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Will didn’t know Eddie Munson.
He had first heard about him from Dustin’s giddy calls, when he retold the tale of his crazy science fair, filled with sabotage, a duck and a last minute plot twist.
Will had wanted to be as excited as his friend, but listening to how Eddie was such a good Dungeon Master, and how their campaigns were amazing…well, it sucked, to be honest.
Neither Lucas nor Mike had touched a dice for the whole summer, even when Will was basically pleading for them to play, to have a sense of normalcy.
Well, in the end everyone had joined another D&D club and he, on the other hand, was left alone. That felt great, really.
Now, Will was sitting on a plane, destination Indiana, to go see his friends for spring break. Initially, it was supposed to be Mike and Nancy visiting the Byers, but El was missing Max and whatever El wanted, El got.
Which was probably a good idea anyway, ‘cause leaving your best friend to grieve her brother by herself is a shitty move, even if she couldn’t really do anything about it. Max wasn’t doing well, at least according to Lucas, whose voice kept breaking every time he whispered “I don’t know how to help her, Will” on the phone.
Will and Lucas hadn’t really properly talked in a long time, girlfriends and fights and supernatural stuff getting in the way, but that didn’t mean they didn’t care about each other. Will listened to him ramble about the basketball team, and feeling accepted for once, despite who he was. How he was.
The other boy was happy for him and also could understand the skepticism in Dustin’s voice when he complained about the same thing, but couldn’t condone it. Lucas deserved to explore new things, try something for himself. And if Dustin and Mike’s feeling were butthurt, well, so sorry for them. It does suck being left alone.
It’s not like Will knew exactly how that was, right?
So, El’s shaky hand in his, the plane was taking off. She had her eyes closed and was pointedly not looking out the window. Will felt the need to laugh: she could fight literal demons from supernatural hell but was terrified of planes. Obviously, he didn’t laugh, because he is too nice for that, and just squeezed her hand in reassurance.
Five long hours and a bumpy cab ride later, his foot stepped on Hawkins’ soil again. A shiver went down his spine, but he shrugged it off. He needed this to go well. He needed something to go well, for once.
Karen Wheeler opened the door in all her cherry-lipstick and sprayed-hair glory. Her nails were manicured, as always, and her smile poised. Even behind this perfect facade, he saw a flicker of genuine excitement in her eyes at meeting his.
“Will, you’ve grown so much!” She exclaimed, pulling him into a soft hug. Will chuckled and returned the embrace, something warm stirring in his chest. The Wheeler’s house had been somewhat his house as well, when he couldn’t be home because of his father constant shouting or worse. Ted Wheeler was…forgettable, and also kind of annoying, but Karen had always been on his side, with a big smile, fresh-baked cookies and comforting words. Will really missed her.
They pulled back from the embrace and the woman’s eyes fell to El, who was hovering at Will’s side awkwardly.
“Oh, you must be…Jade?” She tried.
“Jane.” Will clarified, with a small cough.
Her polite mask returned immediately and she nodded. “Right, Jane! Well, come in, everybody’s waiting for you.”
The two siblings stepped in the kitchen and, after a welcoming grunt from Ted, they descended the stairs to the basement, just to be met with seven pairs of expectant eyes.
“Will! El!” Dustin shouted, standing up immediately to launch himself into their arms. Lucas did the same, giggling. Max hung back with a roll of her eyes, but Will could see a small smile crossing her lips. Mike remained sat on the couch, looking at them, hands in his pockets.
“I can’t breathe.” Will chocked out between laughters, and slowly they all detangled themselves from another. On the other side of the room, Steve, Robin, and a guy with crazy hair, were passing cans and chips around, looking at them in amusement.
El didn’t waste any time and run to Max’s side, grabbing her hands and pulling her into a tight hug. The ginger’s eyes widened slightly but she didn’t resist the attack, melting into her embrace. Will’s heart grew a size at the sight.
“Damn Byers, you working out or what? You’re giving me some competition.” Lucas’ voice made him snap out of his thoughts.
“W-what?” He snorted.
“It’s true, you got, like, weirdly buff.” Dustin nodded. Will felt warmth creep up his neck.
“That’s not true, I’ve just been…running a bit.” He finished lamely.
“Well, whatever it is, it’s working.” Dustin emphasised again. The guy that Will couldn’t recognise stepped closer and ruffled his hair.
“Henderson, aren’t you taken? Your missus wouldn’t be happy to hear you flirt this way.” He said, mirth dancing in his eyes. Will was really blushing now.
“I-it’s not like that-“ he began, instinct kicking in, but the guy only laughed and put out his hand to him.
“I’m just fucking with you. Name’s Eddie, nice to finally meet you.”
Will blinked and took his hand, tasting the cold rings around his fingers.
“Finally?”
Eddie sighed and shook his head. “These ones talk about you all the time. Oh, Will was such a good cleric. Will would know what to do in this situation. They go crazy for you, especially that one.”
Eddie nodded in Mike’s direction, whose head snapped back so quickly, Will was actually worried he had hurt himself. He was pointedly not looking at them.
Then, the words caught up to his brain and he frowned.
“Really?”
Mike didn’t call or write to him, but he talked about him all the time? This didn’t make any sense. But Eddie’s smirk didn’t waver and he just nodded again.
“Well, we should play while you’re here. I’d like to see how much of these stories is actually you being talented, and how much is your friends being head over heels in love with you.”
Dustin snickered and pushed his elbow into Lucas’ arm with a conspiratorial murmur, and the other shushed him and slapped him back. Will looked at them fondly. Oh, he had missed them.
He turned back to watch Mike, who seemed to have finally got out of his trance and was talking to El, holding her hand softly and listening to her excited rambling. Will tried to ignore the usual sting in his stomach, turning away from the scene, but he couldn’t stop a small sigh escaping his lips. He sat down on the floor with everyone else and started crunching on chips and popcorns as Dustin recounted again the tale of the science fair, Steve teasing Eddie in the background because Really, Munson, you’re afraid of ducks?.
As he was listening intently to his friends, he suddenly felt a presence next to him, only to turn around and meet Mike Wheeler’s eyes. He almost chocked on his popcorn.
“Hi.” Mike whispered softly.
“H-hey.” Will croaked back, trying to disguise his cough.
Mike looked like he wanted to say something else but then he just turned to the others and grabbed a handful of chips, mindlessly popping them into his mouth in silence.
Will tried to return his attention on his friend’s dramatic retelling of the events but he could feel something weird in the air. He looked up only to see Eddie Munson’s scrutinising gaze on himself. He smirked when Will noticed him and tilted his head towards Mike, raising his eyebrows teasingly.
Will couldn’t be sure of what he meant but he had an idea. And that made him blush.
Fuck, not even five minutes in and a stranger had already clocked there was something weird in Will? How obvious was he being? Could other people tell?
He nervously looked down and tried to ignore the panic that was rising up his throat, threatening to spill all over the carpet. This week was supposed to be good. It would be, if Will managed to stop being weird for once. He took a big breath and ignored the feeling in his stomach, pushing everything down. That was something he was exceptionally expert in doing, after all.
A couple days later, Will woke up in an exceptional bad mood. He and El had been staying at Dustin’s house, who had enthusiastically offered since there was loads of space anyway, his mom happy to have guests for once.
Karen had offered first, but Will wasn’t really feeling it: he’d have to wake up dreading to see El and Mike smooching first thing in the morning, or meet Nancy’s crazy stares as she was still mad Jonathan had bailed on the trip. Yeah, he didn’t really know what was going on there, but he had a feeling something was brewing.
Still, El was fine with whatever solution, and Dustin was happy to have them, so that was it. Mike seemed only mildly disappointed when El told him about the arrangement over the phone, but honestly Will couldn’t hear that much, so he had no idea if it bothered him or not.
So, Will woke up in a bad mood, because that was the day they were supposed to meet at Mike’s to play D&D. Now, he was obviously still very much into the game, but he also felt the sting of betrayal every time it was brought up.
Maybe it was childish, but sue him.
He was just dreading sitting down for hours next to Mike, who didn’t seem able to speak to him for more than thirty seconds at a time, and Eddie who kept giving him those obvious stares. Will had gone through enough. This was the last thing he needed, thank you very much.
He arrived to Mike’s basement, dread pooling into his stomach, only to find Eddie sitting on the couch, by himself. In his hands, a small Rubik’s cube that was nowhere as close as being solved. He looked up from the offending toy and smirked.
“Byers.”
Will awkwardly stepped closer and sat down on the opposite side of the couch.
“Hey. Did I arrive too early?”
Eddie shook his head, his crazy curls bouncing everywhere. “Nah, Wheeler just got sent to the grocery store last minute by his mother to get stuff for dinner. We’re fine, he’s gonna be back in a few.”
Will nodded and looked down at his fingers, fiddling with them. He was beginning to try and count the dots on the carpet to pass the time, when Eddie spoke again.
“You know, actually, why don’t we talk for a second about Wheeler, mh? I was under the impression that you guys were friends.”
Will looked up and frowned.
“We are friends.”
“Well, I never even see you around each other. From the way Wheeler talks about you, I thought you were gonna be joint at the hip or something. It’s like you hung the stars in the sky, if you were to listen to him.”
Will’s cheeks flushed and he looked away. He felt too vulnerable, and too sad at hearing that. That’s not the Mike he knows now. He might have been once.
“That’s a bit much.”
Eddie shook his head, as if Will was being difficult on purpose.
“I’m telling you, I actually thought…” he trailed off. Will’s eyes followed his throat, an empty swallow as his face hardened.
“What did you think?”
“I thought there was something more there.” He breathed out. “I thought Mike was…like me.”
Will pondered his words, in silence.
Something more.
Like me.
His face was now properly on fire, or at least it sure felt like it.
“You mean…”
Eddie made an annoyed noise and turned around with determination.
“I thought Mike was into you. You know, he liked boys and stuff. Like me.”
Now, Will considered himself to be at least a little brave. He had survived in an alternate dimension, fought a supernatural entity that possessed him and monsters. But in that moment, Eddie freaking Munson was the most fearless person in the world to him.
“I don’t think Mike is like that.” He began softly.
Eddie’s face fell but Will took a deep breath and continued.
“I am, thought.”
The other’s head snapped back up immediately, a ridiculous smile making its way on his face.
“Really?”
Will nodded, not really trusting his voice. That was scary. But Eddie had needed it and honestly, Will had too.
“Well, that’s cool Byers.” He chuckled. “I knew there was something about you. Like, in a good way.”
Will huffed amusedly. There were so many things about him, at this point.
“I guess. I just- I never told anyone.”
A silent nod quieted his fears.
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Eddie teased.
“Tell what?”
The two jumped apart with a start, turning around to find one lanky Mike Wheeler looking suspiciously at them, grocery bag in hand.
“Oh, Mikey, finally! I thought I was gonna have to kill off your character since you were taking so long.” Eddie smirked, brushing off his question. Will was silently thankful.
Mike shot him a weird stare but didn’t press further, just laid out the snacks he had bought and sat down next to him, thighs close to Will’s.
Now, that was another thing. Mike won’t really talk to him, but he will touch him, and sit with him, and hand him his Coke before he even asks. Silently. As if it was just an afterthought. To Will, it was everything.
Eddie raised his eyebrows and sneakily sent Will a look, which the other pointedly ignored, rolling his eyes. He doesn’t need any more false hope. Eddie could think whatever he wanted, but he was definitely wrong about “Mike being into him”.
The other way around, well. That was something different.
When the other Party members finally had the decency to show up, the campaign started. Will, shoving aside all his resentment and hurt feelings, was actually having fun. And not because Mike’s hands were often brushing against his arm, or his foot pressing against his, or his voice had dropped to a softer tone when he said “Will, it’s your turn to roll”.
That was definitely not the reason.
At least, not the only one. Will was actually enjoying being back in Mike’s basement, just the four of them (and a crazy-haired addiction), playing like when they were kids. He thought he had lost this forever. He had grieved all of it already.
A weird feeling was bubbling in his insides, dangerously close to a cry, and he couldn’t help but suppress a sniffle while Lucas and Dustin were arguing about their next move.
A gentle hand wrapped around his wrist.
“Hey, you okay?”
Will looked up. Mike was there, with his worried eyes and rosy lips and…
He really felt like crying now.
Mike must have seen something on his face, because his expression turned frantic and he immediately shouted out “I think it’s time for a break!”
The other three turned to look at him, their argument forgotten mid-debate. Surprise was written all over their face but Mike didn’t waste a second explaining.
“I need to go to the bathroom. And we need more snacks.” He rambled quickly. “Will, can you help me get some from upstairs?”
Will couldn’t trust his voice and didn’t really know what was going on, but what other answer could he give Mike Wheeler if not yeah, sure like always?
The kitchen was quiet, only the soft buzz of the microwave could be heard. Mike was leaning against the counter, shuffling on his feet. It seemed like all the energy from his outburst had dissipated and now he didn’t know what to do with himself.
Will wasn’t much better, just standing awkwardly near the table. His mind was still hazy.
“Thank you.” He murmured after a while. Mike perked up, and he stood a bit straighter.
“Hey, it’s nothing. Is everything…okay?” He asked, softly. His voice wasn’t just careful, Will noted, but also unsure. As if he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.
Mike Wheeler? The same one that usually had his mouth run ten times quicker than his brain?
Will chuckled. “It’s nothing, I was just overwhelmed. Nostalgia.”
A small smile broke Mike’s serious expression. “Yeah?”
“Yes. It’s stupid, but last summer I really thought I was never going to have this again. And now I do but I almost can’t believe it.”
Mike nodded. His eyes were shifty.
“Will, you know I’m so sorry about last summer, right? Like, I can’t stress enough how badly I fucked up.”
Will didn’t know how to respond. He didn't want to think about it.
He settled for his standard reaction, when it came to Mike.
“It’s okay.”
Mike’s brows furrowed. “No, it’s not. I was such an asshole. And - he sighed, pushing himself off the counter and stepping closer to Will - I know we haven’t really talked these months you’ve been away but…I get it, you didn’t want to hear from me, and it’s totally fair.”
Confusion crossed all over Will’s face. “What do you mean? I didn’t want to hear from you? Mike, I spent months waiting for…”
He trailed off. Best not finish that thought. It was already incriminating enough as it was.
“Uhm. I tried calling everyday for weeks. You’d never pick up, so I just assumed you were still mad at me.” Mike mumbled, looking away from him. He was always doing that, Will noticed. Why?
Wait. Scratch that thought.
Mike called?
“You called?” Will breathed out.
A shy nod.
“Mike.”
“Yeah?”
“Mum got a phone job and she was always hogging it. I could only call Dustin and Lucas at like, crazy hours of the night on the weekends. I thought they had told you.”
Mike’s face was unreadable.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” Will murmured nervously. “And I saw you wrote to El, so I thought you would have done the same if you wanted to talk to me. But you didn’t. And…that’s why I didn’t reach out. I thought you didn’t want me to.”
The microwave pinged. Mike was still frozen. Will was getting worried now.
“Mike? Are you okay?”
A beat, and then Mike burst out in laughter, grabbing his shoulder and shaking frenetically.
“Mike? Have you finally snapped?” Will asked, but he was laughing too, not even knowing why.
“Fuck. I’m so mad, this is ridiculous. I was so miserable for months because I thought I lost you.” Mike spit out, between giggles. Will felt a small stab in his chest.
“But it turns out it was just…both of us thinking the same wrong thing. How is that not absolutely the most ridiculous thing ever, mh?”
Will tentatively put his hand over Mike’s and tried to catch his eyes.
“Mike?”
Between the giggles, a sob escaped the other’s lips.
“Fuck, Will. I’m so mad. I keep seeing you slipping through my fingers without being able to do anything about it. I was so lonely without you.”
His shoulders were shaking now, laughter fully turned into a soft cry.
There were many things Will Byers didn’t know in the world, but consoling his best friend? That he knew.
He immediately wrapped his arms around Mike’s neck and pulled him into a soft embrace and could hear the moment Mike’s resolve just broke, tears spilling out relentlessly. Will held him tight, sighing into his neck and trailing small circles on his back. He accidentally caught some of Mike’s hair with his fingers and elicited a small whimper and a shiver from the other guy.
Will pointedly did not think about that noise. Nope. Just best friend stuff.
After a few minutes and many, many sniffles, Mike pulled slightly back, face red. He seemed unable to look in Will’s eyes and that was so frustrating.
“Uhm. Sorry about that.” Mike scratched his neck
“About what?” Will offered a small smile. “Mike. Can you look at me?”
The other obediently complied immediately, and Will couldn’t stop the thought of how pretty he was, even as he had just cried, eyes puffy and red.
“I missed you.” Will whispered, as if it was a secret, just for the two of them. “I had El, but it’s not the same. I just wanted to talk to you.”
Mike swallowed, but didn’t look away. He seemed about to cry again. Will couldn’t have that.
“I just thought…” Mike sighed. “Maybe you had found other friends, and were having fun and had forgotten about me- about us.” He recovered quickly.
Will shook his head. That was his Mike. Five year old, do-you-want-to-be-my-friend on the swing set, Mike.
“I would never forget you. And honestly, it looks like neither of us is great at making new friends. Dustin told me it’s been…rough.”
Mike grimaced. “Yeah, but that’s to be expected. We are kind of losers. You, on the other hand…”
Will tilted his head, eyebrows up expectantly.
“What about me?”
“Well, you’ve always been the most liked in the group, by a mile. Mothers, teachers, girls…And, Dustin was right, you got…” he gestured to his shoulders, and now the two were sporting matching blushes all over their faces.
“Dustin and Lucas were just kidding. I didn’t really change that much, honestly.”
Mike scoffed. “Oh, you should have heard my mother! Will is so handsome now, and Holly was all like, he looks like Prince Charming.”
If the Upside Down had broken through the ground and swallowed him whole in that moment, Will would have gone willingly. There were just so many shades of red in the world, after all. His cheeks had gone through all of them, probably.
“That’s…cute, I guess?” He giggled, embarrassed.
Mike was now, finally, watching him.
There was a beat of silence. Will tried to scramble for something to say, but he didn’t have to, because Mike beat him to it.
“Me and El broke up.” He blurted out suddenly. Will was taken aback, both by the totally random topic and by the actual thing Mike had said.
“What? Why? When?”
The taller boy shuffled on his feet and put his hands back into his pockets. Why did Mike always look uncomfortable around him? He thought they were fine now.
“We broke up quite a while ago, via letter. But we really talked about it the first day you came here.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, Mike. I didn’t notice anything different, I’m so stupid. El must have been sad, and you-”
Mike stopped his rambling, squeezing his shoulders softly.
Oh, Mike was in his space again. Huh.
“Will, it’s fine, neither me nor her are sad. We’re still friends, good friends at that. It just…wasn’t working. Hadn’t been for a while.”
Will silently nodded.
“Okay.”
“Okay.” Mike repeated. He didn’t seem to had any intention of letting Will go.
A nervous chuckle escaped from his mouth.
“We should probably go back to the others…”
Mike didn’t move, he wasn’t even blinking. Will would have been terrified if he wasn’t so gorgeous in his eyes.
“Mike?”
“What were you and Eddie talking about, earlier?” He suddenly asked. Will felt his blood freeze.
“Uhm. We were just joking around.”
“Will.” Mike urged, his voice cracking slightly. “Please.”
Maybe Will was a bit fucked up in the head, but hearing Mike plead was actually one of the sweetest sounds ever.
Still, he couldn’t really tell him. But friends don’t lie, reminded him an annoying small voice in the back of his head.
“Eddie just had this crazy impression that…like, there was something going on. Between you and me.” He chocked out with a nervous laugh.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Crazy right?”
Mike frowned. “Is it that crazy?”
Will stopped his fake laughter immediately, his eyes widening comically.
Ex-fucking-cuse me?
“What do you mean, Mike?”
The other made a distressed noise, his hands sliding down Will’s shoulders to rest on his arms. Will’s skin prickled happily under the touch.
“I- well, I obviously care a lot about you. And I like being around you. So, it’s not that weird he thought that I…I liked you like that.”
Will blinked.
“Doesn’t that apply to all of our friends, thought?”
The frustrated noise from the back of Mike’s throat came back. He squeezed Will’s arms.
“No, it’s different! It’s different when it’s you.”
“Why?”
Mike’s eyes were so, so full of something Will couldn’t decipher. If it was anyone else, he would have said it was hope, or desire, or…love, even?
But it was Mike, and so Will just shrugged in defeat and leaned on the table behind him. Mike’s body followed his movement, crowding his space.
“Why is it different, Mike?” He whispered. He couldn’t risk being bold, couldn’t risk reading something wrong.
But he needed to know, even if it would break his heart. Again.
Mike’s eyes fleeted from Will’s own, to his lips, back to his eyes and his brows furrowed. If in confusion, or determination, Will couldn’t say.
What he could say, in fact, was that Mike’s lips were soft, and warm, and tasted like Reese’s and Coke. The thought would have made him smile fondly if he wasn’t absolutely paralysed with shock.
Mike was kissing him.
Alarm bells and wedding bells were overlapping in Will’s, poor, tired, brain.
He willed himself to snap out of it and actually be brave, once more. Just once more, it would have been worth it.
He pressed his lips back against Mike’s and immediately laced his hands around his neck, pulling slightly at his hair and pushing him close. Mike groaned, leaning more into him, trapping him against the table and his firm body.
Will wasn’t complaining. Actually, Will thought he was dreaming.
He smiled into the kiss and softly whispered Mike, which was definitely the right thing to do because the boy made an intelligible sound and grabbed his thighs, lifting him up on the table in a swift movement. He pushed his legs apart and slid in between, grabbing Will’s face and kissing him hard, and Will felt dizzy. In a good way.
A very good way.
He was just about to wrap his legs around Mike’s hips when someone very pointedly cleared his throat behind them, and they both looked up in surprise, heads bumping against each other.
“Ouch!” Mike lamented, scratching his forehead. Will turned to the intruder and couldn’t help but flush when he saw Eddie leaning against the kitchen’s door, eyebrows raised.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to ruin your fun but the guys are hungry for both popcorns and justice.” He chuckled with a solemn tone.
Will cleared his throat, leaning back a bit from Mike. The other was watching Eddie with a mortified look.
“Oh, don’t give me that, Wheeler. It’s not as if I didn’t know, you were very obvious. Will was the best, his drawings were just magic.” He mocked, stepping aside to finally grab the popcorns in the microwave. Mike blushed,
“You really said that?” Will giggled. Mike hid his face in Will’s shoulder and mumbled something very close to shut up.
Will laughed more.
Eddie sighed and grabbed another pair of chips bag. “Well, I’m going back to the perilous cave. Whenever you’re ready, we could use a paladin and a cleric. Oh, and, Will?”
Will looked up.
“Yeah?”
“I told you so.” Eddie smirked.
The boy laughed again, while Mike turned around just to flip him over and then burrowed his face in Will’s chest again.
Yeah, Will didn’t really know him, but Eddie was okay.