Chapter Text
02. June. 1987
Mike was staring at his calendar, not that he had a reason to. He and Will were supposed to hang out at his house, "like the old times" he said. He didn’t have a reason to be this nervous, it was only Will and him, alone.
Ever since the Byers moved back in Hawkins, after the gates were closed, and the everyone went back to school, Mike and Will barely hung out alone. Will apologized for lying about the painting long ago, and to be fair, Mike actually liked the idea that Will made it for him much better anyway.
Mike and El broke up. Mike was honest and told El about everything, the reason he couldn't love her, what he never thought he would admit out loud ever. In reality they've always made a better pair as friends.
Mike started playing with his fingers as he thought about Will, the conversations they had when the Byers were staying over at the Wheelers, when they shared the bed and about the letters Will almost found. He once heard Will tell him he loves him when he thought he was asleep (which could totally mean nothing), and he woke up with Will's hands around his waist a not-weird amount of times (not that Mike would ever complain). He knew Will didn't like him like that, he shouldn't hope for something. He felt sick to his stomach, but all he could picture was Will holding him, kissing him and perhaps more.
Then he heard a knock on the door. He hadn't even realized tears began to form till he replied with a chocked "Come in.", so he wiped them as fast as he could. His best friend came in and complained about how hot it was outside, but then noticed Mike's red eyes (because how could he not) and looked at him with slight worry. Mike shrugged and looked down, and Will sighed but didn't ask anything. It had been weird these past few months, they avoided talking about stuff like this and Mike especially avoided physical contact (for his own sake).
Will sat down on the bed, next to the brunette, and put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. It tempted Mike to talk, but he obviously decided against it because, as Mike saw it, their friendship was on the line and it was something he couldn't live without. He looked at Will and gave him a slight smile and so they continued their afternoon.
They talked about stupid things like new movies that had come out, Dustin's latest obsession with The Mariana Trench, the Queen posters on Mike's walls which lead to David Bowie and so on. But then Will decided to bring up the fact that Mike was basically crying when he arrived, which shouldn't be so unusal. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what was that about when I came in?" He said softly, his eyes studying Mike's face in an unreadable manner. Mike frowned and took his fingers to the bridge of his nose, to which Will sighed but told him "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but it wouldn't hurt to open up to someone." But what Will didn't understand it most definitely would have hurt, Mike couldn't just tell Will what kind of person he was, the thoughts he had about him and that he loved him so much his heart ached. "Well, I can't." Mike said quietly and collapsed on the bed in a dramatic manner.
Will tilted his head and looked down at him, "And why not?" He asked, smirking, amused by Mike's theatrical gesture. When Mike opened his eyes, he locked eyes with Will and he smiled, his cheeks turning a pink tint. But his smile quickly disappeared as he was reminded of the guilt he felt, he looked away and his throat felt like it was swelling. Will's eyes were now filled with worry, he didn't know what was wrong with Mike. So all he did was also lay back next to him and take one of his hands to comfort him, but in reality that only made it worse. Mike covered his entire face with his other hand, he felt his cheeks burning and his eyes were glistening with tears.
"Hey, look at me." Will said, almost demanding. And Mike did (of course he did). Will wasn't shocked to see Mike crying, so he brought his other hand to his cheek and wiped a tear, but Mike took it off his face and raised his body off of the mattress. Will did the same, his lips pursed and their hands still intertwined. "You're not ok." Will stated and Mike let out a small laugh.
"This is really weird you know that?" Will smiled, "I missed you." He said a little quieter.
Mike's heart fluttered. He knew missing your friend was normal, but the way Will said it felt different. "I missed you too." Mike whispered, "I love you" went unsaid as he bit the inside of his cheek.
Sometime in the autumn of 1986 | post "apocalypse"
"I should probably start packing my stuff." Will said while brushing his overgrown bangs up. The Byers were slowly starting to pack their stuff to move away from the Wheeler's residence. They were moving back to Hawkings, since the threats were completey gone. "Can you belive this is over?"
"I don't want to belive anything else." Mike sighed. He glanced at Will looking under the bed, "Still can't find the grey flannel?"
"Yeah, I genuinely have no idea where it is." Will says and frowns at the mess under the bed. He saw a binder full of his drawings and he smiled, but next to it was a white shoebox that seemed to be new. He looked back up and saw Mike leaving the room. Then back to the shoebox. He raised an eyebrow and reached out to take it from under the bed. It looked like nothing special, a plain white shoe box. He slightly opened the lid up, but then noticed Mike was standing in the doorway looking scared? Will quickly got up, "Are you okay?!" he questioned, worried.
"Um, yeah." Mike breathed out, quickly going past Will. He sat down and put the lid back, sliding the box under his bed yet again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop." Will said and crossed his arms.
Mike was laughing as Will made a stupid joke about 2 slices of bread falling in loaf at first sight. The phone rung, and it was most certainly Joyce announcing Will that she's on her way to pick him up. They both sighed and got up.
Will left not much after. Mike stared as the car drove off, and kept staring after for something that felt like a good minute. He remained alone, with nothing but his own thoughts to keep him company. He rushed to his room and slammed the door as he got in. "I missed you." the words echoed in Mike's mind, Will said that, he thought as he put his palms over his face and started giggling like a teenager in love (which he was).
Although it was summer, Mike headed to sleep early. He noticed he's been doing that a lot lately, it didn’t matter whether it was to get away from his thoughts or to see Will sooner, because he hated to wait so long. He hugged himself, smiling.
03. June. 1987
The room was dim, the only light being the pale blue light leaking through the half-closed blinds. On the bedside, old digital clock indicated 04:06AM. The room was still, the kind of stillness that didn't comfort.
Mike sat upright in bed, sweating lightly (despite the cold air). His eyes were wide, unfocused and haunted by the remnants of a dream too close to memory. He rubs his face with both hands, then glances around the room. He threw off the covers and swung his legs over the edge, his bare feet landing softly on the wooden floor. It creaked slightly, and he flinched. He stood slowly, like his body carried something heavy- something unseen.
The hallway was dark, but the light remained turned off. He didn't need to see to get around the house, after so many sleepless nights. Each step he took sounded louder than it should have, echoing like his guilty thoughts.
In the kitchen, he opens the fridge for a source of light. He squints and grabs a glass from the cupboard. Although it looked clean, he rinsed and then let water pour. The faucet ran a bit too long.
He drank slowly, his eyes unfocused, looking around the kitchen. He stared out the window into the blackness outside. Somewhere out there, it felt like someone knew. His reflection in the mirror stared back at him unblinking, judging. The hand holding the now empty glass was shaking as he attempted to put it down next to the sink, but he missed and it fell down, shattering loudly. In that moment he felt like he himself would shatter. He stared at the pieces of glass on the floor and cursed himself when he heard footsteps.
Notes:
Chat I love them.
What do we think about the writing? Mike is the yearning final boss!!!Also sorry about my other fic (if anyone actually cares abt it), possibly not going to focus on it, I'm not really inspired and I might just hate it! Definitely going to rewrite it sometime though.
Chapter Text
Nancy rushed downstairs.
She wasn't surprised to see Mike. Lately, she couldn't shake the feeling that something's off. "What are you doing?" she said softly, trying to not sound hostile.
He looked up from the ground, his eyes filled with something she couldn't decipher. It seemed like she couldn't tell what he was feeling most of the time anyway.
"I was just getting a glass of water." Mike shrugged and rested against the counter, his eyes still not meeting his sister's. There was a quiet tension in the way he moved, almost like he was always bracing for something.
There was no response. Nancy turned on the lights, "Let's clean this up" she smiled.
She didn't know that much about Mike, she realized. He was her brother, but their relationship was distant. She wouldn't admit it, but she regretted not being there more, not being the sister he could run to when things got hard. She wasn't cold, but not warm enough either. In the back of her mind, she always thought of the promise they'd made a couple years ago, "No more secrets", but neither of them had done a good job at keeping it. It felt like she was watching him drift away, disappear without even leaving, and she didn't do anything.
But all of that didn't mean she didn't care, or that she didn't observe Mike. She noticed that he was less verbal. She noticed how he distanced himself from his friends after the Byers left, how there were barely any hangouts anymore. She noticed the way his expression softens when his best friend is around, but he also gets nervous and the way he watches him when he thinks no one's looking. She knew Mike was going through a lot, she hated how he seemed so alone in it. She really wanted to reach out, but she was too afraid of pushing too hard, of him retreating further.
So she decided to leave him alone, mind her own business, because that's how they've always been. They weren't like Jonathan and Will, she knew damn well. And at the end of the day, they were their parents' children. It broke her heart to see him like this- so tired and scared of what seemed to be apparently nothing at first. But still, Nancy knew.
A sharp "Ow!" snapped her out of her thoughts. Mike winced as he looked at a cut on his hand. Nancy frowned.
"Oh my God, Mike, why aren't you careful!?" she whisper-yelled, getting a napkin and pressing it on his bloody hand. He flinched at the contact but slowly relaxed.
"I've got stuff on my mind." he said, rolling his eyes. At that, Nancy's brows quirked in curiosity. She was bound to be curious, ask questions (she was studying to be a journalist for God's sake!).
"Stuff that's keeping you awake?" she asks teasingly and Mike doesn't reply. She glances at him, his cheeks flushing pink. He let's out a nervous laugh while fidgeting with his sleeve. "...Or someone?" she completes, knowingly.
"Maybe." he said quietly, it almost sounded like a confession, "What's it to you anyway?"
"Well..." Nancy started as she threw away the remaining of the glass shards, "I'd like to talk to you about something."
Mike looked at her as if he was slapped. They both knew too well the subject this was leading to. "Fine." he managed to get out without choking.
"But not here." she indicates for him to follow.
Nancy's room glowed softly under the warm light of a bedside lamp, casting gentle shadows on the pink walls. The color isn't loud- (more of a dusty rose), it was calming. In the lamp's amber glow hugged every corner, the room felt like a quiet embrace, a safe place tucked away from the night outside.
"I want you to feel like you can talk to me," Nancy spoke softly, reminding Mike of something their mom said a few years ago. "and you don't have to feel rushed to tell me anything, but I need you to know I am here, and nothing can change the way I see you."
She was clearly hinting towards something and Mike wanted to crawl under a rock in shame or drown in his own guilt.
"God, Nancy! If you actually knew how disgusting I am you wouldn't even want to be near me." he croaked, "If he knew how dirty I am, would he even look at me anymore?"
She hesitated, but took his hand in hers, then looked at her brother till he looked back. "Mike... Is this about Will?" she asks gently. She couldn't be wrong about that.
He doesn't say anything and nods as silence fills the room (because she knows, of course she knows).
"It's filthy, I know." he murmured, his voice small. He was afraid that if he tried to talk any louder he'd actually break.
When he looked up, Nancy was shaking her head, "No, Mike, it's not." she stated. If she was honest, she had her own share of misconceptions about being queer (no help from society, for sure), but she'd realized there is nothing wrong with it, there never was.
Mike's eyes widened, he opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a choked sob as he started crying.
Nancy didn't say anything, but instead took him in for a hug. It was sincere, it felt like he was being held together from the outside in a grounding, soft shelter. Nothing but quiet muffled cries filled the silence, but it was somewhat comforting. Knowing that he could do that and not be alone was comforting. In that embrace, words became unnecessary. It felt like safety, reassurance, a pause from everything else. His breaths slowed as his shoulder relaxed.
"You in love with him, aren't you?" Nancy whispered and Mike pulled away.
For a second he didn't say anything, in love was right and it almost scared him. "Yeah, I really am." Mike gave her a sad smile.
Nancy bit her lip when she saw Mike's expression, questioning if she should say something. She decided that she would be honest. "You think he doesn't feel the same?"
Mike made a face at that and crossed his arms, "What are you implying?".
"Maybe you should tell him."
He stood up and said "Maybe..." so quietly, he might've been talking to himself.
After he left, all Nancy could think about was how Will would, hypothetically, take it. She was pretty sure he also had feelings for Mike, and her discussions with Jonathan only confirmed most of her suspicions. But what if they were wrong?
She decided to stop thinking about it and tried to fall asleep again. Will still deserved the truth either way.
Mike layed on the bed, beneath the covers, staring into the dark where the ceiling should be, though he can't see it. The room was silent, but his mind was loud. Thoughts spinned like a storm: What if it goes wrong? What if someone finds out? What if I make a mistake?
Every possibility unfolded in vivid detail—conversations that haven't happened, outcomes he can't control, Will reacting with disappointment, anger, confusion. His chest tightened with each imagined consequence. He shifted under the sheets, restless, but it brought no comfort.
His heart pounds a little faster which each new "What if?". He tries to breathe slowly, to stop the spiraling, but the silence only feeds it. He didn't know what was the right choice and if he'd regret it.
Sleep felt miles away.
Notes:
Mike and Nancy are such great siblings, I hope they get more sibling-bonding scenes in s5!!! They're so dear.
Nancy would 100% not be homophobic and she also 100% talked to Jonathan about Will and Mike.
Chapter Text
There wasn't a way of explaining Mike's impulsive choices. He didn't know how, but he knew he was standing in front of the door of Will Byers' house. The time between getting here from his house was a blur, so many thoughts and feelings.
It was an oddly cold morning for summer, Mike's hand were buried deep in his coat pockets, as if warmth could be found anywhere. He brought his hand up to knock, but couldn't bring himself. And then let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.
It wasn't supposed to be this hard. The words he had rehearsed all night, until they even stopped feeling like words at all, had completely disappeared. So he crossed his arms and began to walk away, but didn't get to go only as far as a few steps before he heard the door open and close behind him.
He turned away to see Hopper, who seemed to be just as surprised to see him. He was probably leaving for work as he got it back, avoiding the several questions he got after "coming back from the dead".
"What are you doing here, kid?" Hopper asked, slightly worried.
Mike didn't know what to say, he shook his head and quickly said "I was going to see Will."
The man's brow furrowed, eyes scanning Mike's face like he missed something. "It looked like you were just about to leave." he remarked.
"I wasn't, um," his eyes darted to the door, "I wasn't leaving." he said, looking at his shoes.
"Sure, Wheeler." Hopper shrugged and pat Mike's shoulder as he walked past him, to the truck in the driveway.
The boy watched the truck leave. He bit the skin around his nails anxiously, then stared at the door. He slowly walked to it and knocked so quietly he wasn't sure anyone would even hear it (he somewhat hoped no one would hear it).
He thought once again about what he would say. And what could he say, really? Confessing his undying love to his childhood best friend, who was also a boy, and expecting anything other than rejection, holding onto false hope, didn't sound like something he would do at all (it so did). And it wasn't like Will was even gay, Mike remembered that El told him that he was painting something for a girl he liked, but didn't show her... But then he lied about the painting he made for Mike, even though El didn't have a clue about it.. Oh. Mike's eyes widened, could he be reaching?
"Mike?" someone said, a voice so familiar- it's warmth wrapped in sound, steady and deep, like a favorite song you've known for so long you don't need to hear the words to feel the meaning.
For a second, he almost forgot why he was there. "Hi.." he said softly, looking Will in the eyes. He chewed the inside of his cheek, fingers twitching by his side. Seeing Will then felt heavier than it should. His surroundings didn't change, but everything inside him tilted. His chest tightened, not with fear exactly, but with the quiet of inevitability. He'd already decided, but looking at him, so familiar and unaware, it hit different. Either way, he wasn't backing out now. Though his words felt heavier in his throat, not because he doubted them, but because he knew, once they were out, nothing would be the same.
"Well, Hi?" Will pursed his lips, looking at the slender boy in front of him, uncertain. "I didn’t expect you here."
"Eheh, yeah, I guess." Mike said awkwardly, "I just really need to talk to you about something." he breathed out.
"Really?" Will smirked, obviously knowing more than he was letting on and it made Mike nervous.
El was peeking out from the corner of the door and Will shoved her playfully while moving out of the doorframe, giving Mike space to enter. Mike glanced at El who was giving him a look. He didn't know if it was meant to encourage him because it certainly didn't. If anything he felt a shiver down his spine when he looked at her.
"I'd prefer we discuss in private." Mike took his eyes off of El and his gaze fixated on Will.
"Really?" Will asked again, and, for fuck's sake, Mike would punch him right then and there if it weren't for that handsome face of his.
"Really." Mike stated, hoping to sound more confident than he actually was.
Will's room felt like a held breath of a summer, warm, lived in and quietly comforting. The yellow walls are sun-faded in places, cluttered with band posters peeling at the corners and a couple polaroids that were taped up in crooked rows (Mike could also recognize himself in a good amount of them). His desk was paint-stained, brushes were sitting in an old coffee mug and tubes of acrylics squeezed to exhaustion were scattered around. The bed was unmade, sheets twisted (Mike didn't blame him, it was barely 9 o'clock and it was a surprise that Will was even awake at this time in the Summer), a shirt, which he probably slept in, was draped over one corner. It smelled faintly of pencil shavings, paper and the lingering freshness of old cologne. And it all felt so much like Will.
"Listen, Mike..." Will started, a hint of guilt and uncertainty sparked, joined with his usual steady voice.
"I don't know what you'll say, but I have to tell you...", Mike talked over Will without realizing, "I have to be honest with you."
Will looked at Mike confused, what did he come to talk about if not...
Silence fills the room, it wasn't comforting in any way. Will looked at Mike, expectantly, as he took a deep breath. For a moment, every detail suddenly sharpened, as if his brain wanted to memorize this before- before whatever came next, and Will looked at him with those eyes, filled with something he couldn't tell.
"I'm in love with you." he blurts out, then quickly covers his mouth as if he didn't mean to say it.
And Will laughs. He laughs.
Mike frowns. It didn’t sound mean spirited, just heart-felt amusement, but he didn't know what was amusing. It kind of annoyed him that he wasn't sure of what was going on. This reaction was like nothing he'd expected, in any of the scenarios, whether it was rejection or he reciprocated his feelings.
"Will, what?" he asks, more confused than anything (maybe even somewhat mad).
"I know." he says calmly, looking Mike in the eyes. His gaze was gentle, comforting like a quiet embrace. A quiet warmth rose to his face, it wasn't shy, just honest and Mike was sure his flushed face matched Will's.
That's all that took for Mike to cup Will's cheeks and lock their lips, and Will answered without hesitation- fast, hungry, it pulled them together like gravity. His hands found the sides of Mike's waist, and instead of pushing him away, he pressed closer. It wasn't meant to last this long, but neither of them cared. The kiss wasn't like anything he'd imagined (and he just realized how many times he had imagined it), it was so different from any of his kisses with El. He could feel butterflies in his stomach and the urge to be as close as possible to the other person was irresistible. Seconds passed. Then more. Still, neither of them let go...
They pulled away and gasped for air, yet the kiss didn't feel like it lasted so long.
"I love you too, idiot." Will whispered as he brought their foreheads together, and Mike, despite being a little offended, gave him a wide smile.
But Will let go and pursed his lips, "Still, I need to tell you something." . He walked and got something from his closet. Mike gasped quietly when he saw a white shoebox in Will's hands.
"I'm really sorry," he mumbled as he placed the box on the bed next to them, "I didn't mean to invade your privacy, I was curious and I saw my name and everything. I didn't know what I'd find." he explained, talking rapidly. "I do love you, though."
When Mike said nothing, Will tensed up. He knew it would be a mistake, but still decided to take it because - really, how could he resist finding out what the actual hell Mike was thinking when he was in California. Why he never sent letters...
"I'd be really mad if they weren't literally addressed to you." Mike shrugged. "So I do forgive you." he reassured.
"Holy shit, Mike, I'm sorry still." he sighed, but he was relieved.
The slightly shorter boy's shoulders relaxed. He sat on the bed next to the box, and Mike followed. Will put a hand on his tight, and Mike actually pinched himself in disbelief.
"Did you- Did you really just pinch yourself?" Will held in a laugh. That was such a Mike thing to do, it almost blew his mind.
Mike looked at Will and embarrassment washed over his face as he realized it was in fact reality that he was living in. He buried his face in Will's shoulder and although being embarrassed, he giggled quietly.
They sat side by side on the messy bed, the quiet hum of the morning wrapping around them like a soft blanket. Will's hand still rested gently on Mike's tight, fingers curling lightly, holding just enough to say I'm here. Mike shifted closer, feeling the steady warmth through the fabric. Mike glanced down at Will's hand again, then met his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Will's eyes widened and a smirk perked up as he remembered something. "So..." he said slowly and Mike looked at him, "You want to be held by my strong arms?" he asks teasingly as he reworded an oddly specific line from Mike's letters (which was written not long after he'd gotten back from California).
Mike's lips parted, then pressed together again as he blinked. "I didn't write it like that!" he said, his voice cracking a little, only to add onto his suffering. It was true, he wrote it a bit more vague (or so he thought), he called his arms nice- uh very nice- and said that Will had gotten stronger in California, and that he would like to be held by him but...
"Right I'm sorry!" he said, tone playful, "But, man, you wouldn't mind me kissing your neck, giving you hickeys or hugging you from the behind?" Will wiggled his brows. Will had changed in the time he was gone, he was still himself, but his confidence was still something Mike had to get used to.
"Oh God." Mike groaned.
"It's Will, actually." he said, moving his face closer to the other boy's.
"You're awful! Using this information against me!" Mike had almost forgot that Will didn't just have his "letters", he read them. "Did you read all of them?" he asked.
There were quite a lot, "Not all of them," Will looked at the box, "but enough."
Some of the letters were really sad, it made Will tear up and knew he would have to talk about some of the things they said with Mike. And then there were a handful that were... rather descriptive, and it was clear they weren't ever supposed to be in Will's hands. It did feel intrusive, like going through Mike's brain. But sometimes, Will was selfish and couldn't not read about how Mike was stressing over the fact the he was in his wet dreams again, or how much he missed him. Though, he also found out things that really upset him. And he couldn't belive Mike was trying to get ahold of him basically everyday, with the phone ringing only to tell him the line is busy, but he was too scared to leave a message.
Will took Mike in his arms hugging him tightly, he needed it.
Notes:
In my mind, Mike gets rude when he's nervous, but doesn't usually say anything outloud.
Idk how I did with the characterization, maybe not everyone views them the way I do!
I'm really trying to show a bit of how awkward it can be being a teenager!
Chapter Text
El was downstairs, keeping herself busy.
After Mike and Will went upstairs she couldn't not think about it. She knew about both of them- that they loved each other. Mike had told her when they broke up. Well, he didn't. He told her he's gay, after that she'd already guessed it was Will that he actually loved (and he had to explain to her that it meant he was a boy that didn't like girls, he liked boys, she didn't get why it was such a big deal either).With Will it was different. He told her recently, apologized for no reason too.
And now, they were alone and Mike had come to talk about something. She hoped he was going to tell Will how he felt.
Break Up
Mike and El, they hadn't talked to each other much, not since Mike's speech. It was terrible. In El's humble opinion, having your best friend call you "the heart" and push you to tell your girlfriend "I love you" wasn't the most romantic thing she'd ever seen. She wasn't really angry with Mike, just disappointed. Disappointed that he kept lying.
Mike was confused. He thought that after he'd say it, him and El would go back to normal. That he'd be normal, with her. But something told him it would be better if they just broke up. If he just accepted he wasn't normal. That no matter in how much shame he buried under, he couldn't keep lying to himself, to El. He didn't mean to use her like that, he didn't want to think of it like that. It was just too much guilt. He felt horrible, like such a horrible person.
And when they'd finally got the chance to talk, they both knew what they had to do. The decision was clear.
"Mike listen," El started off and he nodded. "I think that... that we should break up. For real this time."
He looked at her softly, understanding settled between the two of them. "I'm- I mean, I agree." he said quietly. El gave him a sad look. "You probably know, but I don't love you. Well, I do! But it's just... I love you the way I love Lucas, Dustin and even Max." he explained.
("Lucas, Dustin, Max... but not Will" El thought) "I get it Mike, you're not in love with me, like people in the movies say... And I realized that I don't need you..." she sighed and Mike felt a pang in his chest at the words. "I don't need you to be in love with me." she clarified.
"El, I- I'm just so sorry, I tired. I really tried." Mike looked down, "I wanted to love you, but I just c-can't."
Eleven stared at Mike as the room went quiet. She didn't feel like he owed her an explanation, or like he was lying to her. This was probably the most honest they've ever been to each other since they had gotten together. But she felt like he carried more than he was letting on- and at times like this, with Vecna haunting after every single insecurity, it was possibly the worst thing to do. Mike shouldn't have to hide.
She put a hand on his cheek, reassuringly. "It's okay." she whispered. And after a second of hesitation she asked him- more or less out of curiosity, "Why couldn't you love me?".
His expression changed, it became more sharp (unsure? panicked?). "I couldn't because..." his voice cracked slightly, but he tried to ease up. "Because I'm gay." the words were so said softly, quietly like a secret.
El looked at him, eyebrows pinched together, confused. ("Gay"- a word she'd seen in one or two newspapers, but never bothered to read about it). She didn't get it and she felt a bit bad that she didn't understand what Mike was telling her. She felt dumb, not being able to understand properly.
But Mike smiled slightly at her. "Sorry, Mike but- What does that mean?"
His eyes darted around the room, then he sighed. "It's just that, I don't like girls." he said. "So you like boys?" El asked quickly and Mike nodded. "Gay is when boys like boys or girls like girls." Mike decided to explain.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" El questioned. Mike stayed quiet, staring at the floor. "It's not right..." he just said as he looked back at her guiltily. "Why?"
"What?" he asked back, which really shouldn't have been what he said. It was just that it wasn't something people questioned because everyone knew it was a sin, unnatural, disgusting, but then again- Why? "I don't know." Mike simply answered because he'd just realized he actually didn't know. He didn't know anything. Not why Will lied about the painting or why everything that was happening was happening.
So El was tip-toeing on the stairs to Will's room. She'd waited long enough if they were going to confess their love or whatever. She raised her hand and knocked on his door, "Will, I'm hungryy." she said, casually.
It took him a while to open the door. He stood in the door frame, Mike no more than a few inches away. Will's hair was messier than before, his cheeks flushed and he was pretty much grinning although he usually wasn't all happy and jumping for joy in the morning. "What can I do then?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "Well, I just wanted to eat together." El shrugged, smiling back. And she actually did want to eat with Will, it made them feel like family and she really enjoyed that feeling. She could also ask about everything else too.
They were eating cereal with milk. They asked Mike if he had eaten and although he said he wasn't hungry, they'd made a bowl for him as well.
The new kitchen was small, it centered around a plain wooden island, where the bowls were placed. White cabinets brightened the room while the gentle hum of the fridge and the faint scent of coffee made made it feel comfortable. It was warm there, sunlight beaming through the windows. El was sitting on the counter, looking straight at Will and Mike who were both sitting on the stools at the island. They both shared a comforting charm. It made her feel at peace, seeing them like this, especially since the tension between them before was insufferable- only made worse by the fact that El knew why they were like that.
"Did something happen?" she asked, not fully thinking it through. Mike and Will both looked at each other with wide eyes and slight blush across their cheeks. That reaction alone was enough confirmation to El, so she asked: "Which one said it first?", it was clear what she was referring to (I love you).
"Eheh-" Will scratched his head. Mike looked at El, his mouth agape. "You told him!?" he asked her and El blinked. "No?" Will answered instead, "I told her." . Mike crossed his arms and nodded. "I didn't tell anyone, Mike." El reassured, smiling. He'd told her not to and she didn't, she'd never betray Mike's trust like that, not even for Will.
Mike was looking at his best fri- boyfriend (?) and his friend. He couldn't belive Will told El he liked Mike. El knew both of them liked each other and didn't say anything! -But then again, he really appreciates it. "I said it first." Mike answers El's question from before.
The girl smiles widely at him. She was really happy for them. Mike had finally said what he struggled to say and even if it was not to her, she did feel happy. Happy that Mike could finally share his love. Happy that they both found themselves. Happy that her now brother was happy. She couldn't feel upset, especially now that the most important people in her life have what they've always wanted. "So are you two boyfriends?" she asked another question.
They reacted awkwardly, looking all over the room and stealing quick glances at each other. "If that's what Mike wants, I definitely-" Will said, not finishing the sentence. "Yes! I mean... yes. Of course." the other boy replied quickly. El nodded, amused.
After a few silent moments, "I love you guys, no matter what." El stated, she felt it was right to say. "We love you too." Will said, teary-eyed and she went over to hug them.
"You're the first to know... obviously." Mike told her and it made her feel good, special.
Mike went home sooner than he'd hoped. His mom called and he realized that he didn't tell anyone where he was going, not the best idea. Nancy guessed where he was and she was right- of course.
When he'd gotten home he went right to his room. The blue walls felt more welcoming than they'd ever had. The room where he'd spend his worst moments in, suddenly felt less crowded and agonizing. He was happy he'd left it clean, it created such a nice atmosphere. He looked at the "one way" sign on his wall, he'd accidentally moved it when he was reaching above his closet. It was now upside down (the word sent shivers down his spine, but he ignored it) and it pointed towards Will's framed painting, which he smiled at the sight of. He put his hand over his face:
"How was it not obvious after you found out the painting was actually from me?" Will asked him when they were in his room. Mike shrugged, "I thought it was just platonic, I don't know..."
Soon, Nancy came and knocked fast on his door. "Are you alright?" she asked right away. "Yes." Mike answered plainly.
She bit her tongue as she looked at him then decided to question further. He didn't seem upset. "Did you tell him?" was all she said and Mike instantly lit up, his serious facade falling. "Oh my God, I was so right!" Nancy squealed excitedly.
"We're together. He said I can tell you." Mike told her.
"What are you thinking of?" Nancy quirked her brow, trying to read her brother again.
He was thinking of what Will said to him. It made him anxious, although he knew he didn't need to be. "I want to tell mom and Jonathan, maybe Hop too. If that's okay with you! I mean sorry if it's too fast- we really don't have to yet! It's just that I-" Will rambled, but he made sure he didn't force Mike to do anything. And he was told Jonathan knows that Will's gay and that he likes Mike. But it just made Mike feel nervous, it felt revealing- but then again, telling people only made him feel better.
"Should we tell his family? I mean El already knows-"
"Mike." Nancy stopped him from starting to ramble.
Notes:
Sorry for slow uploads!
So what do we think?
Please do comment :))
I thought about Els character in this chapter and while it's still byler focused, I really wanted her to be the main in this with her pov and everything.
wbmyitwakabyler on Chapter 2 Tue 17 Jun 2025 06:10PM UTC
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Le0z on Chapter 2 Wed 18 Jun 2025 04:27AM UTC
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ziconzeta48 on Chapter 2 Wed 18 Jun 2025 07:37PM UTC
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Unnamed_Frog on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 09:10PM UTC
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axyore on Chapter 3 Sat 21 Jun 2025 12:59PM UTC
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Willisacutie on Chapter 3 Thu 17 Jul 2025 11:55AM UTC
Last Edited Thu 17 Jul 2025 11:55AM UTC
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Zees_Art on Chapter 4 Mon 11 Aug 2025 11:22PM UTC
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