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“Will I’m home,how was art school?” says Carlton,Will’s new boyfriend.
Will locks the door behind him,”It was good”.
Carlton notices how Will has been acting weird since late September.It was currently November and Will wasnt getting any better.He would wake up screaming with no explanation.Everytime he asked Will about it,it was the same response everytime.
“It's just stuff from childhood don't worry about”,he would say with a light smile,clearly crafted to try and calm him down.
But Carlton knew that wasn't it,what kind of childhood did you go through to make you jump at loud noises,made you afraid of the cold.Will didn't talk about his childhood that much,scratch it,like at all!Hey if Will didn't want to talk about it he wouldn't pry.
Will makes his way to there shared bedroom again.He's been like this,distant lately.
Carlton asks one more time just to make sure,”Are you sure your ok,I mean you’ve been acting pretty weird Will lately”.
“I”m fine” Will responds,that same response why always the same.
Today Carlton wouldn't try to pry and answers,he would just leave Will alone like he always did.
The Tv turns on with a click of a button,I mean it was 6 a clock after all and his favourite show was on.
Voices overlapping began to fill the small rental dorm room,the only thing that filled the so called ‘apartment’ was the sound of the TV.
Will was probably sketching somewhere,he didn't know and he didn't care.
Small footsteps crept from Wills room to the front of the house.
“Carlton do you…just want to order take out,I dont feel like cooking”.
Will’s voice was cracking,like how it was yesterday,like it has been since early September.Small and shy.His hands were fidgeting and he was looking at the floor.
“Of course”,Carlton smiles,he didnt know what was going on or why Will was acting like this but if take out made him feel better then he will order take out.
Carlton pats a spot beside him on the couch,”Sit down beside me Will”.
Will slowly nods, sitting down,cuddling beside Carlton.
Though Will did like being near him,he hated the Irish Spring soap,he hated that brand,really hated that brand.Worse part,it was all Carlton used and it smelled horrible,horrible.
Carlton notices Will’s discomfort,"What's up Will,why are you so fidgety”.
“Its the soap,I dont like it”he replies.
‘’What’s wrong with the soap I use’’ Carlton thought.If he had to be honest he was kind of offended.
Will notices Carlton’s face and frowns,starting to feel guilty.
“Not like that”,Will says quickly trying to undo the damage,”Its just i never liked the brand”.
Will feels a quick peck on his cheek,"I'm learning new things about you everyday,aren't I”.Carlton says now cradling Will in his arms.
“Yeah I guess so” he mummers softly in Carlton’s chest.
They both fall asleep on the couch,intertwined,forgetting about the food they were going to order.
The sun lit the room perfectly and bathed it in its warm,yellow glow that perfectly suited the moment.
Will looked like an angel,the way he slept.Thats when it hit him,a nightmare again.By the time the nightmare arrived it was probably like 3 in the morning.
Will wakes up screaming,jumping and kicking,Carlton having no idea what to do.
“Mike” Will screamed “Mike”,that was off,Carlton didn't know a Mike and Will never knew of a mike.Not that he knew of,Maybe its one of his childhood friends he didn't talk about,just like he did with none.
“Who’s Mike” Carlton asked,really trying to calm Will down but nothing worked.
“Friend” Will repeat more brokenly “Friend”.
Carlton was still so lost ,Mike,Mike,Mike, when did Will ever mention a Mike.The thing is though he never has.Most importantly why was he screaming out this Mike guy’s name if Carlton is his.
“What did Mike use to do”,he said trying to act nice to Will because Will was going through something…I mean whatever he was going through.
“Hey breathe rockstar,your fine nothing is coming to get you” Carlton says assuringly but Will still wanted this MIKE person.What made Mike more special the Carlton he had to know,he just had to.
A few hours later,Byers finally falls asleep,still wanting Mike.Carlton falls back asleep too,holding Will possessively.
Dawn arrives,like it always does and Carlton was the first to wake up.
He holds Will having so many,many questions about MIke.
“Who was Mike to Will ?”
“Why did Will want Mike instead of him?”
Jealousy grew inside of Carlton like a parasite for person who hes never even met before.He hated Mike,hated,hated,hated Mike.Though Carlton had only been with Will for 6 months,he felt like hes known him since they were kids,until early September.
Byer’s wakes up,in a groggy voice he phrases “Sorry about last night”.
Carlton wanting to be the good guy answers,”Its not your fault Will,but who’s Mike”.
Mike,Carlton didn't notice but he said the name like it had a kind of poison attached to it that would Kill Will.Will didnt like the way Carlton said MIke’s name,it sounded hostile.
“Why are you saying his name like that?”,Will observes.
Carlton had a senile look,”What are you talking about Will?”.
“You're saying his name like he offended you personally”.
“Look I dont like the idea of this…Mike guy ok” Carlton gets across buntly,clearly not thinking about Will’s feelings first.
Will frowns,"You've literally never meant him though”.
“I know”,Carlton groans,”but the way you talk about him…
“Your dating me,not him”.
Will sighs,annoyed,”God Carlton your always so possessive just breath”.
His note book was on the bed,it was clear Will was sketching someone,why did Carlton not know him though.
The door shuts at Will leaves to go to the washroom,this was Carlton's chance.
When you touched the drawing,you could feel the rough pencil shading,time and effort that went into it.The drawing was of a skinny boy,with glasses and black scruffy hair.He had cute freckles too,was this MIke,the boy Will has been fawning over.
Carlton hated the way Will drew him attractively,he cant decide whats worse,Mike really looking like that or its just all in Will head.
God he didnt even know if he wanted to strangle Will or Mike.
Footsteps were heard re-entering the room.
“Dont look at that”.
Carlton was done.
Flustered, Will snatches that notebook as if it would explode if Carlton held it any longer.
Carlton didn't understand why Will was so protective,was that really Mike?Was Will thinking about Mike instead of him?Will, thinking of leaving him?,No he will not let it happen.
Not to some random childhood best friend Will hasn't seen in years.
Lowly,he asks “Was that person Mike”.
Will looks at the ground,not even looking up at Carlton once.
‘So you do still like him”,he says in disgust.
Carlton snaps,”What makes Mike more special then me huh,is it because he is your childhood friend,hes smart,your attractive to him”.
Will hastily replies,”You don't understand,Mike has been there for things, he's been there for me when things are hard”.
The room froze with tension,Will had still never told Carlton ANYTHING about what happened in Hawkins and wasn't planning too.If anything he wants to forget everything that happened there,especially Mike,I mean that is the reason why he moved to nyc the first place,To get art degree,get new friends that didnt look at him thinking one more day the nightmares would get him.Friends who didnt look at him like he would shatter.Most importantly get a boyfriend.Get a boyfriend to forget the boy he could never have,Mike Wheeler.But when November rolls around it all comes right back,and no matter what Will does his heart will always belong to Mike,always has always will.
The room stays silent for some more and Will thinks back to the time they were climbing the water tower.”Friends no….best friends”.Will wanted to give a kiss that would blow Mike out of the water and say “I love you,you idiot” and Mike would kiss back.But of course it was all an illusion,Mike would never,he's straight and he had El at the time.Maybe Will was going insane but looking back he notices Mike really did stare at him alot.Probably just delusional he tells himself.
All of the sudden Carlton's voice breaks Will's thoughts like a meat grinder.
“You still haven't told me what makes Mike Wheeler so special”.
Will looks down at the ground,he couldn't tell Carlton what happened,what if he thinks he's a freak,or worse breaks up with him because he thinks he has a mental illness or something.
“Look”Will stutters in panic”I cant tell you,you might think Im crazy or something”.
Wills nose began to bleed,something that happens when his powers were coming back.You see he still had his powers in a way,but they were only activated when he was emotional,in this case right now.
Carlton notices the room getting colder.
“Will your nose…its bleeding”.
He slowly wipes the blood off with his sleeve,leaving the blood to dry there.
“Are you ok” Carlton asks with concern,”its getting cold in here and I know you dont like the cold so do you want me to-”
“Turn It Up”,Will replies,”Turn It Up”.
Carlton says “No Will I want to know What Is With Mike Wheeler”.
Will does answer AGAIN,why was he doing that,Carlton was done.
He marches to the living room to where Byers journal was sitting on the nice little coffee table Carlton had first bought when they moved in.
As soon as he picks it up Will screams “DONT TOUCH THAT”.