Was I the butterfly?

Will invites Mike to new york a few months after he gets settled. Mike realizes why Will leaving left him feeling like someone took a chunk out of his heart.

Wait the party part was lowkey based on a dream I had

Also this is the first fic I've published and I am open to feedback

Work Text:

A few months after Will had left Hawkins he invited Mike to come over and visit. Mike spikes up at the change immediately hopeful, something about Will being gone has made him realize something. It’s not something he can name but it feels like someone reached down his throat and grabbed a chunk of his heart. He feels emptiness sometimes but he doesn’t know why. This hadn’t happened before when the Byers’ had left for California.

What the hell is this feeling?

Mike arrives at the New York City airport and sees will waiting for him. Fuck his hands are sweaty and they feel awfully empty. Should he have brought something for will? Some gift from home? Or would that remind him of all the horrors of Hawkins. Mike wonders if he is a horror to will and if he brings back all the things Will tries to forget.

On the drive to Wills apartment Mike catches himself looking over a bit too much between their small talk. Seeing Will talk with one hand on the wheel while the other is moving enthusiastically. Mike is barely hearing what he is saying.

“Do you?”

Fuck. He did not hear a word Will said and now Will’s expectant eyes are on him waiting for an answer slowly turning from the road to him. Quick Mike think of an excuse what’s an excuse. Why the hell was he so mesmerized by Will that not a single word entered his mind?

“Do I… what? Sorry I- there was a butterfly out the window you passed it but I swear to fucking god it was beautiful. I was so mesmerized by it that I didn’t hear the question.”

Amazing thinking Mike! A butterfly wow, he mentally face palms thinking of all the things that would’ve been better like jet lag. But a butterfly was oh so beautiful and mesmerizing and so much more realistic. When in short it was Will who was the beautiful and mesmerizing one.

What? Why the hell would Will be beautiful and mesmerizing. Friends don’t think of friends like this. Mike wonders what the actual hell is wrong with him. Why is Will so- oh fuck he’s laughing.

“A butterfly? Hah!”

Will looks at him red on his cheeks from laughing so hard. Mike feels his cheeks match Wills but he isn’t the one laughing. The emptiness that was in his heart feels hole yet again. Right so it was Will that was missing all along.

“Right, alright”

He’s still laughing trying to get on track with his question.

“As I was saying, there’s a party I was invited to with some of my new friends. It’s happening tonight and tomorrow so we don’t have to go tonight. Some people like taking a night off after a long trip, do you?”

Party? New friends? Mike feels something else, well he was moping in Indiana Will was finally putting himself out there. New friends, party? Will used to hate the idea of parties, bars, and new things. He really wants to meet these ‘new friends’. God, he hopes they treat Will right, he deserves all the love in the world.

“Yeah, I mean no I don’t need a night off I’m all up for parties you know me. Also I’d love to meet these new friends you’ve never told me about.”

Mike feels like he sounds jealous, or at very least insecure. He hopes Will doesn’t see him as a stupid jealous freak. He has no right to be jealous, Will is just a friend who grew up alongside him and moved away without him.

“Yay”

Mike smiles at Wills reaction. He expected Will to be anxious about a cool party but it’s his new friends so maybe he enjoys them now.

They arrive at Wills small studio apartment, just a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom with one bed. Perfect for one, Mike feels like an intruder, he puts his stuff in the closet of Wills room. Will has an outfit already ready, Mike takes a not at all party outfit that he packed and runs to the bathroom to change. After he changes he looks in the mirror, fuck his hands are still sweaty. He washes his hands and walks out to meet with will.

“Still changing!”

Will says as mike opens the door then immediately cowers away muttering little apologies. He didn’t see much just the freckles down wills back that cause Mike to imagine kissing every little one. He panics, what the fuck is wrong with him, that is his best friend this is not normal. The want of sin has been bestowed upon him, but if it’s a sin then why does it feel so gentle and lovely

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride to the party is silent, Will doesn’t seem to be thinking about the little interaction. It’s not like Mike hasn’t seen his shirtless self a billion times before. It was no big deal at all. Somebody should tell that to Mike who is currently picking his nails raw.

“Mike I thought you stopped that when you were 12”

Will whispers. Mike remembers when they were younger and Will had noticed. Will started picking at his nails too so he could make a deal. “Mike I’ll stop if you do too” and too Wills knowledge it worked for years at least.

“It kind of started again when you left for New York. I guess you weren’t there to keep me in check. I’ll stop”

Mikes hands feel empty as they go to his sides. The rest of the car ride is quite silent beside Wills David Bowie playing quietly. He remembers Will coming out to him. It was pretty quiet, it was Mike, Will, and one of Wills friends, Robin. Mike doesn’t recall how the two had met but Robin seemed to care about Will and that’s all that matters.

“How did you meet Robin?”
He asks out of nowhere, Will smiles a little probably recalling memories with Robin that Mike doesn’t know about.

“Mike please come out I- oh Mike”

Will turns the corner and sees mike with his back against the barn. Will grabs his shoulders lightly and slowly moves them to the ground. He knows that mike gets dizzy when he feels like this.

“Mike, oh mike it’s okay I- I didn’t mean to make you panic”

Will looks at him the same way he would after a bully beat him up. But this ones different because Will feels like the bully.

“I didn’t realize me being gay effected you like that. I- I should’ve asked I’m sorry I know it’s all so-”

Mike shakes his head, he still can’t speak. Still trying to gain the feeling that he’s breathing correctly. Wills hands go to his and Will rubs his thumb over mikes and tells him to take his time.

"No Will it's not you being gay god it's fine I- if anything I'm happy about that and how you're able to live in a place where people accept you it's just I-"

A familiar lump turns into his throat and he feels his brain spiraling. How does he articulate that seeing Will kiss someone who wasn't him made him feel sick. When he doesn't fully understand why himself. Why is he jealous that Will is able to kiss someone.

But Mike's been sitting there staring up at Will with his teary eyes and he realizes he hasn't said anything for awhile and for some reason he still cant. He's too nauseous to speak and his hands are shaking and he realizes that Will is holding his arms trying to calm him down.

Shit. Will looks really concerned, Mike never lets himself get like this around others. He normally hides it in his room or runs to a place. But this time Will found him and instead of the judgement Mike was so afraid of, all he sees is wills caring eyes staring into his. Mike realizes he is all that's on Wills mind and how that stupid kiss didn't matter to him.

"Is there anything I can do, Mike? Or do you just wanna sit here with me for awhile."

The door to the barn opens, shit the parties over. Mike starts shaking his head no words are coming out but it's clear he's scared to be seen. Will looks at him and gently lifts him to his feet.

“No need to say anything now, not even for awhile. We can talk when you're ready but for now let's get to my car and go to my apartment so we can get some rest."

Will doesnt let go of Mike's hand as they walk to his car. He pays close attention to mike even as he drives. The drive is silent but Wills holding Mikes hand while keeping the other on the wheel. They get to the apartment and sit on Wills bed.

Will still has no clue what shook Mike up so bad. But he doesn't have any intent to pry, all he wants is to help. It just feels right to have Mike back at his side and he wishes he could stay here with him forever.

“You ready to talk now? If not it’s okay and we can head to sleep”

Mike looks at will and lays on his side to face him.

“Yeah I- I’m good. Why did you kiss that guy?”
Will chuckles

“Oh Mike"

Will tries not to smirk because Mike looks like a dog who was locked outside in the rain.

"Its called a stage kiss, our faces didnt touch its just an inside joke with my friends. We do it at parties all the time for giggles. Plus I wouldn't go for a guy like that, he's too strong and scary, reminds me of the kids that beat us up in high school"

Will says it gently looking into Mikes eyes. Mike visibly calms down he sighs a breath of relief. Why is he relieved that none of that was real? Will deserves to have a strong guy to love and protect him.

“If you got to choose who to kiss who would you choose”

Mike accidentally blurts out. Will thinks wondering if he should answer honestly.

“Mike, lets talk about this to-”

Mike leans forward and presses a light kiss onto Wills lips. Will closes his eyes and leans forward. It’s a soft kiss, it lasts longer than the one at the party with the random guy. Mike feels something hot and wet on his cheeks and pulls back wondering if the tears are his or Wills.

“Dude are you crying?”

Mike asks while tears fall down his cheek. Will laughs while he cries too.

“Youre crying too Wheeler. I’ve fucking loved you forever. You have no idea how long I wanted you to do that. I love you you stupid idiot”

Mike smiles

“I love you too byers.”

Will laughs and lets out a yawn and Mike laughs at him and runs to turn off the lights.

"Mike where'd you go? I cant- oof"

Mike tackles will and they push eachother and don't stop laughing. Neither of them have felt happier. But boy are they tired. Will kisses mike once more and pulls away falling onto mikes chest wrapping his arms around him.

"Goodnight mike"

Mike smiles and moves his chin onto wills hair. Mike for once doesn't think about the future and lets himself live in the moment.

Anf before they know it, they fall asleep right then and there in eachothers arms.