Work Text:
…
"What he showed me…"
Will felt his eyes stinging with tears. He looked at his mother. The woman who raised him. Who saved him from the upside down. Who saved him time and time again. Would she love him? Or was Vecna right? Will couldnt breathe.
"…it didn't come from him."
Will could do this.
"It came from me."
Will's chest was tight. He felt as if Vecna was there, suffocating him.
"He sees everything, mom. He sees my thoughts. He sees my memories."
Will couldn't look at Joyce. He was shaking just imagining her reaction. But, she also seemed so scared. She always had that terrified look when he mentioned the Upside Down.
"But Max, she told me he's also afriad, which proves I can beat him."
Will saw his mother's eyes shining with hope.
"But for me to do that," his chest tightened "you need to know," Will took a breathe. He needed to do this. His mother loved him. Vecna lied. "I think you need to know the truth."
Joyce cupped Will's cheek, and brushed away a tear with her thumb. "What is it, Will?"
Before Will could shove himself off the cliff, hoping to land in his mother's arms, in walked Mike.
Fucking Mike. Of course it was Mike. Who else would it be? The reason he would either kill Vecna, or be killed.
Mike saw Will's eyes and stopped, realizing the type of conversation he had walked in on.
"Oh. Uh, Sorry."
No one moved.
"We just heard from Hop. He's fifteen minutes out. So. We should probably leave in five."
Will's stomach dropped. God, did it have to be like this? He wanted to tell the boy he loved the truth gently. Not panicked, crying, the literal fate of the world on his shoulders.
"Is everything okay?"
His mother jumped in, protecting him once again. "Yeah, we'll be out in a minute."
Will knew he couldn't do it like this. God, he didn't know if he could do it twice. As Mike turned to leave, Will stood.
"Wait."
And around he turned, that heavenly boy. His face blank, questioning. God, did Will love Mike. Will took a breathe again.
"I think you need to hear this too."
"Okay."
So, Mike sat. He waited for Will to speak. As Will released the image of Vecna twisting his vines into Will's lungs, he spoke.
"I-I've kept this a secret for a really long time. Ever since I was taken, and even before, everyone treated me like I was different. And I hated that, I hated feeling wrong, and alone."
Mike knew what Will meant. Everything was different since then.
"But the truth is, I am different. I'm not like all of you guys."
Mike opened his mouth to protest, but Will wouldn't let him.
"I mean, I am, I like playing dnd, and I like that familiar smell in your basement, and I like biking around all day, and I like getting lost in the woods," through his tears, Will started smiling. "and I like bickering about what movie we're gonna watch, and I like popcorn with extra butter, and I like drinking coke with pop rocks, and I like trading comics, and- and all those things!" He said. "But, I don't- I- I don't like-" Will huffed. He knew he could do this. He just had to get the words out. He bowed his head, and murmered, "I don't like girls."
Mike and Joyce were silent. Will started crying once again. "And I-" The lump in his throat cut him off. Will was so ashamed. He felt so hideous. "I had a crush." He squeezed out, "I've had a crush on you, Mike. For a really long time." And there it was. The world crushing, friendship ending statement. "I know you're not like me, of course, you love El, and I- I love El too! I just-" Will stopped. Neither Joyce nor Mike looked mad. Or upset, or disgusted. He swallowed. "Vecna showed me a future where you find out, and stop talking to me because I didn't tell you, and i've always been different. And I knew it wasn't going to be real, I know you both love me, but I was so scared. It just felt so real."
Joyce was crying now. She took Will's hand. "Will. Listen to me. That is never going to happen. I'm always going to be here, okay?" Will nodded and cried. "Will, I got you back from Vecna time and time again, I'm not giving you up now!" They laughed together.
Then, Will turned to Mike. He was in that curious position again. Mouth slightly open, head tilted, thinking. Really focusing. Will was flooded with shame once again. "Mike, I'm so sorry. I won't bring it up ever again and I know it'll go away, I just had to tell you."
But Mike didn't look mad, just curious. "Mrs. Byers, do you mind if just me and Will talk for a second?"
Joyce paused. She glanced at Will, who gave her a quick, unsure nod. She kissed Will on the forehead, and went up the stairs to help the rest of their group prepare.
It was just the two boys.
"Mike," Will said, "I really am sorry. I'm still your best friend and I won't ever talk about it-"
"Will." Said Mike. He looked at Will. Deeply. He studied every feature. And then, he hugged Will as hard as he could. Will cuddled into Mike, the echoes of his sobs shaking his body.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Mike. I tried to make it go away, and I tried to like girls but I just couldn't. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."
Mike didn't let go. He held Will as tightly as he could.
"Will?"
"Yeah?"
Mike's voice was just above a whisper. "I have a crush on you, too."
Will let go of Mike, searching his face for a joke, some sort of lie. He didn't find it. Just a scared boy.
"You do?" He whispered.
"I do," Said Mike. "I'm just scared. I don't know what to tell El, I do love her, just not like that. And the others, I mean, god. I don't know. I just don't know."
"Okay." Said Will. He smiled.
"Okay?" Said Mike, tears pricking at his eyes.
"Okay." Said Will, now they were both crying. Again.
"I'm gonna tell her soon. I think I have to."
"Yeah, no, she deserves that."
The boys sat there, just taking in the new information. Mike was the first to speak.
"Will"
"Hmm?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Will looked up, still not entirely sure this was real. Mike was asking. Will smiled, face still stained with tears.
"Yeah."
So, they leaned in, and finally, finally, their lips met.
So there's that you can feed of it with me while we cry over what could have been, let me know if you want to read on in this universe that would have been so perfect. I solemly swear to make El happy with her found family and not KILL HERSELF!?!?!? (The duffer brothers let me down on this one, guys.)