𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫

[ 006 ] My Boyfriend.

     

     ABOUT maybe two or three days after Charles' birthday, another one of his episodes hit. He didn't move one morning, just stared at the window as the sun rises. He doesn't move even when his mom came by, seeing if he was up. She tells him he has work in an hour, but he still doesn't move. Not a muscle.

She doesn't really stop him when it happens, just sighs and says she'll be off at work, deciding to call in sick for him. When Will heard he was home sick, he got worried. Naturally. Gareth was a little annoyed but they're best friends, it should be natural. But then the third day that Charles calls in sick, Will sighed and got off the counter. "I'm gonna go check on him. You stay here, you'll be fine, right?" He asked, pecking Gareth's cheek a little too quickly and grabbing his stuff. "Woah, woah, woah, you will come back right?" He asked the younger a bit worriedly.

"Yeah, of course, I'm not gonna abandon you or anything. I'm just gonna go see if he's okay, I'll see you in an hour, okay?" He rushed off and started heading out the mall. At home, Charles is playing loud music and staring at the wall. He hasn't moved. He moved just to grab his casette player and that's about it.

When Will got to the apartment, he digs into his pocket for his key ring, using his spare before going in and closing the door quietly. He walks over to Charles' bedroom and knocked loudly. "Charles?" He opened the door and sure enough, there was cocoon-Charles. He's only ever seen him like this once before and it was when they were twelve.

Charles didn't show up to school for a week and didn't show up for D&D, so, Will got worried. It's the same case now as Will walks over, standing by the bed and tilting his head to the side a bit. "Hi." He smiles softly, kneeling down in front of the younger boy who slowly but surely took out one of his earbuds. "Hi." He doesn't say anything further, about why Will was here or even smiles at all.

"Something wrong?" Will got up, sitting on the bed by Charles' legs as the boy scooted away to give him more space. "No... what makes you think that?" He asked and the older frowns, staring at him. "Because you're not yourself." He says and Charles sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm just... tired." He says and Will stared at him worriedly. "Have you not been sleeping again?" He asked. "Because you can talk to me. You know that, right?"

"Will?" He turns his head a bit to look at him. "I'm gay." He tells the other who just slowly nodded. "Oh?" He says and Charles frowns. "I--I thought you'd be upset because I was your first kiss and I let it happen?" He says and Will just turns his head away. "No, I mean, no, no... we're just friends anyway, right? You... were just helping me as a friend." He nods before looking at Charles who let out a soft sigh of relief. "Yeah." He then smiled.

"So... that's why you're all doom and gloom? That you're gay and you were worried about our kiss?" Will asked, looking at him. "Yeah. I thought you'd think I was weird for letting us kiss while you were under the impression that I'm straight when I was actually gay all along." He rambled and Will grabs his arm. "It's okay, relax." He chuckled and then looked away. "I know what it's like... the realization, then the realization after the realization. You've been having a hard time lately, haven't you?" He asked sympathetically.

"Yeah." Charles whispered truthfully and Will nods softly, glancing away. "Well, you know, I'm always gonna be your best friend, nothing will ever change that and I really don't mind that you were my first kiss." The Byers smiles faintly and the Dumont nods, looking the other way. "I really did try to deny it... but honestly, Jen helped me realize I need to be myself, you know? She says we should be friends." He smiles and Will's smile slowly fades away.

Not of romantic jealousy but of platonic jealousy. The fact Charles didn't come to him, and rather it was someone else. "Can you lay with me for a bit?" Charles whispers, nodding to his side and Will stared him down. "Only if you say you'll come into work tomorrow." He says and Charles chuckles, nodding. "Yeah, fine. I'll come into work tomorrow. Since you can't live without me." He says as Will lays down next to him, the other scooting closer and putting his hand to Charles' chest while his head goes on his shoulder. "Damn right I can't." He whispers and Charles smiles.