Chapter Text
As Will’s back hits the wall of the storage closet, a broom drags down and hits the floor with a definitive crash, knocking a new pack of sponges straight into a mop bucket brimming with dirty water.
Mike, reluctantly, pulls away from Will’s lips to assess the damage, his right hand still cupping his jaw, and the other pushed against his shoulder.
“Aw, shit. The sponges Lucas just bought got knocked into the bucket.”
Will’s eyes widen, and he pushes himself off the wall to see for himself. Lo and behold, there they were. Six new sponges floating around in the water Will just used to clean up a kid’s lunch that came right back up the way it went down.
Yuck. Will runs a hand down his face, then into his hair.
“How are we supposed to explain this to Lucas?”
Mike shrugs, assessing Will’s expression until inevitably his gaze lands onto his lips. Red and swollen, the result of many previous kisses still evident by the glossy sheen they had. Mike can’t help but smile in pride, he did that to his Will. He doesn’t even realize that Will has been talking to him this entire time until he snaps his fingers at his eye level.
“Hello? Earth to Michael?”
Mike pulls his attention from Will’s lips up to his eyes, noticing his eyebrows knit together in worry.
“Hm?”
“How are we supposed to explain this to Lucas? Or even worse, Max.”
Mike pretends to think for a second, dramatically looking up to the ceiling and bringing finger to his chin, tapping sarcastically.
“Hmmm. I don’t know.” He scoots closer to Will, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him close as they were before. He takes a quick, but gentle hand and brushes a loose strand of hair out of Will’s eyes.
“Maybe you can tell them that you were having a smokin’ hot make out sesh with your boyfriend and we knocked over the broom with our passion.”
This earns a giggle from Will, who carefully cards his fingers through the side of Mike’s hair, allowing himself to be backed up and crowded against the wall once more. He rolls his eyes and sticks his tongue out with a quick bleh noise.
“Yeah, yeah. Like I would ever tell them that. I’ll probably just say that I tripped and fell or something.”
Mike raises his eyebrows in an oh really kind of way and moves his hand to the small of Will’s back. He brings his mouth close to Will’s ear, as if there was a large crowd around them and he had a secret that only Will could know.
“Yeah? Fell for me?”
With that, he quickly tries to lean Will back into a dramatic dip, which causes them both to almost stumble to the floor as a result. Will’s cheeks flush a dusty pink, and he can’t help but laugh at Mike’s attempts at being smooth.
“If you keep that up, we’re both about to fall to the floor and probably break our backs or something.” He manages through a laugh, then carefully hooks a pointer finger through the loop of Mike’s jean shorts to bring him close once again. Mike’s cheeks flush their own hue of pink, and he brings his hand to Will’s jaw, swiping a thumb over his cheekbone.
“Well, if I were to fall with anyone in a camp storage closet and break my back with them, I would only want it to be you.”
“You’re such a dweeb, Mike Wheeler.” Will replies, and Mike decides the conversation is over by pulling him into another open-mouthed kiss.
Without a second thought, Will brings his hands up and onto Mike, one resting on his shoulder, the other threaded through his hair. Mike presses deep into Will, barely allowing for them to gasp for air as they part lips with a wet smack.
Mike snakes his hand down Will’s back to the hem of his shirt, and pushes the sweat-dampened fabric up to expose his sunkissed skin. Greedily, he drags a flat palm up his bare stomach to his waist which he promptly squeezes, Will gasping into his mouth as he does so. In retaliation, Will gently tugs Mike’s hair, letting the black curls bunch up in his grasp.
Mike smiles into the kiss, and carefully brings his tongue to Will’s swollen lips, swiping it across once as a way of asking permission. Will allows the kiss to deepen, and–
A sharp intrusion of rapid knocks breaks the moment almost instantly.
“Mr. Will! Mr. Will are you in there? Mr. Will-lll!”
The superglue that had just held Mike and Will impossibly close, practically inseparable, has now been dissolved by the rude, abrasive acetone of their childcare responsibilities.
Mike and Will break apart, and Will carefully leans against the closet door, wiping his lips against his freckle spotted arm.
“Uh… yeah! I’m right here bud. What’s up?”
The child replies with a concerningly wet cough, and a lisp.
“I just wanna say that I’m really sorry for throwing up my lunch. And also ‘specially cause you told me to slow down on the cookies. I’m sorry, Mr. Will.”
Will can hear Mike lightly snicker behind him, and he quickly swats at his shoulder to shut him up. He makes the don’t get us caught eyes at him, before turning his attention back to the door.
“It’s okay, seriously. No need to apologize at all, it happens! Also, you can just call me Will, bud. Sound good?”
A wet sniffle can be heard on the other side of the door. “Okay Will bud. ‘m gonna go play now.”
Will chokes back a laugh. “You go do that pal.”
Will turns back, cheeks red from suppressed laughter to look at Mike, whose face is the same shade for the same reason. Will opens his mouth to speak again, but is quickly interrupted by a voice on the other side of the door, again.
“Mr. Will bud? When Mr. Mike leaves that room with you can you tell him to help me with my Lego? I got two pieces stuck again. Okay thank you bye!”
Mike’s eyes widen, and Will’s don’t fail to match. They stare at each other in shock, trying to find the right words to express their surprise. Mike swallows hard before speaking.
“You don’t think he-”
“No, no. Camp counsellors come in here together all the time to-”
“Yeah, yeah okay. I was thinking that too. We were just-”
“Helping each other.”
“Yes. Helping.”
They stare at each other in silence a moment more before crumbling into silenced laughter, holding their mouths and their sides as they shake in an amused unison.
“Okay, Mike. I gotta go now to empty this water and hide these sponges. You wait like a minute before leaving after so it doesn’t look suspicious. Okay?”
Mike smiles, a warm feeling lingering in his chest. He nods.
“Of course.”
Mike plants a quick, wet kiss on Will’s cheek to bid him a very temporary goodbye, and he can feel Will’s dimples between his lips as he smiles into it.
☀︎₊˚⊹
Will presses his hands on each side of the towel covering his head and promptly shakes his hair in the fibers, trying to remove as much moisture from his shower as possible. He tosses the towel to his bedroom floor and pads quietly to his bed, grabbing a pair of rumpled pajamas and throwing them on. He heaves a heavy sigh, and throws himself onto the comforter of his bed, the old springs beneath him squeaking in protest.
Will loves his job, he really does, but he would be lying if he said that it wasn’t one of the most exhausting things he’s ever done. Kids were a lot, the hours were long, and the pay was… sub-par. Regardless, it was the only job he could find that he would semi-enjoy, so here he is, and here he will stay until university.
Of course, he was glad that Mike was there with him, especially considering at one point in his life he thought that Mike would never want anything to do with him, and he was especially glad for that night before graduation almost two months ago.
He remembers it like it was yesterday, them in Mike’s basement together, the Wheeler house above empty and silent. They had been sitting knee to knee watching The Karate Kid, chewing on slightly burned popcorn in silence as the movie droned on.
Suddenly, Will had noticed Mike pressing his knee into his, harder and harder as the night went on, and Will bravely decided to press back. He remembers how Mike’s breath hitched, how he refused to make eye contact, how the heat radiated off his cheeks, and how sweaty his hand was when it eventually landed on his knee.
Neither boy dared to look at each other, and Will felt his heartbeat increase with every stroke Mike’s thumb made, moving further and further up his leg until it was resting shakily on his thigh.
Will remembers how Mike said his name, breathy with a certain desperation he recognised from his own lonely nights of whispering Mike’s name into the silence of his room. He swallowed hard before turning his shoulders to face Mike.
He remembers the careful hands that traveled up his arms and hesitated by his face, Mike’s Adam's apple bobbing nervously as they made eye contact. He remembers how brave he sounded when he finally spoke.
“Do you trust me, Will?”
Will nodded slowly, closing his eyes as Mike brought his hands to either side of his face. He remembers thinking that it was a dream, that this couldn’t possibly be happening to him, not after all those years of tears and doubt. The way Mike’s voice was almost a hush when he spoke will forever be ingrained in his memory.
“Will, I-”
The hesitation was the sour anticipation before the sweet kiss that Mike pulled Will into. Quick and soft, but with years of hidden emotion behind it.
Will smiles as he remembers how he kissed him back, and how the kisses just kept coming after, and how he wiped the wet tears from Mike’s cheeks as he confessed his own love to him. They decided to save the conversation for the morning, where they both unanimously decided to date, joking that they had waited far too long and exchanging joking apologies for being so silly to not see it before.
Just thinking about it makes Will feel like collapsing into himself with happiness, bringing his hands to his face and gleefully kicking his feet in a rapid pace. He still can’t believe that he’s made it out on this side, how beautiful it is to live truthfully.
Even though their relationship was a secret to protect Mike’s request of wanting more time to come out on his own terms – something Will wishes he had the ability to do, so he understood dearly – they couldn’t be more happy in each others love and company, even if it was in the cleaning closet of their day camp facility.
Will rolls over to his nightstand to retrieve his sketchbook and a few pencils. He promised a dragon drawing to one of the campers, and he didn’t want to find out what kind of tantrum would be thrown if he broke it. He carefully maps out his drawing, letting the pencil drag and form his guidelines. His peaceful night of drawing and reminiscing is suddenly interrupted with a sound by Will’s window, filling the silence of his room.
Plunk
Plunk
Plunk
Something was hitting his window, and the last time he checked there wasn’t a hailstorm forecast in the middle of the summer. He pauses his art, carefully places his sketchbook down and hesitates to move, waiting to hear if there really was something hitting his window, or if he was going crazy.
Plunk
Plunk
Plunk
There it was again, persistent and loud. Will pushes himself off the bed, the floorboards groaning beneath him as he makes his way to the window, carefully pushing the curtains back to peer out and find the source of the noise.
He is met with none other than Mike Wheeler with a fist full of rocks and a smile plastered on his face. Upon seeing Will, he feverishly waves, dropping the rocks to the grass beneath his feet.
Will rolls his eyes and tries bite back a smile but fails to do so. Mike just has that effect on him, he can’t help but feel giddy and smiley around him.
He carefully pops the lock on his window, trying to make as little noise as possible, and slowly pushes the window up, feeling the warm summer evening air on his skin. Mike strides closer to the windowsill, and whisper yells to Will.
“Hi Will!”
Will presses his lips together in a warm smile, then responds back in the same whispering manner, extending a hand out for Mike.
“Hi Mike. Come, I’ll help you up.”
Without sparing a second, Mike tightly grasps his hand and begins his attempt of climbing into Will’s window at 11:47 in the evening. He makes it nearly halfway up before slipping on a loose board on the side of the house, and falling straight on his ass. Will tries his very hardest to not laugh at him.
“You gotta be careful, Mike. My stepdad owns a gun that he puts under his pillow at night.”
“Oh, trust me, I know. Why do you think I’m climbing through your window instead of using the front door?”
“Okay, fair.”
Will extends both hands this time, and with their combined effort, Mike makes it through the window and into the amber-lit bedroom. Mike makes his way to sit on the bed as Will closes and locks his window.
“Why oh why, my dear Paladin, do you visit me at such an hour?”
Mike laughs, dusting his pants and shirt off before reaching into his backpack.
“Because, my dear Cleric, I come bearing a gift of the absorbent variant.”
From his backpack, he pulls out a pack of sponges.
“Six, to be exact.” Mike beams.
Will bites his cheek and displays an amused smile, making his way to sit beside Mike on his bed. Mike tosses him the pack of sponges.
“We can sneak in early tomorrow and replace them. That way Lucas won’t be mad, plus I did feel bad for wrecking them, too.”
Will turns the pack over in his hands a few times, then places them on his nightstand, before moving his hands behind Mike’s neck, his forearms resting on his shoulders.
“Did you really walk all the way downtown to buy these, then all the way to my house just to show me them?”
Mike leans back onto the bed, taking Will with him as they hit the soft comforter together. Mike brushes the hair out of Will’s eyes, then rests his hand on the side of his cheek.
“Of course not. I drove. Plus, I wanted to see you, naturally.”
“You drove? What’s the point of jumping through my window if Hop is gonna see your car in the morning?” Will questions, his tone painted with amusement, but also a slight tinge of worry.
“Fret not, for I have plans to bring you to a diner breakfast at the first signs of early light, my treat of course.”
“Mike,” Will says with a cautious tone, his cheeks sore from the constant smile on his face, “you’re too good to me.”
Mike shakes his head.
“I would do anything for you, Will. Even if buying discount sponges is not a super great grand gesture to prove it, I mean it.”
Will laughs quietly, careful to not wake up his sleeping family.
“I love you so much, Mike”
“I love you more, Will.”
As if they could read each other’s minds, they both pull into a kiss. Sweet and quick pecks at the beginning, gradually moving slower and more open-mouthed. Mike rolls Will underneath him, taking in just how kissed he looks. His hair is all mussed against the pillow, his lips a sweet cherry red, his cheeks a flush pink. Will smiles, breathless.
“What’re you looking at?”
“You.”
Mike crashes down onto Will’s lips again, taking his time to really taste him, chasing the rush of his hands all over his neck, back, and hair – some touches more careful and soft, while others more forceful and desperate.
With their chests flush together, Mike starts making his way down Will’s jaw, peppering it with rapid kisses, before making his way to the crook of his neck.
There, he kisses slower and carefully nips at the sensitive spot he’s come to know, which gains a response of breathy whines from Will. Before they can get too lost, Will cuts in.
“Mike, I- We-”
Mike detaches himself from Will’s neck to look him in the eyes, admiring the way the green darkens in the yellow light of Will’s room.
“Yeah?”
“We have to be careful. Don’t want to get, y’know, too carried away.”
Mike understands exactly what Will means by this, and decides to flop beside him, letting Will throw an arm around his stomach and nuzzle into his chest.
“Carried away? William Byers, what are you insinuating?” Mike pumps his eyebrows suggestively, which earns him a gentle kick to the foot.
“You know what I mean, Michael Wheeler. We just have to be careful, especially because my family is sleeping in literally the next room.”
Mike nods, rolling his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. I know. I like how we are right now anyway. You’re warm.”
Will pulls himself closer to Mike, hooking his own legs around Mike’s.
“You are too. Makes me sleepy.”
“Mm. Me too.”
As the night drags on, Mike and Will fall asleep safe in each other’s arms, Mike strokes Will’s hair as he thinks about just how lucky he is to be able to love Will in this lifetime. He wonders how many other universes there are out there where they are in love as well. He dreams of the sweet thought.
☀︎₊˚⊹
As the sunlight peeks through Will’s curtains, he wakes up to Mike standing at the foot of his bed, dressed and ready for the day.
“Morning Will! I started the car so it won’t be a bajillion degrees when we drive to breakfast. Let me know when you’re all ready to go.”
Will, still a little groggy with sleep, nods and swings his feet over the side of his bed, padding over to his drawer to grab his clothes for the day.
Once dressed, he makes his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth and fix his hair. Mike follows him in, looping his arms around his waist and resting his head in the crook of his neck as he gets ready for the day. Will can’t help but think about their future, how it could be as sweet and domestic as the moments they’re sharing right now.
The car ride to Susan’s Diner is filled with the sound of The Clash, Will’s choice, obviously. As they pull into the parking lot, Mike turns the ignition off, the music going with it.
“You ready?”
“Yeah. I’m super hungry.”
“Me too.”
The diner is cold and smells like bacon and coffee, which fills both boy’s senses and makes them even hungrier than before. They find a seat in the back red vinyl booth, the red of their uniform shirts almost blending in.
A waitress comes by and takes their order, she’s a shorter woman with a sweet smile but a nasty mouth if you provoke her. Both Mike and Will have seen her argue with a customer, and they know better than to pick a fight with her, ever.
They order their food and release an endless string of “thank you’s” and make note to tip well after their meal. Will picks away at his hashbrowns and toast, while Mike takes the final sips his coffee, his plate already empty. Will notices.
“Why did you eat so fast?” He asks, amused. Mike smiles warmly as he responds.
“I wanted to look at you. The sunrise looks good on you.”
Will can feel a blush creep up his neck as the waitress makes her way back to fill Mike’s cup up again, and he mouths a bashful “thank you” to Mike as she hovers.
When she makes her way back behind the counter, Mike speaks at his regular level of voice again.
“Oh yeah, that reminds me,” he reaches into his pocket and hands him a letter, “Jonathan sent you this, it was in the mail this morning.”
“Oh, thanks! I’ve been waiting for- wait.” He looks up from the letter and raises an eyebrow at Mike. “How did you get this?”
Mike dumps a packet of sugar into his coffee and pours some cream as he speaks.
“I saw the mail flag up when I went to go start the car, wanted to do a favour I guess.”
“You took in our mail? Mike, you don’t need to do that.” Will says through a smile. Mike picks up a teaspoon and stirs his coffee, the cream swirling around as he continues.
“I know, I just wanted to help. I also made a pot of coffee for your mom and Hop when they wake up. Oh, and I put the paper on the table for them.”
Will cannot believe that he is dating someone so eager and considerate, and he hides his wide, proud smile with a hand covering his mouth.
“Mike, I love you so much, and you know that, but what am I going to tell them when they ask who did all that?”
Mike shrugs. “I dunno, tell them it was the chore fairy or something.”
Will smirks. “The chore fairy? Are you sure about that name?”
It takes Mike a second for the cogs to start turning, but when he realizes, he waves his hand around frantically.
“No, no! Not like that. Like the tooth fairy or- yeah okay you’re messing with me.”
Will giggles. “Yes, of course I’m messing with you,” he pushes Mike’s plate towards him, “Now eat. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
Mike compiles with Will’s request and takes a bite of his syrup-covered eggs. He thinks about what Will just said, and his face twists into a confused expression. After he swallows, he speaks.
“What do you mean? Isn’t it just a regular day at camp?”
Will’s brows knit together in confusion. “No? It’s field day today, Mike. With like the water games and stuff?” He assesses Mike’s expression and comes to the quick realization that he has no clue what he’s talking about.
“Oh my god, did you not know about field day? It was in the meeting minutes Max wrote!”
“Oh, you know I don’t read those!”
Mike thinks for a second, then lunges for his backpack. He fumbles through the contents, desperate to find something. When he comes up empty, he looks to Will, wide eyed.
“Will. I forgot my sunscreen.”