he loves me, he loves me not ||BYLER||

high waters || chapter 11

before I start I just wanted to thank you all for reading, we are in #27 for the byler tag!! that's insane!! thank you for all the votes and reads I love y'all sm 🥹💛

Mike had been resting his eyes, resting his head on his hand. He had been so tired from being at school all day, but more so the night before he had slept at his house because his mom wanted him to come home he had been at the hospital every day for Will.

Mike had a bad dream the night his mom made him come home, they were all at the hospital for Will and he didn't end up making it, it was such a surreal dream for Mike, when he had woken up that morning he had tears in his eyes and he had been covered in sweat. He had a long day all the way through school he dragged on until he had gotten to the end of the day and of course was by wills side again in the hospital

He was having a hard time sleeping recently, he had so many thoughts running through his head. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyelids were fluttering a little, he didn't even realize

"Mike!" Will exclaimed and coughed a couple times from having to be more vocal from the past times he had called Mike. His eyes shot open and he quickly assessed the situation still waking up and rubbed his eyes.

He looked confused seeing Hopper standing in the doorway, Will had been calling for him for Hopper. But the real question was why was he here? To ask Will more questions?

He soon found out Hopper was here for him, he raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "What's this even about?" He sighed getting up and followed Hopper out after he gave a stern look to Mikes question.

They ended up talking in the parking lot, well arguing. "You could have killed him kid!" Hopper exclaimed, "he deserved it!" Mike replied clearly frustrated, that little shit Troy had one job but of course he went and cried to his mommy.

Hopper put his hands on Mikes shoulders, "this is serious Mike, you can't do that stuff he could sue you and take you to court all of that! Why would you go and do something like that! You should have talked to me!"

Mike swatted Hoppers hands away, "Bullshit! I told you everything I knew the second Will got to the hospital! I told you Troy is the number one person on the list that would have done this to Will! I told you! I told you!" He started to get aggressive and take his anger out by punching Hopper in the sides and the stomach, the older male grabbed him and held him trying to calm him down. "Kid kid! Calm down calm down..." he spoke softer, Mike let go and wiped his eyes a little he didn't want Hopper to know he was getting tears in his eyes

When it came to Will he got super emotional, whether it be anger, sadness, protecting him, or even arguing with him like their recent big argument. He felt so conflicted and flustered or let alone tongue tied when it came to his feelings about Will, but he had realized a few days ago that he knew that he was in love with him and deep down he was lashing out and being protective because he cares about him so much.

Mike sighed and glanced up at Hopper, "so..what now are you gonna arrest me or something?" He asked with a sniffle, Hopper chuckled. "No kid..no, I'll make this go away but you gotta promise me nothing like this again? Okay?" He asked, Mike hesitated and sighed after a few moments. "Fine, nothing more..if he does anything again to Will you might have to put me in handcuffs one day." He shrugged and crossed his arms.

Hopper chuckled, " you really care about this kid huh?" He asked with a soft smile and Mike got all flustered. "What! Pft no of course not, I mean yes, I mean he's my best friend, and best friends are there for each other and they don't lie and-"

Hopper cut him off "kid..I get it." Mike sighed, "yeah.." They talked more about the Troy situation and everything, Hopper talked about how he would probably get charged with something or at least have a restraining order since he was so young or juvie.

Hopper had left since he got some other calls he needed to take, Mike got back to Wills room. He smiled seeing how well he looked now. He was also eating easier now, the gash in his stomach and the stitches, all of that made him not really have an appetite so Mike was happy to see that Will was eating.

Wills face lit up seeing Mike, he covered his mouth as he finished chewing, "Hi.." he said softly and took a sip of water from his bottle, placing it back on the table. Mike pulled up a chair but Will interjected. "You know..the bed it big enough you can sit at the bottom." He said offering with a smile, Mike felt his heart start to race, "y-yeah sure." He got on the bottom of the bed facing the smaller brown haired boy.

Will smiled grabbing his plate and put it on the side table, he reach over slowly since it hurt to move his lower body, there was some cards, some magazines and his sketchbook. He spread it out on the bed, "what do you want to do?" He asked softly and watched Mike browse the options, he smiled and knew the obvious answer picking up Wills sketchbook.

They chatted and smiled laughing at some of the pictures, this was a new sketchbook Mike hadn't seen any of the drawings yet, he continued to flip through until he hit a page with letters, he didn't get a good glance until Will snatched it away. "What was that for!" Mike asked confused.

Will shut the book and shrugged, "nothing.. it's uh, a thank you note I'm writing for you." He said with a uncertain smile. But mike wasn't so sure of that, but he wasn't going to stress Will out or force him to show him.

They ended up playing cards for a little bit until Will paused, "I have to go to the bathroom I'll be back..no cheating! Don't look at my cards!" He said with a slight chuckle. Mike held up his hands in defense "I would never!" They both laughed and Will left the room.

Mike was looking at his own cards, he glanced over to Wills and smiled he was about to pick them up until his eyes then shifted to his sketchbook. He looked back at the door and felt his heart start to race, he bit on his lip a little.

He quickly got off the bed and grabbed the book from the table and flipped through the pages, glancing at the door occasionally until he got to the page. His eyes glanced over the entire thing quickly and then his eyes set on the title.

'Dear Mike, I don't know where to start or how to say this but I love you, I think deep down I always have and always will..I've loved you for so long since we ever became friends. I knew I was different but I know you aren't, i understand that you'll never see me the way I see you and I've slowly started to realize that, but I have this note for you just in case anything ever happens to me again, I just needed you to know that I love you, I guess you're were wrong about it being your fault that I don't like girls, Love, Will.'

Mike stared at the note trying to process what he just read, it was real. He had a giant grin on his face, his cheeks felt all hot and his heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was going to come out of his chest.

He was about to put the book back until he heard a soft yet almost scared sounding voice. "Mike?..."