Will Byers could fool the entire world, Mike knew. Will could easily walk out and hide any emotions he pleased to like it was nothing. He could be having a terrible day that left him in pieces and yet, he would smile and pretend that he’s fine.
Luckily, Mike Wheeler wasn’t the entire world. He was Will’s longtime best friend and boyfriend, so Will couldn’t fool him just as easily. Will’s fake smiles could never even compare to Will’s real, genuine ones. The real ones that offer light and happiness, and make Mike’s heart swell every time he sees them. The sad, saggy walk Will did when he was hiding something was slow compared to his everyday stride. His straightforward walk wasn’t bold, but showed he was confident enough to not have his head down. The stance that Mike could easily put his elbow to rest on the other boy's shoulder.
Although these were dead giveaways to Will’s emotions, the thing that made Mike understand him the most were his eyes. They were big and expressive, and told a never ending story. A story filled with pain and comfort, betrayal and trust, light and dark. Any lie Will could muster up, Mike could decipher it with just one look. He’s not a mind reader, but then again it doesn't take one to know WIll. You just have to look close enough.
With the knowledge of Will, Mike immediately noticed something was wrong when he approached the party’s lunch table in Hawkins High. The party was bickering when he slid next to Will on the bench. They were arguing about the most recent assignment they were assigned in their class they all shared. “It’s bullshit! Mr. Clark would never do some shit like this to us!”, Dustin exclaimed, as he aggressively ate his apple. The angry bite spread some of the juice from the apple onto Lucas’s eye, in which the other boy kicked Dustin under the table. Dustin made a sound of disapproval as Max joined the conversation, “Well, dumbass, we are not in middle school anymore. We’re sophomores.”
Dustin began ranting, “Yeah, but it’s dumb how the American School System works. One second there are classes you don’t even need to study for, and then all of a sudden they give you so much work that you lose sleep and shit, then they say it's your fault for not being prepared or well rested when you were too busy fucking studying.” Mike nodded along, agreeing but only half paying attention. Will was barely even looking up at the group and kept doodling on one of his hands under the table. The black ink on Will’s pale skin formed into a half of a heart being dragged down while the other one stood straight up. Will was going into detail on the one that looked beaten up and bruised. Mike gently tapped him on the shoulder in which Will responded with a quick jolt of energy and gave Mike the fakest smile he’s ever seen. “Are you alright?”, Mike asked in a soft tone and took one of Will’s hands under the table. Will gave his hand a small squeeze and nodded. “You sure?”. “Of course.”
Mike received a kick from under the table. “Hey did you hear us? Study group later?”, Lucas rolled his eyes at the two’s little bit of separation from the group (Max was also snickering along with Dustin.) Mike wanted to say ‘no, my boyfriend is upset’ but Will has already let go of Mike’s hand and went back to looking down. Maybe Will needs to be around friends more? Not likely since they hang out almost all the time, but it’s worth a shot. “Duh, my house.”
-
The rest of the day flew by with ease. More homework, more upcoming quizzes, and worried glances towards Will in the halls. Every time he’d look at him in the halls Mike could tell something had to be on his mind. Will was fiddling with the sleeves on the larger sweater he was wearing (that may or may not be Mike’s) and almost ran into two people between 3rd and 4th hour. What was up with him?
Mike sat on the hood of his old, about to fall apart, car, waiting for Will to come. The car was the first one the Wheeler family had ever owned. It had been through Nancy’s first day of kindergarten and Mike’s arrival to the family, along with Holly’s. It had stains, much to Karen’s dismay, and had gotten a bad dent in the back from Nancy first learning how to drive. Some days Mike is surprised this thing doesn’t just completely break down and give up, but something Mike has learned is that even the most broken things in life, keep going.
Will had his messenger bag over his shoulder as he ran his fingers through his (now cut) hair and spotted Mike by his car, so he began walking towards him. When Mike turned sixteen and got the old car, it became tradition that Will would get a ride home everyday. It was a few minutes they got to themselves where they could yell lyrics to random songs and pretend that they weren’t in the smallest, most conservative, and dumbest town to ever exist. That and it was pretty nice to steal a few kisses here and there before Will got out the car.
Mike got off of the car and rushed over to open the passenger door for Will, “Nice to see ya, Mr.Byers.” Will rolled his eyes and entered the car, giving up a small smile. With that little victory, Mike grinned and went to the drivers side and got in. “So”, Mike said, starting the car, “how are you today?”. Will just gave a quiet hum and buckled up. They pulled out of the parking lot and he flipped off Lucas, Max, and Dustin who were driving behind them, which Max (happily) responded with yelling “I HATE YOU TOO, DUMBASS”. Ahh, yes. He loves his friends. Even Max.
After getting far enough from the school Mike leaned over and gave Will a light kiss on the cheek, hoping for some type of reaction. Instead of a small giggle he would normally receive or a kiss back, Will just sat there limp. No emotion showing at all. “Babe, are you okay?”, Mike couldn’t help but question. “Yeah, sorry, I’m just”, Will gave Mike a soft kiss on the cheek, “distracted.” Mike’s face still heated up even after two years.There’s no cure to the rush WIll Byers gave him. “S’okay. Is there something on your mind?”
“I”, Will struggled to get his words out, “yeah. But it’s super dumb and it really shouldn’t be taking up that much time-”
Mike grabbed his hand, while keeping the other on the steering wheel, “Will, it’s not dumb if you care about it. You can tell me anything. Crazy together.”
Will laughed softly, and squeezed Mike’s hand. “Crazy together.”
Will, still not talking about the issue, turned the radio on, so the rest of the ride to the Byers-Hoppers’ house was filled with a comfortable atmosphere as the boys held hands and just listened to some random indie music on the radio. Will rolled down his window and let the cool wind hit his face as he closed his eyes. Every time Mike looked over at him the love he felt for the other was immense and at times it just got stuck in his throat. Will Byers was his boyfriend. After years of bullshit, fighting and pain, they are finally together and for once, at peace. Now they can struggle with just normal shit. Dumb teachers, homework, highschool credits, ect.
They pulled up to the house and Mike raced Will to the front door, which Will won because apparently you get faster when you join track. Sounds fake to Mike but okay. He’s fine being the theater kid he is and being slow as fuck, just as long he can see Will Byers’ ass as he does beat him in any race.
El opened the door a few seconds before Will opened it and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and the same thing for Mike when he made it to the house. “You guys are late.”, she pointed out, like a mother who has been waiting for her kid’s arrival. Will walked past her into the kitchen, “Only by like five minutes, El.”
“Ten minutes.”
Mike has learned that El basically kept track of everything. He supposes it has to do with her being homeschooled for the time being, so it distracts her. That or she’s just nosy. He looked over at his friend’s little mischievous grin that she proudly wore and decided that it's both. Definitely both.
“Sorry, Miss. I will not be bringing William home no later than curfew.”, Mike gave a terrible impression of an englishman as El giggled. She was a brighter, lighter soul when her and Mike ended it back in 86’. They both knew their relationship just wasn’t working out. After all, El didn’t know who she was yet (and she will continue learning) and Mike’s mind was somewhere else whenever they were kissing or holding hands. His mind was with the boy who was currently making a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
“Mike, sorry to disrupt your britishness, but El what was your word of the day?”, Will asked from the kitchen. Will had taken up the job of making sure El knew what her vocabulary word meant and how she could use it in a sentence. “Ignorant.”
Mike sat on the couch and watched as the two siblings spoke about the vocabulary word’s definition. Ever since Hopper came back, him and Joyce decided to get together and a year later get married. Since Will and El had gotten close while Hopper was away, when Hopper moved in, El was already settled. Mike remembered what El had said to him one night when they were hanging out.
I feel at home, Mike. I really do.
“Can you use it in a sentence?”, Will asked, as he came around to sit next to Mike. “Boys can be ignorant”, she started but she saw the two boys' offended faces and she laughed, “but not all of them.” Mike rolled his eyes and dramatically laid his head back. “El, you’ve wounded me.”, Mike said in the british accent. “You take offense of what you like, Mike.”
Will sat there and silently ate his sandwich. Will’s always been a little weird and Mike believes that is what drew him to the other boy all those years ago on the swings. “El, the party wants to do a study group thingy at Mike’s house. Wanna come?”, Will asked. Her face lit up, “Mhm. Let me go brush my hair again!”. With that she ran upstairs to go brush her slightly nappy hair. Mike turned over to his boyfriend and gave him a soft kiss on the nose. He enjoyed watching Will’s face tint pink and him get confused and all flushed. “What was that for?”
“For fun.”
-
The party was really good at studying. At first. Somehow talking about chemistry led them to argue about the best type of pizza. How? Mike will never know, but he always enjoys it.
Dustin and Lucas were passionately fighting about the whole matter about pineapple on pizza. “Disgusting, revolting, disrespectful-”, Dustin started off that conversation. Lucas sat there looking at Dustin, as if he was the most idiotc person to ever exist. Max and El were having a civil debate on pepperoni pizza and whether or not it's okay to order extra cheese if you already have pepperonis on the pizza. Their debate wouldn’t last too long, since Max is braiding El’s hair. Will; however, didn’t look up for the fight. He seemed consumed into his thoughts and he wore a concentrated face as he sat there and thought of something.
Mike wanted to know what.
Then, Will got up and did a light stretch (like a kitten, to Mike at least) and excused himself. “I just gotta go to the bathroom, Mike. I’ll be right back”. Then he disappeared into the bathroom and left Mike alone on the couch. Apparently he was making some sort of face because it drew the attention of a certain redhead. “Uh oh. Trouble in paradise, Wheeler?”, Max spoke from the floor. She had finished El’s braided crown and they were now looking at some of the comics on the floor. “No, he’s just been acting weird.”
“If I were dating you, Mike I know I would be weirded out”, Dustin pointed out. Mike threw a pillow at him as Lucas watched with an amused smile. Of course the party knows the two boys are dating. They told them as soon as they both felt comfortable with it. Which was a month into their relationship. They’ve been next to them through the good and bad times. The ups and downs, and Mike could never ask for a better party.
“I think Will is scared”, El said simply.
Mike was confused. There has been no signs of the upside down or that piece of shit Lonnie. There’s been no new bullies at their school and Will is happy in his art club. What could be so scary about their life right now? “Of what El?”
“I don’t know.”
She knew. Will and El had grown a bond that Mike has never seen before and it’s obvious she knew. “Just ask him.”, Dustin started to straighten up his messy book pile. Lucas nodded along and agreed with Dustin, which was a rare sight. “I can’t just ask. It’s not that simple.”
“It literally is, Mike.”
“Ignorant”, El said quietly to herself which Made Max double over in laughter. Mike wanted to tell them to fuck off but he knew they were right. Sometimes, Mike forgets this is Will. Not someone who he barely knows. “Fine, I’ll do it, but he’s in the bathroom.”
“He obviously just got up to get away, dumbass. Do I have to spell everything out to you?”. Mike did; however, flip Max off before going to approach the bathroom door. “We’re rooting for you, buddy.”, Lucas said which earned a collected amount of ‘yeah’ and ‘dumbass’.
Mike knocked on the bathroom door, hoping Will was actually fine. “Come in.”, a small voice called out. Mike took a breath and opened the door. He found Will sitting on the edge of the tub holding onto a small rag.
The first thing Mike noticed was Will’s eyes, "Why are your eyes so red?". Then, as always, Mike was late to realize Will was crying. Mike took a seat next to Will and out his arms around the smaller boy. “Hey, I’m here.”. Will started to lightly sob into Mike’s shoulders and Mike couldn’t give no fucks that his shoulder was going to get soaked.
He let Will cry for a few moments before Will pulled away to look at Mike, “I’m sorry. I can never let anything be normal. I know you want to leave me because I’m too much baggage.” How do you respond to something like that? Instead of saying something, Mike just pulled Will into a hug again and stroked his hair. “Don’t say that, Will.” “But it’s true, Mike. I never let anything be normal and or okay and-”
He pulled away from Mike to once again look at him, “I’m not normal, Mike.”
“I don’t like normal, Will”, Mike pointed out. Look at the people he has dated. “You should, Mike. You shouldn’t want to deal with me. I’m just what Lonnie says I am.”. “No”, Mike interlaced his fingers with Will’s , “you are so much better than him and he hates it, Will. He hates how amazing you are.”
Will looked away, “but on the call, Mike, he said I was-”
“The call?”
“Yesterday, Lonnie called me. He told me how, how I’m a disappointment and I’ll never be a man and I’m unlovable and unnatural. How I would be better off”, a small sob escaped his mouth, “dead.” Mike couldn't even process that. Will dead? That, that is the worst thought he’s ever heard. His life without the boy in front of him wouldn’t be a life at all. “Will, I love you. If you were to die- I don't even know. Will, listen to me”, he unlaced one of his hands to lift Will’s face towards him, “you mean everything to me. I could never leave you.-”
Not again
“-I love you. Fuck whatever your idiot dad has to say. You are everything I have ever wanted and more.”
Will looked at him so scared and unsure and it broke Mike’s heart to see Will like this. “Really?”, Will asked in such a sad tone, like he was ready for Mike to take back everything he’s just said. “Will Byers, you are the love of my life and the best fucking person on this planet.”
And with that, Mike pulled him into the last hug of the day just to hold him near. Lonnie’s words may affect Will like this for a little bit but Mike will always love this small nerd forever and more. No matter what little voices talk to this boy in his arms, they aren’t real and Mike is. “Sorry.”, Will gave a light laugh into Mike’s shirt. “For what?”
“I kinda got mucus on your shoulder.”
“Dammnit, William.”