prom dress

oo8 | 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘦

I.

They were in the Wheeler's basement, as per usual, waiting for Lucas and Dustin to come back from the bathroom. Mike was flipping through a comic he'd seen probably 200 times before, and Will was trying not to look at him. He'd been in this situation a million times before, Mike doing something completely mundane and Will looking at him like he's a damn godsend. Will studied Mike's face, noticed the curve of his cheeks, the slant of his nose. He loved the way Mike's freckles stood out against his skin, and the way his hair could never decide whether it was curly or straight.Will's eyes moved across Mike's face as he took in the pages of his comic. Will didn't think he'd ever get tired of looking at Mike and, not for the first time, wondered how loving this boy could ever be wrong. The basement door slammed open as Lucas and Dustin stumbled down the stairs. Will looked down at the sketchbook in his hands and flipped the page as his face burned.

II.

Will noticed the way Mike kept glancing around the room. He wasn't stupid, he knew what, or rather, who Mike was looking for. Every so often Mike would look across the table at him and Will would force himself to look away.Will noticed the way Mike kept glancing around the room. He wasn't stupid, he knew what, or rather, who Mike was looking for. Every so often Mike would look across the table at him and Will would force himself to look away.He listened to the music playing throughout the gym and watched Mike's eyes fill with hope whenever the doors would open. His heart ached everytime the boy's face fell.When a girl he recognized from one of his classes asked him to dance, he looked toward Mike, hoping he would give him a way out. Unfortunately he just got a gentle shove and an encouraging smile that made his heart flutter, no matter how hard he wished it didn't.Will was in a position where he could see Mike, so of course he noticed when Mike ran to meet Eleven as she walked in. And of course he saw them kiss, because the universe just loved to break his heart. It hurt, but he supposed if she made Mike happy then he could live with it.It was the first time he could remember not wanting to look at Mike Wheeler.

III.

Will was trying to pay attention to the road, he really was, but Mike's face was just too cute not to look at. Before long he wasn't even thinking about his bike, instead wondering about what Mike's hair would feel like between his fingers."Will! Will, are you okay?" Mike asked.Everyone had stopped what they were doing to see if Will was okay. His face turned red at the thought of them noticing his staring. Will got to his feet and brushed the dirt from himself, wincing as his hand came in contact with his scraped knees."I'm fine," he said, looking up at his friends.Max nodded, looking him over, her gaze lingering on his knees for a second longer, before getting back on her skateboard. Lucas and Dustin followed, starting to argue about something. Will picked up his bike and was about to follow them when Mike called his name."Yeah?" he asked, turning around."Are you sure you're okay? You're bleeding," Mike glanced down at Will's knee."I'm fine, Mike," Will looked to Mike's left, at El.When he looked back at Mike's face he felt his heart swell.

IV.

"Don't stay up too late, boys, alright?" Joyce said, standing in the doorway to Will's bedroom."Okay Mom, goodnight," Will said, looking up from his bed.It had been a while since Will and Mike had had a sleepover, just the two of them."Hey, uh, Will?" Mike asked a few minutes later, sounding nervous."Yeah?" Will glanced over at him."I need to tell you something but you have to promise you won't hate me," he said, avoiding Will's intense gaze.

"Promise."

"I promise, Mike, nothing could ever make me hate you," he said, still studying Mike's face to see if it gave any hints as to what this was about."Uh, well, I like boys?" Mike spoke, his voice turning up like it was a question, still casting his eyes downwards and away from Will's face."Oh," Will paused. "Mike! You scared me, why would I hate you for that? You already know that I like boys.""I don't know. I mean, I like girls, too, I think it's kind of weird to like both. You don't think I'm weird?" Mike said, looking and sounding more hopeful than he did before."Of course not, you're still you."Mike finally looked over at him and smiled. Will's heart fluttered and he felt a surge of hope. Maybe Mike could like him.Soon after that, the conversation drifted to light, mindless, easy things, but Will's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Mike Wheeler.

V.

Will listened to the wind in the trees and the rustling of the leaves, while acknowledging how beautiful they were. At the same time, however, he found himself thinking that Mike's beauty surpassed anything he'd ever encountered before. The two of them had been spending a lot of time together, and Will was starting to wonder why Mike was hanging around with him, instead of El."Mike? Why don't you ever hang out with El alone anymore?" Will asked, his feet touching Mike's as they sat in Castle Byers together."I don't know. I do sometimes, I've just been hanging out with you or the whole party lately," Mike's voice had a hint of laughter to it."Yeah, but, why me? Don't you like her?"Mike laughed."Not anymore. I think I only liked her because, well because she was there when you weren't."Will could feel Mike's eyes on him, but he kept his gaze on his sketchbook.

"What do you mean?"

He didn't want to get his hopes up just to be heartbroken later, but it was so hard not to think about Mike's lips, Mike's eyes, Mike's hair, Mike's hands. Everything about Mike was enchanting to Will.He jumped when Mike pulled his hand from where it had been fiddling with his pencil.

"Will-"

Mike was cut off by a particularly loud rustle of leaves outside of Castle Byers. The sound made Will flinch and he unconsciously leaned closer to Mike.No matter how long it had been since he'd been in the Upside Down, he still got nervous sometimes, especially when he was already uncomfortable."Hey, it's okay. You're okay," Mike said, gripping Will's hand tighter. Usually someone talking to him in such a soft way would have made him feel babied and weak, but with Mike it was different. It was like Mike knew that Will was strong but he wanted to be there anyway.Will finally looked up at him, only to see Mike's eyes filled with a soft admiration and worry.

That was how Will looked at him, how he used to look at El.

"I like you," Mike breathed out, little above a whisper.

Will's mind was a mess of conflicting emotions. Was this actually happening? "What?" Will's voice caught in his throat, making it lilt. "Will, I-" Mike stumbled over his words. "I know you probably don't like me that way, but, God, Will, you're all I think about."

Will just stared at him, dumbstruck.

"Will? Please say something."

"You're an idiot, Mike," Mike started to protest but Will kept talking. "Of course I like you! I've liked you since before I even knew what liking someone meant."Will didn't even bother trying to keep the grin off of his face. As his words processed in the other boy's head he watched Mike's smile grow, too.

"Really?"

Will nodded, "Yes, really."

"I knew I should've told you sooner," Mike said, looking back at Will again.They kept quiet after that, listening to the slight wind outside.

"Mike?"

"Hm?"

"What does this mean? Like," he pause, thinking of the words to say. "What does this make us?""Whatever you want us to be Will. As long as you don't stop being my friend," Mike said, laughing and wrapping his arm around the smaller boy's shoulder.They lapsed back into silence as Will thought."Mike, can I kiss you?" He cringed as the words left his mouth, wondering what on earth his mouth was doing.He was about to apologize and take it back when Mike's response caught him off guard.

"Okay, yeah, sure," he sounded nervous.

Will turned toward Mike, not exactly sure what he was supposed to do, when Mike moved slightly forward. They got closer to each other than Will had ever let himself imagine, and then they were kissing.

Will's hand moved up to Mike's hair and, finally, he knew that loving Mike Wheeler could never be wrong...