Chapter Text
Will was turning 24 today. Twenty. Four. 2 4, on this day, March 22nd. Holy shit.
He'd come such a long way from being a closeted queer teenager with a stupid, childish crush on his straight best friend.. oh well, so goes the life of a gay teen in a small town. You've gotta have at least one crush on a straight person.
Now, he had a boyfriend, Carlton. More friends. Meeting people in college like him was such a freeing experience, especially in Manhattan.. God, he loved it here in the city. It felt so much more welcoming than the small, stuck-in-their-ways town of Hawkins, Indiana. He was glad to took Jonathan's advice to attend NYU. Sure, him and his boyfriend argued a bit about school and other stupid shit, but what couple doesn't? It's not that big of a deal, anyway, they forgave each other!.. days after the fact.. but still!
..But tonight.. he really didn't wanna argue. Seriously. I mean, it was his birthday! Who wants to argue on their birthday of all days?
But Carlton had other plans.
"Carlton, I'm not eyefucking anyone! What is your problem, dude?!" Will barks back. Carlton had been bitching at him for the past 30 fucking minutes about how Will was "eyefucking" his friend, Edouard. Sure, he was hot, but one, Will wasn't that type of guy, and two, Edouard had a boyfriend himself.
"Then why are you looking at him like that, huh?" Hisses Carlton.
"Like what?!"
"Like you wanna fuck him!"
"I'm fucking not! Get your eyes checked, seriously! I'm tired of you thinking I'm trying to fuck anyone with a heartbeat! You know I wouldn't do that! Now can you stop?? It's my fucking birthday, I don't wanna argue with you." Will snaps. He was truly annoyed with how insecure Carlton was. He was fine with the need for reassurance, he needed that himself, but Carlton just assumed and argued based on that assumption, thinking he's right when he never is.
"Y'know what? I'm going home, fuck you." Carlton grumbled as he stormed off like some sort of angry 12 year old who was just told that no, they can't go on the family computer, it's time for dinner.
"Are you fucking serious, Carlton?!" Will yelled, genuinely shocked at the pure immaturity of this man. It truly baffled him.
..Y'know what? Fuck it. If Carlton wanted to assume the worst, he'll do the worst. He was a little buzzed, anyway, it's not like he'd remember or continuously see whoever he decides to fuck again.
His eyes scanned the dive bar they were in, The Cornerstone, seeing no one that peaked his interest.. until he sees a familiar face. A terrifyingly familiar face.
"Mike?!"