mystery of love // byler

we fell in love in october

au: modern
CW: slight drug use (nicotine ), and a sliver of internalized homophobia .
summary: mike and will remember previous years, and go through some emotional turmoil.
~
mike wheeler wasn't exactly a fan of autumn. it was cold. and wet. oh, and overly romanticized. he just never understood the "hype" over the season.

though, it was will byer's favorite season.

-

the two boys sit on wills rooftop, sharing a stolen cigarette (max had found a few packs of marlboro menthol greens in billy's room after starcourt, graciously lending a few to mike), dangling their feet off the edge.
wind whips pigmented leaves around, ruffling the boys' hair.
the air is cold but soupy, not in the slightest bit refreshing. the boys shiver and scoot closer to each-other as they finish the nicotine packed paper in silence.

" i hate the fall, " mike confides, putting his head into his right hand.

" how come?, " will asks, looking at mike curiously. " fall is, like, my favorite season. "

mike flops onto the shingles, will following suit, and promptly rants.

" because it's bull. it's so cold, and it rains all the time, and you have to have to have, like, a specific 'aesthetic fall wardrobe' to be comfortable enough. i hate it. and on the holidays, it gets too cold to do anything fun, and there's always family drama, and- and just- ugh. y'know? the only slightly decent part about it is halloween, and even that sucks, because we're 'too old' to trick or treat! "

will knits his brows together, giving the far off look he always does when thinking super-duper hard.

" is there anything, like, absolutely anything you like about this season? "

mike thinks for a moment before memories flood his headspace.

-

october 14th, eight years before .

will leaned against mikes skinny frame, drinking in the sight of their accomplishment, 'castle byers.'
it was a small little thing, but it was suprisingly sturdy, considering it was built by eight year olds with little to no adult help or supervision.
jonathan had helped before, but it had started raining so he went in. will and mike refused to succumb to the weather, so they stayed outside.

mike has a victorious grin plastered on his young face when he meets wills chocolate-y eyes. 'they're beautiful,' he thinks.
the shorter boy's cheeks are flushed due to the cold, and his lips are chapped and swollen from constant biting. there's still tear tracks from hours before, when lonnie left. will's freckles have faded throughout this season, but they're still there. mike almost wants to run his fingers across will's smooth face.

then he remembers, being a homosexual is for diseased losers. it's sinful, and his father would hate him if he ever found out.
he quickly breaks eye contact before he becomes too disgusted with himself.
he still senses wills eyes on him, though, and he wonders if will thinks mike is pretty.

-

" no, " mike lies, chewing softly on his lip. " not really. "

" well, what about building castle byers? "

' is he reading my mind or something? ' the taller surmises, creasing his lips into a straight line.

" yeah, castle byers was pretty cool. "

only because i was with you.

" i- i'm still sorry for tearing it down. i know it was,, important to you, " will evinces, sniffing. " to the whole party, even. i made some really, really stupid decisions last year. "

" will, it's- it's okay. it's my fault it happened," mike sighs, " and i am so, so incredibly sorry for- for saying.. everything that i did. "

' it's not my fault you don't like girls! '
' we're not kids anymore. '

"it's okay, mike, seriously. . . i forgave you years ago. we were- stupid. stupid thirteen year olds focused on girls and puberty and literally saving the world and- and all of that stuff. of course it's not your fault, mike, " will rambles.

"but-"

"no buts, dude. it's okay. you're my best friend. you always will be, no matter what. "

" even if i'm crazy?, " mike chuckles, looking at will's dusky brown eyes. he compares them to the crisp leaves whirling around in the sky.

"even if you're crazy, " will smiles, his slightly chapped lips tugging up.

" will, i- "

" yeah? "

mike kisses will.

will makes a strangled-dying-goat-sort-of-noise, then pushes into his mouth eagerly. their teeth clack together, and he relishes on the sickly-sweet flavor of the cigarettes- and some soft drink, likely 7up.

will's lips taste like blood and mint. it's refreshing, and mike wants moremoremore and holy shit he's actually kissing will?

'oh', mike says into will's mouth. he tilts his face to the left, his nose brushing against will's freckled cheek. mike leans deeper into the roof, pulling will on top of him.
their legs intertwine- a connection of two flames- and mike wraps his arms around will's waist, pulling him impossibly closer.

when they break, will's eyes are half lidded and kiss-bitten and mike's face is likely redder than the swirling autumn leaves.

"holy shit," mike utters.

"holy shit," will agrees.

"i love you. if that's not obvious-" mike admits, swallowing nervously.

" i love you too. i've loved you since we were thirteen, and way before that, " will confesses.

they stare into eachothers eyes for what seems like an impossibly long time- brown mixes with brown, blue with yellow, mike and will, will and mike.
mike kisses will again. his nose, his jaw, his cupid's bow, his forehead, his eyebrow, everything.

"i love you. i love you i love you i love you, " mike exclaims.

" i love you too. so much," will replies.

mike likes autumn now. perhaps it's his favorite season.

~
hi omg BYLER?!?!?!? i hope this is okay evdn thoufh its short.... im going through some Shit right now thta's why i havent been active im SO SORRY LITERALLY i will update blush soon... but stranger things fans come get yalls juice 
(CRITICISM ALWAYS ACCEPTED!! PLEASE IM DESPERATE!!!)