Archive of Our Own

It was a chilly afternoon in early October in ’87 when Will decided to ask.

He was sitting cross-legged, close enough to Mike for their knees to brush against each other on the roof of the Squawk. The sun was high in the sky, already starting its descent for the day. The wind was blowing, carrying the scent of autumn – fallen leaves, crispy cold air, damp earth, and the promise of rain.

It was just the two of them, enjoying the rare silence before the meeting for their next crawl. Lucas was still at the hospital, sitting next to Max’s unconscious body, like he did most days after class was over. El was probably still training, trying desperately, like every day, to prove to Hopper that she’s ready to go with him to the Upside Down, to hunt Vecna. Dustin was… well, Will wasn’t really sure where Dustin was these days. He didn’t like to talk to him much, or to anybody really, and if he did, he was short and snarky with it. Will tried his hardest to understand him and give him the space to process his emotions and the grief.

Will and Mike were often alone with each other these days. After school was over, they’d visit Max at the hospital and be there for Lucas, but the staff wasn’t usually happy with too many people crowding the room for too long. So, they’d leave after an hour or so, usually going to the Wheeler house, where the Byers family was staying now, too. Or they’d go directly to the Squawk if a crawl was planned for that day.

Today was a day like that, and the meeting would be starting in a few minutes. Or when everybody finally arrived, anyway.

As much as Will loved and missed his friends, though, he did enjoy the closeness when he was alone with just his boyfriend. He looked at him now, observing the sharp features of his side profile as the Alpha looked ahead at the view from the roof.

“Hey,” Will broke the comfortable silence between them. “Can I ask you something? I’ve been meaning to for a while, actually.”

Mike turned to look at him, eyes soft when they met his own. “Of course,” he replied, bumping their knees together briefly. “You know you can ask me anything.”

“Well, it’s- it’s a bit, uhm, personal, I guess,” he started awkwardly, hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. “And you can obviously say no. There’s, like, no pressure whatsoever.”

Mike raised his eyebrows, an invitation, a way of saying go on, you can ask me without interrupting him.

“Well, my, um, heat is coming up again at the end of November,” Will continued, a flush rising to his cheeks as he tried to maintain eye contact with his boyfriend. “And I’ve been thinking… maybe, if you want, you could spend it with me? You know, help me through it?”

God, he didn’t know why he was so nervous to ask. They’ve been together for over two years at this point, and have even recently started having sex. But heat was different; it was way more intimate, but also more dangerous. They were still teenagers, and heats could be tricky – unplanned mating bites, chances of pregnancy increased, Omegas were more sensitive and prone to drops.

But Will trusted Mike, and the want to ask him to help him through his heat has been gnawing at him for months.

His last three had been horrible, having to have them at the Wheeler house. Mike always insisted he should take his room for the week it usually lasted, because there was no way he’d let him go through it in the stuffy basement, even when Mr. Wheeler claimed it was improper.

Being in Mike’s room almost made it worse - being surrounded by his scent, and his pictures and his things, but not being able to have the real thing. Knowing that Mike was somewhere in the house, but couldn’t come to him, no matter how much he wanted and pleaded. And other people were in the house too, people who weren’t his family, or pack, or the man his wolf had already decided to be his mate. It was horrible. His wolf took it almost as a rejection, so the heats were even more painful than ever before, lasting a few days longer than they normally would.

When it was finally over, he felt an intense sense of emptiness, and when Mike was finally allowed to see him, it’d take hours of scenting, cuddling and comforting from his boyfriend for Will to start feeling somewhat normal again.

Mike must not have expected this to be the question, judging by the way his eyes widened slightly in shock. “Wait- really?” he asked. “You’re sure?”

“I really want you to,” Will admitted. “I mean, if you say yes, I’d still have to ask my mom first, or else she’d totally freak out.”

Mike laughed a little, and with that, the atmosphere became more relaxed again. “Yeah, she totally would,” he agreed, then took one of Will’s hands into his own, interlacing their fingers and squeezing lightly. “I’d love to spend your heat with you, if you’re really sure.”

His scent intensified with his mood, like he was happy Will trusted him to take care of him like that. Cedarwood, woody, dry and steady, and something softer beneath it – cotton, warmed by the sun, comforting and home. The scent didn’t crowd Will. It never did.

In fact, he could smell his own scent sweetening in response, as if on instinct, the usual honey becoming heavier with the undertone of cinnamon.

Before he could answer, an interrupting yell sounded from the ground below the building.

“Hey, lovebirds,” Lucas’s voice reached them, and they both leaned over the edge to see their friend waving to get their attention. “Everybody’s already here. The meeting’s about to start.”

………

It was a few days later that Will found the opportunity and courage to ask his mom.

They found themselves in the Wheelers’ dining room, the three of them having stayed behind after everyone else was finished having breakfast. It was a Saturday, and Holly left to stay at her friend’s house for the weekend, Mrs. Wheeler being the one to drive her there after they finished eating. Mr. Wheeler left somewhere, most likely to fall asleep reading the newspaper on the couch. Jonathan and Nancy were the first to leave in a hurry, something about meeting with Robin, or Steve, or both – Will wasn’t really paying attention.

Mike wanted to stay, wanted to be there when Will asked his mom, saying he should ‘ask for permission properly’, as if it was still the 19^th century and his mom cared about stuff like that. But he had to admit it was cute, the way the Alpha was nervously fiddling with his shirt sleeve, anxious to get Joyce’s approval.

Which was ridiculous, really, his mom loved Mike, always has. She more than approved of their relationship, clearly seeing how good he was for her son, and how happy he always made him.

Still, his leg shook restlessly under the dining room table as Will asked his mom if they could talk.

“Sure, sweetie, what is it?” she answered warmly, smile loving and reassuring like it always was.

Will spoke first, like they agreed he would. “Me and Mike have been talking,” he started, glancing briefly at his boyfriend for moral support. “My next heat is coming up in about 7 weeks,” he continued, even though Joyce took track of these things too, just in case, so that Will wouldn’t get caught off-guard at the wrong place, at the wrong time. “…And we wanted to spend it together this time.”

Joyce seemed a bit surprised, her eyebrows raising slightly. “Oh,” was all she said at first.

“If you’re okay with it, of course,” Mike said immediately, nerves evident in the tone of his voice. “I mean, we know we’re, like, super young, but we promise to be careful. I promise to be really careful,” he rambled, words coming a bit too quickly in succession. “I’d never do anything to hurt Will, ever.”

“It was my idea, Mom, I was the one who asked him,” Will continued just as quickly, trying to justify their question in advance, even though Joyce hadn’t given any reply yet. “I just thought-“

“Will, honey, calm down,” she finally spoke, an easy smile spreading on her face again. “It’s okay. I trust you to make good choices. You’re old enough now to decide about these things. If you’re sure you want to spend your heat with Mike, you can do that.” Her hand came to gently rest on top of his on the table.

“Really?” Will questioned, as if he wasn’t expecting this conversation to go so easily. His mom was very overprotective after all, but she gave in completely without a fight.

“Yes, really,” she answered, then her eyes found Mike’s, who looked equally stunned at her easy approval. “You’re a good guy, Mike. A good Alpha. There’s no one else I trust with my son so completely.”

Mike’s face turned beet-red in only a second as he stuttered out a ‘thank you’, but Will could practically smell how proud he was at her words, and saw how he puffed his chest subtly. He rolled his eyes with a laugh at the typical Alpha reaction to his ego being stroked.

“But,” she continued, her tone switching. “There are things that will have to be discussed and arranged beforehand, of course. Certain safety precautions to guarantee that everything goes okay.”

“Mom,” Will whined in embarrassment, hiding his face in his hands.

“There are certain things that are important, Will,” she explained firmly.

“Okay, okay,” he agreed. “We’ll be prepared, don’t worry.” Then, he suddenly remembered another important thing. “But, please don’t tell Jonathan yet, I wanna be the one who tells him. Oh god, he’s totally gonna flip.”

“Sure, honey,” Joyce agreed with a laugh, knowing how her older son got when it came to his brother, especially if it had anything to do with Mike, whom he didn’t particularly like.

“Oh, and Hopper, too. He might actually kill Mike.”

………

The rest of October went by without much fuss or drama, the ever-shorter days filled with the pre-established routines. Crawls, looking for Vecna, training, meetings, school, but no new helpful leads emerged.

Then November came, bringing only bad surprises.

Will’s nightmares increased, but that was typical for this time of year for him. Then, he got a dizzy spell at school while discussing the next crawl, and a bad feeling washed over him as his friends rushed to his side to fret over him.

He pushed back the looming panic swelling inside and tried convincing himself it was just general anxiety caused by the ongoing search for Vecna. Mike loomed closer to his side for the rest of the day, worried, somehow attaching himself even more firmly to his boyfriend than usual, which was saying a lot.

When they went to pick up Holly at school, they found Mrs. Wheeler already there, talking to a teacher about some concerns regarding the girl. They sat with Holly on the bench in the corridor and exchanged concerned looks when she told them about her imaginary friend, Mr. Whatsit, and the monsters he’d been telling her about. Will should have known something was wrong then, should have listened to his gut telling him that this was somehow connected to the Upside Down, to Vecna. But he pushed the bad feeling away again, letting Mike lie to her about the existence of monsters and trying his best to reassure her.

Then Holly was taken. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, torn up by a Demogorgon, both on the brink of death from their injuries.

Then everything kept happening so fast. Vecna was behind all of this, of course he was, and they figured Will’s connection to him and to the Hivemind ran so deep, he could figure out his next victim. Their plan to protect the little boy, Derek, almost failed, half of their team was in the Upside Down, and the military took a bunch of other schoolkids to the MAC-Z.

Overall, things weren’t looking good for them. The rest, the ones still in right-side-up Hawkins, were working on a plan to save the kids. But Will was starting to feel weird, a familiar type of weird.

………

“Fuck,” Will groaned under his breath as he looked at himself in the Squawk’s bathroom mirror, leaning onto the small sink with his hands. His face was wet from the cold water he had splashed there to ease the flush, some of it wetting the tips of his messy fringe, too. His skin felt itchy and hot, and there was a tingling sensation in his scent gland on the side of his neck. “This cannot be happening right now,” he complained to himself out loud, because he didn’t have anyone else to do it to.

He could smell himself already, the way his honey smell thickened and intensified, the usually spicier undertone of cinnamon getting a softer, sweeter edge. There wasn’t possibly a worse time for him to go into heat, not with all the children in danger and Vecna finally starting to make his move. He’s always had rotten luck, but it still takes him by surprise just how rotten it can get.

No, he can’t let this happen, not right now. The next few days could prove to be the most important in their fight against Vecna; they might get the chance to defeat him once and for all. His friends and family needed him. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he had to sit out on the last fight and someone got hurt, or worse.

He could hold off, at least for a few days. He’s only in pre-heat, though admittedly it felt more intense than it usually did. The adrenaline could help hold it back, he tried to reason. It could take a few days for it to fully hit, and he’ll just have to tough it out until then. The sense of danger could help his body delay it if his wolf didn’t feel safe enough.

He’ll have to hide it, too, or there would be no way anyone would let him come along. His mom wouldn’t let him leave this building, or go to the military base to save the children, let alone the Upside Down. Mike would probably rather lock him in a windowless room for a day than let him put himself in danger like that.

Will knew they’d be right to be worried, to not let him leave, but he needed to do this. He’s strong enough to hold it off, but they wouldn’t believe him. Still, going into the military base, where there were hundreds of armed Alphas with a reputation for not being the nicest, and going there in pre-heat was stupidly dangerous. Even he knew that, but he had to take the chance.

He tried to rack his brain for a solution, something to help him. Heat suppressants wouldn’t work. He’s never taken them, as it was overall advised that Omegas go through their cycles naturally for their mental and physical well-being. If he took one now, if he could even find one, it wouldn’t have any effect. An Omega had to take them regularly, every day consistently, for at least a few weeks before they started regulating the body and sufficiently hold back heats.

Then he remembered - he saw a box of clear pheromone-suppressing patches in Robin’s backpack while they were at the hospital to get the benzos to knock out the Turnbows and kidnap Derek. He had even asked her about it, and she said it was usually mandatory for staff at the hospital to wear them, so as not to disturb the sick patients. That included volunteer work, like the candy stripe nurses, and her girlfriend was one of them. She carried the box around for Vickie when she visited her, because she often seemed to forget them at home.

If he could get a hold of one of the patches, he could hide his scent, and then he’d be able to hide his state for a few more days at least. It had to work.

He quickly dried off the droplets from his face with the bottom of his shirt, then left the tiny bathroom. He was just trying to figure out where Robin could have left her backpack (Was it still at the barn? In the car, maybe? Hopefully, it wasn’t in the room where everyone else was as well, it would be really hard to smuggle a patch out of there), when he crashed head-first into someone.

“Sorry,” he said instinctively, head still a bit up in the clouds from everything that’s been happening lately. When he looked up, he came face-to-face with just the person he was thinking about.

“Sorry,” Robin said at the same time as him, looking frazzled as well. “Oh, Will, it’s you. Everyone’s been looking for you. You just wandered off,” the Alpha said, her hand on his shoulder, where she placed it while trying to steady him after their collision.

“Yeah, I just- I needed some space to think,” Will explained, not really lying, just not telling the whole truth. His voice must have given him away a little, though, because her face didn’t seem as if she believed him completely.

“Right, of course,” she replied anyway. “This whole thing’s been crazy.”

“It really has,” he agreed with an awkward laugh, trying to come up with a way to get out of this conversation and discreetly start looking for her backpack.

“Wait,” she said suddenly, her face contorting in realization. “You smell different.”

Fuck, Will thought. He shifted uncomfortably, looking around to see if anyone would walk in and overhear this conversation.

“You’re… Are you going into hea-?”

“Shh,” he shushed her quickly, hand coming up to cover her mouth in panic. “Don’t say it so loud, someone might hear you,” he warned in a yelling whisper, looking around again to check they were still alone.

“Oh, this is bad,” she mumbled against his palm. “This is really bad, we have to tell your-“

“No,” he interrupted her once more, voice begging. “Please don’t tell anyone. Please, Robin.”

Her eyes widened more. “What do you mean ‘don’t tell anyone’?” she asked, shoving his hand away from her face. “What are you gonna do?”

“I- I don’t know,” he admitted, stressed, hand coming up to rub at his forehead. “I wanted to use one of your pheromone patches to hide my scent.”

“You’re not seriously thinking about going to the MAC-Z like this?”

“I have to,” Will replied desperately. “I have to help.”

“This is crazy dangerous, Byers,” she said firmly, serious in a way he hadn’t often seen from her. “Absolutely insane.”

“I know, I know,” he admitted. “I know it is. But if I just use the patches, I can hide my scent. And then no one will know, not until after the kids are safe.”

“This could go seriously wrong, you know,” Robin insisted. “Can you like… hold off that long?” she asked awkwardly, obviously meaning ‘what if you get, like, super uncontrollably horny in the middle of the rescue mission’.

“I can,” he said, voice solid and unwavering. Hopefully, at least. But he could tell she was slowly coming around, sensing how important this was to him, and that there was no convincing him otherwise.

“God, Wheeler is seriously going to kill me if he finds out.”

………

They were all walking down the grassy field, equipped with shovels and a walkie-talkie to communicate with Derek at the base where the other children were held.

Will was walking next to Mike, a few steps behind the rest of the group, their arms brushing together with each step. Both needed the closeness to provide at least the minimal level of comfort and reassurance. Will was especially itching for any contact from his Alpha, but he tried to brush it off, knowing that it’d be suspicious if he were acting too needy right now.

There was a clear patch covering the side of his neck where his scent gland was. It must have been successfully suppressing his pheromones, considering Mike hadn’t noticed anything was askew, nor did anyone else.

Not for sure, anyway, but Mike did seem to pick up on Will’s worry.

“Hey,” came softly at his side, followed by a gentle nudge of an elbow. “You still with me, sweetheart?”

Will blinked, dragged out of his thoughts. “Yeah. Sorry. Just… thinking about the Demo attack.”

A quiet hum in response, thoughtful. “When your mom had the axe,” the Alpha said after a moment, voice lowered, “you could see her, right? Through the Demo’s eyes?”

“Yeah.” Will swallowed. “And I was so close to the hive. So close it felt like I was still part of it. I could feel the anger.” His hands curled into his sleeves. “And I was so scared. Scared for her.”

“You wanted to protect her,” Mike continued for him, and it wasn’t a question, but a statement, like he knew the feeling better than anyone.

“I tried,” he admitted. “But it was like watching a scary movie that you just can’t turn off.”

They walked a few steps in silence before a hand closed around Will's wrist gently, stopping them both in their tracks.

“Are you sure you didn’t?” Mike asked, eyes searching his face.

Will frowned. “Didn’t what?”

“Change it. Even a little.” His voice picked up, threaded with worry. “Protected her instead. Not the other way around.”

He let out a weak laugh. “Mike.”

A small smile spread on the Alpha’s face. “Vecna likes to control the hive mind like a puppet master. So, maybe when you tap into the hive, you can pull the strings too.”

Will stared back in shock. “Except I’m not Vecna.”

“I mean, you sort of are, baby.”

“Wow. So, I’m evil now?”

“Extremely,” Mike deadpanned, then softened. Then, gently: “No. But you’re strong. And you’re connected to him in a way no one else is. He’s a wizard and, I mean, you’re our cleric.”

“In D&D, Mike, not in real life.”

Mike’s thumb brushed his wrist absentmindedly, grounding him, then said again: “You are a cleric. Or… a sorcerer, because your powers are innate. It’s part of you.”

Will shook his head, a bit breathless from what his boyfriend was suggesting. “You really think I could do that?”

“I do,” he replied with no hesitation. “And with El in the Upside Down…” he continued, his grip tightening just slightly. “We could really use some magic up here, too. But I really hate the idea of you hurting yourself trying.”

Will nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll be careful.”

“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid,” Mike suddenly asked, his voice almost begging. It felt as if he could sense something was wrong, but couldn’t put his finger on it.

How ironic, the request, when Will was already actively doing something arguably very stupid. So, he could only nod, his voice choked up in his throat from the thought of lying to his wonderful, sweet boyfriend.

A second later, he found himself wrapped up in a pair of strong arms, squeezed firmly against the taller man. Will wrapped his own arms around Mike’s middle automatically in response, feeling the Alpha lean down and nuzzle into the side of his neck, seeking comfort. In the warmth of the embrace, Will momentarily forgot about the pheromone patch.

“Why can’t I smell you?” Mike mumbled against the skin of his neck, then pulled away to look at his boyfriend in surprise. His eyes traced over him, then settled on his scent gland and the clear band-aid covering it. “Is that a pheromone blocker? Why do you have that?” His thumb brushed over it.

“Oh, it’s… uh,” Will stuttered out, looking for an excuse. “I just thought it’d be safer with it on. You know, an Omega going into a military base full of armed Alphas. Better they don’t know what I am.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, anyway.

Mike’s eyes widened slightly in realization. “Fuck, I didn’t even think about that,” he admitted, sounding absolutely horrified with himself. “I can’t believe I didn’t think about that. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He sounded like he was more than just sorry for not thinking of that, but also sorry because it was something Omegas had to think about constantly. That the world was so cruel, that Alphas were so cruel to them, they had to have things like this in their minds all the time.

“It’s okay, Mike,” Will soothed.

Then he was scooped up into another hug, this one somehow even tighter than before. “Can I scent you? Just a little?”

Will knew it was probably a bad idea to agree, that it could chip at his self-control and trigger something he didn’t want. But he also knew his wolf needed it now, that it would soothe him after feeling so on edge for the last few days. And he knew Mike needed it, too, after everything that had happened with his parents and his sister. Besides, maybe having an Alpha’s scent on him wouldn’t be such a bad idea; it could help hide any pheromones the blockers may fail to suppress.

So, he nodded his consent, instantly feeling Mike nuzzle into the curve of his neck and shoulder. It wasn’t hurried or forceful, just a quiet press of warmth and breath. The smell of cedarwood and sun-warmed cotton settled close, flooding his senses completely, steady and familiar, and the tension Will had been carrying loosened before he could stop it. The weight of it, of Mike, was anchoring, something solid to lean into.

“Be safe,” he murmured into Will’s warm skin, pressing a kiss over the clear patch.

He pulled away after that, once again meeting the Omega’s eye. Will’s hand raised and settled against his cheek.

“You too.”

………

The plan took a quick turn for the worse before all the kids were even out of the base through the hole they had made next to the toilet. A busted pipe sent water dripping onto the bathroom floor, slowly but surely flooding the tiles. Mike noticed it soon enough, and Will found himself lying on the cold ground, gripping the pipe and trying his best to stop the flow along with his boyfriend.

Water was aggressively shooting into his face, the flow growing stronger and stronger, soaking him completely. Mike wasn’t any better beside him, holding onto the steel pipe for dear life. It wasn’t helping much, not even when they tried wrapping Will’s jacket around the rupture point. Kids kept coming in as they struggled, and they tried their best to play into the Whatsit story and direct them to the exit.

The situation got even worse, because of course it did. One of the other kids noticed the water spreading from underneath the door and went to check it out, coming face-to-face with the catastrophe that was going on in the bathroom. The little girl snitched immediately, and Derek came rushing in with the rest of the chosen children, a military man hot on their heels.

Mike got up quickly, hurrying to help keep the door closed, even though he probably knew there was not much that could be done against a grown, trained Alpha wanting to barge in, especially if back-up arrived. Will stumbled behind him, planting himself firmly against the door, too. Derek was on his other side, and together they seemed to be strong enough to hold their ground for the moment.

That’s when Will realized his pheromone blocker must have been peeled off by the water stream. His scent filled the room in seconds, strong and almost stifling. Mike must have realized it, too, because his head whipped to the side to look at him, eyes wide and panicked.

“Will, your- your patch,” he said, his voice strained from the effort of holding back the soldier banging against the door. The true extent of his scent must have hit him then, because his eyes widened even more. “You smell like… Will, you’re in heat,” he said, horrified, and it wasn’t a question.

And that was the real problem - Will wasn’t just in pre-heat anymore, but definitely already in full-blown heat. His skin felt hot, like it was on fire, his stomach was twisting in a painful cramp, and most embarrassingly, he could feel slick starting to leak into his boxers. He wasn’t out of it yet, his mind still present and aware, but now the panic made his heart race fast enough that he felt like it would burst out of his chest. One look at the Alpha next to him, and he knew he felt the same.

“You knew,” Mike accused him, stumbling a little after a particularly hard shove from the other side. He regained his footing, then doubled his efforts in pushing against the assault. “You knew you were going into heat. Do you know how fucking dangerous this is?! How could you not tell me?! How could you come-“

“Mike,” Will whined, pleading. He wasn’t sure what he was asking for - for forgiveness, for him to understand, for him to make all of this go away, for him not to yell when Will was already feeling so fucking horrible.

Mike’s eyes softened from anger to worry at the sound of his boyfriend’s fear, seemingly deciding that the lecturing could be saved for later, when everyone was safe. “Get out of here,” he said instead, voice desperate as he nudged his head in the direction of the hole in the ground. “Will, please, you have to get away from here. Right. Now.”

Before Will could respond or even fully process the command, the door busted open with a loud bang. Backup must have arrived, several armed men now at the doorway.

Everything after that blurred together too fast, shouting, boots pounding against the floor, the sharp crack of a rifle butt swinging too close. Will barely had time to turn before someone roughly grabbed him from behind. He twisted instinctively, reaching for Mike, and for half a second their fingers brushed before he was yanked sideways and slammed hard into the ground. Pain exploded at the back of his head, bright and sickening, the world tipping violently out of place.

“Hey- hey!” Mike’s voice cut through the chaos, raw with panic. “Don’t fucking touch him!”

Will tried to push himself up, but his arms were already wrenched behind his back, a knee pressing between his shoulder blades. The floor swam beneath him. Somewhere nearby, one of the kids started crying. Joyce was shouting too, sounding furious and terrified, but Will could only focus on the sound of Mike fighting, actually fighting, against the soldiers holding him.

“I said let him go!” Mike yelled, straining so hard his voice cracked. “He didn’t do anything! Please, just let him go. Take me. You can do anything to me, just let him go!”

They hauled Will upright before his legs were ready, dragging him toward the open doorway. He caught one last glimpse of Mike being shoved back, hands pinned, eyes wild as he twisted to keep Will in sight. “Will!” he shouted, louder now, desperate. “Hey, I’m here. I’m right here, okay?”

The words anchored him more than anything else. Will tried to nod, to answer, but the effort made his vision blur again. Cold air hit his face as they dragged him outside, across gravel and into the courtyard, the pulse of the Upside Down gate buzzing in his bones like a bad memory. He stumbled, nearly went down again, and the last thing he saw before they forced him to stop was Mike still fighting, still shouting his name while he was dragged to the courtyard too, as if he was loud enough, brave enough, he could stop this from happening.

Seconds later, Mike, Joyce, and the kids were all there too, though the soldiers holding them stopped a few feet away, as if they were holding Will separately. Bile rose in his throat, from the head impact, his heat, the unfamiliar hands grasping at him everywhere, from the panic choking in his throat.

“You want to explain to me what in God’s name is going on here?” an authoritative voice asked, a soldier, probably an officer, walking towards them. Will vaguely thought he looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen him before.

“Get the hell off me!” Mike struggled again, trying his hardest to break from the strong hold the soldiers still had on him.

“We’ve got five missing kids, sir,” another soldier answered, sounding nervous to break the news.

“You’ve lost five kids? How is that possible?”

“This woman-“

“Joyce Byers,” his mom interjected immediately, voice unwavering. The officer’s eyes flicked to her, unamused as he regarded her.

“She’s been helping them escape through some kind of tunnel,” the soldier continued explaining.

“Hm,” was all the officer said, looking like he was thinking about what to do with them. Then he turned towards Will, taking in his soaked shaking form, body devoid of any energy left to fight against the grip holding him still. “And what do we have here?”

“You stay away from my son,” Joyce bit back, and the officer turned back momentarily to look at her, unaffected by her empty threat. Before she could yell again, a soldier effectively silenced her with a hand on her mouth, now only mumbled sounds escaping her.

“This one’s an Omega, sir,” one of the Alphas holding him replied, a disgustingly smug smile easily heard in his voice, even though Will couldn’t see him. “And he’s in heat.”

Through his fuzzy vision, he could see his mom’s eyes widening in pure panic and becoming glossy with tears.

“I swear to God, if you touch him-“ Mike’s voice cut through the fear slightly, and Will’s wolf whined inside for its mate, craving the safety of his hold instead of the rough hands violently gripping at him.

His skin was hypersensitive, and every place of contact hurt, burned. His self-awareness was starting to escape him, replaced by the drive of his biology. His body felt weak and frozen in fear, and he could hardly even flinch back when a hand brushed against his neck.

“What do we do with this one?” the Alpha soldier asked his superior, one of his colleagues letting out a low laugh from his other side.

“I don’t care what you do with him,” he got in answer, and it sounded more like permission than anything else. “Do what you like. Have your fun for all I care. I’m going to be dealing with the problem at hand. Finding the kids before any of this gets to Dr. Kay.” And with that final order, he turned back to the unit he came here with, yelling orders and questions, though the actual contents of his words escaped Will.

“You heard him, sweetheart,” one of the Alphas said into his ear, his disgusting hot breath hitting the side of his face. The nickname made him sick, sending him to the verge of throwing up, something sweet and comforting when his boyfriend called him twisted into something perverted, cold, and frightening. “We can have some fun together.” A hand was placed on the nape of his neck, over his scent gland, brushing over it.

Will could feel a tear spilling down his cheek at the contact, as a wave of ashy, smoky pheromones covered the scent of cedarwood that had still been lingering there before.

“Will!” Mike yelled again. When Will looked to meet his eyes once more, he could see the unspilled tears in the Alpha’s panicked ones. “Don’t touch him! Don’t fucking touch him!” He was thrashing against the hold keeping him in place, so violently that another soldier had to come and help restrain him. His usually dark chocolate eyes were starting to get a red sheen to them, though Will didn’t know how he could see that from so far away, with his vision blurry. He must have been so in tune with him, so deeply connected that he would notice anything, understand and feel everything Mike was feeling.

“I call dibs,” another gruff voice said, and a hand grasped his waist, pulling him against a solid wall of a body.

Will scrambled to grasp his wrist, putting all his remaining energy into trying to pry the hand off of him, unsuccessfully. “Get off me,” he ordered, but he couldn’t help but feel it sounded more like a desperate plea than an unwavering threat.

Most embarrassingly, more slick was starting to leak out of him, entirely against his will. He knew it wasn’t his fault, that it was just the biological reaction of the body going into heat, but he’s never felt more disgusted with himself in his entire life, more fucking humiliated. Here he was, being groped by absolute strangers in front of his boyfriend, and he couldn’t even stop the sweetened pheromones escaping him in waves, couldn’t help the slick leaking out of him. He hated them, he hated them, he hated them. And he hated himself. Hated his body for betraying him so completely.

A whimper left him as more tears escaped, a broken sob leaving his lips. “Mike,” he whined out, his wolf begging for him, his heart too. “Mike!”

“Is that your little Alpha’s name?” one of the soldiers taunted. “He can’t do anything to help you, sweetheart. He can watch, though, if you want. We can show him how a real Alpha does it.” A palm slipped under his shirt, roughly gripping the overheated skin of his waist. Will flinched back violently with another sob, but couldn’t get far with the tight hold still on him.

Just then, Mike managed to momentarily break free from his captors, springing into a run towards his boyfriend with another call of his name. For a second, hope bloomed inside Will’s chest, replacing the fear, and for a moment, he stupidly believed everything was going to be okay.

Before Mike could reach him, though, two soldiers managed to restrain him again, kicking behind his knee and sending him kneeling to the floor with a painful grunt, their guns pointing at his head. “Stay down!”

Will cried out harder at the sight, images of his Alpha dead with blood splattered everywhere invading his mind. At that moment, he forgot the danger he was in himself, his inner wolf overpowering his instincts with mate is in trouble, mate is in trouble, mate is in trouble.

In the background, he could hear his mom’s cries, her yells, but his eyes remained glued only on Mike, their eyes locking with tears streaming down both their faces now.

“Mike,” he whimpered again, this time quieter as the fight was slowly starting to leave his body.

The hands became bolder, running over his stomach and riding up his soaked shirt, exposing him to the cold November air. Not that he felt it much, his mind trying to escape somewhere else, anywhere else, just to not feel his body anymore. He was nearly aware, somewhere in the back of his mind, of open-mouthed, slobbery kisses being pressed to his neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin occasionally. Mike was still yelling, still struggling even with the guns threatening to shoot, but it all sounded distorted, like he was underwater.

Bile was seriously starting to rise in his throat, bitter and sharp on its way up, and Will knew it was only a matter of seconds before he’d throw up for real.

But then a sudden feeling shocked him into awareness, frightfully familiar. Goosebumps rose at the nape of his neck, and Will knew they weren’t because of the soldiers. Fear struck him suddenly, a different one, one he first felt when he was only 12 years old. A familiar presence, a familiar screech.

Something slammed into the soldier holding Will, knocking them both sideways. There was a wet, horrible sound, bone, armor, skin tearing, and then suddenly the grip on Will was gone. Gunfire erupted immediately, deafening and wild, soldiers shouting as the Demogorgon reared back into the light, red and screaming and loud.

Will didn’t get a chance to find his footing before someone was already grabbing him again, not rough this time, but desperate, familiar.

“Will- Will, look at me-” Mike crashed into him, arms tight around his shoulders, pulling him close like he was afraid letting go would make him disappear. “Jesus, I thought- I thought they were gonna-” His voice broke hard, breath coming too fast. “Hey. Hey. You’re okay, I promise. I’ve got you now. I’ve got you. They’re dead, they can’t hurt you.”

Will tried to answer, to lean into the comfort of him, but the world twisted violently on itself. The moment the bullets hit, the moment the flames touched flesh, it ripped through him like a live wire. Pain bloomed everywhere at once, white-hot, choking, inside him, and his knees gave out.

“Mike,” he gasped, the sound tearing itself out of his chest.

Mike caught him before he hit the ground, dropping with him, hands scrambling, unsure where to hold without hurting him more. “No, no, no,” he whispered urgently, forehead pressed to Will’s temple, shielding him with his body as best he could while gunfire cracked overhead. “Stay with me, okay? Please, baby, stay with me.”

Will’s body arched involuntarily, a strangled sound caught in his throat as the pain surged again, fire, noise, rage, dying, all of it crashing through the connection. His hands shook violently, fingers curling into Mike’s jacket like it was the only solid thing left in the world.

“I know,” Mike said, even though Will hadn’t explained. Because he didn’t need to. His voice was steady now, by force alone. “I know it hurts. I know. Just breathe with me, okay? I’m right here. You’re not alone. I won’t let go.”

Explosions thundered somewhere nearby. Someone shouted for them to move, but Mike didn’t. He stayed crouched over Will, one hand cradling the back of his head, the other tangled in his sleeve, murmuring reassurance over the chaos like a lifeline, guarding him as the world burned and screamed around them.

“Will, oh my god, Will!” Joyce’s voice cut through the noise, sharp with terror. She skidded to her knees beside them, hands immediately framing Will’s face, thumbs brushing his cheeks like she could will him awake through touch alone. Her eyes were bright with tears she didn’t bother to stop. “Baby, can you hear me? Please, please, look at me.”

Mike barely looked up, arms still locked tight around his boyfriend’s shoulders. “We have to get him out of here,” he said, fast and panicked but already thinking three steps ahead. “We can’t stay here, he’s in heat. And they’re burning them, he can feel it-”

“I know,” Joyce said, voice cracking as another explosion rattled the ground. She swallowed hard, forced herself to focus. “Okay. Okay. Mike, listen to me. You take the kids, I’ll get Will out.”

The Alpha shook his head immediately. “No. No, I’m not leaving him.”

“Mike-”

“I’m not,” he repeated, louder now, fierce in a way that surprised even him, his eyes bright red. “He needs me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Joyce hesitated, eyes flicking between them, the way Will’s weight sagged fully into Mike, the way Mike was holding him like instinct had completely taken over. She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. There was no time. And she knew that look, she’d seen it before, and she knew she’d have no luck separating an Alpha from his Omega when hurt, especially when the Omega was actively in heat.

“Okay,” she said finally, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “Okay. Then don’t let go of him.”

She was already moving, grabbing the kids, ushering them forward with urgent whispers and sharp gestures. “Stay low. Follow me. Don’t stop, and keep your eyes on me.”

They moved in short bursts, ducking behind overturned vehicles, smoke and sparks filling the air. Mike staggered after them, one of Will’s arms slung over his shoulders, the other pressed tight to his chest as he supported most of his weight. Will didn’t stir. His head lolled forward, soft brown curls damp with sweat and water, breath shallow but there.

“I’ve got you,” Mike muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else. “I’ve got you. Just hang on.”

Gunfire rang out nearby, and a Demogorgon screamed somewhere behind them. Joyce glanced back, eyes wide, then reached out to steady Mike as they crouched behind a tank. “You’re doing great,” she said fiercely. “Just a little farther.”

Mike nodded, jaw clenched, adjusting his grip so Will’s head rested more securely against his shoulder. He leaned his forehead briefly against his hair, breathing him in, the honey and cinnamon scent acting like an anchor.

They moved again, together, Joyce clearing the path, the kids close at her heels, and Mike carrying Will through the fire and the smoke.

Then the air changed.

Will felt it before it happened. That familiar pressure in the back of his neck, cold and heavy and invasive, like fingers pressing into places they didn’t belong. The gate flared brighter, and then Vecna stepped through it like the world was making room for him.

Panic spread among the army, shouts of ‘demon’ and ‘what the fuck is that’ sounding through the courtyard. The rain of bullets didn’t hurt him, and the fire couldn’t touch him. The soldiers stood no chance against him, and anyone who made a move died.

Joyce moved first. Mike did too, stepping in front of Will without thinking, arms out as he could physically block the nightmare. “Stay away from him!” he yelled, voice breaking but loud, brave in the reckless way that had always terrified Will.

Vecna didn’t even look at them. Something invisible slammed into Mike and Joyce at the same time, throwing them back like toys. Will screamed, actually screamed, and tried his hardest to crawl toward them, but his body wouldn’t listen. He couldn’t even get up, still pressed to the ground by the pain and the dizziness.

The pressure worsened, crushing, paralyzing, and then suddenly, he wasn’t on the ground anymore. He was lifting. Panic exploded in his chest as his feet left the concrete, as the world tilted away beneath him. He tried to move, but he was frozen, breath coming in short, useless gasps, every instinct screaming to get away. Vecna drew him closer, slow and deliberate, like he wanted Will to feel every inch of it.

He could feel his body shaking in fear as he came face-to-face with Vecna’s beaded demon eyes, somehow the only part of him remaining human, but still looking as evil as the rest of him. His fleshy, bony hand extended forward, a long, clawed finger caressing down his soaked cheek in mocking gentleness, as it had four years ago.

When Vecna spoke to him, his voice slid inside his head like poison. He told him why he took the children, that he needed them to reshape the world. That he chose them because they were weak. Like Will was four years ago, like he still is now. “Too weak. Too different. Always hiding,” his voice was deep, echoing around Will’s head. “Just a useless little male Omega. Disgrace to the family. Always weak. Easily broken. You don’t belong in this world, you belong in mine.”

Will trembled, powerless to do anything to stop Vecna’s hand from caressing the side of his face.

Then his grip vanished all at once. Will dropped.

The impact knocked the breath from him, pain flashing white-hot through his wrists and knees. He held himself on shaking arms, vision swimming. Breathing hard, he could see from his peripheral vision that Vecna turned away, stepping back through the gate as if Will had already stopped mattering.

Before he could catch his breath, he was suddenly seeing through a Demogorgon's eyes again, the picture tinted red at the edges.

One of them lunged, straight for Mike. Another one, miles away, was jumping at Robin with all its power. Another one at Lucas in the tunnels, injuring him with a gash to his chest.

Something inside Will snapped.

He closed his eyes. A memory. A lifeline. Hope.

Mike in kindergarten, seeing him alone swinging on the swings and sitting down on the swing next to his. Do you want to be my friend? Him at six years old, grinning across the D&D table. Mike saying his name like it was something precious. Their first shy kiss, at only thirteen, before either of them had even presented or knew what it would mean. Joyce’s arms around him, happy and loving, praising his drawing. Jonathan helping him hammer boards together, Castle Byers rising crooked and proud in the woods, a place he had built for Will to belong.

The Demogorgon froze mid-air, limbs jerking as something else took hold of it. Will felt the connection blaze alive, hot and blinding, power flooding through him like a current too strong to contain. Will raised his other hand, stopping the Demo from slashing the final killer blow at Lucas. Throwing his head back, the creature attacking Robin stopped mid-lunge.

The Demogorgons screeched as bone cracked inward under an invisible force, collapsing to the ground with a wet thud.

Silence rushed in, ringing in his ears. Will dropped to his knees, gasping, with blood streaming from his nose. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, barely noticing the red smeared across his skin. The world swayed. Slowly, the white haze receded, his vision clearing, the power slipping back into something dormant but not gone.

He looked up. Mike was staring at him as he’d just watched a miracle, mesmerized and awed.

The energy drained out of him all at once. He was already on his knees when it happened, the ground solid and unforgiving beneath him, but his body still gave out, and he pitched forward.

Hands caught him before his face could meet the cold concrete.

“Will, hey,” the Alpha said, arms wrapping around him just in time, hauling him against his body. Will sagged immediately, weight going slack, his head lolling onto Mike’s shoulder as exhaustion crashed over him in heavy, dizzy waves. His nose found the Alpha’s scent gland in seconds, breathing him in with a deep intake of air, then he nuzzled there, seeking every ounce of comfort he could get.

“You did it,” Mike said breathlessly, disbelief and pride tangled together. He held him close, one hand cradling the back of his head, the other skimming over his shoulders, his arms, like he was counting pieces, making sure they were all still there. “You actually did it. You saved everyone. God, Will, you were incredible. A real-life honest-to-God cleric.”

Will tried to smile, but it came out crooked and tired. “You’re… okay?” he asked, the words barely more than air.

“I’m fine,” Mike said instantly, even though there was blood on his face. “I promise. I’m right here.” He pressed his forehead to Will’s hair, then kissed him there, quick, shaking, and full of relief, before pulling back just enough to look at him. “You scared the hell out of me, though. Don’t do that to me ever again.”

A weak smile tugged at Will’s mouth as relief flooded his chest. His fingers curled into his boyfriend’s sleeve, clinging desperately. “Mike,” he breathed. “Alpha.” The overwhelming heat boiling beneath his skin hit him then, the sensation coming back now that all the adrenaline has left his body. His stomach was cramping painfully again, and desperation clawed at his insides, the need for his Alpha all-consuming. He whined as he nosed more firmly at Mike’s neck, needing his scent everywhere.

“I know,” Mike murmured, softer now. He kissed Will’s cheek, gently, and lingered there. “I’ve got you. We’re getting you out of here and into your nest, okay?”

God, Will really wanted his nest right now, preferably with Mike in it. He couldn’t fight back the new gush of slick escaping him, hoping with all his heart that it wasn’t obvious, especially not to his mom.

Just when he thought that, Joyce dropped down beside them, hands immediately gentle as she reached for her son. “Oh my god,” she whispered, tears breaking free again. “He did that. He actually-”

“He needs to get out of here,” Mike interrupted, voice tight but steady as he adjusted his hold, keeping Will upright against him. “Now.”

Joyce nodded, wiping at her face. “Yeah. We’re not staying here another second.” She brushed Will’s already slightly sweaty bangs back carefully. “Hang on, sweetheart. We’re getting you out. You just have to hold on a little longer.”

………

The walk home through the tunnels was the longest in Will’s entire life, and he wasn’t even being overdramatic. His cramps were killing him, more painful than they’ve ever been before. Every once in a while, when he’d take a step, he’d have to double over to clench at his stomach and take deep, steadying breaths. They’d all stop for a few moments, both Mike and his mom trying their best to comfort him through it, but there wasn’t much that could be done about the pain.

He was running a high fever already, and his clothes were feeling too hot and overstimulating against his skin. He was getting wetter and wetter, and feeling needier by the second, clinging to Mike’s side, partly for support while walking, partly because it physically pained him to be away from him. He would have been more embarrassed, probably absolutely mortified, but the awareness had already left him a while ago. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he wouldn’t be able to look his mom in the eye for at least a month after this whole thing was over, but at that moment, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Mike didn’t seem to mind, though, clinging to him equally as hard, and stopping to scent him when everything got too overwhelming. His attention was hyper-focused on him, protective instincts still in overdrive from the incident with the soldiers. He spent the first ten minutes of the walk back cursing them out, planning their torture and slow death out loud (even though they had already been killed by the Demos).

His mom agreed, but didn’t comment on it much, just tried to make sure Will wasn’t in too much pain.

She was an Omega herself, so of course she would understand what he was going through, at least physically, right now.

But Will couldn’t help the little voice inside his head telling him how awkward this is, that she was seeing him like this. It was a different thing entirely to know your child is going through their cycle or actually seeing it.

They found Lucas on the way, seeing him lying on the rocky ground in one of the tunnels. There was a big gash in his chest, like Will had seen through the eyes of the Demogorgon who attacked him. Joyce tried her best to wrap the wound with fabric, making sure it wasn’t too deep and fatal, then helped him get to his feet.

Lucas picked up on the situation immediately, as evidenced by the shocked look on his face as he took in the sight and scent of the Omega. It wasn’t surprising, with his Alpha sense of smell and instincts. Before he could say much, Mike shot him a look so threatening that he decided to stay quiet for the time being.

“I’ll just walk a bit ahead,” Lucas suggested awkwardly, obviously wanting to avoid being too close to Will, in fear of triggering a bad reaction from Mike.

“Yeah, you do that,” Mike replied, almost snapping at him.

He and Lucas often butted heads, they had since they were all kids, but since they’ve both presented as Alphas, it had gotten worse. Though Lucas presented first, with the other following a few months later, Mike was still the one who ended up filling in the role of pack Alpha in their group. It was more of a natural progression, with Mike always being their leader anyway. Lucas was completely cool with it, but with their teenage hormones, paired with their new subgender-specific ones, they still bickered a lot.

When they both got into relationships with Omegas, with Will and Max respectively, they were super sensitive about the other being too close to their partner. It took a few months before Will and Max both snapped, making it clear that they were being too much and that they couldn’t control their friendships. So, they reached neutral grounds with an agreement of peace.

In any other situation, Will would have rolled his eyes, gotten angry, and chastised Mike for being unnecessarily possessive, but in his current state, he more than welcomed it. He really didn’t feel like having another Alpha close to him right now, not with everything that went down at the MAC-Z, even though it was one of his best friends. His inner wolf was still too on edge and scared.

They made it the rest of the way down the tunnel towards the radio station, Will and Mike trailing a few steps behind. Once up the ladder (which was a much more difficult task than going down a few hours ago, due to their injuries), they crossed the field and were finally behind safe walls once again.

That’s when they realized that they had a problem. The Wheelers’ house was still overrun by the military, which meant Will was going have to spend his heat in the Squawk’s basement. The idea wasn’t the most appealing to him, but he was already so out of it, he’d be happy almost anywhere with privacy, space for him to build a nest, and Mike.

“We should go wash up first, baby,” his boyfriend said, running his fingers through his hair absentmindedly, his other arm still pulling him close.

Will whined at the idea of further delays, even though a more rational part of his brain was telling him that he was covered in blood, ash, toilet water, dirt, Demogorgon slime, and sweat.

“You’ll feel better after a warm shower, honey,” his mom agreed. “And in the meantime, I’ll get the basement ready for you two, okay? I’ll bring you some painkillers for your stomach, too.”

He finally agreed with a small nod, but before they could leave for the bathroom, Lucas interrupted.

“Wait, you’re spending his heat with him?” he asked Mike, his voice not very approving.

Will could see Mike’s jaw clench slightly. “Yeah, I am. Why?”

“Well, Mike, he can’t exactly consent like this.”

After a pause to process the words, his next words were louder. “What exactly are you trying to say? Are you saying I’m going to take advantage of him? That I’d…”

“What? No,” Lucas tried to quickly de-escalate the situation. “Of course not. I’m just… wondering if he’s too out of it right now to really give consent.”

That sounded absolutely ridiculous to Will’s heat-maddened mind, his wolf whining at just the thought of his mate not being with him during his heat. “I want him there,” he said quietly, pressing himself closer to the warmth of Mike’s body, grasping at the fabric of his sweater tightly, as if making sure he wouldn’t go anywhere.

“Of course you’d say that now.”

Mike’s eyes turned a reddish color, scent growing darker, as if he’d been challenged. His wolf must have seen it like that, another Alpha assuming he knows more about his mate than him. Will’s heat hormones were obviously affecting him more now, driving him into being instinct-driven and much more territorial than usual. What almost happened at the MAC-Z wasn’t helping the situation either.

“Listen-“ he started, pointing an accusing finger towards his friend.

“Everybody, let’s just calm down, please,” Joyce interjected before things could escalate into a fight, putting herself between the two Alphas. “Lucas, I know you’re just trying to look out for your best friend, and I really appreciate that. You’re a good friend. But Will made his decision weeks ago. They even came to me to ask for permission, okay? And I think that if he’d have changed his mind at any point since then, he would have said something. Besides, I mean, with symptoms this bad, this heat would probably be extremely painful for him alone. It would last for more than a week, leaving him vulnerable with Vecna on the loose again. This way, it could last for probably only about 12 hours or so.”

He hadn’t even thought about that part himself. If spending the heat with Mike could make it last for less than a day, that would be another big plus. With his newly discovered powers, he could be a bigger help in their fight with Vecna, but not if he’s bed-bound for the next week, or more.

“I haven’t changed my mind,” Will said, now sounding louder, more sure, as if he were momentarily shaken of his haze.

Mike’s eyes turned to him, softening, observing him, as if making sure for the last time that there was absolutely no doubt on his face, then turned back to look at Lucas, expression hardening. “Look, I don’t know what you think of me, but I’d never do something he doesn’t want,” he said firmly. “I’m going to be there because he asked me. I’ll be there for him, even if he just wants me to, like, hold him, or give him water, or something.”

“I don’t think that of you,” Lucas said, voice quieter again. “I’m sorry, man, I really don’t. I was just worried for Will.”

Mike deflated a bit at that, regarding Lucas for a few more moments before saying, dismissively, “It’s fine.”

The tension hadn’t left the air, but Mike must have decided he was done with the conversation, having bigger things to worry about. Namely, the boy in his arms, whom he guided carefully towards the shower.

The shower was tucked away at the end of a narrow hall, past storage shelves and a door that didn’t quite close all the way. It wasn’t much, just a converted utility space with cracked tiles, a single hook for towels, and a curtain that had seen better decades, but there was hot water, and right now that felt like a miracle. The group used it sometimes, so it was relatively clean, its upkeep overseen by Robin and sometimes Steve.

Mike first helped peel off the layers of clothing from Will’s body carefully. Will would have been self-conscious about the extent of his arousal, but the shame didn’t seem to want to come, not when Mike looked at him so softly, so adoringly. He must’ve looked a mess, already so hard, wet and red at the tip, slick coating his upper thighs, but Mike looked at him like he was the most precious thing on earth.

He got rid of his own clothes next, discarding them all into one big to-be-washed pile. He then made sure the temperature of the water was somewhat acceptable and eased them both under the shower head.

He tried being as quick and clinical about washing them as possible, but Will sure made it hard. He knew it, knew that it would be better for him if he’d just let this be over quickly so that they could finally go to the basement. But he couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t stop his body from clinging to Mike in desperation, nosing at his scent gland and rutting his hips against the soft skin of his thigh.

Mike could never say no to him, of course, so he wrapped his hand around him and made quick work of getting him off twice, holding him close and talking lowly in his ear. “My poor baby, look at you. You’re being so good for me. Does that feel good?”

He could only nod in response, moaning out Mike’s name, and really, a handjob has never felt this good before.

Once the Omega was partially satisfied, at least for the moment, Mike continued with washing his hair and getting them both clean in record time. He took the most time with scrubbing away the lingering, subtle smoky scent of the Alpha soldier from before, then dropped his head to nuzzle and lick the sensitive skin of the scent gland with a low growl, making sure his scent was the only one there now. Will almost came untouched from only that, the skin of his neck becoming so sensitive to his Alpha’s touch.

Once satisfied with his work, Mike took the towels they had brought, drying off Will first, then himself quickly. They didn’t have a lot of clean backup clothes at the Squawk, but they managed to find something comfortable, just enough to walk to the other side of the building and into the basement.

His mom tried her best to make the space as comfortable as possible in the twenty minutes they were showering, Will could tell. The basement of the Squawk wasn’t meant to be comfortable, with a concrete floor, exposed pipes, wires strung along the ceiling, but it was dry, hidden, and safe enough for now. The harshness of the space had been softened, a couch pulled out into something resembling a bed, a clean sheet tucked tight over the mattress. Blankets were layered on top, mismatched but warm-looking, and some pillows sat at the head like an afterthought she’d worried over and fixed anyway.

There were snacks, too. A small pile on a crate within arm’s reach. Water bottles, a soda, things she knew he might need without him having to ask.

“It’s okay,” Joyce said softly, hovering just behind him. “I know it’s not perfect, but you can try to make a nest here. I found some clothes as well, I think at least some of them are probably Mike’s that he left here.”

Will nodded, words stuck somewhere deep in his throat at his mom’s love and thoughtfulness. Mike’s hand brushed his back, steady and warm, guiding him forward. The space smelled faintly of detergent and steam and something familiar enough to make his shoulders finally drop.

After taking a painkiller for his cramps, he got to work immediately, rearranging the blankets and pillows to his liking, going on his instincts. He heard the murmuring of his mom and Mike talking behind him, then footsteps on the stairs and the shutting of the heavy door. He didn’t pay much mind to it, focusing completely on building a somewhat satisfactory nest from the material he had to work with.

His mom had been right, there were some of Mike’s clothes in the pile she found, a hoodie, a long sleeve shirt, and a scarf from last winter, which Will remembers him complaining about having lost. They still smelled like him, but not enough for Will’s liking, so he utilized his boyfriend’s help and ordered him to scent a bunch of the clothes and pillows.

Once he was satisfied with his creation, he climbed in carefully, taking a second to close his eyes and enjoy the feeling of comfort and safety it provided.

“It’s pretty,” Mike said, standing next to the couch. Will’s eyes cracked open at the sound, and the sight of his boyfriend seemed to have triggered his mind into its previous track.

“Mike,” he whined out, extending his hands and making a grabbing motion. Mike took that as the invitation that it was, climbing onto the couch and between his parted legs, being mindful not to disturb his hard work on the nest.

“I’m right here,” he said, connecting their lips in a heated kiss.

It wasn’t gentle, but messy and hungry from the start, all tongue and teeth and moans into each other’s mouths. Will’s arms hurried to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer, bringing their torsos flush together, and his legs wrapped around the other’s hips like a clingy koala.

“Need you,” he said breathlessly, gripping Mike’s shirt and trying to tug it off. “Need you so much.”

“Shh,” the Alpha tried to calm him down, even though his own eyes were blown wide, revealing his arousal. “It’s okay, baby.”

Their lips were pressed together again, parting for a moment only when their shirts were being pulled off over their heads. Mike removed their pants blindly, easily, without breaking the kiss, throwing them somewhere to the floor, and leaving them both completely naked. Settling back into Will’s embrace, their erections brushed together, Mike’s bigger one dragging along his and creating delicious friction.

Mike’s mouth moved to his neck, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses across sensitive skin, leaving a trail of blooming marks everywhere he went. Will was squirming below him, wetter now than he’s ever been before in his life. He could smell the honey scent of his slick, thick, and smothering even to his own nose as it mixed with Mike’s deep cedarwood.

His mouth found Will’s nipple and wrapped around it, teasing the bud, sucking at it, then flicking it with the tip of his tongue.

“Mi-Mike,” Will begged with a broken voice. “Please, don’t ­- don’t tease me.”

He must have taken pity on him after that, hearing just how needy he really was. With a last gentle tug of his teeth, he pulled off the now puffy nipple. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just love having you like this.”

Mike was usually a slow lover, taking his time with him, breaking him apart completely before putting him back together again, sweet and deliberate. But Will couldn’t do slow right now, he needed it quick and hard and deep until he didn’t remember his own name.

“Can you turn around for me?” Mike asked him, voice surprisingly soft, and Will scrambled to obey immediately, turning around so quickly that he almost stumbled.

Instead of lying on his stomach, like Mike probably meant, he pressed his chest to the bed, kneeling on the mattress, and arched his back. He had never presented himself like this, but his instincts were driving him now, telling him this was right. That this is what his Alpha wanted.

“Fuck,” Mike groaned from behind him, hands grasping both his cheeks and spreading them even farther apart, exposing his hole completely to Mike’s mercy. “You’re so pretty here,” he praised, his voice hoarse, his thumb briefly running along his puckered entrance. Will gasped at the sudden contact, chasing after the touch, seeking more, anything. “Already so wet for me.”

Will muffled his whimper into the pillow his head was buried in, feeling more slick trickle down his perineum. Before he could resort to begging, a different sensation came, Mike’s tongue licking a broad stripe across his hole.

“Mike-“ he gasped out, hips stuttering back against the Alpha’s face.

“Hmm, you taste so fucking good.” He turned his head to the side, gently biting Will’s ass cheek, as if the temptation was too hard to resist, as if he wanted to eat him whole. His next words were spoken close enough for Will to feel his hot breath against his most sensitive spot. “Is this okay? Can I eat you out?”

“Please-“

Before the word was fully out, Mike had already dived in like a starved man, his tongue probing at his entrance as he buried his face between his cheeks. He traced the sensitive, puckered skin with the tip of his tongue, then dipped inside, moaning at the taste and sending vibrations up Will’s spine. He couldn’t help but bite the pillow, trying his hardest to stifle his moans, still aware enough to fear someone might hear him outside. His hands fisted the sheets, bawling them into his palms as his hips rutted back desperately.

Mike’s tongue set a steady rhythm, fucking in and out of him, then, every once in a while, dragging a broad stroke across the hole before dipping back inside. His breath was hot against him, sending goosebumps to Will’s skin.

It took an embarrassingly short amount of time before Will came with a loud chant of his boyfriend’s name, painting the sheets below him white.

His knees shook from the pleasure, barely still able to carry his weight. Before he could collapse, Mike’s arm wrapped around his hips, carefully easing him onto his back. Will couldn’t even bring himself to care about his own sticky release he was lying in, not right now.

Mike scooted back up, looming over him, then leaned down to capture his lips in another kiss. “Wanna see your face,” he murmured into the space between their mouths. Will could taste himself on his tongue, the honey and cinnamon, and maybe he would have found it weird any other time, but now he could only think about how perfect it was to kiss the love of his life.

“Need your knot,” he breathed against the Alpha’s mouth instead of answering, feeling the other’s teeth catch against his lower lip and pull playfully.

“I think I can get another orgasm out of you first,” Mike replied, hand caressing down his flushed torso. “Can you do that for me? Can you make a mess one more time before I knot you?”

Will whined at the thought of waiting any longer, but he could never say no to him, especially not in this state, when all his inner wolf wanted to do was listen and be good for his mate. So he nodded. “Yeah- please, just… do something, anything-“

He was cut off by the feeling of a finger slipping inside, making him bite down on his lower lip to stifle an embarrassingly desperate moan.

“Gotta get you ready for me,” Mike announced, adding another finger when he realized how wet and loose he already was, already practically prepared for the taking. Will wouldn’t mind if he just went for it, just took him already, hard and fast, just took and took and took. Wouldn’t mind the burn. But he knew, even with his mind so fuzzy now, that Mike would never do that, even if he begged. Would never risk causing him any pain, even if Will said he wanted it.

Mike added another finger, then curled all three, fucking them in and out at a steady pace. Will groaned out when he found the perfect spot, eyes rolling back into his head. The other noticed, of course, and targeted the spot, stretching his fingers to really loosen him up enough. He added a fourth, probably because he knew Will would need it to take his knot as painlessly as possible.

Their lips were still pressed together, Mike drinking up his every sob of pleasure, whimper, and gasp.

It wasn’t long before pleasure overtook him completely again, reaching mind-numbing release with a cry of Mike’s name. Ropes of white cum painted his own stomach, reaching all the way up his chest.

“There you go, baby, let go, it’s okay,” Mike said lowly against the shell of his ear.

When Will finally calmed down from his orgasm, chest still rising with heavy breaths, the Alpha gently removed his fingers. He cupped Will’s cheek with his other hand, the clean one, observing his face for signs of pain or discomfort. “You okay?” His voice was sweet, attentive, one reserved only for his boyfriend.

“Yeah, just-“ Will answered, still feeling an uncontrollable heat inside, barely even sated yet. “Just need you to knot me. Please, Mike. Need you inside.” He was still completely hard against his abdomen, flushed chest glistening with sweat and release.

“Alright, sweetheart, gonna give you what you need,” Mike promised, reaching down between their bodies to take hold of his neglected cock. “You’re still on the pill, right? I don’t think we have any condoms here right now.”

Will nodded deliriously with want, growing more impatient by the second. “Yeah, I am, please- please just fuck me,” he begged, panting. His hands were grasping at Mike’s shoulders, fingernails digging into the pale flesh.

Mike pressed a brief kiss to his forehead, lining himself up with Will’s entrance. The head brushed against the hole, and both their breaths caught in their lungs. He started pushing in, slowly, groaning under his breath at the heat enveloping him. It was slipping inside easily, with Will being so turned on and relaxed from his previous orgasms.

He threw his head back against the pillows, but Mike stilled the movement of his hips, only halfway in, taking hold of the Omega’s chin and gently coaxing his head to meet his gaze. “Hey, hey, baby, look at me,” he said, deep brown eyes meeting his. “I want you to keep your eyes on me, okay?”

Will nodded, obeying the request as Mike finally started pushing in further. The stretch was perfect, addictive, and Will’s hands ran down the Alpha’s back, fingernails pressing too deeply, probably leaving scratch marks in their wake.

The heat in his lower stomach was already steadily building at surprising speed, and by the time Mike sank in completely, it already tipped over the edge. Just as he bottomed out for the first time, another orgasm took him by surprise, release shooting out against his chest, adding to the already drying stickiness there. They kept eye contact as Will came completely untouched between them, just from Mike finally filling him completely, with a sob of pleasure.

“Did you just…?” Mike asked, his eyes wide in surprise. “Fuck, that was so hot.”

“Mike, move,” he cried out, ignoring the words completely. His legs wrapped around the taller man’s hips tightly, pushing him closer, still not feeling completely satisfied, the fire under his skin continuing to burn hot.

The Alpha listened, pulling out until only the tip was still inside, then slammed back in, hard enough for their skin to clap together loudly, then repeated the motion. And again. And again, until he set a rhythm, reaching so deep inside, Will felt like he was all the way in his gut.

“Fuck,” Will moaned, looking down between them, wanting to see where they were joined.

Mike attached himself to his neck again, then, sucking another bruise into the sensitive spot below his ear, then another one a little lower, all while remaining a powerful pace of languid thrusts, brushing against his prostate every time. Finally, he settled against his scent gland, resting his sweaty forehead there and breathing in.

“Faster. Faster, please,” Will begged.

The thrusts sped up immediately, the pace becoming almost brutal as they panted against each other. The old couch was creaking underneath their weights, the squeaking sound matching the quickness of their movements. Every thrust punched out a series of high-pitched ‘ah-ah-ah’s from the Omega, hands still clinging tightly to Mike’s back. His eyes were starting to water, and at some point, the tears overflowed, streaming down his overheated cheeks, though he was barely aware of it with the pleasure rocking through his body.

“Look at you, so pretty like this,” Mike praised under his breath between grunts of pleasure, hand coming to gently wipe his boyfriend’s tears. “Doing so good for me. Does it feel good?”

Will didn’t know how he found the voice to answer, but he managed to gasp out. “So-so good. Feels so good. Don’t stop, Mike, don’t stop.” And he didn’t, only quickened his pace even more.

His hands came up then, taking hold of Will’s, which were still gripping his shoulders. He eased them off, intertwining their fingers together, then pinned them like that to the mattress, on both sides of Will’s head.

Mike’s head fell against the juncture of his neck again, sweaty bangs brushing against sensitive skin. His mouth was so close to his scent gland, where his mating mark would be someday, so close that Will could feel the soft release of hot breath with his every pant.

He doesn’t know what came over him at that moment, but this indescribable, deep need curled in his gut. “Bite me,” he asked. “Please, bite me.”

Mike groaned, like he was wounded, in pain. “I can’t, baby, you know I can’t,” he breathed, head not lifting from its place. His lips brushed against the gland with every word. “I want to. I will. Someday I’ll do it, I promise. But I can’t, not yet.”

Will sobbed, tears spilling down his cheeks again.

“I’m sorry,” the Alpha said, pressing loving kisses to the skin he should have been sinking his teeth into. “I’m sorry.”

“I wanna be yours.”

“You’re already mine. You’ve always been mine,” Mike promised. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, pressing a few more kisses to the scent gland.

The air shifted from just chasing release to something more charged, something deeper and lovingly intimate, even as Mike’s pace didn’t relent, didn’t become any less bruising.

“Mi-Mike-“

“I won’t last much longer,” Mike warned against his neck.

“Need your knot-”

With his last bit of strength before release, the Alpha flipped him around flat onto his stomach again, bending one of Will’s knees upwards on the bed so that he had deeper access, then started slamming inside again, quickly finding his previous rhythm.

Will could feel his knot starting to expand slowly, occasionally already catching at his rim. A few thrusts later, the swell was big enough that he couldn’t pull out all the way anymore, before it eventually expanded to its full size, locking completely in place as Mike’s cum spilled inside. The sensation pushed Will over the edge as well again, and his cock, trapped between his stomach and the mattress, released against the sheet.

Mike’s strength and energy must have left him after that, as he collapsed his weight against Will’s back for a moment, then rolled to the side, bringing the Omega with him, spooning him from behind.

They both took a few seconds to catch their breaths, hearts beating in sync, fast and wild.

“You okay?” Mike asked him when they’d both calmed down enough. His hand brushed against his arm, raising goosebumps. “Was I too rough?”

Will was finally feeling better, finally feeling like his wolf was satisfied, at least for now. His mind felt much clearer, and his cramps had completely stopped. Now he just felt deep-bone exhaustion taking over him.

“Hmm. I’m feeling great. Just tired,” he answered, nuzzling deeper into the pillow and closing his eyes. “You were perfect.”

A kiss was pressed to his shoulder, then another to his cheek. “Get some sleep before the next wave hits, okay? I’ll clean you up a bit when my knot goes down.”

Will barely heard the end of the sentence before he was already asleep.

They went a few more rounds that night, honestly, more than Will could count. Every once in a while, he’d startle awake, burning up, hard and leaking slick, his desperation quickly waking up his boyfriend too. Every time, he’d make him cum over and over again, multiple times before knotting him, then make him drink some water and eat a little, even when Will protested. He’d clean them up between rounds and cuddle him, then repeat the process when Will woke up once again.

The last round was the slowest, with the early sunrise rays peaking through the windows. The heat had already subsided, the last of the ambers still burning, leaving them rocking against each other lazily, sleepily, the moment more emotionally intimate than any round before.

Unhurried ‘I love you’s and sweet nothings were whispered into the quietness of the room, their release building slowly, until they both let go together.

………

Late morning light filtered weakly through the basement windows, or maybe it was already past noon, and Mike surfaced from sleep slowly, the way you do when your body doesn’t want to wake up just yet.

Will was pressed against him, warm and solid, curled in, his back against Mike’s front, like this was the most natural configuration in the world. Mike stayed still for a moment, arms still wrapped around him protectively, just breathing, listening to the quiet rise and fall of Will’s chest, the feel of his heartbeat. The bruising on Will’s face had faded from angry red to something duller overnight, and Mike felt that familiar, sharp ache in his chest at the sight of it.

Alive, though. Still here.

He smelled content, his scent not as intense and sweet as it had been just hours ago. The heat must have been over for the most part, judging by the fact that his temperature was back to normal, too, and his sleep not as restless as it was during the night.

Mike shifted carefully, testing how asleep the Omega actually was, but the moment Mike tried to slide his arm free, Will made a small, unhappy sound and tightened his grip, fingers curling around Mike’s forearm like instinct.

“Don’t,” he mumbled, voice thick with sleep. “Stay.”

Mike smiled at how cute the sleepy Omega looked. “Hey. Hey,” he whispered, brushing his thumb gently along his arm. “I’m not going far.”

Will frowned, one eye barely cracking open. “Where are you going?” He was obviously still feeling needy, and will probably not want to be far away from his boyfriend for at least another day or two. Mike was more than fine with that, his wolf not particularly okay with leaving his mate alone so soon, either.

“The bathroom,” he murmured in answer. “And I’m gonna check if there’s any news yet from Dustin and the others.”

A beat, and Will’s grip loosened just a little.

Mike leaned down, pressing a soft kiss into his hair, right at the crown. “And you need some real food in you,” he added quietly. “Not just cereal bars and pretzels. I’ll find something and bring it back down here, okay? You don’t even have to get up.”

Will hummed something that might have been agreement, might have just been exhaustion. “Don’t be long…” he started, then trailed off.

“I won’t,” Mike promised immediately. “I’ll be right back. Go back to sleep, okay, baby?”

That seemed to have done it. Will’s shoulders relaxed, his grip slackening as sleep dragged him back under, lashes fluttering once before going still again. Mike stayed another second, just to be sure, then carefully slipped free and stood.

He found his discarded clothes on the floor, throwing them on before climbing up the stairs as quietly as he could, and closed the basement door behind him with a silent thud.

And almost walked straight into Hopper.

The Alpha was standing there like he’d been waiting, arms crossed, jaw tight, fully dressed, coffee in hand, and already radiating the kind of barely contained fury that made Mike’s spine straighten on reflex. Will’s heat having come weeks too early, he still hadn’t gotten around to telling his step-dad about Mike spending it with him.

“Oh,” Hopper said flatly. His eyes flicked past Mike to the closed basement door, then back. “So, you’re up.” He smelled angry, his usual coffee and leather scent having a noticeable bitter note, like coffee beans left too long to burn.

Mike blinked, trying not to panic too hard. “Uh. Yeah. Morning to you, too.”

“What was going on in there?”

Mike hesitated for half a second, then shrugged, trying to act casual. “Well, considering how pissed off you are, I’m sure you already know.”

Hopper’s nostrils flared. “He was in heat,” he stated, voice rising. “You… spent it with him.”

“Yeah,” Mike said, immediately defensive. “Because he asked me to. Because we’ve been dating for over two years, and he trusted me to be there with him.”

The older man took a step closer. “You think I don’t know what young hormonal Alphas are like?”

Mike snorted before he could stop himself. He knew Hopper had a reputation while in high school, he’s heard his mom talk about it, and Joyce, one time, when she had a bit too much to drink at dinner. Mike wasn’t sure how Hopper’s treatment of Omegas during his younger years was suddenly his problem. “Oh my God, are you seriously projecting your problematic teenage thoughts and behaviours onto me right now?”

“Don’t get smart with me,” he got back in warning, paired with an angry finger pointing his way.

“Then don’t accuse me of stuff,” he shot back, voice low but sharp. “He was hurting. He already asked me to be there weeks ago. I was just—”

“Just what?” Hopper demanded. “Finally getting your dick wet?”

Mike’s jaw clenched, hand bawling into a fist at his side. He had never gotten along with the older Alpha, but this was getting ridiculous. “Taking care of him.”

That seemed to have landed, and Hopper’s expression shifted, not softer, exactly, but more complicated. “He’s my kid,” Hopper said a bit more quietly. “You crossed a line-”

“I didn’t,” Mike said, determined not to back down. “And you know it. It’s not your decision to make.” It wasn’t just about the persistent pestering from Hopper ever since they got into a relationship anymore; this was now about the fact that he was starting to get downright overcontrolling, trying to dictate decisions that were Will’s to make. Mike knew that Hopper had lost a child before, even though he had never talked to him about it, and he knew the Alpha took his role as step-dad very seriously. Mike could sympathize with him to some extent. But that had certain limitations, a line that Hopper was starting to cross.

Just when Hopper looked like he was about to say something else, something louder, footsteps sounded at the top of the stairs. Both of them turned, seeing Joyce rushing towards them with a mug in one hand and a folded blanket in the other, clearly mid-task, eyes flicking between Mike’s clenched posture and Hopper’s crossed arms.

“Hopper,” she said, voice accusing in disapproval. “I told you not to wake them up and make a scene.”

“This isn’t a scene,” Hopper snapped. “This is me finding out my kid’s been-”

“-spending his heat with his boyfriend?” Joyce cut in, finishing her mate’s sentence for him. “Because if that’s what this is about, then yes. I knew.”

He froze at that, eyes going wide. “You knew?”

“Yes,” she said, steady. “They asked for my permission about a month ago.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?”

She sighed, setting the blanket down on a nearby chair. “It wasn’t on me to tell you. Will wanted to do it himself, but his heat came a few weeks too early.”

Mike shifted uncomfortably but didn’t interrupt the conversation.

Hopper let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. “So, you just… what, let it happen?”

“I trusted my son to make his own decision about his body, yes,” she answered simply. “And I trusted him,” she added, nodding toward Mike.

Hopper’s gaze snapped back to him, and he swallowed thickly. Joyce turned to him again before he could respond. “You were their age once,” she said softly. “You know what it’s like, being seventeen, in love, hormones and cycles and stuff.”

He scoffed. “Yeah. I was their age. That’s exactly why I’m worried.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, pacing once. “I know what teenage Alphas are like. I was one. Not exactly known for good judgment.”

Mike bristled. “Hey.”

Joyce shot him a quick look, one that conveyed ‘not helping’, then faced her mate again. “Mike is a good kid,” she said firmly, no hesitation. “A good Alpha. He’s always been. He looks out for Will, and he always has. As long as they were being safe, as long as it was consensual, I don’t think there’s any problem here.”

Hopper still didn’t look convinced, and with an accusing point towards the younger Alpha, he said loudly: “He just… defiled our son!”

And because Mike is an idiot, and never thinks things through before he does them, his mouth spoke before his brain could catch up and stop him. “I mean, not just, it’s not like we haven’t already-“ he cut himself off quickly, seeing the dark glare the older man shot his way. “No, no, never mind. Forget I said anything.”

“You little-“ Hopper started, reaching over to grab the neckline of Mike’s shirt threateningly, bawling the fabric up in his fist.

“Mike?” a groggy voice interrupted, rough with sleep, barely loud enough to carry. Will stood there in socked feet, hair still damp and curling wrong, one hand braced on the doorframe like the room was tilting. His shirt was old and stretched out, the collar slipping off the shoulder on one side, revealing the evidence of last night, the marks blooming there. That certainly didn’t help right now, but Mike wasn’t thinking that far ahead in the heat of the moment.

“You said you’d be quick,” Will mumbled, eyes half-lidded. “What’s taking so-” He stopped. The air felt wrong, thick with aggressive pheromones. Hopper was standing, too stiff, still grabbing Mike’s shirt. Joyce had that careful look on her face.

Will blinked, trying to piece it together. “What’s… going on? Let him go.”

Hopper did, even if reluctantly, and Mike turned immediately. “Hey,” he said softly, the edge in him disappearing all at once. “You should be lying down.”

Will ignored that and shuffled closer, instinctively reaching for Mike’s sleeve and curling his fingers there, grounding himself. Only then did he look up at his step-dad.

“Oh,” he said quietly, understanding flickering in his eyes, tired, but sharp enough. “This is about last night. It’s not what you think,” he added quickly, then frowned. “Or, maybe it is, but not in a bad way. I needed him.”

Joyce watched Will carefully. “Honey—”

“I’m okay,” Will insisted, even though he swayed a little as he said it. Mike’s hand came up automatically to steady him at the waist and the Omega leaned into the touch without thinking.

That seemed to do something to Hopper, as his jaw tightened. “You guys are too young. Something could have gone wrong. Accidental mating or something.”

Will looked at him, really looked at him. “But it didn’t. Nothing bad happened,” he said, voice trembling now, not with fear but with something more fragile. “And I don’t know how to explain it, but when everything went wrong… he was the only thing I could think about. I just needed him, I was the one who asked him to be there. So, if you’re mad, be mad at me. Not him.”

Mike shook his head. “Will—”

“No,” he said, squeezing his hand. “I want him to know. Mike didn’t do anything wrong, nothing bad happened. It was perfect, he was perfect. I knew he would be, I trusted him, okay? That’s why I wanted him there in the first place.”

Hopper stared at the floor for a long moment, then looked back up, eyes finding Mike again like he was his biggest enemy. “I swear to god, if you get him pregnant at seventeen-“

Joyce stepped in before he could say something even more embarrassing, something he couldn’t take back. “Okay,” she said. “I think that’s enough for right now.” She smiled at Will, brushing a thumb over his shoulder. “You’re exhausted. Both of you are.”

Will nodded, the adrenaline clearly draining out of him. “I’m really tired.”

“I know,” she said. “I’m going to go see if we can find something that counts as breakfast.” She shot Hopper a Look, with a capital L. “You can survive ten minutes without interrogating anyone.” It wasn’t up for debate.

Hopper huffed but didn’t argue.

She turned back to the boys. “You two go rest a bit more, we’ll need you later. The group’s coming up with another plan to save the kids. We’ll catch you up on it when you have your energies up, okay?”

Mike nodded. “Yeah, okay.” Will was already leaning into him, eyes slipping closed again like his body had made the decision for him.

As they turned back toward the basement, Hopper spoke once more, quieter this time. “We’ll talk. Later.”

Will glanced back, offering a small, tired nod. “Okay.”

Then Mike guided him gently away, one arm firm around his back, the other laced through his fingers and the door shut behind them again.