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“Mike.”
Mike resigned himself to his fate, preparing a speech that would knock sense into Hopper.
To be fair, he and Will had spent the night giggling in bed together, sharing kisses as they recounted their glory days before everything went to hell. And then, after they spent the entire night locked away together, Mike stepped outside of Will’s room wearing Will’s favorite shirt and the first pair of shorts he found on the way out. Will wasn't far behind, mumbling something about “needing beauty sleep”. That was how Hopper found them, fumbling their way across the hall together. They were about to enter the bathroom together. For all Hopper knew, they could have intended to shower together, or, at least, that's what he had said to Mike the moment they sat down.
“I wanted to brush my teeth. Wash my face. El was practicing using face paint on us last night, remember? Before the movie we watched at dinner? I wanted to wash it off and get the taste of paint out of my mouth,” Mike sighed. “Why are you so upset?”
Will shuffled into the kitchen, where they sat, yawning widely. “Mike, it's too early!” He whined.
Unable to stop himself, Mike tilted his head up, meeting Will’s gaze. “Sorry, princess,” he teased. Then, his voice dropped into something much softer. “You can go back to sleep, if you'd like.”
“Will you come back with me?” He asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Even so, it seemed Hopper had caught it, too, for his back straightened and he looked ready to murder Mike.
Fuck it, he already knows.
Mike took the hand that was rubbing Will’s eyes and brought it to his lips. “Of course, but no promises I'll be asleep, too. I'll just be staring at you creepily while you slumber away!”
Will giggled—oh god, Mike was doomed—and nodded. “Okay. Come up in a bit, then,” he murmured, slowly shuffling his way back to his room.
“Oh, god. You're dating another one of my kids.”
“Well, not officially.”
Hopper gave him a glare that could have boiled bones. “Mike.”
“Hopper, listen,” Mike began, “I didn't treat El the way she deserved. Our relationship wasn't healthy. On either end. I won't go into details, but we both suffered through those years. And even so, I do regret how I treated her. That being said, I won't make the same mistakes with Will. Okay?”
There was a surprised silence standing between them for a moment, but a small chuckle changed the atmosphere quickly. “Alright, Mike. You're a decent kid. I trust you to make the right decisions this time.”
“Thank you, now may I leave?”
Hopper snorted. “Sure. Joyce and I are going out today. Johnathan and Nancy are at your place, I think. So you'll have the place to yourself. That means keep your hands to yourself as well. Got it?”
“Aye, aye, Captain!” Mike gave a salute before running off to join Will.
The door creaked gently as he opened it. Will was laying in bed, curled up on the side by the window, the sun lightning up his face in the most beautiful way.
With a smile, Mike slipped in beside him, pulling the cover over the two of them.
Will shifted, tucking against Mike's side, his back facing Mike, who curled around him.
“Sleep well, Will.”
Will hummed in response, already drifting off to sleep.
Despite Mike's previous statement, he, too, fell asleep rather quickly.
…
When he awoke, the house was silent and empty. Daylight poured through the curtains, illuminating the room. Mike shifted, burrowing further against Will's neck, which earned him a soft giggle.
With a groan, Mike lifted himself up halfway, perched on his elbow. His arm was asleep where he'd been laying on it for—well, he wasn't sure how long they'd been asleep. All he knew was that he never wanted to leave this bed again.
“Where is everyone?” Will asked softly, his voice crackly from disuse.
Mike hummed, brushing hair from Will’s eyes, and gazing down in absolute adoration at the boy below him. “Hopper said they'd be out today, and that your brother was with my sister.”
“I see. So, we have the house to ourselves?”
“Yep!”
“Does this mean we don't have to worry about getting interrupted?”
Mike flushed, eyes wide in disbelief. Will was chewing his bottom lip, not making eye contact. Something about the nervous way Will fiddled with the cover made Mike’s heart soar. “Yeah, no, we won't,” he choked out.
If Will thought Mike’s idiocy was embarrassing, he didn't say anything. Instead, he reached a hand up to caress Mike's face. Mike melted on the spot, sliding back down on the bed. They turned to face one another, inches apart. Mike could feel Will’s breath on his face. He wanted to only ever breathe Will’s air, to only ever feel Will’s palm against his face. He wanted so much all the time that it pained him, but here it was: everything he had ever dreamed of. Will was everything he had ever dreamed of.
“Can I?”
Mike nodded, slow and cautious.
A storm of butterflies rampaged his gut as Will leaned in, their eyes closing. Soft lips pressed against Mike’s chapped ones. And there it was. Mike knew his love was a sin, but if sin felt this good, he would gladly go to hell just to taste it again. And again. And again. And soon, they were pulling away, breathless and flushed.
“I could get used to this,” Will whispered.
That's all it took. Mike was pulling Will flush against him before Mike could register what he was doing. And their lips were crushed together again, parting in wet gasps. A hand found its way into Mike’s hair, curling around the strands in a deliciously sweet way, and the kiss slowed down a little.
Mike chuckled as they separated. Their foreheads pressed together, legs entwined.
“If you let me, I won't ever stop,” Mike murmured in the shared air between them.
Will’s breath hitched. “What do you mean?”
“Ah! Uh,” Mike leaned away, eyes wider than the full moon they had cuddled under the night before. “Just that, I mean, if you'd want, I could keep kissing you like this…forever? Metaphorically, I suppose, since we aren't immortal. But, um, I—”
“Mike,” Will cut him off. “Mike, are you saying you want…something permanent between us?”
“Yes,” Mike answered immediately. “Exactly. You, yeah, that's exactly what I meant!” And it was.
“Then, what do you say to being…boyfriends?”
Instead of answering right away, Mike kissed Will again. And again. And—
“Mike! Answer me!” Will gasped, pulling away with a giggle. “Please?”
“Yes. Absolutely. Yes. Yes. Yes.”
“Good.”
Will’s smile was brighter than any star in the sky. The warmth of it made Mike feel soft in ways he was sure would be the death of him some day.
“Yeah, good.”