Chapter Text
Michael Wheeler was a lot of things.
Stupid was one of them.
Mike was outside of Will Byers house gathering up pebbles to throw at his window. Thunder roared and the pouring rain made him shiver, but he didn’t notice.
The neighbors probably thought he was trespassing, or even worse, robbing Will's house. He didn’t care, though, he had to talk to Will and he had to talk to him now.
He was on his third pebble before Will opened up his window.
“Mike?”
“Will- I uh,”
“Did you forget we had Walkie-Talkies? Why’re you throwing rocks at my window?”
Mike was- well, wasn’t thinking, and shrugged. He hadn’t really thought about that.
“Can I talk to you…?”
Will hesitates, looking down at him as he speaks. He scratches the back of his head. He glances away from Mike, shrugging at him.
“Mike, I dunno… you know how my mom is.”
“Please, Will.”
Will looks at him, before sighing and opening up his window.
Mike instantly climbs through, shivering his butt off.
***
As soon as Will gives him a towel, Mike instantly dries himself off, still freezing cold. Will rummages through his drawers and finds some of Mike's old clothes, tossing them to him.
“Here, I think you left these last time you came over. You can change in the guest bathroom if you’d want.” Will shrugged, the awkward tension spilling out into the room.
Mike took his old clothes, muttered a thank you, and made his way to the bathroom.
Mike Wheeler knew Will byer’s house like the back of his hand. They’ve been friends since Kindergarten, Christ, he’d hope he knows his house like the back of his hand. He made it to the door, hand on the handle before he heard someone call his name.
“Michael?” Mike's body froze, turning his head to find Joyce at the end of the hallway.
“Oh, Hi Mrs. Byers.” Mike stammers, suddenly being aware of how he was standing and straightening up.
“You don’t have to be professional, you know. I’ve known you forever, you can come over anytime you’d like. I just wasn’t expecting to see you so late.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
“Is Will okay?”
“Yeah, he’s fine.” Mike knew how Joyce got about Will. It was only fair. I mean, your kid goes missing for a week and comes back with everything constantly going wrong. Of course she’d be worried. Plus, Mike wasn’t exactly good luck either.
“Good. Well, I made dinner if you’d like some. Don’t forget you’re welcome here anytime.” Joyce gives him one last smile before she walks back to the kitchen.
Mike watched her before finally opening the bathroom door, closing it, and changing. With his new (well, admittedly old) clothes on, he looked himself in the mirror and suddenly he was in 11th grade again. He immediately feels guilt and shame and everything in between, thinking about all of the times he could’ve treated Will better. He decides, starting now, he’s going to treat him how he deserves.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Mike? Are you okay?”
Mike takes in a breath, turning to the door as he speaks.
“Yeah, I’m-” He opens the door seeing Will outside.
Will smiles at him, his eyes crinkling as he tries not to laugh.
“Dude, you look like a loser.”
“Shut up.” Mike rolls his eyes, ruffling Will's hair with a grin on his face. Admittedly, he missed this. He missed the banter, he missed his smile, he missed his voice, if he was being honest.
Mike hadn’t known how he survived without Will for so long. He hadn’t known why he started avoiding him in the first place.
“Okay, Back on track.” Will keeps his smile, fixing his hair that Mike just ruined. “You said you wanted to tell me something?”
Mike's smile faultures… Right, That’s the whole reason why he came over in the first place. Mike felt his own breath hitch, pressing his lips together as he walked with Will back to his room.
“Right yeah. It’s kind of a long story.”
“Well, luckily I have all the time in the world.”
***