Will says Vecna's in his head and Mike doesn't know if it's a confession or a warning or both. Still, hearing Will say that he doesn't want to give up sends a wave of relief crashing over him. He knows that feeling too well not to be relieved to hear it contested out loud. He thinks he sees something shift in Will's face, which is the only reason he doesn't wince when Will repeats his confession back to him. Will's words bounce around his skull, not completely connecting. I lied to you.
He had hoped that Will was telling the truth that day in the van. He had hoped that someone saw him the way Will had described. And when it had been made crystal clear that person hadn't been El, he'd let himself hope that maybe it had been Will who had meant it, even if he knew he didn't deserve it. Even if he knew Will had no reason to see him that way. He'd spent hours staring at the red heart on the shield, wishing that he were brave enough to carry it.
Mike stares at Will as he apologizes and then immediately takes it back. He doesn't even have time to say Will's name before he's yanked forward and suddenly their lips are touching and something inside Mike breaks and shatters and then comes back together again. Mike reaches blindly for Will's shirt in turn, his hand slipping out of his to find his elbow, then his waist as he pulls him closer. His sweater is a soggy mess, melting under Mike's fingertips, but it doesn't matter because Mike needs the closeness, the solidness. He needs to know this is real.
When they do finally break the kiss, Mike has an armful of his best friend and a head full of static white noise. He thinks Will's broken something inside of him. Fried all his synapses and left behind a short circuiting nervous system that's all raw nerves and jittering electricity. Mike blinks at him, slowly, trying to remember how words work. Trying to catch his breath even though his heart is thumping erratically in his chest. He opens his mouth to speak and then closes it, his brow furrowing slightly before he gives up and acts on impulse, reaching out to cup Will's face with both hands to kiss him again, solidly and thorougly and completely.
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Date: 2024-10-03 12:10 am (UTC)He had hoped that Will was telling the truth that day in the van. He had hoped that someone saw him the way Will had described. And when it had been made crystal clear that person hadn't been El, he'd let himself hope that maybe it had been Will who had meant it, even if he knew he didn't deserve it. Even if he knew Will had no reason to see him that way. He'd spent hours staring at the red heart on the shield, wishing that he were brave enough to carry it.
Mike stares at Will as he apologizes and then immediately takes it back. He doesn't even have time to say Will's name before he's yanked forward and suddenly their lips are touching and something inside Mike breaks and shatters and then comes back together again. Mike reaches blindly for Will's shirt in turn, his hand slipping out of his to find his elbow, then his waist as he pulls him closer. His sweater is a soggy mess, melting under Mike's fingertips, but it doesn't matter because Mike needs the closeness, the solidness. He needs to know this is real.
When they do finally break the kiss, Mike has an armful of his best friend and a head full of static white noise. He thinks Will's broken something inside of him. Fried all his synapses and left behind a short circuiting nervous system that's all raw nerves and jittering electricity. Mike blinks at him, slowly, trying to remember how words work. Trying to catch his breath even though his heart is thumping erratically in his chest. He opens his mouth to speak and then closes it, his brow furrowing slightly before he gives up and acts on impulse, reaching out to cup Will's face with both hands to kiss him again, solidly and thorougly and completely.