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Will sits on his dorm bed, the bed squeaking when he shifts. It’s his first week of college. His first time living with a stranger in a shared dorm. Will can feel a lump forming in his throat. He’s meeting a new person, a person who’s supposed to live with him for the semester. What if he’s rude or smells? Jonathan told him not to worry, that he’d make quick friends with whoever is set to live with him, but Will isn’t as optimistic as his brother. Even though Will came out to his friends and family, he hasn’t explicitly told anyone else about his sexuality. The thought of living with a homophobic guy sets Will’s nerves alight. Being gay has always been something Will has desperately hidden from the public eye, to no avail. Throughout high school, kids seemed to read his mind, see straight through his persona, and into Will’s thoughts.
Gay.
He only recently let himself say the word. He was talking with Jonathan, and he could feel all the words he tried to avoid bubbling up and out of his throat.
Jonathan had hugged Will for a long time, letting him cry on his brother's shoulder. It had been freeing to say the words, something he didn’t do even when coming out to the party. But “I don’t like girls” wasn’t “I’m gay.”
Now Will was out… mostly. He was out to the people that mattered, and that’s all Will really needed.
Will taps his foot on the wood floor and looks around. His side of the room is still mostly bare, save for the art he brought from home and his essentials. The jeans and white shirt he is wearing are as ambiguous as he could find in his closet.
Will takes a deep breath and bites his lip, looking at the closed door across the room for the 10th time today. Looking at his watch, it’s only 10:28 am.
It’s 10:43 when a small knock brings Will out of his thoughts. Standing up, Will walks towards the door as it opens.
A boy, taller than Will by a few inches, stands on the other side. He’s got dark brown hair and a soft smile. Will can’t help but notice he's cute, but he quickly throws the thought far away.
“Hey, I’m Carlton,” the boy says.
Will remembers to smile back, “I’m Will.” Will steps back, inviting Carlton to walk into the dorm room. Will is hit with a cologne that smells of something Smokey.
Carlton drags a blue suitcase into the room, setting it next to his empty bed across from Will’s. He turns around, his eyes quickly darting around Will's face, as if sizing him up.
Will can feel himself begin to blush at the attention. He clasps his hands together and stares at the wall behind Carlton in hopes of calming himself.
Taking a large breath, Will speaks too fast, “well I’ll let you get settled. I’ve got to run!” He turns on his heels and is out of the room before Carlton can respond.
Will tries his best not to think about his awkward first meeting with his roommate. Carlton doesn’t go out often, so Will has run into him a handful of times when they’re not in class. Carlton hasn’t mentioned Will's failure of a meeting yet, which Will is grateful for.
They exchange hellos and goodbyes, but Will is at a loss for how to start a conversation that goes any further. As each day passes, Will gets more and more determined to reach out, refusing to let his social anxiety ruin what could be a new opportunity to make a new friend. His first friend outside of Hawkins.
Will gets out of class on Wednesday at the same time as Carlton. Will is walking to his dorm when he runs into Carlton, also walking. Will sees him in the distance and doesn’t let himself second-guess what he is doing before he runs up to Carlton’s side.
“Hey!” Will says, slightly out of breath.
Carlton turns his head, giving Will a surprised smile. “Will! You just finished with classes for the day, too?”
“Yeah,” Will nods. “I was thinking of reading a new comic I bought recently in the dorm, if you’d like to join?” Will tries not to sound too hopeful, staring at the ground in front of him as they walk.
“I’d love to,” Carlton bumps his shoulder into Wills.
They walk the rest of the way in silence, both tossing small smiles at one another. They enter their dorm and toss their bags onto the floor by the door. Will grabs his comic book and sits on his bed. A sort of nostalgia hits Will; this is something he and Mike used to do all the time. Will gives a subtle shake of his head. He can’t be thinking about Mike anymore.
Carlton sits next to Will, the bed dipping so their shoulders are pressed together. Will can feel the heat of his body as he breathes next to him.
Will opens the comic to the first page, trying his best to get engrossed in the world of his favorite characters instead of thinking about how Carlton has shifted next to Will. How Will can feel his breath, steady and hot, as it grazes his neck. Will hopes Carlton doesn’t notice the goosebumps that have spread across his arms.
“Let me know when I can turn the page.” Will's voice is hoarse. It’s so quiet in their room, and Carlton gives a small hum of acknowledgement that only serves to make Will's heart beat faster.
This is when Will makes the mistake of turning his head. He is met with Carlton’s deep brown eyes, and they are looking right back at Will.
Will can feel his breath catch. His heart seems to be flipping in his chest. He’s never been so close to a boy before, a cute boy at that. Will swallows audibly, and Carlton’s mouth tics into a quick smirk before returning to the serious gaze he had on before. The tension is thick, and somehow Carlton is closer than he was before, inching toward Will in a way that Will’s only ever seen in movies.
A kiss. It registers moments before it is about to happen. Carlton, this mystery roommate, is about to kiss him. And Will has no idea how he is supposed to respond. He’s never kissed before, not for lack of wanting to, but because there was no one to kiss. And Will doesn’t know Carlton enough to tell him that this will be his first kiss. He didn’t even know Carlton was into men at all. It all feels so sudden, too quick, and Will can feel his ears begin to ring as Carlton’s lips meet his.
It’s quick. So quick that Will can barely process that it’s happened at all. But Carlton pulls away with a small smile, a knowing smile, that only serves to confuse Will more.
“W-what?”
Carlton laughs softly, “You’re cute.”
Will can feel his cheeks burning; he hasn’t blushed so much in his life.
“I was picking up signals, was I wrong?”
Signals. Robin had taught Will about signals a while ago. Will’s mind races, thinking back to every conversation he’s had with Carlton these past weeks.
The long looks, the brushing of hands when passing each other, the hesitant questions, and soft spoken answers. Has that all been leading to this avalanche? Was this Carlton giving his own signals? Because Will knows this is the first time he’s really become aware of just how sweetly Carlton is looking at him. It makes Will's insides squirm in a small yet positive way. No one’s ever looked at Will like this before, and he’s finding that he’d like to see more of it.
“You weren’t wrong.”
Carlton smiles, a wide grin that Will mirrors.
“Let’s finish the comic?” Carlton nods towards the forgotten item in his hand.
“Yeah,” Will tries to stop grinning and fails spectacularly.
The next two months go by in a blur of homework and stolen glances. Exams are coming up, and Will is working on his art project most nights. Will doesn’t have as much time to talk to Carlton, but he understands how important Will’s paintings are.
They aren’t dating, at least as far as Will is aware, but they aren’t just friends anymore. After that night of reading the comic book, things changed. Carlton began to reach out more, holding Will’s hand longer, hands brushing against Will’s back when walking by. A few times, Carlton had even winked at Will when passing him in the hall. It all leaves Will feeling flustered and excited.
Though now Will is also forced to confront his lack of experience as well. He’s only ever kissed Carlton once, but he is sure Carlton wants to kiss him again. There have been a few tense moments where Carlton has leaned in, but Will has reluctantly pulled away in fear of not being able to return the skill required to kiss him effectively. And what if his lack of ability turns Carlton away from ever kissing him again?
It’s almost Christmas break, which means going back to Hawkins, and Will is both excited and nervous to see everyone again. To see Mike again.
Carlton is also going home for winter break. They’ve talked a lot about their home lives and being gay in a small town. It’s different in the city, more accepting, but Will misses his family and friends more than he enjoys the freedom this new life offers. Though sometimes Will feels the opposite, being away from everyone for so long feels wrong.
In just a week, he’ll be back home with his family and friends. Will can feel the buzz of anxiety even as he lies in bed, listening to Carlton snore in the bed next to him.
The next morning, Will wakes to Carlton shaking his shoulders.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Carlton smiles softly, and Will groans in annoyance at being woken up early. “It’s the last week before winter break, we need to make it count.”
Will rolls his eyes dramatically, sitting up in his bed and almost knocking into Carlton’s shoulder.
“Hi,” Carlton grins up close.
Will is suddenly wide awake. Being this close to Carlton is both familiar and foreign.
“Hey,” Will's voice cracks as he speaks, still not fully ready for the day. Will can feel himself almost going cross-eyed from how close Carlton is.
Will is almost too tired to worry about how badly this could all go, but his anxiety comes rushing back in the moment Carlton begins closing the gap.
“I-“ Will pulls back, almost hitting his head on the wall behind him. “Not right now.” Will averts his eyes in shame, ignoring the pit in his stomach as Carlton gives him a soft smile and stands up, walking away.
“It’s alright, Will, another time, yeah?” Carlton opens the door, looking hopefully back at Will.
“Definitely,” Will responds, and he means it. He will kiss Carlton; he just needs to find a way to practice his technique.
“I’ll see you later.” Carlton waves as he exits their room.
Will gives a small wave back, too late for it to be seen.
The drive back to Hawkins is never-ending, but Will finally makes it home on Friday night. He is greeted by his mom and brother, both giving him a huge hug and asking a million questions. Will ends up going to bed early since tomorrow is going to be a big day. He is going to see Mike and the others. After so many months apart, the DnD group will be back together. Excitement isn’t the word for how Will feels about seeing all his friends again.
The next day, at 1 pm, the group will all be back in Mike's basement. Just like old times.
Carlton told Will he has never played DnD before but is open to trying a campaign. Carlton is always like that, wanting to try new things just for Will. Will can feel a blush forming at just the thought of him. Of putting himself into new situations just for Will’s sake. It was sweet. Carlton was sweet. Will can’t remember a time he felt this way about anyone other than Mike. It is refreshing to see his feelings returned.
Jonathan knocks on Will's door, pulling Will from his thoughts and back to the present.
“Come in.”
Jonathan walks in, a small smile on his face as he sits on the bed next to Will.
“You look lost in thought,” Jonathan says. “Anything in particular that you didn’t mention to mom?” Jonathan gives a knowing glance; he always somehow knows Will's secrets.
“If I tell you, you have to promise not to freak out,” Will raises his eyebrows pointedly.
“Cross my heart.”
“...I met a boy.”
Will waits for the explosion. He dropped the pin; any second, he is sure the world would obliterate him. But this never comes. Jonathan laughs, a short chuckle that startles Will.
“A boy?” Jonathan's grin widens, “and what’s his name?”
“Carlton.” Will gives a small shrug, feeling himself begin to smile.
Jonathan smirks, “Carlton, tell me about him.”
Will feels a weight lift off his shoulders while talking to his older brother. He doesn't know what he was so worried about, of course, Jonathan would be excited to hear about his crush. Will tells him all about Carlton, how they met, what they bonded over, even how they kissed.
“Was that your first kiss?!” Jonathan exclaims.
“Shhh,” Will quiets him. “Yes, the only kiss I've ever had.”
“Well, how was it?”
Will can feel his face go red, “It was fine.”
Jonathan laughs, “And why haven't you kissed him again?”
“Because I don't want to fuck it up, I've never done it before, and I don't want to be a shit kisser.”
Jonathan shakes his head, “Everyone sucks when they first start, you just have to practice is all.”
“That's what I've been thinking of doing.”
“With Carlton?"
“Maybe? I don't want to mess it up with the first guy that actually likes me.”
Jonathan gets up from the bed and walks towards the door. “If he really likes you, that won't matter to him. Dinner is almost ready. Come down soon.”
Jonathan leaves Will with his racing thoughts. Maybe he's right, or maybe Will needs to get his first real kiss out of the way. With someone he knows won't leave him if he sucks. He can't help but think of Mike, his best friend. Could he even suggest the idea without Mike running from him? Probably not.
The next day goes by quickly. Will meets up with his friends, Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Mike, who all play card games in the basement, and catch each other up on college life. It's nice to see everyone again. Will can't help but notice how everyone still seems to be changing, growing up. Mike is even taller, his jaw sharp and hair groomed. Will tries his best not to notice all that's changed with Mike; the thought of his best friend becoming someone else upsets his stomach.
The group chats for hours, the afternoon turning into night, and one by one, the group parts ways. By the time the crickets outside have stopped chirping, Will is left alone in the basement with Mike.
Mike is shuffling the cards, grabbing the mess from the table, and putting them into a pile to put away. The easy conversation came to a halt when Dustin was the last to leave. Now, for some reason, a tension fills the air. It raises the hairs on Will's neck. He can't figure out why things have gotten so tense between him and his best friend. Will tries his best to ignore the feeling.
“So, I'm glad things are going well for you here in Hawkins.” Will is sitting on the small couch in the corner of the room. He tries not to fidget while he speaks. “Everyone else seems to be doing really well.”
“Yeah, it's really nice to see everyone again. It's nice to see you again, Will.” Mike finishes putting away the cards, and he walks towards the couch, sitting on a chair in front of Will.
Will grins, “It's nice to see you too.”
“Have you made any new friends? Haven't replaced me yet?” Mike teases.
“I'd never replace you…” Will hesitates. Does he mention Carlton? Is that a recipe for disaster? He knows he doesn't have to mention his romantic partners, but he feels as if he's lying to Mike if he doesn't.
Mike's eyebrows shift down, a frown forming on his face. “What is it, Will?”
“I've met someone.”
“Oh.”
Will takes a breath of encouragement before he continues.
“His name is Carlton.”
“Like, you met a guy?”
Will rolls his eyes. “Yes, Mike, a really nice guy who I like that likes me back.”
Mike sits very still in his chair. Will can't help but notice how wide Mike's eyes have gone. His posture screams uncomfortable, and Will regrets mentioning anything at all.
Will gets up top go, “never mind, I don't know why I-”
Mike cut him off, standing in his way and preventing him from leaving the room. “Wait, no, no. I was just surprised.” Mike waits for Will to sit back down on the couch before sitting next to him. “Tell me more.”
So Will does just that. He tells Mike about Carlton, all the same things he told his brother the night before. Mike listens quietly, nodding his head and offering a shy smile as Will adamantly describes this new dynamic.
“He even,” Will pauses, “he kissed me.”
At this, Mike physically leans back in surprise. His mouth dropped open in shock. Will huffs out a laugh.
“I was just as shocked as you are.”
“Was it your first? I can't believe I didn't know about this.” Mike shakes his head in disbelief.
“My one and only,” Will responds pitifully.
“Only?” Mike looks at Will, confusion clear on his face.
“I didn't let him do it again.”
“But I thought you liked him.”
Will bites his lip, “I do, I just… well,” Will wavers before admitting in a small voice, “I don't actually know how to kiss.”
Mike's face scrunches in confusion again. “W-what?” He shakes his head, “How is that even possible, Will. You just sort of-"
Mike cuts himself off, his face beginning to turn red. Will can feel his own face light up with shared embarrassment. Will wipes his hands on his jeans, coughing awkwardly to try and clear his throat.
“I don't exactly have anyone I could practice with.” Will stares at his own feet, trying to ignore the familiar feeling of humiliation as it bubbles into his gut.
“What about me?”
Will's world abruptly stops. He snaps his head towards Mike. Did he hear him correctly?
“You- what mike?” Will says, baffled. Mike goes to stand, and this time it’s Will grabbing onto Mike’s arm to get him to stop from fully standing.
“Never mind, I don't know what I was thinking, I-”
“Wait.”
Mike sits back down next to Will with a huff and then a large gulp. Will's eyes are drawn to the movement, but he forces himself to pull his eyes away from Mike's throat.
“Would you really help?” Will tries not to look too hopeful; he is almost positive this is a dream.
“Always.” Mike gives a sincere smile. “We could try it now?”
Will and Mike reposition on the couch so their knees are touching. Will is so close he can see the freckles that litter Mike's nose.
“Is this real?” Will can feel himself slowly leaning in. Mike smiles at Will's words.
“Yes,” Mike sits up and away from Will, pulling him out of his daze. “I’m going to teach you how to kiss.”
Will moves back, embarrassed that he assumed this would just be a quick kissing session. Of course, Mike would want to teach him how to kiss properly. Will wipes his hands on his jeans, a nervous habit he’s picked up over the years.
“Alright,” Will nods firmly. “What's the first step?”
Mike's grin widens, “Well, first,” Mike reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a mint container, “make sure your breath smells good.” Mike hands Will a mint and pops one into his own mouth.
Will lets the bite of the mint distract him from his nerves.
“The second step is body language. Is the person you're about to kiss showing signs that they are ready to be kissed?” Mike leans in, letting his breath ghost over Will's face, looking him into his eyes. “Kinda like this. Mirror me.”
Will ignores the sweat he can feel dripping down his neck. He leans in, copying Mike. “Like this?”
Mike is no longer smiling. His eyes widened.
“Yeah…” his voice is soft as his eyes fall to Will's lips. “Then you just, “Mike leans in closer, tilting his head to the side for a better angle.
Will follows, tilting his head the opposite way, too scared to say something in case he ruins the moment. He leans in further, closing the gap between their mouths.
It's not a long kiss. Will doesn't know what to do with his lips, but Mike's mouth is warm, and he can feel the hot breath as he exhales on his cheek. Mike is the first to pull back after a few seconds of contact.
“That was good, you just have to move your mouth a bit more. Follow my lead.”
Mike leans back in, the pressure of this kiss a bit more intense than the first. Mike's lips are moving, and Will's brain feels like it's about to short-circuit. He does his best to follow his movements. Barely opening his mouth at first, but growing confident as the seconds pass. Will's eyes flutter shut, surrounded by darkness; he has no choice but to be led by Mike's touch.
Will doesn't know what to do with his hands; they sit awkwardly in his lap, but Mike lets his own hand move up. He grips Will's bicep, his fingers twitching as Will opens his mouth further. Will makes a small, embarrassing noise when Mike's tongue first caresses Will's bottom lip. Mike tilts his head further, and their lips slot together more comfortably. Their mouths no longer close as they push their lips together.
Will tries to copy Mike, and is met with Mike's own open mouth, their tongues touching. It's a new, not unpleasant sensation. Mike lets out a soft groan of his own that only spurs Will on. Without thinking about it, Will lets his hands grab onto Mike's hair, letting him guide Mike's movements as they kiss.
Mike pulls away, their mouths disconnecting with a small sound that makes Will's stomach twist with heat.
“That was really good.” Mike's face is pink.
Will leans in again, chasing after what makes heat pool in his stomach. This time, they meet in the middle, their teeth almost clashing from the intensity. Mike bites at Will's lower lip. Will can't help the way a small moan bubbles out of his throat in response. Before he can be embarrassed by the reaction, Mike's other hand is in his hair. He lets his own fingers card through Mike's short yet soft hair in return.
Will shifts his body closer to Mike. Mike moves his hands from Will's hair and grabs onto his hips, pulling Will on top of him. This new position allows Will to grip onto Mike's shoulders. His jeans pull tight from the lack of stretch. Mike's hands wrap around his body, making sure he is sturdy. Will lets his legs relax, falling further apart and allowing him to feel Mike's strong thighs under him. Mike groans into Will's mouth, pulling Will closer.
Will pulls back, startled by the bulge he can now feel, one that matches his own. The thought of Mike, hard from kissing Will, only serves to make Will harder. Mike has a faint blush on his cheeks, his lips shiny from kissing. Will can't help but kiss him again.
Without meaning to, Will grinds down, his breath stutters at how good it feels. This could be over a lot quicker than he would like to admit.
Mike's big hands hold Will's waist, encouraging him to move, so Will does. He leans his body forward so their erections touch on every downward grind. Will is making little embarrassing noises at the contact.
They aren't really kissing as much as they are now just breathing into each other's mouths. Will brings his hands back into Mike's hair and tugs. It elicits a loud groan from Mike.
“Shhh,” Will half moans.
Mike meets Wills grinding with an upward shift of his own hips. The pressure is now tenfold.
“Oh fuck.” Will feels half-crazed. He has never felt anything this good. What was once a warm haze in his stomach is now a fire. He can feel just how close he is and only hopes Mike is in a similar predicament.
Mike smiles into their next kiss, clearly happy at how worked up Will is. He bites Will's lower lip on a particularly rough grind, and that's it for Will. He can feel himself shudder as stars light up behind his eyes. He has never cum so hard in his life.
He must be making noises, because Mike is shushing him sweetly. When Will finally comes down, he opens his eyes to find Mike watching him.
“That was…” Will doesn't have the words to describe just how magical that was.
Will shifts and Mike's eyes flutter closed. Will looks down, remembering just how hard Mike must be. Will gets up and off of Mike, despite Mike's obvious protest.
“Can I?” Will spreads Mike's legs apart, kneeling between them. Mike's eyes widen in surprise, and Will only smiles in response. If he is going to get one opportunity to do this, Will plans on making the most out of it.
Mike stutters out a yes, giving an eager nod that showcases his real feelings on the matter. Will chuckles to himself and gets to work.
Will unbuckles Mike's belt, then unzips his jeans. Mike makes a choked-off noise as Will takes him out of his pants. Will has never done this before, but he is determined to make this good for Mike. Will doesn't hesitate, deciding it would be best to just jump right in, and puts Mike into his mouth.
“Ooh holy shit, Will,” Mike half wheezes, half moans.
Mike tastes a bit salty, a little like a manly soap, and something utterly Mike. Will lets his hands rest on the sides of Mike's thighs, gripping for leverage as he begins to move his head up and down. At first he isn't sure he is any good at it, but if the way Mike is moaning is anything to go by, he must be doing something right. Will tries to take his length all the way, but chokes when it touches the back of his throat. He definitely will need to practice some more.
It doesn't take long for Mike to become a moaning mess. He attempts to warn Will that he is about to cum, but Will ignores him, doubling down on his movements as mikes seed coats his mouth. It's warm and a bit too salty, but nothing Will can't get down with a slight grimace.
Will's mouth makes a popping noise as he pulls away. They're both breathing heavily, for different reasons. Will gives Mike a shy smile.
“How was that?”
“Will, that was literally the most amazing thing to ever happen to me.” Mike has a dazed look on his face, staring at Will as he gets up from the floor and sits back down on the couch.
“I'm glad you liked it.” Will's voice is a bit hoarse, but he can't help smiling widely.
“Was that better than Carlton?” Mike asks as he zips his pants back up and rebuckles his pants.
Will looks taken aback. “Carlton? We barely even kissed?!” Will shakes his head fondly. “This was so much more than what I've done with Carlton. And it-” Will cuts himself off, stealing himself for what he is about to say. “And this meant way more to me than anything I'd have done with Carlton.” Will stares at the wall on the other side of the room, preparing for a sort of rejection despite what they just did.
“Will, I like you.” Mike grabs onto Will's hand, holding it gently. Will turns his head, surprised. “This meant a lot to me, too. I only ever suggested we ‘practice kissing’ because I was jealous someone else would get to do that with you. I wanted you to kiss me. Not Carlton."
Will is taken aback for about 5 seconds. “You wanted to kiss me?”
Mike rolls his eyes, smiling not unkindly. “Ever since I found out I could kiss you, I've thought of it nonstop. Do you…” Mike's face turns nervous, “Do you not like me?”
Will scoffs, “Of course I like you, you idiot.”
Mike grins, leaning in to hug Will. Will laughs, almost in disbelief that this could be happening to him, as he returns the hug.
“Does this mean we’re boyfriends now?” Will asks hopefully.
“I sure hope so,” Mike laughs, not letting Will pull away from the hug.
They stay like that, intertwined, for the next few minutes. Letting themselves bask in the freedom of being openly together for the first time in their harrowing existence.