sweet dreams | | byler (ongoing)

chapter 6 : coming clean.

Saturday, January 19th 1985

The only person who ever knew that Will Byers was gay was Will himself. It had all started in 5th grade when Will got his first ever crush. A crush on a girl named Elena Parker who was his partner in a science project. He didn't know how to handle his feelings back then so he confessed to her pretty quickly, which didn't end well for poor Will. He got bullied for it for a short period of time afterwards. Not long after, was when Will developed a crush on a boy, his best friend Mike Wheeler. He just thought it was a normal part of growing up and didn't plan to confess to him after what had happened with Elena and him being scared it would happen again, and he was glad he didn't. Will never knew about the controversy surrounding gay people back then, and when he learned all about it in his first year of middle school, his life changed forever. He started only having feelings for boys, the constant fear he was in because of it caused him to develop anxiety and depression problems. But they never were that bad.

That was, until the demogorgan happened. That situation caused him to grow up a lot more, he became more aware of the world around him. And his feelings for Mike didn't go away, they only got stronger.

He never told anyone he was gay, his dad had some suspicions that he let loose to the rest of the town when he abandoned him, and of course the rest of his family and the party had their suspicions. But nobody knew for sure, until Will accidentally came out to Dustin, which he later was grateful for as Dustin supported it and didn't tell anyone else.

Today, a week after telling Dustin, Will decided he was going to come out to his mom. After he accidentally came out to Dustin, his confidence grew a bit bigger, and he was beginning to feel safer as who he was. Plus, he knew how overprotective she could be, so he didn't really expect her to get mad or anything.

Jonathan left early for work today, so that left just him and his mother.

"Will? Sweetie?" Joyce said "Breakfast is ready!"

"I'll be out in a minute." Will said

"I made blueberry pancakes, your favorite!" Joyce replied

"I said in a minute!" Will said

"Alright just be quick sweetie, your foods getting cold."

Will went out into the dining room and sat down, beginning to munch on his blueberry pancakes.

"How are they?" Joyce asked "I tried not to overdo the syrup cause I know you don't like that."

"They're perfect, mom." Will said, with a slight smile

The two sat there, eating their breakfast, and Will started to say what he needed to

"Hey mom?" Will asked

"Yes sweetie?" Joyce replied

"you know those... feelings you get, y'know when you... like someone?" Will asked

"Oh, well of course I do. What about them?"

"About them, well, I don't exactly, have those feelings..." Will was starting to try and hold back tears, but he had to finish what he was saying.

"Well, that's perfectly fine Will, lots of people don't meet the 'right one' for them until their much older."

"That's not what I mean mom..." Will said "What I meant was, I don't have feelings for... other girls."

"Wait." Joyce asked "I don't understand... are yo-"

"I'm g-gay." Will said in a squeaky voice as his tears were starting to drip from his eyes

"I-I'm not normal Mom..." Will spoke through the tears

Joyce just began to smile, and held her arms out for will "Oh sweetie!" She cried out  "I'm so proud of you!" she squeezed Will in a tight hug "Will... don't let anyone in this world try to stop you from being who you are. You are an amazing, sweet, and funny kid, don't let someone bring you down because of what you are."

Will couldn't say anything, he didn't expect his mother to be so supportive of him.

"And Will, if ANYONE tries to do anything to you, please, and I'm serious, PLEASE tell me, I-I don't want you to get hurt. I can't lose you again, not after what happened last year."

Will just sat there, crying tears of joy and sadness. His mother gave him a tight hug and a pat on the back.

"T-Thanks mom, I-I-I love you" Will said with a smile on his face.

"I love you too sweetie!" Joyce exclaimed with joy "I'm so proud of you."

As they continued to eat their breakfast, Will continued to talk to his mother.

"I also umm-" He started "like someone..."

"Oh Will." Joyce said "Who is he?"

"It's... Mike." Will said "I think I- I think I might be in love with him, mom. I-I know I like him, but I think I might be in... love."

"like... love love?" Joyce asked

"yep-" Will answered "I want to confess to him but- but I'm so scared mom, what if he lashes out and beats me up fo-"

Joyce just laughed "He's not gonna do that silly. I still remember the day you came home from your first day of kindergarten. You we're so happy that you had made a friend that day. Then, a week later, Mike came over to play, and you guys just played and had fun all day. I just knew that your friendship was gonna last forever from that day. I just knew!"

"B-but what if he does?" Will asked

"If you really think he's gonna do that, don't do it. But you guys are like- the best of friends. He would never do that to you. And if he did? I guess I could talk to his mom or something."

"d-do you think there's a chance that-" Will paused "that he might like me back?"

"Well that's not something I can decide." Joyce said "But maybe he's bisexual, anything is possible in Hawkins!"