Chapter Text
Mike wakes up to the sound of a plate clattering to the floor in the kitchen. Glancing at the night stand table, he sees it’s nearly eight in the morning. Groaning, he flips onto his back. He could never go back to bed after being woken up, and had hoped to sleep in. Their dnd session last night ended late, way later than intended, which was okay with Mike, but not his friends’ parents.
Mike listens to the voices clamoring below him. His sister, Holly, setting the table, his mom’s sarcastic tone no doubt meant for his father, and Joyce talking to Nancy. Then, finally, footsteps from the basement. Mike sits up, listening to see if it is Will’s footsteps or Jonathan’s. Will.
Mike stares at his closet, now, looking for what to wear. He chooses his clothes quickly and heads to the stairs, ruffling his hair on the way down. Will is standing in the kitchen, peeling an orange. Mike’s heart rate speeds up. Beautiful. Will looks up and catches Mike’s gaze, smiling back at him. Mike hadn’t realized he was grinning. He heads to the table to grab the coffee pot.
“Late night, Michael?” His mom teases.
“You could say that,” he replies with a sideward glance at Will, who stifles a laugh.
“I could hear you boys into the morning,” Ted complains. “Barely got a wink of sleep.”
That’s because you sleep on the couch, Mike wants to say. He chooses to spare his mom, this time. “Nancy was there too,” he says instead.
“Against my will,” Nancy protests.
“You played an important role!” Mike pours the coffee, spilling a few drops and burning his thumb. He brings his thumb up to his mouth, nursing his burn, and continues, “I’m so glad you came down from your princess tower to spend time with the plebians.” He hears Will snort.
Mike stands near Will while the rest of the family fights over breakfast.
“It was a really fun session with Nance,” Will admits.
“Yeah, it was, I’m glad she joined.” Mike pauses. “Hey, what are you up to today?”
“Hmm…” Will eats a slice of orange. “I was planning to solve world hunger and end all wars… nothing crazy. What about you?”
This banter has become normal for them. Mike has come to crave it. He takes a sip of coffee, savoring the look on Will’s face as he waits for an answer.
“Oh, cool, cool.” Mike nods. “I was going to do the world hunger thing, but I suppose you beat me to it… So I guess I have nothing going on today. Want to hang out after you’re done being a hero?”
Will’s eyebrows raise and he shrugs, as if to say only because I have nothing else to do. He places another piece of orange on his tongue. Mike watches the slice and imagines Will’s tongue on his. Would he taste of mandarins? Or licorice? Lucky charms? What would his tongue feel like on his neck? Curious and wandering? Steady? Rough? What Mike would do to feel Will’s warmth against him…
“Michael?”
He looks toward his mom, startled. The table is quiet; it’s clear that she had already asked him a question.
“Um, what was that?” Stop thinking of Will’s mouth. “Sorry, I was just thinking of ideas for the next session,” Mike lies, trying to play it off.
“It’s fine,” Karen states, though it definitely doesn’t sound fine, Mike notes. “I asked if you can help me today with some errands.”
“Oh, uh,” Mike sips his coffee. “Yeah, sure.”
He looks apologetically at Will.
“How about we meet at five?” Will suggests. Mike’s lips curve into a smile.
“Yeah. Five.” Mike’s hand grazes Will’s elbow as he passes by him to go back upstairs.
Mike doesn’t see Will’s face flush, nor does he notice Will’s smile lingering as he heads back to the basement to get dressed.
At the store, Karen walks with Mike towards a perfume section.
“I thought we were getting a present for Cath,” Mike states.
Karen nods. “Yeah, well, these perfumes might be a good gift… if I happen to find something I like, too, well, that would just be a bonus.”
As his mom samples some perfumes, Mike wanders through the aisle toward the men’s cologne. He smells one - mint and lemon - and cringes a bit. Another - bergamot and orange. That one is nice. He ends up spraying one on his neck- vertiver and cedar. Tapping the tops of the bottles, he catches sight of one that interests him. Musk? What kind of a name is that? He opens the top of the bottle, bringing it to his nose. It smells like Will. Like bed sheets and the bathroom after he showers. Like home.
He looks at the price just as Karen turns the corner to meet him.
“I’ve got vanilla brown sugar. What do you have?”
Mike turns the label to show his mom. She lifts the top and breathes in the scent. “Do you think I could get it?” Mike asks. “I don’t have any cologne at home.” Karen places the top back onto the bottle.
“I think that would be just fine,” says Karen.
Mike smiles. “Thanks.”
Karen nods, then pauses, as though she was going to say something else. Mike waits. “You know, Mike, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Another pause.
“Yeah?” Mike prods.
“Yeah… I’ve been wondering how you’re doing, now that the Byers have been living with us. It’s been a couple of months, and I thought things might change, but it seems they’re going to be with us for a while. I just want to know how you’re holding up.”
Mike hopes the flush on his face isn’t obvious. “Yeah, it’s okay. I mean, it’s crowded, but it’s… you know. It’s Will. I don’t mind.” What he doesn’t say: I love it, I get to see Will everyday, I don’t care that Jonathan and Joyce are there too, because none of that matters. I get to see Will everyday. In pajamas, after the shower, brushing his teeth, things I couldn’t see before. Things I could only hope to see for the rest of my life.
Karen smiles. “It’s okay to not be okay. I mean, our house doubled over night. You already had two siblings to share space with, and now-”
“I don’t mind. I like it. You know I always loved having people over.”
Karen nods once. “I know, Michael. I’m happy that you’re okay. Just… I wanted to say… I guess… well,” Karen’s sentence drops.
“What is it, mom?”
“Well I’ve just. I’ve-” Karen looks around her to make sure there’s no one else in the aisle. Then, in a quieter, softer voice, “I’ve noticed you spend a lot of time with Will-” Mike’s eyebrows shoot up. “Which is okay! I’ve just… well I’ve wondered…”
“You’ve wondered what?” Mike’s heart is racing.
“I’ve wondered at the nature of your relationship. Sometimes when you look at him, it just seems like… well, like there’s something there. I’m just curious.” Mike’s mind is spinning. Why would she bring this up in the perfume aisle? He wipes his sweaty palms along his shorts. Can I really trust her? Is it a trap? How many times had he thought of telling his mother the truth, only to stamp it down in fear?
Karen’s face softens a bit. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m just… I’m curious. I want you to know that you can talk to me, about anything.”
Tears begin forming in Mike’s eyes. He quickly faces away from her. It’s not that easy. He can’t just say it. Especially not out loud. Especially not here. How could she think it would be easy?
“You don’t have to say anything. Just know, if you want to, I’ll be there. I’ll listen.”
Mike tries to steady his shaking hands. He stuffs them in his shorts pockets. “Okay,” he says, when his voice is no longer quivering. “Got it.”
Karen places a hand on his shoulder. “Alright. I have to get some milk too, let’s head to the grocer’s next.”
On the drive home, Mike thought about cancelling his plans with Will. If his mom can see it, everyone must see it. If everyone sees it… well. Then it’s no longer safe. He can’t be around Will. But how is that possible? He turns the cologne bottle in his hand, remembering the scent, remembering Will and sleepovers and dnd and late night snacks and talks and sharing walkmans and a hundred other things that point toward Will like a north star. His mother hums along to the radio and Mike wonders if there is a world where he could love Will the way he wants to.
They get home around two in the afternoon. Heading upstairs, Mike weighs his options for tonight. He turns the handle to his room and finds Will there at his desk. Mike startles. Will wears sweatpants and a loose tee. He’s hunched over the desk drawing. His hair is a mess, and his socks are uneven. He’s beautiful.
“Hey,” Will says, without turning his head.
“Hey,” Mike parrots. He slowly shuts the door. Act cool. “What are you working on?” He walks toward the desk, placing his hands on the chair behind Will. As Mike leans over, he wishes he could plant kisses on his head, his hair, his neck.
God, Michael, get away from him. You’re only making this harder. But now that he’s here, he can smell Will’s shampoo and wants to memorize it.
“It’s a scene from the campaign last night. Here’s Dustin’s character distracting the vampire, and here’s Nancy’s character…” As Will continues, Mike studies the drawing. It’s a rough sketch now, but he knows Will’s skill and can tell how the picture will change with each additional detail. As Mike looks at the drawing, his mind begins to wander. Sitting like a weight in his pocket is his new perfume, which he can’t wait to use whenever he can’t be close to Will. It really smells like him. But he’s also considering cancelling their plans tonight, and wonders what difference that would really make. Why does he have to tip toe around this? It wasn’t like this with El. It shouldn’t be so… complicated with Will. But if Mike really thinks about it, Will was always more complicated than El. His feelings were obvious, but deep, complex, and hard to swallow. He’s just gotten around to accepting his feelings, and now his mom already notices and wants to know more? It’s possible she doesn’t know, but-
“Mike?” Will has turned to face him now, and Mike’s gaze drops for a second to Will’s lips. “What do you think of the perspective here?” Will turns back around, pointing to the page.
“I love it,” I love you.
“Yeah? I think I’ll give this one to Nance, as a kind of thank you for joining us last night.”
“She’d like that.” But I’d love it.
“Cool,” Will continues to draw. Mike retreats to his bed, sitting down and leaning back on to his forearms, so he can still see Will. Mike gazes at Will, noting the curvature of his back when he draws, the tap of his foot against the chair. His hair falling so perfectly around his face. “So, did you have an idea for our date tonight?”
“Huh?” Mike’s mouth hangs open. Our date? Does he…
“Our date tonight. Any ideas?”
Does he know?
“No, actually,” Mike starts, “Errands with my mom kept me pretty busy today.”
“Good,” Will says, still drawing. “I’ve got an idea.”
Mike’s eyebrows rise. Will has an idea for us… to go on a… a date? “Oh, yeah? Care to enlighten me?”
Mike’s heart races for the third time that day.
“No,” Will says, sly smile tugging on his lips, “it’s a secret.”
That’s it, then. Mike won’t cancel their plans tonight.
Will leaves Mike’s room around four in the evening, saying he needs to ‘get ready.’ Mike is left pondering by himself for an entire hour. The second Will closes the door, Mike opens the cologne and inhales deeply. He imagines another scene: he gets home, Will is drawing, Mike leans over him and nuzzles his face into the top of Will’s head, breathing. Mike kisses Will’s hair and pulls Will’s head back, kissing his way to the tip of his nose. Then, Mike brushes their noses together, Will humming happily. Mike’s hands on Will’s head and neck, feeling his warm skin pulse beneath him. Finally, a kiss on the lips. Electric and warm and sweet and hot all at once, Will reaches up to the back of Mike’s head, pulling on his hair. Mike breaks the kiss and moves to sit on Will’s lap. Will opens his legs to give Mike space to sit comfortably. Mike cups Will’s head with both hands, now, and leans in for another electric kiss.
Mike allows one more deep inhale of the scent, then rises to change. He picks a dark blue sweater, layering it with a tee underneath, a pair of dark jeans, and sneakers.
He heads downstairs to pack a snack and finds Will doing the same. “Hey,” Mike says, a grin forming at the sight of Will. Will wears a pair of light trousers, a tee, and a multi-colored jacket. His hair has been combed.
“Hey, Mike,” Will responds. Since Holly is seated at the kitchen table, Will leans close and whispers, “You can’t be in here. I’m prepping for tonight.”
“Oh, well,” Mike leans close to Will’s ear, “you never stated any rules.” Mike leans back away and catches sight of Will’s hushed chuckle. He pushes on Mike’s arm playfully.
“Yeah, well, I’m telling you now.” Leaning close again, Will whispers, “Go away.”
Mike steps back, arms raised in mock innocence. “As you wish.”
Will laughs again, turning away from Mike. “Go wait for me in your room.”
As you wish. Mike retreats back to his room, a giddy smile forming as soon as he closes the door.