𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭; byler

- 15 -

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WORD COUNT: 1117

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"DID I SAY SOMETHING wrong?" Max asked, exchanging confused looks with Dustin and Lucas. 

But Mike didn't hear them. Not really.

He stared at Jane trying not to cry. She had been right.

Will was not fine. As it turns out, he wasn't fine at all.
Jane stared straight back, and her eyes showed no judgment- just pity.

Mike wasn't sure that wasn't worse.

They all stayed there for another half a second until Jane finally mouthed "GO!"
He snapped back to reality. He ran out of the room, out of the house, without saying another word. He stood in the doorway, his eyes searching around for the boy.

"Will?" He called, but no response. He was about to go into the car and drive around in search of Will when he heard sobs coming from behind the corner of the house.

He followed the sounds to find Will sitting on the ground. His back was pressed against the wall, and his lips were pursed tightly together, trying (unsuccessfully) to stifle his sobs. His eyes were red and tears were streaming out of them like water from an open faucet.

Mike ran to his boyfriend, hugging him as tight as he could. 
"Don't cry, baby! It's okay, everything is okay!" he tried, but Will just buried his head in Mike's shoulder and started crying even louder.

A few times it seemed like Will was trying to talk, but no words came out. The failure only made him sadder, and after a few moment the tears were turned into full on wails of pain. It broke Mike's heart to hear them.

"Hey, it's okay!" Mike repeated, pulling him back so they were face to face. Will shook his head and opened his mouth again, but like in the room nothing came out. Mike saw his eyes widening with sheer panic.

"Calm down, Will. Take a deep breath," Mike instructed, although he had no idea if his instructions would actually work. Will obeyed, and finally his sobs started dying down and his breathing became even again.

"You can't talk?" Mike asked softly, making sure his tone was calm and collected. Will made that open mouth attempt again, but instead just shook his head.

"It's okay. It'll be better once we get out of here," Mike muttered. He helped Will up, and together they walked to the car.

Mike hoped he was right, that he wasn't installing fake hope in Will. He knew that he sounded confidant, but in truth he was just as nervous as Will.

Had he pushed Will too far? was this... permanent? 

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Mike drove straight to Rick's, where after a cup of hot chocolate drank in silence, he turned to Will again. The boy was playing around with his empty cup, looking out the car window at the un-moving scenery. (They had preferred not to go in, and had their beverage in the car).

"How are you now?" Mike asked, hoping his voice wasn't shaking.

Will took a deep breath.

"I'm fine," He said in a low tone, and Mike slumped with relief.
"I'm really sorry, Mike! I really truly tried!" He pleaded at Mike, his tone urgent.

Mike nodded.
"It's totally fine. I know you did,"  he squeezed Will's hand and they didn't talk for another long minute.

"But- like, other than now.. you talk, right? To everybody?" Mike asked in a hopeful tone. Maybe this whole thing was just anxiety, maybe it was just talking to so many people...

If Will could talk to everyone else, that meant he couldn't have that selective- whatever, that thing Jane had told him about. Maybe he just had anxiety, that would be easier to help him with!

But his hoped died like an open flame in the wind when Will turned a deep scarlet and shook his head firmly.

"Not really... I can only really talk when it's you I'm talking to..." He didn't look at Mike, but rather at the slightly dirty car floor.

As alarmed as he was, Mike couldn't help feeling flattered. He felt himself turn light pink.
"Not even to your mom?" He whispered.

Will looked back at him. "Especially not to my mom."

Mike was shocked. That whole week, he thought Will had made progress, that he had made everything fine... When really he had only touched the tip of the iceberg. 
"Why didn't you tell me? I never would've asked you to go if I knew!" He asked Will.

"I didn't want to worry you... it's not like you didn't already know that I was screwed up, but I didn't want you to know just how screwed up I really am." Will's voice was full of tears. Mike looked at his beautiful boyfriend, and didn't know what to say.

"You're not screwed up." He finally said, but Will laughed slightly.

"Mike, I didn't talk until last week. Ever. I think that qualifies me as a screw up," He said, but Mike shook his head.

"I don't think it's your fault. I don't know much about it, but there's this condition called selective mutism which comes from severe trauma and-"

"-makes the person unable to speak in - slash- around situations - slash - people that cause them stress. I know," Will finished the sentence for him. Mike looked at him with shock.

"Do you think I didn't do every kind of research I could? I know that's the one that makes the most sense, but- I don't think anything traumatic happened to me! And if that was true, why couldn't I ever speak to my mom? She never made me nervous!"

Mike felt like an idiot. Of course Will knew about that already! Wouldn't he try to understand what was wrong with himself if he was in Will's place? He didn't know how to respond.

"Mike, I understand if you want to end things here. I won't be mad, I swear." Will smiled a sad smile, like he was about to burst out crying but at the same time had already made peace with his fate. Mike jolted back.

"Of course I don't! Why would I ever want that? You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Will." He looked at Will with determination in his eyes, and kissed him.

His lips tasted like salt.

"Let's go to your house. I think we both need a relaxing afternoon, " Mike decided. Will nodded, still teary-eyed.

As he drove to Will's house, Mike vowed to himself that he would find out what's wrong, and he'd do it soon.

The first step? He needed to talk to Will's mom.