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Will isn’t all that into photography. He just likes clicking the camera and looking at what he captured afterward.
There’s no hidden love or anything like that, that’s his brother's thing. The only reason he has a camera in the first place is that Jonathan gave him it when he bought a new one that wasn’t from Steve of all people.
Will finds it funny that he uses a camera from Steve to mostly take pictures of Steve.
He’s always taking pictures of Steve every time he has the camera in his hand. He likes that Steve never questions it. He lets Will take all the pictures he wants and if Will asks him to turn a certain way he will.
It makes Will’s heart flutter with some form of doomed hope.
He likes to think that maybe Steve likes Will taking pictures of him because he likes the attention coming from Will.
Or maybe he doesn’t say anything or question it because Will’s awkward crush on him is majorly obvious. And Steve doesn’t want to be the one to approach it.
Sighing Will goes back to clicking away at the bustling of the carnival. He turns every which way trying unbelievably hard to ignore the place he really wants to turn towards.
He caves when he hears the laugh that always draws his attention.
Turning he looks upon Steve as he and some group of people he’s never seen before talk and laugh about whatever.
He takes photos of them capturing each moment as Steve tilts his head back and laughs. He’s handsome and Will is tired of denying it.
He snaps photos that he’s essentially taken a hundred times already. Photos of his neck, his freckles, his hair, his lips, his eyes, his outfit, etc.
He captures Steve’s smile as he talks. He captures Steve turning and looking straight at him. He captures Steve lighting up brighter than the neon lights on the rides and gives him a little wave.
You can’t keep doing that , Will thinks, you can’t keep brightening up every time you see me. You’re giving me false hope.
Will lowers his camera as Steve waves goodbye to the group he was with and comes towards him.
“Hey Will,” he says, stopping in front of him.
“Hey, Stevie,”
Stevie smiles softly, “I love it when you call me Stevie,”
Oh for freaks sake.
“Yeah,” Will coughs awkwardly. “So uh who were the people you were with?”
“Oh, just some people I like hanging out with,”
“Why’d you leave them then,”
“Because I saw you,” Steve says as if it’s the most obvious answer in the world.
Will is hoping a demo dog will pop up and he can run off to take care of it so he doesn’t have to interact with Steve in a non-panic inducing / life and death situation.
Steve may have started hanging out with the group genuinely when he got his ice cream job, but that didn’t mean he was used to seeing and interacting with Steve.
Their lives up until now have been completely separate. One because Will and Steve’s interest and friend groups are so different they would never interact. Plus the little fact of Will is an outcast and Steve is Mr.popular despite it being locally known he hangs out with the weirdos and gets into some weird stuff.
It also didn’t help that the two year age difference put them into separate grades. While Will was an eighth-grader Steve was a high schooler in tenth grade and so on and so forth.
The gap wasn’t as big now that Will’s a freshman. He doesn’t know if that makes things better or worse.
“Right. Um, you wanna go on a ride or something?”
“Definitely,” Steve grabs Will’s arm and pulls him along, “You are going to live this ride-“
Will zones out as his mind focus on Steve’s hand that’s sliding down until it stops at his wrist. He would love nothing more than to hold Steve’s hand but he knows it’s never going to happen.
“Hey,” Steve says, elbowing him gently, “you listening?”
“I am now,”
“What’s going on in that noggin of yours,”
“A lot,”
“You wanna go home?”
“Yeah.” Will doesn’t want to not really, but if it means getting out of Steve’s presence before his feelings burst out of him in waves then yes he does want to go home.
“Okay, I’ll drive you since it’s dark out,”
“You don’t have to you,”
“I want to. Now come on,”
I’m trying to get away from you not being in closer proximity for ten minutes.
Reluctantly following Steve to his car he climbs in and they drive off in silence. The silence is soon interrupted by Will’s burning need to know-
“Why do you like hanging out with a guy like me?”
“What do you mean,” Steve asks confused.
“I mean I’m an outcast, I like dorky stuff, I don’t like parties, I’m not loud and rambunctious. And you know I’m…”
“You’re?” Steve prompts.
“I’m- I’m into guys,”
“ So. I don’t care if you like guys and dorky stuff and that you aren’t the most sociable guy out there,”
“Then why do you like me when you’re the exact opposite of all of that,”
Steve sighs and pulls the car into a store parking lot. He turns to Will, “look this is going to sound really corny but I’m going to say it anyway,”
“I like you because you’re a good person. You’re kind, you’re responsible, and you put others first. I know that sounds stupid, but do you know how hard it is to find good people let alone befriend one especially if you’re like me. I mean you’re so good that it feels like you’re out of reach from everyone. Even though you're kind and can be amicable with pretty much everyone it still feels like you’re on this pedestal others will never be able to reach. And when someone like you takes to the time to look at someone like me it makes you feel like you’re being let into this world you’ve never seen before no matter how much you’ve tried,” Steve pauses, “I like hanging out with you and talking to you, I feel comfortable around you. I could be around you all the time and not get tired of it,” Steve huffs, “because you feel like if home was a person,”
“I’m not as amazing as you think I am Steve. I’m just an awkward 15 year old,”
“You need to give yourself more credit,”
“I can say the same for you. You’re not that bad Stevie, not anymore,”
Steve smiles, “thanks Will… y”
Will scrunches his nose.
“Bad nickname?”
“Yes,”
“I’ll come up with a good nickname eventually. I can’t keep calling you a little shit,”
“Maybe just try my name for now,”
“As sad as that sounds I will,” Steve unbuckles his seat, “anyway what do want from the store,”
“Uh some laffy taffy’s,”
“Dude you can’t just get laffy taffys. You need snacks to last the whole night,”
“Why?”
“I decided I’m spending the night at your place tonight,”
“I- Uh are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’ll be fun,”
“What’s your definition of fun,”
“Watch movies and pig out all night,”
“Sounds good,”
Opening up the door Steve steps out of the car and leans down into the door, “oh and Will we aren’t completely opposite on everything,”
“Liking musicals does not mean you like dorky things,”
“I know, but what I meant was while I do like girls I’m into guys as well,” he says closing the door.
Will sits there in shocked silence. The guy he has been so sure liked girls and girls only, the most popular dude in town, King Steve is also into guys.
His crush likes boys too.
Can this night get any worse.
It felt like a gut punch to know Steve liked boys because then he couldn’t convince himself that the only reason Steve didn’t like him was because he was straight and that if Steve liked boys he might have a chance.
Now he knows for sure that Steve doesn’t like him like that at all.
It sucks it sucks so hard, but at least he has a friend. More friends can’t hurt even if you’re completely in love with that friend.
Leaning back into the seat he waits for Steve to come back as it begins to rain. The weather perfectly matches his mood.
He watches Steve run to the car with his hood up. Hopping into the car he turns the heat on immediately.
“I was so eager for my dramatic exit that I forgot to ask what other snacks you wanted. So I just bought a bunch of random ones,”
“Thanks,”
“No problem,” Steve replies, driving off.
Pulling in front of his house, Will pulls his good up and they run inside the house trying not to get soaked.
“Are we sitting in the living room… or?”
Will looks to his brother who’s sitting on the couch with Nancy. He honestly doesn’t know if Steve is over Nancy or what, but he doesn’t want to force Steve to see his ex-girlfriend all lovey dovey with her new boyfriend.
And even if Steve is over Nancy and isn’t bothered by it Jonathan still doesn’t like Steve and Will doesn’t feel like sitting awkwardly for who knows how long.
“We can watch movies in my room,”
He ignores the questioning look Jonathan sends him.
“Okay,” Steve says, making his way to Will’s room.
Is it wrong that Will feels a flutter at knowing Steve just knows where his room is without needing instruction? Maybe.
Steve takes off his shoes at Will’s door and plops onto his bed easily.
“Why are you just standing there? come sit down,” Steve says patting the space next to him.
Will climbs in next to him nervously. He puts his knees to his chest and clicks on his tv.
This is hell. Sitting in bed next to his crush for the rest of the night is going to be stress inducing.
I better not pop a boner.
Thankfully nothing happens for the next hour as they sit there and watch tv.
Although their silence is interrupted when Steve laughs at a scene of some over the top ‘dorks’ with large glasses and lisps playing D&D.
The scene is unbelievably embarrassing.
“Is that what you and your little friends looked like playing that game and your dork dungeon,”
“No! I mean- yeah,” Will admits dejectedly, “to be fair it’s not like I play it anymore,”
“Why?”
“Because it’s for kids,”
“What’s wrong with having hobbies that are meant for kids,” Steve asks, “if you like playing it just do it,”
Will scoffs. “You say that but would you play D&D?”
“If you wanted me too. I wouldn’t mind trying to play it with you,”
Will turns towards Steve, “really?”
“Of course,”
Will stares at Steve who stares back at him curiously. Swallowing nervously Will leans in and connects their lips.
To his happiness Steve immediately responds. Cupping his cheek Steve tilts his head and deepens the kiss.
Doing what he’s seen in movies Will puts his hand on Steve’s waist and pulls them hip to hip. He feverishly kisses Steve practically on cloud nine.
He has no idea what he’s doing other than copying what he’s seen in movies but Steve seems to like what he’s doing.
Or maybe not if Steve pulling away is any indication.
“Did I do something wrong,” Will asks, “was there too much spit? Are you not into French kissing?”
“You were doing good Will you just… well your boners poking into my hip,”
Will can feel his whole face turn red, “Sorry,” he says pulling away.
“It’s fine. I just wanted you to be aware of it. So keep kissing me,”
“Really?”
“Yes really,” Steve says, connecting their lips again.
Will would’ve never guessed that one day he’d be making out with his crush. He never would’ve guessed that Steve most likely returned his affections.