Chapter Text
Ignorance is bliss and all that blameless jazz...
Will's fuzzy bunny ears flop as Mike tackles him to the ground, pinning his small body under the weight of a gangly puppy hybrid.
"Gotcha!" Mike's triumphant voice rings in Will's ears, his tail wagging so hard it thumps against the wooden floor of the Byers' living room.
Will squirms beneath him, his nose twitching in that way his mom always says is adorable but makes him feel self-conscious. "Not fair! You’re only bigger because you already hit puberty!" His protest comes out breathless as he pushes against Mike's chest.
The afternoon sun filters through the curtains, casting golden streaks across their tangled limbs. Will can smell the distinct scent of Mike – like fresh dirt and pine trees and something else he can't name but knows is just Mike.
"I'm the alpha wolf," Mike growls playfully, baring his teeth in a way that makes Will's heart race. The small bunny hybrid tries to wriggle free, but Mike's weight keeps him firmly in place.
"You're—" Will's words catch in his throat when he feels something hard pressing against his thigh. Something that wasn't there before. His ears twitch with confusion, nose scrunching up as he shifts beneath Mike. "What's that?"
Mike freezes above him, a flush creeping up his neck. His amber eyes widen, and his wagging tail suddenly stills. "What's what?" he asks, though his voice cracks in a way that tells Will he knows exactly what.
"That." Will pushes his hip up experimentally, and Mike makes a strangled sound that Will has never heard before. "There's something... growing? In your pants?"
The wolf boy's breath comes faster now, his pupils dilating until they nearly swallow the brown. His weight shifts, but he doesn't move off Will.
"I don't... it's just..." Mike stammers, his ears flattening against his head in embarrassment.
Will's curiosity overrides his confusion. He reaches a tentative hand down between them, his fingertips brushing against the hard bulge in Mike's jeans. The wolf boy lets out a whine that makes Will's ears stand straight up.
"Does it hurt?" Will asks, genuinely concerned. His heart pounds faster, and he can't understand why his own body feels suddenly warmer, tingling in strange places.
Mike shakes his head, dark curls falling into his eyes. "N-no. It feels... good when you touch it."
They stare at each other for a long moment, the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams around them. Will's nose twitches again, catching a new musky scent coming from Mike, something that makes his own body react in ways he doesn't understand. His lower belly feels tight and warm.
"Do... do you want to see it?" Mike whispers, his voice rough in a way Will hasn't heard before. The wolf's eyes are intense, focused entirely on Will's face as though searching for something.
Will hesitates, then nods, his cotton tail twitching against the floor. "Yeah. I'm curious."
Mike shifts his weight, sitting back on his heels as his trembling fingers work at the button of his jeans. Will props himself up on his elbows, watching with wide eyes as Mike slowly unzips his pants and pushes them down just enough.
"Oh," Will breathes, staring at the hard length that juts out from Mike's underwear. It's nothing like his own parts, and he tilts his head in confusion.
"That's..." Will swallows hard, his throat suddenly dry. "That's so different from me."
Mike's ears perk up, his curiosity clearly piqued. He knew that Will was born a girl but was now a but, but he didn’t know if that changed anything for Will down there. "Different? How?"
Will feels his cheeks heat up, the pink flush spreading all the way to the tips of his long ears. He’s never shown anyone outside of his immediate family, and even now he doesn’t even like to be revealed during bath time with Jonathan since he was old enough to wash himself.
"I could... show you?" The words come out as a question, and Will's not sure why his heart is hammering so hard against his ribs.
Mike nods eagerly, his tail beginning to wag again. "Yeah. I want to see."
With trembling fingers, Will unbuttons his shorts, wiggling them down his slender hips along with his underwear. Mike's eyes widen, and he leans forward, his warm breath tickling Will's stomach. Mike stares at the soft folds between Will's legs, so different from his own anatomy.
"You don't have..." Mike gestures at his own hardness, his ears twitching with fascination.
"No," Will whispers, feeling exposed yet strangely excited by Mike's intense gaze. "I have this instead."
Mike reaches out hesitantly, pausing with his fingers hovering just above Will's center. "Can I touch it?"
Will nods, his breath catching as Mike's warm fingertip brushes against him. The sensation sends a jolt through his small frame, making his back arch slightly off the floor.
"Did I hurt you?" Mike asks, immediately pulling his hand away, concern darkening his amber eyes.
"No," Will says quickly, his voice higher than normal. "It felt... nice. Different, but nice."
Encouraged, Mike gently returns his fingertip to the soft folds, his touch feather-light as he explores. Will's breath comes in short, quick bursts, his bunny instincts making his heart race faster than normal.
"It's so soft," Mike whispers, his voice filled with wonder. His finger slides a little deeper, and Will gasps when Mike touches a spot that sends sparks dancing up his spine. "And wet. Is that supposed to happen?"
Will nods, though he's not entirely sure himself. His body has done this before, when he's touched himself at night, but it's never felt quite this intense. "I think so."
Mike's finger probes a little further, and suddenly slips inside a tight opening that Will didn't even know was there. They both freeze, eyes locking in surprise.
"That's..." Mike's voice trails off, his finger still buried in the warm, wet tunnel. Will feels stretched around Mike's finger in a way that's strange but not unpleasant.
"It fits inside," Mike breathes, his eyes wide with discovery. He moves his finger experimentally, and Will can't help the small sound that escapes his throat. "Like... like a puzzle piece."
Will's heart pounds against his ribs as Mike slides his finger deeper, then back out, then in again. Each movement sends little waves of pleasure through Will's body, making his toes curl against the wooden floor.
"Mike," Will whispers, not sure what he's asking for, but knowing he wants something more.
The wolf boy's eyes seem to glow as he stares down at where his finger disappears inside Will. "I think..." Mike's voice is hushed, reverent almost. "I think we're supposed to fit together. Like, really fit."
Will blinks up at him as Mike swallows hard.
"I think..." his gaze intense as he looks from where his finger disappears inside Will to his own hardness jutting from his underwear. "I think this is supposed to go in there."
Will's breath catches in his throat, his fuzzy ears twitching nervously. The idea makes his stomach flutter with both excitement and fear. "But... it looks so big."
Mike gently withdraws his finger, making Will shiver at the loss. "We can try? If it hurts, I'll stop."
Will hesitates, then nods, his cotton tail quivering against the floor. "Okay."
Mike shifts forward, positioning himself between Will's slender thighs. His hands tremble as he guides his hardness to Will's entrance. The tip presses against the soft folds, and Will holds his breath, his fingers curling against the wooden floor.
Slowly, Mike pushes forward. Will gasps, his back arching slightly as the pressure builds. It's uncomfortable at first, a stretching sensation that makes his eyes water, but not exactly painful.
"Does it hurt?" Mike asks, his voice tight with concern and something else—a rough edge Will's never heard before.
Will shakes his head, his ears flopping with the movement. "It's... weird. But not bad."
Mike pushes in further, and Will feels impossibly full. His body tenses around the intrusion, adjusting to the new sensation. Mike lets out a strangled sound, his amber eyes nearly black now, his breathing ragged.
"Will," he pants, "you feel so good."
Something about Mike's voice, the way he says Will's name like it's something precious, makes Will's insides flutter. Mike shifts his hips experimentally, pulling back slightly before pushing back in. Will's body lights up with new sensations, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps.
"Oh," Will whispers, his back arching slightly off the floor. It doesn't feel like he expected—it feels better, warmer, more intense than when he touches himself at night.
Mike's movements become more urgent, his hips beginning to move in a rhythm that seems instinctual. He lowers himself closer to Will, his chest pressing against Will's smaller frame, his breath hot against Will's neck. The wolf boy's amber eyes are unfocused, glazed with pleasure.
"Will, I can't—" Mike whimpers, his hips moving faster now. "It feels too good."
Will clutches at Mike's shoulders, his small fingers digging into the fabric of Mike's t-shirt. Each thrust sends waves of pleasure through him, building like something he can't name. The pressure inside Will grows and grows, coiling tight like a spring. It's a feeling he's never experienced before—like he's reaching for something just beyond his grasp.
"M-Mike," he gasps, his small body trembling beneath the wolf boy. His fingers clutch desperately at Mike's back. "Something's happening—"
Mike doesn't slow down. Instead, he buries his face in the crook of Will's neck, inhaling deeply. His teeth graze Will's sensitive skin, sending shivers down the bunny hybrid's spine.
"You smell so good," Mike growls, his voice deeper than Will has ever heard it. "So sweet."
Without warning, Mike's teeth close gently around one of Will's floppy ears. The sensation sends a jolt through Will's entire body, making him cry out. His back arches sharply off the floor as waves of pleasure crash through him, his muscles tensing as his body pulses around Mike. Will's vision blurs at the edges, his small frame shuddering as something breaks inside him, pleasure flooding through his veins like liquid sunshine.
"Mike!" Will cries out, his voice high and breathy. The sensation is overwhelming, too much and not enough all at once.
But Mike doesn't stop. His hips continue to thrust, faster now, more desperate. His hand finds Will's fluffy tail, fingers stroking the soft fur in a way that makes Will whimper. The bunny hybrid is oversensitive, every touch magnified, but his body is already building toward something else, another peak that rises faster than the first.
"Will, Will, Will," Mike chants, his voice rough and unfamiliar. He bites down on Will's ear again, harder this time, and Will feels another wave of pleasure crash through him, impossibly stronger than the first.
Will's body convulses beneath Mike, his small frame shaking with the intensity of the sensation. He doesn't understand what is happening, but he doesn't want it to stop. Tears spring to his eyes from the intensity, his small hands clutching desperately at Mike's shoulders.
"I can't—I can't—" Will gasps, but he's not sure what he can't do. Can't breathe? Can't think? Can't handle how good it feels?
Mike's movements become erratic, his hips jerking against Will's. His breath comes in harsh pants against Will's neck, hot and damp against his skin. Will feels something changing, something growing at the base of Mike's hardness, pressing insistently against his entrance.
"What's that?" Will asks, his voice trembling as the pressure increases. It's stretching him further, making him feel impossibly fuller.
Mike doesn't answer. His eyes are squeezed shut, his face contorted in what looks almost like pain. His hips push forward again, and suddenly something pops inside Will, locking them together. Will gasps at the fullness, his eyes flying wide open.
"W-what is that?" he whispers, his voice trembling.
Mike's entire body goes rigid above him, a strangled sound escaping his throat. His hips jerk once, twice more, and then he's shaking, his face buried against Will's neck as he lets out a long, low moan. Will feels something warm flooding him inside, filling him up in a way that makes his toes curl against the wooden floor.
"Will," Mike pants against his skin, feet scrambling against the floor in an effort to push his hips impossibly deeper. "oh, Will."
The bunny hybrid lies trembling beneath him, overwhelmed by sensations he doesn't understand. They're locked together, unable to separate, Mike's body heavy on top of his. The wolf boy's teeth graze Will's neck again, sending another shiver through his small body. Will feels another wave of pleasure build inside him, his hips jerking upward of their own accord. When it crashes over him, he cries out, his voice high and broken as his body pulses around Mike's hardness.
They lie there panting, Mike's weight pressing Will into the wooden floor. The bunny hybrid's mind is hazy, his body tingling with aftershocks of pleasure. He's never felt anything like this before—so connected to someone else, so completely filled.
"We fit," Mike whispers against his ear, sounding awed. "Just like I thought. We're supposed to be together."
Will nods, unable to form words. His heart swells at Mike's declaration, at the certainty in his voice. They're meant to be together. That's why their bodies connect like this, why it feels so right.
Mike tries to shift his weight, and Will whimpers, feeling a strange tug inside him. "We're stuck," he whispers, his eyes wide with alarm.
"I can't—I don't know how to get out," Mike admits, his voice trembling as he tries to pull back again. The movement sends another jolt of pleasure through Will, making him gasp. "Something's keeping us together."
Will's ears twitch nervously as they lie connected, his small hands still clutching Mike's shoulders. The afternoon light has shifted, golden rays now stretching longer across the wooden floor. How long have they been like this? Will wonders if they'll be stuck forever, if this is what always happens when people fit together like puzzle pieces.
"Does it hurt?" Mike asks, brushing Will's hair from his forehead with gentle fingers. His amber eyes are filled with concern now, the wild intensity from before replaced with something softer.
Will shakes his head no, blinking up at Mike with dazed eyes. It doesn't hurt—it feels strange, full, but not painful. His body feels warm and liquid, like he might melt into the wooden floor beneath them.
"I like it," Will admits softly, his cotton tail twitching against Mike's fingers. "Being connected to you."
Mike's smile is brilliant, his amber eyes crinkling at the corners.
Mike stays connected to Will for nearly twenty minutes before whatever had swollen inside him finally subsides enough that they can separate. When they do, Will feels empty in a way he never knew was possible, like a part of him is missing now.
They don't talk about it right away, both too shy, too overwhelmed by what happened. But three days later, when they're alone in Mike's basement, their eyes meet across the D&D table, and something electric passes between them. This time, they’re barely able to wait for their friends to leave before booking it to the blanket fort for privacy and their clothes are discarded, Mike's hands trembling as he positions himself between Will's slender thighs again.
It becomes their secret, something precious they share in stolen moments—in Castle Byers when the Party isn't around, in Mike's basement when his parents are out, once even in the AV room after school with the door locked. Each time, Mike's knot locks them together in blissful connection.
Until the day Will comes home to find his mom waiting for him at the kitchen table, a small pile of his stained underwear set before her like evidence in a trial. Will's heart sinks to his feet, his ears drooping in mortification.
"Sit down, sweetie," Joyce says, her voice soft but firm, the way it gets when she's trying not to scare him but needs him to understand something important.
Will perches on the edge of a chair, his cotton tail twitching nervously against the hard wood. He can't look her in the eyes, so he stares at a knot in the wooden tabletop instead.
"Will, honey..." Joyce's voice trembles slightly as she squeezes his hand. "You're growing up, and there are things you need to understand about your body. Especially as a bunny hybrid."
Will's ears flatten against his head. He's never seen his mom look so serious, so worried.
"I know you've been... intimate with someone." Joyce's eyes search his face.
Will's cheeks burn hot, his heart hammering against his ribs. He can't speak, can't deny it.
"Sweetie, I need you to understand something very important. There are serious risks," Joyce continues, her voice gentle but firm. "You could get pregnant, Will."
Will's head snaps up, his eyes wide. "I—what?"
Joyce squeezes his hand tighter. "Bunny hybrids like us are very fertile, sweetie. And I suspect..." she hesitates, choosing her words carefully, "I suspect you've been with a predator-hybrid."
Will's ears flatten completely against his head now, his heart hammering so hard he can barely breathe.
"I'm not angry," Joyce assures him quickly, keeping that fact that she has a strong inkling that Mike is the one messing with her boy to herself. "But you need to understand that when prey mates with predator, especially wolf hybrids, there are complications beyond just pregnancy."
Will's throat feels dry. "What kind of complications?"
Joyce sighs, her own bunny ears drooping slightly. "Predators, especially wolves, they get... possessive. Territorial. It can become obsessive. It's in their nature, especially toward someone they've bonded with physically." Joyce's eyes are worried, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the table. "The way a wolf bonds with a mate is... intense. Almost dangerous sometimes."
Will's heart sinks lower, his small frame hunching in the kitchen chair. He thinks of Mike's amber eyes, how they follow him everywhere, how his growl deepens when Lucas gets too close to Will during their games.
"I'm not saying all predator hybrids are bad," Joyce continues, gentler now. "But society has kept prey and predators from mating for good reasons beyond just outdated prejudice. Their instincts are different from ours. They can become possessive to the point of... well, controlling."
Will's ears droop further. "Mom, I—"
"You don't have to tell me who," Joyce says quickly, releasing his hand. "Just promise me you'll be careful. Promise me you'll stop whatever's happening, at least until you're older and understand the risks."
Will blinks back tears, his small body trembling slightly. He thinks about Mike—about the way their bodies fit together so perfectly, about the feeling of completeness when they're connected. But his mother's worried face makes his stomach twist with guilt.
"I promise," he whispers, his voice barely audible.
That night, Will cries silently into his pillow, his small frame shaking with sobs. He misses Mike already, misses the connection, the feeling of being whole. But he made a promise to his mom, and Will Byers doesn't break promises.
Mike notices the change immediately. The way Will pulls away when they touch, how he won't meet Mike's eyes. When Will tells Mike they have to stop, Mike's amber eyes darken with hurt, his ears flattening against his head.
"But why?" he whines, reaching for Will's hand. "We fit together, Will. You know we do."
Will's cotton tail twitches nervously as he explains his mom's concerns. "She said—she said prey and predators shouldn't mate. That it's dangerous. That I could get pregnant."
Mike's eyes widen, his tail going completely still. "Pregnant? Like... having babies?"
Will nods miserably, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. "And she said wolves get possessive. That it's not safe."
For days, Mike keeps his distance, respecting Will's decision even though Will catches him staring with longing in his eyes. The separation feels like a physical ache, an emptiness that grows with each passing day.
A week passes, the longest of Will's life. Lonely nights stretch endlessly as he tosses in his bed, missing the warmth of Mike's body, the feeling of completeness that comes with their connection. He barely sleeps, his bunny instincts on high alert, body yearning for his wolf.
It's Mike who breaks first, cornering Will in his bedroom one afternoon when Joyce is at work.
"I've been thinking," Mike says, his voice low and rough as he steps closer. His amber eyes are intense, focused entirely on Will's face. "What if... what if we don't actually, you know, fit together?"
Will's heart pounds against his ribs, his cotton tail twitching nervously. "What do you mean?"
Mike sits on the edge of Will's bed, patting the space beside him. "We could just... use our hands. Like this."
Mike demonstrates with a slow stroke of his hand, mimicking how he would touch himself. "No penetration, just... touching. Maybe that's safe?"
Will's heart hammers against his ribs as he considers the compromise. His mother's warnings echo in his mind, but the ache of missing Mike is almost physical. "Just... hands?" he asks, his voice small.
"Just hands," Mike promises, amber eyes earnest. "No knots, no risk of babies."
So they try it. Tentative at first, hands exploring each other's bodies with shy determination. Mike's fingers are gentle as they stroke Will's sensitive folds, his thumb circling the bundle of nerves that makes Will's toes curl. Will's smaller hand wraps around Mike's hardness, learning what makes the wolf boy's breath hitch, what draws those low growls from his throat.
It's different, but still good.
For a few weeks, this new arrangement works well enough. Will finds a kind of tentative peace with it—having Mike's hands on him is better than nothing, and they grow more skilled at bringing each other pleasure. Mike is careful not to push for more, though sometimes Will catches a flash of longing in those amber eyes when they're together, feels the wolf hybrid's body trembling with restraint.
But it's not the same. Will feels the absence of Mike's knot like a physical ache, a hollow emptiness that grows more insistent with each passing day. At night, he curls up in his bed, cotton tail twitching with restless need, remembering the feeling of being so perfectly filled, so completely connected.
After a particularly intense session in Will's bedroom one afternoon, where Mike's fingers worked magic inside him but left him wanting more, Will finds himself alone, staring at his bed frame with desperate eyes.
The wooden post at the corner of his bed frame has a notch in it, about the right size, the right shape. Will stares at it, his heart pounding in his chest, a desperate ache throbbing between his legs. He glances at his bedroom door, making sure it's locked. Jonathan is at work, his mom won't be home for hours.
He shouldn't. He knows he shouldn't.
But the emptiness inside him is unbearable. He misses the feeling of being filled, of being connected to Mike in that perfect, complete way.
Will strips off his pants with trembling hands, his cotton tail twitching nervously. He positions himself over the notched corner of the bed frame, his breath coming in short, quick bursts. Slowly, he lowers himself down.
The wood is hard, unyielding, nothing like Mike's warmth, but when it fills him, Will gasps, his eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. It's not the same—nothing could compare to Mike—but it eases the empty ache that's been growing inside him for weeks.
Will rocks against the notch, his small body trembling as pleasure builds. He imagines it's Mike inside him, Mike's hands on his hips, Mike's breath hot against his neck. When release washes over him, it's Mike's name that falls from his lips in a broken whisper.
The relief is temporary. Two days later, Will finds himself back at the notched bedpost, desperate for that fullness again. It becomes a secret habit, something shameful yet necessary, like scratching an itch he can't ignore.
One afternoon, after another session with Mike that leaves Will aching for more, the emptiness inside him becomes unbearable. Will waits at the window, watching Mike bike away until he disappears in the distance. His mom was at work and Jonathan still at his job to cover for his coworker. The house settles into silence, and the familiar ache throbs between his legs.
Will strips off his pants, his ears twitching nervously as he positions himself over the notched corner of his bed. The wood is cool against his heated skin as he lowers himself down, a gasp escaping his lips as the notch fills him. It's not Mike—not warm and pulsing and perfect—but it eases the emptiness that's been haunting him since they stopped.
He rocks against the wood, his small body trembling as pleasure builds. Will closes his eyes, imagining it's Mike inside him, Mike's hands gripping his hips. He's so lost in the fantasy when he hears the scrape of the window being pushed open.
Will freezes, his eyes flying open in panic. Before he can move, Mike tumbles through the window, landing with a soft thud on the carpet.
"Sorry, Will, I forgot my textbook. I think it’s under here?”
Will could barely hear Mike as panic dashes through his brain. His hands scramble for the blanket at the end of his bed, yanking it over his lap with desperate, jerky movements. His ears flatten against his head in mortification, cheeks burning so hot he thinks he might combust as he watches Mike’s back, the wolf boy searching through the pile of papers that hid the textbook that he forgot.
"It's fine!" Will's voice comes out too high, too strained. "I was just—I was just sitting here. Thinking."
Mike turns around, textbook in hand, and Will's heart practically stops. The wolf hybrid tilts his head, amber eyes narrowing as he takes in Will's flushed face, the awkward way he's perched on the edge of the bed with the blanket pulled over his lap.
"You okay?" Mike asks, taking a step closer. His nostrils flare slightly, and Will knows with a sinking feeling that Mike can smell his arousal in the air. "You look off."
"I'm fine," Will insists, voice cracking. He shifts slightly, trying to adjust his position without removing himself from the notch still buried inside him. The movement sends a jolt of pleasure up his spine, making him bite his lip to suppress a whimper.
Mike's ears prick forward, his gaze sharpening. "You're acting strange." He sets the textbook down on Will's desk, taking a step closer to Will. His nose twitches, and his amber eyes suddenly darken with understanding.
"Will," he says, voice dropping to a low growl that makes Will's insides flutter despite his mortification. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing!" Will squeaks, clutching the blanket tighter around his waist. He tries to shift again, desperate to free himself from the notch without Mike noticing, but the movement only sends another wave of pleasure coursing through him. A small whimper escapes his lips before he can stop it.
Mike's ears perk up at the sound, his head tilting to the side in that predatory way that makes Will's heart race. The wolf hybrid moves closer, nostrils flaring as he scents the air.
"You smell like..." Mike trails off, his amber eyes widening as he realizes all the signs pointing towards him interrupting a private but passionate moment. "Will.”
Mike is suddenly very close, looming over Will with intense focus. His amber eyes dart to where Will's blanket is bunched around his hips, then back to Will's flushed face. Understanding dawns in those predatory eyes.
"Are you..." Mike's voice drops to a whisper, "sitting on something?"
Will's throat tightens, making it impossible to speak. He shakes his head frantically, ears flopping, but another involuntary shift of his hips betrays him. The wooden notch inside him presses deeper, and Will can't suppress the small gasp that escapes his lips.
Mike gently tugs at the blanket. "Let me see, Will."
Tears of embarrassment spring to Will's eyes as Mike carefully pulls the blanket away. The wolf hybrid freezes, his eyes widening as he takes in the sight of Will perched on the notched corner of the bed, his pants discarded on the floor, the notch of the bed frame buried inside him.
"Oh, Will," Mike breathes, and there's no mockery in his voice, only a soft understanding that makes the tears in Will's eyes spill over. "Bunny..."
Will can't look at him, his shame burning hot as the tears streak down his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he whispers, his voice breaking. "I just—I missed—I needed—"
"Shhh." Mike's fingers are gentle as they brush Will's tears away, his amber eyes soft with tenderness rather than judgment. "It's okay. I understand."
Will sniffles, his cotton tail twitching nervously against the bedframe. "You do?"
"Of course I do." Mike's voice is so gentle it makes fresh tears spring to Will's eyes. "I miss it too." Mike reaches out, his fingers gently cupping Will's tear-stained cheek. "Every day, bunny. Every single day."
Will leans into the touch, his heart pounding against his ribs like a trapped thing. The shame still burns hot in his veins, but there's something else there too—relief that Mike understands, that he isn't disgusted.
"It hurts," Will whispers, voice breaking. But he wasn’t talking about the stretch. He was talking about being empty. The need he had that was no longer fulfilled.
Mike's amber eyes darken, his pupils dilating as he stares down at Will. "Let me help you," he murmurs, his voice dropping to that low growl that makes Will's insides flutter. "Let me take you off this."
Will blinks through his tears, embarrassment making his whole body burn hot.
"I've got you," Mike says, his voice gentle but firm. He slides his arms under Will's thighs, carefully lifting him. Will whimpers as the wooden notch slides out of him, leaving him empty and aching. "There we go. Easy."
Instead of setting Will on the bed, Mike keeps holding him, cradling the smaller boy against his chest. Will's cotton tail twitches nervously, his ears drooping with shame.
"Don't be embarrassed," Mike murmurs, nuzzling against Will's floppy ear. "I want to make you feel good," Mike whispers, his amber eyes locked with Will's. Gently, he sits on the bed, cradling Will in his lap. "Can I use my fingers instead?"
Will nods, still unable to speak through his embarrassment. He buries his face against Mike's shoulder as the wolf boy carefully slides two fingers inside him. The relief is immediate, a whimper escaping Will's throat as Mike's warm fingers curl inside him.
"That's it," Mike murmurs, his voice husky as he works his fingers deeper. "Better than some cold wood, right?"
Will nods against Mike's shoulder, his small body trembling as pleasure builds again. It's so much better than the notch—warm and alive, moving with purpose rather than the clumsy rocking he'd been doing before. Mike knows exactly how to touch him now, months of exploration teaching him exactly where to touch, how to curl his fingers just right to make Will's toes curl.
"Mike," Will whimpers, his voice breaking. "It's not enough. I miss... I miss..."
"You miss my knot," Mike whispers, his voice rough with emotion. "Don't you, bunny?"
Will nods miserably, tears threatening to spill over again. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop wanting it, but I can't."
Mike's free hand strokes Will's floppy ear, his touch impossibly gentle. "I've been thinking," he says, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "What if... what if we used protection? You know, like condoms?"
Will's heart skips a beat, his eyes widening. "You mean... we could actually..."
"Yeah." Mike's voice is eager now, his amber eyes bright with hope. "I've heard Nancy and Steve talking about it. Condoms prevent pregnancy. And if that's what your mom is worried about..."
Will's cotton tail twitches with excitement, his ears perking up slightly. "Do you think it would work?"
"I know it would." Mike gently withdraws his fingers, making Will whimper at the loss. "I'll fix this, baby. I promise." He presses his forehead against Will's, their breaths mingling. "Here's what we'll do. I'll go to Nancy’s room and steal some condoms. You head to Castle Byers and wait for me there. It'll be private. No one will bother us."
The thought of being filled again, of feeling Mike's knot locking them together, sends a shiver down Will's spine. His ears perk up with excitement as he nods eagerly.
"Okay," he whispers, already climbing off Mike's lap. "I'll go right now."
Mike presses a quick kiss to Will's forehead, his amber eyes gleaming. "I'll be there as fast as I can. Give me twenty minutes, tops."
They separate at the edge of Will's yard—Mike heading toward Bradley's Big Buy where the teenage cashier never asks questions, and Will pedaling toward the woods on his bike, his heart racing with anticipation. The afternoon sun filters through the trees as he rides, casting dappled shadows across the path. His cotton tail twitches with excitement beneath his jeans.
Castle Byers stands empty when Mike arrives, condoms clutched triumphantly in his hand. He ducks through the makeshift doorway, expecting to see Will waiting for him, maybe sitting cross-legged on the blankets they'd laid out last summer.
"Will?" he calls, his voice echoing in the small space. The fort is empty, quiet except for the rustling of leaves outside.
Mike's ears twitch, a prickle of unease creeping up his spine. Will should be here by now. He'd left before Mike, and Castle Byers is closer to Will's house than his own house is.
"Maybe he got held up," Mike mutters to himself, settling onto the floor. His tail thumps nervously against the dirt as he waits, glancing repeatedly at his watch.
Five minutes pass. Then ten. By fifteen, Mike's stomach is churning with worry. This isn't right.
Mike paces the small space of Castle Byers, his heart hammering faster with each passing minute. Twenty minutes becomes thirty. The condoms crinkle in his pocket as he moves, a constant reminder of why he's here, why Will should be here.
"Come on, Will," he mutters, checking his watch for the dozenth time. Something feels wrong in his gut, a tightening that has nothing to do with arousal and everything to do with fear.
He fumbles for his walkie-talkie, clicking it on with trembling fingers.
"Will? Will, do you copy? Over." Mike's voice cracks as he speaks into the device.
Static hisses back at him. He tries again, pressing the button harder as if that might somehow make Will answer.
"Will? Are you there? This is Mike. Over."
Nothing but the empty crackle of static answers him. Mike's heart thumps harder against his ribs, his mouth going dry. Something's wrong. Will should be here by now. He should at least answer his walkie.
Mike bursts out of Castle Byers, amber eyes scanning the surrounding woods. "Will?" he calls, voice echoing between the trees. Only forest sounds answer—birds, rustling leaves, the distant crack of branches.
He tries the walkie again, pressing the button so hard his knuckle turns white. "Will, come in! This is Mike! Do you copy? Over!"
This time, something breaks through the static—a faint crackling sound, then what might be Will's voice, but it's distant, broken, impossible to make out.
"Will? Will, is that you?" Mike's voice cracks with desperation as he sprints through the woods, following the direction of the faint sound. The walkie-talkie in his hand crackles again, Will's voice coming through in broken, terrified fragments.
"—ike! M-Mike! Some—ing's—ere! Help—"
Mike's heart slams against his ribs as he runs faster, branches whipping against his face, amber eyes wild with panic. The signal grows stronger as he approaches Mirkwood, the desolate road that cuts through the forest. Something glints in the fading afternoon light—metal reflecting the sun's rays.
Will's bike.
It lies abandoned on its side, front wheel still spinning slowly. Mike drops to his knees beside it, his hands shaking as he picks up Will's walkie-talkie from where it fell in the dirt. The device hisses with static, Will's voice gone now.
"Will!" Mike calls again, panic rising in his throat like bile.
The woods seem to close in around him, suddenly darker and more threatening than they've ever been before. His heart pounds against his ribs, each beat thundering in his ears as he stares at the abandoned bike. Will wouldn't just leave it here. Not Will. Not careful, responsible Will.
Mike fumbles with the walkie-talkie, his fingers clumsy with fear. He turns the dial, switching to the channel they all share.
"Guys! Guys, do you copy? This is Mike! Emergency! CODE RED!" His voice breaks, high and desperate. "Will's missing! I repeat, Will is—”
—