byler SMUT i found on ao3 | 2

[ vi ] in the summer silence, i was getting violent

CREATOR : fictivism

WARNINGS : no archive warnings apply, underage

RATING : explicit

WORD COUNT : 4490

Mike had always hated summers.

It would be hot and sticky and it felt like he was constantly being assaulted by an array of bugs any moment he stepped outside. Summers were Mike's worst enemy.

But he didn't hate everything about summers. No, sometimes whatever Gods had cursed their small town of Hawkins with a blazing heat and a humidity level of 90 would bless Mike Wheeler.

A blessing in disguise, really. When Mike would curse and spit under his breath while he beat the ground with a shovel. Why did he agree to do this again? He was awful at gardening and he knew nothing about it, but here he stood in the Byers-Hopper backyard, shoveling away at.. something. He wasn't sure what it was.

He continued to scowl and grumble away, poking at a patch of grass when he heard the back door creak open. He turned his head up to see-

Will.

Will in a tank top and shorts. Short-shorts. Shorts that were short enough to cause his boxers to poke out from the hem. Shorts that slightly rode up his absolutely beautiful thighs when he took a step-

Did he just fucking call his best friend's thighs beautiful? What the hell is wrong with him? Why was he thinking like that?

Mike turned his head back away, the feeling of heat filling his face. It was probably just the summer weather getting to him.

He had been having odd thoughts all year. He would catch himself taking lingering looks at Will (or Steve, or really any attractive guy for that matter), his heart pounding away in his chest. He didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the fact that Eleven and him had finally and officially broken up for the last time. No getting back together this time. No cheesy, sentimental, stupid speech to bring back together.

And in all honesty? Mike was happier that way. He wasn't sure why but he had never felt a real connection with El. He was almost grateful any time El decided to dump his ass. It was like a wash of relief to not have to kiss her or pretend he liked the way her hands moved on his body anymore.

He much preferred admiring the shirtless guys at the pools with perfectly toned bodies, muscles straining under their skin. Broad shoulders and tan skin that glistened with sweat and water. Pretty faces that made his knees weak to think about the way they'd look when-

He couldn't be thinking like that. He was a man. And other men don't think about each other like that. It's wrong.

He'd never say any of this out loud, though. Not in a million years. Nothing could wrench out Mike's true thoughts.

"What are you doing over there?" Will's voice knocked deep into Mike's head, his neck practically snapping with the force in which he spun his head to look back at him. Blood rushed to wash his cheeks with color, his mouth drying in an instant.

Will had that sweet silly grin on his face. The one that made Mike feel small, shrinking to about two feet tall. Something about it made him feel dizzy and stupid.

'Must be the heat.'

"Um, just.. Ah, um, trying to.. garden for your mom.." Mike sputtered as he stabbed the ground with the shovel again. He couldn't look Will in the eye. Especially not when he looked like that.

Will laughed, short and sweet, watching Mike twist the tool in his hand around. He clearly had no idea what he was doing. It was a bit cute to him.

"You know you can take a break." Will smiled softly at Mike, taking a tentative step forward. "It's a lot cooler inside," Mike was sweating his ass off, "And my mom just left, so it'll be just us." He trailed off a tad, biting his lower lip.