byler oneshots ;)

coming out

will had to tell someone. he had to. but how? he was going insane. this was making him go insane. but how could he tell anyone if he's barely admitted it to himself yet? he's gay. he can't even bring himself to say it out loud, how on earth would he tell someone else? and what's to say they'll even accept him? they'd all think he was disgusting and disown him, they'd want nothing to do with him.

these were the thoughts that had been going through will byers mind the past few months, maybe even years. it's not like this was a new discovery, deep down he always knew, he just pushed it away. each day however it got harder and harder to deny. each slur from his father when he was little. each slur now from troy at school. he knew he couldn't keep pushing it away. he also knew that he'd have to tell people sooner or later. that thought terrified him more than the upside down or any monster he'd faced.

of course will's best friend mike wheeler knew something was off with him the past few months but mike didn't want to pressure him, after all will's been through so much and he's sensitive, mike didn't want to upset him.

a few more weeks go by and wills strange behaviour continued, he was very quiet (more than usual), he barely ate anything at lunch, would bike off as soon as the dismissal bell rang without even talking to any of the party members, including mike. he wasn't even showing up for d&d campaigns. whenever someone would ask if he was ok it was always the same responses "nothing i'm fine" or "i'm just tired" by the way will was answering these questions and just the way he was acting in general, mike felt like he was hiding something. dustin and lucas were worried about will too but not more than mike. will was his best friend, they don't keep secrets from each other, so what was will hiding?

wills responses to the boys questions weren't complete lies, he was tired, tired of hiding, but he wasn't ready, he wasn't ready for everyone to hate him so he thought it'd be easier to keep his distance, that way if they somehow found out and hated him, it wouldn't hurt so bad.

it was the last day of school before winter break and mike had, had enough of will keeping whatever it was from him, he still didn't want to pressure will but he wanted to know what was going on, maybe he could help. mike decided to go over to wills after to school to try and talk to him.

mike knocked on wills door sort of anxiously and joyce answered with her warm smile as usual "hi mike, wills in his room" "thanks mrs byers" mike smiled and walked to wills room.

will was laying in his bed when he rolled over to see mike wheeler enter his room. as he sat up his heart immediately sped up, ever since his newly discovered feelings for the raven haired boy he's tried to avoid being alone with him, yet here they are.

"hey will" mike smiled, god will loved that smile more than d&d. "uh hey" will stuttered as mike sat on the bed next to will
"are you ok" mike asked concerned for the boy next to him.
"i-i'm fine, w-what do you mean?" will asked confused
"it's just that-" mike sighed trying to find the words to ease into this conversation "you've been off the past few months, like you haven't been yourself"
crap, had mike figured it out, will remained silent as he figured out his escape plan.
"hey, you but you know you can tell me anything right? i'm your best friend will, you can talk to me"
best friends ouch that hurt
"yeah i know" will said looking down
"so talk to me" mike prompted
"i uh- " will stopped, was he really about to tell mike his biggest secret? how would he even react, what if he lost his best friend over this?
"it's just- i've never told anyone this and i um i don't even know how, i haven't even said it out loud to myself yet" will solemnly said, tears forming in his eyes
"will," mike brought wills hand into his own "it's just me here, no one else, i would never judge you for anything ok" mike said still very confused over what will was trying to tell him
"i uhm" wills voice trembled, mike squeezed wills hand signalling that's it's ok to continue
will took a deep breath "you know all that stuff my dad and troy say about me?"
"yeah" mike said remember all the slurs calling him gay
"they're- they're not wrong" will uttered, tears now streaming down his face
"what do you mean?" mike responsed, still a little bit confused
"mike i- i'm- i like boys" will confessed, he couldn't even look at mike
"will" mikes heart broke for the smaller boy, not because he was gay but because he was so scared to admit it "will look at me" mike said softly
will slowly turned around and saw an empathetic looking mike who then pulled him into a much needed hug
they stayed like that for awhile, will sobbing into mikes chest. mike pulled back, much to the other boys dismay and looked him in the eyes
"hey, i'm proud of you" mike softly spoke
"f-for w-hat" will sniffled
"for being you" mike smiled

after a few minutes will calmed down and was able to talk to mike properly. "is that why you've been so distant from the party?" mike asked, will shrugged "i guess i was just scared of what you guys would think of me, i figured keeping my distance would be the best way to make sure you didn't find out"
"will you never have to be scared to tell us anything, especially me" mike squeezed wills hand that he still hadn't let go of. "it's just- i've never even said it out loud to myself before, i wasn't ready for anyone to know" "so say it" mike said matter-of-factly
"what" will raised his eyebrow "say it" mike stated again
"why?" will questioned
"because it's who you are, you should be proud of it" mike nodded as a sign for will to finally say the words he's been keeping in for the longest time
"i-im, i'm gay" will blurted out
mike just smiled, he knew that was a huge weight off wills shoulders and he was happy to have helped him. will felt like an elephant had finally been lifted off his chest. "thank you" wills said, almost as a whisper.
"for what?" mike turned to will confused
"for understanding and not hating me"
"will i could never hate you, your my best friend, for ever and always"
ugh friend will was happy mike finally knew who he was however he knew that mike would only ever see him as a friend, nothing more
or so he thought...

to be continued...