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Mike Wheeler checks his watch again for the tenth time in the last few seconds and it's pretty much still 7:47 A.M. He's scrowls to himself while leaning against his girlfriend's locker as he waits for El and his best friend Will Byers.
Mike knows they aren't usually this late and he already feels a hint of anxiety and paranoia slither into his thoughts. They always reach to school at approximately 7:30 dropped off by Hopper or Jonathan every day at the same time. It's the same routine and Mike hates change because it usually has his mind spinning tales of what ifs.
Turning on his heels he tries to stop the avalanche of negative worst case scenarios from tumbling over but his traitorous mind is too far gone. He begins pacing as he worries the silver ring around his middle finger with sweaty palms and is too busy having a mini meltdown to notice movement at the side of his eye.
He hears his name first and it seems like she's been calling to him for several times before.
Jane Hopper, short for El, walks at the front, hair loose reaching her shoulders wearing a purple plaid dress and matching socks to go with it. Today she has opted for some green hair clips and tiny matching frog earrings. She smiles as she sees Mike but what Mike doesn't notice is her small frown for just a second before it's gone.
Mike smiles back but he's too busy looking at the boy with olive skin dotted with beauty marks that's always tempted Mike to kiss every one. The spot between his eyebrows crinkle and Mike's fingers itch to smooth it out, to kiss him right there. His beautiful hazel eyes are now trained on the floor. Will Byers seems as if he's trying to make himself invisible to the world and it really pains Mike to see Will close up like that. He usually does that in public spaces because he is uncomfortable.
Will's hair is styled in a messy bowlcut which accentuates his perfectly symmetrical beautiful nose and those hazel eyes lined with the longest lashes that should be illegal for boys to have. Mike feels his cheeks heating up because he knows he shouldn't be thinking of another boy in such a way. Every part of Will Byers is beautiful.
Will has the most striking hazel eyes that notices everything and expresses his every emotion and right now Mike is frustrated because he can't see those eyes. Will is biting his lips which is red and slightly puffy making Mike think of kissing and what it would be like to kiss those lips; whether it'd be as soft as it looks-
Before he can question his thoughts further El reaches him and stands on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek saying, "Hi Mike, didn't you hear me call out to you twice before? We're late because Will wasn't ready. Is everyone okay?" It's an innocent question and Mike distractedly nods in answer having lied many times before to her.
Mike looks back at Will over El's shoulder who is looking everywhere but at Mike. It makes Mike even more interested in why they're late. He knows there's something he's missing.
Will is wearing one of his usual plaid long sleeved shirts tucked into some tightly fitted jeans but what catches Mike offhand is the band-aid peeking out from the collar of his neck. Before Mike can stop himself he's moving Will's collar to get a better look while blurting, "What's that?"
Touching the other boy's bare skin makes Mike shiver and he suddenly feels very protective of him. Touching Will's skin feels very right he thinks before dismissing the thought.
Mike knows it isn't fair to El and he decides that he'll break things off with her as soon as he finds the courage to do it. Maybe even today. He needs to figure out what he really wants.
At their contact Will nearly jumps out of his skin clearly not expecting anyone to notice let alone call him out on it. Mike's hand is still resting lightly against the side of Will's pale neck who is transfixed at the sight of his hand on the other boy and only removes it when he hears El audibly clearing her throat. Mike immediately misses the loss of contact. He wants to hug Will and take his hand like they used to do in kindergarten before Mike became a coward and put a stop to it saying they shouldn't. His hand twitches at the memory.
Will fixes his shirt to cover the mystery band aid, pointedly not looking into Mike's eyes before he replies, "That's nothing, just hurt myself yesterday in P.E."
El doesn't say anything and there's a moment of charged silence between the three.
Mike knows the other boy is lying and begins to worry about him. He hates the way his brain works. What if it's something from the upside down? What if something is hurting Will again and he does sense vecna behind his neck? What if it's a bully hurting Will and threatening him?
He's so lost in his thoughts he doesn't even hear the bell if not for El asking if he's ready to get to their first class. She has her books out and is looking at him expectantly. Mike feels very guilty and he helps her with her books to make himself feel better.
Will begins walking to his first class before Mike can ask him any further questions or call him out on his lie. Mike hates it. They used to be honest with each and now it feels like he barely hears from Will. They don't talk as much as they used to.
They catch up to Dustin, Lucas and Max as they file into their first class of the day; Math. Throughout the class Mike keeps looking at Will's neck wondering why Will would lie about whatever he was hiding. Mike's sole focus on Will causes him not to hear a word that the teacher says. He doesn't take any notes and begins writing only when Lucas kicks his foot under the table signaling the teacher, Mrs. Gibbons, walking their way to see what they're writing.
His fingers itch to rip off the band aid and get the truth out of Will. He thinks about how good it felt to touch the other boy and he starts wondering how it would feel to kiss the other boy at the side of his neck, how he would taste. He tries to lock the thought away.
He tries to catch Will after class to talk but Will is out of his seat the minute the bell goes and nowhere to be found after. Mike is tugging at his hair in frustration and is in a foul mood now, even moreso than usual. Max would definitely say he's always in a foul mood except when he's around Will and to be honest she'd be right.
By the time lunch rolls around Mike is sweating bullets. He wants to rip his hair off one by one because he hates when he doesn't know if Will Byers is in danger. He will talk to Will and get the truth out of him if it's the last thing he does he decides, for the sake of both their sanities. If someone hurt him deliberately in P.E. yesterday Mike vows to find out.
Half of the extended party are sitting around their table in the cafeteria waiting for the others to come. Lucas sits next to Max, then El and Mike with an empty seat next to Mike for Will and a seat opposite for Dustin. Everyone is sitting with their lunches already except Dustin and Will. Dustin can be seen collecting his lunch while Will is making his way towards the table, brown bag lunch in hand as he dodges a group of boys from the basketball team. He looks visibly scared even a little anxious and Mike wants to comfort him while simaltaneously shaking the truth out.
He stands up and pulls Will's chair out for him as Will reaches the table mumbling a quiet thanks to Mike. He doesn't look at Mike, instead focusing on the others and the story Lucas is telling that has everyone else listening. Not surprisingly, Mike doesn't know what it's about.
"Are you okay?" Mike asks quietly instead noticing the band aid is still in place. "Yeah I'm okay." Will says still avoiding eye contact. His lips are bitten raw and Mike doesn't realize he's staring until El touches him asking something that he doesn't understand because he wasn't listening. Will licks his lips as he bites into his sandwich and Mike wishes he was the crumb at the side of his mouth.
Mike forces himself to focus on El and what she's asking. He tries his best to get into the conversation as Max laughs at him about him not being able to focus while suggestively looking in Will's direction with a kissy face but he let's her comment slide this time. He's too busy worrying about Will's neck or just Will in general. Mike's face is on fire at Max's implication. He tries to explode her with his mind but it sadly doesn't work.
Wait Mike doesn't want to kiss another boy, he doesn't like boys he has a girlfriend. He's just worried about his best friend is all. Yeah that's it, he decides.
Then why are you planning your breakup? A cruel little voice questions in his head soundly oddly like Max Mayfield mocking him.
He snaps out of his angsty thoughts when the real Max tosses a fry at Mike's head to get his attention and he cringes away like the loser he is hiding behind El's shoulder to not be bombarded with more French fries.
"Hey!" he shouts "Come on Max stop or I swear-"
More fries sail his way and he ends up with one almost stuck in his curls. Will chuckles next to him and Dustin opens his mouth for someone to toss fries in like the idiot he is. Mike throws back a few fries at Max just to get a bigger smile from Will and it works. Dustin shouts in victory when he catches two fries in a row with his mouth open. "I'm surprised you haven't caught any fries in your mouth either Wheeler, since you've been drooling so much today." Max jokes and Mike hopes no one hears.
As lunch passes by Max notices the band aid on Will's neck and comments, "What got you all bruised Byers?" The mood shifts slightly and Will visibly closes in on himself again.
"It's nothing I just hurt myself in P.E. yesterday. " Will answers non commmitedly trying to play it cool. Mike can see the tension in his shoulders as it goes rigid.
Max smiles knowingly as she looks at Will and then whispers something in El's ear who giggles. In that moment Mike hates the both of them. "Well share with the class then," Mike grits out exasperatedly.
After a moment El responds for the both of them, "Max thinks Will has a secret girlfriend..."
"But how does having a girlfriend.... " Mike trails off finally catching on to what they're implying. He feels nausea and dread rising in his throat and thinks he's going to be sick. Thinking of someone else marking Will, touching him, putting their hands on Will, fucking kissing Will...his anger bubbles over. The plastic fork he's holding bends, snapping in two, and he digs his fingers into the wooden table feeling the splinters pierce under thr bed of his nails.
Jealousy makes his throat feel tight; it's thick like black oil coating his lungs and filling it up, blocking any chance of breathing. His anger must be palapitable because El seems to have been calling his name several times and he didn't hear. She almost has a guilty look on her face.
"What?" he grinds out trying to keep his anger under control. It isn't Will's fault though he has to remember that, it's whoever thought it was okay to put their hands on his Will. He would-
"Mike I said are you ok? And you just stopped eating." El points out.
"Can I speak to you Will?" Mike ask instead of responding to El's question.
"Yeah of course." Will says.
"In private I mean it's important." Mike tries.
"Yea okay sure..." Will trails off checking his watch, "but we gotta be quick it's ten minutes away from bio."
Max smiles like a cheshire cat and gives Lucas an I told you so look. Mike really hates her sometimes.
Both boys excuse themselves and start walking towards the bathrooms but Mike doesn't miss the way Will glances twice at the basketball team player's table, specifically one boy in particular, before quickly looking away. The boy smiles a little at Will before looking at Mike coldly even from several meters away.
In the bathroom Mike locks the door before turning to Will and asking, "Is it true? Do you have a girlfriend? Is that what this is about on your neck?"
Mike doesn't care anymore if he's being rude, he just needs to know the truth. The same little Max voice laughs at him and why he's so concerned. He shuts it out.
Instead Will seems to be getting angrier with each question.
"What the fuck Mike, that's not any of your goddamn business!" Will shoots back waving his hands towards the door, "You know what Mike? Fuck you. I'm done with whatever this is." It's his end of discussion voice but Mike isn't having it.
"No, you're lying I know it. I need to know Will, who is it? Is it one of those girls who flirts with you in class? Or that boy from the basketball team? Whoever it is shouldn't have done that because - "
"Oh that's rich coming from you.You're lecturing me about lying but you're the biggest liar in Hawkins!" Will shouts finally letting his pent up rage come to the surface.
"Why is it so important to you? Why do you need to know Mike? You almost sound like a jealous boyfriend for fucks sake. " Will continues at a stunned Mike.
"How about you being the lying best friend instead? I was actually concerned for you Will but you don't seem to care." Mike says before he instantly regrets it and realizes he went too far. Will is right, Mike is lying to himself and to El and to everyone else. And Will owes him nothing.
Mike is silent again realizing he's let those intrusive questions that's been brewing all day boil over and he does actually sound like a jealous boyfriend. He hates how wrong he's being.
"Why do you care so much Mike?" Will finally asks again, searching Mike's eyes looking for something, some explanation as to why Mike is angry and jealous all at the same time over who Will could possibly be seeing.
Will's eyes are brimming with unshed tears, anger still thick in his voice but there's a little hope in his eyes as if he's waiting for something but doesn't dare to think it true.
Mike's thoughts are a whirlwind of anger jealousy, love and hurt but he ignores it all because the only thing be can think of the most is how much he hates Will being with anyone but him. It has been eating away at him slowly, growing, festering but now it feels like a live thing clawing at his heart ready to burst out of his chest to get free.
"Because I love you okay." Mike blurts before he can stop himself. "I'm sorry you're right about everything and I fucking hate the idea of anyone else being with you." He realizes he really means those words though and he doesn't take it back.
The silence is deafening.
"What?" Will questions almost tentatively, "What did you just say?"
"I said I love you Will and I didn't realize it until this very moment. I'm angry and jealous because it should've been me who left that mark on your neck, should've been me kissing you, touching you and I hate whoever got that chance. I hate that it took me so long to realize it too." he finishes hoping his best friend will understand.
Will turns away facing the mirror as he looks at them.
"So you had to have a whole meltdown before you realized? Here I thought I was the drama queen." he scoffs quietly.
Mike pinches the bridge of his nose finally letting what he said to Will sink in. Realizing how true it is, how true it feels, that every fibre of his body knows how true it is. He's such an idiot.
Will slowly beings removing the band aid while saying, "Surely you don't mean that the way I think right? You can't because you love El and she's your girlfriend remember?" he trails off almost to himself. Will seems to still be in his head and Mike can't even blame him. He's been discarded by Mike time and time again; his friendship and feelings taken for granted. Mike deserves this.
There's a big purple bruise at the side of Will's pale neck. It looks fairly recent, like it was done the day before. Mike's anger spikes again and now that he's bared his soul to Will the bruise feels like it's taunting him, saying that Will does have other options other than Mike if he wants. Jealousy burns like molten lava in his chest and he sinks his fingernails into his palms until he breaks skin. Mike's molars grind down as he imagines the basketball player making that hickey on Will's throat. He wants to pound his face into the ground so he won't be able to do it again ever.
He's visibly drilling a hole in the reflection of Will's neck in the mirror before he answers, "I don't know when it first started Will but I've been in love with you for so long and I haven't been able to admit it even to myself until now. I hate the idea of anyone laying their hand on you more than anything else but I'm sorry okay I'm a coward I know. I've loved you since before California..."
"But you can't love me." Will finally says touching his throat examining the bruise. "This has to be another of Vecna's visions screwing with my head." he decides pressing down on the bruise to "wake up". To feel something.
"Will stop" Mike says taking his hand in between both his, worriedly trying to get Will to listen to him but he isn't paying Mike any attention. He rips his hand out of Mike's and bends over the sink counter, both hands holding his head as he tries to block out an imaginary vision. Mike moves closer determined and feels insanely guilty for putting Will in such a position that he feels someone saying they love him isn't real. Will shouldn't have to feel this way, he's the most loving person Mike has ever met.
"Will stop please, listen to me." Mike says again holding the other boys shoulder tenderly. He rubs the other boy's back gently trying to anchor him, calm him down. He finally gets Will to look at him saying, "Please don't ever hurt yourself again, I know you lied about the painting but I was too chicken shit to say that I feel the same Will. I love that it was from you I wanted it to be from you, really. I was so gutted and disappointed when you said it was from El honestly, you must believe me."
Will is full on crying now, cheeks flaming red as tears spill over and slide down. It hurts to see Will cry. Mike wants to kick himself.
Instead Mike rubs the other boy's cheek softly and gives him a small smile hoping to reassure him. He reaches over and wipes away a few tears realizing Will is finally listening.
"This isn't some crazy vision Will, I promise. It's real, the most grounded I've felt in a long time. I love you Will and I'm glad I can finally admit it. I've never been this sure of anything else in my life. I've decede a long while ago that I'm going to break things off with El. Hell I was thinking about it this morning," he chuckles, "but I'm a coward but I will right after. I could never feel this way about anyone else, please believe me." he says softly.
Will is looking at him and his breath hitches at Mike's little speech. He leans against the counter for support.
"Yes I believe you Mike," Will says crying even more and shaking his head. "I love you too and I'm sorry for lying, I can't believe this is actually happening. I've pictured it so many times in my head it feels like a dream." Will sobs holding onto the front of Mike's shirt now.
Mike looks at Will's lips silently asking for permission and Will nods as if he's been waiting.
Mike moves immediately in for their first kiss, capturing Will's bitten, puffy, red lips in his. For the first time he feels the butterflies in his stomach that people talk about when you're kissing someone you're in love with. It's such a transcendent and charged moment when their lips finally meet, like a match finally being struck on gasoline and catching, igniting the blaze that burns between them. Mike feels his entire body spark to life and combust as if electricity is moving between them. He wraps one hand around Will's burning waist and pulls the shorter boy closer, pressing their bodies firmly against each other.
Kissing Will Byers is quite literally the best thing he's ever done. Kissing Will Byers is purely blissful, the closest thing Mike will probably experience to heavenly. Their lips move together in a dance that only their bodies know the moves to. The kiss gets messy and slick as Mike slides his tongue over Will's front teeth and licks his top lip. Will's lips are just as soft as he imagined and Will taste even better than he ever could.
Will turns his head at an angle allowing Mike to deepen the kiss causing Will to raise his head to meet Mike's lips.
Mike presses Will against the wall as they continue to kiss, finally experiencing something they've been waiting years for. It's firey and passionate as they kiss open mouthed and bruising; Mike leaving wet kisses in a firey line down Will's face and neck. He runs his hand through Mike's hair tugging lightly in the most delicious way possible.
Will plunges his tongue into Mike's hot mouth who immediately sucks on lightly. Will taste like mint, coke and happiness all rolled in one, only specifically so Will Byers. Mike feels like such an idiot for not telling Will sooner. He could kiss Will Byers all day. His delicate hand is now tugging at Mike's wild curls that makes Mike's toes curl in hot white pleasure.
They kiss long after the bell rings but no one disturbs them. He presses Will harder into the wall as they kiss deeper and more messily. Mike rest one hand above Will's head, effectively caging him in while the other wraps around his waist and skims the skin there.
When they finally break apart just a little to come up for air Will is even more red than before. His cheeks are on fire and his lips are spit slicked; wet swollen and raw even moreso now than before. There's several more bruises on his throat now and Mike feels a little better. His hazel eyes are bright and he smiles so widely his bunny teeth peek out from behind his lips.
"You're so fucking beautiful, like so pretty you're driving me literally crazy here," Mike says. "I've wanted to say that for so long."
Will smiles even wider as Mike moves in for another kiss heated open mouthed kiss.
"So what are we?" he says in between as they kiss.
"Boyfriends? It has a nice ring to it..." Will answers.
"So you're my boyfriend right? Like mine alone?"Mike asks.
"Yes Mike but what if I wasn't?" Will teases catching Mike off guard. His face falls a little.
"I'M JOKING!" Will says as he bursts into fits of laughter. "Yes Mike I'm only yours, now get over here and kiss me again before I change my mind."
Mike makes sure to kiss the beauty mark he'd been eyeing all day. Kissing Will Byers is his new favorite hobby he decides. They end up missing biology class that day.