Chapter Text
“What are you doing?” Mike asks, taking another step back as she crowds him up against the counter.
Max reaches over to the sink and turns on the tap, “We need to talk,” she says, glancing back up at him. “Privately.”
Mike eyes the water as it starts to flow from the tap, he doesn’t know if he’s more scared or more anxious to hear what Max needs to speak to him about. Though, he can guess what it’s about.
Max settles back against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest, “Okay, so I know,” she says, repeating her words from before.
“What exactly do you think you know?” Mike wonders as he takes up space next to the shower curtain.
“You and Will have been hooking up,” Max states blatantly, her gaze unwavering – her tone is one of certainty. “But you’re not dating and you’re keeping it a secret for some reason.”
“It was one of his rules,” Mike blurts out before he can stop himself. “I mean- they’re not- I didn’t mean it like that.”
Max’s eyes widen a fraction, “So, Will’s a top. I didn’t see that coming.” She gives him a once over, “Though, that makes sense, I guess.”
Mike frowns, “What is that supposed to mean?” He asks defensively.
“Nothing.” She shakes her head, “What are you doing?”
“What?” Mike doesn’t understand what she’s asking.
“Are you just experimenting with him because you know he’s gay? Is this just some big joke to you? Toying with his feelings like this?” Max pushes off the counter, crowding closer to him once more. “Because it’s not funny.”
“What? No.” Mike shakes his head quickly. “And what do you mean his feelings?”
Max cocks a brow at him, but when Mike remains quiet and confused, she scoffs loudly. “Oh my God, you can’t honestly think- he’s in love with you. It’s so obvious. I knew you were an idiot, Wheeler, but I didn’t think it was this bad.”
Mike blinks at her slowly, sloth-like, “What? No, that’s not- Will? Will is in love with me?” He shakes his head again, a laugh bubbling out of him out of his control. “That’s insane. Will isn’t in love with me.”
Max runs her hand over her face, “Holy shit, you’re way dumber than I thought you were.”
“Did he tell you he was?” Mike asks before pursing his lips.
Now, he knows Will feels at least something for him, they wouldn’t be doing any of this if Will didn’t at least like him a little bit. But Will being in love with him? That’s- that’s not possible. Mike would have realized that.
“No, but he didn’t have to,” Max replies flatly. “I can see it plain as day. The way he looks at you, the way he talks to you, the way he laughs at your dumb jokes.”
Mike frowns again, murmuring, “They’re not all dumb,” but Max goes on as if he hasn’t spoken.
“He’s been in love with you forever, anyone with eyes can see that. Well, maybe not everyone, Dustin and Lucas are pretty clueless. They’re probably used to seeing you and Will so close, they probably just think it’s admiration or whatever. Some best friend bullshit.”
Mike chews on the inside of his cheek, “Actually, Lucas knows. He confronted me when we got back from shopping last night.”
Max blinks, “Oh, well, then I don’t know.” She shrugs, “Anyways, this isn’t just about Will, as much as I hate to admit it. You’re a part of this, too. So, if you think you’re going to continue using him to fulfill some homoerotic fantasy, then think again, Wheeler, because I’m not going to let you-”
“I am not using him,” Mike interrupts sharply, before taking a deep breath. “I- it started out as him helping me, but it’s different now. I- I feel things for him I’ve never felt with anyone else,” he admits in a quiet voice. “I think I- I know I love him. I want to be with him; I want to be more than best friends.”
“Oh, well, good.” Max nods to herself. “Glad we cleared that up. Does he know this?”
Mike hesitates, “No,” he says after a moment. “But I- I don’t want to ruin the friendship, what if I confess and he doesn’t reciprocate?”
Max stares at him like he’s an idiot, which is a very common look between them. “He does. He would, if you pulled your head out of your ass for a minute and actually communicated with him. He loves you, like a lot. There’s no way he would have bought what he bought yesterday if he didn’t.”
Mike lights up a bit, “You know what he bought?”
“Yes,” Max tells him with a nod, “And no, I’m not telling you what he got.”
Mike pouts, “Why not?”
“Because then I have to think about him using that stuff with you and I really don’t want to go back down that rabbit hole. I do not need to have nightmares about it.” Max shudders, shaking her head again. “Let’s just say, he will accept everything if you just tell him.”
“Well, how can I? I want to, but- I want to do something about it, and I can’t really do anything while you guys are visiting.” Mike rubs his arms, wrapping them around himself.
“That didn’t seem to be an issue the other night,” Max points out, making a face. “I heard you two grunting and-” she cuts off, shaking her head more, trying to clear her mind presumably. “I’m not telling you to jump his bones, Wheeler. Just tell him how you feel.”
Mike worries his bottom lip between his teeth, “Are you sure he feels the same?”
“Yes, I’m very sure. I am a hundred percent sure. A thousand- a million – he loves you. Will is in love with you. I’m never been more certain of anything else except for my own relationship with Lucas. That’s how certain I am.” Max reaches out, resting her hand on his arm in a weirdly affectionate action – they never do this, this heart-to-heart stuff. Mike knows that means Max is serious. “Just know, if you break his heart, I’ll break something of yours,” she tells him with a smile and a squeeze of his arm. “You should probably shower; you smell like vomit.” And with that the moment is over.
Mike rolls his eyes, “Thanks,” he says, before adding more sincerely, “Really, thank you.” Max nods and turns to go, but pauses when Mike speaks again, “Hey, actually could you do me a favor?”
“It depends on what it is,” she replies, crossing her arms back over her chest.
“Well, um- it’s two things.” Mike averts his gaze, “Uh, could you grab me the cucumber from the fridge?”
Max stares at him for a whole minute before squinting at him, “Sure... do I even want to know?”
“Probably not,” Mike murmurs.
“Okay.” Max leaves and then returns a little while later with the cucumber in hand. She sets it down on the counter, “What is the second thing?”
“Could you take Dustin and Lucas out to breakfast? Just you three. I’d like to have some alone time with Will.”
Max’s eyes flicker down to the cucumber before they flick back to him, “Uh huh,” she mutters, half-heartedly agreeing, “Sure, I can do that.” She then turns to leave again.
“Thank you, Max,” Mike tells her again as she opens the door. “I really appreciate this.”
Max glances back over her shoulder at him, “You better do right by him,” she responds. “Will is- he loves with his whole heart; you better not break it.”
“I won’t,” Mike promises, giving her a small smile.
Max smiles back a little, “I’ll ask the boys when they wake up,” she says, before, “I really hope you two work things out, Mike.” Then she’s gone, the door swinging shut behind her.
Mike blinks at the closed door, a little shocked. He doesn’t think she’s ever called him by his first name before – notably, it was a bit odd. He sighs, locking the door before shuffling over to the counter and picking up the cucumber.
Okay, no turning back now, Mike thinks as he unwraps it, removing the plastic covering before washing the vegetable in the sink. He sits down on toilet seat after shutting it, shifting and getting comfortable. He presses the tip of the cucumber to his lips, before parting them and taking it into his mouth. It’s weird. He isn’t used to having something this big and solid in his mouth. He knows a dick won’t feel like this, not this firm and unbending, but he figured it’d be better to practice on something bigger, so he knew he’d be able to take Will’s cock.
Mike pushes the vegetable further into his mouth, sliding it along his tongue, to the back of his throat. He moves slowly, cautious of where his gag reflex is, but-
Wait a second. Mike has at least three quarters of the cucumber inside of his mouth but it’s not triggering his gag reflex at all. Where is it? He has to be close to it at least. But then the tip of the cucumber hits the back of his throat and he still hasn’t gagged. He’s out of space, he can’t push it in any farther, but he’s not- where the fuck is it? How is this even possible? Does this make me some kind of freak? Doesn’t everyone have a gag reflex?
Mike slips the cucumber out of his mouth, working his jaw. It’s a little sore from the stretch from the girth of the vegetable, but it isn’t unbearable. He peers down at the cucumber before wrapping his lips around the tip, sucking on it for a bit before swirling his tongue around the top. Another apparent difference between the cucumber and a dick, is that there’s no precum. Mike wonders if he will like the taste. From what he’s read, he knows it’s salty, but that it’s sometimes bitter or sweet depending on the person’s diet. Mike knows he’ll like it no matter what though, because it will be from Will. He knows he’ll swallow it regardless of the flavor.
Great, now he’s hard. Mike is hard from sucking on a cucumber and fantasizing about swallowing Will’s load. Yep, this may be the weirdest thing I’ve even done. He doesn’t stop though; he continues to practice. He wants to be perfect for Will. Might as well commit then, he supposes. It’s not like anyone is around to judge him – no one is going to know about this. Mike moans quietly around the vegetable, closing his eyes and imagining it is Will and not what it actually is. He shamefully slides his free hand into his shorts and wraps his fingers around himself, beginning to stroke his own length as he sucks on ‘Will’s cock’.
Michael...
Mike can almost hear Will’s voice in his head, calling him by his full name. Mike wants to hear Will say it when he’s out of breath, panting and pulling on Mike’s hair as Mike goes down on him. His dick twitches against his palm and he strokes faster, taking the cucumber deeper into his mouth. It’s true, he has no gag reflex. He can’t wait to test it out on Will.
Mike doesn't cum, but that's a given because he knows he can't that way, and although he knows he can that other way, he chooses not to. He doesn't want to, not without Will. He does take an extensive amount of time in the shower though, cleaning very thoroughly, cleaning in a way he's never done before... cleaning inside. Just in case. Mike doesn't want to assume anything, but... he hopes.
He hopes so badly.
Will exhales straight into Mike’ face and he almost laughs at the abruptness of it, but then Will is looking at his mouth wantingly. Like he wants Mike to kiss him. Mike is more than happy to oblige. Though, the moment he leans in, watching Will’s eyes slide shut, he hears a buzzing in the background.
Right, friends, Mike thinks to himself, frowning. He knows he can kiss Will first and then go buzz their friends up, but he doesn’t want to rush this. He doesn’t want to just give Will a quick peck and leave him wanting more – he doesn’t want to leave himself wanting more, and he knows he will. He wants to kiss Will until they’re both struggling to form thoughts, until they can’t think of anything else. He wants to kiss him like he is breathing life into him, like he’s pouring love into him. Mike knows the moment their lips touch, he won’t want to stop- that he won’t be able to.
Which means they have to wait. Mike doesn’t want to, but he doesn’t want to ruin Will’s first kiss for him. He stiffens, frowning again at the thought. This is Will’s first kiss. That thought is what convinces Mike to wait. They’ll have another chance. This isn’t over yet.
Mike glances back to Will, his frown deepening as he sees the confusion there, “We should get that,” he whispers, but he tries to convey with his eyes that he really doesn’t want to. He watches Will’s own eyes turn pleading, and Mike shifts his fingers against his cheek as he gives him a small smile. Mike has already fucked up so much, he refuses to fuck up Will’s first kiss for him. “I don’t want to rush this,” Mike says to him.
Will frowns, but Mike can tell he understands as he agrees, nodding his head, “Me either.”
Mike smiles wider before pressing a quick kiss to Will’s forehead and then getting off the bed. He has apparently forgotten about his boxers around his ankles, because the first thing Mike does when he gets off the mattress is promptly eat shit – he faceplants on the floor. It’s a shock to his system, but he barely feels the pain because Will is asking if he’s okay and giggling through his words, and that sound alone is too adorable to think about anything else.
Mike gets back up to his feet before pulling his boxers up, “Shut up,” he murmurs as he smooths out his shirt. Then he tells Will to eat his breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day.
Will’s retort is about Mike using coffee as a substitute for actual food, and Mike just tells him that he’s a bad influence and that Will shouldn’t follow his example. Will’s brows then dip down, “Did you not eat today?”
Mike shrugs. He hadn’t had the time to eat, though he hadn’t been thinking about it. He’d been too focused on making breakfast for Will.
Will rolls his eyes, “Come here.”
Mike sighs quietly before coming back over to him and opening his mouth, staying still as Will scoops some of the scrambled eggs onto his tongue. He starts chewing, speaking out with his mouth full, “Now I’ve eaten something today. Are you happy?”
Will’s face lights up, and Mike’s heart does a little flip as Will tells him that he’s very happy.
“It’s just breakfast,” Mike says, like it’s no big deal, shrugging once more.
“You know what I mean.” Will then reaches up and swipes his finger over Mike’s lips before sticking said finger into his own mouth.
Mike’s eyes drop to Will’s lips, and he swallows hard as he watches Will suck on his finger.
Fuck, that’s so-
“Okay, that’s not fair,” Mike complains, his gaze still locked on Will’s mouth. If he stands here any longer he’s going to forget about not rushing Will’s first kiss and take it from him, and that’s the last thing that he wants to do.
Will smiles a bit, “You should go get the door, Mike. Like you said, I should eat this before it gets cold.”
“Mhm,” Mike breathes out, though it takes a while for the words to click in his brain. “Right, yeah, friends waiting. Have to go,” he rambles, his eyes still on Will’s lips. He wonders if they’re sticky and sweet from the syrup. He’s never wanted to taste something so badly in his life.
“Michael.”
Mike fights off the shudder that threatens to wrack through his body at the sound of his name on Will’s lips- Will’s sticky, sweet lips, that are right there, so close-
“Go,” Will adds in the same stern tone.
Mike sighs loudly before dragging himself away from Will and over to the door. He pauses after he opens it, taking one last look at Will. They’re going to be fine. He will get to kiss him later, or maybe tomorrow, or the next day – it doesn’t matter. Mike is willing to wait, and for Will, he would wait forever. He just hopes he won’t have to wait that long.
After feeling like a bad friend for several minutes, (sorry, Will, I really did mean to tell you about Dustin staying and the going out stuff) and foiling Dustin’s plans to bring up an imaginary girlfriend, it’s worked out that they’re all going out to a club tonight. They buy a lot of alcohol, more than they need, but Mike honestly just didn’t know what to get. He’s going to be surviving off ramen for a few weeks, but it’s worth it.
Mike has been dressed for the last ten minutes; he’s changed five times. He just- he wants to look good for Will, and he wants to ask Will about his new shirt. Well, technically it’s old, he’s just never worn it and had to pull it out of the back of his closet. Eventually, he decides that he’s stalled long enough. He takes a sip from his cup in the kitchen - it’s only Coke, but at least his mouth is less dry now - before he makes his way to Will’s bedroom. He knocks softly after a slight pause of hesitation where he had to force himself to not run away.
Will opens the door a moment later and Mike’s breath catches in his throat. Will always looks good, he knows this, but- this is different. Mike doesn’t think Will’s ever looked so good before, so-
Fuck, he’s beautiful.
Will is wearing a golden-yellow dress shirt that covers up the front of his pants, but Mike can tell they’re tight from the way they’re hugging Will’s legs. Mike’s actually worried about getting a boner just from looking at Will. He takes a deep breath, trying to remember why he’s here.
Oh, right, my shirt.
“Hey... I- I just wanted your opinion on my shirt,” Mike tells Will at last, after staring for probably way too long.
Will hasn’t seemed to notice. His eyes flicker down then back up, as he checks out Mike’s shirt, “It’s... it looks good.”
“Yeah?” Mike cocks a brow at him, smiling a little. The others are still getting ready, he has time to flirt a little bit, right? “How good?” He presses on.
Will moves back into his room, stepping backward, and Mike follows after him almost drawn to him, keeping the distance between them small – he’s eager to hear Will’s response.
“Good enough that it’s making me consider staying in and stripping you down,” Will states bluntly, maintaining eye contact.
Mike stops breathing for a second and even though he’s kind of provoked the answer, he feels his face heat up. Will wants him. Will wants him naked.
“You’re going to give me an erection,” Mike replies, leaning in a little, talking lower.
Will does the same thing, inclining, and smirking, “If I have to look at you any longer, you’re going to give me one,” he tells him as a matter-of-factly.
Mike has never wanted to stay home so much in his life, “Maybe we shouldn’t go out then,” he breathes out before licking his lips. He wants to taste Will again, everywhere. “I don’t want to give you a hard time.”
But, he does, he really does.
“I find that difficult to believe,” Will starts as he runs his fingers down Mike’s chest, causing Mike to melt a little into the touch. “Because you always give me a hard time.”
Mike grins, “Oh, really?” He can’t believe they’re just talking like this out in the open like this – the thrill of getting caught by one of their friends is exhilarating. He wants Will to drag him inside and shove him up against the wall and have his way with him. He wants Will to make good on his words about stripping him down. He wants Will to snap and just take it, take him.
“Yeah, a very hard time,” Will says with a nod.
Mike closes the distance between them completely, wanting to provoke Will, wanting him to want it. “Why don’t you show me just how h-”
Unfortunately, before Mike can get the word ‘hard’ out, Lucas breezes by them, telling them to get a room.
“We’re in my room,” Will points out to Lucas, but his eyes remain on Mike who is frozen in place. He can’t seem to move; he doesn’t want to. He wants to go back to a few seconds ago before Lucas had popped their little bubble.
Mike only catches the tail end of what Lucas says, but he still sputters, turning away from Will so Lucas can’t see him blush, because yes, he was thinking about getting caught. He is so going to get Lucas back for this.
His opportunity arises when Lucas accidentally mistakes Mike’s cup for his and takes a sip from it – frowning and muttering that ‘it isn’t his.’
“Nice-” and it is nice, because Mike’s about to traumatize the absolute fuck out of his friend. “That’s mine – I drew an ‘M’ on the side for a reason, glad to know your eyes work,” he goes on as he steps up beside Will. He furrows his brows in thought, “I think that means we just swapped spit.”
Among other things, Mike thinks. He never brushed his teeth this morning after swallowing Will’s load.
“Oh, God,” Lucas exclaims before half-running over to the sink. He fumbles with the taps in his panic but eventually he’s rinsing his mouth out with water.
Now, Mike knows it’s unlikely that any trace of Will is still in his mouth as he’s eaten and has had a few sips of Coke, but he really wants to get Lucas back for the ‘get a room thing’. So, he shuffles over to his friend, throwing his arm around Lucas’ shoulders as the other continues to rinse out his mouth, and speaks directly into his ear so Will can’t hear them.
“Backwash is a bitch, you should be detecting notes of Coke, but also Will. That get a room quip was very true this morning.”
Lucas shoves him off and Mike laughs loudly, taking it, staggering backwards. Mike laughs harder as Lucas panics, glancing back and forth between Mike and Will before practically sprinting from the kitchen.
Mike is very satisfied with the result of his tyranny – he feels good knowing he’s probably put Lucas off from teasing them for the rest of the night. When Max comes in and asks about Lucas’ reaction, Mike just shrugs and says, “Beats me,” as if he doesn’t know exactly what he’s just done. It’s a little petty, but he decides the hilarity of the situation cancels out his guilt for the overshare.
Will explains half of why Lucas has rushed from the room, and Max insults Mike, who only sticks his tongue out at her in response. It works out in his favor, because now Will is laughing and Mike can’t think of a better sound. Well, maybe that’s not completely true. Will goes on to ask if they’re planning on partying here or if everyone is ready to go.
“I’m ready,” Dustin replies, getting up from the couch. Mike honestly didn’t even know he was in the same room as them, he wonders if Dustin heard any of that.
“Ready,” Mike tells Will as he dumps the rest of his soda out into the sink. He isn’t really planning on drinking tonight, so it’s not like he’s wasting alcohol because there wasn’t any in his cup. He catches Will’s eyes with his and smirks. He knows tonight is going to be good.
Once they get inside of the club, Mike tries to stick close to Will, knowing that they’re both not too keen in larger groups. It’s a miracle Mike got him to come out with him the first night they were here – it definitely took a lot of convincing and a lot more alcohol. Mike thinks Will only had the one drink at home though, so, maybe he’s not planning on drinking a lot tonight either.
Mike watches him very closely as they make their way through the crowd. At some point, Will’s foot catches on something and he trips, toppling to the side, but Mike catches him almost instantly as he’s been expecting a fall or two. Well, to be fair, he was expecting him to fall, not Will, but it’s nice that it gives him an excuse to hold onto him.
“Careful,” Mike tells Will softly as he curls his hand around his waist and guides his through the crowd, keeping him even closer than before, close enough that he can feel his body heat through his shirt. He grips him just a little tighter before he unfortunately has to let Will go when they finally make it to the bar where Lucas or Max (probably Lucas) have already ordered them all a round of drinks.
Mike accepts the beer Lucas hands him, though his eyes find Will again barely a second after. He watches as Will takes a sip from his sunset-orange colored drink and smiles widely. Mike thinks back to this morning when he was wanting to taste the sweetness of the syrup off of Will’s lips. He wonders what this cocktail will taste like later on when they’re alone – that is, if he gets the chance to make a move on Will.
“Here’s to us,” Lucas calls out, holding up his own beer. They have the same taste in beer apparently, because it’s the exact same brand Mike is drinking and it’s pretty decent tasting.
“Friends for life!” Dustin chimes in cheerfully, lifting his own cocktail – his is blindingly yellow, almost neon, contrastingly different from Will’s warm-colored drink.
Mike holds up his beer as well, “Best friends,” he joins in, his eyes shooting back to Will as he grins. Will returns it with a smile, and the group toasts together. In lieu of an answer, Mike only takes a small sip from his beer when Lucas suggests that they dance. He isn’t really much of a dancer; his limbs are a little too long for him sometimes, and he’s clumsy – hence the reason why he’d thought he’d be the one to trip while getting through the crowd. Lucas and Max go off, Lucas already spinning her around and nearly knocking into another cluster of people.
Mike glances to Will as he laughs – Will is watching their friends, but then his eyes slide over to Mike.
“I’m going to use the washroom,” Will tells him, “Can you hold my drink?”
Mike nods, “Okay, sure,” he agrees, though he is a little confused why Will is needing to use the washroom when they have only just got here. Still, he lets him go without question, watching Will disappear into the crowd. Mike takes a deep breath and peers down at Will’s drink in his hand, particularly the straw. He quickly glances around, but Dustin isn’t standing near him anymore, he doesn’t know where he’s gone. It doesn’t matter right now. Mike slowly lifts Will’s drink up to his face, swirls his tongue around the straw, which has been just between Will’s lips, and takes a slow, small sip. The drink is very sweet, but he can taste the undertone of Will there. Mike pulls back and swallows. In all fairness, it’s not the weirdest thing he’s ever done, it’s definitely not the strangest thing he’s had in his mouth today either. The strangest being the cucumber, not Will’s cock. Never that.
“Hey,” Will’s voice startles Mike because he hasn’t been paying attention.
“Oh, hey.” Mike smiles widely, “You’re back.”
“Yeah.” Will appears a little amused, “Did you think I wasn’t coming back?”
“No, no, uh-” Mike shakes his head, a little flustered. “You just startled me. I thought the line for the washroom would have been really long or something.” He clears his throat, “It’s busier in here tonight,” he adds absentmindedly.
Will blinks at him, “I’ve been gone for twenty minutes, Mike. It was long.”
“What?”
What?
Was he really so lost in savoring Will’s taste that he blacked out?
“Yeah.” Will cocks a brow at him before wrapping his hand around his drink, his fingers lingering on Mike’s for a moment before he takes the glass from him. “Thank you for holding this for me,” he mentions softly, peering up at Mike.
Mike swallows hard, “Uh, yeah- yeah, of- of course, n-no worries,” he stutters out before busying himself with taking a sip from his beer. He’s trying his best to act like he hasn’t just tasted Will from his own straw, but he can’t stop thinking about it – he wants the real thing.
Will lifts his cocktail up to his mouth before pausing and holding it back from his face, his eyes studying the liquid in the glass.
Mike pales, oh, no. There’s no chance he can tell that I-
“Did you-” Will cuts off, his eyes raising back up to Mike’s- “did you drink from my drink?”
Mike can lie, though why would he? He’s tasted Will in other ways, drinking sharing isn’t going to be a big deal. Still, Mike feels his face heat up as Will continues to stare at him.
“Uh, yeah... I was curious about what it tasted like,” Mike half-lies. “I was... also, I- I wanted to know...” his face is actually going to melt off and pool between them at their feet. “I didn’t get to kiss you this morning,” he finally blurts out.
Will stares at him for a whole minute more before recognition flashes across his face, “Oh, you- you wanted-” he cuts off once more, swallowing slowly. His gazes drops to Mike’s mouth and Mike fights the urge to lick his lips – he also fights the urge to lean in and lick Will’s lips.
“Yeah... I’m sorry, is that- that’s weird of me, isn’t it? Trying to taste you by drinking from your straw?” Mike takes another swig of his beer and realizes that he’s actually almost finished it – maybe he will be having more than one.
“Um...” Will licks his lips, fucking hell, like he’s thinking about it. “I mean, I would do the same, but I’m not really much of a beer guy.”
Mike blinks – it’s the not the answer he’s been expecting. “Should I... should I order something else then?”
Will’s eyes lifts to his, they flicker back and forth, searching, “No, no, you should stick with what you like.”
I like you, Mike wants to say it. He knows he can. That’s what Max said.
He’s in love with you. It’s so obvious.
But... what if she’s wrong?
Okay, no, she’s not wrong, not completely anyways because the look Will is giving Mike right now is speaking volumes, and Mike needs to- he needs to not be sober. Mike downs the remainder of his beer before signaling the bartender over to order another. He knows using alcohol as a crutch is bad, it’s unhealthy, but he- he’s too in his head right now. He just needs to drift off for a little while.
Mike only ends up getting the second beer though, instead of drowning himself in alcohol like he’d originally planned he would. He spends a fair amount of time standing there with Will, not talking, just watching their friends dance. He wishes they could dance like the other couples here – he is actually a little surprised he hasn’t seen any pairings of the same sex, and he has damn sure been keeping an eye out. He wants to dance with Will, he does, but he doesn’t want to go first. He’s also aware that Will probably won’t want to. It’s one of his rules. Will doesn’t want to do anything out in public, definitely not in front of their friends, even if two of them know already. Knowing is one thing, seeing it is a completely different thing. Not that he thinks they’ll be grossed out or anything... though the things that Mike wants Will to do to him may not be suitable for anyone else’s eyes.
With that said, the way Will has been glancing his away over the last bit, makes Mike think he is going to ask him to dance, and Mike hates himself for it, but he’s not going to say yes. He wants to, but not- not yet. He can’t.
Almost on cue, Will moves over to him, leaning against the bar beside Mike, his shoulder pressing into his. It’s a familiar and comforting feeling, but Mike still wishes it was just the two of them. He wishes he wasn’t such a coward.
“Hey,” Mike greets, nodding along to the music slightly, as he peers down at Will. Despite not dancing, Will looks a little flushed, his hair is a little disheveled, though Mike isn’t sure what either are from as he’s been standing five feet from him the entire time. The flushed skin and the messy hair reminds Mike of something else, some time earlier when he’d been in bed with Will. He squashes the thought, not wanting to just randomly pop a boner.
“Are you glad we came out?” Will wonders, tipping his head back to look up at Mike.
Mike schools his face before it can show anything. He isn’t out, Will is out, and he knows that isn’t what Will is referring to, but for some reason the thought forms in Mike’s head anyways. Mike just tells him that it’s nice being out with everyone, even though he’s been thinking about getting Will alone all day. Maybe he’s being a little selfish, but he can’t help it. Max gave him all this new information and what? He can’t do anything with it? Seems a little unfair.
“Are you having fun?” Mike asks after taking another sip of his beer.
“Um...” Will seems to be hesitating, and Mike wonders if he’s having the same thoughts that he’s been having. “I don’t know,” Will answers after a minute, shrugging slightly.
Mike tilts his head back, stretching out his neck, “You don’t know?”
Will exhales, “It could be better,” and then he pouts, and Mike just knows what he’s getting at.
“Oh? And I’m assuming that I can make it better, hm?”
“You can,” Will confirms with a nod. “Do you want to dance?”
Mike knows this was coming, but he’s still been dreading it. He does want to dance, but he doesn’t want to dance as friends. “Uh... maybe later,” he decides, looking out across the crowd, hoping to see at least one same sex couple and coming up empty-handed. “I want to finish my drink,” he lies.
Will crosses his arms over his chest, and Mike can tell he’s a little disappointed even when he speaks out in a teasing tone about Mike ordering another drink as soon as his back is turned.
Mike shrugs lightly, “You don’t,” he huffs. “I don’t dance, Will. You know that.”
Will reaches out and places his hand on Mike’s hip. It’s the smallest thing, the lightest touch, but Mike feels the pull of him. Will really does want to dance with him even though they’re in public, but Mike is still on the fence. He is unsure in his own fears and feelings, his heart is at war with his brain.
“Not even for me?” Will wonders quietly.
Not even for me, Mike thinks cynically, however when he goes to reply, Dustin just spawns out of nowhere. Mike doesn’t understand how he’s doing it – it’s been happening too much lately.
It startles Will more though. He jumps, swearing, “Shit, you scared the crap out of me.”
“Sorry.” Dustin apologizes without an ounce of sincerity. He continues on about needing a refill and orders another drink at the bar.
Mike’s back to watching the crowd though, so he doesn’t really process the interaction. He just needs to see one couple, even if it’s two girls, he just needs the confirmation that it’s okay- that it’s safe to dance with Will the way he wants to. It’s dumb because he doesn’t even know if Will wants that. He just knows Will wants to dance, nothing more, nothing less.
Damn rule, Mike curses to himself silently.
Will says something and Dustin replies, though Mike doesn’t hear because he’s still focused on the crowd. He then watches as Will goes out into said crowd and joins Lucas and Max on the dance floor.
Not five minutes later, Will is dancing with someone else. He’s still with Lucas and Max, but the stranger that begins to dance behind him, placing his hands on his hips like he knows him, does seem to drag Will a little away.
Mike grips his beer so tight he’s actually afraid the bottle will shatter in his hand. What is Will doing? Dancing with a stranger like this? He should be dancing with Mike. There’s no room for him to be upset though, not when he just told Will ‘no’ to dancing when he’d asked him only moments ago. But... still.
What is he doing?
“So, you think you’ll take the next step tonight?” Dustin wonders, starting a conversation with zero context.
Mike still chokes on his beer, coughing lightly and wiping at the back of his mouth as he turns towards Dustin. “What?”
“You and Willow,” Dustin states, like it’s obvious and not at all out of the blue, like they were just talking about it before. “You said you wanted to date her, right? Well, meeting your friends is probably a big step. You should let her know you want more.”
“Oh...” Mike takes a slow sip from his bottle before swallowing hard. “Uh, right, yeah... I do plan to make a move tonight.”
Just on Will, not some girl that I made up.
“How do you think you’re going to do it?”
“Um...” Mike pauses, rubbing at the back of his neck. He’s a little happy for the distraction as he doesn’t want to watch Will dance with some other guy, but he also doesn’t want to say anything that will contradict what he has already told Dustin – he doesn’t want to give himself away. “I’m not sure yet, just wait for the right opportunity, I guess.” He looks back to Will in time to see Will tilt his face back so he can talk to the stranger. Mike’s actually fearful he’s going to break the beer bottle now, his grinds his teeth as he tries to stay calm. Will is probably just being friendly, it doesn’t mean anything.
“What does she look like?” Dustin asks, leaning over so Mike can hear him better.
“Who?” Mike calls back, though his eyes remain on Will and the guy he’s dancing with. Mike can’t tell if Will is enjoying himself or not, and though he knows it isn’t his place to be jealous, he is. He doesn’t want anyone else touching Will.
“Willow!” Dustin answers, partly shouting over a loud bass drop in the song.
“Oh, uh-” Mike blinks, his mind scrambling momentarily. “She’s brunette, and tall but shorter than me.”
Just like Will, subtle, he mentally kicks himself.
“Everyone is shorter than you,” Dustin calls back.
Mike glances at him then, “Fair, uh- she’s tan.”
Again... exactly like Will – how is Dustin not calling my dumb ass out on this?
“Mhm.” Dustin nods, accepting the answer. He is silent for a few seconds, before, “Why don’t you go join them?”
“What?” Mike’s focus slides back over to their friends, well, more accurately, Will. He can’t be jealous, they’re not together. They’re close, though, at least he thinks they are. No, scratch that, they are close. They just need to have that conversation still.
“I can keep an eye out for her,” Dustin offers, partly shouting. “You told her to meet you at the bar, right? When you called earlier to ask her about coming out with us?”
Mike nods and lies through his teeth, “Right.”
Sure, I did, except she’s not real.
“So, go on. Go save Will, he looks like he’s swallowed a thing of thumbtacks,” Dustin speaks out around a laugh, thudding Mike on the back. He almost sounds encouraging.
“You sure?” Mike wonders, but he’s already lifting his bottle up to his lips to finish his beer. He glances back out at the dance floor and immediately locks eyes with Will, who is somehow dancing closer to the stranger, if that’s even possible. He tries to breathe slower, tries to calm himself down. It’s not working out so well.
Not jealous, just saving a friend, Mike convinces himself. Although, technically, he’s been waiting for a pair of the same sex to dance together to make sure it was safe for him to dance with Will, so... this counts, doesn’t it?
Mike doesn’t see it, but Dustin glances from him to Will and back before telling him, “I’m sure.”
Mike gives him a smile and sets his empty bottle of beer on the bar, “Thanks, Dustin.” He turns then and starts to make his way out onto the dance floor.
Will looks up and sees him before Mike has even reached them. He twists his head slightly, saying something to the guy. Mike doesn’t slow down; he pops in beside Will in seconds.
Mike watches as the other guy fades off into the crowd before lowering his head, his lips brushing Will’s ear, “You didn’t need to stop on my account.” He knows how close he is, but he doesn’t care.
Will turns his head, his left hand sliding down to wrap around Mike’s wrist, “I didn’t. I wanted to dance with you.”
Mike can’t help but smile, “What did you say to him?” He asks. “He left in kind of a rush.”
Will pushes closer, though it looks like he’s just moving with the crowd, but Mike can’t help but feel like it’s intentional as their hips knock together.
Mike can feel Will grin against his ear, his teeth grazing his lobe. “I told him my boyfriend’s the jealous type,” Will replies – he’s clearly amused. “Which was believable since you’ve been glaring at us for at least the last five minutes. So, thanks for putting on that show.”
Mike pushes their hips together briefly, following the flow of the crowd around them, “It wasn’t a show,” he admits. “I hated watching you dance with him. I don’t want anyone touching you but me.”
Will leans back to peer up at him with wide eyes, he opens his mouth but nothing comes out.
Mike swallows hard, his mouth suddenly feeling dry – his face is very hot, he tries to fan away the heat by blinking rapidly, using his eyelashes to create some wind. He’s not sure where that came from. “Do you… wanna get another drink?”
Will shuts his mouth and nods, but there’s still a look on his face that Mike can’t place.
Mike takes his hand in his and pulls him back through the crowd to the bar. He lets Will go reluctantly once they return to the bar, abiding by Will’s rule. They have to wait a little, but they’re eventually able to order a couple shots and then a third, because Dustin appears at their side.
Mike makes a face after taking his, “I think I’m going to switch to water,” he shouts.
Will jabs him in the side, teasingly, “Too much for you?”
“No.” Mike shakes his head, then, in a serious tone, “I just wanna remember tonight.”
Will’s eyes soften and he nods, “Me too.”
A bit later, Dustin and Will head back out onto the dance floor, leaving Mike to finish his water at the bar. Mike watches them dance for a bit, sipping on his water bottle. Even though he’s literally just told Will he isn’t going to dance until he’s done drinking it, he feels the need to finish it already. He wants to be back out on that dancefloor with Will, he doesn’t want to witness a repeat about some other guy dancing with him again.
Will locks eyes with him and gestures with his chin, jerking it to the side, and lifting his brows as is he’s asking for Mike to hurry up.
Mike smiles widely and holds up his pointer finger, signaling for Will to give him another minute. He drinks more of the water, but despite his hurry, he doesn’t drink too fast – he doesn’t want to accidentally choke and throw up. That would be bad. Mike turns to the bar and sets his water bottle down, taking a few breaths to get ready to chug the rest of it. He’s about to pick his water back up when a girl suddenly appears at his side. She smiles at him and he smiles back politely, but at seeing her, he’s never been more sure about his sexuality. She’s pretty, he can see that much because he has eyes, but his own gaze shifts back over to Will almost immediately. He isn’t interested in anyone else but him.
“You here alone?” The girl wonders, leaning in closer to him so he can hear her over the music.
“With my friends,” he shouts back, turning towards her once more. Maybe if he answers her questions, she will leave him alone.
“You wanna buy me a drink, handsome?” She asks, smiling flirtatiously, batting her eyelashes.
Mike glances at Will again with wide eyes, hoping Will picks up on the look of ‘save me’ from across the room, before he returns his focus to the girl. He’s honestly impressed by her forwardness, but he doesn’t want to give her the wrong idea. Though, just as he goes to decline, she leans in, placing her hand on his arm, and adds suggestively, “I can make it worth your while.”
Mike freezes up completely, her words are so direct and blunt and he doesn’t know what to do with them. He thinks maybe jerking his arm away from her might seem a little overreactive, but it’s what he’s planning to do. That is, until his plan is interrupted.
Dustin has been spawning in next to him a lot lately, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when Will just appears at Mike’s side, but it is. Mike actually jumps, and then uses that reason to pull his arm away from the girl, so, maybe his plan did kind of work out after all.
Thanks, Will, he thinks.
“Hey,” Will says, purposely wedging himself in between Mike and the girl as if she doesn’t exist. “Lucas is sick and throwing up in the washroom, we think he drank something bad,” Will calls to him, “Max wants us to check on him.”
“Oh, okay.” Mike grabs his water bottle and nods politely at the girl before letting Will drag him off. When they make it into the washroom, Mike checks every stall, searching for their friend. He frowns when he doesn’t see any feet, or the knees of someone bent over a toilet. Just as Mike is turning around to ask if there’s another washroom or something, Will shoves him into the larger stall in the corner – he isn’t nice about it either. Mike opens his mouth, a little appalled, “What are you-”
“Sit down,” Will cuts in sharply as he locks the door behind them before turning to face Mike.
Mike makes a face, “What? Why?”
Will narrows his eyes at him – he looks angry. “Sit down, Michael.” He sounds angry, too.
Mike swallows hard and does what he’s told, closing to the toilet seat before sitting down on it. “Okay, I’m sitting,” he says. “Is Lucas okay? Where is he?”
“He’s probably still outside with Max and Dustin, they needed to get some air,” Will tells him.
Mike blinks at him, “What? I thought you said he was sick and that Max wanted us to-”
“I lied,” Will cuts in, his expression remains icy.
“What? Why?” Mike frowns. He doesn’t understand why Will is so upset with him. Sure, he’s done his fair share of fucking up, but he doesn’t think he’s done anything recently – certainly not anything to provoke this reaction.
“Who is Willow, Mike?”
Mike stares at him for a moment before laughing, he can’t help it. It’s not actually funny, but it kind of is. This is why Will is mad? He is mad about some girl that Mike made up to cover up the fact that he has actually been talking about Will this entire time?
Will frowns, crossing his arms over his chest, “What’s so funny?”
“Sorry, nothing, sorry,” Mike apologizes, shaking his head. “She’s no one,” he assures him. “Really, like, no one.”
“Dustin told me that she is some girl you’ve been messing around with,” Will tells him. “Which is super surprising, because I thought that was what you and I were doing. Well, we’ve done more than that.”
“Yeah…” Mike raises his brows, hoping Will will connect the dots. “She’s a lot like you, you know? Tan, brunette, beautiful eyes.”
Will’s jaw clenches and Mike can tell Will isn’t getting it, but before he can speak, Will is going on.
“Well, I hope she’s more patient than I am, because we’re going to be in here for a while,” Will tells him.
Before Mike can question why, Will drops his hands to his sides and advances on him, “Get up.”
Mike gets to his feet instantly, only for Will to shove him up against the wall – the air leaves Mike’s lungs in a whoosh on impact.
Will gets up in his face, even though he’s a few inches shorter, crowding Mike against the wall, close enough for their chests to almost be touching.
“Will,” Mike breathes out, his hands finding Will’s waist almost instinctively. “She’s no one, really. I don’t even know who that girl at the bar was.”
“You two seemed pretty friendly,” Will replies as he slides his hands up onto Mike’s shoulders.
“Yeah, I don’t know what that was about-”
Will interrupts, but not with words. He slides his hands up into Mike’s hair at the nape of his neck and tugs softly. So, maybe it’s not technically an interruption, but it does make Mike shut up for a few seconds while his brain recalibrates.
“I swear I didn’t even recognize her,” Mike tries again, though he’s more focused on Will’s hands than the conversation now.
“Don’t lie to me,” Will says as he slides a hand deeper into Mike’s hair and then tugs his head to the side aggressively.
Mike’s lips part and he’s unable to prevent the moan the slips out of him – he also has no control over the way his dick twitches in his jeans, he feels his blood rushing down.
“I’m not,” he whispers, gazing down at Will, his breathing shallow. He isn’t sure why this is turning him on so much. It probably shouldn’t be, but he loves it when Will takes control of him like this.
Will doesn’t look convinced, “Does she do this?” His pulls on Mike’s hair a little harder, and in turn, Mike gets a little harder.
“No, she-”
Will actually does interrupt that time, “Does she touch you like this?” He asks as he wedges his leg between Mike’s. Will pauses briefly, probably clocking how hard Mike is, before grinding his thigh against Mike’s erection achingly slow. “Do you get hard for her like this? Like you do for me?”
Mike is forgetting what they’re talking about, it’s hard to think about anything else when Will is touching him like this.
“N-no,” he stutters. “Nobody touches me like you do.”
Will presses closer, starting a slow rhythm against Mike’s groin with his leg, his eyes flickering back and forth across Mike’s face – he’s breathing heavier now, too. “Does that feel good, Michael?”
Mike tightens his hands around Will’s waist and Will pulls his hair again, “Y-yeah. It’s- you make me feel so good,” he breathes out, shaking against the older boy. “You’re fucking magical.”
“A sorcerer,” Will teases breathlessly, before speaking in a more sober tone, “I bet she can’t do this.” And then he does something that completely catches Mike off guard. He picks him up.
Mike’s legs instantly wrap around his waist, then settle around Will’s hips as he slides down the wall, making them more level with each other. Mike pants softly into his face as Will begins to grind up against him. He can feel that Will is just as hard as he is – Mike thinks maybe they’re done arguing, at least for now.
Will holds him tightly, one hand still in Mike’s hair while his other slides up under Mike’s ass, holding him up against the wall, holding him firmly against himself. He thrusts up into him, his erection sliding straight up Mike’s – he’s moving quicker now, like he’s forgotten that this was supposed to be about him punishing Mike for being an idiot.
Mike grasps at his shoulders, his thighs squeezing Will’s hips, and presses his face into the crook of his neck. He opens his mouth against his skin, his teeth grazing across his flesh. He only breathes him in for a few moments before he latches on, starting to suck on the side of Will’s neck.
Will shudders against him, his hips moving faster as he lets out a low moan. He tilts his head back, giving Mike more access. His fingers twist in Mike’s hair, pulling harder whenever Mike’s teeth dig in a little too deep, causing Mike to moan louder with each tug.
Mike pulls back just a little bit, breathing wetly against the side of Will’s neck, “Can I- can I mark you?” It’s been so long since he has. He wanted to this morning, but he was worried that Will wouldn’t want him to. Sure, Will could have just covered it up again as he had done before, but Mike didn’t want that. He wanted Will to show them – he wanted proof that Will belonged to someone. That Will belonged to him. Maybe then random strangers wouldn’t bother him out in places like this.
Will pants softly as he peers up at Mike, his movements slowing down. “Do you-” his voice cracks, and it breaks Mike’s heart a little bit- “do you mark her, too?”
Mike shakes his head hastily, “No. No, that’s-” he cuts off. “No, it’s only you. It’s always only been you, Will.” Will frowns in confusion, so Mike hurries on to explain himself better. He’s been failing to do that the entirety of this... relationship?
Yes, we’re in a relationship, Mike decides, though he knows they technically still need to talk about it properly.
“I wanted some advice on how to make you not mad at me anymore, so, I told the guys that I had started seeing someone. But then Dustin asked what her name was and I panicked, I didn’t know what to tell him, so I just- I told them her name was Willow,” Mike elaborates, breathing quickly. He is both nervous and still a little high-strung from his arousal throbbing between them, but this is ultimately more important. He doesn’t want Will to think that there is someone else- that there could ever be anyone else. He doesn’t want to hurt him any more than he already has. “Because, you know, Will and Will-ow – it seemed smart in the heat of the moment,” he adds, half-muttering.
Will’s eyes widen a fraction, and then he’s frowning again, “Then... then who was that girl at the bar? She was clearly flirting with you.”
“It’s like I told you, I have no clue who she was. She was just really forward, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I froze up, I couldn’t- I was shocked at how direct she was. I’m not used to that kind of attention, at least not from strangers.” Mike knows he’s rambling, but he can’t seem to stop now. “But I know- I know I should have pulled away the second she put her hand on my arm. And I was going to, I swear, but then you just appeared out of nowhere, and I should have-” he pauses to take a breath- “I shouldn’t have let her think that she had a chance, because she didn’t. No one else does, and I need you to understand that. I hope you believe me when I tell you...” Mike strokes his fingers up and down the back of Will’s neck, which is slick with sweat – he wants to taste it on his tongue again.
Focus!
“I- I suck at communicating, I know, I’m absolute trash- emotionally stunted, trash, but I’m working on it still. I just- I need you to know that I- I don’t want to see anyone else, I don’t want anyone else to see me.” Mike huffs, “I mean- I don’t want to date someone else. I don’t want to…” he hesitates slightly before pushing through his anxiety. Mike can’t do this anymore; he can’t put it off any longer. He promised himself he would make a move and that is exactly what he is going to do – no more stalling, no more beating around the bush. Will deserves to know the truth. “I don’t want to be with anyone but you. Just you, Will.”
Will lets out a small breath like he’s surprised by Mike’s words, and Mike finds his eyes dropping down to Will’s lips. He leans in the slightest amount, meaning to kiss Will, to prove that he means everything that he’s just said, but Will suddenly presses a hand to his chest, stilling the downward slide, keeping distance between them.
Mike frowns a bit, pursing his lips. Has he read this wrong? It’s kind of impossible that he has, Will must have something else to add. So, Mike waits patiently, not wanting to rush any of this.
Usually, when Will uses Mike’s full name he is scolding him, but when Will whispers, “Not here, Michael,” with his lips quirking up at the sides and his fingers twisting into the front of Mike’s shirt, like he’s fighting to not drag him closer despite stopping him, Mike knows he isn’t in trouble anymore. “Take me home,” Will suggests gently – his eyes are somehow both bright and dark at the same time, though it may be a trick of the slightly flickering lights above their heads. “Kiss me there.”
Mike swallows hard at the implication of Will’s words, though he has said kissing, taking someone home usually indicated more than just that. But in a blinding moment of clarity, Mike realizes that at this point in time, he is ready. He is ready to take whatever step Will is, any one Will wants to, and Mike can’t wait to take it with him. Mike's breath catches in the back of his throat as a thought forms in his mind at an alarmingly speed. Or maybe it surfaces, because it's been there for a long while, it’s always been inside of him, he just hasn't realized it until now.
I'm in love with Will. Holy fuck, I'm in love with him, too.
It's that startling revelation that makes his voice shake a little when he replies. “You- you want me to take you home?” Mike breathes out, his eyes searching Will’s face. Maybe Will hasn’t meant what Mike thinks he meant, maybe he really does only want kissing and not more.
Will smiles a little, looking a bit sheepish before he tugs on Mike’s hair playfully, “Maybe more than kissing,” he responds, kind of suggestively, his gaze holding Mike’s steadily. “Maybe I can show you what I bought the other day,” Will goes on, lifting a brow. “But I- I want to start with kissing, if that’s okay?”
It is more than okay. It’s perfect. It’s all Mike has wanted for weeks. And Mike wants to say that, but he is so caught up in everything that all he can do is smile wide, so wide it almost hurts, nod and agree. “Alright, baby,” he says quietly, and his heart flutters when Will’s nose scrunches up, his face tinting red. It’s adorable and breathtaking and perfect, and he wants to see more of it. He needs to. Mike thinks he might never get used to this, seeing Will love him without words, without touch- Max had been telling the truth. Mike has really been missing it the entire time, all of it, but now he can see, it's plain as day how Will feels about him. And seeing it, truly seeing it, that's what makes him sure that he’s done hiding behind his insecurities. If Will can love him- because Will loves him- Mike can't think of a single reason of why he should be scared of this thing between them any longer.
Mike places a soft kiss on the side of Will's face, smiling as Will presses back against him, welcoming him in. Mike whispers against his cheek, his lips brushing lightly across Will's skin, “Let’s go home.”