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“So, uh, this is it,” Mike said as he stood awkwardly in the middle of the basement. A mattress had been set up on the floor, blankets and pillows neatly left on it for Will. More bedding was on the couch for Jonathan, who was upstairs talking to Nancy.
Will chuckled. “Mike, I’ve been in your basement a million times, you don’t have to give me a tour.”
“I- I know,” Mike stuttered. “It just… it feels different now. You’re moving in. I feel like I have to be… I dunno, more… proper, I guess?”
“Mike,” Will sighed, setting his bag on the floor next to the mattress. “It’s just me. You don’t ‘have to be’ anything but you.” He sat on the mattress and started to take off his shoes. Mike sat down next to him and fidgeted with his own hands.
“I guess,” Mike replied and shrugged. “I feel like I have to impress you or something. You’re gonna be staying here in my house, we’ll be together all the time.”
“So?” Will asked. “We’ve known each other since we were 5, Mike. I don’t think there’s anything I don’t know about you.”
Mike flushed. “Well, I don’t know about that. It’s been a while, maybe I changed somehow while you were in California.”
Will cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. “Oh, really? Like what?”
Mike fidgeted some more as he thought of something quick to say. He didn’t actually know how to answer that, and he didn’t expect Will to ask that.
“Well, uh…” He cleared his throat.
Will let out a laugh of disbelief. “You can’t even think of anything, can you?”
“Shut up,” Mike replied weakly, and lightly punched Will in the upper arm.
“Ouch, my feelings,” Will pretend-whined, rubbing his arm.
“Oh, poor you,” Mike said mockingly. “Should I kiss it better?”
Will’s jaw went slack for a moment before he seemed to gather his composure, but looked away from Mike somewhat bashfully. After an awkward beat, he asked, “So, uh, did El ever talk to you?”
Mike’s smile fell immediately. “Not really. I think… I think I screwed up. Bad.”
“What?” Will asked, shocked enough by this information that he turned back to Mike. “I don’t understand. You… did everything you were supposed to do.”
“I know,” Mike said. “I think she could tell, though…”
“Tell what?”
“That I didn’t believe what I was saying.”
Will’s shoulders sank. “What?”
Mike ran a hand through his hair, avoiding Will’s gaze. “I don’t know, I… I tried to mean it. But when I said all that stuff - about loving her, about how she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me… it just didn’t feel right. Like I was reading lines from a script.” He swallowed anxiously, finally meeting Will’s eyes. “And she could tell.”
Will’s heart pounded out of his chest. He could hear his pulse in his own ears. “Mike…” he started softly. “If you didn’t mean it… then why say it?”
Mike let out a frustrated sigh and flopped back onto the mattress, turning his eyes to the ceiling. “Because I wanted to mean it. Because everyone expects me to! Because…” He hesitated, then sighed again. “Because I thought that if I said it enough times, maybe it would come true.”
Will exhaled shakily. “Did it? Come true?”
Mike turned his head to look at Will again. “No.”
The word hung between them in the thick silence of the room, heavy and undeniable. Will held his breath. Mike sat back up, still looking at Will. His gaze flickered down to Will’s lips momentarily - just long enough for Will to catch it - before he quickly looked away again, cheeks flushing.
Will’s line of sight snapped to the floor in front of him. Surely he had seen wrong, but the thrill of the possibility Mike had been looking at his lips was enough to get him blushing.
Mike slowly turned to face Will again, then cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I’m pretty sure it’s over. With El.”
Will immediately snapped out of it. He had forgotten what the conversation was about in the first place. He furrowed his brow in concern, his earlier flustered reaction quickly replaced by worry for his best friend. He couldn’t deny the small flutter of hope in his chest, but pushed it aside to focus on Mike.
Even though it was probably the last thing he should be doing, Will reached out a hesitant hand to place it on Mike’s shoulder in an attempt at comforting him.
“I’m really sorry, Mike,” he said. “I know… I know you really care about her.”
Mike nodded, staring blankly at the floor below. “I do. I swear, I really do…”
Will couldn’t help but ask, “But…?”
Mike sighed. “But I didn’t love her. Not like I was supposed to.”
Will squeezed Mike’s shoulder gently. “It’s not your fault, Mike, you… you can’t force yourself to love someone.”
Mike turned to Will, his expression vulnerable. “Then why does it feel like it’s my fault? Like… like I failed somehow?”
Will met his eyes, his voice steady but gentle. “Because you care. Because you wanted it to work. But Mike…” He hesitated, then continued, “You don’t have to be what everyone expects you to be.”
Mike swallowed hard, looking at Will like he was seeing him - really seeing him - for the first time. “...yeah?”
Will nodded, a small, hopeful smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah.”
The space between them felt charged, like the air before a storm. Mike opened his mouth, about to say something, but before he could -
A knock at the door made them both jump apart.
“Boys!” Karen’s voice called from the hall. “Dinner’s ready!”
Mike let out a shaky breath, running an exasperated hand over his face. “...coming, mom!”
Will sat up straight, pulse still racing. The moment was gone, but the weight of it lingered in the air between them.
“We should - we should go eat,” Mike said, a bit awkwardly, and stood up, smoothing out the creases in his jeans.
Will nodded, getting up as well. “Right. Yeah.”
◇─────◇─────◇
A few months later, the two found themselves sitting on Mike’s bed trying their best to focus on history homework.
“Is 9 A or B?” Will asked, chewing absentmindedly on the end of his pencil. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mike looking at him, but his expression was unreadable from this angle.
Mike groaned, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I have no idea. I haven't been able to focus all night.”
Will chuckled sympathetically, setting down his own pencil. “Yeah, me too. This homework is melting my brain.”
Mike leaned back against the headboard, massaging his temples. “Maybe we should just give up for tonight. I don't think I'm gonna remember any of this crap anyway.”
Will sighed heavily, collapsing onto the mattress with a dramatic thud. “Yeah, you're probably right. My brain just feels like mush right now.”
Mike hesitated for a moment before sitting up and shifting closer to Will on the bed. “Hey, um… can I ask something kinda weird?”
Will turned his head to look at Mike. “Since when do you ask permission before saying something weird?”
Mike grinned weakly, then grew serious again. “It’s just… do you ever feel like…”
He gestured vaguely between them.
“I don’t follow,” Will said.
“...like things are… different between us lately?” Mike finished.
Will’s breath caught. “...different how?”
Mike’s gaze flickered downward again for what must be the thousandth time to Will’s knowledge before meeting Will’s eyes. “I don’t know. Just… different.”
Something charged and electric hung between them, terrifying and exhilarating all at once.
“I don’t know what to say,” Will breathed. “Um.”
Mike bit the inside of his cheek, trying to figure out how to say what he was thinking. His eyes darted from Will’s face to his shoulders, to his hands, back up to his face again.
“It just feels like… like there’s something unsaid. Between us.”
The painting that hung on the wall behind Will’s back hovered over him in his mind, feeling like an omen. Good or bad, he couldn’t say.
Will’s heart was pounding so loudly he was sure Mike could hear it. “...yeah?” he asked, voice just above a whisper.
“Mhm,” Mike answered, scooting a bit closer.
Will felt his pulse quicken as Mike moved closer. Was he imagining things, or was there tension in the air between them? He swallowed hard, meeting Mike's gaze.
“And you don't know what it is?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
“I have some thoughts,” Mike said, and if Will didn’t know better, he’d think that bump of their elbows was intentional on Mike’s part.
Will’s breath hitched as Mike’s arm lingered against his. He could feel the warmth radiating between them, and suddenly, the room felt too small.
“Oh?” Will managed to eke out. “What kind of thoughts?”
Mike moved even closer, wetting his lips nervously. Will’s eyes darted hopelessly downward.
“MIKE! WILL! We’re late for tonight’s crawl!” Nancy shouted through the door, causing the pair to leap away from each other.
Mike exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair again as he put distance between himself and Will. “Jesus- Nance, we’re coming!” he called, voice cracking slightly as he stood up abruptly.
Will sat frozen for a second, heart still hammering, before scrambling to gather his things. His hands shook as he shoved his notebook into his backpack.
“We should- uh. We should go,” Mike muttered, avoiding Will’s gaze.
“Yeah,” Will agreed weakly, swallowing the lump in his throat. The moment was shattered yet again - but this time, whatever was going on between them felt heavier than ever.
As Mike reached for the doorknob, Will blurted out, “Mike -”
Mike paused, shoulders tense, but didn’t turn around. “...yeah?”
Will opened his mouth, then thought better of what he had been planning to say. “...nevermind.”
Mike nodded stiffly and stepped into the hallway, leaving Will standing there, wondering if he’d just missed his chance.
Again.
◇─────◇─────◇
The next year or so contained several more tense moments between Mike and Will.
Every time they neared something meaningful, some distraction or interruption or misunderstanding would happen to pull them out of it. It was a seemingly never-ending cycle. Sometimes Will was left with hope; hope that he had a chance with Mike, that maybe Mike felt something too.
But other times he was left feeling frustrated and helpless. He wanted to do something, say something to break the tension, but the fear of ruining the friendship always held him back.
◇─────◇─────◇
18 months after the Byers family had returned from California, Will and Robin were hiding from Vickie in a room at Hawkins Memorial Hospital.
He had recently found himself becoming close with Robin and finding a surprise ally and mentor in her. He had already looked up to her, but after he had accidentally seen her kissing Vickie through the crack of an open door - her fault, really, for not fully closing the door, right? - his admiration for her soared.
Because it meant he wasn’t alone.
Unfortunately for Robin, she had to cancel on Vickie again due to their shenanigans, so they were avoiding her at all costs to prevent a fight. They snuck into a random hospital room, Robin shutting the door behind them and exhaling with relief.
“You know, you could always just kiss her again,” Will suggested with a bashful smile.
Robin looked around the room, frustrated. “I knew that was your goddamn bowl cut,” she lamented and crossed her arms.
“Yeah, I mean, they’re not… that… popular anymore,” Will said with a shrug.
“Did I look like I knew what I was doing, at least?” Robin asked, almost smug.
“I mean…” He looked off to the side wistfully, then grinned at Robin. “Yeah. To me.”
Robin chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I guess that’s something.”
“So,” Will began, less nervous than he thought he’d be to ask this, “how did you know that with Vickie, right? How did you know that… that Vickie wanted to -”
“Make out?” Robin cut in.
“- to date?” Will finished.
“Oh!” Robin exclaimed. “Well, we volunteered together. You know, there were, like, signals.”
Will shook his head, already lost. “Signals?”
“Yeah, you know, like a brush of the knee, a bump of the elbow, a shared look,” Robin explained.
Will swallowed anxiously and nodded, allowing Robin to continue.
“It all just kind of accrued, like a snowball rolling down a hill, until it was obvious.”
“How obvious?” Will couldn’t stop himself from blurting out.
“Let’s say the, uh, snowball became an avalanche,” she answered as she peeked out the small window in the door.
Will looked off to the side, down at the floor. His eyes widened as he thought back over the past 18 months. So many apparent near-misses with Mike, it hurt to think about at times. But not just the times he thought Mike was thinking the same thing - there were other smaller, more subtle moments. Just like Robin said: A brush of the knee, a bump of the elbow, a shared look.
He didn’t have long to consider just what this all meant for him before a patient in the room groaned, pulling him out of the clouds. He’d have to worry about it later.
◇─────◇─────◇
Next early evening, as the sun was setting, Mike and Will hung back as the rest of the group headed across the field from the station to the tunnel entrance for their mission to rescue the kids. They hadn’t necessarily meant to separate themselves from everyone else physically; they had just sort of naturally drifted.
Speaking of drifting, Mike was slowly heading closer to Will as they walked along, until their arms briefly touched.
A bump of the elbow.
Will bristled at the contact. He still really hadn’t had time to process the revelations he’d come to yesterday at the hospital, but he questioned the intent of this touch more than ever before now. He looked at Mike almost inquisitively. Mike just looked back for a moment, no real indication of what he was thinking visible on his face.
A shared look.
Will took a small chance and bumped his arm back into Mike’s briefly.
Mike spoke immediately, as if to cover the tense feeling building between them once more.
“Your mom and Robin are getting along better,” he observed.
Will shrugged. “Well, it didn’t hurt that mom scared off that demo. Saved Robin’s life, everybody’s life.”
Mike looked down at the ground thoughtfully for a few moments before speaking again. “So… when your mom, when she had her axe… you could see her?” He turned to Will. “Like, through the demo’s eyes?”
“Yeah,” Will answered. “And I was so close to the hive, it’s like I could feel what it was feeling, like this anger. That I was still in there too. And I was afraid. I was afraid for my mom.”
“You wanted to protect her,” Mike interjected.
“Yeah. But I.. I just couldn’t.” Will shook his head. “It was like this scary movie you just can’t turn off.”
Mike nodded in understanding, then went silent again for a beat as they approached the treeline. He stopped in his tracks, turning to Will and halting him with a gentle backhand to Will’s chest. Will turned to face Mike in surprise.
“Are you positive you didn’t?” Mike asked.
“Didn’t what?”
“Turn off the scary movie,” replied Mike. “Protect your mom, not the other way around. No offense. I know she’s badass and everything, but you know…”
Will rolled his eyes and smiled. “Yeah, she’s 5’3”.”
“Yeah!” Mike exclaimed in agreement. “And Vecna likes to control the hive mind like a puppet master. So maybe when you tap into the hive, you can pull the strings too.”
Will was taken aback. “Except I’m not Vecna.”
“You sorta are,” Mike said, and Will was surprised by the sincerity in his tone. He couldn’t help but scoff.
“You’re trying to say that I’m evil and hellbent on destroying the world?” he asked, incredulous.
“Totally!” Mike said sarcastically, before correcting himself with a “No!” Will couldn’t hold back a smile.
“I’m just saying that, you know, you’re like a wizard like him,” Mike insisted.
Will rolled his eyes again. “In D&D, Mike, not real life.”
“True,” Mike shot back quickly. “In real life, you’re more like a sorcerer, because your powers don’t come from a book of spells. They’re innate.”
Will simply chuckled and nodded, feeling dazed.
“Listen, as far as crazy theories go, I’ve had crazier,” Mike continued. “And with Eleven in the Upside Down, we really need some magic up here.”
With a sudden burst of courage, Will gave Mike a coy smile, looked him up and down, and shoved him playfully in the chest.
Mike didn’t take his eye off of Will the entire time, stumbling backwards a bit and grinning before walking off towards the tunnels.
Will stayed behind for a moment, watching Mike walk away. His elation at their apparently flirtatious interaction quickly faded to concern and his smile fell. Had he taken things too far? Did he make Mike uncomfortable?
Once again, though, he realized now was probably not the best time to be worrying about such things. He followed Robin, the last one into the tunnels.
◇─────◇─────◇
After the incident that night at the MAC-Z where Will had unleashed his powers, he had fallen unconscious almost immediately upon saving everyone. Mike rushed to catch him as he fell and barely made it in time.
“Will!” he exclaimed, doing his best to hold Will up, his breathing heavy. “Will, are you okay? Holy shit.”
Will’s eyes fluttered open and closed. He mumbled something unintelligible.
Joyce ran over to them, reaching out to repeatedly tap Will’s face gently. “Will, sweetie, wake up, please…”
“M’wake,” Will slurred. “Tired.”
Mike and Joyce both breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
“Come on, let’s get him out of here,” Mike said, propping Will’s right side up and allowing Joyce to take his left.
“Wha?” he asked sleepily as they helped him along, past the wounded and dead soldiers and the demogorgon which had practically been snapped to pieces by Will. “Hap’n?”
Mike and Joyce shot each other a concerned look. He doesn’t remember?
By the time they made it back to the hole in the bathroom, Will was unconscious again, his body dead weight against Mike and Joyce’s frames.
“Will, honey,” Joyce said, tapping his face again, a little harder this time. Mike’s brow furrowed with concern.
Will’s head lolled and he groaned, coming to once more. “Mike?” he managed to ask.
“I'm here,” Mike reassured him. “I'm right here.” Will only breathed out what seemed to be a sigh of relief in response.
“We have to get you down the ladder, okay?” Joyce pressed gently. “Can you help us, Will?”
Will nodded weakly and Mike climbed down first to help Will down the ladder. Will groaned again when he was almost at the bottom of the ladder, and involuntarily let go, falling backwards in a slump as Mike caught him from behind.
Joyce peeked down from the top of the ladder. “Is he okay?”
Will’s head rolled forward, but he seemed to be conscious. “Are you okay?” Mike asked him directly, practically whispering in his ear.
“Yeh,” Will mumbled. “Kinda.”
“Okay, come on, I got you,” Mike said, helping Will to stand and support more of his own weight again. “Lean on me, we’ll get you back to the station.”
Will muttered something completely unintelligible and leaned against Mike’s side.
“Shh, Will, don’t try to talk, just focus on walking,” Mike said as he rubbed a soothing circle on Will’s back and Joyce came down the ladder after them.
Lucas jogged down the tunnel towards them. “Are you guys okay? The craziest shit just happened, there was a demo and -”
“We know,” Mike interrupted, looking at Will with obvious concern as he quietly groaned again.
“What the hell happened to Will?” Lucas asked.
Joyce and Mike shared a knowing look. “We’ll explain at the station,” Mike said, and Lucas nodded, understanding.
◇─────◇─────◇
As soon as they had gotten back to the station and laid Will on the couch, he fell unconscious again. Joyce immediately asked Mike to retrieve some cold water and a washcloth, and as much as Mike didn’t want to leave Will’s side, he did as he was told quickly so he could return.
However, as he gathered what Joyce had asked for, he couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander. He realized with some sadness that he needed some time alone to process whatever the hell had just happened. Fortunately, he knew he could trust Joyce to take care of Will while he was gone.
Once he brought Joyce the supplies, Mike left to the roof for a while to be by himself and think about things.
Something about seeing Will in those moments after the battle at the MAC-Z had hit him like a truck.
He and Will had been dancing around whatever had been going on between them, coming close to some kind of resolution on numerous occasions since Will had returned to Hawkins and moved in with the Wheelers. So close, but every time, something got in the way. Sometimes they were interrupted, but the worst was the other times. Other times, Mike got in his own stupid fucking way.
He hated to admit it to himself, but he was scared. Scared he was reading things incorrectly, scared of losing Will if it turned out he was wrong. Too scared to just tell Will what he had really been thinking.
But now… now he wasn’t sure what to do. When Will had fallen to his knees in front of him, wiping the blood away from his nose, Mike’s emotions had reached a boiling point.
He knew he couldn’t keep running from this anymore.
◇─────◇─────◇
Joyce sat near the couch, near the end where Will’s head rested. If Mike didn’t know better, he’d swear she was praying. He came up behind the couch, observing Joyce for a moment thoughtfully before speaking up.
“Any movement?” he asked as quietly as he could manage, so as not to wake Will or startle Joyce.
She shook her head. “Not really.”
Mike stepped closer and turned to look at Will’s resting face. Joyce had evidently wiped away all the dirt and blood with the washcloth she had asked for earlier.
Mike exhaled shakily before opening his mouth to ask, “Do you think he can hear us?”
“I’m not sure,” Joyce answered. “I hope so. I’ve been talking to him,” she added with a crooked half-smile.
Mike walked over and sat on the floor next to Joyce, looking at Will. “What have you been saying to him?” he asked her, his tone sincere.
Joyce sniffled a bit and wiped at her nose, clearly holding back tears. “Just telling him how proud of him I am. How strong and brave he is. That I love him.”
Mike nodded, understanding, not taking his eyes off of Will’s face.
Joyce, meanwhile, was looking at Mike. Her brow furrowed in thought. “Why do you ask?”
Mike turned to her, his voice gentle. “I… no, it’d be selfish of me,” he said hesitantly, his eyes darting to the side.
“What is it?” Joyce asked, sitting up straight. “Mike, I’ve known you since you were 5 years old. I know you aren’t selfish, not when it comes to Will.”
Mike met her gaze again. “I was wondering if I could say something to him. Alone.”
Joyce opened her mouth, surprised. She didn’t want to leave her son for even a moment, of course, but if she owed anyone some time alone with Will, it was Mike Wheeler, who had spent so much of the last decade plus protecting and saving her son time and time again at all costs.
Mike Wheeler, who now seemed to have something weighing heavy on his mind. She had an inkling what it might be from all her years of observing the boys - but she didn’t want to hope too hard for Will. Not yet.
Whatever it was, Mike clearly needed to get it off his chest, as he looked at Will with sad, wide eyes. He turned to her again. “Mrs. Byers?”
She snapped out of her thoughts. “Sorry, Mike. Of course you can talk to him.”
Mike’s face lit up a bit at the response. “Thank you, Mrs. Byers.”
“I’ll give you some privacy,” she announced, standing up from her seat and offering it to Mike. He stood from his spot on the floor, turning the chair toward Will and sitting down as Joyce walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.
Mike took a deep breath and reached for Will’s hand, taking it in his own.
“H-hey, Will,” he started, already anxious. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I thought maybe I’d try to get through anyway, just in case you’re able to.”
Will didn’t stir. Mike huffed, frustrated. “There’s a lot of stuff I want to tell you. Things I should have said months ago. But as much as I put up a ‘Mike the Brave’ front sometimes, the truth is, I’m a coward.”
Mike reached up with his other hand, mussing Will’s bangs absently, which had finally been starting to dry in funny positions on his forehead. He sighed. “Every time I get close to being honest with you, or… or making a move…”
He swallowed.
“...I stop myself. I make excuses. I run away. I’m scared to tell you the truth.” Mike shook his head to himself. “I can’t even tell you the full truth right now because I think you deserve to hear it when you’re awake and can respond.”
Mike scoffed. “Am I making excuses again? I don’t know. I’m not even sure what point I’m trying to make here.”
Another sigh, tinged with irritation aimed at himself. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. If I’m being honest… I don’t know when I’ll be able to, still. I have to work up the courage to do it, I guess. So, uh. I’m sorry for that.”
Will still didn’t move. He’d been out cold for hours at this point, and Mike was really starting to worry that something more than Will being exhausted was going on. He placed two fingers to the side of Will’s throat gently, feeling his pulse. He was alive, at least. That was a start.
A gentle knocking broke Mike from his train of thought and caused him to pull his hands away from Will, and as he looked up Joyce opened the door a small crack and peeked in. “Okay to come in?”
Mike nodded, realizing he needed Joyce’s help here. “Yeah, um, Mrs. Byers… I think something is really wrong with Will. I’m concerned.”
Joyce hugged her arms around herself with a frown. “I know,” she said. “Me, too.”
“Do you think…” Mike rubbed his temples, trying to distract himself from the pounding in his head. “Could Eleven help?”
Joyce perked up a bit at the idea, but replied, “I don’t know if Hop would like that…”
“Please ask them,” Mike implored. He stopped rubbing his head and looked down at Will’s unconscious form again solemnly. “Please, Mrs. Byers.”
Joyce nodded, taking in Mike’s worried expression and tone. “I’ll talk to them.”
◇─────◇─────◇
Within a few hours, they had moved to Hop’s cabin. Will laid in El’s bed, still motionless, Joyce sitting at his side once again. Mike paced back and forth in what little space was there, anxious.
The door opened a bit and El poked her head in. She had changed into her wetsuit, ready to get in the tank. “Mike?”
Mike stopped pacing and turned to her. “Oh. Is it time?”
El nodded. “I would like to speak to you first, though.”
“Oh,” Mike said, surprised. “Sure.” He followed her out to the tank and they sat on the side of it, facing each other.
El took a deep breath before speaking.
“I see how worried you are about him, Mike,” she started.
“W-well… yeah,” Mike stuttered. “He’s… he’s my best friend. I… care about him a lot.”
El hummed affirmatively. “Well… I am worried about you.”
Mike shook his head. “I’m okay. I just… I need you to get through to Will. I have to…” He sighed. “Look, I can’t explain right now, okay? It’s just important.”
“Mike…” El said with a sigh of her own. “This isn’t like one of your campaigns.”
Mike stiffened.
“You don’t get to write the ending. Not this time.” She placed a gentle hand on his cheek.
“What are you trying to say?” Mike asked her.
“I hope you get the ending you want,” El said, removing her hand. “I… hope Will can see what I see.”
Mike bristled at that. “...what do you see?”
El smiled sadly. “Just how much you care about him.”
He looked away, uncomfortable, suddenly feeling far too seen. He hoped El didn’t mean what he thought she meant.
She nodded resolutely. “Okay. I’m going in. Please go sit with him in case he wakes up.”
“Yeah,” Mike said, standing up and starting to walk back to her room. He stopped momentarily, turning to her again. “Eleven? Be careful.”
“Of course, Mike,” she replied, and with that, he turned and left.
◇─────◇─────◇
The visions had been eating Will alive. He didn’t know if he was going to survive this time.
After he had fully lost consciousness, it had been nothing but running and terrifying, haunting visions of his loved ones being ripped apart by all sorts of Upside Down creatures… and in most of these visions, Mike was the one being torn apart right in front of his eyes.
Will fell to his knees sobbing as he watched Mike being ripped apart by demodogs once again, screaming for his life as Will could do nothing to stop it. He knew it wasn’t real, but it felt and looked real enough to break his heart every time it happened. He didn’t know if he could take much more of this.
“Will!”
He jumped at the sound of El’s voice behind him and turned quickly to look, wiping away tears. “El? Wha-”
“Will, it’s me, it’s actually me.” She ran up to him and crouched down next to him. She looked over at the disfigured, imagined corpse of Mike, horrified. “Oh.”
“El, how are you here? You- wha- you’re real?”
“Yes,” she said, looking back at him. “I promise, I’m real. I am in your mindscape. I’m here to get you out, but -”
The world surrounding them suddenly shifted. Mike’s corpse and the demodogs disappeared. They were now in Will’s bedroom in Lenora Hills, and memory-Will was painting. The painting for Mike.
“Will?” she asked, standing, and Will followed suit. “I never saw what you were painting.”
She walked around the other side of the canvas and was startled when she saw it, recognizing it from Mike’s room. “Will, you-”
Will looked down at the ground. “It’s not what it looks like, El.”
El looked at him, but she didn’t appear upset. Will bit his inner cheek, uncomfortable and unsure what El was thinking.
The world shifted around them again. Will’s bedroom, but this time memory-Will was kneeling by the dresser packing, and memory-Mike was sitting on the bed talking to him.
"Listen, the truth is, the last year has been... weird, you know?" memory-Mike said. "And I mean, you know, Max and Lucas and Dustin, they're great, they're great, it's just... it's Hawkins, it's not the same without you. And I feel like... maybe I was worrying too much about El, and I dunno, maybe I feel like I lost you or something. Does that make sense?"
Memory-Will nodded, tears starting to form in his eyes.
El glanced over at the real Will, trying to parse his reactions. He still wasn't looking at her. He seemed... guilty? She furrowed her brow in concern.
Memory-Mike continued. "I have no idea what's gonna happen next. But... whatever it is, I think we should work together. I think it'll be easier if we're a team. Friends."
Memory-Will nodded again.
"Best friends," Memory-Mike added, and El took in every movement of Mike's face.
Memory-Will smiled. "Cool."
"Cool," responded memory-Mike, almost too easily.
El tried to look at Will again for his reaction, but the world shifted again. They were in a black void, except for a small area where they could see memory-Mike and memory-Will sitting in the back of the Surfer Boy Pizza van.
Will finally looked at El, his wide eyes betraying his sadness and guilt.
She frowned, worried for her brother, but turned her head to the scene in front of them to watch.
"We're gonna make it, Mike," memory-Will said. "She's gonna be okay."
Memory-Mike nodded. "Yeah... I know. I know she is." Memory-Will nodded back.
"But..." memory-Mike continued, "But what if after all this is over, she... sh-she doesn't need me anymore?"
El crossed her arms over her chest and watched curiously.
Memory-Will shook his head no. "No, o-of course she'll still need you. She'll always need you, Mike."
El glanced at the real Will, who was looking at the scene with knitted brows, a pained expression on his face.
"I keep telling myself that, but I... I don't believe it," says memory-Mike. "I mean, she's special."
Memory-Will nods knowingly.
"She was born special," memory-Mike goes on. "Maybe I was one of the first people to realize that. But the truth is, when I stumbled on her in the woods, she just needed someone. It's not fate. It's... it's not destiny, it's just simple dumb luck. And one day she's gonna realize that I'm just some random nerd that got lucky that Superman landed on his doorstep. I mean, at least Lois Lane is an ace reporter for the Daily Planet, right? But..."
Will looked at El sadly.
Memory-Mike scoffed, shaking his head, and said, "sorry," to memory-Will, who simply replied, "no."
"No, it's so stupid, given everything that's going on," memory-Mike continued to ramble. "It's just... I... I don't know, I just... uh..." he hesitated.
"You're scared of losing her," memory-Will finished for him. Memory-Mike paused for a moment, then looked memory-Will up and down briefly and nodded. And then -
"Can I show you something?"
The real Will grimaced at his own words. No going back now.
Memory-Mike nodded, and memory-Will reached down to his right. El watched as his hand lifted to reveal the rolled-up painting, and she had no doubts about what it was. She looked at real-Will, genuinely confused. He looked back to her, a look of defeat on his face, and sighed sadly, accepting his fate, whatever it may be.
They watched together as memory-Will handed memory-Mike the painting and he unrolled it. The grin that broke out on his face was palpable.
“This is amazing. Did you paint this?” memory-Mike asked, his tone of voice making it even clearer how overjoyed he was.
“Yeah, yeah,” memory-Will answered, but immediately backpedaled, looking away from memory-Mike. “I mean… I mean…”
Will wrapped his arms around himself and looked away, bracing for impact.
“I mean, El asked me to,” memory-Will finished.
El’s head snapped to look at Will, surprised. He couldn’t look at her. Not now. Maybe never again after this.
“She commissioned it, basically. I mean, she told me what to draw,” memory-Will continued. Memory-Mike glanced back and forth rapidly between the painting and Will.
“Anyway, my point is,” memory-Will said as he reached across memory-Mike’s arm to point at part of the painting. “See how you’re leading us here? You’re guiding the whole Party, inspiring us. That’s… that’s what you do. And see your coat of arms here? It’s a heart.”
El continued to watch the real Will, concerned. A single guilty tear fell silently down his cheek and he let out a shaky breath.
“And I know it’s sort of on the nose,” memory-Will said, looking off wistfully, “but that’s what holds this whole Party together. Heart. Because, I mean, without heart, we’d all fall apart.”
El looked back at the scene just as memory-Will said, “Even El. Especially El.”
She furrowed her brow once more. Memory-Mike looked at memory-Will with an expression of… confusion? Whatever it was, it seemed to reflect El’s own confusion in the moment.
“These past few months, she’s been so lost without you,” memory-Will carried on. “It’s just, she’s so… different from other people, and…” He hesitated.
El looked once more at Will, who was now visibly shaking, clearly trying to hold in whatever emotions he was feeling. Her confusion morphed into sadness for her brother, regardless of what he may be sad about. She didn’t know, and she didn’t care. She ran to him, wrapping her arms around him and he choked out a strangled sob as she turned her head to look at the scene again, not letting go.
“When you’re… when you’re… different… sometimes…” memory-Will said with a sigh. “You feel like a mistake.” He turned back around to face memory-Mike before continuing, “But you make her feel like she’s not a mistake at all. Like she’s better for being different. And that gives her the courage to fight on.”
Will turned into El’s embrace, burying his head in her shoulder as he cried. She looked at him wide-eyed, worried, and rubbed a soothing circle on his back.
“If she was mean to you or she seemed like she was pushing you away, it’s probably just because she’s scared of losing you, just like you’re scared of losing her.”
Whatever memory-Will was saying… the words spoken were about her on the surface, but it was becoming rapidly clear to El that memory-Will was truly speaking about himself.
“And if she was going to lose you, I… I think she’d rather just get it over with quick. Like ripping off a Band-Aid. So, yeah. El needs you, Mike. And she always will.”
Will sobbed into her shoulder once more as memory-Mike asked, “Yeah?”
And memory-Will, with tears starting to form in his eyes, smiled back, nodding, and just said, “Yeah,” before turning away from memory-Mike and allowing his expression to fall. El could see he was crying, but couldn’t hear it over the real Will’s sobs.
El’s heart broke for her brother, and the scene faded away, leaving the pair standing in nothingness and silence.
“Will…” El started with a shaky voice, and suddenly she realized she was crying, too.
He slowly and gently pushed away from her, taking a deep shaky breath as he tried to control his sobs and she reluctantly let go of him.
“I’m sorry, El.”
“Will, no,” she replied. “No. Don’t say you’re sorry. Not for this.”
He finally dared to look her in the eye, surprised. “But you’re crying.”
She smiled sadly and wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m not upset.”
Will let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding back. El turned to look in the direction of where the previous memory had been before.
“That was brave of you,” she said, turning back to Will, still smiling softly.
“What?” Will asked, genuinely confused. “But I lied.”
She reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Only partly.”
Will sighed.
“You really love him, don’t you?” she asked. He nodded, looking at the ground.
“Will…” El shook her head and smiled sadly, then opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Will’s actual eyes snapped open to find Mike hovering above him in El’s bedroom in the cabin.
“Will!” Mike exclaimed, bleary-eyed. The real Mike. This was real. He was holding Will’s hand and it was real.
“Mike…?” Will began to sit up and Mike seemed to panic.
“Will, don’t, you’re weak -”
“I’m fine, Mike,” Will said, waving him off with his free hand. The one that Mike wasn’t holding.
Mike reached his other hand up, placing it on Will’s shoulder. “I-” he began, but hesitated.
Will gave him a look of confusion. “Are you okay?”
“No, it’s just… I thought I lost you. Again,” Mike said. “And -”
Before he could continue, Joyce burst into the room. Mike pulled away from Will in surprise.
“Oh my god, sweetie,” Joyce cried and ran over to sit on the bed next to them, embracing Will, tears in her eyes. Will hugged back, feeling overwhelmed with thoughts and worries.
“Where’s El?” Will asked. He could feel Mike’s eyes on him.
“She’s with Hop, he’s getting her out of the tank,” Joyce answered, and Will relaxed a bit as they pulled out of the hug.
He nodded, then looked at Mike, who was staring at Will with an unreadable expression.
“I’m alright, mom, go check on El,” Will said, not looking away from Mike. Joyce glanced between the boys, seeming to sense the tension, and nodded, leaving the room.
Mike sighed in a way that made it sound like he hadn’t been breathing since Joyce entered. He reached out and grabbed Will’s hand once again. He chewed on his lip, anxiously trying to form words.
“Mike…” Will began. “It’s okay. I’m okay. But… what happened?”
Mike shook his head, his expression full of awe. “I don’t even know where to begin. You… you were amazing.”
Will’s brow furrowed. “What did I even do?”
“God, you really don’t remember? Shit,” Mike breathed out. “Will, you’re… remember when I said you were a sorcerer?”
Will nodded, curious where Mike was going with this.
“You have no idea how right I was,” Mike continued, reverence apparent in his tone. “You have powers, Will. You killed that demo like it was nothing.”
Will’s stomach flipped. “You’re joking,” he said flatly.
“No!” Mike exclaimed. “I’m dead serious, Will. We heard the same thing happened to two other demos that were going after Lucas and Robin. You saved us.”
“I- what?” Will asked, still somewhat disbelieving. “What… what did I do? What did I look like? This is insane.”
“You looked…”
Mike reflected back, searching for the right word to describe just what he had thought as he stared back at Will in those moments.
Hot came to mind, but was definitely too forward.
Incredible? Not quite what he wanted to say either.
Then it hit him. Maybe it was a bit cheesy and on the nose, but when were they not?
“...magical,” he finished, smiling at Will and squeezing his hand gently.
Will’s cheeks flushed. “O-oh.” He looked away bashfully.
And then, because the universe hated him, Will’s stomach growled.
“Shit, you need to eat something,” Mike interjected, suddenly concerned again. “You’ve been out for a while. Let’s get you some food, huh?” He stood and helped Will up, not letting go of his hand. “Think you can make it to the kitchen?”
“I’m fine, Mike,” Will said, laughing. “Let’s go.”
◇─────◇─────◇
Later that night, after Will had eaten and the others had gone to bed, a gate had opened up in the main room of the cabin as Mike and Will sat on the couch further discussing Will’s newfound powers.
The origin was unclear; just, suddenly, a rift appeared in the wall for no apparent reason.
But there was something more important than figuring out who or what had opened it - they could faintly hear Holly and Max’s voices through it. They looked at each other, stunned and confused.
“What is Max doing in there with Holly?” Mike asked.
“I don’t know, but -”
The gate started to close on its own, and Will panicked, his head snapping back to it.
“We gotta go. Now.”
“What?” Mike asked, shocked. “What about supplies -”
“No time,” Will argued and grabbed Mike by the wrist, pulling him quickly toward the gate.
They walked through, and before they could even blink, the gate had sealed itself behind them.
Mike turned to look at where it had previously been, realizing they were now on the outside of the cabin in the Upside Down. “Shit!”
Will looked around frantically, listening for Holly or Max, or worse, danger of some kind. “Come on, Mike, we gotta run,” he implored. “It’s not safe out here.”
“Where are we going?!” Mike asked, running along as Will took off north.
“I don’t know,” Will said. “Just keep an ear out for their voices.”
They continued northward towards the Wheeler residence, moving from cover to cover and dodging demos. By the time they were approaching the house, Will seemed like he was feeling defeated.
“I’m starting to wonder if we were hearing things,” he sighed.
“Maybe it was a lure,” Mike suggested. “A trick.”
Will shrugged. “Whatever it was, we’ve run really far. I need to sit down.” He tilted his head toward the house. “Do you think the basement is safe?”
“Might as well check,” Mike said, opening the front door a bit and peeking in cautiously. “Looks clear.” He pushed the door open and walked in and Will followed. He closed the door behind them and followed Mike to the basement.
Mike walked down the stairs, and Will turned around and turned the lock on the basement door, just to be safe.
He joined Mike on the couch, slumping against the back cushion and exhaling heavily. Mike turned to look at him.
“So… so this is the Upside Down.”
Will met his gaze, his eyes widening with dawning realization. “Oh my god. You’ve never been here, huh?”
“No,” Mike answered. “It’s… it’s scary. This is what you were dealing with when you went missing?”
Will chuckled darkly. “You haven’t even seen half of it. I’m pretty sure I blocked out a lot of what I went through that week.”
Mike’s brows knitted with concern. “Will… jesus christ. I had no idea.”
“It’s okay, Mike,” Will reassured him.
“No,” Mike said, reaching out and taking Will’s hand again. “You going missing was the worst thing that ever happened to me… but my stupid, selfish ass never really considered what you had gone through.” His voice cracked a bit and the corners of his eyes glistened with tears.
“Mike, oh my god, no, you’re not stupid or selfish,” Will said, sitting up straight to face Mike as tears started to form in his own eyes. “Please don’t get upset. I’m okay.” He reached up with his free hand to wipe a tear from Mike’s eye. “Please.”
Mike shuddered, letting out a shaky breath in the small distance between them. “Will…”
“Yeah, Mike?”
“Maybe you’re right,” Mike breathed, barely above a whisper. “Maybe I’m not selfish. But I have been stupid.”
Will shook his head, not understanding.
Mike lifted the hand that wasn’t holding Will’s and slowly, cautiously used it to cup Will’s cheek. Will’s lips parted slightly and his eyes widened with surprise.
“I’m sorry I’ve been getting in my own way for so long,” Mike started to explain, and Will’s eyes narrowed a bit in confusion. “I’m sorry I keep avoiding what’s been happening between us, and that I didn’t act sooner. Hell, I’m barely acting on it right now, because I’m a fucking coward, Will.”
Will shook his head, still confused. “Mike, whatever it is… please, just.. don’t be afraid. It’s just me.”
“That’s the problem,” Mike said. “It’s you. Not ‘just’ you. You aren’t ‘just’ anything. You’re everything, and if I fuck this up and lose you -”
“You’re not going to lose me,” Will cut in, a blush starting to form on his cheeks. “Mike, you’re -” Will swallowed anxiously. “You’re everything to me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Mike’s breath hitched at Will’s words. He nodded, more determined than ever.
And finally, finally, after months of avoiding it, with no one around to interrupt, he leaned forward and kissed Will.
Will’s breath caught, his entire body freezing for a heartbeat before he melted into the gentle, sweet kiss. His hands moved instinctively - one curling into the fabric of Mike’s shirt, the other trembling against his jaw. When they finally pulled apart, Will’s voice was barely audible, breathless and disbelieving. “Mike…”
His thumb brushed Mike’s bottom lip like he was still convincing himself this was real. Then a soft, nervous laugh escaped him, and he breathed out, nearly whispering, “I thought… I thought you’d never do that.”
Mike’s laugh was equally shaky, equally nervous - but his hands stayed steady against Will’s face, like he was afraid if he let go, the moment might dissolve. “I thought I’d never let myself do that,” he admitted, voice rough.
His eyes flickered over Will’s face, taking it all in - his flushed cheeks, his lips still slightly parted - before Mike swallowed hard. “...was it okay?”
Will let out a huff, exasperated and fond all at once. He tugged Mike closer by the shirt, grinning. “Mike, it was more than okay,” he murmured. “Do you really have to ask?”
Mike exhaled - half a laugh, half relief - and before Will could tease him further, he kissed him again.
◇─────◇─────◇
They spent a good few hours splayed out on the basement couch, holding each other as they discussed anything and everything that had been going on for the past several months. Misunderstandings and near misses were cleared up, emotions laid bare, and most of all, more kisses were shared.
Will fidgeted with their interlaced fingers. “We’re going to have to leave this basement eventually and fight whatever’s out there, you know that, right?”
Mike pressed a kiss to Will’s forehead and sighed. “Yeah.”
Will shifted his body to face Mike more fully. “What the hell are we going to do? I don’t know if I’m strong enough to face Vecna.”
“Will.” Mike scoffed. “You didn’t see what you did. You don’t remember. You’re so powerful. You can do this.”
Will shook his head, disbelieving. “I don’t know, Mike. Just because I did it once doesn’t mean I can do it again.”
Mike sat up a bit, adjusting his arm to hold Will a bit tighter. “Maybe I can help you remember?”
Will looked back at him, uncertain. “How, exactly, are you going to do that?”
“Just hear me out,” Mike said. “What’s the last thing you remember happening before you woke up?”
Will looked to the side, racking his brain. “I saw the demo jumping at you and… and then I don’t know.”
“Really?” Mike asked. “Nothing after that?”
Will’s brow furrowed as he concentrated hard. “Well, maybe there’s something. It’s a bit fuzzy, though. I remember closing my eyes and… hmm.”
“What is it?”
“Do you remember when Robin and I hung back in the tunnel while you and Lucas were digging up?”
Mike raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, what was that about?”
“Well…” Will flushed, a bit embarrassed. “I’d been asking her for… advice recently.”
“Advice? About what?” Mike asked, oblivious.
Will smiled even as his cheeks grew redder. “About you.”
Mike’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “She knows?”
Will nodded. “Long story. But she had just seen us talking in the field and -”
“Oh my god,” Mike interrupted, now blushing himself. “She heard us? Because, uh, I don’t know if you could tell, but… I was totally trying to flirt with you there.”
Will chuckled. “I know, Mike. What did you think I was doing?”
Mike shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Anyway… what happened with Robin after that?”
“Well, she started talking about Tammy Thompson.”
Mike quirked a confused brow. “That Muppet girl that can’t sing?”
Will chuckled. “Yeah. Her. Apparently Robin used to have a thing for her.”
“Oh!” Mike exclaimed. “Robin’s…?”
Will nodded. There was a silent understanding that this was private information.
“Really, Robin? Tammy Thompson?” Mike asked aloud, skeptical. “She could do so much better.”
Will smirked to himself, knowing full well that Robin already did do much better than Tammy. But that wasn’t his business to share. He’d already said far too much and didn’t need to out Vickie, too.
“Anyway,” Will continued, “She told me about revisiting some old home movies of herself, and how free and happy she looked in them. A time before she was worried about Tammy, or finding love in general. She said… she had been looking for answers in someone else, but she had the answers within herself all along. That she just needed to stop being so afraid.”
Mike furrowed his brow, confused. “That sounds like she was discouraging you away from me.”
“No, no,” Will said with a sigh. “It wasn’t about Tammy at all. For one thing, you’re not… you’re not like Tammy. I don’t think Robin even ever said a word to her. I’ve known you for practically my whole life… plus she was scared of Tammy. I’m not scared of you.”
Mike smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Okay, okay. What was her point, then?”
“I guess… that I needed to stop being afraid, myself,” Will said. “Afraid of who I am.” He paused and looked Mike in the eye. “Who I love.”
Mike’s cheeks tingled with heat. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Will breathed, and all he could think about was kissing Mike again, so he did.
They pulled apart with a shared smile, and Will continued on to the point he was trying to make in the first place. “I could swear that when I closed my eyes in that moment… it sounds cheesy, but… I heard her voice saying those words again. Like something in them suddenly made sense to me.”
“Hm,” Mike hummed thoughtfully. “But you don’t remember what?”
“I’m not sure,” Will said, mentally digging deep to try and recall what had happened next. He mulled over Robin’s words in his mind, hoping something in them would help him remember.
Suddenly, something clicked in his head. The tapes.
Images flashed in his mind for a fraction of a second at a time. What stuck out more than anything: a blue and yellow swing set.
“Mike, this is gonna sound… really cliche and strange, but I think I figured it out.”
Mike perked up. “You remember?”
“Some of it,” Will answered. “I think… I think my powers were unleashed because I thought of the people I love the most. I had… memories flashing before me, like home movies.”
“Yeah?” Mike’s eyebrows raised with intrigue.
“Yeah…” Will said, idly lacing his fingers with Mike’s again. “Wanna know what memory came to me first?” He smiled at Mike.
“Of course,” Mike said. “What was it?”
Will reached up his free hand and played with a curled lock of Mike’s hair. “You. The day we met.”
Mike chuckled. “Really?”
Will nodded, his hand falling to rest on Mike’s shoulder.
“You know, that’s still the best thing I’ve ever done,” Mike said matter-of-factly.
Will blushed shyly. He felt like he might cry, the back of his throat growing tight as he held back tears. “Well, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Mike reached out and ruffled Will’s hair. “Who else did you see?”
“My mom and Jonathan,” Will said. “You three… you three are the most important people in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without any of you.”
“And I came first?” Mike asked, truly stunned. “Before either of them?”
Will smiled at him again. “Yeah, Mike. They’re my family, my home… but you, you’re not just the heart. It’s not as simple as what I told you before. You’re also my heart.”
Mike’s stomach did a flip at these words. Will really meant that. He loved Mike, so much so that the memory of their meeting was enough fuel in part to activate Will’s hidden powers.
“I- I don’t -” Mike stumbled over his words, still a bit taken aback by this revelation. “Will, I don’t know what to say. That’s… I’m a little in shock that I’m that important to you.”
“Of course you are, Mike,” Will said, nearly laughing, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world that Mike was his heart.
“Well,” Mike interjected, “if that was enough to bring your powers to the surface once, what makes you think it won’t work again?”
Will smiled at him once more, then laid his head down on Mike’s shoulder, content. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”
“I know I’m right,” Mike retorted. “If anyone can stop Vecna, it’s you. You’re… you’re incredible, Will.”
Will snorted. “Sap.”
“Hey, I mean it!” Mike exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Will once more.
“Okay,” Will said, so relaxed he was starting to feel sleepy. “Think we can stay here a bit longer?” he asked, letting his eyes slip closed. “M’tired.”
“Yeah, of course, Will. I’ve got you,” Mike assured him.
And in the safety of Mike’s arms, hidden away in a dark basement in the goddamn Upside Down, Will fell asleep peacefully.