they're carving my name (in the grave again) - byler

chapter 3 - the vanishing

November 6th, 1986

Will woke up early with a throbbing headache, but he felt relief washing over him as he realized he had slept soundly without any nightmares plaguing him. It was a promising sign, and he couldn't help but wonder if the support from his loved ones over the past few days had played a role in his improved well-being.

Though he appreciated Mike's unwavering presence by his side, Will couldn't shake the guilt he felt at the thought of holding his friend back from his own life. Three days was a long time to devote to someone else's problems, no matter how loyal Mike was.

Will glanced over at Mike, still sleeping peacefully, and carefully slipped out of bed, attempting to be as quiet as possible. However, just as he was tip-toeing across the hardwood floor, a cup was accidentally knocked over, causing it to rattle against the ground loudly and startling Mike from his peaceful slumber.

With a sigh of disappointment, Will bent down to pick up the fallen cup, feeling guilty for having disturbed Mike's much-needed rest. "Shit, I'm sorry Mike," he apologized regretfully. "I was trying to be quiet and not make any noise; I never meant to wake you up."

Mike blinked a few times as he sat up, still half-asleep but slowly coming to his senses. "It's okay, Will," he said reassuringly as he smiled at his friend. "Don't worry about it."

Will took a deep breath, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over him. "Go back to sleep. I just need to take some medicine for my headache," he said softly.

Mike stirred awake, his expression immediately shifting to one of concern. "Huh? Are you okay?" he mumbled drowsily.

Will shook his head, trying to downplay his pain. "It's just a headache, Mike. Nothing serious. I get them sometimes."

Mike looked skeptical, not convinced that his friend was telling the truth. "From a nightmare?"

Will chuckled weakly. "No, surprisingly I didn't have any nightmares last night."

Mike got out of bed and followed Will to the kitchen, still looking a bit worried. "Are you sure you didn't have a nightmare again?"

Will nodded, reaching for his medicine cabinet. "Yeah, I'm sure. I always get headaches when I wake up, especially after a few days of bad dreams."

Mike watched as Will took his medication, the concern in his eyes slowly fading away. "Okay... Just promise me you'll tell me if anything changes, alright?"

Will smiled, grateful for his friend's concern. "I promise, Mike."

As they held each other's gaze, Will could feel his heart racing with anticipation. He couldn't help but be captivated by Mike's sparkling eyes and gentle smile. He wondered if Mike could sense the unspoken longing that hung in the air between them.

But then he realized how ridiculous his thoughts were. Will convinced himself that Mike would never reciprocate his feelings. If he were to confess, Mike would probably be uncomfortable and might even sever their friendship.

Will felt like he was trapped in his own thoughts, suffocating under the weight of his own emotions. He tried to push away the feelings he had for Mike, convincing himself that it wasn't normal to be gay. Society would never accept him, he knew that.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't deny the way he felt. It made him hate himself, hate the way he was wired. How could he be so wrong when everyone else seemed to be right?

"Good," Mike said, breaking the silence that had descended between them. His voice was warm and reassuring, but there was a hint of uncertainty there that Will couldn't help but pick up on.