Chapter Text
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
It was supposed to be a worry-free summer.
Mike had promised himself that, for a change, he wouldn't do a thing the next three months. Nothing but sit in the sun with a comic book in hand, sipping an ice-cold soda and listening to his friends chat.
Nothing but waking up late and going to sleep even later because they’d decided to marathon movies in the basement.
Nothing but lazy afternoons, junk food for breakfast, and not a single thought swirling around in his head.
There are no more monsters lurking in the shadows of Hawkins. School is over. College doesn't start for another three months. El is safe on the other side of the world, and he and his friends are okay.
Like, for the first time in a long time. There’s nothing to worry about.
And Mike is ready for it. To just exist.
That’s exactly what he’s doing this afternoon, shortly after graduation. Everything is already sorted for college, so his mom isn't breathing down his neck anymore — which, in itself, is a huge win.
They’re sitting by the lake, all of them: Max and Lucas, so close they’re almost one person. Dustin, in terribly short shorts, trying to get a tan. Will, eating a sandwich Joyce had made for everyone, with his feet in the water. And Mike. Mike, in his sunglasses, gazing at everything and nothing at once, his brain turned to jelly. Exactly where he wanted to be.
“I’m telling you,” Dustin is, in fact, telling them, “she’s looking at me in a different way.”
“Maybe it’s that amazing tan,” Max remarks, making Lucas laugh.
“I don’t get it…” Will says, his eyes drifting toward the water.
“What?” Dustin sounds defensive. “Can’t she be into me?”
“What? No!” Will turns toward Dustin quickly, brows furrowed. “Of course she can be into you— you’re amazing!”
“Oh, thanks—”
“What I don’t get is why you’re into her,” Will grimaces. “I mean, she’s pretty and all, but she’s always been… awful.”
They all stare at Will. Max has a raised eyebrow and a faint smile playing on her lips.
“What?”
“You’re badmouthing someone.”
“Oh my god! You guys talk about it like I’m some kind of benevolent, superior being.” Will shrugs. “She was awful!”
“He’s right,” Mike says, just to say something.
“But she’s gotten better. And she wants to be my friend now.”
“Maybe she wants to be more than friends, Dusty-Bun,” Lucas teases, and they all laugh.
See? Easy. No heavy conversations. Nothing requiring deep thought. Mike is living his best life.
The afternoon unfolds lazily and hot, dragging on just like it used to when Mike was a kid and the days felt endless.
He’s sitting in a rock next to Will now, cracking jokes about some kids not far off just to make him laugh. Their feet dangle in the water, occasionally bumping into each other by accident.
“Okay. I gotta go,” Will says suddenly, standing up.
Mike looks up to face him. “Oh. Why?”
“My mom’s going grocery shopping. I promised I’d help.” He wipes his hands on his shorts before giving an apologetic smile to the rest of the group. “See you guys tomorrow?”
They say their goodbyes. Before Will heads back the way they came, he stops beside Dustin, biting his lower lip.
“Hey, I’m sorry about what I said earlier.” Seeing Dustin’s confused expression, he explains. “About Stacey? I mean, if she’s good for you, then go for it. You deserve it!”
And then he walks away. The rest of them fall silent for a while, watching a dog chase a ball on the other side of the lake.
“Oh man,” Dustin sighs. “Will has to be the best person I know.”
“Right?” Max groans like she's in pain. “We don’t deserve him.”
“It kind of makes me mad,” Lucas says. “I mean, it’s kind of unfair that he’s so good. He had every reason not to.”
“What do you mean?” Mike frowns. He tears up small clumps of grass with his fingertips.
“It’s just, out of all of us, he was the most affected by all the shit from the Upside Down.” Max shrugs, as if she hadn’t been one of the most affected herself. “And more! He's survived bullies, his own father, a whole week in hell, possession, a creepy psycho obsessed with him... and somehow he's still the sweetest guy in Hawkins.”
“Right? He was fucking burned alive!” Dustin adds.
“Okay, I’m totally pissed off right now.” Lucas hurls a rock hard into the lake. “I mean, we all had our share of bullshit, don't get me wrong, but we got a break every now and then. But Will? He didn't. And when you think about it, his whole adolescence was just one misery after another. While we were having our first kisses or whatever, he was having nightmares about a freaking disgusting monster that literally planted its babies inside him.”
Mike is on the verge of throwing up. He repeatedly swallows the absurd amount of saliva pooling in his mouth. He doesn’t want to talk about this. He also feels kind of an asshole for not wanting to talk about it.
“He deserves a perfect life from here on out.”
Well, that's obvious. A perfect life. He’s always deserved a perfect life, and Mike frowns because this goes without saying. Will is going to have the best life possible, even if Mike has to take matters into his own hands.
“Yeah. Hot guys kissing him everywhere he goes.” A big smile plays on Max’s lips.
“Holy shit, he’s never had his first kiss!” Dustin sits up straighter. His expression does nothing to ease the tightness in Mike’s chest.
“Uh— we actually don’t know that,” he says, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible. Mike isn’t sure whether he wants that to be true or not. “What if he… I dunno, back in Lenora… El said he was working on a painting for someone.”
Even as the words leave his mouth, Mike doesn't believe them. He can't. It sounds ugly and completely unlike Will.
“Seriously?” Lucas asks, raising his eyebrows. “Oh, remember what he said? When he came out… he liked someone who didn’t like him back.”
“No, someone who wasn’t like him!” Dustin corrects. “That’s what he said. Timmy something. Wonder if it was someone from Lenora?”
“Will wouldn’t have kissed some random guy from Lenora,” Mike decides, but he's already hating whoever it was that got a painting from Will. That could possibly have kissed him.
“Why not?” Dustin shrugs. “If he liked the guy.”
“But he said the guy wasn’t like him. So, he doesn’t like boys.” Lucas tries to make a point. “This guy wouldn’t kiss him just for the sake of kissing.”
Dustin grimaces. “You’d be surprised what kinds of guys are out there.”
“Will didn’t kiss anyone in Lenora!” Mike snaps.
They all look at him. He tries to fix it.
“I mean, he would tell me. Tell us.”
“Would he?” Lucas asks. “Will kept this secret for years… maybe he didn’t tell everything.”
Max, who had been silent for most of the conversation, sighs and shakes her head. “Three supposedly intelligent boys, and not a single brain cell between them…”
Mike isn’t going to try to figure out what she means by that.
Hours later, after Mike has showered off the sunscreen and lain down to sleep, he can't stop thinking about it.
Will has never been kissed.
He closes his eyes. Will has never been kissed. He rolls over, kicks the blanket aside. Will has never—
“Jesus christ,” he mutters into the darkness.
Why can't he stop thinking about it?
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
As the days go by, Mike tries to put the matter out of his mind. I mean, he already knew all this, right? It’s not exactly breaking news.
It’s just that, until now, the fact that Will had never kissed anyone was something tucked away in the depths of Mike’s subconscious. He knew it, but he didn't dwell on it. And then, all the evidence was laid out right in front of him, so much so that the fact became the only thing he could think about!
Things get even harder because he and Will are together all the time. And the more time he spends by Will’s side, the more absurd the whole situation seems.
Mike starts noticing little things — things that had also been lurking in the depths of his mind but that he can’t help but notice now.
For instance, the fact that Will is always kind to the people he loves and never raises his voice, even when they’re arguing. The fact that he cries during movies, even ones that aren't sad. Sometimes it’s just a particularly moving scene, but it doesn't matter. He’s sensitive. He helps people. He pays attention. When Will asks if everything is okay, he genuinely wants an answer.
He makes a point of being extremely careful so Joyce won’t worry so much. He started working after school so Jonathan wouldn't have to send money to help out anymore. Sometimes, he even washes the dishes when he’s at Mike’s house because, according to him, the Byers will always be in the Wheelers' debt (that last part drives Mike crazy, because Will literally saved their lives).
Anyway, you get the idea.
Will is good. A good person. Honestly, it should be an honor to have his attention.
Mike even finds himself thinking about what it would be like to be loved by him. To have all that kindness, goodness, and attention doubled — because, well, that’s what love does, right?
They’re at a diner, eating pizza and listening to Lucas talk about the college basketball team. He’s excited to be a part of this.
Mike isn’t paying much attention. He’s thinking, of course, about the fact that Will has never held hands with anyone.
It’s not like Mike was staring at Will’s hands. It just caught his eye when Will finished a slice of pizza and absentmindedly licked his fingers — and Mike still doesn’t know how to control the intrusive thoughts that pop into his head, so there’s that.
Will has nice hands. They’d be nice hands to hold, he thinks.
“Mike,” Will calls his attention, and he lifts his eyes from Will's hands to Will’s face, which is also nice. “The last slice. Want to split it?”
Mike looks at the pizza on the table, a forgotten, likely cold slice. He nods and watches Will try to cut it in half.
One piece ends up bigger than the other. Without hesitation, Will reaches for the smaller one and starts eating, turning his attention back to Lucas.
Mike stares at the larger slice waiting for him and feels that tightness in his chest again.
Max was right. They don’t deserve Will.
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
Things only get worse and Mike grows increasingly irritated. So much for the carefree summer he had wanted so badly.
He is pissed off. Mike cannot understand how life can just go on without a hitch when Will Byers is right there, being the best person in the world and nobody to cherish it.
I mean, Will is a real life, honest to god sorcerer. Can you imagine how insane it would be to call your boyfriend a sorcerer? Mike gets the chills just thinking about it.
It seems extreme. Even Mike knows it’s extreme; he just can’t stop. It’s as if he’s fallen into a well and is still falling, with no sign of hitting the bottom.
It’s ridiculous.
He feels even more ridiculous when he brings this up with Lucas, because he needs to share the burden with someone.
They’re playing basketball in the Sinclairs' garage. Dustin and Will are working, and Max needs, according to her, some time away from all that testosterone, so it’s just the two of them, bored, shooting hoops.
Well, Lucas is shooting hoops. Mike isn't exactly good at it.
Anyway, he couldn't do it even if he wanted to. Ever since he woke up this morning, Mike hasn't been able to stop thinking.
He doesn't really get how this queer thing works. He doesn't know if there are statistics or anything. I mean, obviously there are statistics, but he has no clue what the numbers actually are.
The thing is, there’s no way Will is the only gay guy in Hawkins. Right? There are so many men in Hawkins; at least a few of them have to be a little gay. How can there be a school full of teenagers — teenagers full of hormones, lots of boys — and absolutely none of them look at Will and think, oh, wow, that guy is kissable?
Like, come on.
Mike isn't wrong for thinking that.
But just as Will kept it a secret for so many years, other guys might be keeping that secret too, right?
And Mike doesn't understand why that makes him feel worse, like something heavy is sitting in his stomach. Is it because maybe there’s someone right there wanting to love Will but unable to? Like, the fact that Will has no idea someone might be pining for him while he’s just... wasting time? Yeah, that’s definitely it. The fact that Will can't experience the love he deserves, all because the guys in Hawkins are all cowards, makes him sad.
But... what if one of them works up the courage? Before Will leaves? That’s a good thing, right?
Mike scoffs. It wouldn't be good, because absolutely none of the guys in Hawkins are good enough for Will. God, not even close. Will doesn't deserve a bunch of—
“Ouch!” He says a bit too loud when Lucas throws the ball at the back of his head.
“Wake up, man! You're zoning out.”
“No need to assault me. Jesus.” Mike rubs his scalp, grimacing.
It's so hot out there that drops of sweat are running down his nape and back.
“You’ve been making faces at nothing for like five minutes. What’s up?”
Mike often wonders if he’s any good at making impulsive decisions, and even though the answer is usually no, he keeps making them.
So, without really thinking about it, he decides to talk to Lucas.
“Do you think there are other gay guys in Hawkins?”
The question doesn't seem to surprise Lucas. He keeps bouncing the ball on the ground at a steady rhythm.
“Like, our age?”
“Yeah, preferably.”
Mike scrapes the toe of his sneaker against the concrete, hands in his pockets, looking away from the sun. Lucas thinks for a moment before shrugging.
“Oh. I dunno. I’d never really thought about it.”
“Me neither. It just crossed my mind, you know? Thinking about Will and everything.”
“It’d be weird if there weren't any, right?” Lucas tries to make the basket and just barely misses. The ball bounces back to his hand. “It’s not like there’s… I dunno, a quota? Like, one gay guy for every few thousand people.”
Mike fails to stifle a laugh, and Lucas joins in.
“What? I’m just saying… I don’t know, man, maybe they exist and we just don’t know it,” Lucas says softly.
“That’s kind of unfair to Will.”
This time, Lucas holds onto the ball and frowns at Mike.
“Why would it be?”
“Well… Will could’ve had a boyfriend this whole time.” Mike tries to sound nonchalant, but the words leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
It’s the guys from Hawkins’ fault. They’d never, not in a million years, deserve Will.
“You mean between being possessed and saving the world?” Lucas shrugs again, going back to tossing the ball around. “I don’t think he’d have time for that.”
“It might've helped him, I guess. A distraction.”
“Don’t worry, Mike, there are definitely gay guys in New York. Will will find someone there.”
Mike falls silent, but somehow, that feels worse.
I mean, of course there are gay guys in New York. Men. Adults. Guys who have probably been gay and doing gay things for a long time.
Guys with way more experience than Will.
Lucas seems to have moved on, saying something about lemonade and disappearing into the house. He comes back holding two ice-cold glasses, and only then does Mike realize how thirsty he is.
They sit down on the front steps.
“Up there, in New York… it would be a more... uh— adult thing, right?”
Lucas furrows his brows. “What are you talking about?”
“Will’s love life, keep up.” Mike takes a sip of his lemonade and gets brain freeze. Feels good. It helps keep his thoughts in check. “I mean, up in New York, it’s gonna be an adult relationship. Like, Will is gonna skip an important stage.”
Lucas sighs.
“Which is?”
“The teenage relationship,” Mike says, an impatient tone in his voice. “Think about it… that whole phase of discovery, holding hands, the first kiss… those are inherently teenage experiences. Like, that’s how it’s supposed to be! You’re supposed to be pretty bad and awkward at it while you’re in the most awkwardly bad phase of your life.”
Lucas is watching him now, and Mike’s ears heat up. He takes a few more sips of lemonade, just to cool off.
“You’re weirdly obsessed with this.”
A grimace makes its way to Mike's face. “I’m not obsessed. I’m worried.”
”Dude.” He sighs again. “Will can take care of himself. And he’ll definitely find a guy who’s inexperienced, just like him. Or, at least, someone nice and patient, the kind of person he deserves.”
It’s a bittersweet thought. Deep down, Mike probably knows that, too. But thinking about all the possibilities those faceless men represent makes him feel a bit anxious.
“You think so?”
“Of course. Man, who’d be crazy enough to pass up Will Byers?” Lucas asks, as if the idea were unthinkable. “Honestly, it’s got to be an honor to have someone like him interested in you.”
“Right?” Mike practically shouts. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
“You don’t need to worry about him. Will’s an adult now, he can look after himself. And he’s gonna be really happy with whoever he wants to be with.” It was meant to be reassuring. The lemonade burns a hole in Mike's stomach. “Come on. Let’s play King of the Court, since you’re so bad at actually hitting anything.”
Mike rolls his eyes, trying to ease the knot in his guts. “Shut up, asshole.”
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
Whenever they decide to act like carefree young adults, they head to Max’s trailer. The park isn’t fully renovated yet, everything still looks a bit out of place, but it’s the perfect spot for them to just exist without adults breathing down their necks.
Before Mike started a war inside his own head, his plans for a worry-free summer involved plenty of nights like this: sitting around the campfire, eating s’mores, and drinking beer that Max swipes from her mom without a shred of guilt.
Mike isn’t much of a drinker. But he finds the experience interesting — the funny buzz in his head, the way his thoughts reach his mouth in a different way. Like his mouth has turned into an outdated version of itself, unable to process the sheer volume of words his brain is churning out.
Anyway.
Will is there, and he’s the one drinking the least. He takes a sip here and there, but mostly, his bottle just sits tucked away by his hip. With knees pressed against his chest, he rests his head on his forearms, laughing at something Dustin just said.
Dustin, of course, is the one drinking the most. He’s already on his second bottle.
Mike had thought that getting a little drunk might push aside those nagging thoughts about Will and his lack of a boyfriend, at least for a few hours. Turns out, they only get worse.
Because sitting there, watching Will have fun while completely sober, all Mike can think about is the kind of boyfriend Will is eventually going to end up with.
It has to be someone patient. Someone who won’t pressure him to let loose the way everyone else does. Someone who understands what he’s like and why he doesn’t like losing control.
Well, this guy won't be able to fully understand, which already sucks, but at the very least, he has to be someone who doesn't like to drink too much; otherwise, Will might be reminded of Lonnie. Besides, Will doesn't deserve to babysit a grown ass man who’s had too much to drink. But the guy should drink enough to loosen his tongue and... I don't know, pay Will a compliment? Will seems like the type who’d appreciate a random compliment in the middle of a party.
Mike sort of pictures it. This faceless guy approaching Will, his hand on the small of his back, mouth brushing against his ear, whispering something Mike is too far away to hear.
And he’ll probably never know what it is, because it’s something that belongs only to the two of them, and Will won't tell him. He’ll imagine it, though. Mike knows the kind of compliment Will’s boyfriend would give him.
“...so she invited me to another party! Seriously, what is going on?” Dustin is saying, louder than usual. “I’m finally becoming on the outside who I’ve always been on the inside!”
“A stud?” Lucas teases. “A ladies' man? A master of seduction—”
“Shut up, you’re just jealous.”
“Why would I be jealous? Bro, I’ve got Max Mayfield!”
“All the right answers, babe, keep it up.” Max kisses Lucas on the cheek.
Mike looks at Will. There’s a sparkle in his eyes.
This guy, the future faceless boyfriend, needs to understand how sensitive Will is. How he likes to see love in everything, and how important that is to him. So, it has to be someone romantic, right? God, it has to be someone ridiculously romantic so Will never feels like he’s missing out on anything. That way, seeing a romantic moment play out in front of him won't feel like something unattainable.
It’ll just be an everyday thing. Mike hopes he can be around to see Will happy like that.
Wait, that’s kind of creepy.
It’s not that Mike wants to be around whenever Will is with his boyfriend. Just sometimes. If the guy’s cool, they could watch movies together. In a normal way, of course, and Mike would excuse himself to his room as soon as the movie ended, to give them some privacy.
And then this faceless guy could romance the hell out of Will in peace, without the weird best friend hanging around.
Mike takes a big swig of his beer.
“Okay, I’m officially bored,” Max says, turning down the radio playing Madonna behind her. “Any ideas?”
“We could play a game,” Will suggests.
Before Mike can agree, Dustin slaps his thigh.
“Truth or dare!” he shouts.
And then they’re all settling in around the campfire, Dustin placing an empty bottle in their midst, eager eyes fixed on it.
The bottle stops on Max.
“Dare,” she says simply.
Dustin grins.
“I dare you… to do a handstand!”
Max glares at him. “Are you for real?”
“I’m starting easy, Mayfield, show some respect.”
She scoffs but stands up and walks over to the side of the trailer. After a few failed attempts, she manages to stay upside down for a few seconds.
“Satisfied?” she asks, wiping her hands together as she sits back down next to Lucas.
“Very.”
Max spins the bottle, and it stops on Will. He bites his lower lip.
“Truth.”
“Always playing it safe.” She tuts. “That’s not fair!”
“It is fair! The game is called Truth or Dare, he can choose whatever he wants from those options.” Mike interjects, and Max looks at him as if he were an annoying fly.
“Thanks for the clarification, Mike, really enlightening.” She rolls her eyes and turns back to Will, smiling now. “Tell us your ideal type of guy.”
A flush appears on Will's cheeks instantly. He draws in a sharp breath.
“I don’t think that’s a valid question,” he says.
“Of course it is. I’m asking what your type of guy is, and you have to tell me the truth.”
Will glares at her, Max glares back, and it's like witnessing a conversation without words. Kind of unsettling.
Finally, Will gives in and looks up at the sky, thinking.
Mike knows what’s going on. Will is embarrassed because they’ve actually never talked about this. Since Will came out, they’ve never discussed the subject, even though they talk about Dustin’s girls all the time.
Which is unfair. Will should be able to talk about guys too, right? Mike wouldn’t mind. None of them would. So why do they never talk about it?
Will’s eyes land on Mike for a second, who tries to give him a small, encouraging smile.
It’s okay, Will, you can say it, is what Mike tries to convey with the smile. It’s good for me to know you have high standards and won’t just settle for any loser who comes along in New York.
Will looks away.
“Um…” He hesitates. “I dunno. I guess… someone nice, right? Someone who… likes movies. And D&D, maybe.”
“Right, Will, but what about looks? Personality? Come on, give us something!” Max insists.
“I don’t know! I— actually, I’ve never really thought about it.”
“Blonde?”
“No.”
“Blue eyes?”
“Not… necessarily.”
“Taller or shorter?”
“Taller.”
“Long hair for you to pull, or short hair like an army guy?”
“Max!” He’s blushing even harder now.
“Will!”
“Long. I guess.”
“That’s not really important,” Mike mutters, and naturally, everyone looks at him. He looks at Will, who is staring back with wide eyes. “I mean… huh. No, of course it matters, but… I know Will. It’s more important who he is, right? Like, on the inside… not what he looks like.”
Will smiles down at the grass between them.
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“So…” Mike swallows hard. “Like… patient? And smart. And funny, maybe. Right?”
Will is looking at him again, unblinking, his lips parted.
“Right.”
“And… I dunno.” Mike chuckles. “Uh, someone who knows you. Like, not in the obvious way, but… who wants to know you. Who’s interested and really listens to you. You know? I mean, I know you won’t be able to tell them everything about yourself, there are things that… well...”
Mike can’t go on because, suddenly, Will looks very sad. In a horrible way, a way that makes his eyes well up with tears, and Mike hates himself a little more for having brought it up.
Because no one will ever really get to know Will. There are things he can’t talk about. He can’t tell them everything he went through as a kid. He can’t say he’s a sorcerer. He can’t even mention having a half-sister somewhere else in the world because she’s a secret.
Most of his life is one damn secret.
Mike needs to fix this.
“What I mean is that it has to be someone who remembers things about you, like… favorite movie or the fact that you like drinking milk or eating chocolate while you paint, and that knows when you're pretending you're okay and… well, this is how a nice relationship works, right?” He looks at Lucas and Max searching for backup. They stare at him like he just lost his mind. Max's eyebrows slowly disappear into her hairline. His heart is jumping in his chest.
He points his hand to Will, a little exasperated now. “Someone who pays attention to you— not just the big things, the stupid things too. Like that you hate olives and are not a big fan of fireworks and,” he laughs like a maniac, “and that you're like really grumpy when you wake up—”
“Dude.” Closing his eyes, Lucas sighs and shakes his head.
“What? I'm… I'm trying to…” Mike seeks Will for help, but he's still looking like he's about to cry. He gulps. “I'm trying to help. Because you're my best friend, I've known you forever.”
Dreadful silence. The TV in someone else's trailer announces a break. A dog barks. Cars pass on the road.
Max clears her throat and Dustin lets out a long “ooooookay”. Will finally seems to snap out of his daze. He takes a deep breath, locking eyes with Max again. Another silent exchange passes between them.
“Yeah, well. I haven’t really thought about it.” His voice is shaking a little. “I’ll… I’ll think about it.”
The game goes on. Dustin has to shout “Go Texans” while standing under an Indianapolis Colts flag in someone else's trailer and, in another round, count how many girls he’s kissed. Lucas has to declare his love for Max and eat a handful of dirt. Mike has to talk about the most embarrassing moment of his life (which, of course, he isn’t going to tell you guys!) and do a Russian dance around the campfire. Max confesses that she only sleeps well when she’s next to Lucas. And Will, when he finally chooses a dare, ends up downing the rest of his beer, finishing it off coughing and with tears in his eyes.
But he’s laughing, so it’s okay.
It is okay. Mike is not obsessing like a maniac over the fact that Will doesn’t even know his ideal type, not at all.
It’s not normal, right? This level of concern.
It’s worse because, now that Mike has actually had to think about it, he doesn’t even know what makes a good boyfriend.
It’s not like he was the ultimate romantic when he was dating El. Mike is awkward at everything, even at liking someone. Besides, they were kids, so there was no way for Mike to know.
But now it’s real. They’ve grown up, and they need to understand what a good boyfriend does. What he’s supposed to be like. I mean, Will needs to understand, since he’s the one who’s going to have a boyfriend.
But Mike wants to know, too. To help Will out, you know? To make sure he doesn't end up with some scumbag in New York.
There's no doubt that Will can take care of himself. But... passion makes you blind, right? Not that Mike has any experience with that, but he’s heard about it. And Will has already proven he isn't great at choosing, by his own admission. He liked someone who wasn't like him, someone who could never like him back — and isn't that the worst thing in the world?
No, Will needs to know better next time. He should only like someone once they’ve proven themselves worthy of it. Someone who treats him well and likes him without expecting anything in return. Like a friend. A friend who’s going to become a boyfriend.
That sounds like a good plan. And Mike is going to help him with it.
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧