Summer Savings [Byler]

Chapter 17

Eventually they made it back to the B and B, Mike supporting Will's weight even though he too was shivering uncontrollably by this point, as Will was still wearing his shirt, jacket and sweater, and he had Will's soaking clothes flung over one shoulder.

Though they had arrived at the B and B so late in the morning, both Will and Mike were disappointed and suprised to find the door locked. Mike knocked urgently on it, now fearing for both his health and Will's.

It was quickly opened by a frantic looking Robin, who had tousled hair and wide eyes. She gasped as she laid eyes on the two bedraggled boys, herding them inside quickly.

"Oh my God, what have you two been doing?" She cried, turning on a heater for them.

"Swimming," Mike's teeth chattered as he spoke, and the intended humorous tone was lost in it. He still refused to let go of Will, clinging to him, keeping him by his side. Will clung back, practically hanging off of Mike's shoulders, as he gripped them with white knuckles.

"What, in the fucking sea?" Robin outraged, a sarcastic tone present in the speech as she exaggerated, she knew they'd just been to a pool or a river or something.

"Yuh- yeah," Will stammered, cold freezing his mouth and making it hard to speak.

"You what?" Robin had to hold back the urge to shake the two, to bang their heads together, 'knock some sense into them'. Instead she simply smoothed their dripping hair back off of their faces, and wrapped them both in a tight hug, ignoring the wet seeping into her clothes.

"Will, I was so worried! I came up to your room, just to like, clean and stuff, and you were gone. And I knew the main door- all the doors, were still locked. And then I looked everywhere for you, and you'd left your phone, I saw it on the cabinet- and I didn't- I didn't know where you were or if you were safe."

"That why the door was still locked?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, sorry, I- I didn't get around to unlocking it, I was too worried."

Robin suddenly seemed to think of something. "When did you go?"

"Middle of the night," Will mumbled.

"How?"

"The wi- window."

"And you stayed where last night?"

"Rock in the middle of the sea."

"Will, that's so stupid," Robin sighed, but she couldn't hide a smile. "Have fun?"

Will nodded, and his face stained red slightly, though that could have been just from the cold, who could really say?

"Take off your wet clothes, put them by the heater, cover yourselves up," Robin handed each boy a blanket, though they seemed reluctant to let go of eachother. Robin noticed, but didn't make a comment on it. "Will, I'm going to get some of your clothes for you and Mike." Then she was gone, running upstairs.

Robin had found Will's most oversized clothes to offer Mike, as she didn't actually know what size he wore, but they fit, and he didn't seem to care so this wasn't an issue. Then she made them both hot chocolates, and put on the radio, sitting down on the carpeted floor of her living room next to them. She'd decided that the reception wasn't the warmest place to keep the two shivering boys, and the living room was full of blankets and couches and cushions, and had a bigger heater.

"Better?" She asked, watching as they both sipped at the steaming drinks. Mike nodded, mouth full of chocolate, and Will responded,"Yeah," his stutter now gone, having left along with the chill.

"I should probably go, I have a lot of stuff to do," Mike stood up, shrugging off his blanket and placing down his empty mug. "Will you be okay?" Will asked, staring up at him with a concern-filled expression. "Yeah, of course. I was barely in the water compared to you. I'll come by later, I promise," Mike flashed a grin.

"I'll walk you to the door," Will stood up, placing down his mug and blanket next to where Mike had left his, and stepping into stride next to him. Robin let them go, content to sit and finish her own drink.

They stepped into the corridor, Will closing the living room door, then walked slowly through the reception. Will opened the front door for Mike, keeping himself to one side to allow the taller boy to pass. Mike lingered in the doorway, looking like he had unsaid words stored in his head. "You sure you're okay?" He settled on, and Will nodded reassuringly.

His hands were twitching at his sides, and then suddenly he leaned forward and quickly kissed Will. One hand grazed Will's face, and then he pulled back. They had both tasted of salt and chocolate, and both had their mouths open in shock, as if Mike was just as suprised at his own actions as Will was. Before Will could respond, he turned and strode away, breaking into a jog and disappearing down a side street, out of view. Will didn't follow him, and simply just shut the door.

When he returned to Robin, he decided not to mention it, as he did have a few mixed feelings about it, instead settling down next to her to watch a movie.

Mike didn't come back for the rest of the day, and Will struggled to hide his disappointment. Robin picked up on the fact something was wrong, but he hadn't told her anything about it, so she decided not to press him.

Then, as Will was about to settle in bed, he heard a glassy 'thunk!' from his window, and knew immediately who it was. He slid the window open, leaning out with a wide grin on his face.

"Mike!" He called down, and the familiar silhouette stepped out of the shadows.

"You coming down?"