Chapter Text
“You like him.”
The accusation pointed at him was out of the blue, but Will wasn't shocked. Carlton had been making jabs at Will and Mike’s friendship (emphasis on friend) the whole time they had been in Hawkins. Will knows he and Mike’s friendship is a little different than others, but he blames that on the trauma. He's not dumb enough to think it's because Mike feels any kind of way towards him— and he doesn't want that to be the case either. He has a boyfriend. A boyfriend whom he loves. A boyfriend who needs to be placated for the fiftieth time.
“I like you.” Will assures him, putting his hand on Carlton's shoulder comfortingly. He feels his shoulders rise and sink with a loud, irritated sigh.
“Well he likes you then. He’s been staring at you all night.”
Will follows his boyfriend's gaze to where Mike sits, next to Lucas and Max. He is clearly not listening to anything they’re saying, instead staring at the plate of food in front of him.
“He’s zoned out,” Will clarifies, though making sure to keep his voice down. Mike’s only a few feet away. “He’s probably been staring at everyone.”
“Nope, just you.” Carlton says in an annoying, snarky tone.
Will rolls his eyes and turns his upper body towards him. “Look, Carl, we’re only in Hawkins for four days, okay? So if you could stop with this-”
“Food!” Holly's pleased cry cuts off Will’s rant. He gives Carlton a look as Joyce enters the room holding multiple dishes in each arm. A look that says ‘we’ll talk about this later’.
Carlton rolls his eyes and Will straightens up, turning his attention to where Hopper sits at the end of the long table.
“Can I have everyone’s attention, please!” His step-fathers voice is a command more than anything else. The whole table goes silent, their attention on Hop as he stands up.
“I would like to start us off by saying how grateful I am for my beautiful wife, Joyce.” He smiles down at where she stands, still setting down plates full of food. “Im forever thankful that I managed to wear you down. I know how hard it must have been to let someone in your life at that time.” The table cheers, and Jim waves them off with a chuckle. “Speaking of family, I would like to add how grateful I am that I get to be a part of the Byers brothers' lives.” Will and Jonathan share a silly, happy look, and the table bursts into an abundance of ‘aww’s. Will loves Hop like his own father. Though, actually, he loves Hop more than his own father, who never was all that nice. “Nows the inevitable time where we have to get serious.” Will knows what's coming next. Eleven Hopper is coming next. Ever since she died, Hop has tried to be more openly vulnerable to the people he's close to, meaning he's heard speeches on Hopper’s love and grief for his late daughter multiple times before. It makes him cry every time.
“One person I will always think of during this time of the year is my lovely daughters. Both of them. But especially my sweet El.” Will leans on Carlton’s shoulder, his eyes already beginning to tear up. “She was to some of you, a friend. A sister. A little sister figure. Unfortunately, to some, she was a sweetheart,” He throws a glance at Mike, who turns red and looks away. Will doesn't miss the discomfort in his face. “Whoever she was to you, she was important. She was one of a kind. She was.. everything,” He cuts himself off. “And she would love mashed potatoes.” The table laughs, and someone in the back— probably Steve –calls out an ‘amen’.
Everyone begins to share old stories— being careful not to bring up anything supernatural while Carlton's around, and suddenly Will is hit with such a strong feeling of gratitude for the people around him. He just wishes his sister could have been here with him.
~
“Good night, Joyce! Thank you for the delicious food!” Will hears his mum and his boyfriend's conversation from where he’s lying on his childhood bed. All this food he’s eaten might actually send him into a food coma.
“Oh, please, call me-” His mother stops abruptly. “Oh. You already did.” She taps the doorframe to catch Will’s eye. “Goodnight sweetie. You two have fun!”
“Not too much fun!” Comes Hoppers ' annoyed rumble from somewhere across the hall. Will groans in embarrassment, and Carlton just chuckles and closes the door.
“I think we’ll have plenty of fun,” Carlton winks.
But Will is still sour about the hissy fit he threw earlier. “No, Carl. We need to talk.”
Just like that, Carlton’s expression changes from flirtatious to stormy in an instant. “Is this about your not so secret admirer? Because I have nothing else to add.”
Will rolls his eyes at his boyfriend's childish behaviour. “I don't know how much I can stress to you that he does not like me like that. He was dating my sister, for god's sake!”
“You don't think it was at all suspicious that he dated your twin sister? Who supposedly looked exactly like you?”
“No, I don't. And you wouldn't either if you knew the whole story.”
Carlton releases a heavy, grinding exhale. “So tell me! What is it, do you not trust me?”
“No, I… it's just…” Suddenly his hands become the most interesting things in the world. “Mike doesn't like me. Not like that.” He settles on after a couple minutes of tense silence.
“Prove it.” Comes Carlton's snark reply. What the fuck?
“And how do you expect me to do that?”
“Flirt with him. Kiss him. Fucking confess your undying love for him-”
“You want me to cheat on you?” Will asks, with a ludicrous expression.
“No! yes. No. Dont…” He sighs. “Just…flirt. I don't know. But if he reciprocates…” Carlton trails off, but the look on his face tells Will maybe he doesn't want to know what comes at the end of that sentence.