Chapter Text
“No Mike, I don’t think it’s ‘chill’, actually I think it’s pretty ‘UNchill’!!!” Will yells across the room to Mike, his eyes lit with fury as he throws his flashcards on the ground. Pacing back and forth in Mikes bedroom as Mike looks up at him, fearfully confused.
“I- I just don’t fucking understand whats so important about this,” Mike stutters, “it’s like one exam dude you don’t need to always get a hundred percent, sometimes you can settle for a solid seventy six like me!” He adds, subtly trying to crack a joke, one that flies right over wills head in his moments of rage.
Will whips his head over to Mike after that comment somehow settles in his head amidst the swirling storm of thoughts flying around. He walks slowly up to him and sits down next to him on the bed, his eyes swelling up as he struggles to compose himself. Before he can even get one words out, a slow, gentle tear starts rolling down his cheek. Mike rushes his hand to cup wills face, thumb caressing his upper cheek as he puts his on hand on wills shoulder.
“Baby, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was stressing you out this much.” Mike slowly starts, “We can study for as long as you need I swear.”
Will gasps through his tears, pushing mikes hands off him. “Please Mike, just stop.” He adds, “it’s not about the t-“ he stops, “-final exam. And you know it’s not about that.”
Mike tilts his head slightly, as if he’s trying to see straight through wills brain, and sort out whatever thoughts are making him act like this. Mikes eyes too begin to well up as he slowly comes to understand what Will, beautiful Will, breathtakingly stunning Will is trying to say to him. The same Will that Mike sat with on the playground that very first say of kindergarten. The same Will that bravely confessed his feeling to Mike when he knew there would be a possibility that Mike wouldn’t like him back (Mike could never not like Will back). The same Will that Mike has come to every time he needs something, anytime he wants to be held, anytime he he just wants to lie in bed with his boyfriend quietly and look at him. This Will, was breaking up with him.
“Will, w-what are you doing…?” Mike whimpers out, “Why are you looking at me like that, what’s happening? I love you Will I love you. Please don’t ruin what we have it’s so special.”
Will wipes a a few more tears from his cheek as he quivers out a response, “Mike, we’re so different. Too different. I care about my grades, y-you don’t so much.” He sobs out as the tears start to flow more quickly, “I like painting, I LIKE school, I like spending time with my family. You don’t.” This time, Will brings his hand to Mikes cheek, “you like video games, and sleeping, and pranking our friends, and me.” He slowly rubs mikes face as he cries, “and as much as I wish that you liking me was enough,” he pauses, his voice cutting out through his sobs, “it’s not. It can’t be. I need someone who understands what I like, and puts forth the energy to learn about me.” He sniffles.
Mike is now full throttle sobbing, “Will I-I do care about you!! I love your paintings!!” He says, desperately trying to save their fizzling relationship.
“Mike.” Will speaks quietly, beginning to compose himself, “you couldn’t even acknowledge that I was studying for my FINAL. My final exam Mike. That’s how much you don’t listen to the things I say.”
“I-I knew it was ur final exam,” Mike sobs out quietly, his face reddening with embarrassment.
“You didn’t, and that o-“ Will stops, reminding himself that he’s not gonna let himself be treated the way he’s grown to just accept, not anymore. “and that’s whatever. I just, I need you to let me go Mike. I love you, and I always will, but you’re not giving me what I need for this relationship to thrive.” He straightens up, wiping the tears away from his cheek, “for me to thrive.”
“B-but I can! Just tell me exactly what I need to do and I’ll do it!!” Mike cries out, “Please Will, you’re my sorcerer. I can’t loose you.”
“Mike I need to go. This is over alright. Please don’t try to make it up to me.” Will says calmly, reclaiming the power he found within himself, “my mind is made up.”
“Will,” Mike croaks as he falls to the floor, desperately grabbing at Wills pant leg, “This is isn’t right. D-don’t do this please.”
Will shakes Mike off his leg as he gets to his bedroom door, leaving him a crying mess on the floor, “It’s right for me Mike.” Will begins to close the door as he turns back slightly, “goodbye.” He shuts the door behind him, hearing mikes wails on the other side, still pleading to the empty nothingness that has taken wills place in the room. Will falls back against the door slightly as a few tears begin to stream down his face. He knows he made the right move, that’s why it hurts so bad.
Mike wakes up with a gasp, panting as he looks up at his ceiling and begins to cry, real tears. He cries cause it wasn’t just a dream, it’s the 13th consecutive night in a row where Mike has waken up in a cold sweat after reliving the worst moment of his life. He slaps his palms to his face as he sobs thinking of Will, knowing he’ll never get over him.
Across town the rest of the group is hanging out. “So why didn’t wheeler show up tonight, huh?” Max asks goofily as she puts her card down. Dustin laughs at the question, “says he still can’t sleep,” he puts a card on top of max’s, “something about Will and all that fun, oh and Uno!” Lucas cocks an eyebrow at the statement, “and Uno? Mike can’t sleep cause of Uno?” He asks laughing at the statement. “No fuck face I got uno, Mike can’t sleep cause of Will.” Make looks down at the pile of cards then back at Dustin, “oh fuck you!” She laughs as she realizes he corned her in the game, “I give up whatever!” Dustin and Lucas collectively laugh at that.
“Oh my fucking god.” Will yells from the couch across the basement as Jane paints his nails, “Why can’t u just fucking live without him talking about me.” Jane giggles as he says that, smudging his nails by accident , “oops..” she begins quietly, “Uh! Jane!” He laughs seeing the mistake she made.
The rest of the group walks over to the couch, getting comfy as Dustin slides in a new movie, “Dude I don’t know but he’s distraught. Like I get calls every night about you.” He jokes, “At this point this is effecting me more than you!”
“He’s still calling you in the middle of the night??” Lucas laughs, “why the fuck don’t I get called? I guess I don’t matter as much as the all loving Dustin!” Max scoffs as she hits his leg, “I call you!” Lucas glances at her, “yeah, yeah,” he says sarcastically.
Wills clears his through as he begins, “but actually though, if I can get over it, why the fuck can’t he!?”
Their conversation his interrupted by the harsh chime of the phone ringing from the other side of the room.
“I’ll get it.” Dustin sighs as he gets towards the phone, “who’s there?” He questions as he lifts the phone to his ear.
“Okay okay man slow down chill I can talk for a minute just give me second.” He says into the phone as he covers the speaker and turns to the group on the couch, “speak of the devil!” He whispers annoyingly.
Wills clears sighs loudly as he erupts, “GOD CAN HE JUST GIVE IT UP AND GET OVER HIMSELF!?”
Mike pauses his sobs as he hears Will yell unintentionally through the phone, “I-is that Will?” He sniffles, “does he miss me?” Dustin sighs as he stretches the phone to the other room, “yeah man it’s him. I’m sorry to break it to you but no he still doesn’t miss you like that, We all miss you as our friend though.” He says gently into the phone. Mike swallows, “what do you mean?” Dustin’s clears his throat, “you don’t come around here anymore man. We all hang every day after school and you decline every time,” he sighs, “summer is almost here. Are you gonna suck it up and have fun with us or are you gonna sulk in your room all summer.” Mike scoffs, “dude you know I’m going through a lot an-“ Dustin cuts him off, “if Will could get over it so can you. Or at least can you fain it? Everyone misses your company man. Even Will.” Mike grins faintly through the phone, “Y-yeah I can try I guess.” Thanks man, listen we’ll all see you at school tomorrow and you can start hanging out with us ag-“ this time Mike cuts him off. “Can you put me on speaker for the group, I need to tell you guys something. “Uh y-yeah dude sure,” Dustin says, “guys uh listen up real quick Mike wants to say something.”
The group locks in quickly at the words as Dustin puts Mike on speaker mode, “h-hey guys,” Mike says quietly, trying to conceal the fact that he was just wailing, “I just wanted to let you know that my cousin Richie, t-the one from Maine,” he adds, “is gonna be staying around here for the summer,” he sighs, “and as much as I can’t stand him, my mom says we have to let him hang around our group.” He stops, waiting for someone to respond. “Sick man!” Lucas replies to fill the silence, you can hear a hallow laugh over the phone, “alright well uh cool, I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Mike adds before quickly hanging up the phone before anyone can respond.
“Richie, great.” Will says, “another Mike for me to deal with,” he snaps out jokingly as the group laughs.