#Michael’s grip is slipping lmbo

[existingonanotherplane]

Happy Stranger Things day :D!!! Byler tag is winnin rn c:

Here’s Part 2 of the ‘i love you’ series, sorry it took so long c:

Uh oh, Michael! That look you’re giving is a little tender 😟

Mike is bored as hell.

Mike is bored as hell.

Who knew that the government slowly taking over the remnants of his home town while some dude, who he guesses is obsessed with Will, is trying to end life as they know it would be so slow.

Not that he wants any life ending things to happen. He just never thought he'd find himself bored, of all things, while the world was trying to end.

It was the day after the talk with Will about the painting, which if hes being honest, he still feels really good about. Maybe he'd been a little sappy saying that he loved him but it was true! And he didn't regret it.

It's been a few months since everythings started and other than the very obvious changes that have happened like the weather or the gates, Mike has been feeling like he's been getting hit with surprise after surpise every other week.

Dealing with the aftermath of the injured friends, the town ripping into four, Max was in a god damned coma, and Eddie-

Mike didnt like thinking about that moment. Even if things were marginally better now. So he doesn't. The feeling lingers anyway.

Point is lots of things changed and they haven't stopped.

It wasn't long after that that Will and El had decided he'd let the rest of the party (and extended party as well) that they'd discovered some kind of hidden power in Will. They'd explained how they weren't sure why it did'nt manifest in Hawkins before they moved, other than the True Sight and Now Visions, that there was more that he could do.

Mike is pretty sure they're still keeping an ability of his hidden but from what they can understand, his powers are similar to El in the since of like, moving things with his mind and going into the Void. The differ though, because Will's makes things react like how the upside down or its creatures does.

Like flickering lights or sometimes, when he's feeling strongly, particles will appear around him. There's a few theories going around with this, the craziest one, thanks to Dustin, is that maybe Will is a walking gate.

Mike isn't sure about that but he knows Will has always been tied to the UD since things have started. Will feels like he can't escape the upside down but maybe its the other way around?

He thinks that's maybe why Will was able to sense that Eddie was still barely alive down there. He and El had been able to locate him, and although it had caused a lot of heartache they got him out. So now he sits in the hospital with Max.

Mike wonders how many more times he's going to lose something to that hellhole only for it to come right back.

He shakes his head, not really sure how he ended up thinking about all that in the first place.

Head knocking back on the couch, Mike releases an honestly extreemly dramtic and long sigh. The meeting they had schedueled for today could not get here any faster.

'knock knock knock'

Was that the door? The meeting isn't for another three hours so honestly Mike isn't really expecting it when he opens the door to find none other than Will standing outside.

"Will!" a smile flys over his face before he could think otherwise. Not that he'd want to anyways.

"Hey!" Will greets back in a tone similar to his own. His own pretty smile gracing his face.

Mike takes a moment to give Will a once over. Not for any particular reason but he thinks it only makes sense to look when Will is constanly looking as nice as he does. Even in an apocolypse, Will still manages.

Today he's wearing a turtle neck, something they've all started doing since the weather took a turn for the colder, some baggy pants and the same boots hes been wearing since he found them a couple weeks ago at the shelter. It's a simple outfit but Will looks good anyways.

"Uh, Mike?"

Mike's eyes snap back up to Will's face. He looks a little red and Mike wonders if he's cold. He backs away from the door frame so Will doesn't freeze, recognizing that the weather, while still super cold, is actually good in the whole "not raining poision" kind of way.

Will shuffles past him, giving him a strange look on the way in. Mike realizes that he has yet to respond.

"Sorry! Zoned out there for a second." He says in a rush, glancing back over at his friend. Will nods, looking a little confused or maybe concerned, but Mike is too focused on how cozy he looks and that same tingling feeling he had gotten yesterday returns.

Maybe he needs to the doctor? He walks over and wraps Will in a hug instead.

"What's going on? You're here so early." Mike says, leaning his cheek on the top of his head.

He feels Will adjust a bit, moving a little closer.

"Yeah, they were trying to rope me into more cabin repairs."

Mike lets out a breath of air, laughing. They'd been staying there for a while and there's still repairs that they've had to do. At least that giant hole in the roof is gone.

"Oh yeah," he says instead, "we wouldn't want that. Can't have you working too hard." Mike finishes, squeezing Will a little more into the hug.

Will lets out a laugh, knocking his hand against Mike's side and making him jump back to avoid the impromptu tickle attack he would've gotten.

"Says the guy who breaks down the moment someone even thinks of excersize." Will says through a laugh.

Mike rolls his eyes. He's not that opposed to working out, no need for dramatics.

"I don't think you're any better, Will."

And that might be a lie actually, because Will has defintly filled out compared to Mike's own lankiness. The height is nice though and he's managed to keep his title as the tallest in the group, althogh Lucas had almost taken that from him.

Mike reaches for Will's hand, correcting a little instead for his wrist. It might be a little weird if he just grabbed his hand. Before pulling him out of the walkway and towards the basement.

"Remind me. Why do I talk to you again?" Will says behind him and Mike bites down a smile, knowing he's about to say something stupid.

"Can't resist the Wheeler-" he lets out, stretching the second half of his name.

Will goes dead silent but Mike knows that if he looks back Will would be struggling to hold in a laugh.

He giggles to himself when he hears a "Dude. No." instead.

Time passes pretty quickly after that. He and Will hung out for a while. Mostly talking or playing games or even just sitting there and enjoying each other's company.

Everyone eventually showed up and the meeting started. With things being a waiting game there wasn't much to say. It became an overview of the plan they'd come up with some adjustments here and there, scheduling training for various people, talking about supply runs and then just general updates.

All in all it went smoothly but now everyone was packing things up. It was getting late and there's a curfew now. Not to mention, being out after dark was overall dangerous. Mike didn't enjoy everyone leaving the way they did but he knew they had to.

They had just finished their goodbyes and were loading into their respective cars. Will had ridden his bike over to his house and was now getting on it to ride it over to his family's car before Mike stopped him again, placing his hand over the bike's handlebar. And subsequently, Will's hand.

Mike didn't want anyone to leave really but it felt especially strong with Will in that second. Maybe he should ask him to stay over? Wait, no he can't do that either because of the early morning training he had.

Mike sighs, hunching slightly and looking back down at their joined hands, smiling at the sight. Palm tingling where it sits on top of Will's.

Wait-

He glances back up at Will, who looks a little flushed, probably from the cold, but is looking at him curiously. He and El had started doing this thing where they tilt their head in confusion. He's not sure who started it but it was insanely adorable and maybe Mike should say something instead of just staring at his best friend actually.

"Um, there's a meeting tomorrow too, right?"

That might've been the dumbest thing he's said. They'd just got out of the meeting. The next one's date was written on a board downstairs. Mike had been the one to write it. He wants to slap himself.

If Will thought it was weird he didn't say anything.

He smiles a little as he replies, very easily and not at all strange like Mike had just been, "Yeah. It's at the cabin."

And Mike knew that because when they had said it Will had bumped his shoulder with his own and shot him a smile so of course Mike committed it to memory. Which is a normal thing to do. Will hasn't been smiling as often and not to mention it's a great smile so why wouldn't he?

Plus it's like his duty to commit it to memory as his best friend.

Mike nods a few times, probably too many, hunching down a little more to look at Will's face in full.

"Cool… Welp, uh, goodnight William."

He's an idiot.

He hears Will mumble an almost inaudible "Ew, what the hell." A small smile playing on his lips, which Mike isn't looking at. Or well he is looking at them but it's a totally normal amount.

He pulls his eyes back up to Will's just in time to see him roll his own and Mike thinks he loves him.

"Goodnight, Michael-" Will starts, exasperated and fond.

"Love you. Get home safe." Mike finishes. Voice sounding sweeter than even he was expecting.

Will's face looks much like the last time. A little shocked but there's a smile starting to form. Mike watches some color flood into his cheeks and a full body tingle settles itself over him.

"Will! C'mon!" Jonathan yells over from inside of the car. Successfully snapping Mike out of whatever trance he had been in. He was definitely staring at his mouth for too long that time.

"I'm comin'!" Will shouts back, placing his feet onto the bike pedals.

He looks back at Mike briefly, a little sheepish when he says

"Sorry. I'll be safe." He pushes off beginning to pedal towards the waiting car but mike doesn't miss his words,

"Love you too, Mike." He can hear the smile in his voice.

Maybe Mike's heart melts a little but he wouldn't tell you that.

_________

Notes: (might post this on AO3 if i finish it haha)

And that's that. part 2 c: Would y'all believe that Mike is still not aware of his feelings :D. He'll figure it out c: Now it's time to start part 3. Happy stranger things day!

<<<Previous part