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It was a cold, wet night in Hawkins. The grey clouds had thinned, but the rain still poured, steady and endless. The gang had set up base in the Squawk, scattered across the building trying to rest for the night. Lucas sat with Max on the couch, holding her close. Jane and Dustin had fallen asleep nearby. Joyce and Hopper were tucked away in the basement. Steve lingered in the lounge. Robin curled into her studio corner.
Will took the only room with a bed.
Because Mike insisted.
Mike told himself Will deserved it. They had a crawl early in the morning. He didn’t want him cold. He didn’t want him uncomfortable. So Mike took the floor. That was fine. It was for Will.
“You don’t have to do that, Mike. Really,” Will said softly.
“No, I just— I didn’t want you to get cold… and you can take my sweater if you need it.”
The words hit the air.
Why did I say that?
“Can I?” Will asked quietly.
Mike blinked. “Oh— yeah. Sure.”
He pulled it off. His shirt lifted slightly with it.
Will looked.
He couldn’t help it. It was Mike Wheeler — the boy he’d loved for years.
“Here.”
“T-thanks.”
Will slipped it on quickly, heart pounding.
Since when did he get so toned?
“I’m gonna try get some sleep,” Will muttered.
That was a lie.
“Goodnight will.”
“Night Mike.”
He wasn’t going to sleep. Loving Mike felt like drowning in something beautiful and impossible at the same time.
A few hours later, Will slipped out quietly.
Mike heard him.
Of course he did.
He followed, grabbing a jacket.
Outside, the rain was heavier. The signal tower loomed above the field, the storm stretching endlessly beyond it. Will walked deeper into the downpour.
Mike stopped five feet behind him.
“Will! If you’re gonna be out here, at least wear this. What are you doing?”
Will kept walking.
“Will— what did I do?”
Will stopped. Slowly turned.
Lightning flashed across his face.
“What did you do?” he laughed bitterly. “You don’t know what you’ve done? To me.”
Thunder cracked overhead.
Mike stepped forward. Will stepped back.
“I’m sorry,” Mike said quickly. “I’ve been an ass. You don’t deserve that.”
“That’s not it!” Will shouted, tears mixing with rain. “Do you know how hard it is being in love with someone who isn’t like you? Every waking moment. Every sleepless night. Imagining what it would be like if I could have them — then remembering they don’t like boys. Like me.”
The storm rumbled again.
The sky flickered.
Still five feet apart, Mike began to pour his heart out as the sky turned purple.
“I love you. In fact, I’ve never stopped loving you — even when I didn’t know what loving you meant.”
𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬
“Will, please listen to me. I’ve loved you since the first day I met you on the swings. I loved you when we drew and read comics in my basement.”
𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣
“I loved you when you went missing. I thought I lost half of me the day you were taken. I cried so bad, Will. I got angry at everyone. No one cared like I did. I never gave up on you because I love you. I love you and I can’t imagine my life without you. I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out sooner. I just didn’t know what to do. I panicked and backed out, and I should never have done that.”
𝙄 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜
“Loving you isn’t wrong, Will. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
𝙄 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣
Will stood there, eyes locked onto Mike as lightning struck again, the sky still glowing violet. He never in a million years thought Mike would say all of this.
Mike was in love with him this whole time.
That realization made Will crumble.
The two began to run toward each other, rain splashing around them, completely drenched.
𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣
𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣
They crashed into each other, bodies colliding into place. Mike cupped Will’s face with both hands and pulled him closer. Will grabbed onto him like he’d disappear if he didn’t. The kiss was passionate, raw, emotional — years of misery and silent yearning dissolving in one breath.
𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣