spin the bottle// byler

iii.i. (reunity)

"will, can i kiss you?" i whisper against his skin and i'm not sure he's heard me until he's moving to look into my eyes, "please do."

his arms move to rest around my waist, i'm still seated in his lap, my hands move to cup his face and there's a tear that tickles my thumb, i wipe it away. then, i'm leaning in and before i connect our lips, i take a deep breath.

"i'm right here." he whispers and rubs circles onto my back. i nod and let our lips meet. his mouth paints a million masterpieces behind my eyelids. he tastes like the cotton candy that we used to share at the fair when we were children, almost like those orange push pops we would get from the ice cream truck that drove around my neighborhood on summer nights, it's like the first breeze in the springtime when your body was just getting used to the heat, it feels like a memory that is so much a part of me, i felt like i was losing myself when i couldn't remember it anymore.

his lips move against mine with a steady pressure, a comforting reminder that he's still here. he pulls away first and rests his forehead against mine. i can feel his breath in my face.

"bro." i hear from somewhere next to me and i look over to see dustin, cheeks red, and a hand over his eyes.

"dustin!" i exclaim both from surprise and embarrassment. oh god, he just watched us make out. does he know about us? well, he does now.

dustin and will make eye contact for a moment before they burst out in laughter.

"see, i told you." will teases, sticking his tongue out at dustin.

to say i'm confused would be an understatement.

"mike, it's nothing against you, i'm just so surprised that you guys finally fucking did it. i thought for sure, you'd be pining for at least another year or two. but, i'm proud of you, both of you, for finally getting what you want." dustin explains, a smile on his face.

"and we did, didn't we? finally get what we want?" will asks, looking at me again, his hand moving to play with my hair.

i blush and i'm not sure if it's from the attention or the insinuation. we definitely will be finally getting what we want tonight. that thing i've been waiting so patiently for, for months. picking up where we left off on that september night so long ago, with no interruptions this time.

but, don't get me wrong, that's not the most important thing. no, the most important thing is that will is here and he's okay and he's not going anywhere this time.

overcome with emotion and pure joy, i wrap my arms tightly around his neck and just breathe him in. his clothes smell like fire and wood, i smell more like his body wash than he does, but god there's almost something beautiful about the way he smells a little more human than the rest of us, which i guess is ironic because he and el are the least human out of all of us. but still, he's here, this boy is mine and he's here in my arms. he's the same will i grew up with, would plan last-minute sleepovers on a friday night with, the one who bandaged the cut on my knee from the first time i rode my bike to the quarry which grew to be a scar i still keep, this boy who loved me before he even learned what love was. will, my will.

i begin to cry and honestly, i don't feel at all embarrassed because i have every right to be emotional right now. the love of my life was missing, he was was scared and he was alone and now, god, and now he's back. and i get to hold him and kiss him and protect him again because now, this thing we've had all along has a title and that title gives me a duty to do those things.

"i guess i'll leave you two love birds alone." dustin chuckles and gets out of steve's car to join the reunion that's happening out there.

love birds, i like that.

"i missed you so much." i whisper into his shoulder.

"i know, i missed you, too. don't let me miss you anymore, never leave." he pulls me closer into a bone-crushing hug. i return the embrace.

"hey, you're the one who left! i was still there, right where you left me. you never leave again. stay here forever."

"here? in steve's car? i don't think steve would like that too much." will says sarcastically.

i smile. smartass. god, i love him.

"you're an idiot, but you're my idiot." i press a kiss to his forehead.

"you're my favorite." will says simply and rests his head on my shoulder.

i have to resist the urge to melt and oh boy, is it difficult.

suddenly, steve knocks on the window and signals for us to come out. we ignore him for a minute before he knocks again and raises his eyebrows at us. god, this better be good.