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“Shut up.”
Will groans, as he takes another step ahead, focusing on everything but Mike behind him.
Mike, who walks along with him through the ruins of the distorted version of ‘83.
Mike, who hasn’t left Will’s side since they got sent on the mission of gathering supplies from the Upside Down - well, truthfully, Will got sent.
Will got sent, as the person, who’d spent the most time here and one of the two - Nancy, obviously, the other one - people, who know how to use a gun.
Mike just decided to sneak up behind him without telling anyone until the two of them slipped through the gate.
Honestly, Will should’ve seen it coming - he has known his best friend for over ten years now, after all. He has no idea what made him think that Mike wouldn’t follow him, especially after he explicitly announced to everyone that if they want to send Will back to this hell, then they can do it either with him or over his dead body.
Mike’s not really the one to change his mind once it’s made up. He never has been.
Yeah, Will really should’ve known better.
“I didn’t even say anything!”
Mike whines a few steps behind him and Will wants to punch him.
“You’ve done enough.”
Will pays no mind to either Mike or blood-freezing screams coming from red bushes near them. He raises the gun in that direction and picks up a walkie-talkie.
If he notices the way Mike’s eyes follow his extended arm and land on his muscles - well, if does, he’s taking it to the grave.
“Can you guys hear me? It’s Will. Over.”
The reply from the walkie-talkie comes almost immediately.
“Will? Oh, thank god!”
It’s his mom, worry clear in her voice. She’s still not quite used to the way it all works - despite their best attempts, they haven’t managed to get her to remember to say over at the end of sentence.
Before he can answer, Will hears shuffling on the other side of the line, as Lucas takes the device.
“Is Mike with you? We can’t find him anywhere. Over.”
Will gives his best friend a disapproving look. Mike mouths sorry in his direction.
Will slaps him on the arm, because he doesn’t seem sorry even one bit.
“Yeah, he’s here. You should’ve babysat him better. Over.”
Will snickers, when Mike shouts hey - he looks almost definitely offended.
It’s the least he deserves after what he’s put them all through.
“Dude, what the hell? Why didn’t you tell us? Over.”
Dustin sounds like a worried mom and Will can’t help but laugh quietly, as Mike gets scolded.
They really do hang out with Steve a lot.
Mike brushes wet hair away from his forehead and - he looks beautiful. Despite the red paysage, the anger boiling in Will at his best friend’s recklessness, the Demogorgons that Will keeps shooting at with precision - despite it all, Mike looks beautiful and Will wants to kiss the sweat away from his face.
He averts his gaze.
“Come on guys! I wouldn’t leave Will. Over.”
Will’s stomach fills with butterflies - he wants to catch them. He wants to catch every single one of them, pierce their little wings and watch them die. To tell them that it’s dead, it’s over.
That they have no right being there, because Mike and Will couldn’t be further. That there’s no hope in flying, because he’s not even sure if they’re still best friends. That Mike would follow absolutely anybody here, because he’s a stupid boy with a stupid saviour complex and Will is still stupidly in love with him.
“Oh, you wouldn’t leave Will, would you?”
Max teases Mike through the walkie-talkie and Will’s sure his face is redder than the horizon above them.
“Max, how many times do I have to tell you to end it with over? Over.”
“Yeah, whatever, Wheeler. Keep in touch and don’t make Will kill you.”
Of course, she doesn’t say over. Will watches as Mike’s face winces in frustration.
“I’m sure he’ll try his best. Call you later. Over and out.”
Will turns the device off and pulls Mike through the door with the hand that’s not on the gun. They’re in the Byers’ old house. Will feels uneasy looking at the demolished walls - the ones that used to hold so many memories, the ones that used to be the only witnesses of his desperate cries. Desperate for his childhood, for the destroyed two years that he’d never get back, for Mike.
The lights around them go blue.
“Will?” Mike asks, confusedly looking at the flickering light bulbs.
Shit.
This isn’t how Will was planning to tell him that oh, yeah, El isn’t the only one with superpowers. That he can do just as much and that he can be Mike’s superhero.
Well, Will wasn’t planning on telling him at all, ever, actually. It’s not like his light playing superpowers are as impressive as his sister’s literal telekinesis abilities - it’s not like there’s much to be proud of.
He’s sure as hell not going to change his mind.
He used to never lie to Mike, aware that he knows him better than anyone and could tell just from Will’s face if he’s dishonest.
He’s gotten better at lying to him lately, evidently. Or maybe Mike’s gotten worse at reading Will lately. Maybe he doesn't care enough to try.
“It’s the Upside Down - you know how crazy it gets around here.”
The lie is heavy on his tongue, but Mike doesn’t seem to question Will’s knowledge. He did spend a week here - he knows this place in and out.
“We should sit down, regain our strength and all.”
“Yeah, if the Demogorgons come here, I always have the gun, right?”
Will half-smiles, extending the arm that’s holding the rifle and shooting the last threatening mass from this world - as if to prove a point.
He doesn’t miss the way Mike’s cheeks turn into a darker shade of crimson.
“Right.”
Mike doesn’t look at Will, when he maneuvers the two of them to sit against a wall - their bodies almost touching.
Mike presses the back of himself against the cold surface behind and closes his eyes - he’s beautiful.
Mike - with his eyes shut and his lips slightly open, taking sharp, much needed breaths of the poisoned air - looks more kissable than ever. Will wonders if his lips would be as soft as they look.
He presses his own eyes shut and lets one of his hands fall to the floor, leaving it right between him and Mike. Will starts nervously tapping his fingers - a habit he brought from the week he’d spent here, something he’s never properly been able to get rid of.
Mike is right next to him, letting Will in, letting him see the vulnerable side of himself - something that’s never been easy to show. He’s there and he fully puts his life in Will’s hands, trusting him to take care of the openness he’s so afraid to let shine - trusting him to be gentle and be his best friend.
Will wonders if Mike would still consider him one, if he could read his mind - if he saw everything that Will’s buried so deep inside of him that he’s not sure it’s even possible to tear it away from him now. If it’s possible to tell where he ends and the love for Mike starts.
He wonders if Mike would as much as spare him a second look if he knew that everyone’s always been right about Will. That Mike protected him from his dad, from bullies, that he pushed Troy for nothing, because they knew what Will was even before he did.
That all those names they’ve always been called are only half-untrue, because as much as Mike isn’t a fag, Will’s feelings for him are visible enough for Troy to pick up.
Will’s fingers’ taps slowly start turning into letters, as he gets lost in his mind.
- - ( M )
Mike’s eyes open but Will very pointedly doesn’t look at him.
* * ( I )
Mike turns to him, clearly trying to look for the proper words to ask whatever is on his mind. The lights around them pick up on Will’s morse code, as they flash red in the pace of the tapped letters.
- * - ( K )
Mike’s eyes widen, when he realises the pattern connecting the changing light and Will’s taps.
At least he can’t understand.
Will finishes with one last tap of fingers and raises his gaze.
* ( E )
“Will.”
There’s no way out - he knows it. Mike’s not an idiot, he must’ve picked up on what’s happening but Will has no energy to argue. Not here - not where already too many bad things have happened, not where he can still see the shadow of his dad, drunkenly throwing empty bottles at the walls and raising his fists at a curled up younger version of Will.
He picks up a walkie-talkie.
“It’s Will. Over.”
He can feel faster than see Mike scoot closer to him, intertwining his fingers with Will’s hand on the floor.
He doesn’t have the time to tear it away, because someone’s already answering.
“You guys okay? Over.”
Mike takes the walkie-talkie from his hand.
“We’re fine. We’re in Will’s old house and there’s no Demogorgon in sight. Even if there were, Will would shoot it from a mile away. Over”
The lights turn bright pink, when Will’s heart picks up at the praise and he blushes with embarrassment. He could just as well draw Mike a fucking Valentine Card with the way his powers seem to betray his emotions.
Will decides not to give any second thoughts to the way Mike smiles, when he looks between him and the flickering lights.
“You sure you’re okay? ‘Cause we’re near his house on this side and the lights are going crazy , man. Over”
Will buries his face in his hands, when Mike turns his face to him.
“Yeah, here, too. Will, why do you think that is? Over.”
Mike says to the walkie-talkie, but clearly directs the question to him. Will hopes to god that El’s not there with Dustin and Lucas to answer for him.
He told her about his electricity powers, obviously. She threw herself into his arms, as they giggled and practised together - blood under her nose and Will’s overwhelming exhaustion the only visible things to the confused Party upon coming back.
Well, he didn’t really tell her not to mention it to anyone. He didn’t really have much time for a full conversation - the mission beginning only a few hours later.
Will hopes to god that she’s not there to answer.
“Oh, I know why!” They hear El on the other end of the line.
“Over?” She tries, remembering about the still strange rules of the communication.
Will tries to grab the walkie-talkie from Mike’s hands, but he raises his hand above, so that Will can’t reach it.
Fuck their height difference.
Will used to think it’s perfect for them to hug - for him to bury his head in Mike’s chest, to let the top of his head be covered by Mike’s chin. But they don’t do it anymore.
Right now Mike’s tall posture is nothing but a curse.
“Mike, give it to me!”
Will shouts, but Mike covers the speaker to hear El better.
Will sinks to the ground and puts his face back in his hands.
“Will controls the electricity. I think the lights will change with him - with what he is feeling. And we can see it from here, because he is still connected to the gate. Over.”
Will can’t hear anything except for the blood swimming in his ears.
Mike slowly sits down next to him, putting his hand over Will’s, trying to stop the nervous tapping.
* * ( I )
Mike’s fingers slip into Will’s, contrasting the coldness of his hand with the warmth that always seems to surround the other boy.
* * * * * - - * ( hate )
Mike squeezes his hand, right when Will finishes the sentence.
- - - * -- * * * * * - * * * * - * ( myself )
Will’s sure that if his eyes weren’t closed, he would see Mike’s piercing gaze on his face. The lights around them flicker with a barely-there shade of blue, allowing Will’s tears to be seen in the colour. He can’t stop himself from repeating the taps over and over again. He hopes his fingers go white, leaving a permanent mark.
He feels long fingers on his hand, turning their tips against Will’s palm.
Then he feels gentle taps on his skin.
* * ( I )
Will’s breath catches but he doesn’t move - the two singular taps might just be an accident, after all. It’s not like Mike’s ever had the chance to learn morse code. Not like Will did - with his drunk dad sitting at the table and the only open way of communicating with his mom being by small sounds left on the wood.
* - * * - - - * * * - * ( love )
Will feels sick . He tries to tear his hand away, but Mike doesn’t let go - clearly determined to finish the sequence.
- * - - - - - * * - ( you )
Their eyes finally connect, as Mike lets go of Will’s hand.
Will’s voice is faint and in contrast with white lights surrounding them, flickering lightly, as if in mockery. As if witnessing the end of it all.
“You know morse code?”
Mike has the decency to look guilty.
“Yeah. Learnt when you went missing. To be able to talk to you however I could.”
Will is - he doesn’t even know. It’s sweet, in a way.
It’s sweet that Mike put so much energy into learning it in such a short time - less than a few days.
Suddenly, Will remembers the message Mike tapped on his hand and he feels angry.
He’s angry that Mike cares, that he can’t stop pulling at Will’s heart’s strings.
He’s angry that he can’t seem to fall out of love with Mike, no matter how hard he tries.
He’s angry that a simple I love you means more to him than it should - the message behind it clearly platonic. Because, of course, Mike loves him. Will knows it.
He knew it, when Mike pushed Troy, when he stayed by Will’s bed during the possession, when Mike went to the Upside Down with him.
Mike loves him and it should be enough.
Will’s angry that it isn’t.
Will’s angry that he’ll always love Mike more, in a different way, than he loves Will.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you keep this away from me?”
“Oh, you wanna talk about keeping things away from each other?”
Will stumbles back at the mad eyes in front of him. He can only think about one thing that Mike might mean, but it’s impossible.
Mike doesn’t know.
He can’t.
“You wanna talk about your lies?”
Mike knows.
The lights around them turn almost black, when he takes another step towards Will.
“Do you want me to start from the first or the most recent one? Because I can name a few. How about the one I have in the form of a painting?”
Will’s blood freezes in his veins. He’s got caught - if Mike knows this, then there’s a very fine line between it and figuring out the reasoning behind. There’s a fine line and he’s walking on it.
A lightbulb next to them explodes, but Mike only pays it half a mind.
“Oh, how about the fact that you have literal fucking powers. You’ve just made a light bulb blow up and you haven’t thought to, I don’t know, tell me? Were you ever planning to?”
Will closes his eyes - there’s no point in lying anymore.
“No.”
He’s not going to say more - every word threatening to provoke the avalanche of truth buried on the tip of his tongue.
“So - what, Will? You lied to me. You made up a bullshit speech about feelings, you gave me hope, just when I-”
Mike stops, biting his tongue at the last moment, but Will’s already noticed the slip-up.
“You lied to me, then said they were El’s feelings. That she said it all, when she - god, Will. You don’t even know. You should’ve seen her face when I thanked her.”
Will’s heart swells. Another light bulb threatens to explode, as electrical sparkles start flying around them.
“Well, it’s not like I had any reason to tell you that I can control electricity. It’s not like you’d care anyway.”
Will sniffles and tries not to look as Mike’s hands drop.
“I wouldn’t - Will.”
Mike puts a hand on his shoulder and lifts his chin with his fingers.
“ Of course, I’d care.”
Will is not having it. He shakes his head and pulls himself away, sinking deeper into the well of regrets. Mike stays in place, looking at Will with wide eyes.
“Mike - you. Don’t do this, you can’t. It’s not like you’ve never lied to me. Maybe that’s just who we are now.”
Mike lifts his head, confused. Will watches his best friend look for answers in his head. He clearly can’t find any.
“What?”
“You told me that asking me to be your friend was the best thing you’d ever done.”
Will can’t even hide the tears in his voice anymore - the sadness of it all circling around them and filling up the remaining light bulbs with bluish light.
“That’s true. It was true, when I said it and it still is.”
The panic on Mike’s face makes Will curl in on himself even more. The words spilling from his tongue leave acidic burn marks after them.
“As of two days ago, the best thing you’ve ever done is finding El in the woods. When I wasn’t there.”
The last part is said quietly, with foolish hope that Mike won’t hear it - that he won’t realise how pathetic Will is.
“I didn’t mean it. Will, El was dying on our hands, I had to-”
Will doesn’t give Mike the courtesy to explain. He doesn’t want to hear it.
It’s time to rip-off the band-aid.
“She’s your girlfriend, Mike - of course it’s true. I don’t mind it - I really don’t. But you go around giving me hope, when I’m-”
All the lights turn bright, as Will realises how much he’s said. He takes a step back and refuses to say anything else, hoping for Mike to just let go.
“When you’re what, Will?”
So much for letting go.
Will shakes his head, but lets Mike come closer.
The lights turn off fully, when their hands brush - must’ve picked up on how much Will wants to hide inside of himself now. How much he wants to flee, jump through the window and run into the nearest Demogorgon in hope not to be having this conversation.
But Mike refuses to let him, as he repeats the question.
”When you’re what?”
So, in the darkness of Will’s old house in their worst nightmares, he lets a secret slip from his lips.
“When I’m so in love with you.”
Will feels two warm hands on his cheeks, as his lips collide with Mike’s. He gasps at the contact, surprised and not entirely sure if Vecna hasn’t followed him here - hasn’t acted out his most shameful dreams just to ruin them right there.
But Mike’s lips, his tongue, the tears dropping from his face - they’re warm and so real.
Will throws all the caution into the wind and lets himself wrap his arms around his best friend, bringing him closer to his body.
Mike obeys with no hesitation, one of his hands falls from Will’s cheek and sneaks up under Will’s jacket, stays settled on his sides, as they kiss.
The lights around them go crazy - the brightness almost blinding them both. Will couldn’t care less, because Mike is kissing him.
Mike, his deepest, worst, most disgusting secret is kissing him, letting their tongues collide and their teeth brush.
Will takes a step back to breathe, but his best friend follows him, leaving another kiss on his lips before gathering him in his arms.
Will sighs happily, as he breathes in Mike’s scent and looks up at him from the safety near his heart.
Mike wraps his arms around Will’s back and lets his hands rest on his neck.
“Guys, you alright? The lights are exploding here! Please, tell us you’re both okay. Over.”
Mike laughs before he picks up the walkie-talkie.
Will beams at him, the lights around them seeming to smile along with gentle flickers.
“We’re okay. Thank Will for that. Over.”
Will blushes and takes the device from his hand.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I’ll call you guys later. Over and out.”
“Wait! Why are the lights flickering like that? Wait, guys did you - oh my god!”
Mike turns the walkie-talkie off and puts his hands on Will’s back again.
They can feel electrical waves jumping at the skin contact.
“Just to be clear - we’re not together. Me and El.”
“I would hope so.”
Yeah, the Demogorgons are right outside of the door and the world is ending, but Mike’s here. He’s here and Will can’t focus on anything other than small buzzes of bright light bulbs, gentle kisses that Mike gives him and the tapping of slim fingers on the back of his neck.
* * / * - * * - - - * * * - * / - * - - - - - * * - ( I love you )