byler oneshots

60 - i love you's are hard

•they are together•
•Mike pov•

Will and I sit on his bed as he studied and I just admire how beautiful he looks. I know I should be studying also because we have a big math test tomorrow, but when I'm with him, I can't take my eyes off how he looks when he's focused.

His eyes are bright, his face his soft and relaxed, and I immediately feel my face heat up when he catches me.

"Why are you staring?" he giggles, setting down his pile of flash cards.

"Because you're cute." I say, his cheeks turning red as he rolls his eyes playfully.

"You should be studying!" he teases, handing me the flash cards, but I just push his hands away, kissing them quickly before he pulls back.

I lean over, kissing his cheek and then his lips softly, but all of the sudden he pulls away and our eyes lock, and my stomach begins to churn because I think I know what he's gonna say.

"Mike, I love you." he says, smiling widely. Something inside me just can't force any words out, because that is one of the only times I have ever heard those words.

My mom has maybe said it a few times, Nancy once or twice, and my dad not at all, and something about that makes it hard to say back. I've never heard those words before.

I can feel tears stinging in my eyes, and a few trickle down my cheeks as a look of fear washes over his face.

"Mike I - I didn't mean to - I don't know what I did wrong." he chokes out, making me even more upset.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I - I'm so sorry. Nobody has ever really said that to me and meant it." I cry, falling into his arms. I curl up into a little ball, laying my head on his chest as he rubs my back and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm so sorry, Will. It's just that - my parents never say that to me. Neither does Nancy. Neither do any of my friends, so those words coming out of your mouth just took over." I say, not crying but still staying in his arms.

"Mike, it's okay. I get it. I'm so sorry that you've had to feel this way for so long, but none of this changes that I love you." he says, kissing my head again. It's almost as if something inside me just clicks this time.

"I love you too, Will. You should know that even if I don't say it as often as you might." I say, leaning away. His face softens and becomes hopeful again, me brushing a strand of hair out of his eye.

I kiss him one more time before we doze off to sleep in each other's arms.