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Will is sitting on Mike’s bed, and he’s watching the latter pace around the room as he contemplates the reality of the situation. Mike feels like he could crumble under Will’s attentive gaze any minute now. He decides to say something to distract himself.
“So he asked you out? You got a date? Tomorrow?” His eyebrows dance with every word he lets out. Will, in all honesty, had always found this aspect of Mike’s Facial expressions especially endearing, which is why he can’t help but smile a bit.
“Yes, Michael. Is that really such a hard concept to grasp?” “No, you—” you’re everything. Of course, Mike had known this. Will is just sitting there, and he looks magical, bathed in the warm light of the setting sun. Will is soft and kind. A sorcerer who had cast his magic spell upon Mike’s heart ever since he could remember.
But Will was supposed to be his sorcerer.
Even so, he had known Will would be noticed by other people eventually, by other men, by someone who wasn’t him. He had known someone would be brave enough to defy society for Will. Or at the very least, he should have known.
“It’s just that I don’t really get it. Why him? And why are you so nervous about this date when this guy is just some guy, and you’re the Will Byers.”
Will lets out a short, airy laugh at that, and Mike’s heart jumps to a start in his chest. “Oh come on, Mike, don’t be like that. I’m not that special, and I’m not even... experienced in any of this.” Will looks down to his lap, where his fingers are twisting around each other nervously. Mike comes to an abrupt stop in front of Will. “Come on, Will,” he whispers softly as he slowly lowers himself to the floor to kneel in front of Will. “You know how special you are, don’t you?” As he looks up to meet Will’s eyes, he reaches for his hands, untangling them slowly before intertwining his own fingers with them. “You’re everything anyone could want.” Will huffs at this and averts his gaze, as if Mike had made a bad joke. “Don’t bullshit me, Mike. I just graduated, and I haven’t kissed anyone ever. It’s going to be a total disaster if he tries to kiss me and I mess it all up.” Mike tries to tune out the traitorous thoughts that are sneaking into his brain at almost superhuman speed. Tries to press his lips shut and think, but of course, he can’t keep his mouth from running.
“I could kiss you.”
Please.
A heavy silence settles over the room as heat rushes to Mike’s face. What a stupid thing to say to his best friend. Mike shakes his head and moves back a bit. “No, sorry. I shouldn’t! That was a stupid suggestion-” Mike tries to free his hands from Will’s, to get up, get away as fast as he can. He’s pulling his fingers away slowly before he feels Will’s fingers tightening around his, stopping his motion. Will’s voice comes out in a whisper.
“Well, I can’t kiss you if you’re sitting on the floor.” Their eyes meet, and Mike’s mouth falls open a bit.
Will looks down at him with a glint of mischief in his eyes, one eyebrow perked up. “Are you challenging me right now?” Mike asks, taken aback. His heart is running lapses inside his chest, and his tongue won’t stop spilling nonsense, “Oh, Will the Wise, you should know better than this. Paladins are much more likely to succeed in close-range combat like this, so if you-”
Their noses brush as Will leans down to where Mike is sitting, and Mike feels like the air has been knocked right out of his lungs. Feels Will's breath against his lips and can’t help but look at Will’s.
“I would appreciate your help, …” Will breathes into their shared space, and Mike can feel Will’s lips brush against his own with every word. Will looks at his lips, then his eyes, back to his lips.
“Please, didn’t you take an Oath of Devotion?”
Mike can feel his brain short-circuit as he leans forward and closes the space between them, meeting Will’s lips gently.
It feels electrifying, he wants to chase the feeling. They part after a brief moment. “I will help you, I swear,” Mike mumbles mindlessly. Will smiles contentedly, “thank you.” Mike nods along. He just wants to kiss Will again, kiss him properly this time.
They untangle their hands, and Mike gets up to sit next to Will on the bed. The legs brush against each other. Mike’s heart is still pumping deafeningly loud in his ear. Will turns his head to look at him, doe-eyed, full of expectation, eager to practice. For another guy.
It feels like a bullet to the heart when he remembers the reason Will is looking at him like this. He clears his throat nervously. “Okay, so first of all, we should sit face to face,” Mike explains as he guides Will at the waist to sit across from him. They both know touching Will wouldn’t have been necessary for this. Mike lets himself anyway, before copying the motion. Their knees are bumping now, and it’s enough to take away Mike's breath again. He watches Will lick his lips and takes a deep breath to ground himself. “Secondly, you and your partner need to be in sync — it’s a bit like a dance. Do you get it?” Will nods, eyes flickering to Mike’s lips again. “Can we try? I think I’m more of a physical learner.”
“Of course.” Mike swallows nervously before leaning in again. One of his hands comes up to cup Will’s face gently, his other one finds support at Will’s waist again.
Then their lips crash with an unexpected amount of force, like a bow drawn for years finally releasing all of its built-up tension. It feels easy and warm as their lips slot into place. The kiss is slow, heavy and messy until they find a rhythm that suits them — their very own type of dance. Will's hands find their way into Mike's locks, tugging slightly to pull him in closer. A shiver runs down Mike's spine at the action, and he lets out a contented sigh into Will's mouth. Their lips keep meeting each other, increasing in urgency, like they could never get enough.
Mike knows he certainly couldn't. This is Will, right in front of him, and he gets to kiss him, gets to keep him all to himself just for the moment.
When they shortly part for air, they linger in the space between them, neither really pulling away.
Mike studies Will's face; his cheeks are flushed, and his breath is quickened. There would never be a prettier sight than this, Mike thinks. Will catches his breath and asks, "wow, that was... that was good, wasn't it?" He is all smiles and excitement. Mike wants to kiss him again. "Seems like you're a natural," he agrees before pressing a kiss to the Mole on Will's face. It's way too adorable to ignore, and Mike feels like he can be selfish for once. After all, he might never be able to do this again.
"We should still practise some more." Mike urges, nudging Will's forehead softly with his own. Will hums, a thinking noise.
"Well, I thought I was pretty good at this already. I don't think I need to practice any more, do I?" Mike knows he's lying, Will is asking him to disagree.
Mike smirks and pulls away a bit. "Oh, wow, no, really, you're so good it's incredible, honestly, I don't think we need to practice." Mike leaves a dramatic pause, pretending to get up, never actually planning to. "We should stop now if you want to scare your date away," he teases. Will gasps dramatically, over the top.
"So you're saying I'm a bad kisser, then?" Mike chuckles, "Oh, yeah, totally."
"I'll show you." Will counters teasingly, and then their lips lock again. Will is more confident this time; their lips meet fast and coordinate almost immediately. Mike likes the thought of Will getting used to their very own rhythm. He can feel his heart fluttering in his chest as he draws Will closer at the waist. Will giggles and moves with Mike's pull until he is resting comfortably on his lap.
Mike can't help but smile into the kiss as they break apart, only to find each other again. Will's hands are wandering from Mike's hair to his neck and his shoulders. The curious feather-light touch leaves warmth everywhere it travels. Mike's hands wander as well, mostly along Will's waist and thighs.
When Mike squeezes Will's thighs experimentally, Will lets out a surprised "Mike?"
If Mike were to die right now, he would die a happy man. If the last thing he got to do on this earth was make Will Byers, his Sorcerer, say his name like that, he would say farewell to the world with pleasure. They break apart again, breathless. Mike opens his eyes and immediately meets Will's doe eyes. "Yeah?" he asks stupidly.
The flushed boy in front of him gulps nervously, Mike's eyes follow the bopping of Will's Adam’s Apple attentively. Another traitorous thought sneaks into his brain. He wants to kiss Will's neck to make sure he won't be able to go on that date the next day without knowing Mike had left his mark already.
He can't tear his eyes away from Will's neck until the latter suddenly speaks up. Mike's eyes spring back up to Will's eyes and then trail down his face to his now slightly puffy lips. "So, how'd I do?" He asks teasingly. Their hands are still touching, and Mike doesn't plan to let go anytime soon. He nods approvingly, "Very good, you're truly magical." He stresses the last word.
They stay like this for a while, close to each other.
"You still have a lot to learn, young Padawan."
"Mike." Will breathes out his name warningly, but there's no malice in his tone.
"I can teach you some more, if you want," Mike wants Will to agree so badly. Begs him silently to grant him this wish.
"How could I ever refuse you?" Will murmurs before closing the gap between them once more. Mike's face burns hot at the words, and he struggles kissing Will back properly for a few seconds. When his brain finally catches up, he presses into Will more than he had before.
Will wouldn’t refuse him.
Their teeth click as they clash into each other repeatedly. It almost feels as if they're trying to make up for all the times they wanted to do this but couldn't. It's a dizzying feeling. When Will lets out a contented sigh, Mike licks across his bottom lip provocatively. It's a silent request for permission, and Will grants it, keeping his mouth open in turn.
They exchange open-mouthed kisses. Mike feels drunk. Will tastes like the lasagna they had for dinner, and that tea he always drinks when he's sketching.
It's probably the best thing that he has ever tasted.
Will sucks Mike's bottom lip into his mouth and bites it. A humiliating whimper escapes Mike before he can catch himself, and he pulls away breathless and slightly overwhelmed. "Holy shit," he breathes out, defeated. Will looks at him in triumph. "Seems like I bested you," he teases. Mike lets his head fall into the crook of Will's neck. "You're unbelievable, Will."
"I know." Will grins as he starts to play with Mike's hair.
"You're incredible as well." Will murmurs fondly before pressing a kiss to Mike's hairline.
Mike rolls them to the side so that they're lying on the bed now still facing each other. The room is cast almost entirely in darkness now, the sun fleeing from the day too quickly.
They lay in silence, catching their breath for a few minutes.
Then Will shifts, and Mike is catapulted back to reality.
Will has to go home; he has a date tomorrow.
Before Will can even consider getting up to leave, Mike sneaks an arm around him to secure his position in bed next to him. It’s where he belongs.
"Don’t leave me, please," Mike begs quietly, and it feels embarrassing to ask like this.
"Wasn't planning on it," Will shrugs his tone is light and playful.
"What about your date?"
"I made that up," Will admits flatly.
"Will, what?!" Mike exclaims dramatically. "Friends don't lie!"
Will smiles at him fondly and brushes Mike's hair behind his ear. "But boyfriends do."
Mike tries to say something, but he can't get it out immediately, instead he raises his eyebrows in fake offence. "Screw you. I was what? 13? You can't hold me accountable for stuff I did 5 years ago."
Before Will can continue to drag Mike for his past actions, which had admittedly been horrible, Mike picks up one of the pillows from behind Will's back and hits him with it. Gently of course.
Will laughs from beneath the relentless attack, a genuine breathy laugh from deep within his core. Mike feels flowers blooming inside his heart at the sound.
"You're impossible." Will squeals, grabbing the pillow firmly and pushing it to the side to kiss Mike again. It's gentle, like the kiss they shared earlier this evening.
Mike melts into it, despite his best efforts to stay fake upset. They pull away and rest their foreheads against each other.
"I'm sorry for lying to you," Will admits, and Mike knows he means it because he knows that look in his eyes.
"I'm not mad." He admits quietly. "I'm sorry it took me so long to admit. In a way I had always hoped for us to be like this. I was just scared.
Will nods in understanding.
"Will you sleepover? I don't want to let you go now that I finally got you." Mike pleads as he nuzzles himself closer into Will's side.
"Fine, you're my Paladin, after all. A Cleric isn't ever really complete without his Paladin." Will presses another soft kiss to Mike's face. Mike's heart flutters against his ribcage.
"You're not technically a Cleric any more actually-" Mike tries to cut in , but immediately folds when his eyes meet Will's again.
"I love you, Will,” he breathes out. A quiet confession in the dimly lit room. It's easy. It finally feels right to say these dreadful words; he knows he means it. Will smiles at him, it's so fond that Mike feels like he's melting.
“You already know I love you.” Mike simply nods, in a way he has known for a very long time.