Chapter Text
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Will had no idea what he had expected his first meal with Mike to be like.
When he first arrived, he had refused to even sit at the same table as him, mostly out of fear and anger for his circumstances.
But as he took his seat in the grand dining room that morning to share breakfast with the Beastly man, he felt anything but fear.
Quite frankly, he did not know how to feel about that.
Morning light filtered through the tall windows faintly. Will had watched it with relief, delighted by the fact that he actually could tell apart days and nights now.
Perhaps it was the sheer fright that gave him that illusion before.
A hearty breakfast was laid out in front of him: Steaming hot tea, bread and butter, eggs, and plenty more food than he could possibly finish.
Mike had already been seated when he arrived, cradling his bandaged arm quietly. He even stood up as soon as the doors opened, much to Will’s surprise. A moment of awkwardness passed afterward, and he had to hide a smile behind his hand.
They dined in comfortable silence. Will had tried his best to ignore the way Mike glanced at him whenever he thought Will wasn’t looking. It was strangely endearing, especially because Mike suddenly became very interested in the nearest object every time their eyes met.
He also noticed the way Dustin and Lucas tried to urge Mike to speak, despite their efforts to appear subtle.
Unfortunately, Mike remained utterly oblivious to their frantic attempts.
Will couldn’t help but snort. He didn’t realise he had done it until the entire room fell silent.
Mike’s ear twitched, expression changing. “..Why are you laughing?” He grumbled.
He looked offended, puzzled and sulky all at the same time. It only caused Will to laugh once more.
“I’m sorry- it’s just that..“ He glanced at the two objects that gaped back at him. “Dustin and Lucas have been trying to get you to speak this entire time.” He said, smiling uncontrollably.
Lucas sighed dramatically,“…We weren’t subtle enough it seems.”
Dustin immediately protested with a few loud ticks. “We were trying to be! But unfortunately, the message was noticed by the wrong recipient..”
Will shook his head, grinning in amusement when he caught the annoyance in Mike’s eyes.
“At least it worked.” Lucas shrugged, hopping off the table.
“You’re welcome.” Dustin huffed sassily, following the candelabra with a loud thud.
Will smiled at Mike, who looked away once again. His claws pinched the tablecloth nervously, encouraging Will to speak once again.
“How’s your arm?” He asked quietly, lifting his teacup.
Mike looked surprised by his question for a moment. “Better.” He paused, touching the bandage instinctively.
“..still hurts like hell.” He grumbled under his breath, earning another smile from Will.
“The dressing needs to be changed.” Will replied, catching the way Mike’s ears twitched in alarm.
“Again?” He almost whined, despite the deep rumbling voice preventing it.
“Yes. Again.” Will resisted the urge to roll his eyes and folded his arms.
Where was the big bad Beast now?
Mike pondered quietly, frowning at Will like he did something horrible to him.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s necessary.” Will said pointedly, unable to hide the smile tugging his lips.
Mike grumbled something inaudible under his breath, causing Will to bite back a laugh. He swallowed the last of his bread and reached for his water, when Mike spoke again.
“How is your.. shoulder?” He asked hesitantly.
“Oh-“
Will rubbed his upper arm on instinct. How did he know?
“It’s all better.” He replied, feeling a strange warmth spread through his chest.
Mike simply nodded, and they settled into a comfortable silence once more.
Perhaps Will could get used to this.
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It had been a pleasant and eventful afternoon for Will, much to his delight.
He had changed the soaked bandages on Mike’s arm successfully. With a lot of growls and complaints, of course. He was fully aware that Mike appreciated it anyway.
His point was proven, when Mike eventually allowed him to go out into the castle grounds to spend time with Chester.
It meant a lot more to him than he realised.
During the day, the eeriness of his surroundings lessened significantly due to the light. But it was still cold, and the vines were still present despite being lesser than before. Even the air seemed to be clearer.
Will had taken a slow walk with Chester, feeling like they had a little adventure together. The horse followed him around at an easy pace, occasionally nudging at his arm and back.
All of his tension seemed to have left his body by the time he returned to his room.
The castle was quiet as usual. It was nothing new, he’d grown accustomed to the silence quickly. Mike was probably at the west wing, and the objects of the castle were nowhere to be found.
Robin was suspiciously quiet at her usual spot next to his bed. She peeped at him curiously as the door shut behind him.
“Hey Robin.” Will greeted automatically, throwing his coat on the chair across the room.
“Hey yourself.” She replied coolly, creaking as she moved backwards.
“You’ve been awfully quiet.” He commented, raising an eyebrow as he pulled off his shoes.
“Me? Hah- I am always quiet! The quietest object in this castle, Whatever do you mean?” She spoke far too loudly, finishing it in a single breath.
“Right..” Will narrowed his eyes at her briefly. She was definitely stranger than usual.
“You must be exhausted. Come and sit down!” She added too quickly, a door flying open towards the bed.
“Okay..” Will said slowly, and despite his suspicion, he moved towards his bed.
When he got close enough, he noticed the small lump on top of his neatly made bed. It was a piece of paper, carefully folded and placed for him to find.
Will frowned a little, bending down and reaching for the note. “Robin, what is this?” He asked, showing the piece of paper to the wardrobe, who gasped in feigned surprise.
“I don’t know. When did that get there?” She asked with poorly hidden excitement.
“That’s what I’m asking.” He mumbled under his breath, slowly unfolding the crisp parchment.
What greeted him was a note in beautifully crooked handwriting.
Will,
I am sorry for what happened in the west wing.
I should not have frightened you. I lost control. But it is not an excuse. You did not deserve it.
Thank you for coming back.
If you are willing, meet me at the grand staircase this evening.
There is something I would like to show you.
- Mike
For a moment, he stood frozen in silence. He was not expecting this at all.
Will read it again. And again.
He sank down on the bed without realising it. The room was tilting on its axis. Robin was saying something but he couldn’t register it properly.
All he could see was the words on the paper.
‘I am sorry for what happened in the West Wing.’
His throat tightened with emotions he couldn’t place. It was a gesture he didn’t know he needed this much until he received it.
‘You did not deserve it.’
Will exhaled sharply through his nose, but it came out broken. The sound hovered between a laugh and a sob.
His fingers curled slightly into the paper.
All he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest.
“Why… would he write this?” Will breathed, swallowing hard.
“What does it say?” He heard Robin ask softly.
“I-“ Will ran a hand through his hair, not knowing what to do. It was a storm of emotions inside of him. All he could think of was just how human it was.
And it was evident. The clear effort Mike had put into writing it himself, letters crooked and uneven across the page.
It was almost too much for his heart.
Will stood up abruptly, earning a startled gasp from Robin.
“I need to go.” He choked out, already nearing the door.
He faintly heard Robin say something before the door shut behind him.
The castle was a blur around him. Will sped down the hallways faster than he meant to, nearly tripping on the vines from the urgency of his steps.
The note was still clutched in his palm delicately. He hurried down the steps of the grand staircase. It was quiet, and in the candlelight, he spotted Mike already waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
For a moment, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to feel. Heart pounding in his chest, he slowly approached the large figure.
Mike’s eyes lifted the moment Will stopped in front of him.
“Mike.” He breathed, eyebrows furrowing in a silent question.
He hummed low in his throat, looking relieved. “You came,” Mike said, voice rumbling.
“You asked.” Will replied automatically, taking another step closer.
There was a brief silence between them, before Mike was already turning towards the hallway.
“Come with me.”
Mike led him up to doors Will had never seen before. It was far more grand than the others, left shut with intricate gold handles that had faded over time.
Mike turned to him, his dark frame towering over Will. For a moment, he hesitated.
“Close your eyes.”
“What?” Will asked in confusion, earning a deep sigh from Mike.
“It’s… a surprise.” Mike grumbled, looking away from him pointedly. His ears flattened a bit.
“Okay.” Will replied, closing his eyes despite the confusion. It made his heart beat faster, wondering what he was trying to do.
The sound of the door opening made Will twitch with curiosity. And suddenly, there was a cold touch on his hands.
Will nearly jerked away until he realised it was Mike’s clawed hands, guiding him into the room with a surprising amount of gentleness.
The touch was gone too quickly.
“Mike?” Will called, feeling the absence of his presence near him.
“Wait.” He heard Mike reply from a distance, shuffling around.
“Can I open my eyes now?” He prodded curiously, alert to all the senses around him now that he didn’t have his sight.
“No.”
More sounds. There was a shuffle of fabrics, and then, footsteps drew closer to him again.
Heart pounding, Will kept his eyes closed.
“Okay, You can open them now.” Mike said finally, voice closer than before.
Will nodded, opening his eyes again.
His vision slowly adjusted to the light.
And the sight before him took his entire breath away.
Books.
Rows and rows of books. It was almost endless, stretching up to the vast ceiling and covering every single wall. Long ladders rested on both sides of the room. Faint golden light spilled through towering windows, illuminating the entire library.
Will choked, looking around in uncontrollable delight. It was absolutely beautiful. A scene from the imaginary worlds he’s read about. But it was real.
He took a few steps forward, twirling around once more.
Will turned his head and finally looked at Mike, who was already watching him with a smile on his face.
“Oh Mike-” He managed to whisper, holding his hands together against his own chest. “I have never seen this many books in my life.” He choked out, turning around in the room once more.
“Do you like it?” Mike asked, avoiding eye contact.
“Do I-“ Will cut himself off in disbelief at the question. “Do I like it?” He repeated, staring at Mike intensely, causing him to fidget.
“Do you?” He asked again, nodding.
“I love it.” Will whispered, trying to tame the rapid beating of his heart.
Beautiful was not enough to describe it. This was the place of his dreams.
“Then..” Mike stepped closer quietly, expression soft for his features in a way that Will did not know was possible.
“It is yours.”
Wait.
“What?” Will’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Mike, with his dark fur and sharp horns, nodded once again. He stepped closer until he faced Will directly.
“It is yours now. This library.” Mike repeated, searching his face with his dark eyes.
Will’s eyes welled up in emotion. It surprised him, how much it touched his heart. He blinked it away, busying himself with observing the place once more.
There could’ve been hundreds of books in there. Maybe even thousands.
“I can’t..” Will trailed off, not knowing how to respond.
“I want you to have it.” Mike said more firmly.
He then reached out, and gently touched Will’s hands once more. The sharp claws felt so warm to him. His hands were much smaller in comparison as they rested on Mike’s.
“Thank you so much.” Will whispered, smiling wider than he ever had before.
Mike simply gave a pleased hum, the sound rumbling low in his chest.
Will stared up at him with a tenderness he didn’t think was possible.
In that exact moment, he had felt everything shift inside of him.
How did he ever think that Mike was a monster?
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