Chapter Text
The voices, the lights, and the music began to blur together, pounding against his skull until a headache bloomed behind his eyes. His stomach twisted violently, nausea rising so fast he barely had time to react. Somehow, he managed to stumble out of the house and make it to the first trash can he saw, emptying his stomach the moment he reached it.
His boyfriend had thrown a party while his parents were out of town. Of course Will had been invited. At first, he’d turned it down because of his packed schedule, but at the last minute he managed to clear some time and decided to surprise his boyfriend by showing up unannounced.
Instead, he was the one who got surprised.
The second he walked into the house, he saw his “boyfriend” kissing another girl.
He slipped through the crowd unnoticed and started drinking in the corner, tears streaming down his face while the party carried on around him. All because of that boy who had stolen—and now shattered—his heart.
When he finally stopped throwing up, he wandered aimlessly down the street, mind blank and eyes unfocused. He barely made it to the corner before dizziness forced him to stop.
I have to call my brother.
“He said he changed his number…” he muttered to himself. “Was it 87 or 78…? I don’t even think those were the numbers…”
By some miracle, he dialed the right one. It rang for a while before someone finally answered.
“Hello?” a raspy voice mumbled from the other end of the line. He was probably asleep—it was two in the morning.
“Jonathan… can you come get me, please?”
The moment the words left his mouth, he hung up, hiccuping softly. Not because he was drunk—well, maybe partly because of that—but mostly because he was completely broken.
Thirty minutes passed with no sign of his brother, so he called again.
“Why aren’t you here yet? I’ve been waiting forever, and it’s freezing…” He tried to sound annoyed, but his voice cracked and tears started falling again. “I wanna leave before Chance notices me. Please come. I don’t wanna be here… I don’t have anywhere else to go…” he sobbed.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming… Where are you?”
[...]
His eyes opened slowly, heavy with exhaustion. Above him was a blue ceiling.
That immediately felt wrong.
He sat up in bed and stared at the unfamiliar door across the room. That definitely wasn’t his either.
He shot to his feet too quickly, and dizziness slammed into him alongside another wave of nausea. He stumbled forward and tripped over something—or someone—lying on the floor.
He crashed face-first onto the ground with a yelp.
“Ow! Damn, that hurt!” the guy groaned.
Still half-asleep, the stranger blinked at Will before rushing over.
“Are you okay?”
Will answered with a gag.
“NONONO, I JUST CLEANED THE FLOOR—”
The guy immediately grabbed him and practically carried him into the bathroom just in time.
And there was William Byers.
Throwing up in a stranger’s bathroom.
Heartbroken, humiliated, hungover, confused, and completely pathetic.
[...]
“You almost threw up on my floor, you know how long it took me to get it that clean? I barely have enough time to shower, the fact that my apartment looks decent is a miracle…”
Who the hell was this guy…?
Did he know him?
How had he ended up here?
And how—
“Hey, where do you live? I gotta get to work, and I’m not leaving some random stranger alone in my house.”
That snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Huh…? N-no, I live nearby. It’s fine. J-just show me the way out… please.”
Not long after, he was outside again.
As he walked, he checked his phone, relieved to realize the guy hadn’t stolen anything.
Love, are you done with work yet?
11:48 PM
Love, why aren’t you answering? Did you get home and fall asleep right away?
12:14 AM
This party is soooo boring without you, babe.
1:02 AM
That last message almost made him laugh.
Boring?
Right. Because cheating on your boyfriend of almost two years must’ve been incredibly boring.
He kept wandering with no destination in mind. The weather was nice, cool with cloudy October skies, so he didn’t mind. Eventually he reached a park and sat on a nearby bench.
He didn’t want to go home.
Someone would mention the party. Or his boyfriend.
And he couldn’t handle that.
He stared quietly at the scenery while replaying the image from the party over and over in his head. But what he couldn’t stop thinking about was the curly-haired stranger from earlier and how he’d somehow ended up at his house.
They hadn’t slept together… right?
At least he didn’t think they had.
Nothing felt weird, and they hadn’t even woken up in the same bed.
Still… it was strange.
Eventually, he made it home. According to his phone, it was close, though walking there certainly hadn’t felt like it.
The second he stepped inside, his brother appeared.
“So, how was the party last night?”
Shit.
“G-good… it was great. Good music, dancing… fun. Woohoo…” he lied.
If he avoided the question, it would only make Jonathan suspicious, and the last thing he wanted was to talk about any of it.
“Mhm… well, I made pancakes. I left the burnt ones for you, little brother. You’ve got hands, so serve yourself. Nancy came over and we’re watching a show upstairs. If you don’t interrupt us, I might even buy you something later.” He winked before happily disappearing down the hallway.
Maybe it’d be best if he stayed out of the house for a few hours.
After all, it was the first time Jonathan had brought a girl over—even if it wasn’t exactly official. Will didn’t want to ruin something that was obviously making his brother happy.
So he changed clothes, grabbed some cash and his phone, and headed back out.
He had friends, sure, but all of them had been at that party, and he didn’t want that to become the topic of conversation.
It had been almost two years.
Maybe it really was just a kiss.
Maybe he shouldn’t throw away something beautiful over something small… right?
[...]
The city felt huge—not just physically, but because of the people.
Sometimes the crowds bothered him.
Not because he disliked people, but because being surrounded by so many only made him feel more alone.
On weekends and during breaks, he usually stayed with his brother near the university campus. But honestly, the second he got the chance, he planned to leave that place behind. It was comfortable enough… it just never felt like home.
Today, he wished he could simply stay in Jonathan’s living room watching TV all day.
But he also didn’t want to be the awkward third wheel.
So instead, he decided to check out a café that had opened recently.
Maybe something new would help clear his mind.
He ordered a mocha and what looked like a combo meal with a sandwich and a cookie.
“When we call your name, come pick it up on the other side. My coworker will hand you your order. Next.”
The cashier sounded completely dead inside.
Honestly, he couldn’t blame her.
It didn’t seem like anyone was having a good day.
He sat beside the large window overlooking the street, lost in thought. Surely there had to be an explanation for what he’d seen last night.
A dare.
A stolen kiss.
Something harmless.
Chance loved him. Chance always cared about him.
There was no way he’d actually cheat.
There just wasn’t.
“William!”
A voice echoed through the café.
His order was ready.
He stood up—and froze.
The guy behind the counter had messy black curls.
The same guy from this morning.
Shit.
“William!” the voice repeated.
Panicking, he awkwardly pushed his hair in front of his face in a pathetic attempt to hide himself. There were plenty of people around. Maybe the guy wouldn’t recognize him.
He reached the counter and silently grabbed for his tray, but the guy spoke first.
“You ordered the combo with the cookie, right? Which one do you want from the display?”
Without looking up fully, Will pointed clumsily at one with white chocolate chips.
The guy grabbed it with exaggerated slowness, placed it in a bag, then held it out without letting go.
“You should leave me a tip. I don’t usually pick people up at two in the morning and babysit them for free.”
Will finally looked up.
The guy was grinning smugly while shaking the tip jar beside him.
“I… I’m really sorry. I don’t even know how we ended up involved with each other, but I hope I didn’t bother you too much. Seriously, I’m sorry.”
He hurriedly dug through his pockets, pulled out a few coins from his change, and dropped them into the jar labeled:
Help your barista pay off his Coppel card debt.
“That’s it?”
“Excuse me?”
“I let you sleep in my precious bed and you almost threw up on my floor. I think I deserve a little more.”
Then he looked Will up and down with a grimace.
“Drunk and cheap. Terrible combo.”
“What the hell—”
His phone suddenly started ringing.
He glanced at the screen.
Chance.
And he had to answer.
Will looked back at the guy in front of him, narrowed his eyes, then immediately reached into the tip jar and snatched his coins back out.
“Well then, you get nothing. How about that?” he muttered, stuffing the coins back into his pocket while yanking the cookie from the guy’s hand. “And your floor wasn’t even that clean.”
He grabbed the rest of his order and stormed out, ignoring the offended look on the other boy’s face.
“Hello?” he answered the call.
“Where are you? I went to Jonathan’s place, but he said you left.” Chance’s voice echoed through the car speakers as he drove.
“I’m a few blocks away, near that park we went to last time. Why?”
“I’m coming.”
And then he hung up.
He started drinking his coffee anxiously. He wasn’t going to confront him—not yet—but there was still a small knot of fear sitting in his chest.
A few minutes later, a red car pulled up in front of him and Chance climbed out.
“I missed you, babe,” the brunette said, leaning over to kiss the green-eyed boy softly on the lips. Will only managed a faint smile in return.
“You should’ve come to the party yesterday. I keep telling you to quit that part-time job. It steals time away from your boyfriend… but I guess it’s more important than I am,” he added dramatically as he started the car.
“I already told you, I need the money. Not all of us have athletic scholarships paying for our semesters, you know…? I don’t wanna talk about this.”
He said it honestly. Chance came from money and didn’t really understand how hard college could be financially. Will didn’t blame him for it—he just lived slightly disconnected from other people’s realities.
“Yeah, yeah, sorry. As long as that’s the only reason…” Chance said with a teasing smile, though there was something serious hidden underneath it. “Not because you’re checking out someone else while you’re at work. Just saying… for your own good.”
The warning was subtle, wrapped up as affection. Will was already used to comments like that. To him, they were just signs that his boyfriend cared.
“You know I wouldn’t do that, Chance. Anyway, do you have anything planned today?”
“Today’s my game. If we win this one, we make it to the semifinals. Did you forget? Seriously, where’s your head at today, kid?” Chance lightly flicked his forehead without taking his eyes off the road.
“Sorry, sorry, I mixed up the dates. You don’t mind if I eat this there, right?” Will asked, glancing down at his breakfast.
Chance shook his head as they continued toward the stadium.
And strangely enough, Will felt calm.
Nothing felt different.
That comforted him.
Even if the memories from last night still lingered in the back of his mind, he had no intention of doing anything about them.
[...]
Maybe Chance had a point. A few weeks ago, he’d commented that Will had gained weight and should probably take better care of himself.
“Yeah, sorry. I’ll give some to Max and Jane too, okay?”
Chance nodded with a smile before heading toward the locker rooms.
Will continued toward the bleachers where his friends had already saved him a seat.
“There you are! You never came home last night, and Max said you weren’t even at the party. Where did you go?” the redhead asked quickly. “Jonathan and I were worried.”
The last thing Jonathan knew was that Will had gone to the party, but he’d never come back, and no one had mentioned seeing him there afterward.
“It’s a long story…” Will muttered, looking away toward the players gathering on the field. The game was about to start, and he desperately needed something to distract himself before his thoughts spiraled again.
“We’ve told you a million times to let someone know where you are, Will. You’re lucky Jonathan didn’t freak out or your face would already be on missing person posters,” she joked with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
A loud whistle interrupted them.
The game had started.
[...]
The match eventually ended.
Honestly, Will barely understood the sport. He mostly came for moral support.
Support for who?
He liked telling himself it was for his boyfriend, though whether he was there or not never seemed to make much difference.
He often thought he and Chance were complete opposites, and maybe that was why they worked. That was why he always tried so hard to step into Chance’s world—to be a good boyfriend.
“Hey, Will, I’m gonna go grab Lucas from the locker rooms. Wanna come with me?”
The redhead was already heading down the bleachers with the rest of the crowd. Everyone was celebrating because, once again—and to absolutely nobody’s surprise—the university had won and advanced to the semifinals.
Jane, meanwhile, had left halfway through the game because Hopper needed to take her to the doctor. About a month and a half ago, she’d been diagnosed with severe anemia and had been dealing with constant nosebleeds, dizziness, and occasional fainting spells.
Will nodded and grabbed his friend’s hand so they wouldn’t get separated in the crowd.
They were walking toward the entrance when Lucas suddenly appeared, immediately wrapping his arms around Max and kissing her cheek.
“Chance is still inside with some of the guys. Would you mind if Max and I head out? We’ve got a reservation.”
“Of course I don’t mind, idiot. Go enjoy your date, lovebirds. I’ll go find Chance,” Will laughed.
The couple said goodbye, and Will continued down the empty hallway leading toward the locker rooms. His footsteps echoed softly against the floor.
When he reached the door, he noticed it was slightly open.
He lifted his hand to knock—
But voices stopped him.
“Stacy’s hot as hell, man. Seriously, I don’t get you, Chance. She’s practically throwing herself at you—she kisses you, flirts with you—and you’re still with that Byers kid? I mean, he’d have to have one hell of a personality. What can a broke guy like that even offer you?”
Three bursts of laughter followed.
Including, painfully, his boyfriend’s.
Will’s hands started shaking.
He wanted to run.
He shouldn’t listen anymore.
But…
What if he stayed just a little longer?
“I dunno, man,” another voice said mockingly. “Maybe he’s good in bed. In porn, the quiet ones are always the freakiest. That’d be a pretty damn hot fantasy.”
Why were they talking about him like that?
Why wasn’t Chance saying anything?
His eyes started burning.
Then one of the boys—Jason—opened the door completely and found him standing there.
“Well, well, your little fanboy’s here,” he teased playfully.
Maybe they’d think he had just arrived.
Maybe they’d think he hadn’t heard any of it.
“Will—” Chance’s expression shifted immediately to surprise. Maybe even fear. And Will knew exactly why. “H-how long have you been standing there?”
He approached slowly, one hand raised like he was about to hug him.
Will’s chest tightened.
Confronting him terrified him.
This was his first relationship.
But it hurt so much.
So he made a decision.
“I just got here,” he lied quickly. “I stopped to help Jane wait for Hopper. Did you wait long? Sorry.”
He forced the biggest smile he could manage, though anyone who truly knew him would’ve recognized it for what it really was:
A painful, uncomfortable grimace.
“Aww, babe, don’t apologize. I was about to leave anyway. Wanna keep the day going with a date? I think I deserve a reward after that game.”
Relief slipped into Chance’s voice.
Without waiting for an answer, he wrapped an arm around Will’s shoulders and guided him toward his car.
The moment they got inside, Chance’s phone—resting in the center console—lit up with notifications.
Will glanced over instinctively.
Stacy.
Chance immediately grabbed the phone and checked the messages.
“Oh… Will, I think we’ll have to postpone our date. Something came up last minute. Is it okay if I drop you off a couple blocks from your house? Otherwise I’d have to go out of my way and—”
“It’s fine, Chance. Just hurry up.”
An uncomfortable silence filled the car.
“I wouldn’t want you to be late for your commitment,” Will added heavily.
The rest of the drive was silent.
The air between them felt disconnected and tense—painfully awkward for one of them, completely indifferent for the other.
But according to Will, they were still “happily together.”
[...]
Chance dropped him off about three blocks away from home. Apparently he didn’t want to waste time making a detour and risk being late for his “commitment.”
And honestly?
That was fine.
Right now, what Will needed most was time to sort through the mess in his head before making any reckless decisions.
As he approached his house, he noticed a classic red car parked in front of the yard.
Leaning casually against it was a tall boy with curly hair.
Even from the side, Will had to admit he was attractive.
As he got closer, confusion slowly crossed his face.
The guy looked familiar.
“You…?” Will muttered, catching the boy’s attention.
“Hey,” he greeted casually, looking more curious than embarrassed about what had happened that morning.
“What are you doing here? Come back for your tip?” Will asked, trying to sound annoyed, though there was humor hidden in his voice.
The curly-haired boy smirked.
“Excuse me? I don’t beg for a dollar. Especially not from you. I’m just here to pick up my sister.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah. She’s inside that house.”
Will blinked.
“Nancy is your sister?”
“Yep.”
Okay, that explained the resemblance.
Still, it was shocking.
This was the brother Nancy was always bragging about and insisting he meet to “bring the families together.”
Yeah. He definitely wanted that less now.
“How do you know her?”
“She’s dating my… brother…”
“Great. Then can you tell her to come outside? She’s ignoring my texts.”
Without answering, Will headed toward the front door.
Locked.
Quickly checking his pockets, he realized—with growing despair—that he didn’t have his keys.
Fantastic.
He pulled out his phone and called the contact saved as “Jonathan.”
“Hello?”
“Jonathan?”
“Uh… no.”
Will heard the voice both through the phone and behind him at the same time.
He slowly turned around.
The curly-haired boy was standing there, hanging up his phone with an amused grin.
“Why are you calling me Jonathan? My name’s Mike, sweetheart.”
Oh my god.
“You know what? I’ll just call my sister myself.”
Mike stepped away to make the call while Will stood there in stunned humiliation.
Why the hell did he have a stranger’s number saved as his brother?
“She says they ran out to buy something real quick and they’ll be back in ‘fifteen minutes,’” Mike said, making air quotes with his fingers. “So probably half an hour.”
He opened the driver’s side door and sat sideways in the seat, stretching his legs comfortably onto the sidewalk.
If he had to wait, he was going to do it comfortably.
The silence between them lasted only a moment before Mike spoke again.
“So… you’re not drunk anymore.”
Will’s cheeks immediately turned red.
He almost never got that wasted, and having a witness sitting right in front of him made everything worse.
“I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
That tiny bit of kindness was enough to calm his racing heartbeat.
“Not everything revolves around you…”
And just like that, every positive thought Will had about him vanished instantly.
“Thanks,” he muttered reluctantly. Then, after a pause: “Sorry, but… how much did I say last night?”
He stared down at his hands, too embarrassed to look up, though he could still feel Mike watching him carefully.
“Well, I couldn’t exactly leave you alone like that. You were acting weird as hell and saying thi—”
“Mike! Will!”
Nancy came walking up the street beside Jonathan.
“Oh my god, you finally met! Hold on, let me introduce you properly.”
She walked over and grabbed her brother by the shoulders.
“Will, this is my little brother, Michael. Mike, this is William—my future brother-in-law.”
She giggled softly after saying it, clearly happy at the idea of making Will officially part of the family.
“Nice to meet you properly, William,” Mike said with a crooked smile.
Then he greeted Jonathan too. The two already knew each other from Jonathan’s constant visits to the Wheeler house.
“We actually have to go, sorry,” Mike sighed. “My sister and I have dinner with our parents and we were supposed to be there a while ago.”
The last part came out like a scolding.
Nancy simply elbowed him before kissing Jonathan goodbye and climbing into the car.
Mike was about to get in too when he suddenly turned back toward Will.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Will looked up.
“Keep track of your brother. I don’t mind you calling me, but you should probably have a second emergency contact.”
He winked before climbing into the car.
Heat rushed back into Will’s face.
Not from embarrassment this time—
But from the flirting.
And mild annoyance.
“What was that supposed to mean?” Jonathan asked, confused.
“Nothing… he’s just an idiot,” Will muttered under his breath.
The brothers watched the red car disappear down the street before heading inside.
And somehow, after everything that had happened today…
Chance was no longer the biggest problem in Will’s life.