Chapter Text
Mike really needs to stop making bets with Max. This is the second weekend in a row that he finds himself doing something utterly fucking stupid because he dared to underestimate Max’s skill levels. It’s not that he actually does underestimate her most of the time, he just likes messing with her. But he really should stop shaking her hand just to try and prove a point because this is where he usually ends up. The only thing making this whole situation more bearable is the fact that Will is with him this time.
Will rarely gets involved in his and Max’s stupidity, especially if it involves a forfeit in any way. But this time around he shook Max’s hand straight after Mike did and sealed his fate.
Mike absolutely refuses to let Max drive his car at all, but she insisted on someone else driving them to their destination because she apparently doesn’t trust Mike not to ‘pussy out’ so that’s how Mike has ended up sitting in the backseat of his own car while Lucas drives and Max rides shotgun.
His knee hits the car door and Dustin’s elbow digs into his side as they make another sharp turn onto the street where their destination lies. Mike would push him away but it wouldn’t help in any way because El and Will are squeezed into the backseat on the other side so Dustin has nowhere to go.
As soon as the neon lights of the store come into view Mike flings open the door before they’ve even come to a complete stop and steps out into the warm night air. Max hadn’t specified when the forfeit had to happen when they made the bet so she and Mike had spent an hour this afternoon arguing over the timing of it. As he looks around the dark, deserted street he has never been more thankful to win an argument in his life.
“This is absolute bullshit by the way!” Max says as she slams Mike’s car door behind her. Mike rolls his eyes as he walks over to meet everyone on the sidewalk in front of the store.
“Okay, first of all, don’t slam my door.” Max smirks so Mike continues, voice smug as he says, “And second of all, get better at making bets and get better at arguing.”
Max’s face scrunches up in disgust, her voice matching her expression as she raises her voice, “Those should be two separate points. If you’re going to start listing points then at least list them properly.”
Mike opens his mouth to retort but he’s interrupted by Dustin’s bored tone as he says, “Mike stop stalling and Max please stop falling for his bullshit.” Both Mike and Max turn sharply towards him, matching looks of betrayal on their faces. Dustin puts his hands up in defense as he rushes to speak, “Okay, okay. Max, you are technically correct and Mike, you are still technically stalling.”
Max’s “Ha!” and Mike’s “Hey!” are equally as loud in the quiet of the night, echoing along the street. The look on Dustin’s face tells him that there’s no use in trying to argue his point so Mike clamps his mouth shut and looks around at the empty road instead. If they’re going to do this then they should do it now when there’s no one around. Mike’s voice softens a little as he turns to Will, annoyance leaving him as he watches him glance nervously towards the store. “Hey, you ready?”
Will lets out a small breath and Mike does the same, the release of air helping to relieve some of the nerves churning in his stomach. “Yeah, you?” Mike was sort of hoping that Will would say no. If Will outright refused then Max would just find another forfeit for him to do and then Mike could claim that the rules of the bet have been broken and that he’ll do the new one with Will instead. But now that Will has agreed there’s no way that Max will back out so Mike nods and they make their way inside.
Mike has obviously never been inside a sex shop before but he’s still surprised to see how normal the place looks. He expected it to be more dingy, dim lighting and dirty floors but it’s the opposite. The lights are bright but still warm and inviting and the floors are as clean as any other store Mike has been in. The shelves are neatly stacked as Mike makes his way down the first aisle, checking his watch to start the time on their forfeit.
They only have to be inside the store for twenty minutes as per the terms of the bet but apparently Max didn’t think that was humiliating enough so he and Will also have to purchase two items each, which means interacting with the actual real life human being that stands behind the counter. Mike refused to make eye contact with them when he and Will entered so he now has no idea what they look like.
Mike’s so focussed on trying his best not to look at anything on the shelves that Will’s voice makes him jump slightly as they make their way down the aisle. “Max is watching us by the way,” Will says and he sounds amused as opposed to freaked out which Mike takes as a positive sign that the contents of the store can’t be that terrible.
Mike whirls round to face the entrance of the store and sees Max and El’s faces pressed against the window. El looks awed, her eyes flicking excitedly over all of the products she can see from outside whereas Max just looks bored. She raises an eyebrow and smirks as she pulls away from the window slightly to stifle a yawn and Mike feels his annoyance surge to take over the nervousness that was there before it.
Mike scans the shelves next to them quickly and notices that they’re in the dildo section. An array of different shapes and colors stare back at him as he looks around before looking back at Max. Her face hasn’t changed, that same bored look keeping her features flat and Mike takes it as a challenge.
She’s probably expecting him to spend the whole time walking around this aisle and looking at the floor before choosing a dildo and a bottle of lube or something for his items. But his competitiveness is always at an all time high around Max and this time is no exception. Mike turns on his heel and walks briskly towards the back of the store. He’d heard once that this is where they keep the more hardcore stuff and he’s proven right when he turns the corner and comes face to face with a full body leather suit. Mike takes a step back instinctively and bumps into Will who was following close behind him.
“What the hell, Mike!” Will shouts as he takes a step to the side out of the way of Mike who’s still retreating away from the suit.
“Shit, sorry!” Mike pulls his eyes away from the outfit and looks at Will.
Will’s eyes are wide as he sees what startled Mike. His voice is quiet as he lets out a small “Woah.” Mike understands completely. The furthest he’s ever been in a sexual sense was inexperienced teenage making out and his own hand so coming face-to-face (literally) with something so intense is a lot to process.
“We don’t actually need to be back here y’know? We could just stand in the aisle near the front of the store for twenty minutes, grab some, like, lube and magazines and then leave.”
This was Mike’s plan before he saw Max with her bored look and stupid yawn. He’d absolutely love to just stand next to the unassuming dildos for twenty minutes and then grab the most basic shit and go but he can’t. Max expects that from him and he really doesn’t want to deal with her smirk and her teasing when she opens the bags to see what they bought.
Mike shakes his head and Will lets out a small sigh like he already knows what he’s going to say, “Max would have a fucking field day with that. Nope, no way. I’m going to spend twenty minutes back here and then buy the most extreme shit I can find.” He turns to find Will with a look of exasperation on his face and Mike finds himself smiling in response. “Are you in?”
Will sighs again but Mike can already see the small smile threatening to take over his face so he knows what Will’s going to say before he says it. “Yeah, I’m in.”
For the next fifteen minutes Mike and Will make their way through the aisles at the back of the store. Mike has absolutely no idea what almost any of the items are but he just knows that they’re intense. He can feel his face flushing deeper and deeper as they make their way past aisles of ropes and leather and contraptions.
Will has been quiet the entire time and Mike is starting to worry a little bit at the silence when Will lets out a quiet, “Woah.” Mike stops abruptly and turns, watching as Will’s eyes widen a little at the items in front of him. Mike can feel his face burning as he sees what he’s looking at. On the shelves in front of them are a small selection of what are apparently called butt plugs according to the lettering on the front of each of the plastic packages they’re held in. Will seems to notice that Mike has stopped and quickly averts his eyes as he rushes forward, trying to walk ahead.
Mike might not specifically know what a butt plug is but he can kind of guess it has to do with anal sex. When Will came out Mike felt absolutely terrible that he had been going through something on his own and he had no idea. Mike had wanted to head straight to the library and learn all he could but the recently closed gate and the mass destruction had forced him to travel outside of Hawkins to find what he was looking for. When he’d finally gotten his licence and made it into the city he’d found that the library didn’t have a very big section about gay people. But Mike had still spent hours reading through the few books that were available, ranging from beautiful poetry about same sex attraction to informative textbooks about the intricacies of gay sex and had returned to Hawkins with enough knowledge that he felt confident enough that if Will ever wanted to talk to him about anything Mike would know what to say. Will hasn’t though. Mike tries not to take it personally but it does hurt a little when he sees Will and Robin whispering amongst themselves whenever she comes home from college. He understands, of course he does, but he’s still Will’s best friend.
That hurt is what compels him to reach for Will, hand curving around his wrist and stopping him in his tracks. The look on Will’s face is questioning and Mike feels his heart stutter as he thinks of what to say. Now he can feel Will’s racing pulse under his fingertips, it’s like his mind has gone blank.
Will’s voice is what finally starts his thoughts racing again as he raises an eyebrow at Mike. “You alright?”
Mike nods and watches as Will’s eyes flick back to the shelf before landing on Mike’s again. “Yeah, I just—“ Mike takes a deep breath before he continues, “I found one of my items.”
Will’s eyes widen slightly and Mike can feel the way his pulse jumps under his thumb. Mike drops his wrist and turns to the shelf. There aren’t many butt plugs on the shelf so Mike doesn’t have much of a choice to make. His eyes fall on a bright neon pink silicone one and he internally shakes his head. He doesn’t really know why he’s being picky over this random sex toy he’s never going to have any use for but for some reason it just feels wrong. He continues scanning the shelf until his eyes catch on a smaller metal butt plug. The size doesn’t seem as intimidating which seems like a plus for some reason, but what really cinches it is the bright blue heart shaped jewel at the end.
Mike’s own heart flutters in his chest and he reaches forward to pluck it from the shelf. He hears a deep exhale from Will beside him and he feels that flutter get faster as he turns back to him.
“Got it.”
Will’s eyes are even wider now as his eyes flick down to the butt plug and back up to Mike’s face. Mike feels uncomfortable under his gaze, shifting a little on his feet before he says, “Any idea what yours are gonna be?”
The question seems to shake Will out of whatever daze he found himself in and he nods a little. Mike smiles in an attempt to lighten the tension that has started to settle between them. “Well then, lead the way.” Will scoffs slightly and the tension dissipates as he makes his way to the aisle they just came from. Mike follows behind and his own eyes widen now as Will stops in front of a bundle of rope.
The material looks soft and the red colour stands out amongst the other more dull browns and beiges. Will’s fingers reach out towards the rope and his breath stutters a little as they make contact. Mike feels like he’s on fire as Will takes the bundle down from the shelf and holds it in his hands. His hold is gentle like he doesn’t want to ruin the woven cord in any way and Mike has a sudden urge to reach out and touch it himself. He gives in for a second, his own fingertips running along the material and he was right. “It’s soft.” The reverence in his own voice startles him for a second as he pulls his hand back but Will doesn’t seem to notice. His own eyes are still fixed on the rope that’s now woven between his fingers.
Mike drags his eyes away from the flush covering Will’s cheeks to check the timer on his watch. They only have a couple more minutes left and Mike still wants to find something to really shock Max.
“Are you ready to carry on?” Mike says as he tries to think back to what he’s seen. There were a couple of contraptions that looked almost like torture devices but they would be way too big to hide in a plastic bag.
A soft “Yeah” from Will breaks his train of thought and Mike smiles before turning back towards the contraptions. There were some smaller boxes next to them that would definitely fit into one of the store's bags so that’s what Mike chooses for his next item. He has absolutely no idea what a cock cage is but the name and the picture on the front are shocking enough that he grins when he takes it from the shelf.
Will seems to have an idea for his second item as well and he leads them over to the first section of the intense part of the store where they saw the full body leather suit. He picks up a simple leather paddle that’s about the size of one of Mike’s hands.
A quiet beeping from his wrist signals the end of their browsing and Mike has a feeling of dread as he remembers the person at the front of the store that he’s now going to have to actually speak to.
It feels like he’s walking to his own execution as they make their way to the counter at the front of the store. Mike blinks stupidly as he claps eyes on the woman standing there. She looks like a normal woman in her mid 20s maybe and Mike doesn’t know if that’s better or worse than if she was any other age or if she was a man.
She smiles politely as Mike and Will stop in front of the counter and place their items onto it. Mike can feel the heat coming from Will and knows he isn’t fairing much better. His face is on fire and he can hear the blood rushing in his ears as the woman starts to speak to him. Mike flicks his eyes over to what she’s pointing at and finds a thick magazine. He reads the words printed along the top quickly and feels his face burn even hotter. The words ‘BDSM: What To Know’ are staring back at him in big blocky letters and the woman coughs lightly to get his attention.
Mike hums in question and the woman smiles politely again. Her voice is bright but polite in the way most cashiers aren’t as she repeats herself, “We have a deal on our most popular BDSM magazine. Would you like to purchase one?” Mike nods before he even really processes what the woman says. He just wants to get out of here now and he can feel his foot tapping impatiently.
It stops instantly as Will presses his elbow against Mike’s arm, a warm grounding action that they used to do when either of them were anxious. It works and Mike takes a deep breath as the woman rings them up. The total is kind of ridiculous but Mike doesn’t have it in him to feel annoyed right now as he pulls out the bills from his wallet and hands them over to the woman. As soon as the change hits his palm he grabs the bag and almost runs out of the door.
Even in the height of summer, the evening air outside feels cool against his skin and Mike takes a deep breath as he hears Will do the same next to him.
It feels like he’s just travelled through a gate of some sort. The street outside feels so different to the small world inside the store.
There’s a slow clapping as he turns to see the rest of the party leaning against the side of his car. They all have various sized smiles on their faces and Mike rolls his eyes even before Max starts speaking. “Didn’t think you’d actually have it in you, Wheeler.” Max says as she walks towards them, her claps getting slower until they finally stop.
“It’s just sex, Maxine. It’s not a big deal.” Max laughs loudly as she reaches for the bag still clutched in Mike’s hand. He swings it high above his head as his face scrunches at her guffaw.
“Spoken by someone who’s had so much sex, right?” Mike feels his face flush at her words. He’s never actually cared that much about his lack of sexual experience but he can’t help but feel childish as her words hit. He rolls his eyes in lieu of a response as he makes his way over to the driver's side door. Mike catches Will’s eye as he opens the passenger door and the embarrassment from Max’s words and their experience in the store slips away as Will gives him a small smile.
The drive back is full of shouts from the backseats as the party tries to guess what Mike has hidden in the bag on his lap. Max is convinced that he chose some lube and fuzzy pair of handcuffs and Mike smirks as he looks over at Will. But Will’s not even paying attention to the conversation happening in the backseat. His eyes are focussed on the buildings passing by outside of the window and Mike feels a pit beginning to form in his stomach.
He doesn’t have time to focus on the feeling or open his mouth to check in with him before they’re pulling up outside of his house. Mike grabs the bag and they all make their way inside and down into the basement. Max has a knowing smile on her face as she takes a seat on the couch, Lucas and El on either side of her with Dustin and Will pulling a couple of chairs over from the D&D table.
Mike stands in front of them like he’s about to give a fucking presentation or something and he almost laughs at the absurdity of the situation. “Any last guesses?” He can’t help but ask as they all settle into their seats.
Dustin’s the first to speak, “A dildo. There’s gotta be a dildo.”
Lucas agrees adding on his own guess, “There’s just no way you didn’t get some fucking bright pink fuzzy handcuffs or something.”
Mike feels his own smugness growing as they speak and he tries to catch Will’s eye again but he’s still avoiding Mike’s gaze, eyes now locked on the coffee table.
“Maybe some of those candy underwear things I saw through the window?” El says, before adding a second guess, “Wait, wait! Or that strawberry lube!”
Mike turns to look at Max, a small smirk on his face as she eyes him and the bag. “Well, whatever it is it’s going to be the most boring shit ever so you might as well just show us now, get the humiliation over with quickly.” She sounds so certain as she says it and Mike basks in the satisfaction curling in his chest as he does as she says.
He tips the bag upside down over the coffee table and the items fall onto it in a cacophony of thuds. The silence in the room is deafening as his friends take in the items he and Will chose.
El is the first to react and then everyone’s yelling and screaming and although Mike’s family is asleep upstairs he can’t even bring himself to shush them. Their reactions are priceless, everyone’s on their feet. Dustin and Lucas are holding onto each other and jumping up and down like they just won the lottery, El is squealing and shouting as she shakes Max’s arm and Max is speechless, eyes locked onto the variety of sex toys littering the table.
Mike feels a sick satisfaction at the fact that he managed to elicit such a reaction from his friends and he glances over at Will to see if he’s feeling the same. Will’s eyes are also locked on the items but his face isn’t showing shock, or even a hint of satisfaction. He has the same look in his eyes that he did back in the sex shop when he first held the rope. A faint dusting of pink covers his cheeks and his eyes are wide and Mike feels that same strange heat start to spread low in his stomach.
Max’s words bring him out of his thoughts and his head snaps to where she’s picking up one of the boxes from the table.
“What in the actual fuck is a cock cage?”
The next hour is spent with his friends taking turns reading dramatically from the magazine the cashier managed to sell to him in his moment of panic. It turns out it’s a kind of how-to guide for people interested in BDSM and hearing his friends doing terrible accents while trying to seriously read from it has Mike’s eyes watering and his ribs hurting from laughing for so long.
The entertainment wanes after a while though and everyone starts to pack up their stuff and leave. Lucas and Max are out of the door first, making the short walk over to Lucas’ house and then Dustin offers Will and El a ride home. El takes him up on it, but Will declines with a quick explanation that he’s staying the night. Dustin gives them both a salute and then it’s just Mike and Will.
Will’s been quieter than usual all night and Mike’s a little worried. He usually doubles over laughing at Dustin’s shitty British accent but he barely smiled at all during his ten minute monologue earlier. He’s silent now as Mike sits next to him on the couch and Mike presses his knee against his to get his attention.
Will’s eyes meet his and he gives him a small smile. “You okay?” Mike says as Will fiddles with a loose thread on his jeans. He knows something’s wrong but he has no idea what it could be.
Will nods slightly and Mike wants to push a little but he doesn’t need to as Will speaks, “Yeah, I just—“ He cuts himself off with a deep breath and the way his hands shake slightly has the base level worry Mike has been feeling for the past few hours skyrocket. “How do people even know they’re into this stuff?”
That was not what Mike was expecting and he doesn’t really have an answer. He is completely inexperienced when it comes to this kind of thing and the only porno he's ever seen was just regular sex between a man and a woman that he turned off after two minutes. He shrugs slightly, his voice quiet in the silence of the basement, “I honestly have no idea? I guess they just try stuff out and see if they like it?”
Will nods a little but he’s still distracted, his eyes stuck on the red rope that’s slung across the table. Mike’s own eyes fall to the magazine next to it and he leans forward to pick it up. He can feel Will’s eyes on him as he opens it to the contents page, eyes scanning the page titles until he finds the one he’s looking for; Bondage: Cuffs, Rope and Other Sensory Deprivation
Mike flicks through to page 23 and finds multiple beautiful illustrations of naked bodies wrapped tightly in rope that’s twisted and tied into intricate designs. Mike turns the book towards Will as he presses closer to him. He can feel the soft breath on the side of his face that Will lets out at the sight of the drawings on the page and feels his cheeks flush in response. He understands the awe in that single breath. The designs are beautiful in a way.
Mike has a moment where he wonders if this is a step too far. He’s heard about guys who look at porn magazines with their friends, some even jerking off together but he’s never even come close to that with his own friends.
The moment passes as soon as Will moves, grabbing the rope from the table and holding it in his hands. Mike sits as still as possible while Will unravels the bundle which apparently contains a selection of varying lengths.
“What do you think the different lengths are for?” Will says as he holds up one of the longer pieces. Mike looks back to the page and scans through the words. The first section is a basic explanation of what rope can be used for and then it goes on into different step-by-step instructions for how to tie different knots.
Mike’s mind floods with the information. Some of the knots are advanced, intricate designs whereas others seem a bit more doable for someone who has only ever tied his laces.
Mike finds the answer to Will’s question a couple of paragraphs down in the guide for a simple looking knot called The Lark’s Head Double-Column. “So, I guess the longer pieces are for wrapping around your body, not just your wrists.” Will’s hands freeze where they’re still playing with the rope, twisting it around his wrist absentmindedly as he takes in the drawings.
Mike panics at his phrasing, words tumbling out of him in a rush to explain himself, “I mean- Well- Not, um- not your wrists specifically just— yeah.” The tension in the room builds as they sit in silence. Mike’s too afraid to move as Will sits frozen next to him.
Will hums lightly and the sound prompts Mike to look back to the page. He reads through each step and finds that it really does seem quite simple to follow along with. Now that Mike has read through how to do it, he wants to try. Not in a sexual way or anything, he just wants to see if he can actually do it.
He places the magazine onto the coffee table and takes a smaller piece of rope from the small pile on the couch between them. Mike looks back to the magazine, reading through the first few steps again and quickly realises that he actually needs another person for all of these knots.
Mike turns to Will, his fingers still playing with the longer length of rope in his hands. He has no idea if this is a good idea but now that it’s planted itself in his brain he really wants to try it. He takes a deep breath before he speaks, “C’mere.”
Will’s eyes are wide when they meet his, like he’s been caught doing something wrong but Mike’s already speaking, voice a lot more confident than he feels, “I wanna try it. The knots, I mean.”
Will tilts his head a little in confusion as he says, “What?”
Mike pushes on, aiming for casual but landing somewhere between nervous and terrified, “It looks simple enough, just wanted to try it.”
He’s second guessing himself now as he realises how weird it is for someone to ask their best friend to let them tie their hands together just to prove that they can actually tie the knot properly. Mike begins rambling to try and explain himself as best he can, “The knots look simple enough and I-I was just curious to see if I could do it. But they all need an actual person to practice them on so I was just going to try it out on you but, uh, don’t worry about it.”
Mike watches as Will’s eyes flick between the rope in Mike’s hands and the pages of the magazine before he takes a deep breath. His voice is shaky when he speaks, “Okay.”
Mike feels his excitement come back full force at the single word but then it dulls again instantly. Okay doesn’t actually mean that Will is okay with Mike tying his hands up. He could be saying okay to confirm that he understood Mike’s ramblings or he could be saying okay as the start of a sentence that he’s now going to finish. Mike waits a few seconds but when Will doesn’t speak again he asks for clarification. “So is that an okay as in, ‘Oh okay I understand that’ or ‘Okay you can try it on me’?”
Will laughs quietly and Mike feels the tension in his chest loosen slightly at the sound. “It’s an okay as in ‘okay you can try it on me.’” Will sounds confident as he answers and that loosens the last dregs of tension sitting behind Mike’s ribs.
Mike and Will stare at each other for a few seconds before Will holds out his hands in the space between them and Mike feels his heart flutter slightly. Mike always gets like this when he wants to learn something new, chest tensing in excitement.
It also explains why his hands are shaking when he reaches towards Will’s outstretched hands, the excitement at trying out a new skill obviously causing adrenaline to rush through his body.
It takes longer than Mike thought it would to follow along with the instructions and then weave the ends of the ropes into something resembling the knot in the drawing.
They sit there for twenty minutes, the silence broken only by Mike muttering instructions to himself to try and remember them and Will’s steady breathing.
When the last part of the knot is complete and Mike clumsily tucks the ends in, he pulls his hands back and surveys his handiwork. It’s not exactly pretty like the illustration but it looks similar enough that the differences are due to technique rather than a lack of being able to follow the instructions properly. Mike nods a little at the knot and his eyes flick up to Will’s as he says, “Okay, I think it’s done. Try and pull your hands apart.”
Will does and the rope presses against his skin as he lets out a shaky breath. Mike watches as the knot pulls slightly but doesn’t budge.
Mike smiles up at Will and Will offers a small smile back. “See? Simple.”
Will nods and then clears his throat a little before speaking, “So if the whole thing is about not being able to move then having your hands tied in front of you doesn’t really stop that does it?”
Mike tilts his head slightly, distracted by the deep red against Will’s golden skin. He lets out a soft “Hmm?” and Mike watches as Will’s eyes crinkle slightly as he laughs softly. “I mean, surely tying them behind my back would be better.”
Mike looks down at Will’s hands as he swings them around. He supposes Will’s right, he can clearly still move his arms. Mike reaches for the knot holding Will’s hands together to untie it but Will flinches back, pulling his hands towards his body.
Will’s voice is sharp as he speaks, “What are you doing?” Mike reaches for the knot again and grabs it, pulling Will’s hands towards him to try and untie the knot. He tips forward slightly and gasps at the sudden movement. Mike’s hand goes limp against the rope, fingers brushing against Will’s hands as he catches Will’s eyes.
Mike rushes to apologise, he had no idea that Will would jolt forward like that, he just wanted to untie the knot. “Shit, sorry.”
Will’s throat clicks as he swallows before speaking quietly, “N-no, it’s okay.” He holds his hands out and Mike ignores the random flutter in his chest and starts to undo the knot, fingers working quickly as he says, “I was just gonna try it behind your back instead.”
Will’s hands go heavy in his hold and Mike looks up at him. Will’s eyes are dark and wide as he watches Mike’s hands work and Mike’s hands falter slightly under the weight of Will’s gaze as he says, “Um, is that okay?” Mike’s already done the knot once and knows he can do it, at least well enough so that it functions, so there’s really no reason to do it again but he pushes the thought away as Will lets out a sharp breath between them.
Will nods instantly and Mike feels relief flood through him. He doesn’t have time to inspect the feeling too closely as the ropes fall from Will’s wrists.
Mike twists the rope between his own fingers nervously as they both sit facing each other frozen in place. When it becomes clear that Will isn’t going to be the one to speak or move first Mike takes the step. Mike keeps his voice quiet as he speaks, the air around them feeling too fragile for anything above a whisper. “You should turn around.” The words seem to slightly break whatever was holding Will back and he nods slowly before turning his back to Mike.
Mike sits and waits a couple of seconds for Will to put his hands behind his back but Will doesn’t move. Mike watches as his shoulders rise and fall in a rhythm so steady it has to be purposeful. Mike gives Will a few more seconds before his own anxiety gets the better of him. His voice is low but firm as he speaks, “Hands, Will.”
Mike doesn’t mean to sound so impatient but the anxiety from before has come back and is swirling in his stomach. Will lets out a soft sound as soon as the words leave Mike’s mouth, voice quiet as he apologises, “Shit, yeah. Sorry.”
Will’s hands meet at the small of his back and Mike's head rushes a little at how quickly he moved to do it. The fuzzy feeling passes as quickly as it came and Mike brings his focus back to the rope hanging between his fingers.
Mike folds the woven cord and brings it to Will’s wrists. Will’s entire body shakes minutely as the material slides across his skin but Mike is unable to continue with fastening the loop to his wrists due to the awkward angle. The instructions explain each step from a front on vantage point and Mike has no idea how to follow along from the top down angle he’s currently at. It also doesn’t help that Will’s hands are in the shadow cast by Mike’s body as he looks down at them.
He looks around the room trying to think of a way to get the right amount of lighting and the correct angle to continue. Will could stand and Mike could stay sat on the couch but he has no idea how long it’s going to take him to actually tie the knot properly while making it look better than before and making Will stand up just so Mike can practice tying a knot seems unfair.
Mike stands up abruptly as an idea comes to him and Will snatches his hands back to his front like he’s been burned, mumbling out apologies. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Mike!” Mike’s brow furrows in confusion even though Will can’t see him with his back still turned. Will’s apologies continue and Mike still doesn’t understand what he could possibly be apologising for. “I’m sor—“
Mike’s voice is soft when he says, “I was just gonna ask if you’re okay to lay down? The angle’s kinda awkward.” Will’s apologies stop instantly and his head snaps to where Mike is standing next to the couch. Will’s cheeks are flushed and Mike finds himself distracted momentarily by watching as it deepens.
Will nods but doesn’t say anything more as he lays on his front on the couch. There was a time years ago when Will barely took up one of the cushions but now his body fills the entire length of the space.
Mike stands hovering over him, unsure what to do now. He needs to be front on to see what he’s doing, that’s the way the instructions explain it but he doesn’t know how to explain that to Will. After a few seconds of silence Will turns his head to look up at him with an equally unsure look on his face as he says, “You okay?”
Mike nods and swallows slightly when he can’t bring himself to speak for some reason. Mike really wants to do this though, wants to see if the knot will actually hold in this more taut position.
Mike takes a deep breath and holds Will’s eye contact as he tries to find the words to convey what he needs without actually saying the words. “Yeah, I, um— I kind of need to be able to see your hands from straight on.”
Will’s brow furrows like he’s not understanding and Mike curses their lack of actual telepathic communication. Mike shifts his weight slightly in an attempt to gear himself up to speak, “Am I okay to sit on your legs?”
The words come out in a tumble, running together so badly that Mike worries for a second that Will didn’t understand them. But he needn’t worry. They might not have actual telepathic communication but Will still always understands him. Will’s face flushes and Mike is instantly ready to take back his question. It was okay when only their knees were brushing when Mike was tying the knot earlier but this feels like a step too far, or maybe ten.
Mike opens his mouth ready to take it all back but Will beats him to speaking, “Yeah, that’s fine.” His voice is soft and Mike appreciates the steadiness of it against the unsteady rhythm of his heart in his chest. Mike smiles slightly and nods once before straddling the backs of Will’s thighs.
The inner seams of Mike’s jeans press against his thighs as they spread on either side of Will’s and Mike can feel the heat coming from him as he settles his weight down. The rope brushes slightly along the base of Will’s back but Mike only sees the reaction it causes. Will’s back arches slightly as his breath stutters and Mike starts to lift his body to take some of the weight off, an apology already escaping from between his lips, “Shit, I’m sorry.”
Will’s quick to reassure, his voice thin, “N-no, it’s fine.” Mike hovers for a moment unsure but Will is insistent. “Seriously, it’s fine just sit back down.” Mike lets out a small laugh at Will’s impatience and settles his weight back down. Will’s breathing stays steady and Mike takes a few seconds to sync his own to the slow rhythm.
A few seconds pass and Mike stays as still as possible as he waits for Will to put his hands behind his back but he doesn’t move. Will’s hands stay at his sides and his fingers twitch against the couch in short aborted movements.
Mike waits a little while longer until he can’t anymore. The tension is palpable and his own hands are starting to twitch now, wanting to busy themselves with tying the ropes again. “Will.” He says and the firmness in his voice seems to drag Will slightly out of wherever his thoughts had wandered.
Will’s voice is barely a whisper as he lets out a soft, “Hmm?” and Mike can’t help but smile down at him even though Will can’t see it. It’s not like Will to get so distracted, especially when just laying there. He usually has to be doing something, like art, for hours to truly get lost in his own mind.
Mike clears his throat slightly and keeps the same edge to his tone in the hope of fully drawing Will back to what they’re doing. “Hands.”
The reaction is instant again as it was earlier and Mike feels that same rush as Will moves quickly to clasp his hands behind his back. He hears Will mumble out a sorry, embarrassment evident in his tone and Mike decides to tease him, his distraction at nothing amusing for some reason.
“Huh? I can’t hear you.” He keeps his voice low in the quiet of the room but Will hears it. His breath stutters again and Mike watches in fascination as his neck starts to flush a deep pink.
A silent beat passes and Mike’s about to chuckle, a quick “I’m just teasing” on the tip of his tongue but then it dies there when Will says, “I-I’m sorry, Mike.” There’s a slight waver in his voice and Mike panics. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Will so he reaches out slowly to brush his fingertips against Will’s shaking hands in what he hopes is a reassuring gesture. Will’s fingers flex but he keeps his hold as he presses his hands into the touch of Mike’s fingers.
Mike has no idea what compelled him to touch but he’s glad he did as Will lets out a soft breath against the couch and his entire body starts to relax. Mike keeps his touch light as he continues tracing along the lines of Will’s fingers and down across his wrist.
It’s been a long time since they’ve done this but years ago, before Will went missing and Mike’s entire world fractured, they used to sit together and trace idle patterns across each other's skin. It started as a way to just be close, two young children showing affection in the best way they knew how but soon morphed into something only reserved for moments of anxiety and anguish, like when Lonnie would yell or the bullies would torment. Mike hadn’t realised how much he’s missed it. He lets himself get lost for a minute in the slow but steady brushing of their skin and only pulls away once Will is fully relaxed against the couch cushions.
He doesn’t want to break the spell Will seems to have fallen under but he needs to know if Will’s okay to carry on. “Will,” He waits for the soft hum of acknowledgement before continuing, “Am I alright to tie the knot now?”
The “yeah” he gets in response is instant, soft and content and Mike feels a warmth bloom in his chest at the fact that he was able to comfort Will in the way he used to.
Mike picks the rope back up and starts the process again, creating the initial loop before continuing with the more complex weaving. His fingers work even quicker this time around, already starting to understand the knot. He only has to look at the guide a few times during the process. His mind zeroes in on the task and he finds that once he knows what he’s doing each loop and pull and weave feels almost therapeutic.
When Mike ties the final knot and tucks the ends in as described he pulls his hands back and admires his work. It looks a lot neater than last time, the ropes twisting beautifully around Will’s wrists.
Will has been completely silent the entire time and Mike would think he was asleep if it wasn’t for the slight twitches in his fingers. Each twitch seems involuntary and not as sharp as the ones earlier. Mike doesn’t think they’re born from anxiety so he doesn’t feel the need to try and soothe them.
Mike doesn’t want to break the comfortable silence but he really wants to know if the knot holds against the pressure like it’s supposed to. Mike takes a small audible breath to ease Will into the sound of his voice but still keeps it at a whisper as he says, “Pull on them for me.” Mike startles a little as Will complies instantly, rope pressing against his skin as he attempts to pull his hands apart. They don’t budge at all, the knot secure between his wrists.
Will rests his forehead against the couch, breath warm against the material as he shakily says, “It’s good.” Mike smiles and a warm kind of pride fills his chest at the compliment. He’s always been a quick learner and it’s nice to be learning something just for fun again. Mike watches as Will tests the bind again, his muscles tensing as he uses all of his strength but his wrists only separate the tiniest bit before the ropes stop the movement completely. Will lets out another small breath and his body shifts a little against the couch and Mike suddenly realises he’s been sitting on Will’s legs for way longer than should be comfortable.
Mike shifts his weight in an attempt to make Will more comfortable but the movement rocks Will’s body further into the couch underneath him. Mike freezes as Will lets out a soft sound that is unlike any that he’s ever heard come from Will before.
Mike feels his own face flush as his body reacts to the sound, dick hardening under the material of his jeans. It’s completely normal to react to having someone underneath you moaning is what Mike tells himself as he tries not to panic too much at the way his dick starts pressing against his zipper. Will’s shaky voice snaps him out of his thoughts and back to the moment, “Shit, I’m so sorry, Mike! I- Can you untie me please?”
Will’s body is tense underneath him and Mike feels stupid as he realises that his hands are still tied and Mike’s own weight is pressing him into the couch. Mike scrambles to stand before he reaches down to the ropes, fingers shaking as he unties the knot. It takes a couple of tries to get the anchoring knots undone but as soon as his hands are loose Will is up and off of the couch.
Mike can’t even get a word out before Will is halfway up the basement steps. He throws a quiet, “Back in a minute” over his shoulder and then he’s gone.
Mike feels off kilter at the quick turn of events. One minute there was a calm over the entire room and the next Will’s gone and Mike’s standing alone with a hard on after hearing him moan.
Mike’s been subjected to awkward boners before so he knows how the smallest bit of friction can sometimes send all of the blood in his body rushing south. He closes his eyes and tries to calm himself down. If Will comes back and sees him just standing here with an obvious bulge in his pants Mike might die from embarrassment himself.
Mike takes a deep breath and tries to think about anything but what just happened. After a couple of minutes he finally manages to calm himself enough to think.
When he opens his eyes the first thing he sees is the red rope hanging off the couch and he snatches it up. Just the thought of the red color against Will’s skin and the way he sounded when he gasped is almost enough to have Mike back to square one regarding his dick. He bundles the rope up messily and shoves it back into the bag with the rest of the items from the store and hides it in one of the boxes along the back wall of the basement.
When he’s certain he’s hidden it enough for no one to accidentally stumble across it Mike busies himself with setting the couch up for Will to sleep on. He doesn’t know how long Will’s going to be and he doesn’t want to just be standing here when he comes back. Will isn’t someone who likes attention drawn to things. If he comes down to find Mike standing in the exact same position he was when he left, waiting for him, then the embarrassment would be one hundred times worse.
A few minutes later the basement door clicks open just as Mike finishes placing Will’s pillows into place. Will’s face is still a little flushed and Mike smiles in what he hopes is casual reassurance. It seems to work as Will returns a small smile and Mike feels some tension loosen in his chest.
Will stops at the bottom of the steps and Mike holds out his hands towards the couch like he’s presenting one he handmade or something. “I made the couch up for you.” Mike tries to keep his voice light and steady in contrast to the heaviness he feels in his stomach.
Will’s eyes flick to the couch and his smile gets a little bigger as he says, “Thank you.”
Mike shuffles slightly on his feet as Will makes his way over to the couch and sits down. He knows he needs to bring it up to try and reassure Will and soothe the embarrassment but his curiosity gets the better of him
He can’t stop the words as they come tumbling out of his mouth, “Was it the ropes?” Will’s eyes widen and Mike almost takes it back but instead he continues, “I get it— I mean, I don’t get it in the same way or anything but I-I get it.” His own face flares with heat as Will continues staring at him wide eyed.
The silence stretches for a few more seconds until Will says, “You get it?”
Mike nods instantly but his words are unsure as he tries to explain himself, “Yeah, I mean— Like I said it’s not the same or anything but yeah.”
Will tilts his head in confusion and Mike sighs a little as he tries to get his thoughts in order. This is his best friend. His best friend who literally just moaned while Mike was sitting on his thighs so Mike really needs to just push through this embarrassment. Will needs to understand that it’s all perfectly normal, or at least know that Mike’s in the same situation. He’s still trying to convince himself about the normal part. Mike continues, voice more confident than he feels as he says, “People like being tied up, and obviously there are people that do the tying so it makes sense that those people like doing that part.”
Mike lets his words sit between them hoping that he’s making at least some kind of sense. He doesn’t think he could actually say the words out loud right now, or ever. Will nods slightly and Mike feels relief hit him in the chest. Of course Will would understand. “So you’re one of the people that likes doing the tying?” Will says and Mike just nods dumbly. He doesn’t even want to get into the rush of heat he felt at having someone obeying him so quickly and apologising to him. He feels like a creep and that is something that’s way beyond tying some knots. He definitely doesn’t ever want to even look at that now locked box, let alone open it and try to explain its contents.
Mike looks back at Will and finds him looking at him already, his gaze intense and Mike shifts a little under it. He realises suddenly that he’d just admitted to something horrifically embarrassing and Will didn’t even answer his original question.
There’s no way Mike is going to be the only one in this room admitting something like that. He takes a deep breath and says, “And you’re one of the people that likes being tied up?” Mike expects Will to duck his head and stammer over his words but he doesn’t. He keeps eye contact and nods slightly as he answers, “Yeah.”
The tension in the room is building again quickly and Mike has no idea when that happened. They’re just having a conversation and while it might be about sexual things they’re not actually doing anything sexual. Obviously. Will’s his best friend, his male best friend and Mike’s not into guys in that way. And yeah, Will is but that doesn’t mean he’s into Mike in any way that’s more than platonic. A long since done and dusted puppy crush and an attraction to guys doesn’t mean that Will’s moan had anything to do with Mike as a person. It was just the situation, the friction. Just like Mike’s was a natural reaction to a sexual noise and discovering something he enjoys.
Even with all of that, a part of him wants to push harder against the palpable atmosphere surrounding them until it consumes them both and the other part wants to burst though it completely until it’s nothing but a mere memory. Mike takes the second option and forces a smile onto his face that Will returns. The tension breaks and they’re back to how they usually are.
Will lifts his comforter and slips underneath and Mike watches as he settles back against the couch “Well at least now we know for when we’re in college, y’know?” Will says and Mike’s chest lurches slightly at the thought of Will letting some random guy he might meet at college tie him up and then his stomach churns even stronger as he thinks about himself doing that to some random girl he might meet.
Mike suddenly wants to ask more questions, to prod and poke until this sudden nausea disappears but he doesn’t get the chance as Will’s voice interrupts his thoughts. “Night, Mike,” he says as he leans over to flick off the lamp and Mike has no choice but to answer as Will closes his eyes, the conversation over.
“Night, Will.”
Mike’s chest aches the entire way up the basement steps, through the quiet of the house and into his bed.