everything she wants
mike decided he wants eyeliner with his costume, but he’s never put it on before. you offer some help, but it puts the boy (and you) in shambles for the rest of the night.
or,
mike wheeler is head over heels for his best friend. and so are you.
mike wheeler x fem!reader
word count: 13.2k (i'm sorry but trust it's worth it!)
a/n: yayyyy she's here!! hope you like!!!
read part two here!
tags: a lil suggestive at the end; read at your own discretion!, best friends to lovers, holy crap they are in love, oblivious mutual pining, they overthink everything, au cause yes, puppy dog eyes mike, guyliner (duh), mike is SMITTEN (so is reader), some pov switching but mainly mike-centric, yearning, underage drinking, mentions of gagging, songfic if you squint, mike is taller than reader, halloween party, fake blood, confessions of love, kissing, making out, cursing, Tension
The curse that escaped Mike Wheeler’s mouth hadn’t been one of pain–though it would surely appear that way if you had no context for the situation and took a glance in his direction.
He had been in the bathroom for about five minutes now, busying himself with a container of a red liquid he had bought with you at the discount store just hours ago. Fake blood. Unfortunately for Mike, the price of the liquid was showing, and before he knew it, he and the basement bathroom looked like they had encountered an actual vampire attack.
“My mom is gonna kill me,” Mike muttered almost absent-mindedly, groaning while glancing down at the sink that was now covered in a red stain he knew was unlikely to move, no matter how hard someone scrubbed it.
“Like she ever comes down here anyway,” you murmured back, a smirk evident in your voice. His head turned in your direction, observing your sitting form through the gap in the door and watching as you stared into the pocket mirror in your hands. You were applying something to your face, some kind of makeup Mike didn’t know the name for. You seemed careful as you brushed the product on, hand moving with a delicate precision that looked almost professional. At least to Mike.
“There’s red, like, everywhere,” he groaned again, his eyes lingering on you for a few more seconds before moving back to the disaster in front of him.
He hadn’t really thought it through when he started putting the blood on. When he had decided a week ago that he was going to tonight’s party as a vampire, he knew fake blood was needed to sell the look. Plus, if it looked good and he did it right, then maybe, just maybe, you might like it. Stubbornly, he didn’t ask for help, and now his hands and bathroom porcelain were suffering the consequences.
He had stupidly, he thinks now, not used a cotton swab or something to apply the cheap formula, thinking his fingers would do the job just fine. Clearly, he had been wrong.
He turned the faucet, sighing as he hopelessly rubbed soap onto his palms before putting them into the sink, watching as the dye slowly seeped out of his skin. He knew there would be some kind of stain whenever you two left the house, but for now, he was just thankful the red was even coming out.
“I’m sure it’s not everywhere,” you mused, voice cadencing through the noise of running water and breaking Mike from his trance. “Where did you apply it? The walls?”
“Ha-ha,” Mike rolled his eyes at your terrible yet endearing joke, not able to force his smile down after hearing it. “I put it on my mouth and chin, and some of my neck. I don’t know. Just whatever looked right. But it’s runny as hell.” He huffed out another sigh, reaching for the soap once again to scrub at his hands a second time.
“Well, it was extremely cheap,” you said, a small giggle following your words that made Mike’s heart speed up. He shifted just slightly, angling his head once again to watch you, only to see that you had put your mirror on the coffee table in front of you. “Let me come see.”
The boy felt his heart leap once again as you stood, smoothing out your costume that of course looked amazing on you. Clad in a light blue top and purple skirt (or maybe it was pink? Mike couldn’t tell), both of which had come from your closet, it was easy to see that you were dressed as a mermaid. It was only more obvious now as you approached, the addition of glitter and various colors around your eyes making the costume pop even more. Mike swallowed the lump in his throat, cursing himself for getting caught up. Why were you walking towards him again?
You pushed the door to the bathroom, opening the space a little more as you entered. Mike held his breath as he watched your eyes travel over him, taking in his fake-blood handiwork. His heart was already sinking, expecting you to laugh or say it didn’t look realistic enough or just straight up say he looked like shit–
“I like it,” you hummed, your voice soft. “It looks good, Mike.”
So this was how he was going to die. He was certain now that you were actually a siren, your voice so sweet that he was ready to follow you wherever you led him. And the way you said his name. He would dive into the ocean for you right then. He could hear how genuine you were being, though, and knew you wouldn’t just say that to make him feel better. You meant it, and that thought set his body on fire.
“You think so?” His voice was weak, but he barely had time to dwell on it before you were reaching over him, your form next to his as you grabbed a hand towel that had been sitting on the edge of the sink.
“Of course I do,” you smiled, glancing into his eyes for a moment before your attention turned to the reddened sink. You placed the towel you hand just grabbed under the flowing water for just a moment, and Mike thought he might fall over when your hand just barely brushed over his. He watched silently as you started to scrub at the dried red liquid that was now stuck to the sink, desperately fighting to catch his breath from the comment you had made just moments ago.
Mike wasn’t sure when he had become like this with you. Your friendship came naturally, and the two of you had been attached at the hip since you were in elementary school. He supposes that’s how the overwhelming love he felt for you had come to be–naturally. It hid in the cracks of your friendship for years, starting to take shape back in middle school when Mike was still able to ignore the stutter in his breath every time you laughed at something. By the time you were in high school, his feelings had increased tenfold, and now every day, Mike found himself working overtime to keep his thoughts at bay. Not to mention that the rest of the Party had been out for his throat once they discovered his emotions for you.
But tonight, on Halloween, of all nights, it was the most overwhelming it’d ever been. Maybe it was you in your costume–and god, you just looked so, so pretty anyway–or maybe the fact that the two of you were alone in his basement, but still standing right next to each other, as if all of the space in the world couldn’t separate the two of you. It was probably a number of things, Mike reasoned, and the fact that he couldn’t pinpoint it comforted him and simultaneously stressed him out beyond belief.
He loved you so much. Too much, even. But he couldn’t stop, nor did he want to. He was a mess, and Mike figured that even if you might be the cause for his turmoil, you were ultimately the cure.
“You just gonna hold your hands under the water forever?” Your voice, once again, broke him out of his trance and he lifted his head, a smirk rising on his lips that mirrored yours. He shook his head and playfully rolled his eyes, rubbing his hands together in one last attempt to get the dye out. He wasn’t really worried about it anymore, not since you had walked into the bathroom.
“Happy now?” Mike grinned, one hand grabbing the other towel from the counter and drying his hands.
“Yes,” you nodded, an airy laugh leaving you. “I am.” Your smile was infectious, and he was willing as ever to catch its disease, not once letting his eyes drift from your face as he wiped off his hands. You were still focused on the sink, and something about seeing you helping with a mess he had made without even asking made his heart leap for the hundredth time that night. Get it together.
Mike’s gaze shifted to the mirror in front of the two of you, resisting the urge to let his eyes immediately return to your frame as he studied himself. Damn, he looked crazy. Mike had splayed the fake blood down his chin and onto his neck, reasoning that a hungry vampire wouldn’t care about where it went. A little bit of surprise filled him as he noticed little dribble marks running all the way to his collarbone, suddenly thankful for the runny formula. Mike had to admit it–he looked good. He silently hoped that was what you had meant earlier, though he knew you were probably just praising the way the blood looked.
Mike eyed himself for a few more moments, comfortable silence filling the space around the two of you. The longer he gazed at himself, despite his earlier thoughts, the more he felt like something was missing. Yes, his costume wasn’t completely on–he still had a leather jacket to put on–but he knew it was more than that.
He squinted at the mirror, focusing on his face before quickly turning his head to glance at you. His eyes traced the colorful lines and smudges that framed your eyes, some sort of intrigue rising in his mind the longer he looked down at you. When your head turned and your eyes met his, he quickly turned back to the mirror, red flush creeping up on his neck as he tried (and failed) to act like he hadn’t just been staring dead at you.
“Is something wrong?” You asked, your voice sweet as if you hadn’t just caught him red-handed. You knew, you were just choosing to not bring it up.
“Um– I just…well…” Mike tried, observing himself in the mirror as he listened to his heart pound in his ears. He took a long breath, pushing through his embarrassment as he let his eyes fall back to you.
“It feels like it’s missing something,” He shrugged, his eyes once again drifting over your face and lingering on your eye makeup, something inside him slowly clicking as he stared down at you. Your head titled, your eyes now moving over Mike’s face and he silently prayed that the blush from a few moments ago was no longer visible. You inched just slightly closer, and Mike swore you were teasing him in that moment as a soft hum left you. He was done for.
“I think I know what it is,” you grinned, pulling away while setting your towel on the counter. Your eyes never left his as you spoke: “Have you ever heard of eyeliner?”
How you read his mind like that, he had absolutely no clue. He didn’t question it, a shy smile rising on his lips as he shook his head. Your grin only grew wider as you mumbled a small ‘hold on’ and exited the bathroom. Mike took a deep breath for what felt like the first time the entire night, his heart getting a moment of respite before immediately picking up in pace again as you re-entered the bathroom.
“Okay. Eyeliner is exactly what it sounds like. I think it will pull together the whole grungy vibe you want,” you explained quickly, glancing down at the objects you had returned with as you stood in front of him. Mike raised a brow, not quite sure why this process required a pencil but too excited to ask.
“Since when were vampires described with the word ‘grungy?’” He groaned playfully, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Since someone decided that vampires wear Converse,” you smirked, your eyes doing a one-over of Mike’s form. He wasn’t sure how he didn’t fall onto the floor after that. He swallowed, forcing a smirk on his lips and shaking his head.
“I’m a modern vampire, thank you very much. They are immortal, after all,” Mike mused back, and God, he really was bad at flirting. Luckily for him, you must’ve thought it was funny and let out a soft laugh. Or maybe you were laughing at him.
“Well, do you want to do it? Or– well,” you spoke up, your voice going soft and your eyes leaving him for a moment. “Do you want me to do it? I promise it will look good.”
God, yes, he wanted to say. Please. I don’t care. Do whatever. I’m yours. He pushed down the sudden surge of thoughts in his head, a small smile on his face as he spoke again.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” Mike breathed out, adoring the way your entire face immediately lit up at his words. You ushered him to sit on the toilet seat, your frame now over his as he desperately how nervous he was. His leg began to bounce and he cursed himself, his hand reaching for his knee almost instinctively to stop the movement.
“Okay. Just sit still. I’m not gonna stab your eye,” you giggled softly, inching closer and lifting up the eyeliner pencil to let him see.
“Promise?” Mike grinned, beaming up at you and gripping his knee tighter, already having to fight the nerves from how close you were.
“Promise,” you nodded, a gentle smile on your lips as you moved closer again, your legs just barely in between his own as you readied yourself. He kept his eyes on your face, watching how focused you were, and–
Oh. You were close. Reallllyyyy close. Mike felt his breath catch in his throat as your hand moved to his face, nearly grazing his skin with your own. He panicked the second the pencil edged at his face, flinching out of the way as his eye squinted in an almost natural response. Your eyes flicked over him curiously and he cursed at himself, swearing he wouldn’t do it again, but you stepped even closer and he moved again when your breath ran across his face. You groaned.
“Miiike,” you sighed, a laugh falling off of your lips as you pulled the pencil away. Mike’s heart was thumping against his chest, body so hot he thought he might explode. He was sure his face was just as red as the blood he had smeared across it.
“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice wavering and embarrassment flooding his chest. “I’m– nervous, I think.” A knowing smile then appeared on your face, and Mike felt like melting from how soft your voice sounded.
“I get it,” you nodded, softly sighing as you looked down at him with sweet, sweet eyes. You were so pretty like this, and it only made Mike more nervous to have you so close.
“I think you need to close your eyes. Breathe. Just relax,” you offered, head tilting down as you gave him another one-over. Of course it was easy for you to say that, he thought, it’s not like you could understand why he was nervous.
If only Mike could understand that you were silently going through the same thing, absolutely reeling at the fact that you were able to be so close to him and not even sure how Mike wasn’t seeing how shaky you were.
Mike sighed, letting out a soft ‘okay’ and shutting his eyes. He wanted this, and trusted that you wouldn’t hurt him even with how bad his feelings were acting up.
You took a breath, readjusting your hand and stepping closer, knees hitting the edge of the toilet seat and sending a chill through your body. You stared at Mike for a few moments, eyes flitting over his face and heart stuttering in your chest at the sight. He was so handsome and so close. You were absolutely done for.
You tentatively reached up with your non-dominant hand, fingers lightly brushing his bangs out of the way and biting your lip before you spoke up.
“I need to– uh,” Your voice was quiet, so gentle that Mike almost thought that you were nervous, and before he could dwell on it any longer, the warmth of your hand pressed softly into his cheek. Ohmygod. His heart pounded, head swirling with so many emotions that he nearly forgot to breathe.
“Is this okay?” You asked, and Mike nodded quickly, the word ‘yes’ lodged in his throat. At that, your hand pushed more firmly on his skin, slightly tilting his head upwards. Your breath was back to skimming over his face, your presence just inches away from his. God, he wanted to open his eyes so bad.
He stayed as still as he could as he felt the pencil run over his eyelid, fighting to keep his body upright each time he felt you move closer to him. At this point, he was certain that if he leaned forward and up just a few inches–barely even moving at all–the already tiny gap between the two of you would close and your lips would meet. And he knew he probably shouldn’t be thinking like that, but he couldn’t help it, not when you were so close, not when you were right there. He was losing it, his heart flying at an impossible speed and his head dizzy with thoughts of you.
Mike had to hold back a gasp when he felt your thumb move up, carefully running it over his eyelid and smudging the eyeliner you had just applied. You were so close that he could feel the heat of your body in front of him, seeping into his skin as you held him close. He was tempted to reach up with his own hand and cover yours, telling you to never let go. He could stay like this forever.
You switched sides, hand still on Mike’s face as you repeated whatever you had done on his other eye. You were just as close, if not closer, your breath ghosting over his face in a way that made Mike shiver. He didn’t know how he hadn’t died at this point, his mind and body so overwhelmed that he thought he might have a heart attack right there.
Mike sat still for a few more moments, breathing deeply as he relaxed into the soft touch of your skin against his. Eventually, your movements came to a slow and he felt you lean back, the warmth that had filled the small gap between you two dissipating just slightly. Mike’s heart ached a little bit at that, missing the closeness you had just shared.
You studied Mike carefully, glancing back and forth between his closed eyes to make sure the eyeliner looked even. Your hand hadn’t left his face yet, cherishing the feeling of your skin over his as you fought the thoughts in your head that were screaming at you to let go. This is selfish, you thought, just sitting here and staring because I can, because he can’t see. But damn it, you couldn’t look away.
The word ‘open’ left your lips before you realized it, and suddenly Mike’s eyes were locked on yours. Oh God. Your heart palpitated in your chest, his soft brown eyes staring up at you with an eased expression that made you want to melt into the floor. And the eyeliner. Lord, the eyeliner. You could’ve melted with how good it looked on him, and how natural it felt to see it on him. It wasn’t even that heavy, but you would be lying if you said you didn’t feel something more than you normally did when you looked at his face. Please never take it off, you thought, the words gnawing at your teeth and begging to be let out. For how long you had been crushing on Mike (and slowly but surely falling in love with him), this was the most attractive he had ever been to you. You were sure that middle school you would’ve had a heart attack at the sight of him like this. God, you were losing it.
You knew your cheeks were probably as red as the fake blood on his face, but you weren’t really thinking about that with how transfixed you were on his eyes. You were both still extremely close, closer than you had remembered, tension thick in the air around you the longer you kept your gaze on him. Your eyes, betraying every bone in your body, dropped to his lips without thinking and snapped back up as soon as you had realized what you had done. Ohgodohgodohgod.
All of your breath left your lungs and you both quickly separated, with you taking a step backward and Mike leaning away from you. Your hand released from his face, fingers tingling as the warmth of his skin lingered against yours. You should’ve leaned in when you had the chance, should’ve said screw it and let out every word that you had locked in your heart for years. Your heart was aching for him already, a perfect moment ripped out of your hands because of something stupid. Why was it always like that?
Mike’s body was on fire. What had just happened? He had opened his eyes, and you were there, right there, eyes wide and staring at him like he was the most beautiful thing in the world. And for a moment, just a split second, Mike swore your eyes had dropped to his lips. But of course, like normal, he chickened out and pulled away the second he felt himself getting a little too comfortable. He wanted to scream with how mad he was at himself. He felt like a damn idiot and now his chest was hurting, longing for your hand back on his face and for your warmth to completely envelop his body.
Mike quickly stood up and cleared his throat, keeping his eyes averted from you as he moved to stand in front of the mirror. You were still beside him, head down and completely silent as he looked at the work you had done.
“Wow,” he muttered, his voice breathless. A smile crept back onto his face as his eyes traced the delicate lines and smudges you had drawn on him, his heart panging at the clear care you had put into your work. He forced his breath to remain steady, his words clearly strained but no less genuine. “This is like, really good.”
With that, your head finally lifted, eyes moving back to Mike and off the floor. A soft smile tugged at your lips as you looked at him, watching as he leaned close to the mirror to get a better look. Your heart leapt again at the sight of his eyeliner, and you swallowed a breathy sigh. “You like it?” you asked, your voice gentle and forcibly steady.
“Is that even a question?” Mike grinned, turning to your direction and shifting away from the mirror. “I think it’d be harder for me to not like it.” Or you, for that matter.
To his dismay, you only smiled, not saying a word as your gaze fell back onto the floor. Shit, did he do something wrong? Crap, did you know? He was starting to think that you had realized his feelings for you when you were close just moments ago; you must’ve felt his breath hitch or his cheeks get warm as you held him in front of you. And while he knew it probably wasn’t that, he still convinced himself that it was, and immediately wanted to dig a hole into the ground and never look back. God, he was so embarrassed!
Mike swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, trying to distract himself from the nagging thought in his head that you now knew every one of his secrets and felt bad for him, all because you didn’t like him back. He imagined that you were already thinking of ways to ditch him, to leave behind your years of friendship because you didn’t reciprocate. Tonight was sure to be hell, and it hadn’t even really started.
A clear of your throat startled him back to life, his body nearly flinching as he re-focused his eyes. He groaned internally, praying a sinkhole would open up and put an end to his misery.
“You okay?” You asked, your head tilting a little to the side. Your voice had a familiar teasing lilt to it, and it made a small bit of relief fill Mike’s aching chest. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”
“Yeah, just, um–” He cleared his throat, praying it would rid his voice of its initial breathiness. “Thinking. Deep thoughts.”
Just kill me now.
You smirked and raised an eyebrow, clearly curious but not questioning it as you shook your head and began to walk out of the bathroom.
“Well, hopefully the drive is enough to ease your mind, Dracula,” you teased and shot him a glance, and Mike wanted to collapse right there. “We’re leaving in five. You know Dustin will be mad if we show up late.” Mike forced out a laugh at that, hands gripping the sink for support in case his knees gave out beneath him.
Okay, so maybe you didn’t know. But then why did you react like that when he was talking? Maybe you thought he was lying about the makeup? His mind surged with the possibilities of your thoughts and he pushed every one of them down, trying to resist the urge to overthink it more than he already had. He was a mess.
Five minutes blurred into one as the two of you made final touch-ups to your costumes, anticipation building in your stomachs for what was to come. You were still silently recovering from your slip-up earlier, and trying to move on from that situation entirely. You were sure he had noticed it with how awkward he was being, but you knew better enough to not question it just in case he hadn’t at all.
Before you knew it, the two of you were in your car, Mike thumbing through your cassette collection in the passenger’s seat as you drove to the house you were to be at.
“So, where’s the good music supposed to be? Do you have a box in the back with more or something?” He teased, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face as if he didn’t like half of the stuff you listened to.
“Ha-ha. Good one, Wheeler. Where are your jokes supposed to be?” You sighed, your voice a straight tone as you glanced at him for a moment, fighting back a smile from rising to your lips.
“Okay, c’mon, it was funny. But seriously, where’s that mixtape I made? I thought you said you loved it,” He spoke again, his lips forming into an exaggerated pout, though you knew he was being serious from the way his voice wavered at the end of his sentence.
“Oh, it’s already in the player. I rarely take it out,” you smiled gently, holding back a laugh at the open-mouthed shock on Mike’s face. You stole another quick glance at him now that he had turned to face you, unable to resist the pull that his eyes had set on you.
“Why didn’t you just say that?” He screamed at you, a grin rising to his lips as his finger shot to hit the play button on your console. Your shared laughter filled the car as the sound of Tears For Fears rang in the background, Everybody Wants To Rule The World hitting your ears and giving you the boost of happiness you needed to get through the night. You and Mike began to scream-sing the lyrics together, a fluttery feeling filling your heart at the sweetness of it all.
Mike had made the mixtape for your eighteenth birthday, commemorating your years of being best friends and saying you needed something to remember him by if you guys separated for college. Like you could ever forget him.
Mike wishes he could say the mixtape hadn’t been an attempt at a romantic gesture, because it had definitely appeared that way once he glanced at the tracklist he had prepared. It wasn’t like he intended on choosing mostly romantic songs, they just all reminded him of you. The mixtape had been his way of confessing his love without actually saying it, and the fact that you apparently didn’t often take it out of your cassette player made his heart leap with indescribable joy.
The drive continued for just a little longer, you and Mike still singing together with each song that played until you reached your destination. The house was already booming, people flowing in and out as you found a spot to park your car. The Sun had already faded out of the sky and hoards of children were roaming the streets, eager for any piece of candy they could get their hands on.
You turned and pulled the car key out of the ignition, both you and Mike quietly relaxing in your seats and taking in the last few moments of silence you would have for the night. Mike had spotted the rest of the Party as you were parking the car, and could see them walking in your direction in the side-view mirror. His heart panged with sadness, knowing the two of you wouldn’t be alone again until you drove him home later. He held in his sigh.
“Ready?” You asked, turning to Mike with a grin as your hand reached for the door handle. He nodded, and just as he was about to open his own door, you spoke again.
“Wait, one more thing,” you said, your eyes still on him. His heart began to speed up, a thousand ideas of what you might have to say filling his mind and making him regret agreeing to be here in the first place. He hadn’t even really wanted to go anyway, not until you did.
“Um, just…undo the first few buttons of your top,” you spoke, eyes flicking down his frame and back up. A grin was still on your face, and Mike nearly lost it at what you said next. “It’ll look better, trust me.”
He couldn’t even ask if he heard you right because a second later, you were already out of the car and chatting with Max and Jane as they approached you. He stared at you through the window, eyes wide and cheeks flushed as he tried to gather his thoughts. Dustin saved him by knocking aggressively against the passenger-side window, looking expectantly at Mike and wordlessly urging him out of the car.
Mike quickly opened the door, awkwardly stepping out and zoning out of whatever Dustin was rambling to him about as his eyes trained to you. He nodded along mindlessly, fingers working with the buttons of his top and letting them go loose like you had said to. Dustin was quick to clock that Mike was indeed not paying attention, his eyes rolling as he jabbed the taller boy’s arm with his shoulder.
“Ow, dude, what the hell–”
“Are you just here to make puppy-dog eyes all night or are you gonna have real fun?” Dustin sighed, shaking his head as they moved up the sidewalk.
“What? That’s– I don’t make puppy-dog eyes,” Mike protested, but was quickly cut off by the rest of the group.
“You totally do,” Lucas said, a knowing grin on his face.
“Yeah, you look helpless,” Will teased, earning laughs from the other two boys as Mike let out an irritated sigh.
“I am not–”
“Save it. Lying is a sin, Michael,” Dustin grinned up at Mike, bumping into his side as they walked.
“And what’s that little window about, huh?” Lucas pointed to the skin of Mike’s chest that was now visible, making the already red boy somehow become even redder. “And eyeliner? Adventurous this Halloween, I see.”
“I’ll have you all know that these,” Mike waved a hand in front of his face and chest, voice irritated, “were her suggestions. She said it would make my costume better.”
“Her?” Will spoke, the smile on his face evident in his voice. “We didn’t say anyone’s name.”
“Guyyysss,” Mike groaned dramatically, putting his hands on his face. “Can we not tonight? Getting ready was hell enough, I don’t need you to join in on that train.”
“What happened when you were–” Dustin started, but was cut off by a shout from Max, who, by the look on her face, knew exactly what they had been talking about.
“Can you guys stop arguing or whatever?” The girl groaned, making you and Jane turn to each other and giggle. When you weren’t looking, the redhead raised a brow at Mike, giving him a look that said get it together before I do for you, and then turned to the other direction. “We have more pressing matters.”
Max was right; they had made it to the house and Mike could already hear the music that was booming inside from across the lawn. Mike was silent as they walked through the grass and eventually stepped foot into the house, taking everything in.
The first thing he noticed was the heat. The entrance was already stuffy, and Mike was sure it was only going to get worse the further they traveled into the house. It was so, so loud, so much so that he couldn’t hear what Dustin was saying despite the fact that he was standing right next to him. It reeked of alcohol and teenage hormones, and Mike was in the process of gagging when he felt a hand press onto his arm.
He blinked and met your eyes, his breath catching at how close you were. When did you get there?
“You okay?” You leaned up to his ear and spoke as loud as you could without breaking into a yell. The concern in your voice was clear, and Mike’s heart started running once again at the care you were displaying.
“Just overwhelmed,” He said, leaning down to your ear and watching as you nodded in response. You looked like you were about to say something when a new hand grabbed onto his other arm, making his head snap in the other direction.
“C’mon, we’re not just standing around the whole night!” Lucas shouted, already pulling Mike away before he could ask any questions. You grinned at the brown-haired boy, who shook his head wordlessly as his friend dragged him off.
As soon as he rounded the corner and you were out of sight, Mike let out a groan in Lucas’s direction. Lucas only shook his head, a grin plastered to his face that cut off any retaliation Mike was about to let out.
The house was a sea of teenagers, each and every corner occupied, and it was by no means a small home. Mike didn’t even know that there were this many teenagers in Hawkins, and he was confused on why anyone would let this many people into their house. Mike had never really understood the appeal of parties anyway, so attending this one had been the biggest culture-shock he’d ever experienced.
Lucas stopped when they entered the kitchen, the island in the center covered with various bottles and drinks that Mike had never heard of. His mind was a whirl, confused but nonetheless curious to see what this was all about.
Dustin had found something from the mass of liquids and had already poured it into four different plastic cups, and was looking at the other boys with an overly excited grin.
“Gentlemen, a toast,” He said fancily, grabbing one of the cups and waiting for the others to follow suit. Mike hesitantly picked one up, holding it up to his eye to try and see what was inside. It was no use, as the entire house was lit by colorful LEDs that changed every three seconds and made it impossible to see anything clearly.
“To Mike’s first–”
“Last,” Mike interrupted Dustin, rolling his eyes as he mentally prepared for whatever terrible taste was about to enter his mouth.
“Whatever. To the teenage experience!” Dustin shouted, raising the red cup to the middle of the little circle they had formed. The other boys did the same, cheering while Mike stared at the cup like it had just said it knew his deepest secret.
Mike pulled his cup to his mouth, tilting back and trying to swallow the liquid quickly enough to not choke but to also not absorb the taste. Unfortunately, he failed at the latter. The sting of tequila filled Mike’s throat along with its pungent taste, causing him to immediately gag from pain and toss the cup carelessly onto the floor. He decided at that moment that he was not going to drink for the rest of the night, no matter how much he wanted to. The teenage experience could suck it.
He grabbed another cup, ignoring the teasing of the friends as he went to the sink and filled the plastic with water. He took a long sip, sighing as the sting in his throat began to dissipate. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on something other than the loudness of the house or the mugginess that existed in every room. He couldn’t wait to leave, especially since he knew you’d be leaving with him. Was it bad of him to say he missed you already?
“You’re in for a long night, Wheeler,” Max’s voice rang through his ear, causing his eyes to snap open. He immediately rolled his eyes and took another sip of his water, shaking his head as he zoned back into the situation. Max, seeming to know what was in his cup, raised her eyebrow and smirked. Mike braced himself for the tease he knew was coming.
“Worried you’ll slip up in front of your girl if you drink?” She mused, wiggling her eyebrows and leaning closer purposefully. Mike’s jaw fell slack with embarrassment, cheeks turning red as his head turned in her direction.
“She isn’t my–” He started, but the words left him when he saw you and Jane enter the kitchen from behind Max’s shoulder. He straightened his posture and cleared his throat out of habit, to which the ginger girl rolled her eyes. He really was never going to hear the end of this.
“Hey, Dracula. Figured they’d dragged you here,” You giggled, eyes flicking to the cup in his hand as you tilted your head. “Already getting a start, I see.”
“It’s–”
“Water,” Jane and Max said in unison, giggling like they had just told the greatest joke of all time. Sometimes it irritated Mike how well his friends knew him. You laughed along with them, shaking your head and taking a step closer to him. He stiffened again, the proximity reminding him of what had happened in his basement not that long ago. He felt bad for his heart, which was probably on its last leg after running at what felt like a thousand miles an hour for the entire night.
“Anyways,” you pivoted the conversation, to Mike’s relief, “do you wanna dance? Get out of this kitchen you have no point standing in?” You laughed, and Mike’s knees nearly gave way at the sound. With a quick glance to Max and Jane, he could see them looking at him with intense stares that told him he needed to choose his next words carefully. He sighed, forcing himself to relax and move past the rapid beating of his heart as he spoke to you.
“Yeah, I’d like that. Y’know, moving from one cesspool of teenagers to the next,” He joked and his spirit soared when you giggled, shaking your head and looking up at him with bright eyes. He was never going to get over how pretty you looked, even when you were doing things as simple as laughing.
Any words or thoughts Mike had quickly died within a second as he felt your hand slip into his, yelling ‘come on!’ and turning to pull him into the crowd. His heart was pounding in his ears, now louder than the music that drummed against the walls of the house, sending waves of nervousness all through his body. How he was going to dance without looking like a stiff board, he wasn’t really sure, but right now, he was just stuck on the fact that you had voluntarily held his hand.
You eventually were able to find a spot just spacious enough for the two of you in the crowded living room, lights flashing brighter and the music louder than it had been since you stepped foot in the house. People swarmed the small space, each and every movement of even one person subtly pushing you and Mike closer together. Thriller, of course, was playing, though you could barely hear it over the slurred out lyrics of the teens around you.
You and Mike shared a look, silently communicating in the midst of the chaos, and then let out full laughs at the absurdity of it all. Your hand had slipped out of Mike’s, to his dismay, and was starting to sway unconsciously at your side as the song continued to fill the room around you. Mike shook his head and laughed again as the two of you started to sway to the beat, smiling at each other like little kids.
It was almost a miracle how neither of you noticed the feelings you both clearly held for each other. Seriously, it would have been harder to not see it. The Party noticed as early as freshman year how obvious you both were, and were sick of both of you for constantly dancing around your emotions.
Michael Jackson’s voice eventually began to fade out and everyone in the room slowed, seeming eager to hear whatever was going to be blasted into their ears. You seemed to catch onto the next song before anyone else, letting out a loud gasp at the transition into the new beat. A wide grin stretched over your lips as you turned to Mike, leaning up so he could hear you.
“I love this song!” You shouted, though the brown-haired boy could still barely hear you over the sound of the music. He leaned down just a little more, raising a brow with a smile as he looked at you.
“What is it?” He screamed back.
“It’s called Everything She Wants!” You grinned even further, and Mike felt his heart fluttering as he noticed how close you had to get just to speak with each other. “I think you’ll like it.”
Mike wasn’t sure if he actually did like it or not, because as soon as you started dancing, everything became fuzzy.
You were right in front of him, smiling the entire time as your body moved with the rhythm of the song and even mouthing some of the lyrics. His body didn’t take long to follow yours, rocking back and forth with his eyes glued to you as the sweet sound of Wham! cut through your ears.
Words and melodies swam together in Mike’s head as you stared back up at him, your soft eyes pulling him forward without even trying. You both gradually shifted to each other, all while you danced along to the music that was slowly turning into white noise in your ears. Mike wanted you closer, the urge to place a hand on your waist and pull you in stronger than anything he’d ever felt. You looked so good like this, all carefree and relaxed like it was natural for you two to be like this. Mike was positive that he looked like an idiot, and dare he say it, a lost puppy staring at you like you were the only thing he’d ever known. He was so nervous, his body buzzing as he tried desperately to appear normal while you danced to the music.
You couldn’t pull your gaze away from Mike. His soft brown eyes had found yours in the chaos of the room, luring you closer as the gap between you closed more and more the longer the song went on. You couldn’t read the expression on his face, but the way he was looking at you caused a certain pang to shoot straight through your heart, and you wanted more than ever to leap forward and into his arms. You were still stuck on him in eyeliner, the shadowy lines you had applied hours ago popping even more in the lighting of the party and making you sick with longing.
The sounds of the party slowly faded into silence as your dancing began to stop, you and Mike close enough that your hands were brushing together just by standing there. Your heart was flying at a thousand miles a minute, lips parted as you stared up at Mike with wide eyes. He was looking down at you just like that, and curse him for his stupid puppy eyes that made you fold, brown gaze lidded as his head tilted. The tension between the two of you was palpable, and it was nearly killing you to just be standing there without doing anything. You’d never seen such a subtle intensity to his expression before, and while you weren’t sure if it was just your own wishful thinking or not, it almost looked like want.
Something seemed to cross over Mike’s face, and without warning, his eyes flicked over you, stopping just below your eyes before meeting your gaze once again. He inhaled quietly, his hand brushing yours and sending a spark through your body as he opened his mouth to speak.
“You lo-”
“There you are!” A loud voice and the touch of a warm hand cut through whatever little moment you and Mike had just shared, silencing Mike’s words and putting an end to your staring. Fuck.
The two of you reluctantly stepped away from each other, the space between you now empty and cold. Sadness dug into Mike’s chest, piercing his heart and leaving him aching for whatever had just happened. His eyes lingered on you, mind still struggling to process it all, before turning to see Jane and Max, the red-head’s hand wrapping around your arm and starting to tug you away. No.
Mike still couldn’t hear a thing, now realizing how fast his heart had started beating and his ears probably suffering hearing damage from how loud the music was. His eyes caught yours just as Max was pulling you away, and the look on your face could’ve made him cry. You looked confused, a little upset, and, God, like your heart had just been broken. He was panicking, protests preventing your leave sitting in his mouth and waiting to be spoken, but he couldn’t find his voice, and soon enough, you were gone. He was stranded, all alone in the middle of a crowded room that now felt suffocating without you.
Without much thinking, he quickly moved out of the room, not in search of you, but in an attempt to just breathe. He was on fire, heart still pounding and body still on edge like you were still there, standing right in front of him. He slipped out of the house and onto the front porch, immediately letting out the groan he had been suppressing since Max and Jane had dragged you away, doing whatever instead of letting you be with him, like they had a vendetta against him or something. God, he was mad.
The boy frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair, trying to ease out the headache that was already forming from the crazy emotions and thoughts running through his mind. What had he even been trying to say to you? It seemed like you had heard it, and he prayed with everything in him that the music had muffled it out enough for you to not even know he was preparing to speak. Maybe you wouldn’t question it, he thought, maybe you would just brush over it like you had earlier, when you had been so close that he thought you might kiss him. Maybe you would and he would lie, or–
Mike stayed in this zone of constant overthinking for nearly an hour (two minutes) before he finally stopped pacing and sat down on the edge of the porch, head nearly throbbing. He was a mess, somehow still flustered from the moment you had shared and trying desperately to not think about how close he had been to saying you looked beautiful. He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, trying to rub away the headache that was pounding against his skull. He was about to overthink more when the sound of footsteps broke him out of his trance. Was it you? He turned around, heart picking up speed and abruptly stopping when he met the eyes of Lucas.
“Hey, I thought I saw you run out here,” the boy spoke gently, a soft smile on his face as he stood behind Mike, head tilting just slightly as if he were silently studying him. “You looked sick. Did you have more to drink?”
Mike quickly shook his head and smiled back, partially amused by the small tease but ultimately still too focused on the thoughts in his head for his happiness to stay for long. Lucas’s head tilted further before he sat down next to the other boy, lightly shoving his shoulder with a closed fist.
“Alright, how did you fumble this time?” A knowing smirk was plastered to Lucas’s face, and while he would normally roll his eyes and protest the teasing, Mike had no fight left in him. He breathed out a sigh, eyes dropping to the floor of the porch as he fidgeted with his hands.
“I don’t know, I just– We were dancing, and dancing close, and it was almost like, suggestive, I think? But she was looking at me, and wouldn’t stop, and eventually the dancing stopped because we were just staring at each other and–” Mike cut himself off, his voice getting pitchier the longer he recounted the moment. He cleared his throat, releasing another almost sad sigh as he brought his brown eyes back to Lucas.
“I was about to say something, something risky, but then the girls showed up and took her away before I could even get two words in,” Mike groaned, hands running through his hair again as his head rolled back dramatically. Lucas let out a small laugh, offering his friend consolation by patting his shoulder and nodding along as he rambled.
“What were you gonna say?” He asked, voice laced with something that sounded like he was getting ready to tease Mike.
“‘You look beautiful,’ I think. Look, I know it’s corny, okay, I just really like her and she did look like that and–”
“Mike, slow down,” Lucas interrupted, another laugh escaping his lips while he shook his head. Mike sighed, eyes falling down to the floor. Lucas hummed, looking around and thinking for a moment before turning back to Mike.
“So, you really felt like saying it, right?” Lucas asked, waiting for Mike’s nod before continuing. “Well, then why didn’t you? It seems like you could’ve.”
“I–” Mike started but quickly cut himself off, realizing that he probably should actually think about his answer. After a few moments, he spoke again: “Well, I didn’t want to say it in front of Max and Jane. But, thinking now, I… I guess I didn’t want to say it there. Like, I feel shitty now, but I’m… glad I didn’t. It would’ve been stupid.” Lucas nodded to Mike’s relief, and stayed silent for a moment as he processed his friend's words.
“Well, if it was me…” Lucas paused, tilting his head back and forth like he didn’t already know what he was going to say. A smirk was evident in his words, clearly finding amusement in Mike’s predicament. “I would still say it. Like, as soon as possible, preferably. Tonight, even.”
“What?! I can’t just–”
“Uh-uh. You were going to say it earlier, weren’t you?” Lucas raised his eyebrows and Mike swallowed, knowing that he would only dig himself into a bigger hole by protesting the truth. Lucas smiled at his silence. “Exactly. If you were ready to say it before, then you should. If you keep putting it off, you’ll never say it. Besides, I think she would like to hear it. From you, at least.”
“Lucas. She does not like me like that,” Mike sighed, dramatically swooping his head to look at his friend with a look of disdain. Lucas raised his eyebrow, a smirk falling onto his lips with ease.
“So she stared at you, and was basically on top of you while you guys danced,” Lucas held out his finger in front of Mike’s face, knowing he would argue about that little fact, “But you don’t think she likes you? Mike, are you blind?”
“Lucas!”
“Seriously, Mike, are you? I mean, if you think you are obvious, then she is a neon sign with an arrow attached,” Lucas snorted, shaking his head while Mike looked at him with the most disbelieving expression he’d ever worn. “Were her eyes all soft and sweet?”
“...Yes.”
“MIKE!” Lucas slapped his forehead, irritated by the other boy’s obliviousness. “Look, I’m calling it now, she likes you. So tell her. Or I will for you.”
Mike groaned, trying to listen to Lucas and believe his words, but some part of him was screaming that it was a joke. You couldn’t like him. Could you? No. Definitely not.
Unless…
Mike shook his head again while Lucas laughed at him, grabbing onto the brown-haired boy’s shoulder and pushing him back and forth.
“Look, it’ll be okay. And you said the eyeliner was her idea, right? It’s probably ‘cause she thinks it’s hot,” Lucas teased and Mike groaned dramatically, flushed at the notion of you thinking that of him. Mike didn’t even see himself as attractive; there was no way in hell you did.
“If I say it and it goes wrong, you are who I’m blaming. Even if I was going to say it earlier. I think you’re fucking with me,” Mike turned to his friend, a smile tugging at his lips as he spoke, though he meant what he said.
“You really think I would lie to you like that?” Lucas said in a mocking tone, throwing a hand over his chest and acting surprised by Mike’s statement. He shook his head, moving to stand up and then holding a hand out for Mike to grab. Lucas’s voice turned serious as he pulled Mike up, making eye contact with the boy to show him he meant his words: “Trust me. Please. Even if it’s just this time.”
Mike’s lips were moving to form the word ‘fine’ when an all-too familiar set of steps approached behind him. Mike’s heart started beating faster on instinct before he could even turn to confirm if it was you or not. It was.
You cleared your throat, making Mike turn around to meet your eyes. He could hear the grin on Lucas’s lips without having to see him.
“Hey, Will said he thought he’d seen you come out here,” You started, voice soft. Were you flushed or was it just the porch light doing that to your face? Your eyes flicked to Lucas for a moment, eyebrow raising but keeping whatever you were thinking to yourself. “Do you– are you ready to leave? It’s too crowded.”
Mike had never seen you this awkward, and it worried him. Had something happened to you? Did he do something? Thoughts began to flood into Mike’s head at a rapid pace, and he had to force each one back just to speak to you.
“Yeah, I am,” He replied carefully, nodding at you. He knew Lucas was absolutely beaming right now, and the expectation that his friend had put on him was now weighing on his shoulders. Mike forced himself to take a deep breath.
“Okay,” You hummed, a smile finally reaching your lips. Your head gestured out in the direction of the lawn, eyes never leaving Mike’s as you waited for him. “Let’s go.”
Mike felt Lucas shove his shoulder as he stepped away, and the brunette shook his head. His heart was already in his throat and his frame was a little on edge, anticipation building in his gut as he thought more and more about what Lucas had said. Mike had been so consumed by the idea of you not liking him that he had never actually taken the time to consider if you could. The more he thought about tonight, about the years between you, Mike wasn’t as certain in his stance anymore. Still, he was a nervous mess, and wasn’t sure he would even be able to speak a single word of what he was supposed to say when it finally came time to.
You were both silent on the ride home, both tired from the heaviness of the party and just ready to get home. Mike’s leg was bouncing up and down uncontrollably, still deep in thought as he readied himself to say the words he had wanted to voice earlier. Just say it, he would think, but then a moment would pass by and the courage left him practically as soon as he had formed it. He did this several times before finally placing a hand on his knee, sighing out a breath and letting his eyes drift out of the window into the darkness of the night. The silence in the car just felt too heavy, and the longer he waited, the more anxious he got, and eventually, he gave up on the hope of telling you tonight. Lucas would have to deal with it.
As soon as he broke from his trance and he thought he was done, his own work came to play in his face. Every Breath You Take had been the last song Mike had put onto your cassette, and now that it was playing with you right next to him, he felt like an idiot. The song was taunting him, reminding him of the ever decreasing time you and Mike had together before you parted for college and making him silently lose his mind. He had so much to tell you, but not enough confidence to actually let it out. He was close to giving up on his love for you entirely, believing that at this point he would have to force himself to move on from you because he couldn’t speak up in enough time.
You were losing your mind just as much as he was, your heart aching at the lyrics that were playing softly in your car. The party was still on your mind, still nagging at your brain and making you wonder if maybe you did have a chance. At the same time, however, Mike seemed thrown off from the second he saw you on the porch, and hadn’t said a word since he sat down in your car. You were ready for this song to become your life story, to leave your feelings in your head and heart until Mike was finally out of reach, and spend the rest of your days wishing that you had just stood up and said something.
Sadness and longing echoed in both of your minds as the song played out, both of you still completely silent with how caught up you were in your thoughts. You eventually pulled into Mike’s driveway, sighing as you set the car into park and relaxing in your seat. Neither of you said a word for a few moments, both waiting on the other to speak up first. Finally pushing down the nerves and emotions that were building inside of your chest, you turned to Mike, and were met with his own eyes. Your heart fluttered, taken aback by the fact that he had already been looking at you. Get it together. You forced yourself to swallow, fingers nervously fidgeting with each other in your lap as you finally spoke up.
“Well,” you started, a soft smile on your lips that only made Mike’s heart ache even more. “Did you have fun?”
“I did,” Mike nodded, pushing his voice to remain steady as he spoke to you. His leg was still bouncing up and down, just as anxious as you were. He still had time to say it. “I’m glad you dragged me out there. Now I know to never go to a party again.”
Your quiet laughter made Mike more flustered than he’d like to admit, and a smile morphed on his lips at the sound. Say it.
“Happy I could be of service,” you smiled, voice just as gentle as before. You paused, the soft hum of the engine and the light melody of the music the only sounds in the car. When you spoke again, Mike’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest. “I’m glad you were there.”
Mike wanted to melt at the smile on your face, something hidden within your expression that he couldn’t name making his heart stutter beyond control. His hand clenched his knee again, unconsciously trying to stall his nervous movements as the two of you gazed at each other, a subtle tension filling the gap between you the longer you didn’t speak.
Mike, after realizing he had probably been looking at you for a little too long, cleared his throat and looked out the window, his eyes falling onto the outline of his home. He sighed, realizing that his time with you for the night was over. Lucas’s words were still at the front of his mind, practically screaming at him to say the words he had tried to let out earlier. But Mike just couldn’t.
“Thanks for the ride. Oh, and helping me get ready tonight,” Mike said while his gaze turned back to you, immediately cursing himself for letting it slip out. The memory of you right in front of him replayed in his mind like a reminder of something he was missing, urging him more and more to just speak up already. He resisted, shoving the thought to the back of his head and trying to forget about how much it had affected him and still was.
“Of course,” you muttered, abruptly stopping as if there was more you wanted to say but were holding back. You released a breath, shoulders relaxing as your eyes flicked around one last time before reaching his brown eyes again. The subdued sadness on his face tore your heart into pieces; you would've done anything to replace it with a smile.
“See you soon, okay?” You asked reluctantly, praying he didn’t hear the pain that had suddenly reached your voice. He nodded while unbuckling his seatbelt and reaching for the door handle, his eyes never once leaving yours.
“See you soon,” he said softly, and a beat later, he was out of your car. You let out a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding, your hands flexing into fists before you released them, stretching your fingers out to try and rid of the anxiety that had settled beneath your skin. Time seemed to slow as you silently watched Mike walk up to his house, moving towards the side door that led into the basement you had been in just hours ago.
Your mind and heart were still heavy with thoughts and emotions, unable to shake the nerves inside of you. Your memories lingered on tonight, still not sure why you and Mike had suddenly become so awkward. Moments and details flew across your mind, each reminding you of the three words you had kept locked in your heart for years. You thought back to earlier when you and Mike had danced together– he had seemed like he was about to say something before Max took you away. That’s where it all went wrong, you thought. You remembered how Mike had looked so hurt after that, and how quiet he had been since that moment. At that very second, as you watched in anticipation as Mike’s hand gripped the door handle, something in your head finally clicked.
You couldn’t stop yourself any longer. You had to know.
You turned your car off without thinking, shoving your door open as fast as you could. “Wait!” You called to him, speed-walking in his direction while your heart started to pound within your chest.
Mike jumped at the sound of your voice, his hand immediately retracting from the door handle as he turned to face you. He breath hitched at the urgency in your movements, and he knew you well enough to know that something was on your mind. His eyes widened, heart already starting to beat faster at the possibilities of what you might have to say.
“Um–” You stopped in front of him, a bit breathless as you gazed up at him. You nearly folded at the sight of him like this, the soft glow of the overhead light casting a halo onto his messy curls and framing his face in what you thought was the most beautiful way possible. His eyeliner was just a little smudged, and his brown eyes glimmered with a gentleness that you had never seen him with. He looked stunning, and you were reeling, heart only getting faster the longer you stared.
“I’m sorry,” you shook your head, forcing your eyes shut for a few seconds as you pulled yourself together. Your words were a swift ramble, your nervousness causing your mind to operate at a thousand miles an hour. “I just– one question. A- At the party earlier, before Max and Jane took me away, what– what were you about to say?”
Oh. Oh God. Fuck, he was screwed.
Mike froze, lips falling just slightly agape. He stared down at you, some kind of disbelief covering his face as he tried to process your question. He could feel his face heating up at the mere thought of saying it to you right now, and he could feel his knees getting wobbly the longer he stood there. Why was this so hard to do now? He had been fine earlier, so what about now made saying it any different? He closed his mouth and forced down a swallow, trying to ignore that the tips of his fingers were starting to tingle with how nervous he was.
“I–” His voice cracked immediately, and he wanted to die right there, not sure how he was going to get through this. Breathe. Why isn’t breathing working? His eyes darted around, not sure where to look but trying desperately to avoid the intensity of your eyes. “You–”
The subtle lift of your eyebrow cut him off as his eyes flicked back to you unconsciously, and now he was really screwed. He felt trapped now, so many words lodged in his throat as his mind jumbled everything together when he needed it to work the most. He watched as your head cocked to the side, trying and ultimately failing to coax something, anything out of him. You sighed, and Mike felt like throwing up.
“You can be honest, Mike,” you whispered, the use of his name only scrambling his thoughts even further, “I won’t mind if it’s bad.”
“I think you might this time,” He replied without thinking, sad eyes falling to the concrete beneath him. He could feel your eyes on him, seeing into his every thought and fear as he stood there, helpless. He heard you take a deep breath and watched your feet move as you stepped closer, trying to ease him into speech.
“Try me,” you whispered, voice almost reverent. He could hear the subtle smile in your tone, and as soon as his eyes flicked back up to meet yours, he knew it was useless to hide any longer.
“I– What I was trying to say is that–” Mike’s voice cracked again and he held back a groan of frustration, opting to instead just shut his eyes and inhale deeply. He paused for a few more moments before his eyes opened back up again, looking anywhere but at you as he finally, finally said what had been nagging at him for the entire night.
“You– You looked good. Well, wait, not just good, pretty. Shit, not that either. You–” He took a deep breath, hands fidgeting with each other as he finally gazed into your eyes. “You looked beautiful. And I know that’s weird and you’re probably thinking ‘wow, what a creep,’ but I just can’t help it because you are beautiful, and fuck, I’m rambling now, and–”
“Mike.” You cut him off, and Mike inhaled sharply. Oh. You were staring dead at him, looking up at him with something akin to certainty and, if Mike was being honest with himself, want. Ohmygod. What had he just done? It was over. Boom, he blew it. There goes his best friend. There goes those years of feelings, those years of longing and want and waiting, waiting for a sign that you might–
Mike’s mind short-circuited as your eyes glanced down, and, as much as his instincts wanted to fight it, your gaze lingered on his lips. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Was this real? Were you real? Had he dreamed up this whole thing? He was spiraling when you looked back up at him, lips parted and eyes expectant. Mike inhaled deeply.
“Do you really mean all of that?” You said, and your voice was so breathless that Mike thought he might fall over right there. He could only nod, words not forming in his mind fast enough. There was so much that he had yet to say, a thousand words on the edge of his tongue as he watched you carefully, hoping and praying your next words wouldn’t be ones of anger and disgust.
Time stretched out that moment as Mike gazed at you in all your glory, your cheeks flushed and lips parted as you looked up at him with intense eyes. You were so, so beautiful, and he selfishly let himself glance down at your lips, unable to restrain the pull that you had on him. He couldn’t hide anymore.
“Mike–”
“Can I kiss you?” You both spoke at the same time, both of your voices breathless as you stared at each other. Shock crossed over your face and your eyes widened, and Mike could feel himself panicking, readying himself to die right there when you finally rejected him.
You did not reject him. Mike was frozen as he watched you slowly start nodding, your eyes still glued to him like he was an anchor you were holding onto for life.
“Please.”
Your heart stuttered as Mike then gently reached for your face, glancing at your lips then back into your eyes one last time to make sure you were certain. You nodded and let your eyes shut, body already on fire and heart ready to explode as he finally pulled you in.
The kiss was gentle, neither of you wanting to push whatever luck fate had gifted you with and mess up the precious moment you had created. You tilted your head up and into Mike’s lips, deepening the kiss as his hand held you close to him. You felt like floating, heart now settling in your chest as a sense of comfort fell over you. This was perfect. He was perfect. You never wanted him to let go; you could stay there forever.
When you pulled away, you pressed your forehead to Mike’s as you both caught your breath. You felt dizzy and alive all at the same time, still not entirely sure if what was happening was even real. Your eyes opened back up and your heart fluttered as you looked at Mike, warmth hovering in between you as déjà vu washed over you. The scene from mere hours ago played in your head, remembering how close you were and how much had been on your mind at that exact moment. This moment felt so much like that, only now, you were more certain than ever with your emotions, and you had actually kissed him this time.
You had wanted this for longer than you could remember, and now that it was in your hands, everything that you had felt for years was rushed into the forefront of your mind. All of the doubts you had harbored disappeared the moment his lips met yours, and now, you weren’t afraid anymore. The words “I love you” pressed against your teeth and sat on the tip of your tongue, finally ready to be let out after all of this time. You took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that were now building all over your body.
“Mike?” You uttered out, voice nervous as you locked your gaze onto his eyes.
“Yeah?” He whispered back, his soft eyes flicking up and down your face. God, that eyeliner still looked so good on him. You inhaled again, fists balling together at your side as you tried to stop the buzzing in your fingers. Mike, as if sensing the war in your mind, moved his thumb across your cheek gently, the reassuring gesture nearly making you fall over.
“I–” You murmured, voice low as your eyes found his. “I love you.”
You watched as Mike’s jaw fell slack, his eyes wide and cheeks flushing a color deeper than the red dye that was still stuck to his skin. You barely had time to catch your breath before his lips were back on yours, kissing you so hard that you nearly stumbled backwards. Your hand reached for his arm, holding on for support as you kissed him back just as passionately. He lightly tugged you closer as he stepped and pressed his back to the side door, his lips moving over yours so fast that you could barely process what was even happening. Your brain was mush, your only thoughts being him and how amazing you felt right now. Mike, Mike, Mike.
Mike pulled away, finally allowing both of you to breathe. He let out something that sounded like a curse before he leaned back in, his hand on your cheek guiding you right back to where you had been.
“I love you,” he murmured in between kisses, his smile pressing into your own as he kept pulling you closer. You were at a loss, still not sure that this wasn’t all just a dream. But then he pulled away and his eyes were filled with so much emotion that you knew you couldn’t be hallucinating this. “I love you so much it hurts.”
Your heart nearly leaped out of your chest at that, and you were sure that Mike’s hand was the only thing keeping you standing in that moment. You sighed out a small laugh, rendered completely breathless from all that was happening. You shook your head, eyes on him as pure warmth flooded your body.
“It doesn’t have to hurt anymore. I’m here, Mike,” you breathed out, head tilting to the side, leaning gently into his palm as you smiled up at him. He beamed back at you as he nodded, brown eyes so, so soft on you as he gently cradled your face. The two of you sat in silence for a few more moments, quietly observing each other and soaking in the presence of one another before you decided you couldn’t handle yourself any longer.
“Alright, come on,” you giggled, your free hand moving behind him to twist the door handle before you pulled him inside. Your fingers slid down his arm and intertwined with his hand as you tugged him to the couch, a toothy grin on your lips the entire time. You sat down and he followed, immediately leaning into you and reaching for your waist as he kissed you again. Your hands reached for his hair, fingers sinking into his soft curls as you leaned back into the couch cushions.
You let out a soft hum as he deepened the kiss, his warm hand sliding up and fingers coaxing their way underneath the fabric of your shirt, making your breath shudder more than you wanted to admit. A smile grew on his lips from that, something that sounded like a huff of victory leaving his breath as you pulled him closer.
When you broke for air, Mike leaned in again, this time pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth as he began to pepper kisses all over your face and even leaving some on your neck, causing small giggles to come bubbling out of your mouth.
“Mike!” you exclaimed, still giddy with delight and cheeks flushing more with each small peck he left. He was laughing with you, smirking as he finally pulled away and let you catch your breath. You were a mess, but you were a happy mess if it meant Mike was all over you.
“I can’t help it,” he cheesed at you, hand reaching back up to your face and then running his fingers down your cheek. “You’re too pretty.”
“Yeah, well, so are you,” you cheesed back, and you unfortunately realized how stupid you sounded after the words had been spoken. To your relief, he teasingly lifted his eyebrow, a soft grin rising on his face.
“Me? Pretty?” He asked, shaking his head at you as he leaned closer. Your back was pressed into the cushions now, legs stretched out as he hovered over you like he was waiting for a chance to dive back in. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t want him to.
“Yeah,” you nodded, deciding to go along with his joking even if you really did think he looked pretty. “It’s the eyeliner.”
“Wait, you really do like it?” He asked, real confusion crossing over his face as he stared down at you.
“Mike. I’d be happy if you never took it off,” you whispered, the genuineness of your voice making Mike’s heart stutter. “Please don’t take it off. You look ridiculously amazing in it.”
Mike scoffed out of surprise, your blunt words sending another wave of heat straight to his face. He shook his head, leaning even closer and letting his eyes drop to your lips once again as he tested the waters.
“I don’t even know how to apply it myself,” he sighed dramatically, his thumb slowly running across your cheek for the second time that night. For how big of a nerd he was, he sure knew how to make you flustered.
“Well, it’s your lucky day,” you murmured again, a smirk rising on your lips as you let him pull you close, the air between you charged with heat. You could barely believe what you were doing right now, but you couldn’t stop. You had waited so long, too long for this, and you couldn’t risk letting him slip away from you just as you had finally taken hold of him. Mike was yours, and you were his, and you had never been happier.
Your gaze fell, lingering on Mike’s lips for a moment as you just narrowly closed the gap, your lips brushing together while you purposely held out your silence. When you spoke, your voice was low, and you could feel Mike already leaning back in before you were even done:
“I know the perfect teacher.”
author's note: omg i finished it!!!!! hopefully you guys see my vision because come on….mike wheeler is an eyeliner wearer. i really am proud of this and hope you guys liked it!! it’s the longest fic i’ve ever written, but i loved writing it :))) i am all for writing more ab mike in guyliner or just mike in general so if you have a request or just want to reach out, my ask box is open!!! love you guys❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
taglist: @pissylivvie , @cookiebuttercrumb
