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Will is still shaking from the adrenaline rush, and yet he can't stop a smile from gracing his face. He did it. He really did it. Everyone knows now and he hasn't heard a single negative word or seen a single disgusted glance. Will hardly knew how to act now, sitting with the Party in the Upside Down's Squawk, laughing like normal, waiting for the world to end.
They all sit gathered in the Squawk's dingy sitting area, Lucas and Dustin on the couch, Max's wheelchair next to them. El is propped up against her on the ground, Will and Mike leaning against the wall across from them. Max was wheezing laughing at one of Dustin's stupid jokes and for a second everything felt normal.
Like this wasn't taking its toll. Like the tear tracks aren't fresh on Will's face. Like Lucas's sweatshirt doesn't hide an oozing gash. Like Mike isn't constantly wringing his hands, worrying about what is to come.
Mike.
Will sneaks a glance at his best friend, only to find him already looking at him. The sudden eye contact almost makes Will flinch, even in the dim light of the Upside Down. Mike, holds his gaze for a second, with a gentle smile, before turning his head back to the others.
Mike had been suspicously quiet for someone who can't shut up, and Will would know. That deep dark voice, not quite himself and nowhere near Henry's, clenched at Will's heart again, telling him Mike is actually completely grossed out by his very presence and will want nothing to do with him after this is all over. But Will is done listening to that voice.
"I'm gonna go look for some snacks," Mike's voice pulls Will out of his thoughts, "I mean since we're stuck waiting for these two worlds to collide or something- might as well eat."
He pushed himself off the concrete before reaching a hand out to-
"Will, you coming?"
This time Will couldn't fight the smile making its way through, gracelessly taking his friend's hand and pulling himself up.
Mike held on for what Will would consider a moment too long- if he was overanalysing things, which he's not by the way- though Will thinks he wouldn't mind if Mike never let go.
Mike led them to a pantry-slash-closet-slash-who the hell knows, but his guess was right on considering it's shelves were stocked with bins upon bins of candy and junk.
"So," Mike started, face near glowing from the light eminating from a small window near the ceiling, as he begins rooting through one of the bins. "Today, was-"
"A lot?" Will cut in with a dry laugh, "Cause yeah, it totally has been." He is beginning to start a bin as well, if only to distract himself. "I mean- Max is back, finally. El's wierd sister showed up. It turned out the Upside Down is some wierd wormhole-bridge. And I actually- well," Will looks up at Mike, again to find him already staring back, with a look he can't quite place. "Well, you know."
Suddenly, Will is engulfed in Mike's arms, probably breaking their record for most hugs in 24 hours in the last two years. His curls are pressing against his face, triggering Will to give in, completely melting into the hug. It the warmest he has ever felt, despite standing in a dimension of perpetual cold.
"Um, Mike?" Will says, suddenly realising the awkwardness of the situation.
Mike pulls away and Will immedietely misses his warmth.
"Sorry- its just- I wanted a hug just with us. Just us. I could barely reach you earlier. I- I wanted you to know how- how crazy proud I am of you. Okay? Like crazy proud and in total awe of you right now."
"Awe? Really?" Chuckling, Will feels every nerve previously on fire relax. "I came out. It's not exactly saving the world." The words 'came out' felt weird on his tounge, but Mike didn't seem fazed in the least. In fact, his smile only grew.
Breaking his gaze, Mike takes on a sarcastic tone. "I mean you did kinda save the world- or mine at least- when you killed that demo, but who's counting?"
"With everything going on, we'll probably forget half this stuff tommorow."
"Will, I- um- I wanted to apologize. For ever making you feel like I wouldn't be okay with you. And before you try to deny it, I know I did, and this apology is like three years late."
They both know the night he's referring to, when he said things that left him feeling freezing cold drenched in rain for months.
"Mike, really it's-"
"No, no its not. I was a total jerk who only said that stuff because- well actually it doesn't matter why, nevermind." Mike's hand clenched Will's shoulder, squeezing tighter with every word. "The point is I am so so sorry, and I want you to know you will never, never lose me. Okay?"
Again, Will's fighting his body, both from tears and smile, neither of which feel fit for a moment like this.
"Thank you, Mike, really. I forgave you a long time ago."
Mike nodded before returning to his, seemingly completely pointless, job of rooting through a new bin. Will tried to do the same, but couldn't seem to wrench his eyes away from his friend.
Mike seemed to be silently struggling, impossibly at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing. His face set in an expression Will believes might be frustration and confusion.
"So, one thing I'm still confused about." Mike almost whispered, suddenly finding the words. "Who the hell is Tammy?"
For a second, Will froze, before laughing, probably the hardest than he has since the actual Tammy conversation with Robin. He found himself explaining the whole story, without of course outing his new friend. By the end, Mike was laughing right along with him, but the confusion still seemed to linger.
"So-um," Mike, suddenly serious and face adorned with a slight frown, lowered his voice. "Who's the lucky guy?"
The question was a flaming gun, aimed right at Will's heart. He froze, eyes widening like a deer in headlights. Mike, too seemed frozen, fixating at a crack in the wall, perhaps realising the question's implications.
"Like was it someone in Lenora? Or?" Eyes still not leaving the wall, Mike tried to force some casualness into his voice, but it only came out awkward.
"No," Will found himself saying. "There wasn't a guy in Lenora."
"Oh. A guy in Hawkins then. Do I know him?"
Only too well, Will thought.
"Yeah. Yeah you do. He was, well is, a- a um- friend."
Now it was Will's turn to stare at the wall, while Mike dragged his gaze up to Will, confusion even stronger.
His voice softens. "Who?"
"Mike, " Tears threaten to fall and his voice cracks. "I think you know."
There it was. The final domino. The final act. Every card has been played.
Mike's hand brushed Will's jaw, and- when did Mike get so close?- he slowly tilts his face towards himself, forcing the shorter boy to look him in the eye.
"Please, Will. I need to hear it."
Will mustered every last ounce of courage before speaking the word that acts like a bomb.
"You. It's always been you, Mike."
Finally, lifting his eyes, he finds Mike's, which also seem teary.
After an what feels like an eternity, Mike speaks, "So, I'm your Tammy?" His gaze drops slightly, catching on Will's lips. "Cause I was kinda hoping to be a little more than that, if you'll have me?"
Will couldn't help but laugh. Mike wants him and he is talking about Tammy fricking Thompson. He nods, tears gently releasing.
Mike doesn't waste a second, connecting their lips and collapsing Will's whole world. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle and both sought the other like a starving man seeks water. It feels like hours before they pull away, breath heaving. Their forehead's gently come together.
"Will, I- I really, really hope you take back that whole Tammy statement, cause for me? I think it has always been about you. You set off these feelings in me until they became too hard to ignore. Everything I have learned about myself, finds its roots in you."
Mike's eyes find Will's, locking on to each other despite the stream of tears.
"Screw this Tammy metaphor. Its total shit. Becoming comfortable with myself, happy with who I am, that may not have had to do with how I feel for you Mike, but once I did that I never, ever, stopped wanting you, stopped loving you!"
"Loving me?"
"Yeah, Mike, loving you."
"I love you too, you know."
"Well, now you definitely aren't Tammy." Will chuckled at the pure craziness of this situation.
"Hey, I thought we agreed that metaphor's shit?"
They dissolve into laughter, tears still wet on their faces, lips getting swollen. Limbs interlock until you can't tell where one boy ends and the other begins. Evenually the leave the pantry, ever the more prepared to face the evils thrown at them.
They walk out hand in hand, and this development doesn't get a monolouge or an emotional conversation with the Party. Because this, Will's hand in Mike's, has never needed explaining.