WILL POV-

As the words left El's mouth, Will panicked; his mind a mix of anxiety and guilt, he couldn't help berating himself internally. He felt like a terrible person for having feelings for Mike, not only was he his best friend, but also his sister's boyfriend.

God! He was such a bad brother.

"I'm so, so sorry!" Will stammered; his voice laced with self-loathing, unable to help but spew a torrent of heartfelt apologies. "Please don't hate me! I know I'm such a bad person."

He felt shrouded in shame; it was all his fault, convincing himself that his emotions turned him into a traitor for both his friendship with Mike and his sibling relationship with El.

Mike probably hated him! Of course he did. The way he couldn't even be in the same room as the brunette confirmed he hated Will now; he jumped out the window to get away! The brunette was so stupid! He hated how he ruined everything.

Will felt like the villain in their lives; he shouldn't even be given the privilege to be as close to them; his mere existence was a burden on their happy lives, and he was undeserving of their forgiveness or understanding. His every fibre of his being told him he was a monster; he was deeply flawed and hurt the ones he cared about most.

El approached and Will was fully prepared for a swing from that bat she was holding; he couldn't bear looking at her face; she was probably betrayed, crushed, enraged. He sat still staring at the ground; ready to take any punishment she was going to give.

However, Will waited for an attack that never came as El surprised him with her response, dropping the bat, taking a seat beside him on the floor, leaning back on the frame of the bed. She placed a hand on his shoulder, whispering, "It's okay; I'm not mad, like at all."

"You're... you're not?" Will questioned, looking up at her, seeing her eyes genuine and caring; only deepening his inner turmoil; feeling as though he was just inherently a bad person. His self-doubt escalated in the face of her compassion. He couldn't fathom why anyone would respond with warmth after everything he had done.

"Of course I'm not Will!" she smiled softly, her eyes filled with understanding and warmth, "You're allowed to love whoever you want."

"No I'm not! He's my best friend and YOUR boyfriend!" The brunette argued

"And? It doesn't matter to me. You can't control who you have feelings for, it doesn't make you a bad person!" El's lip twitched a frown.

"It does, I shouldn't have confessed when you and Mike are dating." Will explained.

El gently smiled, a sympathetic grin on her face, "Love is complicated and sometimes it's weird; although I should tell you, Mike and I are actually on a break right now."

"Oh... I'm so sorry." Will frowned; was this his fault? Did he cause it?

"Don't be." the doe-eyed girl smiled, "We haven't been fighting or anything; I just think we decided we wanted different things, but we're on good terms; I don't plan on getting back with him though. You're the first person I've told."

"Oh..." the small boy swallowed the lump in his throat; the news of the break made him sad, not just for him but also for the newfound uncertainty that lingered in the air. Had Mike's recent kindness been all because of their relationship break? Was he really an El replacement? An escape? The question gnawed at him; he was so stupid to think Mike actually wanted to spend time with him willingly; he was getting loss in his own delusions. "How... how long?"

"We decided only a few hours ago." El could see the conflict within him, silently reassuring him that they were together in this the whole step of the way.

The revelation of the break being this recent sent a wave of surprise through the brunette. He felt a bit better but then why was Mike so attentive and glued to him this week? He nodded, conflicted how to process all this information.

The conversation died down as the room shrouded in a thick silence. El spoke, "Does anyone else know?"

"About?" Will furrowed his brows

"About you being Bi?" The doe-eyed girl tilted her head.

"I... um..." the brunette mumbled, what was he even supposed to say in a situation like this? She thinks he is Bisexual? Does he agree? Does he tell the truth? Should he lie?

"Oh!" she paused, a little surprised with herself, "Don't worry, I fully support you! I think I might like girls too!" she chuckled, with understanding; a light-hearted tone to her banter that seemed teetering on a genuine confession.

The brunette stayed silent, looking down at the ground; a wave of emotions swirling within him; these lies created a storm around him and he was stuck. He didn't know how to respond, merely a head nod as he fidgeted, tracing an invisible pattern on his jeans.

Sensing something amiss, El's concern deepened, gently prodding, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? Does no-one know, is that it?"

"No, no, it's none of that; it's just..." the brunette paused, taking a deep breath, deciding it was time to reveal the truth. He looked up, his eyes filled with guilt and vulnerability, "I'm... I'm not Bisexual. I'm gay. I only have feelings for guys."

El furrowed her brows, honestly confused, "But... but you're dating Robin, aren't you?" she questioned, "How? I mean, are you still dating? Because if you are then... then you shouldn't! It wouldn't be fair to either of you!" she said empathetically.

Will sighed, his shoulders slumping as he admitted the painful truth, "It was all fake." he confessed, his voice filled with regret. "I was fake-dating Robin, so I could seem more 'normal' like all of you."

"You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not to us," El smiled empathetically, understanding dawning on her face as she nodded in comprehension. She could see the struggle he was going through, the fear of not fitting in and being hated for who he was. The desperation in his attempt to hide his true self was a testament to this, "And we, the Party; will always love you Will! Me, Max, Lucas, Dustin, Suzie and even Mike!"

"Mike wont; Not after what I told him." Will mumbled a sarcastic chuckle.

"Mike is the one who loves you the most to be honest!" El explained, her lips curling to a soft smile, "He's not disgusted or scared of you, I think he's just... processing what happened."

"Yeah... processing." Will smiled, struggling to keep his voice from cracking,

El wrapped her arms around him, "I'm glad my dad married your mum!" she chuckled with a bright grin, her voice dropping to a soft whisper, "But I'm more glad we're siblings."

Will appreciated her words, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude. Opening up to El about his true feelings and the charade he had been living to 'fit in' had been a difficult step. And yet somehow it went better then he could have ever expected.

The pair held each other for mere moments. El let go, sitting beside her brother with a gentle look of support; they basked in the silence, finding comfort in the hushed atmosphere.

The brunette's eyes then landed on the baseball bat thrown carelessly on the ground beside the doe-eyed girl, wanting to ask the question on his mind that perplexed him, "Why... did you bring a bat?"

El furrowed her brows, forgetting that she even brought it with her, "Oh!" she exclaimed, "I heard you scream so I thought there was a robber or something."

"So, you were going to beat him up with the bat?" Will furrowed his brows.

"Seemed like the only logical thing to do." she cackled, "But then I heard Mike's voice inside talking to you, so I didn't bust down the door. I didn't mean to hear what you guys were talking about; you were just kinda loud." she explained, nervously scratching the back of her neck.

"It's fine..." Will paused, "Thanks for trying to save me though... if there was a real intruder."

El chuckled, "And I would do it again."

MIKE POV-

On the other side of the town Mike was biking back home through the quiet streets of Hawkins, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He couldn't shake off the confession that Will just revealed to him earlier;

'I'm head over heels in love with you!'

Will's voice echoed in his mind- words of pure love and confliction, of vulnerability and honesty. Mike couldn't deny the impact they had on him. He had been taken aback, figuratively and literally, and it left him speechless.

'I love you!'

The ride home stretched on as Mike grappled with the revelation; Will liked him; no! LOVED him. He needed time to process what he just heard; his heart was beating in his chest ready to explode and he couldn't tell if it was the confession or the rough pedalling he was doing.

Each pedal felt like a drumbeat, a relentless reminder of the confession; his best friend, the person he grew up with, the one who he had faced the horrors of middle school and puberty with, just poured out his soul. Will's feelings were now out in the open.

Mike's thoughts swirled with uncertainty as he turned left, his mind working on autopilot as he made his way home. He cared deeply for the brunette, that was certain, but what did that mean for their friendship?

His memory casted to the past week- the moments he spent with the brunette felt different, special. The kiss they shared during the party was more than just a dare; it sparked interest inside him; something deep within he couldn't ignore. It felt like... a turning point; the memory made him smile and yet, he shivered at the thought. But Mike remembered what Will was telling him earlier,

'And... and when you were drunk and kissed me...'

Kissed? So, there was more than just the dare? It intrigued him; he gave Will multiple kisses when he was drunk? It was a puzzle piece still messing from his memory even days later, but he so desperately wanted to remember it. What had transpired that night? What had he felt? What had he done? Did Will kiss him back? Was Mike a bad kisser? Is that why Will never brought it up?

He panicked approaching his home late, he knew he couldn't keep avoiding the truth. He needed to have an honest conversation with Will about their feelings and what had transpired between them, but Will was still with Robin, so it was clear he loved Robin more than he did Mike.

It made his blood boil, even more than it ever did; before, he was annoyed seeing them together, but now, it felt like a betrayal after the confession.

He parked his bike in the garage, his anger simmering beneath the surface, but knowing he couldn't let it consume him; it was a challenge to control. He and El were currently on a break and Will was happily with Robin even despite his love for Mike,

He sighed, opening the door to his house, running up the stairs to his bedroom; he just needed to think. With each step to his room, he thought about Will. Will and Will alone.

In his room, he slammed the door behind him, throwing himself headfirst into the neatly made bed, wrestling with his conflicting emotions, he couldn't help but admit that denying those feelings were becoming increasingly harder.

Desperation gnawed at him as he groaned, the sound muffled into the pillow. Rising his head to scan the walls of his room, he was met with posters, drawings, art, all made by the brunette over the years; a testament to the closeness and special place Will held in his heart.

But there was one picture that stood out to the ravenette, catching his attention- a depiction of two people in a fantasy world; a Paladin and a Cleric, representing Mike and Will.

Curiosity compelled him as he stood up walking towards it, he remembered when it was drawn; almost seven years ago, after their first game of D&D where Mike had saved Will from 'certain doom'. He always held it on high regard on the wall, a special place next to his figurines. Yet he noticed something he never did before on the Paladin's shield... a heart. A little heart.

He smiled, seeing a note written on the back, a note written by the brunette himself, a note from years ago; handwriting not as neat as it is today. It read, 'For the bestest person in the world.'

Mike's heart skipped a beat as he reread those words; it was a sentiment of their deep bond; Will was his first friend, his best friend... he didn't want Will to be hurt even in the game. The words, penned by Will's own hands, struck a chord deep within him- Will has always meant more to him then he has ever acknowledged; he was his number one; his one constant; the person that had stood by him through it all.

His heartbeat increased once again as it had been all week when he thought about Will, but this time, since the first kiss, it was thudding against his ribcage. Mike placed a hand to his heart, feeling the warmth, the beating, the fear and acceptance.

Suddenly, Max's voice rung in his head, the one she had said as they collected party supplies, 'keep an open mind, keep an open mind,'. Those words chanted in his brain enveloping his thoughts and swirling with the love confession from Will...

Max was right.

She was right.

Suddenly, the tall boy panicked, he needed advice; someone to talk about all of this with; he couldn't ask the boys, that would only lead to disaster as they would tell Will. He couldn't tell El, his 'on-a-break' ex-girlfriend and he didn't know Suzie all that well. All that left was... Max.

He trusted Max, sure they butted heads, but when push-came-to-shove, she was the best person. With trembling fingers, Mike typed the message to Max:

'I'm in love with Will!' 

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2408 Words

Stay Safe <3