Manipulation |byler|

Chapter 7

California
2023.09.29
2:20 AM

"Are you okay?" Mike asked walking up to Will
Will stayed silent for a bit still looking at his burnt painting.
"y-yeah, I'm fine. I just- Oh my God " Will looked up at Mike.
Mike looked at him confused.
"your face," Will said worriedly "Oh God, and your hands".
There was a deep cut on Mike's face and a few cuts on his hands. The cut on his face was bleeding.

Mike looked at his own hands and saw cuts. Then he touched his face.
"I saw the fire through your window. I tried to open the front door but I couldn't so I had to break your window" Mike said looking at the broken window and then back to Will.

"I'm sorry about the window," Mike said awkwardly.
"No, I don't care about the window," He said back.
"your face is bleeding," Will said touching his face. Mike just stood there looking down at Will.
"come on, let me clean it" he grabbed his hand carefully not to touch the cuts. They walked to Will's room.

"You can sit here I'll be back in a minute" With that he left his room.
Mike set on Will's bed waiting for him. Will came back with a little box in his hands. He grabbed a medical gauze and stood in between Mike's legs and carefully placed it on the cut.
"try not to move," he said. Mike hummed in response.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mike asked.
"Yes. I'm fine" Will answered trying to stop bleeding.
"Where's El and Max?" Mike asked.
"they went to the club," He said taking the gauze from his face. "the bleeding stopped. Now we have to wash it" Will said taking a few steps back so Mike can stand up. He stood up and they headed to the bathroom.

Will carefully washed his face while Mike was leaning down on the sink. When he finished washing he grabbed a clean towel and dried his cut.
"stay here," Will said and walked out of the bathroom. He came back with cream and a sterile bandage on his hand. Then he stood closer to Mike and started smearing Mike's face with cream. Mike stood there looking into his eyes.

Will finished and bandaged it.
"here. All good" Wil said smiling. Mike looked at the mirror and then back to Will  "Thank you" Mike smiled.
"of course".
They stood there in silence looking at each other then Will looked down sighing.
"I'm sorry about the painting," Mike said sadly.
"No, it's fine. I'll think of something" Will said back trying not to look sad. He worked on that landscape for a week. Of course, he feels sad. What is he going to say to a customer now? A lot of thought was running through his head.

"How the fire started?" Mike asked in a low voice.
Will thought for a sec "There were candles on the desk. I think that's how it started. But windows were closed" Will sighed "I don't know Mike".
Mike nodded slowly.
Will walked out of the bathroom to his bad. He set down on it. Mike followed after and just stood there leaning on the wall.

"Why did you just stand there," Mike asked. Will looked up at him
"What?"
"you just stood there when your painting was burning," Mike said calmly.
Will didn't say anything. He remembered how his painting was burning in front of him. The same view from his nightmare. The guy in front of him. Will thought about everything.

"Will!" Will snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Mike calling his name.
"Are you okay? You just zoned out" He said. He was standing closer to Will.
Will just sighed looking down and putting his head in his hands. Mike set down next to him.
"you wanna talk about it?" He asked with a little smile on his face.
Will looked up at him.

Yeah, they used to be friends a year ago, Mike never spoke against Will. He always agreed with him and supported him. It was like Mike sees life as Will sees. But it's different now. Who knows, maybe Mike has changed, maybe he won't support him like he used to, 'cause Will refused to be his boyfriend.

But the look on Mike's face was still the same. Will feels like he can trust him like Mike still supports him. That's what Will is seeing in Mike's eyes right now.

"if you don't want to, I understand," Mike said calmly.
"No. I w-wanna talk...about it" Will said back. His voice is a little higher than a whisper. Mike smiled at him and scooted a little closer to Will so he can listen to him.
Will stayed silent for a sec "I don't know, where to start. I mean it's a little strange." Will started.
"I feel....empty. Yeah, I have my friends and family. But....it's still" Will sighed looking down.

"Hey, it's okay," Mike said.
"It's been almost a year that I'm having these strange nightmares. It's like I can't get rid of them" Will said still looking down. "well, the nightmare is not that scary. The only thing I can see is the road, darkness, and a guy. But I feel like....like it's real. Like it's really.....happening I guess....." Will said, his voice cracking a little. "I know it sounds stupid," he said chuckling about what he just said.

"hey. No. It's not stupid" Mike said looking at him.
"It is. I'm just doing my best to make myself feel better. I go to a therapist, I thought it would help. I guess it's not. It's not only a nightmare. I just...I can't even understand what I'm feeling. I don't know what I'm missing.I feel...confused" Tears were streaming down his face. He didn't even know he was crying until Mike wiped the tears away from his face.
Will looked at him. Mike's looking back. He smiled at Will. He slowly opened his arms for a hug. Will's just looking at him still crying. Then he hugged Mike's neck sobbing this time. He sobbed into his shoulder hugging him tight. Mike slowly placed his hands on Will's back.

He rubbed circles on his back to calm him down. "shhh, it's okay. It's okay." He whispered stroking his hair. It made Will sob even louder.
Will felt so comfortable. He felt so relieved. It felt like this was the only thing he needed. A hug.
They set there hugging for like 30 minutes. Soon Will calmed down, but he didn't let go. He just set there laying his head on Mike's shoulder. It felt so comfortable. Mike's still rubbing his back whispering nothings in his ear.

"thank you," Will said quietly before pulling away from a hug. His cheeks and nose are red from sobbing.
"of course," Mike said back.
They set there in silence for a bit before Mike spoke up
"Here what are we gonna do,  now I will clean up the mess in the room, and you're going to take a shower and go to sleep. Deal?" Mike said smiling.
"Mike, you don't have to-" "Will, it's fine. I'm just helping you. We should help each other remember?" Mike said smiling. Will slowly nodded.

"Okay" With that Mike stood up and walked towards the door. When he was about to open it, he heard Will
"Mike"  Mike turned around.
"Can you...stay here for tonight?"

1255 words.