"Holy shit, Will! It's eight already!"
Will sighed, having been abruptly awoken by his frantic boyfriend. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and stretching, not seeing the reason to panic. "Okay, and? It's Saturday," he reminded Mike.
Mike leveled his eyelids, leaning in the doorway. "Will, the plane. It leaves in fifty minutes."
That information was what made Will jump out of bed. He rushed over to his dresser and dug through a disorganized pile of shirts. "Oh my god, I forgot about the plane."
Mike laughed. "Yeah, I noticed. You want coffee?"
"Please." Will finally found the shirt he was looking for and started digging for a pair of pants.
He got ready in a record time of seven minutes and ate a bowl of cereal in about fifty seconds. Before he knew it, they were at the airport in the security line. Mike was still trying to level his breathing after all the speeding and stressing. He caught Will snickering at him and shot him a look.
"Just be happy we packed last night," he said. "If not, I might have gone into cardiac arrest when I saw the time. That would not be a good way to start my summer." he took out his water bottle and drank at least half of it. "You know what the most embarrassing part is?"
Will smiled. "What?"
" I wouldn't have woken up if Max didn't call. You know why she called?"
"Why?"
"She knew I wouldn't wake up on time! And I just proved her right!" Mike crossed his arms, pouting like an angry toddler.
Will shook his head. "Well, I guess you'll just have to battle her to the death once we get to Hawkins, huh?"
"Let's be honest, she'd kick my ass."
"Yeah, probably."
Mike shoved his boyfriend playfully. "Hey! You weren't supposed to agree with that!"
When Will got onto the plane, he felt very relieved. He hadn't been sure they were going to make it.
They were going to Hawkins for Summer Break for a month and a half before taking a road trip through some of the national parks in the Northwest in July and August. It had been only two months since they closed the Upside Down gate, but it felt like ages ago already. The last month or so that Will had spent with Mike at college had been absolutely wonderful. Mike wasn't starting at the university until next year, but they bought an apartment so that Mike could still stay in with Will even though he wasn't a student yet. Will didn't miss his old dorm anyway, he decided he didn't really like the smell of Brad, and he wasn't sure if that stench was going to leave the place any time soon.
Mike had spent the last month trying to save up some extra cash for the road trip, it had originally been a surprise for Will, but Will had found Mike's travel documents and park research while looking for a missing Algebra assignment. After that, they'd decided to plan it together, and Will was more excited about it than he could possibly explain. Yellowstone looked particularly fascinating.
The only thing more exciting than the road trip was seeing his friends in Hwakins for a full month and a half. He couldn't wait to catch up on everyone's lives now that they were officially normal.
Dustin had also planned a pretty big D&D campaign from the sound of it and Will was ready to get Will the Wise out adventuring again after a couple years of no D&D whatsoever. Mike was thrilled to not be campaigning a game for the party for once in his life.
Jane and Max picked the boys up from the airport. Jane gave them both a big hug before helping to load their luggage into the car.
Max eyed them in the rearview mirror as they went to the Hopper-Byers' house. Will caught her eye, giving her a look. What?
She smiled. "So... are you two... official, then?"
Will tried to hide a smile, exchanging a look with Mike. He was pretty sure Max already knew the answer to that question.
Mike shrugged. "We're actually worst enemies now. He hates me."
"Mhm, you suck," Will agreed.
Mike took his head and kissed him quickly, making Will blush despite the fact that they kissed fairly often. "Just kidding, we're definitely official."
Jane let out a celebratory whoop of approval and Max nodded, satisfied with the news.
"Dustin and Lucas are gonna freak when they hear," Max said. "Have you told them?"
"Not yet," admitted Will. "I mean, I'm sure they've already guessed."
Max giggled. "Oh, they're definitely suspicious. I called Lucas the other night and he gave me this entire thing he and Dustin had worked out that was just proof you two were together. He's absolutely sure you guys have something going on."
"Aw, guess it won't be a surprise then." Mike frowned, wiping a fake tear from his eye. Then he smiled, somewhat evilly. "I just can't wait to tell Hopper."
Jane covered her mouth to keep from laughing at that. "He's gonna be so mad!"
Will shook his head. "He is not. I don't know why you two think Hopper would react badly. He's gonna be happy about it!"
Now Jane and Mike were both laughing, although Will couldn't figure out why. Apparently, they both knew some dark Hopper secret that Will didn't. It would probably be okay. Hopper was the coolest old guy Will knew.
When they got to the house, Dustin, Lucas, Joyce, and Hopper were waiting on the front porch talking to each other excitedly.
Will got out of the car first, running over and giving every one of them a giant hug. Mike followed close behind, although he wasn't much of a hugger. He greeted Lucas and Dustin just as enthusiastically nonetheless and Joyce got a hug out of everyone she greeted. It was her special superpower.
Will hadn't had a big dinner where they didn't talk about the Upside Down in many years, but he did that night. They were eating meatloaf and talked about college and their recent life events. Max complained about having to make up three years of high school, but no one said anything about another dimension. It was amazing.
After dinner, everyone was talking in the living room.
"So, Mike," said Joyce. "You said that you and Will are only staying for a month and a half? Are you doing anything important after that?"
Mike nodded and took a sip of his Sprite before speaking. "Yes, actually, Ms. Byers. Will and I are going on a road trip to see some of the national parks."
Joyce nodded, beaming. "That sounds amazing! I have to admit, I didn't ever take Will on many vacations, but he loves to travel, so I'm sure you two will have a great time."
Hopper crossed his arms. "Any specific reason you're going, or did you just randomly think up the idea?"
Mike sighed. "Well, it was supposed to be a surprise celebration..." he poked Will in the side, which tickled, making Will laugh. "But he's nosey and found my plans."
"Celebration?" Lucas asked, leaning in. Will knew exactly what he was looking for.
Mike smiled. "Because we're dating."
Lucas quickly looked at Dustin, wide-eyed. They high-fived, cheering about how they were right the entire time.
Joyce had put both her hands over her mouth in surprise. She let them fall, looking delighted. "Aw... Will..." She got out of her chair, coming over to give Mike and Will both hugs. "I thought maybe you two liked each other."
Hopper glared across the room at Mike, and Will noticed, somewhat nervous after what jane and Mike had said. Mike raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for a reaction. Hopper exhaled, then he smiled at Mike, giving him a subtle thumbs-up. Mike returned the gesture hesitantly and immediately looked to Jane like he'd just witnessed aliens land in the front yard. She shrugged back at him. Will still didn't know what they had been expecting.
The rest of the night was a blast, playing board games and watching movies altogether. Will finally went to bed at one in the morning, although it was more like two because he spent a while looking at his ceiling and smiling about this and that.
He was just happy that everything had finally worked out.
He thought about when they had first closed the Upside Down and realized how relieved he was that it hadn't been the actual end. Looking back, it seemed anti-climactic. They closed the gate, Jonathan and Max perished, everyone half-heartedly finished high school, and Will went off to college and met some shitty football player, barely talking to his best friend in the world for an entire year. It didn't seem like much to celebrate.
But that wasn't the end. The party got another chance to save the world one last time, and they knew they wanted a different outcome. Now the ending was this: everyone was happy, talking to each other even over a long distance wherever they got the chance. Max came back to life, now trying to finish high school at twenty, but she was just happy to be here. Will was going off to college again, but he wouldn't even have to meet any football players because he had someone much better going with him: his best friend of fifteen years (and now boyfriend), Michael Wheeler.
That was the ending Will preferred. However much he had dreaded facing the Upside Down again, he wouldn't want it to happen any other way now. After all that Will and his friends had gone through, this was definitely the ending they deserved.
And Will was glad to know that this was how it finally ended.
Notes- You made it! Yay! Thanks for reading this story. I'm pretty sure I won't publish anymore on Wattpad, but I've got a lot of byler fics on Ao3 under the same user :)