Chapter Text
Mike didn’t know what he had expected from this bar. Honestly, his hotel was just a few doors away and he wasn’t looking to drink something that would cost him more than his wallet could carry. He had hoped for just a moment of silence, a moment of observation, people watching with a warm drink in his hand. But never in a million years did he expect to lock eyes with that specific shade of green he saw in his dreams.
“Will..?” He spoke hesitantly, eyes wide like he felt he was in a dream and entirely too afraid that someone would bump into him and wipe Will away and out of reach all over again. He didn’t know what to do, how to handle this. They lived their own lives now, even if Mike’s mind hadn’t ever parted from either Will or the past. It had been his own karma, having forced Will to grow up when they were like fourteen years old only to not be able to let go of the past himself.
Will felt like he could cry. What kind of sick joke was this? He almost felt like Vecna had to be responsible all over again. Mike’s hair sat the way it used to in ‘87, the wind probably having un-styled it but gracefully so.
“Mike.. what are you.. how-“ was all Will was able to exclaim, entirely too softly under the volume of the bar itself. Mike’s lips curled up, Will saw it, and he fought himself to not do the same thing. Because truth be told, not once in those six years had Mike reached out. Neither had Will, but that had only been fair. Will had fought for them to stay close throughout their entire friendship. He pushed his feelings down so that Mike wouldn’t find him disgusting. He lied about a stupid painting, saying El had commissioned it just to keep the peace and to save the day for Mike. He lied about Mike being his Tammy, all for him. All for Mike. All for the safety of their friendship. It would’ve only been fair if Mike showed some appreciation. And what had he once again gotten in return?
Radio silence.
”Oh wow, Will I can’t believe it.” Mike let out a relieved breath, still as oblivious as always Will concluded, as Mike walked over to the bar clearly expecting Will to walk around the bar himself too and reciprocate a hug. A hug Mike couldn’t give him at the airport one fall day. A hug Mike had given him when Will took down three demogorgons all at once. Mike, who hadn’t touched him ever since Will had come out.
But Will was a peacekeeper, once again.
He smiled and walked around the bar like he thought he wouldn’t, and immediately was being met with Mike’s shoulder and Mike’s cold winterjacket wrapping around his own shoulders. Will wrapped his arms around Mike too and let out a soft relieved sigh, the way Mike had when he had seen Will again for the first time. Too soft for Mike to hear, but perhaps he had felt Will’s lungs expand. It still felt like coming home. How painful.
This one is a bit shorter because it’s super late here, but I wanted to write a little something extra :)