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𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

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time is a funny thing.

his two week with tyler- god, had it really been that short a time- felt like forever. perhaps it was his exhaustion or fear, or just the overall awful-ness of it all, but his two weeks with tyler seemed like 2 years at the very least.

his two weeks with mike, however...

his two weeks with mike also seemed like forever, but at the same time raced by faster than an award-winning racehorse.

when he was with mike, the minutes stretched into a blissful eternity. every kiss, every touch, every time he but saw his beautiful black haired boyfriend- these moments made life slow down. he savored every second he got to spend with mike, he didn't think he could ever get enough. enough kisses, enough hugs, enough moments.

there was also the other kind of forever, the kind he dreaded most. those minutes of awful forever were every second he had to spend without him: every shift, every night when he was lying in bed, knowing mike was just a few doors away- so close, so far. every morning he had to walk to work alone, even fun-filled afternoons with max and jane soured with the anticipation to see mike again.

because unlike with tyler, he didn't spend every second of every day with him.

but also unlike with tyler- he really, really wanted to.

it was eternity all the way around, but it was also no time at all. because forever minutes and all, it seemed like they had only just kissed for the first time- and now will was opening his eyes on his last morning in the wheeler's house, wondering where all his time had gone.

there was no way this was his last day. there was no way this was the last time the absurdly bright sun at this warm little beach- town would wake him up. there was no way this time tomorrow he would be home, and the few rays of sunshine that would make it through the tightly- packed trees would do little besides a dim light- and would definitely not be enough to put an end to his slumber.

he had known this day was coming- of course he had, but sometime in the haze of those sweet, never-ending minutes it hadn't seemed possible time was really moving. the thought of going back home, back to the horrible, cold and dim hawkins. well, he was probably exaggerating; but everything seemed dim after his stay in this warm and sunny town.

maybe he just hadn't been expecting to be quite so down about the prospect of returning home.

chin up, he tried to look on the positive side, it's not for long. just a few weeks now, and you'll be in yale!

and that throughly was enough to make him smile. after all, that was what he had worked for all this time: this was his dream since he was a child.

and thanks to a fat check resting in his already- packed backpack, this dream would finally be a reality- and after all, wasn't that was all this summer for?

but even with the money, and the smile still curving his lips, he still couldn't deny the twitch of sadness in his chest. even after everything that happened, he really did love this town. he had come to love this room, with the window and the curtains and the bed so comfortable he could hardly get up. he loved the smell of the beach, the slight whispers of ty waved breaking on the sand, rhythmic and slow, calm. he loved the town, the restaurants, the quaint shops.

but mostly he loved his friends. his first real friends- he hadn't thought he could come to love people this much over 6 short weeks. but max and jane were true friends. he loved joking with them as they worked, dancing as they cleaned at the end of the day. he loved hearing them bicker, he loved walking the town with them.

and though he knew they would keep in close touch, or at least desperately hoped they would, it wouldn't be the same. it had only been 6 weeks, but he didn't know how he would make it without seeing them every day.

"don't tell me you're still in bed, dummy," a soft voice sounded in his ear suddenly, making his cheeks blush and the little hairs on his neck stand up.

he turned around sleepily, and there he was. lying over the covers, hand under his perfect black hair. his perfect face alight with a smile, his dark eyes dancing with the flickers of sun.

mike wheeler. the real reason he was so reluctant to leave this town, the real reason even the thought of making his childhood dream come true seemed mundane.

"i don't want to," he muttered, his voice still heavy with sleep, and scudded a bit more to nestle his head into mike, breathing in his ocean-y smell, letting it take him over... trying not to think about how this was the last time he would be able to do it for a while....

" don't want to what?" mike muttered back, his voice muffled as will was buried in his chest. but even through the muffling and muttering, will could hear the smile in his voice.

"leave. ever." will replied, which made mike chuckle.
"if it was up to me i'd keep you here forever." he said, and a second later will felt his lips pressing to his head.

"but it's not, and your train leaves in two hours- and max and jane will kill me if i don't get you to the anchor in time to say goodbye."

will raised his head, pouting his lips. "hey! if i didn't know any better, wheeler, i'd say you want me to leave."

he was kidding, of course, but there was a genuine worry behaving the words. did mike want him there? did he want him to stay, would he want to keep being with him even when they were hours away...

mike just smiled his dopey grin again, and with a flutter of his fingers raised will's chin- kissing him slowly, passionately, making his head spin and clearing any trace of worry from his mind.

"i never want you to leave," he whispered as he pulled away, keeping their foreheads linked.

will could do nothing but smile.

"but since you were asking, you know what i do want you to do?" mike started again, his voice still that same intimate whisper.
"what?" will whispered back, closing his eyes again- just basking in this moment. another one of those most perfect of moments that seemed to stretch on forever.

"i want you to brush your damn teeth. damn, byers, that is a smell. "

will let out a mock gasp, opening his eyes at once.

"excuse me!" he exclaimed, grabbing one of the pillows and slamming it into mike repeatedly, "rude!"

mike laughed giddily, averting his eyes from the rogue pillow. "what?? i'm sorry, will, but i just can't kiss you like this!"

"really? really? you don't want to kiss me?" will laughed, dumping the pillow as he climbed over the covers, plumping his lips and attempting to plant one on his lips.

"hey! no! not until you've brushed your teeth!" mike laughed, barely avoiding will's attempts.

"kiss meee," will whined, finally managing a quick peck on his cheek- and mike kept laughing and dodging, and will's attempt grew weaker in face of his growing laughter- and for a second the thought of leaving was forgotten.

everything was forgotten, when he was having a forever moment with his boyfriend, when he was having a perfect morning. so what if it was the last one?
he would make it the best one.

and as that thought crossed his mind he finally managed to snag mike's lips, kissing him with an obnoxious smooching sound- and for that second, for that eternity, everything was perfect.

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but as with all eternities, this one ended too- and before he was really ready he was walking down the familiar beach road for the last time. backpack in one hand, mike's hand in the other. it was weird, holding a backpack- he knew that, but the straps were only barely sewn on and he was terrified of his things spilling once again.

he couldn't believe this was ending. and now, far from the comfort of the bed and mike's kisses that could really take anything off his mind, he was terrified his stay at the small town wouldn't be the only thing ending.

"you'll write, won't you? and call. and visit me, and i can visit you-" will spoke fast, grasping onto mike's hand desperately as they walked. because he couldn't let mike and him end, he couldn't.

now that it was ending, he couldn't help regretting his behavior regarding mike. not only had he missed out on weeks that could have been spent with this incredible boy next to him, the time he did get- he had wasted. he should've spent every day with mike. he should've woken him up every morning and walked with him no matter what he said-

he stopped that train of thought right in its tracks. no, he shouldn't have.

even though it was compelling, almost enchanting, to spend every second of every minute of every day with mike, it wasn't healthy.

a relationship that's so purely dependent on close contact couldn't be healthy- they needed boundaries. and unlike with his previous, very much toxic relationship- this one had them. this one had everything, and it didn't matter how long it had taken them to get together or anything else: because they were together. and he would do anything  to make sure they would spend that way.

"hey, don't panic. it'll be okay, i promise," mike stopped him, tone calm. will tried to relax- but mike's calmness only served to ignite his worry. shouldn't mike be more worried about not seeing him? shouldn't he be planning ahead?

but before he could say anything more they were at the restaurant, and he was overwhelmed by hugs and tears from the ever-so emotional jane and max.

"you'll write, won't you? and call. and visit us, and we can visit you-" max uttered through her tears, and will couldn't help laughing.

"of course i will! and i'll come back here every break, if you'll have me," he smiled, wrapping her in a giant hug.

why couldn't mike have given him that same answer?

"of course we'll have you. you're the best waiter around here anyways," jane joined the hug, weeping tears of her own. will continued hugging them, barely holding back tears of his own. he was heartbroken, heartbroken to be leaving these two incredible girls he had come to love so much.

"thanks for everything, guys. i love you so much," he said lightly, and their hugs were suddenly so tight he almost couldn't breathe.

and once again, before he was ready, mike was tugging on his sleeve.
"time to go," he announced, smiling a smile slightly sadder then the one before- but his eyes still held that same twinkle from before. why wasn't he sadder? shouldn't he be? he only seemed slightly "bummed out," if will was being honest. not as horribly, desperately sad as will was. he was still smiling, after all- standing here with his stupid perfection and his stupid black hoodie will had wanted to steal.

he tried brushing it off. it was probably just his stupid mind- mike was probably just trying to be strong for him. and he did need to go: so, with one last hug and one last goodbye, he headed towards the door.

"wait, before you leave-" max exclaimed, running to the server's room suddenly. will sent jane a confused glance, but she just shook her head in disappointment.

"i'm sorry, she insisted," she said- and then max was back, holding the most ridiculously flamboyant jacket will had seen.

it was rainbow colored, sequins so bright they were practically blinding him. and max was smiling brightly, pushing it towards him.

"so no one gets confused ever again," she laughed, and will was quick to join her. he remembered that day, all the way back when they first met... when she warned him against hitting on jane.

"thanks," he said, "i'll be sure to wear it the first day of college."

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somehow, they were at the train station now: and somehow, his train was pulling into the station.

it was really, really and truly, the end.

will couldn't tear his eyes away from his beautiful boyfriend. studying every angle, every beauty mark, every little aspect of his perfection. holding him close, memorizing every single part of his intoxicating scent.

and now he was crying, trying desperately to keep the water from blocking his vision. he wanted mike to join him on the train, he wanted just another second. just another eternity.

but he didn't have it: because now it was time to board his train. somehow, it was ending.

"i'll miss you so much," he managed through his tears, leaning on his tip toes to kiss him, not caring that they were in public, trying not to think about how this the last kiss in who knows how long- and failing miserably.

and mike was holding him and kissing him, but as they pulled away he still had that twinkle in his eyes. what was happening?

will was too scared to ask. mike walked him to the train and he stepped on- and decided he had to ask.

"will you miss me?" he asked, knowing it was dumb and desperate, but he had to hear it from him.

"umm. no, not really?" mike said.

and will's heart stopped.
"w-what?" he asked, almost falling down. no, no, no, no- he couldn't be breaking up with him, not now...

"i mean, i won't have time to. school is just a few days away."

this wasn't what will was expecting. he still didn't understand, and the train was making that noise that meant it was just about to leave...

mike smiled his sheepish smile. "oh, didn't i tell you?"

and he reached down, unzipping his hoodie...
... to revel a white, unblemished, brand new shirt, with bright red lettering stating the best word will had ever seen.
yale.

"see you in the fall, roomie," mike said with the biggest grin ever - and just then the doors closed and the train started sprinting, away from the station.

will stayed standing in front of the doors for a few moments, shocked, too shocked to move- processing the words he had just heard.

and when finally he turned away from the doors, a smile was plastered across his tear-stricken face.

he made his way to an open sit, backpack in hand, his heart racing once again. not sad anymore, not sad at all.

because he had been wrong. this wasn't the end, this wasn't the end at all.

this? this was just their beginning.

T H E   E N D