Chapter Text
“Um…”
Will had to think for a second about how he was going to respond.
This whole conversation was like a fever dream. Why was Mike even asking all this stuff?
Mike was straight.
“Mike, I…”
no, but what the actual fuck was he going to say?
“I… don’t know.”
Will wanted to pinch himself. He did know. In fact, he had known since he was like, eight or something.
He looked up slowly, trying to get a glimpse of Mike's expression.
He was squinting.
“How would you know, though?”
“Know if you… are?”
“I guess,”
Why did Mike have to do all this and feed into Will's delusions?
Mike is straight, Will reminded himself for the tenth time.
“It doesn’t matter. You already have it all figured out.”
Mike didn’t respond to that.
“Will, is it… weird to get nervous around another boy?”
Will wasn’t expecting Mike to say that.
Not that he was expecting Mike to say anything that he did in the last fifteen minutes.
“W-what? Nervous how?”
“Uh,” Mike bit his lip. Mike turned his attention to his dirty shoelaces.
“Like, you feel this kind of… sensation in your chest? Like… you’re excited, but anxious, and sometimes you just want to lean over and…”
Mike looked up, accidentally meeting Will’s eyes.
“U-uh…”
Will had never seen Mike this frazzled before.
“Oh my god, why am I even saying this shit?” He exclaimed. “Christ, this is so stupid!”
“Is this why the two of you broke up?” Will blurted. He couldn’t help it.
“Because you get… nervous… around a boy?”
Mike swallowed. “I guess.”
Will couldn’t believe it. Mike wasn’t as straight as he had always believed.
“O-oh…” was all Will could muster. “Thanks for telling me.”
“Um, yeah, but Will, can you keep this between us?”
“Of course, Mike”
“Thank you.”
After that whole conversation, neither Will nor Mike had much desire to go back downstairs, so the two stayed in Mike's room.
It was really awkward.
Will was trying to process everything. His crush since childhood just turned out to like boys.
Or something.
Maybe he had a chance then. He took a breath.
“Is there… like, a certain boy you get nervous around?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Mike bit his lip again. “I mean, kind of. But, he’s not into dudes, so it’s whatever.”
“How do you know? I mean, maybe he is.” Will cringed at himself.
“Nah, he would’ve told me if he was.”
“Maybe he thought you would be grossed out about it.”
“I guess I just wish he was a girl.” Mike said, after a second. “Then I wouldn't have to hide like this.”
Will nodded.
Mike kept going. “He’s just so pretty, and understanding, Will. He understands me so well. And I know that it’s dumb, but I just love him so much.”
Will frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Mike asked. “Is this making you uncomfortable? I can stop—”
“No, it’s just…” Will took another deep breath. He was trying to cultivate the right words.
“I get how you feel. I mean, there’s this person I like, and they’re just so funny and cute, but they're my best friend, and I don't want to say anything that could ruin our friendship.”
At the moment, Will thought the androgynous pronouns would throw Mike off, but they didn’t.
“You said they were your best friend. Uh, do you like… me, Will?”
Will tried not to blush. “I mean, um…”
Will squeaked as Mike’s long, slender, fingers brushed against his.
“Do you?” He asked again.
Mike moved his body closer to Will.
“Umm..” Will couldn’t help but move closer to Mike as well.
“So you are into dudes.” Mike noted, noticeably satisfied. “That’s good. I guess that highers the odds.”
“What odds?”
”the odds of you liking me back.”
Mike was close to Will's face now, and each word that came out of his mouth felt warm on Will’s cheek.
“Oh really?” Will breathed. “Well,” he replied, running his finger through Mike’s Onyx hair. “You can change those odds… to 100% possible.”
Mike blushed. Their fingers were intertwined now, and their lips were only inches apart.
Mike stared into Will’s hazel eyes. “Is it okay if I kiss you?” He asked.