Chapter Text
Late in the evening they lay limply on the basement floor, two sets of legs a tangled mess. Mike was on the floor with his arms spread out, like he was trying to form some kind of snow angel out of the carpet.
Meanwhile, Will was laying right across from him but without his arms being spread out, his hands were laying still on his stomach and he was sort of on top of Mike. Well just his legs. They both weren’t doing anything in particular, there was just a comfortable silence surrounding the pair in the chilled room. Mike was staring at everything and nothing, so fast everything felt like it was spinning.
But Will, on the other hand, was looking at him. It’s all he could do recently, look at Mike. Things Will would’ve never noticed in the last decade of being best friends, he now noticed. A lot of small seemingly unimportant details.
Some of those details were how Mike’s freckles were evenly spread out on both sides of his face. It looked gorgeous on his icy pale skin and both of those features would look so pretty under any light that would so happen to shine on him. The way his dark hazily brown eyes would softly flutter shut when he was deep in thought, or in the middle of a conversation that held all his attention. And how his black curly hair was always carefully falling around his face, like it knew exactly how to have a certain affect on Will, in so many ways. And his lips, something Will never focused on much until this past year.
Everything about Mike’s lips were, what words could never even explain. Their darker blush colour and slightly dry nature looked so appealing and inviting for Will. Even now just laying across from him, Will didn’t want to waste this opportunity to stare at them. They were slightly parted with the smallest gap, you could see his barely uneven teeth and you could tell Mike’s breathing was calm. Will couldn’t help himself but picture how the feeling of his lips against Mike’s would be like from the occasional movement of his tongue gliding over the dry surface.
Every single thing about the other drives Will insane. These feelings were to be honest overwhelming sometimes, but he really didn’t mind it. He felt curious about these new thoughts that had crawled their way up into his head about his best friend.
Shifting around slowly, Mike seemed to be shaking himself out of his senseless dazed stare of the basement which could've been considered a weird staring contest with how long it lasted. He lifted himself up a little bit off of the basement floor, both elbows pressed against the soft materiel of the worn out beige carpet. Curls fell in front of his eyes and Will immediately noticed how Mike's eyes had caught his own stare. "Will?"
"Yeah?", it was a response that came out a little bit too fast, Will looked away for a second trying to hide the small blush rising up to his face. He really didn't need Mike to see it or even catch on to his weird thoughts. "Should we do something? Or like talk or even just do something?", Mike said before he started playing with the feet which were still tangled with his own, a small silent battle that they both liked to play for no apparent reason. "Like what Mike? I don't really see much we could even do down here." With that reply, Will heard a small sigh leaving the others mouth. Will felt bad but he knew deep down that Mike would agree with him, lately there wasn't really anything to do around Hawkins or the Wheeler's basement that was a big part of the party's childhood. It had only been a few months after everything finally came to an end, the Upside Down gone for what is presumed to be forever. It was slowly starting to feel much more real, how everything had ended, including their childhood. Everyone else seemed to be getting along well with their lives and plans but for Mike and Will, they felt as though something is still missing or even incomplete.
Mike was now the one looking away, no blush plastered on his pretty pale features, just a look that could say so much for Will. He was in fact in agreement with the comment Will had made, there's literally nothing to do. "Want to watch a movie, I am sure there's something that we haven't seen yet.", Will got up suddenly, even though his body wanted to protest leaving the feeling of their feet being pressed together, in a weird tug of war. He headed towards the dusty shelf with a impressive collection of VHS tapes the Wheelers (with the help of the party) had collected over the past few years. He picked up the first one he saw, Stand By Me. Will hasn't seen it but he honestly wasn't sure about Mike but after just turning it in his direction, he was looking at Will again and gave him a little nod with a gentle smile.
Will knowing that for Mike that was a yes, now turned his complete attention to the VCR sitting on the shelf right next too all the tapes and the TV set. When all was set up properly, Will heard some light socked footsteps heading for the painfully noisy staircase leading up to the rest of the Wheeler's home. "Mike?," his attention fully focused on his best friend, a little confused, "Where are you going?"
Mike pointed up in the direction of the top of the stairs, "Blankets, I'll grab the ones from my room and at the same time some popcorn if you want?", Will just nodded and watched as Mike left quickly up to where Nancy and Jonathan were. Probably still helping Karen out with some dinner preparation, to grab the movie essentials he had forgotten about.
-
It was some time later, when Mike came back hurrying down those noisy basement stairs with a blanket (Will had thought would be in plural but was surprisingly wrong) and a bowl of popcorn. It wasn't completely popped but Will knew how Mike was, when it looked good enough it really was good enough. A simple thing that Will just so happened to pick up on some time ago, one of many simple things. They both sat comfortably next to each other on the soft couch, facing the film they had just started a good half an hour ago. The blanket was lazily draped on both of them, hiding the fact that Mike's knee was touching the bare skin of Will's. Since the weather was getting much warmer recently they had shorts on, making Will's line of thoughts sort of spiral out of control. Especially thinking of Mike's lips again which began to be a new normal. It was all he could focus on and embarrassingly the heat radiating off his face felt like it seemed to be reaching Mike, which luckily for Will it wasn't.
Playing softly in the background of all of Will's thoughts, Lollipop By The Chordettes (a familiar tune used in the film) was playing while the four young kids walked the railroad track in search of the missing dead body of a kid. It seemed oddly coincidental that a film Will himself had picked out, resembled many elements that reminded him of his time in the Upside Down. But all that didn't matter right now when he was too busy dealing with a completely new conflict, Mike and his stupid lips.
He couldn't help but steal a glance at them once again, he was curious how it would feel like for him and Mike to kiss. How it would feel like to be breathless from just soft little touches they would leave on each other's arms or faces, or if Mike would let himself be pulled in closer by the waist towards Will, while his other hand was softly messing up those beautiful dark curls he loved so much. If they pulled away who would lean right back in to steal another kiss, nothing too passionate, still as soft as the previous one. Would Mike lean in first or would Will muster up the guts to do it?
Mike kissing Will, that's something that just made the train of thoughts worse, making Will feel lightheaded. But all of that was interrupted when a soft touch was felt on his arm.
"Will? Will? Hey Will?," was all he heard when he was shaken a little aggressively out of his thoughts and now looking at an extremely concerned Mike Wheeler, "Sorry." That was all he could muster out without spoiling the mood in the room they sat in, since the embarrassment of what he was thinking about was too much.
"Are you okay?," his expression showed an insane amount of concern, Will felt a tight knot in his stomach just looking at it. When Will didn't say anything Mike pressed on, "Got lost up in your thoughts again?" he gave a little nudge too Will's shoulder not caring for how embarrassingly red Will looked. He was extremely blushed like a rose and could even camouflage perfectly in a bouquet of them right about now. No matter, ignoring how ridiculous he probably looked Will just nodded, answering what question? Shit, Will doesn't even know, he just wanted Mike to stop worrying about him. He hates having someone he cares for be worried, especially Mike.
No words were said from either boys after that, they just carried on sitting in a comfortable silence with the movie playing.
-
Some time later Mike suddenly wrapped his arm around Will's shoulders, it slightly brushed the back of Will's neck and pulled him in closer like the way a normal friend would hug another friend. Unfortunately for Will he wasn't that type of normal friend, and his mind started thinking about how much he wishes to cuddle even more into this small gesture from his best friend. A small gesture that makes Will want to search for the comforting warmth of the person he craved to be the most affectionate with, but knew deep down couldn't.
Will sat completely still, honestly thinking about that last thought, which had formed itself in his head. For some odd reason he felt like he could be wrong, maybe Mike might, and that's an extremely small possibility but he might reciprocate the same craving. Nervously, Will did something he really wished he didn't, dropped his head into the crook of Mike's neck.
Yes, its just Will's face burying itself into the crook of Mike's neck but it feels out of the blue and it felt wrong for no reason at all. Like it was too intimate, beyond what they would usually do. Which what they would usually do is simply a regular quick hug or pat on the back that would last 5 seconds or so (Will has counted, another simple thing he noticed recently), then they would move away from each other.
But right now in this moment it felt different. Will likes this closeness they currently have, so much, he didn't even realize his breathing had returned to normal and that a new weight had been pressed against his head. Mike laying against Will, it felt so comfortable to be sitting like this. Will closed his eyes for a moment and nestled his nose more into Mike's neck, he felt Mike shiver a little.
The movie was completely abandoned and forgotten by both boys at this point, the only sound heard was of each other's breathing. Will was internally screaming at himself for pushing this since now all he wanted was more, to be even closer to the boy he sat with.
Hesitantly he pulled away (even though he really didn't want to) and opened his eyes slowly, with just that one action all his movements stopped when the sight in front of him surprised him beyond words. Mike was staring right back at him, face inches away. Will gave a gentle but nervous smile towards Mike, it was reciprocated as Mike did the same but also lifted up one of his hands, moving a piece of hair out of the way that was in front of Will's eye. Will without meaning to, flinched away a little since it was not expected at all and Mike dropped his hand with a sigh. “Sorry.” Mike said quickly after Will had flinched. The movie seemed to be nearing its end as the two boys sat there just looking into each other’s eyes. Will took this time to really appreciate the dark hazily brown eyes of the person he cared the most about. Shining, they looked as though they were shining like a star in the sky. It’s like a whole world is in them and Will wanted to explore it without a care. But he also hated how they carried this sort of emptiness, something was missing in them.
Will must’ve gotten lost up in his thoughts for too long as Mike suddenly poked his nose, letting out a small laugh that reminded Will of his cute kid giggle that’s never left.
“Will.” He blinked and turned his head a little to the side, like a puppy, a really cute one. “Yeah.”, Mike pushed some curls out of his way and just grabbed Will’s face into his hands. “Why are you staring at me so much today?” Now it was Will whose head turned a little to the side in Mike's hands, “What do you mean?” Will just blinked, shit had he been that obvious, was Mike not really paying attention to the movie as well...
“Shit, sorry that kind of sounded rude or maybe not? I don’t know but you just have been looking at me, I don’t mind but like I was just curious, curious why?”
Will couldn't think of a single excuse for his staring, all that kept popping up into his head was the fact that he liked Mike, his best friend who he had met on some swings back when they were so much younger. So much younger and carefree, they couldn't care less about anything that had to do with the whole Upside Down, Vecna and the two worlds merging stuff.
He could simply just admit his feelings or attempt to hint at them but Will was way too terrified of the consequences that could occur. Those consequences being that he would potentiality be ruining their friendship that had been built for what feels like forever. Will in this moment really wished to turn back time, to when he had started catching these feelings for Mike and stopped himself. All of those thoughts stopped as once Mike brought his face a few inches even closer than a moment ago. And what happened in the next moment made Will's mind go blank, his breath hitched and body tensed up. A kiss.
It was a quick kiss, just a gentle press of lips on another pair of lips. It didn't last very long, after the small gesture Mike suddenly dropped his head onto Will's shoulder.
Will forced himself out of his perpetual pause that his body had forced itself into, a hand being brought up to the other's head, fingers playing softly with the black curls that are in front of them. It seemed to help calm whatever thoughts or emotions that Mike was feeling as he seemed to be less tense, his body fell slightly limp against Will's shoulder. His arms slowly wrapped themselves around Will's waist.
After a moment, which the both seemed to really need, to fully comprehend what had just happened with their shared small kiss. Both pairs of eyes met each other again. Mike's being fixated on one particular feature of his best friend. It was clear to Will that, he, himself wanted to feel Mike's lips on his again but it was almost definitely clear that Mike wanted to kiss again too. And it does happen, they both lean in this time Will being the one to initiate it this time.
Butterflies were felt in both of them, even if right now their lips were only pressed against each other it felt exhilarating and it felt right. Mike brought his hand up to Will's cheek caressing it gently with his thumb as he started moving his mouth against Will's. Of course Will didn't hesitate to reciprocate and started moving his mouth to the rhythm of Mike's.
Will still had one of his hands tangled into the mess of Mike's curls, he tugged at them slightly as they continued kissing. It could be felt that Mike was pulling Will a little closer trying to deepen the kiss and right when it really was, a noise was heard. Those annoyingly noisy basement stairs, that both boys didn't notice had someone coming down them fast. So fast they barely pulled away from each other in time.
"Hey guys dinner is re-oh shit sorry," that someone who was coming down the stairs and spoke was Jonathan Byers, Will felt immediately embarrassed. "Mom is still with Hopper but oh um Mike," he stopped and scratched the back of his neck before continuing "Your mom said that it's fine for me and Will to stay for the night."
Mike just nodded at that, nervously getting up from the basement couch and giving him a silent okay. He awkwardly headed back up to the main area of the Wheelers home for dinner. Will's eyes clearly following every movement, he smiles awkwardly when he happened to see Jonathan looking at him from the bottom of the stairs with a knowing look. Will ignored it and followed in Mike's footsteps but ended up getting stopped by Jonathan, he silently checks to see if Will is okay and apologies quickly with a "Hey sorry bud." and pats him on the back.
"Jonathan it's fine, it's not like we were doing anything just watching a movie." Will leaves it at that and finally goes up to join the others. Jonathan being Will's older brother and being around him all the time knew that what he had just said was a complete lie, he saw them but decided to let it be for the moment. But Will will come to him when it's time and he knows it.