summary: Will is at a sleepover at Mike's and suddenly gets sad. His parents are getting a divorce so Mike tries to cheer him up.
words: 895
Since the very first day they met in kindergarten, Mike Wheeler and Will byers were inseparable. It took them only a week after to ask their parents to have a sleepover. It quickly became a tradition. There was even a period, when they were around 8, where they would sleep at each other's at least once a week.
In the Byers's house they would both sleep in Will's bed. Just because it was easier to read comic books together. Mike would read out loud and Will would listen while looking closely at the pictures and glance at Mike's face every now and then. Usually falling asleep late and right next to each other. Multiple mornings, Will's mom, Joyce, had walked on them cuddling. Except that one time where Will's head was hanging down and Mike was lying the opposite direction with his head at the end of the bed. The covers half on the ground.
Mike liked to go at Will's because Joyce was the sweetest to wake them up and always let them stay up a little longer than his own mother would.
In the Wheeler's house they would sleep in the basement. They once built a fort with cushions and bed sheets, and never took it down. So every night they would both lay down on the covers and countless cushions surrounded by fairy lights. There was that one night though, when they both received their own Supercom. They insisted to sleep in separated rooms so they could talk on the walkie talkies. Mike in his bedroom and Will in the basement where they usually slept. They talked until one of them fell asleep around 2am. But when Will woke up, Mike was right by his side curling himself around Will's petite figure. He hugged him back and went back to sleep for a little longer.
Will liked to go to Mike's because his mom would always make the best breakfast.
Tonight was a different night. Will was glad to have a sleepover at Mike's but was quiet the whole evening and looked very sad. Mike didn't say anything in front of his family even though Karen had noticed the boy wasn't wearing his usual bright smile.
After they changed into their pajamas and brushed their teeth, the boy said goodnight to everyone and headed downstairs. Will went into the fort and switched on the fairy lights while Mike switched off the lights of the room. He joined his best friend under the covers and they started talking.
They talked about anything and everything. From movies to school friends. They told each other's jokes, some funnier than others. But the room felt silent when Will's laugh died and his smile turned upside down.
Mike looked at him frowning and calmly asked. "Will, what's wrong?"
"My parents are getting a divorce..." Will said.
Mike's lips parted like he wanted to say something but nothing came out. A few seconds later, Will's watery eyes met Mike's.
"I'm sorry" Mike finally said. Will just shrugged and laid on his back turning his gaze away from Mike, looking upwards instead. "Do you know why?" Mike asked getting closer, resting his chin on his friend's arm.
"I think they don't love each other anymore..." Will exhaled some air, and placed his head against Mike's, looking for comfort. Mike responded by putting his arm around the smaller boy, pulling him into a hug.
"Well, I don't think my parents still love each other the same either" Mike said staring at the little light.
Will looked down at him and Mike did the same, their noses were almost touching so he moved his head back a little. "Why do adults marry each other if they're gonna end up separated in the end?" Mike said.
"I don't know" Will sniffed.
"Well marriage is stupid!" Mike spat out angrily.
"I think it's kinda nice" Will replied. Mike frowned. "I mean you get to spend the rest of your life with someone you love. You can see them every day, have sleepovers every nights-"
"like us?" Mike said.
"I don't think that's how it works" Will looked back at Mike.
"Well who says we can't get married?" Mike asked confused. To be fair he was only 9.
"I don't know it's just that" Will unconsciously knew that somehow they couldn't even though he didn't exactly know why.
Mike sat up. "Well we love each other and always spend time together"
"I guess" Will said still unsure.
"Will you're my best friend, I love you, and I want to stay with you so we could sit in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives" Mike said truthfully smiling looking at Will with tender eyes.
Will smiled back.
"So?" Mike asked.
"So?" Will repeated, frowning, not understanding what Mike was implying.
"Will you marry me?" Mike waited for an answer.
There was a small silence of two second before Will smiled and nodded. "Yes" Mike smiled back then yawned which made Will yawn too.
"Okay well, we'll get married tomorrow because right now I'm tired" Mike said lying back down, next to Will.
"Okay, goodnight Mike" Will whispered.
"Goodnight Will" Mike mumbled already falling asleep. And once again they woke up cuddling each other, leaving a soft smile on Karen's face when she checked on them in the morning.
