#who would've though that tooth rotting fluff would be good for the soul

[andiwriteordie]

Hey andi!! Hope your day is good so far 💕

For your Byler Valentine’s Day prompt, one of them could surprise the other with a picnic at a rebuilt Castle Byers or at their swing set (I couldn’t decide; both are really good to me) They could exchange gifts and sing a cheesy song together.

OH I LOVED THIS PROMPT OMG

mike rebuilding castle byers is So Personal to me, and honest to god, idk why i haven't written it yet. so thank you for giving me the opportunity to do that! i hope you enjoy!

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4: so why don’t we go (somewhere only we know)

If there’s anyone in the world that Will Byers trusts, it’s Mike Wheeler.

That’s not to say that Will doesn’t trust other people, because honestly, Will is probably too trusting of most people in the world. He’s always had a gentler personality and always worn his heart on his sleeve and always been quick to give people second chances, even if they don’t necessarily deserve it. It’s just in Will’s nature to trust other people until they absolutely cannot be trusted.

But there’s no one else in the world that Will trusts more than Mike Wheeler. 

Mike’s been there for nearly his entire life, after all. He’s stood beside Will through thick and thin (with the exception of that messy year between middle school and high school), and he’s always been the person who knows and understands Will better than anybody else does. Trusting Mike comes easily to Will—in the same way that breathing comes easily to him. It’s not something that he even has to think about anymore. He just inherently trusts Mike with everything.

…

Well, almost everything.

“Mike, I swear,” Will grumbles, after tripping over what feels like the twentieth tree branch in the last ten minutes. “If I trip and fall on my face because of you, I’m breaking up with you.”

“You’re not going to fall,” Mike bemoans, and he tightens his grip on Will’s shoulders, carefully steering him in a different direction. “Will you stop being such a drama queen?”

“Oh, I’m the drama queen?” Will huffs a little, probably too overdramatic laugh. “I’m the drama queen. You’re kidding, right?”

He’s met with silence from his boyfriend for a few long, uncomfortable moments.

Then:

“You’re the worst,” Mike declares, and suddenly, Will is being pulled backwards and is tripping over his own damn feet, right back into the loving arms of his boyfriend. A little yelp escapes Will’s lips, and Mike just laughs—bright and beautiful and so full of life. It’s adorable enough that Will momentarily forgets the fact that he’d almost definitely fallen over in the woods (multiple times) and also the fact that he still has no idea where Mike is taking him.

“You love me,” Will replies, muffled and quiet since his face is pressed up against Mike’s shoulder. Now that he’s managed to not stumble over his own two feet, it’s not a bad place to be in, and Will leans in closer, breathing in the familiar scent of the detergent that Mrs. Wheeler has used since they were kids mixed in with the cologne Mike’s parents had gotten him for Christmas this past year. 

“I do,” Mike says, soft and a bit breathless, and he leans down, pressing his lips against Will’s forehead in a gentle kiss. “You know I do.”

Will can’t help but hum, and he wraps his arms around his boyfriend, content and warm and safe in the embrace. For a February day, it’s surprisingly warm outside, and the sun is out for the first time in what feels like an eternity. 

“So, did you blindfold me and bring me out to the woods just to hug me?” Will mumbles.

“Would you be mad if I did?” Mike mumbles back, his voice soft and teasing, and Will just laughs.

“Maybe a little,” he teases, pulling back enough so that he would be looking at Mike, if he weren’t blindfolded. “Especially since we could’ve just cuddled on your couch. It’s a lot warmer in your family’s basement than it is out here.”

A quiet laugh escapes Mike’s lips, and he kisses Will’s forehead again. “It’s not that bad out today,” he points out, and he hugs Will closer. “Besides, if we get cold, we can just huddle together for warmth.”

“Mm,” Will hums, leaning into the embrace, “good point, good point. Is that your way of saying there really was no other reason you brought me out here?”

“It’s like you don’t know me at all,” Mike deadpans, and Will just laughs, pushing against his chest. “Sure, let’s just waste our Saturday afternoon wandering in the woods like we’re twelve again. Or like we’re sixteen and on patrol.”

“Romantic,” Will remarks. “You really know how to woo a guy, Mike Wheeler.”

This time, Mike just groans, and he pushes Will away slightly, before taking him by the shoulders again. “I’ll have you know I am very good at wooing guys,” Mike huffs as he carefully steers Will through the woods.

“Oh?” Will teases. “Says who?”

Mike lets out a little indignant squawk. “You are so,” he sputters, “so—”

“So?”

“Annoying,” Mike grumbles, but there’s no real heat to his voice. “And mean.”

“Annoying and mean,” Will echoes, fighting the urge to grin. “You’re really doing a great job at this wooing me thing, babe.”

Once again, Mike just lets out an exasperated groan, and he keeps walking forward, still holding Will close. “One of these days, I’m going to catch you in the act,” he warns. “And I’ll make sure everyone sees the real Will Byers. Everyone thinks you’re the nice one of the relationship, but look at you.”

Will just laughs, and he tilts his head back, just enough so Mike can see his smile. “Nobody’s ever going to believe you,” he teases. “Except maybe Jonathan. But God knows he’ll side with me just to piss you off.”

“You and your entire family are going to be the death of me,” Mike deadpans. Then, before Will can even think of a response, Mike brings both of them to a stop, and he squeezes Will’s shoulder gently. “I hope you know how much I love you.”

Once again, Will turns his head, and he blindly reaches up, placing his hand on Mike’s cheek. “Of course, I do,” he says softly. “And you know I love you too… terrible wooing skills and all.”

“Asshole,” Mike grumbles, but he leans forward, kissing Will—soft and sweet. “Anyways. We’re here. Be prepared to eat your words, William. I am excellent at wooing you, thank you very much.”

Will laughs softly, and he kisses Mike back, pressing their foreheads together. “I’m excited to see why you brought me out here,” he whispers, and he means it. Even with all the teasing and the flirting, Will knows Mike is the most thoughtful, intentional person in his life. At the end of the day, there’s no one who puts more effort into loving the people around him than Mike does. 

Mike exhales a soft, breathy laugh, and he steps away. “Okay,” he says, sounding a little bit more nervous now. “I’m gonna take your blindfold off now, got it?”

Will nods. “Got it.”

Mike takes another nervous breath, and his hands go to the blindfold around Will’s eyes, carefully and gently undoing the knot. “Happy Valentine’s Day, love,” he murmurs, just as the old green bandana falls from Will’s eyes, finally allowing him to see…

Oh.

Oh.

Will blinks—once, twice, thrice—and his breath catches.

Because there, standing right in front of him, is a new and improved Castle Byers.

It’s a lot bigger than the original Castle Byers—which is very helpful, considering the fact that Will’s a lot bigger than when he first built Castle Byers with his brother years ago. It looks sturdier too—built with twigs and branches, but also actual pieces of wood that’ll probably help it withstand storms and angry baseball bats and trembling hands better than the first fort did. But other than that, it looks nearly identical to Will’s childhood fort—with the familiar ALL FRIENDS WELCOME sign still hanging proudly on top of the fort. 

“I, um… I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Mike whispers, and as he moves to stand next to Will, Will glances up, meeting his boyfriend’s eyes. There’s a shy, tentative smile on his face, and he shrugs slightly. “Ever since you, um… you tore it down, actually. But then you moved away, and the whole thing with One happened… and there was just never a good time. But I… I wanted to do this for you, both… as an apology for that day, but also just a gift for you.”

Mike pauses here, and he smiles again, warm and gentle. “One of my favorite parts about you is how you’ve never lost yourself, Will,” he says softly. “I mean… even when everyone else was trying to be someone they’re not, you kept being yourself. You were never scared to be you, and I just… I don’t know. You always make me feel brave enough and safe enough to be myself, and… I wanted to give you this. Just… to say thank you.”

Tears sting Will’s eyes, and before Mike can say anything else, Will all but tackles him into a kiss, holding him close. A surprised little “oof” escapes Mike’s lips, muffled against the kiss, and he stumbles backwards, before wrapping his arms around Will to steady both of them. 

“I love you,” Will whispers, pulling away just enough to look Mike in the eye. “I love you so much.”

Mike beams, and there’s a softness in his eyes. “Even with my terrible wooing skills?” he teases.

“I changed my mind,” Will teases back, and he kisses his boyfriend again, slower and more deliberate this time. “I definitely changed my mind.”

Another laugh escapes Mike’s lips. “Good,” he says smugly, holding Will closer. “And I didn’t even have to show you the picnic I have for us inside!”

Will can’t help but smile, and he presses his forehead against Mike’s, meeting his boyfriend’s eyes. “You’re incredible, you know that, right?” Will whispers. “You’re incredible, and I love you, and also, there is no way anything I’m ever going to be able to top this gift.”

“You don’t need to,” Mike laughs, and his eyes crinkle as he smiles. “I’m just happy that you’re happy.”

“Sap,” Will says immediately, and the two of them share another smile. “You complete and utter sap.”

“You love it,” Mike teases. “You love meeee.”

He says it like that’s some kind of massive, insane victory—like it isn’t the easiest thing in the world for Will to love him. Like Will hasn’t been falling in love with him—as a friend, as a best friend, and now as a boyfriend—since the very first day the two of them met on that swing set. Like the best thing in Will’s life isn’t getting to love Mike Wheeler and getting to be loved by him in return.

“I do,” Will whispers back, and he stands on his tiptoes, kissing Mike again sweetly. “I love you so much.”

Mike’s gaze softens, and he kisses Will back, before murmuring, “I love you too.”

(The rest of their afternoon is, in fact, spent cuddling with each other, and stuffing their faces full of picnic food that Will’s sure Mrs. Wheeler must have helped him make, and laughing about the most random things like the gossip they’ve overheard from school or the latest updates in their friends’ love lives, and singing ridiculous, stupid songs together simply because they can.

There’s nobody else here but the two of them, after all. And this place, which once crumpled into ruins as the result of harsh words and painful distance and broken friendships, begins to become Will’s safe place again. 

The rest of the world falls away when the two of them are in Castle Byers, until all Will can focus on is Mike Wheeler and just how damn much Will loves him.

It’s the greatest gift Will could’ve asked for.)