whenever I hear a song that I think you would love or that makes me think of you I add it to here."
"Oh Mike." Will says and kisses him again before getting up to put the mixtape on. The first song that plays is Hold The Line by Toto. Mike laughs slightly at the coincidence of how true this song is for them right now. Will holds out his hand for Mike to take and they start dancing around the living room with only the light from the streets outside to illuminate the room.
Mike knows they have more to talk about - how they are going do long distance, if Mike could just move in with Will, if they should tell their friends and families, how Mike still doesn't know what to do with his parents, how school starts in a few days for Will, and how that may affect them. But right now, dancing together in Will's apartment they aren't thinking about that. They are just soaking in each others love for each other and know that just like everything else, it will work out for them in the end. Because at the end of the day they are MikeandWill and they will always figure things out together.