Established Relationship, Reader is gender-neutral.
Synopsis: You take your boyfriend Eddie's chair while he steps out during a campaign, and he of course, retaliates.
!This is a SFW tckl fic, don't like don't read!
(Fic under the cut)
Today was supposed to be like any other club day. Everyone would come in, Eddie would take his place at the DM spot, and you’d all continue the campaign. However, you had other plans.
For almost 8 months now, you’ve somehow found yourself in a relationship with the man of your dreams. The scruffy metalhead. The DM. Eddie “The Freak” Munson himself. You two were the “freak couple” of Hawkins High. He was your boyfriend, loud and chaotic, a true force of nature. And you were his. Always there with just as much energy, right next to him, his personal hypeman wherever he was, whatever he did. But, that didn’t stop you two from playing around at times.
And of course, today that involves messing with Eddie every instance possible during this week’s Hellfire session. Because you can’t always be the perfect, responsible one. You’ve gotta have your own fun too.
Which leads you here, to Eddie's throne as he uses the bathroom, despite the warnings of the other members. Thankfully, his campaign notes and book are covered and shut, so you’re avoiding spoilers. (You think he’d probably kill you if you did, even if you are a couple.)
“You know you’re gonna get beat for that, right? Eddie takes his chair very seriously. It’s practically his baby, besides his guitar.” Gareth snickers, giving you a knowing smirk.
“And? I’m his too, y’know.” You chuckle back when, speak of the devil, Eddie bursts through the door.
“Your master is BACK! Prepare to-” Eddie pauses his theatrical re-entrance as his eyes land on you, relaxed in his throne. He clears his throat, and the rest of Hellfire holds their breath in anticipation, and while they don’t notice the faint blush on their DM’s cheeks, you sure do. “Well, well well. What do we have here? Looks like someone’s sitting on my throne.”
“It’s quite comfy, Eddie! You should check it out sometime.” You tease, chuckling as he struts over, looking down at your spot in his chair, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh really? You really wanna do this right now? Right here?” He gives you a warning grin, crossing his arms across his chest. You pause, before nodding, and flipping him the bird. “You just dug your own grave, sweetheart.”
And then it happens. Eddie uncrosses his arms, his hands flying to your sides and wiggling his fingers against your skin, tickling you. You screech out, covering your face with your hands and bursting out into giggles.
“Eddihihihihie!!! Nohot fahahair!!!” You muster out through your giggles, trying to tune out the amused laughter of the other Hellfire members watching your demise.
Eddie gives you a knowing smirk, looking down at your giggling form and moving his hands up to under your arm, digging his fingers into the ticklish skin and muscles. “Aw come on, I know you love this.” He teases, and you know he’s right. After all, you hadn’t exactly hidden it.
The way your face lights up when he tickles you. The way you never fight back or just immediately tell him off. The way your cheeks turn pink just watching it happen to someone else. Eddie notices it all. And you know he does. It’s why he’s standing over you right now, indulging you in your playful little interest.
“Come ohohohohohon!!!! Not in frohont of the ohohohothers!!!” You squeak out as his nimble fingers go up and down your sides.
“You gonna get up, sweetie? No? Well then, the tickle monster’s gonna have to eat you up!” Eddie chuckles, looking down at you mischievous before leaning in and taking a deep breath. Your eyes go wide below him, lips curling upwards in anticipation.
And he strikes, blowing a raspberry right onto your neck. You squeal at the feeling, bursting out into loud, hearty laughter. “EDDIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIEEEEEE!!!”
“Yes, darling? Does that tickle?” He teases, before blowing another raspberry onto the same spot, leaving you gasping for air. Seeing this, Eddie backs up, but not before pressing a soft kiss to your cheek.
“Damnit Eheheddie… You’re evil.” You breathe out, smiling and climbing off the chair, returning to your own. “You love me.” Eddie replies, a smug grin on his face.
“Told ya’ you’d get destroyed.” Gareth mutters, to which you respond with an unamused, “Shut up.” And you flick him lightly on the forehead, crossing your arms as you slump back in your chair.
“Now, let’s get back to the campaign!” Eddie announces, to which the group lets out a chorus of sighs and settles back into the flow.
I know I said I was writing some reddie stuff, and different stranger things pairs, but the boys got to me 😭😭😭 Here's some more byler everyone
Also HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!! 🌈 I genuinely love you all so much 🫶🫶 Never forget how important you are!!!
Lee: Will
Ler: Mike
TW!: None!
Word Count: 2189
"Mike! Stohohop, I swehear—"
"You swear? That's pretty rude, Will." Mike giggled along with the squirming boy in his hold, slipping his fingers under Will's plaid button-up to scribble directly at his belly. "Your mom must be disappointed."
Will just laughed, tipping his head back against Mike's chest in a way that made his hair stick up, wild and unruly. His hands flew to push Mike away, but it wasn't easy, considering the teen was an almost-six-foot mass of long limbs and curly hair, wrapped around him like a personal suit of armor.
Moments ago, the boys had been cuddling while they watched a movie. Return of the Jedi softly filled the basement, just audible enough to be heard over quiet conversation. It was meant to be a calm night, but the peace between them could only last for so long.
As they drifted from their usual talk, like what schoolwork was due next week, and when they should have another campaign or hangout, Mike and Will found that they didn't have much to say.
Which was fine. It wasn't like they hadn't sat in silence with one another before. There were some days when words didn't feel necessary; it was easy enough to understand each other without having to say anything at all.
Tonight though, Mike was bored, and quiet wasn't helping to keep him occupied.
His fingers traced absentmindedly at Will's waist, pressing soft patterns into skin so still that Mike wondered if he had fallen asleep. Looking for an excuse to move, he leaned to press a kiss to Will's shoulder, only to find that there were goosebumps spread up his neck. Mike hadn't felt Will shiver—was he cold? Before he could wonder much longer, Will shifted, and just as he was about to ask—
"…'T tickles, Mike," the boy murmured, turning his head to meet the dark eyes behind him.
"Hm?" Mike's lips quirked a little. Will looked about ready to doze off, eyes droopy with sleep and comfort, yet his cheeks were flushed a rosy hue.
"Your hand. It tickles."
The taller hummed in response. That explained the goosebumps, at least. "Sorry, I'm kinda fidgety," he whispered, suddenly enamored by the pretty hazel irises gazing back at him. He pecked Will's lips, stilling his hands and instead opting to hold onto his waist. "I can stop if you'd like."
"That's okay. It kinda feels nice."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, like a spider"—Will grinned—"But if you bite me, I'm never speaking to you again."
Mike smiled right back, his fingers resuming their path across the expanse of tummy underneath them. "I thought you didn't like spiders."
"That's besides the pohohoint!" Will gasped, arching away as a finger wiggled at his bellybutton. "Mike, wahait!"
And the rest was history.
"What's wrong? They just wanna play," the raven-haired boy teased, crawling his hands higher up Will's midsection. He dug into his lower ribs, grinning at the squeal that flew from his best friend's mouth.
Mike slipped his hands out of Will's shirt and tapped at his arms, pressed tightly to his sides to prevent further attack. "Do you mind? The spiders need to get back to their home."
Will shook his head ardently. He knew exactly what that meant, and it wasn't good.
"Nohot thehere! Please, I cahahan't!" he pushed at the claws with t-rex hands, feet kicking out in giddy panic.
Mike snorted. "Jeez, you're so ticklish!" He tried to pry an elbow away from Will's side, reaching and wiggling the fingers of his free hand to keep Will giggling. "I haven't even touched you yet!"
"Ahand—hic!—You're not gohonna!" In a sudden rush of motion, Will jumped from Mike's lap and booked it to the stairs. He looked back only to stick his tongue out at his partner, sprinting up to the first floor of the house.
Mike gaped at what just unfolded. That little shit.
He was up a moment later, skipping steps as he hauled butt to catch up to Will. Judging by the distant thud of footsteps, the escapee was making a break for Mike's room.
Oh, he was totally asking for it at this point.
Out of breath from two flights of stairs, Mike latched onto the familiar doorknob to his room, but it didn't budge.
"Will? Did you seriously lock the door?"
"You're not gonna get me!"
"We'll see about that." He reached for the top of his doorframe, feeling along the small space until he found what he was looking for.
He flung the door open a moment later and was met with the sight of a very shocked Will scrambling up from his bed.
"You have a key."
Mike laughed, tossing the shiny object to the floor as he made his way to his boyfriend. "Wouldn't it be a shame if I were locked out?"
Will squeaked, his feet already to the floor as if making to run again, but Mike was ready this time. He grabbed him by the waist, pushing him back up onto the mattress and sitting on his thighs in one quick motion.
Will burst into giggles, pushing at Mike's chest in an attempt to dislodge him, and then at his arms when they reached for his sides. He wouldn't be going down without a fight.
"Wiiill," Mike sang. He caught one of the flying wrists and pinned it under his knee. "Don't make this harder than it has to be!"
Well, crap. The brunette twisted to the side—or about as close as he could with the teen on his legs—and tried bucking him off. It was nearly impossible to fend off the tickly hands when he only had use of one, and Mike wasn't moving an inch.
"This ihisn't fahahair!"
"Yeah? I would argue that locking me out of my own room is unfair, but that might just be me."
Will shook his head, squealing when Mike grabbed hold of his other arm and pinned it as well.
"Nononono wahahait!" He exploded into frantic laughter as his boyfriend resumed that same crawling motion at his now unprotected sides. "Screhehew yohohohou!"
"Wow, Will. I see how it is." Mike scribbled over his bottom-most ribs, laughing as he jumped beneath him. "It's like you want me to get your armpits."
"NOHOHO!" Will snorted, his giggles jumping up a whole octave at the proposition. "I'm sohorry! Mihihike!"
Will's underarms were his worst spot, and ever since Mike found out in first-grade, that knowledge has been put to good use.
Sure, Jonathan would tickle him lots when he was little, and even his mom when he would give a little more attitude than usual, but it was different with Mike.
With him, it was never quick pokes and scribbles like his mom, or the kinds of tickles that made him scream more than anything when roughhousing with his brother. Mike always tickled him with the sole intent of making him smile.
During his darkest moments, when Will felt out of control, scared and wrong, he knew that he could count on his best friend to make him feel better.
And when things felt okay again—maybe not the same, but closer to how life should be—he was the constant support that just made better days worth having.
Will never understood the people who hated being tickled. To him, it felt like comfort and home. It felt like love.
Even as Mike's long fingers met his underarms, drilling into the squishy skin in that silly, awkward motion that just screamed Mike Wheeler, Will felt his heart swell with adoration.
"NAHAHAHAH!—hic!—MIHIIIIKE!"
Mike burst into giggles at the squeals of his boyfriend, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek just as Will threw his head to the side in laughter.
After the first few seconds, Will's squirming slowed, the thrashing replaced by bouncing shoulders and weak, happy laughter. Mike watched in real time as his face flushed a dark strawberry color.
"Wihill? Are you doing alright down there?"
He didn't answer at first, and it took Mike a couple of seconds to realize it was because he was laughing too hard to string any words together. He wordlessly moved to his tummy, scratching and scribbling all over until Will gasped in a breath, peeking through teary eyes to muster up a half-hearted glare.
"Noho thanks to yohohou…"
"What? Are you back to hating spiders?"
"Juhuhust yohou!"
"Um, hello? Is this you asking for round two?" Mike squished Will's sides in warning.
"Wahahait!" Will jumped, kicking his legs out in giggly protest.
"That's not a no."
When he didn't give any real indication that he wanted to stop, Mike went right back to his armpits, and Will was sent cascading back into laughter.
This time, though, Mike was gentler. He carefully tapped his fingers under Will's arms, barely firm enough to even be a real touch at all. He leaned his weight forwards to pin Will a little better when he started squirming again, making sure to keep his balance as his boyfriend tried rolling away once again.
"Ihihit tihiHIHicklES!"
Will was in stitches. Somehow, the light poking was so much worse than what Mike was doing before, forcing choked giggles out before he even had a thought to stop them. The lack of real force felt almost like anticipation, as if Mike would dig in at any moment, and it was driving him crazy.
"Plehehease!"
"Please, what? Isn't this what you wanted?"
Will felt his whole face burn. "Nohohoho!"
"Are you sure?" Mike was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Will didn't say anything. Instead, he squeaked, ducking his face into Mike's blanket. Sure, he didn't hate being tickled. Mike knew it was something he was comfortable with, and that was one of the reasons why he did it so often. Still, even after all of this time, it was embarrassing to admit to something like that. Will supposed that he had conditions to his vulnerability.
Of course, Mike knew all of this. He knew Will got flustered being tickled; he knew it was worse talking about it. More than that, he knew it was all okay anyways. Being with Will allowed Mike to be himself, unafraid of judgement, or of sharing secrets and feelings, and just being him. If Mike made Will feel safe, then Will made Mike brave.
"Friends don't lie, Will."
The brunette gasped in air as Mike stilled his hands. He tried to hide his giddy smile in the sheets beneath him, but wiggling fingers under his chin put an end to that almost immediately.
"AHAH! Whyhyhy?"
"I told you already!" Mike found that spot where Will's neck met his shoulders and pinched gently. "I don't appreciate you lying to me."
The motion made Will squeal once again. He tried to block Mike out by pressing his ear to his shoulder, but that just started the whole new problem of the other side of his neck being exposed. Like clockwork, Mike leaned down to blow a raspberry to the ticklish skin.
Will was definitely going crazy now. He pulled desperately at his trapped hands, trying and failing to pull himself together enough to break free. When Mike squeezed at his hips, Will wondered if he'd actually make it out with his mind still intact.
"I can't believe how cute you are."
Definitely not.
Mike pressed his lips to Will's neck again. Then, to his jaw, and over his cheeks until he was peppering kisses all over the face of his giggling boyfriend. Will leaned his head back, welcoming the affection with a smile. The curly-haired boy rested his hands on Will's chest as he caught his lips in a final kiss.
"Ihi… still think you're evihil." Will panted.
"Mm, I know." Mike drummed his fingers over his collarbones. "You like it though."
There was that strawberry color again. Only this time, if he looked really closely, Will could see that Mike was blushing too.
"Mahaybe I do."
Mike laughed, teeth shining in the white light of his bedside lamp. "Maybe, or you actually do?"
"I do," Will promised. He gave another tug on his arms, and Mike let him go, sitting back over his waist as Will cupped his face.
Will tugged him down for another kiss, the two of them laughing despite themselves at the silliness of the whole night.
"Oh, by the way," the shorter started as they pulled apart. "I'm totally getting you back for that."
"Huh? I thought you said you didn't mind?"
Will snickered. "I don't. But I still want revenge."
Mike was off his lap in an instant, about ready to flee for his life, until Will caught hold of his arm.
"Not now. I wanna cuddle."
Mike looked skeptical, but he relaxed anyways, just as he always did around his best friend. "You're being serious?"
"Yes," Will nodded. "I swear you're safe…for now."
"Wow, how romantic." Mike sighed, settling next to Will and throwing an arm over his side. "I feel so loved."
Will hummed, reaching for a hand and interlocking their fingers. "Good. That means I'm doing something right."
And as long as Mike and Will were together, just as they were destined to be, the universe is undoubtedly right.
Well, I don't know how to start. To be honest, I didn't realize that the little problem I had would get so big, and well, I want to apologize for disappearing like that, but as I mentioned, a personal problem came up that thankfully is now resolved :D. So, I'll leave you with some Stranger Things food and promise to fulfill your orders as soon as possible 😭😭
summary: dustin has a bad nightmare, steve helps him go back to sleep.
__ request for this fic -> here !!
steve (he/him), dustin (he/him), + mrs henderson (she/her), lucas (he/him), hopper (he/him)
notes: tickling, some angst, implication of suicide/jumping
dni: nsfw. i'm a minor
Steve hops in his car, turns on the engine, and backs out of his garage.
Another call from the Hendersons is what's leading him to their house now at 12:23 in the morning, with a pillow and blanket in his passenger's seat. Ever since Eddie died, Dustin had nightmares. Intense nightmares. Talking, like, panic attack inducing for the boy. This is not the first time that Steve will spend the night at the Henderson's house, nor the first time that he will drive in the middle of the night to comfort his best friend. And it seems it'll never be the last.
Pulling up to the Henderson doorstep, he grabs his stuff out of the front and walks up to the door.
"Hey, Mrs. Henderson," Steve said once the door opened, leaning against the frame.
"Oh, good evening, Steve." Claudia Henderson opens the door, rubbing her eyes. She's wearing a pink robe, and her hair is a mess. Steve hears from inside, a rushed and relieved: "Is Steve here?"
"Come in; Dustin's on the couch."
Steve walks in, and immediately Dustin runs up and gives him a big hug. He nearly topples over with the blanket and pillow that he has in his arms.
"Jesus- okay, hey, Henderson."
"Hey." Dustin mumbled into Steve's chest. Steve shoots Claudia a small smile. "You can go back to bed, I've got him." Steve said, dropping the blanket and pillow to wrap his own arms around Dustin. She smiles and heads back to her room, gently shutting the door.
The two stand in front of the door in a tight embrace for one more moment, until Dustin lets go. Steve picks up the pillow and blanket and follows Dustin over to the couch.
"The couch folds out, if you wanna... set it up. We can watch T.V. or something, we just have to keep the volume down low. Anything before I try to go back to sleep,"
"Yeah, sure."
The two set up the couch bed together, Dustin grabs his own pillow and blanket from his bedroom and they settle down, Steve flicking on the T.V.
"What do you wanna watch, little man?"
"Anything. Whatever you want, is fine."
Steve nods, flicks through channels, and eventually settles on a dumb teen romantic-comedy. Something to distract the both of them, perhaps. The two started on opposite sides of the bed, with decent space between them, but Dustin got closer and closer to Steve as he grew more tired. Steve didn't mind. Eventually, Dustin falls asleep on his shoulder. Steve flicks off the T.V. and closes his eyes as well.
From atop the Squawk Radio Tower, the booming thunder of the upside down is all the same. It rings across the underworld city of Hawkins, and it makes Dustin's ears ache. They stare up at the sky, and watch in fear as The Abyss descends.
"No, no, no, guys... It's not lining up.""Hey, Chief, we're gonna need El to stop this planet! On the sooner side, please!"
"How soon?"
"30 seconds?"
Thirty seconds seems like thirty days.
And the planet makes contact with the Radio Tower.
Shuffle.
It crashes down, the tower bending and crumbling.
"Watch out!" Steve cried.
Pushing others out of the way to save them. Playing the hero.
"Steve!"
Dustin would scream, as Steve lost his balance. Slipping off and hanging off the side of the tower, holding on by one hand.
Dustin would rush over to grab his hand and pull him up,
But he was too late.
Steve slips. Screaming, as he falls from five hundred feet in the air.
Dustin doesn't think, he just jumps after him.
In a cold sweat, Dustin wakes up and sits up in the bed with a small yelp. In turn, waking up Steve.
"Dustin? Dustin, are you okay?"
Steve's words sound underwater as Dustin looks shakily at his hands, then up at Steve. His cheeks are now dripping with tears and his forehead is slick with sweat. He hugs Steve almost instantly, sobbing into his chest.
"Hey, hey... I'm here. You're okay." Steve assures, wrapping his arms tightly around Dustin. Dustin wept into Steve's thin T-shirt, sniffling and hyperventilating. Not the first time. Never the last. God, Steve can only imagine how terrible his nightmares are.
"Please, promise me. Promise me you won't leave me, Steve, please. I can't lose you too. Please, Steve..."
"I won't leave you, buddy. Never. I promise, Henderson. You won't lose me."
The two sit in a tight embrace for God knows how long. Dustin's head rests on Steve's chest. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. He places his hand on his own chest. Thumping like a drum. He takes a slow, deep breath in and out. Steve's heartbeat is what he focuses on. He's okay. They're okay.
"You alright, bud?" Steve whispers, and Dustin shakily nods, looking up at Steve with soft eyes. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't wanna. I get it. I'm here with you, though." Steve offers, rubbing Dustin's back soothingly. Dustin nods.
The two cuddled next to each other. Steve held the boy close, making sure he was comfortable. Felt safe.
"We were on the Squawk Radio Tower," Dustin whispered. "You fell off, and... Nobody was quick enough. You slipped off, and I ended up following you down and... Then I woke up." Dustin explained.
"You fell off after me?" Steve asked. "Please don't ever do that in real life."
"If you die, I die."
"That was only our agreement when it came to fighting Vecna. Now, it's never. You understand?" Steve said. It came off as more of lighthearted banter. "But, really, I don't need you sacrificing yourself."
"Yeah, I get it, mom." Dustin joked through a sniffle. Steve scoffed, pulling the boy in closer.
Dustin looks down, picking at his nails. He rested his head on Steve's chest. Listening closely to his heartbeat. The two sat in silence for a moment. "You still alive?" Dustin asked softly. Steve chuckled.
"Here, let me prove to you that I'm still here."
Dustin lets out a choked squeal as Steve's fingers dig into his sides. "StEve! No!" He giggles softly, covering his mouth.
"What? I'm just showing you that I'm alive, Henderson. I'm not going anywhere." Steve spoke, but he couldn't help but smile and softly laugh through his words as Dustin squirmed with each prod.
Steve switched to scribbling, fingers gently dancing up and down Dustin's sides, the boy's squeaky laugh quieter than it usually would be as he covers his mouth to block the sound a bit. "Steve my mama is sleeping- please!" He arches his back as Steve traces down his spine, fingers wiggling in between his shoulder blades.
"Then be quiet, Henderson. Jeez. Can't be that hard?" Steve smirked, as Dustin bared his teeth at him playfully, but also not wanting to wake up his mom again, Steve switched to lightly trailing his fingers over the younger's sides. The giggles came out all the same as Dustin melted into Steve, resting his head on his chest. The giggles came out deeper than usual, more relaxed. Calm. Safe.
"Steve..." he whispered, scrunching at Steve's fingers now fluttered over the back of his neck. "It tickles!"
"Yeah? Almost like that's the point, buddy," Steve teased lightly, squeezing the back of Dustin's neck, earning a tiny squeal.
"Okay- quit it!" Dustin giggled out, grabbing Steve's wrist where it was behind his head and pulled his arm infront of him, wrapping it around himself. He cracked his neck and scrunched again to get rid of the ghost tingles, before whispering out, "thank you. I needed that..."
Dustin yawns, and almost immediately his eyes close. Steve smiles softly. "You're welcome, Henderson."
He sighs, runs his fingers through his hair, and holds Dustin tight. "I'm here." Steve whispered, and Dustin got heavier, sinking slowly into Steve as he drifted off to sleep. And Steve held on tighter, because he decided he wouldn't let go. Never. Not again. For Dustin. It's what Eddie would've wanted, too.
i personally love the idea of byler playfully bickering and wills being all smug, and mike gets fed up and tickles him to win the argument LMAO it feels very in character for those two
Literally yess??? I love this actually, thanks for the idea! Hope you like it! 😄 ✨
Others are still free to send in ideas for st fics! As long as it is sfw, it should be fine!
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~°An Artist Complex°~
Lee: Will
Ler: Mike
Pairing: Byler
TW!: None! There is some kissing though :)
Word Count: 2,615
This was originally written to be the same kind of one-sided yearning seen throughout the show, but the season 5 finale has me very mad and disappointed... so enjoy a more bold, romantic (somewhat) version of the Byler fic I initially planned out! Never let people tell you what is and isn't valid, especially when it comes to personal things like sexuality and identity! I love you all and hope you're safe ❤️❤️❤️
Mike Wheeler isn't the kind of guy to ask a whole lot from someone.
Unless that someone is his older sister Nancy, whom he might occasionally ask to cover for him when he inevitably sneaks off to his friends' houses, despite knowing very well that his curfew is ten.
Or maybe El, who has saved his life on numerous occasions—though she does this without needing to be asked—and sometimes agrees to partake in shenanigans that she really shouldn't, but does anyway, because it really is hard to say no to the person who has protected her ever since the day they met.
In those cases, sure. Maybe there were other instances as well, but regardless, it isn't like Mike is just cruising through life on favors and acts of kindness. So, when he asked his best friend in the whole world to teach him to draw, the curly-haired teen figured it wouldn't be a big deal. Fun, even.
It's times like these that he wished he had better judgment...
-----
"...Okay, but seriously, Mike. In what world was I going to guess that that's supposed to be a dog?"
Mike groans right into his paper, forehead pressed against the desk in an attempt to hide the flush of his cheeks. He doesn't even need to look up to know that Will is unsuccessfully trying to bite back a grin, making his eyes scrunch in that perfectly Will way with the effort of keeping up with his totally-serious-teaching facade.
"Dude, that's why I'm asking you to help me! I know nothing about sketching!" exclaims Mike, finally lifting his head, only to replace hardwood with his palms when Will finds something about his appearance striking enough to burst into laughter.
The Wheeler boy rubs at what feels to him like perfectly normal skin, but if the way the teenager next to him cracks up even harder at the action is at all trustworthy, he can just accept the fact that he's having a day full of incorrect assumptions.
"Thehere's.. It's graphite from your pencihil." Will fights the giggles as they pour from his anyways. Sure enough, Mike looks down to see gray smear across his face and hands. Whatever semblance of a canine that had once existed on his paper has now been made into even more of a blobby smudge than before.
It was a pitiful sight, really, and Mike must've realized that already, judging by how quick he was to scoot back from the desk with a huff, pouty face and crossed arms doing all they could to convince his friend that maybe he wasn't so invested in learning to draw after all. The unnatural coloring of his cheeks was proof enough that it was all in good fun, though, and Will was showing great restraint in not mentioning it.
"I'm resigning. Doing art just isn't my calling." The lankier of the two huffed, though he couldn't help but grin seeing Will go from teasing to pouty in such a short amount of time.
"No.. I was just kidding, Mike." the boy tried with an insistent look, getting a fresh piece of paper out and setting it over the white remnants of tree that, in all honesty, deserved much better than the fate they were given. "We can try something else if you don't wanna draw animals anymore?"
Mike really was ready to call it quits there. To wash off his face, hide the evidence of his failure, and go pretend like he'd never made the mistake of embarrassing himself in front of his best friend. But, for all of the stubborn bones in his body, the freckled teen couldn't bring himself to refuse an offer from the boy he cared about more than anyone in the world, especially if that meant doing something with him that he cherished.
Even if Mike's own attempts at it were hot garbage...
With a sigh, Mike resigned himself to another round of humiliation. He inched back to his place beside Will, turning to the much more experienced artist with an expectant look.
"Fine... what next?"
Will thought for a moment, then suddenly lit up. He jumped from his seat and rummaged around his room for a couple of seconds before depositing a messy stack of books in front of his friend.
"I can teach you perspective!" He smiled, already back in his chair and beginning to draw a couple of carefully-placed lines and dots along his paper that had Mike's head spinning before he was even given his first instruction. "I think you'll really like it."
Mike wasn't so sure he would. Regardless, he picked up his pencil and got to work on copying the setup his friend had made. He was offered a ruler to help his shaky line work, but the curly-haired teen dismissively waved it away.
"..You've gotta use a ruler or the direction will be wrohong! Hey!" Will gasped, choking out a laugh when that waving hand was smushed to his mouth.
Mike just grinned, swatting at the hands that came up to fend off his own. There was a struggle between the two that lasted almost a minute, before Mike relented as he finished his... admittedly questionable work.
"Whahat are you dohoing?"
"I'm making you quit it! Just teach me how to do this already!"
Will sighed, though there was something fond about it that Mike could see through his surface-level annoyance. He supposed that being able to really tell how Will felt was just a result of spending his entire life with him, and Mike didn't have a single complaint about being able to commit all of the person in front of him to memory.
"Well, you still did the first part wrong.."
"What? I did it perfectly! I didn't even need to use a ruler."
"Fine, fine." Shaking his head, Will went on with explaining. "Next, you draw a two-dimensional shape. Like the side of the books."
Mike nodded, and surprisingly enough to Will, was actually much better at replicating shapes when there was an object of reference in front of his face.
Maybe Will had been taking the wrong approach this whole time...
"That dot you made on the line is your vanishing point.." the shorter gestured, lining up his ruler to the dot on his paper as Mike watched. "And all you have to do is connect your corners to the point."
Mike nodded, quickly scribbling more lines on his page, but before he could get very far, Will stopped him.
"Uhm, you've still gotta use your ruler. The whole point is for the lines to be straight. That's what gives it the three-dimensional effect."
"Nah, I'm giving my drawing personality."
"You're giving it trauma, Mike.." Will retorted, snatching the pencil away and clutching it to his chest with the instinct of a younger sibling when the other reached for it. "I won't stand for it! You've gotta listen to me to learn!"
Mike huffed, yanking at a laughing Will's arms in attempts to get his stick of wood back. The other boy twisted around in his seat, curling in on himself and making it harder for the other to gain any sort of leverage.
"Duhude, give it back!" Mike griped, practically wrestling with the jumbled-up ball of limbs next to him. He pried one of Will's elbows away from his body to shove a hand into the fray, grasping a handful of sweater and Will's flank in the process.
Suddenly, Will flailed halfhazardously, shrieking with such a panicked tone that Mike backed off with a flinch.
"Will?"
"Will, sorry, did I-"
His concern was interrupted by frantic giggles as the teen jolted away from a second, much more hesitant touch at his shoulder.
"Noho! Dohon't you dahahare!"
Suddenly, it clicked. Will glanced up just in time to see an all-too-familiar smirk grow on his best friend's face, and he knew in that very moment that he was screwed.
"Willll..." Mike drawled, his tone teasing in a way that brought butterflies to the other's stomach.
If there was one thing that Will knew about Mike Wheeler, it's that he is not a nice person when it comes to tickling.
Well, it's not that he's evil per se, it's just that he has always had some strange infatuation with making Will laugh, and has spent so much time mastering the art of reducing his friend to a puddle of giggles that the younger was surprised he hadn't grown bored of it.
In fact, it seemed as though the very opposite was true. Mike loved to see Will smile more than ever, and knowing all the ways to bring it out gave him a sense of satisfaction that he was sure nothing in the world could top.
The freckled boy brought two clawed hands up to loom over the other, smirking when Will gasped at the sight of his wiggling fingers.
"I'm gonna get you!~"
Will shook his head giddily, bringing his knees up to his chest with such a delighted look that it made Mike's heart swell. "Noho! Plehehease, Ihi can't!"
Despite smiley protests and wiggly limbs, it was clear that the artist wasn't going to be making any real effort to stop him. Mike knew he never really did, and it just made him all the more happy to indulge in tickling him silly.
Still, he figured he'd be nice and at least offer Will a real chance of escape.
"Then give me my pencil back!" He held his hand out expectantly, snickering as the boy just hugged the item tighter to his chest.
"Noho! You weren't eheven tryhying to draw propeherly!"
"Uhm, excuse me?" Mike gasped, abandoning mercies as he took to poking at Will's sides, the only spot left uncovered by the boy's knees. "I put my heart and soul into that drawing just like you do! I can't believe how rude you're being!"
The artist squealed out the instant fingers made contact with his torso. He only managed to endure the prodding for a couple of seconds before his body was overcome with the urge to fight back. Will awkwardly slipped his legs off his chair as he tried to grasp at Mike's fingers.
"Nahahao! 'S nahat what Ihi meant!"
Defense apparently was not a strong suit of the Byers- at least, maybe not during tickle fights, as any time Will would catch one of Mike's wrists, the curly haired-boy would just give his side a squeeze with the other hand and resume his attack when Will retreated to protect himself, leaving him a jumpy mess.
The cycle continued for a couple of rounds until finally Will couldn't take it anymore and made a retreat to the floor. He quickly grabbed one of Mike's hands, using it to push the boy away, and clumsily slunk out of his seat in a such a wild way that, to an outsider, it would've look as if Will was melting away.
"Where are you gohoing? I'm nohot done with you yet!" The curly-haired teen easily followed his friend to the ground, laughing almost as much as Will was as he positioned himself at his side.
Said boy was currently in the middle of army crawling to freedom—or at least some kind of shimmy on wobbly limbs. Will almost fell on his face upon seeing Mike appear right next to him, scrambling away with a yelp at another poke to his side.
"AHAH! MihiHIke!" he groaned through his laughter as Mike seated himself upon his waist, officially sealing his fate of a tickly demise. "Nononohoho, plehease!"
Will bucked his hips, trying to gain some kind of wiggle room, or at least flip over onto his back, but with the very little traction that the floor gave him, his limbs just slid around under him in a pitiful display.
Then, Mike's fingers found his lower ribs, and Will was lost again to bright laughter.
"You know, I like doing this a lot better than drawing." Mike hummed, his nails gliding over Will's back, scribbling quick shapes over his frame.
The lanky teen hastily readjusted his weight over his friend, almost thrown off by a sudden jolt , having the foresight this time around to hold him between his knees.
"...Hey, Will? You think tickling could be considered an art form?"
"Ahah! Whahat are yohoHOU- tahalking about?!" Will squeaked, sacrificing the protection of keeping his arms pressed to his sides to fend off the sensation at his ribs. However, the instant he reached back, those nimble fingers just pressed themselves into his armpits, and Will clamped down on them with a squeal.
"PFFTAHAH! MIhiHIHIKE, nohOHO!"
"Well, you always say that you do art to express yourself! Like when visuals come easier than words." Mike says, the casualty of it driving the mess of a boy beneath him even further up the wall. Still, Will just keeps laughing, writhing and squeaking all the way, and Mike continues. "And this is basically doing the same thing. I bet I can guess exactly how your feeling right now just by your face."
Well... that was certainly something. Maybe not his best work, Mike would admit, but he figured it didn't matter very much anyways because Will was clearly getting a kick out of it. Leaning forward to peer at Will's features, the freckled boy was immediately was awestruck at the sight.
His cheeks and ears burned a bright red, prettily contrasting his hazel eyes that were trying and failing to squint into a glare through the start of happy tears. His lips were hiked so high on his face that Mike almost wanted to check in and make sure it didn't hurt, but even more than that, he just wanted to kiss him. He really wanted to kiss Will, and feel his smile against his own lips as they rough-housed and laughed.
All of a sudden, he was yanked out of his thoughts by a pitchy yelp. It took the Wheeler boy a whole three seconds before he came back to Earth and remembered that he should probably be paying more attention at a cackled-
"SohoHOME- MIHIHIKEHE! SOHOHOMEWHEHERE EHELSE!"
"Rihight, sorry." Mike pulled his hands out from under his friend's arms, moving to scritch at his sides instead.
Will's legs flailed gently behind them, mostly aiming at Mike, kicking in a giddy rhythm as he worked on regaining his breath. He propped up on his elbows to swivel his upper half around give the other a glare.
His hair fell over his face in messy waves, falling over his brow at an angle as gravity tried to claim it from his head. That same wide smile adorned his features, and through a blush blooming brought on his cheeks, Mike knew he was hopeless.
"...Hey, Will?"
A beat. Will blinked once, head tilting, hair slipping further to the side.
"Where'd the pencil go?"
There was a silence as the pair scanned the room for the whole reason any of this started. The only reason Will was pinned under him, face alight, and smiling.
"Uhuhm... I think I lohost it.."
Mike chuckled, squeezing at the other boy's waist until he was squirming and properly fighting back. He pulled away for real this time, and Will slumped into the floor, though his eyes were still soft with giggles.
"Whahat- What feeling did you see?"
"...Huh?"
Will laughed, gently pushing Mike off of him so that he could sit up beside him.
"The art thihing, dummy. What feeling do you think I'm expressing?"
Mike gazed at his friend, and Will stared right back. Those golden eyes boring right into his soul and twisting up his insides in ways he used to think was only possible in comics and tv shows. Then, Will reached for his hands, and Mike let him take them. Gosh, he would let him take the entire world if it meant getting to look into those eyes again.
"I- I think I can show you better than my words can.." Mike whispered, suddenly unsure and flushed and hoping that out of all of his decisions, this one wouldn't be one to regret.
But then Will let go of his hands, and Mike's heart dropped until he felt warm palms cup his cheeks, and everything felt right in the universe as he leaned in closer to Will and kissed him.
Mike clung to Will's shoulders, feeling like a thousand sparks and a pool of jelly all at once until Will pulled away to look at him again.
"Mike..."
Will.
"Remind me to never teach you to draw again."
And then Mike was laughing, worming his fingers around Will's sweater to tickle his neck in retaliation. Then they were kissing again; this time he could feel Will smiling, and Mike was certain that nothing could ever be better than this.
He couldn't ask for more.
Wow, this took me a while to write! School really takes up too much time imo, but I'm really glad I got to finish this. It's actually my first time writing a romantic pairing, so it may seem a little funky. I'm always open to critique and pointers, as well as suggestions for more fics! Hope everyone is having a great day/night 🫶🫶
