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it was funny how quickly the next two weeks passed.
working in the restaurant made his mornings fly surprisingly quick- and not in a bad way: when it wasn't too busy he got to hang out with jane and max, and they really were the best people he had ever met.
he always had the most fun hanging out with them, even if it was just singing obnoxiously loud to stupid music as they cleaned the restaurant or washed dishes.tuesdays, fridays, and every other wednesday he stayed in the restaurant until night, working afternoon shifts.
even those weren't too bad, just exhausting- but the days he got afternoons free were the best.
it seemed like there was always something to do. sketch the view from his room, go for a swim, try (and fail miserably) to surf on one of the many surfboards the wheeler family owned, go for a walk on the rock trail with mike.
yeah, mike wheeler.
ever since that day at town, will and mike had been spending more and more time together.mostly walks on the beach and to the breakwater.
sometimes they would go for ice cream in the town, sometimes they would just read silently on the beach together. it didn't matter- as long as they got to spend time together.
it wasn't every day, but it wasn't far from that either- not that he would tell jane and max that.
their hangouts were weirdly secretive: it wasn't that they had decided to keep their meetings a secret, it was like a weird given. mike never met will at the restaurant, and whenever will saw mike walking with the boy with the bandana (who he now knew was named lucas sinclair) he didn't say hi.
he didn't know why they did that- it wasn't like they were dating or anything.
theoretically, he could tell jane and max- because they were just friends.
but theoretically, his heart also shouldn't have started fluttering every time he saw mike.
theoretically, he shouldn't have wanted to spend every waking hour with him.
it wasn't that he liked him, not at all! he was there for work. not guys. it made sense that he wanted to kiss him a little, because mike was really very good looking.
it didn't mean he had any feelings for him, it just meant that he was gay.
but woah, he really was good looking.
will glanced at the black-haired boy walking next to him, and couldn't deny that in his own way mike could very well be the best looking guy in town. those dark curls and black eyes made him just... different from the guys in town. he stood out, he had to stand out in between all these blonde-haired blue-eyes surfers.
but he embraced that: he knew everyone had to look at him. he drew even more attention, wearing bizarre shirts like that flower-y one, shirts so colorful they stood in a weird contrast to the rest of his look.
he looked like an asshole. he looked exactly like what jane and max said he was- but will didn't see it, not anymore. ever since he had been an hour late mike showed up to their meetings exactly on the minute, religiously. he never said anything bad, not since that first night- he was just super sweet. a hidden nerd, an asshole looking guy who actually wrote poems and read marvel comics and could recite the entire beginning to the hobbit.
that was the side of him will knew, and that's why he was sure max and jane were wrong.
"is there something on my face?" mike asked, bringing will back to reality- and making him realize he had been staring at him.
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will hurried to drop his gaze,his face turning warm
."no, umm, i just got lost in thought," he said, and mike nodded.
"anything interesting?"
"just wondering how long the line at the postal office will be, and if i'll make it back in time for my shift." will lied quickly, hoping he wasn't too obvious.
mike was taking him to the post office to send his destroyed phone to the shop, because his mom got tired of sending letters. it was about time...
"don't worry. you can be as late as you want and i promise they won't even dock your pay. don't forget that you're hanging with the owner's son, babyyy!" mike stretched out the baby, turning it almost like a song. will rolled his eyes, trying not to smile.
"that wouldn't be fair to max and jane- and besides, you wouldn't do something so blatantly wrong like pulling your strings, would you mr. wheeler?" will teased, causing mike to gasp and place his hand on his chest.
"me?? do anything wrong?? never!!" he called loudly, and will couldn't stop his smile- mike was being absolutely ridiculous.
"that's what i thought," will responded.
for a few seconds, they continued walking in silence- not an awkward silence, they didn't really get those anymore- just silence. will was looking at the building around him,still enjoying the beautiful town. he just liked it, like a lot. he liked this whole place a lot- it was such a polar opposite from his hometown. the sun shining hot every day, all the colors and that lazy feeling in the air. so different from the bleak and boring hawkins.
"i can't, i'm so hott!" mike suddenly whined.
will turned to see mike fanning himself with his hands, little droplets of sweat shining on his face. it really was very hot but will didn't mind.
"come on, just a little more!" will urged, smiling encouragingly.
"how would you know? you've been here like, four times and i'm pretty sure three of those were with me," mike replied, still whining.
"i mean i don't," will admitted, "but it can't be too far!"
mike sighed.
"come on, let's just ditch and go to the beach. i'll buy you the iphone 11 for all i care- just get me to the water!" mike begged, but will rolled his eyes.
"i'm going. you don't have to come along, but don't try buying me out, rich boy!" he said, sticking his tongue out. mike really was sweet, but he didn't seem to realize quite how privileged he was.
mike copied the gesture, but then sighed once more. ."i'll come with you, you know i will." he said, and will laughed.
he had known that.
"come on, i'll help you," will said, reaching for mike's hands. mike grabbed it, and stood in place- letting will drag him.
"i can't- drag- you- completely!" will grunted: even trying as hard as he could, mike was barely moving.
"aww, am i that heavy?" mike said, patting his (completely flat) stomach.
"yes. you're a human mountain. now can you please walk?" will asked, and mike laughed as he started walking again.
but he hadn't removed his hand from inside will's- and they just continued walking like that. s
will was painfully aware of their conjoined hands, and couldn't help the blush creeping to his neck. all the teasing, the playing around... they were just friends- but what if they weren't?
what if there was something else starting here?
and though will still wasn't there for guys, though the rational voice in his mind was screaming that same line at him- work, not guy; work, not guys- a smaller, creeping voice couldn't help wondering if truly nothing was going on: and if there was, did he really mind?
and he couldn't help a tiny, inaudible squeal of excitement.
was he, william byers, really walking across town holding hands with a hot guy?
and did he kind of like it?
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𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡. 𝟏𝟑𝟐𝟖 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬.
𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬: the lengths of my chapter really be going 📈📉 lol
anyways sorry for this filler chapter, but don't give up on this yet it's getting better promise:)