Chapter Text
PRELUDE
It had been late. There were no catastrophes for Will to attend to and so he had been able to return to his (and Mike's) apartment earlier than usual. But as he swung to land on the roof, there was a familiar figure standing at the edge, overlooking the city sky.
With a clear of his throat, Will put on his (shitty) accent to disguise his voice. "You, er, you okay there, sir?"
Mike didn't turn around, continuing to stare off into the skyline while the wind billowed his hair, which Will was grateful for. He worried what would happen if Mike ever saw him up close. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking. It's easier to think up here."
There was a moment where Will could've decided to nod and swing off, go inside another way and let Mike think alone. But instead he stepped up to the roof's edge, farther down the railing but next to him, basically.
"What... are you thinking about? If you wanted to talk about it." This was so stupid. But Will would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about Mike, especially finding him on the roof of their apartment at 7 pm on a Tuesday.
Mike gave one of his long and exaggerated sighs, which did let Will relax a bit. That was usually a good sign. "You promise not to tell anyone?"
A horrifying question. "Uh, yeah, promise."
Mike nodded, mainly to himself it seemed, then scoffed. "I... this is gonna seem so stupid to you, you're a superhero and all and here I am sighing and brooding because of a guy."
Oh fuck. Oh fuck oh fuck oh shit.
Will nodded for Mike to continue despite the rampant screaming in his head.
"I like him a lot, like a lot. But I can't- I can't tell him. I know I can't and it sucks dude. It sucks so bad. He's so... he's kind and funny and, he means so much to me. Plus, I mean, he's hot, okay. Really hot."
Will would've loved to dissociate. Zone out, be anywhere but there. But alas.
A harsh sigh came from Mike's direction. "Sorry. Thanks for listening to me. I know you have better things to do than listen to me ramble about about a guy."
"Oh, well, you know how it is. Superhero-ing isn't just about saving people physically, but mentally too, sometimes." Mike, thankfully, wasn't looking at him. "Well. Thanks, Spider-Man. You can tick off 'therapize a yearning gay college kid' for the day."
Will mimed ticking a checkbox then nodded to Mike. "Don't sell yourself short. You seem... neat. You never know." This was met with another scoff and shake of Mike's head. "Trust me, I doubt it. But thanks."
And with that, Will hopped down and swung away to the view of the back of Mike's head, only to then double back and return to where he'd started but from the ground and now with a pit in his stomach over the newfound information that the boy he's loved for longer than he hasn't likes someone else.
5 MONTHS LATER
Despite his encounter with Spider-Man, Mike truly didn't really think twice about the hero afterwards. Which was kind of funny, really. Mike Wheeler not caring about a real-life superhero?
But his roommate and best friend seemed... tired recently. And! And, he kept coming home with cuts and bruises. So of course Mike was worried about him! How could he not be? And if something was wrong with Will, well. That trumped any superhero out there, easily.
One night, Will came home with a nasty gash on his arm that he said was from running into a broken piece of wood. There was a little spike of fear in Mike's mind that someone was bullying Will, but they were in college now. Mike knew Will could take care of himself, or that he would come to Mike if he couldn't. Right?
That wasn't the point, though, the point was Mike was going to take care of Will. And if it gave him an excuse to be close to him? Well, what a lucky bonus.
Their first aid kit sat easily accessible under the kitchen table. Mike grabbed it and motioned for Will to sit on their couch, which he did with a roll of his eyes. "It's fine, Mike. I'm just gonna put a bandaid on it."
"A bandaid?! No neosporin, no disinfectant? This is why you have me, Will, come on." Mike was grinning and playfully nudged Will's shoulder.
"Fine, whatever, just make it quick, alright?" Will couldn't hide his smile, and Mike greedily drank in the knowledge that that smile was always for Mike and Mike alone. A small part of Will that Mike could call his own.
In a normal way, obviously.
Mike took a disinfectant wipe packet from the kit and opened it. As he gently washed it over the wound, he could feel the hitch in Will's breath, from the sting of course, along with the warmth of his skin, and those were enough to short-circuit Mike completely. Almost completely, as he was able to continue tending to Will's arm.
They were silent as Mike washed away any dirt and germs that could be lingering. His fingers were lightly grasped on Will's arm to keep him steady and the warmth of Will's skin was doing crazy things to his stomach and heart. Like 'should I see a cardiologist and maybe gastroenterologist?' type things. Then he slathered on neosporin (one could argue too much but there could never be too much for anything when it came to Will's health), taking his sweet time to maximize the amount of time he had this close to Will.
When they were 13, Mike had said something in the heat of the moment that came out in a way he didn't mean. What he'd meant to say? That it wasn't on him that Will didn't have a girlfriend so had to tag along with him and Lucas who both did. What came out? "It's not my fault you don't like girls!" He had heard how it sounded the second it came out of his mouth and had regretted it ever since.
4 years later, Will came out. And Mike couldn't help but feel like what he said, and did, was part of why Will felt pressured to do so. Not only that, Will basically admitted to having feelings for Mike. But that he knew Mike didn't like him back, and that Will had accepted that and moved on.
One year prior to that, however, Mike Wheeler had realized he was in love with Will Byers.
No, specifically not fallen in love. He had been in love for a long time, just hadn't known or accepted the fact until a year before Will had accepted Mike would never like him back and moved on.
Because, of course.
Nonetheless, Mike had come out to Will their first year as roommates. Will had seem shocked, not at the fact but at Mike telling him at all. He had to... edit things a bit, since the only reason Mike even knew he was queer was because of Will. And not because of "oh I can do that!" but "oh this boy is explicitly who made me realize I like men." But it strengthened their bond, Will seemed more open with Mike. Which hurt, but was deserved given how Mike had acted in the previous years.
However. It also meant Will would openly, and frequently, tell Mike about his many, many, suitors.
It took everything in Mike not to strangle each and every one of them.
Now, as Mike finished placing the bandages, he couldn't help but reminisce to what could've been if he hadn't been an idiot and a fool and-
If he wasn't clueless back then. What could've happened after Will had given him the painting (that hung in his bedroom in their shared apartment now).
Bad thought. This train of thought led straight to "self-hatred station." Mike was a frequent flyer there but now was not the time. Now was the time for Mike to bask in their proximity.
Which was close. Mike's face was maybe a few inches away from Will's arm, but more... butterfly-inducing was Mike's current position, knelt at Will's feet. He looked up at Will and immediately regretted it. The tilt to Will's head, the way he was looking at Mike like he was both perfection but also a hero. Mike's stomach erupted into even worse butterflies than before and he hastened to press the bandage firmly down. He rocked back on his heels and hurriedly stood, clearing his throat in an attempt to clear the air of whatever tension had appeared between them. "Right. That should be good, but I'll redo it tomorrow so it doesn't get infected and gross." Normally he'd flash his specific "Will" smile and Will would chuckle and they'd be normal again.
This time, the look on Will's face only deepened. Consequently making everything worse for Mike's heart.
But then, Will shook his head and smiled his own "Mike" smile. "Thanks, Mike. Really. Don't know what I'd do without you." He yawned, or did it seem forced? Mike was going insane. As Will walked past Mike, he playfully nudged Mike's shoulder then turned to face Mike as he walked backwards. "'Night, Mike. Sweet dreams." Then he turned and disappeared into his room.
Mike was left standing there, dumbfounded to put it lightly, heart fluttering and stomach twisting in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. "'Night, Will," he whispered to the empty room.