#but ok mike literally doesn't want to be with el anymore he just keeps hearing that he's supposed to | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

parkitaco · 1 year

Note

I just listened to this song earlier so it was already on my mind but if you’re still looking for lyrics and ships

Back to You

“I wanna hold you when I'm not supposed to

When I'm lying close to someone else

You're stuck in my head and I can't get you out of it”

Totally Byler vibes to me

oh you're so real for this ok

---

It's been a week since the world stopped ending, but Mike still feels like he's dying.

Which- okay, is dramatic, because they all almost did die, and that's probably an insensitive thing to think but Mike kind of has a monopoly on being insensitive at this point so- whatever. But tonight, he's laying in the basement with the rest of the Party while they wait for the world to right itself, and he can't sleep.

El is laying on the couch, fingers dragging along the carpet as she fidgets in her sleep.

They broke up yesterday. Mike doesn't regret it.

Which is a problem, because he definitely, definitely should. He remembers the last time he and El broke up - how he was convinced he had to get her back, how important it was even though he didn't really understand why. This time, he simply doesn't have the energy. He's sick of pretending. He's not even, like- thinking about the breakup, really, not actively anyway - he feels like he's moved on. He feels like he moved on a really, really long time ago.

The thing he is thinking about, though, is the reason why that is - the song that's been playing softly in the back of his brain for years now, the quiet whispers that he's tried so desperately to ignore. The thing, actually, that is asleep on Mike's other side.

Will Byers. The best part of Mike's life, but somehow also the bane of his existence.

Mike squeezes his eyes shut, using all of his willpower to keep still, to not reach out for Will's hand in the dark, which- is definitely something he did, when the world was ending, but the world's not ending anymore so he can't use that as an excuse. He resigns himself to quietly wasting away in his own panic and guilt and shame, wishing that the person who he wants comfort from the most wasn't the same person that sent him down this spiral in the first place.

"Mike."

Mike startles, eyes flying back open as Will nudges his arm. "I- Will, I didn't realize you were awake."

He doesn't look at him. He doesn't dare. Will nudges his arm again, and Mike can hear the smile in his voice when he replies, "You were thinking too loud."

"I- what?" Mike glances at him despite himself, and Will meets his eyes with a steady smile.

"I could, like, feel the stress radiating off of you," Will whispers. "You're freaking out."

Mike huffs out a breath, turning back to face the ceiling. "I am not- freaking out."

"Mike, I can practically hear your thoughts." Mike turns back to him, eyes wide and alarmed, and Will laughs. "Not literally, calm down. Why, what were you thinking about?"

"You," Mike blurts, and Will's eyes widen. "I- shit, sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud," he says miserably, burrowing deeper in his sleeping bag."

"Mike, what- what does that mean?"

"I don't- let's not do this," Mike whispers, closing his eyes. "Let's not... yeah. Sorry. Goodnight, Will."

He rolls over onto his back, and Will promptly whacks his arm. "Mike. Explain yourself."

"I'm sorry," Mike tells the ceiling. "I- you're just, like. Stuck in my head, or something."

Will sighs, considering, and Mike glares daggers at the ceiling, cursing his stupid big mouth.

"Mike," Will says softly, and then there's a hand on Mike's arm and Will is, like- leaning over him, face hovering over Mike's in the darkness. "Whatever you're feeling is okay, I promise."

"I'm not supposed to, though," Mike says, staring earnestly up into Will's face. "I'm not- I shouldn't-"

Will cuts him off with a kiss.

---

#thanks for the prompt!! i love these so much #byler #stranger things

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