౨ৎ purely platonic — m. wheeler
𝐼. pairing/s: mike wheeler x gn!reader
𝐼𝐼. summary: after confessing your feelings to mike, he began avoiding you, leaving you in a state of confusion and heartache. you spent your days pondering over the past, trying to understand what had gone wrong and desperately attempting to forget about the whole situation.
𝐼𝐼𝐼. warnings: mike being an asshole, and miscommunication.
wouldn't you love to understand what he was truly feeling?
it has been weeks since you confessed and he was full on avoiding you and you were slowly getting tired of it. tired of all the “i need to think about it” yes you understood that of course, god how couldn’t you? you know the feeling but him ignoring you afterwards was just so plainly irritating and you wanted to curl up and die.
“he’s clearly avoiding you. he’s such an idiot, and, it’s not you, okay? he’s just a big pussy who can’t handle his feelings, he’s liked you since you were like what? five years old? lucas told me all about it and look. if he can’t figure out his feelings or if he cant talk to you about it then fuck him.” max said, holding you close as you teared up on her shoulder. it was complicated, and you kept telling yourself to stop crying over some stupid guy.
the same stupid guy you've liked ever since you found out your hair grew from your scalp not your ends.
now, you were stuck in a whirlwind of side glances and an inability to concentrate whenever he was around. he looked so happy, like he forgot everything that happened. and while he was having the time of his life, you were wallowing away in the corner of your room looking at meaningless platonic polaroid photos.
meaningless fucking polaroid pictures – they weren’t meaningless, no, not to you. the polaroid showed mike kissing your temple while you smiled brightly. both of you were covered in paint, you were painting dustin’s garage in this. a few weeks before you confessed.
was he leading me on? you thought, because friends don't typically kiss each other like that. not when one friend despises romance and the other is selectively kind, only to you. he held your hand, hugged you endlessly, and you almost fucking kissed on your birthday. none of that felt purely platonic.
you shouldn’t have ever confessed. everything would’ve gone like normal. and maybe you would never know what he felt about you but he did everything a boyfriend would do. and you just couldn't handle it. you thought you were strong, strong enough to resist the urge to confess, but here you were.
the next morning unfolded like any other. mike was hanging out with his friends, and max had chosen to spend the day with you, which made it pass relatively quickly. on your way home, you decided to stop by a spot that had been a special place for you and mike.
it used to be just the two of you, sharing moments and gazing at the view. the forest had always scared you, but with him, it felt safe. now, you were sitting there alone, lost in your thoughts.
suddenly, a twig snapped, and you turned your head to see mike. his eyes widened, and he offered an awkward smile.
"what are you doing here?" you asked, your disappointment and frustration evident in your voice. "here to reject me? go ahead, be my guest."
mike hesitated for a moment before speaking, "no, i actually, uh… i wanted to apologize. for everything, and yeah. i'm genuinely so sorry and…" you interrupted, "did max and dustin force you into this? you were never one for apologies. it's fine." you put on an awkward smile to ease the tension.
but mike called out your name, "let me finish. please. you hate being interrupted, so stop interrupting me."
you rolled your eyes but nodded, "okay, fine. go ahead. speak."
"i like you—no, i love you too," mike confessed, his words tumbling out with a mix of relief and vulnerability. "god, i was just being a damn coward about it because i didn't want to face you. how could you ever love someone like me? you're popular, you're amazing, you're so smart, and you use big words i can't even understand, and that's what i admire so much about you. jesus christ," he said your name, "i love you so much, you have absolutely no idea how much i just want to kiss you right now—"
before he could finish his sentence, you couldn't contain your feelings any longer. you rushed over to him, grabbed his face, and kissed him passionately. his arms wrapped around your waist, and your arms snaked up over his neck, pulling him even closer.
mike, slightly breathless but with a warm smile, managed to say, "that was… really nice, amazing. but my speech isn't done yet." both of you chuckled, and you urged him to continue, saying, "okay."
"when you said my bike was a little spruce, you were right," mike continued, his voice filled with sincerity. "you're always right. my tire had a hole, and when you helped me study for my biology test, i got a good score, even though ninety percent of it was just admiring you. but still, you get my point. you're too good for me. i don't deserve you."
you laughed softly and retorted, "fuck you, wheeler," while pecking his lips once more before wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug. "don't avoid me next time."
mike replied, "promise."
author's note: this is my first piece of fiction here, and it's quite short, but i hope you enjoyed it. please consider reblogging or liking it if you did! lots of love.
