Chapter Text
“That’s why you and Alex keep hugging behind the school after classes?”
Will was never a hateful person but, in this exact moment, he wanted to make an exception and hated Jane more than ever. She’s the sister he always wanted, smart, hard working, resilient and also a fucking bigmouth.
The entire room went silent. Mike stare intently trying to catch Will’s eyes, which are fixed on Jane with a clear blush on his checks and an uneven breathing.
“You know Alex, our friend, the weird jog that was in our math class and kept complimenting your art skills.” Jane added, not helping Will controlling his panic.
“Did you had a boyfriend?” Max shouted not being able to control the volume making Will and everyone else react.
“Alex is not...” Will backtrack for a moment and, a bit too loud for what he was used to added. “He is my friend!”
Lucas is the first one to grab Will gently by the shoulder.
“Hey, Will, is ok if he was, really.” Lucas, as the loyal friend that he is, hugged Will even tighter than before whispering heartwarming reassurances. Will returned the hug as intently, filling up with all of Lucas affection.
Dustin reacted the moment Lucas left Wills side.
“Come here dude.” Dustin grab his shoulders shaking him a bit. “You deserved it, whatever you and that Alex jog had or whatever guy you find someday.” Dustin just smile as bright as the sun. “You deserve happiness and acceptance as much as anyone, even more if you ask me.”
Wills’ love for both of his friends could have save anyone from any inter dimensional space Vecna intended to trap them in.
A very loud clap break the happiness bubble the three had created.
“Kids, I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but we have a timeline to fulfill and an asshole to kill.” The deep voice of Hopper echo thought the room, waking everyone from the weird space they where trapped.
All started to run again, fast and steady. Gearing up, grabbing everything and finishing the mission details.
All of them except from Mike. Mike, who was rooted to the ground not being able to form a thought who was not related to Will, specifically to Will fooling around with someone, to his Will, to his Will fooling around with some random jog in California.
Will is watching him, with his sweet and sad smile and with a clear resignation look on him.
The first time someone talked to them during lunch was after a month of classes. Jane and Will were discussing new art techniques he’s learning in class when a sweet voice speaks from behind them.
“Hey, Jane, Will, how are you?” When the twins looked for the sound, they saw a very tan brunette with a big smile looking at them.
“Hey, you’re Maria, right? From English class.” Will sounded surer that he really was because of the lack of social interaction with a human being not related to him.
“Yeah! I didn’t know if you’ll remember me. Do you guys mind if my brother and I sit with you?” She smiles at Jane, who tried to appear calm and approachable. “He is part of the basketball team, don’t hold it against him. He just can’t sit still, he’s very active.” Her smile widens.
“Don’t mind her, she just likes to talk shit about me because I’m older.” A deeper voice sat beside Maria and both Will and Jane were speechless. “Hey, I’m Alex, Alex Rivera, Maria’s older brother.” Their smiles were almost identical as they waited for the twins to react.
Alex was handsome, tall, broad shoulders, dark messy hair, as tan as her sister and with a little green tint in his eyes. Maria was beautiful with colorful accessories that left Jane wanting to go shopping with her and with deep brown eyes, almost black, which seemed like she was trying to see your soul. Both share that wide, genuine smile that arrived to their eyes.
After an awkward introduction and some weird small talk, they decided to keep eating lunch together and to meet on Friday after Alex’s basketball practice to grab some ice cream in the city, to help Maria and Alex choose a cool patch for Alex’s basketball bag, to go watch a movie together, and to build a real connection.
Maria and Jane decided to start having some girl time, leaving their brothers to spend time alone most of the time.
Will felt comfortable with Alex. It was weird in a good way. They both liked the same music and movies and shared the feeling of being left out. While Will drew or painted, Alex read or practiced guitar, a hobby both siblings share. Will discovered that their family had being living in California long before they were born and that they were fluent in Spanish due to their family being from Mexico.
“Can you say something to me in Spanish?” They were in Will’s room doing homework after Alex’s basketball practice when Will asked. His face looked red after saying it, looking intently at Alex.
The older was taken by surprise by the petition but smile softly, looking into Will’s eyes.
“Of course.” His smile widened letting a bit of his teeth be seen. “What do you want me to say?”
Will looked, really looked. They were sitting side by side, their arms touching and leaning towards each other, feeling each other’s warmth. Will became very aware of the position and angled himself a bit to have Alex right in front of him.
Alex was looking very intently at him, like trying to decipher something both didn’t know anything about.
“Whatever comes to your mind first.” Will’s blush was tattooed on his face, trying to sound calm while feeling his heartbeat.
Will waited till Alex’s smile became huge, and he just whispered some words.
“Me gustas mucho, Will.” He was blushing too, a bit of fear on his expression that Will did not get why was there.
“I got my name, but what was the rest?” They were closer than before, whispering even if they didn’t notice.
“I’m afraid to say it.”
“It’s just me, Alex, same old Will.”
“That’s the problem, it’s you, and I’m afraid I’m all wrong.” Panic was rising on Alex, reflecting in his choked voice.
Will felt a heat on his face and, in the spur of the moment, grabbed Alex’s hand before catching himself and letting go. The older had their eyes fixed on the other’s hand the moment their skins touched and quickly grabbed it again, this time with intention.
“Me gustas mucho, Will.” A beat passes. “I like you a lot, Will.”
Will’s heartbeat skyrockets and his smile widens involuntarily. Not wanting to assume anything, he just said, “Yeah, Alex, I like you a lot too.” He felt the heat of the other hand on his and a soft squeeze.
“No, Will, please, really, I like like you.”
Alex was terrified, searching Will’s expression something like disgust or rage or some negative emotion that would tear them apart. There was none of that. Will wore a soft, almost wishful expression, trying to control his excitement.
“I…” They kept getting closer, and a soft sensation traveled through Will’s body once Alex intertwined their fingers slowly. “...like like you too.” It was almost as if everything stopped and only the two of them existed in the world. No judgment, no shame, just a quiet understanding and young tenderness.
With their hands intertwined, squeezing a bit, Will added. “Have you…” The shyness was strong, but he decided to be brave. “Have you had your first kiss? With… a guy?”
“I just had one kiss.” He was clearly not very fond of that memory based on his expression of mild disgust. “It was on my 15th birthday, and my father was very insistent on me dating this girl.” His expression softened and his other hand cupped Will’s face. “Have you?”
“No.” It was automatic and like a reflex, as if he was again the weird kid in Hawkins listening to his classmates calling him names. “I just… I’ve never kiss anyone, like, a real kiss.”
“That’s ok.” Alex smiles wide. “Do you…” His expression became embarrassed and he blushed all of a sudden, and Will could not stop the heat from covering all his face. “Do you want to? Have your first kiss?” Rubbing his thumb on Will’s cheek. “Do you want me to be your first kiss?”
Will knew idyllically what he wanted but couldn’t have it. He had loved Mike since he discovered what loving someone is. But Mike was Jane’s boyfriend, his sister’s boyfriend. They haven’t speak in all the time they’ve been away from Hawkins. Jane was the one receiving letters and phone calls. Will was not worth that, not to Mike anyway. Dustin, Lucas and Max call every Sunday after dinner, which was before dinner for Will.
Max was always the last one to talk to him during these phone calls. She knew him as he knew her, without having to say more than both were comfortable with. Having been Lucas and Max’s third wheel during the summer made them fall into a kind of understanding and genuine friendship that stayed strong even in a different time zone. And her last phrase stuck with him.
“You deserve to choose someone who chooses you.” That makes Will’s tears stop falling. “You've been through hell and came back.” After a quiet laugh, she added. “Choose yourself, Will, you deserve it.”
Will was surer than ever of what he wanted.
“Yeah…” Will’s voice betrayed his nervousness. “I want you to be my first kiss.”