Hold My Heart // Byler

010

  The two boys had always felt so safe when accompanied by each other.

  As soon as they entered Mike's room, the walls they both put up came down immediately.

  But neither of them could figure out exactly what that meant quite yet.

  " Will, do you remember- when we were like eight.. and we made that-" he smiled brightly before continuing, " that- uh- friendship book?"

  Will thought for a moment before the memories flooded in. Mike and Will as kids, creating together.

  Will smiled while saying " Yes, of course I remember it! How could I forget, we took almost two months making it! And we-"

  Mike finished the sentence for Will, " - We showed it to our moms and they just laughed!"

  They both hunched over in a fit of laughter. They were both sitting, Will sitting on a chair and Mike at the foot of his bed.

  They were both leaned towards each other. Will continued, between laughter, " And then we acted like it was the best art piece in the world, and- and we brought it to school.."

  That made Mike's laughter double. Will's too. So they sat there, and they kept adding things on that made them laugh harder and harder.

  Eventually, after around ten minutes of uncontrollable laughter, the boys' laughter dissipated into sporadic giggles.

  Mike leaned back on his bed and said " Oww! My stomach hurts so bad now."

  Will said " Me too." Mike patted the space next to him but didn't look up at Will, he just stared at the ceiling.

  Mike said " I want you to see something." His words pulled Will beside Mike on the bed, staring at the ceiling along with him.

  Mike flicked off the lamp and said " Do you uh- remember that week before you left?" Mike's voice sounded a bit hoarse.

  Will said " Umm, yeah- what about it?"

   " When we put those glow in the dark stars on my ceiling.." Will glanced over to Mike. Mike was smiling, really big.

  Will became nervous. He'd always felt a little uncomfortable being so close to Mike. The closer he got, he wanted to be closer. He craved it.

  He wanted to get so close that their bodies morphed together, and they became one. That was a lifelong unattainable dream of Will's.

Will swallowed hardly before nodding while saying, " Yeah I- I do."

Mike was still smiling. Will couldn't force himself to pull his eyes away. His eyes fell over Mike's distinct features.

If Will could pick a drug to have for his life, it would be the feeling he got when he looked at Mike.

Mike's eyes soon made their way toward Will's hazel eyes. Mike had always thought they were perfect.

The boy had sad eyes, but when Mike looked into them, he swore he could see a glimpse of something unknown, an opposite of sadness.

A breathe spilt past Mike's lips before he whispered, " That was one of the best days of my entire life."

Will felt his stomach begin to tie itself in knots. " I- really?"

Mike nodded and continued whispering, " Of course. I just- You don't understand how you affect people."

Will felt exposed. He felt like Mike had torn out his heart. But his heart was safe. Mike was cradling it in his hands.

He wanted Mike to have his heart, he wanted Mike to chip away at the wall Will had put up. Mike blew it away with every second passed by.

Will whispered " What.. affect?"

Mike breathed out quickly and replied, " You have an affect on every person you've ever met. You.. you're entrancing. Everyone.. loves you."

Will's heart was pounding. He grinned at Mike, and when Mike returned the same look, Will felt his heart ripping out of him, searching for Mike's safe arms.

Staring at Mike was the equivalent to staring at a God. The way his chest heaved in and out. The way his lips parted.

Mike says " Will?"

" Yeah?"

" I- I'm sorry."

Will continued, confused, " For..?"

" Will, sometimes I treat you.." his voice cracked and Will saw tears in his eyes. " I treat you so badly sometimes."

Will's eyes widened. He said " Mike, no- What?"

" I always ditch you for El."

El. El this, El that. He wanted Mike to be happy but hearing his sisters name come off Mike's lips instead of his own made him burn with jealousy.

Will whispered, " Mike.. its okay."

Mike didn't say anything. He scooted closer to Will, but barely. He didn't want Will to become aware of how hard it was to pull himself away.

" Is it?"

" I mean, shes your girlfriend. It's not like I expected you to.. swoon over me or something." Will laughs along with the comment but he still feels jealous.

" Will.." Mike whispers.

He needs to stop saying my name like that. Will can't stop becoming entranced by the way his name sounds on Mike's lips.

He wonders if Mike enjoys his name. He can have it. He can take my name.

Will faces Mike and whispers " Yeah?"

Mike doesn't say anything, and he doesn't plan to say anything either. He just wants to stay here with Will, in the dark, and just stare at him.

The boys stay like that, chests moving together. Being close, but neither one having the courage to reach out and touch.

The boys admired each other, and they allowed themselves to. They allowed themselves to sit in silence, to love, to grow, to be.

And for the first time since they laid down, Will looked up at the ceiling, and he caught the beauty of those stars glowing in the dark, illuminating the room.

And the beauty wasn't from the actual object. It was because of the memories that they would always carry.

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A/N: I definitely have been feeling very motivated to write today so expect more chapters coming soon! I figured there was enough dialogue in this chapter. If you have anything to ask, tell me, or anything, message me!!! thanks for reading <333