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After all these years, after all these hardships, they had finally graduated. Somehow. That's probably a story for later though.
Will was stood around Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Mike. Dustin had just made his "for-Eddie-but-also-for-the-history-books" speech and they were collectively still cheering for him. Dustin's speech had obviously heightened his status with the ladies, as him and the rest of the group were by some miracle invited to a party that would probably consist of an endless amount of drunken teenagers and cops called. Sounded like it could lead to the time of their lives! Was it even a question?
And that's how they ended up in Mike's basement instead of Stacey's house. Playing D&D, just the way they liked it.
The party had decided to finally let their 3-day-long campaign come to an end as a way to signify their graduation and end of an era, before watching their favourite movie afterwards. They felt as though they deserved it. Will was thrilled with this idea, of course. Not only did he get to play D&D and watch his favourite movie, he got to spend it all with his favourite people, including his boyfriend, Mike.
Will was seriously stressed about this campaign. For some reason everything he was doing wasn't working and he kept being defeated. He was practically being carried by the rest of the party and he was fairly sure they were gonna kick him into the fireplace soon enough if he didn't step up his game. It also didn't help that he had to be sat directly opposite Mike the whole time, staring straight at him which just made him all the more distracted. Mike knew the effect he had on Will, as every time he would refer to him as that stupid name, Sorcerer, it would earn him a hard kick to the shin from under the table. It drove Will crazy. He also loved it. But he could obviously never admit that to Mike.
Will was biting his thumb, deep in thought. He had to win this.
"So... what's your move, Sorcerer?", Will's eyes slowly drift up to meet Mike's smug gaze. There it is again. Mike continues dramatically, raising his eyebrows slightly, "Are you going to attack and either grasp the victory or possibly perish in a most excruciatingly painful death, or are you going to cast protection and live to see another day?"
Will tries impeccably hard to ignore Mike's eyes which were slowly putting him in a daze as he made his decision. It was now or never.
"Attack." Will says quietly but surely. Everyone holds their breaths.
Mike smirks. "The Sorcerer lifts his staff to extinguish the Thessalhydra! And... nothing happens. The Thessalhydra whips her tail, impaling everyone who crosses her path. Defeat!"
Will slinks back in his chair. Dustin curses. Lucas punches the table before retracting in pain.
Max groans. "So that's it? Defeat?"
"Yep." Mike replies.
"This is so stupid! Whatever. Let's just watch the movie now." Max grudges before migrating over to the couch in front of the TV.
"What movie did we agree on? The Outsiders?" Lucas chimes in, plopping down next to Max.
"You already know," Dustin replies.
Mike takes a glance at Will before turning towards the group. "Okay, well you guys find the VHS tape while Will and I go to the kitchen."
Will comes back to his senses after his humiliating loss just minutes beforehand to register what Mike just said, and when he looks up, Mike is already halfway up the basement stairs. Will follows quickly behind him. Mike catches him at the top of the stairs, grabbing his wrist and dragging him up to his bedroom, and before he knows it, he's standing with his back towards the inside of the door as Mike clicks the lock shut.
"Mike, what are you--"
"Shhh.." Mike grabs Will's hands before pressing a quick kiss to his forehead, sending butterflies rummaging through his stomach. It's crazy how even after all this time, Mike still manages to make Will feel this way. "We'll go down in a second. I just wanted to have some time alone with you. Is that too much to ask?"
"Not at all." Will replies, smiling.
"So. What do you wanna do?"
Will lets out a laugh. "Mike, you're the one that brought me up here. You tell me."
"Right. Sorry. Nice move you made down there, Sorcerer."
Will thinks back to the mortifying defeat he just experienced. "Shut up. That was your fault!"
Mike gasps in mock offence, "how?!" Will just shrugs.
Their eyes linger on each other for a moment and Will is just about ready to faint.
"Can I kiss you?" Mike says, almost in a whisper.
Will scoffs lightly. "Mike, we've been dating for two years. You know you don't have to ask me every time. How many times do I have to tell you--"
Will barely gets the last word out before Mike's lips are on his, warm and familiar. The scoff quickly dies in his throat, replaced by a quiet inhale as Mike presses him against the door, the wood cool through Will's jacket, which actually belonged to Mike, but Will wore it often enough for it to just be established as his property now.
They take their time, lips moving in an easy, familiar rhythm knowing they most likely won't get another chance to do this for a few more hours. One of Will’s hands makes finds its way to its reserved place in Mike's hair, the other cupping Mike's face to further deepen the kiss. Will's head is now spinning as he feels Mike's arms snake around his waist, pulling him somehow closer, as if he might disappear.
A muffled voice drifts up from downstairs. Someone laughs. The house feels somewhat full and very far away all at once.
They break apart just barely enough to breathe, their foreheads pressed together. Mike smiles softly, like he's trying not to grin too big. His eyes flick from Will's mouth back up to his eyes, like he's debating whether stopping is even possible. "We should probably go," he murmurs, even though he doesn't move.
Will opens his mouth to agree, even though neither of them move, but Mike quickly kisses him again. Shorter this time, softer, but charged all the same. Almost like a reassurance. They finally pull back.
"Hey." Mike whispers, smiling at Will like he is the most precious thing he's ever laid eyes on.
"Hi."
Mike chuckles. "You look so cute right now." He presses a kiss to Will's cheek.
Will immediately feels his cheeks heating up. "Stop!" He says as he feels a smile creeping across his face.
"Baby, you know I'll never stop."
"Gross, Mike. Seriously." Will says lightheartedly.
"You know you love it." Mike replies, and, well, Will can't really argue with that. "Hey. Do you wanna stay over tonight? I mean like, after we watch the movie and everyone goes home. Just tell them Jonathan is picking you up later so they don't suspect anything."
Will's answer comes in the form of another kiss; short and sweet, lingering probably just a little longer than necessary, memorising the feeling. "Yeah," he whispers. "I'd like that."
Mike exhales, something like relief and happiness all at once. He brushes his nose against Will's, pressing one more gentle kiss to his lips, then another to the corner of his mouth, like he can't quite stop himself.
"Okay," Mike says, grabbing Will's hand, then scooping up a spare blanket he had draped over his desk chair so he had an extra excuse as to why they took so long. "Let's go before they start looking for us."
They make their way to the kitchen, grabbing a few snacks before heading down to the basement, finally joining their friends.
Lucas looks back as he hears the basement door open. "Well look who finally decided to join us! Took you guys long enough." He exclaims before getting up to steal the bowl of popcorn from Will's hands.
"Hey man," Mike begins to defend himself, holding his blanket in the air. "I can't watch a movie without this blanket! Do you know how long it took me to find it just now?"
Lucas just rolls his eyes, returning to his spot on the couch next to Max as Will just laughs at how dumb Mike sounds right now.
Mike turns his head to look at Will and gasps, "even you're not on my side?! You were with me while I was looking for it!"
"Yeah, yeah." Will giggles as he takes the fluffy blanket from Mike's grasp. "Let's go sit down."
Will drops down next to Dustin, making sure to save some space for Mike on the end of the couch, who has gone to go switch off the light.
Mike quickly returns before laying the blanket comfortably over himself and Will, earning a scoff from Dustin because "don't I mean anything to you guys?"
Will keeps his eyes on the screen, the familiar introduction of the movie playing out in flickering light and static audio, but it’s hard to focus as he feels Mike’s hand warm on his knee. He doesn't really need to focus anyway, he knows this movie by heart. They all do. Mike's thumb moves in slow, familiar circles. Will’s heart is racing, loud in his ears, and when he risks a glance at Mike, Mike doesn’t even look back. He just stares at the TV, calm and unfazed, like this is the most normal thing ever. Like he's not driving Will completely crazy.
Will sucks in a breath and lets his hand drift over, fingers threading through Mike’s without a sound. Mike squeezes once in response, barely noticeable, making Will's heart feel warm.
They sit like that as the movie rolls on, their friends still squished next to them on the small couch, definitely not made to fit five people, voices occasionally cutting in with commentary or laughter. No one’s paying attention to them-at least not closely enough to notice how Mike’s knee is angled just a little toward Will’s, or how their hands rest perfectly still between them unless Mike’s thumb starts moving again.
Bit by bit, Mike shifts closer. Not all at once. Nothing too obvious. Just small things; his shoulder brushing Will’s arm, his leg pressing more firmly against Will’s, the space between them shrinking so gradually Will barely realises it’s happening until it’s already gone. Every time someone laughs or leans forward, Mike uses it as an excuse to inch closer, like it’s accidental.
Will keeps still although his heart is racing, his gaze fixed on the movie, but his attention keeps drifting back to the warmth at his side, the quiet reassurance of Mike’s presence. Sometimes Mike leans in just enough that Will can feel his breath when he laughs softly at a joke, and it makes Will’s chest feel tight in the best way.
~
The movie is finished short after and the group are all beginning to get ready to leave. They all make their way to the front door, before Dustin turns to will asking, "Hey, you coming?" everyone turns to him.
"Oh. Uh, Jonathan finished work a bit later today so he said he'll come and pick me up. Have a safe ride home though! I'll see you guys tomorrow." Will replies.
No one questions it and they all say their goodbyes before leaving. Will watches Mike lock the front door before turning to Will with a small smile. Mike's parents are currently out of town for work and Nancy and Jonathan are at a party together, so Mike and Will have the whole house to themselves .
Will lets out a yawn before throwing himself into his boyfriend's warm embrace.
Mike giggles. "You tired?"
Will nods.
"C'mon, let's go."
They make their way up to Mike's bedroom. Will flops onto Mike's bed, making himself comfortable under the covers as though they're his own, while Mike locks the door for good measure.
Mike exhales as he lays down next to Will, meeting his gaze.
"Hi." Will mumbles with a small smile, eyes tired.
"Hi, baby." Mike smiles back.
Will, flustered, covers his face with Mike's blanket to hide the blush that has once again started to spread over his cheeks. He will never get used to this. Mike lets out a laugh as Will emerges from the blanket, cheeks still slightly pink and his hair messy.
Will stares at Mike contently as he feels his eyelids becoming heavier. He softly adjusts his position so that he is laying with his face comfortably in the crook of Mike's neck, taking in his familiar scent, letting his arm and leg drape across Mike's body. Mike fits against him like a puzzle piece, bringing his arms around Will's waist.
"Will?" Mike whispers in the moonlit room.
"Hmm?" Will replies, too tired to get any actual words out.
"Are you awake?"
"Mhm."
"I love you, Sorcerer." Mike whispers as he plants a soft kiss in Will's hair.
Will is exactly where he wants to be. "I love you too, Paladin."