✓ | 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (BYLER)

𝒙𝒙. EVERYTHING TO ME

━━━━ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 !
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘

The road trip lugged on for what felt like years despite the fact that the crew had only been on the road for six hours. Jonathan and Argyle agreed to share the dreadful task of driving the van, swapping places every few hours so that the other could rest.

Will and Mike lay in the back of the van, their heads tilted toward the roof. It was pitch black outside, the only light sources being the crescent moon and the headlights of passing vehicles.

Growing bored of staring at the dull roof, Will cranked his head ever so slightly so that he could admire the way Mike's features appeared in the dim moonlight — his defined jawline, his freckled cheeks, his weary brown eyes. He was far more interesting to gawk at than the roof of a pizza van, that was for sure.

Mike must've sensed the brunette's eyes on him. He slowly turned his head to confirm that his suspicions were accurate. Will immediately whipped his head back around and acted as if he wasn't just checking out his best friend.

"What?" The ravenette chuckled, his voice hoarse with drowsiness.

"What?" The brunette replied nonchalantly, though he was secretly panicking.

"You were staring at me."

Will gulped. He was in trouble — big trouble. Had Mike just figured it all out? Did he finally recognize the blatantly obvious fact that his best friend was head over heels in love with him? He sure hoped not, otherwise their friendship of nearly ten years would be destined to fail.

"I wasn't staring at you," The Byers boy mumbled, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

"Yeah, sure," Mike snorted, shaking his head before putting on a more serious expression. "You don't have to lie to me, you know? We're best friends."

"I know," Will muttered, though he had basically been lying to Mike since, well, forever by hiding his true feelings for him. "I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea. You know, to think I was being weird or anything like that. I was just zoned out."

Another lie.

"No, it's okay. It's really not that serious," The Wheeler boy reassured him. "I mean, I wouldn't blame you for staring. I know I'm easy on the eyes. Go on, you can admit it."

"Oh, shut up," Will laughed, his cheeks flushing a bright shade of crimson. Luckily, the darkness of the night shielded his flustered face from Mike.

The duo went silent for a moment, both too enveloped in their never-ending stream of thoughts to form coherent sentences.

"Hey, Will?" Mike whispered out of nowhere, slightly startling the other boy.

"Yeah?"

"You know I'm genuinely sorry, right? About everything?"

"I know, Mike. You've said it a thousand times."

"Yeah, but I want you to know that I sincerely mean it. Like, I'm not just saying it to make myself feel like a decent human being," He sighed, chewing on his bottom lip as he thought about what to say next. "It's just . . . I know I've been an asshole, and I hate myself for the way I've been treating you this past year. You didn't deserve that at all, Will. You're my best friend in the entire world. You mean everything to me."

Will felt his vision clouding with tears. You mean everything to me. That five-word sentence stuck out to him, replaying inside his head repeatedly.

"I honestly can't think of a logical explanation for why I acted the way I did," Mike continued. "I mean, you never did anything wrong. Part of me wants to blame my behavior on my relationship problems, but that still doesn't explain why I took my anger out on you of all people."

"You don't need to give me an explanation, Mike," Will asserted him. "When you're mentally struggling, you say and do things without thinking. That's exactly what happened. I know you didn't mean any of it."

"Yeah, you're right," Mike nodded, shooting a tiny smile in the other boy's direction before returning to the thoughts inside of his head.

Will didn't want to end the conversation quite yet. He still had so much he yearned to say, so he settled on one final topic of conversation before attempting to fall asleep.

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"You should tell El the truth about your feelings; about how your love for her isn't romantic. Even if you think it'll hurt her, I can assure you that she'll appreciate the truth."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell her," Mike nodded, though he sounded unsure.

"You promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay, good. I just . . . I don't want to see my sister get hurt again, you know? She's already been through so much. She deserves to know how you really feel."

Mike practically melted when Will referred to El as his sister. They weren't biologically related, but he still loved her like a blood-related sibling. That was just the type of person Will Byers had always been — kind, loving, and accepting of everyone.

"You're an amazing person, you know that?" The Wheeler boy whispered.

Will blushed ten times harder if that was remotely possible. As much as he adored this side of Mike Wheeler, he hated knowing that it was entirely platonic. He continuously had to ignore every glimpse of hope he felt when his best friend complimented him or said something that seemed oddly flirtatious.

"What do you say we get some rest?" Mike suggested, breaking the undeniable tension between them.

"God knows we need it," The Byers boy giggled, tugging two blankets out from under the seats and handing one to the other boy.

They tucked themselves in and cozied themselves as much as they could with the circumstances they were in.

"Goodnight, Will," Mike's voice whispered into the quiet of the night.

"Goodnight, Mike."

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 !
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