✓ | 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (BYLER)

𝒙𝒙𝒙𝒊𝒊𝒊. NOW OR NEVER

"You don't get it, Mike," Will whispered, his hazel eyes glossy with unshed tears.

"What don't I get?" The Wheeler boy snapped. "I don't get why you lied to me! That's what I don't get!"

"I only did it to protect our friendship!" The Byers boy fired back.

"And I only lied to El to protect her from getting killed!" Mike retorted with a scoff of annoyance. "I can't believe you went off on me like that when you've been lying about your painting this entire time! And you said I was a hypocrite?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Will cried. "But if I told you the truth, our friendship would be ruined!"

The ravenette took a few deep breaths in an attempt to settle the lingering anger remaining inside his body. This task proved to be rather simple, as Mike couldn't stay angry at his best friend for more than thirty seconds.

"I'm sorry, too," He sighed, averting his brown eyes to the carpeted floor. "And I promise you won't ruin our friendship. I'm the one in charge of screwing things up, you know?"

Will chuckled at Mike's remark, but he couldn't quite bring himself to reply.

"How about this," The younger boy proposed, weaving his hands together and placing them on his lap. "I'll tell you why I've been acting so weird if you tell me why you lied about the painting. Deal?"

"Deal," Will nodded, holding his pinky out and linking it with Mike's. "So, what did you want to tell me, exactly?"

"Well, it's not easy to say out loud," Mike explained, looking around the motel room to avoid meeting the brunette's stunning hazel eyes.

"How so?" Will queried.

"You'll hate me for it."

"I could never hate you, Mike."

The ravenette exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding. His stomach churned with anxiety, cramping up from the tight knot that was forming inside. His freckled face appeared to be five shades whiter than usual.

"Not even if I liked a boy?" He eventually whispered, the waterworks returning almost instantly.

Immediately after the hypothetical question escaped his lips, Mike slapped a hand over his mouth. He wasn't sure how the other boy would react to the surprising information. Quite frankly, he didn't want to find out.

Will's eyes widened and his jaw practically fell to the floor. Mike Wheeler liked a boy?

"You like a boy?" He echoed to confirm that his ears weren't deceiving him.

"Yeah," Mike nodded, his face sullen with shame. "Look, if you're completely disgusted by me and don't want to be my friend anymore, I completely understand, but . . ."

"No," Will interrupted. "I like boys, too."

The Wheeler boy instantly perked up at his best friend's confession. His expression softened, a subtle glimmer of hope sparkling in his eyes.

"Wait, really?" Mike asked.

"Yeah."

"Holy shit," He uttered. "We've been hiding the same secret all along."

"I guess so," Will nervously giggled.

For several years, Will assumed he was alone. If he had known that Mike was in the same boat all along, he might not have felt as insecure about his homosexual feelings.

"I'm glad I'm not alone," The ravenette weakly smiled.

"Me too," The brunette mirrored his best friend's smile before remembering an important detail from his confession. "Wait. You said you like a boy. Does that mean you like someone in particular?"

Mike's lanky body froze, causing him to appear as still as a statue. This was it. After many years of not being able to comprehend his own feelings, he was finally going to confess them to Will Byers.

"Yeah," He replied, his mouth drier than a desert. "What about you?"

Will slowly nodded, his entire face flushing a deep shade of crimson.

"So, who's the lucky guy?" He asked, adjusting his uncomfortable position on the edge of the neatly-made bed.

"Who's your lucky guy?" Mike retorted, giving the brunette a playful nudge.

"I asked you first."

"Fair enough," The ravenette sighed, his bony hands beginning to shake at a rapid pace. "I just don't know if I can say it."

"Why not?" Will frowned, his hazel eyes filled with compassion.

"It's just . . . I . . . I, uh . . ."

"Mike," Will cut in, reaching for the boy's hand to prevent it from shaking. "What if you don't have to use words?"

It was now or never.

Without worrying about the long list of potential consequences in store for him, Mike tilted his head to the right, leaned over, and pressed his lips to Will's.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 !
cliffhanger lol