Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Will watched Mike carefully. He was just sitting there, cold, distant, his warm brown eyes gazing at something in the distance. The thing is there is nothing there, there never is.
“Hey”, Will rested his hand on Mike’s shoulder, a reassuring touch from a friend. A best friend.. Mike turned around, eyes locking sharp onto Will.
“Hey..”
Mike couldn’t help but admire what he fumbled. He missed El dearly, a part of him still broken, but Will, oh he never failed to make him feel warm and accepted. Mike regretted his mistakes every day, living with the constant urge to make them feel better. That was reaching near impossible. He felt like crying, punishing himself as if he’d done something so internally wrong. His insides were twisting; he hated this feeling. Unknowingly his posture started sagging, his back slightly hunched, eyes gleaming with the start of tears. Cold fingers gripped Mike’s cheekbones, gently lifting up his face. A set of welcoming hazel eyes sparkled directly in front of him. How dare they look at Mike like that.
“Mike?! Are you ok?” Will looked scared, his lips parted slightly. He was gazing straight towards Mike.
“Oh me. Yeah I’m fine”, It was too abrupt. Will didn’t look reassured a slightest bit more than he was before. Still he tilted his head, looked forward again and nodded.
“Uh. Wanna come to mine for a couple nights?” Mike tried to swallow the words but they slipped off his tongue. It was so fast, so unnecessary yet, so hard to hold back.
“Sure”
Mike smiled. Will looked fine about it. They used to do this all the time right?

Last spring changed something so deep down in Mike and Will, and it was for the worst not the better. They separated themselves for at least a good year, cold awkward talking, never wanting to be near each other. It took awhile for the pair to hang out again. Now, it's just like how it was when they were kids except they're adults. It felt normal, although this time Mike has a horrible, stinging and heavy feeling weighing down his heart and he can’t seem to think of a way to put it into words.

The two boys chucked their bikes on Mike’s front lawn, giggling like little children. They had an interesting bike ride, reminiscing on weird things they used to do and stuff they regret. Will talked about all his paintings, new and old. Although, now that Mike was thinking about it he left out one. The painting. The one in the van. ‘You are the heart Mike’ Is quote on quote exactly what it said on the back. A painting that was oddly commissioned by El for him. Still to this day it doesn’t seem like something she would ask for. Mike wouldn’t question it though, Will probably wasn’t talking about cause it’s not his idea or something like that.
“Mike. Mike, are you listening?” Will shook Mike’s shoulders, waving his hand in front of his face.
Mike jumped. He lifted one eyebrow and looked at Will like he was accusing him of committing a crime.
“Me? Oh yeah I was just dreaming about butterflies and pancakes”, Mike pushed Will playfully. Will rolled his eyes.
“Hahah sure. Just open the door already”
“Oh right”
Mike twisted the door handle, the hinges creaked as the door slowly revealed the Wheeler house and all its ‘joys.’ Holly was laying by the unlit fireplace, drawings and crayons sprawled across the carpet. She concentrated deeply on her drawing barely acknowledging Mike and Will walking in. Mr Wheeler, as to no surprise had his nose deep in a newspaper, yesterday's copy. A coffee sat cold and lifeless on the table next to his lazy boy. He grunted something, brushing them off. Mrs Wheeler bustled around in the kitchen. Jars lined the counter, labels sat uncut in a pile that was at least 10cm thick. Cupboard doors were flung open, the fridge beeping restlessly.
“Hey Will! Nice to see you here” Mrs Wheeler smiled, her red lipstick highlighting the beaming white teeth she flashed.
“Hi Mrs Wheeler”
She turned around continuing with her organising as the boys walked away. They headed towards the basement. Mike opened the door. The smell hit him and Will like they hadn't been there in years.Except they hadn’t. Mike was too scared to go in, it felt like a piece of time that he should leave alone, untouched for Holly and her friends to enjoy. It smelt like dust, like it was being kept but at the same time not. A smile flickered across Will’s face and Mike watched him soak in all the memories. Carefully they stepped down the stairs. Will brushes his hand along the party’s DnD books staring at their names. Mike smiled small, a bit sad but a smile. Across the room is where El slept when they first met her.
“Hey you still have this?” Will drags Mike towards the fort.
Mike nods. It sags down, a walkie left in the middle. He was certain that this is where most of the blankets and pillows in his home went but it felt like such a sentimental thing. Too sentimental to destroy, and honestly, who needs blankets anyways?

Mike grabs the plates of lasagne in both his hands and carries them towards the basement. The door is already half creaked open so he kicks it with his foot and shuts it behind him, also with his foot. Will is sitting on the blankets in the fort. He’s pulled the top blanket back up onto the peak of the chair, attempted to flick some dust off and moved the pillows around the edges. He did leave one thing where it was though and that was the walkie. Mike came in, he nudged Will over a bit and set a plate in front of him. Will picked it up and placed it on his lap.
“Thanks this looks good”
For a bit they sat in silence until Mike couldn't handle it
“This is better than castle Byers, there’s less spiders haha”
“Nothing beats castle Byers,” Will laughed.
The conversation led into castle Byers and it stayed that way for a good half an hour.
“Remember when I made you so mad you knocked it down with a bat”
Will flinched. It was more than that, way more than that. All his feelings, his trauma. His friends kept talking about girls and then Mike had that fight with him in the rain. He almost thought he had found out his biggest secret.
“Yeah..”
Mike bit his tongue. He realised he’d fucked up.
“Sorry”
Will nodded. They sat awkwardly like this for a good while. Eventually Mike reached out. He nudged the walkie between them.
“Sorry doesn’t cut it. I just hate the way I made you feel like you don’t belong here. You will always have a place here Will”
Will looked up. Mike could see the tears glassing up his eyes, he could see his lips wobbling.
“Thank you Mike, you don’t understand what I’m going through.”
Even though things had settled Mike could still sense the uncertainty between them. He didn’t wanna lose this now, not ever.
“Cleric we have a problem”
Will caught on fast.
“Paladin, what is it?”
They child played for so long. It felt great, heavenly. The two boys collapsed backwards in the fort, their fingertips brushing, breathing heavy from laughing so much. The basement had a small tv.
“Let’s watch a movie”
Will nods and Mike smiles.
“Stay here. I’m going to go grab some cokes I hid behind the furnace one time. And don't you dare move—we’re finishing this movie tonight."
Mike ran away, like a kid again. And he left the door open.

The darkness soaked up the room. Mike and Will had blankets draped around their shoulders and their crossed legs pressed together. The slither of warmth where their bodies touched felt perfect to Mike. The tv flashes as it changes scenes to the credits. The room suddenly went darker due to the background of the credit scene being black. Little white spots flashed on the roof, moving in a rolling motion. Suddenly Mike becomes hyper aware of how close they are. He glances over at Will. His eyes are locked onto the credit scene. Now that the movie’s over they have no more distraction. Mike turned, Will had moved closer, eyes blinking heavily. He doesn’t pull away, but instead leans his shoulder harder into Will’s.
"You ever wish things could just... stay like this? Just the basement and no Upside Down stuff?" Mike whispers, so quiet you could miss it.
“Huh?” Will looks up realizing how close they are his breath hitches.
“We could just stay here tonight. You know in the fort like kids,” Mike quotes.
Anxiously he waits for Will’s reply. He nods. Mike lays down, Will follows. Minutes pass and Mike feels a tug on his blanket. Will, half asleep tugs it and Mike cocooned inside it closer. His heart stops. This was so hard for Mike. He’s asleep, he probably just moves a lot, he has no idea what he’s doing. Then he caught the glimmer of Will’s eye just slightly as a hint of moonlight sept through the curtains. He was staring directly at him. Shit he’s not asleep? Mike suddenly felt so guilty for how much a jerk he’d been.
“I’ve been a dick haven’t I” Mike laughed nervously. Will looked in his eyes assuming he was joking. They looked so.. Serious.
“I just got so worried about things changing I didn’t realize how much I missed.. This.”
Mike kept leaning into the passion between them, so painfully unaware of how much this affection was affecting Will.
“I’m going to sleep now, night”
Mike moved, the friction between his and Will’s pants making a soft sound. His hand stretched out running along the side of the fort. His hand now being there means that it is also behind Will’s shoulders. Will felt as if Mike was circling him, like a vulture.

Chapter Text

The morning light crept through the curtains. It casted a warm, bright and slightly alarming glow across the basement room. Mike woke up first, he could feel his messy curls draping over his face. He reached to the top of his head, fluffing them up and moving them away from his eyes. The sun had lit up the table where they played DnD, making it look so luxurious. It was also glistening off the glass on the tv and Will's face. It had lit up his pale skin in a little slither down the middle. His hair was fluffed up and his eyes free from tiredness. He had a hand stretched out over his pillow and his blanket was tangled up between his legs. Mike lay there on his back awkwardly staring at the way the fort dipped down. He sighed. Will stirred, turning around.
“Mike? What time is it”
“Oh uh” Mike was a bit shocked, in a way he almost forgot Will was a living person and not just an angel sent from heaven.
“Uhm I’m actually not sure, let me check”
Mike wobbly got up and his footsteps felt so loud in the quiet room. It was dim and he held his hands out in a hopeless search for where he put his watch.
“Ugh where did I put it?” He groaned.
The basement door flew open. Mike gasped and fell backwards. Ah that actually hurt.
“Mike, Will it’s lunch time are you guys ok?” It was Nancy, still standing there holding the door.
“Mmh whatever we’ll come up soon, I can just put it in the microwave or whatever if it gets cold” Mike complained.
“Can you leave already?” He shooed Nancy away. She rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her, leaving them in the dim light again.
Mike listened to Will get up, he heard his hands grab the curtain and listened to it open. The sunlight grasped the room, holding it captive until night.
“Uh do you need something to wear? I might have stuff upstairs”
“Yeah probably”
Mike starts walking up the basement stairs, Will follows. Like a puppy, cute. Mike shakes away his thoughts. Ew. and opens the door, letting Will through.
“You know where my room is, just up the stairs. You can pick anything I don’t mind what you wear just please not my underwear” Mike laughs and Will joins. He bumps his shoulder playfully
“I don’t think I want to wear your underwear”
And then he walked away. Only then it hit Mike that he has to get changed as well.
“Uhm Will?”
He heard the footsteps stop and then start again as Will poked his head back around the corner.
“Yeah?”
“Can you get me something too before you get dressed. I’ll go down into the basement after.
“Sure”
Mike sat on the foot of the steps waiting, tapping his leg.
“They’re outside your bedroom Mike”
Finally.
He collected the clothes holding them tight against his chest in a small bundle.

In the basement Mike laid them out in front of him. Will has picked a grey sweatshirt, he recognises it, it’s this one he’s had for years and all the fabric and hems on it are soft and worn from way too many washes. The pants are these corduroy trousers. They’re navy blue and also well worn. It seems as if Will has picked an outfit for being comfy and relaxing. The pants are thick and warm enough that if he sits on the basement floor he won’t feel the cold concrete. Thoughtful. The last thing is these socks. Mike couldn’t help but laugh. Oh god. They were thick woolen ones. Mismatched too. One had stripes and the other was just a solid colour. Honestly this outfit reminded him of when he was ten. He wouldn’t be surprised it was from then. He didn’t even know how old or what half his clothes were. Now that Mike was thinking of it though. It was like Will was trying to tell him something. Like hey I remember how you dressed as a kid and it's cool or he doesn’t know, maybe he’s delusional. Yeah probably. These are the clothes that Mike feels the least cool in, but since Will picked it, it’s ok. They smell the most like him, maybe that’s why. To give Will comfort and make him feel like Mike hasn't changed and is still the same person. Yeah cool.
Mike chucked the clothes on. Yeah this is certainly something different but it’s actually quite comfy.

The Wheeler family had left. No one was home. Will was wearing some more of Mike’s older clothes. A large baggy tee and some thick grey sweatpants. Mrs Wheeler had left two plates on the table with glad wrap encasing them and a sticky note in between both. It was bright yellow and read
‘We have all left for the day, be back for dinner, put this in the microwave for lunch. And Will you are welcome to use/eat anything in our home, smiley face’
On the plates were four slices of homemade pizza each, pepperoni by the looks of it.
“Sweet” Will exclaimed, smiling.
Mike picked up the two plates and removed the glad wrap.
“I’ll put it in the microwave, just sit somewhere it’s ok” Mike felt like he was a bit too protective then, but he didn’t want Will to have to do any ‘cooking’ at least not while he was Mike’s guest and under his roof. Will left for the lounge and was no longer in Mike’s sight. He paced back and forth while waiting for the pizzas to heat up. The microwave beeped. Mike stopped pacing, it was almost like a ‘hey wake up stop stressing’ sorta action, but from a microwave. That's so stupid ugh. He pulled the door open and grabbed the plates with his bare hands.
“Ow that’s actually hot,” Mike winced and almost threw them on the counter, or at least he sure felt like doing that. Setting them down he decided to wait a bit for them to cool. A couple minutes of Mike pacing passed and he lifted the plates and carried them towards the lounge where Will was. He found him sitting on the ground, legs crossed, tongue out with some of Holly’s crayons and a sheet of paper from her sketchbook in front of him.
“I have your pizza”
Will looked up and nodded, a small smile on his face. He took the plate from Mike’s hand and put it down next to him.
“I’ll eat it soon, just give me a sec. I'm finishing a drawing of your Dad’s coffee cup.”
“Hahah, ok that’s so random”
Mike sat down on the right side of Will and put his plate of pizza on his lap. He chose a piece that looked extra flavourful, brought it to his mouth and took a bite. Mmm nice.
“Uh, I’m down now, do you like it?” Will held up the painting to Mike and let him observe.
“That’s actually really good. How do you get the details in a cup to look so much like the real thing!?”
“I don’t know, I guess years of practice?”
Will looked at Mike who had an eyebrow raised and was shaking his head.
(These are at the same time)
“And maybe talent”
“And maybe talent”
The two boys looked at each other making strong eye contact. Then Mike laughed, he laughed so hard he fell backwards onto the couch. Will started laughing at him. He rolled his eyes.
“Such a stupid little thing to laugh at Mike”
“Oh whatever Will you can’t say much”
Most of the time was spent laughing over stupid stuff and Will getting second hand embarrassment from how bad Mike drew even with all his efforts of trying to teach him. The time that was supposed to be spent eating pizzas, taken up by laughing like two dumb idiots.

The boy's laughter had slowly simmered down into wide, breathless grins spread across their faces. The air and space around them felt lighter than it had in months. They finally bit into their pizza. Now it had just reached that temperature where it was on the verge of cold, perfectly chewy and right enough to eat fast. Mike kept himself slumped on the base of the couch, right next to Will. Occasionally their shoulders would brush when someone moved or readjusted their position to get comfortable. The house stayed silent like it had all day. You could only hear the soft scratching of Will’s crayons when he felt like drawing something. Mike watched him from the corner of his eye, mesmerized by how steady his hands were. Will had about four pages of random things sprawled out across the lounge carpet. There was the cup, their pizza’s, some crayons and this weird shaped circle oval thing.
“Hey Will”
Will looked up and met Mike’s eyes. He looked different somehow.
“Yeah?”
“What’s that?”
“Oh that. Uh that’s nothing forget about it”
Mike reached forward and picked up the piece of paper.
“Doesn’t look like nothing. Well, it kind of does, at least for you-”
“Mike”
Will put his hand on Mike’s shoulder and patted it, gentle, reassuring. Mike’s heart skipped a beat.
“It’s the start of a face. You” Will blushed, quickly snatching the paper from Mike’s hands and placing it upside down behind him.
“Finish it. I’ll sit still”
He watched as Will picked up the paper. He was silent, no doubt feeling a tad awkward. His fingers reached and grasped a blue crayon. He started on Mike’s eyes, setting the face and giving him a placement to work with. He then perfected his facial structure, his nose and the curly mop of hair on his head. He dotted light freckles across his nose and shaded where the sunlight was hitting him exactly at this moment. Will pushed the drawing over to Mike and looked away slightly, scared to see his reaction.
“Will this is incredible!”
“You think?”
Mike nodded and gave the drawing back to Will. He pushed it back towards him with his left hand, shaking his head.
“Keep it, it’s yours now”
Mike stretched out his hand to grab the paper.
“Wait”, Will brushed it away, again.
Shit did I do something wrong? Will picked up the blue crayon and turned to the back of the paper. Mike watched him, his brow raised in confusion. He wrote something, not very long by the looks of it, but something.
“Read it later”
Will folded the paper and put it on top of Mike’s palm, their hands only separated from touching by it.

The light was starting to change. It was that time of day where it was still bright outside but there was that dark, cold blanket over top. It made the world seem like it was tinted in a shade of black and blue. Stars were starting to appear in the sky, splattered across like white paint flickers. They blinked peacefully at you from up above. Mike could feel the weight of the portrait with its note in his palm, the crayon lines still felt like they had been etched into him, not the paper. He looked out the window, gazing at the almost night sky and then back at Will who was still avoiding his gaze, busying himself by packing up crayons with trembling fingers.
“We should go out there,” Mike suggested. His voice sounded almost too loud in the silent room.
“Before it gets too dark you know?”
Will finally looked up, a small tentative smile reached his lips.
“Yeah ok”
They stood up, movements syncing. Their knees brushed and they navigated past the remaining mess of drawings on the carpet. Mike had slipped the portrait into his pocket. It stayed there like a secret neither of them were ready to say out loud yet. His fingers curled around it and they headed their way for the front door. The cool evening air was just waiting there, ready to rush in and break the awkward heat of the moment. The door slowly shut behind them. As they stepped onto the porch the board creaked, almost like they were letting a deep breath finally be released. The sudden drop in temperature made Mike shiver. He ran his hands up and down his body and shoved them in his pockets. He couldn’t feel the coldness seep through the floorboards thanks to the pants Will gave him, but he was definitely still cold. Despite this, he didn’t dare go back inside. He just couldn’t. Not now with the weight of that paper practically burning a hole through his leg. The silence out here wasn’t like in the house. It felt full, not thin, not like a wire stretched between them. Every time a cricket chirped or a leaf blew past Mike’s heart did a tiny jump. He kept his hand shoved deep in his pocket, his thumb tracing the crease of where the paper was folded. He wanted to read it. He wanted to wait. He wanted to ask why Will’s hand had lingered just a second too long when he handed it over.
“It’s quiet”, Will mummured, his voice barely a whisper.
Mike jumped
“Yeah” His voice sounded too loud. He finally scooted over, their shoulders aligning. “Too quiet”
To his surprise Will didn’t pull away from his touch. He just exhaled, a tiny cloud of white misty breath vanishing into the night.
Then the quietness was gone.

High beam headlights cut through the blue tinted darkness, sweeping across the porch blinding them for a split second. Will grabbed Mike, his fingers gripping into his biceps. Mike’s heart practically stopped. He could feel Will shivering against him. He was so close, closer than normal. The sound of tires crunching gravel approached the pair, and then cut off, replaced with the loud familiar sound of the Wheeler family. The back car door flew open, Holly’s high pitched voice drifted towards them, complaining about food. Instinctively Mike ripped his hand out of his pocket and pushed Will away from him, standing up and moving a couple steps away.
“Sorry Will” Mike’s eyes were sympathetic. Will just nodded and looked down.
Mike had moved so fast like they had been caught doing something wrong.
“Mike, Will?” Mrs Wheeler’s voice cut through the noise as she stepped out onto the pavement clutching grocery and shopping bags in her hands. “What are you two doing out here in the dark? You’ll catch a cold!” She attempted to shoo them inside.
Behind her Mr Wheeler stepped out of the car, muttering about grown men doing bad stuff and politics. He headed straight for the front door without looking up or even acknowledging them. He clattered his keys, realizing he didn’t need them and slid them down his jacket pocket. The heavy intimate silence was gone now. Will sighed and Mike looked at him as if to say ‘sorry for my family’ except Mike was thinking something like that. My bloody family. My Dad was talking about grown men. Bet he thinks we were making out or some shit. Such a homophobe.
Will didn’t look at Mike again. He headed for the front door to take a couple bags from Mrs Wheeler. MIke followed, having one last feel in his pocket just to make sure the portrait was still there, safe and hidden from the rest of the world.

The loud, cluttered dinner table felt like it was screaming at Mike after the peace he’d had outside. There were plates of all different colours, table mats and cutlery that was not perfectly organised at all. To add to the mess Holly had spilt her cup of crayons and they were rolling away. The tension from the shift of scenes made Mike very aware of his surroundings. It was like being doused in cold water, no longer silent, just a battlefield of loud overlapping voices.
Will was sitting near the end of the table, staring down at his fingers which were intertwining with each other. Mike pulled out a chair and sat down next to him and that motion was quickly followed by the rest of the family. He pulled a plate of food towards him and set it on the table mat. From the corner of his eye he watched Will take small bites and push around his food. My mum’s food is either really shit or he’s just not hungry. Mike stabbed his meatloaf with his fork and shoved it in his mouth. He almost gagged. Ok yeah my mum’s food is just shit. He pushed his plate away, pretending to be busy.
“Michael sit up, and Will honey have some more rolls, you’re all skin and bones.” Mrs Wheeler’s voice cut through the air as she shuttled more meatloaf towards Will. He smiled but didn’t take any. Mike slumped down further into his chair, the folded paper feeling like it was made of lead. Every time he shifted he could hear that quiet crinkle of it. Across from him Will was still pushing around his food, moving peas forwards and back with his fork. His head was bowed and he looked like he wanted to disappear into his shirt. Mr Wheeler’s voice sliced through the awkwardness.
“And then Nancy said she was staying late at her job again!” He grumbled from the head of the table, not looking up from the napkin he was tucking into his collar. “I don’t know why that girl just can’t be home for a family dinner for once. It’s common courtesy”
“She’s working Ted” Mrs Wheeler sighed, shaking her head.
“Mike, pass the gravy to Will”
He looked up and reached for the gravy boat, his hand was shaking just a fraction. As he handed it across to Will their fingers brushed just slightly. The contact was tiny, it only lasted a split second, but amongst the Wheeler chaos it felt like an electric shock, at least to Mike. Will’s eyes snapped up to his, just for a second- they were wide, sparkling and full of the vulnerability from the porch earlier- before they snapped back down to his plate again.
“Mike” “Mikeee” “Did you hear me Mike?” Holly bugged, kicking Mike’s shin under the table. “I said did you see the drawing Will made? " He wouldn't show me”
Mike froze, his fork halfway up to his mouth. It was like the table went dead silent for a second, aside from his dad’s obnoxious chewing.
“It just… it's just practice Holly” His voice was defensive. “Nothing special”
The lie came easily, but his heart was hammering against his ribs. He stole a glance across at Will who was staring intensely at a spot on the table, his knuckles turning white from the way he gripped his fork. Mike’s pocket felt like it was burning. The exact drawing Holly wants to know about was exactly there, right there. He knew exactly what it was but she didn’t need to know that. It’s definitely not practice. Mike pushed out his chair, it scraped loudly when it went backwards and Mr Wheeler groaned. He picked up his plate and left it on the kitchen bench, sneaking a glance back at Will trying to tell him we can just leave. He got the message and put his plate next to Mike.
“Thanks for dinner Mrs Wheeler” He called as Mike dragged him away from the kitchen sight. Mike collapsed backwards, letting the soft hallway carpet envelope his back. He sighed and Will sat down next to him, resting a hand on his lower thigh.
“My family’s so chaotic, I’m sorry”
“Its ok”
Mike looked up. Something about Will’s smile warmed him up in a way he couldn’t describe. His eyes also mesmerized him, the way they caught the light, the brown and green combination, they were so gorgeous.
“Mike”
He looked up. Shoot
“Uh sorry, I got distracted”
Will stared at him, hopefully just the way Mike did, cause then that wouldn’t be too bad right? And then he started laughing. Mike rolled his eyes.
“Whatever”

The bathroom floor was wet from shower water. The two boys stood in the middle, toothbrushes in hand. The air was crisp, seeping in from the window that had just been cracked open slightly. A minty scent was hinted around them as Will and Mike moved their toothbrushes in circular motions over their teeth. They both spat. It trickled slowly down into the drain until Mike turned on the tap, cold water blasting out. He put his mouth just under it and rinsed, moving away so Will could do the same.
“You know it's weird. In the bathroom my teeth look whiter than they do anywhere else”
“What Mike, that's so random!”
Mike shrugged, moving to the towel hanging on the door. He rubbed his hands on it so that they were somewhat dry.
“Uh another random question”
Will looked up. He rolled his eyes.
“Oh no here we go again” he played, opening the cabinet and putting his toothbrush in a cup.
“Where do you wanna sleep tonight?”
“Oh, ok I wasn’t expecting that random”
“I was thinking we could go to my room or back down to the basement, whatever's chill with you, I don’t mind”
“Oh we could probably go to your room”
“Sure”
Mike opened the bathroom door, letting Will through. His room was just down the hall, next to Nancy’s. She would probably get home late again though.
As they stepped inside Mike watched Will take in his surroundings.
“Uh do you still have that mattress? The one I used to sleep on when I came over as a kid”
“Yeah I do”
Mike walked over to his bed and pulled the mattress out from underneath it. He lined it up beside the double bed and pulled some extra blankets and pillows out from his drawer.
“Here”
Will sat down on the edge of it.
“I have spare clothes if you want but these are comfy enough to sleep in right?”
Will nodded, yeah.
“kay”
Mike climbed in his bed, his legs almost too long and awkward to move with. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes. Will was trying his hardest not to be loud, his blankets rustling as he readjusted himself to get comfortable. He found a spot and sighed, also closing his eyes.

Mike gasped. He tried to look around him but the darkness outside had swallowed the room. The bed underneath him felt low. His bed was not low. He could feel someone wrapped around him. He was hot. He was awkward. He was on the mattress with Will. Shit what the hell. Why am I with Will? In an attempt to untangle his legs from Will’s and move his arm away from being over his shoulder he made him stir. His breath was warm and it just lightly reached Mike’s face. He tried to move away but found himself sandwiched against his own bed. He couldn’t even move without waking Will up. Honestly he didn’t know what would be worse, Will waking up with Mike like this or Mike waking him up saying sorry I don’t know how this happened. He went with the second option.
“Will, Will I’m sorry but wake up,” Mike pushed his hands against Will’s shoulders and shook him awake. His eyes fluttered open and blinked at him innocently.
“Huh?” He stared up hazily at Mike, lip twisting in confusion. Then he realised. “Oh uh” He pulled his legs away from him and pushed himself over to the edge of the mattress, pulling his blankets with him. “Sorry”
“It’s ok, I don’t know how it happened” Mike finally sat up, his legs to his chest, eager to get back into his own bed.
“Wait”
Mike turned back, his eyes saying yeah?
“Can you stay here?”
Mike nodded, lowering himself back down. He had no blankets, no pillow and was basically shoving himself into his own bed. Will was on the other side of the mattress and there was at least a person sized space between them. The mattress felt like it was an island. Cold, isolated and in the middle of the sea. The bed frame he was pressed against was cold, he was shivering. Goose bumps ran along his skin, yet Mike still felt like he was on fire. The space between them was deafening.
“Will?” Mike’s voice cracked, barely a whisper but loud enough for the silence.
“Yeah?”
“You meant what you said in the van?” Mike turned his head, staring at the silhouette of Will’s profile. “About me being the heart,”
He listened as Will took a sharp, shaky breath.
“I meant it Mike. Every word.”
Mike gazed at Will, letting him see the exhaustion behind his eyes.
More silence dragged on, Mike even considered going to sleep but he couldn’t. And then he did one thing that a normal guy wouldn’t.
“I don’t know how to fix it, Will, it’s like everything I touch just breaks..”
Mike moved closer to Will and leant his head on his shoulder. He could feel the tenseness of him and almost moved away until he realised Will was warming up. Them being like this let the cold exterior around them melt. Will never answered, he never offered a solution, just staying there providing the one thing that wasn’t broken, himself. Only now Mike realised that the warmth he has with Will, is way different than what he had with El.
“Why are you always here Will?” “Even when I’m a total jerk”
Mike finally looked at Will-really looked at him- and noticed the way Will’s watching him. Slowly Mike’s coldness started to fade, replaced with a confusing, overwhelming heat. A blanket draped overtop of him and suddenly he was pulled hella close to Will. Their faces were almost touching, Will’s breath making Mike’s face tingle.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Mike’s voice cracked, but he didn’t look away this time. He let Will see the exhaustion in his eyes. “I spent so much time trying to fix things with El, trying to be the person that I’m not and just ended up breaking everything” “So answer my question. Why are you still here?”
He heard Will sigh, it carried through the eerie silence in the room.
“Have you read the note yet?” Will gestured for Mike’s pocket. His heart raced, he wanted to be sick but he could do this. Mike probably doesn’t feel the same but a shot is a shot.
Mike reached inside his pocket, his cold fingers wrapping tightly around a folded piece of paper. It was all crinkled now, and the artwork of himself stared back at him. He flipped it around slowly, eyes adjusting, working out how to read in the dim light. ‘To my Paladin’ it read in scratchy, blue crayon handwriting. The awkward silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t like on the porch, this one was heavy with the truth. Will reached out a hand and placed it on Mike’s thigh.
“Because you’re Mike” Will stared at Mike, even though he couldn’t really see.
Mike’s heart did that jagged thump thing again and he took a sharp breath inwards. He leaned closer onto Will. The way he was looking at him wasn’t just the look a friend gave to a friend- it had something deeper, something that made Mike realise the heat he was feeling now wasn’t just from the blankets. It was the realisation that he didn’t want to be anywhere else.

The paper crinkled in Mike’s hand as he lay staring at the wall. Will’s hand still remained on Mike’s thigh, tracing small nervous circles through the fabric of his pants. Mike swallowed hard, the sound audible in the silent room.
“I didn’t just say those things in the van cause El needed you to hear them, Mike” Will whispered, his voice trembling but certain. “I said them because I needed you to know them, even if I had to hide it behind El’s name.”
Mike’s breath hitched. He turned his head, his nose nearly brushing against Will’s in the darkness. The confusing heat he’d felt earlier was now a persistent roar in his ears.
“The painting, the way I painted you as the heart” Will continued, his gaze dropping from Mike’s eyes, back to his lips and then snapping up to his eyes again. “It’s because that’s what you’ve always been to me. The person that makes everything make sense. I’m still here because I don’t know how to be anywhere else. I don’t want to be anywhere else” Will took a shaky breath, his fingers tightening on Mike’s leg.
“I’m not El Mike, I know that. But when I look at you… it’s never just been about being ‘pals’ it’s always been more. It’s always been you.”
He let the words hang there, raw and terrifying. Will didn’t pull away; he stayed right there in that narrow space, leaving the move up to the Mike he’d spent years protecting and watching from afar. Mike Wheeler.

‘It’s always been you’ hung softly in the darkness, until Mike couldn’t do it anymore. He didn’t think. For the first time in months he didn’t try to calculate the ‘normal’ thing or to decide the right way to be a boyfriend or a friend. He just followed the pull in his chest. He moved in, closing that final gap of space between them.
When Mike’s lips met Will’s it wasn’t like those practiced, careful kisses he’d shared with El. This one was desperate and quiet, tasting like night air and.. Will? Everything he smelt like he could just taste on his lips. At first it was a clumsy collision- their noses bumping- but then Will made a small, broken sound against Mike’s mouth and leant into it. Mike’s hand travelled from the mattress to the back of Will’s neck, his fingers tangling in the soft hair, grabbing it and pulling him closer, until there really was no room between them. The broken feeling Mike and Will had carried their whole life simply, vanished.
When they finally broke apart, their foreheads stayed pressed together, their breaths hitching in the same rhythm. Mike’s eyes were blown wide, searching Will’s face in the dim moonlight.
“I’m sorry” Mike whispered, his voice thick with a sudden, overwhelming relief.
Will blinked, his lips still parted. “For.. Kissing me?”
“No,” Mike said, a small huffed laugh escaping him. He reached up his thumb tracing the line of Will’s jaw. “For taking so long to realise I was miserable without you. For trying to find the heart everywhere else when it was literally right here holding a blue crayon”
He pulled the blanket tighter around them, anchoring himself closer to the one thing that really was never broken.
“You’re not El Will, you’re better. You’re.. You’re just mine.”