Chapter Text
Will sat on the couch with his knees tucked close to his chest, his sketchbook resting gently in his lap as he sketched the first thing that came to his mind. The apartment was quiet. Peaceful in a way Will never pictured his life to be until now.
Sometimes he still dreamt about Hawkins. Not the monsters or the pain it caused him but the ordinary things like riding bikes with his friends, or movie nights in the Wheeler basement. The normal memories that managed to stay even after everything else.
Life in New York was different. It was louder, faster and bigger than Will had ever imagined. He liked it though. He liked the crowded sidewalks, the late night diners and the feeling that nobody paid enough attention to care if he looked out of place. More importantly, Mike liked it which meant Will liked it too.
Their apartment sat on the third floor of a building that was probably older than both of them combined. The plumbing complained constantly, the radiator had a tendency to overheat in winter, and the kitchen was barely large enough for two people to stand in at the same time but still, it was perfect.
Eventually it had become theirs. It was filled with mismatched furniture and organised clutter that was uniquely Mike and Will. Soon their lives fell into a synchronised routine of chores and evening dinners. It was strange how naturally they'd fallen into it, almost like their lives were meant to orbit each other. Sharing an apartment with Mike should have been difficult, but instead it felt effortless. Maybe because they'd spent most of their lives side by side already.
The years had changed them. They found their feet outside of Hawkins but somehow they had remained the same too. Mike still left books everywhere. Will still stole Mike's hoodies. Mike still talked too much when he was excited and Will still listened.
Some things never changed.
But other things did.
Will wasn't sixteen anymore. The aching, all-consuming love he'd once carried around in secret had softened with time. It didn't disappear. Will’s not sure it ever would. He’s sure he will forever have a part of his soul permanently tied to Mike Wheeler, but over time those feelings had changed. Growing up had a way of forcing reality into places where fantasy used to live.
Mike had dated people. Will had dated people. Life had moved forward the way it always did and eventually, Will had stopped measuring every moment by what he wished he could have. The feelings remained anyway; they were just less painful. Will told himself they just became a part of him rather than defining him. Similar to the memories of Hawkins or the scar on the side of his stomach.
There were days when he barely thought about it. Days where Mike was just Mike. His best friend. His roommate. The person who drank milk straight from the carton and somehow never remembered to replace the toilet paper.
Then there were days when Mike would laugh at something stupid, or fall asleep on the couch with his head against Will's shoulder, or smile at him across a crowded room. Those days were harder. Not because they hurt but because they reminded Will of what he wanted once, but life wasn't made up of what-ifs anymore. Will had learned that years ago.
So he took what he had instead. A finished college degree, a job at the local art studio, friends who felt like family, a tiny apartment in New York and Mike. Maybe not in the way he'd once dreamed about but Mike was still here. That had to count for something.
Will was halfway through finishing the sketch he was drawing when the apartment door slammed open.
"They’re doing it. They’re actually doing it." Mike said in disbelief, his loud voice echoing around the small apartment.
Will looked up from the couch just as Mike bursted into the living room, his eyes wide, hands clutching a small cream coloured envelope.
"You're going to break the hinges one day," Will laughed, placing down his sketchbook
Mike crossed the room quickly, throwing himself onto the couch beside Will before shoving the envelope into his hands. Will stared at his and Mike’s name written on the front in elegant handwriting before opening it.
His expression softened immediately as he looked at the invitation in his hands.
Together with our families we joyfully invite you to the wedding of
Max Mayfield & Lucas Sinclair
“Max and Lucas?” Will asked, looking back up at Mike who nodded as he lent back against the couch.
“Kind of weird though, right?” Mike asked, scrunching up his face slightly.
“Weird how?” Will asked, a small laugh escaping him
“I don't know.” Mike shrugged. “Lucas Sinclair. Max Mayfield. Married.”
Will considered it for a moment before letting out a quiet snort. “Okay, when you say it like that, it does sound weird.”
“Right?” Mike pointed at him. “Like, I know they've been together forever, but it's still weird.”
“Weird in a good way though,” Will replied.
“Yeah.” Mike smiled. “Definitely in a good way.”
Will looked back down at the invitation, running his thumb absentmindedly over the embossed lettering.
“Seriously, though. We’re all still so young, it’s crazy to think that Max and Lucas are getting married,” Mike said, shaking his head slightly.
A warm feeling settled in WIll’s chest as he thought about Max and Lucas in California, deciding to move onto the next chapter of their lives together. Somehow they'd made it. Through high school, near death experiences, college. Through everything life had thrown at them. There was something comforting about that. After everything they'd survived growing up, it was nice knowing some things had turned out okay.
“Mike we’ve literally fought monsters from another dimension, the idea of marriage is not that crazy,” Will joked.
“Okay, true I guess,” Mike laughed, reaching over to take back the envelope from Will before continuing.
“So…California,” Mike said as he looked down at the invitation in his hands, a mischievous smile appearing on his face as he glanced back up at Will.
“No.” Will said, shaking his head and laughing at whatever Mike was about to suggest.
“I haven’t even said anything yet!” Mike replied.
"You have that look." Will said, pointing at Mike accusingly.
"What look?" Mike laughed, throwing his hands up defensively.
"The one that means you've already planned something insane," Will explained.
Mike pointed at him, narrowing his eyes jokingly. "Okay, first of all, rude."
"Mike– " Will started but was cut off.
"And second of all, we should drive there,” Mike suggested, his eyes beaming.
Will blinked his eyes in disbelief at Mike’s suggestion. For a second he wasn’t even sure he had heard him correctly. "Mike, that's ridiculous!"
Mike immediately looked offended by Will’s words. "You didn't even think about it."
"Because the answer is no." Will laughed
"Why?" Mike asked, raising an eyebrow at Will.
"Because California is on the other side of the country." Will said, like the answer should have been obvious.
Mike shrugged, seeming confused by Will’s reaction. "It'll be fun."
"Fun?" Will asked, looking at Mike in a way that said ‘You’ve lost your mind’.
"Yeah? Mike questioned.
"Mike we have jobs and rent and–." He tried to explain but was cut off again.
"We work extra shifts leading up to the trip, pay our rent in advance and take time off work that we are entitled to. It’s simple really,” Mike said like it was the most casual thing in the world.
Will laughed despite himself. "No."
"Why not?" Mike asked, letting out a dramatic groan.
"Because it would take forever," Will said with a slight chuckle.
"Exactly!" Mike said, throwing his hands up in a way that made it seem like he was thankful Will was finally understanding his idea.
"That's not a good thing." Will shook his head slightly.
"It is if we're seeing stuff."
"Okay, what stuff?"
"America. In the summer time. It’s perfect" Mike said with a smile.
Will rolled his eyes in response. “You’re insane”
Mike leaned forward, getting more into Will’s space now. "Come on, Will."
Something about Mike’s tone made Will hesitate. The excitement was genuine. Not the usual reckless Mike Wheeler enthusiasm that lasted five minutes before he got distracted. This felt different. Mike looked happy about the idea. The way he always did whenever he got an idea stuck in his head. Will had known him long enough to recognise that look. The problem was that once Mike got that look, he usually wasn't giving up.
"Do you have any idea how long that drive is?" Will asked.
"Several days," Mike shrugged, clearly not knowing the answer.
Will raised his eyebrow, almost like he didn’t believe Mike’s response.
"Okay fine, maybe a lot more." Mike muttered quietly.
Will shook his head as he considered Mike’s idea. A cross-country road trip. It was absurd. Expensive, time consuming, uncomfortable and knowing Mike, at least three things would go wrong before they even left New York, but there was something strangely appealing about it too.
Just the two of them. No responsibilities beyond reaching California.
Mike was still watching him expectantly as he waited for Will’s response.
Will sighed, flickering his eyes between Mike and the invitation in his hands. Finally he shook his head, fighting the smile on his face. "You know this is completely insane."
Mike sat up immediately, his smile becoming victorious. "That's not a no."
Will pointed a warning finger at him. "I haven't agreed yet."
"But you're thinking about it." Mike said excitedly.
"Unfortunately." Will said with a playful roll of his eyes.
Mike gasped dramatically as stood up so fast he nearly knocked over the coffee table. "You're thinking about it!"
"Mike–" Will tried but Mike was long past the point of listening.
"We're road-tripping across America," Mike said.
"We are not," Will objected but the smile on his face said otherwise.
"We absolutely are," Mike said, beginning to pace the living room excitedly.
Will couldn't stop smiling. Mike looked so pleased with himself,like he'd already won.
Maybe he had.
"Okay," Will said.
Mike froze in place, his eyes widening excitedly. "Okay?"
"Okay," Will repeated.
Mike stared at him in disbelief. "You actually mean it?" he asked, his body practically shaking with joy.
Will sighed dramatically. "Yes." The grin that spread across Mike's face was so bright it was almost impossible not to laugh.
"California," Mike announced triumphantly.
Will smiled, nodding once. "California."
"Best summer ever!" Mike cheered.
"We haven't even left yet."
"I just have a feeling." Mike said, clasping his hands together excitedly.
Will also had a feeling he was right and for some reason, that thought made him smile.
𓂃 ོ☼𓂃
The months leading up to the wedding passed faster than either of them expected. One minute it was spring – life’s normal routine of work and takeout containers piling up on the coffee table continued on as usual.
Mike spent time accumulating enough maps, guidebooks, and handwritten notes to last them a lifetime. While Will spent a lot of his time on the phone to Max, who filled him in on all the wedding planning logistics and last minute freak outs Lucas was having in regards to what flower colours would suit the reception location better.
Who knew Lucas Sinclair would be a groomzilla.
The road trip also came up during almost every phone call, Max repeatedly informing them that normal people flew to California. Mike repeatedly informed her that normal people were boring. The argument never seemed to go anywhere.
Before Will knew it, Spring turned into Summer. The days got longer, the weather got warmer and the wedding approached quickly. They were just shy of 3 weeks out which meant their summer roadtrip was about to commence, which was how Will found himself standing beside their car while Mike attempted to fit one final duffel bag into an already overcrowded trunk.
"It doesn't fit," Will said like it was obvious.
"It does too,” Mike said, shoving the bag down harder. Will stared at him as he watched the bag move approximately half an inch.
"See?" Mike said, gesturing towards the bag in the trunk.
"That's not fitting," Will said with a roll of his eyes.
Mike pushed again and then finally the trunk slammed shut. Mike threw both arms into the air triumphantly. "Success!" He cheered as he grinned at Will.
The summer morning was already warm, the rising heat leaving an excited feeling in Will’s chest. As much as he would never admit it to Mike, he was looking forward to their cross country road trip. It was the little things like this that remind Will his life could be normal.
Mike went to walk around to the driver's side before stopping, turning on his heels to face Will again.
"Oh. I forgot to show you," Mike said as he dug out a piece of paper from the pocket of his shorts. Will immediately became suspicious as Mike handed it over to him.
"Oh god, What?" Will groaned as he took the paper from Mike.
Mike just grinned in response as Will unfolded the paper.
"Itinerary for best summer road trip ever." Will read out loud. Of course there was an itinerary.
There on the paper in Mike’s messy handwriting was an itinerary of their roadtrip
New York, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California.
Will kept reading, taking in the highlighted sections, underlined attractions and several notes on how to have the best summer road trip ever. Will stared in disbelief for a moment before looking up at Mike
"Mike you’ve picked the most indirect route to California there possibly is. Half of these attractions you’ve listed are off the main drive," Will explained, gesturing to the paper in his hands.
"We are taking the scenic route. Those attractions contain memories and more importantly we get to make the most of this trip. That was the whole idea, remember?” Mike explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"We could make the most of it in half the time," Will replied.
"That's quitter talk," Mike said as he snatched the paper back off Will, folding it up and sticking it in his back pocket. Will laughed, immediately caving.
The whole thing was ridiculous but Mike's greatest talent was making ridiculous things sound fun. Making impossible things seem achievable. Making Will agree to things he would never agree to with anyone else.
"So are you impressed?" Mike asked.
Will shook his head. “I’m not answering that.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Mike said with a smile.
For a moment they simply stood there beside the car. The city stretched around them. Familiar streets and buildings. Their apartment waiting behind them. Everything they'd built over the years leading up to this moment. The wedding. Two weeks on the road. An entire summer waiting to happen.
Mike made his way back around to the driver’s side of the car, opening the door slightly before speaking. "You ready?" he asked.
Will looked down the street, then at the car, then back at Mike. A slow smile spread across his face as he took in Mike’s excited expression, his stomach fluttering at the sight. "Not even a little," Will replied but his words had no bite as the grin he was fighting back finally appeared.
"Perfect. That's exactly how road trips are supposed to start," Mike replied before climbing into his side of the car, Will doing the same.
The engine rumbled to life as Mike slipped a cassette tape he spent weeks crafting into the stereo, music soon filling the car as he pulled away from the curb. The apartment disappeared behind them, then eventually the neighbourhood. Soon the skyline itself began to shrink in the distance. Neither of them said much as New York City slowly faded from view. There was something surreal about it. The feeling of standing at the beginning of something without quite knowing where it would lead.
Eventually Mike rested one hand on the steering wheel and smiled out at the open road ahead. "California," he said.
Will settled back into his seat. "California," he agreed.
The highway stretched endlessly before them and for the first time all summer, the adventure finally began. The windows were rolled down, warm air rushing through the car as the sun hung high overhead. Despite only just leaving, Mike already looked completely at home behind the wheel.
"Tell me honestly. Is this the greatest idea I’ve ever had?” Mike asked over the music that was playing.
Will considered his answer for a moment before deciding on the one Mike wasn't expecting "No."
Mike gasped dramatically. “It absolutely is!” He exclaimed, his hand clutching at his chest, the other steering the car effortlessly. Will just smiled before looking out the open window as he watched the world around him pass by.
The first hour Mike had decided he was a part of a one man concert, singing along obnoxiously loud and maybe a bit dramatically. At one point, without warning, Mike reached across the center console and grabbed Will's wrist, his hand now being used as a microphone. It was impossible to not smile about it.
The day grew warmer as the drive passed. Sunlight streamed through the windshield, filling the car with a lazy summer glow. The air carried the smell of hot pavement and wild grass. Every gas station they passed looked like it belonged in a postcard from some forgotten American summer.
By the second hour, some time after noon, Mike declared himself starving. Thankfully Will remembered to pack snacks, which Mike seemed to forget about considering he spent weeks laying out a list of the different things the pair of them needed to cram in their bags.
The snacks disappeared almost immediately and within minutes there were crumbs everywhere. The driver's seat, the floor, the centre console and somehow even the dashboard. Will wasn't entirely sure how Mike managed it but by the time he was finished, it looked as though a small explosion had occurred inside the car.
“You’re disgusting,” Will laughed, his nose scrunching up as he took in the mess Mike had made.
Mike scoffed jokingly. “That’s one way to say I’m not wasteful,” he replied.
The sun hung high overhead now, pouring through the windshield in warm golden waves. The morning coolness had long since disappeared, replaced by the lazy heat of early afternoon. Outside, endless stretches of countryside rolled past in shades of green and gold.
By the third hour, the first argument happened. Not a real argument but an argument about directions. Mike was driving with the confidence of someone who had glanced at a map once and decided he now understood America's entire highway system, however Will knew better.
The itinerary sat folded between them on the center console. Alongside it were several maps, a notebook full of Mike's planning, and a collection of highlighted routes that somehow only seemed to make things more confusing. Will had been quietly following along for most of the morning, at least until he noticed they were heading in the wrong direction. Mike disagreed of course.
“I’m literally a paladin!” he exclaimed
“What has that got to do with you following a map?” Will asked, completely baffled by Mike using his D&D character as a defence for him being wrong.
“It means I’m a leader! Which means, I know the direction we should be going in,” Mike said, driving one-handed while gesturing dramatically with the other.
A few miles later, a road sign proved Will right. The silence lasted nearly thirty seconds before Will bursted into laughter as Mike huffed loudly, who managed to look offended by reality itself. Eventually Mike took the next exit and the argument dissolved almost immediately afterward, the pair of them already moving on to talk about something completely different.
By the time they were back on the highway, Mike was talking about a lake he'd circled on the itinerary several weeks earlier that was near their first stop at Finger Lakes, New York. The summer landscape continued to drift by outside. Will rested his elbow against the window frame and let the warm air wash over him.
Will found himself watching Mike for a moment – the way he would drum his fingers against the steering wheel, moving his head to the beat of a song. When he would point excitedly at something outside the window – a roadside fruit stand, a lake glimmering between trees or a strange shaped cloud. Will smiled watching him, a warm feeling settling within him.
The sunlight streaming through the driver's side window caught against Mike's profile. His hair was windswept from having the windows down. His sunglasses sat crooked on his nose because he'd shoved them on too quickly. He looked relaxed, carefree even. Like somebody with nowhere else in the world he needed to be. Will’s heart softened, those old feelings he spent years pushing down creeping back up to the surface for a moment. He swallowed and looked back out the window, forcing the feeling away as quick as it came.
How was he going to survive this trip?
𓂃 ོ☼𓂃
By the time they reached Finger Lakes, the sun had begun its slow descent toward the horizon. Golden light spilled across the lake beside the road, turning the water into liquid copper. The air smelled different here – cleaner somehow. It smelt of fresh water, pine trees and warm summer earth.
A motel finally appeared, the faded sign stood beside the road.
LAKESIDE MOTOR INN.
Several letters flickered – the building itself was small and slightly worn. It was painted white with blue trim that had seen better days. A row of rooms overlooked the lake. It was nothing fancy but exactly what they needed.
Mike pulled into the gravel parking lot, stopping just outside the reception doors. The engine died and for a moment neither of them moved, silence filling the car for the first time in five hours. That was until Mike sighed dramatically.
"We survived," he said
Will rolled his eyes. "It’s only day one."
"Don't ruin this for me," Mike said, glaring slightly.
Will laughed in response.
The two of them climbed out of the car, feeling somewhat relieved to finally be able to stretch their legs after being crammed into Mike’s car for a ridiculous amount of time. The evening air was warm against Will’s skin. Somewhere nearby, crickets had already begun chirping.
For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then they walked into reception, the peace disappearing almost immediately.
The reception area was small and dimly lit, a dusty brochure stand occupying one corner while an ancient television played silently in the other. Behind the desk sat a woman who looked approximately one inconvenience away from quitting her job. She was leaning back in her chair, lazily flipping through a magazine while chewing gum loud enough to be heard from across the room.
Mike approached the desk. "Hi," he said
The woman glanced up slightly before resuming back to her magazine. "What can I do for you?"
“We need a room,” Mike said. Will glanced over at him at his lack of manners, hitting him lightly in the side. Mike whipped his head around to Will, wide eyed before clearing his throat and speaking again. “Please.”
More gum chewing, a slow blink and then a loud sigh. Several seconds passed before she finally reached toward the computer. The keyboard clicked a few times before she sat back in her chair again. "One room left."
Mike immediately smiled. "Perfect."
The woman continued chewing. "One room." She repeated like Mike was missing the point.
Mike nodded. "Yep." He said, slightly confused.
Another snap of gum. "That means one bed," she said slightly monotone as she glanced between the two of them, looking them up and down.
Mike stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Sorry?"
Another pop of gum. "One bed. That’s all we got,” she replied.
Mike frowned. "That's the only room available?"
"That's what I said," she said with a roll of her eyes.
Mike opened his mouth. Closed it for a moment before trying again. "Okay, but surely–"
“Nope.” The woman raised one eyebrow.
"There are literally dozens of rooms out there." Mike gestured vaguely toward the building behind them.
"Booked." The woman replied, looking deeply uninterested, almost like she was about to take back the offer of the room all together.
Will was tired, hungry and the last thing he wanted to do was spend another hour in the car searching for another motel. He knew he was going to have to be the one to make the decision.
"Mike," Will said softly, grabbing Mike’s arm, resulting in another up and down look from the woman, her nose scrunching up slightly in disgust as she looked at them, drawing her own conclusion in her head.
‘Oh. She thought—’
"What?" Mike said, turning to face Will now.
Will sighed. "It's fine."
"Fine? Are you sure? We can look for another motel. I don’t want you to feel un–" Mike stammered nervously but was cut off by another loud pop of gum.
"Do you want the room or not?" The woman asked, her patience clearly wearing thin.
Mike looked offended by her entire existence as he let out a loud exhale through his nose. Will stepped forward before he could say anything.
"We'll take it," Will said.
The woman immediately slid a registration form across the counter, clearly relieved that somebody in the conversation possessed decision making abilities. Mike shot him a look but Will ignored it. A few minutes later they had a room key, the woman handing it over with the enthusiasm of someone handing out parking tickets.
"Room seven," she said as she picked up her magazine again, resuming the same position she was in before they had entered the building.
"Thanks," Will mumbled, turning on his heels to exit the reception area, Mike following closely behind.
Outside, the afternoon had settled fully over the lake. Mike fell into step behind him as they headed toward the car to grab their bags before making their way to the room.
"You agreed way too fast," Mike said.
Will adjusted his duffel bag higher on his shoulder, continuing to walk towards the room, ignoring Mike’s comment. Ahead of them, room seven waited beneath the glow of a single yellow porch light. A perfectly ordinary motel room.
That was until they unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The motel room was tiny. Not in a cozy or charming way but in a way that the bed took up most of the space and forced them to stand awkwardly shoulder-to-shoulder near the door.
"You've got to be kidding me," Will said.
“Told you that you agreed way too fast,” Mike huffed as he tossed his duffel bag onto the mattress, Will doing the same shortly after.
"I guess it could be worse. We could be sleeping in the car, " Will said, not wanting to admit that maybe Mike was right.
Mike flopped onto the bed, let out a dramatic groan in response at the feeling of laying down for the first time all day. “This isn’t too bad I suppose.” he said. Will just rolled his eyes playfully as his gaze locked on the lake outside the window.
"We should swim," Mike said quickly, his words almost jumbling together.
Will blinked, turning around to look at Mike, noticing the way he was also looking out at the lake. "What?"
"We should go swimming," Mike repeated, much slower this time, as he pointed toward the lake.
Will looked outside again as he took in the way the water reflected the sunset like a sheet of glass. The dock stretched out into the lake, surrounded by golden evening light. Honestly, the idea sounded perfect.
A smile spread across his face. "Okay," Will said.
Within minutes they were changing into swim trunks. The entire process consisted mostly of Mike nearly tripping over his duffel bag and complaining about how he'd packed too many clothes.
Moments later they were heading towards the lake. The evening air wrapped around them immediately. It was warm and somehow soft. It felt like the kind of summer evening that seemed like it would last forever. The lake was nearly empty except for a few distant figures fishing from a dock further down the shoreline. The water lapped gently against the shore as crickets chirped from the grass. The sky burned orange above the horizon.
Mike didn't hesitate once they reached the dock – pulling his shirt over his head as he immediately ran toward the edge.
Will watched him go, laughing loudly as Mike charged directly towards the lake before jumping off the edge of the dock, resulting in a large splash as he hit the water before resurfacing a few seconds later.
“Come on, Will!” Mike shouted, running his hands through his now wet hair.
Will shook his head laughing before quickly following Mike’s lead – shirt off, feet padding against the dock before jumping off the edge. The water was cool against his warm skin. It felt refreshing after spending the entire day trapped in a car.
The lake stretched around them, smooth and endless beneath the evening sky. For a while neither of them did much. They floated, swam lazily and talked about nothing important as the sunset continued unfolding above them. Orange became pink. Pink became purple. And eventually the first few stars began to appear overhead.
After a while Mike floated onto his back, the water carrying him gently as he shut his eyes. Will’s heart softened, he found himself watching Mike – he looked relaxed, existing quietly.
"Pretty good first stop," Mike said softly, his eyes still closed.
Will smiled. “Yeah I suppose you’re right,” he said, gently splashing water in Mike’s direction.
Mike’s eyes snapped open, immediately coming up off his back, treading water again. “You want to play that game do you?” Mike joked, as he splashed Will.
A brief war followed for a moment, the pair of them laughing loudly as they tried to avoid getting splashed by the other.
Neither of them won.
By the time they climbed out of the lake, the sky had darkened considerably, the last traces of sunlight lingered along the horizon. Their towels lay abandoned near the shore. Will dropped onto one, Mike on the other. The grass beneath them felt soft and cool.
For several minutes neither of them spoke. They simply laid there as they dried off beneath the evening sky. The lake quietly rippled nearby, the sounds of summer surrounding them. Will closed his eyes as he felt his body relax. The warmth of the day still lingered in the ground beneath him and for a moment, he felt completely at peace.
That was until Mike's stomach growled loudly enough to break the silence.
Will opened one eye, fighting back a laugh as he looked at Mike.
“So, dinner?” Mike suggested with a sheepish grin. That was enough to make Will burst into laughter.
“There’s a diner just up the road. Come on,” Will eventually said once he contained his laughter, gesturing with his head.
They redressed themselves into their shirts before draping their towels around their neck, heading up from the lake towards the road.
The air had cooled slightly after sunset and by now the streetlights glowed softly overhead. The lake remained visible through the gaps between buildings, reflecting moonlight now instead of sunshine.
Eventually the diner appeared. It was a shining silver building that looked straight out of another decade. Red neon lights buzzed above the entrance and the windows glowed warmly.
Inside, everything felt frozen in time – red vinyl booths, black and white tiled floors, a chrome trim that reflected the overhead lights and a jukebox that sat in the corner playing soft music.
The two of them slid into a booth near the window, and a waitress came by shortly after to take their order – burgers, fries and milkshakes. It was exactly the kind of meal two exhausted travelers wanted after a day on the road. Eventually they paid their bill and stepped back outside.
They walked back toward the motel side by side as the day slowly drew to a close. By the time the motel came back into view, both of them were tired. Not exhausted but the kind of tired that followed after a good day. The kind that came from sunshine, swimming and too many hours spent laughing.
Mike immediately claimed the first shower, insisting that it was his right considering he had been the one to drive all day. Will didn’t object. Instead he sat cross-legged on the bed while the bathroom door shut behind him. The room was quiet except for the distant rush of water and for the first time all day, everything felt still.
The events of the day replayed through his mind. Leaving New York, the endless highways, Mike singing loudly, the lake, the diner, the feeling of summer stretching out endlessly in front of them. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
The road trip had only just begun and it already felt worth it.
The bathroom door opened several minutes later, steam drifting into the room as Mike emerged wearing an old t-shirt and loose shorts, hair damp and sticking up in every direction. “Your turn” Mike said, gesturing towards the bathroom.
The shower wasn't particularly impressive. The water pressure was questionable and the bathroom was barely large enough to turn around in but still, the hot water washed away the stiffness from the day's drive and the remains of the lake water that lingered on Will’s skin.
When Will finally stepped back into the room, he felt lighter somehow. More relaxed. That was until he glanced towards Mike who was already tucked into bed comfortably. Right. The bed. He'd almost forgotten.
The mattress looked even smaller now. Maybe it was because Mike’s tall frame took up ninety five percent of it or maybe it was because the reality of sharing it suddenly felt more intimate. Whatever the reason, something about it made Will hesitate.
Sharing a bed with Mike was not new. It was something they had done over the years growing up, probably more times then Will could count but back then it never mattered, or maybe it mattered too much. Will wasn't entirely sure. But now standing in a motel room at twenty three years old, it felt different. Mike wasn't just Mike anymore. He never would be.
Yes, Mike was still Will's best friend. He was still the person he trusted most in the world, but he was also the person Will had spent years trying not to love. That never went away – at least not completely.
Mike must have noticed Will was lost in a train of thought, a soft furrow forming between his eyebrows. "You okay?"
Will immediately looked away. "Y-Yeah. I’m okay," he replied quickly, approaching his side of the bed, flicking off the cheap lamp on the bedside table before climbing under the covers.
The mattress dipped noticeably beneath their combined weight. Will rolled onto one side as Mike rolled onto the other, a narrow strip of space left between them. It was still not nearly enough.
Silence filled the motel room except for the insects outside that chirped beneath the summer night. Will stared at the ceiling, suddenly becoming very aware of everything. The warmth of the room. The sound of Mike shifting beside him. The fact that their shoulders were only inches apart. It was ridiculous. This shouldn't feel strange and yet somehow, it did.
Beside him, Mike shifted again, letting out a soft groan before moving for a third time. Will almost smiled as he realised he wasn't the only one uncomfortable.
"You keep moving," Will said, trying to sound annoyed but failing.
A few seconds passed as Mike shifted once more.. “This bed sucks,” he groaned again.
"Agreed," Will replied.
Mike sighed dramatically. "I think we're too tall," he said.
"You’re too tall," Will joked, resulting in a soft chuckle from Mike.
For a moment neither spoke, the faint sound of the nearby lake lapping against the shore could be heardl if Will focused enough to listen.
Mike broke the silence again. “Can I ask you something?” his voice sounded different this time. He almost sounded hesitant.
The mattress shifted slightly as Will turned to face Mike, who was currently laying on his back and staring at the ceiling.
"What is it?" Will asked.
Mike was quiet for a moment, almost like he was considering whether or not he should actually ask the question. "Have you ever thought about how weird dating is?" he asked a few seconds later.
That was not what he expected.
"Care to elaborate," Will suggested
Mike shrugged. "It just seems complicated."
Will couldn't help but laugh at Mike's late night thought.
"That's because it is,".
"No but seriously," Mike turned his head slightly before continuing. "I mean, everyone acts like there's this huge difference between friendship and dating."
Will's stomach tightened unexpectedly, his heart beat quickening.
Mike continued. "Half the time people in relationships are just friends who hang out all the time anyway."
Will just stared at him, unsure where this conversation was going.
There was another pause, Mike clearly thinking about what he was going to say next.
"What do you think about friends with benefits?" Mike asked.
The room went completely silent and for a second Will wondered if he'd imagined it. Will blinked. Once, then twice, almost like his brain abruptly forgot how to function for a moment.
"What?" Will eventually asked.
Mike finally looked over at Will. "Would you ever do it?"
Will sat up slightly, becoming more confused the further the conversation continued.
"Friends with benefits?" Will asked, still trying to process what Mike was asking him.
"Yeah."
Will stared at him for a moment.
He wasn't asking – Was he?
“With who?” Will asked softly, his heart booming against his rib cage.
“With me,” Mike said casually, like he hadn’t just shifted Will’s entire world.
Will's mind immediately began racing. Friends with benefits. The words seemed to echo around the room. A year ago, hearing Mike suggest something like that would have felt impossible. Five years ago, it would have been enough to completely shatter him. Even now, part of him wondered if he was dreaming.
For so long, his feelings for Mike had existed in a separate part of himself. A place carefully sealed off and managed. Something he carried quietly without expecting anything in return. But this time it was different because suddenly, there was an opportunity. A possibility.
Maybe not love, or the relationship he'd once imagined as a teenager lying awake in his bedroom in Hawkins, but something. That alone was enough to make his chest tighten.
The dangerous part wasn't the sex. It was everything that came after. Will knew himself. He knew how easily old feelings could grow when given even the smallest amount of hope. What happened if he agreed? What happened if spending nights tangled up with Mike made all those carefully buried feelings impossible to ignore again? What happened when the road trip ended and they returned to New York? The questions arrived faster than he could answer them.
Yet beneath all of them sat a much simpler truth. He wanted to say yes. That was the problem. Not because he thought it would magically change anything between them, or because he expected Mike to wake up one day and be in love with him. He wanted to do it because he was twenty three years old and stubbornly human.
“You realise friends with benefits means–” Will cut himself off, unsure if he could even suggest the idea to Mike. What if that wasn't what he meant. What if he meant different kinds of benefits that Will hadn’t even thought of.
“Yes Will, I know that means we will be having sex with each other,” Mike said, rolling onto his side to face Will.
So he did mean it like that
"Think about it. We're both single. We trust each other and we’re going to get bored. Maybe even sexually frustrated, so rather than us trying to find the time to escape each other so we can awkwardly jerk off, we just solve that problem together,” Mike said, listing the reasons like they were the weekly grocery list instead of something that could change their lives completely.
"Mike. This is- I don’t even know what to say. I mean you’re not–”
"Look, I'm just saying it doesn't have to be a big deal," Mike said, cutting off Will’s nervous stammering.
Will felt like he was losing his mind. He opened his mouth to speak but the words fell flat every time. He couldn’t believe Mike was even suggesting the idea.
"What about feelings?" Will finally asked
Mike frowned slightly, like he didn’t even see that to be an issue.
Of course he didn't.
“It’ll just be physical. No feelings involved,” he explained.
“And our friendship? What if it gets weird?” Will asked
“It won’t. We’ll be friends during the day. Benefits at night,” Mike said, his eyes not once leaving Will’s face.
"We’ll stop if things get complicated?"
"’ ‘course," Mike said, smiling softly.
Will rubbed a hand over his face. Part of him wanted to tell Mike this was ridiculous but the other part couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Mike had suggested it at all. He should say no. He knew that was the smart thing to do, but right now as Mike laid next to him in the small, dingy motel room it felt like the best option of both of them, even though he knew it wasn't.
“I think there needs to be rules,” Will said softly as he tried to shut down the part of his brain that was screaming at him to stop this from happening.
“I’m so glad you said that,” Mike said with a smile, before rolling over to flick on the lamp.
“What?” Will giggled as he watched Mike practically throw himself out of bed, rushing over to his duffle bag that had been moved to the corner of the room.
Mike dug through the bag before he pulled out the piece of paper Will automatically recognised as their itinerary, as well as a pen.
Mike climbed back onto the bed, sitting cross legged next to Will.
“Rules for being friends with benefits,” Mike muttered as he scribbled the words onto the other side of the paper.
“You’re such a loser,” Will joked, sitting up in bed now.
Mike continued scribbling on the paper, listing off the obvious rules like their friendship coming first and that the agreement only occurs at night.
“Okay. Positions?” Mike asked casually, looking up from the paper.
Will felt his breath hitch in his throat, the heat immediately creeping up his neck. “What?” he asked.
“What positions do you like so I can add them?” Mike asked, gesturing wildly with his free hand.
“Mike, that doesn’t need to be a rule. It can just be something we agree on,” Will tried to explain.
“Will, we just agreed to have sex with each other while on a cross country road trip. If we can’t discuss the sex positions we like then I don’t think this is going to work,” Mike said.
Will couldn’t help the laugh that escaped past his lips but Mike’s face told him that he wasn’t trying to be funny.
“I uh–” Will cleared his throat. “I like riding,” Will said shyly, his gaze dropping from Mike, slightly embarrassed now.
“Okay,” Mike said, completely unfazed by what Will had just said as he returned to scribbling on the paper.
“Anything you want to add?” Mike asked, looking up from the paper again.
Will thought about the arrangement for a moment as he remembered the reason why they were on this road trip to begin with. “Max,” Will blurted out before he even had a chance to stop the name from coming out of his mouth.
Mike’s eyes widened, almost looking shocked. “You want to have sex with Max? Will that doesn’t even make sense.” Mike’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I mean we can’t tell Max! We can’t tell anyone,” Will explained, trying to back peddle from the slip of his tongue.
“Okay thank god. I wasn't sure how I was going to break the news to Lucas,” Mike joked, resulting in a playful shove from Will.
Mike scribbled on the paper for a few more moments before he handed it over to Will. “Any objections?” He asked.
Will took the paper off Mike, his eyes glancing down at the rules in front of him.
Rules for being friends with benefits
1. Our friendship comes first. Either one of us can call it off at anytime if they are uncomfortable
2. The benefits only occur at night
3. Will likes to ride
4. No jealousy. Will is allowed to talk to attractive guys. Mike is allowed to talk to attractive
5. No couple stuff. For example; no holding hands while driving or kissing unless during sex
6. No telling anyone. Especially Max. Will does not want to have sex with Max
7. Will likes to ride
8. No making things weird. If things are weird we talk about it
9. The arrangement only occurs during the roadtrip. Once we return to New York we will reevaluate if we want to continue
10. —--------
Will looked down at the paper. “Mike, rule three and seven are the same. You wrote it twice,” he said through a laugh.
Mike peeked over his shoulder, glancing down at the paper. “Oh – I uh.. I didn’t mean to do that. Silly me,” he said through a nervous laugh, snatching the paper back, scribbling it out.
Will watched him for a moment – the panicked furrow in Mike’s eyebrows. He bit his lip before speaking, “You can change it to something else…” he said, moving slightly closer to Mike’s ear.
“I like it rough.”
He felt Mike stiffen beside him, his hand freezing where it was writing on the paper. He slowly looked up at Will, his face now a flushed crimson red.
“Oh,” Mike said, looking back down at the paper. “Yeah – yeah! I can.. I can change it to.. to that.”
He watched Mike scribble out something on the paper, whispering quietly to himself. Will held back his laugh at Mike’s frantic movements. He glanced down at the paper, squinting his eyes to try and read it better.
“What does number ten say?” Will asked.
“Nothing! That one was a mistake,” Mike stammered nervously, folding up the paper quickly.
“D-Do you agree on the rules?” he asked, clearly desperate to change the subject, as he crossed the room to stuff the paper back into his duffle bag before coming back to sit on the bed.
Will just stared at Mike for a moment as he processed what he was getting himself into. He expected to see someone different looking back at him but instead all he saw was Mike.
Mike, his best friend.
Mike, who he just agreed to be friends with benefits with.
“Yeah,” Will said softly, pushing down any doubt that was still threatening to surface.
Mike just smiled at him, his eyes dropping to Will’s lips for a moment before bringing them back up to the rest of Will’s face.
“Should we start now?”