Chapter Text
'Back to the Future', a movie that was released the previous year, was now playing on the old television, one that was now sitting in Mike's room. The boys were wrapped up in blankets, the temperature of the room not doing much to warm them up. Mike kept his eyes locked on the buzzing screen. He hadn't seen the movie before, so it was a good thing Will had brought it with him. Will kept stuffing his face with the snacks Mike had brought with him, looking everywhere but Mike's gaze.
He apparently left early from Eleven's hut to run past the grocery store just in time for snacks. "Told her that I wasn't sure if we had any snacks at home, but I guess we did." Mike laughed.
When Mike arrived earlier, he froze upon seeing the decorated mattress, snacks resting on the nightstand and the floor. Seeing the brown shopping bag in his hands made his lips curl up in a sheepish smile. There was something in Mike's posture that seemed to melt away. Will couldn't place it, but he carefully observed Mike up and down. Will shook his head, took a deep breath, and helped Mike unpack the snacks he brought. Will kept gazing at the large quantities of grocery bags he had brought from earlier that day and felt himself growing a deep shade of pink.
Mike's mouth instantly let out the sound of an affectionate laughter after seeing the small stack of tapes. Will closed his eyes shut but soon felt Mike's hand meeting his on the stack of VHS tapes. "Don't worry. That's what I like about you, Will. You're incredibly considerate and you always put in so much effort for other people." Will began to shake his head, opening his mouth to say something, but Mike interrupted. "Don't deny it," he said. "You've even cleaned up my room so we could watch movies here." Will caved in, basking in the compliments Mike showered him with.
That was the side Will meant. The side that only he would get to see from Mike. Mike's gentleness lived in Will's head. Even now that Will's shoulders had tensed up, following the touch of Mike's hand on his own, Mike managed to get him to relax.
Will didn't move his hand away. His heart skipped a beat when he swore that he could feel Mike's hand gently caressing his own. Will almost dropped the boxes on the floor. He would've, if not, for Mike's quick reflexes. Will felt the other boy's hand move more firmly onto his own, steadying the boxes in the process.
"Careful now!" Mike said. "Hey, is that Back to the Future?" Mike moved his hand away from Will's and took the tape out of the casing. "Didn't realize that it was already on tape," he said.
"Yeah, it came out a few months ago." Will pursed his lips in a smile. He was frozen in place with the other boxes still resting in his hand. "I brought a few movies I knew you hadn't seen before." Mike's gaze softened.
Most of the time, people weren't as considerate to Mike as Will was. He felt seen whenever he was near Will, that's why they were best friends. Mike took the pile of boxes from Will's arms and looked through them. "How did you know?" He asked, holding up 'The Goonies', a movie that Will knew was one of Mike's favorites. Will simply shrugged and closed the blinds, the only light in the room now came from the lamp next to Mike's bed.
"So how were things with El?" Will asked as he filled a plate with bagel bites, but his mind was absent. He gritted his teeth to the point he could almost feel it hurt him. His gaze went towards Mike who stopped looking through the boxes at the mention of his girlfriend.
"She's doing well! Great even... I think." Mike said, but the pause between words caught Will's attention. Was that hesitant? Will stopped his movement and for a moment just looked at Mike. He could see the slight twitching of Mike's brow, and it caused the hairs on his arms to stand up straight. Will took a step closer, opening his mouth to say something, but closing it just as fast.
Will took a deep breath and spoke, "Yeah?" He paused. The silence in the room felt louder than before. None of them spoke a word, but Will could see that something was up with Mike. Mike still hadn't moved. All Will could see was his best friend, still staring at the back of the cardboard slipcase. Will looked at the watch on Mike's wrist. Why was he so early? He could feel his own brows furrowing at the thought. His fists clenched at the sight of Mike, a boy who is usually so optimistic that the sun couldn't outshine him, now standing there with the biggest thundercloud above him. How didn't he notice it sooner? Perhaps he was too blinded by the pure awe of Mike's early arrival that he hadn't even considered Mike's reasons for being so early. He should have asked. "Are you..." Will paused. "Mike..."
Mike snapped out of his stare and blinked a few times. Will caught his gaze and could see that Mike didn't realize he was absent-minded for a moment. After another moment of thinking, Mike said, "Yeah? Uhm... What's up? Sorry I was just—" "Mike is there something wrong?" Will interrupted.
Mike's head shot up. Will usually allowed Mike to just say whatever came to mind and end with that. At least, that is how it went the past few months. They barely spoke anymore, and Mike didn't know why, so he was happy when Will suggested a movie night; It would be like it was in the past.
But then Mike smiled and looked at Will as he nodded his head. Mike realized he wasn't talking to simply anyone. He was talking to Will Byers, his very first and best friend, someone that could never be replaced, someone who Mike could rely on.
"Yeah," Mike began, "Sometimes... I feel like Eleven and I don't understand each other." Will could see the relaxation settle in Mike's shoulders the moment he allowed himself to open up. How comfortable did it look to just... open up.
Will made room on the mattress and sat down, Mike joining him not long after. Their weight shifted the mattress ever so slightly. Will's eyes drifted towards the lone hand sitting on the soft fabric of his blankets. His fingers itched, wanting to reach out, but he shook his head. Mike looked at Will, Will looked back. They made a long moment of eye contact before Will mumbled out, "Why is that?" He saw Mike looking for the right words. Words that Will understood were impossible to find. For someone who always knew exactly what to say to Will, Mike wasn't very good with words when it came to his own feelings. Understandably so, Will thought.
"I just..." he began, "I just don't know what to say to her sometimes. She looks at me so expectingly. Like I—" Mike paused. "Like I should have all the answers just laid out on the table for her." Will frowned. He looked at the floor, thinking, but Mike had already continued. "And then when I tell her I don't know what to say, she looks at me like I am a disappointment... Like... Like I should know better." Will shook his head and without thinking, moved his hand to Mike's.
"Mike, you know that isn't true." Will hunched over just a little so he could clearly look in Mike's eyes. "Isn't it?" Mike asked. "Sometimes I feel like I am. She is so amazing, yet I am just me."
Will felt a sting in his chest at those words. "You know, Mike..." Will said, "Sometimes, I feel just like that in the party. You guys are incredible, and all have such amazing talents, and I just feel like I can't compare." Mike looked at Will with a softened face. "But then I can confide in you, and you listen to me, and you know just what to say to me every single time." Will paused. "You make me feel understood, and perhaps El just knows she can rely on you as well." Mike opened his mouth, but Will interrupted, "And I know that that doesn't necessarily mean you should always know what to say to her, nobody does, but it does mean that she loves and trusts you enough to come to you whenever she feels frustrated."
Will's eyes began to water just a little bit. He swallowed and looked at the black-haired boy next to him, "I mean, you make her feel safe, you make me feel safe." Will squeezed Mike's hand, "And I—" Will stopped himself. He looked at the boy in front of him and for a moment saw all the years spent together flash in his mind. Hesitation was followed by words, but not the words Will wanted to say. "And I care about you, Mike," he said, "I don't want to see you lose yourself to a pain that you don't deserve." That part was true. Will hated seeing Mike in so much pain. He squeezed his hand once more, holding back the urge to wrap his arms tightly around Mike.
"You're really amazing, Will," Mike said.
That was all he had to say. Will felt another sting in his chest and bit down on the inside of his lip. "I just..." he paused, "I wanted to help."
Mike folded his other hand over Will's, sandwiching the cold touch of his best friend. "Yeah? Well, I guess I didn't realize before how much I needed your help." Mike looked at their hands. "I didn't realize just how much you heard me." He closed his eyes and felt himself thinking. "I don't think anyone has ever understood me like you have. I want to understand you as well. You mean the world to me, Will," he said.
Maybe it was just the reflection of the light, but Mike could have sworn he noticed a tear running down Will's cheek.
Will smiled and nodded in response, "You do too."
Will looked deeply into Mike's eyes. His brows furrowed slightly, thinking. That's when Mike spoke again: "I guess I just..." a moment of silence filled the room. "What do I do now?" he asked.
Will remained silent. He looked at the floor and then closed his eyes. Mike looked away from Will, also silent. Will spoke, "I don't know." He opened his eyes and met Mike's gaze again. Their eyes lingered onto one another for a second too long. "I don't know, but..." He paused. "Perhaps, you don't need to know either." Mike gave a questioning look. "Maybe it's okay to not have all the answers ready. I don't. I don't think anyone does."
Will's eyes widened, silent tears running down his cheek as he felt the softness of Mike's hair against his neck. Mike's arm squeezed around Will's back, and it took Will a moment to realize he felt a tear fall onto his hand. A tear that wasn't his own. Will looked down at Mike. He couldn't see much aside from the short waves in his hair, but he heard the incredibly silent sound of Mike's shaking breath. Will returned the hug just as tightly and allowed himself to cry as well. The two sat there for a moment, just crying and holding onto one another.
After a little over a minute, Mike took a deep breath, "Sorry, I usually don't like to..." Mike couldn't finish his sentence. "It's okay," Will answered.
"I know, it's just..." Mike began. "I know I don't say this enough, but..." He swallowed.
"When I'm with you, everything feels quieter. Like I can actually think."
What?
Will felt himself stuck in place for a moment. There was an awkward turn in his stomach that made Will feel almost nauseous. Why do I feel this way? Will thought. Suddenly, the moment felt too intimate, too real for Will to relax. The stinging in his chest returned, and he couldn't sit comfortably in Mike's arms anymore. He didn't want to let go, but he also couldn't bear to stay in this embrace for much longer. Will stayed silent, his lip quivering and his eyes burning with a wistful smile painted on his face.
"Mike..." Will sobbed. He caressed the backside of Mike's soft blue cardigan. The texture felt nice underneath Will's fingertips, but he couldn't quite enjoy it. "Mike you're getting my pants soaked," he joked.
Mike nodded and retreated to his spot on the mattress, "Thanks..." he whispered. Will swallowed painfully and reached for the slipcase of 'Back to the Future' holding it out to Mike. "So, this one then?" Mike laughed and nodded. "Sure."
Now that the movie was playing and Mike was entirely engrossed in the movie, Will slouched in his mattress. He ate the peanut boppers that Mike brought with him, but otherwise he didn't move an inch. Will barely paid attention to the movie itself; all he could do was feel every inch of his body tense and relax almost like a dance.
The movie went on for another 30 minutes before the credits finally rolled. Will has barely laid eyes on the movie; his eyes locked with the slightest movements Mike made, his ears tingled at the sound of his laughter. Even the buzzing of the television couldn't fill his ears compared to the silent breaths Mike released.
The movie stopped, yet the silence was short-lived when Mike let out a loud and overexaggerated yawn. Mike looked at Will, Will looked at Mike. "Good movie," Mike said. Will responded with a nod. "It's getting pretty late, but thanks, that was great."
"Yeah, I mean, it's a good movie—"
"I didn't mean the movie. I meant tonight. I had fun and I wish we can do these things more often," Mike said, "Because I really don't get to spend much time with you and the others anymore. We used to do things like this every single day." He looked down at the soft blankets on the mattress, "I remember that time we thought it would be a smart idea to slide this mattress to the basement for movie night, because we were too lazy to carry it downstairs."
Will laughed at the memory of that night. "Don't you mean you were too lazy to carry it downstairs?" Mike responded with a shrug and laughed. "I don't know, you seemed to like the idea."
Will rolled his eyes. "Yes, because you chose me to ride it down the stairs with you. I remember seeing Dustin and Lucas so jealous."
"Yeah, until they weren't when we crashed into the table." Mike laughed, holding his head like he could still feel the pain in his head, "I think I still have a scar on my head somewhere." He lowered his head.
Will carefully examined Mike's head, moving his hand to part Mike's hair. "I don't see anything." Mike shrugged and smiled. "Thank you for your examination, doctor Byers." They both laughed. Will looked at Mike. Mike might have grown up, gotten taller, but he was still the boy he met all those years ago.
If only I could be the same, Will thought.
After cleaning up most of the trash, they both crawled underneath their blankets, warming themselves up for the cold night ahead. Mike didn't call Eleven that night, but he did look at Will's painting once.
"Hey, Will?" Mike asked.
"Hmm?" Will hummed.
"What did El ask when she asked you to pain this for me?"
Will didn't answer. He felt himself crawl up in a ball, wrapping himself up with the thick blankets on his mattress. He closed his eyes and hid his face in his soft pillow. "Will?" Mike asked again. Will squinted through his eyes to carefully peek at the silhouette of Mike sitting in the darkness. Mike was looking at him; he could tell that much. The painting was in his hands, likely illuminated by the lanterns outside of Mike's window. He could see Mike looking at the painting once more before putting it on his nightstand.
"Goodnight, Will," Mike said. He wrapped himself up with blankets and soon drifted into a comfortable slumber.
The next morning Will woke up to the sound of Joyce knocking on the bedroom door. Mike had already left the bed. Joyce smiled when she saw Will. "Hey sleepyhead, everyone is already getting ready for breakfast. You comin'?"
Will replied with a sleepy nod. "Yeah... yeah I will be there in a second," he said. Joyce closed the door behind her, giving Will the privacy to change out of his pajamas. Will put on his clothes in a hurry and left for the bathroom. His hair was a mess, but there was no time to do anything about it. Normally he was the first to sit at the breakfast table, making sure that either his mom or Jonathan would sit next to him.
However, when he came downstairs, and saw the Byers and the Wheelers already devouring their breakfast, he noticed that the only chair free was the one next to Nancy and Mike. The latter looked behind him and gave a gentle nod, "Hey, saved you a seat." He moved the chair next to him.
"Isn't that usually where Nancy sits, though?" Will asked him. "Yeah, but do you really want to sit in between those turtle doves?" Nancy gave Mike a smack on his arm. Mike slapped her back in return. Will cringed a bit at Jonathan's embarrassment but shrugged as he approached the table.
Will took his seat; breakfast continued as normal. However, Mike kept talking to Will, something that hadn't happened in so long that sometimes Will didn't know how to respond. This didn't go unnoticed by the others either. Nancy looked at mike, one brow raised, "Jesus, Mike... Can't you let Will eat for a second? Just because you're always devouring your breakfast doesn't mean you can disturb others."
Mike wanted to open his mouth to say something but then noticed that Will barely had the chance to touch his food. He resigned in his seat and took a sip of coffee.
"It's okay, really. I don't mind much." Will answered and gave Mike a smile. This was nice, Will thought. Will looked around and all he could see was the silent contentment of the situation. No tension, no weird conversation, just a pleasant breakfast with the entire household.
After they all finished and cleaned up their plates, Will headed upstairs to Mike's bedroom. Will opened the door to the empty room, holding a bag in one hand. He dug underneath Mike's bed, the drawers, mattresses, basically anywhere trash could fall or hide. He finished with two full bags of crumpled-up wrapping paper. He knotted the second bag and tossed it near the door.
Will was stretching his arms over his head, making himself taller when he noticed something had changed in Mike's bedroom. His painting is now taped to the wall.
Will had the shivers. It was weird, Will thought. Mike didn't necessarily hide Will's painting from anyone, but he always treated it as something that belonged to him alone.
But now it was there on the wall, where everyone could see. Will couldn't keep his eyes away from it.
"How long did it take you to make it?" a voice asked. It was Mike; he stood in the doorway.
How long has he been there? Will asked himself. "Not long," he answered. "But I mean it isn't really hard to paint something once you get the idea for it..." Will looked back at the painting. He could remember every brush stroke he made. "It took me maybe a couple of weeks?"
"I never thanked her for it," Mike said.
Will bit his lip and shook his head slowly. "You shouldn't. I wasn't actually supposed to give it to you yet." Mike gave a questioning look but shrugged. "Okay," he said.
"I have to toss these two." He pointed towards the trash bags near the door. Mike smiled and took one of the bags. "I'll walk with you. I didn't realize we made such a mess yesterday," Mike said, mumbling the last sentence.
"It wasn't just from yesterday; I figured I should clean a bit to thank you for movie night," Will said. Mike's embarrassment melted away and got replaced by his picture-perfect smile.
After that, life at the Wheeler household seemed to be pretty calm for the state the town was in. Nothing ever really happened, and everyone was okay with that. Some people silently protested against the increase of the military's involvement in Hawkins, but nobody truly dared to speak out.
However, Will often found himself thinking back on their movie night even as the days went by. The words Mike said to him stayed with Will much more than he would like to admit. Will shivered.
"When I'm with you, everything feels quieter."
Will grew silent as he thought back to that night. To be honest, Will often thought about that night. About the way Mike cried in his arms like a lost puppy scared of the rain.
Of course, Mike and Eleven quickly made up and got back to being their usually clingy affection. The nightly calls returned, and so did Mike's absence to the Wheeler house, but this time, Mike actually approached Will when he saw him. They talked while eating meals, and even movie night returned. Will's heart bounced rhythmically in his chest.
Things were finally starting to get more comfortable.
At least, for Mike...